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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Carolyn
Marinan, Communications, 612-348-5969
County board actions
The board adopted a plan to mitigate disasters, approved a new structure to meet demand of child protection court cases and approved a contract to expand early learning spaces in libraries.
 County updates hazard mitigation plan
The board adopted an updated plan to mitigate potential disasters, from severe weather and fires to acts of terrorism and infectious disease outbreaks.
This plan includes a completely revised assessment of all hazards facing the county and strategies to reduce potential impacts.
Hennepin County's primary goal for this planning process is to save lives. These efforts also have financial benefits: for every federal dollar spent on pre-disaster mitigation, six dollars are saved in response and recovery.
State and local governments must update plans every five years to receive Federal Emergency Management Agency mitigation grant funding. Hennepin County coordinated with neighboring governments and businesses to create the plan.
Learn
more about this action.
Learn
more about Hennepin County Emergency Management.
The board approved an action to create a public safety division dedicated to representing parents in child protection cases. During the last three years in Hennepin County, court filings to terminate parental rights have increased by nearly 100 percent. The county will recruit and retain experienced attorneys to meet this demand, meaning cases will be resolved in a more timely manner.
Read
more about this action.
The board approved a $750,000 contract to create or revise spaces in up to 10 Hennepin County libraries that support kindergarten readiness and school success. The exhibits will engage children and parents in hands-on activities that encourage reading and learning.
Learn more about Hennepin
County Library early learning programs.
Hennepin Healthcare System gave an update to the board on use of the sedative ketamine.
View a video of today’s board meeting (footage available late this afternoon).
The board accepted a $300,000 grant from the McKnight Foundation to develop methods for sharing and managing predictive analytics across departments. Predictive analytics involves gathering information to determine what trends or issues the county might face in the future. Hennepin County will work with the University of Minnesota to create data systems that county leadership across departments will use to make policy decisions.
Read
more about this action.
The
board accepted $212,842 of state funding to expand community-based housing
programs that serve people with disabilities. This grant will also fund a
housing resource specialist who will help staff navigate clients to the
appropriate services.
Learn
more about this funding award.
Hennepin County recently awarded eight grants totaling $150,300 to schools and school districts to reduce waste and improve recycling and organics recycling programs.
The schools and districts receiving grants are:
- Calvin Christian School in Edina
- Hopkins Public Schools
- Minneapolis Public Schools (11 schools)
- Minnetonka Public Schools (Minnetonka Middle School East)
- Nativity of Mary Catholic School in Bloomington
- Noble Academy in Brooklyn Park and Nompeng Academy in Brooklyn Center
- Osseo Area Schools (Fair Oaks Elementary)
- Prairie Seeds Academy in Brooklyn Park
Read
more about these grant awards.
Read
more about school recycling in Hennepin County.
Current and archival board meetings, agendas and minutes are available online. View at www.hennepin.us/boardmeetings.
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Look for more news on
the Hennepin County website at www.hennepin.us/news.
Discover how we're making a difference in our communities at www.hennepin.us/stories.
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