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Greetings,
I hope you are enjoying my electronic newsletters, and find them interesting and informative about county activities. In addition to my monthly newsletter, the county sends various newsletters and notifications available by email or text message. To explore the many opportunities to subscribe or to change your preferences, visit the subscription webpage.
Please feel free to send me your comments through my feedback form on issues that concern you or you would like covered. I value your opinions.
Warm regards,
Jan Callison
June 12, 2018
Grant will expand home visits to high-risk families
The board accepted a $2.1 million grant from the Minnesota
Department of Health to expand home visits and services that keep families
safe, healthy and supported. The county will work with community partners to
prevent families from needing late-stage services, such as child
protection.
Read more about this action.
Firm to hire residents on probation for Penn-Plymouth construction
The board approved a contract with Tri Construction to build out
a floor in a county building at the intersection of Penn and Plymouth avenues
in North Minneapolis. As part of the contract, the firm will hire 10 or more
county residents through the county's Community Productive Day Program. Tri
Construction will also sponsor these individuals into union apprenticeships,
where they will begin this new career pathway being paid prevailing wages and
receiving full benefits.
Read more about this action.
Read more about contract opportunities with the county.
Read more about Productive Day.
Board appoints candidate to Workforce Innovation Opportunity Board
The board appointed Nerita Hughes to the Workforce
Innovation Opportunity Board.
View the board action.
View more about citizen advisory boards.
Grant will support new NorthPoint dental clinic
The board approved a $600,000 grant from Delta Dental of
Minnesota Foundation to open the Dr. John Williams dental clinic at NorthPoint
Health and Wellness Center's 800 West Broadway location in Minneapolis.
The new clinic will meet the high demand of residents seeking
affordable dental care, providing an additional 2,300 annual dental visits per
year. By providing increased access to primary oral health care, NorthPoint
hopes to reduce health disparities among residents in this area.
Learn more about this action.
June 26, 2018
Schools receive recycling grants
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.
New structure will meet demand of child
protection court cases
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.
County to expand early learning in libraries
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.
Board gets Ketamine update
Hennepin Healthcare System gave an update to the board on use of
the sedative ketamine.
View a video of today’s board meeting
In addition to our regularly scheduled board meetings, the board
often meets on Thursday mornings to receive board briefings. These are
informal opportunities to discuss emerging issues. No votes are taken. Board briefings occur in the board room on the 24th floor of the
Hennepin County Government Center and are open to the public.
June 7, 2018
Southdale development
Staff presented the program vision and possible designs for
the future Southdale Library at the board briefing. The library, which will be
located on the Edina and Richfield border, is expected to be completed in 2021.
Project staff have held six community meetings to collect feedback and ideas
from the public about what they want to see incorporated into the design and
programming of the library, they will be holding another meeting in July.
Legislative update
The board also received an update following the conclusion
of the 2018 legislative session. Hennepin County staff were successful in
achieving some of the priorities established by the board, including $28.1
million for mental health crisis facilities and $30 million for behavioral
health supportive housing. The bonding bill, signed into law by Governor
Dayton, also included funding for transportation needs, including $35 million
for local roads and $5 million for bridge replacement. One of the top
priorities for the board was funding for a regional medical examiner’s
facility, which received $15.073 million in the bonding bill.
June 21, 2018
Elections
Secretary of State Steve Simon gave the Board an update on
election integrity and cyber security. Both Hennepin County and the Secretary of State’s Office have been
proactive in protecting elections from outside threats. Secretary of State
Steve Simon noted that cyber security is a bipartisan issue, and as a result of
the efforts put into protecting Minnesota elections in 2016, the state was able
to fend off an attempted attack and had the highest voter turnout rate in the
country. Under the guidance of election
administrators, Minnesota continues to be recognized nationally for its clean,
transparent elections procedures.
July 14, 2018
Author talk: Bao Phi
When: Saturday, July 14, 2 to 3 p.m.
Where: Southdale Library, 7001 York Avenue South, Edina
Join us as two-time Minnesota Grand Slam champion and National Poetry Slam finalist Bao Phi discusses his refugee experience, growing up in a racially diverse and economically poor neighborhood in the U.S., and how fatherhood shaped his latest book of poems, “Thousand Star Hotel.”
Learn more about this author talk.
July 15, 2018
Apply for the property appraisal pathway program
Right now, Project for Pride in Living is accepting applications for our new property appraisal pathway program. Trainees will be placed in a full-time, paid trainee position for one year and receive free courses in professional development and property appraisal. Learn more and find information on how to apply here.
July, 2018 - August 13, 2018
Absentee voting
Now through August 13th, you can vote early for the primary election at city halls across the county and at the Early Vote Center in downtown Minneapolis. Find out more about voting here.
Become an election judge
Hennepin County is
looking for residents to work as election judges in local elections this year.
Learn more about election judges.
Read more about the application
process.
Be a library card carrier
A library
card is a ticket to a bigger world. A Hennepin County Library card provides
access to not just books, but to an assortment of magazines, CDs and DVDs, as
well as an astounding array of online resources.
Learn how to get a Hennepin County
Library card.
Keep cool this summer
With summer in Minnesota in full swing, do not take hot days lightly. All across Hennepin County, there are many options to get inside and out of the heat. If you or your family have young children or elderly loved ones, it is especially important to take your health seriously with the hot weather. Visit Hennepin County's webpage on cooling options to find a location near you.
Shoreline area work
continues
This
week, crews are continuing construction of the new roadway and trail along the
shoreline area between Mill Street and Cemetery Road.
Here
is what you can expect this week along the shoreline area:
- Grading the new trail and
roadway with gravel
- Pouring concrete for curbs and
gutters
- Preparing bases and conduits
for new street lights
Paving next week
Crews
will return next week to pave between Mill Street and Cemetery Road. Weather
permitting, paving is expected to take up to three days to complete.
Access impacts on Martha
Lane during paving
Residents
and businesses on Martha Lane will experience intermittent closures while crews
pave through Martha Lane. The closure will occur on only one of the paving
days and should last no more than two hours.
During
the closures, people driving can use Mill Street to access businesses and
homes. People walking, biking or rolling can continue to use the trail path
connecting Mill Street and Martha Lane.
Sidewalk work at Lake
Street intersection
On
Friday, June 29, crews are scheduled to pour colored concrete at the pedestrian
curb ramp on the northwest corner of the Lake Street intersection.
First,
forms will be constructed to outline where the pedestrian ramp will be poured.
Then, crews will pour the concrete and let it cure.
Weather
permitting, the work should only take around two days. One day is needed for
the concrete work. An additional day is needed for the concrete to cure, or
strengthen for regular use.
During
concrete work, people walking, running and rolling will need to use adjacent
sidewalks to get around.
Excavations continue
Between Old Long Lake Road
and Luce Line Trail overpass
Crews
are continuing excavation work along the northern half of Wayzata Boulevard
between Old Long Lake Road and the Luce Line Trail overpass.
This
work will cause intermittent traffic impacts this week, as large trucks will be
hauling soil in and out of the work areas. Additional crews will be on
site to guide traffic during the work.
Weather
permitting, excavation work is expected to be complete by end of next week.
Shoulder strengthening work
begins late next week
Between Birches on the Lake
and Old Long Lake Road
Starting
late next week, crews will be doing shoulder strengthening work along the
northern half of Wayzata Boulevard between Birches on the Lake and Old Long
Lake Road.
The
shoulder work will provide extra strength to support traffic when traffic
shifts to the northern half of Wayzata Boulevard in mid-July. Weather
permitting, we anticipate this work to take up to three days to complete.
While
this will not impact through traffic, there will be brief closures to driveways
along the northern half of Wayzata Boulevard. Impacted residents and businesses
will be notified. People will still have access to Birches on the Lake during
our work.
Visiting local businesses
Please
remember you can still access all businesses throughout Wayzata Boulevard.
Plan ahead and allow yourself extra time to reach your destination.
If
you have any concerns about how to access a local business, please call the
business you are visiting or the project at 612-543-4275 or email at countyroad112@hennepin.us.
Staying safe
It is important to
follow posted speed limits and construction signs to help you navigate
through work zone, including evenings and weekends. Please allow yourself
some extra time to reach destinations in the area.
 The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners consists of one commissioner from each of seven districts. I am proud to represent Deephaven, north Eden Prairie, Edina, Excelsior, Greenwood, Hopkins, Long Lake, Minnetonka, Minnetonka Beach, northern Mound, Orono, Shorewood, Spring Park, Tonka Bay, Wayzata and Woodland.
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Jan Callison
Commissioner
6th District
612-348-7886
Allyson Sellwood
Policy Aide
612-348-6885
Christine Hoyles
Administrative Assistant
612-348-3168
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