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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
January 8, 2019
County Board Organizational Structure
At its first meeting of the year, the county board set the organization structure for 2019.
Chair: Marion Greene
Vice-Chair: Mike Opat
Committee Chairs:
- Administration, Libraries and Budget: Commissioner Debbie Goettel
- Health and Human Services: Commissioner Angela Conley
- Intergovernmental Relations: Commissioner Jan Callison, and Mike Opat
- Public Safety: Commissioner Jeff Johnson
- Public Works: Commissioner Mike Opat
Regional Railroad Authority leadership
Acting as the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority, the board elected its 2019 leadership.
Chair: Jan Callison
Vice-Chair: Mike Opat
January 15, 2019
Housing and Redevelopments Authority leadership
Acting as the Hennepin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority, the board elected its leadership.
Chair: Irene Fernando
Vice-Chair: Debbie Goettel
January 22, 2019
Projects receive funding to clean up contaminated sites
 The board awarded $1.6 million of Environmental Response Fund grants for nine projects to assess and clean up contaminated sites where added environmental costs hinder site improvements or redevelopment.
The following projects will receive grant funding:
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Checkerboard — affordable and market-rate rental units and retail space, Minneapolis
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City of Lakes Community Land Trust Homebuyer Initiated Program — rehabilitation of single-family homes, Minneapolis
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Creekside at Van White — new office building, Minneapolis
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Currie Park — park cleanup and improvements, Minneapolis
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Gateway Northeast — affordable and market-rate apartment complex and retail space, Minneapolis
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Lake Street Affordable Housing — affordable rental units and retail space, Minneapolis
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Minnesota Brownfields Gap Financing Program — environmental assessment grant program, countywide
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Portland and Washington Mixed-Use Development — affordable and market rate rental units, fire station, office and retail space, Minneapolis
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Robbinsdale Apartments — market-rate rental units, Robbinsdale
Read more about the grant awards.
Read more about Environmental Response Fund grant funding.
School receive recycling grants
The county has awarded four grants to help schools reduce, reuse, recycle or compost:
- Cristo Rey Jesuit High School (Minneapolis), $12,200
- Metro Schools (Minneapolis), $4,000
- Robbinsdale Area Schools, $15,000
- Yinghua Academy (Minneapolis), $9,100
View the board action.
Learn more about school recycling grants.
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.
January 24, 2019
Engagement Update
Communications staff presented on strategic engagement at Hennepin County, what our current activities are, what we have learned from current practice, and where we are going next. Communications currently has a strategic coordinator position embedded in its department with the intent of developing a consistent and trusted framework to coordinate community engagement and outreach efforts countywide. In the future, county administration would like to grow this practice through a county-wide engagement coordinator and business line engagement specialists. Another engagement tool is an initiative that I brought forward that was approved by the county board - Hennepin County InSight. This initiative is a strategic effort to raise public dialogue with all residents of Hennepin County through a series of active and authentic conversations. By understanding the needs of our residents and also educating our residents about county fuctions, we will be able to better shape the priorities and vision of Hennepin County government in the years to come so that we continue to be a regional and national leader.
February 1 - February 26, 2019
A hidden treasure revealed
See an exhibition of photos from the John F. Glanton Collection, on display at the Hennepin Gallery at the Government Center, downtown. Glanton captured photos of the Twin Cities African American community in the 1940s. The negatives were only recently rediscovered in his garage. The photos are always available online, in Hennepin County Library Special Collections, and the exhibit will on view through February 26.
Learn more about the Glanton Collection exhibit.
February 7, 2019
Sharing Creative Moments: Arts and Dementia
 This four-week, multi-disciplinary (poetry and visual arts) class is for people with dementia and a loved one or caregiver.
When: Thursday, February 7
10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Where: Ridgedale Library
12601 Ridgedale Drive, Minnetonka
Read more about this arts program.
February 12, 2019
Public hearing on food protection
When: Tuesday, February 12
1:30 p.m.
Where: A-2400 Government Center
300 South Sixth Street, Minneapolis
This ordinance establishes standards for the regulation of food establishments to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the people of Hennepin County.
View the board action.
View the ordinance.
February 21, 2019
Apply for Minnehaha Creek Watershed District Board
The county board is accepting applications for two vacancies on the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District Board. This board coordinates the management of water and related land resources in the watershed that drains into Lake Minnetonka and Minnehaha Creek.
Apply by February 21, 2019, at hennepin.us/advisoryboards.
County snowplow crews are always ready for winter’s challenges
During winter weather, Hennepin County's eighty snowplow operators play a vital role in keeping county roads operational and safe for 1.2 million residents. When roads get snowy or icy, we hit the more than 2,200 lane miles – often starting as early as 2 a.m. The goal is always to have the roads ready by the morning commute and to have done so in an efficient, effective and environmentally friendly manner.
Watch a 2-minute video of how Hennepin County snowplows get the job done.
The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office are partnering with one another and other County and city/township efforts to assist residents in need during the severe weather this week. The two Sheriff’s Offices are working in conjunction with other organizations to secure temporary shelter for homeless individuals during the severe weather, and soliciting donations of winter clothing and items for those in need.
Both the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office will host sites where the public can drop off cold weather items, such as hats, mittens, boots, scarves and blankets. Donations of unused cold weather items may be dropped off at the following locations, from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm:
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Hennepin County
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Ramsey County
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Sheriff’s Office Administration
350 South Fifth Street, Room 6 Minneapolis, MN 55415
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Sheriff’s Office
425 Grove Street Saint Paul, MN 55101
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Sheriff’s Patrol Headquarters
9401 83rd Avenue North Brooklyn Park, MN 55445
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Sheriff’s Patrol Station
1411 Paul Kirkwold Drive Arden Hills, MN 55112
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Sheriff’s Water Patrol Headquarters
4141 Shoreline Dr. Spring Park, MN 55384
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Sheriff’s Office Emergency Communications Facility
1245 Shenandoah Lane Plymouth, MN 55447
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In addition, non-perishable meals are being organized to be made available at all sites. Both the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and Ramsey County Sheriff’s Offices will have extra patrol on duty to be available to provide transportation to shelter as needed. Deputies will assist in other ways as requested or needed.
Find more information about the Hennepin County Sheriff's office at https://www.hennepinsheriff.org/.
 Library staff sent out the following communication regarding the currently building project for the Southdale Library.
Thank you for your continued patience and engagement in the Southdale Library project. Since the last update, Hennepin County has been exploring an option to locate the new Southdale Library at Southdale Center.
When new options present themselves, it is our responsibility to fully explore them. We appreciate your patience as we take the time needed to ensure the new Southdale Library meets community need. Your comments and priorities identified at past community meetings are part of these discussions. This is a significant project for the county and our community. Important considerations include fiscal responsibility related to construction and operational costs, access to other services and access to public transportation.
No matter the physical location, the new library will offer spaces for both focused and collaborative work, technology to bridge the digital divide, a variety of seating options with access to power sources, ample library materials, and early learning spaces for school readiness. Currently, a location decision is expected by summer 2019, with a new library open to the public by 2022.
We will continue to email updates as we have them. If you know someone who wants to be added to this project update email list, have them contact SouthdaleProject@hclib.org.
More information can be found on the building project webpage.
Southdale Courthouse to close today
The Southdale Courthouse will close permanently at the end of the day today, February 1, 2019.
Starting Monday, February 4, 2019, misdemeanor criminal and traffic cases that would have been scheduled for court at Southdale will be moved to Ridgedale and two downtown Minneapolis locations – the Hennepin County Government Center and Public Safety Facility.
There will be no court calendars or payments accepted at the Southdale Courthouse on Friday, February 1, 2019.
Cases prosecuted by the following jurisdictions will move to new court locations:
- Bloomington, Metropolitan Airport Commission (Minneapolis/St.Paul International Airport), and Richfield cases will go to the Hennepin County Government Center and Public Safety Facility.
- Edina and St. Louis Park cases will go to the Ridgedale court location.
- Also, as a result of the restructure, Golden Valley, Plymouth, and Maple Grove cases will move from the Ridgedale to the Brookdale court location.
For more information, visit www.mncourts.gov/district/4/
Medicine Drop Box at Southdale Library is moving
The medicine drop box that is currently located at the Southdale Library will be moved later this week due to the courts relocation. Federal law prohibits collection boxes, like this one, at locations where there is not a law enforcement presence.
There are many other collection sites located around the county.
You can find a full listing of locations in the pamphlets on top of the medicine box or at https://www.hennepin.us/medicine. The closest drop boxes to Southdale include:
- Edina – Walgreens store
6975 York Ave S, Edina, MN 55435
- Bloomington – HealthPartners Bloomington Clinic
8600 Nicollet Ave S, Bloomington, MN 55420-2855
- Bloomington – Walgreens store
9800 Lyndale Ave S, Bloomington, MN 55420
- Richfield – Hennepin Healthcare Richfield Clinic and Pharmacy
Located in Market Plaza
790 W. 66th St., Richfield, MN 55423
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
Bill Fellman
Administrative Assistant
612-348-3168
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