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Neighbors,
I hope you have been enjoying the summer so far. Our office has had a busy past few months and we can’t believe budget season is already around the corner! Budget season, which commences in late September, will be a period of about two and a half months when my colleagues and I review how our budget served the needs of residents in 2023 and decide what changes must be made to ensure that county government is equitably and efficiently supporting residents better in 2024. Some of the areas of county services that our office will be looking closely at include:
- The quality and effectiveness of services that are a part of the continuum of care for residents who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness.
- Behavioral health care for residents suffering from severe addiction and mental health illness.
- Environmental pollutants that are impacting the air quality and well-being of residents.
As always, we need to hear from you on what our priorities should be this fall. Send me a note or reach out to our office staff to schedule time to talk more about what is important to you and our neighbors.
In this month’s newsletter, we highlight Black Business Month, special visitors at our local county libraries in the District, and a debrief from our time in Austin, Texas (Travis County) at the National Association of Counties’ annual conference which took place last month.
Thank you for staying engaged and sharing with our office how you need County Government to best serve.
With wellness,
Angela
Rethinking I-94 is a long-term process to engage communities that live, work, commute, and play along the corridor, and the project just reached a new milestone. Minnesota Department of Transportation has released project alternatives for public feedback. Make sure to share your thoughts. bit.ly/44gYEoJ
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Minneapolis kicked off the celebration with its own Black Business Week celebration and featured events such as panels and workshops centering on Black-owned businesses. |
 The county is excited to use the month of August to celebrate Black-owned businesses and promote resources that can help bridge the business gap.
Based on population data, Hennepin County is “missing” over 4,500 Black-owned businesses. Those businesses would provide income, jobs, and other valuable resources for our communities.
County programs are working to reduce this disparity.
For example, Elevate Hennepin offers no-cost business advising to Hennepin County businesses with a goal to address these kinds of gaps in entrepreneurship. And it's working.
In the latest program report, 42 percent of businesses who got no-cost advising through Elevate Hennepin identified as Black or African American.
We can all help by shopping with black businesses.
To explore this robust business community and support these local entrepreneurs, find a directory of Minnesota Black-owned at MNBlackBusiness.com.
Llamas at the Library
My kids and I had a fantastic time playing with llamas at Franklin library. This event was offered at more than a dozen Hennepin County libraries this summer. People of all ages had a chance to learn about the animals, connect with their neighbors, and spend time enjoying our beautiful public spaces.
Rep. Ilhan Omar Open House
National Association of Counties Annual Conference
Our team recently visited Travis County, Texas to bring Hennepin priorities to our national platform. My resolutions on Guaranteed Basic income, removing financial penalties from families seeking emergency shelter, and programming that supports women’s heart health all passed!
Commissioner Angela Conley would like to hear from you and what priorities you would like to see introduced to our federal partners, in year 2024. Email Commissioner Conley, angela.conley@hennepin.us, with your priorities for the upcoming year.
Thank you!
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National Association of Counties Annual Conference
Our team recently visited Travis County, Texas to bring Hennepin priorities to our national platform. My resolutions on Guaranteed Basic income, removing financial penalties from families seeking emergency shelter, and programming that supports women’s heart health all passed!
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Update Regarding Short-Term Improvements to the Intersections of Cedar Ave & Edgewater Blvd/Cedar Ave & Nokomis Pkwy
We have been engaging in ongoing, multijurisdictional conversations between the City of Minneapolis, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, and Hennepin County regarding increasing safety at the intersections of Cedar Ave & Edgewater Blvd/Cedar Ave & Nokomis Pkwy.
In October 2022, Council Member Emily Koski hosted a Community Meeting on the intersections of Cedar Ave & Edgewater Blvd/Cedar Ave & Nokomis Pkwy with the City of Minneapolis, Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board and Hennepin County, to discuss the work that has been done at the intersections, introduce the proposed pilot project which would test improvements to the intersections, and receive community input about the future of the intersections.
And, as a result of all this work, we are moving forward with the implementation of the proposed pilot project, which includes…
- Closing Median at Edgewater Blvd, Right In, Right Out Onto/From Edgewater Blvd Only, for a 6-Week Evaluation Period
- Installing Bollard Median on the North Side of the Cedar/Lake Nokomis intersection.
- Converting the Two Northbound Through Lanes to One Through and One Left Turn Lane
- Installing Northbound Left Turn Lane Arrow
- Installing Eastbound Right Turn Arrow
- Improving Traffic Signal Visibility
Our goal is to increase safety at the intersections, specifically to increase pedestrian, bike, and car safety, and we’re hoping that this pilot project will be a step towards finding a solution.
We have been collecting data and will continue collecting data once the short-term improvements have been installed.
The City of Minneapolis has a project page for the short-term improvements to the intersections of Cedar Ave & Edgewater Blvd/Cedar Ave & Nokomis Pkwy. Visit the project page for updates, and to give feedback/input on the short-term improvements after they are installed (www.minneapolismn.gov/government/projects/cedar-ave-nokomis-pkwy/).
If you have any questions, please reach out to the Ward 11 Office (Ward11@minneapolismn.gov; (612) 673-2211).
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Every Tuesday, join Plant-Grow-Share facilitators at Phelps Park! Popping up weekly to share activities around growing food, foraging and creating recipes based on what's available during the growing season. Events are free and open to the public. All ages and abilities are welcome!
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Contact us
Angela Conley
Commissioner, 4th District
Binta Kanteh
Policy Director
612-348-5204
Shanese Reed
District Outreach and Scheduler
612-348-3204
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