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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Wow — where to start! So much going on at the county this season!
Catch highlights of my time in the nation's capital meeting with our federal delegates as well as agencies, and a border visit to El Paso, Texas, where I studied how local constituencies apply existing or design new programming for recent arrivals.
For local highlights in this newsletter, you'll find a Metropolitan Council release on Blue Line Light Rail extension milestones, a mosquito season update, info on a new clinic on Lake Street, the sign-up for the annual Step To It challenge, and information on Hennepin County's seasonal environmental initiatives — including the annual salvage crawl — for additional coverage, check out Hennepin County's Green Notes.
My best,
In March, colleagues and I traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with our congressional delegation and call on White House policy staff. The conversations were reaffirming of the investments the county is making in the region, particularly in housing, transit, climate, and addressing racial equity in each of these.
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 Photo published by NaCo County News Now
I had the opportunity to visit the border city of El Paso, Texas, with county commissioners from across the country to view firsthand immigration and migrant-welcoming operations, and learn how local constituencies design programming for new arrivals.
Read more on the visit from NaCo County News Now here.
These are highlights from a recent Metropolitan Council update on the Blue Line Light Rail Extension.
Early estimated ridership and cost ranges for the METRO Blue Line Extension indicate this proposed light rail project will continue to be highly competitive for federal funding through the Federal Transit Administration’s New Starts program.
The two existing light rail transit (LRT) lines are the backbone of our regional transit system. They carry 1/3 of all riders on Metro Transit, nearly double the riders of all bus rapid transit (BRT) and arterial BRT lines combined. The METRO Blue Line Extension will extend the existing Blue Line light rail 13.4 miles north, connecting communities in North Minneapolis, Robbinsdale, Crystal, and Brooklyn Park to the regional light rail network.
Project staff will update the ridership estimates again this summer to reflect a revised model expected from the FTA this spring and new local data based on 2023 regional transit ridership.
Current projections at 15% design and engineering show a base cost for constructing the line at $2.2 billion. To account for potential costs associated with unknown risks and conditions at this early design phase, the federal government also requires projects to add contingency costs between 35% and 45%, leading to a preliminary total cost range between $2.9 billion and $3.2 billion.
These preliminary ranges are consistent with national trends in inflation and rising construction costs since the pandemic. The Blue Line Extension remains on the lower end of comparable projects around the country in terms of relative cost.
Read more and next steps here.
Staff from the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District (MMCD) visited a Hennepin County commission meeting earlier this year to present a summary of activity for 2023 and a preview of what is planned for 2024. Residents can view the slides that were presented at the link below.
There was nothing normal about the past winter. Unusual warmth and light precipitation from December through February led to early findings of some of our annual pests. Staff at MMCD found the first deer tick of the year on February 5th and the first mosquito larva in a wetland on February 26th, both much earlier than normal. For a while it was looking like the Twin Cities would be in store for an early spring, but cooler weather in March and April has mostly gotten us back on track for a normal year.
MMCD will be conducting surveillance and treatment activities in our community to reduce the risk of disease and annoyance in an environmentally-sensitive manner. Each year field staff at MMCD monitors and treats wetlands that breed mosquitoes with a fleet of trucks and helicopters. Many of the seasonal staff begin working in April and residents of the seven-county metro may notice the green or white trucks with the MMCD logo or staff on bikes or on foot wearing brightly colored “Mosquito Control” shirts.
At times MMCD employees may need to cross private property for access to check and treat areas for mosquito larvae. If you have questions about mosquito control activities or concerns about an employee, please call the MMCD front desk at (651) 645-9149 or visit MMCD.org.
This spring I was honored to join Mohamed Adan, Abass Basha, Ahmed Omar, and Aman Hussein for the ribbon cutting of their new clinic on Lake Street, PrimeMed Clinic. Their vision is to provide high-quality primary care services to patients of all ages, backgrounds, and needs, regardless of income, insurance status, or background. Congratulations on the opening!
For more information go to their website.
This May, participate in Hennepin County’s Salvage Crawl and get to know home improvement thrift stores in the Twin Cities. These retailers offer a wide variety of building materials, hardware, tools, and other home improvement items. From old growth lumber to vintage light fixtures and everything in between, you’ll be sure to find both inspiration and quality materials for your next project.
How to participate
Visit participating salvage retailers from May 1 to 31 and check in using the QR code on the Hennepin County Salvage Crawl poster near the checkout counter to be entered into a drawing to win one of five prizes. Find a list of retailers, interactive map, and description of prizes at hennepin.us/salvage.
Building reuse grants
Hennepin County has funding available for projects that reuse and recycle building materials in the removal, alteration, or renovation of a building.
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Grants for homeowners: During your next home project, consider deconstruction instead of demolition. You'll help keep salvageable materials out of landfills, and you may receive a grant of up to $5,000.
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Grants for property developers: Think green when it's time to redo your buildings. Grants of up to $10,000 are available for property owners and developers who choose deconstruction versus demolition.
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Used building material grants: Want to add true character or retro flair to your home remodel? Choose a salvaged treasure instead of buying new and you may be eligible for a grant of up to $5,000.
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Structural move grants: By physically relocating a building, you can avoid demolition and preserve the structure’s cultural and historical integrity.
The Salvage Crawl and the Building Reuse Grants are a part of the county’s efforts to increase the reuse and recycling of construction and demolition waste, one of the highest impact zero-waste actions.
May is Arbor Month, and this year we are celebrating the many benefits that trees provide to our communities.
Trees and forests improve our air and water, making us and our communities healthier. They reduce the urban heat island effect and conserve energy by providing shade. Trees provide climate benefits by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and storing carbon in their wood. They also increase property values, make our streets safer, and provide wildlife habitat.
The recent influx of $10 million from an Inflation Reduction Act and USDA Forest Service grant further expands our capacity to improve the tree canopy by increasing our forestry unit staffing by 60% and nearly doubling the budget for the next five years. The county is using these resources to plant trees in areas with lower tree canopy cover to mitigate the heat island effect and improve air quality. This work will increase tree cover by planting two trees for every tree removed.
As of the beginning of 2024, Hennepin County is already one-third of the way to our climate-action goal of planting 1 million trees by 2030 with the help of cities, partners, and residents. We need everyone’s help to achieve our goal! See our Arbor Day resources for information about planting trees and caring for mature trees.
Below are updates on some Hennepin County forestry initiatives that are helping to protect the county’s tree canopy and maximize the benefits of trees. Subscribe to the Canopy newsletter to receive more updates on forestry programs and offerings.
Spring tree plantings
Hennepin County foresters will be planting 1,000 trees from the county’s gravel bed nursery and 20,000 tree seedlings along roadways, at county facilities, on conservation easements, and at parks this year. This includes a partnership with MnDOT to plant 160 trees across seven sites along the Interstate 94 corridor and a partnership with the City of Minnetonka to plant over 8,100 seedlings at Ford Park.
Trees and forests learning series
Hennepin County forestry is offering free monthly learning opportunities about trees and forests for residents. These sessions require no previous knowledge, are open to the public, and rotate between virtual webinars, in-person trainings, and hybrid webinars and trainings. Recordings from webinars will be available for those who are unable to attend.
The following sessions are planned this spring and summer:
- Tree planting and selection webinar, Thursday, May 23 from 6 to 7 p.m.
- Tree identification in-person workshop, Thursday, June 20 from 6 to 8 pm.
- Diagnosing common tree defects and health issues in-person workshop, Thursday, July 25 from 6 to 8 p.m.
- Get to know your soil hybrid workshop, Thursday, August 22 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Find details and register to attend a session.
This summer, Hennepin and Ramsey counties will partner with volunteer community scientists to gather data to better understand urban heat islands. These are urban areas where the temperature can be significantly higher than in nearby rural areas or large green spaces due to more concrete and other impermeable surfaces that radiate heat along with less tree canopy and greenspace to mitigate the heat.
Hennepin and Ramsey counties are one of 14 U.S. communities and four international cities doing this work as part of NOAA’s 2024 Urban Heat Island Mapping Campaign.
Using heat sensors mounted on their cars, volunteer community scientists will traverse their neighborhoods in the morning, afternoon, and evening on one of the hottest days of the year. The sensors record temperature, humidity, time, and location. This data, paired with community engagement, analysis, and modeling, allows communities to develop hyper-local descriptions of where the hottest parts of their neighborhoods are and inform strategies to reduce the health impacts of extreme heat and provide cooling relief for those living in the hottest areas.
More information about how to get involved will be announced soon. For more information, contact urbanheat@hennepin.us.
Minnesota Water Stewards five-year report
Highlighting the collective impact stewards have had on engaging community and improving water quality
Clean water starts here! Hennepin County recently published a report showing the work and collective impact of Minnesota Water Stewards trained by county staff from 2018 to 2023.
See the report Minnesota Water Stewards: Hennepin County cohorts 2018 - 2023 (PDF).
Minnesota Water Stewards is program coordinated in partnership with Freshwater that trains residents to be water advocates in their communities.
Impacts stewards have had in the community and on water quality since 2018 include:
- 28 certified stewards, including 23 traditional stewards and five Art for Water stewards
- 1,812 people engaged through in-person outreach
- 3.15 million gallons of rain water intercepted
- 1,924 pounds of sediment reduction
In addition to the collective results, the report includes features on each steward’s capstone project.
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Hennepin County is holding community collection events in 2024 to give residents more convenient, local disposal options for unwanted garden and household hazardous wastes.
Events will take place Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the following dates:
- May 3 and 4 at Minnetonka Public Works
- June 21 and 22 at Sullivan STEAM School in Minneapolis
- August 9 and 10 at Jenny Lind Elementary School in Minneapolis
- September 20 and 21 at the Hennepin County Public Works Orono Shop
Before you go, check safety guidelines and the list of acceptable materials.
Backyard composting workshops
Learn how to recycle your food scraps and yard waste into compost – right in your own backyard – at an upcoming free online webinar or in-person workshop.
- Tuesday, April 30 from 7 to 8 p.m. Virtual on Zoom. Register.
- Monday, May 6 from noon to 1 p.m. Virtual on Zoom. Register.
- Saturday, May 18 from 10 to 11 a.m. In person at the Hopkins Library. Register.
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Hennepin County is holding the annual Step to It Challenge to motivate people of all ages and abilities to become more active.
Participants record their daily activity online. This event is free and open to anyone in Hennepin County. The challenge runs from May 1-28, 2024. Registration is now open.
Improve your health and well-being
Participants can win Minnesota Twin’s tickets and collectables! Those who live in eligible communities and meet certain requirements of the challenge are eligible for random drawings of prizes. Participants do not need a pedometer, activity tracker or smart watch to participate; all activity can be recorded on the Step to it website.
Anyone can join and participate individually or in a group. Schools, workplaces, faith communities, and neighborhoods can form a group and participate together. Find others using the hashtag #StepToIt on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
There are many benefits to exercise and daily movement. Getting outdoors after the winter helps with physical and mental health. All forms of movement count towards the step challenge. Playing catch, taking a stroll with a loved one, doing yard work, and other activities all contribute to daily steps.
Learn more and sign up at Steptoit.org.
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Contact us
Marion Greene
Commissioner, 3rd District
612-348-7883
Elie Farhat
Principal Aide
612-348-7125
Laura Hoffman
District Aide
612-348-0863
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