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Dear District 6 neighbors,
This week, I was sworn in as your Hennepin County Commissioner! It was an honor to be joined by my husband, Brett and our 3 sons Sam, Caleb and Josh as well as community members and Hennepin Staff. I am looking forward to the honor to represent District 6 on the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners!
My first official day was productive – I attended my first board meeting and was appointed to committees and board!
During this term, I will have the privilege of serving on the following committees and boards:
- Chair of the Resident Services Board Committee
- Vice-Chair of the Administration, Operation, and Budget Committee
- Vice Chair of Law, Safety, and Justice Committee
I was also appointed to the boards of Community Action Partnership of Hennepin County (CAP-HC), Heading Home Hennepin, Meet Minneapolis, and Metropolitan Emergency Services. I’m looking forward to digging into the work of these committees and boards, and to all of the good work we will do to improve the lives of District 6 residents.
I was elected on May 14th in a special election to represent our district. My husband, Brett, our three sons, and bichon-mini poodle, Lulu, live in Edina. Last week our sons just graduated 5th grade and our twins 8th grade – and like many of you we are excited to enjoy the beautiful Minnesota Summer!
For the past six years I have served in the Minnesota House of Representatives where I represented Edina and Bloomington. At the Capitol, I was the lead author of the READ Act, which made sweeping changes and investments in K-12 literacy across the State of Minnesota.
My other policy areas I have focused on are the intersection of mental health and public safety, and the complex human service needs of Minnesotans, from recovery to addiction to disability policy and environmental laws working to protect our water and climate.
I have a bachelor’s degree from Hamline University in Legal Studies and a master's degree from the University of Minnesota and had a career as a clinical outpatient mental health therapist before being elected to the House.
As a child, Hennepin County services were a lifeline for my family and how critical services like rental assistance and child, utility, and food support, and public transportation can be for the residents of Hennepin County.
I’m looking forward to bringing my expertise in public policy as well as my lived experience using County resources to the Board. Thank you for trusting me to represent you on the Board of Commissioners – it is truly an honor.
  
Over the next several months I plan to meet with all 16 mayors and city managers in District 6 to get to know what issues face our district and ways Hennepin County can support our cities and district as a whole. These meetings will help inform my work at the County, especially as we begin to negotiate the 2025 budget later this year.
I met with the Deephaven Mayor Kent Carlson and also the Eden Prairie Mayor Ron Case and City Manager Rick Getschow this week to discuss all the ways the County can support our local cities!
 Heather and Deephaven Mayor Kent Carlson
 Heather and Eden Prairie Mayor Ron Case
The board also advanced a number of policies this week that will directly benefit the residents of District 6:
2025 County Assessing Plan
Two weeks ago the Board passed BAR 24-0199, which changes the way the County asks cities to pay for local property assessing services. We are moving from a contract model – where many cities paid Hennepin County for local assessing services pursuant to negotiated city-county contracts – to a county-funded model where the county performs the service without charging cities. As a result, 13 cities in District 6 will no longer need to pay the county assessor or a contracted city assessor for these services and will see a direct and immediate benefit.
New So-Hi Playground
Last year, the City of Excelsior received a $50,000 grant through the Hennepin County Youth Sports (HCYS) program. Because of this grant, the So-Hi playground will be opening this month on the south side of Highway7! This playground exemplifies the goals of the HCYS grant program and will meet the needs of underserved children and foster cooperation between local governments and nonprofits.
The ribbon cutting ceremony is planned for Saturday, June 15 at 11:00 a.m. at the new So-Hi playground (881 3rd Ave Excelsior, MN 55331). I’m excited to see the community out there!
Southdale Library Renovations
We also made another step of progress this week in approving funds to renovate the Southdale Library in Edina. Approval for the schematic design of the renovations now has one more stop before being voted on by the Board. The proposed project would be the first significant improvement project at the Southdale Library since 1994 and would relocate the library and art center to the northern part of the site, and create a new public green space with regional bike and pedestrian trails as well.
I’m excited to continue moving this proposal along so the Southdale Library can continue to serve and promote the human health and well-being of Hennepin County residents.
NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center commemorated the completion of its $90 million expansion with a ribbon-cutting event and open house celebration on May 18. Community members, employees, elected officials, and other partners gathered at the new campus in North Minneapolis to witness the snip of a ribbon, marking the long-awaited completion of the project.
Speakers including NorthPoint and Hennepin County leaders and partners as well as elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels shared messages of partnership, gratitude, and pride.
NorthPoint’s current CEO Stella Whitney-West also spoke about her upcoming retirement on June 30 and welcomed current COO and incoming CEO Kimberly Spates into the role.
“I’m leaving a legacy of leaders and amazing staff here at NorthPoint who will move the mission forward,” said Whitney-West. “I have no doubt that NorthPoint will continue the tradition of honoring our history and creating our future.”
After the 30-month campus expansion project, NorthPoint now has:
- Increased access to quality and innovative health and wellness services.
- Expanded campus for clinics and programs.
- More employment and economic development opportunities.
- Greater conservation impact with infiltration gardens (with the support of the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization).
Features of the completed campus also now include:
- Dental specialty services
- Food Shelf distribution operations
- Child Wellness Center
- Spirituality, Healing and Wellness Center
- Café and teaching kitchen
- Community courtyard
- And more!
In any elected job, the best part is hearing from the people you represent. I encourage you to reach out to me with any questions or feedback you’d like to share at heather.edelson@hennepin.us or 612-248-6885. You can also follow me on my official Facebook page for updates.
Sincerely,
Heather Edelson
County Commissioner - District 6
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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Heather Edelson
Commissioner
6th District
Daniel Dodge
Sr. Policy Aide
612-348-3168
Cole Roepke
Jr. Policy Aide & Scheduler
612-248-6885
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