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Dear District 6 neighbors,
October is right around the corner and Fall in Minnesota has arrived. Fall is my favorite season where we see the colors turn brilliant shades of red, orange and gold.
I want to remind you my office is hosting our first-ever District 6 Community Coffee event THIS Saturday, September 28th at 10:00 a.m. at the Ridgedale Library. This event will be an opportunity for you to come learn more about what the county is doing and to share your thoughts with me on the proposed 2025 budget, or any other issues that are important to you. We will be providing coffee, donuts, and good conversation! I would love to see you there!
And if you can’t make it to this one, don’t worry! I’m planning on hosting another Community Coffee event in October, so look for that announcement soon.
We’ve been busy here in the District 6 office the past couple weeks! On Monday, my office hosted our inaugural District 6 Police and Fire Chiefs Breakfast to discuss ways to strengthen partnerships with Hennepin County to better serve all residents.
I had the opportunity to tour the Hennepin County Emergency Shelter System where we partner with Catholic Charities to address the housing crisis in real time.
I had the honor to attend the ribbon cutting event for Vista 44– an impressive supportive housing project led by Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative in Hopkins with a significant financial collaboration and on-going partnership with Hennepin County!
And I had a great time with State Representative Cheryl Youakim visiting The Glenn in Hopkins to talk with residents about State and County partnerships!
As a State Lawmaker, I hosted an Intern for a Day program at the Capitol where high school students would spend a day with me to learn more about how State policy was made and how State government worked. This year, in my new role as County Commissioner - my office is going to provide the same opportunity at a different level of government!
This internship is open to high school students of all grades that live or attend school in District 6!
Please encourage students to apply - this will be a great experience to learn the inner workings of County government and how it interacts with State and Federal government!
This internship will be offered on three dates in 2025: January 15, February 12 and March 12 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis.
Please share with students to apply on the link below: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdci9huLhXwfyOuw9HtT8krpu6Ro250A3uXIgnywWou95IXCg/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0
Early voting begins September 20 for the November 5 election
Election Day is November 5, but you don't have to wait to cast your ballot – early voting begins September 20.
What to do before you vote
Now is the best time to take a few steps to make your voting experience as smooth as possible.
Fill out your absentee ballot application and email or mail it to Hennepin County Elections. You can also fill out the online application.
Vote early in-person:
Have more questions? Need help? Visit hennepin.us/elections.
Important election dates:
- September 20: Absentee voting begins for the general election
- October 15: General election deadline to pre-register to vote
- November 4: In-person absentee voting closes at 5 p.m.
- November 5: General Election Day (polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
Free vaccine clinics continue amid measles outbreak
The Baby Tracks team within Hennepin County Public Health continues to add free vaccination clinics throughout the county as the measles outbreak continues. The clinics offer all childhood vaccines, including MMR which protects against measles. Attendance has been growing at these clinics and the team has now added clinics into December. The next clinic is Saturday, September 21 at the Eden Prairie Library from 10 a.m. to 2 pm. See a full list of all upcoming clinics here at hennepin.us/immunizations.
Need debt advice? Attorney General hosting Debt Fairness Clinic at NorthPoint on October 5
NorthPoint is proud to partner with the Attorney General’s Office to host a Debt Fairness Clinic.
What to expect:
- Presentations on your rights under the new Minnesota Debt Fairness Act protections.
- One-on-one meetings with volunteer attorneys for personalized debt advice.
- Expungement assistance for individuals with a criminal record in the Minnesota state court.
This event is free and open to the public.
Saturday, October 5, 2024 10am-5pm NorthPoint Conference Center (1256 Penn Ave N, Suite 5200, Minneapolis, MN 55411) Free parking in building ramp (enter from Oliver Ave N)
Questions? Email abdulaziz.mohamed@ag.state.mn.us.
We need your help to shape our Toward Zero Death (TZD) action plan
Hennepin County is developing a comprehensive plan to eliminate serious injuries and deaths along Hennepin County roads. Now through the end of fall, we are engaging with residents to gather feedback as we develop a plan to improve safety for all people walking, riding, rolling, using transit or driving.
There are two ways you can share your feedback using BeHeard Hennepin
Time is running out! Apply now for Fall Youth Activities Grants
Grants for Play areas and equipment are available now! Applications accepted through October 1, 2024.
Apply now on the Hennepin County Supplier Portal
- Play Area grants: awards up to $300,000
- Equipment grants: awards up to $10,000
Questions? Need technical assistance? Contact Sarah Breyette, Grant Coordinator, at youth.grants@hennepin.us or 612-348-8172.
Family child care licensing resource fair October 19, 2024, at 1 p.m.
Hennepin County Child Care Licensing is hosting a resource fair for family child care providers and those interested in becoming licensed. You’ll have a chance to learn about the licensing process and connect with community resources that can help you improve and market your business.
- Saturday, October 19, 1 – 4 p.m.
- Southdale Library, 7001 York Avenue South, Edina
Learn about the new Provider Hub and changes coming in 2024 and have your portable fire extinguishers inspected and maintained for a fee. First 100 attendees will receive a door prize.
Visit hennepin.us/childcare for more information.
For more information contact Tammy Shinaul at tammy.shinaul@hennepin.us.
Opportunities for schools
The following are environmental opportunities for schools in Hennepin County this school year.
School waste prevention and recycling grants
Grants are available for schools, including all K-12 schools, colleges, universities, and preschools, to start or improve programs to reduce waste and keep recycling and organic materials out of the trash. Applications of up to $15,000 are being accepted through November 15, as funds remain. Visit the school recycling web page to learn more and apply.
Watershed Connections
Hennepin County’s Watershed Connections provides free, hands-on environmental education for 6th to 12th grade students. Participants will learn what impacts water quality, gain knowledge about how to protect water, learn about climate change, and experience a sense of place.
Educators can choose optional focuses on art, social studies, math, and stewardship. Activities are linked with education standards. Learn more and sign up at Hennepin.us/watershed-connections
Free Adopt-a-Drain resources for teachers
Teachers in Hennepin County can sign up to receive free resources to participate in the Adopt-a-Drain program with their students. Adopt-a-Drain is an outdoor community science program that engages students throughout the school year. Get outside this fall and clean storm drains with your classroom and then participate in citizen science all year long. Find a list of teacher resources and sign up for free online.
Take the pledge to prevent aquatic invasive species
The Lake Pledge site and app now allow groups to join and is a great way to educate your classrooms about aquatic invasive species prevention. Lake Pledge is a good way to challenge students to take action after they have an experience at a lake or river.
To sign up your classroom or school, email Tony Brough at tony.brough@hennepin.us. Include the size of your group, your group name, and the lake you most often use in the county.
Environmental Response Fund accepting applications now for the Fall 2024 grant round
Applications are due by November 1, 2024, at 3 p.m.
Hennepin County is now accepting applications for the Environmental Response Fund (ERF). The grants are used to fund the assessment and cleanup of contaminated sites in Hennepin County.
The improved properties benefit us all by:
- Increasing the tax base
- Enhancing green space
- Keeping the community in place to enjoy the improvements
- Creating permanent jobs
- Creating affordable and moderately priced market-rate housing
- Prior to applying for an ERF grant, contact brownfields@hennepin.us to discuss your project and funding needs.
Application materials are available through the Supplier Portal.
Questions? Visit Hennepin.us/brownfields
We want to ensure that our residents are as informed as they can be with County business. To that end, you can view our County Board and Committee meetings here, as well as view past meetings. Please reach out if you have any questions about viewing meetings online or in-person. As always, I encourage you to reach out to me with any other 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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