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March has been a busy month, with a lot of time spent focused on making sure the systems people rely on are working here in District 7 and across Minnesota.
I hosted a town hall in Maple Plain with Mayor Julie Mass-Kuske and continued providing updates to city councils across the district. Those conversations matter. They help keep the work grounded in what people are experiencing day to day.
At the same time, I’ve been working at both the state and national level on issues that directly affect our communities.
As Vice Chair of the Health Policy Steering Committee at the National Association of Counties (NACo), I’ve been working with county leaders from across the country to push for sustainable federal funding for county-administered programs. When funding falls short, the bill doesn’t go away. It shows up on your property tax statement. Making sure federal commitments are met helps protect local resources and keeps services in place.
At the Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC), we are focused on modernizing human services so they are easier to navigate, more effective, and more resilient. We are also working on solutions to protect the long-term stability of Hennepin County Medical Center. Access to care in Minnesota depends on getting this done this year.
You’ve likely seen the recent attention on fraud in public programs. It’s a serious issue and it deserves attention. At the same time, it’s important to understand the difference between state-administered programs where many of these cases are occurring and county-administered services. In Hennepin County, we have safeguards, oversight, and accountability measures in place, and we take that responsibility seriously.
Whether I’m meeting with residents, working with city leaders, or advocating at the Capitol and in Washington, the focus is consistent. Make sure systems work, protect taxpayer resources, and deliver results for the people we serve.
As I make my way across the district this year, I hope you'll join me at these upcoming city council meetings, where I'll be highlighting what Hennepin County has been working on and what we have to look forward to. So far, I have been to Plymouth, Medina, Minnetrista, Loretto, and St. Bonifacius.
Upcoming Meetings:
- Greenfield City Council Meeting, April 7th at 7pm at the Greenfield City Hall
- Independence City Council Meeting, April 21st at 6:30pm at Independence City Hall
Hennepin County is hosting a virtual training on Thursday, April 9th, for all county, city and school district candidates and treasurers within Hennepin County. Learn about campaign finance reporting, candidate filing requirements, and election compliance. Register for the event here: https://forms.office.com/g/g7TaeF6HuG
As we look forward to spring cleaning, consider attending one of Hennepin County's new Swap-It events! These events are themed swap meets where you can bring gentle used items you no longer need and take things home you can use, all for free.
Upcoming Swap-It Events:
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Outdoor Gear
Saturday, May 2nd
12pm - 2:30pm (early drop-off at 11am)
Rockford Road Library, 6401 North 42nd Avenue, Crystal
No registration is needed. You don't have to bring items to take items. Everyone is welcome! Leftover items are donated to local reuse organizations. Full details at Swap-It events.
It's never too early to make your voting plan! Use this checklist to make sure you're ready to vote this election day. Start by checking your voter registration here: mnvotes.gov/register
If you live in the Wayzata School District, you have a special election on April 14th!
- Early voting is now open through April 13th at the WPS District Service Center (13305 12th Avenue N, Plymouth).
- Read more here: Wayzata Special Election
If you live in Champlin Ward 3, you have a special election on May 12th!
The Hennepin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HCHRA) is making approximately $2 million available in the form of grants to help businesses impacted by the federal immigration surge overcome short-term financial hurdles, enabling them to remain in business in their communities and to prevent widespread blight in Hennepin County.
Eligible small businesses may receive one-time grants between $3,000 and $10,000 to help cover two months’ business rent or commercial mortgage payments as they navigate reduced foot traffic, temporary closures due to safety concerns, workforce disruptions, and other impacts due.
Applications are now open. Apply by March 25, 2026.
Road construction season is about to begin. Check out how Hennepin County is improving our roads to make your travel safer, better and more reliably with our 2026 transportation activities map.
Starting this spring, you will see us across the county as we put our plans into action to improve crossings for people walking and rolling, repave roadways to make them smoother, update pavement markings to make them easier to see, replace signs that are no longer reflective and signal poles that are at the end of their service life, take care of our bridges, and more.
You will also see us working on major reconstruction projects. We implement new designs to help everyone travel better and ensure connections. These projects also give us an opportunity to coordinate with utilities and cities to replace, update and enhance what’s under the roadway and around the area.
Once you find a project you are interested in, click on the map to get more details and link directly to the project page on HennepinCounty.gov. There you will find the latest information and how to stay updated.
 3030 Nicollet Apartments received a spring 2022 ERF grant to install a soil-gas vapor mitigation system.
Applications are due by 3 p.m. on Friday, May 1st
The Hennepin County Environmental Response Fund provides funding for the assessment and cleanup of contaminated sites where the added environmental costs hinder site improvements or redevelopment.
ERF Grants awarded February 2026
In February 2026, Hennepin County awarded nine grants totaling $2.25 million. The grants will fund soil cleanup, vapor mitigation and sampling, abatement activities, and assessment. The recommended grants will also provide for the renovation or construction of 180 affordable housing units. These grants included this grantee in our District:
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Willis Trucking Redevelopment, Rogers
- $200,000 for soil cleanup associated with the development of a new residential building. (Grantee: Bader Development, LLC)
Hennepin County is hosting an in-person event to help people with disabilities build employment connections. Event highlights include professional photos, opportunities to connect with employment service providers and local businesses, presentations on employment-related topics, and more.
Inclusive Employment Connections
- Monday, April 13th
- 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
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Embassy Suites, Minneapolis Airport, 7901 34th Ave S, Bloomington, MN 55425
Hosted by Hennepin County’s Long Term Services and Supports.
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MN Tree Steward Training, March 28th, 9am - 2pm, Maple Grove
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Hanover Fire Relief Pancake Breakfast, March 29th, 8am - 12pm, Hanover
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Champlin Easter Egg Hunt, April 3rd, 11am - 12pm
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Dayton Easter Egg Hunt, April 4th, 9am & 11am, Dayton
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West Suburban Fire Dept. Pancake Breakfast, April 12th, 8am - 12pm, Loretto
Q: Why did the Hennepin County road cone start going to therapy?
A: It was tired of everyone going around it.
The 7th District serves the cities of
Champlin, Corcoran, Dayton, Greenfield, Independence, Loretto, Maple Grove, Maple Plain, Medina, Minnetrista, Southern Mound, Rogers,
St. Bonifacius, Hanover, Northwest Plymouth, and Rockford.
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Contact us
Kevin Anderson
Commissioner, 7th District
Clara Severson
District Director
612-596-9040
Tristan Voegeli
Policy Aide
612-267-0416
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