Tag: Hennepin County

H.C. Commissioner Chris LaTondresse (Dist. 6) Update: July 16, 2021

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July 16, 2021

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

This week I attended the National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Conference. These gatherings offer county officials nationwide the opportunity to share best practices and join forces in advocacy to better serve our residents.

During the gathering I connected with with Deputy U.S. Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo, the Federal official responsible for local government implementation of the American Rescue Plan (ARP). Hennepin County is receiving $240 million in Federal ARP investments. It’s an historic opportunity to build back better post-pandemic.

Hennepin County also received 17 awards from NACo, including top honors for an innovative training program intended to reduce disparities and improve racial equity. More details on those awards are below.

Continue reading “H.C. Commissioner Chris LaTondresse (Dist. 6) Update: July 16, 2021”

Hennepin County establishes Juneteenth as a paid holiday for staff

Hennepin County Banner


On Tuesday, county commissioners established Juneteenth as a paid holiday for Hennepin County employees.

“Juneteeth commemorates the end of slavery and the triumphs, culture and achievements of African Americans locally and across the United States. This is an opportunity to think about the centuries of work that African Americans have done to advance equity in this county and build this country,” said Commissioner Angela Conley, District 4.

Juneteenth falls on Saturday, June 19, in 2021. Therefore, Hennepin County will observe the previous workday, Friday, June 18, as a paid holiday for employees and close county offices.

Continue reading “Hennepin County establishes Juneteenth as a paid holiday for staff”

Hennepin County will make Juneteenth a “floating” holiday

The board’s decision will not add a paid holiday for county employees.

The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to make Juneteenth an official holiday, but county employees won’t actually get an additional day off.

The board voted 4-3 to make June 19, Juneteenth, a “floating” holiday, meaning county employees can choose to take the day off in lieu of Christmas Eve. County employees can still take off Christmas Eve or use the floating holiday to take off another day of choice. Continue reading.

Message from Sheriff Hutchinson: May 31, 2020

This has been one of the most challenging weeks in our community’s history. We know that most of you are feeling emotionally drained. We are too. But I’ll be out on the streets with my deputies tonight and every night to help keep the peace. We are working shoulder-to-shoulder with law enforcement officers from across the state and the National Guard. It’s a unified, organized front with the goal of protecting our community from a violent element bent on destruction.

At the same time, all over Hennepin County, we have seen an outpouring of support from citizens that is staggering. People are making sure that streets are cleaned and that those in need are sheltered, clothed and fed.

On behalf of the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, thank you to everyone who has worked to help their neighbors in this extraordinarily difficult time.

Right now, the only thing we ask of you is to stay home – abide by the curfew. My pledge to you is that we will continue to provide the public safety services that are worthy of this great community.

– Sheriff Hutchinson

Opioid experts share factors and solutions in epidemic hitting Hennepin County

SHOREWOOD — At the outset of an event centered on the opioid crisis, U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, DFL, asked attendees to raise their hands if they had been personally impacted by the epidemic.

Rows of hands went up across the audience.

“We’re here tonight, not because it’s getting better, but because it is truly getting worse,” he said. “We are here tonight to do something about it.”

View the complete April 30 article by Lara Bockenstedt on The Lakeshore Weekly News website here.

New Hennepin County Sheriff Dave Hutchinson hits ground running on first full day

New Hennepin County Sheriff David Hutchinson checked out the Hennepin County Jail with his director of communications Jeremy Zoss. Credit: Richard Tsong-Taatarii, Star Tribune

Wherever he stopped during the day, Dave Hutchinson repeated his campaign promise to be “a sheriff that truly represents all residents.”

A couple of workers patched holes and brushed beige paint Tuesday morning on the walls of Hennepin County Sheriff Dave Hutchinson’s new office. He had already met with deputies and been assigned an e-mail address, and a colorful Post-it note with his name was stuck outside the office door to identify the occupant.

So it was on the sheriff’s first full day in office as he stepped into a position held by Rich Stanek for the last 12 years. And if Hutchinson felt overwhelmed making the leap from Metro Transit police sergeant to head of the largest sheriff’s office in Minnesota, he did a good job hiding it.

Maybe that’s why he decided the first stop of the day would be the North Metro Range in Maple Grove, where he tested for his yearly duty weapon qualification.

View the complete January 8 article by David Chanen on The Star Tribune website here.

Hennepin County advances Southwest LRT project with funding approvals

Credit: David Joles, Star Tribune

At special meetings this afternoon, the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners and Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority approved up to $435 million for early construction activities and other expenditures for the Southwest Light Rail Transit project (SWLRT).

These actions enable the Metropolitan Council to award the construction contract to begin work on the $2.03 billion transit line, which they are expected to do later today.

The county board also approved a commitment, as requested by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), for up to an additional $200.3 million for Southwest LRT, or 10 percent of the total project budget, in the event of funding shortfalls or cost increases, with a parallel commitment for the Bottineau Light Rail Transit project. Continue reading “Hennepin County advances Southwest LRT project with funding approvals”