Mhm. >> Mhm. >> [music] >> Good afternoon. I'll call to order this meeting of the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, July 14th, 2026. I'm Irene Fernando, Chair of the Board and District 2 Commissioner. I'm joined by District 1 Commissioner Jeff Lunde, District 3 Commissioner Marion Greene, Vice Chair and District 5 Commissioner Debbie Goettel, District 6 Commissioner Heather Edelson, and District 7 Commissioner Kevin Anderson. Hennepin County acknowledges that the magnificent land and vibrant waterways from which our institutions benefit are located upon the cultural, spiritual, and indigenous homeland of the Dakota Oyate. Hennepin County calls attention to the Dakota people's ongoing connection to this special place. On the agenda, the first item is the Pledge of Allegiance. Please join me. >> [clears throat] >> Pledge of Allegiance >> to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> [sighs] >> Next on the agenda is the approval of the agenda. May I have a motion, please? >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Opposed? Motion carries. Um next is uh Hennepin Highlights, for which we have none. Then after that, it's minutes from the previous meeting of June 11th, 2026. May I have a motion, please? >> Goettel. >> Thank you, Commissioner Goettel. I'll second it. Any notes or corrections? Hearing and seeing none, all those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Opposed? Motion carries, and the minutes are approved. Item 5 is referral of correspondence and department communications. 5A through C are correspondence, and 5D through 5U are department communications. May I have a motion to accept and refer as recommended? >> So moved. >> Okay. >> Thank you, Commissioners Green and Edelson. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> I. >> Opposed? Motion carries. Six on the agenda is commendations, for which we have none. Seven are commissioner communications and updates, and we have several. The first is the countywide employee awards recap offered by myself. Employees from across the county came together last month at the 625 building auditorium to recognize colleagues whose work exemplifies excellence in public service. Countywide award recipients gathered with their leaders and guests to celebrate accomplishments, share stories, and connect with peers from across departments. Each year, employees are invited to nominate coworkers and teams who demonstrate exceptional commitment to our mission. The awards spotlight impactful contributions across the county's priority areas: public health, community support, equity, environmental stewardship, and innovation. I would like to highlight this year's winners of the Excellence in Leadership, the Charles M. Sprafka Award, which was awarded to Cindy Twistle and Heidi Boyd. This award is named after a former Hennepin County Administrator and recognizes an individual who demonstrates excellent leadership and has shown a strong commitment to public service. Congratulations to every individual and team honored this year. Your work strengthens our county and helps us deliver better outcomes for the communities we serve, and it's also just one of the most uplifting events because it spotlights the innovation that our workers bring into their work every day, and the results that our collective mission has been able to accomplish on behalf for our residents. The next commissioner communication is National Pretrial Pretrial Probation and Parole Supervision Week offered by Commissioner Windi. Go ahead, Commissioner. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Next week, July 19th to 25th is National Pretrial Probation and Parole Supervision Week. Every third week of July, we celebrate the more than 460 460 supervision agents and field services staff in Hennepin County who work hard to keep our community safe. Hennepin County's Department of Community Corrections and Rehabilitation is Minnesota's largest community corrections organization. Probation and parole staff supervise more than 22,000 clients at any given time. The department operates and oversees the adult corrections facility and the juvenile detention center, as well as probation and parole, electronic home monitoring, and the sentencing to service work program. What the numbers don't show you is how corrections and supervision in Hennepin County has evolved over time and how we positively impact community safety while also reducing disparities and improving client outcomes. The work of our supervision agents looks different than probation did a generation ago when it was mostly supervision. Now, the focus is on prevention, intervention, and advocacy. Today's POs in the DOCCR serve as a part of our client support system, connecting them to resources, and working collaboratively with other justice system partners. We thank Hennepin County's probation and parole professionals for your service, dedication, and essential contributions to the safety and well-being of our residents. >> Thank you. And you have the next update, which is an in memoriam for our representative Michael Nelson. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. >> [clears throat] >> I offer this in memoriam for Representative Michael Nelson. Longtime Minnesota State Representative Michael Nelson passed away in May at the age of 71 years old. Representative Nelson was a strong advocate for Hennepin County. He was also a lifelong member of the Brooklyn Park community. He was a graduate of Park Center High School and Hennepin Technical College. Nelson was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2002 and served until his retirement in 20 2024. Throughout his tenure, Nelson chaired a variety of committees including the Labor and Industry Finance and Policy Committee, State Government Finance and Elections Committee, Government Operations Committee, Government Finance Division and Local Government Division. Representative Nelson was also Assistant Majority Leader for the House DFL Caucus from 2007 to 2008. Nelson was a carpenter and union advocate and spent much of his time in the legislature fighting for labor rights. According to a close colleague, one of his proudest moments was working on the misclassification of workers and wage theft. As he believed that if people had a job, they should be paid the wages that they were entitled to. Representative Nelson was a long-time supporter of the Blue Line extension, always willing to pick up the phone to advocate for the project and straighten someone out. Um if I may also add, Madam Chair, um So, I always think, you know, when you talk about people who have uh served and passed away that stories are sometimes the best way to illustrate uh kind of his how he approached life and things. And so, he always would show up at Brooklyn Park events and he'd always sit in the back. And so, you know, some people run to the front to get their pictures done. He was always in the back. He would always show up, you know, he'd always do the work as we like to say um and never sought to be at the front of the room giving a speech or asking for time. He just did that. But, uh I think this kind of summed up his uh his values and his strength is I was talking to him in the back of the room and one of our uh police detectives came up and said, "Are we going to get those damn legislators to get something done for God's sakes? They don't We need this work done. And uh um Representative Nelson said, you know, "Damn it, I would like them to get something done, too. Those guys are worthless." And then he goes, "And oh, by the way, my name is State Representative Michael Nelson." So, uh and he did all that without there wasn't a Twitter post about how offended he was. It was just he took it all in, and his demeanor and how he uh reflected that was true to his character about that. He never took himself too seriously, but he took the work seriously. And I think there is a difference and something to learn there. And so, um I think right now, more than ever, we could use a Representative Nelson in our work with uh our partners at the Met Council. So, thank you, Madam Chair. >> Yeah, thank you, Commissioner, for bringing that forward and all. Um first want to extend, you know, gratitude to Representative Nelson's uh family and condolences for this loss. I will open it up if anyone else wants to share anything about um this. I'll say for uh myself, uh similar situation. He was just somebody who would pick up the phone. It was not someone who you needed to have like some long agenda to be able to access them. Um and as a person who likes agendas, I came with an agenda, and Rep Nelson was like, "Let's just have a conversation. I'm a big supporter of the Blue Line. I'd like to share my perspective on this." And uh there's something about that kind of unassuming accessibility that really informed my governing at that time, and I have very fond memories of uh Rep Nelson, as well. So, thank you for bringing this forward, Commissioner. Commissioner Green. >> Um thank you so much, and and thank forward. You're not on. You're not on. >> Oh, I'm not on. Thank you. >> Makes all the difference. >> I, too, um would like to share condolences with uh those closest to Representative Nelson. Uh I enjoyed serving with him in the legislature, and I was a freshman in the legislature, and he was We were in the minority the DFL was in the minority and so he was the senior most DFLer and sort of the lead in the state government committee which I noticed is now called state government finance and elections committee. But at the time it was state government and it was sort of considered a little bit of a sleepy backwater good for freshman was what I was told. But that year it really wasn't sleepy because voter ID was being pushed at the legislature and it was extremely contentious and I remember sort of our first first gathering as a DFL caucus of the committee and thinking you know I've just met representative Nelson he seems relatively low key is he going to be the person to make you know to to go to the mat on this etc. and I learned in that private room that he was definitely the person to go to the mat on this issue. He was absolutely a fighter as you described Commissioner Lundy that it was not he didn't sort of lead with that and thank goodness. >> [laughter] >> And there were two things that I really remember appreciating in that first meeting one of them was that he very much had the fighting spirit and the second one was that I needed to learn from somebody who had more experience that I shouldn't be sort of thinking about style as much as his years of service what he already knew about this issue other fights on this issue that had already happened that very much informed our strategy and he was just he was a great colleague. >> Commissioner Edelson. >> Thank you Commissioner Lundy for bringing this and I love that you got to share your district with with representative Nelson. I sat next to um sat next to Mike on the floor and it was it was for two years and he had this quiet demeanor about him but he was always thinking and he would always have his notes and um I remember in my third year at the legislature, I had this bill um that a constituent I was working with her on um exempting when there's a sexual assault harassment case and there's a settlement, um people were paying taxes on that. And I remember it had to go through the labor committee, and I talked to um Representative Nelson about it, and I said, "I want this bill to be heard at How do I make sure that this becomes law? This is very personal to to my constituent, and also it just doesn't make sense." And not only did Mike give it a hearing, he talked to everybody on the committee to make sure it wasn't to get through, Republicans, too, and he signed on. And I just remember thinking, "This is somebody that really cares about good public policy." And when we passed that wage theft bill at the Capitol, the beam on his face, cuz he had worked on it for so long, um and so anyways, I was I was sad to miss the Saturday uh visitation. We had a a thing with our kids, but um I hope I hope he had a good turnout, because he was an amazing human. >> Our last commissioner communication is the JFK Profile in Courage Award offered by Commissioner Goddard. Go ahead, Commissioner. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. I'd like to recognize the people of the Twin Cities for receiving the 2026 John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award. The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation selected people of the Twin Cities to their response to the federal immigration enforcement action Operation Metro Surge that took place across our region in late 2025 and early 2026. The award recognizes the residents' faith, their leadership, the nonprofit organizations, the labor leaders, the businesses, and the volunteers who stood along immigrants families immigrant families during their time and of fear and very much uncertainty. During Operation Metro Surge, families were separated, children relocated, people targeted by their color, their skin, their the inhumanity of being detained. We witnessed the expansion of data collection and surveillance, brutal crackdowns on protesters and observers, and then the unthinkable, the killing of Renee Good and Alex Preddy by federal agents. At a moment when many members of our community felt and continued to feel targeted and vulnerable, people across the Twin Cities chose to speak out. They chose to organize, show up for their neighbors, and demonstrate that everyone deserves dignity and safety and belonging. Their actions reflect the core belief that our communities are stronger when we support one another, when we stand up for those whose voices are too often marginalized. Minnesota was a proud tradition of welcoming immigrants and refugees from around the world. They are co-workers, they are neighbors, business owners, students, friends, and family members. They enrich our communities, strengthen our economy, and help make the Twin Cities the vibrant, diverse region that it is today. This award recognizes the courage of ordinary people who do not remain silent in the face of policies and actions that are harmful to our neighbors, and honors It honors a community that chose chooses compassion over the fear and solidarity over division, and always makes itself seen and heard through collective action. As vice chair of the Hennepin County Board, I am proud that our region is being recognized for living out these values. Congratulations to the all the people of the Twin Cities, Hennepin County, on our national honor. And thank you to everyone who continues to work toward building a community where every resident is valued, and welcomed, and treated with dignity. >> Thank you, Commissioner. Moving on to the agenda, we are at eight, which is the claims register. 8A is for the claims register period ending June 12th, 2026. 8B, June 19th. And 8C, the claims register for the period ending June 26th, 2026. May I have a motion for all three? >> Move approval. >> Second. >> Thank you, Commissioners Green and Anderson. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Opposed? Motion carries. Nine is our consent agenda. These are items that would have passed unanimously out of committee. Um may I have a motion for the block, 9A and 9P? Thank you, Commissioner Gotel. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Commissioner Green. Uh before we vote, colleagues, any um any items that we'd like to verbally acknowledge before voting? Hearing and seeing none, all those in favor, please say I. I. Opposed? Motion carries. 10 are non-consent um items. This These would have passed out of committee, but not unanimously, for which we have none. This brings us to um item 11, which are progress items. So, 11A, progress from committee to board without a vote. It is the 2026 Watershed Board appointments for Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District Board. Uh this uh is will not be an acclamation vote. We are appointing a uh a position. We had two applicants for one at-large spot. For those following at home, this is a process for which we receive support um from the clerk, and we vote with a single name. So if colleagues are prepared, I will hand it over to the clerk. >> Commissioner Landy. >> Jessica Loftus. >> Commissioner Green. >> Jessica Loftus. >> Commissioner Gotell. >> Jessica Loftus. >> Commissioner Edelson. Jessica Loftus. >> Commissioner Anderson. >> Jessica Loftus. >> Commissioner Fernando. >> Jessica Loftus. Congratulations to Jessica for being appointed and want to extend immense gratitude to Dorothy Peterson, who is an incumbent and has served very dutifully for this body. The business of an 11 A's are complete by that vote. So we'll move on to 12, which is old business. Items that would have been seen by this board previously and laid over to today, for which we have none. Which leaves us to 13, immediate approvals, for which we have several. 13 A and B are both claims register. 18 13 A for the period ending July 3, and 13 B July 10, 2026. May have a motion for both claims registers, please. >> Second. >> Thank you, Commissioners Anderson and Gotell. All those in favor, please say I. Okay. Opposed? Motion carries. 13 C is an order agreement to Sycon Inc. for the Brooklyn Park Transfer Station pit wall and tipping floor project for which is about $882,000. May have a motion, please. >> So moved. >> Thank you, Commissioners Landy and Edelson. Ms. Welland. >> Chair Fernando, Commissioners, consistent with county purchasing rules, item 13C is a bid to award to Sycamore Incorporated for work that will take place at Brooklyn Park Transfer Station. Christie Duffy, acting director facility services, is here to provide additional information if necessary. >> Colleagues, is more information um needed for 13C? Hearing and seeing none, all those in favor, please say I. Okay. Opposed? 13C is approved. 13D is to declare property at 219 4th Street South, Minneapolis, as surplus and to authorize sale to People Serving People Inc. for family shelter. I'll move this. May I have a second? Thank you, Commissioner Gotel. Ms. Wentland. >> Chair Fernando, Commissioners, the surplus property noted in this board action will be purchased by People Serving People to be utilized as a 55-bed shelter for families experiencing homelessness. The item is in front of you for an immediate approval to get the sale completed and beds online as quickly as possible. David Hewitt, assistant county administrator for human services line of business, is here to answer any questions you may have. >> I do think that an overview on this one would be would be nice. Thank you. >> Uh Chair Fernando, Commissioners, so as you've heard, this board action relates to the Federal Plaza property in downtown Minneapolis uh that was purchased by the Hennepin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority in 2020 and initially used as a pandemic shelter, particularly for families who needed to isolate due to the impacts of COVID-19. Uh in 2023, the property was transferred to the county and has subsequently been used for a range of shelter activities since, particularly focusing on families with children, as we have uh stood up and and uh augmented our shelter capacity to ensure that no child sleeps outside, particularly through periods of high demand. The last county use vacated the property earlier this year in May of 2026. The property is now vacant and no longer needed for county managed shelter activities. The last use was for the family safe space project managed by the county that now operates out of a different location. Over the course of those kind of five almost six years of activity, hundreds of families, children, women, and men sought sought out and were able to receive vital shelter preventing them from sleeping outside throughout all of that. An RFP was issued earlier this year seeking proposals to for the next phase of the building's life. The proposal from People Serving People was favored by the evaluation panel based on its alignment with our mission and vision. The use of family shelter being a priority for the county. The terms and conditions proposed by People Serving People and the timeline on which they could complete and bring it into use being advantageous as well in terms of minimizing risk and costs in the transfer. So this board action, there's kind of a standard piece which is we have to declare the property surplus to our requirements. The terms of the deal itself is a five and a half million dollar purchase with four and a half million of that authorized as a as a deferred loan that is conditional on the family shelter usage being maintained for at least five years. And I can take any further questions. >> Thank you. Discussion on this, colleagues. >> [sighs] >> Go ahead, Commissioner Rein. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to thank you, Mr. Hewitt, for acknowledging the history of this building, especially its recent history. Honestly, that this was such an important asset to us over these last five, six years and that, you know, real real people lived there and found stable housing there and I'm really proud of our collective work that was uh demonstrated by both this building and other buildings in our portfolio and uh I'm a little sad to see it go um for various reasons, but I'm also excited about the future that's been identified for it and feel like that's in keeping with um our vision. >> Commissioner Lindy. >> Um thank you, Madam Chair. Um and thank Commissioner Green cuz I think you reminded me of something that, you know, uh you know, with a lot of the money that came through with COVID, there's all these accusations on things are not being used, how they are used, and here's an example of something that was used, and now it's going to be reused. So, it did it's going to really pay off twice. And so, I think that uh is a good thing. I think that speaks well to what the county has tried to do with our stewardship with the federal money that came in during COVID. The fact that uh we're not just uh it's going to help out and continue to help out years beyond the money that uh from the government that ran out. So, I just want to highlight that. I think you brought it up. I think it was worth saying again. So, thank you. >> Commissioner Edelson. >> I I thank you, and I just um I I think I just want to thank you and the staff and everybody that worked on this. I know that there has been a lot of effort that's went into this, and I'm really excited for People Serving People who does great work um to have this building as well. Do we have any idea um in terms of the sale and being up and running? Do you know when it they will start accepting families? >> Yeah, thank you, Chair Fentener Commissioner Edelson. Uh our our goal here is to have the property online for October. So, certainly before the winter we are coming up to. So, there's some work to be done to get there. As you heard, that's why this is coming forward for immediate approval now. But, as we're kind of reconfiguring uh some of the overflow settings for family shelter, we see this as an integral part of our family shelter system moving forward and we're looking to bring it online as soon as possible. >> That's great news. Thank you. >> Yes, thank you. It's I also echo the gratitude to staff and the gratitude to People Serving People, shelter providers, and all social safety net um providers. I think this really uplifts the creativity with Hennepin and key partners, but it also uplifts the type of need that we uh foreshadow is coming uh towards our communities in the coming years. And so I'm I'm really eager to deepen our understanding around what will it take to ensure that all children have housing. That we are very fortunate, and I'm um immensely proud and grateful to this organization for being one of literally a couple of jurisdictions in the country that have committed this uh committed to live out this value that no child should be sleeping outdoors. Um I think that many of us, many people in Hennepin, believe that housing, you know, should be a human right, and look forward to a time where our policies and funding match that value. And as um the this is a key aspect of living living forward that promise, and there is much more that we must collectively do um all across government to to really what we've been talking about all year from a budget perspective. You know, not being in so many silos, but really saying what does it look like for us to advance the governance >> [clears throat] >> so that people here are really cared for because we know we can do it, and uh thank you for the creativity. This is a wonderful point of celebration, and always a reminder of the work ahead. So, uh with that, we will proceed to vote on this item. Uh colleagues, all those in favor of 13D, please say I. >> I. >> Opposed? Motion carries. The last item of our agenda is 13E, recognizing July as Disability Pride Month in Hennepin County, offered by myself, so I'll move this. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Commissioner Gotel. July is Disability Pride Month, a month dedicated to promoting awareness, acceptance, and empowerment of people with disabilities, as well as recognizing the stigma and barriers that continue to limit their full participation in society. I'll have the clerk read the commendation, and I'll have additional remarks after. >> Whereas, Disability Pride Month is an annual observance in July that celebrates disability identity and community, marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and advocates for full inclusion of people with disabilities in everyday life. And whereas, the first official Disability Pride Month was celebrated in July 2015, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the ADA, signed on July 26th, 1990. And whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over one in four, or greater than 70 million adults in the United States, report having a disability. And whereas, many people with disabilities and their families face decreasing access to services and benefits, including cuts to healthcare, food assistance, and special education services, as well as rising stigma and bullying, and limited access to education, jobs, and healthcare. >> [music] >> And whereas, Hennepin County is committed to accessibility for our employees, upholding ADA standards for our workforce, and has an accessibility employee resource group whose mission is to create a culture that allows people living and working with disabilities to have successful, inclusive, and sustained careers here with the county. And whereas, Hennepin County is also committed to eliminating barriers for our residents by strengthening digital accessibility across our web and mobile platforms, and by increasing ADA access across county roadways and transit options. And whereas, everyone deserves inclusion, rights, and respect without having to earn them. And people with disabilities should be included in making the decisions that shape work, school, healthcare, and community life. Be it resolved, the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners hereby proclaims July as Disability Pride Month in Hennepin County, and supports the full inclusion of people with disabilities in everyday life. >> Thank you. By recognizing Disability Pride Month as a board, our goal is to promote acceptance and inclusion, as well as raise awareness about the stigma and the barriers people with disabilities face. As stated in the board action, people with disabilities should be included in making the decisions that shape their lives as full and whole members of our families, of our communities, of our workplaces, and beyond. With that, and before we vote any personal remarks before we vote? Hearing and seeing none, all those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Opposed? Motion carries, and July is officially Disability Pride Month in Hennepin County. And with that, we have reached the end of our agenda. Motion to adjourn is in order. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Thank you, Commissioners Gotel and Green. All those in favor, say I. I. Opposed? Motion carries, but don't go too far. There is a brief meeting of the Rail Authority next. >> Um, good afternoon, and welcome to this meeting of the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority. Today is Tuesday, July 14th, 2026. The first item on our agenda is approval of the agenda. Is there a motion? >> So moved. >> Moved by Commissioner Anderson, seconded by Commissioner Landy. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> All those opposed? That item is approved. We have two pretty routine items on our agenda. One is the minutes from June 12th, 2026, and the second is our claims register for the period ending June 15th. I'm sorry, June 11th, 2026. Second is the claims register ending June 15th, 2026. Is there a motion to >> I'll move. Go go tell. >> Motion from Commissioner Gatell, second from Commissioner Anderson. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> All those opposed? That item is approved. We are adjourned. >> Very good. >> I'm sure I didn't beep. >> All right. We'll see some of you at Naco.