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INDEPENDENT AND IMPACTFUL LEADERSHIP FOR HENNEPIN COUNTY

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I am honored to serve District 1 and am excited to continue working with residents to address the many challenges ahead, from public safety to the far-reaching impacts of the global pandemic.

 

As your commissioner, my goal is to be results driven by focusing on systemic change. As the Mayor of Brooklyn Park from 2011–2020, I led efforts to connect to an increasingly diverse community, added over $1B of development and transportation investments within the city, and lowered crimes to the lowest levels in 30 years.

 

As your commissioner, I plan to continue my focus on:

  • METRO Blue Line Extension Realignment

  • Helping renters and landlords get through the pandemic together

  • Job training and supporting small businesses

  • Public safety through conversations between residents and the police

FOCUS AREAS

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TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS

light rail

LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

- Blue Line Extension Community Works Steering Committee, co-chair

- Member of Blue Line Corridor Management Committee

- Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority (HCRRA), member

- Light Rail Transit Executive Change Control Board, 1st alternate

- Founder of the Blue Line Now Coalition

HERC

  • Coordinate with cities and state government to improve and expand our network of transit options, including roads, transit and multi-modal options like bike paths.​

  • Determine unsafe intersections and work to develop plans for improved safety including redesign and less expensive options.​

  • Support for LRT and BRT options within our district, working with community and cities to bring these choices to reality.

  • Creation of Anti Displacement efforts to mitigate effects of LRT, and establish a way forward for affected businesses and community members.

  • Passage of the Zero Waste Initiative to create a future where landfills and the HERC are no longer needed.​

  • Joint author of board action to create the ACIF (Affordable Commercial Incentive Fund) to grow long-term economic and community wealth-building.​

  • Funding for safe crossing along Three Rivers Park Rush Creek Regional Trail, providing support for tunnel crossing to separate road traffic from trail crossings.

  • As mayor of BP, added over $1B of development and transportation investments.

WHAT WE HAVE DONE

  • Establish a Blue Line Funding Collaborative to harness funds from foundations and government to create financial support for those who wish to not survive but thrive after transit is more fully developed in our district.

  • Continue to support trail expansions and safety improvement to support multi-modal options across our county, especially our communities who have suffered from lack of past investment

  • Creation of a task force to examine future needs for East/West transit options with our communities, as there is a lack of current options to support our residents.

  • Dramatically increase the engagement and education among members of our communities around the need to tackle our future solid waste challenges by changing how and what types of waste will be created in the future.

CAMPAIGN GOALS/PLATFORM

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HOUSING

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LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

  • Increase support for housing options for veterans facing homelessness including connection of services for addiction and mental services where warranted.   

  • Continue to work with community partners, cities and developers to retain existing housing options and build new affordable units.  

  • Build upon our nationally leading efforts to lower homeless population through services and housing connections.    

CAMPAIGN GOALS/PLATFORM

  • Provide housing and rental support as we recovered from the effects of COVID on our housing market.

  • Supported initiatives with cities and developers to provide affordable housing.

  • Deliver homeless shelters & services during COVID & post-COVID.

  • Worked to provide a full continuum of options supportive services to move people up the housing ladder to secure & safe housing.

  • Funded the conversion of the Robin Hotel to housing for homeless veterans through partnership with MACV.

  • Converted to emergency COVID shelters to Single Room Occupancy (SRO) housing to retain support for those at margin of housing.

  • Establishment of Eviction Court Advocate Team for Housing Court to help stave off eviction or connect to housing options

WHAT WE HAVE DONE

- Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) vice-chair

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Focus Areas
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

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LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

WHAT WE HAVE DONE

  • Support job training and small business development.

  • As mayor of BP, added over $1B of development and transportation investments.

  • Continue investment into Workforce Development Centers to help residents as they lift themselves to a better future.

  • Simplify the Hennepin County Procurement process so small and micro businesses can compete for county RFPs.

  • Work with the community and unions to elevate opportunities through skill acquisition and opportunity attainment for our residents.

  • Investment into Business Incubator Centers in Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center

  • Build upon the past of Elevate Business by increasing support for small and micro businesses.

  • Insured continued support for businesses as we moved to post-COVID business operations.

  • Made available Business Improvement District funds to our cities, supporting city efforts to support their main streets and small business efforts.

CAMPAIGN GOALS/PLATFORM

  • Increased investment through our Affordable Commercial Investment Fund (ACIF) to better leverage the need for capital investment in our communities.

  • Expand Transit Oriented Development through continued partnership with cities and community to ensure transit means increased opportunities for our small businesses.

  • Establish a Blue Line Funding Collaborative to harness funds from foundations and government to create financial support for those who wish to not survive but thrive after transit is more fullydeveloped in our district.

- County Extension Committee, member

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PUBLIC SAFETY

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WHAT WE HAVE DONE

  • Fully funded all aspects of our public safety functions at the county level.  

  • Worked with county partners including city law enforcement partners and District Court system to tackle crime challenges post-COVID.  

  • Expanded Adult Representation Services to provide advocates and help toward self-sufficiency for county clients as an alternative to a court system-only approach.  

  • Co-Chairing the MN Legislative Working Group for Youth Intervention to study and make recommendations in 2024 to State Legislature for changes in how the State responds to required Post-Adjudication Mental Health services and support.  

  • Establishment of Alternate Response Team to provide support for law enforcement, interacting with residents who are suffering from addiction or mental health challenges, thereby relieving the burden on law enforcement to respond.  The initial pilot was with the Brooklyn Park Police Department, now expanded to include Brooklyn Center.  

  • Establishment services teams with Juvenile Court, in partnership with between District Court, County Attorney, and Department of Community Corrections & Rehabilitation, to put available services in the courtroom as an option for families who have justice-involved youth.

  • In partnership with justice system partners, worked to decrease the response time for juveniles involved with serious crime, to intervene faster and earlier to combat escalating activities. 

  • Expanded the integration of Embedded Social Workers to all law enforcement partners within Hennepin County, including resources embedded in our 911 Call Center, to provide connection to county services for non-criminal needs as identified by our law enforcement partners.   

  • Development of the Violence Prevention grant program to support community partners providing services and direct engagement within the community as a way to provide diversion and differing responses to community needs.  

  • Authored the creation of an Anti Hate Initiative to collect data to inform the creation of a community response to hate incidents within Hennepin County 
     

CAMPAIGN GOALS/PLATFORM

  • Fighting for the creation of a Victims Advocate team, to support and fully advocate for victims of crime in our justice system.  

  • Expansion of the Violence Prevention Grant program to allow for more partnerships with community, cities, and faith organizations to identify better intervention efforts.

  • Establish a local continuum of care for youth involved with our justice system, through the investment of county resources and advice for new providers to start operations providing the services we need, including use of our business development resources in the creation of these non-governmental companies.  

LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

- Intergovernmental Relations, co-chair

- Joint Committee on Community Corrections, member
- Law, Safety and Justice Committee, chair
- Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) Criminal Justice, member
- Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee, member
- Minnesota Association Community Corrections Act Counties, member

- Metropolitan Emergency Services Board (MESB), alternate

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YOUTH INITIATIVES

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WHAT WE HAVE DONE

  • Continued investment in early childhood and families so as to target the root causes of the challenges by many members of our communities. 

  • Provided service and support for medical and mental health treatment for families who could afford such service otherwise, through community service centers and programs. 

  • Worked with community partners, including schools, to identify youth who were missing basic needs, to connect those families with services which could assist. 

  • Authored the creation of Youth Advisory Committee to the Hennepin County Library Board, to provide youth with a voice in our library system. 

  • Authored the Youth Entrepreneurship program to provide education and support for youth to start their own business and take control of their own economic future. 

  • Increased partnership with the Brooklyn Bridge Alliance for Youth, who is connected to all the schools districts with our communities, to provide support for their efforts to help youth succeed. 

CAMPAIGN GOALS/PLATFORM

  • Expanded our work with youth through partnership with schools and colleges for the Free Tuition programs offered by the State of Minnesota. 

  • Creation of Youth Advisory Committee to advise us on work with around environmental efforts within the county. 

  • Partner more closely with schools and community to early intervene in youth who are facing educational and family challenges, so as to positive change their future. 

  • Expansion of Educational Support Services and their efforts to provide tutoring & educational support for youth who have fallen behind due to COVID. 

LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

- Brooklyn Bridge Alliance, member
- Speaks nationally on the value of After School Initiatives, including measuring results of these investments
- One of the original mayors in Cities United, a national effort to reduce violence in the lives of young men
- Part of initial launch of My Brothers Keepers Initiative by President Obama, which is a national effort to positively affect the lives of youth and eliminate barriers to success
-  In 2013, honored with the Minnesota After School Champion award from the Minnesota Statewide Afterschool Alliance
- School Superintendent Annual Meeting, liaison

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HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

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WHAT WE HAVE DONE

  • Continue efforts to provide health support and programs to all residents within Hennepin County. 

  • Increase the availability for mental health and addiction treatment options through community and public health partners. 

  • Provide on-going support for aging communities through wellness, medical and mental health efforts, and insuring their involvement in community life. 

  • Work across family needs for nutrition, immunization, preventive care and maternal health support to ensure a good start in life for our youngest members of our community.   

  • Creation of Family Response and Stabilization Service, providing immediate access to cultural responsive teams to provide intervention efforts for families in crisis.  Service available for community, schools and law enforcement. 

  • Increase awareness and availability of addiction treatment, including education campaigns and opportunity for access to help, especially targeting the Opioid crisis within all of our communities.  

  • Specific attention developed for young mothers within our community who have suffered from a lack of access to health and support, which is demonstrated by higher mortality for young mothers of diverse backgrounds in our county.   

CAMPAIGN GOALS/PLATFORM

  • Continue to devote resources to root cause of public health challenges. 

  • Expand Family Response & Stabilization Resources across more of our communities. 

  • Fund more awareness and community bases resources for the Opioid Crisis, including partnership with churches and community groups to make all of us aware of resources available for help.

  • Move awareness and connections to services from the county to the community through partnerships. 

LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

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