Julia Welle Ayres

This document presents a strategic snapshot of Hennepin County's activities and progress in 2025, emphasizing its commitment to equity and climate action. It details efforts across seven key disparity domains: Connectivity, Education, Employment, Health, Housing, Income, and Justice. The overarching goal is to reduce and ultimately eliminate systemic disparities, ensuring equitable outcomes and well-being for all residents.

The meeting commenced with an acknowledgment of the land's indigenous origins and a significant discussion addressing recent tragic gun violence, including mass shootings near schools. Commissioners expressed condolences and commitment to violence prevention, referencing five years of county initiatives, community safety infrastructure, and partnerships. A key action requested was for the administration to compile a summary of current county work, an environmental scan, and proposals for enhancing gun violence prevention efforts and advocacy. Commissioner remarks emphasized the need for sustained action beyond current measures, supported by local government efforts, and urged state and federal legislators to enact meaningful gun control reform, such as regulating assault weapons. There was a strong call to declare gun violence a public health crisis and to ensure robust mental health support systems are in place for victims, first responders, and affected community members. Following this opening discussion, the formal agenda proceeded with the Pledge of Allegiance.

The meeting focused on administrator amendments for the 2026 budget. Key discussions included Amendment One, which provided board approval for the use of opioid settlement funds for the 2026 budget, clarifying their non-lapsing nature and allocation strategies, particularly concerning postmortem expenses, connections to care, and services for pregnant parents. Amendment Two addressed Hennepin Health's 2026 budget, recognizing final updated rates that resulted in $57 million of additional revenue and related expenses. Commissioners expressed concerns regarding the rapid growth in Hennepin Health membership (projected 10-15% increase) and the stability of health access due to other products exiting the market, prompting a commitment to further strategic discussion.

The meeting began with the call to order and land acknowledgement. Key initial business included the approval of the agenda and the organizational structure for 2026. Following this, the board elected the Chair (re-electing Irene Fernando for the fourth year) and the Vice Chair (electing Commissioner Gautel). Subsequent agenda items involved accepting and referring correspondence and department communications. Immediate approvals included four claims registers covering periods through January 2, 2026. A significant discussion centered on Item 14E, the establishment of a public hearing for comment on proposed changes to Ordinance 9 regarding Emergency Medical Services staffing requirements, scheduled for February 5, 2026, to meet notification deadlines. Commissioners strongly supported Item 14F, which directs periodical updates on the 2026 budget performance, risks, and state/federal impacts during committee meetings to enable more dynamic governance and policy direction, particularly given anticipated financial challenges.

This document outlines Hennepin County's countywide strategic framework, designed to align and measure efforts towards disparity reduction and climate action. The framework is structured around three core categories: people and culture, practices, and policies. It aims to attract and develop a diverse and inclusive workforce, ensure racially equitable outcomes through programs and services, and implement policies that advance equity and climate action, with a specific focus on improving health outcomes for residents.