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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br /> June 26,2023 <br /> 6:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> Hennepin County Commissioner Chris LaTondresse presented his annual report to the City Council with <br /> a slide presentation.He is the County Commissioner representing District 6 which includes Orono.He <br /> said the County has seen a doubling of family homelessness which is defined as a parent and child with <br /> no place to sleep at night. This crisis has surged with the sunset of the federal eviction moratorium this <br /> past summer and the end of emergency rental assistance dollars that Hennepin County administered on <br /> behalf of the federal government. One in three Hennepin County families are housing cost burden,which <br /> means they pay more than a third of their income on their rent or their mortgage,he added.Hennepin <br /> County stewards over$106 million annually across a whole continuum of resident housing needs from <br /> homeless shelters to affordable homeownership. Some of the County's innovations have included <br /> converting hotels into single room occupancies and an eco-village which is the first indoor tiny home <br /> village anywhere in the country. <br /> The Commissioner also discussed public safety which he said is a priority of his.He said a workforce <br /> shortage is affecting all departments with increased pressures to serve residents with mental and <br /> behavioral health challenges. It's critical that these public servants have the resources and support that <br /> they need to do their jobs with fidelity and excellence,he said.Hennepin County has approved the <br /> sheriffs office request for 31 new full-time deputies and is working to fill those positions. The County <br /> has also implemented an embedded social worker program that includes local law enforcement agencies <br /> including Orono. <br /> He said the County is also making great strides in specifically addressing the mental health needs of <br /> students. According to the CDC,more than four in 10 Students feel persistently sad or hopeless, and one <br /> in three experience poor mental health.Through Hennepin County school-based mental health <br /> partnerships,the County is now providing services to over 6,000 students annually as of this year and has <br /> expanded these services in this partnership to every eligible school district countywide. <br /> The County has also invested in small businesses,he said,including about a quarter million dollars in <br /> Orono.He also highlighted a list of public works projects in the area. <br /> Johnson asked about funding for the embedded social worker program. <br /> LaTondresse said it is a partnership with a 60/40 cost split.The social workers are Hennepin County <br /> employees which is important for privacy and hand-off of information.It is not an alternative response to <br /> social workers are not being sent out without a law enforcement response. The service is mostly of a <br /> follow-up nature rather than a joint operation. <br /> Benson asked about demand for the program. <br /> The Commissioner said demand is increasing.Hennepin County has been able to rely on Medicaid <br /> reimbursement based on caseload and he said he continues to lobby in Washington DC for more funding <br /> for all parties for this service. <br /> FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT <br /> 7. UPDATE ON DEVELOPING SPEC AND OBTAINING QUOTES FOR RESCUE <br /> PUMPER,BRUSH/MEDICAL RESPONSE UTILITY AND <br /> TENDER/TANKER FINANCE REPORT <br /> Page 2 of 11 <br />