09-04-2012 WSMINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Raspberry Room — 6:15 p.m.
The meeting was started at 6:17 p.m. Present were Mayor Maxwell and Council members Molly
Cummings, Jason Gadd, Kristi Halverson, Cheryl Youakim, City Manager Mike Morrison, Director
of Economic Development Kirsten Elverum, Hennepin County representatives Michael Noonan &
Rex Holzemer and Concord representative Peter Fitzgerald.
New business:
Discussion on Hub for the Human Services Program to Wells Fargo
Mr. Noonan and Mr. Holzemer gave an overview to Council on the current and future proposal for
Hennepin County Human Services & Public Health Department Programs in the Wells Fargo
Building.
Mr. Noonan discussed the new direction of Hennepin County delivery of social services. The Human
Services Department is the largest department in the county and provides a full spectrum of social
services. The County's new service direction plan is to move services into community-based sites and
to combine financial, social and public health services into an integrated delivery model.
Mr. Noonan gave an overview of the current owned and leased sites across the County and discussed
the proposed Hub sites. The Hub sites will offer the full range of services to clients and the Satellite
sites will extend the County's reach into the community. Mr. Noonan gave an overview of the case-
load statistics in the County, the west suburban client counts and numbers receiving social services.
Currently the west suburban area has the lowest number of clients served but the greatest
concentration is in Hopkins and St. Louis Park. Mr. Noonan discussed the service delivery process
and intake times that clients will experience with the integrated delivery of social services.
Mr. Holzemer discussed the proposed space plans for the Hub in the Wells Fargo building which will
include the full range of social services. Staffing levels will increase by approximately 70 additional
staff serving an additional 65-70 clients per day. The Security standards will include onsite staff and
security cameras. A current tenant, Wells Fargo, would like to decrease the amount of leased space
therefore creating available square footage. Hennepin County has discussed alternative locations but
feel the current site in the Hopkins Wells Fargo building is the most favorable due to available square
footage, location and close to public transportation. The County would like to have the Hub
operational by the 2"d or 3`d quarter of 2013.
There was much discussion by Council regarding reasons for the Hopkins location, is this the right fit
for Hopkins, other possible locations, the current Minneapolis site and problems experienced at that
location, availability of on -street parking, daily parking for staff and clients, security concerns,
increased need for Hopkins Police response, the expansiveness of the programs, the client projections
and future growth.
Hennepin County did review other sites in the region and did not come up with other acceptable sites.
Staff will have flexible workspace and only a certain portion of the staff will be onsite and staff
numbers will vary each day. Staff parking will be in the contract parking ramp space. Projected
numbers of client and staff parking spots per day will be 60-80 with 16-18 clients onsite at anytime.
Hennepin County has seen that smaller sites are more client -friendly and have fewer security issues.
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Looking ahead, the County would like to extend their reach into suburban areas and will be looking to
add satellite sites rather than expand a Hub location. The County has done a lot of work with client
projections and can quickly shift staff due to the flexible office space model.
Mr. Holzemer discussed the possible 10 -year lease agreement with the building owner and Hennepin
County's desire to establish permanence in the community. The building owner, Mr. Fitzgerald,
discussed the building owners support of Hennepin County's continued growth, Wells Fargo desire to
downsize and that they want to maintain the integrity of their building.
Hennepin County staff invited the Council to an October open house of the new service delivery
model at the Northwest Suburban site. The process to locate a Hub in Hopkins is just starting and
Hennepin County staff will continue to update the Council.
With no further business to discuss there was a motion by Council member Youakim and a second by
Council member Cummings to adjourn the meeting at 7:22 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Debbie Vold
ATTEST:
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Eugene I'MqAell, Mayor