Remarks by Kevin Anderson
25 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 1 of 1
- Play at 0:39
“Good afternoon and welcome to today's budget hearing. Item one on our agenda is the open forum playback from our previous budget hearing, which was yesterday. We will hear recorded public comments from the Public Works and Law Safety Justice lines of business budget presentation held yesterday, October 7th. Public comments on the budget are recorded after each budget hearing and at the end of today's meeting, I'll give directions on how you can comment on today's topic. At this time, I'll ask staff to play the public comments that were recorded at the end of the previous budget hearing.”
Committee · Oct 8, 2026
- Play at 5:24
“Thank you so much. The next item of business is to approve the minutes from our previous meeting of the October 7th budget hearing of the Public Works and the Law Safety Justice Lines of Business.”
Committee · Oct 8, 2026
- Play at 5:37
“We have a motion and a second. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Any opposed? The minutes are approved. The county administrator submitted her budget to the county board on September 22nd. The proposed budget totals $2.993 billion and was based upon a property tax levy increase of 8.15%. The Board adopted a maximum property tax levy increase of 8.15% on September 29th. Today, we will hold hearings on the proposed 2027 budget with presentations from the County Attorney's Office and the Sheriff's Office. These hearings are intended to allow Board members to understand what's included in the…”
Committee · Oct 8, 2026
- Play at 7:38
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
Committee · Oct 8, 2026
- Play at 39:10
“About 50 minutes here for this portion of discussion. So we have, I think, plenty of time, but let's be mindful so that we can each have our discussion and questions answered.”
Committee · Oct 8, 2026
- Play at 39:27
“Well, I mean, given the opportunity. But Commissioner Conley, I think I'll move this way and kind of radiate out from me.”
Committee · Oct 8, 2026
- Play at 1:01:53
“I'm sorry. No, one sec. We are running very short on time at this point in order to have everybody offer their feedback, and I want to make sure that everybody has an opportunity to. So brief response. Yes.”
Committee · Oct 8, 2026
- Play at 1:23:00
“Thank you. I think I just have a few things and really express appreciation for my colleagues for really asking and highlighting the things, many of the things that I would have done myself. So it saves me some of the trouble. I did just want to uplift a few things that stood out to me as well. And so some of it is duplicative. Definitely appreciated the highlighting of the safety concerns of your office and the necessity of making sure that our employees are safe. And I think that is something that everybody should agree to. that our employees, anybody's employees, should be safe at their…”
Committee · Oct 8, 2026
- Play at 1:29:15
“Thank you so much. With that, I'll declare us in recess until 1.35. Give us an extra minute. Welcome back, everyone. I'm going to bring us back to order-ish. Before we start on our next presentation, I would like to provide another opportunity to do a quick round of introductions. Kevin Anderson, District 7. Debbie Gotel, District 5.”
Committee · Oct 8, 2026
- Play at 1:38:42
“And I would invite anybody in the audience who wishes to introduce themselves that they may do so. If not, that's fine. If you have a part in the presentation or are called on for questions, I would invite you to introduce yourself at that time. With that, I'll turn it over to Administrator Wendland to kick off this next part of the presentation.”
Committee · Oct 8, 2026
- Play at 1:59:29
“Thank you. I will now... kick off to comments and questions. I'll start on this side at the end.”
Committee · Oct 8, 2026
- Play at 2:17:21
“That was too funny. Commissioner Edelson.”
Committee · Oct 8, 2026
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“I know Administrator Wendland. Thank you.”
Committee · Oct 8, 2026
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“THANK YOU. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT ADMINISTRATOR WENTLIN, JOE MATTHEWS.”
Committee · Oct 8, 2026
- Play at 2:44:45
“Mr. Vice Chair, I believe it was about $5.5 million roughly.”
Committee · Oct 8, 2026
- Play at 2:47:57
“Thank you. Commissioner Green, I know we missed you for a portion.”
Committee · Oct 8, 2026
- Play at 2:48:28
“thank you I think you know again my colleagues have have covered a lot of the things I just want to express deep appreciation for the work that you're doing under the strain of kind of the the time that we are in right like it is incredibly stressful to be in local government in law enforcement at a time when the federal government is putting additional strains on property taxes, of which you rely on primarily to fund positions. And so we are all trying to find our way through in staffing numbers, in position management, in everything, and find that balance of where the public accepts what…”
Committee · Oct 8, 2026
- Play at 2:51:48
“Yeah. think that's that's kind of where I'm at and as I said the told the county attorney we are here overseeing the budget you get to decide how to administer that budget and you know it's a it's a lot of trust that we're we're putting in you to to manage that and I believe in you so thank you yes we do have”
Committee · Oct 8, 2026
- Play at 2:55:35
“Thank you. Now, I will move us along on our agenda. The next item on our agenda is Old Business 4A. I would take a motion to lay over this item until 12 p.m. noon on Monday, October 19th, when we will reconvene. So moved. We have a motion and a second. All those in favor?”
Committee · Oct 8, 2026
- Play at 2:55:58
“OK. Nice try, Sheriff. Okay, item five is the open forum. Members of the public can call in to record a comment specific to this hearing that will be played at the board at the following budget hearing. For those not able to view or listen to this meeting live, a recording of this meeting will be available on our website at hennepincounty.gov slash board meetings or on our Hennepin County YouTube channel. The call line to record a public comment will be open for four hours beginning at 7 a.m. tomorrow. The phone number is 612-688-3545. Instructions for participating are also available at…”
Committee · Oct 8, 2026
- Play at 20:09
“Thank you, Madam Chair. Yeah, echo the thanks of the work that's gone into all of the budget presentations that we've seen so far. And not just the budget presentations, but the work that's gone into, like, standardizing and showing us the extent of the mandated services you know you you mentioned like the the state cost shifts that we experienced as well as the federal we don't have an option of doing these things like we have to do this and we have a certain amount of work that we have to put into it that is mandated by either the state or the federal government And that is, I think, really…”
Committee · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 39:21
“Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you so much for coming and giving the presentation and all of the work that you've been doing have always just been, since being introduced to the History Museum, have just always been so impressed with how you've approached the job of collecting and presenting history to people in relevant ways. And you had so many different great examples of it. And I also just want to highlight the amount of collaboration and partnership that you put into being able to formulate these exhibits. You have done so many amazing, unique things through this that have told…”
Committee · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 52:59
“Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm going to be really unpopular. Sorry, guys. Is there a possibility, at least for 4C, I know that we've asked staff departments to hold themselves to a 2% kind of a broadly 2% increase for next year's budget. And I would move, and if there's not a second, that's fine, to adjust the commissioner's compensation for next year's to 2% and then adjust the dollar amount correspondingly.”
Committee · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 53:48
“Again, like I said, I know that we are approaching a very difficult budget year, and we've asked every county department to hold themselves to a 2% increase. I know our staff are receiving the cola increases um that is in line with this but uh you know we are we operate a little bit differently on this floor and i think part of our obligation is to is to still lead by example and try to match what our workforce is dealing with and right now they're dealing with what is effectively a cut and not meeting the COLA increases that their contracts afford them. And so my proposal is to have our…”
Committee · Aug 25, 2026
- Play at 27:30
“Thank you, Madam Chair. You know, definitely expressing appreciation for this and looking for all ways that we can be more efficient and deliver services to our residents in a better way. I think, you know, it was brought up kind of some of the historical context of systems that have started either at a county level and then gotten broken down into cities, now looking at bringing them back. I think there's also a tendency of, you know, transit's a great example of where If it's not being delivered well, cities end up trying to take it on their own. And then doing things in a way that is…”
Committee · Aug 13, 2026