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Hennepin County board approves contract increase for sheriff wellness services and routine budget adjustments
Summary
The board approved a consent-item amendment increasing a Sheriff’s Office wellness contract by $450,000 (new total not to exceed about $907,000), clarified that unspent funds will not be reallocated, and approved multiple year-end budget adjustments and an annual awards program.
The Hennepin County Board voted Monday to approve a series of consent and budget items, including an amendment to an agreement providing mental health and wellness services to Sheriff's Office employees and several routine year-end budget adjustments.
The board approved an amendment to the agreement with Wellness That Fits, LLC, increasing the contract by $450,000 for a new total not to exceed approximately $907,000 for the period 06/01/2024 to 05/31/2028. Chair Irene Fernando moved the consent item and the motion passed by voice vote.
Rick Bizewski, finance director for the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, told commissioners the "not to exceed" amount accounts for consolidating related agreements and potential spending fluctuations for unforeseen critical incidents. He clarified the item was not a request for supplemental appropriation and that any unspent dollars "would not be going to another agreement." The board accepted that clarification and approved the amendment.
Separately, Joe Matthews, the county's chief financial officer, presented 13 technical adjustments to close the 2025 financials. The changes addressed higher enrollment for Hennepin Health, adjustments to Department of Revenue sales-tax fees, internal service funds (fleet services and employee health plan), contingency transfers to Adult Representation Services and compliance, and capital project transfers (including moving savings from a completed courtroom reconfiguration to an IT connectivity project). Matthews said the adjustments are part of the normal annual reconciliation; the board approved the resolution by voice vote.
The board also established an annual Heart of Hennepin service awards program, with an R1 amendment clarifying multiple awards and a focus on neighborhood organizations. Finally, the board proclaimed May 2026 as Community Action Month for Community Action Partnership of Hennepin County (CAPHC) and recognized the organization's 40th anniversary.
All items were approved without recorded opposition; commissioners asked for follow-up details on funding restrictions and expressed appreciation for staff and community partners.
