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Hennepin County, Minnesota

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Debbie Goettel, District 5

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Welcome to the homepage for Commissioner Debbie Goettel and District 5. We have the distinct honor of representing Bloomington, Eden Prairie, and Richfield on the Hennepin County Board. A tireless champion of our suburban communities, Debbie served as the mayor of Richfield for ten years and on numerous local and regional planning bodies before her election to the Board in November 2016.

We invite you to check out the page and get in touch with our office anytime. Navigating county departments can feel daunting at times, and we are always happy to provide direction and assistance. Click on “Contact Staff” below to learn more about our team and how we can assist you.

Commissioner Goettel is currently partnering with the Hennepin History Museum and local artists to display historical and artistic pieces in the public office. Contact us to learn more.

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Hennepin County

  • Administration, Libraries and Budget Committee, chair
  • Child Wellbeing Taskforce, member
  • Heading Home Hennepin, member
  • Health and Human Services Committee, vice-chair
  • Hennepin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HCHRA), member
  • Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority (HCRRA), member
  • Hennepin Health, member
  • Transportation Advisory Board, member

Other positions

  • Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) voting delegate
  • AMC District X, member
  • AMC Environment, member
  • Hennepin History Museum, member
  • Light Rail Transit Executive Change Control Board, alternate
  • Metro GIS Policy Board, member
  • Metropolitan Energy Policy Coalition, member
  • Partnership on Solid Waste and Energy Issues, member
  • Regional Solid Waste Hauler Licensing Board, member
  • SWLRT Community Works Steering Committee, member

When Debbie Goettel (pronounced “Go Tell”) took office in January 2017, she came prepared with the experience needed to be a strong advocate for her suburban district. Before joining the county board, she served 10 years as Richfield’s mayor. During that time, she spurred significant redevelopment in the downtown area and south side of the city. Her collaboration with the city council and staff also led to the city’s first comprehensive five-year plan to repave all city streets.

In addition to her brick-and-mortar contributions to the city, Debbie is proud of her human rights initiatives. In 2011, she and the city passed an ordinance for partnership agreements, providing same-sex couples with the same rights as married couples. The success in Richfield paved the way for collaboration with other city mayors to pass similar partnership agreements. Debbie and her mayoral colleagues were proud to support the efforts that led to statewide equality in 2013.

Outside of her service in public office, Debbie has been an active participant in local and regional civics. Her passion for creating a brighter future led to service on:

Debbie has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Minnesota (Twin Cities) and completed graduate studies on environmental sustainability at Harvard and University of Minnesota. In her professional career, she worked for international companies in the area of Sustainability, Environment, Health, and Safety. Debbie is married with three children and five grandchildren.

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