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Hennepin County > Leadership > Debbie Goettel, District 5

Debbie Goettel, District 5

Welcome

Welcome to the homepage for Commissioner Debbie Goettel and District 5. We have the distinct honor of representing Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Richfield and parts of Minneapolis 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 at any time. Click on “Contact staff” below if you would like to email us. Navigating county departments can feel daunting at times, and we are always happy to provide direction and assistance.

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commissioner goettel swearing in ceremony

Commissioner Debbie Goettel

debbie.goettel@hennepin.us

Phone: 612-348-7885

Government Center A2400

300 South Sixth Street

Minneapolis, MN 55487

Map

Michael Ohama, Policy Director

michael.ohama@hennepin.us

Phone: 612-348-7885

Graham Faulkner, Communications Director

graham.faulkner@hennepin.us

Phone: 612-348-7885

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Leadership positions

Hennepin County

  • Hennepin County Board of Commissioners, vice-chair
  • Administration, Operations and Budget Committee, chair
  • Audit Committee, member
  • Child Wellbeing Taskforce, member
  • Hennepin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HCHRA), member
  • Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority (HCRRA), member
  • Hennepin Health, member
  • Resident Services Committee, vice-chair

Other positions

  • Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) voting delegate
  • AMC Environment, member
  • CornerHouse, member
  • Elections Canvassing Board, member
  • Green Line Extension Corridor Management Committee, member
  • Green Line Extension Community Works Steering Committee, member
  • Hennepin History Museum, member
  • Light Rail Transit Executive Change Control Board, member
  • Metro GIS Policy Board, member
  • Metropolitan Library Service Agency
    (MELSA) and Metronet, member
  • Partnership on Solid Waste and Energy Issues, member
  • Regional Solid Waste Hauler Licensing Board, member
  • Transportation Advisory Board, member
Biography

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:

  • Richfield Foundation Board
  • Minnesota Environmental Initiatives Task Force
  • Richfield 4th of July Committee
  • Metropolitan Housing Policy Board
  • League of Minnesota Cities
  • Urban Land Institute's Regional Council of Mayors
  • Governor's 2013 Local Government Aid task force

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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About District 5

This district includes the cities of Bloomington, Richfield, southern Eden Prairie, and parts of Minneapolis.

5th district map

hennepin county map showing  district 5 relative to the other 6 districts

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