Advisory Board of Health — Bloomington, MN
Date: 2026-03-24

Advisory Board of Health
 AGENDA


 ADVISORY BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING
 TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2026
 BLOOMINGTON CIVIC PLAZA
 (MCLEOD CONFERENCE ROOM, FIRST FLOOR)
 1800 WEST OLD SHAKOPEE ROAD
 BLOOMINGTON, MN 55431
 AND VIRTUALLY VIA TEAMS
 6:00 PM

PLEASE NOTE

This meeting will be held at Bloomington Civic Plaza, McLeod Conference Room (first floor), 1800 West Old
Shakopee Road, Bloomington, MN 55431. Some members of the Advisory Board of Health and presenters may
participate electronically as permitted by law, Minnesota Statutes, Section 13D. Members of the public may
participate in person or watch / listen electronically.


Join by Phone


To join by phone (audio only), call the number below and enter the meeting access code (a mobile phone is
recommended to avoid long-distance charges). Meeting phone number: (323) 694-9738, Conference ID: 286 642
498#

Join by Computer


To join by computer, visit the meeting's Microsoft Teams webpage and enter the Meeting ID: 218 378 601 964 53
and passcode: gT7Gp2Fr




1. CALL TO ORDER

 1.1 Call To Order

2. MEETING GUIDELINES

 2.1 Meeting Guidelines

3. ROLL CALL

 3.1 Roll Call (2 min)

4. OATH OF OFFICE
 4.1 Oaths of Office (5 min)

5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

 5.1 Approve Minutes of February 24, 2026 (5 min)

6. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

 6.1 Approve Agenda of March 24, 2026

7. STAFF REPORTS

 7.1 Statewide Health Improvement Partnership Update (SHIP) (60 min)

 Gabby House-Fitzgerald, Public Health Specialist - SHIP Coordinator


 7.2 Public Health Director Update (10 min)

 Nick Kelley, Public Health Director

8. ORGANIZATIONAL BUSINESS

 8.1 Member Connection (20 min)
 Nick Kelley, Public Health Director

 8.2 Review Membership, Attendance, and Email Policies (5 min)
 Nick Kelley, Public Health Director

 8.3 Appointment of Advisory Board of Health Secretary for 2026-27 (2 min)
 Nick Kelley, Public Health Director

 8.4 Appointment of Advisory Board of Health member for Opioid Work Group (2 min)
 Nick Kelley, Public Health Director

9. ADVISORY BOARD OF HEALTH REPORTS/PLANNING

 9.1 Chair's Report (5 min)


 9.2 Opioid Work Update (5 min)



10. OTHER BUSINESS/ANNOUNCEMENTS

 10.1 Other Business / Announcements

11. NEXT MEETING

 11.1 Next Meeting
12. ADJOURNMENT

 12.1 Adjournment

BloomingtonMN.gov: A yearly meeting schedule, agendas, and the official minutes once approved are available. If you require a
reasonable accommodation, please call 952-563-8733 (MN Relay 711) as soon as possible, but no later than 9:00 a.m. one business day
before the meeting day.

 Our mission is to cultivate an enduring and remarkable community where people want to be.

Advisory Board of Health Meeting
 APPROVED MINUTES

 ADVISORY BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING

 TUESDAY – MARCH 24TH, 2026
 6:00 PM

 CITY OF BLOOMINGTON CIVIC PLAZA
 MCLEOD CONFERENCE ROOM (FIRST FLOOR)
 1800 W. OLD SHAKOPEE ROAD
 BLOOMINGTON, MN 55431



1. CALL TO ORDER

 Allen, Chair, called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm.

2. MEETING GUIDELINES

 Allen, Chair, reviewed the meeting guidelines.

3. ROLL CALL

 Staff Liaison Members Present

 Nick Kelley, Public Health Director John Allen
 Miraya Gran
 Staff Courtney Johnson
 Melissa Knutzen
 Meggan Gronli, Operations Manager Annabel Kornblum
 Gabby House Fitzgerald, Public Health SHIP Specialist Sofia Pehrson
 Christine Lees, Population Health Program Manager Sherry Saterstrom


4. OATH OF OFFICE

 Kelley facilitated the Oath of Office to new Advisory Board of Health members, Miraya Gran, Sofia Pehrson and
 Sherry Saterstrom.

5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

 M/Knutson, S/Kornblum and all voted yes to approve the meeting minutes of February 24th, 2026.

6. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

 M/Kornblum, S/Johnson and all voted yes to approve the meeting agenda of March 24th, 2026.

7. STAFF REPORTS



 BloomingtonMN.gov: A yearly meeting schedule, agendas, and the official minutes once approved are available. If you require a
 reasonable accommodation, please call 952-563-4955.
 7.1 Statewide Health Improvement Partnership Update (SHIP)

 The Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) is a long-standing, state-funded program
 that supports chronic disease prevention across Minnesota. Bloomington Public Health
 administers SHIP for Bloomington, Edina, and Richfield, focusing on healthy eating and food
 access, active living, commercial tobacco-free living, and mental well-being. Using policy,
 systems, and environmental change approach, SHIP aims to make the healthy choice the easy
 choice, with an emphasis on long-term, community-led solutions rather than short-term
 programs.

 Recent SHIP-supported work has included expanding access to healthy food through a new
 walk-in refrigeration system at VEAP, strengthening social-emotional and trauma-informed
 practices in Bloomington Public Schools and childcare settings, and supporting trauma-
 informed policy updates at Oasis. SHIP has also partnered with city departments and community
 organizations to assess and improve bike parking and active transportation infrastructure, and
 to create a multi-language nature guide that connects residents to local parks and the health
 benefits of being outdoors. Bloomington continues to be recognized as a state leader in
 commercial tobacco prevention, with local policies that have helped slow the growth of youth e-
 cigarette use compared to peer communities.

 Looking ahead in the current five-year SHIP cycle, Bloomington Public Health is prioritizing
 deeper partnerships with community organizations, schools, healthcare providers, and residents
 to advance healthy aging, caregiver support, mental well-being, food access, and safe walking
 and biking. The program is aligning its work with the City’s comprehensive planning, Safe Routes
 to School efforts, and the new Community Health and Wellness Center, while maintaining strong
 accountability to the Minnesota Department of Health through ongoing evaluation and
 storytelling that demonstrate SHIP’s local impact.

 7.2 Public Health Director Update

 Bloomington Public Health is actively engaged in state-level legislative and planning efforts while
 maintaining core local services. At the Capitol, staff are closely tracking bills that affect local
 public health, including proposed changes that would broaden who can serve as a local medical
 director, updates to vaccine advisory and evidence standards, and major federal and state
 funding decisions that could impact health and human services. Locally, the Department recently
 completed its required local public health performance reporting and has submitted grant
 applications for HIV prevention and the renewal of the federal WIC program, navigating new
 federal compliance requirements. Bloomington Public Health is also helping lead regional
 community health assessment and planning work with Hennepin County and Minneapolis, with
 a current focus on basic needs and mental health.

 Within the City, public health staff are involved in the launch of the 2050 Comprehensive Plan
 and the development of a Climate Action Plan, ensuring that health, equity, and active
 transportation are integrated into long-term planning and policy decisions. Kelley noted that the
 department is transitioning from emergency operations related to the recent Operation Metro
 Surge into a recovery phase, with an emphasis on community-driven healing, staff resilience, and
 learning from recent events to better prepare for future challenges. Public Health has also
 ensured that the new Community Health and Wellness Center includes clinic-ready space that
 can support future partnerships with healthcare providers to help address gaps in access to care



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 for residents.

8. ORGANIZATIONAL BUSINESS

 8.1 Member Connection

 Board members and staff briefly introduced their professional and educational backgrounds in
 public health, healthcare, research, policy, education, and community work, and shared what
 they hope to contribute to the Advisory Board of Health. The group highlighted a wide range of
 experiences including clinical practice, epidemiology, mental and physical wellness, aging,
 homelessness and housing data, youth and adolescent health, environmental and policy work,
 and local community engagement.

 8.2 Review Membership, Attendance, and Email Policies

 The Advisory Board of Health expects members to attend all scheduled meetings and to notify
 staff or the chair as early as possible if they must be absent, as repeated unexcused absences
 may affect membership status. Members are asked to use their city provided email primarily for
 logistical communication (such as confirming attendance, receiving materials, or asking
 clarifying questions of staff) and to avoid using “reply all,” group threads, or other electronic
 communication to discuss, debate, or make decisions about Board business outside of official
 meetings, in order to remain in compliance with Minnesota’s Open Meeting Law and City
 policies.

 8.3 Appointment of Advisory Board of Health Secretary for 2026-27

 M/Kornblum, S/Knutson and all voted yes to appoint Nhi Vo as Advisory Board of Health Secretary
 for 2026-27.

9. ADVISORY BOARD OF HEALTH REPORTS/PLANNING

 9.1 Chair’s Report

 The Chair reported on recent and emerging developments in the broader healthcare environment
 that may affect Bloomington residents and the work of public health. He highlighted the City Council’s
 declaration of Public Health Week and discussed concerns about the potential impacts of the
 proposed merger of Allina Health with Sutter Health and the financial stability of Hennepin County
 Medical Center (HCMC). He noted that significant system changes at Allina and any instability or
 potential service reductions at HCMC, a key safety-net hospital, could have major implications for
 access to care in the region, particularly for residents who are uninsured or underinsured.

 The Chair emphasized the importance of closely monitoring these developments, maintaining strong
 relationships with local and regional healthcare partners, and being prepared to advise the City on
 possible community impacts. He underscored that the Advisory Board of Health plays a key role in
 raising concerns about access and equity, sharing ground-level observations, and helping the City
 anticipate and respond to shifts in the healthcare and hospital landscape, including those involving
 Allina Health and HCMC.

 9.2 Opioid Work Update



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 The Board received an update on the City’s opioid-related work, which is being guided by a multi-
 sector stakeholder group that meets monthly to advise on the use of opioid settlement funds. This
 group reviews local data, identifies priority needs, and helps shape projects that focus on prevention,
 treatment access, and long-term sustainability of services. Bloomington Public Health staff described
 the stakeholder process as an important way to ensure that funding decisions are grounded in
 community input and aligned with broader regional efforts to address substance use and overdose.

 The next Opioid Stakeholder Meeting will take place on April 13th, 2026, from 11am – 1pm in the
 Haeg Conference Room (Second Floor) at Bloomington Civic Plaza. In person attendance only.

 9.2.1 Appointment of Advisory Board of Health member for Opioid Work Group

 M/Knutson, S/Saterstrom and all voted yes to appoint Member Pehrson to serve on the Opioid Work
 Group.

10. OTHER BUSINESS/ANNOUNCEMENTS

 The Board briefly discussed the upcoming Diamond Service Awards Ceremony, which recognizes
 outstanding community members and volunteers for their contributions to health, wellness, and
 overall quality of life in the city. Members were encouraged to attend and engage with award
 recipients and other community partners, both to celebrate local service and to strengthen
 connections that support the work of public health and the Advisory Board of Health.

 The Diamond Service Awards event will be held May 27, 2026, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel
 Minneapolis South – 7800 Normandale Boulevard, Bloomington, MN 55439.

11. NEXT MEETING

 April 28th, 2026 | 6 - 8 pm

12. ADJOURNMENT

 M/Kornblum, S/Johnson and all voted yes to adjourn. The meeting was adjourned at 7:58 pm.




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