March 2025 RABH Notes
CITY OF RICHFIELD
ADVISORY BOARD OF HEALTH NOTES
Monday, March 17, 2025 6:00 p.m.
Present:
Rebecca Case, Co-Chair
Rachel Decker
Kelly Hauer
Marcell Johnson
Joel Schleisman, Secretary
Pixie Pixler
Councilmember Sharon Christensen
Jennifer Anderson, Liaison
Welcome and Introductions were made by everyone in attendance.
Approval of Minutes:
Motion: made by Pixie Pixler, seconded by Rebecca Case to approve the February Advisory
Board of Health minutes
Approval of the Agenda:
Motion: made by Joel Schleisman, seconded by Rebecca Case to approve the March Advisory
Board of Health agenda.
Working meeting: Cannabis Substance Use and Prevention grant
1. Community Health Assessment (CHA) Survey Data:
a. Bloomington is looking at getting public health data at the city level for the
three cities: Bloomington, Edina, and Richfield (BER).
b. Minneapolis, BER are pushing MDH to break down data further to get “street
level” data.
c. Having conversations with local health systems for data (local clinics, HCMC,
etc.).
d. Jennifer will share when we can get the city level data.
e. Concerns about chronic cannabis use in high-rise building that affect neighbors,
they don’t respect boundaries. Fines don’t seem to be meaningful. Jennifer can
look into high-rises in the city to see if they will release data, or what survey
tools used in the past.
f. Mental Health may be another big discussion at the joint meeting. MH is rising
to the top as a need across the state. Not a lot of funding, treatment providers,
crisis in treatment - not including substance abuse. BER addressed through ART
teams - alternative response, for Richfield, includes a social worker, asst fire
chief, Edina: includes a paramedic. ART team works during the day time, are
going to calls instead of officers. Richfield is looking into the Bloomington PD
mental health program
2. Cannabis Grant
a. Application for accepting registrations for dispensaries was midnight on
Saturday.
b. Will do a lottery in June/July, OCM will then send to the city to approve for
zoning certification, if approved for zoning send back to OCM, OCM approves,
and sends back to city to register the business.
c. There has been interest in Richfield by dispensaries, but not known of any
applications yet. Can only allow three dispensaries.
d. A municipal cannabis license doesn’t count to the three-dispensary cap.
e. Kept $20k of the MDH grant for Richfield’s ABH work.
f. Held to grant requirements, need a work plan for cannabis grant money.
g. Break down website to adult use, youth use, 10-12 facts/ordinances, links to
cannabis office, links to recent cannabis news, prevention resources, etc.
h. Can link to the city code (Logis), library.municode.com/mn/richfield/codes
i. Jennifer to confirm if the cannabis facts website needs to use city website
styling, logos, etc.
j. Could promote the website at Unity in the Community, 4th of July Celebration,
etc.
3. Penn Fest
a. September 21st is Penn Fest, 1-5 pm
b. $500 budget to spend for this year, money does not carry over from previous
year.
c. Jennifer will check on what giveaways are left from last year.
d. Volunteer calendar will be set up by the May meeting.
4. Joint BER Advisory Board meeting
a. Motion to cater the joint meeting; options: Andale Taqueria, El Taqueria, Zupas,
Pizza Luce, Giordano’s.
Meeting adjourned at 7:35pm