Item Description:
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Establish the unclassified positions of Chief Facilities Officer, Director of Security, and Director of Facilities Services Operations; approve the appointment of Margo Geffen as Chief Facilities Officer, effective 06/01/2025
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Resolution:
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BE IT RESOLVED, that the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners establish the unclassified position of Chief Facilities Officer, Director of Security, and Director of Facilities Services Operations, effective June 1, 2025; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 383B.102(c)(3), the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners approves the appointment of Margo Geffen as Chief Facilities Officer, effective June 1, 2025.
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Background:
This Resolution seeks the following: (1) creation of the unclassified position of Chief Facilities Officer; (2) the appointment of Margo Geffen as the Chief Facilities Officer; and (2) the creation of two director level positions within what is now Facility Services.
Hennepin County and Hennepin Healthcare Services, Inc. (HHS) have been exploring opportunities to collaborate and create efficiencies for both organizations. In 2023, pursuant to Resolution 23-0436, all major HHS facility projects are procured and managed by Hennepin County. This includes the replacement hospital parking ramp that will be under construction later this year and the hospital bed tower project in the future. Leadership at Hennepin County and HHS have been in discussions about expanding the Facility Services collaborations. This Resolution creates a Chief Facilities Officer that will manage Facility Services at Hennepin County and Facilities Management at HHS. The Chief Facilities Officer will report to both Hennepin County and HHS and will manage staff in both organizations. HHS will delineate the management responsibility of the Chief Facilities Officer at HHS.
This Resolution also seeks the appointment of Margo Geffen as the Chief Facilities Officer. Under Minn. Stat. § 383B.102(c)(3) and the County’s policy on Open and Unclassified Service Appointments, the county board approves appointments of personnel in the unclassified service.
Margo Geffen has led the Hennepin County Facilities Department since 2018. In November 2024, through an interagency transfer agreement, Margo Geffen took on the role of Facilities Real Estate Senior Director for HHS. She has been working in this role since that time. In this role, Ms. Geffen has led strategic initiatives to optimize the hospital’s physical infrastructure and oversee facility management, real estate management and campus planning.
This appointment positions Ms. Geffen to serve across both organizations: Hennepin County and HHS. She can use her experience and expertise in facility management in both organizations to ensure alignment and collaboration in real estate management, campus planning and development, facility preservation, and other synergies to be identified in the future.
Finally, this Resolution seeks the creation of two director level positions within Facility Services at Hennepin County. These two positions will report to the Chief Facilities Officer. These positions will allow the Chief Facilities Officer to effectively lead Facilities for both Hennepin County and HHS.
This alignment of facility services is consistent with Resolution 23-0436, requiring Hennepin County to manage major HHS facility projects, and Resolution 24-0373R1, paragraph 40 directing County Administration to find areas for increased collaboration with HHS.
Current Request: The County Administrator requests the board establish the unclassified position of Chief Facilities Officer; the unclassified positions of Director of Security and Director of Facility Services Operations; and approve the appointment of Margo Geffen as Chief Facilities Officer, effective 06/01/2025.
recommendation
Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval