North Hennepin News

Hennepin County Commissioner Mike Opat will not see re-election in November after nearly three decades of service, stating that the time is right to move on to new challenges.

“To say I’ve been proud to represent the District 1 cities would be an understatement,” he said in a statement. “This district is home to the extended Opat family, many new Americans and lifelong suburban residents.”

Opat represents the county’s First District, including the northeastern cities of Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, New Hope, Crystal and Robbinsdale.

According Star Tribune, Opat was first elected to the county board in 1993, Opat was elected as board chairman in 2001. Up until his retirement, he has been re-elected nine times to the same position. Opat had actually defeated longtime Commissioner John Derus in a tremendous upset.

Commissioners Jeff Johnson and Jan Kallison had also announced their plans on retirement. Totaling the number of retirees from the County Board to three out of seven.

During his 27-year tenure, Opat accumulated a long list of accomplishments to bring his service to an end. Accomplishments such as beginnings of the Bottineau light-rail line, expansion of transit, construction of the Brooksale Library and inducing governance changes at Hennepin Healthcare.