Michael Joseph Opat (born March 25, 1961) is an American politician from the U.S. state of Minnesota. He serves on the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners, the governing body for the largest county in Minnesota, with more than 1.25 million residents and an annual budget of $2.4 billion. Opat represents District 1 (out of 7 districts), an area that includes more than 170,000 residents and encompasses six suburban cities: Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, New Hope, Osseo, and Robbinsdale. In his time on the County Board, Opat has led, among other initiatives, policy and governance changes at Hennepin County Medical Center, numerous advancements in public infrastructure including the revitalization of the Humboldt Greenway, reconstruction of Highway 100 in the northern suburbs, cons