 | - Transportation Ride Share Worker Protections (TNC) Ordinance:
During yesterday's regular meeting of the City Council, a number of motions and discussion were brought forth aimed at continuing to refine the City's Rideshare Minimum Compensation Ordinance. I co-authored an amendment that extends the implementation date out to July 1st. It passed unanimously and will allow adequate time for state legislators to continue work on their statewide policy. I also voted in favor of an amended compensation rate that did not pass. Ordinance authors Wonsley, Chavez, and Osman introduced a notice of intent to further discuss this ordinance at the next regular meeting of the City Council on April 25th. You can watch the full Council meeting on the City’s YouTube channel. This is an ongoing issue that I will continue working on with other City and State leaders over the coming months. - MPD Recruitment and Retention: Approval of a motion directing the City Auditor’s Policy and Research (PAR) Division to conduct a landscape review of law enforcement recruitment, hiring, and retention practices. Additionally, it instructs PAR to provide an overview of the City's current, future practices with the goal of identifying any trends, standards, or areas of focus. The requested analyses, data, and findings shall be reported to City Council, through the Administration & Enterprise Oversight Committee, no later than May 13, 2024, and any supporting materials will be made available through the City’s website.
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Meet Minneapolis Contract: Authorized an increase to the City's contract with Meet Minneapolis for sales and marketing of the Minneapolis Convention Center and convention and tourism services for the City, as well as an extension of the contract through December 31, 2029. -
Franklin Ave Layout: Approval of the concept layout for Hennepin County’s Franklin Avenue Reconstruction project along Franklin Avenue (County Road 5) from Lyndale Avenue South (County Road 22) to Chicago Avenue. The action also authorizes negotiation with private property owners to acquire easements and additional right-of-way, if necessary, for the project. -
Lake of the Isles Litter Capture: Passage of Resolution accepting donation from River Network of a litter capture boom system at Lake of the Isles and authorization of a maintenance agreement with Osprey Initiative LLC for maintenance of the litter capture boom systems at Lake Hiawatha and Lake of the Isles.  | - Gay Civil Rights Resolution: Presentation and signing of an Honorary Resolution commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the Gay Civil Rights Ordinance in Minneapolis.
Ward 7 Community Survey Series In each Ward 7 Newsletter, we include a question for constituents to weigh in on. Questions may be related to upcoming policy decisions, future planning, issue prioritization, community project ideas, and more. Today's question: What will you do to celebrate Earth Day (Monday, April 22nd) this year? SUBMIT YOUR RESPONSE HERE Details for April "Coffee with Katie" Join me for the next monthly iteration of “Coffee with Katie” at The Bakken Museum in West Maka Ska on Tuesday, April 30th from 5:30-7pm. These monthly community roundtable discussions provide a chance to talk directly with me and your neighbors about ideas, concerns, and opportunities. Come and go as your schedule allows! Enter through the main entrance; visit thebakken.org for location and access details. Welcoming the Rise Up Center to Uptown We are thrilled to share that the former Uptown YWCA building (2808 Hennepin Ave S) will have a vibrant next chapter as the location for the Rise Up Center, an opportunity center and an energy resilience hub where multiracial, low-income, working families can access pre-apprenticeships, jobs, and job readiness training in the fields of green energy, construction, service, and food. Led by BIPOC labor and power-building organizations, the Rise Up Center will be capable of training 3,000 Minnesotans annually. Partners are Unidos MN, SEIU 26, Unite Here 17, the New Justice Project, UFCW 663, the Building Dignity and Respect Standards Council, and the Future Builders Cooperative. All training programs will address the barriers commonly faced by women, immigrants, people of color, those without a high school degree, and workers with past involvement in the criminal system. The Rise Up Center will rehabilitate the building, incorporating environmentally conscious design standards. Out and About in Ward 7 It's been a busy couple of weeks out in the community for the Ward 7 team! A few highlights include: - Attending the MPD Chief Brian O'Hara and Somali American Police Association’s iftar with Ward 6 Councilmember Osman and other community leaders
- A site visit with Canopy Roots, Minneapolis’ Behavior Crisis Response (BCR) provider working in partnership with MPD
- A conversation with the Minneapolis Downtown Council's Adam Duininck and business community stakeholders about the unique roles that downtown plays in our city
- Conversation with 30+ neighbors at our monthly “Coffee with Katie” event, this time in Bryn Mawr (thanks again to Big Hill Books for hosting us!)
- Meetings and site tours for 4 new multifamily housing projects currently in development
- Participation in a community visioning workshop focused on revitalizing the Warehouse District
- A tour of Cordia Energy, which provides a significant portion of downtown Minneapolis’ district energy used for heating and cooling buildings
Canopy Roots Behavioral Crisis Response (BCR) The Minneapolis Behavioral Crisis Response (BCR) program was established in 2021 as a fifth branch of the City's first responder services, along with Police, Fire, EMS, and Animal Control. Operated by the community organization Canopy Roots, the BCR provides trauma-informed, culturally affirming, unarmed first responder services 24/7 to people in crisis via 911. This model reflects what the Minneapolis community asked for when envisioning an expanded public safety program. Since services began in Dec. 2021, the BCR has been assigned and responded to around 20,000 calls with zero injuries to service recipients. Canopy Roots currently employees around 25 full- and part-time responders who are trained mental health practitioners. Responders provide crisis de-escalation including emotionally focused intervention, addressing practical needs, psychoeducation for the recipient and their support systems, risk assessments, safety planning, and connection to additional resources. BCR responders attend to 80% of assigned calls independently of other agencies, while also working alongside other first responders for calls that require those specializations. In 2023, the City Council voted to extend its contract with Canopy Roots through at least 2025. I’ve seen BCR in action helping those in need in our city and I’m so grateful for their partnership as we work to reimagine public safety and to ensure that we can attend to every 911 call with the right response. I look forward to continuing to support this service and hope you’ll join me in learning more about their work. Free Advertising for Businesses Affected by Hennepin Ave Construction Southwest Voices is providing free advertising for Uptown businesses affected by the Hennepin Avenue reconstruction. Complete this ad form, and they will help you communicate with new and existing customers during this difficult time. SWLRT Updates Lane closures are in place on West Lake Street between Chowen Avenue and Market Street. Traffic impacts are expected throughout the summer. Crews are performing sidewalk safety enhancements and station entrance work at the West Lake Street Station area. Once complete, there will be a barrier separating road traffic and sidewalk users. There is an associated detour for pedestrians. See Minneapolis detour maps. Additionally, METRO B Line bus rapid transit (BRT) project construction will be ongoing along West Lake Street and a small portion of Excelsior Boulevard in 2024. B Line construction in the West Lake Street bridge area is expected to ramp up later this summer with major activities such as nearby bus station construction, sidewalk and median work, and roadway resurfacing. Expect traffic impacts throughout the majority of 2024, especially during peak commuting hours. Visit the B Line BRT Project construction page to sign up for B Line construction updates. View full construction updates on all SWLRT corridor sections. Douglas Ave ADA Improvements & Resurfacing Project: As a part of the ongoing street maintenance program, City staff will resurface Lowry Hill streets in the area bounded by Kenwood Parkway, Vineland Place, Lyndale Ave S, Douglas Ave, and Morgan Ave S. Project staff will hold a virtual pre-public hearing meeting to provide an overview of the project and discuss questions and concerns with residents. Pre-public hearing meeting details: - Date: Tuesday, April 16, 2024 (this week!)
- Time: 6:30 p.m.
- Via Microsoft Teams, Telephone number +1 612-276-6670
- Meeting ID: 241 039 388 300, passcode: 2SKGXR
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