| Council Members posing with a group of City staff holding rainbow flags in celebration of Pride Month. Police union contract The City Council has been hosting opportunities for the community to learn about and weigh in on the tentative agreement with the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis. I believe it is important to recognize the work of my colleagues and of community groups in advocating for this process to be as transparent as possible with multiple opportunities for the community to engage on the content of the contract and provide feedback. The public hearings and written comments, engagement in our wards, and presentations from community groups that will have taken place before the Council takes a final up/down vote represent a drastic departure and improvement in process in comparison to the most recently approved police union contract. During Tuesday evening’s Administration & Enterprise Oversight Committee meeting, we heard a presentation from City staff involved in the contract negotiations including City Attorney Anderson and MPD Chief Brian O’Hara, as well as a presentation from Minneapolis for a Better Police Contract (MFBPC). We also received public comment from residents from across the city. Thank you again to the Ward 7 residents who took the time to show up and share their thoughts. Following the public hearing, I made a motion to approve the contract and advance it to the full Council for further discussion and votes. The Committee delivered a split 3-3 vote, which means that it will stay with the AEO Committee and be taken up again at the July 8th meeting. As I shared in my most recent newsletter and on the dais Tuesday night, I have been conducting extensive community engagement in Ward 7 on this topic. I have met with neighbors and stakeholders one-on-one, in small groups, at community events, at neighborhood organization meetings, by door-knocking, and through the many calls and emails received by my office. I am prepared to vote in favor of contract approval and look forward to more discussion with my colleagues over the next three weeks as we work toward a final decision. If you’d like to participate in the remaining public comment opportunities, you can submit written comments on this topic by completing this public comment form, or emailing CouncilComment@minneapolismn.gov. Include LIMS file number (2024-00312) in the latter two methods. You can also attend or tune into the July 8th AEO Committee Meeting. Proposed Public Safety Aid Reallocation Last week in our Budget Committee meeting, Council received and discussed a presentation from Office of Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette and Chief Operations Officer Margaret Anderson Kelliher on their proposal to reallocate over $10m in Council-approved funds that were intentionally directed to our City’s comprehensive community safety system via the 2024 City budget. Programming they proposed for drastic or complete cuts include: - The Cultural District Ambassadors (also called “Safety Ambassadors”), including a pilot for Uptown
- Collaborative public safety strategies to reduce gun violence
- Transit Safety Coordinators
- And other key initiatives
Public safety is the number one item I hear about from my constituents, and this is not the time to be defunding any components of our city’s community safety ecosystem. The administration anticipates that the police union contract will cost the City around $9m, and while we understand the expense may be necessary, many of my colleagues and I do not believe that these critical pieces of our City’s investment in comprehensive safety should be backtracked on to pay for it. We on the Council will continue working to identify other viable sources of funding for the contract and invite the administration to join us in that work.  |
Council Members Jenkins and Chavez speaking at a podium at a Pride celebration they organized in City Hall. - Introduction of Upcoming Policy Discussions: Yesterday I provided official notice of three policy items I am authoring, which will each be presented and discussed at upcoming meetings, including:
- Office to residential conversions ordinance: Amendments to the City’s zoning code that will help to streamline the development approvals process, making these conversion projects more viable.
- Erosion and sediment control and drainage ordinance amendment: Municipal separate storm sewer systems, MS4 for short, need to comply with the permit requirements we have from the State of Minnesota. MS4s are important for preventing stormwater runoff from harming Minnesota’s valuable water resources, and this amendment would allow our code language to align more clearly with our State permit.
- Right-of-way franchise holder exemption ordinance: Amending provisions related to the exemption that utility franchise holders currently have for using the public Right-of-Way on streets and sidewalks.
- Ward 7 Appointments: Thank you to the Ward 7 residents who applied and were selected to serve on a few of the City’s advisory boards and commissions. Stay tuned for future opportunities to serve on one of the City’s many appointed bodies.
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- African American Heritage Advisory Work Group – Tene Wells
- Lowry Hill Special Service District Advisory Board – Dan Leitner
- Minneapolis Arts Commission – Doug Moore
- 2025 Council Budget Priorities: Council authorized the transmitting of the 2025 City Council budget priorities for inclusion in the Mayor's 2025-2026 Recommended Budget.
- Honorary Resolutions: Council brought forth 4 honorary resolutions recognizing Juneteenth, the 40th anniversary of Purple Rain, 2024 Pride Month, and Susan Trammell’s 28 years of service to the City. During the Pride Month resolution, we also took a moment of silence to recognize the life of Liara Tsai, a member of Minneapolis’ Transgender community who was murdered this past week.
- Vacant building registration ordinance: Council Members have been working in partnership with our City’s Regulatory Services staff to make thoughtful amendments to the City’s Vacant Building Registry (VBR) program to create more levers for addressing the chronically vacant and dilapidated buildings in our neighborhoods. We invite community members to join us at the public hearing scheduled for Tuesday, July 9th at 1:30pm during the regular meeting of the Business, Housing, & Zoning Committee, to submit written comments in advance to councilcomment@minneapolismn.gov, and/or to complete this week’s newsletter survey below to share your thoughts on the proposed changes.
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: Council Members have been working in partnership with our City’s Regulatory Services staff to make thoughtful amendments to the City’s Vacant Building Registry (VBR) program to create more levers for addressing the chronically vacant and dilapidated buildings in our neighborhoods. These buildings are disproportionately located in areas of concentrated poverty, and currently, there is no limit on the length of time that a property can be in the VBR program; many have been for years or even decades. These boarded and hazardous properties are a massive lost opportunity for economic growth, commercial development, and housing. The presence of boarded and hazardous properties can contribute to public health and safety dangers and can bring down neighboring property values. Can you think of a property in your neighborhood or nearby that matches this description? How do you see that property impacting the quality of life in our community? A photo collage of festivalgoers with text that reads "Twin Cities Pride Festival, June 29-30, Loring Park." Twin Cities Pride & U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team Trials It's going to be a busy weekend! Plan ahead if you to head downtown for the Twin Cities Pride Festival and Gymnastics City USA. Here's what to know before you go. Street closures for events: - First Avenue between Sixth and Seventh Streets (in front of Target Center) will close Thursday, June 27 to early Monday, July 1, for Gymnastics City USA events. One of the four lanes will remain open.
- From 9 a.m. until around noon Sunday, June 30, the Plymouth Street bridge, down Main Street to Hennepin Avenue will close for the Twin Cities Pride Festival 5K.
- Sunday, June 30, Hennepin Avenue to Spruce Street will close for the Twin Cities Pride Festival Rainbow Dash.
- Sunday, June 30, Hennepin Avenue between Third Street and Spruce Street will close for the Pride Parade.
Transportation: The Minnesota Department of Transportation encourages visitors to check 511 for updates to any closures due to event traffic or any issues related to recent flooding outside of the city. - Transit options. Avoid driving in traffic and looking for parking. Visit Metro Transit’s website to plan your trip on public transit or look for the Pride Bus while out and about. TC Pride partnered with Metro Transit to provide a free ride pass for each day of the festival! Get yours here.
- Parking options. There’s parking throughout Downtown. If you’re parking on the street, check signs to be sure of the time limit and hours of enforcement for your parking space. In addition to the many privately run parking facilities downtown, there are several City-owned parking facilities
Come early, stay late: Downtown restaurants, bars and other businesses, and the Warehouse District Live series are all ready to welcome visitors. Take part in activities, shopping, dining and other entertainment before and after going to events. Enjoy the extra time to experience all each area has to offer and avoid traffic congestion. Find more details on the City website.  Promenade Du Nord Take a walk down Nicollet Mall this weekend to enjoy Promenade Du Nord, a Parisian-style Street Fair taking place June 27-30 from 11am-6pm with 80+ local vendors, live music, street performers, and food and drink trucks. I would specifically recommend spending some time at Peavey Plaza to take in this wonderful event. An event flyer with a navy blue and red background and white text with event location and timing details. Red, White and Boom! MPRB is excited to host the “Red, White and Boom!” Fourth of July event on the Downtown Minneapolis Riverfront! Festivities will take place 6-10 pm on Thursday, July 4, 2024, on the west side of the river, at Water Works and the Stone Arch Bridge parking lot. Please note the Stone Arch Bridge is closed for repairs this year. Visit MPRB's website for more information including the schedule of events. An image of an electronic device opened up with a person's hands holding a tool nearby. Hennepin County Fix-It Clinic At a Hennepin County Fix-It Clinic, you will receive guided assistance from volunteers to dismantle, troubleshoot and repair your small household appliances, clothing, electronics, mobile devices and more. Feel empowered, learn valuable skills and reduce waste all at the same time. - When: Saturday, July 13th | 12-4pm
- Where: Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, 5025 Knox Ave. S.
As another opportunity to avoid throwing useful items away, check out upcoming swap and reuse sales. An event flyer with green and blue bubbles, event details, and photos of all three elected officials Details for July "Coffee with Katie" Lowry Hill residents, join me for the next monthly iteration of “Coffee with Katie” at Sebastian Joe's (1007 Franklin Avenue) on Monday, July 15th from 4:30-6pm. These monthly community roundtable discussions provide a chance to talk directly with me and your neighbors about ideas, concerns, and opportunities. This month, I will be joined by special guests MN State Senator Scott Dibble and MN House Representative Frank Hornstein for a recap of the legislative session and progress made in Ward 7. Come and go as your schedule allows! Coffee and tea provided. City moving forward with Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan Legislation passed during the 2024 legislative session allows the City of Minneapolis to resume housing development under the Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan. The legislation allows the City of Minneapolis to move forward with permitting long-stalled multi-unit housing projects. The Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan was passed in 2019 and was the guiding vision for shaping how the city will grow and change for the next 20 years. This includes historic zoning reforms to allow for a diversity of use in all neighborhoods across the city. In part due to the 2040 Plan, Minneapolis has seen record-breaking levels of affordable rental housing units produced in the past several years, while also keeping rents at some of the lowest rates in the country. Read more on the City website. Infrastructure Project Updates A heads up on a few key infrastructure updates around the Ward: - The mill and overlay portion of the Douglas Ave N Project will begin the week of July 8th. It should take about two weeks to complete.
- SLWRT crews will be laying the final bituminous around the Van White Bridge next week, weather permitting, and hope to have the bridge reopened by July 4th.
- The Hennepin Ave S reconstruction team has implemented initial traffic calming measures for detour routes on Irving and Humboldt Aves and are collecting additional volume and speed data to evaluate others to add. You can continue sharing your feedback and observations on what may be needed with the project team via email or attending their weekly, virtual Friday stakeholder meetings.
Upcoming Neighborhood Community Events To find out about what’s going on in your part of town, check out the nine neighborhood organizations working to keep folks connected and engaged in Ward 7: |
