| Councilmembers Cashman, Koski, Vetaw, and Chowdhury posing with a large group of women from Public Works This cycle, our Council approved 55 committee actions, 54 of them unanimously. In our committee meetings, we have been able to work through differences of opinion and perspective and move forward policy solutions. I am proud to serve with all of my colleagues in this important work on behalf of residents. Here are just a few highlights. - City Budget: Minneapolis is facing an estimated $21 million budget shortfall this year, due in large part to decreasing property values of downtown office buildings. I met with the Mayor this week to discuss his plan to abide by the 5 year budget plan and maintain his 6.2% property tax levy commitment to residents. The Mayor and Council will need to work together to fill the gap and find efficiencies in our City spending by asking departments to identify programs that are no longer effective and reassign staff members to the new needs of our city. We also spent some time discussing possible new revenue generation tools for the city. I will be hosting a budget townhall in August, and leading up to that will be asking for your feedback to ensure inclusion of your needs in my budget priorities.
- Brühaven Craft Co. Licenses: We were thrilled to approve the business licenses for Brühaven, a new craft brewery and coffee shop opening in early June in the former Lakes and Legends space. Help us welcome them to Ward 7 by checking them out this summer.
- Vibrant Storefronts Initiative: I’m proud to be collaborating with the Arts and Cultural Affairs Department on a tangible solution for matching artists who need and deserve somewhere affordable to develop their craft with commercial property owners struggling with vacancies. It’s one of a number of important strategies for downtown revitalization, directly impacting the city’s property tax base and therefore, the budget. Loring Park has a long history as an active, diverse area for creatives to live and work. Vibrant Storefronts supports that history and identity, and with success could extend to more areas of the city in the coming years.
- New Advisory Board and Committee Appointments: A warm welcome to all of the newly appointment members of the City’s Bicycle Advisory Committee, Pedestrian Advisory Committee, and the Community Environmental Advisory Commission, especially our Ward 7 appointed representatives: Cliff Mountjoy-Venning, Amy Nash, Eric Smith, and Gladys Mejia, respectively.
- Appointment of Civil Rights Director: Council approved the Mayor’s nomination of Michelle Phillips to be the City’s new Civil Rights Director, a deeply important position in need of this new leadership. I was impressed by her commitment to doing this work through authentic engagement with community and look forward to working in partnership with her.
- Early Intervention System contract authorization: In accordance with the consent decree implementation, the goal of the police EIS is to address the impact of job and personal stress on officers, intervene at the earliest opportunity, and correct unacceptable behavior to reduce citizen complaints and potential litigation.
- MPD policy transparency software: The intent of this software is for MPD to have a centralized repository of current and historical policies and procedures, making them easily accessible for all staff in a user-friendly manner, and to be in compliance with Settlement Agreement requirements.
- The Council brought forth seven honorary resolutions, honoring City employee service, community members and organizations, recognizing Public Works Week, and other causes.
2024 State Legislative Session Recap Many important items impacting Minneapolis and Ward 7 were included in the list of bills passed be legislators during this spring’s session at the state capitol. Here are a few key items to know about: - 2040 Comprehensive Plan is restored: Legislative clarity over comprehensive plans is a huge win for Minneapolis. I was proud to testify at the legislature this year in support of this bill, which was a top priority for our Intergovernmental Relations team. This legislative win brings more certainty to housing developers and other investors interested in pursuing projects in Minneapolis. 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.
- Rideshare driver protections and compensation: The state legislature passed the strongest state regulations to protect Rideshare drivers in the country and we are thankful for the leadership of Representative Long, Senator Fateh, and many other state leaders for taking up this work. To quote Rep. Jamie Long “The Minneapolis City Council did us a great service by putting this on our plate and making sure that we were taking it seriously and getting it done this year, and we did.” The state legislation supersedes our ordinance and thus our work on this regulation has concluded. I am proud to have supported this work and to have held values of ensuring fair wages for workers, continuity of the rideshare service for our community, and to have expanded the market, as Minneapolis has two new Rideshare companies, Wridz and MyWheels, with the potential for others to complete the City’s licensing process in the months ahead.
- MN Promise Act Extension for Hennepin Ave S: Senator Dibble and Representative Hornstein were successful in expanding the Promise Act funding and eligibility to the hard hit stretches of the Hennepin Ave S commercial corridor, opening up a critical grant opportunity for small businesses struggling with pandemic recovery and the street reconstruction work now underway. Through Neighborhood Development Center as the administrator, the State will distribute direct relief of up to $50k to eligible businesses who apply, with the total capped at $1m for this area. We will share more info about this opportunity as it becomes available.
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: Downtown Minneapolis is gearing up for a massive summer of sports events, cultural activity, nightlife attractions, and more. Crime statistics for the first few months of the year in the City's 1st Precinct are also extremely positive in comparison to the same time frame during previous years according to MPD Inspector Bill Peterson. If you haven't visited downtown in a while, what barriers are in the way, whether related to accessibility, affordability, or other factors? SUBMIT YOUR RESPONSE HERE Aerial image of the message "Go Wolves!" painted on 1st Ave in blue and green Wolves Back Block Party Bring ya a** downtown TONIGHT to celebrate and cheer on our Minnesota Timberwolves at the Wolves Back Block Party! Event will feature pre-game entertainment, food and drink, and a large screen to watch the game. Event tickets are free but required for entry. Thank you to our amazing Public Works crews who worked overnight to paint the street, touch up crosswalks, and install temporary street signage around the arena to support the team. - When: Friday, May 24th | 4pm - End of Game
- Where: The corner of 1st Ave and 6th St across from Target Center
- Cost: FREE - Secure your tickets here.
An aerial image of Loring Park, Loring Corners, the Basilica lot underneath the I-94/Hennepin Ave intersection Free Parking for Loring Corners Businesses & Customers If you’ve visited any of the 58 small businesses in Loring Corners like Bar Lurcat, Fawkes Alley Coffee, or Gai Noi by driving your vehicle, you know how tough it can be to find a place to park nearby. My office is proud to have worked with our City’s parking management team and Loring Corners ownership to secure a deal that will provide free parking in two rows of the nearby Basilica Lot for tenant businesses and their customers, as well as new signage to direct visitors across the intersection. An event graphic with bright colors and bubbles with the "Warehouse District Live" branding On Friday and Saturdays from May 31st through October 31st, Warehouse District Live will be a part of the downtown Minneapolis experience. Warehouse District Live is an enhanced pedestrian zone that will feature food trucks, tables and seating, restrooms and various activities throughout the summer and fall from 7pm – 3am. In order to create this enhanced pedestrian zone, the stretch of 1st Avenue between 5th and 6th Street will be closed to traffic. Stop by Warehouse District Live before and after your downtown adventures each weekend! A photo graphic shows Councilmember Cashman smiling with a cup of coffee Details for June "Coffee with Katie" Downtown West residents, join me for the next monthly iteration of “Coffee with Katie” at The Minneapolis Central Library (300 Nicollet Mall) on Monday, June 3rd 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. At this month's event, we will also have information about the upcoming 1st Ave N Reconstruction project. Come and go as your schedule allows! This event will be held on the 2nd floor in the Doty Board Room (N-280). A collage of renters receiving various types of assistance Renters Rights Resource Fair The Minneapolis Department of Regulatory Services is gearing up for a Renter Rights Resource Fair June 4. Together with HOME Line, Legal Aid, Urban League Twin Cities, Arrive Ministries and others, City staff will help community members with: - Overcoming maintenance issues.
- Renter rights.
- Understanding property owner/tenant responsibilities.
- Housing resources for immigrants and refugees.
- Environmental hazards in homes.
- Providing critical resources.
You can drop in any time during the event or join us at 12:30 p.m. for a presentation from HOME Line about new state laws. A free meal and interpretation services will be provided. - When: Tuesday, June 4th | 10:30am - 1:30pm
- Where: Minneapolis Public Service Building, 505 Fourth Ave. S., first floor
- Cost: FREE
Councilmember Cashman stands for a photo with Public Works and Move Minneapolis leaders at the Bike Week event Out and About in Ward 7 Our team continues to get out into the community, engaging in more than 20 constituent and stakeholder meetings of all sizes and formats over the past two weeks. A few highlights include: A graphic with the text "Summer Fun & Wellness 2024" and the KNO logo O Summer Events Calendar Kenwood Neighborhood Organization just announced their programming scheduling for Summer Fun and Wellness 2024! All are welcome to East Cedar Lake Beach and Kenwood Park for this neighbor-powered community event series that kicked off earlier this month. Wellness events include 612 Sauna at the Beach this Memorial Day Weekend (Friday – Monday, reservations required) and free yoga (7pm T/Th) and Pilates (7pm W) all summer long starting in June. |
