| Council Members Chughtai, Cashman, and Chowdhury standing with supporters of the Labor Standards Board Labor Standards Board: There has been a lot of news about the possibility of enacting a Labor Standards Board throughout this year. At yesterday’s Council meeting, my colleagues and I voted to establish this advisory body following years of development, thoughtful revision, and stakeholder engagement. The Labor Standards Board will be the newest of the 50+ citizen advisory boards and commissions that the City sponsors to help inform policy makers and City departmental staff on legislation and programmatic changes for our city. We know that the best policy comes from having experts and all impacted parties at the table together. A Labor Standards Board allows for employers, employees, and third parties such as consumer advocates, labor policy experts, and community members to work collaboratively to address workplace issues and make recommendations to the City Council. Uniquely, this advisory body will have the ability to create sector-specific workgroups to study and provide recommendations tailored to particular industries. The needs and operations within business community are as varied as the businesses themselves, and the structure of this Board rejects the idea that there should be a one-size-fits-all solution for every issue. Throughout the community engagement process, I heard from a lot of small business owners that they feel under-supported by the City. Here are some changes that I see as critical ways our City departments and elected leaders can adopt a change agenda to better support small businesses. - Easier access to and responsiveness from City permitting departments like CPED and the Health Department
- Support for small businesses during major infrastructure projects
- Place-based solutions like our Ward 7-Ward 10 outline for Uptown Revitalization and the Mayor’s Downtown Revitalization Action Plan
- Increased outreach and communications to ensure businesses are accessing supportive programs already available, such as Hennepin County’s Elevate program and the State’s legal and financial assistance programs
- Expanding available funds for the City’s Business District Support Grants, façade grants, and forgivable loans
- Invigorate the CPED Small Business team with new tools and resources
- Improved City services that impact business operations like parking, security services, sidewalk conditions, and street lighting
We also discussed many amendments on the resolution. The amendment I authored with Council Member Koski was supported by my colleagues and ensures that any sectoral workgroup created on the Labor Standards Board will also survey businesses. The amendment will help us understand the challenges that small businesses face and our Business Technical Assistance Program (BTAP) providers, of which there are 25, would be the ones to collect that information. We know many of our locally-owned businesses have highly ethical practices, and we want to see them rewarded in their industries. Strong industry standards level the playing field, encouraging employers to compete based on productivity and innovation rather than low wages and deficient working conditions. Between the labor crunch, inflation, a recent pandemic, and shortages it has become clear that as our local economy continues to recover, we need this facilitated platform for workers, businesses, and third parties with an additional perspective to share ideas and identify ways forward together. I look forward to the partnership I will have with those who step up to serve on this body to ensure we are enacting the most effective and supportive workplace and labor policies we can moving forward. Thank you to everyone who has been engaged with us throughout this process.  |
An photo of Council Member Cashman in a gray jacket speaking from the dais during the City Council meeting - Queermunity: A warm welcome to one of Uptown’s newest businesses, Queermunity – a resource center, cafe and lounge, co-working space, and social club committed to bringing the LGBTQ+ Community together in Minneapolis. Learn more about their upcoming events, membership options, and more.
- Affordable Housing Preservation Ordinance: In our last newsletter, we detailed an affordable rental housing preservation policy that had been in development with Council Members, community, and City housing program staff over the last couple of years. While that policy was approved by Council last cycle, Mayor Frey vetoed the legislation. You can learn more about what that policy would have achieved if enacted.
- Civil Rights Commission Appointment: Thank you to Ward 7 resident David Jones for stepping up to serve on the City's Civil Rights Commission for a 3 year term!
- Ordinance Notices, Introductions, & Referrals: Council Members introduced and referred to the appropriate committee ordinances and/or amendments on provisions related to the location restrictions of licensed tobacco dealers, as well as a series of policy actions relating to establishing authorized and regulated “safe outdoor spaces” or individualized sheltering options for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness (Housing and building ordinances, Health and sanitation ordinance, and Zoning ordinances).
- Honorary Resolutions: one honorary resolution was brought forth observing November 20, 2024 as Transgender Day of Remembrance.
Budget Committee: December 10, 2024 at 6:00 pm - Truth in Taxation Public Hearing & Budget Adoption
- Public Service Center, 250 S 4th St, Room 350
Ward 7 Community Survey Series After a very active construction season in and around Ward 7, projects managed by the City, the County, the Metropolitan Council, and Metro Transit are starting to wind down for the winter season. We thank everyone for their patience and continued engagement to resolve traffic flow, pedestrian, and bike safety issues as they cropped up throughout the year. What is one key piece of feedback or one question you have for the entities managing these projects as they evaluate what worked well this year and what to improve upon for next season? Did you attend any of the regular stakeholder meetings for these projects? Why or why not? SUBMIT RESPONSE HERE An image of various trash and recycling carts and bags, including proper preparation of yard waste for pickup Yard waste collection ends for the season Nov. 25-30 Yard waste collection ends for 2024 on your garbage day the week of Nov. 25-30. Make sure to properly prepare it for collection and set it out for pickup (at your curb or alley collection point) by 6 a.m. on your collection day. Yard waste must be in an approved reusable container, compostable bags (paper or BPI certified compostable plastic), or bundled with string or twine. Reporting light outages on the Parkways or in Parks With more dark hours this time of year, you might notice lights out more on parkways or in parks. If you see a light not working, here is who you should contact. For path and trail lights in parks: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board customer service: Call 612-230-6400 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday or email anytime. If you witness someone damaging a light, call 911 regardless of location. A diagram that shows a typical layout and ownership of residential and City water infrastructure connections Minneapolis to replace lead water infrastructure for property owners Using new state and federal funding, the City of Minneapolis has started work to replace aging water infrastructure for property owners across the city. The City has completed a citywide inventory of all water service lines. The water service line is the pipe that runs from the water main in the street to the meter inside a property. In Minneapolis, the entire water service line is owned by the property owner. Residents who have either a lead water service line, a galvanized water service line requiring replacement or a water service line of unknown material will receive a letter from the City. The letter has information about the water service line material, steps that can be taken to minimize lead exposure in drinking water, and an update on the City’s effort to replace lead water service lines. An interactive map of the water service line inventory can be viewed on the City’s website. How we know our tap water is safe Minneapolis water is tested hundreds of times a day to ensure it’s safe to drink, and it has always met all federal drinking water standards for lead. The water is treated to make sure lead from pipes does not get into the water. This year, using the new grant funds, we began proactively replacing lead service lines at no cost to the homeowner. In total, we will replace around 400 lead service lines using grant funds in 2024 with a plan to replace 1,000 in 2025. This effort will continue until we have replaced or attempted to replace every lead service line in the city (replacement requires the property owner’s consent). It is important to note this is not an opt-in program. The state legislation requires us to prioritize replacement based on: - Focusing on areas with lower-income residents and other disadvantaged communities.
- Focusing on areas with children with elevated blood lead levels.
- Coordinating the replacement of lead service lines with other capital improvement projects for the most efficient use of grant funding.
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A blue banner graphic that reads "Better Bus Routes: Route 7" with the Metro Transit logo and project website Better Bus Route 7 Metro Transit is partnering with Public Works, as well as the City of Richfield and Hennepin County, to improve service in your ward on Route 7 as part of Metro Transit’s Better Bus Routes program. Proposed changes include: - Consolidating bus stops for up to quarter-mile spacing (see attached one-pager for specific bus stop locations)
- Relocating select stops to the far side of signalized intersections to reduce delays
- Installing concrete pads at bus stops to improve accessibility for customers
- Installing 5 new shelters at qualifying stops
Metro Transit is seeking public input on these changes, which will be implemented in August 2025. Metro Transit’s outreach strategies include notices at bus stops, a project one-pager, project website, and a short survey. This will be Metro Transit’s seventh Better Bus Routes project, having previously completed similar improvements on routes 2, 3, 17, 22, 63, and 4. Out and About in Ward 7 - Talked with many neighbors at the Bryn Mawr Neighborhood Association’s November meeting
- Met with stakeholders to discuss Downtown revitalization efforts underway
- Joined a Minneapolis small business owner, child care workers, Downtown building workers, and others supporting the passage of the Minneapolis Labor Standards Board
- Stay tuned for details on our next “Coffee with Katie” event in January!
A photo of Hennepin Avenue in Loring Park looking eastward with the Basilica of St. Mary on the lefthand side Infrastructure Updates Hennepin Dunwoody Bikeway and Multi-use Trail Project: The City is in the process of constructing a multi-use trail and off-street bicycle lanes along Hennepin Avenue and Dunwoody Blvd. The project will also pass through the Lyndale Avenue intersection. The project is on schedule, and the team has been coordinating the construction work with the events in the neighborhood. Short term next steps in the remainder of 2024 - Restoration of access to Dunwoody.
- Complete installation of sidewalk and bike trail
- Restore traffic on Hennepin Avenue and Dunwoody Boulevard in late November.
- Replace temporary signals with permanent signal systems.
- Planting/landscaping
- Install Center median from 16th St to 12th St.
Signal work may begin in January but otherwise it is anticipated that no other work will be done between November 21, 2024, to late April 2025. The project team has been holding weekly virtual stakeholder meetings for the public to ask questions or express concerns. Meetings occur each Thursday, starting September 19th, 2024 and will run throughout construction. Full project details and meeting link info is available on the project webpage. 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: |
