City Council September 11, 2025   9/11/2025

Call to Order

• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:00:21
    Good morning, everyone.
  • 00:00:22
    My name is Elliott Payne.
  • 00:00:24
    I'm the president of Minneapolis City Council.
  • 00:00:26
    And before we convene our meeting, I want to recognize that this is the first council meeting since the tragic mass shooting at Annunciation School and Church.
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    I'd like to reflect on that with a moment of silence for Fletcher, Harper, and all the victims of gun violence here at home and across the nation.
  • 00:00:59
    Thank you.
  • 00:01:01
    Next we have presentations of honorary resolutions.
  • 00:01:04
    We are pleased to welcome guests to this space to share in these presentations before taking up our agenda.
  • 00:01:09
    First up is a resolution recognizing National Dance Day presented by Councilmember Cashman.
• • Michael CashmanMember, City Council
  • 00:01:34
    Good morning.
  • 00:01:35
    All right.
  • 00:01:44
    If we run out of room on that side, feel free to keep coming down this way and make a second row.
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    And any other council members are welcome to join us in reading if you'd like.
• • Aisha ChughtaiVice President, City Council
  • 00:02:04
    Yeah.
• • Michael CashmanMember, City Council
  • 00:02:09
    All right, welcome everyone.
  • 00:02:10
    Good morning.
  • 00:02:11
    So we are here to honor and recognize September 20th, 2025 as National Dance Day in Minneapolis.
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    Whereas, we recognize that dance has been central to Lakota, Dakota, and Ojibwe histories, lifeways, medicine, and ceremony for 10,000 years.
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    And to this day, and we recognize that Minneapolis is a center for native and indigenous dance with hundreds of tribal affiliations from all parts of the country.
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    and whereas Minneapolis is recognized as one of their premier national hubs for dance in America and it has been at the forefront and a home for supporting thousands of highly regarded choreographers, dancers, companies, educators, technicians, designers, administrators, audiences, funders, presenting organizations.
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    and whereas Minneapolis has been a leader of dance support in philanthropy including support from the McKnight Foundation, Jerome Foundation, Minnesota State Arts Board, Metropolitan Arts Council and Springboard for the Arts among others
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    and whereas important institutions both past and present have supported dance including Northrop's Historic Dance Series, the Walker Arts Center, Red Eye Theater, Patrick's Cabaret, Center for Performing Arts, Hennepin Center for the Arts, Lundstrom Performing Arts, Capri Theater, Hennepin Arts, Southern Theater, Barbara Barker Dance Center, Ivy Building, Cedar Cultural Center and hundreds of other venues, dance studios and art spaces and
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:03:51
    whereas there is such enthusiasm for dance in Minneapolis that the community was determined to move historic Shubert Theater down the street
  • 00:03:59
    in 1999 next to the Hennepin Center for the Arts to form the flagship Cowles Center for Dance and Performing Arts named after Philanthropist Sage and John Cowles and the Goodale Theater named after Bob and Kathy Goodale.
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    And moving the Cowles set the Guinness Book of World Records for the heaviest building ever moved on rubber wheels, not to be outdone by the world's largest tap parade that happened in downtown Minneapolis with 1,800 dancers in 1979, led by the Minnesota Dance Theater
  • 00:04:29
    which was overturned in 2010 and...
  • 00:04:40
    Whereas in Spring 2025, as a response to the advocacy of the Minneapolis dance and arts community, the City of Minneapolis launched the Bridge Fund for Dance program to bring support for Minneapolis choreographers, dance companies, event producers, and performing arts organizations together for the creation of new projects
  • 00:04:59
    and reimagining old ones in downtown and our cultural districts and whereas the City of Minneapolis signed contracts with Minneapolis Public Schools and Young Dance to provide dance classes and residency programs in every Minneapolis Public School and Minneapolis Park and Recreation building.
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    and bring dance education to every corner of the city impacting nearly 30,000 students and whereas we recognize the role of dance in providing essential support to youth development and improving their motor skills, boosting their confidence and self-esteem, enhancing their social integration and friendships, supporting their emotional intelligence and inspiring their creativity and imagination,
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    and whereas in 2025 Arts Nest and Xenon Dance School formed a partnership to become the new operator of the closed Cowell Center bringing dance back to the Hennepin Theater District and Hennepin Center for the Arts after 25 years of stewardship by Artspace and
• • Michael CashmanMember, City Council
  • 00:06:02
    Whereas from ages 12 to 22, Minneapolis youth have repeatedly competed in and won national dance competitions throughout the country with the UMN dance team repeatedly going viral and the dance community has been nationally and internationally recognized for their artistic achievements by receiving important honors, grants, and awards.
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    and the dance community has been the champions of global aesthetics, diverse dance forms, social activism, community building, and they have been on the front lines of supporting practitioners of all abilities, backgrounds, ages, bodies, and genders.
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    And whereas the city of Minneapolis wants to recognize the important contributions of the generations of visionary and diverse artists involved in our dance community and to recognize the dance community as a vital part of our cultural ecosystem,
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    So much to celebrate.
  • 00:07:20
    Thank you.
  • 00:07:20
    There's so much to celebrate and be proud of this year so thank you all for coming to be part of this advocacy for the dance community.
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    I hope this is the beginning of a long journey of the city of Minneapolis partnering and cherishing and devoting resources and dedication and advocacy to the dance community so that we can continue to grow and I thank you all for being a part of that.
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    I myself was a competitive dancer as a young person and that really taught me the skills that I needed to be a thriving human with confidence and self-awareness and being part of a global community as well.
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    So I'm really appreciative for that opportunity and really grateful to be able to represent the theater district and downtown and uptown on the City Council
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    and to be able to partner with all of you to give more people in our city the opportunity to dance and to participate in this form of art.
  • 00:08:20
    So with that I will ask if anyone would like to say a few words of advocacy.
• • SPEAKER_12
  • 00:08:27
    Hello, thank you Councilman Cashman and Minneapolis Council with compassionate advocates of the arts.
  • 00:08:33
    My name is Danielle Robinson Prater and I'm the director of Xenon Dance School and a representative of the dance community today along with a partner with ArtsNest recently anointed the gift of operating the Kohl Center for Dance and the Performing Arts.
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    Xenon has had the
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    The privilege to be in downtown Minneapolis for 38 years at the Hennepin Center for the Arts.
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    Today marks a significant milestone for our vibrant dance community and it is with great excitement and gratitude that we acknowledge a renewed commitment to fostering creativity, collaboration, and inclusivity in our community.
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    We are dedicated to nurturing the art of dance, an art form that perseveres the test of time, celebration, cultures, and even trauma.
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    It is a gift for both the present and the future meant to be shared by all.
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    In these ever-evolving times, we are deeply appreciative for your support, your willingness to listen, and your commitment to ensuring that every dancer, every choreographer, educator, student, and presenter in our community has a voice worth acknowledging.
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    It is essential to create spaces where individuals feel safe to express themselves, share their stories, and grow as dance artists and community members.
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    With your continued support in our community, we become a sanctuary for creativity, a place where artistic innovation flourishes.
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    Collaborations thrive, and dance community can inspire one another as well as the broader audience in Minnesota.
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    As we look forward to the future, we find that you have paved a way for us to unite in the dedication to supporting our local artists, our educational programs, and together
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    we possess the power to elevate the arts in Minneapolis highlighting our outstanding dance community and showcasing our city both on national and international stages.
  • 00:10:28
    Xenon and ArtsNest want to express our heartfelt gratitude for the Trust and the City Council and for the dance community and your vision and your steadfast support and for Ben Johnson and the Arts and Cultural Affairs Department and your team to stepping up to lead this new chapter.
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    So let's continue to nurture our artists, listen to them, promote inclusivity and make Minneapolis a beacon for hope for all.
  • 00:10:54
    Thank you.
• • SPEAKER_03
  • 00:11:01
    Thanks, Danielle.
• • Jamal OsmanMember, City Council
  • 00:11:08
    I don't want to follow you, but I have to.
• • SPEAKER_03
  • 00:11:10
    Good morning Councilwoman Cashman and the entire City Council.
  • 00:11:15
    I am Karen Charles.
  • 00:11:16
    I'm the Artistic and Executive Director of Threads Dance Project.
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    I moved here 25 years ago and was immediately amazed by the vibrancy of the dance community.
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    And that vibrancy encouraged me to share my voice as an artist.
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    As a result, I've been able to share my work for 14 years.
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    with the professional company and touring nationally, we've also opened a space in the Seward neighborhood where we can create dance, teach dance, and make space for others to create.
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    I want to thank the city especially because they're stepping up at a time that is crucial as the dance community recovers after the devastations of the pandemic,
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    and the current national attacks on arts and cultural organizations.
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    These shifts have caused us to see several professional companies in the Twin Cities and venues shutter and it's been devastating for all of us.
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    Minnesota is known for its advocacy and support of cultural and arts organizations, so I'm not surprised that we have our own resolution today, which I'm really proud of.
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    67%, though, of nonprofits in the state currently say that they can only operate for about 12 months.
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    So again, this funding and support comes at a very crucial time.
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    With this support, you give the dance community hope to weather the storm and continue to be the torchbearers of culture and diversity.
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    With the city's support, major venues are reopening, woohoo, the Colts Artists can present their work via support from the Bridge Fund, and youth will be guaranteed dance experiences to get moving and creating and engaging, especially at a time when they are sedentary on their phones a lot of the time On behalf of the dance community, I thank you
  • 00:13:02
    I also hope and plead that the value you have demonstrated now with this support does not wane but grows to assure that our state and our city continue to be recognized and the dance generations behind me, one standing next to me, a couple that are new creators moving into this space get the support they need so that the dance will continue in the Twin Cities.
  • 00:13:27
    Thank you.
• • Michael CashmanMember, City Council
  • 00:13:33
    Anybody else like to say a few words?
  • 00:13:36
    Alright, we are going to try to gather for a group photo.
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    We have to be inside these black lines, so we'll do multiple rows here.
• • SPEAKER_13
  • 00:13:45
    We'll do the shorties in the front.
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    Five, six, seven, eight
• • 00:14:33
    That's a good picture.
• • SPEAKER_13
  • 00:14:58
    Thank you.
  • 00:15:14
    Thank you so much.
  • 00:15:23
    Have a wonderful day.
  • 00:15:38
    Thank you.
  • 00:15:39
    Thank you.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:16:14
    Next, we will welcome up Councilmembers Jenkins and Chavez to recognize Douglas R. Ewart-Dade.
• • 00:16:51
    Committee.
• • Andrea JenkinsMember, City Council
  • 00:17:20
    Good morning everyone.
• • Robin WonsleyMember, City Council
  • 00:17:39
    Is this on?
• • Andrea JenkinsMember, City Council
  • 00:17:40
    Good morning everyone.
  • 00:17:42
    My name is Andrea Jenkins, Ward 8 City Council member and so delighted to be to do this resolution this morning along with Councilmember Chavez honoring and recognizing September 13, 2025 as Douglas R. York Day in the City of Minneapolis.
  • 00:18:10
    Yes, and whereas Douglas Ewart has been an active 35-year resident of Minneapolis, Minnesota and has connected Minneapolis and Chicago as a kaleidoscope composer, improviser, sculptor, visual artist, instrument maker, event producer, lecturer, educator, and all-around visionary,
  • 00:18:39
    and whereas Mr. Ewart has taught people of all ages how to listen to and improvise music together, how to build and play instruments from simple or discarded household items and histories of the Caribbean through music and culture.
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    He has taught in a variety of schools and educational settings such as We Win,
  • 00:19:09
    Compass, Art Star McPhail School of Music, Urban Gateways, Metropolitan State University, and the School of Art Institute of Chicago.
  • 00:19:21
    and whereas Mr. Ewart produced musical and community recordings and events building Arawak records, numerous groups and events such as koozah, orchestra inventions, the clarinet choir,
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    and series such as In the Spirit of Nomads.
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    His community events include the community orchestra and activities performance, crepus skill, active at twilight, and an active audience, a microcosm of society where many disciplines could converge, started in Minneapolis and brought to Philadelphia, Chicago,
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    Guelph, Ghana, and Paris.
• • Jason ChavezMember, City Council
  • 00:20:27
    and whereas Mr. E. Ward's sculpture, The People's Idaho Phone, exemplifies his spirit, making an instrument sculpture that many people can play at once and that has been installed in one place at Pillsbury House and Theater.
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    It has been made mobile, played in community paradise such as the May Day Parade.
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    His invented instrument gives broken and discarded items new life as makers of sound and delight and he has made close to 500 sonic tops, spinning tops made of balls, records, toys, and materials of all kinds
  • 00:21:02
    that sing when they are spun.
  • 00:21:05
    And whereas Mr. Ewart has been awarded many grants, fellowships, and residencies nationally and internationally, including Bush and McKnight Fellowships and Distinguished Artist Awards, a U.S.-Japan Creative Artist Fellowship, and in Chicago, the Mayor Harold Washington's Outstanding Artist Award.
  • 00:21:24
    And whereas Mr. Ewart has woven his remarkable broad gifts into a single sensibility that encourages
  • 00:21:30
    and celebrates as an antidote to the divisions and compartmentalization afflicting modern life and wholeness of individuals and groups and culturally active communities through projects done in diverse media throughout his award-winning and widely acclaimed 40-year career.
  • 00:21:48
    And the last warehouse and then the final thing.
• • Andrea JenkinsMember, City Council
  • 00:21:52
    and whereas art is life for Douglas R. Ewart, he has shared his practice and ethic of care, conservation, invention and ingenuity with tens of thousands of people through teaching, mentoring and sharing his creative gifts
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    across genres.
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    He is a stalwart and generous friend and colleague and a scholar who challenges the frameworks that confine and decontextualize the activities and struggles of everyday people.
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    His indefatigable spirit has inspired and supported all those who engage
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    Now, therefore, be it resolved that the City of Minneapolis recognizes and celebrates Saturday, September 13th in honor of Douglas R. Ewart.
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    So, you know, I just want to personally say I've known Douglas for many, many years, decades now.
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    And you rarely see him without an instrument.
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    If you are ever in any community setting with him, there will be music that will be made and you will be a part of that performance.
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    And so I just want to thank you for your generosity in sharing your love for music with the community that you stand up for.
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    And not only do you bring joy to spaces, but you also are a passionate advocate
• • SPEAKER_01
  • 00:24:03
    for justice and so thank you for all of your service and I offer you this microphone if you want to share a few words.
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    I am humbled and I'm going to change my will today because I've been tricked by the my friends but I'm really humbled by this acknowledgement or
  • 00:24:35
    It's difficult to summarize all that has just occurred but I'm grateful and thankful and I'm just passing on what I've gathered through community and I've been supported by so many in so many places that it's only correct to give
  • 00:24:59
    not back, but forward.
  • 00:25:02
    So I'm honored.
  • 00:25:05
    It doesn't change the fact that I'm going to get those people that tricked me today.
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    But also the importance of having friends
  • 00:25:20
    the importance of developing a circle of people because we have to build community it's so crucial especially as you grow younger you see the importance of developing a circle of people that we can take care of each other especially in a society where
  • 00:25:43
    our elders are often neglected or discarded and so I think about these things more and more as time goes on and the fact that we have to we have to develop a closer circle because of the things that occur when we're young but
  • 00:26:05
    Particularly as we grow older, it's so crucial to recognize our elders because they're a reservoir of information and of compassion that you don't have the same thing when you're younger.
  • 00:26:25
    You're just too busy trying to consume all the beauty that there is to consume.
  • 00:26:31
    Thank you very much.
  • 00:26:32
    I'm really, really honored and I'm going to get my own quick.
• • Andrea JenkinsMember, City Council
  • 00:26:47
    Well, is there anyone else who wants to say anything?
• • SPEAKER_11
  • 00:26:52
    At the end of Crepuscule which started around Powderhorn Park Douglas would lead in a chance so I would like to invite everyone here and if you're watching and the council people Councilmember Jenkins, Councilmember Chavez thank you for making this happen I love myself I love the human spirit I love myself I love the human spirit
  • 00:27:20
    I love myself I love the human spirit I love myself I love the human spirit I love myself I love the human spirit
  • 00:27:37
    I love myself I love the human spirit I love myself I love myself I love I love I love I love I love
  • 00:27:54
    I love, I love the spirit, the spirit I love, I love the spirit, the spirit I love, I love, I love the spirit I love, I love
• • SPEAKER_10
  • 00:28:11
    I love you and you too I love you and you too I love you and you too I love you and you too I love you and you too
• • Andrea JenkinsMember, City Council
  • 00:28:42
    I told you, you would be a part of the performance.
• • Jamal OsmanMember, City Council
  • 00:28:45
    You are warned.
• • Andrea JenkinsMember, City Council
  • 00:28:47
    Alright everybody, come inside these black lines.
  • 00:28:55
    And Douglas, you hold this.
  • 00:28:58
    Okay.
  • 00:29:00
    Alongside of Monquay.
  • 00:29:03
    Okay.
  • 00:29:10
    Thank you everybody.
  • 00:29:12
    And you can see Douglas perform at the Walker Art Center this Saturday evening at 730.
  • 00:29:22
    Wonderful.
• • SPEAKER_13
  • 00:29:46
    Next we will have Council Members Wonsley and Chavez recognize Welcoming Week.
• • Robin WonsleyMember, City Council
  • 00:30:27
    All right, good morning, everyone.
  • 00:30:30
    Thank you.
  • 00:30:31
    All right, I got the council delegation here this morning.
  • 00:30:34
    All right, then.
  • 00:30:35
    So we are here recognizing welcoming week for this year 2025 because we are a city that embraces and welcome all of our neighbors.
  • 00:30:45
    Absolutely.
  • 00:30:48
    and that is deeply important especially right now where we have a federal administration that is trying and actively working every single day to divide our communities.
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    So with that, me and my colleagues are going to read our resolution and then allow our guests to share some words with us.
  • 00:31:09
    So that said, recognizing welcoming week 2025,
  • 00:31:15
    whereas Welcoming Week is an annual celebration that brings together neighbors of all backgrounds to build connections, affirm belonging, and strengthen inclusive communities across the nation.
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    And whereas each year in September, Welcoming America supports and encourages local communities to host events that highlight the importance of inclusion and collective prosperity and
• • Jason ChavezMember, City Council
  • 00:31:49
    and okay whereas during welcoming week communities across the country host events to bring together residents with roots in the United States as well as individuals born outside this country including immigrants, refugees and new Americans to celebrate and foster mutual understanding and belonging across the nation and whereas this year welcoming week will occur September 12th through September 21st, 2025 and
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 00:32:22
    Whereas the city of Minneapolis is recognized as a diverse and inclusive city whose success depends on ensuring that every resident feels they belong in the city they call home.
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    And whereas people who have traditional roots in Minnesota or arrive in Minneapolis as immigrants, refugees, or newcomers own homes, start businesses, and are valued members of our Minneapolis community and
• • Jamal OsmanMember, City Council
  • 00:32:51
    and whereas fostering and welcoming environment for all, regardless of immigrant status, race, ethnicity, place of origin, English language, proficiency, religion, income, gender, sexual orientation, differing abilities, age and other factors, we enhance the city of Minneapolis health and economic prosperity and well-being for current and future generations and where at.
  • 00:33:19
    Whereas community efforts that promote understanding and collaboration between longtime residents and foreign porn community members are crucial to ensuring and welcoming environment.
• • Robin WonsleyMember, City Council
  • 00:33:32
    And Whereas Minneapolis And Whereas Minneapolis joins with other Minnesota cities in standing together to maintain a welcoming state where all who live here feel they belong and have the opportunity to contribute.
  • 00:33:49
    Now therefore be it resolved that the Mayor and City Council hereby recognizes and celebrates welcoming week on September 12th through the 21st of 2025 and reaffirms our commitment to the City of Minneapolis as a welcoming city, one which fosters a sense of belonging among all its residents, including residents with deep roots in Minneapolis and Minnesota, as well as residents from every part of our country and our world.
  • 00:34:18
    Yay!
  • 00:34:23
    So again, I just want to thank my colleagues, Councilmember Chavez, Councilmember Chaudhuri, and Councilmember Osman, and all of my Councilmember colleagues for supporting this resolution.
  • 00:34:33
    I also want to thank the leadership of Director Karen Moe, as well as Director Michelle Rivera, who have continued to lead our city in its work of making sure every single resident knows that we are here to advocate and support all of our residents and to make sure we have the resources in place and when we don't,
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    to advocate for those resources so that we can make sure our residents are taken care of regardless of where they come from and how long they've been here.
• • SPEAKER_07
  • 00:35:02
    So with that, I will pass it to...
• • Robin WonsleyMember, City Council
  • 00:35:04
    Yes, all right.
  • 00:35:05
    Direct them home.
• • SPEAKER_07
  • 00:35:07
    Good morning.
  • 00:35:07
    Thank you.
  • 00:35:08
    My name is Karen Moe.
  • 00:35:09
    I use she her pronouns and Most of you know me as the director of neighborhood and community relations I have the honor of serving our city in this role But I wanted to just share a couple comments and actually share a little bit about myself personally today.
  • 00:35:23
    I
  • 00:35:24
    I don't do that very often when I have the microphone, but I will share that I am the daughter of an immigrant and my mother moved to this country when she fell in love and got married and she made the decision to not just raise myself and my siblings here in the United States.
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    She chose to become a United States citizen so that she could participate civically in our life.
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    and that instilled in me a sense I've had the opportunity to actually experience what it feels like growing up and creating a welcoming environment for other people.
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    But I also have had the privilege of understanding what it feels like to be welcomed and to feel like I belong.
  • 00:36:04
    And I know that that's something that not all of our community members experience.
  • 00:36:09
    The City of Minneapolis has been celebrating Welcoming Week since 2017 and although it's the eighth year that we're doing this, this year feels especially important for us to be coming out and explaining that we do this because it reflects our values as a city, all of us.
  • 00:36:25
    No matter where we come from, no matter how long we have been here in Minneapolis, we know that we are welcoming people and that everyone deserves to feel welcomed and that they belong.
  • 00:36:35
    So we're especially excited for Council to be honoring this series of events this week.
  • 00:36:42
    We invite everyone to come out and join us or to take some time, whether you're welcoming others or you are seeking out ways to be welcomed, please celebrate this week.
  • 00:36:52
    Come out and join.
  • 00:36:53
    You can go to our website to see all of the fabulous activities that we're participating in, but there's so many other things that are happening that you can do to make sure that you're welcoming people into our community.
  • 00:37:03
    So thank you.
  • 00:37:03
    I am going to turn it over to our colleague at the national level.
• • SPEAKER_17
  • 00:37:09
    Thank you.
  • 00:37:10
    Good morning.
  • 00:37:11
    My name is Brianna Broberg.
  • 00:37:12
    I am the Senior Midwest Regional Manager for Welcoming America.
  • 00:37:16
    Welcoming America is a national nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that leads a movement of inclusive communities becoming more prosperous by ensuring that everyone belongs and has the opportunity to thrive.
  • 00:37:28
    And we believe that all residents, including immigrants, are valued contributors and are vital to our success and our shared futures.
  • 00:37:34
    Welcome to America.
  • 00:37:53
    It was originally just a very small handful of our members having events and has really grown now to be a global campaign with thousands of events being celebrated not just here across the U.S. but all around the globe.
  • 00:38:06
    We're really excited that the City of Minneapolis continues to be such a strong partner in this welcoming work.
  • 00:38:11
    We are so grateful to have this community as a part of our member network to look to as an example for wonderful welcoming work that others can learn from and emulate as well.
  • 00:38:20
    and I'm really grateful for the opportunity to be here to commemorate the reading of this resolution and the beginning of welcoming week starting tomorrow.
  • 00:38:29
    Thanks so much.
• • Robin WonsleyMember, City Council
  • 00:38:30
    Any other words?
  • 00:38:35
    No?
  • 00:38:36
    Alright, short and sweet.
  • 00:38:37
    Alright then, so we're going to do a photo and do I hand this over to you?
  • 00:38:44
    Yeah, you should take it, yeah.
  • 00:38:46
    Yes, Evan.
  • 00:38:48
    Yes, Evan, we can get together between the two black lines.
  • 00:39:10
    Thank you everyone.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:39:17
    And finally, we will be recognizing Victoria Jackson with Councilmember Chaudry and myself.
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 00:40:02
    All right, good morning.
  • 00:40:05
    Honoring the community leaders in the search for Victoria Jackson.
  • 00:40:10
    Whereas on the evening of August 2nd, 2025, community members became aware that 12-year-old Victoria Jackson went missing near Minnehaha Falls.
  • 00:40:19
    And whereas longtime family friends, Daniel Mathias, Jacqueline Robinson, Carla Hernandez, Jennifer Clement, organized several community search efforts, created a Facebook page,
  • 00:40:32
    went door to door in the nearby neighborhoods asking neighbors for information and posted flyers across South Minneapolis in hopes of finding Victoria.
  • 00:40:42
    And whereas the South Minneapolis community came together to canvas the areas near Minnehaha Falls Regional Park and beyond.
  • 00:40:50
    The search was supported by neighbors across Minneapolis,
  • 00:40:54
    by local educators, our unhoused neighbors, parents, and families in the area, and
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:41:08
    Whereas the City of Minneapolis, public safety officials, first responders, investigators, police officers, the State of Minnesota and Metro Transit worked in partnership and tirelessly to find Victoria Jackson and reach thousands of Minneapolis residents to alert them of the situation,
  • 00:41:25
    Ann whereas Victoria has type 1 diabetes and was without the necessary medication, adding to the urgency of the search for her.
  • 00:41:33
    Ann whereas the search effort to find Victoria was made possible through the power of community and collective action.
  • 00:41:40
    and whereas black women and girls face disproportionate rates of violence and neglect with black women and girls often overlooked in public discussions about missing and murdered individuals in 2020, despite making up only 15% of the female population in the United States.
  • 00:41:56
    They accounted for nearly 34% of all missing girls and women reported, 90,333 out of 268,884.
  • 00:42:04
    And whereas cases involving missing black girls and women remain open four times longer than those involving other demographic groups on average, highlighting significant disparities in the attention and resources allocated to these cases.
  • 00:42:21
    and whereas addressing violence against black women and girls requires an understanding of the historical and present-day manifestations of systemic racism and sexism which contribute to their increased vulnerability and whereas the rapid response from community members and support to the family were essential in finding Victoria and whereas Victoria Jackson was found on Tuesday August 5th and was returned to her family and loved ones
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 00:42:50
    and now therefore be it resolved that the mayor and the City Council do hereby recognize and honor Daniel Mathias, Jacqueline Robinson, Carla Hernandez, Jennifer Clement, members of the North Star Search and Rescue, the Black and Missing Foundation, the Office of Missing Black Women and Girls,
  • 00:43:10
    touched by Type 1 Minnesota, Minnesota Freedom Fund, and all community members who assisted with the search for Victoria Jackson for their significant contributions and efforts to find Victoria Jackson and resulted in her safe return home.
  • 00:43:31
    I just first want to start off by saying thank you to Dr. Bernadette Johnson for calling my office and helping us organize this recognition.
  • 00:43:43
    It feels really, really important.
  • 00:43:46
    And to you and to Brianna, I cannot imagine just the immense, immense despair, devastation, panic you felt as
  • 00:43:57
    loving grandparent parent to Victoria and to you Danielle and Jacqueline I will say our community was just watching with bated breath and wanting to find ways to help
  • 00:44:16
    to find Victoria and it was really inspirational to watch you just run towards figuring out how to pull together these efforts and give community members a way to come together in collective action to just show so much care for not only Victoria but all of the children in our city especially our black, brown, indigenous children that oftentimes
  • 00:44:41
    are overlooked in situations like this so I just feel really grateful that today we get to recognize you and your efforts so just thank you again and I would love to offer the opportunity for you to say some words.
• • SPEAKER_18
  • 00:45:00
    Hi my name is Danielle Mathias and I stand here today alongside my sister Jacqueline Robinson
  • 00:45:07
    Jackie and I are known by many in our community as aunties, alongside our close friends Carla Hernandez and Jennifer Clement who couldn't be here today.
  • 00:45:16
    As aunties, we were uplifted by so many who rallied alongside us to bring together our community in the search for Victoria.
  • 00:45:26
    their strength and wisdom and willingness to step forward uplifted us aunties emboldening us to trust our feminine instincts and move with action turning a frightening moment into a moment of care so thank you for this resolution and all who came together in the search for Victoria in a moment of fear and uncertainty we trusted one another and showed up for each other as neighbors, family,
  • 00:45:54
    We didn't ask for permission.
  • 00:45:55
    We didn't wait for policies.
  • 00:45:57
    There weren't thresholds we had to meet before action could be taken.
  • 00:46:00
    We knew what our community needed and we moved with love, courage, and determination.
  • 00:46:05
    This recognition belongs with everyone who
  • 00:46:09
    re-shared our Facebook post, who posted a flyer, who door-knocked, who let us camp out in their coffee shop.
  • 00:46:16
    We proved that the depth of our connection is within us and when it matters most, community will always show up.
• • SPEAKER_17
  • 00:46:26
    Thank you.
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 00:46:33
    Okay, thank you.
  • 00:46:35
    Why don't we take a picture together here and we'll get that sent over to you.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:47:29
    Thank you everyone.
  • 00:47:30
    At this time, I'm going to call this regular meeting of the City Council for September 11th to order.
  • 00:47:35
    The Clerk will call the roll.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 00:47:38
    Councilmember Chavez?
  • 00:47:40
    Present.
  • 00:47:40
    Councilmember Vita?
• • Emily KoskiMember, City Council
  • 00:47:42
    Present.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 00:47:42
    Councilmember Ellison?
  • 00:47:44
    Here.
  • 00:47:44
    Councilmember Koski?
• • Emily KoskiMember, City Council
  • 00:47:46
    Present.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 00:47:46
    Councilmember Wonsley?
  • 00:47:48
    Present.
  • 00:47:48
    Councilmember Jenkins?
  • 00:47:50
    Present.
  • 00:47:51
    Councilmember Polisano?
  • 00:47:52
    Present.
  • 00:47:53
    Councilmember Chaudry?
• • Michael CashmanMember, City Council
  • 00:47:54
    Present.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 00:47:54
    Councilmember Cashman?
• • Michael CashmanMember, City Council
  • 00:47:56
    Present.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 00:47:56
    Councilmember Osman?
  • 00:47:58
    Present.
  • 00:47:58
    Councilmember Raindoe?
  • 00:48:00
    Present.
  • 00:48:00
    Vice President Shugtai?
  • 00:48:02
    Present.
  • 00:48:02
    President Pang?
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:48:03
    Present.
  • 00:48:03
    There are 13 members present.
  • 00:48:05
    Let the record reflect that we have a quorum.
  • 00:48:07
    Before we begin the meeting, I want to offer a friendly reminder to all members and staff that this meeting is broadcast live to enable greater public participation.
  • 00:48:16
    The broadcast includes real-time captioning as a further method to increase the accessibility of our proceedings to the community.
  • 00:48:23
    Therefore, all speakers need to be mindful of the rate of their speech so that our captioners can fully capture and transcribe all comments for the broadcast.
  • 00:48:31
    We ask all speakers to moderate the speed and clarity of their comments.
  • 00:48:35
    With that, the agenda for today's meeting is before us.
  • 00:48:37
    Are there any amendments to the agenda?
  • 00:48:42
    Councilmember Chaudry.
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 00:48:45
    Thank you, President Payne.
  • 00:48:48
    Before you, I have a motion to move to amend the agenda to include, under the order of Notice of Introduction, a Notice of Intent relating to firearm regulations.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:49:01
    Council Member Chowdhury has moved to amend the agenda.
  • 00:49:05
    It's been properly seconded.
  • 00:49:06
    Is there any discussion on that amendment?
  • 00:49:10
    I'll recognize Council Member, I'm sorry, Vice President Chagtai.
• • Aisha ChughtaiVice President, City Council
  • 00:49:15
    in Q to make a different motion.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:49:18
    Okay.
  • 00:49:18
    All those in favor of adding Councilmember Chaudry's item to the agenda say aye.
• • Jason ChavezMember, City Council
  • 00:49:25
    Aye.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:49:26
    Opposed say nay.
  • 00:49:28
    That carries.
  • 00:49:30
    Next we will recognize Vice President Chagtay.
• • Aisha ChughtaiVice President, City Council
  • 00:49:33
    Thank you, Mr. President.
  • 00:49:35
    Colleagues, I know we have a lot of paper in front of us today, so the item that I am referring to has, says call to order item number two.
  • 00:49:44
    It's the second, the second amendment to the agenda that's before you today, and this is also amending our agenda to add a notice of introduction under the order of notice of ordinance introductions relating to earn sick and save time.
  • 00:50:00
    I'll move this for approval and ask for a second.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:50:03
    Second.
  • 00:50:04
    Vice President Chigtai has moved to amend the agenda.
  • 00:50:07
    It's been properly seconded.
  • 00:50:08
    Is there any discussion on that?
  • 00:50:11
    All those in favor say aye.
  • 00:50:13
    Aye.
  • 00:50:13
    Opposed say nay.
  • 00:50:15
    Any abstentions?
  • 00:50:17
    The ayes have it and that item has been added to the agenda.
  • 00:50:22
    May I have a motion to adopt the agenda as amended?
  • 00:50:24
    So moved.
  • 00:50:25
    Second.
  • 00:50:26
    The clerk will call the roll.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 00:50:27
    Council member Chavez.
  • 00:50:28
    Aye.
  • 00:50:28
    Council member Viton.
  • 00:50:30
    Aye.
  • 00:50:30
    Council member Ellison.
  • 00:50:31
    Aye.
  • 00:50:31
    Council member Koski.
  • 00:50:32
    Aye.
  • 00:50:33
    Council member Wonsley.
  • 00:50:34
    Aye.
  • 00:50:34
    Council member Jenkins.
  • 00:50:35
    Aye.
  • 00:50:36
    Council member Palmisano.
  • 00:50:37
    Aye.
  • 00:50:38
    Council member Chowdhury.
  • 00:50:39
    Aye.
  • 00:50:39
    Council member Cashman.
  • 00:50:40
    Aye.
  • 00:50:41
    Council member Osman.
  • 00:50:42
    Aye.
  • 00:50:42
    Council member Rainville.
  • 00:50:43
    Aye.
  • 00:50:43
    Vice President Schuchtine.
  • 00:50:44
    Aye.
  • 00:50:45
    President Payne.
  • 00:50:46
    Aye.
  • 00:50:46
    There are 13 ayes.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:50:47
    That carries and the agenda is adopted.
  • 00:50:49
    The next item is acceptance of minutes from a regular meeting of August 21st and the special meeting of September 8th.
  • 00:50:56
    I would entertain a motion to accept those minutes.
  • 00:50:58
    So moved.
  • 00:50:59
    Second.
  • 00:50:59
    The clerk will call the roll.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 00:51:00
    Councilmember Schott.
  • 00:51:01
    Aye.
  • 00:51:01
    Councilmember Vitale.
  • 00:51:02
    Aye.
  • 00:51:03
    Councilmember Ellison.
  • 00:51:04
    Aye.
  • 00:51:04
    Councilmember Koski.
  • 00:51:05
    Aye.
  • 00:51:06
    Councilmember Wonsley.
  • 00:51:06
    Aye.
  • 00:51:07
    Aye Aye Aye Aye Aye Aye Aye
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:51:20
    That carries.
  • 00:51:22
    And those minutes have been accepted.
  • 00:51:25
    Finally, we have the referral of petitions, communications, and reports to proper committees.
  • 00:51:29
    May I have that motion, please?
  • 00:51:30
    Second.
  • 00:51:31
    The Clerk will call the roll.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 00:51:32
    Councilmember Chavez?
  • 00:51:33
    Aye.
  • 00:51:33
    Councilmember Vitale?
  • 00:51:34
    Aye.
  • 00:51:34
    Councilmember Ellison?
  • 00:51:36
    Aye.
  • 00:51:36
    Councilmember Koski?
  • 00:51:37
    Aye.
  • 00:51:37
    Councilmember Wonsley?
  • 00:51:38
    Aye.
  • 00:51:38
    Councilmember Jenkins?
• • 00:51:40
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 00:51:40
    The next order of business is the presentations of reports from our standing committees.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:51:58
    Those are taken in alphabetical order, beginning with the report of our Administration and Enterprise Oversight Committee, which will be presented by its Chair, Council Member Wonsley.
• • Robin WonsleyMember, City Council
  • 00:52:08
    Thank you, President Payne.
  • 00:52:10
    The Administration and Enterprise Oversight Committee is bringing forward 25 items.
  • 00:52:15
    The first is a Surveillance Technology Contracts Ordinance.
  • 00:52:19
    Second is a gift acceptance from the National Association of County and City Health Officials of Airfare
  • 00:52:26
    3 is a gift of substance from the National Association of County and City Health Officials of Registration, Transportation, Lodging and Appropriate Meals and Incidentals
  • 00:52:42
    Four is a gift of acceptance from the Wisconsin Environmental Health Association of Registration and Lodging.
  • 00:52:48
    Five is a gift of acceptance from the Community's First Infrastructure Alliance for Travel and Lodging Expenses.
  • 00:52:56
    Six is a gift of acceptance from the Association of Minnesota Emergency Managers of Lodging and Mills for four days.
  • 00:53:05
    Seven is a gift of acceptance from the Association of Minnesota Emergency Managers of Lodging and Meals for four days.
  • 00:53:13
    Eight is a gift of acceptance from City Match of Registration, Transportation, Lodging and Meals and Appropriate Incidentals.
  • 00:53:21
    Nine is a contract with Cameron Skow, Access Resource LLC for real-time video captioning services.
  • 00:53:29
    10 is a contract with IGA Consulting LLC for Enterprise Resource Planning Program Manager Services 11 is a contract with the Research Foundation at CUNY on behalf of John Jay College National Network for Safe Communities for Technical Assistance Providers for the Group Violence Intervention Program 12 is a contract with Cornerstone Advocacy Service to operate a 48-hour domestic violence crisis hotline
  • 00:54:01
    13 is a contract with Darcy Loma Coaching and Consulting for LLC for new elected official orientation program, strategic advance and planning sessions and leadership development slash executive coaching for the mayor, city council and cabinet.
  • 00:54:19
    This item was sent forward with our recommendation.
  • 00:54:22
    14 is a utility easement agreement with Northern State Powers at 2635 University Avenue Northeast 15 is a contract amendment with Group Health Plan Inc. and Summit Orthopedics for Pre-Employment Testing and Occupational Health Services 16 is a contract amendment with Sheehy Construction Company for Royal Sten Roofing and Skylight Repair Project
  • 00:54:47
    17 is a contract amendment with Shore Elliott Hendrickson Inc. for the Nicollet Avenue Bridge over Minnehaha Creek Historic Bridge for Rehabilitation Project 18 is a contract amendment with Stantec Consulting Services Inc. for Engineering and Design Services for the Upper Harbor Terminal Project
  • 00:55:08
    19 is a contract amendment with Hillcrest Development for Public Works, parking at 906 Avenue SE 20 is a bid for Federal Courthouse Parking Ramp Security Improvement Project 21 is a bid for Public Works Alley Snow Plowing Project
  • 00:55:27
    22 is a bid for public telling services for zones 2 and 4.
  • 00:55:31
    23 is a bid for Minneapolis Convention Center art wall lighting.
  • 00:55:36
    24 is an election judge and deputy city clerk appointments for the November 4, 2025 general election.
  • 00:55:45
    and 25 is a legal settlement worker's compensation claim of Yamaka Gillian and with that I will move all items for approval including a motion to approve item 13 and I will also pull item number one for a separate discussion and vote.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:56:05
    Councilmember Wonsley has moved approval of the committee report, pulling item number one.
  • 00:56:11
    Is there any discussion on the remainder of those items?
  • 00:56:15
    Seeing none, I'll ask the Clerk to call the roll.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 00:56:20
    Councilmember Chavez?
  • 00:56:21
    Aye.
  • 00:56:22
    Councilmember Viton?
  • 00:56:23
    Aye.
  • 00:56:24
    Councilmember Ellison?
  • 00:56:25
    Aye.
  • 00:56:25
    Councilmember Koski?
• • Emily KoskiMember, City Council
  • 00:56:27
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 00:56:27
    Councilmember Wonsley?
  • 00:56:28
    Aye.
  • 00:56:31
    Council Member Wonsley, Aye Council Member Jenkins, Aye Council Member Palmesano, Aye Council Member Choudry, Aye Council Member Kashna, Aye Council Member Osman, Aye Council Member Rainville, Aye Vice President Shek, Aye President Payne, Aye Those items carry.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:56:48
    Next we will take up item number one and I will recognize Council Member Wonsley.
• • Robin WonsleyMember, City Council
  • 00:56:53
    Thank you President Payne.
  • 00:56:56
    I just want to take a minute to briefly discuss item number one, which is my ordinance relating to surveillance technology.
  • 00:57:03
    This ordinance will help the council utilize our oversight authority by ensuring
  • 00:57:09
    that there is a public hearing when MPD purchases surveillance equipment or pursues contracts regarding surveillance and now the version that's before you today that I will motion for approval will include when the contract or utilize data collection in circumstances where there is no financial cost.
  • 00:57:28
    This amendment was in response to helpful feedback from advocacy groups that have worked at the city, state, and national level to ensure that surveillance technologies and policies come with guardrails to ensure that civil liberties are protected.
  • 00:57:43
    And once again, the version before you incorporates surveillance data that NPD may use in the future by borrowing or receiving surveillance data that is from another agency's own equipment.
  • 00:57:55
    again this was identified as a loophole by advocates and I'm glad that we were able to work with city staff specifically the city attorney's office to address that and ideally close that loophole and while this ordinance is a great step in the right direction for more transparency and accountability around how the police department utilizes surveillance technology of course there's more work that can be done around this issue and I look forward to working with colleagues who
  • 00:58:21
    and also I look forward to continuing partnerships with community organizations who are also interested in this matter and strengthening protections around surveillance technologies and data collections.
  • 00:58:38
    I also wanted to highlight as I did at
  • 00:58:41
    COW and I believe at the Administration and Enterprise Oversight Committee.
  • 00:58:46
    I am going to be working with community partners to advance a notice of introduction related to the next phase of this work which would include creating a publicly available master list of all the technologies that falls under the definition of surveillance based
  • 00:59:04
    or outlined in this ordinance should it pass.
  • 00:59:07
    That would be the next phase of this work and I know a number of colleagues have been interested in that and I look forward to working with you all.
  • 00:59:13
    So with that, I will ask, well, move approval of this ordinance and ask for a second.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:59:20
    Second.
  • 00:59:21
    Councilmember Wonsley has moved approval of the ordinance as amended.
  • 00:59:25
    It's been properly seconded.
  • 00:59:27
    I'll recognize Councilmember Cashman.
• • Michael CashmanMember, City Council
  • 00:59:29
    Thank you, President Payne.
  • 00:59:30
    Thank you, Councilmember Wonsley, for working on this.
  • 00:59:34
    I think it's really important.
  • 00:59:35
    I hear a lot from residents that they're concerned about different surveillance technologies and honestly it's hard for me to answer what we even have because it's not public right now.
  • 00:59:45
    It's not public information right now.
  • 00:59:46
    So I think this is important for transparency's sake.
  • 00:59:50
    I would like to introduce an amendment to this ordinance which is before you.
  • 00:59:55
    It's under 2B.
  • 00:59:57
    would ask that the city publish
  • 01:00:01
    that the city holds the public hearing when we actually issue the request for proposals for a surveillance technology rather than when that contract has already been initiated, negotiated, and worked on with the vendors.
  • 01:00:17
    I was given this feedback by someone who actually works in technology contracting for cities and said that this is a much more efficient way to do this because
  • 01:00:28
    this way we can weigh in and the public can weigh in on the decision to do an RFP and to solicit vendors to do surveillance technology and it would actually save staff time because they wouldn't work on a contract and build out a contract and then bring that before before the council and the public to get input after it's all the work has already been done so I think this would be a good way to save staff time and I think it's an important
  • 01:00:56
    I think it's important for the public to weigh in at the time of an RFP being issued rather than once a contract has already been done.
• • Aisha ChughtaiVice President, City Council
  • 01:01:03
    Second.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:01:05
    Councilmember Cashman has moved an amendment to the amended ordinance that was moved by Councilmember Wonsley.
  • 01:01:14
    I see City Attorney in priority queue, Madam City Attorney.
• • Kristyn AndersonCity Attorney
  • 01:01:18
    Yeah, thanks council president, council members.
  • 01:01:21
    As this amendment is written, it does not comport with government structure.
  • 01:01:25
    The purchasing, the decision to request proposals, the content of a request proposals for administrative activities is an exclusively administrative function, so the council can't condition doing that work on having a public hearing.
  • 01:01:46
    We just
  • 01:01:48
    We communicated very briefly with the council member yesterday and communicated that information and just saw this language just maybe about 20 minutes ago.
  • 01:02:01
    There may be something that we can help draft that can satisfy what it is that the council member is looking for, but as drafted, this does not comport with government structure.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:02:19
    Councilmember Cashman, did you want to speak to that?
• • Michael CashmanMember, City Council
  • 01:02:22
    Yeah, I think it's I would like to see like which part of the city charter this doesn't comport with or whether it's in an ordinance that the council can amend and I I say this because we spent a lot of time talking about the ABM contract this week that we're trying to weigh in on in a policy, you know on a policy basis and also
  • 01:02:42
    are seeing the impacts of not being able to weigh in from the public perspective on the front end of doing contracting.
  • 01:02:51
    And I think it's important that this body tries to find a way to do that in line with the city charter.
  • 01:02:57
    So I would like to see the evidence for that or where it's mentioned and if there's a way for the council to also shift policies or weigh in on policies to make this possible.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:03:12
    Councilmember Wonsley
• • Robin WonsleyMember, City Council
  • 01:03:15
    Before speaking, did Councilmember Cashman want a response from the City Attorney regarding that line of inquiry?
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:03:24
    Madam City Attorney.
• • Kristyn AndersonCity Attorney
  • 01:03:25
    Sure.
  • 01:03:26
    Council President, Councilmembers.
  • 01:03:27
    So the government structure is in charter.
  • 01:03:31
    It gives to the mayor the power to direct the administration and all administrative functions.
  • 01:03:39
    That's just the separation of powers that our charter creates.
  • 01:03:43
    We also have ordinances that are in line with that separation of powers that give the finance department and the administration the exclusive authority over RFPs, over purchasing authority.
  • 01:03:54
    So it is an ordinance but those ordinances are required by the whole concept of separation of powers that exists in our charter.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:04:06
    Councilmember Cashman.
• • Michael CashmanMember, City Council
  • 01:04:07
    Thank you, President Payne and City Attorney.
  • 01:04:10
    Would it be possible to reword this as a reporting requirement even on the front end where the city would report to a council committee on their plans to issue RFPs for surveillance technology?
• • Kristyn AndersonCity Attorney
  • 01:04:23
    I don't want to answer that question on the fly.
  • 01:04:28
    What I'd like to do is be able to work with you to figure out what it is that you are trying to accomplish and see whether there is a path there within the government structure rather than trying to fix things on the fly.
  • 01:04:43
    That's not the best way to do legal drafting.
• • Michael CashmanMember, City Council
  • 01:04:49
    With that, I would motion to hold this a cycle to allow for us to find a way to get this proactive input on the front end of a RFP for surveillance technology.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:05:04
    Councilmember Cashman has moved to hold this item for a cycle.
  • 01:05:07
    Is there a second for that?
• • Andrea JenkinsMember, City Council
  • 01:05:08
    Second.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:05:11
    Vice President Chagtay.
  • 01:05:14
    Actually, Councilmember Wanzi was in queue.
• • Robin WonsleyMember, City Council
  • 01:05:17
    Thank you, President Payne.
  • 01:05:19
    I believe I've been in conversations with Councilmember Cashman as we have been working on this ordinance for two and a half years now.
  • 01:05:26
    And then in AO, I shared feedback for the Councilmember to work with the City Attorney's Office to draft an amendment that aligns with their intent even just today.
  • 01:05:39
    When receiving this amendment right before committee,
  • 01:05:47
    I inquired around what the conflicts would be regarding our current procurement or financial policies that we just passed that doesn't allow us to review RFPs.
  • 01:06:00
    While I get the intention of
  • 01:06:03
    The Councilmember, I really don't want to hold up this work for something that again we're going to reopen anyways to do further refinement on but what we have today feels very solid to move forward with.
  • 01:06:18
    I would like to move forward with the original underlying ordinance and ideally work with the Councilmember on subsequent which I believe I've shared with you on subsequent ordinances that requires a reopening of this chapter and then we could bring something that's more refined
  • 01:06:33
    But I will say, again, having a week to get this figured out, I really thought there was time that the Councilmember could have worked with the City Attorney's Office to bring something solid that we could support today, that I could support today.
  • 01:06:49
    It felt like a week was enough.
  • 01:06:53
    I don't feel comfortable holding this over another cycle.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:06:58
    Vice President Chuktai.
• • Aisha ChughtaiVice President, City Council
  • 01:07:00
    .
  • 01:07:00
    ≫ Thank you, Mr. President.
  • 01:07:03
    You know, I'll support the motion today to continue this item a cycle, but I am really struggling with the government structure question here, right?
  • 01:07:19
    the administration to incorporate any amount of feedback that comes from a public hearing.
  • 01:07:27
    In fact there are many places in our code of ordinances that require us to hold a public hearing prior to
  • 01:07:37
    prior to issuing a license, prior to continuing with business and that's outlined in our code of ordinances.
  • 01:07:47
    Certainly the administration has the exclusive right of entering into contracts and
  • 01:07:56
    publishing requests for proposal, but there are limits to that right that require approval by this body prior to the publishing of RFPs.
  • 01:08:10
    I think it's a little bit of a stretch for us to get into a whole government structure thing on this, but I would
  • 01:08:22
    Thank you, Mr. President
• • Jason ChavezMember, City Council
  • 01:08:52
    Thank you, Council President Payne.
  • 01:08:55
    It seems like the ordinance that Councilmember Walz has been working on is pretty flushed out.
  • 01:09:01
    I do support the idea of what Councilmember Cashman is bringing forward, but I mean, Councilmember Cashman, would you just be willing to withdraw your amendment, allow this ordinance to pass, and then just do a new notice of intent to address the concern that you're talking about today?
  • 01:09:13
    I have a feeling the City Attorney could probably
  • 01:09:17
    the next cycle
  • 01:09:26
    in the next month.
  • 01:09:27
    There might be other ideas that other people have about potential changes to this ordinance, but I do support the ordinance being brought forward by Councilmember Wonsley.
  • 01:09:37
    The idea that you are bringing forward, Councilmember Cashin, I have agreement with as long as we figure out what that looks like in conversations with our City Attorney's Office.
  • 01:09:46
    So, Councilmember Cashin, I guess my question is would you be willing to withdraw your motion so we can pass this ordinance and then introduce a new notice of intent
  • 01:09:56
    Member Cashman.
• • Michael CashmanMember, City Council
  • 01:09:57
    Thank you President Payne.
  • 01:09:58
    It seems like a lot of work to like close and codify an ordinance only to reopen it and do another notice.
  • 01:10:06
    I mean from the clerk's perspective rather than just working with the city attorneys for two weeks to make an amendment that works.
  • 01:10:14
    So no.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:10:18
    I added myself to Q just to share a little bit of background.
  • 01:10:23
    I added myself to the key to share just a little earlier context.
  • 01:10:29
    Last term, I believed I co-signed with Councilmember Paul Nozano on a surveillance ordinance that was a carryover from the term before that.
  • 01:10:40
    So this body of work, we're on the third term of trying to do surveillance work.
  • 01:10:46
    And my recollection from the last
  • 01:10:50
    Committee.
  • 01:11:07
    and the City Council.
  • 01:11:28
    I'm still very committed to that broader scope and I think it's really smart to do this in an iterative way, especially considering that these technologies are so constantly evolving.
  • 01:11:39
    We were a national leader in passing a facial recognition ban.
  • 01:11:43
    and the City Council.
  • 01:12:02
    Council Member Chowdhury
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 01:12:20
    Thank you President Payne.
  • 01:12:21
    I just want to thank Councilmember Wonsley for her work on this ordinance through the duration of this term.
  • 01:12:29
    I feel like it is really, really important work and I will be supporting this moving forward today.
  • 01:12:35
    It sounds like there's going to be ample opportunity to make changes into the future.
  • 01:12:40
    I also think it's important to move forward work.
  • 01:12:45
    If there wasn't due diligence done ahead of this meeting that's unfortunate but there's a timeline and a manner that this project needs to be completed and so I would like to see that happen today.
  • 01:12:55
    So I'm grateful for this ordinance.
  • 01:12:58
    We'll be supporting it moving forward today and hope that
  • 01:13:04
    Whatever NOI and other process steps are necessary for the other piece of work that we're discussing can be taken so that can get done as well.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:13:17
    Seeing no one else left in queue, I'll ask the clerk to call the roll on the Cashman motion to continue this item a cycle.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:13:31
    Councilmember Chavez?
  • 01:13:32
    No.
  • 01:13:32
    Councilmember Vita?
• • Jeremiah EllisonMember, City Council
  • 01:13:33
    No.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:13:34
    Councilmember Ellison.
• • Jeremiah EllisonMember, City Council
  • 01:13:38
    I'm not going to share the motion.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:13:42
    The motion is to postpone the entire report.
  • 01:13:47
    Councilmember Koski.
• • Emily KoskiMember, City Council
  • 01:13:48
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:13:49
    Councilmember Wonsley.
• • Emily KoskiMember, City Council
  • 01:13:51
    No.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:13:52
    Councilmember Jenkins.
  • 01:13:53
    Aye.
  • 01:13:54
    Councilmember Palmisano.
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 01:13:56
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:13:56
    Councilmember Chaudry.
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 01:13:57
    No.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:13:58
    Councilmember Cashman.
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 01:13:59
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:14:00
    Councilmember Osman.
• • 01:14:02
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:14:02
    Council Member Rainville.
  • 01:14:04
    No.
  • 01:14:04
    Vice President Shek Tai.
  • 01:14:06
    Aye.
  • 01:14:07
    President Payne.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:14:08
    No.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:14:09
    There are six ayes and seven nays.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:14:12
    That motion fails.
  • 01:14:14
    Next we will take up Cashman's amendment.
  • 01:14:22
    of the Council.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:14:44
    Aye.
  • 01:14:45
    Councilmember Koski.
• • Robin WonsleyMember, City Council
  • 01:14:46
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:14:46
    Councilmember Wonsley.
  • 01:14:48
    Aye.
  • 01:14:48
    Councilmember Jenkins.
  • 01:14:49
    Aye.
  • 01:14:50
    Councilmember Palmisano.
  • 01:14:51
    Aye.
  • 01:14:52
    Councilmember Chowdhury.
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 01:14:53
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:14:53
    Councilmember Cashman.
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 01:14:54
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:14:55
    Councilmember Osman.
  • 01:14:56
    Aye.
  • 01:14:56
    Councilmember Rainville.
  • 01:14:57
    Aye.
  • 01:14:57
    Vice President Shekty.
  • 01:14:59
    Aye.
  • 01:14:59
    President Payne.
  • 01:15:00
    Aye.
  • 01:15:00
    There are 13 ayes.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:15:02
    That carries and the item is adopted completing the Administration and Enterprise Oversight Committee report.
  • 01:15:10
    Next, we will have a report from our Budget Committee given by that committee's chair, Vice President Chuck Tai.
• • Aisha ChughtaiVice President, City Council
  • 01:15:16
    Thank you, Mr. President.
  • 01:15:17
    The Budget Committee is bringing forward one item for approval today, which is adopting findings, approving the establishment of and approving the salary schedule for an appointed position in the 311 Service Center Department.
  • 01:15:30
    of Deputy Director 311 Service Center.
  • 01:15:32
    I'll move approval of this item.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:15:35
    Vice President Chuktai has moved approval of the committee's report.
  • 01:15:38
    Is there any discussion?
  • 01:15:40
    Seeing none, I'll ask the clerk to call the roll.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:15:43
    That carries and the report is adopted.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:16:05
    Next we'll have a report from our Business Housing and Zoning Committee given by that committee's chair, Council Member Osman.
• • Jamal OsmanMember, City Council
  • 01:16:13
    Thank you, Mr. President.
  • 01:16:15
    The Business Housing and Zoning Committee will be bringing 19 items forward.
  • 01:16:21
    Item 1 through 3 are liquor license approvals for Broders Italian, North Star Deli, and Minneapolis Motor Mart.
  • 01:16:32
    Item 4 is approving 2026 license fee schedule.
  • 01:16:36
    Item 5 is approving one liquor license
  • 01:16:39
    Item 6 is approving one liquor license renewal.
  • 01:16:43
    Item 7 is approving three gambling licenses.
  • 01:16:47
    Item 8 is approving nine gambling license renewals.
  • 01:16:50
    Item 9 is approving a street name change submitted by Councilmember Choudry for
  • 01:16:56
    Edmond Boulevard to become Lena Smith Boulevard.
  • 01:16:59
    Item 10 is accepting a grant from Minnesota Association for Workforce Board for Services for New Americans.
  • 01:17:07
    Item 11 is confirming the mayoral reappointment of Director Alfred Port to the Family Housing Fund
  • 01:17:16
    Board of Directors.
  • 01:17:17
    Item 12 is approving a local historic landmark of the Nelson House at 2628 Avenue North.
  • 01:17:27
    Item 13 is adopting an update
  • 01:17:31
    to the administrative fine schedule increasing penalty for certain Title III violations.
  • 01:17:38
    Item 14 is accepting a grant for staff and commissioners to attend Preserve Minnesota Conference.
  • 01:17:45
    Item 15 is approving unauthorized 2025 transit-oriented communities award agreement with Hennepin County
  • 01:17:52
    Item 16 is accepting a grant for adoption fee waivers for Minneapolis animal care and control.
  • 01:18:00
    Item 17 is approving an ordinance related to the zoning code correcting a map of errors.
  • 01:18:05
    Item 18 is returning to an author
  • 01:18:08
    So it's related to the zoning maps of the Shoreline overlay district.
  • 01:18:15
    And lastly, item 19 is approving amendments to the city comprehensive plan related to the minimum height flexibility.
  • 01:18:22
    With that, I will move all items for approval.
  • 01:18:25
    Thank you.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:18:27
    Councilmember Osman has moved approval of the committee's report.
  • 01:18:30
    Is there any discussion?
  • 01:18:31
    Councilmember Wonsley.
• • Robin WonsleyMember, City Council
  • 01:18:33
    Thank you President Payne.
  • 01:18:34
    I did want to motion for item number four to be taken up separately.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:18:41
    Councilmember Wonsley has removed item four for a separate vote and discussion.
  • 01:18:47
    I'll recognize Councilmember Chaudry for the remainder of the conversation.
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 01:18:51
    Thank you President Payne.
  • 01:18:53
    I am speaking to my application for the street renaming of Edmond Boulevard to Lena Smith Boulevard today.
  • 01:19:02
    I want to start off by saying how excited I am to have this come before you today.
  • 01:19:09
    I am recusing myself from this vote as I am the applicant.
  • 01:19:13
    So it's really on the 12 of you to move this forward.
  • 01:19:20
    I want to start off by saying that for nearly two years we have been working on this application.
  • 01:19:29
    Two years ago neighbors approached me with a deep concern that Edmond Boulevard honored the name of Edmond Walton, a man who played an active role in upholding racial segregation in our city's history and was a harmful actor in our city's history.
  • 01:19:45
    He actively
  • 01:19:48
    upheld racial segregation through racial covenants and contributed to the generational disenfranchisement and trauma of black, brown, Asian, Jewish, Arab and indigenous communities in Minneapolis.
  • 01:20:00
    And these covenants weren't just words in a deed, they were a part of a broader system of redlining and exclusion that legitimized racial terror and
  • 01:20:09
    laid the groundwork for discriminatory policies
  • 01:20:27
    taking up in our committees to create equity within our city.
  • 01:20:31
    And this effort to reclaim and rename the street really didn't start with me, but I was proud to carry this forward after I was elected.
  • 01:20:42
    And what followed was a beautiful and deeply engaged community process of door knocking,
  • 01:20:50
    open conversations, being at community events like Soul of the Southside, generating a list of names from our community, having our community participate in a vote to decide that we wanted to name the street Lena Smith and together we just discussed what we imagined this name to be.
  • 01:21:14
    We imagined it to represent a future rooted in justice and healing and
  • 01:21:20
    I want to be really clear we should not honor someone who used their power to harm and exclude and disfranchise so many of our neighbors who said that many of us could not have homes in our current neighborhoods and in the street renaming we not only reject the actions of a really painful past but we uplift the stories that have often been erased and dismissed
  • 01:21:45
    I really want to give flowers to the person that we are honoring today and that is Lena Olive Smith.
  • 01:21:54
    Lena Olive Smith was Minnesota's first African American woman lawyer, a civil rights pioneer whose work changed this city.
  • 01:22:03
    She broke barriers in 1921 becoming the first black woman licensed to practice law in our state.
  • 01:22:09
    She co-founded the Minneapolis Urban League, led the NAACP as its first female president and used her legal skills to fight discrimination head on.
  • 01:22:20
    She defended the Lee family when a white mob tried to drive them out from their home.
  • 01:22:26
    She sued the Nicolette Hotel for refusing service to black guests.
  • 01:22:30
    She stood up to institutions, including the University of Minnesota, for promoting racist propaganda.
  • 01:22:35
    She was a badass.
  • 01:22:38
    And her courage still echoes in the streets of our city today, and her home is on the National Register of Historical Places.
  • 01:22:50
    I want to just thank a number of the people who have been a part of this work.
  • 01:23:01
    There are many, many people across our city that made this possible, so I'm just going to name a few.
  • 01:23:05
    The Longfellow Community Council, Mapping Prejudice, Just Deeds,
  • 01:23:10
    Many residents of Edmond Boulevard, St. James AME Church, Sister Joy, Judge Lejun Lang, Representative Sensumura, Senator Mohammed, Commissioner Conley, local business owners like Fred Deboe from Sunbeam Coffee, the grassroots
  • 01:23:29
    team that really held this effort together called Reclaim Edmond.
  • 01:23:34
    They're going to have to figure out what they're going to call this organization now.
  • 01:23:39
    Many of them are here today, Joe Larson, Mark Brandt, Jesse McClelland, Kristen Eddy, Laura Triplett, Maren Swanson.
  • 01:23:48
    Roosevelt High School and our dedicated city staff, Kimberly Helene, Jeff Handlin, Andrew Friends, and two policy aides who spent two years working on this from my office, Amy Umanzor-Diaz and Ade Salami.
  • 01:24:04
    And I just want to close by sharing the words of Oriana Gruber, a 14-year-old who spoke during our planning commission hearing.
  • 01:24:13
    And honestly, like, if you need to fill your cup up and
  • 01:24:17
    see something helpful, I would watch that Planning Commission public hearing and she is a 14 year old who lives on Edmond Boulevard and she shared that this is where I live, this is where I walk home from school, where I ride my bike, she's right there.
  • 01:24:33
    This street is a part of my life and I want to be proud of it.
  • 01:24:37
    Thank you.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:25:09
    Thank you, Mr. President.
• • Aisha ChughtaiVice President, City Council
  • 01:25:12
    I would like to pull item number 19 just for a separate vote.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:25:17
    Vice President Chuktai has pulled item 19.
  • 01:25:19
    Is there any discussion on the remainder?
  • 01:25:23
    Councilmember Jenkins.
• • Andrea JenkinsMember, City Council
  • 01:25:24
    Thank you, Mr. President.
  • 01:25:27
    I just wanted to just offer my gratitude to Councilmember Chaudry for continuing his work and getting this done.
  • 01:25:38
    A number of residents from Edmond Boulevard reached out to me over the years and we have been trying to get this process started, so thank you for your
  • 01:25:48
    commitment to making this happen and, you know, and for sharing the context of how you came to the name Lena O. Smith.
  • 01:26:00
    I was going to ask how you got there, but you provided that, so thank you.
  • 01:26:04
    And her historic home is located in Ward 8, and so just really thrilled that she is being offered this recognition.
  • 01:26:16
    Thank you.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:26:19
    Thank you.
  • 01:26:20
    Seeing no one else left in queue, I'll ask the Clerk to call the roll on all items except items number 4 and 19.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:26:28
    Councilmember Chavez?
  • 01:26:30
    Aye.
  • 01:26:30
    Councilmember Vita?
  • 01:26:32
    Aye.
  • 01:26:32
    Councilmember Ellison?
  • 01:26:33
    Aye.
  • 01:26:34
    Councilmember Koski?
• • Emily KoskiMember, City Council
  • 01:26:35
    Aye on all except for 8.
  • 01:26:38
    I need to recuse myself from 8.234 and 5.
  • 01:26:41
    Councilmember Wonsley?
• • 01:26:47
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:26:48
    Council Member Jenkins.
• • Andrea JenkinsMember, City Council
  • 01:26:49
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:26:50
    Council Member Palmesano.
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 01:26:52
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:26:53
    Council Member Chaudry.
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 01:26:54
    Aye.
  • 01:26:57
    I'll accept for nine because I recused myself.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:27:00
    Council Member Cashman.
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 01:27:01
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:27:03
    Council Member Osman.
  • 01:27:04
    Aye.
  • 01:27:05
    Council Member Rainville.
• • 01:27:07
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:27:07
    Vice President Shug-Tye Aye President Payne Aye There are 13 ayes in the report except for items 8.234 and 5 which have 12 ayes and 1 nay and then number 9 which has 1 abstention and 12 ayes Those items carry.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:27:27
    Next we will take up item number 4 and I will recognize Council Member Wansley
• • Robin WonsleyMember, City Council
  • 01:27:36
    Awesome.
  • 01:27:37
    Thank you, President Payne.
  • 01:27:39
    As many of you are aware, for the past three years, my office has worked with city staff on how we could implement a fee for the city to recoup costs related to police officers' off-duty work, and the amendment before you today reflects that, well, three years of efforts on that.
  • 01:27:59
    and for those who are unfamiliar with off-duty work, it is when police officers work private security jobs while using city-owned equipment and are paid directly by the contractor or business outside of their shift with the city.
  • 01:28:13
    The conversation around our problematic off-duty system has been noted for years.
  • 01:28:19
    Despite being a known problem, there has been little
  • 01:28:23
    political will, I believe, from this administration to address it meaningfully and in a way that gets at the core of how we could regulate this program.
  • 01:28:32
    Many constituents do not want to be seeing their taxpayer dollars go towards subsidizing officer side gigs, especially at a time where we're regularly hearing in the media that MPD is understaffed and that
  • 01:28:47
    we're spending millions in overtime and also while we're constantly hearing that the city is currently in a financially stressed position and likely will be will be for the foreseeable future so with that I appreciate the staff who helped to calculate the fee that is before you today I do want to note my disappointment that the fry administration failed to take initiative to incorporate this into the 2026 fee schedule so we wouldn't have to be doing this
  • 01:29:16
    and the City Council.
  • 01:29:31
    and it's very simple with this fee it makes sure that businesses who want to contract with MPD officers will cover the full cost that the city currently pays and I want to emphasize that point because I know a committee there was lots of discussion around how this has a public benefit particularly when MPD officers have extended off-duty work to utility companies and I will note as someone who got lots of feedback from my constituents
  • 01:30:01
    when they saw off-duty officers sitting outside of construction sites.
  • 01:30:06
    They were concerned and didn't have questions of how this improved their public safety.
  • 01:30:11
    They were very confused and frustrated as regards to why would we expend
  • 01:30:17
    City Council.
  • 01:30:34
    and many of our goals especially financial goals of saving taxpayers over a million dollars annually.
  • 01:30:42
    It also will help us make an off-duty system that we're currently legally mandated to have more equitable which is currently also being subsidized by taxpayers which is not an equitable matter.
  • 01:30:55
    The action before you today
  • 01:30:57
    just brings one of many ideal solutions to
  • 01:31:12
    making sure we don't have overworked officers who are having to juggle full-time work along with overtime hours and then their side or private security gigs that put them in precarious positions and once again helps us save taxpayers lots of resources that they're currently subsidizing.
  • 01:31:33
    through a program that they don't receive public benefits from.
  • 01:31:37
    So with that I will ask for a second and move this item forward for approval.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:31:44
    Second.
  • 01:31:46
    Is there any discussion?
  • 01:31:50
    Councilmember Palmisano.
• • Linea PalmisanoMember, City Council
  • 01:31:52
    Thank you, Mr.
  • 01:31:53
    Chair.
  • 01:31:54
    I'll just say a few words.
  • 01:32:00
    I'll continue to support this.
  • 01:32:02
    I did in committee.
  • 01:32:03
    I've said on several occasions that I'm in favor of adding these fees.
  • 01:32:10
    But we were warned during a presentation earlier this year that MPD does not have the capacity to get this implemented even next year.
  • 01:32:18
    due to other large scale projects being implemented, IT projects.
  • 01:32:24
    So right now, the city doesn't have any mechanism to collect the fee from either businesses using off duty or from officers getting paid for it.
  • 01:32:34
    It's not really clear what department will actually be collecting any fees, but it is great to get this on the fee schedule with the understanding for the public that it will be
  • 01:32:46
    Probably a year before it can be implemented is my understanding.
  • 01:32:49
    Thank you councilmember Wonsley for this effort It will also apply to ways that we the city subsidize some kinds of events in our city such as pride festival and pride March stuff that has off-duty work in it such as some of our bids with places contractors like Michaels because they have in their union contract that they
  • 01:33:15
    require off-duty work.
  • 01:33:16
    So we as taxpayers will be to some extent supplementing this fee.
  • 01:33:22
    It will end up coming back to us this way in a circuitous way.
  • 01:33:26
    Thank you.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:33:28
    Councilmember Wonsley.
• • Robin WonsleyMember, City Council
  • 01:33:29
    Thank you President Payne.
  • 01:33:31
    Yeah, I just want to offer some follow-up comments to what Council Member Palmisano just shared.
  • 01:33:37
    As I highlighted, MPD specifically gave a presentation to the Public Health and Safety Committee back in May, where they outlined a very clear program around how they could implement an off-duty program, starting with a fee collection.
  • 01:33:51
    And while they noted that infrastructure wasn't in place, which
  • 01:33:57
    has been very contradictory to statements that MPD leadership such as Chief O'Hara himself have made where they've said they are tracking and actually have put mechanisms in place to start having a better understanding of how off-duty is being used.
  • 01:34:11
    You can't have both.
  • 01:34:12
    You can't say we are doing work and then there's no infrastructure.
  • 01:34:16
    Nevertheless, what this does do, just like any other fee, like P-Card that we're also considering and that this body pass, by making sure that this fee is reflected in the schedule, we are actually mandating now through law that MPD will have to prioritize this because simply it's just been a decision to not prioritize this work by the administration.
  • 01:34:37
    this will give them both the resources and ideally the political motivation to go and take this work serious and start building that infrastructure that they're constantly saying in the public does exist but actually does not.
  • 01:34:51
    So with that
  • 01:34:52
    I just want to read for the public, the fee itself based off of MPD's own recommendations will mandate that an off-duty officer that is using city-owned resources without a vehicle, a vendor will have to pay $6.99 per hour.
  • 01:35:07
    For an off-duty officer that is offering this service with a city-owned vehicle, a vendor will have to pay
  • 01:35:15
    of the
  • 01:35:36
    I don't want to prioritize that in their current budget for 2026 Council can do so as we did with PCAR last year and that I'm more than willing to work with my colleagues to do so.
  • 01:35:46
    So implementation is absolutely possible next year.
  • 01:35:49
    We can work through the budget cycle in December to make sure that those resources are available
  • 01:35:54
    but this ordinance itself allows the political will to be available in absence of leadership to prioritize this work that has resulted in the loss of civilian life that has resulted in again officers being overworked to a place where they put themselves and the public in serious and dangerous positions and have more importantly will make sure that taxpayers no longer have to subsidize private side gigs for only one city workforce
  • 01:36:23
    for at the rate of a million dollars annually.
  • 01:36:26
    We can take that weight off of their shoulders through this action.
  • 01:36:29
    So again, I ask my colleagues to support.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:36:34
    Seeing no one else left in queue, I'll ask the Clerk to call the roll on item number four.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:36:40
    Council Member Chavez?
  • 01:36:41
    Aye.
  • 01:36:42
    Council Member Vitale?
  • 01:36:43
    Aye.
  • 01:36:43
    Council Member Ellison?
  • 01:36:45
    Aye.
  • 01:36:45
    Council Member Koski?
• • SPEAKER_18
  • 01:36:46
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:36:46
    Council Member Wonsley?
  • 01:36:48
    Aye.
  • 01:36:48
    Council Member Jenkins?
  • 01:36:49
    Aye.
  • 01:36:50
    Council Member Palmesano?
  • 01:36:51
    Aye.
  • 01:36:51
    Council Member Chaudhry?
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 01:36:53
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:36:53
    Council Member Cashman?
  • 01:36:54
    Aye.
  • 01:36:54
    Council Member Osman?
  • 01:36:55
    Aye.
  • 01:36:56
    Council Member Rainville?
  • 01:36:57
    Aye.
  • 01:36:57
    Vice President Chugtime?
  • 01:36:58
    Aye.
  • 01:36:58
    President Payne?
  • 01:37:00
    Aye.
  • 01:37:00
    There are 13 ayes.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:37:01
    That item carries.
  • 01:37:03
    Next we will take up item number 19 and I'll recognize Vice President Chuck Ty.
• • Aisha ChughtaiVice President, City Council
  • 01:37:08
    Yeah, thank you Mr. President.
  • 01:37:09
    I just want to, I just pulled this item.
  • 01:37:13
    I got briefed on it by planning staff several months ago.
  • 01:37:16
    And I pulled this item because I want to vote against it.
  • 01:37:20
    I don't support reducing minimum height requirements in our transit corridors.
  • 01:37:28
    and some of the recommendations here I really understand why staff got to the conclusions that they did and really respect the work that has gone into bringing this recommendation forward.
  • 01:37:41
    It's unfortunately not one that I can support as someone who, you know, represents a community that is incredibly engaged in the issue of
  • 01:37:52
    Council.
  • 01:37:52
    I'm a member of the council.
  • 01:37:53
    I'm a member of the council of progressive land use policy, and my predecessor was one who was really a leader on this issue on this council.
  • 01:38:00
    So I just wanted to indicate that I will be voting against it, and thank you.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:38:22
    Council Member Osman.
• • Jamal OsmanMember, City Council
  • 01:38:24
    Yeah, thank you so much.
  • 01:38:25
    Well as we know 2040 requires a lot of dense construction and any development plan where the staff, this is coming from the staff, I'm carrying the staff have contacted me and talked to me and what they're trying to solve is that there are some projects that are on hold because you know the
  • 01:38:53
    Project is not possible to build like ten stories.
  • 01:38:58
    This is Transit 30, it's close to downtown.
  • 01:39:01
    It's mainly in Ward 6 area.
  • 01:39:04
    And there are projects that because of the cost of construction, because of the, you know,
  • 01:39:14
    The difficulties of building tennis stories, the staff want to suggest and recommend that we give exception some of the developments that have been there instead of tennis stories, make it six.
  • 01:39:27
    I think Councilmember Chowdhury was in the Planning Commission if she would like to talk about more.
  • 01:39:32
    Thank you.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:39:33
    Councilmember Chowdhury.
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 01:39:35
    Yeah, thank you so much President Payne and Councilmember Chavez for the question.
  • 01:39:41
    I'll do my level best to try to give a little bit of a synopsis of what occurred in Planning Commission and then also
  • 01:39:54
    and our committee.
  • 01:39:55
    Essentially, this is looking at a few different zoning areas.
  • 01:40:02
    So in the downtown core, we have Transit 15, Transit 20, Transit 30A, Transit 30B, particularly for Transit 30A and Transit 30B.
  • 01:40:20
    the minimum height requirement is 10 stories and staff had indicated to us in our committee and in Planning Commission that these minimum height requirements and far maximum height requirements that are currently in place have not garnered development in these areas particularly for different types of
  • 01:40:46
    housing and other uses.
  • 01:40:49
    Just to really put it in lay terms, the stories are so high, it becomes less and less feasible for developers to take action in creating projects that meet the 10-story requirement.
  • 01:41:06
    Transit 30A was brought down to five stories in the Planning Commission.
  • 01:41:11
    We wanted to ensure that the standard of an apartment building that still has eyes on the street was aligned and we brought it up to six stories in Transit 15 and Transit 20 that are at four stories and six stories respectively.
  • 01:41:29
    It was lowered to three and four stories.
  • 01:41:33
    and so those are essentially the changes between Planning Commissions and staff recommendation and then the Biz Committee upheld the Planning Commission recommendation.
  • 01:41:49
    I also, if there is staff that's available too to further answer any questions, I think that would be helpful, but happy to take any other follow-up questions.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:42:03
    Not seeing anyone else left in queue, I will ask the clerk to call the roll.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:42:11
    Council Member Chavez?
  • 01:42:12
    No.
  • 01:42:13
    Council Member Vitale?
  • 01:42:14
    Aye.
  • 01:42:14
    Council Member Ellison?
  • 01:42:16
    Aye.
  • 01:42:16
    Council Member Koski?
  • 01:42:18
    Aye.
  • 01:42:18
    Council Member Wonsley?
  • 01:42:20
    Nay.
  • 01:42:20
    Council Member Jenkins?
  • 01:42:22
    Aye.
  • 01:42:22
    Council Member Palmisano?
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 01:42:23
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:42:24
    Council Member Chaudhry?
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 01:42:25
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:42:26
    Council Member Cashman?
  • 01:42:27
    Aye.
  • 01:42:28
    Council Member Osman?
  • 01:42:29
    Aye.
  • 01:42:29
    Council Member Rainville?
  • 01:42:30
    Aye.
  • 01:42:31
    Vice President Chugtai?
  • 01:42:32
    Nay.
  • 01:42:33
    President Payne?
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:42:34
    Nay.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:42:34
    There are nine ayes and five nays.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:42:37
    That item carries and that completes the BIZ report.
  • 01:42:42
    The next report is from our Climate and Infrastructure Committee which will be presented by that committee's chair, Councilmember Cashman.
• • Michael CashmanMember, City Council
  • 01:42:48
    Thank you, Mr. President.
  • 01:42:49
    The Climate and Infrastructure Committee is bringing forward seven items.
  • 01:42:52
    Item one is approving appointments to the Shingle Creek Watershed Management Commission.
  • 01:42:57
    Item two is approving appointments to the Bassett Creek Watershed Management Commission.
  • 01:43:01
    Item three is adopting a resolution adopting revisions to the snowbound cart policy.
  • 01:43:08
    Item 4 is approving a resolution related to the Lowry Avenue South East Street project.
  • 01:43:13
    Item 5 is approving the concept layout for the 18th Avenue South Bridge project.
  • 01:43:17
    Item 6 is approving the concept layout for 9th and 10th Street corridor improvements.
  • 01:43:22
    And item 7 is approving the concept layout for Park Ave and Portland Avenue safety improvements.
  • 01:43:27
    I'll stand for questions.
  • 01:43:28
    And I will move approval of all items.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:43:31
    Council Member Cashman has moved approval of the committee's report.
  • 01:43:36
    I'll recognize Council Member Rainville.
• • Michael RainvilleMember, City Council
  • 01:43:41
    Thank you.
  • 01:43:41
    I'd like to move item six for a separate vote, please.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:43:45
    Councilmember Rainville has moved item six for a separate vote and discussion.
  • 01:43:48
    Any discussion on the remainder of the report?
  • 01:43:53
    Seeing none, I'll ask the clerk to call the roll.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:43:58
    Councilmember Chavez.
  • 01:43:59
    Aye.
  • 01:44:00
    Councilmember Viton.
  • 01:44:01
    Aye.
  • 01:44:01
    Councilmember Ellison.
  • 01:44:02
    Aye.
  • 01:44:03
    Councilmember Koski.
• • Katie CashmanMember, City Council
  • 01:44:04
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:44:04
    Councilmember Wamsley.
  • 01:44:07
    Is absent.
  • 01:44:07
    Councilmember Jenkins.
  • 01:44:09
    Aye.
  • 01:44:09
    Councilmember Palmesano?
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 01:44:11
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:44:11
    Councilmember Chaudry?
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 01:44:13
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:44:13
    Councilmember Cashman?
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 01:44:14
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:44:14
    Councilmember Osman?
  • 01:44:16
    Aye.
  • 01:44:16
    Councilmember Rainville?
  • 01:44:18
    Aye.
  • 01:44:19
    Vice President Shebte?
  • 01:44:20
    Aye.
  • 01:44:21
    President Payne?
  • 01:44:22
    Aye.
  • 01:44:22
    There are 12 ayes.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:44:24
    That carries and we will take up item number six and I will recognize Councilmember Rainville.
  • 01:44:36
    Microphone.
• • Michael RainvilleMember, City Council
  • 01:44:38
    Thank you.
  • 01:44:38
    I'm going to be voting no on item six.
  • 01:44:40
    I do that because in discussions with staff and with the business community there's still a lot of unresolved issues coming from Target and how their employees come and go out of their parking ramps.
  • 01:44:52
    Council Member Osman
• • Jamal OsmanMember, City Council
  • 01:45:17
    Yeah, thank you.
  • 01:45:19
    I want to move this item for approval.
  • 01:45:22
    Second.
  • 01:45:23
    But I do also want to comment about this is actually coming from the staff recommendation.
  • 01:45:27
    The staff wants this project done.
  • 01:45:30
    We're getting a huge amount of money from the federal.
  • 01:45:34
    and the staff has been working on this for a long, long time.
  • 01:45:54
    And this is located in Ward 6 and Ward 7.
  • 01:45:59
    So, yes, thank you so much.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:46:03
    Councilmember Cashman.
• • Michael CashmanMember, City Council
  • 01:46:04
    Thank you President Payne.
  • 01:46:05
    I just wanted to urge my colleagues to support this today.
  • 01:46:09
    There has been years and years of staff work put into this.
  • 01:46:13
    It's actually been worked on for almost 20 years and we're at the point now where we have 4.5 million dollars of federal funding on the line that needs to be spent by the end of this year.
  • 01:46:22
    That money's not coming back.
  • 01:46:24
    It's really important to be able to advance street projects that don't
  • 01:46:28
    Councilman
  • 01:46:53
    and I really hope that development comes in.
  • 01:46:55
    I know that that parking lot has been a surface lot for a long time and it would be amazing to have Heinz build something there.
  • 01:47:04
    With that, I know Public Works is deeply committed to continuing to work out the details on this final project.
  • 01:47:11
    It does take a couple years for construction of these projects to happen, so there is a
  • 01:47:15
    Thank you so much.
• • Aisha ChughtaiVice President, City Council
  • 01:47:38
    I'm going to be supporting this item today and just want to note that something Councilmember Cashman was able to help me better understand about the Climate and Infrastructure Committee report today is between item number six and item number seven, so the improvements that are coming on 9th Street South, 10th Street South, Park Avenue and Portland Avenue.
  • 01:48:04
    City Council.
  • 01:48:24
    Seeing no one else left in queue, I'll ask the clerk to call the roll on item number six.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:48:55
    Councilmember Chavez?
  • 01:48:56
    Aye.
  • 01:48:56
    Councilmember Vitale?
  • 01:48:57
    No.
  • 01:48:58
    Councilmember Ellison?
  • 01:48:59
    Aye.
  • 01:49:00
    Councilmember Koski?
  • 01:49:01
    Aye.
  • 01:49:01
    Councilmember Wonsley?
  • 01:49:02
    Aye.
  • 01:49:03
    Councilmember Jenkins?
  • 01:49:04
    Aye.
  • 01:49:04
    Councilmember Palmisano?
• • Emily KoskiMember, City Council
  • 01:49:06
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:49:06
    Councilmember Chaudry?
• • Emily KoskiMember, City Council
  • 01:49:07
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:49:08
    Councilmember Cashman?
  • 01:49:09
    Aye.
  • 01:49:09
    Councilmember Osman?
  • 01:49:11
    Aye.
  • 01:49:11
    Councilmember Rainbow?
  • 01:49:12
    No.
  • 01:49:13
    Vice President Shektai?
  • 01:49:15
    Aye.
  • 01:49:15
    President Payne?
  • 01:49:16
    Aye.
  • 01:49:16
    There are 11 ayes and 2 nays.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:49:19
    That item carries and that completes the committee's report.
  • 01:49:23
    The next report is from the Committee of the Whole, which will be presented by that committee's chair, Councilmember Chavez.
• • Jason ChavezMember, City Council
  • 01:49:28
    Thank you President Payne.
  • 01:49:29
    The Committee of the Whole is bringing seven items forward.
  • 01:49:33
    Item number one is accepting a grant for the fire department to purchase clip-on gas monitors.
  • 01:49:38
    Item number two is approving a legislative directive related to case clearance rates within the police department.
  • 01:49:44
    Item number three is approving a legislative directive related to imperious services.
  • 01:49:51
    Item number four is authorizing numerous contracts for violence prevention services.
  • 01:49:57
    Item number five is authorizing acquisition of properties for a public works water distribution maintenance facility.
  • 01:50:04
    Item number six is considering a revision to membership and quorums of various council committees.
  • 01:50:10
    This item was forwarded without recommendation at our meeting.
  • 01:50:14
    and lastly item number seven is a resolution calling for the Minnesota State Legislature to ban assault rifles and high cap magazines statewide.
  • 01:50:23
    With that I'll move all items forward for approval and pull items number two and item number six for a separate vote and discussion.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:50:33
    Councilmember Chavez has moved approval of the committee report minus items two and six.
  • 01:50:39
    Is there any discussion on the remainder of the items?
  • 01:50:42
    Councilmember Wonsley.
• • Robin WonsleyMember, City Council
  • 01:50:43
    Thank you President Payne.
  • 01:50:45
    I just want to make some brief comments around item number five, which is the acquisition of 2700, 2701 and 2705 have University Avenue Northeast.
  • 01:50:59
    All purchases related to the public works, water distribution, maintenance facility,
  • 01:51:04
    When this came before the Committee of the Home on Tuesday, of course I shared comments about how this item helps the city close a chapter on the location of the city's water maintenance facility and gives us also the opportunity to close a chapter on the roof depot site which has been something that community has been advocating for for over 10 years
  • 01:51:28
    and the city purchased this site back in 2016 while knowing that it did not have the full backing of community support and despite that clear resistance and disapproval from community, this particular administration and city staff pushed forward and that decision has been one of the most expensive mistakes we could have made.
  • 01:51:52
    and now for ten years community members have worked to put forward a hopeful and generative vision for the Roof Depot site and even asked Mayor Frey recently to come to the table to really figure out a pathway forward on our upcoming purchase agreement but in
  • 01:52:10
    In light of those efforts, or in spite of those efforts, we learned this week Mayor Frey rejected the counter offer from many of our East Phillips neighbors who have organized for a positive vision and have garnered city-wide support behind that vision for this site.
  • 01:52:25
    And once again, we are potentially put in a position where we are going to continue wasting taxpayer dollars and continue experiencing damage to the city's reputation, things that are preventable.
  • 01:52:39
    and with that said again we could have had the opportunity to close both chapters and have the opportunity through Mayor Frey to show leadership of working with community on something that's really really positive and that sets a national standard for how we do community-led development especially around renewable energy and champion communities both
  • 01:53:03
    and innovative solutions towards our realities of climate change and as opposed to leaning into that opportunity it was rejected so I am of course as we're considering the passage of this acquisition of parcels for the new site
  • 01:53:18
    City Council.
  • 01:53:38
    Looking forward to working with my colleagues regardless of the actions that Mayor Frey takes.
  • 01:53:43
    Hopefully it's going back to the table for us to figure out how we can continue working as we have to support the community-led vision around that site being the Roof Depot site.
  • 01:53:54
    So comments I wanted to share and look forward to next coming weeks of actions that we bring forward.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:54:04
    Seeing no one else left in queue, I'll ask the Clerk to call the roll on all items except 2 and 6.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:54:11
    Councilmember Chavez?
  • 01:54:12
    Aye.
  • 01:54:12
    Councilmember Vitale?
  • 01:54:13
    Aye.
  • 01:54:13
    Councilmember Ellison?
  • 01:54:15
    Aye.
  • 01:54:15
    Councilmember Koski?
  • 01:54:16
    Aye.
  • 01:54:16
    Councilmember Wonsley?
  • 01:54:18
    Aye.
  • 01:54:18
    Councilmember Jenkins?
  • 01:54:19
    Aye.
  • 01:54:20
    Councilmember Palmisano?
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 01:54:21
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:54:21
    Councilmember Chaudhry?
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 01:54:23
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:54:23
    Councilmember Cashman?
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 01:54:24
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:54:24
    Councilmember Osman?
  • 01:54:26
    Aye.
  • 01:54:26
    Councilmember Rainville?
  • 01:54:27
    Aye.
  • 01:54:28
    Vice President Chugtime?
  • 01:54:29
    Aye.
  • 01:54:30
    President Payne?
  • 01:54:31
    Aye.
  • 01:54:31
    There are 13 ayes.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:54:33
    Those items carry.
  • 01:54:35
    Next we will take up item number two, a legislative directive on police department case clearance rates.
  • 01:54:42
    I'll recognize Councilmember Cashman.
• • Michael CashmanMember, City Council
  • 01:54:44
    Thank you President Payne.
  • 01:54:47
    I am bringing a substitute for this today which I sent to you all and noticed in our Committee of the Whole.
  • 01:54:55
    The substitute does change the date from October 1st to October 29th for the information to come back and also identifies that while we do have
  • 01:55:09
    I also had the chance to meet with Hennepin County Attorney
  • 01:55:29
    The collaboration and investigations is happening between MPD and the Hennepin County Attorney's Office just to understand a little bit better how we can improve in actually creating a culture of accountability around closing cases, around providing answers to the community members who are impacted by crimes
  • 01:55:48
    and in particular, Loring Park really has struggled with gun violence this summer.
  • 01:55:53
    Many fatal and non-fatal shootings have gone uninvestigated.
  • 01:55:57
    I'm deeply concerned by Justin Juice Marshall who was shot and still doesn't have answers around what happened.
  • 01:56:06
    And I think for our communities to be able to heal from trauma and crimes that occur, we need to be able to
  • 01:56:15
    dedicate more resources and provide more transparency around the investigations.
  • 01:56:20
    And I think that it's important for us as we come into their budget season here at the end of the year to be understanding the amount of resources that's being dedicated towards training all of the new CSOs and cadets that are being hired into MPD, kind of what those pipelines are for becoming investigators.
  • 01:56:38
    I really appreciate the investigators that I have been able to work with in precinct one and precinct five.
  • 01:56:43
    But I think the capacity is just not as high as it needs to be in that area.
  • 01:56:49
    So this legislative directive will help us have a better understanding of where things are at and make some decisions going forward.
  • 01:56:55
    And I'll move this substitute for approval.
  • 01:56:58
    Thank you.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:56:59
    Councilmember Cashman has moved the legislative directive as amended for approval.
  • 01:57:04
    Is there a second?
  • 01:57:05
    Second.
  • 01:57:07
    Seeing no one in queue, I'll ask the clerk to call the roll.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 01:57:10
    That carries, and we will take up item number six.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 01:57:38
    I will recognize Councilmember Vita.
• • Katie CashmanMember, City Council
  • 01:57:40
    Thank you, President Payne.
  • 01:57:44
    So this week we had an item that came before us and I just wanted to offer, I know we have a lot of paper in front of us, but I have a couple motions here.
  • 01:57:55
    I just wanted to make sure that I offer a motion that you all should have in front of you around revising committee structure.
  • 01:58:03
    I had asked, there was an
  • 01:58:06
    There was a motion that was brought before us by the Council President to remove Council Member Ellison from two committees.
  • 01:58:15
    I simply just asked to be added to those two committees as a North Sider.
  • 01:58:20
    I had no idea that that conversation would spark into what it has become in these few weeks.
  • 01:58:29
    Yes, thank you.
  • 01:58:31
    I really did think it was going to be a simple, he's off, I'm on.
  • 01:58:37
    I was just asking for representation for North Minneapolis.
  • 01:58:41
    There was nothing more than that and the original resolution
  • 01:58:46
    that the Council President brought before it.
  • 01:58:49
    I had offered a substitute that clearly was not going to fit for this body, so I've offered a different resolution, and it is the resolution that asked my colleagues to create a committee of the whole sort of
  • 01:59:10
    How do I say this?
  • 01:59:11
    It's really about, yeah, thank you.
  • 01:59:15
    So what this does is the structure, it's the last one, I think, in the packet.
  • 01:59:20
    I don't know how they put the packet together, but it's the VITA substitute resolution that's dated September 11th.
  • 01:59:29
    And so what this does is it takes us to one day of Committee of the Whole and all members will meet
  • 01:59:36
    on this day.
  • 01:59:37
    All the business of this council will come before us.
  • 01:59:41
    We will be equally represented in this structure.
  • 01:59:45
    Everyone gets to vote on behalf of their wards on all matters that will then come before the council.
  • 01:59:52
    So this does take away the six days of individual committee meetings and the six person committee membership.
  • 02:00:01
    And again, we will all equally have representation.
  • 02:00:06
    If you're not there, you're not there.
  • 02:00:08
    But if you are there, you get to vote and it moves everything to full council if it passes.
  • 02:00:15
    And so that's what I'm asking now.
  • 02:00:17
    because I again what is important to me is that Northside has representation.
  • 02:00:23
    That's all I was asking for three weeks ago and that's all I'm asking this body for today is to make sure that when these matters come up that someone is there to speak to Northside residents if they attend these meetings and have questions or if like I said previously Councilmember Ellison and I have always worked together on issues that
  • 02:00:47
    are about the north side, rather that's by the phone, in person, in the elevator, in the stairwell, wherever.
  • 02:00:54
    We've always worked on matters that cover the north side and this version of these committees, in my opinion, and I hope you all support it too, will cover that.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 02:01:08
    Councilmember Vitale has moved the resolution dated September 11th.
  • 02:01:15
    Is there a second for that?
  • 02:01:19
    and that's been seconded.
  • 02:01:20
    I'll recognize Councilmember Cashman.
• • Michael CashmanMember, City Council
  • 02:01:22
    Thank you, President Payne.
  • 02:01:24
    I just had a couple questions for Councilmember Vita about how this would work in terms of who is chairing the committee of the whole meeting during all of the different committees.
  • 02:01:35
    So for example, when it comes to the C&I agenda items, would the chair be turned over to me to lead that portion or would it all fall under President Payne?
  • 02:01:44
    And then secondly, how would logistically with agenda setting, how would that work?
• • Katie CashmanMember, City Council
  • 02:01:50
    Thank you for the question, Councilmember Cashman.
  • 02:01:53
    So the chair of Committee of the Whole is Councilmember Chavez, and I'm sure we can ask the Clerk the specific details of this.
  • 02:02:02
    This model has been done before on the City Council, so I would appreciate if Clerk Carl could speak to the specifics on this.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 02:02:12
    Mr.
  • 02:02:12
    Clerk?
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 02:02:13
    Mr. President, as Councilmember Vitau indicated, we did use this sort of a model in terms of the city's initial response to COVID.
  • 02:02:22
    And so what we did is simply collapse all of our standing committees into one committee.
  • 02:02:26
    It was called the Policy Oversight and Government or Governance Oversight Committee, POGO for short.
  • 02:02:31
    and so the Pogo Committee was all committees wrapped in one.
  • 02:02:36
    It had a chair just like a standing committee.
  • 02:02:38
    That chair ran the committee agenda setting and ran the meeting.
  • 02:02:41
    So it would not be as in other situations where the Committee of the Whole has a standing subcommittee and the Committee of the Whole chair turns it over to the subcommittee chair.
  • 02:02:50
    It would simply be that the Committee of the Whole chair runs that committee process.
• • Michael CashmanMember, City Council
  • 02:02:56
    Thank you.
  • 02:02:56
    Is it possible to turn over the chair to the existing chairs since none of the chairs are changing?
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 02:03:05
    Mr.
  • 02:03:05
    Clerk.
  • 02:03:06
    Mr. President, certainly if the chair wishes to have another council member help lead the meeting for certain portions, that's within the body's control.
  • 02:03:18
    The purpose of the chair is to run the meeting, and if the chair wishes to defer to a different member to lead on one or multiple items, that's at the discretion of the chair subject to the will of the body.
• • Katie CashmanMember, City Council
  • 02:03:29
    Sub-committee style.
  • 02:03:30
    Councilmember Cashman, when I served on the park board, it was what you described, right?
  • 02:03:35
    Like we did committees first and then the full park board business.
  • 02:03:38
    I'm not opposed to that.
  • 02:03:39
    If the gavel gets passed throughout the day, I mean this is a one long day that I'm here for, right?
  • 02:03:46
    And so like if you want to do subcommittee style or if this body agrees to that, I am completely open to that.
• • Michael CashmanMember, City Council
  • 02:03:53
    Yeah, I think that would be my preference if we were to go forward with this model because I still want to be able to lead the work on the Climate and Infrastructure Committee.
  • 02:04:04
    I don't want that work to just get folded in and get wrapped up and kind of go by the wayside.
  • 02:04:09
    And then my other question here is if we would return to regular committee structures in our next term in 2026 so that we can give these topics the attention that they deserve in
  • 02:04:22
    Subdividing up the committees based on expertise, right?
• • Katie CashmanMember, City Council
  • 02:04:26
    So that would be up to council leadership in the next term That's not something that I'm I mean, I'm just hoping that this gets us through where we are now.
• • Michael CashmanMember, City Council
  • 02:04:35
    Yes.
  • 02:04:36
    Okay.
  • 02:04:36
    I understand that I just wanted to emphasize that that would be an important thing for us all to talk about now and kind of commit ourselves to because I think it's important to have those committees well at the same time and
  • 02:04:48
    Committee of the Whole
• • Katie CashmanMember, City Council
  • 02:05:05
    Committee of the Whole
• • Michael RainvilleMember, City Council
  • 02:05:28
    Thank you.
  • 02:05:29
    I'm going to vote in support of this.
  • 02:05:30
    I think it's a wise move.
  • 02:05:32
    It takes in effect Councilmember Ellison's new opportunity.
  • 02:05:37
    It takes in effect that if we start to shuffle these committees, there's going to be winners and losers and thus create hard feelings and the model that happened during COVID work.
  • 02:05:47
    So I think we should support Councilmember Vitale's effort to move this forward in a least divisive way.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 02:05:59
    Councilmember Paul Massano.
• • Linea PalmisanoMember, City Council
  • 02:06:04
    Thank you, Mr.
  • 02:06:04
    Chair.
  • 02:06:05
    We don't need to have committees.
  • 02:06:07
    We choose as a body to have committees.
  • 02:06:11
    Councilmember Chavez made a good point on Tuesday about equity and representation on committees.
  • 02:06:16
    And I will support moving all committee work to Committee of the Whole
  • 02:06:21
    and I'm willing to let Chair Chavez manage the work from there.
  • 02:06:24
    I'd imagine he would need a break just as chairs do all the time.
  • 02:06:28
    During COVID those were long sessions but we were remote and people handed that chair off to different subject matter experts even from time to time.
  • 02:06:39
    I don't think this is a long-term solution for council committee work but it does let us complete this term knowing that every community is represented.
  • 02:06:49
    and another piece of this model is something that I've heard Councilmember Payne say in the past about how showing that we are a full-time body and that's important because the actions that have happened here over the past few weeks really point out that people elected to this body feel it can be a part-time job.
  • 02:07:10
    That is not how I treat this role or how others on this body do.
  • 02:07:14
    but this doesn't bode well for the charter commission and their deliberations who are considering further changes that could easily make this a part-time council eventually.
  • 02:07:27
    We also have to hold our heads up in lame duck session at the end of this year to set salaries for the next council term.
  • 02:07:33
    how does that look when we've had these conversations over the past few weeks?
  • 02:07:38
    I think we should be a model of how we treat residents and taxpayer dollars and that's not as an exception but in seriousness, in full seriousness and this work brings us all into that conversation for the remainder of the term.
  • 02:07:53
    Thank you.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 02:07:54
    Council Member Hausman.
• • Jamal OsmanMember, City Council
  • 02:07:56
    Thank you, Council President.
  • 02:07:59
    I will tell you that this is a bad idea.
  • 02:08:02
    I'll say why it's a bad idea.
  • 02:08:05
    First of all, we have been using a model that worked for us.
  • 02:08:08
    Each chair has an experience and knows the committee.
  • 02:08:13
    He knows the staff.
  • 02:08:15
    He is expert in that field.
  • 02:08:19
    Business Housing and Zoning Committee, that's my committee of the chair.
  • 02:08:24
    So let us remind us, we only have six weeks left and we're trying to scramble everything and start over.
  • 02:08:32
    This is a bad idea because this committee itself lasts four hours, lasts a long, long time.
  • 02:08:42
    What's included in this committee?
  • 02:08:44
    Public hearing, quasi-judicial.
  • 02:08:47
    Some of us might not share what quasi-judicial is and appeals and that kind of process.
  • 02:08:54
    and I cannot imagine what our professional staff will think.
  • 02:09:01
    Are we trying to bring all of them here?
  • 02:09:03
    Because each committee has a huge number of staff that come, prepare, do what they do best, present their presentations, have suggestions, recommend items to approve.
  • 02:09:21
    Have we considered our staff?
  • 02:09:23
    Did we have a conversation with our staff?
  • 02:09:26
    Is the seats enough for our staff that we have?
  • 02:09:29
    There's plenty of things that I cannot see having one day for all committees.
  • 02:09:38
    Administration, enterprise, the budget which is coming up, the business and zone committee which lasts over four hours, the climate,
  • 02:09:50
    I'm not forgetting something.
  • 02:09:51
    There's plenty of meetings that will take place.
  • 02:09:58
    So it might sound good, but this is a really bad idea.
  • 02:10:02
    We only have six weeks left.
  • 02:10:04
    Let's figure out a way that works for everyone, especially our staff who are
  • 02:10:11
    has been doing a great work and I want to thank CBED staff and Regulatory Services and all of them that come and put all their work and all their energy to this committee.
  • 02:10:23
    think about this, I know this committee, I have been a member for the last five years, it's a huge committee that comes with all kind of public hitting, appeal process and everything and taking care of that in one day is not ideal.
  • 02:10:38
    So it's a bad idea and I would encourage everyone to vote against this motion.
  • 02:10:44
    Thank you.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 02:10:46
    Councilmember Chaudry.
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 02:10:48
    Thank you President Payne.
  • 02:10:50
    This is truly a very, very interesting discussion as we're contemplating and I hope we can figure out a solution so we can move forward to the business of this body and the work of the city.
  • 02:11:03
    That's what I'm looking forward to.
  • 02:11:05
    I will first say I'm a council member that
  • 02:11:12
    Sometimes I show up here at 6 a.m. and I'm working and there's been nights where I've had to stay here until 9 p.m.
  • 02:11:18
    This is a full-time job.
  • 02:11:20
    I work seven days a week.
  • 02:11:22
    Every once in a while I'll take a day for health care appointments, other things that I need to take care of and these committees are the workhorses.
  • 02:11:31
    of the work that we do as Council.
  • 02:11:33
    And while we might just have six weeks left, there are certain things that come before our committees that impact our residents.
  • 02:11:40
    And those things take a lot of time.
  • 02:11:44
    So if I think about Climate and Infrastructure Committee, right, there's going to be legislative directives and public hearings, especially for residents that are getting special assessments that they need to come and speak to.
  • 02:11:58
    I think about the Business Housing Zoning Committee, one of our largest committee where staff is really, really engaged.
  • 02:12:04
    We still have multiple ordinances that will come before us that have public hearings.
  • 02:12:08
    We have quasi-judicial issues that oftentimes, in one quasi-judicial issue alone, one agenda item can take 45 minutes, and they're extremely technical in nature.
  • 02:12:23
    We also have multiple, multiple public hearings.
  • 02:12:26
    So just to imagine sitting through Committee of the Whole and go through the work of all of the ordinances, all of the different public hearings that were required to have, the quasi-judicials, it just seems, it seems
  • 02:12:42
    I think it's impossible to fit all within a day and I'm struggling to understand how we would do it and I'm struggling to understand how our professional staff who show up into our chambers would be able to be there feasibly in order to be ready for that committee and then also do the work that they do outside of presenting to us as council.
  • 02:13:05
    Our committee structures, we've been through it for the last two years and I think we should operate within a committee system to continue to do the business of the city.
  • 02:13:15
    I appreciate Councilmember Vita bringing forward something for us to consider and putting that together.
  • 02:13:24
    I just can't support that today.
  • 02:13:27
    I just don't think
  • 02:13:29
    Councilmember Wonsley
• • Robin WonsleyMember, City Council
  • 02:13:56
    Thank you President Payne.
  • 02:13:58
    Councilmember Chaudry, you shared a lot of concerns that I also had with this proposal and why I won't be supporting it.
  • 02:14:04
    I know so far the conversation is really focused on biz which does have substantial items that move through it that takes up significant
  • 02:14:14
    time from committee members who are a part of it.
  • 02:14:18
    But I'm thinking of other committees that I also am a part of such as the Public Health and Safety Committee, also the Administration Enterprise Oversight Committee, whereas I even just read today we had over 20 items for consideration that we do thorough review of in committee.
  • 02:14:34
    and in addition to that I know those respective committees and some others actually passed work plans at the beginning of this term to guide the work legislative work of those bodies and from those work plans there were actions
  • 02:14:50
    put in place, plans put in place.
  • 02:14:51
    People introduce policies that are moving through the legislative process via our committees and this plan essentially blows all of that up.
  • 02:15:00
    Some of us have worked to make sure subject matter experts from across the Twin Cities or even the state are coming to our committees to give presentations in the coming weeks to help us move critical work forward such as what we even discussed earlier responding to increasing gun violence in our communities and helping us figure out
  • 02:15:19
    more proactive and effective solutions to that.
  • 02:15:23
    That work is literally or a presentation on that is literally scheduled for the coming weeks in PHS.
  • 02:15:29
    We will not be able to listen to those subject matter experts who are doing phenomenal and data-backed work in other parts of our own Twin Cities communities.
  • 02:15:40
    And for me as who do take the committee process very serious who takes
  • 02:15:44
    legislative work very serious.
  • 02:15:46
    I don't want to bottleneck my work.
  • 02:15:49
    I wouldn't want to bottleneck or obstruct other people's work who are using our committee processes to advocate for the interest and the needs of their residents in our city as a whole.
  • 02:16:01
    And I don't see how that
  • 02:16:04
    that alone is taking into consideration this proposal and how that also aligns with our equity goals.
  • 02:16:10
    So for me, I could not support something like this.
  • 02:16:14
    I'm interested in the subsequent motion being brought forward where I
  • 02:16:19
    Yes, some as we're often encouraged amongst this body is to engage in compromise.
  • 02:16:26
    I think the motion that we'll essentially be hearing from from Council Vice President Chuck Tai allows a compromise solution where people or council members who share concerns around committees they wanted to have representation in
  • 02:16:38
    gets that.
  • 02:16:39
    It takes into consideration committees that might have over representation from some geographic areas like downtown on them and tries to rectify that and I would rather see that proceed forward than us just completely pressing the nuclear button on just all of our legislative work and committee structures in this moment when we literally have six meetings to go.
  • 02:17:04
    So I
  • 02:17:06
    I will not be supporting this but look forward to conversation ideally on the subsequent motion if we're able to get to it.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 02:17:14
    Councilmember Vital
• • Katie CashmanMember, City Council
  • 02:17:17
    Oh, thank you.
  • 02:17:18
    Again, I just wanted to state that this is about representation to me and I've spent the time trying to work through this and make sure that we're all equally represented on what would be now considered the new committee of the whole structure.
  • 02:17:34
    And also, you know, there's been, Councilmember Wansley brought up the subsequent motion if we get there.
  • 02:17:40
    I just want to say to that, and I can speak to it there, but I didn't get a chance to talk to Northside residents about if BIZ or if public safety was more important for me to sit on for them and so that's why I thought this committee of the whole structure would be a better fit for all of us because we all get to represent our constituents over the next six cycles on this.
  • 02:18:05
    I know that I was using BIZ as an example in committees to talk about
  • 02:18:10
    It was simply the Northside Councilmember was going to be taken off
  • 02:18:25
    and a Northside Council member asked to be put on.
  • 02:18:28
    That's all it was for me.
  • 02:18:30
    That's all it has been.
  • 02:18:31
    I never ever thought that that would trigger the subsequent motion of us now just kind of moving everybody around and like trying to figure out who will go here versus there and the inequities of all committees.
  • 02:18:48
    Had I known that, I definitely would have pulled some data on crime stats and thought about who
  • 02:18:55
    should be on public health and safety versus biz.
  • 02:18:58
    There's been conversations around the inequities of three council members being on biz that represent downtown.
  • 02:19:06
    That could be the case for a lot of committees.
  • 02:19:09
    I haven't had a chance to figure that out.
  • 02:19:11
    I know some of us deal with crime a lot more than others on public health and safety.
  • 02:19:17
    And there's people on public health and safety that don't deal with what I deal with on the north side.
  • 02:19:22
    Again, all I asked for was to represent the community that I serve on these two committees for six council cycles and it's turned into this.
  • 02:19:33
    I'm really hoping that this committee of the structure, committee of the whole structure could get us through the end of this term.
  • 02:19:42
    Everyone can represent their respective communities and we can finish the business of the city in that way.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 02:19:53
    I put myself in the queue just to say that I'm not going to support the Committee of the Whole and that's largely based on some of the conversations that have already happened here on the dais.
  • 02:20:03
    Just concerns from current chairs who have actually planned out their calendar long ago at the beginning of this term and those have been pretty stacked meetings.
  • 02:20:15
    I'm actually recommending that
  • 02:20:18
    if Councilmember Vitale would be willing to withdraw this, if Vice President Chug Thai would be willing to withdraw hers and move forward with the underlying motion which is keeping Ellison on the Biz Committee, keeping Ellison on all of his committee assignments, shifting Councilmember Chaudry to be the Vice Chair.
  • 02:20:40
    I'm not going to speak for Councilmember Ellison, but just to say that he's working.
  • 02:20:46
    He's doing policy work.
  • 02:20:47
    He's responding to constituents.
  • 02:20:49
    He's meeting with constituents.
  • 02:20:53
    And this would be the way that we don't have to do a reshuffle.
  • 02:20:57
    We don't have to completely rethink the entire concept of committees.
  • 02:21:01
    We can move forward and finish off this term.
  • 02:21:03
    I brought this motion forward.
  • 02:21:05
    with the guidance of the Clerk and some of the wisdom that he's brought from multiple cycles of this.
  • 02:21:11
    And if Councilmember Vitale would be willing to withdraw this, I would ask Council Vice President Chugtai to withdraw hers and move forward with my underlying motion.
  • 02:21:22
    I think that would be the way that we could finish off this term and not have to completely restructure everything.
  • 02:21:28
    Absolutely not.
  • 02:21:30
    There we go.
  • 02:21:31
    Councilmember Koski.
• • Emily KoskiMember, City Council
  • 02:21:33
    Thank you, President Payne.
  • 02:21:36
    With all due respect to everyone, I think we have completely, radically overcomplicated this.
  • 02:21:42
    And the thing that I am hearing is that, loud and clear, is that Councilmember Vita would like to represent the north side, and she stood up and said, I will be
  • 02:21:58
    I will be a representation and add more work to her schedule, more time, and do the committee assignments that Council Member Ellison had.
  • 02:22:07
    I heard last, earlier this week, that Council Member Ellison was open to that, so I'd like to hear if that is the case, that if Council Member Vita were to sit on your assignments on biz and public health and safety, if you are amenable to that.
• • Jeremiah EllisonMember, City Council
  • 02:22:27
    I'm also in queue, so I'm happy to wait until to answer that.
  • 02:22:32
    But I think it's a great question.
  • 02:22:33
    Thank you.
• • Emily KoskiMember, City Council
  • 02:22:36
    I mean, I'd be happy if you could just answer that now.
• • Jeremiah EllisonMember, City Council
  • 02:22:39
    Cool.
  • 02:22:39
    Yeah.
  • 02:22:40
    I'll make my full statement now.
  • 02:22:43
    First, I'll say that I've looked at the two committee structures that have come before Councilmember Vitas is acceptable to me.
  • 02:22:52
    If it doesn't pass, then I'll support Councilmember Chiktais as well.
  • 02:22:57
    As far as the original proposal from Councilmember Vitas to just replace me on the committee, we talked about that.
  • 02:23:06
    Her and I discussed that.
  • 02:23:09
    And I'd say that on my
  • 02:23:11
    On my time on the committee, I think that it is, would be fair to say that some of the most contentious items that I've had to represent and defend, whether they be quasi, tricky quasi-judicials that we've had to resolve, or Upper Harbor Terminal, they've been in Ward 4, right?
  • 02:23:28
    And so some of the, and so when we talk about our ability to collaborate as Northside representatives, that's what we're talking about, right?
  • 02:23:36
    Not that, not that
  • 02:23:39
    She's going to step in and represent Ward 5 or that I've been sitting here wholly representing Ward 5, but that we collaborate on Northside issues.
  • 02:23:49
    And so I see no reason that that could not occur with her on the committee.
  • 02:23:55
    Here's the one thing that we also discussed that I think is really, really important.
  • 02:24:01
    it's that fundamentally as a council member when I think about good governance I am against us holding up items in committee and them never reaching full council totally against it and we've seen that happen on committee sometimes and there are times when I've had items that I don't agree with that I plan to vote against and whip votes against at full council but have supported them moving out of committee
  • 02:24:30
    without recommendation so that they can at least get before full council.
  • 02:24:35
    I don't think it's correct for us to hold items hostage in committee.
  • 02:24:38
    That's my position.
  • 02:24:39
    We talked about that.
  • 02:24:41
    And I hope it's OK to say that I got a commitment from Council Member Vitale that, hey, look, we're not going to be holding items hostage in the council meetings.
  • 02:24:52
    The other thing that I want to express that I think is really important to talk about is that,
  • 02:24:58
    When I watched the COW meeting the other day, the one thing that frustrated me was that if I felt, and people can give their own perspective, I felt that my committee chair essentially tried to ask that.
  • 02:25:13
    You know, Council Member Ellison has an ethos of making sure things get discharged from committee, are you going to carry that same ethos?
  • 02:25:20
    And I think that
  • 02:25:22
    I think that his meaning and intention in asking that question got really misconstrued.
  • 02:25:28
    And so that's a position that I have.
  • 02:25:30
    That's an issue that I took.
  • 02:25:33
    If people didn't understand what Councilmember Osmond was asking in that moment, I think seeking clarity without accusation would have been the operative move there.
  • 02:25:43
    And so that was how I took that.
  • 02:25:46
    And I would love a little bit of discussion around that.
  • 02:25:48
    But at its face, given the conversations that we've had,
  • 02:25:52
    Yeah, let's not hold things hostage in committee if you disagree with them, vote with them without recommendation, and vote against them, whip votes against them, work to defeat them at full council.
  • 02:26:00
    That's my position.
  • 02:26:03
    There are a lot of things that happen on this dais and in this body that aren't always ideal, right?
  • 02:26:12
    Sometimes
  • 02:26:14
    We question, sometimes we're wrong about things.
  • 02:26:17
    Sometimes we are, you know, didn't do our full reading, right?
  • 02:26:22
    I don't expect this council to be smart 100% of the time.
  • 02:26:25
    I don't expect this council to be 100% correct 100% of the time.
  • 02:26:30
    The one thing that I do expect is for us to not, again, assign motive, which is what I felt like happened to Council Member Osman the other day when he asked that question, and
  • 02:26:42
    and I don't expect us to weaponize however clunkily you thought the question was asked in a way that to me came off as inappropriate outside of council rules.
  • 02:26:58
    Even, I'm not saying with intent, but even veering in practice into xenophobia.
  • 02:27:04
    I didn't appreciate how the discussion unfolded.
  • 02:27:08
    That's my piece.
  • 02:27:09
    I'll set that down.
  • 02:27:12
    But at its face, Councilmember Vitale and I, we don't agree on everything.
  • 02:27:16
    We don't share a lot of ideology.
  • 02:27:20
    But I think the one thing that we do share is a deep and unabiding commitment to the North Side.
  • 02:27:25
    And then the last thing I'll say, just since I have the microphone, I think that a lot has been made about how much committee assignments occupy
  • 02:27:38
    a grand percentage of our jobs.
  • 02:27:43
    And if that's the case, well in my career there have been times where you've had some folks on four committees and some folks on one committee.
  • 02:27:53
    Does the person on one committee, are they less of a council member?
  • 02:27:57
    So it's never been articulated that way.
  • 02:28:01
    And so I think a lot has been made about the total percentage that committee assignments take up in our job.
  • 02:28:10
    And I think that that is inappropriate and bad faith as well.
  • 02:28:13
    And I think that we should move forward understanding that everybody's here doing their job, that everybody on this dais is doing their job full time, and that we shouldn't operate with any other assumption.
  • 02:28:23
    So with that being said, the motion before us, I'll support it.
  • 02:28:27
    and the City Council.
  • 02:28:27
    If it doesn't prevail, I will be supporting the next motion as well.
• • Aisha ChughtaiVice President, City Council
  • 02:28:33
    Thank you, Mr. President.
  • 02:28:36
    I want to start with this incorrect characterization
  • 02:28:46
    City Council, City Council, City Council, City Council
  • 02:29:10
    Committee assignments are not indicative of whether you get to weigh in on an issue or not.
  • 02:29:16
    They just aren't because ultimately the body holds the authority to pass or to approve or deny any item that comes before us.
  • 02:29:26
    You know, at its face value, I don't have an issue with the motion that Council Member Vitaw has brought forward today.
  • 02:29:37
    Unfortunately, I will not be able to support it today because, you know, we start a new cycle next week on Monday.
  • 02:29:48
    and agenda settings for all committees that are scheduled for next week have already taken place.
  • 02:29:57
    In the Biz Committee, for example, we have three public hearings.
  • 02:30:00
    There will likely be business owners for at least two of them coming in who have likely moved around and accommodated their schedules in order to come in as small business owners and get approvals for different items that are coming before that committee.
  • 02:30:15
    In the Climate and Infrastructure Committee, we have four
  • 02:30:17
    public hearings that are scheduled for next week.
  • 02:30:20
    Agenda setting happened yesterday.
  • 02:30:21
    This is already planned.
  • 02:30:22
    Staff has planned their presentations around it.
  • 02:30:24
    People who are coming in for these public hearings have adjusted their schedules around it.
  • 02:30:29
    So we're saying on Thursday, today, we're going to completely upend our entire structure.
  • 02:30:35
    And by Monday, we're going to figure out redoing clerk assignments, redoing attorney assignments.
  • 02:30:45
    re-scheduling staff time for presentations, asking those who are coming in for a number of public hearings next week to again re-accommodate their schedules.
  • 02:30:57
    I don't think that that is fair and I think that the burden rests on us as the leaders of this body or as equal members of this body.
  • 02:31:08
    to do the hard work of figuring out how we move our structure around to continue to provide the same type of consistency we have throughout this entire term for how agenda settings are operating, how clerk assignments are operating, how attorney assignments are operating, and how staff are foreshadowing and preparing for the final items before the end of this term.
  • 02:31:35
    So, you know, really appreciate the motion before us today and unfortunately I won't be able to support it.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 02:31:47
    Councilmember Ellison, you're still in queue.
  • 02:31:50
    Did you want to continue to speak?
• • Jeremiah EllisonMember, City Council
  • 02:31:51
    No, I think I've got... No, thank you.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 02:31:57
    Councilmember Palmisano, you're doing the part of order.
• • Linea PalmisanoMember, City Council
  • 02:32:02
    Yes, Council Vice President mentioned that we'd be needing to rearrange schedules immediately.
  • 02:32:07
    It's my understanding and I just wanted to confirm that this proposal by Council Member Vitale doesn't actually take place until September 29th.
  • 02:32:16
    So not changing people's schedules, not changing notices of different committees for this cycle.
  • 02:32:22
    So I just think that's important.
  • 02:32:24
    I heard that she seemed very upset by that.
  • 02:32:26
    I would be too, but that's just not my understanding of the proposal before you.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 02:32:31
    Council Member Osman.
• • Jamal OsmanMember, City Council
  • 02:32:34
    Yeah, just last thing I'm gonna say really think about what we're doing here just think about this we have not consulted with professional staff and we're gonna confuse the public telling you we are gonna be confusing the public this might work for you know
  • 02:32:53
    Your desire of being a member of a committee, but we're bigger than, it's a bigger city.
  • 02:32:59
    We have a huge staff.
  • 02:33:01
    Just think about this.
  • 02:33:02
    I think I mentioned, I don't want to repeat it.
  • 02:33:04
    It's a bad idea.
  • 02:33:05
    For BIS staff, for BIS community, for the public, for the quasi-judicial, for the schedule, the way we set up the whole thing, we don't know what we're getting into.
  • 02:33:17
    It might not work.
  • 02:33:18
    Are we going to come back to fix it?
  • 02:33:21
    because we are getting into unknown territory.
  • 02:33:24
    So I can imagine those meetings lasting for how long?
  • 02:33:28
    Twelve hours.
  • 02:33:29
    I don't mind being here, but is the staff going to be here?
• • SPEAKER_03
  • 02:33:32
    People got to babysit to pick it up.
  • 02:33:35
    They got lives, you know?
• • Jamal OsmanMember, City Council
  • 02:33:36
    They have planned there throughout the year.
  • 02:33:40
    And we have huge number of people that come through that door for public hearings.
  • 02:33:45
    So just think about what we're voting for.
  • 02:33:48
    Of course I will be voting against it and I hope it doesn't pass.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 02:33:53
    Seeing no one left in queue, I'll ask the clerk to call the roll.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 02:33:58
    Councilmember Chavez?
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 02:34:00
    No.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 02:34:00
    Councilmember Vitau?
  • 02:34:01
    Aye.
  • 02:34:02
    Councilmember Ellison?
  • 02:34:03
    Aye.
  • 02:34:03
    Councilmember Koski?
  • 02:34:05
    Nay.
  • 02:34:06
    Councilmember Wonsley?
  • 02:34:07
    Nay.
  • 02:34:08
    Councilmember Jenkins?
  • 02:34:10
    Is absent.
  • 02:34:11
    Councilmember Palmisano?
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 02:34:13
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 02:34:14
    Councilmember Chaudry?
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 02:34:15
    Nay.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 02:34:15
    Councilmember Cashman?
• • 02:34:17
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 02:34:18
    Councilmember Osmond?
  • 02:34:19
    No.
  • 02:34:20
    Councilmember Rainville?
  • 02:34:22
    Aye.
  • 02:34:23
    Vice President Shekteye?
  • 02:34:27
    Aye.
  • 02:34:29
    President Payne?
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 02:34:30
    Nay.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 02:34:31
    There are six ayes and six nays.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 02:34:34
    That item fails.
  • 02:34:38
    We are back on my underlying motion unless some
  • 02:34:44
    Thank you, Mr. President.
• • Aisha ChughtaiVice President, City Council
  • 02:34:47
    I would like to bring forward a substitute motion, colleagues, that is before all of you today.
  • 02:34:52
    I will move this item for approval and ask for a second and then I'm happy to speak on it.
  • 02:35:08
    Mr. President, I think it's really important that we dispose of this item today and we figure out what our structure is going to look like moving forward.
  • 02:35:20
    City Council.
  • 02:35:39
    to help us find a better path
  • 02:35:55
    Council, and
  • 02:36:11
    No council member is serving on all four of these standing committees and that there is balance between all members being able to participate in the work of the body.
  • 02:36:25
    It ensures that no member walks away with less committee assignments than they started with.
  • 02:36:34
    and it ensures that on Biz, which it is very important for us to be able to have Quorum in Biz and keep the work of Biz moving, that Council Member Vitaw is able to replace Council Member Ellison there.
  • 02:36:49
    So with that, I will ask my colleagues for their support on this and look forward to the discussion and hopefully getting to some resolution here today.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 02:37:03
    Vice President Chuktai has moved an amendment and it's been seconded.
  • 02:37:08
    I'll recognize Council Member Vita.
• • Katie CashmanMember, City Council
  • 02:37:11
    Thank you, President Payne.
  • 02:37:14
    Thank you so much Council Member, Vice President Chuktai, for your previous vote and also for the work you've done on this.
  • 02:37:22
    I'm not going to be supporting this, one, because I just don't
  • 02:37:27
    I would not even understand how it was determined for me that I would rather support the Northside on Biz versus Public Health and Safety.
  • 02:37:36
    I would have rather had a conversation with folks that I've had hundreds of people reaching out to me about what was happening here and I would have loved to, you know, even done a survey and say which committee would you rather see me on versus
  • 02:37:50
    it be selected for me.
  • 02:37:52
    I think what happened was I was referencing Biz over the past few weeks and so somehow it's been selected for me that I would rather be on Biz than Public Health and Safety and I don't like that and I'm sure the Northside wouldn't appreciate that.
  • 02:38:10
    So that's one of the reasons why I can't support it.
  • 02:38:13
    And the second one is Councilmember Rainville is being taken off of Biz
  • 02:38:17
    For me and then I'm being put on biz that I don't even know where that comes from or like how that conversation is even in play with this and then the idea of You know, I know the conversation came up about the inequity of three downtown residents I mean three downtown council members being on biz and I you know, I
  • 02:38:43
    The math ain't math for me, but I get where this is going, but I would have loved to do some research on who should be on public health and safety versus whose wards have public health crises, whose ward has the most public safety issues.
  • 02:39:04
    I can guarantee
  • 02:39:06
    that wards four and five are going to be at the top of the list when it comes to public health disparities.
  • 02:39:11
    Wards four and five are going to be at the top of the list.
  • 02:39:14
    When I joined this council, my ward was leading in violent crimes and so many other things.
  • 02:39:21
    So I would have loved to have time to sort through that data.
  • 02:39:25
    Maybe I don't belong on some of the other committees if we took the time to actually research who's on committees and who's not.
  • 02:39:32
    so I can't support that because of this.
  • 02:39:35
    I can't go back and say I am voting for this because my colleagues said you can go on that committee versus this committee when that was not the goal here.
  • 02:39:46
    The goal was actually to represent the north side on those committees as they have been this entire term by Council Member Ellison.
  • 02:39:54
    Council Member Ellison, I appreciate the conversation that you had on the dais around
  • 02:40:01
    You know, what you and I talked about, what I felt like in that moment, what Council Member Osman asked of me, is not what was interpreted by the Northside and it definitely isn't what was interpreted by me.
  • 02:40:14
    The conversation that was had up here was literally, I will vote for you if you do what I say.
  • 02:40:20
    I can't tell you, anybody on the Northside, who's going to agree to that.
  • 02:40:24
    and definitely not me.
  • 02:40:26
    And so I wasn't going to say yes to that.
  • 02:40:28
    I didn't even understand the question at that time.
  • 02:40:31
    And so for that, the conversation is documented and the interpretation is interpretation.
  • 02:40:39
    I heard what I heard and the many people who reached out to me to ask me if they had heard what they heard, heard what they heard.
  • 02:40:46
    It had nothing, absolutely nothing to do with his religion or anything.
  • 02:40:52
    It literally was the question that was before me.
  • 02:40:55
    And I resent anything outside of that.
  • 02:40:58
    it was a direct question towards me and it was related to a vote and so what does that look like for me as a council member now saying I want to be on biz I want to be on public health and safety and another council member has said I'll vote for you if you do what I say that ain't cool period
  • 02:41:18
    It ain't cool.
  • 02:41:19
    The documentation is there.
  • 02:41:20
    It's recorded.
  • 02:41:21
    And so, I can't support this.
  • 02:41:23
    I appreciate the work that's went into this.
  • 02:41:25
    I don't know where this work is coming from.
  • 02:41:28
    Because again, all I asked was to be appointed to two committees.
  • 02:41:33
    This whole conversation was downplayed to there's only six cycles left.
  • 02:41:40
    That's it.
  • 02:41:40
    There's only six cycles left.
  • 02:41:42
    All I asked was to have representation for an already underserved community on six cycles of this council's business.
  • 02:41:51
    That's all I asked for.
  • 02:41:53
    I literally said, there are people who come from the north side to these committee meetings and have questions.
  • 02:41:59
    I just want to be a friendly face for those people if they have questions.
  • 02:42:03
    If they're here for a public hearing, I want to be able to step off the dais and go and answer those questions for them.
  • 02:42:09
    That's all I ask for.
  • 02:42:11
    I did not ask for, and I welcome the conversation with Councilmember Ellison about moving things and making sure.
  • 02:42:19
    It just happened to me a month ago with Upper Harbor Terminal.
  • 02:42:23
    I understand that.
  • 02:42:24
    That's not where, there was no contention with us on that.
  • 02:42:29
    I understand business of the city and people having the opportunity to vote.
  • 02:42:34
    What you all are saying you want here is exactly what I want.
  • 02:42:38
    Representation and the opportunity to vote on the matters that happen on the north side.
  • 02:42:44
    That was it.
  • 02:42:44
    That was all and it's turned into now I'm gonna get on the committee and then Michael Rainville is gonna be taken off the committee There's no basis for taking him off of this committee.
  • 02:42:55
    He represents a ward that is highly I mean downtown is 50% of the business in our city.
  • 02:43:02
    So if 50% of the council members are Like represented on the committee I mean could we go back and actually do the math and not like makeup figures in our head to
  • 02:43:14
    I don't even know where that conversation is coming from.
  • 02:43:18
    Does Council Member Rainville have more businesses in his ward than Council Member Cashman?
  • 02:43:25
    Should she be the one that's not on this committee instead of Rainville?
  • 02:43:29
    I don't know.
  • 02:43:30
    Does he have more business in his ward than Osman?
  • 02:43:34
    Should he have not been the chair?
  • 02:43:36
    I don't know.
  • 02:43:37
    Council Member Rainville
• • Michael RainvilleMember, City Council
  • 02:44:02
    The first I heard of this was this morning, so I'm kind of shocked and I'm trying to think through what this means to me.
  • 02:44:08
    Of course I take it very personal.
  • 02:44:10
    It's an affront to me.
  • 02:44:12
    You're trying to be mean to me.
  • 02:44:14
    And I want you to understand I represent the ward that has the most sales tax revenue, the most license and permits.
  • 02:44:22
    And I worked in the hospitality in downtown for 35 years for the Minneapolis Convention and Visitors Association.
  • 02:44:29
    Now the taxpayers of Third Ward will not have a voice on the Biz Committee if this passes.
  • 02:44:34
    I'm being silenced because of my knowledge, my support of the business community.
  • 02:44:39
    I'm being silenced to represent the taxpayers of Ward 3.
  • 02:44:46
    And I've been fortunate to have lived in the city all my life and seen council leadership in action on past councils.
  • 02:44:53
    Leadership that consulted with colleagues before they tried to take them off committees.
  • 02:44:58
    Leadership that did not silence their colleagues for representing the Voices Award.
  • 02:45:02
    I'm proud of the vote I took that I'm being taken off for on that commercial 60-day notice.
  • 02:45:08
    That's what the people of the Ward 3 told me to do to vote that way.
  • 02:45:11
    And now you're punishing me for that.
  • 02:45:14
    Shame on you.
• • Aisha ChughtaiVice President, City Council
  • 02:45:18
    Thank you, Mr. President, Councilmember Rainville.
  • 02:45:24
    I'm really sorry you feel that way.
  • 02:45:26
    This is not personal.
  • 02:45:26
    This is not an attack.
  • 02:45:31
    Colleagues, we have spent a lot of time, hours and hours in committee and as a body, over the last two cycles, deliberating this issue.
  • 02:45:45
    I get it, democracy is messy, but it is time for us to find consensus and get back to the critical work that we have to continue doing on behalf of the residents of our city.
  • 02:46:00
    So with that, I'm going to call the question.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 02:46:04
    Vice-President Chuck Tye has called the question, is there a second?
• • Jeremiah EllisonMember, City Council
  • 02:46:08
    I'll just remove myself, we can take a vote on the substantive, yeah.
• • Aisha ChughtaiVice President, City Council
  • 02:46:14
    I'm happy to withdraw my motion if no one else is in queue then and we can just vote on the motion.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 02:46:20
    Alright, we will move forward with the Vice President motion on the committee structure and I'll ask the Clerk to call the roll.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 02:46:30
    Councilmember Chavez?
  • 02:46:31
    Aye.
  • 02:46:32
    Councilmember Viton?
  • 02:46:33
    No.
  • 02:46:33
    Councilmember Ellison?
  • 02:46:34
    Aye.
  • 02:46:35
    Councilmember Koski?
  • 02:46:36
    Nay.
  • 02:46:37
    Councilmember Wonsley?
  • 02:46:38
    Aye.
  • 02:46:39
    Councilmember Jenkins is absent.
  • 02:46:41
    Councilmember Palmisano?
• • Linea PalmisanoMember, City Council
  • 02:46:43
    No.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 02:46:43
    Councilmember Chaudry?
• • Linea PalmisanoMember, City Council
  • 02:46:45
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 02:46:45
    Councilmember Cashman?
• • Linea PalmisanoMember, City Council
  • 02:46:47
    No.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 02:46:48
    Councilmember Osman?
  • 02:46:49
    Aye.
  • 02:46:51
    Councilmember Rainville?
• • Michael RainvilleMember, City Council
  • 02:46:52
    No.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 02:46:53
    Vice President Chugtai?
  • 02:46:54
    Aye.
  • 02:46:55
    President Payne?
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 02:46:56
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 02:46:56
    There are seven ayes and five nays.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 02:46:58
    That carries and that completes the Biz Report.
  • 02:47:03
    Finally, we have the Intergovernmental Relations Committee which will be presented by that committee's chair, Council Member Chaudry.
• • Aurin ChowdhuryMember, City Council
  • 02:47:16
    Thank you, President Payne.
  • 02:47:22
    The Intergovernmental Relations Committee is bringing forward one item for approval.
  • 02:47:26
    That's the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Noise Oversight Committee appointment of Lauren Olson.
  • 02:47:34
    With that, I'll move all approval of all items.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 02:47:40
    Councilmember Chaudry has moved approval of the committee's report.
  • 02:47:43
    Is there any discussion?
  • 02:47:45
    Seeing none, I'll ask the clerk to call the roll.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 02:47:48
    Council Member Chavez, aye Council Member Viton, aye Council Member Ellison, aye Council Member Koski, aye Council Member Wonsley, aye Council Member Jenkins is absent Council Member Palmesano, aye Council Member Chaudry, aye Council Member Cashman, aye Council Member Osman, aye Council Member Rainbow
  • 02:48:07
    is absent.
  • 02:48:07
    Council Vice President Shek time.
• • 02:48:10
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 02:48:10
    President Payne.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 02:48:11
    Aye.
  • 02:48:11
    There are 11 ayes.
  • 02:48:13
    That carries and the report is adopted and that completes the reports of our standing committees.