Budget Committee December 01, 2023   12/1/2023

Discussion

• • Emily Koski
  • 00:00:28
    Good morning.
  • 00:00:30
    My name is Emily Koski.
  • 00:00:31
    I'm the chair of the Budget Committee.
  • 00:00:32
    I'm going to call to order a regular committee meeting for Friday, December 1st.
  • 00:00:36
    At this time, I'll ask the clerk to call the roll to verify the presence of a quorum.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:00:41
    Councilmember Payne.
  • 00:00:42
    Present.
  • 00:00:42
    Wonsley.
  • 00:00:43
    Present.
  • 00:00:44
    Rainville.
  • 00:00:45
    Present.
  • 00:00:45
    Vita.
  • 00:00:46
    Present.
  • 00:00:47
    Ellison.
  • 00:00:48
    Here.
  • 00:00:49
    Osman.
• • Jamal Osman
  • 00:00:50
    Present.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:00:51
    Goodman.
• • Jamal Osman
  • 00:00:52
    Present.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:00:52
    Jenkins is absent.
  • 00:00:55
    Chavez.
  • 00:00:55
    Present.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:00:57
    the one and only piece of business before us today is to continue the process of considering revisions to Mayor Frey's 2024 recommended budget.
  • 00:01:16
    Yesterday, the committee heard, I believe,
  • 00:01:20
    We are going to start with amendments number 10 and 11, which we put to the side.
  • 00:01:30
    As a reminder, I will recognize the author of each amendment to introduce their motion, and then we will open the floor for discussion on the amendment before taking a vote.
  • 00:01:39
    staff from the budget office is on hand to address questions that may arise during our discussions as well as departments whose budgets are being considered for changes.
  • 00:01:46
    I also just want to remind colleagues our staff did put out wonderful very thorough memos and of course I want you to be able to ask any questions that you have but just a reminder that
  • 00:01:58
    I anticipate that we may need several more hours to complete our work today, so depending on the progress we're making, I may suggest a recess for lunch.
  • 00:02:16
    With that, we'll return to the amendment packet with amendments number 10 and 11.
  • 00:02:21
    I will reopen the discussion around this item.
  • 00:02:27
    Yesterday, I tabled number 10, which is the Program Manager of Domestic Violence Navigators, and number 11, the Domestic Violence Navigators, so that the authors, Councilmember Chugtai and I could work with the mayor to reach common ground.
  • 00:02:41
    Today you have a revised motion before you reflecting this compromise that we've reached.
  • 00:02:51
    In a moment I'll ask the mayor to speak to this motion, but first I'd like to once again ground our discussion.
  • 00:02:57
    These proposals will create and fund a Domestic Violence Navigators program that will provide support and services to domestic violence survivors.
  • 00:03:05
    I have been working with the former and current Director of Neighborhood Safety Department and the current Domestic Violence Navigator to help develop the proposal over the last year.
  • 00:03:15
    We are prepared to move forward.
  • 00:03:17
    The need for a domestic violence navigators program is abundantly clear and I am so grateful that we're moving forward and we are taking the step to support domestic violence survivors in the city of Minneapolis.
  • 00:03:28
    And with that, Mayor, I'd like to invite you to speak to this.
• • SPEAKER_12
  • 00:03:33
    Thank you, Madam Chair and Council members.
  • 00:03:35
    Thank you for the deliberation that you've done over this last day, but also the collaboration that took place last evening throughout the night and then this morning.
  • 00:03:46
    Earlier this week I shared with you that we could not afford to make the proposed cuts both to human resources as well as PMI as it pertains to HR.
  • 00:03:55
    So many of the backlogs that we have in our city and the delays are because this is a group of people in HR that are working very hard but also have a whole lot of work to do and we need to make sure they're properly resourced.
  • 00:04:07
    PMI is necessary to implement the recommendations from the Safe and Thriving Communities Report and so with the agreement that was struck this morning we'll be able to maintain those positions and council will be able to move forward with their priorities in this case as it applies to the domestic violence navigators which is something that I also very much support and thank you for bringing it forward.
  • 00:04:28
    You should have the motion in front of you and the basic synopsis is that the violence navigators will be funded, ongoing, using positions that were garnered from the civilian side of the PD.
  • 00:04:51
    Those civilian positions will then be back-filled
  • 00:04:55
    with the safety money, that's the 19 million, and then we are collectively agreeing to then fund those positions on an ongoing basis going forward so they will be in the 2025 budget that would be proposed next year.
  • 00:05:15
    So this gets you all what you're looking for, this gets us what we are looking for, and this provides some certainty to staff that they're able to do the work that we are charging them with doing.
  • 00:05:28
    I want to give a huge thank you also to Andrea Inouye, who worked a whole lot of the night to figure out how to make this work, and to council members for their collaboration on it as well.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:05:46
    Thank you Mr. Mayor and again thank you so much for working with us and also to Andrea for your partnership much appreciated.
  • 00:05:54
    So I will go ahead and move the motion ahead of that's in front of you here and if there I will see if there are any other questions from council members.
  • 00:06:05
    I'm not seeing anything so we have this before us and I'll ask the clerk to call the roll.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:06:12
    Councilmember Payne?
  • 00:06:13
    Aye.
  • 00:06:13
    Wonsley?
  • 00:06:14
    Aye.
  • 00:06:15
    Rainville?
  • 00:06:15
    Aye.
  • 00:06:16
    Vita?
  • 00:06:17
    Aye.
  • 00:06:18
    Ellison?
  • 00:06:19
    Aye.
  • 00:06:19
    Osman?
  • 00:06:20
    Aye.
  • 00:06:21
    Goodman?
  • 00:06:21
    Aye.
  • 00:06:22
    Chavez?
  • 00:06:23
    Aye.
  • 00:06:23
    Chuktay?
  • 00:06:24
    Aye.
  • 00:06:25
    Chaudhuri?
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:06:26
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:06:27
    Comisano?
  • 00:06:28
    Aye.
  • 00:06:28
    Cherakoski?
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:06:29
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:06:29
    There are 12 ayes.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:06:30
    That motion carries.
  • 00:06:33
    Next, we will go on to our...
  • 00:06:38
    We have Mr. Mayor, please.
• • SPEAKER_12
  • 00:06:40
    I apologize, Madam Chair.
  • 00:06:41
    I just wanted to point out that this is a really good thing and not just the end result, but also the collaboration in getting there and I like to think that this is a real good start to the term here.
  • 00:06:54
    So thank you so much.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:06:56
    Very appreciated.
  • 00:06:57
    Thank you so much.
  • 00:06:58
    Thank you.
  • 00:06:58
    I also want to say thank you for being here and coming on short notice as well.
  • 00:07:02
    Okay, we're going to be moving through the packet.
  • 00:07:06
    The clerks, thank you to the clerks, but I wanted to make sure everybody sees that they did a revised packet for us so you can kind of toss everything you had yesterday and they have everything in order here.
  • 00:07:19
    Nice and neatly, just like the clerks always do.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:07:23
    I just wanted to add one note, Madam Chair.
  • 00:07:28
    A motion from Councilmember Vitau for number 38 accidentally got excluded from the packet.
  • 00:07:33
    Their office just brought me new printed copies, so I'll bring them out.
  • 00:07:36
    They're the same ones you had yesterday.
  • 00:07:37
    It just got accidentally excluded from this revised packet.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:07:41
    Perfect.
  • 00:07:41
    It is a lot to keep in track, so I'm glad that we have many eyes on this.
  • 00:07:47
    So, okay, with that, we are moving on to item number 23, and this amendment is from Councilmember Wonsley.
  • 00:07:56
    Councilmember Wonsley, will you please introduce your amendment?
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:07:59
    Yes, thank you, Chair Koski.
  • 00:08:01
    So, all right, getting more paper.
  • 00:08:06
    So this amendment is related to our Open Streets program and I will name, you know, this proceeding my term, but we're all familiar that it has a long history here in our city.
  • 00:08:17
    I know that, you know, our office has
  • 00:08:21
    receive hundreds of emails and calls from residents who value and appreciate this specific event series.
  • 00:08:30
    And residents that I've had a chance to listen to have shared just how much they treasure this event, how it brings people together in a very unique and inclusive way.
  • 00:08:41
    And it also helps move our city towards a more car-free, socially connected,
  • 00:08:46
    orientation.
  • 00:08:48
    Also, I want to name in terms of our own policy goals, Open Streets is part of our Transportation Action Plan and supports our climate equity goals and has been one of the best things the city has done in terms of community engagement.
  • 00:09:04
    This fall, members of the Public Works and Infrastructure
  • 00:09:08
    received a presentation from staff regarding the future of open streets where they shared that while the city was committed to advancing a competitive RFP for the 2024 series, that it would be shifting to different departments.
  • 00:09:26
    And that caused a lot of concerns for our residents who felt that maybe we were ending it.
  • 00:09:32
    And this is a reflection of that commitment that our staff that the mayor has made that they will be continuing open streets That we're going to fund a competitive RFP And this amendment will essentially allocate those dollars towards that RFP so
  • 00:09:49
    I want to also name, because I've gotten questions around this, approving this budget amendment will make sure the RFP is funded, which means the vendors will get compensated and ideally are able to host better and more equitable events across the city.
  • 00:10:05
    The city will also continue to provide in-kind services such as traffic control,
  • 00:10:10
    I also want to be transparent with the public that this funding does not guarantee a certain number of events will occur and also Council, we have no say where the potential routes will be, who the vendors will be.
  • 00:10:24
    All of that is going to be routed through the competitive RFP process that procurement will likely lead with the lead department.
  • 00:10:33
    So I just want to make sure that's emphasized and yeah, I will allow space for my co-author to speak, but actually I want to name two.
  • 00:10:45
    You will see a revised or amended motion that we're bringing forward.
  • 00:10:49
    This reduces our original allocation by half.
  • 00:10:53
    So originally we were proposing $575,000, but in
  • 00:10:59
    conversations with staff that are now saying that they're making a commitment to doing RFP for five events minimum.
  • 00:11:07
    We have now adjusted our motion to reflect a funding allocation to support those events and that will bring it to $250,000.
  • 00:11:15
    So I just at least want to name why you have amended a motion in front of you and how we got to that place.
  • 00:11:24
    but at least I'm excited that we're going to be funding 2024 and look forward to working with our staff to make sure that not only are we continuing support for this event but also increasing the number of these events and making sure they're fully funded.
  • 00:11:38
    But with that I'll pass it to my co-author in case they have anything else to add.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:11:45
    Thank you, Councilmember Wonsley.
  • 00:11:47
    That item has been moved and seconded.
  • 00:11:48
    Are there any questions from Councilmembers?
  • 00:11:50
    I do see Councilmember Goodman is in.
  • 00:11:52
    Thank you.
• • SPEAKER_05
  • 00:11:53
    Thank you, Madam Chair.
  • 00:11:54
    Councilmember Wonsley, I think you did a really good job with this.
  • 00:11:57
    I would not have supported it at the other level.
  • 00:11:59
    I like the fact that you outline that there's a competitive RFP, that Councilmembers will not have a say in where they work, and that it will be a process that would be similar to others.
  • 00:12:10
    I very much appreciate your willing to
  • 00:12:12
    willingness to work with staff and also to highlight some of the things that I think there's a bit of misinformation about.
  • 00:12:19
    So I probably wouldn't have supported this before, but I would today.
  • 00:12:22
    Thank you.
  • 00:12:25
    Thank you.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:12:25
    Next we have Councilmember Ellison.
• • Jeremiah Ellison
  • 00:12:28
    Not too much to add, just really appreciate Councilmember Wansley's leadership and you know we're trying to be responsive to a lot of the community feedback that I know that all of us heard on this item but also making sure that you know we can we can have conversations with staff and and our colleagues to make sure that we are funding this at a level that that folks feel like is necessary and and
  • 00:12:51
    and appropriate.
  • 00:12:52
    So I hope we can all support this and I really appreciate my co-author, my lead author on this item.
  • 00:12:59
    That's all.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:13:00
    Thank you.
  • 00:13:01
    Councilmember Vice President.
• • Linea Palmisano
  • 00:13:04
    Thank you.
  • 00:13:06
    I appreciate that the amount of money on this has gone down significantly and I share Councilmember Goodman's appreciation for highlighting how we are going to create and do these events a little bit differently.
  • 00:13:22
    in the future, the $50,000 of funding from sustainability was made possible by franchise fees from 2017 and 2018.
  • 00:13:32
    And they were, if you remember, for those of us that were here, community advocated really hard to see those funds specifically dedicated to climate change work.
  • 00:13:45
    And with appreciation for that that's one of the ideals or goals of Open Streets,
  • 00:13:51
    I'm not sure it meets the concerns I have about setting a precedent from taking from this money.
  • 00:13:57
    I remember environmental justice advocates literally filling this room asking for that funding to be dedicated to
  • 00:14:06
    environmental justice work.
  • 00:14:09
    From what I see in the packet, this money ends up coming from environmental justice grants, and I can't come to support that part of this motion.
  • 00:14:18
    So I just wanted to be clear that I appreciate the evolution that Open Streets is really taking here, but that's kind of a non-starter for me.
  • 00:14:27
    Thank you.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:14:29
    Thank you, Council Member Walnke.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:14:31
    Thank you, Chair Khasi.
  • 00:14:32
    I just want to offer some clarification.
  • 00:14:34
    So health and sustainability specifically have different programs.
  • 00:14:39
    One is a separate titled sustainability.
  • 00:14:42
    So just clarification, this money has nothing to do with the Climate Legacy Initiative.
  • 00:14:46
    It doesn't take away from the dollars that the People, Equity, and Climate Coalition advocated staunchly for.
  • 00:14:54
    We were very intentional about that.
  • 00:14:55
    We had several conversations with the co-authors of that fund to make sure we weren't
  • 00:15:00
    and our colleagues, we are not taking from that source.
• • Linea Palmisano
  • 00:15:14
    There seems to be a discrepancy about where this money is coming from on the dais in this sort of situation.
  • 00:15:24
    Could we ask the Director of Sustainability, sorry, the Deputy Commissioner of Sustainability to come up and just clarify that because clearly we see this two different ways and that would potentially change my perspective on this.
  • 00:15:35
    Yes, please come.
  • 00:15:36
    Thank you.
• • SPEAKER_02
  • 00:15:42
    Chair Koski, Council Members, my name is Patrick Hamlin, I'm the Deputy Commissioner of Sustainability, Healthy Homes and Environment.
  • 00:15:48
    In this case you are both correct, is that the funding that this would come out of is climate funding that was passed in 2017.
  • 00:15:58
    And you are correct that folks ask that that money be dedicated to climate funding separate from the current climate legacy initiative that's coming forward.
  • 00:16:09
    both of you are correct in that is that but this funding would come out of climate funding in the Sustainability Office from the 0.5% franchise fee that environmental justice and other advocates advocated for back in 2017.
  • 00:16:25
    Thank you.
  • 00:16:27
    Thank you.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:16:28
    Thank you.
• • SPEAKER_02
  • 00:16:29
    Thank you, Chair.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:16:31
    All right.
  • 00:16:32
    We have the amendment number 23 in front of us offered by Councilmember Wonsley and Ellison.
  • 00:16:39
    I will ask the Clerk to call the roll.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:16:41
    Councilmember Payne.
  • 00:16:43
    Aye.
  • 00:16:43
    Wonsley.
  • 00:16:44
    Aye.
  • 00:16:45
    Rainville.
  • 00:16:46
    Aye.
  • 00:16:46
    Vita.
• • SPEAKER_05
  • 00:16:47
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:16:48
    Ellison.
  • 00:16:49
    Aye.
  • 00:16:50
    Osman.
• • SPEAKER_05
  • 00:16:50
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:16:51
    Goodman.
• • SPEAKER_05
  • 00:16:52
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:16:53
    Chavez.
  • 00:16:54
    Aye.
  • 00:16:56
    Chugtai.
  • 00:16:57
    Aye.
  • 00:16:57
    Choudry.
• • Linea Palmisano
  • 00:16:58
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:16:59
    Palmisano.
• • Linea Palmisano
  • 00:17:00
    No.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:17:01
    Chair Koski, aye.
  • 00:17:03
    There are 11 ayes and one nay.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:17:05
    That motion carries.
  • 00:17:07
    Our next amendment is from Councilmember Vice President Palmisano.
  • 00:17:12
    Council Vice President, would you please introduce your amendment?
• • Linea Palmisano
  • 00:17:16
    colleagues, this is a budget neutral amendment.
  • 00:17:26
    It's a redistribution earmark within our existing neighborhoods 2020 plan, and it adds equitable engagement funding to some neighborhoods in a way that does not take away from anyone else.
  • 00:17:40
    As you know, I've had conversations with
  • 00:17:43
    Those of you that have wished to, I firmly believe we need a strong city-wide network of neighborhoods.
  • 00:17:50
    I sent some additional information in an email earlier this week and to achieve that city-wide network, we need to fund neighborhoods at a sustainable level.
  • 00:17:59
    So this amendment focuses on bringing all neighborhoods up to a total minimum funding of $20,000 for 2024 and on.
  • 00:18:08
    To achieve that, I'm proposing a minimum of $5,000 per year per neighborhood in the equitable engagement funding in addition to their $15,000 of base funding.
  • 00:18:20
    The goal of equitable engagement funds are to make sure neighborhoods are doing the work of reaching those in their communities who are historically underrepresented.
  • 00:18:28
    This work needs to be done in every single neighborhood in our city, and we've got to provide neighborhoods enough funding to do that important work.
  • 00:18:36
    So this amendment would impact 25 neighborhoods in 10 of our 13 wards.
  • 00:18:43
    Again, some of my colleagues have suggested or you know, it is their perspective that adding funding to some of these smaller, less diverse neighborhoods is not equitable.
  • 00:18:54
    Respectfully, I disagree.
  • 00:18:57
    Every neighborhood has varying populations of underrepresented groups and we need to provide them all with a level of funding to actually authentically engage those populations.
  • 00:19:07
    So as a reminder, equity funding is a formula based on areas of concentrated poverty, gentrification, and cost burdened households.
  • 00:19:17
    This money comes from the $100,000 that would sunset in the
  • 00:19:24
    collaboration fund.
  • 00:19:26
    Steve Gallagher a few couple months ago in our committee suggested that that collaboration fund maybe took a little while longer to get going to get used well and that there's still somewhat of a need for it.
  • 00:19:40
    So I suggest that anything that we're not putting in this equitable engagement fund stays in that collaboration fund for the time being so that people so that neighborhoods coming together can continue to do that work.
  • 00:19:53
    and so I'll make that motion.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:19:57
    Thank you, Councilmember Vice President.
  • 00:19:59
    Is there a second to this motion?
  • 00:20:01
    Second.
  • 00:20:02
    All right, this item has been moved and seconded.
  • 00:20:04
    Are there any questions for Councilmembers?
  • 00:20:06
    I see Councilmember Payne is in queue.
• • Elliott Payne
  • 00:20:09
    Thank you, Madam Chair.
  • 00:20:10
    I really appreciate the goals of this.
  • 00:20:13
    I strongly support the neighborhood associations.
  • 00:20:15
    I think we need a strong neighborhood network.
  • 00:20:18
    I also am pretty familiar with the Neighborhoods 2020 vision.
  • 00:20:23
    and I'm familiar with what goals that was trying to outline and I mean the top level takeaway from that is that we have wealthier neighborhoods and we have poorer neighborhoods and those neighborhoods have historically been not treated the same way by this institution and that a lot of the work of Neighborhoods 2020 was to try to bring some equity to how we are resourcing our communities.
  • 00:20:47
    Not equality but equity and I think that
  • 00:20:51
    Equality means everybody gets the same thing.
  • 00:20:53
    Equity recognizes the historical harm that has happened and tries to mitigate that harm through intentional investment.
  • 00:21:01
    That's my understanding of what the equitable engagement fund does.
  • 00:21:04
    It's my understanding that the equitable engagement fund
  • 00:21:07
    is specifically designed to help neighborhoods that, although maybe not as diverse as some of our more challenged neighborhoods that have been disinvested in over the history of our city, still has diversity, and that the Equitable Engagement Fund is the mechanism for engaging with those communities.
  • 00:21:26
    And so that, to my understanding, is how one of the neighborhoods, I think,
  • 00:21:34
    in my ward that's going to benefit from this.
  • 00:21:37
    And if you could share which neighborhoods are going to benefit from this, that'd be helpful.
  • 00:21:40
    But I'm only familiar with my ward.
  • 00:21:43
    I believe Wait Park might be one that might be benefiting.
  • 00:21:51
    The thing I've been trying to work really hard towards is really strengthening our neighborhood association, hosting regular leadership summits between all my neighborhoods and helping them understand what some of the various programming is available to them through things like the equitable engagement fund so that they can get that sustainable source of operating income.
  • 00:22:13
    But I'm really just concerned about
  • 00:22:15
    what this is actually doing.
  • 00:22:17
    It feels pretty antithetical to the entire goal of the equitable engagement fund.
  • 00:22:21
    So if you could outline what are the neighborhoods that are going to benefit from this amendment and how is that delivering on our equitable goal.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:22:33
    Thank you, Council Member.
  • 00:22:34
    I will let the author answer that.
  • 00:22:37
    I do want to remind everybody that she did send an email out that does have a list, so that might be easier if people want to just refer to that email than for her to go through the entire.
  • 00:22:49
    I just want to just mention that quick.
  • 00:22:52
    If the author wants to respond, please do.
• • Linea Palmisano
  • 00:22:55
    Yeah, just real briefly, I did send that out and I'm going to send it out again to everybody.
  • 00:23:00
    It's in the attachment which neighborhoods are affected and which neighborhoods individually end up getting a little bit more of a minimum funding.
  • 00:23:09
    Everyone is not getting the same thing here.
  • 00:23:11
    most neighborhoods, many neighborhoods get significantly more because that is the equality, that is the equity stand that we're taking.
  • 00:23:23
    We're simply saying that there is a base level needed to do some amount of engagement work and that funding is $5,000.
  • 00:23:30
    My goals in this were to bring neighborhood funding up to a minimum of $20,000 because I feel strongly that for now
  • 00:23:39
    without other funders coming to
  • 00:23:55
    Sorry, I've lost my train of thought.
  • 00:23:57
    But this really does not go and take other money away or say that everybody should be equal.
  • 00:24:03
    It is giving a little bit more funding to neighborhoods.
  • 00:24:06
    In some cases, it's only a few hundred dollars, but we can then, neighborhood associations, which are small nonprofits for people less familiar,
  • 00:24:14
    can be assured that they have $20,000 a year.
  • 00:24:18
    Five of those, what we are saying in this proposal, has to be worked on through equitable engagement of everybody.
  • 00:24:26
    And I think that's a good direction to say, if we're gonna give you this amount of base funding, we expect this from neighborhood associations.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:24:35
    Thank you.
  • 00:24:35
    Next in queue, we have Council Member Osman.
• • Jamal Osman
  • 00:24:39
    Thank you, Madam Chair.
  • 00:24:40
    My question is a little different than here.
  • 00:24:45
    Council members sending out a staff direction to figure out how we're going to fund the neighborhood organizations and I don't know if you have received any updates on that.
  • 00:24:56
    Anyone can answer.
• • Linea Palmisano
  • 00:25:02
    Councilmember Osmond, yes, we've had that report.
  • 00:25:07
    We're actually waiting on more additional information from Cura, which we've been waiting on for some time, but we've had this conversation ongoing in committee over the last few months.
  • 00:25:19
    I anticipate that the director will come back sometime next year with potentially more recommendations or revisions.
  • 00:25:26
    This is
  • 00:25:27
    This is an earmark, not a move of money, but this is saying for now, let's do this.
  • 00:25:35
    When we get recommendations back from Cura, maybe that will give us some slightly different direction, but it would be, that's my argument, is we should be able to give these non-profits a certain amount of assured funding so that they continue to exist.
• • Jamal Osman
  • 00:25:54
    Thank you.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:25:56
    Thank you.
  • 00:25:56
    Next, Councilmember Chaudry.
• • Aurin Chowdhury
  • 00:26:01
    Yes.
  • 00:26:03
    Thank you, Madam Chair, Councilmember Palmisano.
  • 00:26:05
    If you could just help me out in clarifying how the budget neutral aspect of this amendment works, I understand that there's one fund, I cannot remember the acronym for it, I apologize, that was going to move $100,000 into the Partnership Engagement Fund.
  • 00:26:26
    and the decision around that is instead of moving it to moving that fund into the partnership engagement fund we're gonna take a part of that to give a certain amount of base funding to these neighborhoods and then the rest is going to remain in that fund if you could just clarify that for me it would be really helpful.
• • Linea Palmisano
  • 00:26:46
    Sure.
  • 00:26:46
    Thank you for the opportunity.
  • 00:26:48
    Actually, Chair, is that all right?
  • 00:26:50
    Absolutely.
  • 00:26:51
    Councilmember Chaugherty, this funding through the Neighborhoods 2020 process was going to sunset in the collaboration fund.
  • 00:27:01
    And that money, $100,000 ongoing, was going to move into the partnership engagement fund.
  • 00:27:08
    They keep nodding, so I'm going to keep going until I say something wrong.
  • 00:27:14
    It was going to go into the Partnership Engagement Fund.
  • 00:27:16
    That fund has a million dollars from it.
  • 00:27:18
    We regularly allocate small grants through different neighborhood organizations that aren't actually to those neighborhood organizations.
  • 00:27:28
    They're to other kinds of partnerships in the community that are doing some good things.
  • 00:27:34
    We see that as a way to reach a little deeper into community and to fund things that otherwise wouldn't get funded.
  • 00:27:41
    That money is not entirely used.
  • 00:27:43
    It is zero.
  • 00:27:45
    Adding more money in there I don't believe is going to create more good in this world because we're not using it in full.
  • 00:27:53
    Maybe we need to adjust it once it gets more known or something, but it's not all the way used.
  • 00:27:58
    If to instead put this money into the Equitable Engagement Fund, and by this money I mean half of it, around half of it, $50,000, $54,000.
  • 00:28:10
    That would give this assurity of funding as a base to start with to be able to do the equitable engagement.
  • 00:28:20
    The rest of it we believe is still useful for working collaboration between different neighborhood organizations at this point in time.
  • 00:28:27
    Does that answer your question?
• • Aurin Chowdhury
  • 00:28:30
    Yes, that is pretty helpful.
  • 00:28:33
    So the thing that's important to me is that we're not going to see a reduction in the partnership engagement fund.
  • 00:28:39
    I think that's a really important fund for our neighborhood associations to do work with those partnership groups that add added value to reach out to communities outside of the neighborhood newsletter, the regulars that show up.
  • 00:28:55
    and I'll just close off by saying it's important for me to see an increase in base funding for neighborhood associations.
  • 00:29:03
    I'm aware that there are neighborhoods in Ward 12 that are going to receive that increase and a couple of them, specifically the Standish Erickson neighborhood,
  • 00:29:14
    has been struggling for a number of years.
  • 00:29:19
    However, when it comes to equity engagement, I think something that this body needs to consider moving forward is it is not enough to just give neighborhood associations funding so that they reach out to community members, particularly black, brown, immigrant working community members.
  • 00:29:40
    that actually ensures that
  • 00:29:52
    neighborhood organizations have that skill set to build that out.
  • 00:29:55
    And I'm really interested to working with council members who also share that goal in this next term on just that.
  • 00:30:05
    And thank you for answering my questions.
  • 00:30:08
    I do plan on supporting this amendment.
  • 00:30:12
    Thank you, Council Member.
  • 00:30:13
    Council Member Wonsley.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:30:14
    Thank you, Chair Koski.
  • 00:30:16
    Originally, when I saw this motion, I also felt prepared to not support it just based off of the legislative directive that I co-author alongside with Council Vice President Palmisano to get analysis around funding and the processes in which we're organizing funding for our neighborhood organizations.
  • 00:30:37
    And I remember in that legislative directive, staff being very clear of
  • 00:30:42
    funding or expanding the pool to reach that equality goal of everyone having baseline funding at that time seemed like it would come at the cost of some of our most, well, coming at the cost of our neighborhoods that are located in our least affluent and most diverse neighborhoods and that was not something I felt I could support as what seemed to be reflected in this motion
  • 00:31:09
    initially.
  • 00:31:11
    But what I'm now getting clarified on, and thank you, Council Vice President, for doing due diligence to expand transparency about how you're making this work, this would essentially move dollars into the equitable partnership fund, an equitable engagement fund.
  • 00:31:29
    And I just want to name four awards that would be impacted by now having access
  • 00:31:35
    through two additional $5,000.
  • 00:31:38
    The goal still remains of you should be focusing on the outlines or parameters that's established in this fund of focusing on engaging renters, immigrants, refugees, people living with disabilities, residents who are black, indigenous, and people of color, and other marginalized voices that are often not elevated in your neighborhoods.
  • 00:31:58
    Those folks, that work still has to happen even
  • 00:32:02
    as you now have access to this additional allocation.
  • 00:32:05
    And I know my ward will be impacted Ward 2 specifically Prospect Park, which through this motion, they'll have access now to almost about $1,500 to ideally reach that $20,000 baseline funding that we know all of our neighborhoods wants.
  • 00:32:22
    But I at least just want to emphasize that now that we're moving these dollars in,
  • 00:32:26
    the processes around that fund, the qualifications, the intentions of that fund still remain and I really hope that our neighborhood associations see this as an opportunity to receive more resources to do actual equity work within their neighborhoods and make sure that all of the residents in their communities feel heard, feel engaged, feel empowered.
  • 00:32:50
    And it seems like that is the intent of this motion and that's why I will be supporting it now.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:32:56
    Thank you, Councilmember.
  • 00:32:58
    Next, Councilmember Chuktay.
• • Aisha Chughtai
  • 00:33:00
    Thank you, Madam Chair.
  • 00:33:02
    I had a chance to talk with Councilmember or Council Vice President Palmisano about this pretty extensively beforehand and had a chance to name some of my concerns or frustrations about this amendment and I understand the intent of
  • 00:33:22
    what the Councilmember is trying to do and I understand that we're all trying to find a way to make this work.
  • 00:33:31
    All that being said, I just wanted to correct, or let me use a different word.
  • 00:33:39
    I just wanted to clarify something that was said in response to Councilmember Chother's question about the Partnership Engagement Fund.
  • 00:33:50
    I think it's a fair thing to say that the money from the Partnership Engagement Fund goes to other organizations doing good things.
  • 00:34:01
    But I think it's perhaps just a little bit misleading.
  • 00:34:06
    The money from the Partnership Engagement Fund certainly does go to other organizations doing good things, but it goes to those organizations for the very specific purpose
  • 00:34:20
    for the very specific purpose of doing engagement work in the boundaries of that neighborhood to engage residents on local issues.
  • 00:34:35
    So to put into context, as an example, in my neighborhood, I live in the Whittier neighborhood, 90% of residents living there are renters.
  • 00:34:44
    So a possible proposal that would meet the qualifications to be funded through the Partnership Engagement Fund could be the Whittier neighborhood and, let's say, legal aid applying for
  • 00:35:04
    partnership engagement fund money together and saying, you know, we want to engage residents, engage renters in Whittier on, let's say, eviction protection and
  • 00:35:24
    their rights around eviction protection and legal resources available through the city and how city ordinances that we have put into place are an added protection that tenants have.
  • 00:35:49
    The money is not going to an outside organization doing a good thing.
  • 00:35:52
    It's going to that outside organization doing the good thing in the boundaries of the neighborhood on local issues.
  • 00:35:59
    So wanted to clarify that piece.
  • 00:36:05
    Thank you.
• • SPEAKER_05
  • 00:36:07
    Thank you, Councilmember Goodman.
  • 00:36:10
    Thank you, Madam Chair.
  • 00:36:11
    I totally support this.
  • 00:36:12
    I want to explain how this money would be used with a real world example.
  • 00:36:17
    So there are two neighborhoods of this whole long list in the seventh ward.
  • 00:36:20
    I'll note that there are three in the first ward.
  • 00:36:23
    So I did see a list of Councilmember Payne's question has been asked and answered.
  • 00:36:28
    and the neighborhood that I live in, Bryn Mawr, they get a very small amount of money and it's I think $1,900 so this would bring them up to $5,000 and what have they done with that money so far?
  • 00:36:43
    They created a racial equity committee on their board
  • 00:36:46
    they then did a book club where they asked everyone to read a number of books about equity and equality and the difference between the two and how to identify systemic racism and then they put those, bought those books and put them in the free libraries around the neighborhood for other neighbors to read
  • 00:37:06
    then they started a film series, you could not make this up, they started a film series where they brought in films about immigration and race and equity and large numbers of people have been showing up, like 40, 50 people have been showing up for this.
  • 00:37:22
    So this is a neighborhood that is pretty diverse on some levels and less diverse on others and people are really leaning into this work so I think if we
  • 00:37:32
    want to see this kind of thing happen, we would give them a little bit more money.
  • 00:37:37
    I'm pretty sure what's happening now is they're having like a neighborhood fundraiser at Oodah Pals to pay for some of this work.
  • 00:37:45
    And it seems as though some of these neighborhoods would really do great things with it.
  • 00:37:48
    And giving them a small amount of money to figure out what works in their neighborhood makes sense.
  • 00:37:55
    Thanks.
• • Aisha Chughtai
  • 00:37:56
    Thank you, Council Member, Council Member Tuktay.
  • 00:38:00
    Okay.
  • 00:38:01
    Thank you, Madam Chair.
  • 00:38:04
    I'm going to reluctantly support this.
  • 00:38:09
    I really am.
  • 00:38:11
    I understand what you're trying to do.
  • 00:38:12
    I understand what we're all trying to do here.
  • 00:38:14
    And I know this is going to benefit all but three of our wards in a very direct way.
  • 00:38:24
    I will just say though that it is really important to me that in the future any such amendments like this to increase the funding that all neighborhoods may have access to, I don't want to see it come through the equitable engagement fund.
  • 00:38:42
    But equity money is equity money.
  • 00:38:43
    It should not be put in
  • 00:38:45
    I mean, I said this to you, Council Vice President, I wish you had done this as base funding instead, but I understand what we're trying to get done here and really appreciate it.
  • 00:38:55
    In the future, don't put it in the Equitable Engagement Fund.
  • 00:38:57
    That doesn't seem like the appropriate source.
  • 00:39:05
    Also, what would add that the Partnership Engagement Fund is a fully utilized source.
  • 00:39:11
    They had over $7 million worth of requests come in for the $1 million fund this last year, and it's almost completely used and allocated.
  • 00:39:22
    And that has been the case in the two years before that when the Partnership Engagement Fund was funded.
  • 00:39:29
    So in 2022, we allocated $750,000 for it,
  • 00:39:32
    In 2021, $500,000 was allocated to it and nearly all of that money was used.
  • 00:39:40
    With that, I am going to support this.
  • 00:39:44
    Thank you.
• • Linea Palmisano
  • 00:39:45
    Thank you, Councilmember, Council Vice President.
  • 00:39:47
    Thank you, Madam Chair.
  • 00:39:49
    Thank you, Councilmember Chugtai.
  • 00:39:52
    I think it takes a lot for people to change their mind here on the dais, and I think that is something we're all trying to do and be supportive of one another's work.
  • 00:40:03
    I did want to point out that a lot of the
  • 00:40:08
    the PEF, the partnership engagement money goes to things that are not within those neighborhoods themselves or not even in our wards themselves.
  • 00:40:18
    A lot of the, some of my favorite partnership engagement funds coming out of my ward supports things for East African interpreters and putting together neighborhood association conversations or neighborhood conversations that aren't related to the association itself.
  • 00:40:34
    in other parts of our city.
  • 00:40:37
    And I think that's kind of the point, like the idea is to reach larger areas of people and not just your own in some of these parts of the city and that that's a positive thing.
  • 00:40:48
    So thank you for your support.
  • 00:40:50
    Thank you, Council Member Payne.
• • Elliott Payne
  • 00:40:52
    Thank you Madam Chair.
  • 00:40:53
    Yeah, this should be a very easy thing for me to support.
  • 00:40:56
    My literal neighborhood association is benefiting from this.
  • 00:41:00
    The neighborhood that benefits the most from this is in my ward.
  • 00:41:03
    I just also am emphasizing Councilmember Chartai in saying this is a blind spot.
  • 00:41:14
    We need to be so much more intentional about the inequities that exist within our society and I know that
  • 00:41:20
    We're actually not talking about huge dollar amounts when it comes to our city's budget so these comments are more about Making sure that we're recommitting to equity and all of our decisions and you know You can't look at this list and see so much representation in Ward 1, Ward 11, Ward 13 and
  • 00:41:43
    and see a pattern, and see a pattern about who's getting more here when it comes to, you know, my ward has quite a lot of racial covenants.
  • 00:41:52
    Actually, I think Wait Park is the highest density of racial covenant properties in the city, if I'm remembering my history correctly.
  • 00:42:01
    So I'm also gonna be supporting this today, but this is a reminder of the commitment that we need to make in terms of much more significant equity investments that we need to make across our city.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:42:14
    Thank you.
  • 00:42:15
    We have this amendment offered by Councilmember Vice President Palmisano before us and I will ask the Clerk to call the roll.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:42:21
    Councilmember Payne?
  • 00:42:23
    Aye.
  • 00:42:23
    Wonsley?
  • 00:42:24
    Aye.
  • 00:42:25
    Rainville?
  • 00:42:26
    Aye.
  • 00:42:26
    Lita?
  • 00:42:27
    Aye.
  • 00:42:28
    Ellison?
  • 00:42:28
    Aye.
  • 00:42:29
    Osman?
  • 00:42:30
    Aye.
  • 00:42:30
    Goodman?
• • SPEAKER_05
  • 00:42:31
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:42:32
    Chavez?
  • 00:42:33
    Aye.
  • 00:42:34
    Shugtai?
  • 00:42:35
    Aye.
  • 00:42:36
    Chaudhry?
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:42:36
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:42:38
    There are 12 ayes.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:42:41
    That motion carries.
  • 00:42:42
    And our next amendment is number 25.
  • 00:42:46
    We are over halfway there, everybody.
  • 00:42:48
    Is from Council Member Chavez.
  • 00:42:52
    And I will ask Council Member Chavez to please introduce this.
• • Jason Chavez
  • 00:42:54
    I'm excited to bring this amendment with Councilmember Chowdhury.
  • 00:42:58
    This funding will continue the City of Minneapolis contract with the Let Everyone Advance with Dignity program to sustain their work focused on the East Lake Street corridor.
  • 00:43:06
    LEAD provides harm reduction based intensive care case management to individuals who commit law violations
  • 00:43:12
    due to unmet behavioral needs, homelessness, or extreme poverty.
  • 00:43:16
    Residents and businesses and visitors of the East Lake Street corridor will continue to see the lead outreach and case managers along the corridor while working to connect clients and small businesses to resources.
  • 00:43:27
    I do have an amendment to this that should be in front of you.
  • 00:43:31
    It's gonna clarify that the funding increases the budget of the City Attorney's Office based on the administration's feedback to fund this program and that it will provide the funds to the Neighborhood Safety Department.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:43:43
    Thank you, Councilmember.
  • 00:43:44
    This item has been moved and seconded.
  • 00:43:47
    Are there any questions from Councilmembers?
  • 00:43:51
    I am not seeing anything.
  • 00:43:52
    Oh, my apologies, Councilmember Chaudry.
• • Aurin Chowdhury
  • 00:43:57
    Councilmember Chavez, is it all right if you could share a little bit about the LEAD program?
  • 00:44:03
    I'm also happy to share a little bit too.
  • 00:44:07
    This particularly goes into the Ward 9 area of Eastlake, but this program, Let Everyone Advance with Dignity, is in my eyes, one that has taken many years to build up.
  • 00:44:22
    It was piloted in Seattle as a model of intensive case management to
  • 00:44:30
    reduce using arrests and incarcerations as a method to address the needs of individuals who are high risk of committing law violations due to challenges with mental or behavioral health issues or
  • 00:44:50
    racial disparities, income stability and it's a really great opportunity that this city has actually been working on since 2019 to build up when I was working in Councilmember Fletcher's office and then he was then working with Councilmember Kano and Mary Ellen Hang when she was at the City Attorney's Office and they've really been building this program up to be successful
  • 00:45:14
    and at this point in this moment the program coordinator, I'm going to shout her out on the dais, Latasha Jennings is someone who has been so on the ground.
  • 00:45:25
    Any meeting, any gathering that has to do with
  • 00:45:32
    how we're going to support unhoused residents, how we're going to prevent crime, if we're talking about the opioid epidemic, if community members are just connecting on an issue that's happened off of East Lake Street, she's there, she's listening.
  • 00:45:49
    she's building networks, she's built networks within the Office of Community Safety, she's built networks with our city attorney's office, she's built networks with council members outside of her ward and she is really ready to lead in a program where we can have real case management on the Eastlake corridor and in a moment
  • 00:46:12
    where we are seeing our social service network really spread thin.
  • 00:46:18
    I just want to say to this body and anyone that's listening, to be able to build something out like this and have it ready and it just need funding to be supported to get there is really remarkable.
  • 00:46:33
    I often think about the ways in which in this city we have struggled to address livability issues and prevent crime in a way that just isn't displacing someone who is at risk of crime to another location.
  • 00:46:52
    So they're just not in that area anymore.
  • 00:46:54
    A group of people are just not in that area anymore as a way to try to resolve it.
  • 00:46:59
    But then it goes into another neighborhood and we're in that same place again.
  • 00:47:03
    This gets at the core of helping that individual
  • 00:47:09
    to be diverted away from committing that crime in the first place and actually getting support and I think this is an interesting pilot of this type of work that other people in this country are doing right now and the rest of our city should follow and I'm really excited to be a co-author on this and thank you for letting me speak so much to it and I hope everyone else will support it and also just be really enthusiastic to follow along on this work.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:47:37
    Thank you, Councilmember.
  • 00:47:39
    We have the amendment number 25 in front of us by Councilmember Chavez and Chaudhry, and I will ask the Clerk to call the roll.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:47:47
    Councilmember Payne?
  • 00:47:48
    Aye.
  • 00:47:49
    Wonsley?
  • 00:47:49
    Aye.
  • 00:47:50
    Rainville?
  • 00:47:51
    Aye.
  • 00:47:51
    Vitale?
  • 00:47:52
    Aye.
  • 00:47:53
    Ellison?
  • 00:47:54
    Aye.
  • 00:47:54
    Osman?
• • SPEAKER_05
  • 00:47:55
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:47:56
    Goodman?
• • SPEAKER_05
  • 00:47:57
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:47:58
    Chavez?
  • 00:47:58
    Aye.
  • 00:47:59
    Chigtai?
• • SPEAKER_05
  • 00:48:00
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:48:01
    Chaudhry?
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:48:02
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:48:03
    Palmisano?
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:48:04
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:48:04
    Cherakoski?
  • 00:48:06
    Aye.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:48:07
    That motion carries.
  • 00:48:09
    Our next amendment is from Councilmember Osman.
  • 00:48:11
    Councilmember Osman, please introduce your amendment.
• • Jamal Osman
  • 00:48:13
    Thank you, Madam Chair.
  • 00:48:16
    This amendment is amended in 2024, Mayor's recommended budget to decrease the budget for the Community Planning and Economic Development Department administration and support direct of the strategic initiative and partnership
  • 00:48:30
    by $300,000 one time and the Community Plan and Economic Development Department Housing Policy and Development Strategy, Homeless Response Funding by $50,000 one time and increase the budget for Health Department, Health Living $350,000 one time to support community health and well-being in areas
  • 00:48:52
    such as Elliott Park neighborhood.
  • 00:48:55
    Funds will be used to work with external contractors to provide multi-service for people experiencing homelessness, unstable housing, food insecurity, and deep poverty.
  • 00:49:08
    Services will be provided to help people meet basic needs in safe and welcoming environment including
  • 00:49:14
    healthy and hot meals, hygiene supplies, and showers, laundry, mail, voice, health care access, employment services, veteran services, mental health support, and connection to the other benefits.
  • 00:49:28
    Community members in and around shelters will have access to on-site partner organizations such as Hennepin County Veteran Services, Housing and Stability Services to provide
  • 00:49:42
    just make a point that homeless encampment affects not every ward.
  • 00:49:55
    The wards that it affects including mine and homeless folks that are
  • 00:50:04
    that are unhoused, that are dealing with all kinds of challenges in our city need a place to go during the day or get help and get assistance.
  • 00:50:16
    It's very hard for folks that are dealing with all kinds of challenges to not be able to at least have a warm place to go during the day or just talk to someone to get services.
  • 00:50:30
    Places that are
  • 00:50:33
    located in Elliott Park, like Mary Fry Center, is such a place that folks can go and get the services they need.
  • 00:50:42
    I have visited there, I've talked to their staffs.
  • 00:50:45
    That is probably the only place in this area that is welcoming to homeless folks.
  • 00:50:53
    Encampments and other challenges in Ward 6 have been, you know,
  • 00:51:01
    The center issue that that I work with departments and we're still trying to figure out how to deal with it Right now as we speak we have hundred and plus residents who are Living in the cold living encampments That are not getting the services
  • 00:51:22
    Sometimes, you know, it feels like I encourage everyone to go just visit and look into the condition, living condition that those folks live.
  • 00:51:34
    It's really sad that we are first world, well-developed country that are allowing for individuals to live such a condition.
  • 00:51:48
    We couldn't even provide bathrooms for over three months.
  • 00:51:53
    I think a couple of days ago that's when we had the portal parties delivered.
  • 00:51:59
    I know encampments are not a way to, you know, they have their own challenges.
  • 00:52:09
    Do I want encampments in my ward?
  • 00:52:10
    No.
  • 00:52:12
    But do I understand that folks that are no place to go need to be treated in a humane way?
  • 00:52:18
    Yes.
  • 00:52:20
    This funding is allocating this money to those folks that have nothing that at least organizations that do good things like Mary Frey Center and others can use this funding
  • 00:52:38
    to have them welcome their doors, to give them the resources they need and the access of places to go, shelters to go, and just have a conversation with the folks.
  • 00:52:54
    and help them with mental health and different challenges they're facing.
  • 00:52:59
    So I wish I could put more money to really help these folks, but I encourage the mayor, the council members to really not look away when it comes to people that are dealing, people that are sleeping on the streets under the bridges.
  • 00:53:23
    We drive by, we see them, we continue to evict them with no solution.
  • 00:53:28
    We got to get better place to make sure that we are helping the most needy people in our society.
  • 00:53:36
    Thank you, Councilmember.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:53:38
    Thank you, Council Member Osman.
  • 00:53:40
    This item has been moved and seconded, and I see we have a couple comments or questions in queue from Council Members.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:53:46
    Council Member Ronze.
  • 00:53:51
    Thank you, Chair Koski, and I just want to say thank you, Council Member Osman, for bringing this forward.
  • 00:53:57
    This is very, very urgent.
  • 00:54:00
    In fact, just last night, you know, I had several community members reached out to me frantically
  • 00:54:06
    informing me that our staff just let them know that Camp Nanakasi is going to be evicted or has been served an eviction notice for December 14th and the concerns of where are 200 people who still don't have housing resources?
  • 00:54:24
    Where are they going to go?
  • 00:54:26
    And it just flags again of, you know, just the lack of resources that we've poured into being responsive to our unsheltered populations.
  • 00:54:35
    and I'm glad that this is a step that you're taking to say like look we can't just keep waiting on the sidelines pointing to the county pointing to the state we have to be there using our authority of holding the purse of the city to fund contractors and people who are out doing the work funding our neighbors who are serving this vulnerable community and I really just hope this is the start of many more investments that has to happen
  • 00:55:03
    because we recognize eviction is not a solution.
  • 00:55:08
    I totally imagine all of us are going to be hearing calls in the next week or when this eviction is carried out about many more smaller encampments and what are we doing about that.
  • 00:55:20
    And I just really am hopeful that going into the next year that we do take serious
  • 00:55:31
    the crisis in front of us when it comes to serving our unsheltered populations and dare to be bolder, dare to not lean into the status quo of just eviction only solutions without making radical and drastic investments into the resources like housing stability, like wraparound services to make sure this community is given the opportunity to stabilize themselves.
  • 00:55:55
    So I just really want to say this is so timely.
  • 00:55:58
    Thank you.
  • 00:55:59
    And as
  • 00:55:59
    you mentioned you know I really look forward to working with you and many of our colleagues who are ready and have been ready to deal with this particular crisis in our community to really do better by it and to pour more resources into it and to bring actual experts to come in with solutions so that we are bringing policies forward that doesn't
  • 00:56:22
    put us or keep us in this predicament five years out, a year out.
  • 00:56:26
    So I just want to say thank you, Council Member Osman, for bringing this forward.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:56:32
    Thank you, Council Member.
  • 00:56:33
    We have Amendment Number 26 offered by Council Member Osman, Jenkins and Chavez before us, and I'll ask the clerk to call the roll.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:56:41
    Council Member Paine?
  • 00:56:42
    Aye.
  • 00:56:43
    Wonsley?
  • 00:56:44
    Aye.
  • 00:56:44
    Rainville?
  • 00:56:45
    Aye.
  • 00:56:46
    Lita?
• • SPEAKER_05
  • 00:56:46
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:56:47
    Ellison?
  • 00:56:48
    Aye.
  • 00:56:49
    Osman?
  • 00:56:49
    Aye.
  • 00:56:50
    Goodman?
• • SPEAKER_05
  • 00:56:51
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:56:51
    Chavez?
  • 00:56:52
    Aye.
  • 00:56:53
    Chigtay?
• • SPEAKER_05
  • 00:56:54
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:56:55
    Chaudhuri?
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:56:56
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:56:56
    Comisano?
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:56:57
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 00:56:58
    Cherkoski?
  • 00:56:59
    Aye.
  • 00:56:59
    There are 12 ayes.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:57:00
    That motion carries.
  • 00:57:02
    Our next amendment is from Council Member Wonsley.
  • 00:57:04
    Council Member Wonsley, please introduce your amendment.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:57:07
    Thank you Chair Akoski.
  • 00:57:08
    So, I'm co-authoring with Councilmember Chaudhuri, an amendment to invest in our Truth and Reconciliation process.
  • 00:57:19
    I have the opportunity this spring with, I know, several of my council members here to attend the series of third engagement, third precinct engagement series events.
  • 00:57:31
    And the outcome from that series was
  • 00:57:35
    Residents want the city to move forward and actualize a truth and reconciliation process.
  • 00:57:42
    It was also noted as a key theme in our third precinct engagement report in the executive summary that was provided to council this summer by Dion Consulting.
  • 00:57:52
    It's even reflected on page 116 of the Safe and Thriving
  • 00:57:57
    to set up a restorative committee so we can do the hard work of trying to repair generations of harm caused by one
  • 00:58:11
    Department in the city enterprise, which is MPD.
  • 00:58:16
    The Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the recommendation of it was also created and rooted in the response to the murder of George Floyd.
  • 00:58:26
    So this work started out three years ago.
  • 00:58:29
    I know council president isn't here.
  • 00:58:30
    I know she was a trailblazer and bringing this forward in response to George Floyd's murder and the global uprising that sparked from it.
  • 00:58:39
    and since then staff has been added to our race, equity, inclusion and belonging department to specifically work on this particular project.
  • 00:58:49
    But they have no operating dollars to actually carry out that necessary work that our constituents, our residents want us to move forward with, especially as we're talking about how we're building up a new community safety center slash third precinct.
  • 00:59:03
    and then figuring out what we're about to do with the old Third Precinct site.
  • 00:59:07
    So there's going to have to be this hard conversation and I'm glad we have staff that are trained and are ready to lead it forward.
  • 00:59:16
    We just need to make sure they have the resources to carry it out effectively and meaningfully so our residents also can see that we're doing this work and are not shying away from it.
  • 00:59:29
    amendment is reflective of this.
  • 00:59:32
    I want to name, we're using the public safety state allocation dollars, and as a qualifier under those dollars, it does list community engagement as an eligible use of source.
  • 00:59:44
    And it's very clear, truth and reconciliation is a top priority in regards to community safety when we're talking about, sorry, community engagement is a top priority when we're talking about our future of public safety.
  • 00:59:57
    This funding source makes the most sense to use, especially since it's a one-time allocation.
  • 01:00:02
    So with that, I'll answer any questions that folks might have, but that's the context for this amendment.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:00:10
    Thank you, Councilmember.
  • 01:00:11
    This item has been moved and seconded because it has a co-author now, and I see there's a few people in queue.
  • 01:00:18
    Councilmember Chavez?
• • Jason Chavez
  • 01:00:19
    Chair Koski, thank you.
  • 01:00:20
    A theme throughout the Minneapolis Safe and Thriving Communities Report was the importance of community trust in advancing public health and safety services and a recognition that trust is currently frayed.
  • 01:00:31
    Trust must be built over time through authentic engagement that leads to real change.
  • 01:00:36
    Someone that got interviewed in this process for the Safe and Thriving Communities Report said that we need to listen to what people say and then actually act on it.
  • 01:00:45
    and then the one-time appropriation of public safety aid talks about community engagement as an eligible use.
  • 01:00:50
    We need to use this process in order to build a safe and thriving Minneapolis and just very supportive of this.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:00:58
    Thank you, Councilmember.
  • 01:00:59
    Councilmember Chadri.
• • Aurin Chowdhury
  • 01:01:02
    Yes, thank you, Chair Koski.
  • 01:01:04
    I will just kind of add to what Councilmember Chavez just stated.
  • 01:01:10
    In my conversations with residents in Ward 12 and throughout the third precinct, whenever we talk about our next steps for public safety, the conversation around
  • 01:01:23
    the collective devastation and hardship that we went through as a city during and following the murder of George Floyd always comes up and it always comes around to a conversation of course about how we're going to resolve and heal as a city but it is intrinsically linked to how we transform our public safety system to one be more trustable but to have clear steps towards reform and clear steps towards
  • 01:01:53
    having tools that are reflective of how the community wants to see public safety show up for them and shaped by them so I see a very clear line between the
  • 01:02:09
    the public safety aid and what falls within what it could be spent for and that community engagement, I can't stress enough, is beyond community engagement.
  • 01:02:23
    It is the active work of ensuring that community is a part of shaping our public safety system and can get to a place where they believe and trust it and can get to the place of when there is an emergency or when there is something that
  • 01:02:38
    they want to call in, they feel comfortable calling 911 or calling a number and knowing that there's going to be a professional or someone within the city that's going to show up for them in a way that might be an immediate response or maybe in a way that is starting the conversation around prevention work.
• • SPEAKER_13
  • 01:03:01
    Thank you, Councilmember, City Attorney.
  • 01:03:04
    Thank you, Madam Chair, Councilmembers.
  • 01:03:06
    Broken record, this is the first time that I can repeat what I repeated yesterday.
  • 01:03:10
    Obviously, the Public Safety Aid does have to be done for provision of public safety.
  • 01:03:15
    Community engagement is a part of it, so it will be incumbent on
  • 01:03:20
    The department I know truth and reconciliation can be a very broad thing and I think as we are implementing it In the city it is very broad so the department will have to sort of narrowly tailor their focus and use of this this money specifically to community engagement with respect to public safety and and the outcomes of that and and not broader and obviously Our office will work closely with them to to do that
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:03:49
    Thank you, appreciate that.
  • 01:03:50
    Alright, we have amendment number 27 in front of us.
  • 01:03:55
    I will ask the clerk to call the roll.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 01:03:56
    Councilmember Payne?
  • 01:03:58
    Aye.
  • 01:03:58
    Wonsley?
  • 01:03:59
    Aye.
  • 01:04:00
    Rainville?
  • 01:04:01
    Aye.
  • 01:04:01
    Vita?
  • 01:04:02
    Aye.
  • 01:04:03
    Ellison?
  • 01:04:04
    Aye.
  • 01:04:04
    Osman is absent.
  • 01:04:06
    Goodman?
• • 01:04:08
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 01:04:08
    Chavez aye, Chigtay aye, Chaudhuri aye, Palmesano aye, Chair Koski aye.
  • 01:04:16
    There are 11 ayes.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:04:17
    That motion carries.
  • 01:04:18
    Our next amendment is from Councilmember Ellison.
  • 01:04:21
    Councilmember Ellison, will you please introduce your amendment?
• • Jeremiah Ellison
  • 01:04:24
    Yes.
  • 01:04:25
    Thank you, Madam Chair.
  • 01:04:36
    Back in my first term we worked on the Renner First Policy and out of that policy came a number of ordinances recommended by staff, one of which was the Renner's Relocation Assistance Ordinance and obviously we needed a correlating fund in order to meet that ordinance.
  • 01:04:57
    The fund has been active since I think about 2019 if I'm correct and we've seen that when people in our city have been displaced, sometimes very abruptly, we now have a tool to prevent them from becoming homeless and that's what this tool is.
  • 01:05:14
    It's always been a relatively small pot of money and just with a few people having a pipe burst or anything like that,
  • 01:05:24
    The fund gets eaten down pretty significantly.
  • 01:05:27
    Now we do have a way to recoup from landlords who sort of reimburse us when we pay this money out.
  • 01:05:35
    But sometimes it takes a long time to recoup that money or sometimes we don't recoup 100% of it.
  • 01:05:41
    And so here we're offering, the mayor allocated $150,000 into this fund.
  • 01:05:47
    and we're looking, myself, Councilmember Wansley and Chick Tyme, my co-authors, are looking to add an additional $90,000 that will bring the fund total up to $240,000 to support people who might be facing displacement.
  • 01:06:01
    And so that's some of the content, that's a little bit of history on the fund and then obviously the nuts and bolts of it and I hope to have my, I stand for any questions obviously and hope to have the support of my colleagues.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:06:12
    Thank you, Councilmember.
  • 01:06:13
    I feel like I heard you move that, and it's seconded, and I see we have a few people in queue for questions or comments.
  • 01:06:20
    Councilmember Wonsi.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 01:06:22
    Thank you, Chair Koski.
  • 01:06:23
    Also, just want to say thanks to my co-author, Councilmember Ellison, for working on this, along with co-author, Councilmember Ayesha Chucks.
  • 01:06:35
    I think everyone is aware, as Councilmember Ellison highlighted what happened with Belle Loves, also in the name, while as not severe, something similar happened in my own ward with identity, which put a lot of media attention on how effective
  • 01:06:51
    the city is in protecting and enforcing our renters rights ordinances and while of course you know this is a housing issue that we're being responsive to we also know that housing stability also ensures public safety stability so this modest additional funding will support renters but it's also about how we're stabilizing our communities and making sure people's basic needs are met
  • 01:07:18
    And basic needs mean not being able to be displaced from landlords who are not doing what they need to do to serve and protect their residents and ensure housing.
  • 01:07:28
    I really look forward again this being a stepping stone towards having a longer conversation next year about
  • 01:07:34
    how we can build out this fund as well as have stronger enforcement measures to protect residents so that they're never in this predicament again like those who experienced bail loss or those who experienced the fiasco around identity which displaced almost 900 students in my ward.
  • 01:07:52
    So I'm just very grateful to my co-authors that, again, we used our budget process to really be responsive to a need amongst our renter community.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:08:06
    Thank you, Councilmember Wonsley.
  • 01:08:08
    Let's see here.
  • 01:08:09
    We have this amendment number 28 in front of us offered by Councilmembers Ellison, Wonsley, and Chugtai.
  • 01:08:16
    And I will ask the clerk to call the roll.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 01:08:18
    Council Member Payne?
  • 01:08:20
    Aye.
  • 01:08:20
    Wonsley?
  • 01:08:21
    Aye.
  • 01:08:22
    Rainville?
  • 01:08:22
    Aye.
  • 01:08:23
    Vita?
  • 01:08:24
    Aye.
  • 01:08:24
    Ellison?
  • 01:08:25
    Aye.
  • 01:08:26
    Osman?
  • 01:08:26
    Aye.
  • 01:08:27
    Goodman?
  • 01:08:28
    Aye.
  • 01:08:29
    Chavez?
  • 01:08:30
    Aye.
  • 01:08:30
    Chugtai?
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:08:32
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 01:08:32
    Chowdhury?
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:08:33
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 01:08:34
    Palmisano?
  • 01:08:35
    Aye.
  • 01:08:35
    Cherkoski?
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:08:36
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 01:08:37
    There are 12 ayes.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:08:37
    That motion carries.
  • 01:08:39
    Our next amendment is from Council Member Wonsley.
  • 01:08:42
    Councilor Wonsley, please introduce your amendment.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 01:08:44
    Yes, thank you Chair Koski.
  • 01:08:45
    This amendment is for sidewalk snow and removal pilots.
  • 01:08:49
    Many of our resident, or sorry, many of our council members might remember that this summer we passed a resolution supporting the pilots for sidewalk snow and ice removal.
  • 01:09:03
    and these pilots came from staff recommending them post-legislative directive that both myself and Council Member Chuck Tsai brought forward last winter after we had one of the snowiest winters ever in the history of the city.
  • 01:09:23
    We passed this resolution.
  • 01:09:25
    Unfortunately, those pilots were not included in the mayor's budget.
  • 01:09:32
    So we're having to rise up to the occasion and fund those pilots.
  • 01:09:37
    And this funding will ensure that all the pilots be funded.
  • 01:09:40
    It's also a mix of funding from other sources, as well as prioritize this funding within Public Works' existing budget.
  • 01:09:48
    I know these pilots have
  • 01:09:51
    I just want to provide transparency around this.
  • 01:10:00
    These pilots would support efforts in corridors around the Pedestrian Priority Network.
  • 01:10:06
    It will also provide support for seniors and also provide a focus in targeted areas where the city is aware that there's a high level of repeated non-compliance.
  • 01:10:18
    So essentially these pilots would touch neighborhoods throughout the city and really help us understand
  • 01:10:23
    What is the best way we can approach making walkability and mobility during the winter time in our city better?
  • 01:10:31
    So I just want to say thank you to my co-author Council Member Chuck Tye, also Council Member Osman for supporting this work and I stand for any questions.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:10:44
    Thank you Council Member Wonsley.
  • 01:10:45
    That item has been moved and seconded.
  • 01:10:48
    Are there any questions?
  • 01:10:50
    Council Member Goodman.
• • SPEAKER_05
  • 01:10:53
    Thank you, Councilmember Wonsley.
  • 01:10:55
    I'm a bit confused, but maybe I understand this correctly.
  • 01:10:58
    Are you looking for $100,000 total out of CPED, economic policy and development, vibrant downtown storefronts and cultural districts, all three of those to equal $100,000?
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 01:11:14
    bringing up the amendment right now.
  • 01:11:18
    Thank you.
  • 01:11:19
    So right now, the total for that whole item is, I believe, $595,000.
  • 01:11:29
    So those mixed sources of $120,000.
  • 01:11:33
    Sorry, you mentioned $100,000 from vibrant downtown storefronts and cultural districts, which we met with them.
  • 01:11:40
    They're fine with that.
• • SPEAKER_05
  • 01:11:41
    I'm confused.
  • 01:11:42
    It says here,
  • 01:11:44
    Decrease the budget for the police department by 120 I understand that yeah, and it says the community planning and economic development department comma economic policy and Development comma vibrant downtown storefronts and cultural districts by 100,000 is that the total for all of those departments, or is it a hundred thousand from each?
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 01:12:06
    No total
• • SPEAKER_05
  • 01:12:07
    So it's like kind of $25,000 here and there to get to $100,000 out of all of those sources.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 01:12:12
    Wait, no, no, no, sorry.
  • 01:12:14
    $120,000 from the police department.
  • 01:12:16
    $100,000 from CPED, the Vibrant Storefronts.
  • 01:12:20
    And then, yes, Rec Services, additional $100,000.
  • 01:12:23
    So that gets to the $320,000 that's listed in the later piece.
  • 01:12:29
    That is then complemented with the $275,000 that we're earmarking within Public Works.
  • 01:12:35
    So those are three different total amounts.
• • SPEAKER_05
  • 01:12:40
    OK, but it reads the Community Planning and Economic Development Department, economic policy and development, vibrant storefronts and cultural districts.
  • 01:12:48
    That's not all one thing.
  • 01:12:50
    That's many different things, so I'm confused as to what that is.
  • 01:12:53
    What's not going to happen?
  • 01:12:55
    As a result of that, I guess I see.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:12:58
    Clerk Carl is offering a hand here so.
• • SPEAKER_17
  • 01:13:04
    Madam Chair, I think that the
  • 01:13:06
    budget team could address this, but if you see, it's listing a line item number behind that, Council Member Goodman, 8900420.
  • 01:13:15
    So from the department's line item, which is in CPED, covering economic policy development, vibrant downtown storefronts and cultural districts, that line item has to find $100,000.
  • 01:13:25
    So I think as explained, it's $100,000 total from CPED.
  • 01:13:30
    And don't look at the line item, but the budget team and or CPED should state that that's the truth.
• • SPEAKER_05
  • 01:13:38
    And I mean, is this like the chameleon shops and what is it within CPED or you're just leaving it up to Mr. Hansen to decide?
  • 01:13:44
    Yes, as stated.
  • 01:13:46
    Yes.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:13:47
    Okay.
  • 01:13:47
    And that is part of the point we put it into that number.
  • 01:13:54
    And they have to choose.
  • 01:13:57
    So they'll have the discretion to choose.
  • 01:13:59
    So, okay.
  • 01:14:01
    Okay, Council Member Rainville.
• • Michael Rainville
  • 01:14:03
    Thank you, Madam Chair.
  • 01:14:04
    Council Member Wanza, I have a couple questions I'm hoping you can help me with.
  • 01:14:08
    So who actually would do the work?
  • 01:14:10
    Who would shovel the sidewalks?
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 01:14:13
    So the pilots, I just want to be clear, Public Works is the lead department that will be running all of the pilots.
  • 01:14:20
    Of course, as you know, we don't have any authority to send out or delegate which staff goes clear sidewalks.
  • 01:14:26
    but Public Works will be the lead department facilitating how all these pilots are carried out.
• • Michael Rainville
  • 01:14:30
    Okay, thank you.
  • 01:14:31
    So maybe I could say that clearer.
  • 01:14:34
    Will it be city employees?
  • 01:14:35
    And the answer is yes.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 01:14:38
    Again, I can only go to Public Works.
  • 01:14:40
    We'll be carrying those out.
  • 01:14:43
    If you would like to direct that to the staff, maybe they can answer specifically since they're the administrative side.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:14:49
    I do see Deputy Director Kelly is here.
  • 01:14:52
    If you'd like to come up please and answer that question.
  • 01:15:00
    or Mr. Dodds.
  • 01:15:02
    Thank you.
• • SPEAKER_03
  • 01:15:03
    Chair Koski, members of the committee, Brian Dodds, Deputy Director, City Engineer.
  • 01:15:07
    To your question it would be a blend.
  • 01:15:09
    We'd be working with neighborhood organizations and they would work with folks to be clearing the snow and we would also with this if with these four items in our pilot being funded it would also be some City Public Works employees that would be doing the clearing of the snow as well.
• • Michael Rainville
  • 01:15:27
    Okay, and then I have a question for our city attorney.
  • 01:15:32
    What is the liability of the city if a neighborhood person is doing this work and they get hurt?
• • SPEAKER_13
  • 01:15:45
    Chair Koski, Council Member Rainville, I'm not sure I want to answer that question on the spot without thinking through.
• • Michael Rainville
  • 01:15:56
    Fine.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 01:15:58
    I cannot, sorry, just add there's already a president through NCR and this is where the pilots are also being inspired from.
  • 01:16:06
    Neighborhood associations do apply for dollars through NCR to do snow ambassador type programs so we already have
  • 01:16:14
    And I see we have someone from NCR here.
• • Michael Rainville
  • 01:16:34
    Could you answer the question?
  • 01:16:35
    What happens if someone that you hire
  • 01:16:39
    gets hurt.
• • SPEAKER_09
  • 01:16:40
    Sure, thank you Chair Koski, Council Members, Council Member Rainville.
  • 01:16:45
    My name is Karen Mo, I'm Director of Neighborhood and Community Relations.
  • 01:16:47
    To answer the question, not all neighborhood organizations do it.
  • 01:16:49
    A handful of them I think have over the years tried different models.
  • 01:16:53
    In conversations with Public Works what we've explained is neighborhood organizations that were interested and had capacity to do it would also have to have the appropriate insurance.
  • 01:17:03
    to cover any liabilities involved with it.
  • 01:17:20
    They had a handful of different pilots.
  • 01:17:22
    The one that was relying on neighborhood organizations, they actually worked with us to figure out what the anticipated costs would be for organizations to do it.
  • 01:17:30
    And we made sure to include the additional costs for the liability insurance in order to do it legally and cover any unexpected costs.
• • Michael Rainville
  • 01:17:41
    Thank you.
  • 01:17:42
    And I have one last question.
  • 01:17:44
    How will this be audited?
  • 01:17:46
    How will we gauge the effectiveness
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:17:50
    I will ask Director Dodds to please come back up, please.
• • SPEAKER_03
  • 01:17:58
    Chair Koski, members of the committee, appreciate that question.
  • 01:18:01
    We will be doing some detailed tracking of this and we'll be having a yearly report that details the progress of these pilots and laying out measures for success.
• • Michael Rainville
  • 01:18:13
    And will that report include, or may I request that includes the repeat violators that we have to, that are responsible for the sidewalks and that we have to go and do their work for them?
• • SPEAKER_03
  • 01:18:26
    Absolutely.
  • 01:18:28
    Absolutely.
  • 01:18:28
    We will be tracking that and working closely with those individuals to figure out why they're not in compliance and work with them to reduce those barriers.
  • 01:18:37
    Thank you.
  • 01:18:38
    Thank you.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:18:39
    Thank you.
  • 01:18:40
    I see Council Member Payne in for a priority motion.
• • Elliott Payne
  • 01:18:43
    Thank you, Madam Chair.
  • 01:18:45
    I'm not sure if this is the appropriate procedure, but just in answering Councilmember Rainville's question of future amendment around oversight and evaluation and building up our capacity in that space on the legislative side could also contribute to how we are launching these new pilots and making sure that they're performing and accomplishing the goals that we set out with them.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:19:06
    Thank you for that clarification.
  • 01:19:08
    Any other questions that you have, Councilmember Rainville?
• • Michael Rainville
  • 01:19:11
    No, thank you Madam Chair.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:19:13
    Okay, great.
• • Aurin Chowdhury
  • 01:19:14
    Alright, Councillor Chaudry.
  • 01:19:17
    Thank you Chair Koski.
  • 01:19:20
    I wanted to see if Director Dodds would just come and as a new council member just share a quick overview of what each pilot is.
  • 01:19:32
    You don't need to go in super long depth.
  • 01:19:34
    I think it would be helpful for the public record and then I also have a secondary question around
  • 01:19:43
    if Public Works is ready to take this on and move forward with the pilots in the fall 2024 season.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:19:54
    Welcome back.
• • SPEAKER_03
  • 01:19:55
    Thank you.
  • 01:19:56
    Thank you council members.
  • 01:19:58
    Chair Koski.
  • 01:19:59
    Yes, I can go through a quick summary of each of those.
  • 01:20:02
    Thanks for that question.
  • 01:20:03
    First would be the snow caseworker pilot and so that would be hiring a person for in Public Works.
  • 01:20:10
    and they would work to collect qualitative data to better understand and work through and identify barriers to clearing, do direct outreach and education with residents, connect residents with existing clearing services and resources and serve as a resource for renters experiencing inadequate service.
  • 01:20:28
    the next one would be a senior snow clearing assistance pilot so again a targeted program for seniors and others with whose mobility may be limited and they'd be letting coordinated by neighborhood organizations in partnership with cities NCR group and as well as the snow caseworker previously
  • 01:20:50
    with this model we'd set funding aside that would direct be directly allocated to those neighborhood organizations in accordance with our transportation action plan racial equity framework we had to be prioritizing which ones we would be providing grants to and who has the capacity to do that and so hoping that would be very effective.
  • 01:21:10
    Next one, snow ambassador pilot.
  • 01:21:13
    This would be to purchase equipment and hire two staff that would work within public works and they would continuously monitor about 20 miles of the pedestrian priority network during the winter.
  • 01:21:24
    During that monitoring, staff would clear that sidewalk of those that are non-compliant and then knock on the door, try to figure out why.
  • 01:21:33
    What's the reason for the non-compliance?
  • 01:21:36
    and again, this will be getting more data about why we are having trouble getting to that 5% of our sidewalks that are having challenges out there.
  • 01:21:46
    and the last one is a mobile team pilot so this one would be contracting and I apologize I did not mention earlier that we also have some contractor resources here but beginning a contractor and they'd be working on documenting barriers and to snow and ice clearing and again it'd be kind of like that seniors and those with maybe mobility issues and using a contractor to clear those instead of the neighborhood organizations so
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:22:15
    Thank you, appreciate that.
  • 01:22:16
    And was your next question before?
• • Aurin Chowdhury
  • 01:22:19
    I just wanted you to speak to, I know I pressed you on it when we met a little bit and I think it's good just for the body and the public.
  • 01:22:28
    How ready do you feel Public Works is to take on these pilots?
• • SPEAKER_03
  • 01:22:31
    Yeah, good question.
  • 01:22:32
    Thank you.
  • 01:22:33
    We are ready to do these.
  • 01:22:35
    Much of this work that you see here that we've talked about, it would take hiring staff and getting that staff up and running and getting the pilots run and laying out the specific metrics we're going to accomplish and working with NCR, others, the neighborhood organizations.
  • 01:22:49
    So, these pilots really hit the ground running in fall of 2024.
• • Aurin Chowdhury
  • 01:22:54
    Thank you.
  • 01:22:56
    Well, thank you so much.
  • 01:22:57
    I am really enthusiastic to support this amendment.
  • 01:23:01
    These are really thoughtful pilots that I think meet the moment and I'm excited to make sure that this goes well fall of 2024.
  • 01:23:09
    Thank you.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:23:15
    I'll just take myself out of queue.
  • 01:23:18
    Thank you.
• • Linea Palmisano
  • 01:23:19
    Sounds great.
  • 01:23:20
    Councilmember, Vice President Palmisano.
  • 01:23:22
    Thank you, Madam Chair.
  • 01:23:23
    Actually, I was about to ask if one of the authors could maybe go after me again, because I have a couple of questions that I'm sure they can all
  • 01:23:31
    My first comment is, here we go.
  • 01:23:34
    Public Works working with neighborhood associations, so I'm glad that we're working to fund them a little bit better.
  • 01:23:39
    Thank you, everybody, for that work.
  • 01:23:42
    One of my questions is, the biggest funder for this is the police department.
  • 01:23:50
    And I completely get that cleared sidewalks are a safety thing.
  • 01:23:54
    And if you don't have cleared sidewalks, people are walking in the street, and that's dangerous.
  • 01:23:59
    But I'm curious.
  • 01:24:01
    I see how this funding maps to CPED in general and reg services most certainly.
  • 01:24:08
    I'm curious what kind of police response we have that we're taking away from here because of sidewalk clearance or what the choice was in using $120,000 from the police department for this service.
  • 01:24:24
    My other question about the funding, and it's just a curiosity, I'm supportive of this,
  • 01:24:29
    is why the ongoing funding.
  • 01:24:31
    When we usually talk about pilots, we talk about them in two or three years.
  • 01:24:36
    Now what I've heard from Mr. Dodds is that this might take some trying out of different things to figure out what the root causes are and how to get it right.
  • 01:24:46
    So this is ongoing funding for a pilot and we're
  • 01:24:49
    you know doing gymnastics here to try to make it work to use some one-time money with commitments of adding into future budgets full-time funding and so I'm just curious why the ongoing and why we're pulling from the police department because to my knowledge we don't the police don't respond to calls about on shoveled sidewalks
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:25:10
    All right.
  • 01:25:12
    I see that you requested that one of the authors respond here.
  • 01:25:17
    So, Mr. Rainville, if you are amenable to allowing one of the authors to answer that question first.
  • 01:25:26
    Yes, Madam Chair.
  • 01:25:27
    Okay.
  • 01:25:27
    Council Member Tuktai.
• • Aisha Chughtai
  • 01:25:28
    Thank you Madam Chair, Councilmember Palmesano, those are really excellent questions.
  • 01:25:33
    So first on the question about MPD as the source, this $120,000 is coming out of, I mean it's listed as the
  • 01:25:48
    it's called public safety services.
  • 01:25:54
    What it is is like their contractual money which has about thirty four million dollars worth of money in that fund and historically that has been the area where non-sworn personnel that's money that MPD has
  • 01:26:15
    excluding sworn personnel where there is underfunding or underusing.
  • 01:26:22
    So historically, that's been the pot of money that at the end of a year gets rolled back into the general fund.
  • 01:26:30
    So the goal was to take in a way that wasn't going to result in worse services for residents.
  • 01:26:37
    We're trying to improve services for residents.
  • 01:26:40
    So that was the reason for that source.
  • 01:26:43
    Now to your second question about why ongoing, I'm happy to bump this email in everyone's inboxes, but a while ago Public Works sent a pretty extensive memo detailing all of the
  • 01:27:00
    and then funding in the future of each of these pilots.
  • 01:27:09
    So one of the reasons to do ongoing funding is because winter months and the heaviest snowfall months don't fall perfectly into one calendar year, right?
  • 01:27:22
    public works will receive that money on January 1 and then they will have the next several months until we get to the next winter season around this time next year
  • 01:27:40
    to be able to create these programs, figure out the metrics, hire the staff, or purchase the infrastructure, the RFPs, all of the things to line all of that up so that these pilots are first starting to be implemented and experienced by residents by first snowfall next year.
  • 01:28:00
    We can't evaluate whether that worked until we go through a full snow season and then we're, you know, like we want to be able to do a couple years of that.
  • 01:28:10
    The request for ongoing funding did come from Public Works as well.
  • 01:28:15
    So those are the two things we're trying to balance because there isn't really a point in funding a pilot if you aren't properly studying whether it worked or not, right?
  • 01:28:26
    Does that sufficiently answer your question?
• • Linea Palmisano
  • 01:28:28
    These are great answers and I really appreciate the extra information.
• • Aisha Chughtai
  • 01:28:31
    Okay, thank you.
• • Linea Palmisano
  • 01:28:33
    Thank you.
  • 01:28:35
    Councilmember Rainville.
• • Michael Rainville
  • 01:28:37
    Thank you, Madam Chair.
  • 01:28:38
    Mr. Dobbs, you don't have to get up, but I'm very, very interested in seeing how these repeat offenders are tracked.
  • 01:28:47
    It's just mind-boggling to me that someone who owns property in the city does not have the responsibility or refuses the responsibility of shoveling their sidewalk.
  • 01:28:58
    and so I will be voting for this but I think the key to all this is getting people to do what they're supposed to do and whatever means it takes to do that I'm very interested in.
  • 01:29:10
    Thank you.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:29:12
    Thank you.
• • Aisha Chughtai
  • 01:29:13
    Council Member Raimville, I wanted to just address the piece that you're talking about.
  • 01:29:21
    I think that's a really important piece of this puzzle, right?
  • 01:29:25
    But we know that there's a small group of people that are repeat offenders of not properly clearing their sidewalks.
  • 01:29:34
    And as you know, when one person doesn't do it right,
  • 01:29:40
    And so it is really important for us to figure that piece out.
  • 01:29:49
    One of the pilots that we are funding is around around addressing repeat offenders.
  • 01:29:55
    and then figuring out, identifying what the reason for not clearing their sidewalks like everyone else has to and is expected to and for the most part does and finding the tools to address that more meaningfully and more sufficiently.
  • 01:30:16
    And then pairing that also with a pilot that specifically addresses people who cannot shovel their sidewalks for reasons like age and ability.
  • 01:30:35
    We're tackling the different reasons and the different problems through these individual pilots with the goal of combined this is making progress towards the big picture.
  • 01:30:49
    Thank you.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 01:30:50
    I assure you Councilmember Rainville, in the next iteration of public works and infrastructure, in addition to the report, we will, you know, work with you if there's any presentations you would like to see on updates on this like
  • 01:31:06
    Super excited to work with you along with hopefully we pass the amendment around our oversight and eval so we can have all mechanisms of us receiving the same information and seeing how the investments we're making in just like you did with Warehouse Live like we're tracking the effectiveness and everyone can get their bar graphs and all the pie charts and things of that nature like I think we all want that so I think we're all committed to making sure all of us
  • 01:31:31
    our funding effective things and that that information won't just be presented to us but to the public throughout next year.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:31:39
    Thank you.
  • 01:31:40
    I see a lot of thumbs up here and I just want to just extend my gratitude to the Public Works Committee and the Public Works team.
  • 01:31:49
    This has been a hot or I shall say cold topic throughout the
  • 01:31:55
    the year here and I'm just really appreciative of our public works team being able to come forward with options.
  • 01:32:04
    You know myself and the mayor both have a quote in our in our offices that say it's from Dory Mead.
  • 01:32:11
    It says don't tell us no tell us how and I think this is a perfect example of how Council members and our staff came together and came to a conclusion of how we really target and support our most needed
  • 01:32:25
    So I appreciate that.
  • 01:32:28
    Alright, so we have amendment number 29 in front of us and I will ask the clerk to call the roll.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 01:32:34
    Councilmember Payne?
  • 01:32:35
    Aye.
  • 01:32:35
    Wonsley?
  • 01:32:36
    Aye.
  • 01:32:37
    Rainville?
  • 01:32:38
    Aye.
  • 01:32:38
    Vitale?
  • 01:32:39
    Aye.
  • 01:32:40
    Ellison?
  • 01:32:41
    Aye.
  • 01:32:41
    Osman?
  • 01:32:43
    Aye.
  • 01:32:43
    Goodman?
• • SPEAKER_05
  • 01:32:44
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 01:32:45
    Chavez?
  • 01:32:46
    Aye.
  • 01:32:47
    Chigtai?
  • 01:32:48
    Aye.
  • 01:32:48
    Choudhury?
• • SPEAKER_05
  • 01:32:49
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 01:32:50
    Palmisano?
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:32:51
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 01:32:51
    Cherkoski?
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:32:52
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 01:32:53
    There are 12 ayes.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:32:54
    That motion carries.
  • 01:32:56
    Our next amendment is from Councilmember Osvin.
  • 01:33:00
    Councilmember Osvin, will you please introduce your amendment?
• • Jamal Osman
  • 01:33:02
    Yes, thank you, Madam Chair.
  • 01:33:04
    This amendment is taking money from existing funds allocated for opioid response and treatment on the Health Department.
  • 01:33:16
    and using that money as $150,000 within the OBL Response Team and using it for underserved low-income communities in South Minneapolis.
  • 01:33:38
    I say that because money
  • 01:33:39
    underserved and low-income communities including those in South Minneapolis have religious and cultural stigma against citizen use and getting accurate information about the extent of this issue.
  • 01:33:52
    It's difficult to the lack of reporting.
  • 01:33:56
    I'm talking about Native American and East African community are suffering more and African American more than anyone else.
  • 01:34:04
    in our city.
  • 01:34:07
    I have talked about the last three years I have been here, how my community continues to suffer in this
  • 01:34:18
    for the
  • 01:34:38
    Coming from a different background, different culture, there's that stigma and not accepting and not really even, you know, coming forward.
  • 01:34:49
    I witnessed East African moms that really are hopeless and trying to help their child, but at the same time, there's that stigma around, should I, you know,
  • 01:35:03
    come out and tell, you know, seek help or, you know, and I think, you know, having Commissioner Damian Chaplin and his team take him within that community and having a tour for a full two day, I believe, within the Native American community and getting to know the community very well, looking at their practices and how they deal with this crisis within the East African also.
  • 01:35:31
    There's a different approach.
  • 01:35:33
    I talk about all the things when we're trying to work in the city and trying to help the city, there has to be a different approach of each culture.
  • 01:35:43
    If you want to be successful for your programming or what you're trying to help, you have to be really creative and work with the community within.
  • 01:35:54
    so Health Department has done great work in my time here really listening to the community going the way that will be more effective and this is that resource will be going specifically cultural areas in South Minneapolis and low-income families
  • 01:36:22
    who have a different struggle than majority of the city in Minneapolis residents.
  • 01:36:29
    So this is not new.
  • 01:36:31
    I have brought this last three or four budget markups and I know it's doing a good thing in the community because I have seen those.
  • 01:36:42
    And yeah, I would like to have the Commissioner come and just talk about his experience and what he heard from the community if that is some additional information for you.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:36:56
    Thank you, Keltner-Hausmann.
  • 01:36:57
    Commissioner, please welcome.
• • SPEAKER_01
  • 01:37:03
    Chair Koski and Council Members, Damone Chaplin, Health Commissioner, Minneapolis Health Department Council Member Osman and I have actually toured his ward and have spoken to a number of folks as he's mentioned
  • 01:37:19
    to get a better understanding of the needs of the community.
  • 01:37:21
    It is obviously apparent to me that education and engagement is a really significant piece.
  • 01:37:29
    It is a cultural piece.
  • 01:37:31
    Having spoken to a number of the residents in that area about their needs, there are some nuances to what is required to help that community move forward.
  • 01:37:40
    And so this request is consistent with the work that we're currently doing and that we're planning to do
  • 01:37:47
    It's just that we want to be careful that we maintain enough funding to support the strategic plan that will come out second or third quarter of next year for the opioid settlement funds.
  • 01:37:59
    And so this is consistent in having a cultural response to the opioid issues within the city.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:38:11
    Thank you very much.
• • Jamal Osman
  • 01:38:12
    Thank you, Commissioner, and I 100% agree with you.
  • 01:38:15
    We're not funding enough with this crisis.
  • 01:38:20
    This is funding right now.
  • 01:38:23
    It's, I believe, the settlement from the lawsuit with the Attorney General.
  • 01:38:29
    That is where we're getting the resource.
  • 01:38:32
    But I encourage our colleagues and the mayor to really consider putting more money
  • 01:38:40
    for this crisis that has been happening for many years in these areas.
  • 01:38:45
    Thank you.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:38:46
    Thank you very much.
  • 01:38:47
    Thank you, Commissioner.
  • 01:38:48
    Thank you.
  • 01:38:48
    All right.
  • 01:38:49
    Is there a second for this motion?
• • Jason Chavez
  • 01:38:51
    Second.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:38:52
    This item has been moved and seconded.
  • 01:38:54
    Are there any further questions from Council members?
  • 01:38:58
    I'm not seeing any, so we have item number 30 offered by Council Member Osman before us, and I'll ask the Clerk to call the roll.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 01:39:05
    Council Member Payne.
  • 01:39:07
    Aye.
  • 01:39:07
    Wonsley.
  • 01:39:08
    Aye.
  • 01:39:08
    and the City Council.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:39:24
    That motion carries.
  • 01:39:26
    I just want to do a quick time check here.
  • 01:39:28
    It's 11 45.
  • 01:39:29
    My goal here is to do a break here probably around noon.
  • 01:39:35
    And so just want to give you a heads up there.
  • 01:39:38
    But we're going to just chug along here a little bit longer here.
  • 01:39:41
    Just a just a quick time check there for everybody.
  • 01:39:44
    All right.
  • 01:39:45
    Next amendment is from Councilmember Wonsley.
  • 01:39:48
    Councilmember Wonsley, please introduce your amendment.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 01:39:50
    Thank you Chair Koski.
  • 01:39:51
    This amendment is related to the Granary Crossing Study.
  • 01:39:56
    Many residents and many of my colleagues are familiar with the Grand Rounds Trail that goes almost all the way around the city.
  • 01:40:03
    There is one missing link and completing it will make the Grand Rounds a truly
  • 01:40:09
    One of a kind pedestrian and bike trail that connects our whole city and the metro.
  • 01:40:14
    Completing the Missing Link is a multi-jurisdictional project led by the Minneapolis Parks.
  • 01:40:21
    One part of this process is the Grand Area Crossing, which will be a bridge that goes over the train yard and connects Como and Prospect Park.
  • 01:40:30
    The Towerside District is leading an engineering study about this crossing and the outcomes of the study will guide the specifics of how they designed the bridge.
  • 01:40:40
    This allocation will also
  • 01:40:42
    and design outcomes will also influence state funding conversations next year.
  • 01:40:48
    But this is really a great opportunity for the city to contribute in helping make this pedestrian bike trail that I think all of us look forward to utilizing that's completely in alignment with our climate equity goals and our transportation action plan, making that a reality.
  • 01:41:08
    So this budget amendment reflects that.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:41:12
    Thank you Council Member.
  • 01:41:14
    This item has been moved and it's seconded because as you see we have an update here in front of us.
  • 01:41:20
    Are there any questions from Council Members?
  • 01:41:22
    Council Member Rainville.
• • Michael Rainville
  • 01:41:24
    Thank you, Madam Chair.
  • 01:41:25
    Council Member Wonsley, I do support this.
  • 01:41:27
    I took the tour with you that afternoon and when we look at the east side of Minneapolis, we see the lack of green space and basically this missing link, as it's called, just has never had anybody champion it or pay attention to it.
  • 01:41:43
    Now, with the help we get at the state, it's going forward, so I encourage all my colleagues to vote yes for this.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:41:50
    Thank you, Council Member Rainville.
  • 01:41:51
    Council Member Chaudry?
• • Aurin Chowdhury
  • 01:41:53
    Thank you Chair Koski.
  • 01:41:54
    I am proud to be a co-author on this.
  • 01:41:58
    I will just also take a quick aside to say for the record I would like to be added as an author for the Truth and Reconciliation Amendment.
  • 01:42:07
    Just wanted to say it for the record.
  • 01:42:09
    With this amendment,
  • 01:42:11
    I am excited to see the Grand Rounds connected.
  • 01:42:14
    The Grand Rounds goes through Ward 12, which is a beloved part of our walk-bike infrastructure and I am excited to see what comes to fruition for this.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:42:28
    Thank you so much.
  • 01:42:29
    We have amendment number 31 in front of us and I will ask the clerk to call the roll.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 01:42:37
    Council Member Payne?
  • 01:42:39
    Aye.
  • 01:42:39
    Wonsley?
  • 01:42:40
    Aye.
  • 01:42:41
    Rainville?
  • 01:42:41
    Aye.
  • 01:42:42
    Vita?
  • 01:42:43
    Aye.
  • 01:42:43
    Ellison?
  • 01:42:44
    Aye.
  • 01:42:45
    Osman?
• • Jamal Osman
  • 01:42:46
    Aye.
  • 01:42:47
    Goodman?
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 01:42:50
    Goodman is absent.
  • 01:42:53
    Chavez?
  • 01:42:53
    Aye.
  • 01:42:54
    Chugtai?
  • 01:42:56
    Aye.
  • 01:42:56
    Chowdhury?
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:42:57
    Aye.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 01:42:58
    Homosano?
  • 01:42:59
    Aye.
  • 01:43:00
    Cherkoski?
  • 01:43:01
    Aye.
  • 01:43:01
    There are 11 ayes.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:43:02
    That motion carries.
  • 01:43:04
    Our next amendment is from Councilmember Tungtai.
  • 01:43:07
    Councilmember Tungtai, please introduce your amendment.
• • Aisha Chughtai
  • 01:43:15
    Thank you, Madam Chair, colleagues.
  • 01:43:17
    This motion is
  • 01:43:20
    by me and Council Member Choudhury.
  • 01:43:22
    It is amending the 2024 mayor's recommended budget in the general fund to decrease the budget for finance and property services from the Finance and Property Services Department by $203,000 ongoing for two FTEs and to increase the budget for the Regulatory Services Department in the Animal Care and Control Division.
  • 01:43:47
    by $203,000 ongoing for two FTEs.
  • 01:43:53
    As some of you may know, this was an amendment that our outgoing council member Johnson really cared about.
  • 01:44:05
    And as he was leaving and we were welcoming our new Ward 12 council member, this was an amendment I took on.
  • 01:44:16
    What we're trying to do here is animal care and control is at risk right now without this change to no longer have the staffing and resources they need to continue operating as a no-kill shelter.
  • 01:44:36
    I know that is a value that's really important to all of us and to our residents.
  • 01:44:44
    I know that anytime Animal Care and Control has come to present in front of this body, we have a lot of pride in the standard of animal care that we take seriously here and the type of shelter the director
  • 01:45:04
    operates so that's that's the need we're trying to address and we are we are using these positions from finance which were you know approved by we you know worked with them on figuring out exactly which positions they wanted to give and and I'm sure the CFO would be happy to answer questions if you have any with that I'll move this item for approval
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:45:29
    Thank you.
  • 01:45:30
    This item has been moved and seconded because there is a co-author here.
  • 01:45:36
    Are there any other questions from Council members?
  • 01:45:38
    I see Council Member Todd Raisen.
• • Aurin Chowdhury
  • 01:45:41
    Yes, I would just like to quick speak to this amendment.
  • 01:45:45
    This was an important amendment to outgoing Council Member Johnson and one to me as well.
  • 01:45:54
    There are many
  • 01:45:56
    active Ward 12 residents who volunteer at the Animal Care and Control Shelter.
  • 01:46:02
    There is one person on the board who lived in Ward 12 and when I sat down with him, he expressed to me how important it was that our city continue the good work of taking care of our animals that come through the shelter alongside the plethora of other work that Animal Care and Control does for our city.
  • 01:46:24
    this is really about in this moment where we have an affordable housing crisis there is an intersection with the lack of affordability and displacement and increase in animals being displaced and being received in our shelter and those numbers have only increased so this funding would allow us to give our staff the very needed support to maintain the health and wellness of these animals
  • 01:46:53
    They're very hardworking staff.
  • 01:46:56
    I want to thank Director Caroline and our regulatory services director Enrique Velasquez for sitting with me and kind of just talking through where they're at.
  • 01:47:10
    The customer service representative position is going to add quite a lot of value in just doing some of the back of house work in terms of helping through
  • 01:47:27
    The animal fostering programming and just getting animals to caring homes and I'm excited to earn your support for this amendment and really make a very big and tangible difference for our Minneapolis animal care and control.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:47:47
    Thank you, Council Member.
  • 01:47:49
    Not to put anybody specifically on the spot, but I do know we have Council Member Goodman who is usually has a few inspiring words about animals.
  • 01:47:58
    Her own dog is here today.
  • 01:48:00
    If you don't want to speak, no problem.
  • 01:48:01
    I just will call on you if you do.
  • 01:48:03
    I know you've been in and out, so I want to just make sure you have the opportunity.
• • SPEAKER_05
  • 01:48:06
    Thank you, Madam Chair.
  • 01:48:08
    You know, this is a huge issue to me personally, professionally.
  • 01:48:13
    It's been a big part of my work and I see Enrique in the hallway and if he gave me a thumbs up, I'm good with this.
  • 01:48:20
    I'd feel good about it.
  • 01:48:22
    I'm not sure, I don't, I feel like Council Member Johnson felt it was important but I'm not sure if the department would have made this a priority.
  • 01:48:32
    I did have an opportunity to talk to Mr. Velasquez about this and I think that as a department head he's probably going to say of course give us more money.
  • 01:48:42
    and as someone who cares about this issue very much I would say of course we would use more money.
  • 01:48:47
    I just don't understand the implications to finance in order to do this and so I just want to hear from Mr. Velasquez because I think it's important to know that there's been a lot of misinformation online about what the mayor's budget increase was and was not and there were at least two new positions but if Mr. Velasquez can tell me yes these two will help us
  • 01:49:10
    with the goal of getting
• • SPEAKER_00
  • 01:49:25
    Council Members, Enrique Velazquez, Director of Regulatory Services.
  • 01:49:30
    So, of course, more money is always helpful, but that's not the only thing.
  • 01:49:34
    Operating effectively and efficiently with the funding and the resources we already have available is one of my key priorities.
  • 01:49:41
    And when I spoke at our budget hearing, that was one of the elements that I felt that we really needed to focus on in this next year is to make sure that we have the resources in the right places at the right time
  • 01:49:55
    and to take a look at that in this next year so that we could when we come forward with an additional ask that we did do our due diligence with respect to making sure we have the resources in place that they're set up in the hours that they need to work where our community needs them so that we are better equipped to respond and have the data that supports it.
• • SPEAKER_05
  • 01:50:19
    Thank you, Mr. Velazquez.
  • 01:50:20
    Madam Chair, I'm going to ask that we just hold this item over over the break so the council members who are the authors and I can discuss it.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:50:27
    Absolutely.
  • 01:50:29
    All right, so we will put a hold on item number 32 and put that aside until after break.
  • 01:50:35
    Let's see here.
  • 01:50:35
    We're going to go on to number 33 here, which is our next amendment.
  • 01:50:40
    I'm going to ask Councilmember Chavez to please introduce this amendment.
• • Jason Chavez
  • 01:50:44
    Yeah, thank you Chair Koski.
  • 01:50:47
    I'm excited to bring this amendment with Council President Jenkins which is critical to the response, recovery, and rebuilding efforts near George Floyd Square and the 38th Cultural District.
  • 01:50:57
    This will support and train BIPOC youth and adults, particularly those living around George Floyd Square and around the 38th Cultural District.
  • 01:51:06
    This will also be used to help support the capital development of the Phase 1 of the Pillsbury Creative Commons Project, the new
  • 01:51:12
    I know that Council Member Ellison has an amendment that he's bringing forward, so I'll just pass it to my colleague.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:51:23
    Thank you.
  • 01:51:24
    Council Member Ellison.
• • Jeremiah Ellison
  • 01:51:26
    Thank you.
  • 01:51:29
    I am working hard with Councilmember Chavez to make this a consensus item.
  • 01:51:35
    It is going to be a consensus item.
  • 01:51:37
    It's an amazing proposal and I'm really grateful for Councilmember Jenkins and Chavez.
  • 01:51:44
    I have been working for a while with the mayor's office and with CPED on how do we ensure that we get more commercial ownership in the hands of communities of color.
  • 01:51:58
    and that's what the Ownership and Opportunity Fund is and it's been a really successful fund.
  • 01:52:03
    It's been one of the most successful funds in executing that exact purpose and so I felt that I had a fix here and it may still be a fix.
  • 01:52:17
    While we are committed to and should be committed to making sure that we have a place for snow storage, I do know that there is some snow storage money available.
  • 01:52:27
    I know that some of my colleagues had questions about whether we could actually fill that money and so I wanted to resolve those questions
  • 01:52:38
    and so I guess I'm wondering if we can wait for this item until after the break as well because I want this to be a 13-0 vote.
  • 01:52:44
    I don't want us sort of legislated from the dais on this and I want to make sure that Councilmember Jenkins and Chavez are able to move forward in the way that they need to but that we don't compromise.
  • 01:52:55
    and that we don't compromise snow storage.
  • 01:53:02
    So I thought I had a solution.
  • 01:53:04
    I'm getting some feedback that maybe I don't have a consensus solution so I'm wondering if we can wait until the break.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:53:10
    Okay, we shall hold this, number 33.
  • 01:53:14
    We are going to do number 34 here and then wrap up and go to break.
  • 01:53:19
    So, this next amendment, like I said, number 34, I'm going to ask Councilmember Payne to please introduce this amendment.
• • Elliott Payne
  • 01:53:28
    Thank you, Madam Chair.
  • 01:53:29
    This amendment is a year and a half in the making or so, maybe even as long as two years in the making.
  • 01:53:35
    This is amending the mayor's recommended budget and the general fund to decrease the budget for the Public Works Department transportation maintenance and repair permanent snow storage site by $225,000 one time and increasing the budget for the Civil Rights Department
  • 01:53:51
    Labor Standards Enforcement Division by 225,000 is one time for contractual services for co-enforcement.
  • 01:53:57
    So I brought forward a co-enforcement amendment last year.
  • 01:54:02
    There was a lot of broad support for it, but there was concerns about the sourcing.
  • 01:54:06
    I was sourcing from regulatory services.
  • 01:54:09
    And my ultimate goal was to get to some ongoing funding for this co-enforcement model.
  • 01:54:17
    and I was originally actually sourcing this from the Ownership and Opportunity Fund and I worked collaboratively with Council Member Ellison to not touch those monies, but instead go through this compromise of using the snow storage.
  • 01:54:36
    This one-time allocation is going to really help strengthen our labor standards and enforcement division to enforce our sick and safe time, our minimum wage, our wage theft ordinances.
  • 01:54:51
    And this work is always more successful when we do it in partnership with community.
  • 01:54:56
    And so our co-enforcement model works with community partners that hire organizers that can oftentimes
  • 01:55:04
    really actually relieve some of the workload of our civil rights department because they can get ahead of some of the issues that our workers are experiencing, whether it comes to wage theft or sick and safe time, and they can often get those issues resolved directly with the employer through that direct organizing.
  • 01:55:26
    Our current funding is really largely sourced through ARPA funds and they're going to hit a fiscal cliff at the end of the year next year and so this amendment is also paired with a legislative directive and if you recall last year we passed a legislative directive to explore sustainable sources of funding.
  • 01:55:47
    I think we are getting much closer to identifying that sustainable source and we want that sustainable source so we don't have to come back year after year
  • 01:55:56
    funding one-time funds to fund this really important work.
  • 01:56:00
    We know that particularly in the area of wage theft, the issues we are finding are just the tip of the iceberg of what kind of exploitation actually exists out there in the workplace.
  • 01:56:14
    it's critically important that we get to a sustainable source of funding so this amendment is also has a legislative directive paired with it to identify sustainable funding through leveraging existing fees to help fund that enforcement and so I really hope that
  • 01:56:37
    This gives you some insight into why this is coming again.
  • 01:56:40
    You may have remembered last year, I thought the funding was secured through ARPA and that we were good for a while.
  • 01:56:46
    Well, that cliff is fast arriving and we've identified some sustainable funding for the long term.
  • 01:56:52
    And we have this one last time where we want to make sure that we have all the resources that we need to help protect our workers.
  • 01:57:00
    And so I hope I can count on your support.
  • 01:57:02
    Thank you.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:57:03
    Thank you, Councilmember.
  • 01:57:04
    This item has been moved.
  • 01:57:07
    I see we have a few people in queue for questions or comments.
  • 01:57:09
    Councilmember Goodman.
• • SPEAKER_05
  • 01:57:11
    Thank you, Madam Chair.
  • 01:57:13
    Councilmember Payne, I think you've done, you've been very patient in using one-time funds multiple times and I am not raising up now to speak against your amendment, but I do want to note and share this story that, you know, I grew up in Chicago and I remember the mayoral race where Jane Byrne was the mayor.
  • 01:57:32
    and there was a large snowstorm and the snow did not get removed and she lost an election four months later.
  • 01:57:40
    That's how Harold Washington became the mayor of Chicago.
  • 01:57:43
    Really cool thing, right?
  • 01:57:44
    Well, I just want to put out there that a lot of money, people seem to be going after the snow storage money.
  • 01:57:50
    and this snow storage money to me if we want to come together and say okay this is something that can wait one year let's have agreement on that but if we're just kind of chipping away at it bit by bit and then public works doesn't have anywhere to put the snow
  • 01:58:07
    that is the kind of thing that elections are made of.
  • 01:58:11
    We need to remember that basic services are what we're here to prioritize and this is really I feel bad for Councilmember Payne because I'm not really speaking against what you're trying to do.
  • 01:58:21
    You've been patient and waited and I think that's fair.
  • 01:58:24
    This is also one-time money I will note so it's not ideal either.
  • 01:58:28
    but there are many amendments.
  • 01:58:29
    This is why I asked for item number 33 to also be pulled.
  • 01:58:34
    There are probably five things I think are the most important programs outside of basic services we fund and the Commercial Property Development Fund, the Affordable Housing Trust Fund are two of those things.
  • 01:58:44
    So I don't like the idea of taking money away from BIPOC business owners who are attempting to buy their buildings or trying to have more people be unhoused because we don't have enough affordable housing.
  • 01:58:55
    I realize snow storage is not a sexy issue probably as the mayor would call it but it is an election issue and if we don't have the ability to store the snow somewhere or have some other different plan shame on us because that is an issue that voters actually vote on especially when there are seasons like last one where there was too much snow and not a good solution so perhaps
  • 01:59:21
    PMI and other groups can come up work with Public Works to figure out what the plan is but chipping away at this slowly but surely to the point where there's nothing left means we have decided we don't care about that issue anymore and I won't be here to take the wrath of voters on that but you guys will and I would urge us to kind of in the break try to figure out how we can do both or better balance our commitment to basic services.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:59:49
    Thank you, Councilmember Osman.
• • Jamal Osman
  • 01:59:51
    Thank you, Madam Chair.
  • 01:59:52
    I just want to talk about how important this amendment is to
  • 01:59:58
    are folks that live in our city.
  • 02:00:01
    Minority low-income families are being exposed.
  • 02:00:08
    I think three days ago, there was an article in the paper that says Twin Cities' cost of low-income workers for wage theft was like over 86 million dollars.
  • 02:00:22
    The folks that we're targeting is the folks that work in downtown, work in hotels, doing low paying jobs, works that work at McDonald's, works that work, jobs that don't pay well, and they're being
  • 02:00:49
    I think that
  • 02:01:06
    You know, getting fired or their money being held against it.
  • 02:01:13
    Literally a few days ago, I was working with someone that I connected to AG office, which they have not paid them for months.
  • 02:01:23
    because of this and there are good folks in the community that have spoken to and I'm sure council member authors have spoken to that are doing this and that want to partner with the city of Minneapolis, that want to protect these people and be the voice of these people.
  • 02:01:38
    So this is a small amount that will have a huge impact in our community, especially minority, low-income families that have barriers.
  • 02:01:51
    that are not privileged to have the education to know called the civil right.
  • 02:01:56
    They might not even know basic where to go from that.
  • 02:02:01
    And I think them speaking to the folks they understand, they speak the same language, folks they feel comfortable speaking to, supporting those folks and partnering with those community members.
  • 02:02:14
    It's a wonderful idea.
  • 02:02:15
    So thank you, others, for bringing this forward and I'll support this.
• • Jeremiah Ellison
  • 02:02:19
    Thank you, Cuzmer Allison.
  • 02:02:34
    without parading the directors up here to defend their budgets.
  • 02:02:39
    We know that the department needs some money to get started in modifying the site so that we can have proper snow storage.
  • 02:02:47
    But I do think that there's a line that we can cross and there's a line that we can't.
  • 02:02:55
    and so I think that we're holding 33 because we don't want to cross that threshold so that we can make sure there's money for proper snow storage.
  • 02:03:02
    I think that this amendment appropriately gets us up to that line and is not an inappropriate use of this source.
  • 02:03:10
    I've had many discussions with a lot of staff, with a lot of my colleagues and so I think that by resolving item 33 we resolve sort of the
  • 02:03:21
    the snow issue.
  • 02:03:23
    But I think that here on this item 34, this is an appropriate use.
  • 02:03:28
    We need co-enforcement and it will still allow the department to get started on the work that they need to do in order for us to have proper and appropriate snow storage.
  • 02:03:39
    just wanted to obviously in support of the merits of the item but also wanted to speak in defense of the source because I think that Councilmember Goodman breaks up some really good points and didn't want her to think that those points hadn't been considered so that's all thank you
• • Emily Koski
  • 02:03:54
    Thank you, Councilmember Vita.
• • SPEAKER_14
  • 02:03:57
    Thank you, Chair Koski.
  • 02:03:58
    I have some of the same concerns as Councilmember Goodman, and I trust that Councilmember Ellison has had those conversations with staff, but I haven't, so I'm going to suggest that we maybe hold this one over.
  • 02:04:10
    I see we have a trend going on here now, but if we can hold this one over, that'd be great.
  • 02:04:15
    I believe in the amendment, but the source is not okay.
  • 02:04:18
    I cannot imagine going back to Ward 4 residents and having a conversation about
  • 02:04:23
    the ability to store our snow.
  • 02:04:27
    So I just need some questions answered.
  • 02:04:30
    And I will say, you know, Council Member Payne brought this up last year.
  • 02:04:35
    He talked about having a better source this year.
  • 02:04:39
    So that is what I was expecting.
  • 02:04:41
    This doesn't feel like a better source to me.
  • 02:04:44
    So I just need to get some questions answered before I can fully support this again.
• • SPEAKER_05
  • 02:04:50
    Thank you, Council Member Goodman.
  • 02:04:54
    I just wanted to concur with Councilmember Ellison that this pool of money is about a million dollars and there's a critical point at which they can't do it anymore and I see others using it as a source as well.
  • 02:05:09
    That's why I brought it up now.
  • 02:05:11
    I did not bring it up now, as I said at the very beginning, to say anything about Councilmember Payne's use.
  • 02:05:17
    I just wanted to point out that a lot of people are drawing from this and I see amendments down the line.
  • 02:05:23
    It might be, I think everyone could vote on this now if they know that there are other polls from it that maybe couldn't happen.
  • 02:05:32
    That's kind of what I wanted to note.
  • 02:05:33
    I'm not judging the use, I just think there's a point of no return.
  • 02:05:39
    and this one, again, if I were Council Member Payne and I had been working on this for two years, I would say, hey, I've been in line.
  • 02:05:46
    And so if it were me, I'm just saying how I would handle it.
  • 02:05:49
    And so I think it's fair to maybe move forward with one of them but not all of them because we're going to get precariously close to not having anywhere to store stuff.
• • 02:05:58
    Thanks.
• • Emily Koski
  • 02:05:59
    Thank you, Councilmember.
  • 02:06:01
    I understand the concerns, and I know that there have been some extensive conversations with Public Works, and so with timing here, I am going to go ahead and go forward with this vote here.
  • 02:06:14
    So we have Amendment Number 34 and B in front of us, and I'll ask the Clerk to call the roll.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 02:06:21
    Councilmember Payne?
  • 02:06:23
    Aye.
  • 02:06:23
    Wonsley?
  • 02:06:24
    Aye.
  • 02:06:25
    Rainville?
  • 02:06:26
    Aye.
  • 02:06:27
    Vitor?
  • 02:06:27
    No.
  • 02:06:28
    There are 11 ayes and 1 nay
• • Emily Koski
  • 02:06:50
    That motion carries.
  • 02:06:52
    Considering the amount of amendments we have remaining at this point, I'm going to suggest that we take a recess break here and I'm going to suggest that we do
  • 02:07:05
    One hour.
  • 02:07:06
    So I am going to ask that we come back at 1 15 without any objection.
  • 02:07:14
    And I am not seeing any objections of people wanting to have a little lunch break, so we will convene again at 1 15.
  • 02:07:20
    Thank you so much.