City Council January 06, 2025   1/6/2025

Closed Session

• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:00:18
    Good morning and Happy New Year.
  • 00:00:20
    My name is Elliott Payne and I'm the President of the Minneapolis City Council.
  • 00:00:24
    I'm going to call this special meeting of the City Council for January 6, 2025 to order.
  • 00:00:29
    The Clerk will call the roll.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 00:00:33
    Councilmember Jenkins is absent.
  • 00:00:35
    Councilmember Palmisano?
• • Kristyn AndersonCity Attorney
  • 00:00:36
    Present.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 00:00:37
    Councilmember Chowdhury is absent.
  • 00:00:39
    Councilmember Cashman?
• • Kristyn AndersonCity Attorney
  • 00:00:40
    Present.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 00:00:41
    Councilmember Osman?
  • 00:00:42
    Present.
  • 00:00:42
    Councilmember Rainville?
  • 00:00:43
    Present.
  • 00:00:44
    Councilmember Chavez?
  • 00:00:45
    Present.
  • 00:00:45
    Councilmember Vetaw?
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:00:46
    Present.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 00:00:47
    Councilmember Ellison is absent.
  • 00:00:49
    Councilmember Koski?
  • 00:00:50
    Present.
  • 00:00:51
    Councilmember Wonsley?
  • 00:00:52
    Present.
  • 00:00:53
    Vice President Choctaw?
  • 00:00:54
    Present.
  • 00:00:55
    President Payne?
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:00:56
    Present.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 00:00:56
    There are 10 members present.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:00:58
    Let the record reflect that we have a quorum.
  • 00:01:01
    Before we begin the meeting, I want to offer a friendly reminder to all members and staff that this meeting is broadcast live to enable greater public participation.
  • 00:01:10
    The broadcast includes real-time captioning as a further method to increase the accessibility of our proceedings to the community.
  • 00:01:16
    Therefore, all speakers need to be mindful of the rate of their speech so that our captioners can fully capture and transcribe
  • 00:01:23
    We ask all speakers to moderate the speed and clarity of their comments.
  • 00:01:30
    Colleagues, there is a single item on our agenda today which was identified in the mayor's call for this special meeting and that is to receive a legal briefing on the litigation matter of United States Department of Justice versus City of Minneapolis and Minneapolis Police Department.
  • 00:01:46
    As this matter is to be considered as part of a closed session, I'll first recognize the City Attorney to provide the legal basis for this requested closed session briefing.
  • 00:01:54
    Madam City Attorney.
• • SPEAKER_02
  • 00:01:56
    Council President, Council Members, this item on the agenda again is the matter of the U.S. Department of Justice vs. City of Minneapolis and Minneapolis Police Department.
  • 00:02:06
    Your lawyers wish to provide the Council a briefing on this litigation matter, including on resolution possibilities.
  • 00:02:12
    Accordingly, under the Minnesota Open Meeting Law, Minnesota Statute Section 13D.05 Subdivision 3B, the Council may upon a proper motion close the meeting for the purposes of attorney-client communication as permitted by the attorney-client privilege.
  • 00:02:28
    In considering the motion, the Council should weigh the right of the public to know what its government is doing against the need of the City to preserve the confidentiality of its discussions with its attorneys.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:02:39
    Thank you, Madam City Attorney.
  • 00:02:41
    I'll also recognize that we've been joined by Councilmembers Ellison and Councilmember Chowdhury.
  • 00:02:46
    And with that, I'll move to close our public meeting as authorized under the open meeting law, specifically Minnesota Statute Section 13D.05 for the purpose of receiving a briefing on the litigation matter of the United States Department of Justice versus the City of Minneapolis and Minneapolis Police Department as reflected on the printed agenda.
  • 00:03:05
    May I have a second to that motion?
• • SPEAKER_00
  • 00:03:07
    Second.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:03:08
    We have a proper motion before us.
  • 00:03:12
    The clerk will call the roll.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 00:03:13
    Councilmember Jenkins is absent.
  • 00:03:15
    Councilmember Palmisano?
  • 00:03:17
    Councilmember Chaudhury, Councilmember Cashman, Councilmember Osman, Councilmember Rainville, Councilmember Chavez, Councilmember Vetaw, Councilmember Ellison, Councilmember Koski, Councilmember Wonsley, Vice President Chaughtai, President Payne.
  • 00:03:34
    There are 12 ayes.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 00:03:35
    That motion carries.
  • 00:03:36
    For the viewing public, I'll note that the broadcast of this meeting will continue and the Council will reconvene in public after we've concluded the briefing in closed session.
  • 00:03:44
    With that, the Council will recess into closed session.
  • 06:42:35
    Communications, we're ready.
  • 06:42:38
    Okay, one moment.
  • 06:43:10
    The time is now 3.20 and the City Council has reconvened an open session following our closed session.
  • 06:43:18
    I'll ask the Clerk to call the roll to prove the presence of a quorum.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 06:43:24
    Councilmember Palmisano?
• • Kristyn AndersonCity Attorney
  • 06:43:26
    Present.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 06:43:27
    Councilmember Chowdhury?
• • Kristyn AndersonCity Attorney
  • 06:43:28
    Present.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 06:43:29
    Councilmember Cashman?
• • Kristyn AndersonCity Attorney
  • 06:43:30
    Present.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 06:43:30
    Councilmember Osman?
  • 06:43:32
    Present.
  • 06:43:32
    Councilmember Rainville is absent.
  • 06:43:34
    Councilmember Chavez?
  • 06:43:35
    Present.
  • 06:43:36
    Councilmember Vetaw?
  • 06:43:37
    Present.
  • 06:43:38
    Councilmember Ellison?
  • 06:43:39
    Here.
  • 06:43:40
    Councilmember Koski?
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 06:43:41
    Present.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 06:43:42
    Councilmember Wonsley?
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 06:43:44
    Present.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 06:43:44
    Councilmember Jenkins?
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 06:43:46
    Present.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 06:43:47
    Vice President Chaughtai?
  • 06:43:48
    Present.
  • 06:43:49
    President Payne?
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 06:43:50
    Present.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 06:43:51
    There are 12 members present.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 06:43:52
    Let the record reflect that we have a quorum.
  • 06:43:56
    I move to approve the settlement of all claims asserted in the United States Department of Justice versus City of Minneapolis and Minneapolis Police Department as set forth in the consent decree negotiated between the U.S. Department of Justice DOJ and the City.
  • 06:44:12
    Further, the City Attorney's Office is authorized to execute and file any documents necessary to effectuate this settlement.
  • 06:44:20
    Is there a second?
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 06:44:21
    Second.
  • 06:44:23
    Mr. President, before you begin, I'd just like to note we do have copies of the motion that you just read over here if anyone in the room would like one by the Clerk.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 06:44:32
    Would anybody like to speak on this motion before we call the roll?
  • 06:44:40
    Seeing none, we have a proper motion before us.
  • 06:44:44
    I will ask the Clerk to call the roll.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 06:44:52
    Councilmember Jenkins Aye Councilmember Palmisano Aye Councilmember Chowdhury Aye Councilmember Cashman Aye Councilmember Osman Aye Councilmember Rainville is absent Councilmember Chavez Aye Councilmember Vetaw Aye
  • 06:45:07
    Councilmember Ellison?
  • 06:45:09
    Aye.
  • 06:45:09
    Councilmember Koski?
• • Kristyn AndersonCity Attorney
  • 06:45:11
    Aye.
• • Casey CarlCity Clerk
  • 06:45:11
    Councilmember Wonsley?
  • 06:45:12
    Aye.
  • 06:45:13
    Vice President Chaughtai?
  • 06:45:14
    Aye.
  • 06:45:15
    President Payne?
  • 06:45:16
    Aye.
  • 06:45:16
    There are 12 ayes.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 06:45:18
    That motion carries and we have approved the consent decree with the United States Department of Justice.
  • 06:45:27
    I will next ask our city attorney to please provide a synopsis of the anticipated next steps in the process for the benefit of the public.
• • Kristyn AndersonCity Attorney
  • 06:45:35
    Thank you, Council President, Council Members.
  • 06:45:37
    After this vote, approving the consent decree, it needs to be executed by the mayor and by myself and by the Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney's Office and then it will be
  • 06:45:52
    What will be filed in federal court will be a package of a few documents.
  • 06:45:59
    One is a complaint by the Department of Justice against the City of Minneapolis.
  • 06:46:05
    This is what always has to happen in order to begin a lawsuit and get this decree in front of the federal court.
  • 06:46:13
    So the package will include the complaint,
  • 06:46:16
    A joint motion between the Department of Justice and the city requesting the court to approve the consent decree and then the actual consent decree itself.
  • 06:46:29
    As soon as we file that document, I think the U.S. Attorney's Office will actually do the filing.
  • 06:46:35
    As soon as it's filed on the federal e-filing system, it will be public and can be accessed on the federal court system.
  • 06:46:44
    As soon as I get it, I will provide it to the clerk so that the clerk can add it to the LIMS file.
• • Elliott PaynePresident, City Council
  • 06:46:51
    Thank you, Madam City Attorney.
  • 06:46:53
    With that, we have completed this important business today.
  • 06:46:55
    On behalf of the Council and the entire city, I'd like to thank our community for standing together, united in this, and for having patience with us as we have traveled a very, very long and challenging journey.
  • 06:47:08
    We are just beginning and we know we have a long way to go.
  • 06:47:11
    Our success will only be realized when we all work together on what is arguably one of the most important issues in the life of our city.
  • 06:47:19
    And on behalf of the City Council, I'd like to recognize and offer significant appreciation and praise to our city attorney and her team of attorneys in the City Attorney's Office.
  • 06:47:28
    They've helped shepherd this effort for the city and have done an incredible job.
  • 06:47:31
    I also want to give thanks to all of the city staff and all departments that have been engaged in this work and who have contributed so much to bringing the city through both the State Settlement Agreement and now the Federal Consent Decree.
  • 06:47:43
    As I said, our work begins now and we are all called upon to take up this cause on behalf of our city and I'm just really appreciative of all my colleagues for joining us today and joining us on this journey.
  • 06:47:56
    This is marking the end of the beginning on a very, very long road.
  • 06:47:59
    So, thank you all.
  • 06:48:01
    This meeting is adjourned.