Second Ward December 2021 E-newsletter
News from Cam Gordon
Council Member, Second Ward
Farewell. As this is the final monthly report I will be sending out as your City Council Member, I want to offer my thanks, and best wishes to you all. It has been among the highest honors and greatest privileges of my life to represent you and serve the people of Minneapolis these past 16 years as a City Council Member. I am grateful for all of you who helped me be as successful as I have been, learn so much, and be able to help you and others in any way that I have. I continue to be impressed by the many caring and committed community members and organizations and the work that so many of you are doing to take care of your families and neighbors and to help make this a better community. As you are able, I hope that you will stay involved and engaged in the future. I wish you and yours the very best in the years to come and please feel free to reach out to me as you like.
Public Health Emergency Extended. With the delta and omicron variants spreading, the City Council passed a resolution in December extending the Mayor’s declaration of a local public health emergency adopted on March 16, 2020. The emergency declaration will remain in effect through February 13, 2022, unless determined otherwise by an official action of the City Council. The Minneapolis Health Department reports that COVID-19 rates remain high due to the delta variant and omicron variants. Under the emergency order, employees and members of the public are required to wear face coverings in all City buildings, with the exception of the Convention Center. Public meetings of the City Council, its committees, and the City’s various appointed boards and commissions will stay online through February 13.
City Return to Work Date. I was glad to learn that the Mayor has decided to postpone the return to work date from January 10 to February 14, to be consistent with the expiration of the Emergency Order as approved by the Council this month. This delay should allow for full implementation of testing protocols and give us more than 30 days from holiday gatherings to assess the status of the spread.
2022 Budget Approved. In December, following 3 hearings with extensive input, most of it focused on public safety, the City Council amended and approved a $1.6 billion budget that includes a 5.45% property tax levy increase. The budget funds all City services and includes notable new investments in affordable housing, economic inclusion initiatives, climate action, a phased $2.6 million increase in youth programming through the Park and Recreation Board, ongoing funding for the Office of Violence Prevention, and money for five new recruit and cadet classes to increase the number of police officers. It also features $120 million in federal relief funding over three years to help with recovery that should safeguard against major property tax increases in 2022 and beyond. To find more details please visit https://lims.minneapolismn.
Green Zone Budget Amendment. The first amendment I made to the budget this year was coauthored by Council Member Cano and turned out to be the only amendment that reduced the Police Department budget. It allocated $100,000 to the City Coordinator’s Department, Sustainability Division to assess our Green Zones by reducing the reserve for law enforcement assistance in the Police Department. This evaluation work will identify a series of City resources and internal strategies to implement the Green Zone Councils’ work plans and policy recommendations.
Funds for Charter Amendment Implementation. The second amendment I made was to another amendment made by Council Member Palmisano. She was proposing increasing expenses in the City Coordinator office by $88,630 for contract dollars to help the City prepare the ordinance changes required to implement the Government structure charter amendment. I successfully moved to amend that so that the funds would go to the City Council, instead of the Coordinator. Given the potential for all Departments, including the Coordinator’s Office, to defer to the Mayor’s needs, goals and instructions under the charter change, this seemed prudent. The Council will now have some resources under their control to help protect their interests, and those of their constituents.
Legal Assistance to Renters Facing Eviction. I also authored, along with Council Members Bender and Ellison, an amendment the Mayor’s recommended budget to reduce our Affordable Housing Trust Fund by $250,000 and use the funding to provide legal services for renters consistent with our recently passed “Right to Counsel” ordinance. The trust fund is in excellent shape and this will help provide legal assistance to people facing eviction.
Neighborhood Funding Amendment. The third amendment I authored will add $420,000 to the Neighborhood and Community Relations Department and increase the base funding for all neighborhoods to from $15,000 to $20,000 in 2022. This uses $334,000 in unallocated interest revenue that could have rolled over into the general fund next year or been held in reserves and $86,000 in unused but previously allocated funds that could have been used had a University Neighborhood been formed. If such an organization is to form in the future there are still funds available to support it. This amendment only provided funds for 2022. My hope is this level of funding, or even more, can be included s ongoing funding in the Mayor’s recommended budget for 2023 and come from the general levy.
Violence Prevention Amendment. A significant amendment that I supported, but did not author, was brought forward by Council Members Bender and Cunningham and increased the Health Department’s budget by $3.5 million on a one-time basis for the expansion of the Office of Violence Prevention as follows: $250,000 to purchase and license a programs information system; $250,000 to provide trauma, stress, and mental health and wellbeing for frontline violence prevention and intervention providers; $1,000,000 to expand coverage of the MinneapolUS Strategic Outreach Initiative; $350,000 to fund Adolescent-specific Group Violence Intervention; $600,000 to supplement the Violence Prevention Fund; $300,000 to support the Stabilization for High Risk Individuals; $300,000 to support community members who have experienced trauma resulting from an exposure to violence through Community Trauma Response; and $450,000 to develop the Violence Prevention Through Built Environment Changes pilot.
My Vote Against the Operations Budget. In the end, despite some amendments I authored and supported that passed, I voted against the most significant budget resolution that approved the funding for the operations of all the City departments. This resolution passed 9 to 4. My primary concern was the large, nearly $27,000,000, increase to the police department budget. I am concerned that this increase will not be spent. I’m also concerned that it was proposed in the middle of an election year when the lack of police was clearly a major problem, as an effort to offer reassurance, but without a realistic plan for how it will be spent. This year (in 2021) we funded the department at a lower level and even after concerted efforts to hire and train more officers, the department is still $5,000,000 under budget at the end of the year. Based on the efforts of the past 2 years I believe it is unlikely and unrealistic to think that the City will train and hire 5 new cadet classes in 2022. I would have supported increasing the budget to the 2019 level of roughly $180,000,000 with clear provisions for better hiring practices, training protocols that included community experience prior to being on armed patrol, and a clearly defined early intervention or warning system focused on accountability and run by none law enforcement personnel. I could not, however, in the end support a department budget of approximately $190,000,000 with none of those provisions. I am concerned that this budget will likely result in a rush to hire and prioritize “cops on the street” and an as-fast-as-possible return to the status quo, when what I believe we need is a more deliberate and systematic overhaul in the department.
Crisis Response Teams. In December, I was glad to see that the City’s behavioral crisis response teams finally begin working. These services, contracted through Canopy Roots, will provide crisis intervention, counseling, and connection to support services as an alternative to police responders. Two mobile units will operate throughout Minneapolis 7:30am to midnight, Monday through Friday, and eventually ramp up to service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Each unit will have vehicle and a team of two behavioral health responders. Minneapolis 911 will dispatch the responders. The Police Department will only be on scene if dispatch determines the need to clear the scene first or the response teams request assistance to complete their work. People should continue to call 911 for help with behavioral crises. 911 dispatchers will gather information and determine if the incident is eligible for a mobile behavioral health team response. The teams will not respond to incidents involving firearms or violent behavior. This program is the result of a 2021 Budget amendment I worked on last year and was informed by the feedback I got at the Safety Block Meetings I hosted in 2020. My hope is that this pilot will grow into a more permanent forth alternative response to emergencies. You can learn more at https://www.minneapolismn.gov/
Mayoral Government Structure Workgroup. Without a single current, or newly elected, Council Member serving on it, the Mayor has convened a government structure work group to provide recommendations for implementation of the new government structure charter amendments. The work group members have been identified and have already begun to meet, although it is unclear if the meetings are or will be open to the media or the public. They are expected to deliver recommendations to the mayor early in 2022. You can find the members and more information at https://www.minneapolismn.gov/
Police Chief Change. Following the election, Police Chief Arradondo announced that he will not be accepting a new term as leader of the Police Department. As concerned as I have been recently with his performance and his failure to provide effective oversight of many officers, I thank him for his years of service and greatly appreciated working with him on a number of initiatives, especially prior to his taking on the role of Chief. He was an early supporter of our effort to develop the Youth Violence Prevention Plan and was critical in peacefully managing the protests after the police killing of Jamar Clark. The Mayor has nominated, and the Council has approved the appointment of Amelia Huffman, formerly Deputy Chief, as interim Chief. As a longtime member of the department, with experience in a number of leadership roles, she understands the current policies and cultures of the department well and I suspect she will be effective at maintaining and strengthening current practices into the future. I hope that she will prioritize accountability and rebuilding community trust.
Sidewalk and Waste Cart Shoveling. Minneapolis ordinance requires property owners of single-family homes and duplexes to clear sidewalks within 24 hours after a snowfall, and all other property owners must clear their sidewalks within four daytime hours. Clearing snow and ice from sidewalks helps people of all ages and abilities safely walk or roll to where they need to go. Failure to shovel your sidewalk could result in a warning letter and, if left uncleared, a bill for the City to remove snow from your sidewalk. People should call 311 to learn more about resources available to people who may need help clearing their sidewalks. Also, please remember to shovel around your carts. If the collection crew cannot easily wheel your carts to the truck, they cannot empty them and won’t be back until your next collection day.
Hennepin Avenue South Reconstruction Open House. The City is hosting a virtual open house January 13 to share the recommended design for the Hennepin Avenue South Reconstruction Project. The City plans to reconstruct Hennepin Avenue between West Lake Street and Douglas Avenue. Public Works has recommended a design that best meets the City’s Transportation Action Plan and aligns with the Vision Zero Action Plan, the Complete Streets Policy and the Climate Action Plan. The recommended design features: pedestrian facilities that improve safety and comfort for people walking; a two-way protected bikeway between Lake Street and Franklin Avenue to improve safety and access for people biking; dedicated transit lanes for more efficient and reliable transit service; two vehicle lanes, with left turn lanes at key intersections, to maintain mobility for people in cars. City staff plan to advance the recommended design to City Council for approval in spring of 2022. Construction is expected to begin in 2024. The online open house will be at 4:30pm on Thursday, January 13. Visit the project web page at https://www.minneapolismn.gov/
Carjackings. There has been a disturbing rise in carjacking crimes across the region. As of December 17, there had been 614 attempted and completed carjackings this year in Minneapolis, up from 104 in 2019. As a result, law enforcement agencies in the areas are focusing intensely on these types of crime. The Minneapolis Police are working to investigate cases, make arrests and are collaborating with the Hennepin County Attorney’s office and the courts to hold offenders accountable. The County has dedicated two prosecutors to specialize in the prosecution of these cases: one for juvenile cases and one for adult cases. The County has also designated an advocate to assist victims of carjackings. Here are some recommendations for how to prevent and respond to carjackings:
- Stay aware of your surroundings. Avoid focusing on your phone or being distracted when approaching or leaving your vehicle and when sitting in a parked vehicle.
- When sitting in your vehicle, keep your doors locked and your windows up.
- If you feel unsafe, move.
- Understand and use any alert system installed on your vehicle. Activate the distress alert or panic button for your vehicle if you feel unsafe or threatened. This is typically a red button on your key fob.
- Always have your mobile phone handy and charged.
- Practice safe parking. Stick to well-lit areas. If you have any safety concerns where you parked after the fact, find a security guard to accompany you to your vehicle.
- If you are involved in a minor crash without other vehicles or pedestrians around and you do not feel safe enough to stop, immediately call 911, report the crash incident, and drive to a nearby, public area to exchange information or wait for police.
- If you are confronted by an assailant and are not able to drive away, remain calm, do not argue.
- Try to remember how the assailant looks and acts, including any of their unique characteristics (such as scars, limps, acne, teeth, manner of speech).
- Never chase them.
- If video is available, please save a copy of the incident for investigating detectives.
- If a witness approaches you, ask for their contact information.
- Contact 911 immediately and remain on the scene if possible. If your vehicle or phone has tracking, tell the dispatcher.
- Call 911 immediately if you witness a crime in progress.
- Pay attention to specific details. License plates, features of the vehicles involved (including any damage), descriptions of suspects and the direction of travel can all be helpful. Give this information to responding officers.
- If you have video of the crime, give a copy to the police or give them your contact information. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at http://crimestoppersmn.org/
sitemenu.aspx?ID=674& or 1-800-222-8477.
Pedestrian Safety Survey. Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the University of Minnesota are collaborating on a pedestrian safety study to prioritize future pedestrian safety efforts in the area. As part of that project they are conducting a survey and are collecting responses until January 14. Everyone aged 18 and older is invited to take this survey, including those who previously took one last winter. This survey is expected to take approximately 5 minutes to complete and can be found at https://umn.qualtrics.com/jfe/
COVID-19 Vaccinations. If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, please get a free vaccine as soon as you can. To find the site closest to you, visit www.vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829 (GETVAX), or call 1-800-232-0233. Call the Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 hotline at 1-833-431-2053 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday. COVID-19 vaccinations are now available for all children ages 5 and up. Different clinic options are available for children 5-11 than for children 12 and older. To find and register a child for a vaccine appointment call 612-348-8900. Help is available in English, Spanish, Somali, and Hmong. Also see https://www.hennepin.us/
COVID-19 Testing. If you think you may have COVID please get tested. Testing is free at all the State’s community testing sites. Participants who have health insurance will be asked for their insurance information so the state can bill their insurance company on their behalf. If a person is uninsured or if insurance does not cover some or all of the cost, the State will cover the difference, ensuring testing remains open to all at no cost. https://mn.gov/covid19/get-
2021 Minneapolis Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG). The Council has approve spending up to $300,000 in funding for Avivo or an affiliated entity for homeless outreach services in 2022, renewable for up to an additional four years. Using these federal dollars for outreach is a critical strategy to helping people find housing.
Third Party Delivery Services Ordinance. The Council has approved amending Title 13 of the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances adding a new Chapter 353 entitled "Third Party Delivery Services" to add regulations and restrictions on the fees charged to affiliated businesses.
"Back from the Brink." In December, at the last Council Meeting of the term, the Council approved a resolution I authored to support the Back from the Brink movement to prevent nuclear war. I am grateful to the constituents, and organizations – including Vets for Peace, Woman Against Military Madness, the Antiwar Committee, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and Physicians for Social Responsibility – who brought this to my attention. You can learn more about the effort at https://preventnuclearwar.org/
Climate Emergency Resolution. Also, at the last meeting, the Council approved a resolution I authored that puts us on record wanting to work with other Minnesota cities to slow climate change and calls for greater support from state and federal governments. As the Minnesota legislature heads into its 2022 session, I hope that local governments of all sizes, and in all regions of the state will join in declaring a climate emergency and call for swift action at the state level to address the crisis.
Departing Council Members. The Council and Mayor honored departing City Council members with honorary resolutions recognizing their service to the City in December. A majority of Council Members are leaving at the end of the year including me and Council Members Lisa Bender (Ward 10), Kevin Reich (Ward 1), Steve Fletcher (Ward 3), Phillipe Cunningham (Ward 4), Alondra Cano (Ward 9), and Jeremy Schroeder (Ward 11). You can find the resolutions at the end of Council agenda at https://lims.minneapolismn.
Gretchen Musicant. During the final meeting we also presented a resolution honoring Gretchen Musicant, who is retiring from her position as Health Commissioner. Gretchen has been an effective leader, an example for me to follow and a close partner in many of the initiatives I worked on over the years as Council Member. You can find the resolution honoring her at https://lims.minneapolismn.
David Rubedor. During the final full City Council meeting of 2021, the Mayor and Council also presented David Rubedor, director of the City’s Neighborhood & Community Relations Department (NCR) with a resolution thanking him for his work and contribution to the City. David is leaving, due to significant health concerns. He was critical to preserving a system of neighborhood organizations in the City as the first director of the new department created during my time in office. You can find the resolution honoring him at https://lims.minneapolismn.
Community Connections Conference Postponed. The City sponsored, annual Community Connections Conference that was planned for February 12, has been postponed. A new date will be announced soon. To stay up to date on this year's conference, you can visit https://www2.minneapolismn.
Food Resources. Please check out the updated Minneapolis food security resources at https://www2.minneapolismn.
Opioid Lawsuit. The City Council approved Minneapolis joining a nationwide settlement of lawsuits filed against manufacturers and distributors of opioids. The City will now receive a portion of the State of Minnesota’s share of the $26 billion settlement provided it does not take new legal action against the defendants. The national settlement with Johnson & Johnson and three opioid painkiller distributors is an agreement reached with coalition of state attorneys general. Under the settlement, states get larger shares of the $26 billion when more of their local jurisdictions join so our participation means Minnesota will receive more settlement dollars. The funds must be used for abatement services. In Minneapolis, that work will be done by the Minneapolis Health Department and by first responders encountering people in crisis to prevent deaths and improve the lives of those impacted by the opioid overdose epidemic. Minneapolis had a total of 712 opioid-related overdose deaths from 2011 through 2020.
Reopening Nicollet at Lake Street. The City Council has approved a plan for the Former Kmart and New Nicollet Project focused on preventing displacement, as well as supporting affordable housing, safe and equitable transportation and climate justice. It includes a three-phase public engagement plan that will start in early 2022 with a first phase focused on open dialogues with community members who live, work and shop in and visit the area. The second phase will focus on a public space plan and Nicollet Avenue layout plan, which will require City Council approval. The third phase of engagement will discuss the future development of buildings. You can learn more at https://www.minneapolismn.gov/
Prohibition on Large Truck Parking. The new City ordinance that puts restrictions on truck parking on Minneapolis streets goes into effect January 1. Trucks weighing 13 tons or more can no longer park on Minneapolis streets unless they are loading, unloading or providing a service. The new restriction is in response to an increase in the number of big trucks parking on Minneapolis streets and extensive community feedback about safety concerns associated with large commercial trucks parking on streets for an extended time when they’re not in service. Truck owners and operators should use facilities designed for truck storage for their long-term parking needs.
Malcom Yards Project. The Council has approved accepting a grant of $129,999 from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Redevelopment Grant Program to for the Malcolm Yards Affordable Housing project at 495 Malcolm Ave SE. as part of the Malcolm Yards Planned Unit Development. The awarded funds will be used for demolition, utility improvements, and new roads, sidewalks, and lighting.
Union Stadium Village. The Council has approved the adequacy of the Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) for the proposed Union Stadium Village development located at 2630 University Ave SE. For more visit https://www2.minneapolismn.
44 North. The student-housing project in Prospect Park called 44 North, which includes 194 units in three buildings near 2701 Fourth St. SE. was recently sold for $77 million to the Chicago based “Scion Group.” According to a company press release, the deal makes Scion, the largest owner and operator of off-campus student housing in the country.
Rezoning 2021 24th Ave S. The Council has approved the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority’s application to rezone the property located at 2021 24th Ave S from the R2B Multiple-Family District to the R3 Multiple-Family District, retaining the BFI3 Interior 3 Built Form Overlay District to construct a new two-story multiple-family dwelling containing four dwelling units.
New Owner at 2209 Franklin Ave E. The Council has approved a Commercial Property Development Fund (CPDF) loan of $250,000 to Maezen Ras, LLC to assist in the acquisition of the property at 2209 Franklin Ave E. Maezen Ras is owned by Ms. Asse and Mr. Tesh who also own Rebecca’s Bakery that they have been operating since 2010 out of a rented space one block away at 2111 Franklin Ave E. They plan to move the bakery to the new location already equipped with a commercial kitchen and café lounge. The building has two additional spaces for office use that will be available to rent out to tenants. They do not need to make significant improvements to the property at this time.
Como Congregational Church Project. A proposed reuse of the Como Congregational Church building was approved by the Planning Commission on December 6. This project, being proposed by The Urban Canopies and Como Community Center will preserve and adapt the 1886 Congregational building and will include 6 residential units containing 24 bedrooms in the rear and the adaptation of the auditorium as a new multi-purpose community space. Rehabilitation and construction at the Congregational building are projected to begin in the first quarter of 2022, to begin opening in fall 2022. An information website about the community center project -- www.ComoCommunityCenter.org.
Jobs with the City. The City has several job openings among different job types. To learn more and view current openings see http://www.minneapolismn.gov/
City Update Sign-Up. You can subscribe to get City updates on a variety of topics by email or text at https://service.
Yours in peace and cooperation,
Cam Gordon
Contact for Cam after January 1, 2022:
612 296-0579
posted by Cam Gordon @ 1:19 PM
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