Finding a Green Way to Govern

It looks like a 2009 implementation of Ranked Choice Voting (aka IRV) in City elections is more likely than ever. While we did not find machines to do the job, staff is recommending that we use a hand count. I am very supportive of this idea. Below for your information is the text from a memo we received this morning. I think this is great news. It is my understanding that the only way this could be delayed now is if the City Council actually voted to delay it, despite our staff saying it is possible. I can't imagine how we could justify doing that. So, I am celebrating a little today and I invite you to do the same. ========================== M E M O R A N D U M To: City Council Members From: Cindy Reichert , Elections Director Subject: Responses to Voting Equipment RFP Date: September 30, 2008 On August 1st the City of Minneapolis received responses to a Request for Proposal for services and equipment needed to conduct municipal elections using the method of Ranked Choice ...

Minneapolis has been named one of the most sustainable cities in the United States by SustainLane.com, an online people-powered guide to sustainable living. Minneapolis ranked number seven, moving up from the tenth spot in 2005, among the 50 most populous cities in the nation. SustainLane’s rankings are based on 16 different indicators that cover many sustainable practice areas, including local food availability, tap water quality, air quality, metro transit ridership, energy and climate change, and green building practices; the indicators show where cities are excelling or struggling. The rankings also take into consideration the chance of natural disasters and the preparation that cities have made to handle those catastrophes. Minneapolis ranked high among other cities in many indicators, such as the availability of local food and agriculture (#1), city innovation (#6) and green economy (#7). The city was referred to as a “Midwestern jewel of a city” and was also recognized for the c...

Natural gas utility CenterPoint Energy will be holding two meetings in the Second Ward to give residents information about natural gas bill payment assistance: October 1, 5-8pm at Matthews Park . October 14, 5-8pm at Van Cleve Park . Community Action will help folks complete their applications, and CenterPoint Energy will meet to discuss payment plan options. If you attend, please bring your most recent CenterPoint Energy bill and household income verification, which are both required to complete energy assistance applications. If you can't attend one of these meetings and need help, call 612-372-4680 or go here .

Today, the Health Energy and Environment committee moved forward an exciting new Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Policy , which creates some great new standards for goods and services purchased by the City. For instance, all of our paper products will contain the highest post consumer content practicable. As importantly, the Purchasing Department has been empowered to automatically substitute more environmentally friendly products. I attempted to strengthen this action in two small but important ways. First, because it's not practical to include every single thing the City buys or may ever buy in a policy like this, I moved to add text that would cover goods and services not enumerated in the policy. The text stated that the City will use the precautionary principle and err on the side of protecting human health and the environment when making decisions about products not listed in the policy. Second, I moved to require the new "Sustainable Purchasing Committee" c...

On Monday, at approximately 5:09pm, Ahmed Nur Ahmed Ali was shot outside of the Brian Coyle Center on the West Bank. The 20-year-old Augsburg College student had just finished his first day as an intern for the Center. This is the third homicide this year in the neighborhood. West Bank residents and business owners have been taking increasing steps to prevent the rising tide of youth violence, including a twice-weekly safety walk. The City has partnered with organizations in the area to help improve the physical condition of commercial spaces, increase beat patrols and coordination between area security officers. I have heard that the Brian Coyle Center is proposing to install security cameras outside, hire a security officer or police liaison from 5-10pm nightly, work to increase police presence in Currie Park and surrounding streets and hire two Somali outreach workers focused on connecting with Somali young adults. These ideas and more were discussed on Thursday, September 24th a...