Finding a Green Way to Govern

My office has received multiple contacts about the Minneapolis Police Department's response to the bike ride and fundraiser organized by the supporters of the RNC8 this past Saturday. Forty to fifty cyclists, who rode peacefully and obeyed traffic rules, were trailed by at least four bike cops, one marked and one unmarked squad car, and two booking vans. One person was arrested for disorderly conduct. After the morning ride, the group met, as planned, at Walker United Methodist Church for lunch. They declined to continue with their First Amendment-protected, peaceful and legal assembly, because they were intimadated. It sounds like MPD officers waited around the church for about two hours, waiting for the ride to resume. Yesterday I asked for more information from Minneapolis Police administration. I was concerned, given the evidence I had seen so far, that the MPD's actions last Saturday were in violation of the Council's "Police Policies for Public Assemblies" ...

This morning, the Council voted on a significant overhaul of the City's Heritage Preservation ordinance. Though everyone is relatively clear that these changes are a step in the right direction, there has been a certain level of controversy in the neighborhoods and among heritage preservation experts. Many of the questions that have been asked are about whether the proposed changes go far enough. Folks wanted to have a better idea what is included in a new definition in the code: 'destruction' of a historic resource. Neighborhoods also wanted to have more notice about demolitions. Yesterday, I was prepared to bring two amendments to what staff had proposed. The first, which had full support of staff, was a better definition of destruction: "the removal, damage, or enclosure of architectural, mechanical, or landscape features that may have an adverse effect on the historical integrity and significance of a property including, but not limited to, the removal of the prima...

The Police Department has created an interesting new tool: a web page that makes it easy to share your feedback - positive or negative - on police officers and the work they do. It basically repackages in one place the intake forms for the Civilian Review Authority and Internal Affairs Unit, along with a new form that you can use to compliment an officer for a job well done.

Starting at 7am next Monday March 30, Como Ave SE from 22nd Avenue SE to 24th Avenue SE will be closed to all traffic to complete the Como Avenue road and bridge project. It's proposed to reopen in late May of 2009. The detour will be 18th Ave SE to East Hennepin to 29th Avenue SE to Como Ave SE in the eastbound direction and 29th Avenue SE to East Hennepin Avenue to 18th Avenue SE in the westbound direction.

The third annual Minneapolis Teen Job Fair will take place on April 25, from noon–4pm at the Hennepin County Library. Teens 14 and up will have an opportunity to attend workshops, meet employers, and get information about jobs, volunteering and internships. This event is sponsored by the Hennepin County Library, the City of Minneapolis Employment and Training Program, the MN Department of Employment and Economic Development, AchieveMpls and others. Contact Pat Behrend at 612-673-6220 for more information.