The Working Families Agenda was initiated by Mayor Hodges in her 2015 State of the City address. As the result of a Committee formed by City Council earlier this year, policies were proposed in September.
As
you have likely heard, Mayor Hodges recentlyremoved the "fair scheduling"
aspects of the proposed Working Families Agenda due to very real concerns
raised by the small business community. Fair
scheduling is a complex problem, and I am pleased that the
mayor has put this aside until employees, businesses and industries can be
thoughtfully engaged on what an appropriate step forward might be and what
role city government might have in it. When we work together, we
can achieve great things and Minneapolis can be a nationwide leader to help forward the important values in this
initiative. We have held resident forums and
business forums specifically for the 13th ward, and the authors
received a great deal of candid feedback from local residents and business owners.
We are moving ahead with the portions of the Working Families Agenda that address sick pay. I care deeply about this topic. There are several jurisdictions in the US (states, counties and cities) that have mandated employee sick time and I'm hopeful that with all concerned parties at the table, Minneapolis can be next on the list and develop a policy that can get support from the business community while making a real difference in the lives of Minneapolis workers--ensuring not only that workers aren't faced with the decision of getting paid or recovering from illness, but also that the general health of the public is better protected by keeping those with communicable illness at home..
At last Friday's Council meeting, we initiated a workgroup to study other existing policies in effect around the country that address paid time off and sick time. This workgroup gives us a
fresh start to dealing with these issues--issues that must be dealt with soon. We need
both employees and employers at the table, however, and I’m looking forward to the next chapter in this conversation.
On Monday, serving in my role as Vice Chair of the Transportation & Public Works Committee, I had the pleasure of demonstrating a new smartphone app that lets drivers pay for on-street parking time without going to a meter or pay station. The MPLS Parking app was piloted in a section of the North Loop and Downtown West neighborhoods back in August. The app's rapid success allows us to expand citywide. It is available for free on Google Play and the Apple Store.
The City is offering the MPLS Parking App as an option to people who want the convenience of paying for parking through their smartphones. With the app, drivers just enter their space numbers and payment methods into the app wherever they are. They can also add more time to their parking wherever they are.
The MPLS Parking app can be set up to send a warning email or text message when parking is about to expire and can help drivers locate their cars. For people who need to keep track of their parking expenses, the MPLS Parking app has reporting functions as well.
Drivers can continue to pay at the meter with credit cards or coins. There’s a small fee (15 cents or 25 cents per transaction) for using the app.
More information about MPLS Parking app is available atMplsParking.com.
The management of new home construction and renovation—as
well as the scale of some of the homes themselves—continue to be some of the
most challenging items our office hears about regularly from constituents, but
I’m pleased to report that real progress has been made in addressing these issues.
On October 1 of last year, the residential infill zoning text
amendment that I authored became effective, marking a change in the way we
build and renovate homes across the city. The goal of the amendment was to
create reasonable standards that result in improved outcomes for all
Minneapolis neighborhoods and residents. On October 1, City staff presented an update of how home design has changed since the text
amendment was put into effect, and it’s clear from their data that we achieved
that goal. While a negotiation often means that both sides are left somewhat
dissatisfied, the changes that were made strike a healthy balance between the
concerns of existing residents and the desires of homeowners to build or expand
on a city lot.
The results speak for themselves:
New homes are taking up a smaller amount of impervious surface and have more room between them and their neighbors;
A higher percentage of homes are installing high-quality exterior materials;
A higher percentage of new homes are obtaining design points for providing a large amount of window area on all sides of the structure;
And although the bar was set much higher for tree preservation and planting, the same percentage of homes are achieving those points.
I will continue monitoring these results and look forward to
future opportunities to improve upon these successes.
In April 2014, my office created the first version of the Toolkit for
Neighbors of New Construction in response to multiple requests from
residents who wanted to know their rights when it came to residential
construction nearby. The document provides Minneapolis residents with the
information they may need when living next to a construction site. For example:
Who’s who in city government when it comes to construction?
Steps recommended to prepare for construction
Handling common construction management issues
What to do if you experience problems
We keep this Toolkit updated for you, and the latest version reflects new changes to the Construction Management Agreement.
At the October 14 meeting of the City Council's Public Satety, Civil Rights & Emergency Management Committee (of which I am a member), we heard an update on the Domestic Violence Hot Spots
Initiative. This was proposed by the City Attorney based on MPD data
showing that the number one call for police service in violent crime hot spots
was related to domestic violence--about 17,000 calls per year. The initiative, developed by the supervisor
of the domestic team, pairs an MPD officer with a family therapist to do follow
up visits in violent crime hot spots on the North side where a 911 call for
domestic violence has been made but either no police report was written or no
criminal case resulted. The goals of the initiative include providing proactive
support and referral information for the family while trying to build trust
with the police by offering an opportunity for police to interact with the
families in a positive way instead of in an enforcement or 911-response mode. For more information, see here.
Domestic violence is complex and this pilot project has shown we can make a positive impact in this area. As we examine this systemic issue within our city, I see it as one of the most important things we can work to address. All of my gratitude to the many local funders and volunteers in our ward of our partner organizations in this.
During last year's heated budget debate, one of the most controversial items in the proposed budget was the Mayor's proposal to temporarily remove funding for public art. I heard from many residents concerned about this, and I'm pleased to report that we've reached a long-term solution.
The City Council unanimously approved a new ordinance that funds public art in a predictable way while allowing for flexibility in the source of funds used from year to year. The new rule uses mechanisms that have worked in other places to ensure consistency around public art and maintenance. Saint Paul and Duluth have similar ordinances.
The ordinance dedicates the equivalent of 1.5% of City-issued net debt bonds annually to public art funding. The net debt bond program is funded by property tax revenue. The ordinance allocates the money to the commissioning, siting, placement, conservation and maintenance of public art.
Before this ordinance, the Art in Public Places budget would fluctuate from year to year making it difficult to plan public art projects. And budgets are adopted annually while developing, fabricating and installing pieces of public art can take three years.
Public art ensures everyone in the city has access to art. I could not have been more thrilled to support its long-term funding.
See here for more details about the percent-for-art ordinance.
Hacks.
Breaches. Identity theft. These technology crimes are becoming more and more common
and widespread as technology evolves at a fast pace.
As
part of National Cyber Security Awareness Month, the City of Minneapolis wants
to help everyone stay safe online.
The
City’s IT Security Team is sponsoring four public events. Two have already been completed, covering identity theft and home wireless setups. Two additional events are scheduled for November:
Monday, Nov. 16: Smart Phone Security—iPhone or Android, make sure your smartphone is safe.
Friday, Nov. 20: Tips to Stay Safe Online
All
presentations take place at noon at the City of Lakes building (309 2nd Ave.
S.), Room 101.
Are you facing an issue with the City? My office is glad to try and help! Whether this means a phone call, an email conversation, or an in-person meeting (I'm happy to meet constituents in the ward!), please reach out.
Additionally, if you want to be updated about airplane noise issues, please subscribe to my airport-specific newsletter by sending an email to my aide Emily Ziring (emily.ziring@minneapolismn.gov) with the subject line "Airplane Noise Newsletter."
Enjoy your fall!
Yours in service,
For reasonable accommodations or alternative formats please contact the 13th Ward office at 612-673-2213, or Ken Dahler via ken.dahler@minneapolismn.gov . People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call 311 agents at 612-673-3000. TTY users can call 612-673-2157 or 612-673-2626.
Para asistencia 612-673-2700 • Rau kev pab 612-673-2800 • Hadii aad Caawimaad u baahantahay 612-673-3500.