Last month, my office hosted two community forums to showcase the work of our city departments for our constituents. Thank you to everyone who attended, and to our hosts at Studio 2/DevJam and at the Bakken Museum!
On February 17, we heard from the officers who will train all MPD officers this year on implicit bias and procedural justice. It was an honest, productive conversation. Thanks to Michelle Bruch at the Southwest Journal for this excellent piece on the work the MPD is doing.
One week later, Patrick Hanlon, the City's Manager of Environmental Initiatives, presented on all of the cool projects his staff is spearheading in the world of air, land, water and noise pollution mitigation, from an innovative green business cost sharing program to increasing our tree canopy in the city
We are planning to hold several more forums this year. Please contact our office if there's a topic you'd like to learn more about!
On Feb. 17, MPD Deputy Chief of Staff Medaria Arradondo spoke about how implicit bias functions in the MPD.
Study the impact of policy proposals related to workplace regulations on earned sick time and paid time off, including consideration of regional and cross-jurisdictional implications of such policy proposals.
Engage the community in the development of its recommended policy proposals through focus groups, listening sessions, and similar practices and may consult subject-matter experts in the course of its study.
On March 16, the WPG presented its recommendations to City Council's Committee of the Whole. The next step, approved today at Council, includes analysis of costs for implementation and ways to address outstanding concerns that will come back for Council consideration this May. The staff direction as approved is here, listed under "Motions".
On March 1, the
Minneapolis Police Department released a Preliminary Draft of its body
camera policy. This is not a final draft, as MPD leaders expect the document to
evolve up until the point of implementation, which we expect will happen in
late May. It should also be noted that all Department policies and “standard
operating procedures” are subject to review from time to time to ensure they
are consistent with national, best-practices standards. This particular
preliminary draft was produced after looking at a number of those standards. It
is also being released after weighing public input through the city’s Police Conduct
Oversight Commission (PCOC).
You can
learn more about the Department’s body camera program and find a copy of the
draft policy here. If you would still like to share ideas, concerns or comments about the preliminary policy, please send an email to police@minneapolismn.gov, with “Body Camera Policy” in the subject line.
MPD
Body Camera Facts:
We expect full implementation to be complete by the end of October
All
patrol and SWAT officers will be equipped with cameras, totaling approximately
600 sworn officers
The
MPD will begin its implementation in the 1st Precinct (Downtown)
before rolling out the cameras to the other 4 precincts
2
full-time civilian staff members are being added to aid in records management
for the video produced by officers wearing body cameras
Each
camera costs approximately $400, while data storage costs for each individual
officer will range between $80 and $100 per month
The
MPD reviewed at least 18 other law enforcement agency policies before producing
its preliminary draft
The
MPD also considered recommendations from the Police Conduct Oversight
Commission, American Civil Liberties Union, International Association of Chiefs
of Police, League of Minnesota Cities, Fraternal Order of Police, and the
International Municipal Lawyers Association before putting together its
preliminary draft policy
Single-use plastic bags litter our streets, become entangled in our trees, harm our water ways and damage our recycling equipment. In response, Council Members Gordon and Warsame have proposed the “Bring Your Own Bag” ordinance that would prohibit retailers from giving out single-use plastic bags within the city of Minneapolis.
The ordinance includes several exemptions and allows plastic bags for newspapers, pet waste, restaurant take-out, dry cleaning, produce bags without handles and reusable plastic bags of a certain thickness.
Parks are one of our most treasured city assets. The
proposed Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board referendum has huge implications for
taxpayers and the city enterprise, as you have seen in the paper and other
local media outlets.
During the past two months, I have been working very
hard on alternatives to doing this referendum. I do believe the parks
need a substantial change in their budget to close their funding gaps. I
also believe that this is a moment where the City and Park Board could move closer together,
or we could move further apart. In my opinion, it is crucial that we get closer
together to serve Minneapolis residents present and future in the best way
possible. I worry that a referendum would bring us further apart--I have a lot of concerns about how that money would be enshrined and what the
checks and balances on that spending would be. I am working with my colleagues on alternatives to a referendum that would give the parks the funding they need and ensure it is spent on neighborhood
park priorities.
This week, Jayne Miller, the Superintendent of the Minneapolis & Recreation Board presented to the City Council's Committee of the Whole. See her presentation and other supporting documents here.
Starting March 21, the City of Minneapolis is offering more than 1200 five- to eight-foot trees for only $25 each. Fifteen varieties are available this year and include large species, flowering trees and several kinds of fruit trees. Any Minneapolis property owner – whether resident, business or nonprofit – can order a tree to plant on private Minneapolis property this spring. Comparable trees cost about $125 at a nursery.
Ordering begins at 9 a.m., March 21, atwww.treetrust.org. In previous years the trees have sold within hours! Property owners who order early will get the best selection.
$25 trees are available for Minneapolis residents, businesses and nonprofits.
First-come, first-served. Limit one tree per property, maximum three properties per owner.
Trees must be picked up May 21, 22 or 23 at the City of Minneapolis Impound Lot. Volunteers will be on hand to help load each new tree and a complimentary bag of mulch into vehicles.
In the past nine years, the City Trees program has provided almost 13,000 trees for planting on private property. The City Trees program helps meet Minneapolis’ health goal focusing on the well-being of people and the environment. Since 2006, the City of Minneapolis has funded the City Trees program, a low-cost way for folks to help build the city’s tree canopy.
Healthy trees look beautiful in our neighborhoods, increase property values, help clean the air we breathe, save on our energy bills with strategic planting, keep the city cooler in the summer, provide homes for wildlife and help manage stormwater.
Get a jump-start on gardening by ordering a $59 compost bin
or a $74 rain barrel for your home. (These regularly cost $105 and $139.)
By using a compost bin, you can keep more than a quarter of
your household waste out of the garbage while making valuable compost for your
garden.
A rain barrel will help you save water and money by using
rainwater rather than the faucet for your garden and trees. Rain barrels are
also a way of trapping the stormwater that runs toward the storm drains –
picking up pollutants along the way – and into our lakes, streams and rivers.
Order now and you’ll be able to pick up your compost bin or
rain barrel at 3607 East 44th St. in Minneapolis on Saturday, April 30.
To place your order, find more information or see other dates and locations, visit www.recycleminnesota.org.
Staying in Touch with
My Office
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 Ken Dahler (ken.dahler@minneapolismn.gov)
with the subject line "Airplane Noise Newsletter."
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.