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If you want to schedule a meeting or phone call with me, reach out to Maggie Kohl via email maggie.kohl@minneapolismn.gov or leave a message at 612-673-2204
If you have questions, comments, or concerns please contact Betsy Brock via her email betsy.brock@minneapolismn.gov or cell 612-257-5242
You can also reach me directly at my email latrisha.vetaw@minneapolismn.gov
The City of Minneapolis will update the community on the Upper Harbor redevelopment at a meeting March 26. The expansive parcel of land on the North Side between Washington Avenue and the Mississippi River is being transformed to accommodate new places to live and work, a 20-acre riverside park, and a community performing arts center.
All are invited to hear from the development team, led by United Properties, as they share information about latest updates on the project, a proposal for the Health & Wellness Hub, and next steps.
Upper Harbor redevelopment community meeting 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 26 Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC), 2001 Plymouth Ave. N.
Read more online about:
The City of Minneapolis has launched a multi-year recruitment campaign for hard-to-fill positions in 911 and the Police Department. We’re looking for talented, community-oriented people to apply for public safety careers like 911 call takers and police officers. Cities across the country are grappling with staffing shortages in critical public safety departments. Minneapolis is competing with local governments across the state and U.S. to recruit and retain officers.
Imagine yourself making an impact in Minneapolis. Find your potential while building a strong career.
Watch video.
Learn more on the City website.
The City of Minneapolis partners with Solar United Neighbors (SUN) to help community members go solar through a solar co-op.
SUN will help solar co-op members apply for Minneapolis Green Cost Share funds to cover part of the cost.
About solar co-ops A solar co-op is neighbors coming together to get the best price from a vetted solar installer by using their group buying power and to tap into the expertise at SUN.
Low-income homeowners who qualify for energy assistance, Medical Assistance, WIC or EBT also qualify for substantial financial incentives that can cover the majority of the cost of going solar. Everyone can take advantage of the Solar Investment Tax Credit which allows you to claim 30% of the cost of going solar as a credit against federal income tax owed.
Join the solar co-op by May 31
 Briva is hosting the North Minneapolis Health Insurance Renewal Event. This free, in-person event is tailored to assist individuals and families renew their MA coverage. The event is scheduled for Saturday, March 23, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the Minneapolis Urban League.
During the event, our MNsure certified navigators will assist community members complete their renewal paperwork, check renewal status, or submit verifications; our team will be there to support them every step of the way.
Ward 4 has an opening for the Minneapolis Advisory Committee on Aging. Serving on a board or commission can be a rewarding experience for residents interested in improving their community. They help shape public policy which impacts City services and programs. If you are interested, feel free to contact Christina Kendrick at christina.kendrick@minneapolismn.gov for an application or any questions.
The City has awarded its first round of opioid settlement money to organizations combating the opioid crisis. The City is expected to receive about $18 million over the next 18 years from national settlements with opioid distributors and manufacturers.
The awardees of the funding will focus their work on treatment, long-term recovery and prevention to reduce disparities in the number of overdose-related deaths and emergency room visits.
Awardees
The awardees represent diverse needs of the Minneapolis population. They’ll increase access to opioid treatment.
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Access Healing: A significant portion of the funding will go toward safer and more supportive culturally specific recovery housing facilities.
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Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio (CLUES): The program will focus on serving Latino youths and their families. They have outpatient chemical health practitioners and therapists. They provide both substance use and mental health services.
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Generation Hope: The work is focused on addressing addiction, mental health and the associated stigma within the East African community with a strong emphasis on empowering individuals in recovery through workforce development.
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Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches: The project will launch new services to meet culturally specific needs. It will launch a mother-led support network and Nar-Anon program.
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Minnesota Somali Community Center.
Read more about the awardees and their services on the City website.
The City is now recruiting members for boards and commissions. We’re looking for applicants with a diversity of backgrounds and experiences representing the demographics of Minneapolis to strengthen the work of the City. City boards and commissions offer a direct way for residents to advise City leadership about topics important to them. Translation and interpreting are available so all residents can participate.
Applications will be accepted through March 31.
City boards and commissions with openings include:
- Arts Commission.
- Bicycle Advisory Committee.
- Capital Long-Range Improvement Committee.
- Community Commission on Police Oversight.
- Minneapolis Workforce Development Board.
- Pedestrian Advisory Committee.
- Southside Green Zone Council.
People can apply and stay up to date on vacancies, position descriptions and timelines by visiting the City website.
Read more about the openings and about some of our boards’ and commissions’ accomplishments on the City website.
The City would like your input on the accessibility of its programs and services. Please take the survey by the end of March on resident perceptions about the City’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and accessibility more broadly.
Your feedback will help as the City updates its ADA Action Plan.
You can take the survey in English, Spanish, Somali, Hmong or Oromo.
We will also hold community engagement sessions in May and June. Watch the City website and future newsletters for more details and ways to participate.
For reasonable accommodations or alternative formats please contact the Neighborhood and Community Relations Department at 612-673-3737. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call 311 at 612-673-3000. TTY users call 612-263-6850. Para asistencia, llame al 311. Rau kev pab 311. Hadii aad Caawimaad u baahantahay 311.
Mayor Jacob Frey, Community Safety Commissioner Toddrick Barnette, City Operations Officer Margaret Anderson Kelliher, City Attorney Kristyn Anderson, and several other City leaders and staff will participate in a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) emergency management course at the Emergency Management Institute in Maryland next week.
This course is the final exercise capping more than a year of emergency preparedness and response training for City leaders and staff. The project has aimed to improve the City’s emergency response protocols. Since the training began in January 2023, City leaders and staff have completed 11 exercises and 29 courses, totaling 578 training and exercise hours.
The City will provide a full update on its emergency preparedness later this summer.
Read more about the training on the City website.
Community members perform essential work for public health: building healthier communities in our city. To honor those who do this important work, you’re invited to nominate a hero for a Local Public Health Hero award. Please complete the nomination form by 5 p.m. Friday, March 22.
The annual Local Public Health Heroes Awards recognize the critical role community partners fulfill in making Minneapolis a healthier place. Local Public Health Heroes help support the Health Department’s vision that healthy lives, health equity and healthy environments are the foundations of a vibrant Minneapolis.
A panel will review the nominations and choose award winners based on the criteria in the nomination form. Health Department staff will notify the winners April 8.
Please join us for a resource fair and ceremony to honor our local public health heroes. Lunch will be provided at no charge.
Local Public Health Heroes event Resource fair at 11 a.m., award ceremony at noon Wednesday, April 17 Public Service Building, Room 100, 505 Fourth Ave. S.
If you haven’t already, you can still enter the lottery by March 31 for the chance to buy a $30 tree for your Minneapolis property. The City will offer 1,000 low-cost shade and evergreen trees to help grow the city’s tree canopy. The trees range from 3 feet to 8 feet tall.
The City is especially focused on adding trees in the Green Zones as those areas have some of the lowest tree cover in the city. We encourage anyone who owns property in the Green Zones to enter the lottery.
If you’re selected
If you’re selected in the lottery, you can buy one or two trees per address. You’ll get an email in April with information on how to order.
Tree pickup will be May 18 and 19 (subject to change). You’ll get an email with the pickup location.
Register for the lottery online.
Learn more about the City Trees program.
The City and engagement team (4RM+ULA and the Cultural Wellness Center) are holding a “dinner dialogue” March 28 to gather community visions within George Floyd Square. This event begins this year’s effort to create a community-centered vision for the area, including the Peoples Way site, street improvements, memorials and more.
Dinner dialogue on the future of George Floyd Square 6-8 p.m. Thursday, March 28 Sabathani Community Center, 310 E. 38th St.
Food and refreshments will be served; please RSVP.
Read more on the City website.
Learn more about George Floyd Square on the City website.
The City Council has passed a resolution honoring Women’s History Month. The resolution commemorates the achievements of women and pledges to continue efforts to promote gender equity, celebrate diversity, and support the empowerment of all women in our community.
This year's theme for International Women's Day, “Inspire Inclusion,” echoes the need for calls for a collective effort to forge a more inclusive world for women, emphasizing the importance of understanding, valuing and promoting women's inclusion in all aspects of society.
The resolution also:
- Recognizes that all women are leaders, regardless of their formal roles or leadership positions.
- Acknowledges that the women’s movement has historically left out Black women, Indigenous women, transgender women and women of color and chooses to recognize and address the specific challenges faced by marginalized groups of women in the quest for true equity and inclusion.
Read the full resolution on the City website.
Changes are coming to downtown Minneapolis along the First Avenue North corridor.
The Minneapolis Public Works Department is reconstructing half a mile of First Avenue North between Washington Avenue and Eighth Street North in 2028. The project will include a range of right-of-way and public realm improvements that would make it easier for people to move safely and comfortably along the street.
Some of the project goals include:
- Expanded, ADA-compliant sidewalks and safer street crossings.
- New green stormwater infrastructure and sustainable landscaping.
- Enhanced streetscape elements, including improved lighting and public art.
- Active public spaces that attract and retain residents, businesses, and visitors.
The project also gives the opportunity to improve traffic signals, signs and underground utilities along the route.
Survey: Take our short survey to tell us what you envision for First Avenue North. Your input will help us design a street that serves your needs and desires.
Learn more about the project and how to stay up to date on more ways to participate in the planning and engagement process.
The Minneapolis Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs Community office hours provide basic information about immigration legal services, shelter resources, health care and more.
Office hours
Stop by South Minneapolis CareerForce, 777 E. Lake St.:
- 2-4 p.m. Wednesday, March 20.
- 2-4 p.m. Wednesday, April 3.
Learn more on the City website, email Michelle Rivero, or call 612-394-6018.
Minneapolis Animal Care & Control relies on volunteers to help feed, exercise, play with, train and clean up after the animals in the shelter. Volunteers can make a huge difference for the animals in the shelter.
Opportunities
Volunteer opportunities include:
- The Animal Safety Net Program: Short and long-term care for animals facing displacement from their families from medical emergencies, disasters, domestic violence and other reasons.
- Foster care: A temporary home to save lives and reduce the stress for animals in transition.
- Rehabilitation: Working with staff to rehabilitate animals in physical, mental or behavioral crisis to help them safely return to the community.
- Dog walking and running: Every animal gets out of its kennel or cage every day. Volunteers walk dogs three times a day.
- Cat cuddling: Volunteers give cats 1:1 socialization and exercise daily.
- Dog play groups: Dog play groups let dogs learn good behavior from other dogs.
- Matchmakers: Specially trained volunteers work with customers to help them find the perfect pet for their family.
- Administrative projects: Volunteers who may not be able to work directly with animals can still help us.
See the City website for ways to help and requirements for volunteering. |
