 Mayor Jacob Frey, Chief Brian O’Hara, Labor Relations Director Rasheda Deloney, and other City leaders celebrated the passage of the new police contract last week. The City Council approved the contract in an 8-4 vote. The agreement gives Minneapolis police officers a historic pay increase and paves the way for important change. The vote marks the successful conclusion of a nearly 10-month negotiation between the City and the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis (POFM).
“This contract provides the path forward we need. After more than nine months of tireless negotiations, we have a police contract that will properly compensate our officers for the hard work they do while paving the way to implement long-awaited reforms,” said Mayor Frey. “This is a good contract, and it was the result of impressive collaboration—incorporating input from community members, police officers and MPD leadership alike.”
The contract, which applies to the period January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2025, includes a 21.7 percent pay increase over three years. The salary bump means MPD officers will be among the highest paid in Minnesota by 2025.
 Mayor Frey, Council Member Jeremiah Ellison, CPED Director Erik Hansen, Housing Policy & Development Director Elfric Porte, and community housing leaders met last week to unveil the City’s 2024 Way Home Progress Report. The report highlights the nation-leading work Minneapolis is doing to get more people into safe, stable, and permanent housing.
Since 2018, the City has invested nearly $365 million in housing and homelessness and produced 4,679 affordable housing units. This is an average of 780 total units each year and more than double the average between 2011-2017. The City is also producing deeply affordable housing units (30 percent average median income or less) at nearly 8.5 times the previous rate, helping to keep rents in Minneapolis at some of the lowest in the nation.
“Through the tireless efforts of our CPED staff and the implementation of the Minneapolis 2040 Plan, Minneapolis has set the national standard for how cities address affordable housing,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “The Way Home illustrates our commitment to ensuring that every Minneapolis resident has a safe, dignified, and affordable place to call home. This historic work is just the beginning—we are constantly innovating and delivering as we shape the future of housing.”
 Michelle Phillips has been sworn in as Director of the Civil Rights Department. Mayor Jacob Frey nominated Phillips for the role in May. City Council unanimously confirmed her later that month.
“The City of Minneapolis is fortunate to have such a highly qualified leader serve as our new Director of Civil Rights,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “Michelle Phillips is an expert in oversight and accountability, and I am confident that her experience and background will be invaluable as we fill this critical role. We need leaders like her championing civil rights for our City.”
Director Phillips joins the City after previously serving as the first Inspector General for the City of Oakland, California. She has a deep expertise in civilian oversight of police, providing leadership in the promotion of constitutional policing and building departmental infrastructure to ensure thorough and fair investigative processes. Prior to her service in Oakland, Phillips served as Deputy Inspector General with the City of Baltimore, leading an investigative team focused on rooting out fraud and abuse while building trust in local government.
 On Monday, Mayor Jacob Frey joined City Council President Elliott Payne and City Council Member Andrea Jenkins to kick off Black Business Week in Minneapolis. Now in its fourth year, Black Business Week brings together residents, business owners, entrepreneurs, and community leaders to support Black businesses, foster development, and build economic inclusion.
The goal of Black Business Week, which runs from July 22 through July 28, is to uplift Black business owners and entrepreneurs and connect them with funding sources, technical support, networking, and other resources needed to launch, maintain, and grow a business.
“Black-owned businesses are helping ignite the fire of our economy and they have earned our support,” said Mayor Frey. “From finance to art, from manufacturing to food, Black businesses are creating something special, and every week we celebrate their work.”
To begin the week-long event, Mayor Frey officially proclaimed it “Black Business Week” in the City of Minneapolis.
 A section of Plymouth Ave. in North Minneapolis has been renamed ‘Spike Moss Way’ in honor of the Minneapolis activist. Spike Moss played an important part in desegregating local police and fire departments, and he led The Way—a nonprofit that empowered Black youth.
The new street name serves to honor the enduring heroism, legacy, and undeniable contributions Moss has made to Minneapolis and the Civil Rights Movement.
“When you’ve got a hero, you honor him. When you have a mentor, you cherish them. When you have a leader, you recognize them. And when you’ve done all those things together… you name a street after them,” said Mayor Frey. “It’s going to be something people see for many generations. It’s going to be something that’s inspiring. It’s something to be proud of here on the Northside. And I’m just honored to be part of it.”
 Photo from the 2023 Aquatennial parade
Minneapolis Aquatennial is back! The official civic celebration of the City of Minneapolis runs July 24-27 and includes the Torchlight Parade, fireworks, art festivals, Movies in the Park at The Commons, and a Twin Cities River Rats Water Ski show. Mayor Frey hopes to see everyone out celebrating our great city!
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