 Minneapolis is proud to be the first city government employer in the state to be recognized as a Beyond the Yellow Ribbon organization—meaning we recruit, hire, retain, and support veterans. To celebrate, Mayor Frey joined City leaders and representatives from the Minnesota National Guard to proclaim November 7 as "Beyond the Yellow Ribbon" Day in the City of Lakes.
“Receiving the designation as a Beyond the Yellow Ribbon organization is a tremendous honor, and we are immensely proud to be the first city in Minnesota to achieve this milestone,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “It is a privilege to support our service members, veterans, and their families who have made such significant sacrifices for our nation. The City of Minneapolis is dedicated to serving those who have served us, and we look forward to deepening our partnership with the Minnesota National Guard.”
On Thursday, Mayor Frey vetoed the City Council’s proposed Labor Standards Board, offering a more equitable proposal that would benefit both workers and employers. The mayor has long advocated for a Labor Standards board that is fair and balanced, but the Council’s proposal is neither of those things. To help bring both parties to the table, the mayor has put forward a proposal that reflects the diverse perspectives and needs of both sides.
For a Labor Standards Board to succeed, businesses must participate. The Council's proposal is so lopsided that hundreds of small businesses, many of them BIPOC-owned, and nearly all major non-profit business organizations, have voiced their opposition and said they won’t participate in the board at all. Without their participation, there is no way for the Labor Standards Board to be effective.
“If we want this Labor Standards Board to work, business participation isn’t just important, it’s essential. Under the Council’s proposal, business participation is negligible– and everyone knows that’s not going to work,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “Council must pass a board that is balanced and inspires collaboration from both labor and business.”
Mayor Frey continued, “One Council Member recently said that businesses should be ‘thankful’ they are getting a seat at the table. Neither businesses nor labor should have to be ‘thankful’ to get a seat at the table.... in our city, they always have one. These businesses are part of what makes our city vibrant and unique. Workers and businesses alike deserve a government that hears their concerns, shares their ambition to make our city’s culture brighter, and is willing to do the work to find policy that unites us.”
To move forward with a solution that works for both businesses and workers, Mayor Frey has put forward a new proposal. The proposal includes:
-
Equal representation: A 50/50 split between employees and employers on the board, ensuring both sides are equally heard and represented
-
Balanced appointments: An equal number of appointments made by the City Council and by the mayor, aligning the board's structure with the City's governance model and ensuring fair input from both branches of city leadership
-
Supermajority consensus: A requirement that a supermajority of board members must agree on recommendations before they are presented to the City Council, ensuring board support and alignment
If the mayor’s veto is sustained, he will encourage Council Members to hold a public comment hearing so businesses and workers can provide feedback on his proposal. The Council’s passage without a public hearing is a lost opportunity to hear from those small businesses that would be most affected by the Labor Standards Board.
 Mayor Frey and the City of Minneapolis are committed to being responsive and governing effectively. Recent reports by the City Clerk underscore the City’s strong performance in advancing shared goals and the collaborative work happening between the administration and Council. A few highlights include:
- Roughly 70% of all legislative proposals are actively moving toward final action
- A total of 35 legislative directives have been approved, with roughly 85% of them forwarded to the administration with approval
- The City has adopted 8 key policies in 2024, with 7 approved by the mayor
- From January to October, the City Council has put forward 53 ordinances
"These accomplishments are the result of productive partnership and tireless work by all parties involved, ensuring that the City continues to move forward, meeting the needs of its residents while maintaining good governance at every level. The data speaks for itself: Minneapolis is working, and progress is being made every day," said Mayor Frey.
 Mayor Frey was honored to attend the groundbreaking of the Minnesota Indian Women's Resource Center's new affordable housing development. The project is creating 24 deeply affordable housing units for people with disabilities or those at risk of homelessness. The center will also provide culturally responsive and holistic services on site to those in need. The City of Minneapolis was proud to invest $2.5 million into the project.
"This project meets our goals of supporting our Tribal partners and our Minneapolis Indigenous community and providing more deeply affordable housing with culturally relevant supportive services," said Mayor Frey.
"I’m really proud of all the deeply affordable housing work that we do here in Minneapolis, but this one is really special. MIWRC isn’t a housing developer on the regular, but they saw a need in their community and pushed forward fill it. We couldn't be prouder to support this project."
 The Lake and Bryant Cafe is under new ownership! Segundo Balvoa, María Chuma, and José Yupangui, chef-owners of the popular Galapagos Bar and Grill in Longfellow, are bringing their unique spin to the space as they continue delivering great coffee and food alongside the L&B Cafe’s barista team.
The City of Minneapolis supported this project with a $50,000 2% Loan to help with the real estate. The mayor is thrilled to welcome the new team to Lake Street.
The City of Minneapolis is in the process of replacing aging water infrastructure for property owners across the city. Using state and federal grant funds, the City began proactively replacing lead service lines this year at no cost to homeowners. In total, the City will replace around 400 lead service lines using grant funds in 2024 with a plan to replace 1,000 in 2025.
This effort will continue until the City has replaced, or attempted to replace, every lead service line in the city.
"We know there is no safe amount of lead exposure—that’s why the City of Minneapolis, in partnership with the state and federal governments, is replacing all 39,000 lead service lines in the city at no cost to property owners. This is just one way we’re working toward a healthier, more equitable future," said Mayor Jacob Frey.
Minneapolis water is tested hundreds of times a day to ensure it is safe to drink and has always met all federal drinking water standards for lead.
Learn more about the City's replacement of lead service pipes.
 |
|
Minneapolis has been ranked 10th in the United States and 50th in the world for livability! This recognition reflects the hard work and resilience of our community -- and we're committed to making Minneapolis an even better place for people to live, work, and visit. |
 Mayor Frey and Council Member Andrea Jenkins cheering on the Minnesota Wolves
 Mayor Frey at the grand opening of B Suite downtown
 Mayor Frey with Rep. Illhan Omar out in community
| 
