| December 20, 2024
Greetings Ward 11,
The first major snow event of the season is upon us (enough for a snow emergency), and I want to take a moment to wish everyone a joyful and safe winter season.
As I have been reflecting back on some of the experiences I have had the privilege to be a part of as your Council Member, the word that rises to the top of my mind is gratitude. Thank you for all of your support and for the honor of representing this community. Thank you for attending our meetings, reaching out to the Ward 11 office, frequenting our small businesses, and participating in local events. I have put together a few photos to share below - some of my City Council adventures and some with my family.
(Be sure to keep scrolling for some key seasonal updates from the City!)
Happy holidays to you and your family, and I look forward to continuing our work together in 2025!
In Gratitude,
Please enjoy this recap of 2024.
This morning, I had the honor of meeting some of our seniors for breakfast at Guavas.
 This week, Council Member Cashman and I toured Dunwoody Technical College to learn about their cutting-edge programming and discuss how we can partner in preparation for more green jobs that are part of Minneapolis' Climate Legacy Initiative.
 The day after Thanksgiving I rode along with this crew to help collect yard waste in the final days of fall.
 I am so proud of this team for being essential to the opening of the Safety Center on Lake Street, especially Director Amanda Harrington and Council Members Chowdhury and Chavez.
 Public Works Director Tim Sexton and I ran into my childhood friend while bringing bagels to the garbage and yard waste hauler roll call. I am immensely impressed with these workers and their committment to the City!
 Council President Elliott Payne and I attended a Habitat for Humanity build together in honor of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter.
 We adopted Birdie, our new family pet. Here she is at her first visit to City Hall!
 I visited the Minnesota State Fair with my son Croix and daughter Iris.
 Council Member Cashman and I toured the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) as part of our work as Chair and Vice Chair of the Climate and Infrastructure committee.
 We also toured the Fridley water filter plant - yes that is my son Croix in tow! He loves learning how our city works.
 Speaking of Croix, we celebrated his transition to high school this year.
 I spent some time with Third Precinct Inspector Gomez and learned about MPD's bomb squad expertise.
 This spring, Council Member Vetaw and I brought forward an honorary resolution recognizing the month of May as Community Action Month. Council Member Vetaw and I both serve on the board of the Hennepin County Community Action Partnership (CAP-HC) and CAP-HC's executive director, Dr. Clarence Highwater honored us by joining the event.
 Some of my favorite teenagers joined me for Youth Day @ City Hall.
 Council Members Payne and Chowdhury and I visited DC for the National League of Cities conference. We were able to meet with Senators Klobuchar and Smith and Representative Ilhan Omar.
 Croix's Future Cities team won first place at the State level and travelled to DC to compete at the national level. The rest of us were happy to tag along!
 We celebrated the 50th anniversary of the gay rights ordinance with former council members and staff from 1974.
 And finally, on January 1st, I was sworn in to my second term as Council Member for Ward 11. Thank you for a fantastic year!
The City of Minneapolis has declared a snow emergency beginning Dec. 19. Snow emergency parking rules begin at 9 p.m. Dec. 19 so crews can continue their work and plow more than 1,000 miles of streets as wide as possible. Throughout the snowfall, City crews have already been plowing and treating streets to keep them drivable.
Snow emergency parking rules
We aim to provide open, drivable streets by plowing and clearing snow so emergency vehicles and other traffic can get around and park. Plowing requires vehicles parked on streets to move, so we need residents to help us by following snow emergency parking rules. It’s in everyone’s best interest to do their part so plows can do the best job possible, and people can avoid a ticket and tow.
Parking rules last for three days after a snow emergency is declared:
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9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, to 8 a.m. Friday, Dec. 20 (Day 1) Do not park on either side of a snow emergency route until 8 a.m., or the street is fully plowed.
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8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20 (Day 2) Do not park on the even-numbered side of a non-snow emergency route until 8 p.m., or that side of the street is fully plowed, or on either side of a parkway until 8 p.m., or the parkway is fully plowed.
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8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21 (Day 3) Do not park on the odd-numbered side of a non-snow emergency route until 8 p.m., or that side of the street is fully plowed.
Find a map of snow emergency routes on the City website.
Sign up now, stay informed throughout the season
Residents, workers and visitors have several ways to learn when snow emergencies are declared and what to do when they are. We recommend signing up for at least two types of alerts:
- Call the snow emergency hotline. You can reach our automated hotline at 612-348-SNOW (7669). If a snow emergency is in effect, the hotline will have information on that day’s parking restrictions that drivers need to follow to avoid tickets and tows. The hotline includes information in English, Spanish, Somali and Hmong.
- Check our social media pages.
- Watch local TV or listen to the radio.
Remember to clear sidewalks and around your garbage carts
Sidewalks are a critical part of our city’s transportation system, and they should be open for everyone. That’s why Minneapolis ordinance requires property owners to clear sidewalks within 24 hours after a snowfall for houses and duplexes, and four daytime hours for all other properties. Failure to shovel your walk could lead to a bill to pay for the cost of crews shoveling it. The City also provides free sand to residents at several locations. After you clear your sidewalks, spreading sand helps provide traction. Learn more on the City website.
The Minneapolis Foundation and partners at the Midwest Environmental Justice Network, NDN Collective, and RE-AMP Network are accepting applications for funding through the Great Lakes Environmental Justice Thriving Communities grantmaking program.
This three-year, nonpartisan program will distribute $40 million for environmental and public health projects to communities in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, and 36 federally recognized tribal nations. Nonprofit organizations, local and tribal governments, and institutions of higher education that work in the Great Lakes region are all welcome to apply for funding.
Grants will support projects that focus on issues including, but not limited to:
- Air, soil, and water quality
- Stormwater and green infrastructure
- Disaster resilience
- Environmental job training
Applications will be accepted from now through November 2026, and grants will be approved on a rolling basis. Applications submitted by January 31, 2025, will be considered in the first review batch.
The new Lake Street Safety Center has opened at 2228 E. Lake St. next to the METRO Light Rail Lake Street/Midtown Station. The safety center features both City and community-based resources and social services. More service providers are now available for the community.
Service providers in the center include:
- Community navigators. They provide cultural or issue-specific support to victims and survivors of crimes.
- Crime prevention specialists. They can help you with safety concerns and resolve conflicts.
- Lake Street safety coordinator. The Lake Street safety coordinator can help business and property owners in the area.
- LEAD Minneapolis. They provide care and support to people needing services in the East Lake Street corridor.
- Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches. They offer peer recovery support for the East African Community struggling with substance use disorder. They offer housing services, such as rental help and rapid rehousing.
- City’s 311 department safety center agents. Community members can walk in five days a week and get help with non-emergency issues and information on City services. The safety center agents can also connect you with the right support service, depending on your needs.
For more information on the services and their office hours, visit the City website.
The center is open weekdays: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Host a meeting at the safety center
Community members can now request to book the conference room to host a meeting. The room comfortably seats eight people. Wi-Fi and a large screen TV with HDMI hookup is available. Groups must bring their own laptop and any other equipment they need.
You can learn more about how to book the conference room on the City website.
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Energy rebates: Up to $14,000 to make your home warmer this winter
Are your windows and walls drafty? Is your energy bill too high? Save money, make your home more comfortable and help the environment through the City’s Green Cost Share program.
Depending on where you live, the City offers up to $14,000 in rebates to make energy-efficient home improvements.
Getting started
Watch the video to learn how to get started making your home warmer this winter.
Go to our website for details on how to apply.
The downtown Minneapolis side of the Stone Arch Bridge is now closed through fall 2025 for repairs. The St. Anthony Main side of the bridge has reopened, so you can walk or bike to the middle of the bridge from that side. Construction is expected to be complete by spring 2026.
You can use the new protected pathways on the Third Avenue Bridge as your detour route to walk or bike across the Mississippi River.
For more information, visit the Minnesota Department of Transportation project webpage.
With more dark hours this time of year, you might notice lights out more on parkways or in parks. If you see a light not working, contact:
For parkway lights
The City of Minneapolis 311 Service Center: Call 311, email or report it on the City website or the app.
For path and trail lights in parks
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board customer service: Call 612-230-6400 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday or email anytime.
If you witness someone damaging a light, call 911 regardless of location.
Using new state and federal funding, the City of Minneapolis has started work to replace aging water infrastructure for property owners across the city. The City has completed a citywide inventory of all water service lines. The water service line is the pipe that runs from the water main in the street to the meter inside a property. In Minneapolis, the entire water service line is owned by the property owner.
Residents who have either a lead water service line, a galvanized water service line requiring replacement or a water service line of unknown material will receive a letter from the City. The letter has information about the water service line material, steps that can be taken to minimize lead exposure in drinking water, and an update on the City’s effort to replace lead water service lines. You can find an interactive map of the water service line inventory on the City’s website.
How we know our tap water is safe
Minneapolis water is tested hundreds of times a day to ensure it’s safe to drink, and it has always met all federal drinking water standards for lead. The water is treated to make sure lead from pipes does not get into the water.
This year, using the new grant funds, we began proactively replacing lead service lines at no cost to the homeowner. In total, we 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 we have replaced or attempted to replace every lead service line in the city (replacement requires the property owner’s consent). It is important to note this is not an opt-in program. The state legislation requires us to prioritize replacement based on:
- Focusing on areas with lower-income residents and other disadvantaged communities.
- Focusing on areas with children with elevated blood lead levels.
- Coordinating the replacement of lead service lines with other capital improvement projects for the most efficient use of grant funding.
You can find more information on the City website.
A lot of people have extra recycling this time of year. Here’s how to set out extra recycling on your recycling day:
- For boxes that do not fit in your recycling cart, you can place them next to your recycling cart in another box. Keep boxes set outside of the cart to less than 3' x 3' and under 40 pounds. This is for safety and proper sorting.
- Put any extra bottles and cans next to your recycling cart in cardboard boxes or paper bags. (If you use plastic bags, the entire bag will be disposed of as garbage.)
Remember there's no charge to get another recycling cart. If you regularly have more recycling that will fit in your cart(s), contact our office at 612-673-2917 to request another cart.
If you recycle or compost through the City’s collection program, here’s guidance on getting rid of an item:
If you don’t have City collection, check Hennepin County's Green Disposal Guide.
How to dispose of common holiday items
- Holiday lights. Post usable holiday lights on Buy Nothing, another social media exchange site, or bring to a donation center. Bring non-working holiday lights and holiday lights that were not accepted for donation to a Hennepin County drop-off site.
- Pie tins, trays and aluminum foil. Recycle aluminum pie tins, trays and foil balls that have minimal food debris in your recycling cart. Aluminum foil must be in a ball at least 3 inches in size to be properly sorted.
- Gift wrap and bags. Reuse gift bags. Most wrapping paper is not recyclable and needs to be put in the trash. Only plain kraft paper gift wrap is accepted for recycling in your recycling cart. Make sure wrapping paper is flattened and not balled so it can be properly sorted. Consider alternatives to paper gift wrap and sticker gift labels.
- Cartons are accepted for recycling in your recycling cart. Keep them in their three-dimensional shape. They’re kept separate from other paper and shipped to special paper mills that can manage the layers of plastic and aluminum.
See Hennepin County’s checklist for gift wrap alternatives and other ways to reduce waste this holiday seasons.
Despite the cold, December is the perfect time to pick up sustainable gifts, local food and handmade goods at several winter farmers markets across Minneapolis. Support local farmers and producers all while finding something special this month.
Winter markets
- Visit the Mill City Winter Market Dec. 21, as well as the first and third Saturdays in January through April.
- Visit the Minneapolis Farmers Market Dec. 21 as well as select Saturdays in January through April.
- Visit the Northeast Farmers Market one Sunday a month January through April.
- Neighborhood Roots winter market is closed in December, but you can visit Jan. 11, Feb. 8 and March 8.
Learn more about winter farmers markets on the City website.
The City of Minneapolis is organizing the Feb. 8, 2025, Community Connections Conference around the power of participating in your community and local decision-making. The theme is Participation is Power: Speak, Act, Grow. The annual free conference connects Minneapolis residents, community groups, neighborhoods and local government.
You can register early starting Dec. 23 for the 2025 City of Minneapolis Community Connections Conference.
Community Connections Conference 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8 Exhibitor check-in 8 a.m. Minneapolis Convention Center, first floor, Hall E 1301 Second Ave. S.
Theme
The theme this year – Participation is Power: Speak, Act, Grow – invites people to:
- Speak: Voice their opinion about important upcoming projects and decision-making.
- Act: Take action by voting, joining a neighborhood organization board or a City appointed board.
- Grow: Learn skills and information they can use to improve their neighborhood, community and lives.
Not just any event
We believe:
- People from all communities should feel welcome in City spaces.
- It should be easy for everyone to get involved and influence important decisions.
- People from all communities should get information about programs and policies in language they understand.
Learn more and sign up online.
Applications are open now for public health internships with the City, and they open Jan. 2 for Step Up internships.
Public Health Pathways Program internships
The City’s public health internship program provides hands-on experience, where students can gain real-world experience in public health, build a resume and develop a professional network. This cohort is for undergraduate and graduate students who are in school or graduated between February 2024 and January 2025. The internship runs from the end of January through May.
Apply by Jan. 5 on the City website.
Step Up internships
For more than 20 years, the City’s Step Up program has provided summer employment for Minneapolis residents 14-21. Youths are placed in internships at public, private, nonprofit and community organizations.
Applications for next summer are just around the corner opening Jan. 2, 2025.
The Make it Minnesota Marketing Investment Cost-Share Program helps Minnesota-manufactured consumer packaged goods (CPG) food, beverage, or pet food companies take advantage of growth opportunities through a variety of high-impact marketing activities. This is an initiative by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA).
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The cost-share program reimburses 50% of eligible investments unless noted in the specific program details below. The maximum reimbursement per company is $3,000 in fiscal year 2025.
To apply for this program, business must be:
- A branded Minnesota CPG food, beverage, or pet food company registered with the Minnesota Secretary of State, AND
- An employer with fewer than 500 employees, AND
- A current holder of an MDA food license (either your own, or that of a Minnesota co-packer that you use).
Applications will be processed as they are received until the July 9, 2025 application deadline or the funds are gone, whichever is first.
Learn more and apply on the Make It Minnesota webpage.
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