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Residents with 36th Avenue Revitalization and Transformation (36th ART) hosted a beautiful community dinner underneath the 36th Avenue Greenway Bridge. Over the last several years, 36th ART worked with local government, a neighboring high school, and a variety of other stakeholders and partners to transform a poorly lit concrete bridge into a vibrant community hub.
This week, we celebrate the bridge’s transformation with a community potluck under the bridge with over 100 neighbors in attendance. We shared food while surrounded by community-painted murals. It was a truly unique and beautiful night. Thank you to 36th ART for your community leadership!
Council Member Wonsley and Commissioner Conley enjoying a dinner with neighbors under the bridge.
Council Member Wonsley with Council Member Chowdhury, Commissioner Conley, and Representative Ilhan Omar at the 36th ART bridge festival.
I attended the City’s Trans Equity Summit, which we were honored to host in Ward 2 this year. This meaningful event is a valuable opportunity to uplift trans brilliance and resilience, build community, and share resources. This is particularly important when our trans neighbors are under attack at the federal level and in the context of the City’s past failures to invest in trans equity. Thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s Trans Equity Summit a success.
Council Members Wonsley and Chavez at the Trans Equity Summit.
Open Streets Cedarfest is this Sunday, August 17. Located on the edge of Ward 2, it’s a fabulous day for residents across the city to celebrate in the Cedar-Riverside community! Plan for car-free, family friendly fun including 3 stages of music, a theater & comedy stage, Southside Battletrain, bikes, stilters, skates, camel rides, the wienie dog race, dunk tank, global food from our own restaurants, plus a hyper local artisan fair featuring artists and vendors from the West Bank.
Last year, I rode a camel at Cedarfest and it was a highlight of my whole year. I hope to see you there!
Poster for Open Streets Cedar Fest 2025
East Bank neighbors have been organizing to rename Marcy Park. Marcy Park is about 15 blocks away from Marcy School, leading to confusion. Even more importantly, the park is named after William Marcy, Secretary of War under President Polk, who was a vocal advocate for slavery. Marcy had no documented association with Minnesota.
Neighbors successfully nominated the park for renaming. After an extensive public engagement process, Dinky Park was selected as the proposed new name. Read more about the resident-led renaming effort here.
Public hearings over renaming Marcy Park
Per the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board Naming Policy, MPRB will host two public hearings on the renaming.
Public hearing #1: Wednesday, August 20th from 5-9pm
Public hearing #2: Thursday, September 25th from 5-9pm
Both hearings will be held at the Mary Merrill Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Headquarters - Board Room at 2117 West River Road North
You are invited to attend either of these public hearings to express your perspective on the possible renaming of Marcy Park. You can also reach out to Park Commissioners directly to ask that they rename Marcy Park.
Poster about the resident-led effort to rename Marcy Park.
Twin Cities Maker Fest 2025 will be a street fair on 26th Ave, near Franklin Ave, with free activities, large demos, food trucks, and 150 local artists and craftspeople. Spend the day exploring Minneapolis’ biggest block party of small makers and seasoned artists alike!
Twin Cities MakerFest 2025
September 13th, 2025
10am-6pm
26th Ave from Franklin Ave to 24th St
Applications for vendors, volunteers, and tabling here.
Twin Cities Maker’s mission is to provide access to tools and equipment, education, and other resources to help people of all skill levels innovate, create, and learn. Located in Ward 2, Twin Cities Maker is an incredibly valuable community resource and hub. Learn more about Twin Cities Maker here.
Poster for Twin Cities MakerFest 2025
The Minnesota Department of Transportation will close I-94 in both directions and its entrance and exit ramps between I-35W and Highway 280, as well as the ramp from eastbound I-94 to Highway 55, starting the evening of Friday, Aug. 15. Most of the lanes and ramps will reopen Monday morning, Aug. 18.
Follow the posted detour of I-35W to Highway 36, I-35E to I-94.
Plan ahead by checking 511 and giving yourself more time.
For more information, visit the I-94 project webpage.
Summary: Council is beginning to work on the 2026 Budget, with an emphasis on protecting programs that residents rely on.
Background: The City Council has begun the 2026 Budget process. Over the coming months, Council will amend and adopt the Mayor’s proposed $2 billion budget.
Last year, Council reprioritized the Mayor’s 2025 $1.89 billion dollar budget, and allocated millions of dollars towards budget amendments in response to resident feedback, while lowering the overall property tax levy. Going into 2026, Council remains committed to creating many opportunities for resident engagement and using resident perspectives to shape the Budget. With the Trump administration cutting federal programs, it’s more important than ever that the Council passes a people-centered municipal budget that protects workers and continues to invest in marginalized communities.
Over the past several years, I’m proud to have worked with my colleagues and the community to ensure that the City budget invests in the programs and services that matter most to residents.
Last year, Council Members Chowdhury, Koski and I worked with the Senior Advisory Committee to allocate funds to help residents age in place. The funding supported the Senior Housing Code Abatement program, which gives small grants and loans to seniors to make sure their homes are up to code and safe, supportive places to age without having to move out.
Another example was the Emergency Housing Vouchers partnership between the City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County, and the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA). The vouchers will provide permanent housing and wraparound social services to 50 families and 50 individuals experiencing chronic unsheltered homelessness. This investment stemmed directly from the priorities Council hears everyday from residents, who want to see the City invest in housing first, the humane and effective solution to homelessness. This program also was established because Hennepin County and MPHA had demonstrated data-backed success in 2021, when they created a similar program that was federally funded with ARPA dollars (federal covid relief funds).
Council also hears every year from residents that snow and ice make sidewalks inaccessible to pedestrians, elders, and residents with disabilities for a significant portion of the year. So I led Council to pilot three new programs to plow sidewalks and create a more accessible city that’s easier to get around without a car. The first year went great, with residents praising the huge impact this had on their day-to-day lives.
This week, Council learned that Mayor Frey is proposing cutting all of these investments, and many more.
I know there are residents out there who might be seeing those proposed cuts and thinking, what does this mean for my family and my neighbors who rely on these services?
I want to be clear to residents that the City Council has final budgetary authority and our job is to ensure that the final budget reflects resident priorities and meets residents needs without further raising the property tax levy. That’s what Council has done for the last several years and that’s what we’re planning to do going into 2026.
I look forward to many weeks of conversations with residents and my colleagues as we move towards adopting a 2026 budget that meets resident needs.
My office welcomes resident input on the budget at any time. Reach out to us at Ward2@minneapolismn.gov.
The budget process includes multiple public hearing opportunities. The first one is a public hearing on the maximum property tax levy for 2026 at the Board of Estimate and Taxation meeting on September 10th.
Public hearing on the maximum property tax levy
5:05 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10Room 350, Public Service Center, 250 Fourth St. S.A signup sheet will be onsite 30 minutes before the meeting.
You can also send comments online or directly to your Board of Estimate & Taxation elected officials or the city clerk.
Find out more about the board, find meeting agendas and minutes, and see the meeting schedule on the City website.
Summary: Council President Payne and I presented on the Council’s multi-year effort to put fees on MPD off-duty work. The Public Health and Safety Committee voted to advance the fees.
Background: Minneapolis Police Officers can work “off-duty” – essentially working private security jobs for personal gain while using City resources like cars and uniforms. This system has been identified as extremely problematic and inequitable from organizations ranging from the Department of Justice to local small business owners and is currently being subsidized by taxpayers by over $1 million dollars annually.
Despite years of stated intention to use their authority to regulate or reform off-duty, Mayor Frey and MPD leadership have not done so.
I have led the City Council on efforts to rein in the broken MPD off-duty system. Earlier this year, Council President Payne and I led Council to unanimously approve an ordinance that allows the City to charge fees on off-duty work. This week, President Payne and I brought forward the final code amendment needed to advance off-duty fees before the City’s 2026 Fee Schedule is finalized.
Key votes: The Public Health and Safety Committee voted 4-1 to recommend the Off-duty Fees (Appendix J) to Council for approval. Council Member Rainville voted in opposition. The full Council will vote on August 21st.
Summary: Council is reviewing data about equity in recruiting, hiring and retention for City employees with attention to equity.
Background: Council is responsible for oversight of the Mayor’s administration, including The Administration and Enterprise Oversight Committee received a report on key equity metrics from the Human Resource department, such as data on recruitment of new applicants, hiring, promotion, and retention for employees broken down by gender and race.
The presentation has sparked a variety of important conversations. One thing that concerned me immediately was that the City’s HR system only tracks demographic data on gender with the only categories available as “male” or “female.” This is not accurate of the gender diversity of current and potential City employees, and it isn’t inclusive or welcoming for potential applicants who are nonbinary.
I also requested that HR leadership provide a more detailed breakdown of key metrics by department. The City has over 4,000 employees working extremely diverse jobs, from street paving crews to attorneys to parking enforcement to firefighters. These varied departments have different strengths and challenges when it comes to creating an equitable, welcoming, and anti-racist work environment. Breaking down data by department can help Council identify trends that may require attention.
There was also interesting information about union representation and union density, including demographic data. I encourage everyone who is interested in this topic to review the presentation and watch the conversation.
Key votes: No votes taken
Summary: I am authoring an ordinance that would require a public hearing before MPD purchases any form of surveillance equipment. Testify to share your support.
Background: I’m authoring an ordinance that would require a public hearing before the City enters into any contract for surveillance technology. This is a common-sense regulation to improve transparency and protect civil liberties. Data protection and surveillance regulation are more important than ever in the current context of the Trump administration and large technology companies. I invite all residents to share their support for this ordinance:
Surveillance ordinance public hearing
Testify in person
- Tuesday September 2nd at 10am at the Administration and Enterprise Oversight Committee
- City Council Chambers Temporary Location - Public Service Building (250 S 4th St, Room 350)
Submit written testimony
- For “Subject or File Number,” write Surveillance Ordinance
Key votes: The Administration and Enterprise Oversight Committee voted unanimously to schedule a public hearing on the surveillance ordinance for September 2nd at 1:30pm.
Below is the most recent streetlight repair update from Public Works for the weeks of July 29 – Aug 11.
- New theft on Minnehaha Parkway around 3rd Ave and 4th Ave
- Work Completed
- In Progress
- Next Steps
- Start work at Cedar Lake (completion will be delayed because of wire supply issues)
- Prepping Minnehaha Pkwy
Additional updates:
- Public Works plans to receive 6 miles of aluminum wire sometime between Sept 10 and 24. This inventory delay is because the vendor cancelled a large order at the last minute.
- Pulling rope ahead of wire installations before late fall/winter helps Public Works do future work more efficiently and, potentially, later into the fall/winter.
- Verify conduits are clear and ready for wire
- Gives time to excavate and repair broken conduits before ground freezes
- Public Works continues to follow up with Xcel about their transformer issue on Bde Maka Ska.
At an open house Aug. 25, community can get an update on future steps for the Minneapolis Democracy Center at 3000 Minnehaha Ave (the former 3rd Precinct).
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LSE Architects will give an update on the design process for the Election & Voter Services spaces.
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Both applicants for the community partner space will present their proposals. The applicants are Change Inc. and Mama Sheila’s House of Soul.
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A Q&A session will follow, and attendees can take a survey on their opinions of the two applicants. This survey will be available online for several weeks.
Democracy Center open house5:30-8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 25Coliseum Building, 2708 E. Lake St.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m., presentations begin at 6. Food and refreshments will be served.
The engagement feedback and findings will be presented to the City Council later this year, tentatively in November.
Read more about the open house on the City website.
Starting Sept. 3, Metro Mobility riders can choose UZURV for their Premium On Demand service. When riders choose UZURV, Metro Mobility will contribute up to $20 towards every ride.
UZURV offers
- Same-day, on-demand rides or scheduling ahead.
- A $5 base fare. Metro Mobility pays up to $20 of the remaining fare.
- Accessible, door-to-door service every ride.
- Courteous drivers who know how to help people with disabilities.
- An easy-to-use, accessible UZURV Ride app and full-service call center.
Plus:
- No tipping is necessary.
- Up to two guests ride free.
- Service animals are always welcome.
- Wheelchair accessible vehicles are available.
- All rides are monitored by real people in real time.
Learn more about UZURV on the Metro Transit website
Contact Ward 2
Visit: minneapolismn.gov/ward2
Email: ward2@minneapolismn.gov
Phone: 612-673-2202
City Hall
350 S. Fifth St., Room 370
Minneapolis, MN 55415
For reasonable accommodations or alternative format please contact 311. 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 ayuda, llame al 311. Rau kev pab, hu 311. Hadii aad caawimaad u baahantahay, wac 311. |
