City of Minneapolis sent this bulletin at 06/25/2026 03:05 PM CDT
Council Member Linea Palmisano
June 25, 2026
CM Palmisano and her son, Oliver, scoop ice cream at the Kenny Ice Cream Social and Green Fair. Photo Credit: Sasha Jensen
Dear Neighbor,
Summer is in full swing! I spent last Thursday at the Kenny Ice Cream Social and Green Fair scooping ice cream with my son, Oliver. We enjoyed the perfect weather and chance to chat with neighbors. We even ran out of ice cream!
This week, Mayor Frey announced the process and timeline for selecting Minneapolis’ next Chief of Police. We are conducting a local and national search. The process timeline is about 16 weeks, but we are all eager to move quickly. In comparison, the search process for our last chief was eight months.
The Chief of Police is the most important hire the City Council will make this term, in my opinion. The process laid out by Mayor Frey allows for engagement with City leaders, Council Members, community stakeholders, and officers in the department. It gives my colleagues and me several touchpoints including focus groups to give input, involvement in second round interviews, and – as required by City Charter – ultimate confirmation authority at a public hearing. I’ve already started having these conversations with you at neighborhood meetings.
We need broad agreement and buy-in on our next police chief, not only for the confirmation process but also to build a positive working relationship between MPD and the City Council. The people of Minneapolis deserve this type of coordinated, robust hiring effort.
I am seeking a police chief who continues the essential work of reform, earns the respect of the rank and file, can make tough decisions, and shows up each day for residents and the needs of the community. I look forward to being part of this process and hearing more about what you’d like to see in our next police chief. I also greatly appreciate Interim Chief Billy Peterson’s service to the department during this critical moment.
The City of Minneapolis Public Works Department is improving the storm sewer system along Oliver Avenue in the Lynnhurst neighborhood to help reduce flooding risks and improve water quality. Construction begins July 13.
Work will occur on Oliver Avenue South between West 50th Street and Lake Harriet Parkway, West 50th Street between Oliver Avenue and Penn Avenue, and in the nearby alley. Construction will conclude Summer 2027.
Effective Law Enforcement for All (ELEFA), the independent monitor for the settlement agreement between the City of Minneapolis and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR), released its semi-annual progress report June 15.
This is the fourth progress report ELEFA has released since it began monitoring progress of the City’s compliance with the settlement agreement on March 18, 2024. The reporting period for the new report covers Oct. 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026.
The City of Minneapolis is beginning work on its next comprehensive plan, Minneapolis 2050. This plan will guide how the city will grow to meet the needs of people who live, work and play in Minneapolis. The City updates and submits its comprehensive plan to the Metropolitan Council every ten years.
Over the coming months, City staff will start asking for people’s ideas and feedback. Join our mailing list to get email or text updates about Minneapolis 2050 and how to get involved.
As Minneapolis gears up for a busy summer, the City launched a coordinated Summer Safety Plan focused on preventing violence, responding to emergencies and keeping the city welcoming and safe for everyone.
A key part of that effort is Operation Safe Summer, a week-long coordinated law enforcement effort in early June to target violent offenders, disrupt crime hotspots and improve public safety across the city. The initiative brings together the Minneapolis Police Department in partnership with the BCA, FBI, DEA, ATF, Minnesota State Patrol, Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, Hennepin County Attorney's Office, Metro Transit Police Department, Minneapolis Park Police and the Plymouth Police Department.
Through these strong partnerships and focused enforcement, Minneapolis continues working to reduce crime and ensure residents and visitors can enjoy a safe summer.
National Night Out is a beloved Minneapolis tradition — a chance for neighbors to connect, celebrate summer and strengthen community ties. Many blocks host cookouts, games and activities while kids enjoy playing freely in the closed street.
National Night Out takes place every year on the first Tuesday in August. This year’s National Night Out is August 4.
The event is sponsored by the City of Minneapolis and organized through the Minneapolis Police Department.
National Night Out event registration is now open. Make a plan for your neighborhood and sign up early to receive digital flyers and information about our National Night Out Pop-Ups, where registered hosts can receive supplies for their National Night Out neighborhood events.
One of the best parts of my job is getting to meet with my constituents, learn more about you and hear your questions, concerns, hopes and dreams for our shared community.
If you'd like to schedule a time to meet with me, send me an e-mailand my staff will help get it scheduled. Please let me know what you'd like to talk about and a convenient place to meet—a coffee shop, a park, your home, my office, etc. I try to reserve Fridays for constituent meetings, but can work them in other times, as necessary, too.
City Hall 350 S. Fifth St., Room 370 Minneapolis, MN 55415
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