| I’m back in Washington D.C.! I’m here for the National League of Cities 2024 Congressional Cities Conference, where I’ll be attending educational sessions, making valuable connections, and advocating on Capitol Hill with U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Kobuchar along with Congresswoman Ilhan Omar on behalf of all of you.
I’ve stayed busy over the past few weeks! From the Ward 11 Monthly Meeting, to making tie-blankets for the Link’s POWER Program, from having coffee meetings with residents, to celebrating International Women’s Day.
And it’s been just as busy at City Hall!
At the City Council Meeting on Thursday, we approved an Honorary Resolution for Women’s History Month celebrating the achievements of women in Minneapolis and beyond and pledging to continue our efforts to promote gender equity, celebrate diversity, and support the empowerment of all women in our community.
Thank you to WOMEN, a City employee resource group for women employees, and to all the women at the City of Minneapolis for your hard work, dedication, and commitment to public service.
Ensuring we are taking the best care of our natural assets like our creek and lakes has been a top priority of mine. So I am beyond excited about an approved Cooperative Agreement between the City of Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, and the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District that builds on the historic partnership between our organizations and is characterized by collaboration, potential, and opportunities. I have been working on this new Cooperative Agreement for two years, and I am so grateful that we moved it across the finish line. This agreement starts with three new projects and centers our values around increasing water quality. For more, please read the Minnehaha Watershed District Partnership section of this newsletter.
I also worked with Council Member Wonsley to amend the “Improving Workforce Culture” Legislative Directive. I amended the Legislative Directive to ask for more information regarding the City’s attrition trend over the past ten years, how we’ve been collecting data on the City’s attrition issues, and what the data from the past give years tells us. The City is experiencing serious attrition issues, and by digging into the data, I believe we will be able to find the problems and start working towards solutions. The amended Legislative Directive was approved.
Finally, we discussed, amended, and voted on the Transportation Driver Worker Protections Ordinance. I made a motion to delay the vote by two weeks. The State Department of Labor and Industry Report on the Compensation, Wellbeing, and Fair Treatment of Transportation Network Company Drivers was scheduled to be released the next day, and it contained information I felt was important for us to know and understand before making a final decision. My motion to delay failed. The Transportation Driver Worker Protections Ordinance was approved. But, the Mayor has vetoed the Transportation Driver Worker Protections Ordinance. For more, please read the Transportation Driver Worker Protections Ordinance section of this newsletter.
Keep an eye out on social media for updates and photos from my time in Washington D.C.!
In Gratitude,
Emily Koski
The Minneapolis City Council voted to approve a partnership between the City of Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, and the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District.
This partnership between our organizations is characterized by collaboration, potential, and opportunities. Through this cooperative agreement, we will begin short-term and long-term planning and take first steps on three water projects on Minnehaha Creeks. Through this partnership, we will make big strides on water and water quality to advance on resiliency and adapting to climate change.
I have been working on this partnership for two years, and I am so grateful that we moved it across the finish line. I look forward to continuing to lead this work as Chair of the partnership’s Steering Committee.
Thank you to the City, the Park and Recreation Board, and the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District for coming together on this cooperative agreement.
And, a huge thank you to Angie Craft, the City’s Director of Surface Water and Sewers Division; Michael Schroeder, the Park and Recreation Board’s Assistant Superintendent for Planning Services; James Wisker, the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District’s District Administrator; and Melissa Hill, my Senior Policy Aide for the extensive amount of time, effort, and hard work put into forming this cooperative agreement.
At the Minneapolis City Council on March 7th, we discussed, amended, and voted on the "Transportation Driver Worker Protections Ordinance (TNC)” to increase driver pay to $1.40 a mile and $.51 a minute.
I proposed an amendment to add regular external evaluations of the Ordinance 6 months, 1 year, and annually. The purpose of the amendment was to ensure that the City acquires clear data which shows the impacts of this Ordinance on TNC companies, drivers, and passengers, in the City of Minneapolis and the region so that in the future we can review and adjust the Ordinance if necessary. The City Council approved this amendment.
After the amendments, I made a motion to delay the vote on the Ordinance two weeks. The State Department of Labor and Industry scheduled to publish their report on the compensation, wellbeing, and fair treatment of transportation network company drivers the next day. The Report is a result of Governor Walz’s direction for the Department to conduct “a study to obtain and analyze data and information related to the working conditions of TNC drivers in Minnesota and how potential changes may impact access and cost for riders”.
I believe in good governance, and good governance means having as much information as possible, and using that information to make the best decisions possible for the people we represent.
This delay would have allowed the City Council the ability to move forward together with the State Legislature using new research from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. I believe it is in all of our best interest, the State, the City, drivers, passengers and companies to move forward jointly, as doing so would almost certainly ensure stability throughout the City, region, and State. It would all but ensure that any market disruptions or negative impacts on drivers and passengers would be minimal. Improving driver pay and stability are both key here and I believe moving forward without all the data that we can have risks that.
Ultimately, the two-week delay that I proposed was not passed.
I support improving pay, benefits and working conditions for our rideshare drivers. But, without the State’s report, without taking the time to take that information into consideration, and ensure that we were making the best decision possible, I was not ready to vote “yes” on the Ordinance.
Mayor Frey has vetoed the Ordinance and has called a Special Meeting of the City Council on March 14, 2024 for the City Council to consider his veto.
While preparing for this vote, I spoke to MN State Legislators, the MN Uber Lyft Drivers Association (MULDA), the Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Industry, and even a former Seattle City Council Member. I appreciate everyone’s time as I determine how to move forward with this ordinance in a way that will create stability for drivers and passengers of rideshare companies.
I am grateful to my City Council colleagues for approving the separate amendment I authored, to put in place regular external evaluations of the ordinance. This amendment will ensure that we have clear data which shows the impacts of this Ordinance on TNC companies, drivers, and passengers.
I hope that the City Council can continue to work with State Legislators to push for legislation. I also hope that current and future rideshare companies in our City can adjust and adapt with as little disruption for riders and drivers as possible.
The City of Minneapolis partners with Solar United Neighbors (SUN) to help community members go solar through a solar co-op.
About solar co-ops A solar co-op is neighbors coming together to get the best price from a vetted solar installer by using their group buying power and to tap into the co-op’s expertise.
Homeowners with low incomes who qualify for energy assistance, Medical Assistance, WIC or EBT also qualify for substantial financial incentives that can cover most of the cost of going solar.
Everyone can take advantage of the Solar Investment Tax Credit which allows you to claim 30% of the cost of going solar as a credit against federal income tax owed.
SUN will also help solar co-op members apply for Minneapolis Green Cost Share funds to cover part of the cost.
Join the solar co-op by May 31.
The City and engagement team (4RM+ULA and the Cultural Wellness Center) are holding a “dinner dialogue” March 28 to gather community visions within George Floyd Square. This event begins this year’s effort to create a community-centered vision for the area, including the Peoples Way site, street improvements, memorials and more.
Dinner dialogue on the future of George Floyd Square 6-8 p.m. Thursday, March 28 Sabathani Community Center, 310 E. 38th St.
Food and refreshments will be served; please RSVP.
Read more on the City website.
Learn more about George Floyd Square on the City website.
The Minneapolis Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs Community office hours provide basic information about immigration legal services, shelter resources, health care and more.
Office hours
Stop by South Minneapolis CareerForce, 777 E. Lake St.:
- 2-4 p.m. Wednesday, March 6.
- 2-4 p.m. Wednesday, March 13.
- 2-4 p.m. Wednesday, March 20.
- 2-4 p.m. Wednesday, April 3.
Twin Cities monthly immigration forum March 14
Join in monthly for immigration-related updates from the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
Twin Cities monthly immigration forum 4:30-6 p.m. Thursday, March 14 Join online over Microsoft Teams. Or call in (audio only) at +1 612-276-6670 with meeting ID 365504388#
Find details, dates and links to future and past meetings on the events calendar.
Learn more on the City website, email Michelle Rivero, or call 612-394-6018.
The City of Minneapolis has launched a multi-year recruitment campaign for hard-to-fill positions in 911 and the Police Department. We’re looking for talented, community-oriented people to apply for public safety careers like 911 call takers and police officers. Cities across the country are grappling with staffing shortages in critical public safety departments. Minneapolis is competing with local governments across the state and U.S. to recruit and retain officers.
Imagine yourself making an impact in Minneapolis. Find your potential while building a strong career.
Learn more on the City website.
The City Council has passed a resolution honoring Women’s History Month. The resolution commemorates the achievements of women and pledges to continue efforts to promote gender equity, celebrate diversity, and support the empowerment of all women in our community.
This year's theme for International Women's Day, “Inspire Inclusion,” echoes the need for calls for a collective effort to forge a more inclusive world for women, emphasizing the importance of understanding, valuing and promoting women's inclusion in all aspects of society.
The resolution also:
- Recognizes that all women are leaders, regardless of their formal roles or leadership positions.
- Acknowledges that the women’s movement has historically left out Black women, Indigenous women, transgender women and women of color and chooses to recognize and address the specific challenges faced by marginalized groups of women in the quest for true equity and inclusion.
Read the full resolution on the City website. |
