Public Health and Safety: Celebrating 2024 victories and looking ahead to 2025

City Council’s Public Health and Safety Committee Celebrates Year’s Accomplishments, Outline Priorities for 2025

The Committee has completed or initiated 96% of the actions on their 2024-2025 Work Plan and approach the new year invigorated to continue advancing resident needs.  

The Minneapolis City Council’s Public Health and Safety Committee has completed or initiated 96% of the actions identified in their 2024-2025 Work Plan. Committee leadership and Council Members gathered on Friday to celebrate the productive year and reaffirm their commitment to continuing the work in 2025.

“The Public Health and Safety Committee is here to serve residents. I’m proud that we made so much progress this year on community priorities like violence prevention, public health response to homelessness, environmental justice, police accountability, workers’ rights, opioid response, and more. I’m so excited to keep up the good work and productivity in 2025,” said Council Member Jason Chavez, Chair of the Public Health and Safety Committee.

The Work Plan, which was developed by the Public Health and Safety Committee and adopted by the full Council in March of 2024, outlines the committee’s 18 priority areas for the two-year term. The Council identified 59 actions they intend to take by the end of 2025 to advance these priorities. One year into the two-year term, the Committee has completed or initiated 56 of the 59 actions, or 96% of all the actions on their Work Plan. Of those, 14 actions (24%) have been completed and 42 (71%) have been initiated and will be ongoing into 2025. One action, the creation of a Labor Standards Board, was vetoed by Mayor Frey. Two actions have not been initiated yet and are likely to be priorities for the Committee next year.

“Going into a Trump presidency, it’s more important than ever that Council is using our committees to advance city goals around racial equity, environmental justice, workers’ rights, and humane and effective responses to homelessness. From carbon fees to encampment response to violence prevention, the Public Health and Safety Committee made a strong start on those priorities in 2024 and we’re ready to continue in 2025,” said Council Member Robin Wonsley, Vice Chair of the Public Health and Safety Committee.

Several of City Council’s committees adopted Work Plans for the 2024-2025 term. The Work Plans were developed within each committee, but accepted input from all Council Members and were adopted by the Council through the standard legislative process. Work Plans are a new model for the Council and have been celebrated as a tool to improve the legislative body’s focus, productivity, and transparency. Recent reports from the City Clerk have highlighted this Council’s above-average legislative output and productivity.

“This Council is serious about using our authority to write progressive legislation, pass equitable budgets, and conduct robust oversight to make sure residents’ needs are met. Work Plans are a great tool for accountable leaders, the Public Health and Safety Committee has exemplified that leadership in 2024,” said Council President Elliott Payne, who is a member of the Public Health and Safety Committee.   

View the adopted Minneapolis City Council Public Health and Safety Committee 2024-2025 Work Plan here. The chart below outlines status updates on each of the 59 actions identified in the Work Plan. The Public Health and Safety Committee resumes meetings on January 8th, in 2024.

Council Member Wonsley (Vice Chair of the Public Health and Safety Committee) speaking alongside Council Member Jason Chavez (Chair of the Public Health and Safety Committee) and Council President Elliott Payne (a member of the Public Health and Safety Committee).