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I met with Seward residents who are passionate about reducing carbon emissions. We discussed franchise fees, carbon fees, municipal utilities, and other strategies to reduce emissions and create a more sustainable and equitable city for all residents. Thank you to Seward residents for organizing this meeting.
Council Member Wonsley with Seward residents advocating for climate equity and carbon emissions reduction.
I attended a barbeque hosted by SEIU Local 284. Local 284 members are the educational support staff and adjunct faculty that create a positive learning environment for Minneapolis students from cradle to career. It was great to connect with members and share food on a beautiful summer evening.
CM Wonsley and Senator Fateh with SEIU 284 workers at the SEIU Member barbeque.
Workers at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities represented by AFSCME are in negotiations for a contract that is fair and dignified for the public sector workers who make UMN run.
AFSCME workers at the University of Minnesota are told that cuts mean they have to tighten their belts. Yet administrative bloat continues to grow. The number of administrative employees at the University has outpaced student enrollment. The University is hiring a 12th vice president at an annual base salary of $395,000 a year, plus $275,000 in deferred compensation. In 2025 alone, the administration spent over $111 million on consultants. While academic departments face massive cuts, administrative costs will be cut by less than 1%.
Instead of administrative bloat, AFSCME workers are demanding the following investments in the workers who make the U’s mission and operations possible:
- REAL RAISES THAT KEEP UP WITH THE COST OF LIVING
- SAFE AND ADEQUATE STAFFING
- CODIFYING REPRODUCTIVE AND GENDER AFFIRMING CARE IN OUR CONTRACT
- RECOGNIZING INDIGENOUS PEOPLE’S DAY AS A UNIVERSITY HOLIDAY
- INCREASING VACATION ACCRUALS
I signed the petition in solidarity with AFSCME workers and I urge Ward 2 residents and other members of the University community to do the same.
Applications are still open for Seward Small Grants! Seward Small Grants is a program by the Seward Neighborhood Group to fund community-proposed initiatives that support the neighborhood. Since 2023, the Small Grant program has included beautification efforts, street art, festivals, educational events, restorative justice, as well as BIPOC and renter resident engagement. SNG provides technical support to community-lead initiatives, including project development, communications, fiscal agency, and funding support. Read more and apply here.
My office attended a meeting convened by the Metro Urban Indian Directors (MUID) to respond to the public safety crises impacting the Native community, particularly missing and murdered Native women and girls. MUID has been calling on MPD and multijurisdictional partners from the County and MetroTransit to serve the Native community by effectively addressing these issues. It was sobering to learn that the issues have continued largely unabated despite months of community organizations requesting the specific public safety services that they need. I look forward to remaining engaged in these conversations and partnering with my colleagues on Council to identify how to use budgetary and oversight tools to better serve the Native community.
The fifth annual City of Minneapolis Black Business Week kicks off Thursday, July 24, to celebrate and elevate Black-owned businesses – part of the City’s ongoing efforts to strengthen equitable economic opportunity and inclusive growth across Minneapolis, while bolstering civic
The “Legacy on the Block: A Black Business Showcase” starts at George Floyd Square.
The rest of the week has no shortage of other events, with more information found on the Black Business Week page on the City’s website:
- July 25 – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Ignite Business Conference: From Spark to Strategy – Mia – 2400 Third Avenue South
- July 26 – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. - Black Business Week Street Mall – Capri Theatre – 2027 West Broadway
- July 26 – 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. - Webber Camden & Northside Epicenter Black Business Expo – Northside Epicenter – 705 North 42nd Avenue
- July 28 – 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. - East African Business Resource Fair – Brian Coyle Community Center – 420 15th Avenue South
- July 29 – 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. - The Business of Self-Care: A Micro-Workshop for Entrepreneurs – Black Business Enterprises – 1128 Harmon Place, suite 200
- July 30 – 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. - Black Business Week Summit – Midtown Global Market – 920 East Lake Street
- July 31 – 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. - Entity Essentials: LLCs, Corporations and More - Online
- July 31 – 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. - Speed Mentoring with the Experts – Camden Social – 4601 North Lyndale Avenue.
I continue to hear from residents that they are deeply disturbed by the federal administration’s attacks on immigrants and want to be sure that the City of Minneapolis has no role in enabling ICE. My office has also received correspondence from residents about their experiences witnessing people being detained by individuals who have no identifying signs of being law enforcement of any type. It’s important to acknowledge the significant fear in the community. I also want to affirm that I will continue to utilize the council's oversight role to ensure the city is not participating or supporting these unprecedented attacks in the community.
The City has a separation ordinance that says City employees cannot ask for a resident’s immigration status or enforce federal immigration laws. However, there have been many questions and concerns about MPD’s crowd control at a federal operation that took place on East Lake Street on June 3rd. Mayor Frey and Chief O’Hara have given unclear and in some cases conflicting information about MPD’s role at that event, leaving many residents uncertain on whether the current ordinance is sufficient to ensure the city is not aiding the federal government in immigration enforcement.
Council unanimously requested an after-action review of the City and MPD’s actions at the June 3rd operation. The City Auditor will present their review to the Committee of the Whole on August 5th at 1:30pm.
Council Members Chavez, Chowdury and Vice President Chughtai have also given notice of intent to amend the City’s separation ordinance to strengthen it in light of the current federal context.
I want to continue to create opportunities for residents to share their concerns, ideas, and comments with the Council, the Mayor, and the Chief on the public record. In response to requests by residents and community members, I led Council to set a public hearing on the separation ordinance so that residents can submit testimony either in writing or on the record. Testimony could pertain to anything related to immigration enforcement and City policies, including the events of June 3rd, the results of the after-action review, suggestions to strengthen the separation ordinance, or any other related matters.
Immigration enforcement and City policies: Share your thoughts
Testify in person
- Committee of the Whole
- August 5th at 1:30pm
- City Council Chambers Temporary Location - Public Service Building (250 S 4th St, Room 350)
- Residents will have two minutes to share anything related to the topic of immigration and City policy
- Read more about rules for meetings and tips to participate.
Submit written testimony
- Testimony can be submitted in writing at any time using this form.
- Under “Subject or File Number,” write 2025-00784 or Immigration Enforcement
Public Works continue work around Lake Harriet after an Xcel issue caused them to need to pause repairs on Bde Maka Ska. They hope to return to Bde Maka Ska soon once the issue is addressed. Unfortunately, there was one copper wire theft this week- the first reported theft for several weeks.
Below is the most recent streetlight repair update for the week of July 14 – July 21.
- Some theft on Ridgway Pkwy
- Work Completed
- Lake Harriet – in progress
- Next Steps
Recent reports of car break-ins and damage to vehicles in Minneapolis and surrounding cities over the last two weeks serve as a reminder to take simple precautions to protect your vehicle and valuables.
Keep your car safe:
- Always take your keys with you.
- Lock your doors and windows.
- Park in well-lit, busy areas.
- Use an engine lock or install a GPS tracker.
- Don’t leave valuables like bags or electronics in your car.
Report suspicious activity Residents play a crucial role in preventing crime. If you see something suspicious, call 911 right away. Try to give a clear description of the people, cars and where they went.
Report stolen vehicles Call 911 and your insurance company right away if your vehicle is stolen. If your car is found, let them know immediately.
You can still request traffic calming in your area for 2026. Requests are due Aug. 1.
Make your request online by Aug. 1. If you’re not able to use the online form, you can print the application and either email it or mail it (postmarked by Aug. 1) to: Traffic Calming, 300 Border Avenue, Minneapolis MN 55405. If you need help filling out the form, you can contact Minneapolis 311.
Find more information about traffic calming projects on the City website.
Effective Law Enforcement For All (ELEFA) will present their latest updates next Wednesday, July 30, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at 3333 Penn Ave. N.
During the meeting, ELEFA will:
- Present an overview of its role in the settlement agreement
- Describe its requirements and how it checks compliance
- Provide implementation updates from the second semi-annual evaluation report.
Additional Resources
If you have questions or require accommodation to attend, please contact ELEFA directly.
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. |
