 This week was a busy one for our office, with public safety and economic revitalization front and center.
On the safety front, we held our second monthly multi-jurisdictional meeting at the Fifth Precinct focused on Uptown, where we learned about a successful services pilot at Walker Library — open houses held Thursdays in April that connected residents with community resources — and got a preview of the Uptown Safety Ambassadors program launching in November. That presentation was a valuable chance for partner agencies to learn about the program, ask questions, and explore how the Ambassadors' work can complement what's already happening on the ground. I also met this week with Chris Baker, Ward 7's representative on the Community Commission on Police Oversight (CCPO), to hear his ideas for ensuring that specific community feedback on police conduct reaches councilmembers and police leadership more directly, an important piece of the accountability picture.
Thursday night, we hosted our April Community Conversation on Uptown safety, bringing together MPD, Hennepin County Libraries, Uptown United, and the Office of Neighborhood Safety. The turnout and partnership on display was genuinely encouraging. The event was especially timely given last weekend's troubling incidents at the Venue on Knox and a neighboring apartment building, where teenagers broke in and harassed and assaulted residents. We've identified potential categorization issues with the 911 response that affected how urgently those calls were handled, and we are working to make sure that doesn't happen again. Also, for those of you who want to have input into the design of the Uptown Community Safety Ambassadors program, please take a moment to share your thoughts here.
We also said goodbye this week to Fifth Precinct Inspector James Novak, who is retiring after 34 years of dedicated service to MPD. His leadership has meant a great deal to our community — more on that below.
On economic vitality, it was an equally full week. The City announced $1 million in grants to 34 community organizations across the city to revitalize neighborhood business districts and support small businesses impacted by Operation Metro Surge — nine organizations serving Ward 7 received a combined $269,580. I met with the Uptown Farmers Market (UFM) to hear their vision for making the UFM an engine for economic activity across all of Uptown — including plans to make Uptown a true Thursday destination this season — and I'm committed to doing everything I can to support that.
I also spent time in the newly renovated lobby of the the U.S. Bancorp building at 800 Nicollet Mall, meeting with Building Owners and Management Association (BOMA) members, including the general manager of the U.S. Bancorp building and two of my council colleagues to discuss the challenges facing downtown commercial real estate. Some of their concerns included regulatory barriers to outdoor seating and street-level activation, safety concerns, filling vacancies, and declining commercial property values. The conversation reinforced my commitment to finding practical, near-term actions the city can take to increase street activation and signal clearly that Minneapolis is open for business. And I joined Mayor Frey at the ribbon cutting for Goosehead Insurance's new office at the 100 South Fifth Street tower — an out-of-state company choosing to invest in downtown Minneapolis because they believe this is a market where they can attract top young talent. My job is to make sure that faith is rewarded.
Finally, I visited the Davis Center to meet with MPS Superintendent Dr. Lisa Sayles-Adams. Strong schools are essential to a strong city, and I want to foster a closer relationship between the city and the schools. I shared concerns about the impact of school boundary decisions have on our Ward 7 families, and was encouraged to hear that MPS's forthcoming school transformation plan may address some of those issues. I also floated the idea of expanding MPS's downtown presence as that population grows and we work to encourage more families to put down roots in the urban core. And I took a moment to recognize the incredible work all of our Ward 7 schools have done in the face of Operation Metro Surge.
On legislation: Mayor Frey vetoed both major council actions from last week — the drug paraphernalia legalization ordinance and the 45-day pre-eviction notice requirement. I support both vetoes. The November election shifted the balance of power, and it's time for the council to work with the mayor to get things done for Minneapolis. That’s what residents expect us to do.
 Congratulations to the Minnesota Timberwolves for winning their playoff series against Denver last night, 110-98 in Game 6, and to Ward 7 council aide Dave Berge, who was in attendance cheering them on (along with several thousand other happy Minnesotans)! Berge reports that Timberwolves star Jaden McDaniels put Denver’s Jamal Murray “in jail,” and that it was fun to watch.
Meanwhile, the Minnesota Wild won their series last night against the Dallas Stars, marking their first playoff victory in 11 years. The Ward 7 Office is officially happy for the Wild, but it’s our job to be biased toward this side of the river, so we’re biased. Go Wolves!
And yes…CM Shaffer did wear her T-Wolves fan gear to the office today.
Congratulations are in order for the MPD Fifth Precinct. In the good-for-you, bad-for-us department, Inspector Jim Novak retired on Wednesday after 34 years of serving the City of Minneapolis. The very next day, Crime Prevention Specialist Faith Randal received the department’s Civilian of the Year Award at the MPD awards ceremony at St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church.
 The entire Ward 7 office is very happy for Inspector Novak, whose retirement is well-earned, but he’ll also be deeply missed. Since taking office in January, he’s been essential to understanding and working through public safety issues and trends throughout much of Ward 7. Smart, responsive, and good-humored, Inspector Novak modeled the sort of effective, unselfish leadership we all aspire to, and he was particularly key in navigating the public safety challenges facing Uptown. At his retirement ceremony on Wednesday, he was honored with a proclamation signed by the mayor and presented by Councilmember Palmisano, with other councilmembers in attendance. Happy retirement, Inspector Novak – thank you for everything, and job well done!
 Meanwhile, in her less than two years with the MPD, Faith Randal has become well-known to many in the community through her hard work, clear communication, and bright personality. Along with daily triaging public safety issues in the 20 neighborhoods of the Fifth and conducting crime prevention assessments for both businesses and residences, she has played a key role in implementing the Uptown trespass initiative, and has been a fixture at neighborhood events throughout the ward. We are hopeful she will get help soon as the hiring process for the second Crime Prevention Specialist for the 5th Precinct is in process. Faith is a trusted, go-to colleague on public safety matters, and her Civilian of the Year award is well-deserved. Congratulations, Faith!
In some very timely and exciting news, CPED just announced that the City is awarding $1 million to 34 community-based organizations to help the city’s business districts recover from the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. I’m pleased to say that a number of these recipients are based in Ward 7! These grants are funded, in part, through the recently-passed Small Business Resiliency Fund, and are operated in connection with the Great Streets Business District Support program.
Since 2008, this program has provided grants to neighborhood organizations, business associations, and community development organizations to implement strategies that strengthen the economic vitality of Minneapolis business districts. These grants support a wide range of activities, including marketing and promotion, events, branding, placemaking, and business engagement. All funded activities share a common goal: to increase foot traffic, support existing businesses, and enhance the overall vitality of commercial corridors, all of which has extra urgency as the city works to recover from Operation Metro Surge.
Amounts awarded range from $10,000 to more than $40,000, and include the neighborhood associations for Bryn Mawr, East Isles, Lowry Hill, and Stevens Square. Among the projects supported are readily recognizable events such as the Uptown and Stevens Square farmers markets, Holidays on Hennepin, Dinner DuNord, and the Aquatennial. Now that these events have received some additional seed money, let’s make sure to support them with our foot traffic! Click here to see the full list of recipients.
Saturday, May 2: West Maka Ska and East Maka Ska Neighborhood Councils, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Neighborhood Day gathering, Lakeside Center Parking Lot, 3033 Excelsior Blvd. Neighbors, food trucks, and more!
Saturday, May 2: Bryn Mawr Neighborhood Association, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Festival of Garage Sales. Location? Everywhere!
Saturday, May 2: Hill & Lake neighborhood associations, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m., Garden Tool Swap, Kenwood Rec Center, 2101 W. Franklin Ave.
Monday, May 4: Kenwood Neighborhood Organization annual meeting, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m., at the Kenwood Rec Center. There will be food…
Tuesday, May 5: Lowry Hill Neighborhood Association monthly board meeting, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., at the Kenwood Rec Center. Click here for more information.
Tuesday, May 5: Stevens Square Community Organization Executive Committee Meeting, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m., via Zoom.
Thursday, May 7: Citizens for a Loring Park Community fundraiser for the Berger (Dandelion) Fountain restoration, at Roxy’s Cabaret, 1333 Nicollet Mall, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. Click here for more information.
Tuesday, May 12: West Maka Ska Neighborhood Council monthly meeting, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.. Click here for more information.
Tuesday, May 12: East Isles Neighborhood Association monthly meeting, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m., at Grace Trinity Church, 1430 W. 28th Street. Click here for more information.
Wednesday, May 13: Cedar-Isles-Dean Neighborhood Asoociation annual meeting, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m., Jones Harrison Senior Living, 3700 Cedar Lake Avenue. Click here for full details.
Wednesday, May 13: Bryn Mawr Neighborhood Association annual meeting and potluck dinner, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m., Bryn Mawr School, 252 Upton Ave. S. Full details here.
Tuesday, May 19: Lowry Hill Neighborhood Association annual meeting, 5–7:30 p.m., at First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis, 900 Mount Curve Ave.
 As any Ward 7 resident knows, the Hennepin/Lyndale interchange is one of the main arteries and entry points for the ward, and it’s getting a refresh! Between mid-May and the end of June, MNDOT will be landscaping areas along the roadway between Dunwoody and the I-94 ramps, as you can see from the graphic above. Look for additional information in an upcoming newsletter. It will be exciting to get some new greenery into the area!
City crews have replaced the wiring in more than 700 streetlights over the last year. Streetlights that went dark from copper wire theft now shine through less expensive – and less likely to be stolen – aluminum wiring.
Last year an investment of funds to the Public Works Traffic Division allowed the City to hire more seasonal electricians, use more rental equipment and buy more material for the repairs.
Read more about streetlights on the City website.
 For those of you who, like me, have been distressed at the state of the gutted former Third Precinct headquarters on Lake Street, we got some good news this week. City staff unveiled a dynamic set of updated design images and video for the Minneapolis Democracy Center project.
These materials demonstrate the overall vision for the facility, while the design team is in the final stage of design for the project. Staff expects the final design will be completed in June, with construction bidding happening in June and July, keeping the project on track for construction starting in early fall.
The City of Minneapolis is seeking feedback on a draft of a Vision and Goals for the City of Minneapolis’ 2SLGBTQIA+ equity work in the Neighborhood and Community Relations Department. The City of Minneapolis has compiled this draft after conversations with leaders from community organizations, City staff, community members and Minneapolis residents between fall 2025 and spring 2026.
The Draft Vision and Goals is available on the Neighborhood and Community Relations website, and you can provide feedback by:
- using this online feedback form
- emailing: equity@minneapolismn.gov
- calling and leaving a voicemail message at 612-673-3737
In follow-up to an item from last week, the Capital Long-Range Improvement Committee (or “CLIC”) is meeting to discuss projects currently under review for the Minneapolis 2027-2032 Capital Improvement Plan.
The CLIC is a group of residents and business leaders who play an important role in advising the City of Minneapolis on its six-year Capital Improvement Plan. They share recommendations through an annual report and project ratings system. The committee will meet until the end of June, and your input is vital in helping to understand the needs and priorities of the community.
The CLIC’s next public listening session will be on May 7, where the CLIC and the city Planning Commission will discuss the projects currently under review for the Minneapolis 2027-2032 Capital Improvement Plan.
Public listening session on capital projects 6 p.m. May 7 Public Service Building room 100AB 505 S. Fourth Ave.
You are all encouraged to come, share your insights, and learn more about how CLIC influences the future of Minneapolis. For examples of the projects under consideration, which will be happening all over the city, here are a couple that are specific to Loring Park:
See upcoming committee meetings and events on the calendar or look at previous meeting agendas and minutes.
 Don't take this as a Ward 7 endorsement, but it is news:
Starting June 1, credit card payments will have a 2.35% processing fee. For example, a $100 utility bill would have a $2.35 credit card fee.
In the past, the City covered this cost. Like many other cities and utilities, we’re now passing that fee on to customers. The City does not keep the fee.
Easy ways to avoid the fee
You can avoid credit card fees by using other payment options. To avoid the fee, switch before June 1.
No-fee payment options
- Checks: electronic/online, mailed or in person
- Automatic checking or savings account payments
- Cash in person at the Public Service Building or retail partners
For more information, visit the City website.
Questions? Call 612-673-1114.
 Another reminder from last week: Curious what happens inside Minneapolis City Hall? During Doors Open Minneapolis, you’re invited to take a look.
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 9-10, this free event offers behind-the-scenes access to spaces that shape our city — and the people who keep it running.
At City Hall and Hennepin County Courthouse, don’t miss your first chance to see the newly updated City Council Chambers and other renovated spaces. Staff will be on hand to share how their work serves the community.
Doors Open is about more than buildings — it’s about helping people feel connected to their city. By opening these spaces, we make civic life more approachable and invite everyone to better understand, and care for, the place they call home.
You can also explore City sites like Fire Station 1, the Minneapolis Traffic Management Center and other spaces that shape our city.
Plan your visit on the Doors Open Minneapolis website.
No tickets are required — just bring your curiosity. |
