--------- [ WAITING FOR CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS ]
>> GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ELLIOT PAYNE, THE PRESIDENT OF MINNEAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL. BEFORE WE CONVENE OUR MEETING, WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION OF HONORARY RESOLUTIONS. I WANT TO INVITE COUNCIL MEMBER CHAVEZ TO GIVE THE FIRST PRESENTATION RELATED
TO INTERNATIONAL TRANSGENDER DAY VISIBILITY.
-- DAY OF VISIBILITY.
>> ALL RIGHT EVEONE. TODAY WE'RE RECOGNIZING MARCH 31st, 2026 AS INTERNATIONAL TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY. AND OUR COLLEAGUES HERE WILL
READ THE RESOLUTION. SO, WHERE THE INTERNATIONAL TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY HOLIDAY WAS FOUNDED IN 2009 AS A REACTION T THE LACK OF LGBTQIA+ HOLIDAYS THAT CELEBRATE THE SUCCESSES AN ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF TRANSGENDER,
NON-BINARY, GENDER EXPANSIVE, AND GENDER NONCONFORMING PEOPLE. WHEREAS, THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS WAS THE FIRST CITY IN THE UNITE TO HAVE AN OPENLY TRANSGENDER PERSON SERVING AS PRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL [ APPLAUSE ]
HISTORY AS THE CITY'S FIRST INE THE UNITED STATES TO HAVE TWO BLACK, OPENLY TRANSGENDER COUNCIL MEMBERS ELECTED TO ITS BODY; AND. MINNEAPOLIS WAS THE FIRST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES TO BAN DISCRIMINATION BASED ON TRANSGENDER IDENTITY, 50 YEARS AGO, WHEN IT AMENDED ITS CIVIL
RIGHTS ORDINANCE IN 1975 BY ADDING LANGUAGE NNING DISCRIMIN BASED ON “HAVING OR PROJECTING SELF-IMAGE NOT ASSOCIATED WITH ONE'S BIOLOGICAL MALENESS OR ONE'S BIOLOGICAL FEMALENESS”; A. WHEREAS, THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLI CONTINUED TO MAKEFFORTS TO REDUCE THE SIGNIFICANT DISPARITIES IN EMPLOYMENT
HEALTHCARE, SAFETY, HOUSING, AN ACCESS TO PUBLIC SPACES, AS WEL AS ALL OTHER AREAS, LARGELY THROUGH THE TRANSGENDER ISSUES WORK GROUP, CREATED IN 2014, AN TRANSGENDER EQUITY COUNCIL, CREATED IN 2017;ND.
.. >> WHEREAS, IN 2014, IT'S BELIEVED THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS WAS THE FIRST CITY IN THE NATION TO HOST A CITY-SPONSORED
TRANSGENDER EQUITY SUMMIT, AN EVENT DRAWING INCREASED PARTICIPATION EACH YEAR UPWARDS OF 400 ATTENDEES. IN THE FALL OF THIS YEA THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS WILL PROUDLY HOST THE 11TH TRANS EQUITY SUMMIT; A.
WHEREAS, THE TRANSGENDER EQUITY SUMMIT IS THE RESULT OF THE COL EFFORTS OF VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS, CROSS GOVERNMENTAL COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ROOTED IN THE LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITIES OF
MINNEAPOLIS; AND. TRANSGENDER EQUITY COUNCIL, IN 2017, A VOLUNTARY BODY COMPRISE MOSTLY OF MINNEAPOLIS RESIDENTS FURTHER ENHANCED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN
THE ADVANCEMENT OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES OF THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS THAT IMPACT THE LIVES OF TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS; AND. >> WHEREAS, IN 2022 THE CITY OF
AND IN 2023 THE STATE OF MINNESOTA ISSUED EXECUTIVE ORDERS TO PROTECT AND SUPPORT THE RIGHTS OF MINNESOTA'S LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SAFELY SEEK AND RECEIVE GENDER AFFIRMING HEALTH CARE SERVICES, AND AN ACCOMPANYING BILL WAS
PAED AT THE LEGISLATURE. IN 2025 A NEW STATE LAW TOOK EFFECT REQUIRING HEALTH PLANS THAT COVER PHYSICAL OR MENTAL ALTH SERVICES TO ALSO COVER MEDICALL NECESSARY GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE. WHEREAS, OUR TRANSGENDER ANDEND NONCONFORMING COMMUNITY MEMBERS BOTH LALLY AND NATIONALLY
CONTINUE TO BE IMPACTED BY THE OF EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE CULTURE OF DISCRIMINATION, HARASSMENT, AND BARRIERS TO EQUAL OPPORTUNITS FOR THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY; AND
WHERED CONDEMNS IN THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE TERMS THE HORRIFIC AND EFFORTS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO ERASE THE IDENTITY OF TRANSGENDER PEOPLE ANDRIVE THEM OUT OF PUBLIC LIFE; AND WH IT IS INMBENT UPON ALL OF US TO CONFRONT AND CONDEMN THIS HARMFUL RHETORIC AND PHYSICAL VIOLENCE AGAINST OUR
TRANSGENDER NON-BINARY GENDER EXPANSIVE, AND GENDER NON-CONFIRMING COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WITH INTENTIONAL FOC ON TRANS YOUTH AND STUDENTS WHO EXPERIENCING GROUP VIOLENCE IN SCHOOLS; AND WHEREAS: IN DECEMBER 2024, CITY COUNCIL
FUNDED A LGBTQ2SIA+ MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM TO SUPPORT THE WORK OF A COMMUNITY-BASED ORGAN THAT DELERS DIRECT, AFFIRMING, AND HOLISTIC MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO SUPPORT THE WELLBEING OF LGBTQ2SIA+
INDIVIDUALS; AND WHEREAS: IN 2025, THE CIT OF M AWARDED A MINIRANT TO QUEERSPACE COLLECTIVE WHO SUPPORTED TRANS YOUTH MTAL HEALTH BY REDUCING SOCIAL ISOLATION BY FOSTERING PEER AND MENTOR CONNECTIONS, BUILDING
RESILIENCE THROUGH SKILL-BUILDING, AND INCREANG SELF-CONFIDENCE BY TRYING NEW THINGS IN A SAFE AND AFFIRMING ENVIRONMENT; AND ...
>> WHEREAS: IN 2025, THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS AWARDED A MINI-GRANT TO THE FAMILY TREE CLINIC THAT PLANNED AND HOSTED AN EVENT FOR TRANS YOUTH TO PROVIDE THEM WITH SUPPORT AND LET THEM KNOW THEY ARE CARED FO APPRECIATED. THEY HAD GENDER-AFFIRMING ACTIVITIES,
BOOKS AND CARE PACKAGES FOR PARTICIPANTS AND A LOCAL RESOURCE DIRECTORY AVAILABLE; WHEREAS: ON FEBRRY 19, 2026, TH MINNEAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL ADOPTE A RESOLUTION DENOUNCING THE TRU ADMINISTRATION'S ATTACK ON
GENDER AFFIRMI CARE FOR YOUTH; D WHEREAS: THE INTERNATIONAL TRA DAY OF VISIBILITY IS AN NUAL HOLIDAY CELEBRATED AROUND THE IMPORTANCE OF RECOGNIZING AND SUPPORTING THE RESILIENCE AND STRENGTH OF OUR TRANSGENDER, NO
BINARY, GENDER EXPANSIVE, AND GENDER NON-CONFIRMING COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON THIS DAY AND EVERY D NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED━ THAT THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DO HEREBY HONOR AND COGNIZE MARCH 31, 2026, AS A DAY DEDICAD TO CELEBRATING THE
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND VICTORIES O TRANSGENDER, NON-BINARY, GENDER EXPANSIVE, AND GENDER NON-COIRMING COMMUNITIES WHILE RAISING AWARENESS OF THE WORK THATS STILL NEEDED TO SAVE TRANS LIVES.
[ APPLAUSE ] >> AND I'LL OPEN UP TO OUR INCREDIBLE CITY STAFF HERE TO SAY A FEW WORDS, IF THEY WOULD LIKE. >> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. HI, EVERYBODY MY NAME IS SHORE LIKE THE SEASHORE. THEY/THEM.
WHAT A DREAM HERE AT THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS! AND I ALWAYS -- ANKS. AND I FEEL HONORED TO STAND WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS IN MOMENTS THESE LIKE WHEN WE HON NOW OUR COMMUNITIES. MY WORK IS TO HONOR THE HUMANITY OF OUR COMMUNITIES HERE AT THE CITY OF
MINNEAPOLIS. THIS SUMMER WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, OFFERING SOME GUIDING LIGHT AND SOME PLANS AND SOME ACTIONABLE WAYS TO CONTINUE TO MAKE MINNEAPOLIS A THRIVING CITY FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. AS WELL AS KICNG OFF PLANS FOR
THE FUTURE OF THE TRANSEQUITY SUMM, THE TRANS EQUITY COUNCIL, AND THE AMAZING WORK THAT THESE AMAZING FOLKS HAVE LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR. SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR US. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.
>> AND STAFF ALWAYS HAS AN INCREDIBLE ROLE IN MAKING SURE THESE RESOLUTIONS HAPPEN. ALL THE BEHIND THE SCENES WORK SO WE DO THE INCREDIBLE DAYS OF HONORING OUR COMMUNITIES. IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE INCREDIBLE STAFF THAT DO A LOT OF WORK BEHIND THE SCENES AND IT'S IMPORTANT WE
RECOGNIZE THEM, AS WELL. WE HAVE COLLEAGUES HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER JENKINS, I' NOT SURE IF YOU WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS. >> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CHAVEZ. IS IT ON? CAN YOU HEAR ME? THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CHAVEZ. AND ALL THE COUNCIL
MEMBERS FOR SUPPORTING THIS DAY AND HONORING AND RECOGNIZING THIS D. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. I WANT TO JUST ASK ALL OF YOU IN THE AUDIENCE, AND PEOPLE LISTENING, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS. THERE IS A
BILL IN THE HOUSE THATS TRYING TO REPEAL THE MINNESOTA BAN ON CONVERSION THERAPY WHICH IS A VERY PROCEDURE OR PROSS THAT
TRANS AND GENDER NONCONFORMING AND LGBT PEOPLE GO THROUGH. IT REALLY HARMS PEOPLE MUCH MORE THAN IT HELPS. SO CONTACT YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS IF YOU ARE AN ALLY TO THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[ APPLAUSE ] >> WE'LL GET REA FOR A PHOTO, BUT AS WE PASS THIS RESOLUTION TODAY, WE ARE ALSO, AS A CITY, WORKING ON AN ALL-GENDER AND ALL-SEXUALITY WELCOMING ORDINANCE. IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT
THAT WE RECOGNIZE THESE IMPORTANO MEANINGFUL POLICY TO PROTECT OUR NEIGHBS WHO ARE LITERALLY UNDER ATTACK BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. SO I JUST WANTED TO AT LEASTRING SOME AWARENESS TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE UPCOMING THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR MEMBERS. AND WE'LL GET READY FOR A PHOTO!
THIS IS HOW WE -- HOW DO WE DO?
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> NEXT WE WILL RECOGNIZE HIGH SCHOOL VOTER REGISTRATION WEEK
WITH COUNCIL MEMBER WHITING.
>> WONDERFUL. THANK YOU FOR COMING! I WAS TOLD I WASN'T ALLOWED TO JUST MAKE IT WASH BURN/MILLER WEEK. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE! WE ARE JOINED BY THE FOUR OF US COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE MINNEAPOL HIGH SCHOOL. SO
WE HAVE US FOUR. SO THANK YOU TO OUR HIGH SCHOOLERS HERE AS WE STAND HERE IN RECOGNITION OF HIGH SCHOOL VOTER WEEK. VOTER REGISTRATION WEEK. AND I WANT TO TALK TO OUR FOUR HIGH SCHOOLERS HERE, BEN, ODIN, CINDY, AND ICE. THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO EVERY
SINGLE DAY IN OUR COMMUNITIES. AND WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR YOUTH. AND I WANT TO IMPRESS UPON THE FOUR OF YOU ALL, IT'S NOT JUST THE FUTURE YOU -- CONTINUE SHOWING UP EVERY DAY WITH THE VIGOR, THE VITALITY, EVERYTHING THAT YOU
BRING TO OUR CITY. IT IS BEYOND APPRECIATED! AND WE THANK YOU. QUICK NOTE ON BEN HERE. BEN HAS BEEN FABULOUS WITH THE VOTER. HE SENT OVE HUNDREDS OF VOTERS
INTERESTS AND IMPORTANT VOICES OUR TEAM IN THE CITY. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, BEN. WITH THAT, WE WILL KIND OF GET TO THE REGISTRATION HERE OR THE RESOLUTION. IN RECOGNITION OF HIGH SCHOOL VOTER REGISTRATION
WEEK. WHEREAS: THE RHT TO VOTE IS A FUNDAMENTAL COMPONENT OF OUR DEMOCRACY, ALLOWING ELIB RESIDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEIR VOICE IN OUR GOVERNANCE AND SOCIETY; AND WHEREAS: IN THE 2020 UNITED STA CENSUS, THERE WERE OVER 26,000 INDIVIDUALS IN THE 15-TO-19-YEA
AGE RANGE WITHIN MINNEAPOLIS, NEARING OR MEETING AGE REQUIREMENTS TO VOTE; AND >> WHEREAS: HIGH-SCHOOL-AGED VOTERS ARE HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESEED IN THE VOTING POPULACE AND MISSED BY
TRADITIONAL VOTER ENGAGEMENT METHODS; AND EDUCATING AND EMPOWERING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO REGISTER OR PREREGISTER TO VOTE FOSTERS A CULTURE OF CIVIC STRENGTHENING OUR DEMOCRACY FO
GENERATIONS; AND >> WHEREAS: THE CITY OF MINNEAP HISTORICALLY RECORDS A HIGH VOTER TURNOUT RATE, HAVING WORKED TO MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH VOTERS HAVE ACCESS TO THE BALLOT; AND
WHEREAS: THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLI COMMITTED TO IMPROVING AWARENES AND SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT R AND PREREGISTRATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGH-SCHOOL-AGED INDIVIDUALS; AD >> WHEREAS: THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS IS PROUD TO CELEBRATE HIGH SCHOOL VOTER REGISTRATION WEEK AND ENCOURAGE
HIGH SCHOOL VOTERS TO LEARN MOR ON THEIR REGISTRATION OPTIONS T EXPRESS THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE.
━NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVE━ THAT THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE THE WEEK OF
APRIL 19, 2026, TO AIL 25, 2026, AS HIGH SCHOOL VOTER REGISTRATION WEEK IN THE CITY O. >> THA YOU. WE ALSO HAVE SOME REPRESENTATIVES HERE FROM ELECTION AND VOTER SERVICES. AS WELL. AGAIN, THANK YOU TOS, ALL OF YOU FOR THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING TO ENSURE THAT DEMOCRACY THRIVES NOT JUST HER
IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS, BUT ACROSS THIS COUNTRY. AND THE WORK YOU ALL DO IS ENTIRELY IMPORTANT IN ENSURING THAT DEMOCRACY EXISTS. WE THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO EVERY DAY. SO THANK YOULL SO MUCH!
[ APPLAUSE ] >> GOOD MORNING. EYE KATIE SMITH, DIRECTOR OF ELECTIONS AND VOTER SERVICES WITHI THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. I HAVE THE HONOR OF SERVING IN THAT ROLE. I'D LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR THANKS TO THE COUNCIL FOR THEIR CONTINUED AND ONGOING SUPPORT.
AND I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MY TEAM MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE. SPECIFICAL OUR STUDENT ELECTION JUDGE COORDINATOR. WE HAVE A NATIONALWARD IN OUR STUDENT ELECTION JUDGE PROGRAM. AND WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF STUDENTS ACROSS THE CITY NOT ONLY ARE REGISTERED BUT SERVE IN
THE POLLS ON ELECTION DAY ITLF. ALSO, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR PARTNERS, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, AND ALL OF THOSS TODAY AND PARTNER JURISDICTIONS, AS WELL. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, AND MOST KEY, ALL OF OUR STUDENTS WHO WORK SO HARD IN THE SCHOOLS AND ON CAMPUS DOING THE
WORK OF REGISTERING AND SERVING AS OUR STUDENT JUDGES. I'LL GO AHEAD AND PASS THE MIC ALONG. IT'S IMPORTANT TO VOTE. IN THE MIDTERMS, MAKE SHOWER TO VOTE.
MAKE SURE TO REGISTER BEFORE YOU VOTE. AND VOTE IN THE PRIMARIES COMING UP IN AUGUST!
>> WE ARE SEEING EXTME DEGRADATION IN OUR VOICES AND RIGHTS OF CITIZENS. IT'S IMPORTANT ALL OF US GO OUT AND VOTE AND SPEAK UP TO OUR CONGRESSMAN, OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBS, AND STA REPRESENTATIVES SO WE CONTINUE
TO HAVE THESE RIGHTS AS THESE YEARS MOVE FORWARD.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU EVERYONE. AT THIS TI, I'M GOING TO CALL THIS REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR APRIL 9th TO ORDER. THE CLERKILL CALL THE ROLL. >> COUNCIL MEMBER WHITING. >> HERE. >> CHOWDHURY. >> AYE HERE.
>> STEVENSON. >> HERE. >> RAINVILLE. >> HERE. >> VETAW. >> PRESENT. >> PMISANO. >> PRESENT. >> CHAVEZ. >> PRESENT. >> WARREN. >> HERE. >> SHAFFER. >> PRESENT. >> WONSLEY.
PRESENT. >> CHUGHTAI. >> PRESENT. >> VICE PRESIDENT OSMAN >> PRESENT. >> PRESIDENT PAYNE. >> PRESENT. >> 13 MEMBERS PRESENT. >> LET THE RECORD REFLECT WE HAVE A QUORUM. BEFORE WE BEGIN THE MEETING, LET ME REMIND ALL MEMBERS AND STAFF THIS MEETING IS BROADCAST LIVE TO ENABLE GREATER PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION. THE BROADCAST INCLUDES REAL TIME CAPTIONING AS A MEANS TO INCREASE THE ACCESSIBILITY OF OUR PROCEEDINGS TO THE COMMUNITY. THEREFORE, ALL SPEAKERS NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF THE RATE OF THEIR SPEECH SO THAT OUR CAPTIONERS CAN FULLY CAPTURE ANDRANSCRIBE ALL COMMENTS FOR THE BROADCAST. WE ASK ALL SPEAKERS TO MODERATE THE
SPEED AND CLARITY OF THEIR COMMENTS. WITH THAT, THE AGENDA FOR TODAY'S MEETING IS BEFORE . ARE THERE ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE AGENDA? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> THE CLERK WILL CAL THE ROLL.
>> CNCIL MEMBER WHITING. >> AYE. >> CHOWDHURY. >> AYE. >> STEVENSON. >> RAINVILLE. >> AYE. >> VETAW. >> AYE. >> PALMISANO. >> AYE. >> CHAVEZ. >> AYE. >> WARREN. >> AYE. >> SHAFFER. >> AYE. >> WONSLEY. AYE. >> CHUGHTAI. >> AYE. >> VICE PRESIDENT OSMAN.
>> AYE. >> PRESIDENT PAYNE. >> AYE. >> 13 AYES. >> THAT CARRIES. AND THEGENDA IS ADOPTED. THE NEXT ITEM IS ACCEPTANCE OF THE MINUTES FROM OUR REGULAR MEETING OF MARCH 26th. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT T MINUTES. CLERK WILL CALL THE ROLL. >> WHITING. >> AYE.
>> CHOWDHURY. >> AYE. >> STEVENSON. >> AYE. >> RAINVILLE. >> AYE. >> VETAW. >> AYE. >> PALMISANO. >> AYE. >> CHAVEZ. >> AYE. >> WARREN. >> AYE. >> SHAFFER. >> AYE. >> WONSLEY. >> AYE. >> CHUGHTAI. >> AYE. >> VICE PRESIDE OSMAN. >> AYE. >> PRESIDENT PAYNE.
>> AYE. >> 13 AYES. >> THAT CARRIES. AND THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED. FINALLY, WE HAVE THE REFERRAL OF PETITIONS COMMUNICATIONS AND REPORTS TO PROPER COMMITTEES. MAY I HAVE THAT MOTION, PLEASE. >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> WHITING. >> AYE. >> CHOWDHURY. >> AYE. >> STEVEON.
>> AYE. >> RAINVILLE. >> AYE. >> VETAW. >> AYE. >> PALMISANO. >> AYE. >> CHAVEZ. >> AYE. >> WARREN. >> AYE. >> SHAFFER. >> AYE. >> WONSLEY. >> AYE. >> CHUGHTAI. >> AYE. >> VICE PRESIDENT OSMAN. >> AYE. >> PRESIDENT PAYNE. >> AYE. >> THAT CARRIES AND THE MATTERS
T ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE PRESENTATION OF REPORTS FROM STANDING COMMITTEE I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER CHOWDHURY TO PRESENT THE FINAL REPORT FROM OUR SUPER COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. AND THANK YOU, MEMBERS, FOR YOUR
WORK ONHE FINAL SUPER COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. IT WAS, I THINK, A GOOD EIGHT HOURS SPENT TOGETHER! THE SUPER COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE IS BRINGING FORWARD 55 ITEMS TO TODAY'S COUNCIL MEETING. THE FIRST NINE ITEMS WERE PUBLIC HEARINGS HELD AT THE COMMITTEE
OF THE WHOLE ON TUESDAY. ITEM NUMBER ONE IS APPROVING A LIQUOR LICENSE FOR EL RANCITOP. TWO IS EXTENDED HOURS FOR RAMADAN CAFE. THREE AND FOUR ARE RESURFACING
PROJECTS. FIVE APPROVES ZONING BOARD APPOINTMENTS. SIX IS CONSIDERING THE DRUG PARAPHERNALIA DECRIMINALIZATION DINANCE KNOWN AS CARE OVER CRIMINALIZATION. THIS WAS SENT FORWARD WITHOUT RECOMMENDATION.
AND ITEMS SEVEN THROUGH NINE WERE ALL CITY APPOINTMENTS A THESE WERE ALSO SENT FORWARD WITHOUT RECOMMENDATION. ITEM NUMBER 10 APPROVES A DONATION OF PACKER TRUCKS TO OUR SISTER CITY ELDORET, KENYA. 11 IS A GIFT
ACCEPTANCE. 12 IS A LEGAL SETTLEMENT. 13 APPROVES A FIRE CHIEF POSITION. ITEMS 14 THROUGH 17 ARE APPROVING LIQUOR AND GAMBLING LICENSES. 18 AND 19 ARE GREAT STREET LOAN APPROVALS. 20 ACCEPTS A GRANT.
21 IS A GIFT ACCEPTANCE. 22 AND IS A CONVENTION CENTER CONTRACT AND BID. TEMS 24 THROUGH 28 ARE REFERRALS TO STAFF FOR VARIOUS ORDINANCES. THESE WERE ALL SENT FORWARD WITHOUT RECOMMENDATION AT THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE DUE TO
TIME. 29 THROUGH 31 ARE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS. ITEMS 32 THROUGH 2 -34 AUTHORIZED MASTER CONTRACTS. 35 IS A HOME GROWN COLLABORATIVE PROJECT.
ITEMS 36 ACCEPTS A GRANT AND ITEM 37 ACCEPTS A GIFT ACCEPTANCE. 38 AUTHORIZES AN AGREEMENT WITH MNDOT. 39 ITEMS 41 AND 40 ARE ACCEPTINGNT. GRANTS RELATED TO PROJECTS. ITEM 42 DESIGNATES THE WEST
FULTON PROJECT AND ADOPTS THE REPORT. ITEMS 43 THROUGH 46 ARE VARIOUS BIDS. ITEM 47 AUTHORIZES AN AGREEMENT. 48 THROUGH 49 AREARIOUS BIDS. 50 IS A GIFT ACCEPTANCE. ITEM 51 IS AN AGREEMENT FOR EMERGENCY
HOUSING VOUCHERS. ITEMS 52 CONSL BEING SERVICES AT THE SOUTH MINNEAPOS SAFETY CENTER. THIS WAS SENT FORWARD WITHOUT RECOMMENDATION. ITEMS 53 AND 54 AUTHORIZE EXCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS. AND, LASTLY, ITEM 55
CONSIDERS A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING HNEPIN COUNTY'S HCMC FUNDING EFFORTS. THIS WAS SENT FORWARD WITHOUT RECOMMENDATION DUE TO TIME. AND WITH ALL OF THAT, I WILL MOVE ALL ITEMS FOR APPROVAL AND WILL PULL THE FOLLOWING FOR A SEPARATE VE AND POSSIBLE
DISCUSSION: 6, 7, 8, 9, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 52, AND 55. AGAIN, ALL OF THESE SENT FORWARD WITHOUT RECOMMENDATION. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. >> COUNCIL MEMBER CHOWDHURY HAS MOVED APPROVAL OF THE COMMITTEE
REPORT. ANY COMMENTS ON THE ITEMS OR NEED TO PULL ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT WERE NOT ALREADY REFERENCED? I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER CHAVEZ. >> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT PAYNE. I WAS GOING TO PULL O 6 FOR DISCUSSION AND FIGURED IF
THE CLERKS CAN SEND THE ITEMS PULLED OUT. IT WAS A LOT. >> WHAT WAS THE LAST PIECE. >> IF THE CLERKS CAN E-MAIL US ALL A LIST OF THE ITEMS PULLED OUT. BECAUSE IT WAS A LOT. >> AND WE HAVE SIX PULLED OUT ALREADY. SO, COUNCIL MEMBER CHUGHTAI.
>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I WOULD LIKE TO PULL IM NUMBER 13 FOR A SEPARATE VOTE. >> OKA SEEING NO ONE ELSE LEFT IN QUEUE, AND I'LL RESTATE WHAT'S BEING PULLED. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE UP ALL ITEMS ON
THE AGENDA ON THE C.O.W. REPORT MINUS NUMBER 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 52, AND 55. I'LL REPEAT THAT ONE MORE TIME.
AL ITEMS ON THE C.O.W. REPORT MINUS ITEMS 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 24,
25, 26, 27, 28, 52, AND 55. AND SEEING NO ONE ELSE LEFT IN QUEUE, I'LL ASK THE CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL ON ITEMS EXCEPT FOR THE ONES I'VE NUMBERED. >> WHITING. >> AYE.
>> CHOWDHURY. >> AYE. >> STEVENSON. >> AYE. >> RAINVILLE. >> AYE. ON ALL ITEMS EXCEPT 49. >> COUNCIL MEMBER VETAW. >> AYE. >> PALMISANO. >> AYE. >> CHAVEZ. >> AYE. >> WARREN. >> AYE.
>> SHAFFER. >> AYE. >> WONSLEY. >> AYE. >> CHUGHI. >> AYE. >> VICE PRESIDENT OSMAN. >> AYE. >> PRESIDENT PAYNE. >> AYE. >> 13 AYES ON THE REPORT EXCEPT FOR NUMBER 49 WHICH HAS 12 AYES AND ONE NAY. >> THOSE ITEMS CARRY. NEXT
WEL TAKE UP ITEM NUMBER SIX. AND I WILL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEER WHI WHICH CHAVEZ. >> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT PAYNE. COLLEAGUES, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ENGAGING IN THIS CRITICAL AND IMPORTANT TOPIC REGARDING
THE CARE OVER CRIMINALIZATI ORDINANCE. AH, CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM AND PUBLIC HEALTH. AND WHILE THIS ORDINANCE HAS ENOUGH SUPPORT TO PASS TODAY, SEVER COLLEAGUES MADE A REQUEST FOR
MORE TIME. MAKE A MOTION TO DELAY THIS ORDINANCE UNTIL THE APRIL 22nd -- >> SECOND. >> 2026 FULL COUNCIL MEETING. THAT ALSO MEANS THE AMENDMENTS WE WERE GOING TO CONSIDER TODAY FOR -- APRIL 23rd. THA MEANS THE AMENDMENTS WE'RE GOING
TO CONSIDER TODAY THAT -- WIL NOT BE CONSIDERED BUT WILL BE AT THE MEETING. I HOPE TO USE THE TIME TO BETTER EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DRUG POSSESSION AND DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. THIS ORDINANCE IS SIMPLY ABOUT PARAPHERNALIA. LASTLY, COLLEAGUES, I WANT TO
BRING ATTENTION ABOUT A LETTER WE GOT FROM MEMBERS OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE THIS MORNING ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THIS AND ASKING MAYOR FREY TOIGN IT. THIS WILL BE PUT ON LIMS, AS WELL. SO THANK YOU. >> COUNCIL MEMBER CHAVEZ HAS
MOD TO DELAY THIS UNTIL THE APRIL 23rd MEETING THAT BEEN PROPERLY SECONDED. I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER CHOWDHURY. >> YES, THANK YOU, PRESINT PAYNE. I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO JUST THANK THIS BODY FOR THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD ABOUT THE CARE OVER CRIMINALIZATION ORDINANCET THE
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. I THINK IT WAS, LIKE, A HELPFUL, ROBUST DISCUSSION. I TNK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO HAVE THE TIME FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT ARE ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THE ORNANCE MEANS TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN DECRIMINALIZING DRUG POSSESSION AND DECRIMINALIZING DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. AND THEN, AL, UNDERSTANDING MORE ABOUT WHY THIS MATTERS IN TERMS OF A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH. UMM, I HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS WITH SEVERAL HARM REDUCTION
ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE SHARED THAT THEIR WORK WERE DEPENDS ON COMMUNITY MEMBERS FEELING LIKE THEY CAN APPROACH THEM AND APPROACH TREATMENT AND HYPERCRIMINALIZATION MAKES MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION TURN INWARD. AND, ALSO, ONE OF THE BIGGEST
THINGS THAT WE WT TO ADDRESS IS ENSURING THAT WE ARE REDUCING THE NUMBERS OF HIV AND HEPATITIS IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND A BIG WAY THAT'S PROVEN, THAT'S EVIDENCE BASED IS THE DECRIMINALIZATION
OF PARAPHERNALIA. I ALSO WANTO STATE THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN E-MAILS OF SUPPORT FR SEVERAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BUT, ALSO, SEVERAL PHYSICIANS ROUGHOUT THE STATE OF MINNESOTA THAT IS DEEPLY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS EFFORT. AND
I, ALSO, WANT TO THANK SENATOR CLAIRE WHO WAS AUTHOR OF THIS LEGISLATN AT THE STATE LEVEL. AND WANT TO THANK HER FOR WORKING WITH MY OFFICE TO REALLY CHAMPION WRITING A LETTER OF SUPPORT. I ENCOURAGE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLICO TAKE A READ AT
THIS LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM OUR STATE LEADERS. WE HAVE MEMBERS OF THE STATE SENATE AND MEMBERS OF THE STATE HOUSE. AND WE ALSO HAVE MEMBERS THAT ARE SUPPORTIVE THAT WROTE THIS LETTER AND SIGNED ON TO IT OUTSIDE OF THE
CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. I WANT TO ESPECIALLY THANK REPRESENTATIVE KELLIE MOLAR, WHO IS THE CHAIR OF PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE, AND POLICY. AND I'M GOING TO LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAVE IN THE FOLLOWING WEEKS. >> COUNCIL MEMBER WHITING.
>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT PAYNE. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO NOTE, TOO, ON THE RECORD HERE. WHAT THIS ORDINANCE IS NOT. THIS ORDINANCE IS NOT THE DECRIMINALIG POSSESSION. THAT IS STILL ILLEGAL UNDER STATE LAW. AND IT WILL BE ILLEGAL UNDER
MINNEAPOLIS ORDINANCE. AND SO I THINK IT IS HELPFUL TO NOTE THAT ON THE OUTSET. AND I WILL HAVE NEXT FEW WEEKS AND MONTHS,ER THE PARTICULARLY ON THIS ORDINANCE. I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE WITH MY APPRECIATION TO COUNCIL MEMBER CHAVEZ. SPECIFICALLY, I THINK,
YOU KNOW, AS I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE ORDINAN IS WRITTEN. YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THE MOVE TO DELAY THIS FURTHER TO HAVE A FURTHER CLARIFICATION AND ENGAGE IN A COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT ACROSS THIS BODY TO LISTEN TO THE VIEWS AND VOICES THAT CAN BETTER REFLECT VAST MAJORITY OF THI
BODY, AS WELL. I APPRECIATE DOING THAT VERSION OF COLLABORATION HERE. IT MEANS A LOT TO ME, AS I'M SURE IT DOES TO OTHERS. THANK YOU. >> COUNCIL MEMBER CHU CHUGHTAI CHUG. >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I NT TO ALSO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER CHAVEZ AND THE AUTHORS
FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM FORWARD. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT WAY FOR US TO UPLIFT THE HUMANITY OF ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS IN MINNEAPOLIS. AS WE CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION OVER THIS UPCOMING CYCLE, AND I THINK THAT IS -- THAT IS A
REALLY GOODHING FOR US TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE IN CONVERSATIONS AND REALLY, UMM, BE PART OF, UMM, TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT IT IS WE'RE DOING. BECAUSE, AH,E ARE NOT DECRIMINALIZING THE POSSESSION OR THE USE OF, UMM, ANY DRUGS.
IT IS, AH, REALLY SPECIFICO DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. AND IN ALIGNMENT WITH, UMM, THE STATE LAW CHANGE THAT WAS APPROVED A FEW YEARS AGO NOW. UMM,S WE CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION, THOUGH, OVER THE NEXT CYCLE, I THINK MY ONE ASK TO COLLEAGUES
HERE, UMM, IS THAT -- IS THA WE, UMM, WE NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE HARMFUL RHETORIC OR REPEATING THE HARMFUL RHETORIC THAT DEGRADES THE DIGNITY AND THE HUMANITY OF ALL PEOPLE.
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER IS AN ILLNESSES. IT'S NO DIFFERENT FROM DIABETES OR CANCER. IT IS AN ILLNESSES THAT AFFLICTS TENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY. IT'S ESTIMATED SOMETHING BETWEEN 40 AND 50 MILLION PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY SUFFER FROM SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER THEY ARE OUR
NEIGHBORS, OUR LOVED ONES, AND -- AND WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT -- THAT, UMM, UNDERMINING THE HUMANITY AND THE DIGNITY PEOPLE WHO ARE AFFLICTED BY THIS DISEASE, BY THIS CHRONIC ILLNESSES, UMM, IS JUST NOT
SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE PARTICIPATING IN. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. >> SEEING NO ONE ELSE LEFT IN QUEUE, I'LL ASK THE CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL ON MOTION TO DELAY THIS ITEM UNTIL OUR APRIL 23rd MEETING. >> COUNCIL MEMBER WHITING.
>> AYE. >> AYE.DHURY. >> STEINSON. >> AYE. >> RAINVILLE. >> AYE. >> VETAW. >> AYE. >> PALMISANO. >> AYE. >> CHAVEZ. >> AYE. >> WARREN. >> AYE. >> SHAFFER. >> AYE. >> WONSLEY. >> AYE. >> CHUGHTAI. >> AYE.
>> VICE PRESIDENT OSMAN. >> AYE. >> AYE.IDENT PAYNE. >> THERE ARE 13 AYES. >> THAT CARRIES. AND NEXT WE'LL TAKE UP ITEM NUMBER 7, THE APPOINTMENT OF THE CITY ATTORNEY. IS THERE ANYONE WHO
WANTS TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? MAYOR FREY, WELCOME. >> THANK YOU, MR. COUNCIL PRESIDL VICE PRESIDENT OSMAN, COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, AND THANK Y TO
EACH OF THE NOMINEES FOR YOUR TESTIMONY THAT WAS EARLIER THIS WEEK. AND THOSE WHO CAME FORWARD TO SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF. AS YOU HEARD ON TUESDAY, THESE ARE LDERS WHO ARE NOT JUST STEPPING UP INTO ROLES. THEY'RE SEASONED, THEY BRING DECADES OF EXPERIENCE, AND RESPECT OF PARTNERS AND
COLLEAGUES AT EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT. ALL OF US KNOW THE CHALLENGES AND THE PAIN OUR CITY HAS FACED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. THESE ARE LEADERS IN OUR CITY THAT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO NAVIGATE THOSE CHALLENGES. AND THEY'VE DONE SO WITH PRECISION AND WITH GRATE INTEGRITY. AND
GARNERED OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. THEIRST APPOINTMENT, AS I BELIEVE WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH RIGHT NOW, THE CITY ATTORNEY. IS NOT A ROUTINE APPOINTMENT. THIS IS A MOMENTHAT DEMANDS TESTED
AND OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, KRISTYN ANDERSON HAS PROVEN UNDER PRESSURE SHE'S AE TO DELIVER AGAIN AND AGAIN. HER CAREER HAS BEEN DEFINED BY STEPPING INTO CRISIS. THE I-35 BRIDGE COLLAPSE, STATE SHUT DOWN, THE PANDEMIC, AND THE CHALLENGES IN FRONT OF US TODAY. SHE DOESN'T JUST RESPOND, SHE
BUILDS THE LEGAL STRATEGY THAT IS ABLE TO HOLD. KRISTYN ANDERSON HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT MINNEAPOLIS VALUES AREN'T JUST WORDS. WE DEFEND THOSE VALUES IN COURT, AND WE WIN. HER OFFICL GOVERNMENT MULTIPLE TIMES TO PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORS AND SURING THAT FUNDING CONTINUES
AND THAT OUR ABILITY TO GOVERN OURSELVES REMAINS INTACT. YOU'VE HEARD FROM LEADERS ACROSS THE STATE, FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFE, TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, WHO DESCRIBE HER AS A LAWYER'S LAWYER. THAT MEANS SHE'S THE PERSON THAT PEOPLE CALL WHEN THE STAKES ARE THE HIGHEST BECAUSE SHE'SBLE
TO GET IT RIGHT. YOU ALSO HEARD ABOUT THE TEAM SHE'S BUILT. TODAY THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS STABLE IN A WAY IT HAS NOT BEEN BEFORE. IT IS HIGH RFORMING. IT IS 100 PERCENT COMMITTED. THE LOW TURNOVER AND
HIGH MORALE DON'T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT. THEY'RE THE PRODUCT OF REALLY GOOD LEADERSHIP. AND JUST AS IMPTANT, SHE UNDERSTANDS THE ROLE. AS WE SAID, CLEARLY IN -- SHE WAS SAID CLEARLY IN TESTIMONY, SHE IS NOT THE MAYOR'S ATTORNEY. SHE'S NOT THE COUNCIL ATTORNEY. SHE'S THE CITY'S ATTORNEY. THAT
INDEPENDENCE IS NOT A WEAKNESS. IT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE POSITION REQUIRES. AND IT'S NO EASY JOB. WE ALL KNOW THAT GOOD LEGAL ADVICE DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE HEA WHEN WE WANT TO HEAR YES. IN FACT, SOME OF THE BT LAWYERS WILL OFTEN TELL YOU NO WHEN THE
LAW REQUIRES IT. AND THEN THEY'LL WORK WITH YOU TO FIND A PATH FORWARD THAT IS BOTH EFFECTIVE AND LEGALLY SOUND. YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO AGREE Y CITY ATTORNEY. I DO NOT ALWAYS AGREEITH THIS CITY ATTORNEY, BUT WHAT MATTERS IS THAT THE
ADVICE IS CONSISTENT ANDT IS WELL REASONED AND IT IS GROUNDED IN THE LAW. THAT IS WHAT IS KRISTYN ANDERSON HAS PROVIDED. AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT COMES DOWN TO TRUST. DO WE TRUST THE PERSON WHO HAS DEFENDED THIS CITY IN COURT? GUIDED US
THROUGH CRIS. AND BUILT A LEGAL TEAM THAT DELIVERS EVERY SINGLE DAY. I DO. AND THAT'S WHY I'M PROUD TO PROUD TO SUPPORT THE REAPPOINTMENT OF KRISTYN ANDERSON. THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR FREY. I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER VETAW. >>
>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT PAYNE. WE DIDN'T GET TO ASK QUESTIONS LAST WEEK ABOUT YOU, CITY ATTORNEY ANDERSON. COULD YOU PLEASE -- I PUT A BINDER TOGETHER FULL OF QUESTIONS FOR THE NOMINATIONS. AND I'D LIKE
TO ASK MINE. I DID, YOU KNOW, I KIND OF HAD A GENERAL QUESTION AROUND WHAT DO SEE AS YOUR BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN THIS CURRENT TERM AND WHAT'S THE FUTURE FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT? >> MR. PRESIDENT, COUNCIL
MEMBER, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR ASKING ME THAT QUESTION. I WAS THINKING ABOUT -- I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION! SO I WANTEDO GET A CHANCE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION. THE THING I'M MOST PROUD OF IS ACTUALLY PART
OF MY VISION FOR THE FUTURE. THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, BEGINNING IN JANUARY OF 2025, TOOK A CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL APPROACH TO DEALING WITH THE ISSUES THAT AROSE WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. FROM AN
EARLY EVALUATION OF ALL OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS, WE CAME TO THE COUNCIL TO PRESENT. SO WE COULD EDUCATE YOU ALL AND THE PUBLIC ON WHAT TSE EXECUTIVE ORDERERS DID AND THE IMPACTS ON THE CITY. WE AED FOR DELEGATED AUTHOR -- AUTHORITY TO BRING
LITIGATION. WE'VE SUED THREE DIFFERENT LAWSUITS RELATED TO GRANT FUNDING CONDITIONS. ONE LAWSUIT ON OPERATION METRO SURGE. BUT NOT ONLY THOSE THINGS THAT ARE SO VISIBLE, BUT THE THINGS THAT ARE NOT SO VISIBLE TOHE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. WE WORKED ON TRAINING
FOR E ENTIRE ENTERPRISE ON THE SEPARATION ORDINANCE. WE REALLY HONED OUR U VISA AND T VISA PROCESS SO WE HAD THE ABILITY FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO QUALIFIED. WE GAVE GUIDANCE, LEGAL ADVICE
TO OUR EMPLOYEES SO THEY UNDERSTOOD HOW TO NAVIGATE THIS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT AND LEGLY TRYING SITUATION. AND, AGAIN, IT WAS AN ALL-HANDS-ON-DECK FROM EVERY PART OF MY OFFICE. IT WASL
LITIGATORS. IT WASN'T EVEN JUST THE CIVIL CLIENT SERVICES FOLKS. IT WAS ALSO THE CRIMINAL ATTORNEYS. AND THEN DURING OPERATION METRO SURGE, IT WAS, AGAIN AN ALL-HANDS-ON-DECK-APPROACH WITH ATTORNEYS IN THE OFFICE. THE COMMUNITY ATTORNEYS WHO WERE
SERVING MPD AND GIVING REAL TIME ADVICE TO BEING IN THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER TO MY IT DEPUTY AND I BEING IN THE MAC, SUPPORTING, MAKING SURE WE HAD INFORMATION OUT TO YOU ALL AND TO THE PUBLIC. THIS WAS REALLY
AN APPROACH THAT, I THINK, WAS SO SUCCESSFUL AND WAS ABLE TO SHOW HOW WE AS AN OFFICE CAN COME TOGETHER TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF THE CITY. AND SO, WHAT I LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE FUTURE IS MORE OF THAT. ONE OF THE THINGS I LEARNED FROM
MINNESOTA MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, A TINY LITTLE AGENCY WITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF REALLY, REALLY SMART EXPERT PEOPLE, AND VERY DIFFERENT FUNCTIONAL AREAS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY DID SO WELL WAS NO SILOS, EVERYBODY CAME TOGETHER WITH THEIR OWN
DISCIPLINE TO SOLVE PROBLEMS TOGETHER. THAT'S HOW PROBLEMS GET SOLVED. WE HAVE SO MANY SMART PEOPLE, NOT JUST IN MY OFFICE, BUT THRGHOUT THE ENTIRE ENTERPRISE, ADMINISTRATIONCOUNCIL, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PULL IN PEOPLE WHO HAVE THEIR
SPECIALTIES. AND REALLY WORK CROSS-FUNCTIONALLY TO TRY TO MAKE THE CITY A BETTER PLACE. AND I REALLY THINK MY TERM IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS RY TO PULL NOT ONLY, AGAIN, IN MY OFFI, BUT TO BE SORT OFHE
GLUE CROSS-FUNCTIONALLY WITHIN THE ENTERPRISE TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS THAT FACE THE CITY. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT. I APPRECIATE THAT. SOMETHING ELSE I WANT TO KNOW. THIS ISN'T JUST YOUR DEPARTMENT. FOR ME, PERSONALLY, I FIND SOME
DEPARTMENTS TO JUST BE FULL OF BUREAUCRATS. LIKE, IT'S JUST SO HARD TO GET THINGS DONE. IT IS REALLY, LIKE, IT TAKES A YEAR TO EVEN UNDERSTAND WHO YOU ND TO BE TALKING TO. AND YOU AND I HAD A CONVERSATION AFTER YOU GOT
SOME OF THE STRUGGLES I'VE HADGH IN MY OFFICE WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. AND I THINK ONE OF THEM IS, LIKE, NOT HAVING THE LIAISON OUT OF YOUR OFFICE THAT SPEAKS TO COUNCIL MEMBERS AND WE KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THOSE THINGS. IT'S NOT
ABOUT -- I KNOW YOU DID A GOOD THING WITH THE OPEN OFFIC HOURS, BUT THAT DOESN'T FIT MY SCHEDULE. RIGHT. SO, LIKE, I WANT THE ABILITIES TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO I CAN SET UP A REGULAR MEETING WITH AND TALK THROUGH THINGS THAT COME UP IN MY OFFICE, AND SO I'M RLLY
HOPING AND EXPECTING THAT MOVING FORWARD YOU AND YOUR OFFICE COME UP WITH SOME TYPE OF PLAN TO DO THAT. AND THEN THAT LEADS MEO THE OTHER CONCERN. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT, TOO. YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOM THINGS GOING ON AT THE CHARTER COMMISSION RIGHT NOW. AND, UMM,
I'M NOT - I'M AGAINST IT. AND SO, LIKE, WHAT IS YOUR OFFICE'S ROLE AND HOW DO WE GET A LAWYER THAT GOES TO THE CHARTER COMMISSION REGULARLY AND TL US WHAT'S GOING ON AS THE COUNCIL? >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COUNCIL MEMBERS. SO THE CHARTER
COMMISSION IS A REALLY UNIQUE ENTITY, AND WE DON'T ACTUALLY GIVE LEGAL ADVICE TO THE CHARTER COMMISSION. YOU KNOW, WE GIVE LEGAL ADVICE TO YOU ALL. AND SO YOU KNOW, WE DO ACTUALLY HAVE AN ATTORNEY STAFFED TO ASSIS AND I KNOW THAT CLERK KARL HAS BEEN
WORKING WITH THAT ATTORNEY AS IT COMES TO CHARTER COMMISSION ISSUES. AND THAT PERSON, AND, FRANKLY YOU KNOW, MORE LAURELS CAN BE ASSIGNEDO ASSIST YOU ALL THROUGH THE PROCESS. BUT WE DON'T ACTUALLY ADVISE THE CHARTER COMMISSION. >> YEAH. I DON'T THINK IT'S
ABOUT ADVISING THE CHARTER COMMISSION. IT' ABOUT HAVING INFORMATION FOR MYSELF. USUALLY WHEN THERE'S SOMETHING, I'M SOMEONE WHO PAYS ATTENTION TO IT. WHEN SOMETHING GOES ON, I'M ASKING MY LAWYER FRIENDS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. I'M WONDERING HOW WE PULL THOSE INGS TOGETHER. AND WE GET
SUPPORT. I'M NOT -- I'M TRY NOT TO SPEAK FOR ERYONE. I'M JUST SAYING ME SPECIFICALLY. I WOULD LIKE SUPPORT FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ON ISSUES THAT ARE AT THE CHARTER COMMISSION. >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COUNCIL MEMBER, ABSOLUTELY FAIR. AND, AGAIN, WE HAVE AN ATTORNEY THAT'S ASSIGNED AND WORKS
CLOSELY WITH THE CLERK. BUT WE CAN ABSOLELY MAKE THAT SERVICE AVAILABLE -- MORE AVAILABLE. IN RMS OF THE QUESTION YOU RAISED ABOUT LIAISON. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MANAGER IN CHARGE OF CLIENT SERVICES. QUINN O'REILLY, WE HAVE A DEPUTY IN CHARGE OF THE
WHOLE CIVIL DIVISION IN DAN ABELSON. AND SO WE DO HAVE, YOU KNOW, -- I DON'T WANT TO BE A GATEKEEPER. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU ALL TO BE ABLE TO CONSULT THE LAWYERS IN MY OFFICE THAT HAVE THE EXPERTISE AND THE PARTICULAR -- >> COUNCIL MEMBER IS AT TIME. >> OH, SORRY.
>> YEAH. COUNCIL MEMBER CHOWDHURY. >> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT PAYNE. AND THANK YOU, CAO ANDERSON FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR DEDICATION TO THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. ESPECIALLY IN THIS MOMENT IN TIME AND COMG BACK TO US TO
ACCEPT THE NOMINATION. ONE OF THQUESTIONS THAT I JUST WANTED TO START OFF BY ASKING IS: COULD YOU GIVE US A LAYOUT OF THE CURRENT LITIGATION THAT WE HAVE WITH THEEDERAL GOVERNMENT. >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, UNCIL
MEMBERS. YES. I CAN. SO, AGAIN, THERE ARECTUALLY FOUR ONGOING LAWSUITS. THREE INVOLVING GRANT CONDITIONS AND ONE INVOLVING OPERATION METRO SURGE. SO, THE FIRST THAT W BROUGHT IT'S CALLED SAN FRANCISCO V. TRUMP. IT IS A
LAWSUIT CHALLENGING, ESSENTIALLY, THAT PRESIDENTIAL EXECIVE ORDER THAT SAYS THAT GRANT FUNDING SHALL NOT FLOW TO CITIES AND COUNTIES THAT ARE SO-CALLED SANCTUARY CITIES. WE ASSUME THAT MEANS THAT A CITY
LIKE OURS THAT HAS A SEPARATION ORDINANCE AND WILL NOT ASSIST THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT. WE BROUGHT THAT LAWSUIT. I THINK IT WAS MAYBE IN FEBRUARY OF 2025. THAT WAS, ACTUALLY, THE LAWSUIT THAT TRIERED OUR WANTING TO COME TO YOU FOR THE
DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY. AND WE RECEIVED A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION IN THAT LAWSUIT. THAT ENJOINS GRANT CONDITION THAT WOULD NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, YOU KNOW, THE COURT'S RULING,
ESSENTIALLY, WAS LIKE IF THE GRANT HAD TO DO -- IF IT WAS SUBJECT MATTER SPECIFIC TO IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, THEN THOSE CONDITIONS COULD APPLY. MAKE SENSE. WE'RE NOT APPLYING TO THOSE GRANTS. BUT, GENERALLY SPEAKING YOU KNOW, OTHER GRANTS,
AND IT'S NOT SPECIFIC TO ANY AGENCY. IT WAS WRIT LAR GRANTS. THE SECOND LAWSUIT IS KING COUNTY V. TRUMP. ANOTHER GRANT CONDITION LAWSUIT. THIS WAS -- THIS IS RELATED TO
SPECIFICALLY FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION FUNDING. SO, IN PARTICULAR, CAMDEN BRIDGE GRANT FUNDING. THERE ARE OVER TIME A COUPLE MORE. I THINK DHSS GRANTS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED, YOU KNOW, THESE LAWSUITS SORTF
BALLOON OVER TIME. THE REASON WE SUED IS GRANT FUNDING FOR THE CAMDEN GRANT WAS AT-RISK. AND THE CONDITIONS THAT WERE BEING PLACED ON THOSE GRANTS WERE UNLAWFUL. PREVENTION OF DEI
WORK, ANYTHING PROTECTING INDIVIDUALSEGARDLESS OF GENDER IDENTITY, ABORTION ACCESS, WHICH ARE THINGS THAT ARE ALL PROTECTED BY LAW. NOT ONLY BY MIESOTA. AND SO WE BROUGHT SUIT TO GET AN INJUNCTION AGAINST THOSE GRANT CONDITIONS.
WE DID, AGAIN, GET ANOTHER PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION, AND WE, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO GET THOSE FUNDS FLOWING, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE. IT'S NOT THE EASIEST THING TO DO. THE THIRD LAWSUIT IS CHICAGO V.NOME. IT'S A SUIT
THAT WE BROUGHT TO PROTECT FEMA FUNDS. THIS IS FUNDS THAT FLOW TO OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT, AND ACTUALLY FUND THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT. SO LOSING THOSE FUNDSOULD BE CATASTROPHIC, AS WE'VE SEEN
THUGH THE ENTIRE 2025 AND EARLY 2026. HOW IMPORTANT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS FOR THE CITY. AND SO, AGAIN, THAT WAS ANOTHER GRANT CONDITIONS THAT INVOLVED DEI, GENDER IDENTITY, AND ABORTION ACCESS. W GOT AN INJUNCTION PREVENTING THOSE
SORTS OF CONDITIONS BEING PLACED ON GRANTS. AND THEN THE LAST LAWSUIT IS THE MINNESOTA V.NOE CASE WE FILED IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAS OFFICE AND THE CITY OF ST. PAUL. CHALLENGING THE
LITERAL INVASION OF OUR CITY BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. WE SOUGHT A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION IN COURT TO TRY TO G THE COURT TO ACTUALLY STOP THE SURGE. WE WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL IN THAT. BUD WE CONTINUE TOITIGATE THAT
CASE. WE THINK WE HAVE MANY, MANY STRONG CLAIMS. AND ARE FEELING, YOU KNOW, VERY POSITIVELY ABOUT WHAT WEIGHT BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THEN I KNOW WE, ALSO, ARE GETTING SUED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. BUT I WON'T HAVE YOU SPEAK ON THAT.
>> OKAY. >> AND I THINK THAT REALLY SPEAKE BEEN THINKING ABOUT AS IT COMES F THE NOMINATIONS, I HAVE BEEN REALLY TRYING TO HAVE AS MANY CONVERSATIONS AS POSSIBLE. AND JUST BE REFLECTIVE IN THE
MOMENTS THAT WE'RE IN. AND THEN JUST OUR TIME TOGETR. AND THE REASON WHY WE HAVE CONFIRMATION PROCESS IS THAT ONE OF OUR DUTIES AS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS IS OVERSIGHT. AND REPRESENTING
OUR WARDS, THE COMMUNITIES WE'RE ELECTED TO REPRESENT. THIS IS ONE OF THE TOUCH POINTS, IF ONE OF THE ONLY BIG TOUCH POINTS WHERE WE HAVE IT WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS AND CABINET MEMBERS. I TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY. IT ALSO FEELS LIKE A VERY HEAVY, WEIGHTY TYPE OF VOTE TO CONSIDER. AND I
THINK EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD JUST HAS BEEN SHIFTING AND CHANGING SO FAST. AND PARTICULARLY AT THE START OF THIS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION 2.0, WE HAVE HAD THE GROUND SHAKE AND
OFTENTIMES TAKEN RIGHT FROM UNDERNEATH US HERE IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. AND YOU HAVE BEEN AN EXTREMELY NIMBLE ATTORNES OFFICE IN THIS MOMENT, AS EVIDENCED BY THE CASES THAT OUR OFFICES ARE TAKING ON WITH
SEVERAL OTHER CITIES. ALSO IN PARTRSHIP WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. AND THERE IS, ALSO, NOT A SMALL CHANCE THAT WE END UP ATHE SUPREME COURT AS A CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. THAT'S
BEEN A BIG FACTOR IN MY CONSIDERATION. I'M COMING CLOSE ON MY TIME. SO I'LL JUST CLOSE WITH THIS: I THINK THERE ARE PLACES THAT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVEMENT. RIGHT, LIKE, THE -- THERE'S A LOT OF CONSTERNATION AROUND THE LABOR STDARDS, BOARD CONVERSATION, I
THINK THERE'S WAYS WE CAN FIX HOW WE HAVE COMMUNICATIONS WHEN THERE'S ADVOCATES AND OTHER EXPERTS THAT WANT TO BE IN THE CONVERSATION. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO TSE CONVERSATIONS. BUT IT'S REALLY CLEAR THAT YOU'RE RUNNING A GREAT OFFIC YOUR EMPLOYEES REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'RE DOING. AND IT SWS UP IN THE
WAY THAT WORK IS HAPPENING IN CITY HALL. AND FOR THOSE SUPPORT TODAY.AVE EARNED MY >> YOU'RE AT TIME. >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, C I JUST RESPOND TO ONE THING? REAL QUICK. >> COUNCIL MEMBER WONSLEY.
>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT PAYNE. I HAVE COMMENTS. NO QUESTIONS. KRISTYN ANDERSON AS OUR CAO, I'VE SEEN YOU GROW IN YOUR LEADERSHIP OVER TIME HERE. I MUST COMMEND YOU FOR DEVELOPING A STRONG ROSTER OF ATTORNEYS WHO ARE SERVICE DRIVEN AND ARE OPEN
TO EXPLORING THE HOW IN TER OF HOW WE CAN ADVANCE A MATTER, AS OPPOSED TO JUST LEADING WITH AN IMMEDIATE AND DEFINITIVE NO NSECUTIVELY. AS SHARED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CHOWDHURY, IT'S CLEAR THAT YOUR STAFF ENJOYS
WORKING UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP. MY STAFF HAS TO ENJOY WORKING WITH YOUR STAFF, AS WELL. ADDIONALLY, YOUR OFFICE HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB AT LEGALLY CHALLENGING THE RECKLESS AND DANGEROUS MEASURES BEING ENACTED BY TRUMP UNDER HIS
ADMINISTRATION. AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THESE REASONS, I WAS INITIALLY OPEN TO SUPPORTING THIS APPOINTMENT. I THINK WHERE I'M HAVING SOME HITANCY, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF TUESDAY'S PUBLIC HEARING, IS YOUR HANDLING OF QUESTIONS REGARDING THE BALANCING OF THE INTEREST
BETWEEN THE LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE BRANCH. THIS HAS BEEN A PRLEM, AND MY OFFICE WORKED WITH YOU, IN PARTICULAR, AND ONE OF WHICH WE'VE DISCUSSED MANY TIMES. THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE YOUERE UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO SUPPORT
COUNCIL'S PRIORITIES WHEN IT CONTRADICTED OR WAS AN OPPOSITION TO THE MAYOR'S PRIORITIES. AND I'M THINKING OF THE CARBON FEES, THEFF-DUTY INJUNCTION. WE HAD A ROBUST POINT OF CONTENTION AROUND THE CON SENT DECREE, SPECIFICALLY THE DOJ MODIFICATIONS. AND ALL
OF THESE SITUATIONS, MY OFFICE AND A NUMBER OF COLLEAGUES TRIED TO WORK WITH YOU DIRECTLYO FIGURE OUT HOW WE COULD ALSO GET THE SERVICE THAT WE'RE SO LEGALLY ENTITLED TO. AS THE REST OF THE CITY. AND IT FELT AS IF EACH TIME THERE WAS A
DOUBLING DOWN BY YOU AND YOUR OFFICE. AND THAT LEAD TO US HAVI MULTIPLE PUBLIC CONVERSATIONS AROUND WHAT FELT TO BE INABILITY FOR THE CAO TO DO THAT BALANCING OF BOTH, UMM, THE PRIORITIES AND WORK OF THE
LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE THAT M, REALLY, HOPE THAT ON TUESDAY, UMM, IN RESPONSE TO SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS AROUND HOW TO DO BETTER AT THAT BALANCE, UMM YOU WOULD HAVE SHARED SPECIFICALLY,
YOU KNOW, PRO ACTIVE PLANS YOU'RE PUTTING IN PLACE. OR HOW YOU PLAN TO ADJUST YOUR OPERATIONS TO ADDRESS THE CONCERN. THAT HASINDERED A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS, INCLUDING MY OWN ABILITYO SERVE OUR RESIDENTS AND THE MATERIAL NEEDS, UMM, FORTS
THEM. AND I WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT RATHER THAN USING THAT FEEDBACK TO SHAPE A BETTER APPROACH, I SAW A RESPONSE WITH DEFENSIVENESS AND DEFLECTION. AND I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE THE
ABILITY TO TAKE FEEDBACK TO IMPROVE YOUR LEADERSHIP, AS I'VE MENTIONED. I'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN IN OTHER AREAS. AND IF YOU ARE APPOINTED, OR REPOINTED TO THIS POSITION, I HOPE YOU TAKE THAT INTO SERIOUS CONSIDERATION. BUT
THAT IS WHAT I WANTED TO NAME THAT'S BEEN A POINT OF CONTENTION WITH ME IN TERMS OF FEELING CONFIDENT AND COMFORTABLE WITH SUPPORTING THIS APPOINTMENT. AND I HOPE THAT THIS CONTINUES TO BE A GROWTH OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU. BECAUSE, AS I MENTIONED, I KNOW YOU'RE
CAPABLE OF GROWTH AND IMPROVEMENT AND HAVE SEEN THAT. AND I'M HOPING THISS ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE THAT CAN -- WHERE THAT LEANING INTO CHANGE AND GROWTH CAN ALSO HEL CORRECT WHAT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING THAT
COULD BE EASILY ADDRESSED. A THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >> COUNCIL MEMBER STEVENSON. >> CITY ATTORNEY, I WANTED TO ASK YOU ONE QUICKUESTION.
UMM, BUT BEFORE I DO THAT. I, FOR ALL THE OTHER APPOINTEES, I AD FROM THELE THE LETTER WE GOT. IT WOD BE UNFAIR TO NOT READ FROM IT IN PUBLIC. DOES THE INDIVIDUAL TREAT CONSISTENTLY? YES. DOES THIS EMPLOYEE FOSTER RESPECT FOR WORK ENVIRONMENT? YES. DOES THIS
INDIVIDUAL EFFECTIVELY RESOLVE WORKPLACE ISSUES? YES. IT GOES ON TO BE YES, YES, YES, AND THEN SOME GLOWING REVIEWS FROM YOUR STAFOF YOU. AND I TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY. AND I THANK YOU FOR BEING A GOOD BOSS TO OUR WORKERS. OUR WORKERS ARE THE LIFE BLOOD OF OUR CITY. THEY
MAKE IT HAPPEN. AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE TREATING THEM WITH RESPECT, TREATING THEM FAIRLY, AND S SEE THAT. OF COURSE, THEY ARE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM, AS WELL. IT'S OVERALL GWING. I COMMEND YOU FOR THAT. I HAVE ONE QUESTION
FOR YOU, CAN YOU COMMIT TO ME THAT INSTEAD OF NO PERIOD WHEN I PRESENT YOU SOMETHING YOU SAY "NO, BUT WE CAN MAKE IT WORK A DIFFERENT WAY OR MAKE IT WORK A DIFFERENT WAY?" >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COUNCIL MEMBER I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE
TRY TO DO. THERE ARE SOME ABSOLUTE NOES. I MEAN, WE KNOW THAT. THERE ARE SOME HARD LINES. BUT WE HAVE TRIED VERY HARD TO BE CREATIVE PARTNERS WITH YOU ALL. AND AS I SAY, WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO GET YOU HERE, BUT WE CAN GET YOU AT
LEAST HERE. I ALSO EXPECT, AND HOLD MYSELF TO THIS, AND YOU SHOULD HOLD ME TO THIS, TOO. IF MY ANSWER IS NO, I SHOULD EXPLAIN WHY. I SHOULD HELP YOU AS MUCH AS I CAN UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE FOR THE NO. B, AGAIN, IT'S MY COMMITMENT TO TRY
TO BE A CREATIVE PARTNER AND GET YOU AS FAR AS I CAN. YES. AND I THINK THAT WE DO THAT. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH. I' BE SUPPORTING YOUR APPOINTMENT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> COUNCIL MEMBER RAINVILLE. >> >> THANK YOU, MR.RESIDENT. IT
WAS SAID THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY IS THE ATTORNEY FOR THE CITY. IT'S NOT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE ADNISTRATION. IT'S NOT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE COUNCIL. A I TAKE THAT TO HEART, BECAUSE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF OUR LEARNED
COUNCIL MEMBER WHITING WITH, NONE OF US ARE ATTORNEYS HER WE'RE P POLITICIANS. WE'RE ELECTED OFFICIALS. WE NEED YOU TO TELL US THE TRUTH. UNBIASED TRUTH. THAT TAKES A STRONG PERSON TO DO THAT, BECAUSE WE PUSHBACK ON YOU. I'VE DONE IT
MYSELF. AND I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING A LITTLE TOO ROUGH, IF I WAS. BUT I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU DO A VERY, VERY GOOD JOB BEI THE ATTORNEY FOR THE CITY. NOT FOR THE ADMINISTRATI. NOT FOR THE COUNCIL. OR THE CITY. SO THANK
YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. >> COUNCIL MEMBER WHITING. >> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT PAYNE. AND QUICKLY, TO COUNCIL MEMBER RAINVILLE'S POINT. YOU KNOW, I APECIATE THE NOD OF CONFIDENCE HERE. I THINK WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IS HOW MUCH WE DON'T KNOW AS LAWYERS AND I THINK THE BEST THING THERE IS ACTUALLY
KIND OF WHAT I DO KNOW. YOU FIGURE IT OUT, AS WELL. WHAT I KNOW IS THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS HAS SUED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOUR TIMES THIS YEAR. AND THAT IS UNPRECEDENTED ACROSS THIS COUNTRY. WE HAVE A CITY ATTORNEY, WE HAVE A CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THAT IS
ACTIVELY GOING TO BAT WITH THE LARGEST FORCE OF ATTORNEYS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY. AND SHOWING UP AND DOING EXTREMELY WELL. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE HAVING THIS CONVERSATIONS DURING THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, KRISTYN ANDERSON AND HER TEAM HAVE BEEN MORE THAN OPEN AND WILLING TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS OF HOW WE'RE
RESPONDING TO THIS THREAT IN OUR CITY. AND I'VE ONLY SEEN KRISTYN ANDERSON USE HER EXPERIENCE, DECADES OF EXPERIENCE IN MUNICAL LAW TO SHOW UP AND FIGHT FOR OUR CITY. AGAIN, WHAT I KNOW IS WE HAVE ONE OF THE BEST ATTORNEYS IN THE
STATE. AND DARE I SAY THE COUNTRY. AT THE HELM OF THE CITY ATTORNEY OF CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS HERE. I'M PROUD TO SUPPORT YOU AND GIVE YOU ALL YEARS, AS WELL. THANK YOU,OUR KRISTYN ANDERSON. >> COUNCIL MEMBER VETAW. >> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT PAYNE. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR CITY
ATTORNEY ANDERSON. MY QUESTION IS, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BIGGEST LEGAL THREAT TO THE CITY RIGHT NOW? >> AH, COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COUNCIL MEMBER. UMM, I AM REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT'S
GOING TO HAPPEN BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER. SO, I DON'T WANT TO SAY MORE THAN THAT. BUT I AM CONCERNED. WE'VE SEEN THE EROSION OF RIGHTS. WE'VE SEEN
TRAMPLING OF FEDERAL AND LOCAL POWER. AND IT CONCERNS ME. >> DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU AND YOUR OFFICE ARE -- I KNOW WE CAN'T REALLY PREPARE FOR WHAT'S TO COME. BUT, LIKE, IF THERE'S SOME MEASURE OF PREPAREDNESS, HOW ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT YOU AND YOUR TEAM? >> COUNCIL PRESINT, COUNCIL
MEMBER. ONE OF THE REASONS I WANTED TO RESPOND TO COUNCIL MEMBER CHOWDHURY. WANT TO GIVE THE PROPS TO THE TEAM. YOU OW, I FEEL LIKE I'M BRINGING SOMETHING TO THE TABLE IN MY LEADERSHIP, BUT I WANT TO BE CLEAR. IT'S MY TEAM WHO ARE
WORKING NIGHT AND DAY, WEEKENDS WITH INTENSE TALENT OF FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT. IT'S, BY NO MEANS, JUST ME. I'M, LIKE, THIS LITTLE COG IN THIS AMAZING APPARATUS OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE WITH THE TALENT THAT I FEEL GOOD TO SUPPORT. I THINK THAT MY EMPLOYEES ARE HAPPY WORKING WITH ME. AND THEY WANT TO STAY. IN FACT, ONE PERSON LEFT, AND I GOT HER RIGHT BACK! HA. SO WE HAVE THE TALENT. WE
ABSOLUTELY HE THE TALENT. YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE, WE WILL SEE. YOU KNOW, I ALSO FEEL LIKE WE HAVE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB ESTABLISHING PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, WIT THE CITY OF ST. PAUL, WITH THE PUBLIC
RIGHTS PROJECT, WHICH IS A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE LAWSUITS WE'VE BROUGHT HAVE BEEN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM. WE ARE PLUGGED INTO THAT APPATUS. IN FACT, IN DECEMBER, I WENT TO A
CONFERENCEITH THE PUBLIC RIGHTS PROJECT. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT AND THINKING ABOUT WHAT ARE THE STRATEGIES? SO, I FEEL LIKE WE ARE IN A REALLY GOOD POSITION TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ACTION, IF WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. AND, OBVIOUSLY,
YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS HAVE LIMITATIONS OF "DO WE HAVE STANDING, ET. CETERA, ET. CERA" BUT TO THE EXTENT WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO DIRECTLY BRING SUIT, IF NECESSARY, WE'RE PLUGGED INTO OTHER ENTITIES THAT CAN. AND WE KNOW THAT WE CAN BE A VERY GOOD
PARTNER IN TERMS OF PROVING INFORMATION AND THOUGHT PARTNERS. SO, I FEEL LIKE WE E IN A REALLY GOOD SPOT. AND, AGAIN, I'M GOING GIVE THE CREDIT TO T TALENTED LAWYERS IN MY OFFICE. THEY ARE PHENOMENAL. >> THANK YOU. I AGREE WITH YOU.
YOU ESSENTIAL HAVE PHENOMENAL TEAM. NOT TO TAKE AWAY FROM A GROUP, BUT THERE'S SOME EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN ON THAT TEAM OF YOURS. THEY REALLY GET -- THEY ARE ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY. ANDT IS A JOY TO WORK WITH SO MANY OF THEM ON
YOUR TEAM! EVEN IF I JUST RUN INTO THEM AT THE ESCALATOR, WHATEVER, LIKE, THEY ARE AMAZING TO WORK WITH! 'LL JUST END WITH THIS, YOU'RE PROBABLY THE APPOINTMENT THAT I GOT THE MOST CALLS ABOUT. ALL OF THEM WERE
CALLS FROM PARTNERS WHO HAVE SAID YOU HAVE BEEN A JOY TO WORK WITH ON A LARGE-SCALE AS A PARTNER IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. OME OF THE COMMENTS PEOPLE MADE IS THAT YOU ARE ETHICAL, YOU'RE COMPETENT ON
EVERY LEVEL, AND IF YOU HAVE AN AREA THAT YOU'RE STRUGGLING IN, YOU BRING OTHER PEOPLE TO THE TABLE THAT CAN HELP. I THINK THAT IS AMAZING TO KNOW ABOUT SOMEON THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW EVERYTHING, BUT IF THERE'S PEOPLE AROUND YOU WHO DO, THAT
YOU'RE WILLING TO BRING THEM TO THE TABLE. PEOPLE SAID YOU SHOW UP. WE'RE IN A FIGHT RIGHT NOW, AND YOU GOT GLOWING REVIEWS AROUND SHOWING UP. AND BEING THERE IN SUPPORT OF THE CITY AND WHAT THE CITY NEEDS. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. I KNOW WE'RE IN A UNIQUE TIME RIGHT NOW WITH
FIGHTING, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE DONE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> TNK YOU. >> COUNCIL MEMBER CHOWDHURY. >> THANK YOU. I JUST GOT BACK INTO QUEUE. I DID WANT TO FINISH SOME OF THE THINGS I WANT TO SAY. WE'RE NOT GOING
TO TAKE UP AN APPOINTMENT FOR CAO ANY TIM SOON AFTER THIS. HA-HA. S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY APPRECIATED AND I WANT TO CONTINUE WITH OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, IS, UMM, YOU
AND I HAD A LOT OF BACK-AND-FORTH OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. SOME TENSE CONVERSATIONS. OME EMOTIONAL CONVERSATIONS. AND, LIKE, YOU'VE ALWAYS TAKEN MY FEEDBACK IN GOOD FAITH. AND YOU'VE ALWAYS MADE EFFORTS TO ADDRESS
CONCERNS AND MAKE CHANGES. UMM, AND IT'S NEVER MY EXPECTATION THAT YOU DO EXACTLY WHAT I'M SAYING. IT'S JUST TO FEEL HEARD. AND TO FEEL LIKE MET IN THE MIDDLE. I FEEL LIKE THAT HAS HAPPENED TIME AND TIME AGAIN. UMM, FROM VARIOUS
DIFFERENT ISSUES. WHETHER IT'S, LIKE, ABOUT HOW WE'RE WORKING POLICY, OR MAYBE IT'S, LIKE, JUST THE DYNAMIC BETWEEN, LIKE, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. UMM, SO I WANT TO KEEP ON CONTINUING TT AND GROWING THAT. I THINK, LIKE, IT'S A MAJOR STRENGTH OF
OUR RELATIONSHIP AS CITY COUNCIL TO CAO'S OFFICE. UMM, THE OTHER THI THAT I LOVE DOING, IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS OF THIS JOB, ESPECIALLY ON , WHEN WE GET TO WORKSHOP POLICY TOGETHER. LIKE, I LOVE IT! I LOVE GOING LINE-BY-LINE. I LOVE
TEARING WN A POLICY DOWN TO ITS BOLTS AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO ASKING MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW DO WE MAKE ENFORCEMENT ACTUALLY MEAN SOMETHING. SO WE CAN ACTUALLY MAKE SE THAT, LIKE, A POLICY IS UPHELD FOR PEOPLE. UMM, I
FELT REALLY, REALLY, AH, GRATIFIED IN OUR WORK ON THE SEPARATION ORDINANCE TOGETHER. AND SOME OF THE ORDINANCES THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW. AND, UMM, YOU DON'T NEED TO COME BACK UP AND ANSWER IT AS A QUESTION, BUT ONE OF T THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU COMMIT TO --
BECAUSE THERE'S, LIKE, THE ROLE WE HAVE IN TERMS OF WITH, LIKE, CLIENT SERVICES AROUND POLICY AND THE WORK THAT WE DO THERE. BUT THERE'S ALSO, LIKE, A ROLE THAT I FEEL LIKE YOU, AS THE CITY ATTORNEY, AND SPECIFICALLY WITH OUR COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL LEADERSHIP PLAY OF,
LIKE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE OFOW CITY COUNCIL AND CITY ATTORNEY WORK TOGETHER. I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS. BECAUSE I THINK THE WORKS IS INVOLVING. -- EVOLVING. WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. THERE'S DIFFERENT CREATIVE IDEAS A LOT
OF MEMBERS BROUGHT UP FROM THIS BODY THAT I -- I WANT TO SEE WORK DONE. SO WE CAN HAVE EVEN BETTER WORK FLOW BETWEEN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE CITY COUNCIL. AND W HAVE DISCUSSED THAT. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. I ALSO LOVE HOW FAS SOME THINGS JUST TURN
AROUND OUT OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE! SO LET'S KEEP THAT UP! AND, UMM, JUST THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ACCEPTING THIS NOMINATION. AND STEPPING UP BACK TO THE PLATE FOR MINNEAPOLIS. >> COUNCIL MEMBER CHUGHTAI. >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UMM, I'LL ACTUALLY INVITE CITY ATTORNEY ANDERSON UP JUST FOR A QUICK QUESTION. UMM [ CLEARING VOICE ] A COUPLE OF SUPER C.O.W. MEETINGS AGO, WE WERE JOINED IN THE CHAMBERS BY HENNEPIN COUNTY
ATTORNEY. UMM, AND ONE OF E -- ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SHE TALKED ABOUT DURING THAT PRESENTATION UMM THAT HONESTLY, WASN'T REALLY EVEN RELATED TO THE SJECT MATTER. BUT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION. SHE SPOKE ABOUT HOW, UMM, -- HOW
THE -- THE OFFE, UMM, INCLUDED ATTORNEYS THAT WERE DEDICATED AND WALLED OFF WHO SHE -- SHE, UMM, ENTRUSTED TO PROVIDE DIRECT LEGAL ADVICE AND WORK SOLELY WITH CLIENTS AND OTHER BRANCHES
OF GOVERNMENT. UMM, AND I THOUGHT THAT PRACTICE WAS AN INTERESTING ONE IN ENSURING THAT EVERY ASPECT OF CLIENT IN THAT PUBLIC LEGAL OFFICE, UMM, IS --
RECEIVES, LIKE, THE VERY BEST LEGAL SERVICE AND CAN BUILD DEEP TRUST OVER TIME AND CAN HELP NAVIGATE CONFLICT WHEN DIFFERENT PARTIES DISAGREE. UMM, IS THAT THE SORT OF THING YOU WOULDE, AH, OPEN TO DOING, FOR
EXAMPLE -- [ AUDIO CUT OUT ] TO ENSURE WE HAVE A DEDICATED AND WALLED OFF, UMM, REPRESENTATION. >> COUNCIL VICE PRESIDENT, COUNCIL MEMBER, THAT -- THAT'S
NOT COISTENT WITH MY VISION. I, AS THE, YOU KNOW, ME OR ANYBODY ELSE. THE CITY ATTORNEY IS ULTIMATELY RPONSIBLE FOR THE WORK PRODUCT OF THE ENTIRE CITY. I DON'T KNOW HOW I CLD BE COMPLETELY WALLED OFF FROM THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE BY MY
OFFICE AND FEEL LIKE I WAS BEING RESPONSIBLE. AS I TRIED TO DESCRIBE ON TUESDAY, THE VISION THAT I HAVE FOR MY OFFICE IS, AGAIN, TAKING THOSE BARRIERS DOWN AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE ALL OF THE EXPERTISE THAT
MY OFFICE BRINGS TO YOUR PROBLEMS. SO, YOUNOW, WE HAVE FOLKS WHO ARE ASSIGNED TO DEPARTMENTS THAT LEARN THE LAW OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS VERY, VERY DEEPLY. AND THE PEOPLE AND THE PROCESSES. SO WHEN THEY COME AND WORK ON YOUR PROJECTS, THEY
ARE ABLE TO BRING ALL OF THAT, NOT ONLY LEGAL KNOWLEDGE, BUT INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WORK THAT WE DO FOR YOUS NOT ONLY LEGALLY SOUND, BUT, ACTUALLY, IT WORKS. WE'RE ABLE TO BRING IN THE LITIGATORS TO REALLY KICK THE TIRES AND MAKE SURE THA THE
POLICY THAT WE WIND UP WITH FOR YOU IS AS STRONG AS IT CAN. WE HELP YOU WORK ON THE LEGISLATIVE RECORDS, SO THAT WE KNO THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THE EVIDENCE THAT WE NEED, WE HAVE THE RIGHT LANGUAGE, AND WE CAN DEFEND ANY PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT THIS
COUNCIL HAS. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU. UMM, AH, -- YOU CAN BE SEATED. UMM, THERE ARE AREAS WHERE A I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THE -- THAT CITY ATTORNEY ANDERSON HAS FAITHFULLY
AND ADMIRABLY EXECUTED HER ROLE. I WANT TO THANK HER FOR HER SERVICE. AND FOR AN EXTENSIVE CAREER IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR. SERVING THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY AND OF THIS STATE. UMM HER PROMPT AND CONSISTENT RESPONSIVENESS AND THE USE OF
EVERY TOOL AVAILABLE TO HER TO CHALLENGE THE POOL AND REPREHENSIBLE POLICIES AND PRACTICES OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION THAT HARM OUR RESIDENT ANDHE RIGHTS OF THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. HAS BEEN EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. HOWEVER, THERE ARE OTHER AREAS THAT CITY
ATTORNEY ANDERSON HAS ADOPTED A PRACTICE FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE I BELIEVE AREOUNTER TO THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ROLE UNDER THE CHARTER. THE CITY ATTORNEY IS SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT THE CITY AND THAT EXPLICITLY INCLUDES THE MAYOR, THE CITY COUNCIL, ALL OF OUR APPOINTED BOARDS AND
COMMISSIONS, AND THEEPARTMENTS THAT MAKE UP THE MAYOR'S SERVING, UMM, THE RESIDENTS OF MINNEAPOLIS. HEROLICY REFUSING TO MEET WITH SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, WHETHER THEY BE LEGAL EXPERTS IN ANY PARTICULAR FIELD, OR ESPECIALLY SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS SERVING ON OUR
APPOINTED BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS DOES NOT SERVE ANY OF THOSE PARTIES, AND UNDERMINES ROBUST DEMOCRATIC POLICY MAKING. TO CONTINUE TO UPHOLD THAT POLIC WHILE ATTENDING PUBLIC PRESS CONFERENCES AND ENGAGING AS A PUBLIC FURE HAS, IN FACT, LEFT
THE RESIDENTS AND MEMBERS OF APPOINTED BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS FEELING THAT THE OFFICE IS BEING POLITICID, I BELIEVE THE CITY ATTORNEY MORE THAN ANY OTHER ROLE WITHIN THE ENTERPRISE MUST BE NEUTRAL IN DISAGREEMENTS O DISPUTES ABOUT POLICY AND POLITICS. THAT'S INHERENT TO
OUR ROLE AND IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO DISAGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR. MYSELF AND MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE PROVIDED FEEDBACK TO CITY ATTORNEY ANDERSON WE DON'T FEEL SHE MOVES IN A MANNER THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE NEUTRALITY
ALL THE TIME. IN FACT IN 2022, AN E-MAIL ABOUT COUNCIL MEMBERS -- IN AN E-MAIL ABOUT COUNCIL MEMBERS. ONE OF THE SENIOR LEADERS WORKING I HER OFFICE NOTED TO HER THAT THE MATTER BEFORE THE COUNCIL POSED MINIMAL LEGAL RISK. BUT THAT IT MAY BE IMPORTANT FOR THE
ATTORNEYS TRY AND SCARE THE COUNCIL MORE ANYWAY. THIS JUST ONE CLEAR EXAMPLE OF WHEN I FELT THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE UNDER CITY ATTORNEY ANDERSON'S LEADERSHIP PUT THE THUMB ON THE SCALE OF MATTERS OF POLICY IN A MANNER THAT IS INAPPROPRIATE AND INCONSISTENT WITH THE CHARGE OF
THE OFFICE. AS A CLIENT, IT' IMPORTANT TO ME TO HAVE COMPLETE FAITH MY LEGAL COUNSEL IS GIVING ME CLEAR, UNBIASED ADVICE THAT I CAN RELY ON. IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT THAT PENTIAL RISK IS COMMUNICATED EQUALLY TO ALL CLIENTS ACROSS THE ENTERISE. FOR EXAMPLE, IN 2025, CITY
ATTORNEY ANDERSON APPROACHE ME, UMM, TO MAKE ME AWARE THAT SHE WANTED ME TO CANCEL A COMMUNITY EVENT CELEBRING THE VIBRANT MUSLIM COMMUNITY IN MINNEAPOLIS. I ULTIMATELY TOOK HER ADVICE, BUT I WAS DEEPLY FRUSTRATED THAT SIMILAR EVENTS CELEBRATING OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES INCLUDING OUR CATHOLIC RESIDENTS HAD BEEN
HOSTED BY CITY LEADERS WHOUT ISSUE TIME AND TIME AGAIN. I BELIEVE WE NEED A CITY ATTORNEY WHO WILL TELL US NO. I APPRECIATEITY ATTORNEY ANDERSON HAS NEVER SHIED AWAY FROM THAT RESPONSIBILITY. I JUST WANT AND BELIE THE CITY
NEEDS TO BE -- NEEDS THAT NO TO BE CONSISTENT ACROSS THE BOARD. THIS IS NOT AN EASY VOTE FOR ME TO TAKE, I KNOW CITY ATTORNEY ANDERSONARES DEEPLY ABOUT JUSTICE, THE CITY, AND THE RESIDENTS. I APPRECIATE THE TIME SHE'S GIVEN ME, THE GROWTH
OF HER RELATIONSHIP OVER OUR SHARED TIME TOGETHER. I KNOW NO MATTER HOW PEOPLE VOT TODAY, YOU'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH EVERYONE SITTING HERE, MYSELF INCLUDED. THIS IS NOT AN EASY THING TO DO, UMM, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. ULTIMATELY, I
FELT I HAVE TO VOTE NO ON THE APPOINTMENT. THERE HASN'T BEEN CHANGES TO THE CULTURE AND THE POLICIES OFHE OFFICE THAT I'VE OUTLINED. UMM, AND THAT RUN COUNTER WHAT I BELIEVE IS THE CHARTER'S DIRECTIVE TO THE ROLE. IN THE UPCOMING TERM, UMM, I
HOPE THE CITY ATTORNEY WILL COMMIT TO EQULY AND EQUITABLY REPRESENTING ALL OF HER CLIENTS. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO SERVE WITH YOU OVER THIS UPCOMING TERM. THANK YOU. >> I ADDED MYSELF TO QUEUE. I WANTED TO SPEAK TO SOME OF THE
TOPICS THAT WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING HERE. YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A CLOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIP OVER THE YEARS. EVEN BEFORE COMING PRESIDENT. DESPITE BEING A -- HA-HA. SO THAT'S ACTUALLY GONE A LONG WAY IN BUILDING A
PRODUCTIVE RELATIONSHIP. AND, UMM, BUT THERE HAS BEEN THESE CHALLENGES AROUND SOME OF WHICH COUNCIL MEMBER CHUGHTAI HAS BROUGHT UP AROUND HOW WE, AS A BODY, INTERACT WITH YOU OFFICE. AND I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER VETAW WAS THE MOST EXPLICIT IN
FEEDBACK AROUND HOW WE MIGHT MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER. AND I THINK WE'VE HAD SIMILAR CONVERSATIONS. AND I THINK THIS IS ACTUALLY FEEDBACK NOT JUST FOR E CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, BUT EVERY SINGLE APPOINTMENT THAT IS COMING IN FRONT OF THIS BODY. I THINK EVERY SINGLE LEADER OF THIS INSTITUTION NEEDS TO THINK DEEPLY ABOUT HOW
THEY'RE SUPPORTING THE WORK OF THIS BODY. AND HOW WE ACTUALLY STRUCTURALLY SUPPORT THAT WORK. AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE WAYS TO DO THAT, THAT CAN LIVE WITHIN THE CHARTER. AND LIVE WITHIN THE SEPARAON OF POWERS. BUT -- AND I DON'T WANT US TO
HAVE JUST COORDINATORS. WE NEED STRATEGIC PARTNERS ACROSS EVERY TO BE ABLE TO DO OUR WORK ANDN SERVE OUR RESIDENTS EFFECTIVELY. AND I THINK THAT'S FEEDBACK THAT I WANT FOR YOU TO TAKE AS THE CITY ATTORNEY, BUT I WANT, ACTUALLY, WOULD BE A REQUEST AS EVERYBODY IS CONSIDERING THEIR
APPOINTMENTS IN COMING FORWARD TO THIS BODY. HOW DO YOU PRO ACTIVELY SHARE WITH THIS BODY HOW YOU ARE GOING TO GO ABOUT PROVIDING MUCH MORE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH HOW WE GOVERN. BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS SEPARATELY NEEDED -- DESPERATELY NEEDED IN THIS
INSTITUTION, SEPARATELY -- DESPERATELY NEEDED BY OUR REDENTS. WE CAN GET TO A BETTER WAY OF SERVING THE RESIDENTS TOGETHER. THESE ARE NOT THE COUNCIL OR THE MAYOR'S RESIDENTS. THESE ARE OUR COLLECTIVE CONSTITUENTS. WITH THAT, OH, COUNCIL MEMBER SHA
SHAFFER. >> YEAH. I WILL JUST CLOSE WITH SOME SIMPLE THOUGHTS. I WILL BE SUPPORTING ALL THREE OF THESE CANDIDATES TODAY. BECAUSE THEY HAVE AN AUTHENTIC TRACK RECORD TA LONG, RICH HISTORY OF WORK
EXPERIENCE, STELLAR JOB DESCRIPTIONS, AND I AM PROUD TO SUPPORT L THREE OF THEM TODAY. I WILL NOT BRING UP PERSONAL DETAILS IN LONG E-MAILS FROM YEARS PAST. TT WILL BE MY COMMITMENT FOR ME AS WE GO THROUGH THESE FUTURE PROCESSES.
I, TODAY, JUST WANT TO SAY ONE OTHER THING. THESE CANDIDATES ARE WELL-RESPECTED, THEY ARE THE MAYOR'S PICKS, AND THE VOTERS CHOSE THE MAYOR. SO, TODAY I SUPPORT THESE CANDIDATES BECAUSE OF THEIR TRACK RECORD AND I AM
EXCITED TO SUPPORT EACH ONE. THANKS. [ APPLAUSE ] >> SEEING NO ONE LEFT IN QUEUE, I'LL ASK THE CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL. >> MR. PRESIDENT,HIS ITEM WAS FORWARDED WITHOUT RECOMMENDATION. I HAVE -- >> IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE
THIS ITEM. >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> TT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. AND I'LL HAVE THE CLERK CALL THE ROLL. >> COUNCIL MEMBER WHITING. >> AYE. >> CHOWDHURY. >> AYE. >> STEVENSON. >> AYE. >> RAINVILLE. >>YE. >> VETAW.
>> AYE. >> PALMISANO. >> AYE. >> CHAVEZ. >> NO. >> WARREN. >> AYE. >> SHAFFER. >> AYE. >> WONSLEY. >> NO. >> C CHUGHTAI. >> NO. >> VICE PRIDENT OSMAN. >> AYE. >> PRESIDENT PAYNE. >> AYE. >> THERE ARE 10 AYES AND THREE NAYS.
>> THAT ITEM CARRIES. NEXT WE'LL TAKE UP ITEM NUMBER 8, WHICH IS THE APPOINTMENT OF THE CITY OPERATIONS OFFICER. AND I'LL RECOGNIZE THE MAYOR. >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESINT. MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL,
ADERSHIP AT CITY HALL ISN'T JUST ABOUT KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON. MAKING SURE OUR CITY ACTUALLY WORKS FOR THE PEOPLE THAT CALL IT HOME. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHY MARGARET ANDERSON KELLEHER SHOULD BE NOMINATED AND APPROVED FOR THIS JOB. SHE TUEDOES THAT WORK EVERY DAY.
WHEN SNOWSTORMS IS HIT, WATER MAINS BREAK, WHEN RESIDENTS NEED THE BASICS TO JUST WOR THAT'S WHEN MARGARET'S LEADERSHIP SHINES. CITY HALL OPERATES AS
ONE TEAM. IT LED TO FASTER RESPONSES AND CLEARER COMMUNICATION AND SERVICES THAT REACH OUR NEIGHBORS WHEN THEY NEED THEM MOST. AS FORMER MAYOR NOTED, THE CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICERS THE BRIDGE BETWEEN THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR, AND RESPONSIBILITY. HER JOB IS TOAT
TAKE A COLLECTIVE VISION AND TO TURN IT INTO RESULTS, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT SHE'S DONE. WE'VE SEEN THE OCOMES OF PROJECTS LIKE THE SOUTH SIDE COMMUNITY SAFETY CENTER, THE MINNEAPOLIS DEMOCRACY CENTER, AND THE ONGOING WORK AT GEORGE FLOYD SQUARE. SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT EFFORTS HAPPENING IN
OUR CITY TODAY. WE SEE IT THROUGH THE 17 DEPARTMENTS UNDER HER THAT ARE UNIFIED AND MODERNIZED. WE SEE ITN DAY-TO-DAY RESULTS, STREETS EMPLOYEED, CLEAN WATER FLOWING, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMING ONLINE IT. AT THE HEART OF THIS IS TRUST. MARGAT EARNED THE
TRUST OF HER COLLEAGUES, THE COMMUNITY, AND THIS COUNCIL. SHE KNOWS THE CITY, THE PEOPLE, AND SHE KNOWS HOW TO GET RESULTS. TT COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE OF JUDGMENT AND DEDICATION IS EXACTLY WHAT THIS ROLE REQUIRES. THAT'S WHY I'M PROUD TO REAPPNTMENT MARGARET
ANDERSON KELIHER AS CITY OPERATIONS OPE OPERATIONS OFFICER. THANK YOU. >> ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCIL MEMBER VAW. >> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT PAYNE. I HAVE A COMMENT. C ANDERSON KELIHER, LIKE OTHERS I'VE SAID, YOU KNOW, I JUST REALLY WISH WE
HAD BEEN COORDINATION WITH YOUR DEPARTMENT HEADS. ONE OF THE ADDITIONAL FTES IS TO BE ABLE TO GET SERVICES TO THE CITY COUNCIL. I WOULD LOVE LIAISONS IN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE DEPARTMENTS THAT WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE COUNCIL. IT'S COMPLICATED FOR ME TO ALWAYS
HAVE TO CALL YOU FOR THINGS. I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, SERVICE WHERE THERE'S SOMEONE WHO I KNOW I CAN GO TO AND IT'S GOING TO GET TO YOU. ANYOU KNOW, I CAN TALK WITH THEM AND THINGS WILL GET WORKED OUT. THOSE FTES, IN MY MIND,
WERE EXACTLY THAT. THAT BRIDGE TO MAKING SUR I GET WHAT I NEEDED IN MY WARD AND THAT I'M AWARE OF WHAT'S AVAILABLE AT THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. SO JUST BETTER COORDINATION OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND JUST THE
DIRECT LINE TO FOLKS WHO CAN HELP THINGS WOULD BE REALLY GOOD. >> COUNCIL MEMBER OSMAN. I'M SORRY. VICE PRESIDENT OSMAN. >> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, COO. I APPREATE
YOUR WORK. I MADE MY COMMENTS ON TUESDAY. I JUST WANT TO GHLIGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE PART OF OUR CITY IS NOT DOING WELL. OUR CITY IS NOT DOING
WELL AT ALL. I CONSIR US AS A BODY IN OUR CITY. BUT THERE ARE SOME NEIGHBORS THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH AT LOT OF CHALLENGES. COULD BE ADDICTION, TRASH, T GRANT C GRAFFITI, SAFETY ISSUES. I
THINK ABOUT TO LIVE IN ONE SECTION OF THE CITY, WHEN YOU GO, YOU KNOW, IT'S CLEAN, SAFE, YOU KNOW, WONDERFUL. UT AT THE SAME TIME, OTHER PLACES IT'S -- LIKE, NO-GO ZONE. I HATE TO PUT
IT THAT WAY. BUT THE RESIDENTS A ENTHE COUNCIL -- AND THE COUNCIL LOOK TO YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THE MAYOR'S LEADERSHIP TO LEAD THIS. WE ARE A PARTNER. WE KNOW THE COMMUNITY VERY WELL. WE LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY. THOSE PLACES. WE TALK TO THOSE PEOPLE. AND WE VE SOME
SOLUTIONS AND SOME SUGGESTIONS. AND I REALLY LOOK FORWARD THE NEXT FOUR YEARS TO PARTNER WITH YOU, AND TO EASE UP SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OUR RESIDENTS HAVE FACED. AND, ALSO, TO PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICES WE CAN FOR OUR
CITY. SO TNK YOU FOR COMING BACK. >> COUNCIL MEMBER RAINVILLE. >> THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO BE VOTING YES TOD FOR YOU, COO. YOU'RE A GOOD DECISION MAKING. YOU MAKE GOOD DECISIONS BASED ON
YOUR PAST EXPERIENCE AS SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, THE COMMISSIONER OF THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, AND PUBLIC WORKS. AND YOU HAVE A REALLY TOUGH JOB IN THAT YOU HAVE SO MANY EMPLOYEES AND DEPARTMENT HEADS. YOU'RE GOING TO SAY NO
TO THINGS. AND THAT -- THAT'S HARD. BECAUSE EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE WELL LIKED. BUT WHEN YOU SAY NO TO PEOPLE, THEY WON'T LIKE YOU. YOU'VE MADE GOOD DECISIONS BASED ON YOUR PAST EXPERIENCE HERE AT THE CITY. AND I THANK YOUOR THAT. AND I HOPE YOU GET REAPPOINTED. AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. >> COUNCIL MEMBER PALMISANO. >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I THINK WE'RE FORGETTG THAT THIS IS A FAIRLY NEW POSITION. WE DON'T TALK ABOUT IT THAT WAY ANYMORE. BUT IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT THAN THE PREVIOUS CITY
COORDINATOR POSITION. AND COO ANDERSON KELIHER IS THE FIRST PERSON TO FILL THIS ROLE. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT SHE DID NOT PURSUE THIS ROLE. IT'S MY GREAT JOB AS PUBLIC WORKSNG A DIRECTOR, BUT SHE STOOD UP WHEN
ASKED, AND THAT'S NOT EASY TO DO. AS MENTIONED BY OTH COLLEAGUES, SHE BRINGS A HUGE KNOWLEDGE FOR PUBLIC SECTOR GOVERNANCE AND OPERATIONS. AND I I CAN'T IMAGINE THERE'S ANYONE THAT COULD BRIDGE THAT KIND OF
EXPERIENCE TO THIS ROLE. MINNEAPOLIS IS THE HEART OF THE TWIN CITIES IN THE STATE. WHAT HAPPENS HERE MATTERS EVERYWHERE. AND COO ANDERSON KELIHER UNDERSTANDS AND PROMOTES THAT. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. I THINK THAT YOU, COO ANDERSON
KELIHER HAVE TRANSFORMED HOW OUR ADMINISTRATION WORKS UNDER THE NEW GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE. I THINK YOU SEE WHERE YOU NEED TO BE PERSONALLY INVOLVED, BUT, ALSO, WHERE OTHERS CAN TAKE ON THE WORK. THAT'S THE MARK OF A GOOD LEADER. I THINK THAT YOU HAVE HIRED EXCEPTIONALLY
QUALIFIED DEPUTIES IN DCO BRETT HEJELLE LAURA MELLOM. ALLOWING THEM TO USE THEIR SKILLS IS A MARK OF GOOD LEADER. WE WERE SEK
ME LOCAL 9 INDICATING THEIR NONSUPPORT FOR HER. I AGREE THAT THIS IS LIKELY A SMALL SAMPLE OF THE ENTIRE WORK FORCE OF OUR ENTERPRISE UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP. AND I WOULD LEAN MORE HEAVILY ON THE RESULTS OF OUR LARGER SURVEY, BUT I DO TAKE
THAT FEEDBACK SERIOUSLY. I'LL CONTINUE TO CHALLENGE COO ANDERSON KELIHER TO REFLECT ON THAT AND DIG INTO IT AND RESPOND TO THAT APPROPRIATELY. SO, UMM, THANK YOU FOR BEING -- FOR CONTINUING TO BE WILLING TO SERVE US. >> COUNCIL MEMBER STEVENSON.
>> COLLEAGUES, I WAS NOT BORN IN MINNESOTA BUT I'M MINNESOTA ENOUGH TO HATE INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT. [ LAUGHTER ] BUT I HAVE TO SAY, I WILL NOTE SUPPORTING YOUR RENOMINATION BECAUSE OUR CITY EMPLOYEES HE SAID YOU HAVE NOT DONE A GOOD
JOB. AND THEY HAVE SAID THAT YOU ARE NOT A GOOD BOSS TO THEM. AND I CAN'T SIT UP HERE AS SOMEONWHO WAS AN ASK ME WORKER AND SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES ME THAT ECONOMIC DEMOCRACY AS WELL AS POLITICAL DEMOCRACY REPUBLICAN VITAL FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR
COUNTRY. WE ARE IN A TIME WHERE DEMOCRACY IS UNDER ATTACK. AND WE NEED LEADERS IN THE PLACES WHERE WE HAVE CONTROL, WHO A GOING TO BE PROMOTING DEMOCRACY, BOTH POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC. AND, SO, BY SUPPORTING ECONOMIC DEMOCRACY, MEANS SUPPORTING OUR
UNIONS, IT MEANS SUPPORTING OUR WORKING PEOPLE. WE HAVE CONTROL OVER THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CIT OF MINNEAPOLIS. AND WHEN THEY TELL US THAT YOU ARE NOT DOING THE JOB THAT NDS DONE IN A WAY THAT IT NEEDS DONE, I FEEL THAT WE NEED TO LISTEN. I FEEL STRONGLY WE NEED TO LISTEN. I
FOLLOWED UP ON THE COMMENTS AND INTERNAL POLLS VERSUS EXTERNAL POSS POSSIBLE -- POLLS. ANY TIME I FILLED OUT AN INTERNAL POLL, I DON'T SAY "I HATE MY BOSS" EVERYBODY KNOWS YOU CAN SEE WHICH E-MAIL FILLS OUT THE POLL. EVENF IT'S NOT
NECESSARILY THE CASE, WORKERS BELIEVE THAT. I DON'T THINK INTERNAL POLLS ARE ACCURATE FOR THAT PURPOSE. I THINK WORKERS BELIEVE THAT THEY CANNOT BE TRUTHFUL ON THOSE. I REALLY DO. AND SO I TAKE A LOT OF WEIGHT IN
THE THIRD-PARTY POLL COMING FROM AFSME. THAT'S WHY I'M NOT SUPPOI SUPPORT OUR WORKING PEOPLE HERE IN THE CITY. AND I ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO FOLLOW SUIT AND TO SUPPORT OUR EMPLOYEES. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK
YOU. >> COUNCIL MEMBER CHOWDHURY. >> THANK YOU, SO MUCH, PRESIDENT PAYNE. AND THANK YOU COO ANDERSON KELIHER FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO THE CITY AND YOUR SERVICE. AND I GENUINELY MEAN
THAT FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. IT'S A DIFFICULT TIME IN OUR TY AND CONTINUES TO BE. AND WE TONIGHT KNOW WHAT'S NEXT. RIGHT. AND THAT'S AN UNSTEADINESS THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS THATORKS HERE IN THIS ENTERPRISE FEELS EACH AND
EVERY DAY. AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU AND YOUR ROLE HAVE TO PARTICULARLY HOLD. AND I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT. I ALSO WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I SEE THE WAYS IN WHICH YOUR
BRILLIANCE SHOWS UP IN THE WORK. I SEE THE WAYS IN WHICH YOU WORK REALLY, REALLY HARD. ARCH I HAVE A LOT OF -- AND I HAVE LOT OF SUPPORT FOR WOMEN WHO WORK REALLY HARD IN THEIR ROLES. AND TRY TO DO THEIR BEST, AND
IN DOING THEIR BEST, LIKE, REALLY RING ABOVE MOST. SO I WANTED TO GIVE YOUR FLOWERS ON THAT. THIS HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT DECISION FOR ME. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF THINGS THAT I'VE HAD TO WEIGH AND THINK AUT. I THINK,
REGARDLESS OF MY VOTE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE OUR COO, AND I WANT TO HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU. AND I WANT TO WORK WITH YOU AND I WANT TO BUILD OFF OF THE FOUNDATION WE'VE BUILT. UMM, AND WHEN I WAS THINKING AND
CONTEMPLATING ABOUT THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND, LIKE, THE PLACES WHERE I HAD CONCERNS. I THINK ONE PLACE THAT ROSE ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE, FOR ME, WAS THE WAY IN WHICH THE CITY OF
MINNEAPOLIS ADDRESSES UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS AND HOMELESSNESS. LIKE, THAT'S BEEN A TOP ISSUE FOR ME. BEFORE I WAS EVER EVEN ELECTED TO OFFICE. IT WAS SOMETHING I CARED ABOUT DEEPLY AS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER. AND THEN AS A POLICY AID FOR
DIFFERENT COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND I THINK THE WAY THAT WE ADDRESS UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS IS NOT MEETING THE MOMENT. AND I THINK THE'S BEEN SOME IMPROVEMENTS, BUT A LOT OF THE THINGS WE RELY ON AS A CITY IS PRETTY PUNITIVE. ALSO, HAVE CREATED A LOT OF HARM
IN OUR COMMUNITY. I THINK ABOUT A PRACTICE OF PUTTING, LIKE, CONCRETE ON TO EMPTY LOTS. I ALSO JUST THINK ABOUT, LIKE, SOMETHING THAT IT'S NOT ANYONE'S
FAULT, BUT IT'S, LIKE, OUR COLD WEATHER AND EXTREME WEATHER CASES AND HOW WE HANDLED THAT. AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE SEEING LOT OF SILOING. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE NOT SEEING A BRIDGE BETWEEN COMMUNITY, THE COUNCIL, AND THE CITY ADMINISTRION. AND I THINK IT ALSO KIND OF
HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THE OTHER ISSUES THAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING ACROSS THE ADMINISTRATION THAT I DO BELIEVE WE CAN IMPROVE UPON. I MEAN, THAT'S A CHARGE FOR US THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. AND THE OTHER PLACE IS, FOR ME, IT DOES
REALLY MATTER HOW OUR WORKERS FEEL IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. WHEN WE HAD AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE CITY COORDINATOR'S OFFICE, FT ANOTHER SCALE BUT, LIKE, THE
RELATIONSHIP THERE WAS SO, SO FRAUGHT. AND I MADE A PROMISE TO MYSELF IN SEEING SO MANY -- AT THE TIME, LIKE, PEERS AT THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS COMING AND REALLY PUTTING THE REPUTATION ON THE LINE TO ADVOCATE FOR A BETTER WORKPLACE.
LIKE, THAT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT I'M GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF WEIGHT IN. AND CARE A LOT ABOUT. AND I THINK THE SURVEY THAT WE RECEIVED FROM EMPLOYEES ASKING DIFFERENT QUESTIONS THAN THEY WERE ASKED IN THE, UMM,
LARGER SURVEY. REALLY SHOWS THAT THERE IS A -- THERE'S A MUCH-NEEDED THING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AROUND WORKPLACE CLIMATE. AND HOW WORKERS FEEL. AND THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO IMPROVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH HUMAN
RESOCES. AND THAT'S SOMETHING DIRECTLY THAT YOU WILL WORK ON ANYOU DO WORK ON. WHILE THERE ARE MANY THINGS I THINK ARE POSITIVES. AND I VOTED IN SUPPORT OF YOUR NOMINATION LAST
TIME, I THINK THIS TIME, UMM, FOR THE REASONS THAT I LAID OUT, I AM A NO TODAY. BUT I AM COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH YOU AND IMPROVING THINGS IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. AND I THINK ONE OF THE HUGE OPPORTUNITY POINTS
THAT WE DO HAVE THAT I THINK WOULD SHIFT THE CULTURE FOR US AS CNCIL MEMBERS, AND THE CITY OF ADMINISTRATION, IS FIGURING OUT HOW WE CHANGE, LIKE, CHANGE AND IMPROVE COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION RELATIONS. I
AND OUR LEADERSHIP HERE AREAND I UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO DO. I THINK WE CAN TO IT. I WANT TO COME OUT AT THE END OF THE TERM AND SAY THESE ARE THE WAYS WE TANGIBLY DID IT. AND THEN IS HOW IT IMPROVED THE WORK WE DID FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. THANK YOU.
>> I'M TRYING TO ADD MYSELF TO QUEUE. LOOKS LIKE SPEAKER MANAGEMENT IS LITTLE BIT BEHIND. BUT, UMM, I THINK I'VE SHARED THIS STORY MAN TIMES. THE FIRST TIME I VOLUNTEERED TO DO ATHING IN THE UNIVERSE OF POLITICS TO A PHONE BANK FOR
WHEN WAS THAT? OKAY. 15 YEARS AGO. OKAY. UMM, AND NOW IN WORKING CLOSELY WITH YOU, IT IS NO SURPRISE TO ME HOW YOU ENDED UP THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE. YOU HAVE THE VERY DEEP SAVVY ABOUT HOW YOU NAVIGATE POLITICAL
SYSTEMS. AND THAT IS MADE VERY APPARENT IN OUR WORKING RELATIONSHIP. AND I HHLIGHT THAT BECAUSE I'VE WORKED AT T CITY. WILL BE MY 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY WORKING FOR THE CITY. I WORKE HERE FOUR YEARS BEFORE RUNNING FOR OFFICE. I
WORKED IN THE COORDINATOR'S OFFICE. AND THIS ROLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN CHALLENGING TO DEFINE EVEN AS THE CITY COORDINATOR. AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A ROLE THAT HAS -- EVEN UNDER THE MAYOR SYSTEM
SANDWICHED IN BETWEEN BEING A CIVIL SERVANT AND HAVING TO WEIGH IN THE POLITICS AND NAVIGATE THE POLITICS. AND TO ME, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS ROLE GETTING REDEFINED AS THE COO FROM THE CITY COORDINATOR WITH, NEEDS TO BE MUCH LESS
POLITICAL THAN IT WAS IN THE PAST. AND THAT IS THE THOUGHT PROCESS THAT I HAVE GOING INTO MY VOTE. I'VE EXPERIENCED YOUR SAVVINESS FIRSTHAND. AND I'VE NOT ALWAYS BEEN ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THAT. THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOD LIKE TO WORK
WITH YOU ON IN MOVING FORWARD. BECAUSE MYOUNT, I DON'T THINK MY VOTE WILL CHANGE THE OUTCOME HERE. WHAT I WOULD LIKE T SEE, ALL THOUGHHE ROLE REPORTS TO THE MAYOR, IT'S ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE. WE NEED TO MAKE SUREHAT WE'RE ALWAYS PUTTING
THE RESIDENTS' NEEDS FIRST. AND SO I WON'T BE SUPPORTING YOU TODAY. BUT I DO BELIEVE YOU WILL BE OUR NEW COO. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING THROUGH THOSE CHALLENGES TOGETHER. AND WITH THAT, I WILL ASK -- WELL, I WILL ASK IF THERE IS A MOTION.
>> I MOVE. >> SECOND. >> SECOND. >> THE CLERK WILL CALL THE ROLL. >> WHITING. >> AYE. >> CHOWDHURY. >> NO. >> STEVENSON. >> NO. >> RAINVILLE. >> AYE. >> VETAW. >> A. >> PALMISANO. >> AYE. >> CHAVEZ. >> NO.
>>ARREN. >> AYE. >> SHAFFER. >> AYE. >> WONSLEY. >> NO. >> CHUGHTAI. >> NO. >> VICE PRESIDENT OSMAN. >> AYE. >> PRESIDENT PAYNE. >> NO. >> THERE ARE SEVEN AYES AND SIX NAYS. THAT ITEM CARRIES. AND NEXT
WE'LL TAKE UP ITEM NUMBER 9, WHICH IS THE COMMIIONER OF COMMUNITY SAFETY AND I'LL RECOGNIZE MAYOR FREY. >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, ON TUESDAY WE HEARD FROM COMMISSIONER TODD BARNETTE AND
THE MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK BESIDES HIM, SERVED UNDERIM, OR SEEN FIRSTHAND THE DIFFERENCE THAT HIS LEADERSHIP MAKES. THEY WERE VERY CLEAR. MINNEAPOLIS IS SAFER, IT'S STRONGER, AND IS BETTER PREPARED TODAY BECAUSE OF
THE WORK THAT HE HASONE. COMMISSIONER BARNETTE STEPPED INTO THIS ROLE AT A MOMENT OF REAL STRENGTH. -- STRAIN. STRAIN IN THE CITY BROADLY. D, ALSO, APP DEPARTMENT AND
OFFICE THAT WAS RELATIVELY NEWLY STOOD UP. HE DIDN'T WAIT TO SEE THE WAY THEIND WAS BLOWING. HE GOT TO WORK. BRINGING STRUCTURE STABILITY COMPLIANCE, TRUST WHERE IT WAS NEEDED MOST. HE REBUILT COMMUNICATION ACROSS DEPARTMENTS
THAT HADN'T ALWAYS TALKED TO EACH OTHER. AND HE DID SO WITH HUMILITY AND WITH CALM. D I THINK AS I'VE MENTIONED TO MANY OF YOU, DON'T MISTAKE COMMISSIONER BARNETTE'S CALM FOR
A LACK OF URGENCY. THE GUY IS URGENT. HE WORKS TIRELESSLY. HE HAS THIS UNBELIEVABLE SENSE OF INTEGRITY, AND I CAN TELL YOU TH DURING SOME OF THE HARDEST MOMENTS, ESPECIALLY OVER THIS
LAST YEAR, HAVING THAT SENSE OF CALM AND CLARITYN THE ROOM SAVED LIVES. THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP STYLES. NO ONE OF THOSE LEADERSHIP STYLES IS THE CORRECT ONE, BUT TO HAVE A DIVERSITY OF THEM IN THE ROOM
AT ANY GIVEN TIME IS CRITICAL. HE'S EXHIBITED THAT KIND OF LEADERSHIP AS THE CHIEF JUDGE OF THE HENNEPIN COUNTY COURTS. HE'S EXHIBITED THAT LEADERSHIP AS A DEFENDER, PROSECUTOR, AS
SOMEONE WHO CARES ABOUT THE UNDERLYING INTEGRITY OF HOW OUR GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS. HE IS NOT A LOUD PERSON. BUT HE IS A THOUGHTFUL ONE. AND HE GETS THE JOB DONE. HE KNOWS THIS WORK.
WHEN THE ANNUNCIION TRAGEDY HAPPENED, THEY RESPONDED IMMEDIATELY COORDINATED AND EFFECTIVE. IT WAS NOT A COINCIDENCE. IT WAS PREPARATION AND LEADERSHIP. IT WAS PREPARATION THAT STEMMED BACK MANY, MANY YEARS DOING THE HARD WORK OF MULTIPLE PRACTICE
PRACTICE SESSIONS, OF GOING TO MARYLAND. THIS IS WORK THAT THE COMMISSIONER LED. WE HAVE A NATION LEADING EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW. BECAUSE OF COMMISSIONER
BARNETTE. BECAUSE OF THE RECRUITMENT EFFORTS HE DID TO GET THAT DIRECTOR. BECAUSEE DID THE WORK TO BUILD IT OUT TO ENSURE THE INTEGRITY OF A CHAIN OF COMMAND, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WASN'T JUST THE TITLE OF A DEPARTMENT
ON A PIECE OF PAPER. WE IMPROVED. THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE SEEN SINCE 2020 AROUND EMERGENCY RESPOE UNDOUBTEDLY, I THINK MOST OF US WOULD ACKNOWLEDGE HAS SEEN MASSIVE IMPROVEMENT. IT'S OKAY TO
RECOGNIZE WHEN WE NEED TO IMPROVE ON THINGS. AND WHEN YOU DO RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU DON'T JUST SIT BACK ON YOUR HANDS. YOU DO THE WORK. HE HAS. THE MANAGEMENT YOU'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST THREE MONTHS, THE MANAGEMENT YOU'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST YEAR IS INDICATIVE OF THAT
PROGRESS. AND LOOKING AHEAD, TODD HAS MADE IT CLEAR THIS WORK DOESN'T STOP AT CITY HALL. IT REQUIR STRONG TRUSTED PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE STATE, THE COUNTY, THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY, AND WELL BEYOND. BUT WHAT STOOD OUT MOST TO ME ON TUESDAY WASN'T
JUST TODD'S RÉSUMÉ, WHICH IS RE RIDICULOUSLY STRONG. IT WAS THE PEOPLE THAT TALK ABOUT HIS CHARACTER. INCLUDING COUNCIL MEMBER WHITING. WORDS "RESPECTED" A LEADER WHO SHOWS
UP AND HELPS AN 18-YEAR-OLD WITH HIS FUTURE. I HAVE HEARD THIS STORY OVER AND OVER AGAIN FROM COUNTLESS PEOPLE. I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE GETS THE TIME TO MEET WITH AND MENR PEOPLE. BECAUSE HE'S WORKING ALL DAY AT CITY HALL AND BEYOND. OUR CITY IS
STILL REBUILDING. THE WORK OF LONG-TERM REFORM IS FAR FROM OTHER. -- OVER. THE WAY FORWARD ISN'T TO START OVER. IT'S TO CONTINUE WITH THE RIGHT LEADER AND THEIGHT PLACE. SO, TODAY I ASK YOU TO JOIN ME IN TING TO CONFIRM COMMISSIONER
TODD BARNETTE TO CONTINUE LEADING THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY SAFETY. HE'S THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THIS MOMENT AND FOR WHERE MINNEAPOLIS IS HEADING NEXT. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS. >> COUNCIL MEMBER WONSLEY. >> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT PAYNE. I WILL BE VOTING AGAINST THIS APPOINTMENT. BOTH BECAUSE I
BELIEVE COMMISSIONER BARNETTE HAS FULFILLED THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THIS POSITION. IN FACT, A HUGE PART OF MY TIME ON COUNCIL HAS BEEN TRYING TO PREVENT THE OFFIC OF COMMUNITY SAFETY FROM NEGLECTING OR SABOTAGING KEY PIECES OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEM THIS BODY, OR SOME OF
MEMBERS OF THE BODY AND THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN SPENDING YEARS TO ADVANCE. UMM, COUNCIL HAS ALSO HAD TO INTERVENE IN RESCUING KEY SERVICES LIKE OUR BEHAVIORAL CRISIS RESPONSE. COUNCIL HAD TO HOLD THE
ADMINISTRATION RESPONSIBLE FOR HOLD -- ADVANCING NONPOLICE PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES. COUNCIL HAD TO DO EXTENSIVE OVERSIGHT OF CONTRACTING AND PROCUREMENT PRACTICES AFTER OCS LEADERSHIP PERMITTED PRIOR STAFF TO ISSUE CONTRACTS WITH CLEAR CONFLICT OF
INTEREST. COUNCIL MEMBERS LIKE MYSELF SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS TRIAGING CALLS AND E-MAILS FROM VIENCE PREVENTION CONTRACTORS WHO WERE HITTING OPERATIONAL AND LOGISTIC DEAD ENDS. AND IN SPITE OF EVERY ATTEMPT HE MADE TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH OCS, UMM,
TO RECTIFY THOSE CONCERNS. YEAR AFTER YEAR, THIS OFFICE HAS FAILED TO DO ANYTHING MEANINGFUL TO ADVANCE PUBLIC SAFETY BEYOND POLICING. AND TIME AFTER TIME IT'S BECE CLEAR THAT IT'S JUST SIMPLY NOT A PRIORITY FOR THIS ADMINISTRATION. UMM, AND WE SEE THAT EVEN WITH SOME OF THE CUTS
MADE TO PROGRAMS JUST IN THE PAST QUARTER. COMMISSIONER BARNETTE LEADERSHIP IS CERTAINLY PART OF THAT PROBLEM, BUT I BELIEVE, AT THIS POINT, IT'S NOT JUST ON YOU. IT'S INHERENT TO THE ENTIRE IDEA OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY SAFETY. THIS OFFICE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A TRIAL AS PART OF THE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE
ORDINANCE. I FEEL CONFIDENT TH THE OUTCOMES OF THAT TRIAL HAS FAILED. AND IT HAS NOT BEEN A WORTHWHILE INVESTMENT THAT IMPROVED THE LIFE AND SAFETY CONDITIONS FOR RESIDENTS IN AN ACTUAL MEANINGFUL WAY. COUNCIL AUTHORIZED SPENDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR A STEP-BY-STEP PLAN
CALLED THE SAFE AND THRIVING COMMUNITIES RERT. WHICH GAVE US A 10-YEAR ROAD MAP ON HOW TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEM. AND WE DID SO IN CONSULTATION WITH SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS. AND PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANTS. AND WHO BROUGHT IN TENICAL SUPPORT IN HELPING US
IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM. AND WE STILL HAVE NOT MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS ON IMPLEMENTING THAT PLAN. THIS IS WIT AGAIN, THOSE PROFESSIONALS AT THE TABLE, ALSO HAVING THE HIGHEST PAID LEADER IN THE CITY, OR EVEN IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. AND A TEAM OF STAFF PART OF THAT
TABLE WE HAVE NOT SEEN SIGNIFICT STRIDES IN THAT WORK. AND WE'VE SEEN IT, ACTUALLY STALL OUT IN RECENT MONTHS. WE ALSO KNOW THAT MPD IS FAILING CRITICAL COMPONENTS OF THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT. OCS LEADERSHIP IS REGULARLY LEGISLATIVE DIRECTIVES TO SHARE
BASIC INFORMATION WITH COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC IN A TIMY MANNER. UMM, AND WHETHER THEY'RE UNABLE OR UNWILLING, AT IS POINT, IT'S CLEAR THE OFFICE IS JUST NOT MEETING THE GOALS THAT WASNTENDED. UMM, AND THIS CREATION WHEN WE BROUGHT FORWARD, UMM, THE GORNMENT STRUCTURE ORDINANCE A
FEW YEARS AGO. AND, FOR ME, IT WOULD BE BETTER TO SPEND THE MONEY THAT WE'VE INVESTED IN THIS OFFICE, AND THE PERSONNEL, TO ACTUALLY REDIRECT THAT INTO PRENTION OR VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES, UMM, THAT ACTUALLY CITY SERVICES THAT IS
HELPING KEEP OUR RESIDENTS SAFE. AND WE WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO BE IN COMPLIANCEITH THE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE, BECAUSE ALL THOSE DEPARTMENTS WOULD STILL REPORT TO THEAYOR HIMSELF. UMM, NOTHING WOULD CHANGE. AND THAT COULD HELP U SAVE NEARLY $2 MILLION PER YEAR
THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WASTING WITH THE EXISTENCE OF THIS OFFICE. SO, AGAIN, I AM A NO. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND THE PUBLIC ARE FIGURING OUT A WAY TO ELIMINATE THIS OFFICE. UMM, AND FIND A NEW WAY TO ACTUALLY ADVANCE,
UMM, IN OUR CURRENT STRUCTURE, UMM, TO ACTUALLY ADVANCE SERIOUSLY COMPREHENVE PUBLIC SAFETY THAT SUPPORTS OUR RESIDENTS. >> COUNCIL MEMBER VETAW. >> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT PAYNE. COMMISSIONER BARNETTE, I AM SO
EXCITED TO SUPPORT YOU TODAY. I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY -- THIS IS MY TOP TNG FOR THIS TERM SO FAR. IS TO HAVE YOU COME BACK BEFORE US AND SAY YOU WANT THIS JOB. SIDE COMMUNITY G -- I
GOT A DIFFERENT SET OF CALLS REGARDING YOUR APPOINTMENT SINCE TUESDAY. AND IT'S THE COMMUNITY THAT I REPRESENT SAYING HOW CONNECTED THEY FEEL TO YOU AND TO PUBLIC SAFETY. BECAUSE YOU'RE IN THIS POSITION. I -- DON'T KNOW THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW DEEPLY CONNECTED
YOU ARE TO SOME COMMUNITIES BECAUSE OF THE WORK YOUE DONE. I KNOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBER WHITING SAID, YOU KNOW, AS A YOUNG LAW STUDENT, OR PERSON INTERESTED, THAT YOU MENTORED HIM. I HAVE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH YOU THROUGH A FAMILY MEMBER THAT YOU MENTORED IN YOUR COURT.
OVER 20 YEARS AGO. THAT YOU COULD HAVE EASILY JUST LOOKED AT AND SAID "YOU'RE GOING TO JAIL." BUT YOU SAW SOMETHING IN THEM. YOU FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH THEM FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS. STILL NOW YOU DO! THERE'S NEVER A TIME WHERE I SEE YOU, WHERE YOU DON'T ASK ME ABOUT THIS
FAMILY MEMBER OR, YOU KNOW, JUS MY FAMILY? GENERAL. A I APPRECIATE THAT! AND I APPRECIATE WHAT THE MAYOR SAID. WE NEEDHE LEVEL-HEADED COMMISSIONER IN THESE ROOMS. ESPECIALLY ME. BECAUSE IOP OFF. AND I NEED YOU TO BE, LIKE, "CALM DOWN!" RIGHT. AND
SO, I APPRECIATE THE BALANCE OF RELATIONSHIPS. YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOUR STAFF, YOU KNOW TO ASK THEM, "WHAT EXACTLY DID SHE SAY?" IT MIGHT NOT BE THE END. WHAT DID
SHE SAY EXACTLY. YOU KNOW IT'S OKAY TO COME BACK AND TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT. I APPRECIAT THAT. YOU KNOW PEOPLE. AND YOU ESPECIALLY ARE JUST A GOO PERSON OVERALL. WHAT YOU BRING TO PUBLIC SAFETY IS UNMATCHED! IT IS TRULY UNMATCHED IN THIS
CITY. I COULDN'T ASK FOR A BETTER PERSON TO BE IN CHARGE. HAVE I EXPERIENCED FRUSTRATION WITH YOU, WITH THE DEPARTMENT? ABSOLUTELY. I HAVE THE SAME FIGHT WITH EVERYONE. WHERE IS THE FTE THAT'S GOING TO WORK WITH COUNCIL? WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS SO MANY TIMES. WHERE
IS THE CONNECTION DIRECTLY TO MY OFFICE? SO I DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO CALL YOU AND TELL YOU T MEET ME ON PENN AND LOWRY. SO I DON'T HAVE TO CALL YOU AND TELL YOU IN THE MIDDLE OF NIGHT SOMETHING JUST HAPPENED AND HOW ARE YOU GOING TO RESPOND TO THIS? I'M LOOKING FOR THAT
YOU UNDERSTAND IT. WHERE I'MHAT GIVING YOU GRACE AT IS THAT YOU DON'T ALWAYS FIX IT FOR ME THE WAY I WANT TO FIX IT. BUT I KNOW YOU CARE ABOUT IT. I KNOW THAT WHAT I'M ASKING YOU TO DO, YOU -- IT'S NOT, LIKE, JUST
GONE. IT'S WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON IT. WE'RE WORKING ON IT. YOU MAY NOT SEE IT, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT TO ME AS IT IS TO YOU. I REALLY -- I JUST CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE THAT ABOUT YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL, AND HOW YOU MAKE YOUR TEAM SHOW
UP IN THAT WAY. YOU'RE ANOTHER PERSON THAT HAS JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE PEOPLE AROUND YOU WHO CARE BECAUSE OF HOW YOU CARE. YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT SHOW UP FOR US IN CERTAIN WAYS. BECAUSE YOU OW UP FOR US IN CERTAIN WAYS. AND AS THE MAYOR SAID. IT LOOKS
LIKE NOTHING IS HAPPENING, BUT I SEE IT! I SEE THE TIN MOVING WITH YOU ALL THE TIME. EVEN IF IT FEELS LIKE THE TRAIN IS MOVING A LITTLE SLOW. THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING BIG ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT. AND I -- I APPRECIATE THAT. BECAUSE I KNOW WHO I AM AND WT I LIKE
DIFFERENT PEOPLE AROUND ME. I LIKE DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP STYLES. I DON'T EXPECT EVERYONE TO BE THE SAME. I DON'T EXPECT ERYONE TO, YOU KNOW, WORK THE WAY THAT I WORK. WHAT I EXPECT, THOUGH, IS THAT WE ALL CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. AND I KNOW, I KNOW
WAY ABOVE WHAT I COULD EVENJUST EXPECT FOR SOMEBODY IN THIS POSITION. AND SO, I'M JUST EXCITED YOU WANT THIS. AT A TIME IN YOUR CAREER WHERE YOU COULD BE A CHIEF JUDGE. RIGHT. YOU COULD BE DOING SOMETHING ELSE. YOU WANT THIS HIGH-PROFILE JOB. YOU WANT TO
BE THE FACE OF PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SAID THE OTHER DAY THAT PEOPLE ASK YOU "ARE YOU REALLY COMING OVER HERE?" I WAS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE. BECAUSE WE USED TO HANG OUT ANDRAB COFFEE. BEFORE YOU CAME OVER
HERE, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE LIVING THE EAM! YOU WERE LIKE I'M RETIRING IN A FEW YEARS. I'M JUST OVER HERE AND YOU AND I WERE GRABBING COFFEE IN THE MIDDLE DAY. I WAS LIKE, THIS IS GOING TO BE CHALLENGING. WHAT DID YOU SAY TO ME? "I'M UP FOR E CHALLENGE. I'M UP FOR THE
CHALLENGE BECAUSE I LOVE MINNEAPOLIS. I SPENT MY CAREER HE. I WANT TO GO OUT IN A WAY COMMUNITY." YOU'VE DONE THAT. S YOU REALLY HAVE DONE THAT. AND I KNOW YOU WILL CONTINUE TOO THAT. I'M SUPPORTING YOU. AND I HOPE THAT YOU GET -- YOU GET THE SUPPORT FROM THIS COUNCIL
TODAY THAT THIS CITY NEEDS TT YOU CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE YOU DO FOR THE SAFETY OF MINNEAPOLIS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, COMMISSIONER. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. >> COUNCIL MEMBER RAINVILLE. >> THANK YOU, I, TOO, WILL B SUPPORTING YOU TODAY,
COMMISSIONER. YOU HAVE OF ALL THE HARD JOBS ON THE CABINET, YOU HAVE THE HARDEST. WHY? BECAUSE, SURE, T POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN 100 PLUS YEARS, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR 9-1-1 EMERGENCY, THOSE ALL RUN
HAS BEEN WITH THAT OFFICE OFWORK -- YOU GOOD WORK HAS BEEN WITH THAT OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY. IT'S NOT LIKE A POLICE DEPARTMENT, IT'S NOT LIKE A FIRE
DEPARTMENT. I'M SITTING NEXT TO COUNCILMEMBER VETAW. WHEN WE FIRST JOINED THE COUNCIL, WE DID NOT VOTEOR THE COMMUNITY SAFETY AMBASSADORS BROSS -- BECAUSE WE DID NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THE MONEY IS BEING SPENT.
U BROUGHT THAT ACCOUNTABILITY. THAT OFFICE UNDER YOUR LEFT HAS ALSO BEEN VERY HELPFUL WITH ME BRINGING COMMUNITY ELDERS INTO DINKYTOWN AND ALONG THE RIVER FRONT IN ORDER TO TAMP DOWN THAT VIOLENCE. I THANK YOU FOR THAT AND I WILL
THANK YOU FOR A GREAT JOB. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHUGHTAI. >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. ALSO WANT TO BEGIN BY THANKING COMMISSIONER BARNETT FOR HIS SERVICE HERE AT THE CITY OF
MINNEAPOLIS AND A VERY LONG AND DISTINGUISHED CAREER IN PUBLIC SERVICE PRIOR TO HIS TIME HERE. COMMISSIONER BARNETT OVERSEES FIVE OF OUR VERY IMPORTANT AND
VERY PUBLICLY SCRUTINED DEPARTMENTS THAT PROVIDE CORE SERVICES TO RESIDENTS IN THE CITY, RESIDENTS EXPECT HI-QUALITY SERVICES AND THEY RIGHTFULLY EXPECT THAT WHEN THEY
NEED HELP THEY WILL RECEIVE IT FROM THIS INSTITUTION. YOUR JOB IS A BIG ONE. IT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE. AND FOR ME, I'M ARRIVING AT MY DECISION BASED ON A FEW DIFFERENT FACTORS. AND I WANT TO START BY TALKING
ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE OF WORKING WITH COMMISSIONER BARNETT INSIDE OF THIS INSTITUTION. WHILE COMMISSIONER BARNETT HAS SERVED IN ROLE, MULTIPLE OF THE DEPAMENTS THAT HE OVERSEES HAVE REPEATEDLY OVERSPENT AND EXCEEDED THEIR BUDGETS. SOME BY TENS OF MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS. I EXPECT THE COMMISSIONER OF COMMUNITY SAFETY TO HOLD ALL DEPARTMENTS AND DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT THEY SUPVISE TO THE SAME STANDARD AS EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT HEAD IN E CITY. AND THAT'S SOMETHING HE'S FALLEN SHORT OF DOING. OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
IT'S JEOPARDIZED THE FISCAL HEALTH OF OUR CITY AND IT HAS COME AT THE EXPENSE OF SERVICES. IT HAS COME AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR RESIDENTS. IT SHOCKED ME ON TUESDAY TO HEAR THE COMMISSIONER WHEN ASKED ABOUT HIS AND HIS OFFICE'S LACK
OF PRESENCE AT BIWEEKLY AGENDA SETTING MEETINGS SAY THAT THIS FEEDCK WAS NEWS TO HIM. THROUGHOUT HIS TENURE, A CONSISTENT HALLMARK OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY SAFETY HAS BEEN BRINGING FORWARD INCOMPLETE
ITEMS AND ABSENCE IN AGENDA SETTING MEETINGS. THE CONSEQUENCE OF THIS APPROACH IS THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PUT CONSISTENTLY IN THE POSITION OF CONSIDERING ITEMS WITHOUT HAVING TH NECESSARY DETAILS TO MAKE INFORMED AND THOUGHTFUL DECISIONS.
EXTERNALLY AS IT RELATES TO THE THESE DEPARTMENTS AND THIS OFFICE, THE LACK OF SHOWING UP TO MEET WITH AND FAILING TO RESPOND TO AND SHOW COMPASSIONATE CARE TO MY
CONSTITUENTS, TO RESENTS OF MINNEAPOLIS, THAT ARE FRUSTRATED BY OUR SAFETY ECOSYSTEM, BY OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM. FRUSTRATED BY THE LACK OF SAFETY THAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING. TO ME, IT'S DISQUALIFYING FOR THIS ROLE. FAURE TO IMPLEMENT INITIATIVES
THAT BUILD THE COMPREHENSIVE SAFETY ECOSYSTEM THAT IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR STATED GOALS AND STATED PLANS LIKE THE UPTOWN SAFETY AMBASSADORS FOR NEARLY
REE YEARS NOW THAT HAS GONE UNIMP UNIMPLEMENTED. AND BRINGING FORWARD PROPOSALS TO GUT SOME OF THESE PLANS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR ME. AND FOR TSE REASONS, I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS APPOINTMENT TODAY.
>> COUNCILMEMBERWHITING. >> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT PAYNE. I KNOW IT'S SAID ON THIS DAIS ON TUESDAY THAT I WAS UNSURE WHO ELSE COULD FILL THIS ROLE. I DO KNOW NOW WHO COULD FILL THE ROLE AND IT'S COMMISSIONER
BARNETT'S DAUGHTER WHO IS THE ONLY ATTORNEY -- THE BETTER ATTORNEY IN THAT FAMILY. OTHER THAN THAT -- THIS IS A POSITION THAT I FULLY BELIEVE IS ONE THAT NEEDS CONSISTENCY ACROSS THE BOARD. WHILE I FULLY BELIEVE THAT THE
CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND OUR CLO ARE FANTASTIC MEASURES AND LEADERS FOR THEIR ROLE, THOSE POSITIONS HAVE EXISTED FOR GENERATIONS. THIS IS A POSITION THAT IS FOUR YEARS IN LENGTH. WE ARE DEALING WITH SOMETHING THAT IS AGAIN ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF WHAT PUBLIC SAFETY
SHOULD LOOK LIKE IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND AT THE HELM OF THAT IS SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY REALM FOR GENERATIONS AS WELL. AND SO I KIND OF WANT TO PAINT A PICTURE HERE. YOU ALL KNOW MY PERSONAL
FEELINGS IN SUPPORT FOR COMMISSIONER BARNETT. BUT DON'T TAKE MINE. WE HAD THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF MINNETA COME HERE PERSONALLY AND SAY COMMISSIONER BAROMETRI BARNETT IS THE PERSON FOR THIS ROLE. IF WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY, YOU HAVE MULTIPLE
COUNCIL MEMBERS UP HERE THAT SAY IN THE NORTH SIDE ARE HISTORICALLY OVERPOLICED OVERCRIMINALIZED COMMUNITIES, COMMISSIONER BARNETT SHOWS UP. IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY FOR THOSE THAT SEE IT MOST IN THIS CITY, THE PEOPLE
THAT HAVE COME AND SHOWN UP HAVE SAID COMMISSIONER BARNETT IS THE PERSON FOR THAT ROLE. DON'T TAKE MY WORD, TAKE OUR LEADERS, LISA CLEMONS OF MOTHERS INITIATIVE WHO TOLD ME YESTERDAY, JAMISON, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT COMMISSIONER
BARNETT STAYS HERE. AND I WANT TO PAINT A PICTURE OADLY, NOT JUST ABOUT COMMISSIONER BARNETT AS SOMEBODY WHO HAS WORKED IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS ON OUR POLICE REFORM INITIATIVES. THIS IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF COMMISSIONER BARNETT IS HERE IN AN OFFICE THAT IS JUST TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT THESE FOUNDATIONS; WE WILL HAVE A MINIMUM OF SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR SEARCH FOR A POSITION. IT'S I THINK HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT THIS WILL COME INTERNALL FROM THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS WHICH MEANS IT'S PROBABLY
SOMEBODY FROM OUTSIDE OF THE CITY. THAT IS A YEAR THAT THE SAFE AND THRIVING COMMUNITY REPORT, THAT IS A YEAR THAT OUR GUN VIOLENCE INTERVENTION, THAT IS A YEAR THAT OUR VIOLENCEINTERRUPTERS, THAT IS A YEAR THAT OUR BCR FACILITIES DO NOT HAVE A LEADER AT THE HELM TO PUSH FORWARD
REFORMS THAT WE AGREE WITH, EVERY SILE PERSON ON THIS BODY AGREES WITH. THOSE THINGS WILL FALL OFF, RIT? THE MOMENT WE GET THAT PERSON IN IN A YEAR, THAT PERSON WILL HAVE TO HAVE, IN MY UNDERSTANDING, PROBABLY ABOUT A YEAR'S WORTH OF
A LEARNING CURVE TO UNDERSTAND FORWARD TRADITIONAL LAW LLY MOVE ENFORCEMENT ALTERNATIVES THAT WE AGAIN ALL WANT TO SEE HERE. AND SO WE ARE COMMITTED AND I APPRECIATE COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY BRINGING UP THEAFE AND THRIVING COMMUNITY REPORT BECAUSE THAT FULLY LIVES UNDER THE UMBREA OF THE OFFICE OF
COMMUNITY SAFETY. FULLY LIVES. IF WE DO NOT HAVE A LEADER AT THE HELM OF THAT, THAT FALLS OFF. THAT COMPLETELY STOPS. SO WE HAVE SEEN AN IMPROVEMENT IN THIS BODY, THE MAYOR SPOKE TO IT.
WE HAVE A FANTASTIC LEADER IN DIRECTOR SAYER OVER OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. WE HAVE A FANTASTIC LEADER OVER THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND SAFETY DEPARTMENT. THOSE HIRES WERE OUGHT IN BY COMMISSIONER BARNETT. WE HAVE SEEN IMPROVEMENT IN THESE BODIES THAT ARE MOVING FORWARD TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE
MAKING SURE THAT PUBLIC SAFETY MOVES FORWARD IN OUR CITY. LAW ENFORCEMENT.IN TRADITIONAL WE ARE TALKING ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT ALTERNATIS THAT THIS CITY HAS AGAIN AND AGAIN, WE HAVE THREE DOCUMTS OVER THOUSANDS OF PAGES COMMITTED TO
LAW ENFORCEMENT REFORM. I WANT TO SEE THOSE MOVE AHEAD. I KNOW MY COMMISSIONERS OR MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WANT TO SEE THOSE MOVE AHEAD. WE CAN'T DO THAT WITHOUT A PERSON AT THE HELM. AND SO AGAIN THE LAST THING I
WILL ADD HERE IS THIS WORK IS DONE NOT JUST ON THE STREETS OF THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS, BUT WE HAVE SEEN IT IN OUR RESPONSE TO SOME OF THE MOST PRESSING EMERGENCIES IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS IN RECENT MEMORY.
WE HAVE HAD THE TRAGEDY AT ANNUNCIATION IN MY WARD. EVERY SINGLE TIME THERE I HAVE UP. I HAVE HAD MEMBERS WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY TELL ME COMMISSIONER BARNETT, CHIEFO'HARA, CHIEF RUCKER, CHIEF TINER, THESE
PEOPLE SHOW UP. OUR FIRST RESPONDERS SHOW UP FOR THEM. WE HAVE SEEN IN THE FALLOUT OF OPERATION METRO SURGE, OUR LEADERS SHOW UP. COMMISSIONER BARNETT IS A VERSION OF THAT. IF WE WANT TO A CITY THAT IS
HERE AND WEATHERS EMERGENCIES, WEEED A CONSISTENCY OF LEADERSHIP. AND I AM TIRED OF, WE'VE SN WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DON'T. WE HAVE ALL BEEN HERE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DON'T. SO I THINK THIS IS BEYOND THE POSITION -- I HAVE HEARD FRUSTRATIO ABOUT THE POSITION,
NOT NECESSARILY COMMISSIONER BARNETT. YOU CAN HAVE FRUSTRATIONS ABOUT THEPOSITION, I THINK THAT IS ENTIRELY FAIR. AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD WORK OUT AS A BODY. T WE NEED SOMEONE AGAIN TO LEAD THIS IN A MANNER THAT IS TRUTHFUL, THAT IS HONEST, AND THAT HAS THE CHARACTER TO DO IT,
AND SOMEBODY THAT DEEPLY BEEVES IN THE REFORMS AND ALTERNATIVES THAT GOES INTO PUBLIC SAFETY AND I THINK COMMISSIONER BARNETT IS THAT PERSON AND I'M GLAD TO SUPPORT YOUR REAPPOINTMENT AND I HOPE MY . THANK YOU. >> COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO. >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
OF THE THREE POSITIONS BEING DISCUSSED TODAY, I THINKHIS ONE IS THE MOST DIFFICULT. AND I THINK IT'S ALSO THE MOST IMPORTANT. PUBLIC SAFETY HAS AND ALWAYS WILL BE MY TOP PRIORITY AS A COUNCIL MEMBER. AND IT IS ALSO WHAT I THINK IS MOST IMPORTANT TO THE ENTIRE
CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. THERE ARE LOTS OF TIMES, SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE MOST TIMES, THAT COMMISSIONER BARNETT IS IN A LOSE/LOSE SITUATION. IT IS TO HIS CREDIT THAT HE REMAINS CALM AND FORGES AHEAD IN THE FACE OF A LOT OF CRITICISM
AND DOES WHAT HE THINKS IS BEST BY WAY OF PUBLIC SAFETY. EVEN WHEN THAT IS UNPOPULAR. YOU KNOW WHAT'S DIFFERE IN GOING OVERBUDGET IN AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE? THAT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS DON'T GET TO STOP SHOWING UP. AND THEY WOULDN'T CHOOSE TO DO
SO. WE DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF BUDGETING FOR CRISES IN OUR CITY, LIKE WE PLAN FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF SNOW EMERGENCIES EACH YEAR. IT'S FINE TO BE FRUSTRATEDY BUDGET, SURE, I AM.TY GOING OVER BUT DOES COUNCIL HAVE A SOLUTION FOR THAT?
OUR SOLUTION SO FAR HAS BEEN MORE REPORTING. THE REALITY HERE IS AN UNDERSTAFFED DEPARTMENT. THE REALITY IS OUR COPS GET MORE AND MORE OVERTIME BECSE THEY DON'T HAVE A CHOICE TO STOP SHOWING UP.
I SAW FIRSTHAND HOW COMMISSIONER BARNETT HAS LED AND IS STILL LEADING THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY SAFETY IN RESPONSE TO THE MASS SHOOTING AT ANNUNCIATIONS A REALLY TANGIBLE EXAMPLE THAT IS DEEPLY PERSONAL TO ME AND TO THE AREA OF THE CITY THAT I
REPRESENT. I'M A COUNCIL MEMBER TO MANY FAMILIES OF ANNUNCIATION. ONE OF THE VICTIMS OF DEATH IN THIS SITUATION AND OF TH FIRST RESPONDERS WHO -- COMMISSIONER
BARNETT'S LEADERSHIP HELPED ME IN MY ABILITY TO RESPOND AND SUPPORT ALL OFHESE PEOPLE WITH VERY DIFFERENT NEEDS. THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARILY DIFFICULT JOB AND I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER BARNETT HAS LED WITH VISION AND INTEGRITY.
I DON'T INK THAT WE SHOULD MISTAKE DISAGREEMENTS ABOUT THINGS LIKE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE WITH OPPOSITION TO TODD BARNETT. WE ALSO SHOULDN'T CONFUSE DISAGREEMENTS WITH THE MAYOR FOR THE SHORTCOMINGS OF TODD BARNETT.
THANK YOU. >> SEEING -- OH COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. >> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT PAYNE. AND THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BARNETT FOR YOUR SERVICE AND DEDICATION TO THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. IT'S CLEAR HOW DIFFICULT THE
ROLE IS AND THE WORK IS. AND ONE THING I'LL JUST SAY, IT'S REALLY CLEAR TO ME YOU ARE REALLY WELL LOVED BY YOUR COMMUNITY AND THOSE WHO HAVE WORKED WITH YOU. YOU HAVE A STELLAR REPUTATION AS
A JUDGE AND ON A PERSONA LEVEL, I THINK YOU'RE A REALLY GREAT PERSON AND HAVE APPRECIATED THE MOMENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO INTERACT IN A MORE DOWN TO EARTH WAY. AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT DOES MEAN A LOT TO ME.
I REALLY STRUGGLED IN MAKING A DECISION ON THIS POSITION. AND I THINK I HAD TO TRY TO SEPARATE MYSELF FROM INDIVIDUALS
WHO HOLD POSITIONS AND THINK MORE ABOUT REPRESENTATION OF COMMUNITY AND WHAT COMMUNITY MEANS. AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME TO MIND AS I WAS
REVIEWING AND THINKING ABOUT THE ROLE OF COMMISSIONER OF COMMUNITY SAFETY IS THAT IT REALLY REQUIRES SOMEONE THAT IS ABLE TO JUST GET INTO THE MESS OF WHAT CREATING A NEW PUBLIC
SAFETY ECOSYSTEM OKS LIKE. AND I FEEL LIKE THERE HAVE BEEN MOMENTS WHERE I HAVE WISHED THAT I HAD SEEN YOU MORE IN THE FRAY OF THAT TYPE OF WORK. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ASK FOR
AND HOPE FOR IN OUR VERY FIRST MEETING TOGETHER WHEN I WAS SWORN IN EARLY TO THE CITY COUNCIL IS THAT WE HAVE MEETINGS TOGETHER THAT ARE PROACTIVE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN ADDRESS PUBLIC SAFETY IN MY
WARD AND THEN THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE ALSO MENTIONED IN COMMITTEES THAT ARE REALLY IORTANT TO ME IS JUST LONG-TERM PLANNING FOR SUMMER SAFETY AND THEN ALSO PLANNING FOR WHEN THE WEATHER CHANGESECAUSE SAFETY IS
IMPACTED VERY MUCH BY HOT AND COLD WEATHER. AND I FEEL LIKE UNFORTUNATELY THERE HASN'T BEEN TIMES WHERE A PROACTIVE REACH OUT TO ME TO SCHEDULE MEETINGS AND TO SIT
DOWN HAS HAPPENED. I THINK THAT'S ONE THING THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS REALLY CAN BE OF SERVICE TO TO THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY SAFETY IS THE VANTAGE POINT OF O WARDS AND OUR NEEDS. AND I THINK IE MADE MANY DIFFERENT EFFORTS IN TRYING TO
HAVE THOSE CONVSATIONS. I'VE SET UP DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU AND ALSO MEMBERS OF YOUREPARTMENT WITH VARYING RESULTS. THE OTHER THING THAT CAME TO
MIND FOR ME WAS ALSO BUDGETING CONCERNS AND ISSUES AND WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT OVERTIME IS NECESSARY, I DO THINK THAT $20 MILLION OF OVER SPENDING IS
JUST A HUGE OVERAGE THAT WAS REALLY HARD FOR ME TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND ESPECIALLY AS THERE'S THIS CONTINUED RHETORIC, I THINK, THAT DIVIDES OUR CITY ABOUT WE'RE DEFUNDING PUBLIC
SAFETY OR WE DON'T CARE ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY IF YOU DON'T DO THIS ONE SINGULAR THING. AND I THINK IT'S MORE BROAD THAN THAT. AND I THINK IF THAT OCCURRED AT ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT, IT WOULD BE FAR MORE CONSTERNATION ACROSS THE BOARD.
I THINK THE TNG THAT WAS THE HARDEST FOR ME THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE TERM WAS WHEN WE WERE HAVING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE CONCERNS THAT WE WERE HEARING WITH OUR CONTRACTORS ABOUT
GETTING PAYMENTS AND ALSO IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE COPALA SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WHICH I KNOW OCCURRED LIKE RIGHT AFTER YOU CAME ON BOARD. BUT I THINK THERE WAS SOMETHING TO THAT IN TERMS OF HOW THESE
CONTRACTS AND VENDORS WERE BEING MANAGED BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY DEPARTMENT. REALLY EMBATTLED POINT BETWEEN THE COUNCIL AND THE OFFICE O COMMUNITY SAFETY AND COMMUNITY. AND I THINK THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY THERE FOR US TO REALLYRY TO COME TOGETHER AND
GET OUT OF IT BEING SO HARD AND DIFFICULT. BUT I THINK THE THING THAT CAME OUT OF IT THAT WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT FOR ME IN TERMS OF IS THIS THE TYPE OF LEADEHIP THAT I WANT TO SEE IS WHEN WE HAD SOMEONE THAT WAS A CONTRACT
HOLDER BUT NOT FOR ONE THAT WE WERE VOTING ON LEVY THREATS AGAINSTOUNCIL MEMBERS AND SAY REALLY, REAL DIFFICULT REMARKS THAT WERE HOMOPHOBIC DIRECD AT
COUNCIL MEMBERS AND ALSO AGAIN GOING BACK TO THREATS AND THEN THERE WAS A REQUEST FROM THIS BODY FOR US TO NO LONGER CONTRACT WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL BECAUSE THEY WERE DOING SAFETY WORK. AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE THAT WAS ADDRESSE AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE THAT WAS TAKEN SERIOUSLY.
WHEREAS IN THE COUNTY, THE COMMISSIONERS THERE AND THE ADMINISTRATION THERE DID TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY AND ADDRESS IT. AND THAT WAS A POINT I FEEL LIKE I JUST HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO LET GO OF.
THE FINAL THING I'LL JUST SAY IS LIKE IT'S BEEN HARD TO FEEL DISMISSED WHEN THERE'S BEEN OUTREACH DONE ON QUESTIONS AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY. THERE HAS BEEN AT A POINT WHERE I WAS JUST LIKE ALL RIGHT, I'M
GOING TO JUST TRY TO STOP TRYING A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I JUST NEED TO. BUT THERE'S BEEN ONE SPECIFIC THING THAT I'VE ASKED FOR AND
I'VE SENT REPEATED FOLLOW UPS AND EVEN ONE BEING LIKE HEY, AT SOMETHING? AM I GOING TO HEAR AT WHAT POINT CAN I GET THIS INFORMATION BECAUSE ME AND SEVERAL CSTITUENTS ARE HAVING A CONVERSATION RELATED TO OUR JOB AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY AND I DIDN'T GET A RESPONSE ON THAT.
AND I THINK THAT'S JUST KIND OF PAIRED WITH INSTANCES OF NOT SHOWING UP TO AGENDA SETTING AND KIND OF FLIPPANT REMARKS THAT ARE MADE IN DIFFERENT MEETINGS, NOT SPECIFICALLY FROM YOU, BUT HAS HAPPENED IN OCS. >> YOU ARE OUT OF TIME.
>> THANK YOU. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHUGHTAI. >> I'M GOOD, MR. PRESIDENT. WE CAN PROCEED TO TAKING THE VOTE ON THIS. >> IS THERE A MOTION? >> I'LL MOVE APPROVAL. >> IS THERE A SECOND. >> SECOND. >> I'LL ASK THE CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER WHITING. >> AYE. >> COUNCMEMBER CHOWDHURY. >> NAY. >> COUNCILMEMBER STEVENSON. >> NAY. >> COUNCILMEMBER RAINVILLE. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER VETAW. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHAVEZ. >> NO. >> COUNCILMEMBER WARREN. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMB SHAFFER.
>> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY. >> NAY. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHUGHTAI. >> NAY. >> VICE PRESIDENT OSMAN. >> NAY. >> PRESIDENT PAYNE. >> NAY. NAYS.ERE ARE SIX AYES AND SEVEN >> THAT ITEM FAILS. AND BEFORE WE PROCEED TO THE
RE OF THIS AGENDA, I'M GOING TO TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS FOR BIO BREAK. ONE MORE THING. ACTUALLY I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER ITEM NUMBER 6 -- NO 7.
IS THERE A SECOND? THAT'S THEN M. I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY. >> WE'RE GOING TO BE RECALLING THE ROLL ON THE CITY ATTORNEY APPOINTMENT. AND I WILL ASK THE CLERK TO CALL
THE ROLL IF THERE'S NO DISCUSSION. >> EXCUSE ME, MR. PRESIDENT, I THINK YOU NEED TO BE ON THE -- OF THAT VOTE. >> OH. MR. CLERK, I WAS ON THE
PREVAILING SIDE. DO WE NEED TO CALL THE ROLL ON THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER BEFORE CALLING THE ROLL? >> MR. PRESIDENT, YES, THE MOTION YOU'V JUST MADE IS TO RECONSIDER. YOU DID VOTE OPT PREVAILING SIDE ON THE OGINAL ACTION. SO THAT WOULD BE A PROPER MOTION TO PUT IN FRONT OF THE BOD TO
RECONSIDER THE VOTE ON THE NOMINATION OFITY ATTORNEY. THE MOTION BEFORE YOU IS NOW OPEN FOR DISCUSSION. >> ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, I'LL ASK THE CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL ON TH MOTION
TO RECONSIDER. >> COUNCILMEMBER WHITING. >> NO. >> WAIT, WAIT -- SORRY. WHAT DOES A YES VOTE AND A NO VOTE GET US HERE? >> COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY, DO YOU WANT TO -- >> YES, I'M CHANGING MY VOTE SO THAT'S LITERALLY WHAT WE'RE
DOING TO REDO. >> COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY WOULD LIKE TOHANGE HER NO VOTE TO A YES VOTE FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY. >> POINT OF ORDER, MR. PRESIDENT. CAN THE COUNCIL MEMBER NOT JUST CHANGE HER VOTE, BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE THE OUTCOME.
>> WITHOUT OBJECTION, MR. CLERK? O OBJECTION, WE WOULD RECORD THAT, BUT IF THERE'S ANY OBJECTION THEN WE'D NEED TO DO THIS PROCESS. >> IS THERENY OBJECTION TO COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY CHANGING HER NO VOTE TO A YES VOTE? >> NO. >> THEN MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD
RECORD 11 AYES AND TWO NAYS ON THE RENOMINATED OF KRISTIN ANDERSON TO THE APPOINTED POSITION OF CITY ATTORNEY. >> THERE WE GO. THANK YOU. LET'S TAKE A BRIEF RECESS JUST TO TAKE A BREAK AND THEN FINISH OFF THIS AGENDA.
WE'LL COME BACK AT NOON SHARP. >> WE ARE BACK FROM RECESS AND I WILL ASK THE CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL TO VERIFY THE PRESENCE OF A QUORUM. >> COUNCILMEMBER WHITING. >> PRESENT. >> COUNCILMEMBERHOWDHURY IS
ABSENT. COUNCILMEMBER STEVENSON. >> HERE. >> COUNCILMEMBER RAINVILLE. >> PRESENT. >> COUNCILMEMBER VETAW. >> PRESENT. >> COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO. >> PRESENT. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHAVEZ IS ABSENT. COUNCILMEMBER WARREN. >> PRESENT. >> COUNCILMEMBER SHAFFER. >> PRESENT. >> COUNCILMEMBER NSLEY.
>> PRESENT. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHUGHTAI IS ABSENT. VICE PRESIDENT OSMAN IS ABSENT. PRESIDENT PAYNE. >> PRESENT. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHAVEZ. >> PRESENT. >> THERE ARE TEN MEMBERS PRESENT. >> LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT WE HAVE A QUORUM.
WE'VE ALSBEEN JOINED BY VICE PRESIDENT OSMAN AND COUNCILMEMBER CHUGHTAI. AND NEXT UP WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 13. >> MR. PRESIDENT. >> YES. >> I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU,
ON ITEM NUMBER NINE, THE LAST ITEM WE TOOKP BEFORE OUR BRIEF RECESS, THE ACTION ENDED IN A FAILURE BECAUSE IT WAS 6-7, BUT THE MOTION WAS TOONSIDER APPROVING THE MAYOR'S NOMINATION. IN ORDER TO VE A DEFINITIVE ACT, WE WOULD PREFER TO HAVE A MOTION THAT SAYS TO DENY THE APPROVAL OF THAT.
SO IF WE COULD GET A MOTION TO DENY THAT NOMINATION AND PROCESS THAT'S AN EASIER ACT TO SEND TO THE MAYOR. >> IS THERE A MOTION TO DENY IT NUMBER NINE? >> SO MOVED. >> IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> I'LL ASK THE CLERK TO CALL
THE ROLL. >> WAIT -- NO, NOT YET. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHAVEZ. >> I THINK THERE'S FOLKS MISSING IN THE ROOM THAT WE ME SURE THAT WE CAN VOTE ON THIS ITEM.
>> I THINK -- ALL RIGHT. WE CAN HOLD FOR A SECOND. COUNCILMEMBER STEVENSON.
>> YEAH, THIS WAS A DIFFICULT DECISION FOR MANY OF US. AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD WAIT FOR OUR COLLEAGUE TO COME BACK BEFORE TAKING THE VOTE.
>> WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. THERE I PURPOSES OF CLERICAL CLARITY, THERE IS A MOTION TO DENY ITEM TO SEND TO THE MAYOR TO BRING N YOU UP TO SPEED.
>> COUNCILMEMBER CHAVEZ, WERE YOU IN QUEUE TO SPEAK TO THIS MOTION? >> YES, AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT PAYNE CAN YOU CLARIFY AN AYE VOTE WOULD BE DENYING THE APPOINTMENT? >> MR. PRESIDENT, COUNCILMEMBER CHAVEZ JUST EXPLAINED IT. SO AN AYE VOTE ON THISOTION IS
TO DENY THE MAYOR'S NOMINATION OF TODD BARNET TO THE APPOINTED POSITION OF THE COMMISSIONER TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY SAFETY. A NAY VOTE IS TO OPPOSE THE DENIAL. >> ON THAT, I'LL ASK THE CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL. >> COUNCILMEMBER WHITING. >> NAY.
>> COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER STEVENSON. >> AYE. >> COUILMEMBER RAINVILLE. >> NAY. >> COUNCILMEMBER VETAW. >> NO. >> COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO. NAY. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHAVEZ. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER WARREN. >> NO. COUNCILMEMBER SHAFFER. >> NAY. >> COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY. >> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEER CHUGHTAI. >> AYE. >> VICE PRESIDENT OSMAN. AYE. >> PRESIDENT PAYNE. >> AYE. >> THERE ARE SEVEN AYES AND SIX AYES. THERE ITEM PASSES AND THEREFORE IS DENIED. NEXT, WE WILL TAKE UP ITEM
NUMBER 13 WHICH IS THE APPOINTED POSITION OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FIRE CHIEF. AND SEEING NO ONE IN QUEUE, I WILL ASK THE CLE TO CALL THE RO. >> COUNCILMEMBER WHITING. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER STEVENSON. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER RAINVILLE.
>> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER VETAW. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHAVEZ. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER WARREN. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER SHAFFER. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHUGHTAI. >> NAY. >> VICE PRESIDENT OSMAN.
>> SORRY WHAT WAS IT? >> FIRE CHIEF. >> AYE. >> PRESIDENT PAYNE. >> AYE. >> THERE ARE 12 AYES AND ONE NAY. >> TT ITEM CARRIES. NEXT WE WILL TAKE UP ITEMS 24-27
AT THE SAME TIME AS THEY ARE ALL RELATED. AND I WILL ASK IF THERE IS ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? COUNCILMEMBER SHAFFER. >> ONE THING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO
ME IS TO NOT VOTE FORWARD ITEMS IN IGNORANCE. I END A LOT OF TIME COMBING THROUGH THE AGENDA ITEMS AND ASNG QUESTIONS OF STAFF. ON TUESDAY, I PULLED THESE ITEMS BECAUSE I HAD NO VISIBILITY OTHER THAN THE SKETCH OF PHRASES
THAT WAS IN LIMS AND WHAT I READ IN DENA WINTER'S ARTICLE THAT MORNING IN THE STAR TRIBUNE. I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THE AUTHORS ON THIS WK AND STAFF SEEMED UNCERTAIN ABOUT THE DIRECTION. SO I PULLED THESE ITEMSO GET MORE INFORMATION FROM THE
AUTHORS, BOTH FOR MINNEAPOLIS RESIDENTS WHO WOULD NEED TO PAY FOR THE EXPANSION OF THIS WORK, MYSELF AS AN ELECTED, AND ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS DECIDED TO TUNE IN AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON HERE. RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE BEFORE US
FOUR ADULT BATHHOUSES AND SEX VEES RESOLUTIONS COMING FORWARD FOR A VOTE FROM THIS BODY TO ALLOW STAFF TO SPEND TIME ON THIS. BY GENERALLY DISCUSSING SOME OF THESE SUBJECTATTER OF A RESOLUTIONS I THINK COULD BE A
HELPFUL TOOL FOR US. AS A DIVIDED BODY TO SHOW OR NOT SHOW GENERAL SUPPORT FOR AN IDEA THAT WE WOULD LIKE OR NOT LIKE TO CONTINUE. THEN, WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOME SENSE OF A SIGNAL TO
THE PUBLIC AND TO OURSELVES WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORRD TO SPEND STAFF TIME AND TAXPAYER DOLLARS ON. RIGHT NOW, I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF VISIBILITY AROUND THIS, SO COULD THE AUTHORS JUST PLEASE GIVE A REVIEW OR AN OVERVIEW BY EACH OF THE NUMBERS.
24 25 26 27. >> WHO WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS ITEM? ME? SO I CAN JUST SPEAK TO SOME OF THE HISTORY HERE. BACK IN 2023, WE MOVED TO AMEND SOME OF THE LANGUAGE SURROUNDING
BATHHOUSE REGULATION TO REMOVE STIGMATIZING LANGUAGE. THIS WAS AN OUTGROWTH OF THE HIV AND AIDS EPIDEMIC IN THE '80s. AND IT WAS A VERY DIFFERENT TIME IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND A VERY DIFFERENT TIME
IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HIV AND AIDS. AND THERE WAS A LOT OF LANGUAGE THAT WAS IN THAT ORDINANCE THAT WA REALLY DEHUMANIZING, PARTICULARLY FOR THE LGBTQI+ COMMUNITY.
AT THAT TIME ADVOCATES WERE REALLY ENCOURAGING THE CITY TO ACTUALLY REPEAL THIS BAN OUTRIGHT NOTING THAT THESE TYPES OF VENS EXIST IN CITIES LIKE SAN FRANCISCO, CHICAGO, AND THEY HAVE BEEN A PLACE OF BOTH
COMMUNITY AND GOO PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICES. SO AS AN EXAMPLE, WHEN THERE WAS A BIG MONKEY POX OUTBREAK, SOME OF THESE SITES WERE A REALLY STRONG CENTER FOR DISTRIBUTING THE VACCINE FOR MONKEY POX AND THERE WAS A SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC HEALTH CAMPAIGN AROUND THAT.
AND WE KNOW THAT SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE BEING DESCRIBED HERE ALREADY HAPPEN RIGHT NOW TODAY IN THE SHADOWS AND THEY'RE HAPPENING IN A COMPLETELY UNREGULATED WAY WITHOUT PROPER HYGIENE, WITHOUT PROPER PUBLIC HEALTH
INTERVENTIONS. AND SO WE WANT TO MODERNIZE THIS LANGUAGE SO THAT WE CAN RECOGNIZE ACTIVITY THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENING, BUTO IT IN A WAY THAT'S REGULATED AND SAFE AND CAN DELIVER BETTER PUBLIC HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL AS SUPPORTING
THESE VERY IMPORTANT COMMUNITY SPACES, ESPECIALLY F OUR LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY. THAT'S THE INTENTION BEHIND THI. IT'S OUTLINED IN A NUMBER OF VARIOUS ORDINANCES BECAUSE WE HAVE TO TOUCH THE BUSINESS LICENSING CODE, WE HAVE TO TOUCH THE ZONING CODE, WE HAVE TO
TOUCH THE HEALTH REGULATIONS CODE, AND THEN THERE'S MISCELLANEOUS ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS THAT NEED TO BE UPDATED SO THAT THE ACTIVITIES THAT HAPPEN IN THESE TYPES OF ESTABLISHMENTS ARE ALL ABOVE BOARD. SO THAT IS THE OVERALL IENTION
OF THIS. AND TO YOUR POINT, THIS IS NOT -- WE ARE NOT VOTING ON APPROVING A POLICY, WE ARE VOTING ON REFERRING THIS TO STAFF SO THAT THEY CAN DIG INTO THE WORK ACROSS ALL OF THOSE POLICY AREAS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS ALIGNED WITH STATE STATUTE
AND BEST PRACTICES WHEN IT COMES TO PLIC HEALTH. >> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT PAYNE, FOR THAT REFERENCE TO 2023 AND REMOVING STIGMATIZED LANGUAGE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME AS WELL. AND MAYBE THERE'S SOME PORTIONS OF THESE THAT STILL NEEDS AN EXPANSION OF STIGMATIZED
LANGUAGE WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND BETTER WHETHER THAT'S 24, 25, 26, AND 27. BUT YOUR VIEWPOINT THAT IT WOULD HELP INFER BETTER HEALTH PRACTICES WHIN OUR CITY IS ONE THAT OTHER PEOPLE WOULD DIFFER WITH YOU. JUST THIS WEEK, I HAD A RESIDENT
FROM LAURING PARK REACH OUT TO ME STATING'M WONDERING WHY THIS IS A CITY ISSUE AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS. I AM A GAY MAN WHO CO-FOUNDED THE MINNESOTA AIDS PROGRAM, HELPEDLECT BRIAN COIL TO THE
CITY COUNCIL AND WAS A PLAINTIFF FOR THE MINNESOTA CIVIL LIB LIBERTIES UNION IN CHALLENGING THE STATE'S LAWS AT THAT TIME. SO MY FEELINGS AND VOICE IS IMPORTANT. I BELIEVE THAT BATHHOUSES ARE PLACES THAT HAVE BN AWFUL SPREADERS OF HIV AND NUMEROUS OTHER MEDICAL AFFLICTIONS AMONG
GAY MEN. I THINK THE ACTIVISTS WHO CLAIM THIS IS A FREEDOM ISSUE ARE NOT RECOGNIZING THE TERRIBLE IMPACT BATHHOUSES HAVE ON THE HEALTH OF GAY MEN AS DIVIDUALS IN A COMMUNITY. THESE ARE NOT MY WORDS, THESE ARE ONE OF MY RESIDENTS THAT I'M SHARING WITH YOU TODAY.
MY CONCERNS AROUND THIS ARE THE CONTINUED SIGNALHAT THIS SENDS TO OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT SPENDING STAFF DOLLARS, STAFF TIME, AND OPENING OUR DOORS TO OTHER ISSUES.
RIGHT NOW, SOON, MINNEAPOLIS WILL BE RECEIVING THE JFK PROFILE AND COURA AWARD AFTER PEACEFULLY STANDING UP FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR RESIDENTS. SHOULD STAY FOCUSED ON REBUILDING CREATIVE IDEAS TO DRIVE NEW INVESTMENT FOR OUR CITY AND DRIVE INCREASED
REVENUE. OR WHAT ARE EFFICIENCIES WE CAN IMPLEMENT TO MINIMIZE PROPERTY TAX INCREASES. INSTEAD QUITE THE CONTRARY, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CUBA, EUROPEAN FINANCIAL INSTITIONS, SEX VENUES AND COMING UP DATA CENTER
MORATORIUMS AND OTHER TEMPORARY EVICTIONS. >> WE ARE CURRENTLY DISCUSSING THE SEX VENUES ORDINANCE. >> SO IN MY MIND, THESE RESOLUTIONS ARE SIMPLY DISCONNECTED FROM THE REALITY OF EVERYDAY RESIDENTSND PEOPLE TRYING TO DO BUSINESS IN OUR
CITY. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO. >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I'M ALL FOR REMOVING STIGMATIZING LANGUAGE AND RECOGNIZING AN ADVANCEMENT IN PREVENTIVE CARE.
CARE HAS COME A LONG WAY SINCE THESE ORDINANCES WERE FIRST ENACTED AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, I BELIEVE THEY WERE ENACTED BACK IN THE '80s BY PEOPLE WITHOUT ANY SORT OF DISCRIMINATORY BONE IN THEIR BODY.
THEY WERE DOING SO TO PREVENT A PUBLIC HEALTHAZARD AT THE TIME AND NOW IN 2026, IT MIGHT BE TIME TO MAKE A DIFFERENT CALL. BUT WHAT I STRUGGLE WITH AND WHAT I'VE BEEN GETTING TREACH
ON IS WHAT PROBLEM IS IT THAT WE ARE TRYING TO SOLVE HERE? I THINK YOU'VE SPOKEN JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. WHY IS THIS NECESSARY, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S JUST TIME TO GO BACK
TO WHAT WAS BECAUSE IT MIGHT ALSO HAVE COMMUNITY IN IT FOR OUR LGBTQ COMMUNITY. I'D LIKE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE BIG PICTURE BECAUSE STAFF HAVE MENTIONED THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE A LARGE LIFT AND WHAT IS
VERY IMPORTANT TO ME ABOUT THIS KIND OF EFFORT IS THAT IT IS VERY SEPARATE FROM ANY OF THE ADULT ENTERTAINMENT ORDINANCES THAT I SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME ON A FEW YEARS AGO. THOSE ADULT ENTERTAINMENT ORDINANCE CHANGES WERE VERY MUCH
SO THAT PARTICULARL WOMEN IN ADULT ENTERTAINMENT INSTITUTIONS WERE SAFE FROM SEXUAL ASSAULT. THEY WERE SAFE FROM PEOPLE CROSSING A LINE INTO SEXUAL ACTIVITY. AND IF THIS WERE TO PIGGYBACK ON IT, THEN I DON'T THINK THAT'S A
GOOD PLACE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS IF INSTEAD YOU'RE LOOKING TO BRING BACK THE BATHHOUSES OF THE 1980s, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. WHERE YOU SEE THIS GOING?OUT BECAUSE I WAS SENT BACK A PETITION AND A TIMELINE, BUT NOT
A LOT OF BIG PICTURE UNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHY THIS IS NECESSARY. AND I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND AND HAVE ASKED YOU FOR THIS PRIVATELY. >> THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT COMMUNITY, THIS IS ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH. THESE ACTIVITIES ARE HAPPENING
RIGHT NOW IN AN UNREGULATED FASHION WITHOUT PROPER PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTIONS, HYGIENE STATIONS, SAFER SEX SUPPLIES SUCH AS CONDOMS, DENTAL DAMS. IT'S COMPLETELY UNREGULATED AND HAPPENING IN THE SHADOWS.
AND IT'S HAPPENING ACROSS THE CITY IN WAYS THAT WE DON'T FULLY KNOW. WEANT TO WORK WITH STAFF SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY PUT SOME REALLY SOUND PARETERS AROUND THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY SO THAT WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN, IT'S HAPPENING IN A SAFE WAY THAT IS ALIGNED WITH BEST PRACTICES IN
PUBLIC HEALTH AND TO BE ABLE TO DEFINE THOSE PARAMETERS, WE NEED TO FORWARD THIS TO STAFF TO DO THAT RIGOROUS WORK. COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY.
>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT PAYNE. I ALSO JUST WANT TO NOTE AND OVEREMPHASIZE WHAT'S BEEN SHARED. IT'S VERYYPICAL FOR US TO FORWARD THESE MOTIONS TO COMMITTEE WHERE THAT IS WHERE THE WORK GETS DONE. AND THANKFULLY, EVEN THOUGH YOU DID A GRE JOB, COUNCILMEMBER
CHOWDHURY, WE WON'T HAVE TOEAL WITH ANOTHER SUPER COW. SO EVERYONE WILL HAVE THE ABITY TO HAVE YOUR QUESTIONS, DO YOUR HOMEWORK, AND BRING THAT SAME ZEST FOR POLICY DEVELOPMENT WHERE YOU DO THAT IN THE COMMITTEE. AND I THINK THIS WILL BE TAKEN UP IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND
SAFETY COMMITTEE WHERE YOU CAN DO FURTHER DIALOGUE. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE ASKING STAFF TO BRING FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS AND COLLABORATION WITH THE AUTHORS. AND I ALSO NEED TO HIGHLIGHT TOO BECAUSE I KNOW NOT EVERYONE IS UP TO SPEED ON THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN ADVANCED BY THIS BODY AND JUST GOT HERE.
BUT THIS IS A BYPRODUCT OF TWO YEARS OF WORK WHERE THE AUTHORS THEMSELVES, SPECIFICALLY COUNCIL PRESIDENT PAYNE AND ALSO FORMER COUNCIL PRESIDENT JENKINS ACTUALLY ISSUED A MOTION FOR OUR POLICY AND RESEARCH TEAM TO DO AN ANALYSIS ON THIS VERY THING. AND THEY PRODUCED A 30-PAGE
REPORT OUTLINING OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE TAKEN THE SAME INITIATIVE TO MAKE SUREHAT WE ARE DECRIMINALIZING SPACES FOR OUR LGBT+ COMMUNITIES AND TRULY LIVING UP TO OUR VALUES OF BEING A WELCOMING CITY OF ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS. THAT REPORT IS VERY THOROUGH
IT ALSO OFFERS RECOMMENDATIONS IN WHICH THIS POLICY AIMS TO BU PHASE. SO WE HAVE DONE THE DOILIGENCE OF DOING THAT PRELEGISLATIVE WORK. I ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES T GET CAUGHT UP AND LOOK AT LIMS, READ THE REPORT, AND THEN BRING THOSE
QUESTIONS, BRING SOME OF THE INSIGHTS THAT YOU GATHER FROM THAT REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE WHERE WE WILL FURTHER WORKSHOP THIS PROPOSAL. AND I'M ALSO GRATEFUL FOR THE NUMBERF COALITIONS AND PARTNERS WHO HAVE REACHED OUT AND OER PUBLIC HEALTH SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS WHO HAVE REACHED
OUT AND SAID THIS IS SOMETHING ESPECIALLY IN A CLIMATE WHERE WE'RE SEEING THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION GO ALL OF THE ON CRIMINALIZING LGBTQ+ COMMUNITIES AND MAKING THEM VERY MUCH KNOW THAT YOU DO NOT BELONG IN OUR SOCIETY, THAT THESE ARE ONE OF THE POLICIES OTHE BOOKS HERE IN MINNEAPOLIS WHERE WE'RE
SUPPOSED TO BE A PROGRESSIVE BEACON THAT DOES NOT ALIGN WITH OUR VALUES AND ACTUALLY POINTS TO THE FEDERAL DIRECTION. SO I'M VERY GLAD THAT WE'RE EVEN LOOKING AT WAYS IN WHICH WE'RE MOVING AWAY FROM THAT WITH WHAT'S EXISTING AND WHAT'S ALREADY ON THE BOOKS. SO I EXCITED TO DIG FURTHER
INTO THIS. AGAIN, THIS HAS BEEN TWO YEARS OF WORK ALREADY MADE BY THE COAUTHORS AND FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS INRULY MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE A WELCOMING CITY FOR EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT AND COMMUNITY HERE. AND WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE COAUTHORS IF I CLD
JOIN ON AS A COAUTHOR. >> WE WOULD LOVE THAT. >> THANK YOU. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHAVEZ. >> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT PAYNE. AS AN AUTHOR, I DID WANT TO LET COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO KNOW THAT THE AUTRS DID RESPOND TO YOUR EMAIL IF YOU WANT TO CHECK
YOUR INBOX. I WA TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT THIS IS BEING REFERRED TO STAFF. THIS IS A REGULAR PART OF OUR LEGISLATIVEPROCESS. SO IF THE MEDIA IS GOING TO REPORT THAT WE'RE DELAYING THIS CONVERSATION, WE'RE NO THIS IS OUR REGULAR LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. THERE IS NO LANGUAGE WRITN. IT'S BEING REFERRED TO STAFF SO THAT WE CAN DEVELOP THE
ORDINANCE. THE ONLY OUT LGBTQ+ PERSON IN THIS BODY, I HAVE A LOT TO SAY TODAY. AND I WILL JUST ASK MY COLLEAGUES IN PARTICULAR TO PLEASE BEAREFUL WITH YOUR WORDS AND HOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS ORDINANCE AND HOW YOUR RHETORI COULD BE HARMFUL
TO MY COMMUNITY. LGBTQIA+ GATHERING SPACES INCLUDING BATHHOUSES HAVE LONG BEEN TARGETED BY CRIMINALIZATION AND POLICING. AND OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE HAD TO I AM HEARING MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT PRIORITIES OR WHY THIS IS EVEN AN SUE. THE DEEPER QUESTION IS WHOSE
PRIORITIES COUNT AND WHOSE PRIORITIES MATTER? IF WE ARE TELLING LGBTQ+ MINNEAPOLIS RESIDENTS THAT THEY DO NOT MATTER, AND THEIR SAFETY DOES NOT MATTER, AND THEIR HEALTH DOES NOT MATTER, AND OUR COMMUNITY SPACES DO NOT MATTER, THAT IS VERY HMFUL AND THAT IS NOT OKAY.
THE 1988 BAN WAST A NEUTRAL POLICY, IT WAS WRITTEN DURING A MORAL PANIC TARGETING GAY MEN. THIS BODY HAS WORKED ON A VAETY OF ISSUES IN MINNEAPOLIS FROM PUBLIC SAFETY TO CRIMINAL
JUSTICE REFORM TO MORE. WE CAN PROTECT OUR LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY AND ADDRESS BASIC CITY SERVICES AND UPLIFT THE HUMANITY OF OUR RESIDENTS. IT IS NOT COMPETING INTEREST. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHUGHTAI.
>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I'M SURPRISED AND I AM HEARTBROKEN. I'M SURPRISED BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF FRENZY OVER THESE
ORDINANCES. THIS IS A STANDARD PART OF OUR LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. WE'RE IN THE PART WHERE WE'RE REFERRING AN ITEM TO COMMITTE WE ARE EARLY IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS AND THERE HAVE BEEN, THIS IS THE THIRD TIME, I THINK,
IN MY TENURE ON THIS DAIS THAT I HAVE SEEN A REFERRAL VOTE BECOME SO POLITICIZED. USUALLY, I MEAN WE REFER HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF ORDINANCES EVERY SINGLE YEAR
THAT WE HAVE NO DETAILS ABOUT. WE DO THI ALL OF THE TIME. THAT'S LIKE A STANDARD PART OF HOW WE MOVE THINGS THROUGHUR LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. AND DEVELOP POLICY. AND SUDDENLY, WE JUST HAVEEDIA
REPORTING ON THIS ORDINANCE AS LIKE A SCARYHING ABOUT TO HAPPEN, ADULT BATHHOUSES LEGALIZED IN MINNEAPOLIS, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GO CRAZY. WHAT? I AM HEARTBROKEN BECAUSE OF THE RHETORIC THAT I HEAR ABOUT OUR
LGBTQ COMMUNITY. OUR CITY WAS INCORPORATEDN 1867. THIS IS ALMOST 160-YEAR-OLD THERE ARE PLENTY OF LAWS ON OUR BOOKS THAT ARE RACIST THAT ARE XENOPHOBIC, THAT ARE HOMOPHOBIC.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE MEANINGFULLY AND THOUGHTFULLY UNDO THOSE SO THAT OUR STATED POLICIES AND LAWS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL DO NOT HARM THE VERY PEOPLE THAT ARE UNDER ATTACK BY OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMEN RIGHT NOW. LGBTQ PEOPLE ARE UNDER ATTACK BY
OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RIGHT NOW. WE PRESENTED AN HONORARY RESOLUTION THIS MORNING RECOGNIZING TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND STATE GOVERNMENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE TRYING TO
EXISTENCE.TRANS PEOPLE OUT OF LGBTQ PEOPLE ARE UNDER ATTACK BY OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RIGHT NOW. AND AT THE LOCAL LEVEL HERE IN PROUD TO HAVE BEEN THE FIRST CITY IN THE COUNTRY TO RECOGNIZE
THE RIGHTS OF THE LGBTQ PEOPLE, THE CIVIL LIBERTIES OF LGBTQ PEOPLE, THAT HISTORY IN THIS CITY AND WE'RE TURNING AROUND AND SPREADING HOMOPHOBIC RHETORIC FROM THIS DAIS --
>> PLEASE DON'T ASCRIBE MOTIVES TO OTHER PEOPLE. >> I'M NOT ASCRIBING MOTIVES, MR. PRESIDENT. I AM STATING A FACT. >> THIS IS TIME FOR US TO LOOK INWARD.
AND THEN I'LL END WITH ASKING, MR. PRESIDENT, IF I CAN BE ADDED AS AN AUTHOR ON THIS ITEM. ON THESE ITEMS. >> I THINK THE REST OF THE AUTHS WOULD ABSOLUTELY WELCOME THAT. COUNCILMEMBER STEVENSON. >> YEAH. WE ARE REFERRING THIS TO STAFF,
THERE STILL IS A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF US BEFORE WE HAVE THE POLICY THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE VOTING UP OR DOWN IN THE FUTURE. BUT I DID JUST WANT TO CALL OUT THAT THIS IS THE CARRYING ON OF MY PREDECESSOR'S WORK, COUNCILMEMBER ANDREA JENKINS. AND WHEN I WAS RUNNING FOR
COUNCIL IN 2023 AND IN 2025, MY CONSTITUENTS WERE SO EXPLICITLY CLEAR WITH ME, THE ONES WHO SUPPORTED ME AND THE ONES WHO DIDN'T, IF YOU'RE ELECTED WILL YOU CONTINUE THE LGBTQ EQUITY WORK THAT HAS COME OUT OF THE OFFICE.
THEY SAID WE WILL NOT VOTE F YOU IF YOU DO NOT. SO THAT IS WHAT I AM ING, BEING AN AUTHOR HERE. MY CONSTITUENTS ASKED ME DIRECTLY ACROSS THE POLITICAL DIVIDE WE HAVE HERE ON THIS DAIS THEY ASKED ME PLEASE CONTINUE THIS WORK BECAUSE IT IS
SO VALUABLE TO US. AND WE WANT THIS. SO THAT IS WHY I'M INVOLVED WITH THIS. THAT IS WHY I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING THAT WE SHOULD DO. THE PEOPLE OF MINNEAPOLIS WANT IT. THEY WANT US TO BE FIGHTING FOR
LGBTQ+ PEOPLE. AND THE ADVOCATES PARTICULARLY THE ALIVENESS PROCT WHICH SEEKS TO END HIV IS SAYING THAT THIS IS ANOTHER STEP THAT WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORS, PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS. AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY I THINK THAT'S REALLY, REALLY
IMPORTANT. THE PRESIDENT, COUNCILMEMBER UGH SHAFFER, YOU KNOW THAT I GREW UP IN THE SAME RELIGIOUS TRADITION THAT YOU ARE IN. AND I CAN UNDER
UNDE UNDERSTANDING THIS POLICY. I CAN UNDERSTAND IT BEING SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A PRIORITY. I CAN TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO THAT THAT THIS IS A PRIORITY TO MANY, MANY PEOPLE AND IT IS A PRIORITY TO MY RESIDENTS. IT'S A PRIORITY TO ME. AND IT'S A PRIORITY BECAUSE WE JUST REALLY LOVE PEOPLE.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU CARE ABOUT PEOPLE AS WELL. AND SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW CAN WE LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS A LITTLE BIT BETTER. AND YESTERDAY, WE DID GET THE CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT AND I'D ENCOURAGE
MORE CONVERSATION BETWEEN YOU AND I BOTH ON ANDFF THE DAIS ON THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILMEMBER SHAFFER. >> YES. NUMBER ONE, I WILL SAY NO ONE IS TRYING TO - THE CITY OF
MINNEAPOLIS AND NO ONE IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS IS CRIMINALIZING ANYONE FOR THEIR SEXUALITY. WE ARE TRYING TO CHANGE SOME OF THE ORDINANCES AND TITLES IN OUR GENDER-AFFIRMING CITY RIGHT NOW. SO I'M NOT SURE WHERE THAT
STATEMENT COMES FROM. NO ONE IN THIS CITY IS TRYING TO HARM THE HEALTH OF OUR RESIDENTS. WE'RE TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SUPPORT THE HEALTH OF OUR RESIDENTS. WE ARE OPENING AND SPENDING MONEY ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING SERVICES AT THE NEW COMMUNITY
SAFETY CENTER. SO IUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THERE IS NO -- SOME OF THE ACCUSATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE UP HERE I FEEL LIK ARE INACCURATE BOTH ABOUT OUR CITY AND BOT ABOUT MYSELF.
AND I'D BE HAPPY TO SPEAK WITH OTHERS, I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO TIT FOR TAT ON THE DAIS. WE'RE ABOVE THAT. BUT MY REASON FOR PULLING THIS WAS WE ARE A DIVIDED BODY, I'LL SAY IT AGAIN.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO VOTE DOWN SENDING THINGS TO STAFF, SPENDING TAXPAYER MONEY ON AT THIS POINT IN TIME, NOT SAYING IT MAY BE FOR LATER, BUT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE
ON THIS DAIS TO WEED SOME THINGS OUT IF WE CHOOSE. IT IS NOT A HIGH PRIORITY FOR THE MAJORITY OF US ON THIS DAIS. SO THAT'S MY POINT IN BRINGING IT FORWARD. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY. >> VICE PRESIDENT OSMAN.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE DISCUSSION, I THINK THE ITEM CLEARLY STATES THAT THIS IS REFERRING TO THE STAFF. I DON'T OW HOW I'M GOING TO VOTE ON THIS TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
BUT I'M OPEN TO BE EDUCATING. THE STAFF ARE HIRED FOR THE CITY OF MINNEAPOL TO DO THE RESEARCH, TO DO THE WORK. STOPPING THAT, WE'RE LIMITING OURSELVES. ANY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT'S HERE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY AND TO EDUCATE
THEMSELVES. THERE ARE ITEMS THAT ONE DAY I WAS LIKE I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE ON THI BUT I TALKED TO THE EXPERTS AND I CHANGED MY MIND. SO YOU ARE LIMITING YOURSELF BY NOT GIVING THE STAFF AND EXPERTS
TO DO MORE RESEARCH, TO DO MORE DATA, TO DO MORE -- THIS 40-YEAR BAN. BRIAN COIL AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS BEEN HONORED IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS HAS BEEN AS YOU CAN
TELL,EARCH A LITTLE BIT AND READ ABOUT HOW WE GOT HERE. BUT WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY IS NOT PASSING THE BATHHOUSE IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. THAT'S NOT WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA. IT'S REFERRING TO THE STAFF TO DO MORE RESEARCH TO EDUCATE U AND COME BACK WITH REFERRALS.
AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. I MIGHT VOTE IT UP, I MIGHT VOTE IT DOWN BUT LET'S NOT LIMIT OURSELVES. LET'S REFER TO THOSE THAT HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND TO THIS STAFF SO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR M AND FOR YOU AND FOR THE PUBLIC
TO BE EDUCATED. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH, PRESIDENT PAYNE. AN THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE AUTHORS OF THIS ORDINANCE FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. THIS HAS BEEN A TOPIC OF
CONVERSATION AND AN ORDINANCE THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE EVERYDAY PEOPLE THAT I WOULD SAY WOULD NOT CONSIDER THEMSELVES ORGANIZED ADVOCATES, THERE JUST STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE HAVE SAID THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THEY WANT TO SEE THE CITY OF
MINNEAPOLIS TAKE ON AND BRING FORWARD AS A PRIORITY. EVERY SINGLE YEAR THAT I'VE BEEN A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT HAS BEEN THE CASE. I THINK THAT IT'SEALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE
THAT LGBTQIA ISSUES NEED TO BE MADE A PRIORITY IN THE CITY. ISSUES THAT WE TAKE UP AROUND I. THERE ARE VERY, VERY LIMITED OPPORTUNITS WHERE WE GET TO
TAKE POLICY ACTION AS A CITY OF MIEAPOLIS TO SHAPE THE ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR LGBTQIA COMMUNITY SPECIFICALLY. AND SO WHEN WE DO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY, IT IS REALLY ON US TO TAKE THAT UP. THIS IS A PRIORITY FOR ME AS A
COUNCIL MEMBER FOR US THAVE OUR EXPERT LEVEL STAFF TO WORK ON THIS. IT IS A PRIORITY FOR ME TO HEAR FROM OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR THEM TO GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE US IN A PUBLIC HEARING AND STATE WHY THIS MATTERS TO THEM.
IT IS A PRIORITY FOR ME TO BE ROOTED IN THE HISTORY OF THIS. AND ONE THING, NO MATTER WHAT ANYBODY SAYS THAT WE CAN'T SEPARATE FROM THE CONVERSATION, IS THAT YEARS AND YEARS OF ENTRENCHEDHOMOPHOBIA
SYSTEMATICALLY THAT EXISTS SURROUNDING THIS WORK. YOU CAN'T SEPARATE THE TWO. THERE'S INHERENT HOMOPHOBIA AROUND THIS BAN. AND THAT IS WHY SEVERAL CITIES HAVE TAKEN THIS UP AND HAVE BROUGHT IS INTO A PLACE WHERE
TAKEN UP THROUGH A PUBLIC HEALTH LENS. AND THERE IS A LOT OF PUBLIC HEAL EVIDENCE AND DATA THAT SHOWS THE CONRNS AROUND HIV, STI SPREADING, THAT A PURE BAN
HAS NOT RESOLVED. IT'S ACTUALLY PUT PEOPLE INTO THE SHADOWS AND HAS PERPETUED THAT PUBLIC HEALTH RISK. AND BRINGING IT INTO THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THAT, TO CREATE A BETTER CITY.
AND SO I AM REALLY, REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS AND TO THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE LISTENING THAT MAY HAVE HEARD SOME REMARKS THAT MADE YOU FEEL LIKE I AM NOT INCLUDED RIGHT NOW OR I FEEL OTHERED, I AM SORRY. AND THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL OF US
UP HERE THAT SAY YOU ABSOLUTELY MATTER. YOU ABSOLUTELY MATTER AND WE OWE IT TO YOU TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND THIS DISCUSSION. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PRESENTATION. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO TAKING UP MEETINGS WITH ANY COMMUNITY MEMBER THAT WANTS TO TALK TO ME
ABOUT THIS. I THINK THE SEVERAL WARD 12 RESIDENTS WHO HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME DIRECTLY OVER THE YEARS TO SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE AND TO TAKE UP THIS WORK. AND WITH THAT, I WILL ASK TO BE A COAUTHOR ON THIS. AND AS A COAUTHOR, I WILL CALL
IT UPON MYSELF TO REALLY, REALLY BRING IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH EVIDENCE IN THIS WORK. AND THAT'S A REQUEST TO THE AUTHORS. YES. WOULD WELCOME THAT. >> THANK YOU. >> COUNCILMEMBER RAINVILLE. THANK YOU. SO I WILL BE VOTING FOR THIS AS
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.HE THAT'S BEEN EXPRESSED VERY CLEARLY. IT HAS BEEN OUR TRADITION TO LET THIS GO FORTH. HOWEVER TWO OTHER THINGS I WANT TO BRING UP, ONE IS WE'RE GETTING DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO ASCRIBING MOTIVE OVERALL TO
ANYONE WHO QUESTIONS THIS. AND THAT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE WE CANNOT GO DOWN AS THIS BODY. IF WE DOANT TO GO FORWARD FOR ANOTHER THREE AND A HALF YEARS. IT ALSO BRINGS UP THE FACT THAT WE WERE SET, WE HAD ALL
ARRANGEMENTS SET TO SET PRIORITIES FOR OUR COUNCIL THIS YEAR AND UNFORTUNATELY THAT WAS E DAY THAT RENEE GOODE GOT SHOT. AND THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. COUNCIL PRESIDENT PAYNE, I'M ASKING YOU TO RESET THAT. I KNOW YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE
WORKING TOWARDS THAT, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY ON MY CALENDAR WHEN WE CAN ALL GET OFF SITE AND TALK ABOUT OUR IORITIES. I WILL SAY OUT LOUD FOR THE RECORD, MY PRIORITIES ARE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PUBLIC
SAFETY, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, SOCIAL JUSTICE, ECONOMIC JUSTICE, WHAT ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, THE ADDICTION CRISIS, THE HOUSING CRISIS. THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO SEE US FOCUS ON. THANK YOU. >> I DOUBLY COMMIT TO THAT WORK OF BRINGING THIS TOGETHER. AND I CALL ON THE CLERK T SPEAK
TO THAT. >> MR. PRESIDENT, AS YOU ARE AWARE, I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OU FACILITATOR DARCY LOMA WHO PLANNED AND ORGANIZED THE ORIGINAL MULTIDAY STRATEGIC ADVANCE AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS
TERM ASOUNCILMEMBER RAINVILLE INDICATED IT WAS UNFORTUNATELY INTERRUPTED. MS. LOMA WAS OUT MOST OF THE MONTH OF MARCH. AND AS WE WERE RESPONDING TO OPERATION METRO SURGE, W DECIDED TO PUT THAT ON HOLD. I HAD A PHONE CONVERSATION WITH MS. LOMA LITERALLY YESTERDAY ABOUT FINDING DATES AND TIMES TO
RECONVENE. SO I HOPE THAT THAT MEETS WITH APPROVAL OF ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS. IT IS ACTIVELY ON MY RADAR TO GET TT BACK ON THE CALENDAR. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHAVEZ. >> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT PAYNE. AS I SAID I'M GOING TO BE VOTING TO SUPPORT THIS REFERRAL TO
STAFF SO WE CAN WORK ON THIS ORDINANCE. AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO PLEASE LOOK AT LIMS, LOOK AT AGENDA SETTING ANDEE WHO'S AUTHORING ORDINANCES AND BRINGING FORWARD PROPOSALS. CAUSE WE CAN DEFINITELY WORK ON THESE POLICIES. BUT IF WE'RE HEARING ABOUT PRIORITIES, I'M DOING ALL OF
THAT AND MORE AND I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO IT BECAUSE I CAN WORK ON POLICIES TT PROTECT OUR LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY, I CAN WORK ON RESOLUTIONS THAT TELL US THAT WE SHOULD NEVER BE SUPPORTING GENOCIDE, I CAN WORK ON RELUTIONS THAT STATE THAT WE SHOULD GIVE RENTERS MORE TIME TO PAY THEIR RENT.
I CAN WORK ON RESOLUTIONS AND POLICIES THAT SAY PEOPLE DESERVE RENTAL ASSISTANCE. LOOK AT THE PUBLIC, LOOK AT WHO'S AUTHORING RESOLUTIONS AND WHO'S NOT. >> LET'S KEEP THE CONVERSATION TO THE TOPIC. >> YOU DIDN'T SAY THAT TO THE OTHER CONVERSATION. SO YOU NEED TO BE FAIR.
>> I DID. SEEING NO ONE ELSE LEFT IN QUEUE, I NEED A MOTION TO REFER THESE IMS TO COMMITTEE. >> SO MOVED. >> THAT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. I'LL ASK THE CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL. >> COUNCILMEMBER WHITING. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. >> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STEVENSON. >> AYE. >> CNCILMEMBER RAINVILLE. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER VETAW. >> AYE. >> AYE.CILMEMBER PALMISANO. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHAVEZ. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER WARREN. >> ABSTAIN. >> COUNCILMEMBER SHAFFER. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY. >> AYE. >> CNCILMEMBER CHUGHTAI. >> AYE.
>> VICE PRESIDENT OSMAN. >> AYE. >> PRESIDENT PAYNE. >> AYE. >> THERE ARE 12 AYES, 0 NAYS, AND ONE ABSTENTION. >> THOSE ITEMS CARRY. JUST FOR MY COLLEAGUES, WE HAVE CAPTIONERS UNTIL 1:30, I FEEL
LIKE WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS, BUT KEEP THAT IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND. NE UP WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 28 ON COMMERCIAL PRE-EVICTION NOTICE REFERRING THIS TO COMMITTEE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? TO STAFF.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? COUNCILMEMBER SHAFFER. >> AGAIN, I'M NOT SURE WHY WE ARE BRINGING FORWARD THIS ITEM WHEN THE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT THAT IS FACING ALL OF E DOWNTURN OR DEVALUATIONS THAT WE HAVE ARE NOW GOING TO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL PRESSURE PUT ON THEM.
MANY OF THEM ARE ALREADY LOSING PEOPLE AND LEAVING THEIR BUILDINGS. AND THIS IS PARTICULAR TO UPTOWN,DOWNTOWN, WARD 7. BUT IT'S ACROSS OUR WHOLE CITY. AND SO IT'S CURIOUS TO ME WHY WE
WOULD WANT TO PUT INCREASED PRESSURE ON COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS. WHAT WOULD BE SOME OF THE EFFECTS OF THAT ACTION? I'M NOT SURE IF -- I SEE DIRECTOR HANSEN HERE IN THE OFFICE -- I MEAN ITHE OFFICE, IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
PRESIDENT PAYNE, WOULD IT BE ALL RIGHT IF HE CAME FORWARD AND SHARED HIS OPINION ON SOME OF THIS? >> DIRECTOR HANSEN?
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT PAYNE, COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M ERIC HANSEN, THE CPED DIRECTOR. I'M ASKED TO COME UP AND RESPOND TO SOME QUESTIONS. >> YES, WHAT WOULD BE SOME OF THE RISKS THAT YOU WOULD SEE IF WE ENACTED A COMMERCIAL MORATORIUM AT THIS POINT WITH
YOU KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR CITY? >> IT'S NOT A MORATORIUM. >> THE UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS WOULD BE REFERRED TO STAFF. WE WOULD WORK IT OUT AS WE DO WITH ALL. IT GIVES THE PERMISSION TO THE STAFF TO START WORKING ON THE ORDINANCE. WE HAVE GIVEN INITIAL FEEDBACK
TO THE AUTHORS ABOUT THE ORDINANCE AROUND THE NATURE OF COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE VERSUS RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE. CPED DOES HAVE A POSITION ABOUT ADVANCED NOTICE, SUPPORTING ADVANCED NOTICE WHEN IT COMES TO RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE.
IT'S MORE COMPLEX ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE. THERE'S ALSO A ENFORCEMT COMPONENT WHEN THERE IS UNLAWFUL BUSINESS AND/OR A BUSINESS THAT IS NOT COMPLYING WITH, IT'S NOT
BEING A POSITIVE NEIGHBOR. WE USE QUICK EVICTIONS AS A TOOL AND WE HAVEHARED WITH THE AUTHORS THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD HAVE IN MIND AS WE
WOULD WORK THROUGH THIS IS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A CARVE OUT FOR SOMETHING WHEN THERE'S AN EMERGENCY WHERE WE NEED A PARTICULAR BUSINESS OUT FOR SOME SORT OF NEFARIOUS ACT. >> OKAY, THANK YOU. I FEEL LIKE AT THIS POINT AND TIME WE REALLY WANT TO BE
THOUGHTFUL IN THIS AREA. THAT'S IT. >> COUNCILMEMBER STEVENSON. >> THANK YOU. I DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW MUCH ABOUT THIS POLICY AGAIN BECAUSE IT HASN'T GONE TO STAFF. I'M EXCITED TO LEARN AOT MORE
ABOUT IT BECAUSE OUR LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS IN NEED OF HELP. AND MAYBE THIS IS A GOOD WAY, MAYBE IT'S NOT. AND WE'LL FIND OUT WHEN STAFF COMES BACK. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO CALL OUT ONE THING. THERE IS A GROUP THAT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM IN UPTOWN AND THAT IS
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS, NOT BUSINESS OWNERS. WHAT ARE ALL OF THOSE VANT SITES THAT SIT BETWEEN LAKE AND 31st ON HENNEPIN? THE OWNERS OF THOSE BUILDINGS COULD HAVE BROKEN UP THOSE PROPERTIES INTO A BUNCH OF
SMALLER THINGS AND RENTED THEM T. INSTEAD THEY'VE SAT VACANT FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS. I DON'T THINK WE NEEDO BE ADVOCATING FOR THE RIGHTS OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS MORE AT THIS TIME. I THINK WE ND TO BE ADVOCATING FOR THE RIGHTS OF SMALL BUSINESSES TO HAVE PLACES THAT THEY CAN GO INTO IN ORDER TO
LIVEN UP OUR CITY AGAIN. UPTOWN, DOWNTOWN, ALL OVER. I DID WANT TO CALL THAT OUT. AND THEN SECONDLY, I DID WANT TO CALL OUT THAT COMMERCIAL PRE-EVICTION NOTICE ORDINANCE AT LEAST ON THE FACE IS NOT A MORATORIUM OF ANYTHING.
SO LET'S NOT TALK ABOUT THAT. >> COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY. >> I JUST WANT TO MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE. >> IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> VICE PRESIDT OSMAN. >> YEAH, JUST THE SAME CONCERN,
BUT LIKE I SAID BEFORE IN MY COMMENT THAT I DON'T HAVE THAT EXPERTISE. I LEAVE IT TO DIRECTOR HANSEN AND OTHERS TO REALLY DO THE RESEARCH AND GIVE US SUGGESTIONS WHERE TO GO. WE LIVE IN A FREE MARKET SOCIETY ANDAN IMAGINE LIMITING
BUSINESSES,HIS IS NOT LIKE SIMILAR HOUSING. THAT'S MY IDEA OR RENTERS. BUT I DO HAVE THE SAME CONCERN COUNCILMEMBER SHAFFE HAS. BUT I AM OPEN TO BE EDUCATED ON THAT. THANK YOU. >> SEEING NO ONE ELSE LEFT IN
QUEUE, I WILL ASK THE CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL ON THE MOTION TO REFER THIS ITEM TO STAFF. >> COUNCILMEMBER WHITING. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER STEVENS. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER RAINVILLE. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER VETAW. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER PALMISA. >> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER CHAVEZ. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER WARREN. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER SHAFFER. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHUGHTAI. >> AYE. >> VICE PRESIDENT OSMAN. >> AYE. >> PRESIDENTPAYNE. >> AYE. >> THERE ARE 13 AYES. >> THAT ITEM CARRIES.
NEXT WE WILL TAKE UP ITEM NUMBER 52 WHICH IS NONTRADITIONAL AND CULTURALLY SPECIFIC COMMUNITY HEALTH ANDELLNESS AND WELL BEING SERVICES AT THE SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS COMMUNITY SAFETY CENTER AND WILL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY. >> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT PAYNE. I'M TRYING TO SEE IF WE ACTUALLY
HAVE ANYONE FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HERE OR OCS SPECIFICALLY. I THINK WILL IS THE STAFF MEMBER WHO SPOKE TO THIS. WE LEFT TUESDAY WITH A SHARED AGREEMENT AND WANTED TO SEE THE
RCA BE UPGRADED TO REFLECT A BACKUP OPTION WHERE THESE SERVICES COULD BE HOUSED IN THE LAKE STRT SAFETY CENTER CONSIDERING THAT THE COMMUNITY SAFETY IN SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS IS TBD. SO IT MAKES NO SENSE TO HOLD THE
SERVICES TIED TO TH CONTRACT BACK UNTIL THAT UNDETERMINED OPENING DATE WHEN WE DO HAVE A BACKUP LOCATION. IT WAS MY HOPE THAT AGAIN BASED OFF OF THE OPEN AND RECEPTIVE
CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD ON TUESDAY THAT OCS WOULD TAKE BUT THEY'RE NOT HERE.COUNT. SO I FEEL A BIT HESITANT OF MOV TOWARDS A DELAY BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN RESOLVED AND WE DO HAVE AN OPTION.
AND I WANT TOAKE SURE THESE SERVICES ARE NOT BEEN HINDERED IN THEIR ADMINISTRATION. >> VICE PRESIDENT OSN. >> I DO HAVE THE SAME CONCERN. AND ALSO THE OTHER CONCERN I HAVE TT THEY DID SAY THAT THE RFP IS COMING OUT FOR THIS. IF WE DELAY IT THAT THAT ALSO
LIMITS MORE SERVICES BEING DELAYED. I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO ABOUT THIS. BUT IT WOULD BE GRE IF WE COULD HAVE THE STAFF ESPECIALLY WHO IS LEADING THIS TO BE ON THE FLOOR OTHE COUNCIL TO ANSWER SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS. BUT WE DON'T HAVE THOSE ANSWERS
RIGHT NOW. >> COUNCILMBER WONSLEY. >> WITH THAT, I WOULD JUST MAKE THE MOTION TO TABLE. I KNOW WE HAVE ONE OTHER ITEM THAT WAS PULLED THAT HOPEFULLY BY THE TIME WE FINISH DISCUSSION, MAYBE WE CAN HAVE BECAUSE THAT IS A DEPARTMENT H,
THAT'S OWNING THIS WORK JUST TO SEE WE CAN GET THOSE STAFF HERE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS. BUT I WOULD MAKE THE MOTION TO TABLE. >> WITHOUT OBJECTION, I WILL HOLD IM 52 TO THE END OF OUR AGENDA.
OKAY. NEXT WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 55. AND THAT IS I BELIEVE THE RESOLUTION FOR HENNEPIN
HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS INC. I WILL RECOGNIZE WAS IT COUNCILMEMR VETAW THAT WAS THE LEAD AUTHOR? DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO IT? >> THANK YOU, COUNCIL VICE ESIDENT OSMAN, FOR HELPING OUT WITH THIS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HENNEPIN COUNTY HOSPITAL IS IN TROUBLE AND IN NEED OF SUPPORT TO STAY OPEN. MINE TO MAKE SURE NOT ONLY OF HENNEPIN COUNTY BUT NORTH MEMOAL REMAIN OPEN AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE NORTH SIDE
I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR BOTH OF THOSE FACILITIES AS LEVEL ONE TRAUMA CENTERS TO BE OPEN. AND SO COLLEAGUES, I REALLY THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANIN OUR CITY RIGHT NOW, NOT JUST FOR
MINNEAPOLIS BUT FOR THE STATE AND SO I'M EXPECTING THAT WE'RE ALL GOING TO VOTE FOR THIS AND HAPPY THAT THIS IS HAPPENING IN SUPPORT. AND I'LL ALSO SAY THAT COMMISSIONER CONLEY REACHED OUT EARLIER THIS WEEK AND SAID THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT OF THIS.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD LET FOLKS KNOW WE HAVE THEIR BAC ON THIS. WE'RE GOING TO DO ALL WE CAN AS A BODY TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS HOSPITAL STAYS OPEN. >> VICE PRESIDENT OSMAN. >>YEAH, I DO WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER VETAW FOR HER WORK ON THIS.
I THINK THIS FALLS IN RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL OF US. THIS IS A HOSPITAL THAT SERVES LOW INCOME UNINSURE FOLKS AND VULNERABLE POPULATION. AND IT'S ESSENTIAL FOR US TO KEEP THIS. SO THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VETAW, FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS RESOLUTION.
>> COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. >> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT PAYNE. I THINK IT'S JUST ONE OF THE MOST VERY EXISTENTIAL ISSUES FOR OUR CITY AND OUR STATE THAT WE'RE FACING, THIS IMPENDING
CLOSURE OF HCMC, A REGIONAL TRAUMA ONE CENTER. AND I JUST WANT TO AFFIRM HOW BADLY WE NEED TO GET DEDICATED SUSTAINABLE FUNDING FROM THE STATE LEGISLATURE. I'VE TALKED TO SEVAL MEMBERS
OF OUR STATE SENATE AND OUR STATE HOUSE THATHIS IS ONE OF THEIR TOP PRIORITIES ON GETTING THROUGH. AND THERE IS ALSO GROWING BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR THIS AS THIS IS NOT JUST A MINNEAPOLIS ISSUE AND NOT JUST A HENNEPIN COUNTY ISSUE.
HCMC SERVES CITIES AND TOWNS AND COMMUNITIES ALL ACROSS THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. AND IF HCMC CLOSES, THE PPLE WHO WILL BE HURT THE MOST ARE WORKING PEOPLE EVERY DAY WHO RELY ON CARE AND ARE ABLE TO
RECEIVE THAT CARE EVEN IN THE FACE OF A BROKEN HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. AND I WANT TO PARTICULARLY THANK COMMISSIONER ANGELA CONLEY AND COMMISSIONER LUNDI FOR THEIR WORK AS CO-IGR CHAIRS FOR REALLY LEADG THE CONVERSATION AT THE
CAPITAL. >> SEEING NO ONE ELSE LEFT IN QUEUE, I WILL ASK THE CLERK -- THIS? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> I'LL ASK THE CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL.
COUNCILMEMBER VETAW. >> NO, GO AHEAD. MOTION TO APPROVE, COUNCILMEMBER VETAW? >> OF COURSE I WOULD. THANK YOU. >> IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S BEEN SECONDED. IF WE CAN HAVE THAT NOTED BY THE CLERKS, I WILL ASK THE CLERKS TO CALL THE ROLL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER WHITING. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER STEVENSON. >> A. >> COUNCILMEMBER RAINVILLE. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER VETAW. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHAVEZ. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER WARREN. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER SHAFFER. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY. >> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER CHUGHTAI. >> AYE. >> VICE PRESENT OSMAN. >> AYE. >> PRESIDENT PAYNE. >> AYE. >> THERE ARE 13 AYES. >> THAT ITEM CARRIES. ARE HOLDING OVER ITEM 52 UNTIL WE GET TO THE END OF OUR AGENDA.
PALMISANO HAD DISCUSSED ITEM NUMBER SIX. DID YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION >> YES, MR. PRESIDENT, IN CONVERSATION DURING THE BREAK WITH COUNCILMEMBER CHAVEZ AND MORE RECENTLY CHAIR CHOWDHURY OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, SOMETHING WE ALL AGREE ON IS THAT THIS ORDINANCE NEEDS BOTH
TIME AND A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFORT AS A BODY. AND THIS IS ABOUT THE DRUG PARAPHERNALIA DECRIMINALIZATION ORDINANCE, ITEM NUMBERSIX. THE PROBLEM IS PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE COMES UP REAL QUICKLY NEXT WEEK. SO A GOOD COMPROMISE WE FELT
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE NEXT AT CYCLE. SO I'D LIKE TO MOTION THAT WE REDO THE VOTE ON POSTPONEMENT DIRECTLY BACK TO COUNCIL. RATHER LET'S SUBSTITUTE AND REFER IT BACK TO A COMMITTEE FOR MORE DELIBERATION AND EFFORT, IN THIS CASE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
ON TUESDAY, APRIL 21ST. >> SECOND. >> DO WE GO THROUGH A FULL RECONSIDERATION OR WITHOUT OBJECTION CAN WE MAKE THAT CHANGE? >> MR. PRESIDENT, IF THERE'SOT OBJECTION TO RECONSIDERING AND CHANGING IT, WE WOULDN'T NEED TO TAKE THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER. WE WILL HAVE TO TAKE A VOTE ON THE COMMITTEE REFERENCE AND DATE
OBVIOUSLY. >> OKAY SO ON THAT MOTION -- >> FIRST IS THERE ANY OBCTION? >> IS THERE ANY OBJECTION. >> TO RECONSIDERING THE ITEM. >> LET'S TAKE UP THE MOTION TO REFER THIS TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE ON APRIL 21ST.
I'LL ASK THE CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL. >> COUNCILMEMBER WHITING. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBERSTEVENSON. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER RAINVILLE. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER VETAW. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER PALMISA. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHAVEZ. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER WARREN. >> AYE. >> CNCILMEMBER SHAFFER. >> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHUGHTAI >> AYE. >> VICE PRESIDENT OSMAN. >> AYE. >> PRESIDENT PAYNE. >> AYE. >> THERE ARE 13 AYES. >> THAT ITEM CARRIES AND THAT WILL BE REFERRED TO TH COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. NEXT WE WILL TAKE UP NOTICE OF
ORDINANCE INTRODUCTIONS. WE HAVE TWO ON OUR AGENDA TODAY. FIRST NOTICE OF INTENTO INTRODUCE AT THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL THE SUBJECT MATTER OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE PORTION OF THE CODE RELATED TO INTERIM ORDINANCES ADDING A NEW CHAPTER FOR A
MORATORIUM ON THE ESTABLISHMENT, REESTABLISHMENT OR EXPANSION OF DATA CENTER USES. NEXT, COUNCILMEMBER WHITING GIVES NOTICE OFNTENT TO INTRODUCE AT THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING THE SUBJECT MATTER OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ADMINISTRATION CODE AMENDING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPLETION OF ETHICS AND EDUCATION, ARE THERE
ANY QUESTIONS ON THESE NOTICES? SEEING NONE, THOSE ORDINANCES ARE HEREBY GIVEN ANDO FURTHER ACTION IS REQUIRED AT THIS TIME. THE NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL CALENDAR. WE HAVE FOUR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TODAY. FIRST COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY MOVES TO AMEND THE INTRODUCTION
GIVEN AT OUR FEBRUARY 19TH MEETING RELATED TO FIREARM REGULATION BY CHANGING THE COMMITTEE OF REFERRAL TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH SAFETY AND EQUITY COMMITTEE TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. PURSUANT TO NOTICE ITEM TWO IS
FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS CHAVEZ, CHUGHTAI, AND CHOWDHURY WHO MOVE TO INTRODUCE THE SUBJECT MTER OF AN ORDINANCE AMOUNTING THE LICENSE AND BUSINESS REGULATION CODE FOR FIRST READING AND REFERRAL TO THE HOUSING, BUSINESS, AND ZONING COMMITTEE, ADDING A NEW CHAPTER 296 ENTITLED SAFE OUTDOOR SPACES ESTABLISHING LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR AUTHORIZED AND
REGULATED SAFE OUTDOOR SPACES OR INDIVIDUALIZED OUTDOOR SHELTERING OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS. PURSUANT TO NOTICE ITEM THREE IS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS WONSLEY, CHOWDHURY, STEVENSON, AND CHUGHTAI WHO MOVE TO INTRODUCE THE SUBJECT MATTER OF TWO
ORDINANCES AMENDING THE CONSUMER PROTECTION AND LICENSES AND BUSINESS REGULATION CODE FOR FIRST READING AND REFERRAL TO THE BUSINESS, HOUSING, AND ZONING COMMITTEE COMMITTING TO HOTEL REGULATIONS. FINALLY ITEM NUMBER FOUR PURSUANTO NOTICE IS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS CHOWDHURY AND
CHUGHTAI WHO MOVE TO INTDUCE AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE HOUSING CODE TEMPORARILY EXTENDING THE LENGTH OF T REQUIRED PRE-EVICTION NOTICE. COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY HAS MOTION IN FRONT OF US TO REVISE THIS REFERRAL T REFER IT TO
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE TO BE LD ON APRIL 21ST. MAY I HAVE MOTION TO APPROVE THESE INCLUDING COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY'S REVISED MOTION FOR NUMBER FOUR? >> SO MOVED. >> IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. >> YES, I WAS GOING TO MAKE THAT MOTION. SINCE I MADE THE MOTION - ALL I WAS GOING TO SAY ON THIS ITEM IS WE HAVE THE LANGUAGE FOR THE
PRE-EVICTION NOTICE TO COME AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE THIS UP AS SOON AS PO POSSIBLE. APRIL 21ST IS GOING TO BE NEARING THE END OF THE MONTH. AND THE RENT WILL BE DUE AGAIN
FOR RESIDENTS IN OUR CITY. WE STILL HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE FACING EVICTIONS. THERE'S BEEN GROWING EVICTION FILINGS AS WAS PREDICTED FOOWING A HEIGHT OF OPERATION METRO SURGE AS MANY COMMUNITY
MEMBERS ARE STRUGGLING TO PAY THE RENT. MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE LOST INCOME. AND SINCE OUR LAST MEETING WHERE MAYOR WHERE3 MAYOR FRYE -- THE F
ST. PAUL HAS PASSED A 60 DAY EVICTION NOTICE. I'M MOVING TS TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE BECAUSE COMMITTEE MEMBERS STILL NEED TIME. I ENCOURAGE COLLEAGS TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND ON THIS AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER SUPPO IF YOU DID NOT SUPPORT THE LAST
ORDINANCE. IT IS JUS VERY CLEAR THAT THERE IS A HIGH AND PRESENT NEED. AND WE WERE ABLE TOASS RENTAL ASSISTANCE, BUT RENTAL ASSISTANCE ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH. PEOPLE NEED MORE TIME. AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE.
>> SEEING NO ONE ELSE LEFT IN QUEUE, I'LL ASK THE CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL. >> COUNCILMEMBER WHITING. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER STEVENSON. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER RAINVILLE. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER VETAW. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHAVEZ. >> AYE. COUNCILMEMBER WARREN. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER SHAFFER.
>> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHUGHTAI. >> AYE. >> VICE PRESIDENT OSMAN. >> AYE. >> PRESIDENT PAYNE. >> AYE. >> THERE ARE 13 AYES. >> THAT MOTION CARRIES. AND THOSE MATTERS ARE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEES LISTED ON THE AGENDA. THE NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS IS RESOLUTIONS.
WE HAVE THREE RESOLUTIONS ON OUR AGENDA TODAY. DO COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ANY COMMENTS TO ADD? SENG NONE MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THOSE RESOLUTIONS? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> THE CLERK WILL CALL THE ROLL. >> COUNCILMEMBER WHITING. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY.
>> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER STEVENSON. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER RAINVILLE. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER VETAW. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHAVEZ. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER WARREN. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER SHAFFER. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHUGHTAI. >> AYE. >> VICE PRESIDENT OSMAN. >> AYE. >> PRESIDENT PAYNE.
>> AYE. >> THERE ARE 13 AYES. >> THAT CARRIES AND THOSE RESOLUTIONS ARE ADOPTED. WE HAVE COMPLETED ALL ITEMS. WE HAVE ITEM 52 FROM THE COW AGEN TABLED.
DO WE HAVE ANY STAFF -- MR. CLERK? >> MR. PRESIDENT, THELERKS HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE STAFF ATTEMPTING TO GET SOMEONE HERE TO SPEAK TO THIS. WE HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL AT THIS POINT. I HEARD COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY MENTION THI EARLIER, AND PERHAPS I COULD SUGGEST IF THERE ARE STILL QUESTIONS OR UNRESOLVED IUES THAT THIS
COULD BE THEN POSTPONED UNTIL THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING ON APRIL 21ST AS WELL SO THAT THOSE ISSUES CAN BE ADDRESSED BY STAFF AND COME BACK AND MAKE THOSE CHANGES OR IMPROVEMENTS IN RESPONDING TO QUESTIS AND ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED. >> IS THERE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT?
>> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY. >> NOPE, THAT'S ALL. >> I'LL ASK THE CLERK TOALL THE ROLL. >> COUNCILMEMBER WHITING. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER STEVENSON. >> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RAINVILLE. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER VETAW. AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHAVEZ. >> AYE. >>OUNCILMEMBER WARREN. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER SHAFFER. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY. >> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER CHUGHTAI. >> AYE. >> VICE PRESIDENT OSMAN. >> AYE. >> PRESIDENT PAYNE. >> AYE. >> THERE ARE 13 AYES.
>> THAT CARRIES. AND THAT COMPLETES OUR BUSINESS FOR TODAY. NEXT WE HAVE THE ORDER OF ANUNCEMENTS. ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS? COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY.
OH, COUNCILMEMBER CHAVEZ. >> I'M ON QUEUE REGARDING THE WORDG ON THE ADJOURNMENT. I DON'T WANT YOU TO END THE MEETING WITHOUT ME BEING ABLTO SAY SOMETHING. THERE'S AN ITEM RIGHT NEXT TO IT THAT'S THE AFTER ACTION VIEW FOR THE CITY'S ACTIONS INVOLVING DAVIS MOTURI AND JOHN SAWCHAK.
I WANT TO BE ABLE TO CLARIFY WHAT THIS MEETING IS ON APRIL 22NDENED -- 22ND BEFORE YOU ADJOURN. I'M ASKING YOU WHAT IS THIS? >> THIS IS THE MEETING WITH THE
CITY AUDITOR TO DISCUSS THE DAVIS MOTURI INCIDENT AND ALLISON LUCIER. >> I ASK THE CLERKS IF WE COULD MAKE SURE THIS TITLE IS REFLECTIVE OF THAT. IT ONLY SAYS DAVIS MOTURI RIGHT NOW. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT REFLECTIVE OF ALL OF THE OTHER CASES OF ALSON LUCIER.
AND IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA TODAY. >> THIS IS THE REPORT FROM THE CITY AUDITOR TTHE JOINT MEETING BEING SCHEDULED ON THIS DATE TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE AND TO THE CITY COUNCIL. THESE ARE THE MATTERS REFERRED TO THE AUDITOR THAT WERE CONTAINEDN THAT REPORT. I KNOW THERE WERE OTHER ISSUES
THAT COUNCIL RAED, BUT THIS WAS THE TITLE OF THE TWO ITEMS REFERRED TO THE AUDITOR. PPY TO CONSULT AFTERWARDS AND MAKE CHANGES IF NECESSARY. THIS WAS WT CAME OUT OF THE SYSTEM REFERRED DIRECTLY TO THE AUDITOR. >> I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IS
THE MEETING ON APRIL 22NDN GOING TO INCLUDE THE ALLISON LUCIER IT'S?OR JUST THE DAVIS MOTURI CA >> MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT'S GOING TO ADDRESS BOTH OF THOSE CASES. >> I WANT THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IN THIS MEETING BECAUSE
IT'S MISLEADING. >> GOOD FLAG, COUNCILMEMBER COUNCILMEMBER VETAW. >> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT PAYNE. I JUST WANTED TO SAY COLLEAGUES, YOU SHOULD GE YOURSELVES A GIGANTIC PAT ON THE BACK. I'VE GOTTEN SO MUCH POSITIVE RESPONSE ABOUT THE LICENSE FEES
THAT WERE PAID FOR BUSINESS OWNERS. JUST THE OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF EXCITEMENT AND SUPPORT THAT THE CITY DID THIS. I GOT MESSAGES FROM PEOPLE SAYING THAT THE CITY FINALLY DID SOMETHING RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS. COUNCILMEMBER RAINVILLE AND I
WERE WALKING TO LUNCH AND A CITY EMPLOYEE STOPPED US AND SAID WE'VE GOT SO MUCH FEEDBACK IN OUR OFFICE ABOUT THIS VERY POSITIVE THING FROM THE CITY. SO I JUST WANTED YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT PEOPLE REALLY SEE THE IMPACT THAT THAT VOTE MADE ON
THEIR BUSINESSES AND THEY'RE REALLY HAPPY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO COME THROUGH FORHEM IN THAT WAY. >> SEEING NO ONE ELSE LEFT IN QUEUE, WITH THAT WE'VE COMPLETED OUR BUSINESS TODAY. WITH NOTHING FURTHER TO COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL AND WITHOUT
OBJECTION, THIS MEETING IS HEREBY ADJOURNED TO DNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2026, AT 10:00 A.M. FOR A JOINT MEETING OF THE CI COUNCIL. WE WILL BE PRESENTED WITH THE AFTER ACTION REVIEW OF THE
CITY'S ACTIONS IN CASES INVOLVING DAVIS MOTURI AND ALLISON CIER. Part: 2
Commission. Commissioner Todd Barnett has served the city of Minneapolis as commissioner with great integrity for the last three years. He is a person of of great ability, of tremendous integrity, of amazing skill and calm
under pressure. He has navigated through some of the most difficult crises that our city has ever seen. He's brought a sense of calm and steadiness to an office that was being brought up from the ground and didn't even previously exist. He's been innovative. He's tried
new things. Uh he's reached out to break down silos and create partnerships with governments where we previously didn't have them in full. Uh before that, he was the chief justice of the Henipin County Courts. He's a prosecutor, a public defender, a mentor to so many
people. I say these qualifications to tell you very directly that the vote that happened today was neither about Todd Barnett's qualifications nor was it about his record. The vote that took place today was about vote
trading and political gamesmanship. That's what we saw carry out on the dis. It certainly was not about public safety in the city of Minneapolis. At times, disagreements with me, which are valid, were confused with
disagreements with our commissioner. At times, opposition to a government structure change that was determined by the voters of this city was confused with opposition uh for the leadership of Commissioner
Barnett. I cannot say enough great things about this man and the person that he is. Um he is calm, he is steady. When he first became commissioner, even
I myself initially confused that steadiness with a lack of urgency. And boy was I wrong. Anybody who says that he has a lack of in of urgency or understanding of the issue is dead wrong.
uh he sees how systems work because he's been running them. The improvements to the Office of Community Safety and the improvements that have taken place in Minneapolis are in large part due to the work ethic
and the perseverance of a person that doesn't need this job. He took this job not for the money. he could make way more doing something else. He certainly didn't take this job
to get more sleep because we've had many sleepless nights. And watching him, even in the moments immediately following a really disappointing vote, he was operating with the most integrity.
He is a person that I am proud to know. Todd has led our consent decree and settlement agreement reforms. He helped to build one of the most diverse police departments in our city's history. He set up an office of emergency management that you yourselves have
witnessed succeed and you've also witnessed how in the past we've failed around response. Um he led an effort around national incident management training around communication
uh running practices and simulations culminating in a trip out to Emittsburg, Maryland that definitely had an impact on our ability to respond to crisis like an enunciation shooting or operation metro surge.
Because of the incredible progress Todd has brought to this city, because of the incredible progress that Todd has brought to this city, I will be vetoing the council action. My hope is to see the best in people, including
council members. My hope is that they will treat safety in this city more important than political games and horse trading. My hope is that they will understand the magnitude of this moment. And this is not about me and this is not about a
government structure change. Both of which are decisions that have been made by the voters. This is a decision to say, look, we can't just spend another year doing a search,
another year getting someone with the necessary experience to run a very complex office. We can't spend all this time recognizing that the cabinet members that were appointed or not today oversee about 4,000 city employees and people rely on
the service that they produce. These are very serious matters and so the way forward is with leaders who deliver results, not a council um that is willing to engage in these kind of actions. Todd deserves this job.
The residents of Minneapolis deserve him in this job. We need to be concentrating on items like public safety right now. and I'm going to do everything in my power to keep Todd Barnett in this position.
>> Thank you. Um, I'll be brief and the first thing I'll start with is that um, I got a lot of calls and texts and emails today uh, from friends and employees of the city and
the city employees. I said this on Tuesday, they're so amazing and awesome and they really have embraced me when I got here to the city. uh because there were so many things that were urgent at the time. I didn't have I didn't have
the opportunity to sit down and have coffee with people. I had to get to work and so um they were just so gracious with their time and helping me. And so I just want to thank them for for their embracement. I love this city. Uh I love
the city of Minneapolis. Um I feel like I've had a a really great opportunity to u work on safety for the city. I think we built a really good foundation uh when you look at the responses we had uh
especially to annunciation where all of the training came into play and we just did an amazing job there. Uh there's still work to do. There's a lot of work to uh still be done. Uh I know you'll probably ask me about how I feel and and
where am I at. Um I'm torn. the council voted. Um, and uh, I want to work on I want to continue the work that I have. I'm, you know, I met with uh, some members of my staff um, and just immediately talking to them about if I'm
not here, what we need to get done before I leave. And so those things um, are important to me. So, I'm going to take some time with my family uh, and just reflect. And I know I have the mayor's 100% uh support because he said
it. Um and uh so I I don't know what's going to happen at the end of the day, but um I just really love the city of Minneapolis and love the employees that I work with. So I'll end there. Thank you. >> So
I'll take questions in a minute, but the bottom line is I will be vetoing this action. um will be reviewing the procedure uh in the immediiacy. I'm grateful uh that Todd Barnett will stay on to do this necessary work. He has my
full support if we are able to of course get to a conclusion that results in a reappoint. Um but that is his decision and I know that he's going to be talking with his family uh in the immediiacy to figure out how he decides to move
forward. Any questions? expand on what you mean with political gamesmanship and vote trading please. >> Uh so the question was whether I will expand on what I mean by political gamesmanship. Um so I'm I'm not going to
name names. What I will say is that decisions were made not based on the qualifications of the person that was before them for a vote or that person's ability to do the
work or even that person's record. There were some decisions that were made uh based on political games. Um, I'm not going to get too much further
into it because look, you know, I I respect council members. Um, even during times of significant disagreement, I respect them. I believe and I hope uh that they will also, you
know, recognize the better angels and do everything possible to see the importance of safety in the city and the repercussions of starting all over again at this point in this office. Um, I also want to recognize that there are always areas where we can
improve, that I can improve, that the office of community safety and my administration can improve. And to the extent that council members have frustrations that are not with the commissioner, but are with me or another area of the administration, I want to
hear those, too. And if there's a way to get to yes, by all means, my door is open to do that. I will note that several council members didn't even meet with the commissioner prior to the vote to express those
concerns and so I think there's a few of them that we know what they are now we're going to be addressing possibly depending on department worried about the impact file and turn on public safety. The answer
>> question is am I worried about the impact on the rank and file and and a concern for public safety based on this decision? Of course, that's something that I'm always concerned about. Um, you know, we're making great progress. We're seeing crime go down. We're seeing
the alternatives to policing that had never before existed being set in stone, being set up for compliance measures. Uh, and so much of that work happened because of Commissioner Barnett. Um,
at the same time, you know, I I got to stay optimistic. I mean you just saw a person that is experienced in a moment that certainly doesn't tickle but he is up here standing tall with great integrity and I hope people see that as
one of the reasons why I want him so much as the commissioner here and I I mentioned this also on the dis that you know there's so many different characteristics of leadership um I certainly have learned a lot during my
time in office and when you're in a room making decisions of great consequence that are oftenimes life and death when you go through a significant emergency you need people that will elevate the temperature you also need people that'll
calm things down and I have benefited my decision-making process has benefited because of Commissioner Barnett's presence next question Do you have any concerns that this could foreshadow a fight over
confirming Chief O'Hara? >> Uh so my position uh on Chief O'Hara and other uh department heads is the same uh that has been all along. Uh Chief O'Hara, as I've stated, continues to
have my full support. Uh and uh we will be officially uh putting forward nominations for department heads later. I want to again make clear the three that came forward today were cabinet members. That's the reason they came
forward today and there's other department heads uh and nominations that will come forward later. >> will go to a vote and then after that if it failed you know how long after that would have to down. Uh so the question
is uh what is the time frame for the veto? The veto will take place as soon as the document hits my desk hopefully today. Um the uh the next steps again I I don't
want to misstate anything on the next proc uh the next steps of the process. Um and so we're figuring that out. We'll get that to you. >> For the commissioner, as we talk about, you know, the politics of all this, were there some concerns that you heard today or in uh one-on-one discussions that you
feel are legitimate and feel that are things you can and should improve upon? >> Uh thanks for the question. Uh the question was, are there things that I think we can improve upon? um we're always in a position whether it's me
personally or uh anyone on my team to get feedback and work on those things that would lead to improvement. So, um I know there were some things that council members said, uh there I think one of
the things uh that they talked about that we I think we've been doing a great job at and and definitely I guess we can really do better and that was communication and so being better at uh communicating with council. Um I I think
all council members know even the ones standing up here that um I allow them to talk directly to the department heads. Like they don't have to go through me. I expect all of my department heads to let me know uh those concerns. Um and so
that's sort of my style at how I I I do things. Um, so maybe uh that's not working well enough for other council members, but I think communication is one thing that I got out of there that we need to do better. >> Yeah.
>> Comment at this time regarding the vote today. >> Which chief? The police chief or the fire chief? >> Okay. Thank you. It's up to you. >> U the the question was if if I would make a comment regarding today. Um, I
would just say, you know, I'm incredibly grateful for Commissioner Barnett. Um, and I echo a lot of what the mayor has said. U, he has been steadfast. He has been a person of integrity. Um, and you
know, I think he has led uh in an incredibly admirable way. Um, so I think for all of us that are department heads that work with the commissioner every day um yeah, it was it was difficult to sit there today.
>> Two more questions. >> Two more questions. >> I mean, Chief O'Hara, >> I I don't want to make this too much about the chief right now, but what's your question? >> Oh, no. Okay. I'd like to ask the chief a question. >> Let's do that, please.
>> Yes. Is it about this or is it about to the possibility of his getting nominated or not being nominated for another term. >> I will answer that question. It shouldn't. Next question. >> So, from what I was seeing, it seemed
like some of the criticism was regarding Commissioner Barnett regarding oversight of maybe Chief O'Hara or the department. Um, would either the chief or commissioner want to comment on those criticisms? I I'll I'll start and and can certainly pass it off to others if
if there's more to be. So I I heard a few lines of critique. Um one of them was regarding uh overages in cost and there were significant overages in cost in 2025.
Um I understand the council's frustration with a very significant overage in cost that was not anticipated. I have the same frustration. Commissioner Barnett, Chief O'Hara, COO Kellher, go down the line have the
same frustration. It is an increased cost that we didn't necessarily anticipate. But let me tell you why you have those increases in costs. You have the murder of a police officer in Jamal Mitchell. You have a shooting, tragic shooting like Annunciation.
You have Operation Metro Surge. Um, you have officers that are severely overworked and while the numbers are significantly going up right now, we still don't have enough officers yet. And so, what do we do to deal with
the situations that I just referenced? You do overtime. That decision, I believe, is not optional. It's not optional because we do need police officers that are on the streets responding to both emergencies and 911
calls. That's why we do it. And so, do we need to do better communication in terms of here's the overages that we're experiencing when we're experiencing them? Yes. I'm the mayor. Buck stops with me. Uh, but as far as the decision, I would make
that decision to approve the additional spending to protect the residents of this city every day. Next way, I'll do one more and then that's it. Commissioner, uh, the mayor is talking about, you know, vetoing, fighting for this. You mentioned wanting to talk with your family. Are you here
to fight for your job, so to speak? Do you want this veto to to be the case? I'm going to I messed up here and I there's a couple other items that I wanted to address. Um, and then you can finish that off and we'll get out of here. Um,
it was also noted that uh, Office of Community Safety doesn't engage adequately with the council. Don't take my word for it. You all have been at countless meetings and hearings where the office of community safety, either the commissioner
or his deputies, the directors of departments, either one of the chiefs have been in front of the council providing report out after report out. We have evidence showing how many times they've both showed up before council
and how many times that people from the office of community safety broadly have appeared at agenda setting. That was another one of the allegations that they weren't appearing there. We're going to try to get those for you. Not so were operating off of he said, she said, but
so you can actually see how many times this commissioner and this office have done that necessary outreach. Um, and with that, I'll turn it over to the commissioner to finish off. >> Can you repeat the question again? >> Sure. The mayor obviously has said that
he's vetoing this, fighting for you. You spoke about wanting to confer with your family, take a minute time. Do you want this job? Do you want to fight for it still? >> The answer is yes. But the reason I need to talk to my f I've been married for a
long time over 20 years and so um I don't think it's going to be a surprise and I don't I normally don't talk too much about my personal life but I don't think it'll be a surprise to my wife and kids when I come home and say I want to stay in this job. I think you heard me
say on Tuesday that um you know all the positions I've been in have taken a personal as really personal cost to me and my relationships uh with friends and family members and my kids. And so
I really want to um again talk with them and and and let them know uh why I want to continue. I want to make sure I have their support in what I do. Um, I think it's important. My kids are in their early 20s. Um, and so, uh, it's just
important that I really communicate with my family about the reasons for my decision- making. Uh, but I think deep inside, um, council, I I would say council member Vita talked about it. deepest I just
really love the city. I love um just the residents and um helping people through tough times. And so it's just important for me that when you um have
left a job like the one I had and come here and get so um vested and and committed to uh the work you want to see it through. And I feel like we've laid
so many good foundations when it comes to safety. Um, but we have a lot more work to do so that more of our residents can feel it. You know, they got to feel like they're safe. And you know,
often people talk about u Minneapolis being the where Minneapolis goes, the state goes. And so the reason I bring that up is just that when you feel safe, businesses thrive because more people are out. And
so safety uh is so important to everything else that happen. So yeah, I want to stay. Thank you. >> There's any other questions everybody? You can uh forward them to me or Jlor and we will be happy to help.