>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS AISHA CHUGHTAI, AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE BUDGET COMMITTEE. I'M GOING TO CALL TO ORD OUR ADJOURNED MEETING FOR TUESDAY DECEMBER 9, 2025. BEFORE WE BEGIN THE MEETING, I WANT TO OFFER A FRIENDLY REMINDER TO ALL MEMBS, STAFF,
AND THE PUBLIC THAT THESE MEETINGS ARE BROADCAST LIVE TO ENABLE GREATER PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. THESE BROADCASTS INCLUDE REALTIME CAPTIONING AS A FURTHER METHOD 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 AND TRANSCRIBE ALL COMMENTS FOR THE BROADCAST. WE ASK ALL SPEAKERS TO MODERATE THE SPEED AND CLARITY OF THEIR COMMENTS. AT THIS TIME, I'LL ASK THE CLERK TO CL THE ROLL SO WE CAN VERIFY THE PRESENCE OF A QUORUM. >> COUNCILMEMBER PAYNE.
>> PRESENT. >> WONSLEY. >> PRESENT. >> RAINVILLE. >> PRESENT. >> VETAW. >> PRESENT. >> ELLISON IS ABSENT. OSMAN IS ABSENT. CASHMAN. >> PRESENT. >> JENKINS ABSENT. CHAVEZ. >> PRESENT. >> CHOWDHURY ABSENT.
PALMISANO. >> PRESENT. >> VICE CHAIR KOSKI. >> PRESENT. >> CHAIR CHUGHTAI.>> PRESENT. >> THAT IS NINE MEMBERS PRESENT. >> LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT WE HAVE A QUORUM. I WILL ALSO MIND MY COLLEAGUES THAT WE ARE USING SPEAKER MANAGEMENT TODAY SO PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU SIGN IN.
WE WILL NOW CONTINUE CONSIDERING REVISIONS TO MAYOR FRYE'S 2026 RECOMMENDED BUDGET. YESTERDAY WE LEFT OFF WITH AMENDMENT NUMBER 29 WITH COUNCILMEMBERS RAINVILLE, PALMISANO, AND CHOWDHURY IN QUEUE TO SPEAK.
I WILL FIRST RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN TO SUMMARIZE THE AMENDMENT WE ARE DISCUSSING, AMENDNT NUMBER 29. >> GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU, CHAIR CHUGHTAI. NUMBER ONE, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. NUMBER TWO, LET'S RELIEVE OURSE AMENDMENT.
AND I'LL MOVE APPROVAL AGAIN. >> IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GO TO THE QUEUE NOW, SEE IF THERE'S ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM. I'LL FIRST RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER RAINVILLE FOLLOWED BY COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO. >> THANK YOU.
I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR THIS FOR MANY REASONS, BUT O IS TO STOP THE PUNS. >> THEY ARE PAINFUL. I'LL GIVE YOU THAT. >> BUT I WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED AS AUTHOR OF THIS. I THINK YOU'VE BEEN REALLY CREATIVE IN FINDING THE FUNDING.
GOOD JOB, KATIE, COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN, I HAVE TO GIVE YOU CREDIT FOR THAT. AND I HAVE GREAT CONFIDENCE IN OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. I THINK THEY'RE SMART ENOUGH TO FIGURE THIS OUT. DO SOME BABY STEPS, DO IT RIGHT. BUT I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE RESULTS OF THIS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.
NEXT, I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANOOLLOWED BY COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THOSE ARE HARD ACTS TO FOLLOW. I AGREE THAT WE NEED MORE PUBLIC RESTROOMS AND EVERYONE NEEDS
SAFE AND CLEAN FACILITIES. I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS AS TO HOW THIS WOULD WORK IN REALITY. SO I WORRY THAT WE'D BE PISSING AWAY MONEY HERE. THE VERY FIRST SENTENCE OF THE KEY HIGHLIGHTS ON THE STAND
ALONE PUBLIC RESTROOMS REPORT BY OUR LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH AND OVERSIGHT DIVISION SAYS MANY OF THE CITIES REVIEWED IN THIS REPM PRIOR TO INSTALLINGORE PERMANENT RESTROOM OPTIONS. THIS PARTICULAR AMENDMENT HAS ONGOING FUNDING.
SO FIRST, I'M CURIOUS FOR THE AUTHOR OR SOMEONE WHO HELPED PUT THIS TOGETHER, IS YOUR INTENT TO DO A PILOT PROGRAM AS OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS AND THE TRUE COSTS OF SUCH A PROGRAM? OR WHAT HAVE YOU USED TO DETERMINE HOW WE DO THIS PERMANENTLY NOW?
>> I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMB CASHMAN? >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO. I MADE THIS FUNDING ONGOING, BECAUSE IN RESEARCH TALKING WITH OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE IMPLEMENTED THIS, THE BATHROOMS WERE SO POPULAR, THAT THE COMMUNITY DID NOT WANT TO GET
RID OF THEM ONCE THEY WERE CREATED. AND IT WAS FOR CREATING SOME SUSTAINABILITY OF THE FUNDING TO MAKE THIS ONGOING THAT YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO DEBATE REMOVING BATHROOMS NEXT YEAR AS A COUNCIL. AND I THINK IT'S WISE FOR US TO INVEST IN THINGS LONG TERM
RATHER THAN ONE-TIME FUNDING BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN SOMEOMMENTS FROM THE ADMINISTRATION THAT WHEN WE DO PILOT PROJECTS, IT D DOWN THE ROAD. SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE MORE SUSTNABLE IN THE LONG TERM TO ENSURE WE HAD THE ONGOING FUNDING FOR THIS. AND THIS IS COMING FROM THE
VALUE CAPTURE DISTRICT FUND WHICH EXPIRES IN 2038. SO I THINK WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME, THAT'S 14 YEARS AWAY TO FIND OTHER SOURCES IF NEED BE AT THAT TIME. I ALSO ENVISION THAT THIS WOULD
BE ROLLED OUT ON NICOLLET AVENUE BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE VALUE CAPTURE DISTRICT IS. HOWEVER THERE ARE MANY DISTRICTS THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM PUBLIC BATHROOMS,UPTOWN BEING ONE OF THEM. AND IT'S WORTH EXPLORING WHEN WE SEE HOW THIS GOES ON NICOLLET AVENUE HOW WE COULD POTENTIALLY
FUND BATHROOMS IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS, PARK DEDICATION FEES CAN GO TO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS TO FUND BATHROOMS. OR SPECIAL SERVICE DISTRICTS MIGHT CONSIDER IT. IN PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE COUNTY OR METRO TRANSIT OR THE PARK BOARD COULD BE EXPLORED. SO I THINK THAT THIS NARROW
SCOPE ALONG NICOLLET AVENUE IS A GOOD WAY FOR US TO TEST IT OUT. >> THANK YOU. THAT'S A GOOD ANSWER AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT. I AM A LITTLE CONCERNED ON THE IMPACT AND SERVICES OF THE .75 FTE THAT'S RESOURCED TO THIS NEW PROJECT OUT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
I DON'T KNOW IF DIRECTOR SEXTON HAS AN IDEA AS TO WHOM IN HIS DEPARTMENT WILL END UP BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. AGAIN FROM OUR LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH STUDY FOR PV PLAZA, DID
STAFF SAID THE KEY TOHAT RESTROOM'S SUCCESS IS AMBASSADOR STAFFING. THEY SAID YOU NEED SOMEONE TO KEEP AN EYE OUT. IF NOT, PEOPLE WILL JUST GO IN THERE, LOCK IT, AND CLAIM IT AS THEIR OWN. THEY TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF PROBLEMS.
IN THE COMMONS, PARK BOARD STAFF HAD TO BUILD A FENCE OR CAGE AROUND THE PORT-A-POTTIES THAT ARE ONLY OPEN WHEN THE PARK IS STAFFED. I HHLIGHT THOSE ISSUES TO SAY THAT IF WE AS A CITY ARE GOING DOWN THIS PATH, IT'S CLEAR T ME THAT WE NEED A SIGNIFICANT
AMOUNT OF RESOURCES DEPLOYED TO MONITOR THE RESTROOMS, NOT JUST TO MAINTAIN AND CLEAN THEM. I SEE DIRECTOR SEXTON STANDING UP, AND I'M CURIOUS WHERE FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS BUDGET WILL YOU BE TAKING THIS FTE AND
RESOURCING IT TO BATHROOM AND HOW OFTEN? >> CHAIR CHUGHTAI, COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO, MY NAME IS TIM SEXTON, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY. IN TERMS OF YOUR QUESTION REGARDING THE STAFFING FOR THIS WORK, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE IN
OUR RESPONSES IT WAS CLEAR THAT WE DO HAVE AN ASSUMPTION THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME OF THIS FUNDING WOULD GO TOWARDS STAFF ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE PILOT PROGRAM ITSELF. WE ARE ENVISIONING THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF ENGAGEMENT INVOLVED ALONG WITH CONTRACT MANAGEMENT.
I THINK THAT MOST LOGICALLY FITS IN WITH OUR TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING TEAM. THE PLANNERS WHO DO THAT ENGAGEMENT, IT MAY SHIFT IN THE FUTURE TO SOME OTHER GROUP WITHIN PUBLIC WORKS IF THIS MOVES FROM THE INSTALLATION TO THE MAINTENANCE. BUT I DO JUST WANT TO MAKE IT
CLEATO COUNCIL THAT THIS WORKS FOR US ASSUMING THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME STAFF TIME INCLUDED IN THE $700,000. >> YEAH, SO THIS IS MONEY MEANT TO HELP IMPROVE TRANSIT.
SO IF WE'RE USING MONEY THAT'S MEANT TO IMPROVE TRANSIT TO BATHROOMS, THAT'S A CHOICE. MY FEAR IS THAT WE GET STARTED WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND THEN WE FIND WE CAN'T MANAGE IT WITH THE OPERATING COSTS THAT WILL BE REQUIRED. AISLE CURIOUS HOW MANY UNITS CAN
WE TRULY OPERATE WITH THIS KIND OF FUNDING AND WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT? IT LOOKS LIKE THEUTHOR IS READY TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION. >> SURE, WE KIND OF SET THE EXPECTATIONS A LITTLE BIT LOWER BECAUSE WE WANTED TO GIVE BUFFER TO PUBLIC WORKS TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THE CONTRACT.
SO WHEN WE ORIGINALLY TALKED TO OTHER CITIES, I THINK $700,000 COULD FUND UP TO EIGHT BATHROOMS, BUT WE SET THE EXPECTATION DOWN TO ABOUT FIVE SO THAT WE COULD GIVE THAT BUFFER TO STAFF. AND JUST NOTG THAT THIS IS TO
CONTRACT WITH A PRIVATE VENDOR TOO, THAT PRIVATE VENDOR WOULD ALSO ASSIST IN THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS. AND SOME COMPANIES HAVE EVEN SAID THAT IF MINNEAPOLIS STARTS WORKING WITH CERTAIN COMNIES THAT THEY WOULD BRING A STAFFER TO WORK AND LIVE HERE IN MINNEAPOLIS.
AND I THINK WE COULD BENEFIT FROM AN ECONOMY OF SCALE IF OTHER CITIES IN THE REGION STARTED WORKING WITH THE SAME VENDOR, THEN WE COULD HAVE MORE STAFF ON HAND. BUT OF COURSE THAT'S SOMETHING FOR PUBLIC WORKS TO DO IN THE CONTRACT DEVELOPMENT. >> SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, I'VE HEARD YOU MENTION -- I'VE HEARD
DIRECTOR SEXTON MENTION IT'S A PILOT, BUT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THIS IS ONGOING MONEY, THAT'S THE BUDGET AMENDMENT BEFORE US. YOU'RE SAYING THATONEY WOULD RUN OUT IN ABOUT 12 YEARS. SO IT'S KIND OF A 12-YEAR PILOT IS WHAT WE'RE SAYING. DO YOU KNOW OF ANY AREAS OR
BUSINESSES, HAVE YOU WORKED WITH THE DOWNTOWN COUNCIL AT ALL TO SEE WHERE THESE BATHROOMS WOULD MOST APPROPRIATELY BE PLACED? I WOULD IMAGINE BY TRANSIT STOPS. >> YEAH, ALL ALONG NICOLLET AVENUE.
IT GOES SOUTH TO THE KMART SITE AND INTO DOWNTOWN NORTHEAST. >> COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO'S TIME HAS EXPIRED. COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN, WRAP UP YOUR THOUGHT. >> AND THERE'S ALSO AAP IN HERE OF URINATION HOT SPOTS THAT THE DOWNTOWN COUNCIL IS HOSTING
SO I'M GUESSING THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL DATA IN SELECTING SITES. >> WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. I INITIALLY HAD COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY IN QUEUE. I WILL NOTE THATHE HAS JOINED US IN THIS MEETING AND RECOGNIZE HER FOR COMMENTS. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR CHUGHTAI. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
CASHMAN, FOR BRINGING THIS AMENDMENT FORWARD. I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF IT. I THINK THAT US AS A CITY LOOKING AT A LONGER TERM PILOT FOR PUBLIC RESTROOMS IS A GREAT WAY FOR US TO BECOME A SMART CITY AND BE A CITY WHERE IT'S
EASY FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY DIFFERENT CORRIDORS, ESPECIALLY FOR TRANSIT RIDERS. I WAS REALLY, REALLY IMPRESSED BY THE RESPONSE WE GOT FROM OUR LEGISLATIVEIRECTORIV --
DICTIVE AND TO SEE HOW MANY OPTIONS THERE ARE FOR THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS TO CONTRACT WITH. I'LL UPLIFT ONE, THRONE TOILETS WAS ONE THAT I WAS IMPRESSED WITH BECAUSE THEY HAD FIGURED OUT A MODEL THAT ADDRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT CLIMATE CONTROL,
ALSO HAS KIND OF LIKE A CONTRACT THAT TAKES CARE OF ALL OF THE THINGS AROUND CLEANING AND MAINTENANC AND IN OTHER CITIES HAD A DEDICATED PERSON IN THE REGION, IN THE AREA, THAT WOULD COME AND SERVICE THE AREA. AND THEN IN TERMS OF SAFETY AND
USE, ONE OF THE TACTICS THAT THEY USED WAS HAVING LIKE THEIR CITY HALL, IT COULD BE LOCAL LIBRARIES, IT COULD BE A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE CAN PARTNER WITH THAT WOULD GIVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS SPECIFIC CARDS
TO ACCESS THE PUBLIC RESTROOMS AND THEY WOULD GET TO CARD IN AND GET TO USE IT AND THEN IF THERE WAS ANY INSTANCE OF VANDAT BEHAVIOR THAT WE DON'T WANT TO WOULD BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE
INDIVIDUAL CAR CODE AND SHUT IT OFF AND BE ABLE TO ENFORCE IT THAT WAY SO PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT USING TOILETS THE WAY THAT THEY'RE MEANT TO BE USED WOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND I JUST THINK THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE THOUGHT PROCESS AROUND THIS HAS REALLY DEVELOPED AND FOR ME, I
WOULD REALLY LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SEE HOW THIS WORKS ON NICOLLET AVENUE TO SEE HOW WE COULD EXPAND IT THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THAT'S MY LONGER TERM VISION FOR BLIC RESTROOMS. IN MY WARD, SINCE I STARTED
REPRESENTING THE 12th WARD, THE 46TH AND HIAWATHA STATION HAS HAD A REALLY, REALLY UNIQUE INSTANCE OF PEOPLE USING THE RESTROOM AROUND THE TRANSIT STATION OR NEARBY LOCAL
BUSINESSES AND A LOT OF THAT HAS BEEN MITIGATED WITH THE ADDITION OF SE PORT-A-POTTIES BUT STILL COULD BE IMPROVED UPON. AND THAT'S A MAJOR TRANSIT HUB IN AND OF ITSELF. THERE'S A LOT OF TRANSFE THAT HAPPEN THERE AND IT'S OFTENTIMES A STOP THAT PEOPLE COME INTO OUR
CITY FROM THE AIRPORT. SO TO SEE A FACILITY LIKE THAT AVAILABLE TO VISITORS FROM OUTSIDE OF OUR STATE COMING IN AND HEADING TOWARDS DOWNTOWN IN THE FUTURE I THINK WOULD BE A MAJOR IMPROVEMENT AND MY RESIDENTS HAVE ASKED FOR A VERY,
VERY LONG TIME TO SEE IF THERE'S A PUBLIC RESTROOM OPTION THE CITY CAN LOOK AT AND PARTNER WITH METRO TRANSIT. SO I'M REALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS. I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BRING OUR CITY INTO A NEW MODERN ERA AND REALLY IMPROVE THE PUBLIC
REALM. AND I WANTED TO ASK COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN IF I COULD BE A CO-AUTHOR ON THIS. >> YES. >> OKAY, THANK YOU. >> CLERKS HAVE NOTED BOTH COUNCILMEMBER RAINVILLE AND CHOWDHURY. EXCELLENT. I'LL NOTE THAT WE HAVE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILMEMBER OSMAN.
I'LL NEXT RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMR CHAVEZ FOLLOWED BY COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR CHUGHTAI AND THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN, FOR BRINGING THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT FORWARD. IT WAS GREAT TO SEE SOME OF THESE BATHROOMS IN WASHINGTON,
D.C. WHEN WE WENT TO THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES. AND VERY EXCITED THAT YOU BROUGHT THIS WORK FORWARD. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. I KNOW THAT IT'S MOSTLY FOCUSED ON THE DOWNTOWN AREA, BUT MY REASON FOR SUPPORTING IT IS BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE START SOMEWHERE. AND IF WE SEE THAT THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY GREAT IN DOWNTOWN, WE'D LOVE TO SEE HOW WE COULD IN THE FUTURE BRING THIS ACROSS OUR DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY IN MINNEAPOLIS. THIS IS A TOPIC THAT LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS REACH OUT TO ME WHEN I'M KNOCKING ON DOORS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPECIFIC
LIVABILITY ISSUES ON HOW WE CAN JUST CREATE ACCESS TO BATHROOMS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HAVE CLEAN STREETS AND NEIGHBORHOODS. SO JUST REALLY EXCITED, VERY PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT AND WOULD ASK COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN IF I COULD ALSO BE ADDED AS AN AUTHOR.
>> ABSOLUTELY. >> EXCELLENT. AND THEN WE'LL CLOSE OUT WITH COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I DID HAVE SOME CLOSI COMMENTS I WANTED TO SHARE AND DIDN'T WANT TO TRY AND PUSH THAT IN AT THE END. I AGREE THAT WE NEED PUBLIC
RESTROOMS AND I AGREE THAT WE NEED THEM OUTSIDE NICOLLET MALL, LIKE COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY NOTES. I DON'T THINK THIS AMENDMENT IS READY IN A WAY I CAN SUPPORT IT TODAY. WE HAVE NO IDEA IF $600,000 PER YEAR IS ENOUGH TO MANAGE ALL OF THESE FACTORS OF INSTALLING,
OPERATING, AND MAINTAINING ALL OF THESE UNITS. I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED TO SEE AN AMENDMENT WRITTEN AS A 3 TO 5-YEAR PILOT LIKE DIRECTOR SEXTON MENTIONED SO THAT WE CAN ACCURATELY DETERMINE WHAT IS THE FINANCIAL INVESTMENT THAT IS NEEDED. I IMAGINE THAT SITE SELECTION
ALONE WILL BE A VERY CUMBERSOME PROCESS AND MIGHT EXPERIENCE SOME PUSHBACK ABOUT EXACTLY WHERE THESE UNITS ARE PLACED. I APPRECIATE THE INTEREST IN THIS, I AM CONFIDENT THAT IT WILL PASS, BUT I WON'T BE ABLE TO SUPPORT IT TODAY. BUT THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN, FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.
YOU'VE GOTTEN MUCH, MUCH FURTHER THAN MANY PEOPLE BEFORE YOU. >> WONDERFUL. SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I WILL ASK THE CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL ON AMENDMENT NUMBER 29, NICOLLET AVENUE PUBLIC RESTROOMS. >> COUNCILMEMBER PAYNE. >> AYE. >> WONSLEY. >> AYE. >> RAINVILLE.
>> AYE. >> VETAW. >> AYE. >> OSMAN. >> AYE. >> CASHMAN. >> AYE. >> CHAVEZ. >> AYE. >> CHOWDHURY. >> AYE. >> PALMISANO. >> NAY. >> VICE CHAIR KOSKI. >> AYE. >> CHAIR CHUGHTAI. >> AYE. >> THAT IS TEN AYES AND ONE NAY.
>> THAT MOTION CARRIES. AMENDMENT NUMBER 30 IS NIGHTTIME BUSINESS LICENSE INSPECTORS OFFERED BY COUNCILMEMBER RAINVILLE. COUNCILMEMBER RAINVILLE, WILL YOU PLEASENTRODUCE YOUR
AMENDMENT AND MAKE A MOTION. IF WE CAN TURN ON YOUR MIC, PLEASE. >> IT'S A GOOD START TO TURN ON THE MIC. THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME. WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS A PROPOSAL FOR NIGHTTIME BUSINESS LICENSE INSPECTORS OPERATING OUT OF CPED.
AND THAT WOULD MOVE MONEY OUT OF PUBLIC WORKS TO FUND THIS ON AN ONGOING BASIS. I CONTINUE TO WORK WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND BUDGET TO WORKING THROUGH THE ABILITY TO MINIMIZE IMPACT ON THEIR BUDGET. I KNOW THIS IS A TOUGH ASK OF
PUBLIC WORKS TO DO THIS. BUT I WANTED TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS. THIS IS AN EFFORT TO KEEP OUR NIGHTTIME ECONOMY MOVING. THIS IS A TIME WHERE 5:00, 6:00 AT NIGHT THERE IS NO ONE ON THE
CITY STAFF TO HELP MONITOR THIS ECONOMIC ENGINE THAT IS OUR NIGHTTIME ECONOMY. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU ON THE COUNCIL TO SEE HOW CAN WE HELP YOUR BUSINESS DISTRICTS, WHETHER IT'S DINKY TOWN, UPTOWN, EAST
HENNEPIN, LAKE STREET, WEST BROADWAY, THINK OF ALL OF THE PLACES WE HAVE THAT NIGHTTIME ECONOMY, YET THERE'S NO CITY MANAGEMENT OF THAT. AND I ALSO WANT TO DIRECT SOME COMMENTS TO CPED. I'VE TALKED TO DIRECTOR HANSON
MANY TIMES AND I REALIZE THIS IS A TOUGH ASK OF YOU AS WELL. BUT I'M COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND FIGURE THIS OUT. NEED THIS, AND I REALLY HOPE MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES CAN HELP SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT AND WORK WITH ME, SO I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE IT. THANK YOU. >> IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND. >> IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL PRESIDENT PAYNE. >> THANK YOU, VICE PRESIDENT CHUGHTAI. I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THIS AMENDMENT. NORTHEAST HAS A NUMBER OF NEIGHBORHOOD BARS AND RIGHT NOW THE STATUS QUO IS THAT EITHER WE
HAVE BAR OWNERS THAT ARE REALLY ON TOP OF MANAGING THEIR OPERATIONS AND THERE'S NO ISSUES OR WE HAVE OWNERS THAT ARE JUST OVERWHELMED BY THE REALITY OF HAVING A BAR IN THE MIDDLE OF A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. I HAVE A SURVEY UP HERE FROM ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS WHO JUST WENT
AND KNOCKED ON DOORS OF HIS NEIGHBORS AND GOT 60 PAMPHLETS OUT, 45 RESPONSES THAT ARE JUST HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY HAVE WITH ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BARS. AND I THINK THAT WE NEED A MIDDLE GROUND BETWEEN A WELL RUN BAR OR A B THAT'S STRUGGLING.
AND I THINK THAT HAVING A HIGHER TOUCH FROM THE CITY CAN HELP MAKE THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THOSE BUSINESSES MORE SUCCESSFUL. SO I HOPE EVERYBODY SUPPORTS THIS. >> I'M NOT SEEING ANY FURTHER DISCSION. CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON AMENDMENT NUMBER 30, NIGHTTIME BUSINESS LICENSE INSPECTOR.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PAYNE. >> AYE. >> WONSLEY. >> AYE. >> RAINVILLE. >> AYE. >> VETAW. >> AYE. >> OSMAN. >> AYE. >> CASHMAN. >> AYE. >> CHAVEZ. >> AYE. >> CHOWDHURY. >> AYE. >> PALMISANO. >> NO. >> VICE CHAIR KOSKI. >> AYE.
>> CHAIR CHUGHTAI. >> AYE. >> THAT IS TEN AYES AND ONE NAY. >> THAT MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS AMENDMENT NUMBER 31, THERE IS A REVISED VERSION OF
THIS AMENDMENT THAT WAS PASSED OUT I BELIEVE YESTERDAY. THIS IS GROCERY STORE DEVELOPMENT FUNDING OFFERED BY COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY. COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY, WILL YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE AND MOVE APPROVAL OF YOUR AMENDMENT? >> YES, THANK YOU COUNCIL VICE
PRESIDENT CHUGHTAI. THIS AMENDMENT COMES FROM MYSELF AND COUNCILMEMBER ELLISON. AND FOR THE CLERKS, I WILL NOTE TH COUNCILMEMBER ELLISON IS MISSING AS A CO-AUTHOR OF THIS MOTION AND WOULD LIKE THAT TO BE ADDED. THIS AMENDMENT ALLOCATES $200,000 TO SUPPORT THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A GROCERY STORE IN THE AREA OF OUR CITY IDENTIFIED AS EXPERIENCING HIGH FOOD INSECURITY OR ALSO AS OUR HOMEGROWN COUNCIL HAS DEFINED TO BE FOOD APARTHEID. THE REVISED MOTION ALSO MAKES
CLEAR THAT THESE DOLLARS MAY ONLY BE RELEASED IF A QUALIFYING ORGANIZATION SUCH AS A NONPROFIT OR A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTION SUBMITS BIDS FOR THEUNDING ALONG WITH MATCHING DOLLARS. MY OFFICE AS WELL AS COUNCILMEMBER ELLISON'S OFFICE HAS BEEN IN SEVERAL
CONVERSATIONS WITH POTENTIAL PARTNERS BOTH IN WARD TWO AS WELL AS STAKEHOLDERS IN NORTH MINNEAPOLIS WHO HAVE A DEMONSTRATED INTEREST IN WORKING TOGETHER TO GET A GROCERY STORE IN THOSE RESPECTIVE AREAS. IN DINKY TOWN SPECIFICALLY, SEVERAL COMMUNITY GROUPS THROUGH
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA HAVE SECURED FUNDING TO HIRE STAFF TO ADVANCE THIS WORK. THESE DOLLARS ARE EARMARKED IN THE GREAT STREETS FUND WHICH LIMITS THE AREAS THESE GROCERY STORES CAN BE. BUT STILL OFFERS MANY OPTIONS FOR CORRIDORS IN THE AREAS THAT
WOULD BE IMPACTED AND THAT WOULD TOUCH THE AREA'S COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT WE'VE BEEN IN DISCUSSION ALSO THAT ARE INTERESTED IN ADVANCING THIS WORK AROUND. SO WITH THAT, I WILL MOVE THIS MOTION FOR APPROVAL AND ASK FOR A SECOND.
>> SECOND. >> AMENDMENT NUMBER 31 HAS BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I WILL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER VETAW. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. MY QUESTION IS FOR THE AUTHOR. COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY, I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITY
HERE FOR EXISTING GROCERY STORES TO BENEFIT FROM THIS? I THINK THE BIGGER PROBLEM WE HAVE IN WARD 4 IS WE HAVE NORTH MARKET, THAT'S A STRUGGLING GROCERY STORE, THAT IF WE DEVELOPED A NEW GROCERY STORE,
IT WOULDN'T BE AS HELPFUL TO THE COMMUNITY AS HELPING NORTH MARKET. RIGHT? SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY OR COULD WE MAYBE CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY IN THIS FOR A STORE LIKE NORTH MARKET OR SOLO OR COLONIAL MARKET, SOME OF
THE STORES THAT WE HAVE IN NORTH MINNEAPOLIS ALREADY THAT ARE STRUGGLING TO STAY OPEN, THAT MAY BE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM SOME OF THESE DOLLARS AND HELPING NOT TO CREATE ANOTHER GROCERY STORE, BUT TO SUSTAIN EXISTING GROCERY
STORES IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT IS RAN BY OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS? >> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VETAW. I DO APPRECIATE THE INTENT, BUT THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT IS STRICTLY FOR PREDEVELOPMENT DOLLARS, SO IT IS TARGETED TOWARDS COMMUNITIES THAT'S
LOOKING TO CREATE A NEW GROCERY STORE. I DON'T KNOW FROM THE CONVERSATIONS THAT COUNCILMEMBER ELLISON HAS HAD, I THINK SOME OF THE INTENTIONS BEHIND THAT IS LOOKING AT AREAS IN HIS WARD THAT ARE NOT IN PROXIMITY TO SOME OF THE PLACES THAT YOU
NAMED. SO COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS THROUGH VEHICLES OR WHATEVER THE CASE MIGHT BEO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THOSE AND TO HAVE A STORE CREATED IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND I KNOW THAT'S THE CASE FOR MY WARD AS WELL. BUT YEAH, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT INTENT, WOULD LOVE TO HAVE FURTHER CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
THAT, BUT THIS AMENDMENT IS STRICTLY FOR THE PREDEVELOPMENT PHASE FOR SOMETHING NEW. >> THANK YOU. I WOULD JUST ALSO SAY, COUNCILMEMBER ELLISON HAS CUB FOODS IN HIS WARD. SO THAT'S LIKE THE ONE MAJOR GROCERY STORE IN NORTH MINNEAPOLIS. BUT I UNDERSTAND.
I CAN'T SUPPORT IT, I THINK WE NEED TO HELP THE BUSINESSES THAT EXIST ALREADY TO BE SUSTAINED AND I KNOW F CERTAIN THAT SEVERAL OF THE STORES IN NORTH MINNEAPOLIS COULD BENEFIT FROM THIS KIND OF MONEY.
I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT BRINGING AN AMENDMENT FORWARD TO HELP WITH THAT. NORTH MARKET WAS ON THE BRINK OF CLOSING THE DOORS AT THE END OF NOVEMBER AND SOMEONE STEPPED IN AND HELPED THEM WITH FUNDING. SO I'M ABLE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WI STAFF THIS
UPCOMING YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN -- I'VE GOT A COMMITMENT FROM STAFF TO HELP OUT IN WAYS THAT WCOULD AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SUSTAINED. THEY WENT FM -- THEIR ENTRY
WAS THE 50% OFF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES ON WEDNESDAYS AND THEY CHANGED THAT TO 25% AND THEY SAW A HUGE DECLINE IN PEOPLE COMING TO THE STORE. SO NOW THEY WENT TO TWO DAYS A WEEK AT 50% OFF FRUITS AND VEGET VEGETABLES. AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED ACCESS TO. WE NEEDO KEEP GROWING THAT
PROGRAM, AND I THINK AS A CITY, WE CANELP AND I WAS HOPING THIS WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP THEM AND BECAUSE IT CAN'T, I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER OSMAN AND NOTE THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED IN THIS COMMITTEE BY COUNCILMEMBER
JENKINS. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT. I THINK IT'S A GREAT WONDERFUL. MY AREA ELLIOTT PARK COULD USE SOMETHING LIKES THIS.
BUT I AM A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT LIMITING THIS TO NON-PROFITS, NON-PROFITS DON'T NORMALLY INDEPENDENT FAMILY-RUN BUSINESSES. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS JUST LIMITED TO NONPROFIT ONLY --
>> COUNCILMEMBER OSMAN, YOU'LL SEE WE JUST LISTED SOME EXAMPLES OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT COULD QUALIFY, AGAIN IT WILL GO THROUGH AN RFP. SO NON-PROFITS, DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS CAN SUBMIT AS LONG AS THEY HAVE THOSE MATCHING DOLLARS. BUT IT ALSO MENTIONS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTIONS, IT
ALSOENTIONS SIMILAR GROUPS LIKE THAT. SO IT'S NOT JUST LIMITED TO NON-PROFITS. >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE'LL GO TO COUNCILMEMBER RAINVILLE FOLLOWED BY COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN.
>> THANK YOU. I STAND IN SUPPORT OF COUNCILMEMBER VETAW. I AGREE 100% THAT WE SHOULD SUPPORT THE EXISTING GROCERY STORES AS WELL. I'M WONDERING, AUTHOR, IS THERE ANY WIGGLE ROOM IN YOUR INFORMATION AT LEAST IN THE
RESEARCH ON THIS COULD HELP FOCUS ON EXISTING GROCERY STORES AS WELL? >> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER RAINVILLE. I THINK WE SPENT ALMOST NEARLY A YEAR GETTING TO THIS PLACE ABOUT IDENTIFYING THE NEED FOR PREDEVELOPMENT DOLLARS. AGAIN I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO WORK WITH COUNCILMEMBER VETAW ESPECIALLY OUR HOMEGROWN COUNT
KILL WHO HAVE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THIS TO LOOK AT HOW TO SUPPORT EXISTING STORES, BUT THE ISSUE AT I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH COUNCILMEMBER ELLISON AND JUST RESIDENTS IN MY WARD IS THE NEED FOR SOMETHING NEW IN AREAS THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A GROCERY STORE. SO THAT'S WHY I WANT TO KEEP THE INTENT OF THE AMENDMENT AS IT
CURRENTLY STANDS. >> OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT RESPONSE. IS COUNCILMEMBER ELLISON GOING TO COME IN TODAY? COULD WE LAY THIS OVER UNTIL HE'S IN? >> I DON'T SEE THE NEED TO DO THAT. I MEAN THESE AMENDMENTS HAVE BEEN ALSO PUBLIC.
SO IF SOMEONE -- COUNCILMEMBER VETAW OR YOURSELF WOULD LIKE TO FIND ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES TO DO EXACTLY OR ACCOMPLISH THE INTENT THAT YOU'RE LAYING OUT, I THINK WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE TH. YOU HAVE UNTIL TONIGHT TO DO THAT. BUT I DON'T SEE THAT NEEDING TO COME IN CONFLT WITH WHAT WE'RE
CONSIDERING TODAY. >> THANK YOU. >> COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I HAD ALSO ASKED FOR SOME FLEXIBILITY IN THIS FUNDING BECAUSE OUR POWERPOINT HAD SOME DIFFERENT PARTNERSHIPS THAT I
THINK COULD BE EXPLORED. I WANT TO POINT OUT IF YOU LOOK AT OUR LICENSE FEE SCHEDULE THAT BUSINESSES WHO ARE OPERATING A GROCERY STORE HAVE TO PAY TO THE CITY IT RANGES FROM $460 UP TO $1,700. AND I FEEL LIKE THERE COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE
WAIVING FEES FOR GROCERY STORES STARTING IN THE GREEN ZONES FOR EXAMPLE OR FINDING WAYS OF REDUCING THE CITY BURDEN THAT WE'RE PLACING ON GROCERY STORE OPERATORS. MAYBE EXPLORING A VIBRANT STORE FRONTS TYPE MODEL WHERE WE'RE SUBSIDIZING PART OF THE RENT TO
FILL VACANT STORE FRONTS WITH SMALL GROCERY STORES OR CONVENIENCE STORES. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THIS ISSUE ADDRESSED FLEXIBLY SO THAT WE CAN TRY TO CREATE THE MAXIMUM OUTPUT FROM THIS MONEY THAT THE COUNCIL IS ALLOCANG. I'M WONDERING IF THOSE ITEMS
I'VE PUT FORWARD NOW FALL WITHIN THE BUDGET PROPOSAL? >> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN. AGAIN, I CAN ONLY GO BY THE MOTION LANGUAGE THAT'S VERY, I THINK IT'S CLEAR. IT NOTES IT'S A ONE-TIME APPROPRIATION FOR QUALIFYING ORGANIZATIONS AND IT LISTS SOME
OF THOSE AS EXAMPLES, WHO HAVE MATCHING DOLLARS TO DO THE PREDEVELOPMENT WORK TO START A GROCERY STORE. I'M HEARI FOLKS WOULD LOVE TO EXPLORE HOW TO SUPPORT EXISTING GROCERY CHAINS OR OPTIONS, THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS AMENDMENT DOES. IT IS TO START NEW GROCERY
STORES IN AREAS THAT THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A NEED. BUT IT DOES ALLOW THAT FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF AGAIN YOU NEED MATCHING DOLLARS, THERE'S CONTINGENCIES AND IT LISTS DIFFERENT EXAMPLES OF ORGANIZATIONS WHO CAN ESSENTIALLY BE QUALIFIED TO
ACCESS THESE DOLLARS. >> AND ONE OTHER QUESTION. WOULD PRIVATE COMPANIES BE ELIGIBLE FOR THESE DOLLARS OR IS IT ONLY FOR NON-PROFITS? >> I THINK THE GOAL IS ABSOLUTELY FOCUSING O ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE A PUBLIC INTEREST. SO IT LISTS AGAIN COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, WE SEE SOME OF THOSE, THAT KIND OF ACTUALLY EXAMPLE THAT COUNCILMEMBER VETAW MENTIONED LIKE NORTH MARKET. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS WE'RE SEEING DOING THE HEAVY LIFTING OF ADVANCING THIS WORK.
PRIVATE CHAINS AS WE ALSO SAW FROM THIS REPORT DO NOT HAVE AN ISSUE WITH GETTING THE RESOURCES AND UPFRONT CAPITAL TO DO DEVELOPMENT OF GROCERY STORES. SO THAT IS NOT WHERE WE'RE EING THE NEED, IT IS SOME OF THESE MORE PUBLICLY LINKED OR PUBLICLY FINAND INSTITUTIONS THAT WANT TO DO THIS WORK WHO DON'T HAVE THOSE TYPE OF
RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THEM AND THIS IS TO HELP SUPPORT THOSE. >> WOULD GROCERY STORES LIKE GOOD GROCER ON THE SOUTH SIDE BE ELIGIBLE? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY'RE ONE OF THE FEW GROCERY STORES THAT PROVIDES SNAP AND OTHER BENEFITS IN THE AREA WHICH IS A DIFFICULTY RIGHT NOW.
>> I THINK AS YOU KNOW, COUNCILMEMBER CASHMA THAT'S AN OPERATIONAL DECISION. I DON'T GET TO MAKE THAT. IF THEARE A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION OR IF THEY HAVE A CDFI, I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CPED WHO WOULD BE THE HOST DEPARTMENT TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE THROUGH THE RFP, BUT I
DON'T EVEN KNOW GOOD GROCER, I CAN'T MAKE THAT DECISION. >> OKAY. >> WONDERFUL. COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO. COUNCILMEMBER RAINVILLE, WILL YOU TURN OFF YOUR MIC? THANKS. GO AHEAD. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR DIRECTOR HANSEN ACTUALLY. I'M WORRIED THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY IS NOT LIKELY TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL WHICH IS A GROCERY STORE IN A FOOD INSECURE AREA. GROCERY STORES ARE NOTORIOUSLY EXPENSIVE TO DEVELOP AND MATAIN AND HAVE VERY LITTLE
PROFIT MARGIN THAT GETS TO GO BACK INTO THE STORE. WHAT CAN $200,000 ACCOMPLISH HERE? THERE'S NO WAY IT CAN COVER SPACE, BUILD OUT, INVENTORY, TECHNOLOGY, EQUIPMENT, LICENSES, OR EVEN STAFF JUST TO OPEN THE DOORS? BUT IT COULD REALLY DO A LOT FOR EXISTING PLACES LIKE NORTH
MARKET. DIRECTOR HANSEN, MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS WHAT SERVICES WILL BE LOST WITHIN BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT WITH THIS APPROPRIATION? >> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR CHUGHTAI, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. I'M ERIC HANSEN THE CPED
DIRECTOR. AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO, YES IT IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER MACHE MONEY IT IS -- HOW MUCH MONEY IT IS. $200,000 IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO
OPEN A GROCERY STORE. IT WOULD HAVE TO LEVERAGE OTHER FUNDING AND THAT'S WHAT THE ENDMENT DOES SAY AS THE COUNCIL AUTHOR WONSLEY TALKS ABOUT, IT'S POTENALLY LEVERAGING SOME MATCHING FUNDS WITH SOME ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE IN THE MARKET. WE ARE NOT EXPERTS AT OPENING GROCERY STORES.
WE HAVE TALKED TO OTHERS. AS THIS AMENDMENT CAME ACROSS, WE STARTED TO DO SOME RESEARCH ABOUT HOW MUCH THIS WOULD HOLD, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE TO GO INTO AN EXISTING BUILDING, THIS WOULDN'T BE A NEW CONSTRUCTION, THAT
WOULD BE COST PROHIBITIVE. U WOULD BE LOOKING AT RETENANTING A SCE THAT POTENTIALLY WAS A GROCERY STORE AT ONE TIME OR A SIZE THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR A GROCERY STORE TO OPERATE. ON THE MARGINS, YOU'RE RIGHT,
IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY THIN MARGINS IN GROCERY STORES, WE'RE SEEING THAT WHETHER PUBLICLY MINDED OR A FOR PROFIT ENTITY, AND THE LARGER GROCERY STORES. WE'RE SEEING THE LARGE GROCERY STORES OF A GENERATION AGO ARE THE SMALL URBAN ONES, I TNK LIKE THE CUBS THAT ARE ON LAKE
STREET BOTH THE WEST SIDE AND THE ET SIDE. THOSE ARE ACTUALLY SMALL IN THE MARKET. WE SEE THE NEWER GROCERS YIELDING BIGGER FLOOR PLATES FOR SERVICES AND HAVING A MYRIAD OF SERVICES. SO THINK ABOUT HY-VEE'S ENTRANCE INTO THE MARKET.
AND THEY HAVE MORE THAN JUST GROCERIES AND THE DELI, THEY HAVE CLOTHES AND THEY HAVE A BARN RESTAURANT AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE DRAWING PEOPLE. AND THAT HAS HAD SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE SMALLER GROCERS IN MINNEAPOLIS. AND WE'VE SEEN THAT, ESPECIALLY THOSE LARGER OPPORTUNITIES TO DO
A GROCERY STORE ON THE BORDER IN THE SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES, SO IN RICHFIELD OR IN BROOKLYN CENTER OR IN ROBINSDALE THAT HAS KIND OF SUCKED THE TRADE AREA. SO IT'S VERY CHALLENGING TO DO GROCERY IN URBAN AREAS.
SO THAT'S TO THINK ABOUT IT. IT'S GOING TO BE A PORTION.WE'R BE SUCCESSFUL TO GET -- WE DON'T HAVE THATATA RIGHT NOW, WE JUST KNOW IT'S EXPENSIVE TO GET A TENANT TO FIND A SPACE, TO FIT IT OUT WITH ALL OF THE RACKING AND COOLERS AND ALL OF THE
THINGS YOU NEED AND THEN TO GET THE, NOT ONLY TO HAVE THE INVENTORY BUT TO HAVE THE RELATIONSHIPS TO THE DISTRIBUTORS. SO AN ORGANIZATION LIKE CUB OR ALDI WILL HAVE THAT CONNECTION, A START UP IS GOING TO PAY MORE
ON THE WHOLESALE MARKET THAN YOU'D SEE IN THIS OTHER. SO THERE'S A LOT OF HEADWINDS IN A GROCERY STORE CREATION IN MINNEAPOLIS. THAT'S WHY WE DON'T SEE A LOT OF THEM, AND WE DON'T SEE THEM IN CERTAIN AREAS BECAUSE THE TRADE AREAS OF THE LARGER THINGS KIND
OF SUCK THEM ALL DOWN. >> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN MENTIONED THIS, AND IT'S A GOOD POINT IS WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CITY COSTS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE INTO FOR A GROCERY STORE TO OPEN IN OUR BUSINESS. I KNOW WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HELP
SOME WITH GREEN COST SHARE TYPES OF LOANS. ARE THERE OTHER WAYS THAT YOU KNOW OF THAT WE HELP GROCERY STORES LOCALLY THROUGH CPED? >> CHAIR CHUGHTAI, COUNCILMEMBER PALMISO, OUR TYPICAL COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE. SO OWNERSHIP AND OPPORTUNITY
FUND, THE 2% LOAN PROGRAM, FACADE PROGRAMS, THOSE ARE TYPICALLY WHAT WE CAN OFFER. THERE'S NOT ANYTHING SPECIFIC TO GROCERIES. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT I THINK HAS SOME PROGRAMS AROUND HAVING HEALTHY FOODS AND THE GREEN COST SHARE IS ALSO THE HEALTH
DEPARTMENT. >> THANK YOU. THOSE SEEM LIKE WAYS THAT HELP LARGELY ACROSS THE CITY THAT WE CAN HELP GROCERY STORES AND GROCERY STORES IN TROUBLE. GROCERY STORES DO PAY A LOT IN ENERGY COSTS. AND I'LL JUST MENTION TO MY
COLLEAGUES THAT ON THURSDAY WE'LL CONSIDER A DIFFERENT TOPIC THAT MIGHT RAISE THOSE ENERGY COSTS WITH AN INCREASE TO THE FRANCHISE FEE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT, I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER VETAW.
>> THANK YOU. DIRECTOR HANSEN, JUST A CLARIFYING QUESTION. YOU SAID THAT LIKE A PREVIOUS STORE OR A PREVIOUS SPACE COULD BE USED. JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, ARE YOU SAYING LIKE THE WORDS CO-OP WAS
IN THE BUILDING ON GOLDEN VALLEY ROAD, I DON'T THINK THEY STAY OPENED FOR OVER A YEAR. BUT THEY WERE OPERATING AS A GROCERY STORE. LIKE THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT COULD COME BACK OR INTO THAT SPACE THAT WAS OUTFITTED
FOR A GROCERY STORE? BUT I THINK NORTH POINT USED IT AS A FOOD SHELF AT ONE POINT TOO, YOU'RE SAYING THAT SORT OF SPACE AND THAT SORT OF ORGANIZATION? >> CHAIR CHUGHTAI, COUNCILMEMBER VETAW, I'M SAYING THAT A NEWLY CONSTRUCTED GROCERY STORE, THIS WOULD NOT HELP.
IT JUST WOULDN'T. YOU'D HAVE TO LOOK FOR SPACE. I THINK THAT WORTH CO-OP SPACE IS TOO SMALL, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS IT DIDN'T OPERATE. NORTH POINT DID OPERATE IT AS A FOOD SHELF. BUT IT DOES NOT HAVE THE FLOOR SPACE TO OPERATE AT A PROFITABLE MARKET.
NORTH MARKET IS PROBABLY THE SMALLEST WE'RE GOING TO SEE. SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK FOR BUILDINGS LIKE THAT, OR FORMER ALDI, THEY'VE MOVED AROUND. SOMEWHERE NORTH OF 15,000 SQUARE FEET IN ORDER FOR IT TO WORK, AND EVEN THEN THEY'RE GOING TO BE ON SOME PRETTY TIGHT MARGINS.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU. >> NOT SEEING ANYONE ELSE IN QUEUE. CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE REVISED NUMBER 31 GROCERY STORE DEVELOPMENT FUNDING. >> COUNCILMEMBER PAYNE. >> AYE. >> WONSLEY. >> AYE. >> RAINVILLE. >> NO. >> VETAW. >> NO. >> OSMAN. >> AYE.
>> CASHMAN. >> AYE. >> JENKINS. >> NAY. >> CHAVEZ. >> E. >> CHOWDHURY. >> AYE. >> PALMISANO. >> NO. >> VICE CHAIR KOSKI. >> AYE. >> CHAIR CHUGHTAI. >> AYE.
>> THAT HAS EIGHT AYES AND FOUR NAYS. >> THAT MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS AMENDMENT NUMBER 32. COMMERCIAL ADOPTIVE REUSE STUDY OFFERED BY COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN. COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN, WILL YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE AND MOVE APPROVAL OF YOUR AMENDMENT.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THIS AMENDMENT BEFORE US IS $125,000, 1-TIME APPROPRIATION WITHIN CPED TO STUDY THE PUBLIC BENEFIT OF AND EVALUATE FINANCIAL INCENVES FOR
ADAPTIVE REUSE OF UNDERUTILIZED COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS. SO YESTERDAY IN OUR BUDGET COMMITTEE, WE HEARD FROM THE Q3 FINANCIAL STATUS PRESENTATION THAT PROPERTY TAXES ARE PROJECTED TO BE $17.4 MILLION UNDER BUDGET. WE ALSO SAW IN THE CITY
ASSESSOR'S 2025 REPORT THAT THE ESTIMATED MARKET VALUE O DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUES FELL 9.5% FROM 2024 TO 2025. AND WE ARE SEEING IN PERSON WORK STILL AT 75% OF ITS PRE-COVID
LEVELS AS OF LATE 2025. AND WE HAVE TAKEN SOME STEPS AS A CITY TO INCENTIVIZE THE CONVERSION OF OFFICE BUILDINGS INTO HOUSING TO BECOME A MORE PRODUCTIVE USE FOR DOWNTOWN WITH THE ZONING CODE REFORMS THAT WE PASSED LAST YEAR.
BUT WE HAVE NOT REALLY EXPLORED A FINANCIAL INCENTIVE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. AND WHILE WE UNDERSTAND THE BARRIERS THAT EXIST TO CONVERTING THESE BUILDINGS AND FINANCIAL BARRIERS, ENGINEERING BARRIERS, WE DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND THE PUBLIC BENEFIT. AND I WOULD LIKE US AS A CITY TO
STUDY THAT PUBLIC BENEFIT, TO MODEL THE BENEFITS OF CONVERTING A BUILDING LIKE THE NORTH STAR CENTER IN THE CENTER OF DOWNTOWN, IT CONVERTED FROM A VACANT OFFICE INTO 500 UNITS OF HOUSING. AND THAT OF COURSE LOWERS THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BECAUSE IT
GOES FROM A COMMERCIAL RATE TO A RESIDENTIAL RATE. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT BRINGS 500 NEW RESIDENTS INTO THAT CORE WHICH SUPPORT THE SALES TAX OF THE NEIGHBORING AREAS. IT ALSO BRINGS UP THE VALUE OF THE BUILDINGS NEARBY BECAUSE IT'S NOW OCCUPIED. AND IF WE'RE GOING TO REALLY
TACKLE THIS ISSUE WITH THE FORCE THAT WE NEED, I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE BETTER METRICS AND MODELING TO SUPPORT THE POLICIES THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND HERE AT THE CITY CONNUING TO MOVE FORWARD. I WILL MOVE THIS STUDY FOR
APPROVAL AND ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT. >> SECOND. >> AMENDMENT NUMBER 32 HAS BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I THINK THE SUCCESS OF THE
GROOVE LOFTS HAVE SHOWN US HOW THIS CAN BE DONE. I AM CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT THE BARRIERS ARE PREVENTING MORE OF THIS REUSE. WE CERTAINLY HAVE ENOUGH EMPTY BUILDINGS. BUT I ALSO KNOW IT'S EXTRAORDINARILY EXPENSIVE TO DO THIS RIGHT NOW. SO MAYBE SOME OTHER HELP WILL BE
HELPFUL IN THIS AREA. SO THANK YOU FOR THIS AMENDMENT. >> NOT SEEING ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION. CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON AMENDMENT NUMBER 32 COMMERCIAL ADAPTIVE REUSE STUDY. >> COUNCILMEMBER PAYNE. >> AYE. >> WONSLEY. >> RAINVILLE. >> AYE.
>> VETAW. >> AYE. >> OSMAN. >> AYE. >> CASHMAN. >> AYE. >> JENKINS. >> AYE. >> CHAVEZ. >> AYE. >> CHOWDHURY. >> AYE. >> PALMISO. >> AYE. >> VICE CHAIR KOSKI. >> AYE. >> CHAIR CHUGHTAI. >> AYE. >> THAT IS 12 AYES.
>> THAT MOTION CARRIES. WE ARE NEXT GOING TO MOVE TO AMENDMENT NUMBER 33 WHICH IS VACANT RETAIL ACTIVATION OFFERED BY COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN AND MYSELF. I WILL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN TO PLEASE INTRODUCE AND
MOVE APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR CO-AUTHORING THIS AMENDMENT WITH ME. THIS IS ANOTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL TO ADDRESS THE RETAIL VACANCIES THAT WE'RE SEEING CITY WIDE. THE PROPOSAL IS FOR A COST SHARE PROGRAM FOR VACANT RETAIL
ACTIVATION WHICH WOU SUPPORT PROPERTY OWNERS ACTUALLY MAKING PHYSICAL CHANGES TO THE BUILDINGS TO ALLOW FOR THE RETAIL TENANTS TO COME IN, WHETHER THAT'S SUBDIVIDING THEIR SPACE INTO SMALLER SPACES THAT WOULD BE MORE AFFORDABLE TO
LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES OR EVEN ADDING DOORS TO ALLOW FOR SHOPPERS TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO BUILDINGS WHICH WE'RE SEEING AS WELL. AND THIS WOULD BE A COST SHARE PROGRAM SO WE'D REALLY BE LEVERAGING PRIVATE INVESTMENT AS WELL AT THE SAME TIME. I DID WRITE A PRETTY DETAILED
PROPOSAL HERE, BUT OF COURSE THIS WOULD BE IN THE HANDS OF ED TO DEVELOP THE PROGRAM. AND IT IS PULLING ON THE DOWNTOWN ASSETS FUND, BUT IT IS FOR A CITY-WIDE PROGRAM SO THAT EVERY WARD COULD BENEFIT FROM THE BENEFIT OF THIS RETAIL ACTIVATION.
AND I'LL JUST NOTE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS WITH VIBRANT STORE FRONTS IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS WHICH IS A RENTAL SUBSIDY. AND I THINK THIS IS KIND OF 2.0 OF THE VIBRANT STORE FRONTS MODEL WHERE WE'RE FUNDING IMPROVEMENTS OF THE PHYSICAL SPACES TO MAKE IT AFFORDABLE FOR
SMALL BUSINESSES TO RENT IN THE LONGTERM. AND I THINK THE ECONOMY OF THE FUTURE IS REALLY SUPPORTING SMALLER SQUARE FOOTAGE IN OUR RETAIL SPACES SO THAT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES CAN AFFORD THE COST OF RENT. SO I WILL MOVE APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM. >> IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A PROPER MOTION
BEFORE US. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THIS AMENDMENT ALONG WITH AMENDMENTS 26 AND 27 TRANSFERS $2.2 MILLION FROM DOWNTOWN ASSETS.
WHILE I UNDERSTAND THIS AMENDMENT IS MEANT TO JUST REDUCE EMPTY RETAIL SPACE AT A TIME THAT WE'RE TRYING TO REVITALIZE DOWNTOWN, THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY COMING ALL FROM THE SAME SOURCE HERE. SO I WTED TO POINT THAT OUT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE, NOT SEEING ANY. CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON AMENDMENT NUMBER 33, VACANT RETAIL ACTIVATION. >> COUNCILMEMBER PAYNE. >> AYE. >> WONSLEY. >> AYE. >> RAINVILLE. >> AYE. >> VETAW. >> AYE. >> WONSLEY. >> AYE. >> CASHMAN. >> AYE.
>> JENKINS. >> AYE. >> CHAVEZ. >> AYE. >> CHOWDHURY. >> AYE. >> PALMISANO. >> AYE. >> VICE CHAIR KOSKI. >> AYE. >> CHAIR CHUGHTAI. >> AYE. >> THAT IS 12 AYES. >> THAT MOTION CARRIES. NEXT UP IS AMENDMENT NUMBER 34
INVEST IN CHILDCARE WORKERS OFFERED BY COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY. COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY, WILL YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE AND MOVE APPROVAL OF YOUR AMENDMENT? >> YES, THANK YOU, COUNCIL VICE PRESIDENT CHUGHTAI. THIS AMENDMENT BUILDS OFF OF WORK AND INVESTMENTS MADE BY THE COUNCIL AND THE CITY LAST BUDGET
CYCLE TO SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF THE CHILDCARE WORKFORCE WHICH HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A STRATEGY IN ADDRESSING THEIGH COSTS OF CHILDCARE FOR WORKING FAMILIES IN OUR CITY. THIS EARMARKED ABOUT $102,000 IN
CPED'S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM WHICH HAS AN APPROVED BUDGET OF $13 MILLION THAT WILL SUPPORT FTE THAT WILL HELP RESIDENTS INTERESTED IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION GET PLUGGED INTO THE CORRECT PATHWAYS AND PROGRAMS. THIS WAS BROUGHT FORWARD OUT OF MANY CONVERSIONS WITH
STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDING MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND OTHER LOCAL CHILD CARE PROVIDERS AND CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE STAKEHOLDERS AND OTHER EXPERTS IN THE FIELD HAVE CONSISTENTLY FOCUSED ON THE HUGE ROLE THAT WORKFORCE SHORTAGE PLAYS IN INCREASING THE COST OF CHILDCARE
AND HOW BENEFICIAL IT WOULD BE TO CREATE CLEARER PATHWAYS INTO CHILDCARE CAREERS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, COLLEGE STUDENTS AND PEOPLE OF ALL AGES. AND THIS FTE WILL LEAD THE CREATION OF THOSE PATHWAY INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS AND
CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE PANERS. THIS FUNDING WILL OF COURSE HAVE A MASSIVE IMPACT ON INCREASING WHICH WILL HELP LOCAL RESIDENTS AND WORKERS IN ESSENTIALLY ACCESSING THESE SERVICES AND
ALSO IDEALLY EXPERIENCING SOME FINANCIAL RELIEF AS WELL. SO WITH THAT, I WILL MOTION APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM AND REQUEST A SECOND. >> IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> THAT ITEM HAS BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION?
I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL PRESIDENT PAYNE. >> THANK YOU, VICE PRESIDENT CHUGHTAI. THIS IS SO EXTRAORDINARILY TIMELY. AND ODDLY IT PAIRS WITH OUR PREVIOUS AMENDMENT AROUND GROCERY STORE ACCESS. I ACTUALLY HAVE A NEW ALDI COMING INTO THE WARD AND THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT PLAN IS TO
HAVE THAT ALDI HAVE A CONDO FOR A CHILDCARE CENTER. AND THE DEVELOPER IS TRYING TO WORK WITH A CHILDCARE DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION THA THE KIND OF SIMILAR TO THE GROCERY STORE MODEL, THE
CHILDCARE CENTERS ARE RUNNING ON REALLY TIGHT MARGINS AS WELL. AND THERE'S SOME TAX POLICY AROUND SEMINARY CENTERS OF LEARNING THAT ARE QUALIFYING FOR
TAX ABATEMENT WHICH COULD BE THE MAKE OR BREAK DIFFERENCE ON WHETHER OR NOT W GET ANOTHER CHILDCARE CENTER IN THE WARD. IT'S REALLY TECHNICAL, IT'S REALLY COMPLEX. I COULD SEE US HAVING A FULL-TIME STAFFER THAT KNOWS HOW TO NAVIGATE SOME OF THESE CHALLENGES SO THAT WE CAN
ACTUALLY EXPAND ACCESS TO CHILDCARE TO OUR COMMUNITIES. THERE'S A REAL NEED FOR THIS AND IT'S REALLY TIMELY. SO THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY. >> THANK YOU. NEXT I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
ALREADY HAS A CAREER PATHWAYS PROGRAM FOR PRE-K THROUGH 6th GRADE. IT'S IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MANKATO STATE AND METRO STATE. AND THAT'S ABOUT ALL I KNOW ABOUT IT. PERHAPS OTHERS KNOW MORE HERE. BUT I REALLY DON'T THINK IT
MAKES SENSE TO REINVENT THE WHEEL AND HAVE CPED STAND UP A BRAND NEW PROGRAM UTILIZING AN FTE WHEN THIS OTHER PROGRAM ALREADY EXISTS. WOULD THIS NEED TO BE A NEW TRACK AS PART OF THE EXISTING CAREER PATHWAYS PROGRAM?
I'M SEEING COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY NOD YES. TO ME, UNFORTUNATELY, THIS FEELS LIKE A DUPLICATION WITH THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY. >> THANK YOU. JUST FOR CLARITYOR
COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO, THERE'S A DISTINCT DIFFERENCE AND I THINK YOU KNOW THIS AS SOMEONE WHO HAS SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN BETWEEN PRESCHOOL AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION COMES BEFORE PRESCHOOL. THAT IS WHERE WE HAVE A GAP AND WHERE WE'RE SEEING THE GREATEST NEED AMONGST FAMILIES WHO HAVE
TO PAY EITHER CHILDCARE PROVIDERS TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL AND ALSO JUST CHILDCARE OPPORTUNITIES TO THE YOUNGEST MEMBERS OF THEIR FAMILIES UNTIL THEY ARE PRESCHOOL READY AND CAN GO EITHER THROUGH A PUBLIC SCHOOL OR NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL
TRACK. SO THESE ARE DISNCTLY DIFFERENT AND THE GAP IS REALLY FOCUSED ON EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND THAT IS NOT A SPACE WHERE WE SEE MPS FILL IN, WHICH IS WHY THEY'VE BEEN PART OF THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR OFFICE AND CITY STAFF AROUND HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE
THIS FTE POSITION TO SUPPORT A PATHWAY PROGRAM. SO WE HAVE PARTNERS AT MPS AND THE STATE LEVEL WHO ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND WOULD ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT. >> SEEING N FURTHER DISCUSSION,
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON AMENDMENT NUMBER 34, INVEST IN CHILDCARE WORKERS. >> COUNCILMEMBER PAYNE. >> AYE. >> WONSLEY. >> AYE. >> RAINVILLE. >> AYE. >> VETAW. >> AYE. >> OSMAN. >> AYE. >> CASHMAN. >> AYE. >> JENKINS. >> AYE. >> CHAVEZ. >> AYE.
>> CHOWDHURY. >> AYE. >> PALMISANO. >> NO. >> VICE CHAIR KOSKI. >> AYE. >> CHAIR CHUGAI. >> AYE. >> THAT IS 11 AYES AND ONE NAY. >> THAT MOTION CARRIES. NEXT WE ARE READY TO MOVE TO
AMENDMENT NUMBER 35. ENTERPRISE POLICY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM STAFF DIRECTION OFFERED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT PAYNE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT PAYNE, WILL YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE AND MOVE APPROVAL OF THIS AMENDMENT AND MAKE SURE TO JUST NOTE THAT THIS IS A $0 AMENDMENT.
JUST WALK THROUGH SOME OF THE CONTEXT SO EVERYONE IS AWARE. >> THANK YOU, VICE PRESIDENT CHUGHTAI. AS WE DISCUSSED IN OUR LAST -- WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH A POLICY MANAGEMENT PLATFORM THIS WAS A BUDGET AMENDMENT LAST YEAR. WE ARE VERY MUCH ON OUR WAY TO
GETTING A VENDOR IDENTIFIED. IT'S JUST THE TIMING OF IT ALL, THESE FUNDS NEED TO BE ROLLED OVER AND WE NEED TO TAKE THIS ACTION SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY LEVERAGE THOSE FUNDS THAT WERE ALLOCATED FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. MR. CLERK, DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS AT ALL?
>> THROUGH THE CHAIR,R. PRESIDENT, APPRECIATE THAT SUMMARY. THIS IS AN ENTERPRISE-WIDE PROJECT TO PROVIDE THE FUNDING TO ACQUIRE A NEW SYSTEM TO MANAGE THE PROCESS OF BOTH BRINGING FORWARD AND DEVELOPING POLICIES, BUT ALSO MANAGING AND
MAKING THOSE POLICIES AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. SO I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT FOR THAT. >> IS THERE A SECOND TO COUNCIL PRESIDENT PAYNE'S MOTION? >> SECOND. >> THE ITEM HAS BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION?
I'M NOT SEEING ANY. CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON AMENDMENT NUMBER 35, ENTERPRISE POLICY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS STAFF DIRECTIVE. >> COUNCILMEMBER PAYNE. >> AYE. >> WONSLEY. >> AYE. >> RAINLLE. >> AYE. >> VETAW. >> AYE. >> OSMAN. >> AYE. >> CASHMAN. >> AYE. >> JENKINS. >> AYE. >> CHAVEZ. >> AYE.
>> CHOWDHURY. >> AYE. >> PALMISANO. >> AYE. >> VICE CHAIR KOSKI. >> AYE. >> CHAIR CHUGHTAI. >> AYE. >> THAT IS 12 AYES. >> THAT MOTION CARRIES. NEXT UP IS AMENDMENT NUMBER 36 POLICY FOR THE PEOPLE AND WE WILL TAKE UP 36A AND B TOGETHER.
THIS AMENDMENT IS OFFERED BY COUNCILMEMBERWONSLEY. A REVISION TO THIS WAS PASSED OUT, I BELIEVE ON FRIDAY OR YESTERDAY. BUT THERE'S A SECOND REVISION AND IT'S ALSO IN YELLOW AND THE
TOP OF IT READS NUMBER 36, SECOND REVISION. COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY, PLEASE INTRODUCE AND MOVE APPROVAL OF YOUR AMENDMENT. >> THANK YOU, COUNCIL VICE PRESIDENT CHUGHTAI. SINCE COMING INTO OFFICE, MY PRIORITY POST GOVERNMENT
STRUCTURE HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO ENSURE THE DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH OF THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE NEED TO CARRY OUT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AND AUTHORITIES TO SERVE THE 400,000 PLUS RESIDENTS WE ALL REPRESENT ACROSS THE CITY AND ENSURING
FUNDING IS AVAILABLE FOR THE LEGISLATIVE BODY TO DO THAT WORK COMPLEMENTS US NEEDING FTE'S TO CARRY THAT OUT. AND SPECIFICALLY TO CARRY OUT RESEARCH, EVALUATION, OVERSIGHT, AND POLICY EXPERTISE NEEDS THAT
SUPPORT OUR WORK AS WELL. THIS MOTION IN FRONT OF YOU ESSENTIALLY REPURPOSES THE VERY ORIGINAL MOTION WHERE WE WERE LOOKING TO PULL FTE'S FROM THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE TO
ESSENTIALLY USE ALREADY EXISTING FTE POSITIONS. THAT'S WITHIN THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT OR THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE THAT'S ALREADY IN MOTION FOR CLASSIFICATION AND THOSE POSITIONS WOULD BE SUPPORTING THE VERY SPECIFIC COMMITTEES
THAT ACTUALLY CARRY A BULK OF OUR WORK ON THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO KNOW THAT OUR CLERK STAFF HAS BEEN PRIORITIZING ITS WORK TO MAKE SURE WE GET THESE FTE'S AS OPPOSED TO US HAVING TO FIND NEW
RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THAT. SO THE $25,000 THAT YOU SEE REFLECTED IS AN APPROPRIATION THAT WOULD BE MADE FROM THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT TO HR TO ENSURE THAT THE JFQ'S AND
CLASSIFICATIONS THAT WOULD NEED TO HAPPEN TO GET US THOSE POSITIONS WOULD RECEIVE THE PROPER SUPPORT NEEDED. WE ACTUALLYAVE TO USE THE SUPPORT OF A VENDOR THAT DOES THAT CLASSIFICATION BECAUSE THERE'S SUCH A HUGE BACKLOG FOR OUR INTERNAL HR TEAM WHO ARE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE. SO WE'LL BE GUARANTEED SUPPORT
THROUGH THAT VENDOR WITH THIS APPROPRIATION. AND THEN THE SUBSEQUENT MOTION IS A STAFF DIRECTIVE TO THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT MAKING SURE THAT WE GET A REPORT BACK ON THE PROGRESS FOR GETTING THOSE FTE'S, THE
CLASSIFICATIONS, THE JRQ'S MAKING SURE WE'RE MOVING ALONG WITH THE CLASSIFICATION OF THOSE POSITIONS FOR NO LATER THAN MARCH OF 2026. SO JUST CLOSING THE LOOP AND MAKING SURE WE GET THOSE POSITIONS. THOSE ARE WHAT THOSE TWO MOTIONS DO AND I WILL MOVE THOSE ITEMS FOR APPROVAL AND ASK FOR A
SECOND. >> IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> THAT ITEM HAS BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED. I WILL NOTE AS YOU CAN SEE IN YOUR BINDER THE VY FIRST DRAFT OF THIS AMENDMENTAS TAKING APPROXIMATELY HALF A MILLION DOLLARS ONGOING OUT OF THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE DEPARTMENT AND I AM JUST REALLY GRATEFUL TO THE AUTHOR, TO COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY HERE FOR HER WILLINGNESS TO BE FLEXIBLE AND FIND A CREATIVE
SOLUTION HERE. THAT IS SUCH A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. AND THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO COLLABORATE AND COMPROMISE AND COME TO THE TABLE. AND I'M GLAD WE WERE ABLE TO FIND A SOLUTION THAT MOVES US FORWARD.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON BOTH AMENDMENT 36 ON THE MOTION AND THE STAFF DIRECTION. THIS AMENDMENT IS POLICY FOR THE PEOPLE. >> COUNCILMEMBER PAYNE. >> AYE. >> WONSLEY. >> AYE. >> RAINVILLE. >> AYE. >> VETAW. >> AYE.
>> OSMAN. >> AYE. >> CASHMAN. >> AYE. >> JENKINS. >> AYE. >> CHAVEZ. AYE. >> CHOWDHURY. >> AYE. >> PALMISANO. >> AYE. >> VICE CHAIR KOSKI. >> AYE. >> CHAIR CHUGHTAI. >> AYE. >> THAT IS 12 AYES. >> THAT MOTION CARRIES.
NEXT UP IS AMENDMENT NUMBER 37 AUDIT DEPARTMENT FTE'S OFFERED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT PAYNE, COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY AND VICE CHAIR KOSKI. COUNCIL PRESIDENT PAYNE, WILL YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE AND MOVE APPROVAL OF YOUR AMENDMENT? >> THANK YOU, VICE PRESIDENT CHUGAI.
THIS AMENDMENT IS TO -- THE CITY AUDITOR PRESENTED A VISION FOR THE DEPARTMENT TT INCLUDED A BUILD OUT OF THE SPECIAL REVIEW AND ADVISORY SERVICES. THIS IS ESSENTIALLY TWO YEARS IN THE MAKING. WE ORIGINALLY CREATED THE OFFICE
OR THE DIVISION OF OVERSIGHT AND EVALUATION. AND POLICY AND RESEARCH WITHIN THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE. WE WORKED WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY. THOSE FUNCTIONS WERE IDENTIFIED TO BE BETTER SUITED WORKING DIRECTLY WITHIN THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT, THAT IS -- NOT AS A
PART OF OUR INDEPENDENT AUDITOR. MR. TIMMERMAN WHO'S IN THE AUDIENCE BROUGHT OUT THAT VISION WITHIN THE AUDITOR'S DEPARTMENT THAT IS THE SPECIAL REVIEW AND ADVISORY SERVICES AND HAS GIVEN
US VERY CLEAR GUIDANCE THAT HIS INTENT IS TO TAKE ON LARGE ISSUES IN THE CITY WHEN IT COMES TO OVERSIGHT AS EVIDENCED BY THE WILLINGNESS TO TAKE ON THE INVESTIGATION OF THE SHOOTING OF DAVIS MATURI, THE INVESTIGATION OF THE DEATH OF ALLISON LUCIER.
AND WE GOT TO APPOINT WHERE HE WAS -- A POINT WHERE HE WAS RUNNING OUT OF CAPACITY AS WE WERE RUNNING INTO HIGHER NEED FOR OVERSIGHT. SO FOR MARIAH SAMUELS WHO WAS
NOT ABLE TO TAKE THAT ON, THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT IS AIMED AT MAKING SURE OUR CITY AUDITOR HAS THE CAPACITY TO SAY YES. AND I'LL ALSO NOTE THAT WE WORKED REALLY CLOSELY WITH OUR BUDGET TEAMTARTING IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, WE IDENTIFIED FOUR FTE'S TO MOVE
OVER TO TH AUDITOR'S OFFICE WITH THE VISION OF A MULTIYEAR BUILD OUT. THE MAYOR ACTUALLY CUT TWO OF THOSE POSITIONS IN HIS RECOMMENDED BUDGET. I WANTED TO RESTORE THOSE POSITIONS AND DO THE FULL BUILD
OUT. AS A RESULT OF THAT CUT, I WANT TO THANK VICE PRESIDENT CHUGHTAI FOR HER LEADERSHIP TO WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION TO ACTUALLY GET US TO A SOURCE THAT WAS AMENABLE TO THE ADMINISTRATION. SHE MOVED HEAVEN AND EARTH TO TRY TO GET T A PLACE WHERE
EVERYBODY CAN SUPPORT THIS. AND SO I'M GRATEFUL TO THE ADMINISTRATION'S WORK ON THAT AS WELL. AND I WILLOVE APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM. AND ASK FOR A SECOND. >> SECOND. >> AMENDMENT NUMBER 37 HAS BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED. I WANT TO NOTE FOR COLLEAGUES
THIS IS THE REVISED NUMBER 37 THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT. AND AGAIN WANT TO THANK THE AUTHORS FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE DILIGENCE AND WILLINGNESS TO
COLLABORATE, COMPROMISE, COME TO THE TABLE, AND REALLY, REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE PRODUCT THAT'S BEFORE US TODAY. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I WILL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE COME TO THE TABLE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO FUND THIS AMENDMENT. IT TOOK QUITE A BIT OF WORK AND COLLABORATION AND ALSO TRUST BETWEEN ONE ANOTHER. I CHAIRED THE AUDIT COMMITTEE FOR TEN YEARS. AND THERE IS NOBODY MORE THAN I
THAT UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE OFFICE OF THE CITY AUDITOR. THAT DOES GIVE ME A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE. I WILL SAY THIS, THIS DEPARTMENT HAS GROWN QUITE A BIT OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. NOW WE'RE ADDING FOUR MORE POSITIONS REPLACING TWO THAT WERE REMOVED AND VACANT, PLUS AN
ADDITIONAL TWO. AND WE'VE ALL SEEN DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE GROWN TOO FAST. I WILL SUPPORT THIS TODAY BECAUSE OF THE TRUST INVOLVED HERE ON ALL SIDES. BUT I DO WANT TO CAUTION US TO GIVE AUDIT A CHANCE TO ABSORB THESE NEW POSIONS AND BE RESPONSIBLE ABOUT THEIR GROWTH.
THIS DEPARTMENT IS TOO IMPORTANT TO NOT BE MONITORING ITS ABILITY TO CORPORATE ALL OF THESE NEW POSITIONS AND THE WORK THAT THEY ARE INTENDED TO DO. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. AND FINALLY, I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
I APPRECIATE THAT EVERYBODY WAS WORKING TO COMPROMISE HERE, BUT I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS THAT PUBLIC WORKS AND CPED ARE GETTING THEIR POSITIONS TAKEN INSTEAD OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE POSITIONS, POLITICALLY APPOINTED POSITIONS.
AND I'M WONDERING HOW IT CAME TO BE THAT THE MAYOR AND HIS NEGOTIATING TEAM CAME TO AGREE THAT PUBLIC WORKS AND CPED POSITIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN FOR THIS? >> THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION, COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN.
I'M GOING TO ASK DIRECTOR DESENZA IF WE CAN GET COO ANDERSON KELLER HERE. WHILE WE'RE DOING THAT, I WILL ATTEMPT A FIRST RESPONSE AT YOUR QUESTION. THESE ARE ALL POSITIONS THAT ARE
VACANT. THEY WERE IDENTIFIED BY THE NEGOTIATING TEAM THAT THE MAYOR IDENTIFIED AS WE WORKED THROUGH THIS MARK-UP PACKET AND I CAN'T SPEAK FURTHER TO WHY THESE WERE
THE POSITIONS THAT WERE PICKED. AND SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THE COO CAN DOR WE CAN SEE IF MR. JELLY OR I SEE WE HAVE BOTH DIRECTORS HERE. I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO
INVITE THEM UP TO TALK ABOUT THESE VACANCIES. THE DEPUTY COO IT IS.
THERE WE GO, ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS. IF YOU'LL FIRST BEGIN BY INTRODUCING YOURSELF. >> GOOD MORNING, BRETT JELLY, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS FOR HEALTH AND LIVABILITY. I WILL SPEAK AS BEST I CAN TO
THE CONVSATIONS, I WAS NOT IN THE ROOM WITH THE COUNCIL VICE PRESIDENT. BUT AS WE WERE WORKING THROUGH DGET AMENDMENTS AND TRYING TO FIND SOURCES THAT BOTH SIDES COULD AGREE TO, WE WORKED WITH ALL DEPARTMENTS AND REVIEWED CURRENT VACANCIES AND WERE ABLE
TO FIND THE POSITIONS THAT ARE IN THE AMENDMENT OR SOMETHING THAT WE COULD SUPPORT AND AGREE WITH JUST TOAKE SURE WE HAD A DEAL. >> THANKS. I JT WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT I THINK THE MAYOR PUT OUT A
COMMENTARY IN TH STAR TRIBUNE SAYING IT WAS MEAN SPIRITED TO CUT FROM HIS STAFF, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, HE'S THE CEO OF THE CITY AND ALL STAFF ARE HIS STAFF. SO I THINK IT'S RIGHT TO BE EQUALLY CONCERNED ABOUT CPED STAFF AND PUBLIC WORKS AS THE
MANY APPOINTED POLICY AIDES IN HIS OFFICE. AND WHAT I'M SEEING HERE IS THESE ARE VACANT POSITIONS SO THERE'S NO ONE BEING LAID OFF BY THIS CUT SO I THINK THAT WAS A LINE THAT WAS DRAWN. BUT JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THESE ARE STILL THE MAYOR'S STAFF AS WELL.
>> CERTAINLY. DO YOU WANT US TO INVITE UP EITHER OF THE DIRECTORS OR HAS YOUR QUESTION BEEN SUFFICIENTLY ANSWERED? >> THE PUBLIC WORKS IN PARTICULAR TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM AND PLANNING AND
TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS MOBILITY, WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPACT TO PUBLIC WORKS IF DIRECTOR SEXTON CAN SPEAK TO THAT? >> WELCOME. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR CHUGHTAI, COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN.
>> IN TERMS OF IMPACTS, THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING STAFF DO BRING OUR PROJECTS UP TO 30% DESIGN. THEY LEAD THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT. SO REDUCTIONS IN THAT AREA WILL REDUCE THE LEVEL OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WE CAN DO.
WE'LL SLOW DOWN PROJECT DEVELOPMENT. AND THEN IN TRANSPORTATION OR EXCUSE ME TRAFFIC AND PARKING SERVICES WHERE THE OTHER POSITION IS COMING FROM, I BELIEVE THAT ONE IS IN OUR SIGN SHOP AND THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR PRINTING SIGNS AND BEING ABLE RESPOND QUICKLY WHETHER IT'S THE
LENA SMITH BOULEVARD CHANGEOVER OR THE RECENT SIGNS THAT WE POSTED RELATED TO PROHIBITING I.C.E. AND USE OF CITY PARKING LOTS. SO REDUCING STAFF, WHILE IT'S NOT LIKE WE CANNOT DO A SINGLE TASK, IT WILL SLOW DOWN AND IMPACT THE THINGS THAT WE DO.
THAT SAID, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TOTAL COMBINATION OF ALL CUTS TO PUBLIC WORKS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED THUS FAR, WE ARE LOOKING AT SIX STAFFND ALMOST $500,000. SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO SAY SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT WE CAN OR
CANNOT DO BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF WORK THAT WE ENGAGE IN. BUT THERE WILL BE IMPACTS, THINGS WILL BE SLOWED DOWN, OR THERE WILL BE THINGS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT WE CANNOT GET TO. >> I APPRECIATE YOU ADVOCATING FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT. EVERY DEPARTMENT HAS GIVEN SOME IN THESE NEGOTIATIONS. I KNOW EVEN THE LEGISLATIVE
DEPARTMENT GAVE TO COVER CODE ENFORCEMENT TO RESTORE THOSE CUTS. AND YEAH, I GUESS I'M JUST DISAPPOINTED THAT INSTEAD OF CUTTING FROM POLITICAL OPERATIVES IN THE CITY, WE'RE CUTTIN FROM MORE CORE CITY SERVICES POSITIONS FOR THIS. >> AND I WILL ONCE AGAIN
CLARIFY, THESE ARE ALL VACANT POSITIONS. SO THERE ISN'T A CURRENT SERVICE THAT IS BEING PROVIDED THAT WILL THEN GO AWAY AND OR HAVE A LAY OFF UNFOLD. BUT APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION AND THE DISCUSSION.
I'M NOT SEEING ANYONE ELSE IN QUEUE. CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE REVISED AMENDMENT NUMBER 37 AUDIT DEPARTMENT FTE'S. >> COUNCILMEMBER PAYN >> AYE. >> WONSLEY. >> AYE. >> RAINVILLE. >> AYE. >> VETAW. >> AYE. OSMAN. >> AYE. >> CASHMAN. >> AYE. >> JEINS. >> AYE. >> CHAVEZ.
>> AYE. >> CHOWDHURY. >> AYE. >> PALMISANO. >> AYE. >> VICE CHAIR KOSKI. >> AYE. >> CHAIR CHUGHTAI. >> AYE. >> THAT IS 12 AYES. >> THAT MOTION CARRIES.
NEXT UP IS AMENDMENT NUMBER 38 AROUND BUDGETARY CONTROL FINANCIAL POLICY OFFERED BY MYSELF, VICE CHAIR KOSKI, AND COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY. I WILL INTRODUCE THIS AMENDMENT AND MOVE APPROVAL. AND THEN WE WILL GO TO THE CITY ATTORNEY WHO WILL WALK THROUGH
WHAT IS ACTUALLY IN THIS AMENDMENT IN DETAIL. SO I WILL SAY WITH INTENTION THIS IS A BUDGET CYCLE THAT I AM THE LEAD AUTHOR ON JUST THIS AMENDMENT ALONE.
AND IT IS A CHANGE TO FINANCIAL POLICIES A $0 AMENDMENT AT ITS CORE. SO I THINK WE ARE IN THE YEARS THAT I HAVE BEEN AEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL, I THINK THERE IS A
REAL NEED FOR US TO BUILD SOME GUARDRAILS AROUND OUR HOW MONEY IS SPENT ONCE IT HAS BEEN ALLOCATED THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS AND BUILD IN SOME ACCOUNTABILITY. AND SO THESE ARE A FEW SECTIONS
TO THE FINANCIAL POLICS THAT ULTIMATELY ARE ALL TRYING TO ADDRESS PIECES OF THAT ACCOUNTABILITY. WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A SECOND AND THEN WE'LL GO TO THE CITY ATTORNEY.
>> MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, CAN YOU PLEASE WALK US THROUGH WHAT IS IN THIS AMENDMENT? >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBERS. SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO IN BOT SORT OF SIMPLY ENOUGH BUT ALSO IN DETAIL EXPLAIN WHATHIS
FINANCIAL POLICY DOES. OVERALL, IT'S AMENDMENTS TO THE BUDGETARY CONTROLS POLICY, AND Y PORTIONS OF THE POLICY THAT HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THERE. AND ALSO ADD NEW REQUIREMENTS TO AID IN BUDGETARY TRANSPARENCY.
SO LET ME JUST STEP THROUGH EACH OF THE SECTIONS. AS YOU KNOW, WE ALREADY HAVE A BUDGET DARE CONTROLS POLICY. IT IS MUCH SHORTER THAN WHAT IS BEFORE YOU. SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO HIGIGHT THE THINGS THAT ARE THE SAME AND THE THINGS THAT ARE DIFFERENT.
SO THE VERY FIRST SECTION IS CALLED LEGAL LEVEL OF BUDGETARY CONTROL, BUDGET AMENDMENTS AND REPORTING. THIS FIRST SECTI OF THE POLICY REPEATS WHAT WAS ALREADY IN THE POLICY AND CODIFIES LEGAL FACT. UNDER OUR CHARTER THROUGH THE
ANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS, THE COUNCIL ANNUALLY APPROPRIATES MONEY FOR EACH DEPARTMENT'S PROGRAMS AND OPERATIONS. THIS ANNUAL DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET, WE REFER TO IN THIS POLICY AND HAVE DEFINED IT AS DEPARTMENT SLASHUND BUDGET.
THIS IS THE SAME TERM THAT EXISTS IF THE CURRENT FINANCIAL POLICY. LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT THIS MEANS. I'LL GIVEOU AN EXAMPLE FROM MY OFFICE'S BUDGET. AND I'M GOING TO TRY TO WEAVE IN SOME EXAMPLES FROM MY OFFICE'S BUDGET BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTAND AND I THINK IT MIGHT
BE HELPFUL FOR GENERAL UNDERSTANDING. SO IN THE 2025 DEPARTMENT FUND LEVEL BUDGET FOR MY OFFICE, SO DEPARTMENT WOULD BE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, FUND IS GENERAL FUND. AND FOR 2025, MY DEPARTMENT SLASH FUND LEVEL BUDGET WAS
ABOUT $23 MILLION. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT. EVEN THOUGH SOMETIMES WE PRESENT BUDGETARY DATA IN A MORE GRANULAR WAY. SO FOR MY OFFICE SAY $10 MILLION FOR THE CIVIL DIVISION, AND $13 MILLION FOR THE CRIMINAL DIVISION.
THE DEPARTMENT SLASH FUND-LEVEL BUDGET IS THAT TOP LINE APPROPRIATION TO MY OFFICE OF $23 MILLION. SO UNDER THIS POLICY, AS WAS TRUE UNDER THE EXISTING POLICY, DEPARTMENTS ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO AMEMENT OR EXCEED THEIR DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET THAT WAS APPROVED DURING THE ANNUAL
BUDGET PROCESS WITHOUT COUNCIL APPROVAL. SO I CAN'T AS A DARTMENT HEAD WITHOUT COUNCIL APPROVAL AMEND MY BUDGET TO BE $24 MILLION INSTEAD OF $23 MILLION. THERE ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS TO THIS THAT I WILL COME BACK TO. BUT, JUST LIKE IT'S TRUE UNDER
THE CURRENT POLICY, WITHIN MY $23 MILLION BUDGET, I HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO EXERCISE OPERATIONAL CONTROL TO ADMINISTER MY $23 MILLION BUDGET WHICH INCLUDES THE AUTHORITY TO SHIFT FUNDS WITHI MY DEPARTMENT, BUDGET AS I DEEM APPROPRIATE TO CARRY OUT MY DEPARTMENT'S FUNCTIONS.
FOEXAMPLE, IF I HAVE AN ATTORNEY POSITION IN THE CRIMINAL DIVISION BUT I DECIDE BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE FEDERAL LITIGATION WE'VE BEEN ENGAGED IN, I NEED THAT IN THE CIVIL DIVISION. I HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SHIFT THOSE FUNDS FROM THE CRIMINAL DIVISION TO THE CIVIL DIVISION
WITHOUT APPROVAL AS LONG AS I STAY WITHIN MY $23 MILLION FUND-LEVEL BUDGET. AS I SAID PREVIOUSLY, THERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT EXCEPTIONS THAT DEPARTMENTS CAN'T EXCEED THEIR BUDGETS WITHOUT COUNCIL APPROVAL
AND THOSE ARE ALSO ADDRESSED IN THIS POLICY NOW. NUMBER ONE, THE CHARTER GIVES THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY TO AUTHORIZE PAYMENTS THAT MAY EXCEED THE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET IN ORDER TO PAY PAYROLL. THAT'S EXPLICIT.
NUMBER TWO, THE COUNCIL PERMITS THE CHARTER BY ORDINANCE TO PAY ROUTINE BILLS. THIS IS IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THE CITY SATISFIES ITS LEGAL PAYMENT OBLIGATIONS. ANOTHER EXAMPLE, IF THE COUNCIL VOTES T APPROVE A LABOR AGREEMENT WITH THE ATTORNEY'S
UNION MIDWAY THROUGH THE YEAR GIVING RAISES THAT WEREN'T ACCOUNTED FOR IN MY ORIGINAL BUDGET, FINANCE CAN LAWFULLY PAY THE SALARIES EVEN IF IT EXCEEDS MY $23 MILLION BUDGET. WHAT'S NEW IN THIS POLICY IS
EXPLICITLY REQUIRING TRANSP TRANSPARENCY. UNDER THIS, ANY OF THESE AUTHORIZATIONS MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT'S NEXT QUARTERLY REPORT. THAT'S NEW UNDER THIS SECTION. MOVING ON, THIS POLICY NEWLY ADDRESSES COUNCIL EARMARKS.
AND WE HAVE DEFINED THOSE, WE' USED THE TERM COUNCIL-DEDICATED FUNDS IN THE POLICY AND DEFINE IT THERE. THES EARMARKS ARE CAPTURED IN YOUR BUDGET AMENDMENTS DEDICATING FUNDS FOR A SPEFIC PURPOSE. FOR EXAMPLE, THE EARMARK OF FUNDS TO THE OFFICE OF IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE AFFAIRS FOR THE
PURPOSE OF PROVIDING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND SUPPORT FOR IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE COMMUNITIES. THE POLICY PROVIDES FOR BOTH CONTROLS AND REPORTING. SO UNDER THE POLICY, NUMBER ONE, THE EARMARKED FUNDS CAN'T BE USED FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES WIOUT COUNCIL APPROVAL.
THE POLICY PROVIDES THAT THE ADMINISTRATION MAY REQUEST COUNCIL APPROVAL FOR REALLOCATION. NUMBER TWO, THE ADMINISTRATION MUST REPORT BY APRIL 30TH ON ITS SPENDING PLAN FOR THE EARMARKS AND A STATUS REPORT BY AUGUST 31ST. AND NUMBER THREE, IF THE ADMINISTRATION DETERMINES IT CAN'T CARRY OUT THE PURPOSE OF
THE EARMARKS FOR WHATEVER REASON OR IF IT DETERMINES THE EARMARK IS FOR MORE MONEY THAN NECESSARY, IT NEEDS TO REPORT WITHIN 60 DAYS OF THAT DETERMINATION THE AMOUNT, THE REASON, THE EFFECT ON CARRYING OUT THE EARMARK'S PURPOSE AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION.
MOVING ON, NEXT SECTION IS CALLED REPORTING OF ANTICIPATED OVERSPENDING. THE POLICY CREATES ANOTH REPORTING REQUIREMENT ON DEPARTMENTAL SPENDING. UNDER THE POLICY NUMBER ONE, IF AT THE TIME OF THE QUARTERLY
FINANCE REPORT, THE DEPARTMENT EXCEEDS THE PRORATED AMOUNT OF THE DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET, AGAIN THAT DEPARTMENT SLASH FUND-LEVEL BUDGET WHICH WOULD BE FOR ME MY $23 MILLION BUDGET, THE DEPARTMENT MUST REPORT IT TO COUNCIL WITH A PROPOSED RRECTION ACTION PLAN IF APPLICABLE.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, SAY AT QUART TWO I'VE ALREADY SPENT MORE THAN HALF OF MY $23 MILLION BUDGET, I WOULD REPORT THAT. THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THAT I AM ON TARGET TO GO OVER BUDGET, BILLS TEND TO COME IN AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE YEAR.
IF I HAD A BIG BILL COME OUT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND I HAD SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO COME OUT IN THE SECOND PART OF THE YEAR, I WOULD EXPLAIN THAT IN MY REPORT AND WOULDN'T NEED A CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN. NUMBER TWO, IF AT ANY TIME A DEPARTMENT EXPECTS BY THE END OF THE YEAR IT IS GOING TO GO OVER
BUDGET, THE DEPARTMENT HAS TO PROMPTLY NOTIFY FINANCE AND INCLUDE THAT INFORMATIONN THE NEXT QUARTERLY REPORT. NUMBER THREE, IF BY THE END OF THE YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY HAS EXCEEDED ITS ANNUAL DEPARTMENT BUDGET, THEN THE NEXT YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT MUST SUBMIT
MONTHLY BUDGETARY STATUS REPORTS TO THE COUNCIL. AND NUMBER FOUR, AS ANOTHER CHECK WITHIN THE SYSTEM, THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMT WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE CITY'S FINANCIAL SYSTEMS WHICH IS ALSO ANOTHER TRANSPARENCY MEASURE.
TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THAT SYSTEM, IT WILL BE SUBJECT TO VIEW ONLY CAPABILITY AND SUBJECT TO THE DEPARTMENT'S NORMAL FINANCE CAPABILITIES. THE FINAL SECTION IS CALLED LAPSES AND ROLLOVER, AND I BELIEVE IT'S IDEAL IF NOT CLOSE
TO IDEAL TO WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN IN THERE. BUT I MIGHT AS WELL EXPLAIN IT WHILE I'M ON A ROLL. SO THIS SECTION OF THE POLICY SAME AS THE CURRENT POLICY, UNSPENT APPROPRIATIONS GENERALLY LAPSE AT THE END OF THE YEAR AND MONEY GOES BACK TO THE FUND FROM WHENCE THEY CAME. BUT THERE IS A ROLLOVER PROCESS
WHERE PREPARATIONS THAT ARE UNSPENT BUT ARE INCUMBERED WHICH MEANS OBLIGATED FOR EXAMPLE THROUGH AN EXECUTED CONTRACT CAN BE AUTHORIZED TO CONTINUE ROLLOVER INTO THE NEXT BUDGET YEAR. SO FOR 2026, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE BUDGET MIGHT BE
$23 MILLION PLUS $100,000 FOR AN EXPERT WITNESS CONTRACT THAT WAS EXECUTED IN 2025 FOR SERVICES TO BE RENDERED IN 2026. SO THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT'S COVERED IN THAT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY. I WANT TO THANK YOU, THE FINANCE
DEPARTMENT, AND THE LEADERS OF TH LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT FOR WORKING TOGETHER ON CRAFTING THIS AMENDMENT. I WILL SEE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION. COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO. >> MADAM CHAIR, I WANTED TO
SPEAK ON THIS ITEM AND I HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH YOU AT LENGTH ABOUT IT LAST NIGHT SO I WILL WORK TO BE BRIEF. I REALLY DID APPRECIATE OUR CONVERSATION AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO -- PARDON ME -- TO TALK THROUGH THIS WITH ME.
AND AT THE POINT OF LAST NIGHT MY FIRST REACTION WAS THAT WHILE I TAKE COUNCIL'S ROLE IN OVERSIGHT VERY SERIOUSLY, I BELIEVED THAT THIS WENT TOO FAR. IT REQUIRED SO MUCH ADDED REPORTING THAT IT FELT A BIT PUNITIVE. AND I FELT WE NEEDED TO BALANCE OUR AGREED DUTY OF OVERSIGHT AND
EXCESSIVE REQUIREMENTS THAT TAKE STAFF AWAY FROM THEIR REGULAR DUTIES FROM THE THINGS THAT WE EXPECT THEM TO BE DOING. AS ATTORNEY AERSON POINTED OUT, THERE ARE A LOT OF REASONS OUR DEPARTMENTS CAN GO
OVERBUDGET AND WE NEED TO CAST A WIDE NET THERE. YES MPD GO OVER BUDGET FROM TIME TO TIME. A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND AS WE HEARD EARLIER, THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE WAS OVER BUDGET IN THE PAST DUE TO A WAGE STUDY AND THEN CURRENTLY DUE TO NEW TECHNOLOGY.
I DO THINK WE CAN CONDUCT OUR OVERSIGHT DUTIES WITHOUT REQUIRING CONSTANT REPORTING THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF TIME. AND THIS IS THE FIRST OF A FEW POLICY ITEMS TODAY ON OUR DOCKET, TWO NEW ORDINANCES WE'LL
HEAR AT COH THAT REQUIRE A LOT OF REPORTING BY STAFF. SITTING AT OUR CONVERSATION LAST NIGHT, COUNCILMEMBER CHUGHTAI, AND HEARING ATTORNEY ANDERSON'S EXPLANATION TODAY, AND CHECKING IN WITH A COUPLE OTHER PEOPLE, I DO THINK THAT ONE, THIS WAS A BIG LIFT.
AND I AM EAGER TO MOVE IN THIS DIRECTION AND TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS TODAY. SO THANK YOU. THIS CLEARLY TOOK QUITE A BIT OF WORK ON YOUR END TO PULL TOGETHER. >> THANK YO COUNCIL MEMBER. I'LL RECOGNIZEOUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT SMALL DEPARTMENTS HAVING TO DO THIS REPORTING. DID YOU CONSIDER AT ALL DEPARTMENTS WHO DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO THIS REPORTING? LIKE THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE THAT WENT OVER BUDGET BUT HAS A VALID
REASON AND PROCESS TO AMELIORATE THAT ISSUE? >> I THINK A REASON WHY A DEPARTMENT WOULD GO OVERBUDGET IS JUSTIFIABLE IN SOMEWAY. WHETHER THAT'S ACCEPTABLE TO THIS BODY OR TAXPAYERS IS A DIERENT QUESTION. EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT,
REGARDLESS OF THEIR SIZE, MEETS WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE ON A MONTHLY BASIS TO GO OVER THEIR BUDGET AND TO REVIEW THEIR PRORATED BUDGETS BY MONTH AND BE ABLE TO PROJECT OUT WHEN THERE
WILL BE AN OVERAGE. THIS WORK IS ALRDY HAPPENING, IT'S THAT WE DON'T HAVE A LINE OF SIGHT INTO IT OUTSIDE OF QUARTERLY RORTING, RIGHT. YESTERDAY, WE RECEIVED THE THIRD QUARTER FINANCIAL STATUS REPORT
AND THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE CORRECTLY POINTED OUT THE OVERAGE IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE KNEW WAS GOING TO HAPPEN ALL THE WAY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, BUT NOBODY UP HERE WAS PLANNING FOR SUCH AN OVERAGE AND ITS IMPACT ON THE BIGGER PICTURE.
SO THIS IS ABOUT BRINGING LINE OF SIGHT INTO THAT. AND THEN ALSO, REALLY REITERATING TWO -- TO DEPARTMENTS THAT THEIR ADOPTED BUDGETS ARE NOT SUGGESTIONS. THAT'S FORMAL ACT BY THE BODY
AND IS SOMETHING EVERYONE SHOULD BE WORKING TO STAY WITHIN TARGET OF EVEN WHEN THERE ARE REAL REASONS NOT TO AND WE'LL ACCOMMODATE THAT. BUT THAT NEEDS TO COME WITH A LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY TOO SO THAT WHEN DEPARTMENTS ARE IN THE POSITION WHERE THEY HAVE TO COME
BEFORE US ON A MONTHLY BASIS TO REVIEW THEIR BUDGETS, THAT THERE IS ALWAYS LIKE A HIGH BAR FOR WHAT IS A JUSTIFIABLE REASON FOR GOING OVER BUDGET. SO WE'RE TRYING TO MANAGE SO WE HAVE A LINE OF SIGHT INTO THIS,
RIGHT, WE JUST RECEIVED AGAIN THIRD QUARTER FINANCIAL STATUS REPORT YESTERDAY. WE'RE NEAR THE END OF THE FOURTH QUARTER. SO A BUNCH OF TIME PASSES BETWEEN THESE THINGS AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE STAYING ON TOP OF POTENTIAL FINANCIAL
ISSUES LIKE THE SCALE OF MPD OVERSPENDING. >> I HAVE A COUPLE O OTHER QUESTIONS FOR YOU TOO. DOES THIS WORK RETRO ACTIVELY OR IS THIS ONLY MOVING FORWARD? THE REASON I ASK IS IN THE LAST BUDGET WE MOVED MONEY TO FUND A
CRIME PREVENTION SPECIALIST IN THE 5th PRECINCT. OFFICE OF COMMUNITY SAFETY DECIDED WE DON'T WANT TO END THE MOUNTED PATROL PROGRAM AND WE DON'T WANT TO HIRE A CRIME PREVENTION SPECIALIST AND DIDN'T DO IT. THAT'S SOMETHING I BELIEVE WAS INCREDIBLY WRONG. AND I'M WONDERING HOW THIS RESOLUTION ADDRESSES THAT?
>> EXCELLENT QUESTION, I'M GOING TO GO TO THE CITY ATTORNEY. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THIS IS PROSPECTIVE. THAT MEANS IT'S NOT RETROACTIVE IT DOESN'T LOOK BACK AT EARMARKS FOR THE 2025 BUDGET, IT WILL BE
EARMARKS GOING FORWARD WITH THE 2026 BUDGET. >> IT WILL START WITH THE 2026 BUDGET? AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY WAY TO ADJUST FOR THAT? >> IT'S A BIG PART OF WHY WE PUT THIS IN PLACE BECAUSE OF THE EXACT ISSUES THAT YOU HAVE OUTLINED HERE AND HAVE BROUGHT UP OVER THE COURSE OF MARK UP AND OVER THE COURSE OF THIS YEAR.
>> YEAH, AND I WILL KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT BECAUSE I THINK IT WASN'T RIGHT AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO KEEP CONSIDERING AS THEY WORK WITH TH DEPARTMENT IN PARTICULAR MOVING FORWARD. >> EXCELLENT, THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT PAYNE.
>> I'LL KEEP MY REMARKS REALLY BRIEF. I JUST WANTED TO SAY I APPRECIATE THIS COMING FORWARD. I THINK THIS IS A REALLY PRAGMATIC FORWARD-LOOKING POLICY. I THINK THIS IS ALSO AN OUTGROWTH OF GOVERNMENT
STRUCTURE AND HOW WE AS THE COUNCIL AND THE ADMINISTRATION WO TOGETHER AND COMMUNICATE WITH ONE ANOTHER WITH THE CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE SEEN AS LIKE ONE OF THE BARRIERS TO
SUCCESS IN OUR ORGANIZATION IS THESE HUGE GAPS IN COMMUNICATION AND BEING ON THE SAME PAGE. AND AS IT COMES TO OUR BUDGETARY CONTROLS AND THE AMENDMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE AND WHERE THEY END UP THROUGHOUT A CALENDAR YEAR,
THAT'S BEEN A HUGE HOLE THAT HAS ONE, LED TO FRUSTRATION, BUT TWO, LIKE BRASS TACKS IMPACTS OUR ABILITY TO BUDGET IN A WAY THAT'S MORE COLLORATIVE. AND I THINK REPORTING IS A GOOD THING AND WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO NEED MORE IN DIFFERENT PARTS
OF THE ORGANIZATION AS WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE ADDRESS COMMUNICATION GAPS TO DO OUR JOBS AND ULTIMATELY DO THE WORK OF SUPPORTING THE CONSTITUENTS OF MINNEAPOLIS. SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS. >> THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT PAYNE. >> THANK YOU, VICE PRESIDENT CHUGHTAI. I'LL ECHO SOME OF THE SENTIMENT
THAT COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY IS SHARING AROUND JUST FORMALIZING BETTER COMMUNICATION. I THINK ONE OF THE BIG THEMES OF THIS TERM THAT I'VE HAD WITH THE ADMINISTRATION IS THAT WE CAN WORK INFORMALLY OR WE CAN WORK FORMALLY. WE CAN LOOK AT THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE'VE BUILT OR WE CAN LOOK AT THE CHARTER.
AND I THINK THAT AS WE HAVE EVOLVED INTO THIS NEW GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE, INCREASINGLY WE ARE ESTABLISHING A NEED FOR INCREASING LEVELS OF FORMALITY BECAUSE THERE ARE SUCH BREAK DOWNSN INFORMAL COMMUNICATION.
I THINK IT'S SHOCKINGLY TIMELY THAT THIS IS BEING BROUGHT FORWARD. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WAS ASKED, I THINK CNCILMEMBER CASHMAN ASKED THIS OF OUR SAFETY COMMISSIONER OF WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO PREVENT THESE TYPES OF OVERAGES? AND IN DECEMBER AS WE'RE
FINALIZING THE BUDGET, THEY'RE SAYING THEY'RE GOING TO START A CONVERSATION AROUND MORE OVERSIGHT. THAT WAS AS SHOCKING TO ME AS THE ACTUAL DOLLAR FIGURE OF THE OVER BUDGET. THEY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THESE PROBLEMS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS STARTED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
SO IT'S NOT GOING EVEN JUST A BREAK DOWN IN COMMUNICATION BETWEEN T LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE SIDES OF OUR GOVERNMENT. IT WAS A BREAK DOWNF THE COMMUNICATION WITHIN ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENTS, RIGHT? AND SO I THINK THAT THIS LEVEL OF OVERSIGHT AND MORE IMPORTANTLY TRANSPARENCY IS
WHAT'S GOING TO ENABLE US TO HAVE MUCH MORE INFORMED BETTER GOVERNANCE CONVERSATIONS. SO THIS IS JUST A WIN ALL AROUND.THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. AND FINALLY, I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY. >> THANK U, CVP CHUGHTAI. JUST WANTED TO ALSO SHARE A FEW
COMMENTS AS A CO-AUTHOR AND MY INTENTIONS FOR ALSO BEING PART OF THIS WORK. IT'SCTUALLY IN LINE WITH SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN MENTIONED OF ACTUALLY EXPERIENCING NOW MULTIPLE BUDGET CYCLES WHERE THIS COUNCIL HAS MADE APPROPRIATIONS AND WE DO NOT SEE THE MAYOR THEN IMPLEMENT OR EXECUTE THEM.
WE'RE EVEN SEEING THAT PLAY OUT IN THIS EXISTING BUDGET WHERE WE KNOW COUNCIL MADE APPROPRIATIONS FOR 2025 FOR EMERGENCY HOUSING VOUCHERS TO GET 150 UNSHELTERED PEOPLE INTO PERMANENT HOUSI WITH WRAP AROUND SERVICES AND THAT WORK DID NOT GET EXECUTED
THIS BUDGET CYCLE AND NOW WE'RE HAVING TO DO THE RESTORATION OF THAT ALONG WITH OTHER, LIKE CILIAN INVESTIGATORS, RIGHT NOW. AND AS YOU MENTIONED CRIME PREVENTION SPECIALISTS, SAFETY AMBASSADORS, THERE'S NUMEROUS EXAMPLES TO POINT TO OF THIS COUNCIL FULFILLING OUR AUTHORITY BASED OFF OF THE APPROPRIATIONS
OF WHAT WE HEAR FROM OUR RESIDENTS AS TOP PRIORITIES AND THEN NOT OFTEN SEEING THE ADMINISTRAON BE A WILLING PARTNER TO DO THEIR PART OF EXECUTING REGARDLESS OF HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THEM ORNOT. SO I WILL NAME THAT WAS MY INTENT AND ALSO NOT WANTING TO
BE IN ANOTHER CYCLE NEXT YEAR OF ASKING AND DOING LEGISLATIVE DIRECTIVES AND TRYING TO FOLLOW UP OR QUOTE UNQUOTE MICROMANAGING THE ADMINISTRATION ON WHY THEY'RE NOT IMPLEMENTING THE THINGS THAT THIS COUNCIL PASSED. INSTEAD WE WANT TO SEE IT
ADVANCE AND BE EXECUTED AND THAT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. AND THE TECHNICAL TERM THAT WE LEARNED THROUGH THIS PROCESS FOR THAT IS CALLED EMPOWERMENT. WHEN THE EXECUTIVE DOES THAT, WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEING CONGRESS NOW USE EMPOWMENT ACTIONS
BECAUSE THIS IS PLAYING OUT BY PRESIDENT TRUMP IN MANY WAYS IN NOT EXECUTING EXECUTIVE EARMARKS AND OTHER FUNDING APPROPRIATIONS BEING MADE BECAUSE OUR EXECUTIVES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL ALSO DON'T LIKE THEM. SO WE DON'T WANT TO GET TO THAT LEVEL AT THE MUNICIPAL SIDE OF
THINGS SO THIS IS ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH WE COULD SAY LET'S FIGURE OUT A POLICY SOLUTION TO MAKE SURE THERE'S GREATER TRANSPARENCY AND OVERSIGHT OVER THE ADMINISTRATION AS IT PERTAINS TO COUNCIL'S BUDGET AMENDMENTS BECAUSE APPARENTLY THAT IS WHE WE HAVE THE GREATEST ISSUE TO SEEING WORK BE
IMPLEMENTED AND EXECUTED. I WILL EVEN NAME THROUGHOUT THIS BUDGET CYCLE, WE'VE SEEN OUR OWN COO COME FORWARD AND NAME MULTIPLE TIMES THIS UNDERLINING WE DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL IMPLEMENT THIS, OR WE DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL IMPLEMENT ONE OF THESE BUDGET
PRIORITIES. IF THIS BODY PASSED IT, IT SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED. IT SHOULD NOT BE USED AS A POLITICAL PAWN OF THINGS. WE'RE SIMPLY TRYING TO DO OUR JOBS, WE WANT THE ADMINISTRATION TO DO THEIRS, AN THIS ESSENTIALLY ACTS AS GUARDRAILS FOR BOTH OF US TO BASICALLY DO THE WORK THAT TAXPAYERS AND
CONSTITUENTS SENT US TO DO. SO I'M REALLY EXCITED WE WERE ABLE TO GET TO THIS PLACE TO BRING THIS POLICY FORWARD. I WILL NOTE I'LL BE BRINGING A REVISION AS WELL TONIGHT THAT ADDRESSES SOMETHING ELSE THAT HAS COME FORWARD IN THIS PROCESS AROUND GREATER MONITORING AROUND OUR LEGAL SETTLEMENT DOLLARS AND
I THINK WE CONSTANTLY HEAR THAT BE USED AS A REASON FOR DOLLARS GOING OUT THE DOOR, BUT NO ACCOUNTING FOR WHAT IS IT FOR, IT'S JUST OH IT'S THE LEGAL SETTLEMENT. AND IT'S NEXT THING YOU KNOW, WE'RE $20 MILLION OVER BUDGET. AND THAT'S NOT ALSO APPROPRIATE.
SO I WANT TO NAME THAT WILL BE COMING TONIGHT. BUT THAT SAID, I'M GRATEFUL FOR MY CO-AUTHORS FOR WORKING TOGETHER, CITY STAFF TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN BRING THIS POLICY FORWARD TODAY. >> WONDERFUL. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY. JUST TO CLARIFY, ARE YOU BRINGING AN AMENDMENT TO NUMBER
38? >> THAT'S CORRECT. >> OKAY. SO HERE'S MY SUGGESTION THEN, LET'S HOLD THIS SO THA WE CAN JUST GET IT AMENDED. WE DON'T HAVE TO DO AN ADDITIONAL MOTION TO RECONSIDER. AND WE'LL PICK UP RIGHT HERE. AND I'M NOT SEEING ANY FURTHER
DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM. SO LAYING THIS OVER UNTIL THIS EVENING AND HERE'S WHAT I WANT TO DO IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE MOVING FORWARD NOW. SO WE'VE GOT NUMBER 38 WHICH IS GOING TO HAVE AN AMENDMENT.
WE HAVE A NEW NUMBER 39 BASED ON SOMETHING THAT CAME UP IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE A NEW NUMBER 40 OFFERED BY COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. WE HAVE A REVISION TO NUMBER 11
AND NUMBER 12 THAT WAS PASSED OUT. AND THAT'S JUST ACCOMMODATING AN ADDITIONAL CHANGE THAT WAS FLAGGED BY THE ADMINISTRATION. AND THEN FINALLY, I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL REVISIONS TO AMENDMENTS THAT
AUTHORS HAVE MADE ME AWARE OF. SO THAT'S A TOTAL OF 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE UP. I WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE SOME TIME BECAUSE I KNOW COH IS GOING TO RUN REALLY LONG TODAY AND IT'S VERY POSSIBLE WE RUN RIGHT FROM COH TOHE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO I WANT TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING. WE'RE GOING TO OBVIOUSLY MAKE A MOTION TO PASS EVERYTHING OVER TO COUNCIL FOR THIS EVENING AND AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING CONCLUDES IN OUR COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT WE'LL TAKE UP THE REMAINING ITEMS IN THE ORDER I'VE OUTLINED.
SO WITH THAT, MR. CLERK, I MAKE A MOTION TO SEND EVERYTHING UP THE COUNCIL, CORRECT? SO I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION AND ASK FOR A SECOND. >> SECOND. >> WONDERFUL. AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
[CHORUS OF AYES] THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY? ANY ABSTENTIONS? THE AYES HAVE IT. THAT MOTION CARRIES. I WILL SEE YOU ALL TONIGHT. AND SEEING NO OBJECTIONS, WE STAND ADJOURNED. PLEASE YES, BRING YOUR BINDERS.
OH THAT'S RIGHT, THEY CAN STAY.