Minneapolis City Council Budget Committee Meeting Summary

Meeting Information

• Date: October 17, 2023
• Title: Budget Committee Meeting
• Present: Elliot Payne (President), Aisha Chughtai (Vice President), Michael Rainville, LaTrisha Vetaw, Jeremiah Ellison, Katie Cashman, Andrea Jenkins, Emily Koski, Linea Palmisano
• Absent: None explicitly noted
• Guests:
  • Fire Chief Brian Tyler
  • Neighborhood Safety Director Luanna Nelson-Brown
• Votes: 0 (No formal votes taken during this session)

Highlights

• Fire Department 2024-2025 budget presentation highlighting staffing challenges and response time issues
• Fire Department request for $1.67M to maintain 15 firefighter positions currently funded by SAFER grant
• Discussion of potential Fire Station 10 relocation to current First Precinct building
• Neighborhood Safety Department budget presentation and departmental restructuring
• Discussion of potential relocation of Behavioral Crisis Response (BCR) program to Fire Department
• Review of violence prevention initiatives and changes to contract management processes

Discussion

Fire Department Staffing and Response Times

Chief Tyler presented data showing declining response times, with only 62% of calls meeting the 5-minute response standard in 2023, down from 74% in 2018-2019. The department requested $1.67M in ongoing funding to maintain 15 firefighter positions currently funded by a SAFER grant expiring in 2026. Chief Tyler indicated the department needs to reach 479 sworn personnel (currently at 434) to meet proper staffing levels.

Chief Tyler: “While our demand for services have increased, our capacity to deliver those services have not… Right now my goal is to get to 479.”

Neighborhood Safety Department Restructuring

Director Nelson-Brown presented the department’s reorganization, including hiring a new deputy director and establishing three associate director positions. The department is nearly fully staffed after significant vacancies, with only 4 positions remaining to be filled. Discussion focused on improving contract management processes and establishing standardized procedures for vendor payments.

BCR Program Potential Relocation

A significant discussion emerged around potentially moving the Behavioral Crisis Response program from Neighborhood Safety to the Fire Department. Several council members, particularly Council Member Ellison, expressed surprise but support for this consideration.

Council Member Ellison: “This is probably the first – this is the first 911 integrated service that we’ve put in the 911 and I don’t know how long, right? And 911 is three services and now it’s four in the City of Minneapolis. That is a huge deal. I don’t think we can afford to treat this contract like a normal contract.”

Public Comments

No public comments were recorded during this session.