Meeting Information

• Date: September 17, 2024
• Title: Committee of the Whole Meeting
• Present: Elliot Payne, Robin Wonsley, Michael Rainville, LaTrisha Vetaw, Jeremiah Ellison, Jamal Osman, Katie Cashman, Andrea Jenkins, Jason Chavez, Aisha Chughtai, Emily Koski, Aurin Chowdhury, Linea Palmisano
• Absent: None (Ellison arrived late)
• Guests: None mentioned
• Votes: 1

Highlights

• Contract amendment with Storm Training Group LLC for police training
• Budget amendments for violence reduction and housing rehabilitation
• Concept layouts approved for several infrastructure projects
• Resolution on priorities for MnDOT’s Rethinking I-94 project
• Ordinance amendment mandating reporting on encampment removals

Discussion

Contract amendment with Storm Training Group LLC

President Payne presented a contract amendment with Storm Training Group LLC for services related to training police department academy recruits in use of force and de-escalation techniques. This amendment is in accordance with implementing the court-enforceable settlement agreement. There were no questions or discussion from council members, and the item was approved unanimously.

Vote: Passed unanimously

Budget amendments for violence reduction and housing rehabilitation

Vice President Chughtai presented two budget items:

1. A resolution amending the 2024 General Appropriation Resolution to designate funds within the Neighborhood Safety Department’s budget for reducing violence in specific areas of the Lake Street Cultural District.

2. A resolution transferring $1.5 million from the contingency account to the Community Planning and Economic Development Department for a grant to Agate Housing Services. This grant is intended for the rehabilitation of Agate’s board and lodge transitional housing and shelter facility at 510 South 8th Street.

These items were presented without further discussion or questions from council members.

Concept layouts for infrastructure projects

Council Member Cashman presented several concept layouts for approval:

1. 10th Avenue South Bridge project over Midtown Greenway
2. 26th Street East and Hiawatha Avenue safety improvement project
3. Hennepin County Cedar Avenue reconstruction project
4. Hennepin County’s Lowry Avenue Northeast reconstruction project

These layouts were presented without specific discussion on each project.

Resolution on priorities for MnDOT’s Rethinking I-94 project

Council Member Cashman announced an upcoming amendment to the resolution expressing the city’s priorities for the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Rethinking I-94 project. The amendment will add the words “public transit” to emphasize the city’s support for studying options that repurpose the I-94 trench for high-speed public transit connections between downtown Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul, as well as the broader region.

Ordinance amendment on encampment removal reporting

Council Member Wonsley presented a passage of an ordinance to amend the Housing Code, mandating regular reporting relating to encampment removals. No further details or discussion were provided in the transcript.

Public Comments

There were no public comments mentioned in the transcript for this meeting.