Committee of the Whole Meeting Summary

Meeting Information

• Date: November 13, 2023
• Title: Committee of the Whole Meeting
• Present: 11 members (exact count given but individual names not specified in transcript)
• Absent: Not specified
• Guests:
  • Casey Karl (City Clerk)
  • Eric Hansen (CPED Director)
  • Margaret Anderson Kelliher (Director)
• Votes: 0 (discussion only)

Highlights

• Update on George Floyd Square community engagement and street reconstruction project
• Status of the People’s Way development
• Presentation of Second Council Tracking Report showing legislative progress
• Discussion of pedestrian plaza options and transit considerations
• $5.5 million budget allocation for George Floyd Square area development

Discussion

George Floyd Square Reconstruction Project

The committee discussed various options for the street reconstruction at George Floyd Square, including pedestrian-only, pedestrian-transit only, and flexible open street options. Director Anderson Kelliher explained that while there was initial interest in a pedestrian plaza, business access requirements and community feedback led to considering more flexible options. The project has involved 25,000 community interactions and engagement with 15 local businesses.

Council Member Cashman expressed concern about the terminology: “There’s, like, a little bit of a cognitive dissonance I’m seeing the open street option with the cars when we have all these open streets and the definition of ‘open’ is pedestrian only.”

The discussion revealed that the last reconstruction of this area was in 1958/1959, making this project significantly overdue.

The People’s Way Development

Director Eric Hansen explained the guardrails in place to ensure community-led development of the People’s Way. Key requirements include:

• The community partner must be a nonprofit
• Using a Request for Qualifications rather than Request for Proposals to maintain community input
• Partnership approach with staff, elected officials, and community in decision-making

Council Tracking Report

City Clerk Casey Karl presented a comprehensive report showing:

• 48 ordinances introduced in first seven months of 2023
• 70% of legislative proposals actively being developed
• Strong collaboration between Council and Administration
• 1,170 total Council actions taken in 2023
• Quarterly reporting structure established for future tracking

Karl emphasized: “There is a false narrative that the City is not working… The data shown in these reports proves otherwise.”

Public Comments

No public comments were recorded in this transcript.