This transcription identifies speakers based on self-identification, introductions by the Council President, and the provided list of city officials. [1:12] **Andrea Jenkins:** GOOD EVENING MY NAME IS ANDREA JENKINS I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE MINNEAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL AND I WILL CALL TO ORDER THIS ADJOURNED MEETING FOR OCTOBER 25TH AND ASK THE CLERK TO PLEASE CALL THE ROLL TO VERIFY THE PRESENCE OF A QUORUM. [1:59] **Casey Carl (City Clerk):** [ROLL CALL.] THERE ARE 11 MEMBERS PRESENT. **Andrea Jenkins:** LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT WE DO HAVE A QUORUM. COLLEAGUES, TODAY'S AGENDA IS BUT WAS -- IS BEFORE US. I WOULD ACCEPT A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. [2:15] **Council Member:** SO MOVED. **Council Member:** SECOND. **Andrea Jenkins:** IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES? SEEING NONE, THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. [2:42] **Casey Carl (City Clerk):** [ROLL CALL.] THERE ARE 12 AYES. **Andrea Jenkins:** THAT CARRIES AND THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED. WE HAVE ONE AGENDA ITEM TONIGHT WHICH IS TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDED 2024 CITY BUDGET FOR THE PROPOSALS FOR THE CITY'S OPERATIONS FOR 2024 TOTALLY TOTALING 1.8 BILLION DOLLARS WITH AN INCREASE TO THE CITY'S PROPERTY TAX LEVY OF ABOUT 6.2%. A COPY OF THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET IS POSTED TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE WHICH IS AVAILABLE AT MINNEAPOLISMN.GOV/BUDGET. [3:37] **Andrea Jenkins:** I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT MAYOR FREY IS JOINING US TONIGHT. THE COUNCIL UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF COUNCIL MEMBER KOSKI, HAS CONDUCTED A SERIES OF HEARINGS TO EXAMINE EACH OF THE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET REQUESTS. ALL OF THOSE MEETINGS WERE BROADCAST ON PUBLIC ACCESS TELEVISION AND FROM THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND ON DEMAND ACCESS TO THOSE BROADCASTS WHICH ARE STILL AVAILABLE FROM THE CITY'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL. [4:04] **Andrea Jenkins:** TONIGHT'S PUBLIC HEARING IS THE FIRST OF THREE HEARINGS THE CITY WILL CONDUCT ON THE PROPOSED 2024 BUDGET. THE BUDGET COMMITTEE WILL CONDUCT A SECOND PUBLIC HEARING ON NOVEMBER 1st 10:00 AM WHICH WILL BE THE STATUTORY TRUTH IN TAXATION HEARING AND THAT'S SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 5TH ALSO AT 6:05 PM, AND SO NOW BEFORE WE OPEN THE FLOOR TO PUBLIC COMMENTS, I WILL RECOGNIZE OUR INTERIM BUDGET MANAGER WHO WILL PROVIDE A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET. GOOD EVENING. [4:49] **Interim Budget Manager:** GOOD EVENING COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COUNCIL MEMBERS, MAYOR FREY, I'M HAPPY TO BE WITH YOU TONIGHT. I'LL JUST GIVE A VERY BRIEF GROUNDING TO THE BUDGET INFORMATION BEFORE WE GET STARTED TONIGHT. OUR AGENDA IS VERY QUICK SO I'LL ORIENT US TO THE BUDGET PROCESS WHICH YOU'VE ALREADY LARGELY DONE AND GIVE INFORMATION ON THE CITY'S SPENDING AND REVENUE PICTURE FOR 2024. [5:17] **Interim Budget Manager:** SO THE BUDGET AND BUDGET DOCUMENTS THAT WE PRODUCE ARE FOR THE BENEFIT BOTH OF THE RESIDENTS AS WELL AS POLICYMAKERS. THE BUDGET DOCUMENTS THAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE DESCRIBE THE SERVICES AND OUTCOMES FOR RESIDENTS, HOW ARE WE DIRECTING FUNDS. [5:33] **Interim Budget Manager:** WHAT ARE THE RESULTS THAT WE CAN EXPECT FROM THOSE INVESTMENTS AND THOSE FOUND IN THE PROGRAM NARRATIVE SECTIONS OF THE BUDGET BOOK. WE ALSO SEEK TO HIGHLIGHT CHANGES IN THAT BUDGET SO ALWAYS ADVANCING TRANSPARENCY AND DECISION-MAKING, WHETHER THAT BE A CHANGE BY THE MAYOR, BY THE COUNCIL. [5:53] **Interim Budget Manager:** WE HAVE A FULSOME BUDGET NARRATIVE DESCRIPTIONS THAT DESCRIBE THE CHANGE, THE IMPACT AND HOW IT WILL IMPACT CITY GOALS AND RESIDENTS. AND WE ALSO HAVE A 5-YEAR FINANCIAL DIRECTION AND BROAD FINANCIAL OUTLOOK THAT EMPHASIZES THE NEED FOR MULTIYEAR PLANNING IN ORDER TO PRODUCE A RESPONSIBLE BUDGET. [6:19] **Interim Budget Manager:** SO WE START THE BUDGET PROCESS IN JANUARY WITH THE CURRENT SERVICE LEVEL AS YOU ALL KNOW THAT'S THE PEOPLE AND THE PROGRAMS THAT THE COUNCIL APPROVED IN THE PRIOR YEAR. WE PUSHED THOSE FORWARD AND PRICED THEM ACCORDINGLY. DEPARTMENTS THEN GET A FEW MONTHS TO PRIORITIZE THOSE EXISTING FUNDS AND THINK ABOUT ANY NEEDED CHANGES TO THEIR BUDGET. [6:37] **Interim Budget Manager:** THE SUMMER THEY PRESENT TO THE MAYOR ON ANY CHANGES THEY'RE PROPOSING AND THEN THE MAYOR GETS A FEW MONTHS TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS BROADLY ABOUT THE BUDGET AND ABOUT ANY NEW INVESTMENTS. ON AUGUST 15TH, WE HAVE THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET PRESENTED AND THEN IN SEPTEMBER THE BOARD INVESTMENT FROM TAXATION SETS THAT MAXIMUM LEVY SO FROM THAT POINT FORWARD THE COUNCIL CAN LOWER THE LEVY OR KEEP IT THE SAME BUT CANNOT EXCEED WHAT THE BET APPROVED. [7:06] **Interim Budget Manager:** SO AS THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT SAID WE JUST CONCLUDED TWO MONTHS OF PRESENTATIONS FROM EACH DEPARTMENT ON THEIR BASE BUDGETS AND ANY RECOMMENDED CHANGES AND NOW WORRY BEGINNING THE PUBLIC HEARING PHASE OF THE PUBLIC PROCESS. SOON COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL BE DELIBERATING AND PREPARING AMENDMENTS THROUGHOUT OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER. [7:24] **Interim Budget Manager:** AND THEN WE HAVE BUDGET ADOPTION AS WELL AS THAT FINAL PUBLIC HEARING AS WELL ON THE 5TH. SO VERY BRIEFLY, CITY SPENDING -- THIS IS A 1.8 BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET FOR 2024, WHICH REPRESENTS ABOUT A 60 MILLION DOLLAR INCREASE FROM THE '23 ADOPTED BUDGET. [7:43] **Interim Budget Manager:** AS YOU CAN SEE THERE'S GROWTH FROM THE PRIOR YEARS. THIS LEVEL OF SPENDING IS ACCOMPLISHED WITH A 6.2% LEVY INCREASE WHICH WAS PLANNED FOR IN THAT ADOPTED BIENNIAL BUDGET THAT YOU ALL CONSIDERED IN DECEMBER OF 2022. [7:59] **Interim Budget Manager:** THE SPENDING INCLUDES THOSE CURRENT SERVICE-LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS AS WELL AS NEW INVESTMENTS. SO DEPARTMENTS WHEN THEY'RE SEEKING NEW FUNDING ARE ASKED TO ADDRESS HOW THAT FUNDING ALIGNS WITH CITY PRIORITIES, WHAT IT DOES REGARDING RACIAL EQUITY IMPACTS AND ANY ANTICIPATED RESULTS. [8:17] **Interim Budget Manager:** IN OUR BUDGET DOCUMENTS WE BREAK THESE DOWN BY PRIORITY AREA AND THE PIE CHART ON THIS SLIDE DEMONSTRATES THAT. I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET IN THE BUDGET BOOK FOR MORE DETAIL THERE. SO OVERALL WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT $48.4 MILLION IN NEW INVESTMENTS IN THE '24 BUDGET. [8:36] **Interim Budget Manager:** REVENUE IS 1.8 BILLION DOLLARS. THAT IS LARGELY NEW DOLLARS FLOWING INTO THE CITY AS WELL AS SOME USES OF ACCUMULATED FUND BALANCE. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM HERE THE CHARGES FOR SERVICES AND SALES IN TAXES ARE THE TWO BIGGEST COMPONENTS OF OUR REVENUE PICTURE. [8:54] **Interim Budget Manager:** AND WE'RE ALSO ACCOUNTING FOR NEW REVENUE FROM THE STATE. WE HAD INCREASED LGA REFLECTED IN THIS BUDGET AS WELL AS IN THE METRO AREA SALES TAX THAT SUPPORTS METRO AREA HOUSING -- THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY IS THAT 6.2% WHICH IS IN LINE WITH THE BIENNIAL BUDGET PLAN SO THAT RAISES ABOUT $27.7 MILLION FOR THE CITY IN 2024. [9:21] **Interim Budget Manager:** PROPERTY TAXES ARE A COMPLICATED CALCULATION AND OUR ASSESSING DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO WORK ON THAT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR BUT WE'RE ESTIMATING THAT IT WILL RESULT IN ABOUT 150 TO $160 INCREASE FOR THE MEDIAN SINGLE FAMILY HOME IN THE CITY. [9:37] **Interim Budget Manager:** AND WE WENT DO ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO CHECK OUT THE LEVY TAX ESTIMATOR THAT THE ASSESSOR PUTS OUT. IT IS AN ESTIMATE BUT THIS IS JUST A SAMPLE OF WHAT YOU CAN SEE IF YOU WANT TO GET IN MORE DETAIL ON THE IMPACT ON RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL -- IF YOU WANT TAKE A LOOK AT THE IMPACT BY WARD, THAT'S AVAILABLE AS WELL. [9:54] **Interim Budget Manager:** AND SO WITH THAT, I WILL CONCLUDE. **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU. MY MICROPHONE WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. [10:12] **Andrea Jenkins:** SO BEFORE I RECOGNIZE THE FIRST SPEAKER FOR OUR PUBLIC HEARING, I WANT TO REVIEW A FEW PROCEDURAL MATTERS. IF YOU HAVE WRITTEN COMMENTS OR MATERIALS TO SUBMIT, PLEASE GIVE THOSE TO THE CLERKS AT THE REGISTRATION TABLE. [10:27] **Andrea Jenkins:** WE ALSO HAVE PRINTED COMMENT FORMS AVAILABLE AT THE REGISTRATION TABLE. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SUBMIT A COMMENT ON THIS PROPOSAL, AND HAVE THAT CONCLUDED IN THE PUBLIC RECORD OF THIS MATTER. I WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SUBMITTING YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE BUDGET IN OTHER WAYS. [10:45] **Andrea Jenkins:** THE EASIEST WAYS TO SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS AND TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE INCLUDED IN THE PUBLIC RECORD IS TO SEND THOSE FROM THE CITY'S WEBSITE -- I'M SORRY. [11:00] **Andrea Jenkins:** -- TO SEND THOSE TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE AT MINNEAPOLISMN.GOV/PUBLICCOMMENT. I'LL REPEAT THAT: MINNEAPOLISMN.GOV/PUBLICCOMMENT. ALL SUBMITTED COMMENT WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE PUBLIC RECORD RELATED TO THE 2024 BUDGET WHICH IS ACCESSIBLE VIA THE CITY'S LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM OR LIMS IN FILE NO. 2023/00739. [11:40] **Andrea Jenkins:** WE WILL BE TAKING SPEAKERS IN THE ORDER THAT THEY HAVE REGISTERED. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TESTIFY, I INVITE YOU TO REGISTER YOUR NAME WITH THE CLERKS AT THE TABLE AND HALLWAY OUTSIDE OF THIS CHAMBER. [11:55] **Andrea Jenkins:** EVERY SPEAKER SHOULD HAVE AN ASSIGNED NUMBER. WE WILL BE CALLING SPEAKERS BY NUMBER. BECAUSE WE ARE LIMITED ON AVAILABLE SEATING IN THIS ROOM, THERE IS AN OVERFLOW ROOM ACROSS THE HALL, ROOM 319, WHERE THE PUBLIC CAN MONITOR THIS MEETING. [12:13] **Andrea Jenkins:** EACH REGISTERED SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN TWO MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL. WE HAVE A TIMER AVAILABLE TO HELP SPEAKERS MONITOR THE USE OF THEIR TIME. WE ASK THAT YOU WRAP UP YOUR COMMENTS WHEN YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED SO THAT WE CAN ACCOMMODATE ALL OF THE SPEAKERS TODAY. [12:30] **Andrea Jenkins:** WE ALSO ASK THAT EVERYONE BE RESPECTFUL OF ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS AND OF ALL OPINIONS AUTHORED. WE HAVE ARRANGED FOR INTERPRETATION FOR THOSE WHO MAY NEED ASSISTANCE TO PARTICIPATE IN TONIGHT'S HEARING. [12:46] **Andrea Jenkins:** IF YOU REQUIRE ASSISTANCE, PLEASE LET US KNOW. WE HAVE INTERPRETERS FOR THOSE WHO SPEAK SPANISH, SOMALI, HMONG AND I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE 42 REGISTERED TO SPEAK TONIGHT AND, AGAIN, BEFORE I OPEN THE FLOOR, I INVITE ANYONE WHO ALREADY HASN'T REGISTERED AND WISHES TO SPEAK TO REGISTER WITH THE CLERKS AT THE TABLE IN THE HALLWAY OUTSIDE OF THIS CHAMBER. [13:16] **Andrea Jenkins:** WE ALSO ASK THAT EACH SPEAKER SELF-IDENTIFY FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS. THE FIRST REGISTERED TO SPEAK IS GREG BOSCH. [13:38] **Andrea Jenkins:** I'M SORRY. WHAT WAS THAT? BOSCH? **Greg Bosch:** YES. **Andrea Jenkins:** ALL RIGHT. PATRICE COALISH, SCOTT YARR, DAN TURNER AND DAVID McKNIGHT. [13:55] **Greg Bosch:** NOTHING LIKE BEING FIRST. WELCOME PRESIDENT, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR. MY NAME IS GREGORY BOSCH AND I WORK SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING. IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU GUYS. I MET A COUPLE OF YOU GUYS HERE AND MR. NORTHEAST I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND I INVITE YOU TO VISIT US AND THEY ACTUALLY GAVE OFFERS -- THEY SAID HEY, WE'LL GO OUT AND RIDE A TRUCK WITH YOU GUYS. [14:21] **Greg Bosch:** I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO RIDE WITH US. JUST SO YOU KNOW WHAT WE GO THROUGH. I JUST WANT TO SAY HOW TOUGH OUR JOB IS AND WHAT WE GO THROUGH. NOT ONLY THE BIOHAZARDS, THE 30 BELOW WEATHER, SLUSHY MESS—THE MAILMAN HAS NOTHING ON US. [14:43] **Greg Bosch:** WE'RE FALLING BEHIND AS FAR AS PAY—OUR PAY RAISE 1.5%, 2.5% AND THE COST OF LIVING 6%. A LOT OF THESE GUYS WORK TWO JOBS JUST TO MAKE ENDS MEET, OKAY? AND WE'VE HIRED PRIVATE CONTRACTORS TO COME HELP US BECAUSE WE ARE SHORT BODIES. [15:01] **Greg Bosch:** WELL, THE PRIVATE CONTRACTORS THAT COME HELP US MAKE $10 MORE AN HOUR THAN WE DO AND THEY'RE DOING THE EXACT SAME JOB THAT WE DO AND WE DON'T FEEL THAT'S FAIR, OKAY? AND IT'S A REWARDING/UNREWARDING JOB SOMETIMES AND LIKE I SAY YOU CAN TELL BY THE WAY I WALKED UP HERE, HOW I WALK—ALL THE YOUNG GUYS CALL IT THE GARBAGE MAN WALK—THAT'S HAVING TWO KNEES REPLACED FOR HAULING GARBAGE FOR 20-SOME YEARS BUT THE BEST PART IS WHEN ONE OF THE RESIDENTS SAYS "OH, YOU WORK SOLID WASTES AND RECYCLING," AND SHE SAID THANK YOU. WE HEAR THAT EVERY DAY AND THAT'S THE BEST PART OF THE JOB BUT WE JUST NEED TO CATCH UP. WHEN I FIRST STARTED THEY WERE LINED UP AROUND THE CORNER FOR THIS JOB AND THEY AREN'T ANYMORE AND WE NEED TO CATCH UP WITH THE EVERYONE. WITH THAT I CLOSE AND WITH THAT I THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [15:53] **Andrea Jenkins:** AND JUST -- CAN WE JUST ASK -- STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. **Patrice Coalish:** GOOD EVENING MY NAME IS PATRICE COALISH AND I'VE LIVED IN THE SEWARD NEIGHBORHOOD FOR 4 DECADES. [16:13] **Patrice Coalish:** I'M HERE TODAY TO URGE YOU TO FOCUS ON THE 10 MILLION IN THE PROPOSED 2024 BUDGET FOR THE CLIMATE AND EQUITY PLAN ON A PILOT PROGRAM TO BE CITED IN THE NORTH AND SOUTH GREEN ZONES. THIS PILOT WOULD TAKE SEVERAL CITY BLOCKS AND FULLY REALIZE THE PLAN'S VISION FOR COMPLETELY WEATHERIZED DECARBONIZED ELECTRIFIED HOMES THAT WOULD NOT DEPEND ON FOSSIL FUELS. [16:40] **Patrice Coalish:** THIS WOULD DEMONSTRATE WHAT IS POSSIBLE AND ALSO WHAT IS NEEDED TO GO TO SCALE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS A CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE. TO GO TO SCALE, THE CITY WILL HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SECURING THE GENEROUS FUNDS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT AND IN EXERCISING LEADERSHIP IN COORDINATING AND IMPLEMENTING CLIMATE AND SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS FROM FEDERAL, STATE AND COUNTY SOURCES. [17:13] **Patrice Coalish:** THE CITY WILL ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY NEXT YEAR TO RECOVER FUNDS FROM POLLUTERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CONTRIBUTE TO A ROBUST AND DEDICATED FUNDING STREAM TO MAKE CLIMATE JUSTICE A REALITY. IF THERE IS THE POLITICAL WILL TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, WE CAN HAVE A CITY WHERE EVERYONE LIVES IN A CLIMATE RESILIENT HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOOD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. [17:35] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU SO MUCH. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SCOTT YARR. [17:58] **Scott Yarr:** GOOD EVENING COUNCIL PERSONS AND MAYOR MY NAME IS SCOTT YARR AND I RESIDE AT 223 FRANKLIN IN MINNEAPOLIS. I WAS BORN AT ST. BARNABAS HOSPITAL BEFORE IT WAS CALLED HCMC. I ATTENDED AND GRADUATED FROM SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL. I DROVE A MINNEAPOLIS TAXI CAB IN THE '90S AND DISPATCHED 911 SERVICES FOR THE CITY IN THE 2000S. I WORK IN PUBLIC WORKS SERVICE WATER AND SEWER. [18:21] **Scott Yarr:** I'VE LIVED IN THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY PRETTY MUCH MY ENTIRE LIFE. I AM HERE BEFORE YOU TO SIMPLY SAY ME AND MY UNION BROTHERS AND SISTERS MAY NOT BE POLICE OR FIREFIGHTERS BUT WE SERVE THIS CITY IN MANY CAPACITIES THAT ARE CONSIDERED EMERGENCIES. WE PUT OUR LIVES ON THE LINE IN SOME FORM EVERY DAY. RATHER IT BE IN A TUNNEL 100 FEET BELOW THE SURFACE OF DOWNTOWN OR A CONSTRUCTION DITCH OR THE PERILS OF TRAFFIC IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. LET'S NOT FORGET WE ARE THE ONES WHO COLLECT THE CITY'S TRASH AND OTHER SERVICES I FORGOT TO MENTION. [19:06] **Scott Yarr:** WE HAVE WORKED DURING ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES AND WORKING WITH THE UNFORTUNATE UNHOUSED RESIDENTS OF THIS FAIR CITY. THE THINGS WE ARE ASKED TO DO AND SEE WHEN ASKED TO REMOVE THE PERSONS FROM UNHOUSED COMMUNITIES CAN BE TRAUMATIC TO THE RESIDENTS AND OURSELVES. AND WE DO THIS WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO WORK FROM HOME. WE WILL ALWAYS BE ON THE FRONTLINES OF THE CITY'S NEEDS. THE MESSAGE I WISH TO CONVEY THIS EVENING IS DURING THE COMING CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, MAY THIS ESTEEMED BODY BE FAIR AND JUST. I ASK FOR YOU TO LOOK AT THE DATA OUR UNION WILL PROVIDE TO UNDERSTAND JUST HOW UNDERPAID WE ARE. I UNDERSTAND THIS COUNCIL HAS A LOT OF PEOPLE TO TAKE CARE OF BUT WE ARE ALSO THE FAMILY OF THE CITY. [19:46] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU, MR. YARR. **Scott Yarr:** I LOVE THIS CITY AND HOPE TO CONTINUE TO SERVE IT FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. [20:05] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAN TURNER. [20:05] **Dan Turner:** GOOD EVENING AND MY NAME IS DAN TURNER. I LIVE IN THE SEWARD NEIGHBORHOOD. I'VE LIVED THERE FOR 42 YEARS. A LOT OF NEIGHBORS HERE. THANKS FOR LISTENING TO MY COMMENTS. I'M ADDRESSING THE $10 MILLION IN THE BUDGET TOWARD THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN. [20:27] **Dan Turner:** PASSING THE CLIMATE AND EQUITY PLAN AND DEVOTING $10 MILLION TO A FIRST YEAR OF IMPLEMENTING IT IS A GREAT START SO THANK YOU. WELL DONE. BUT IT'S ONLY A START. MEETING OUR CARBON REDUCTION TARGETS IS GOING TO REQUIRE MUCH, MUCH MORE IN FUNDING AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, IN FOCUSED COMMITMENT. [20:48] **Dan Turner:** IF THE CITY FOLLOWS THROUGH IN A SUSTAINED AND CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS FASHION OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE EVERY MINNEAPOLIS RESIDENT LIVES IN A SAFE, HEALTHY CLIMATE RESILIENT NEIGHBORHOOD. IT WILL NOT BE ENOUGH IF ONLY WEALTHIER MORE CONNECTED RESIDENTS ARE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CITY'S CARBON REDUCTION EFFORTS. [21:15] **Dan Turner:** THAT'S THE PIECEMEAL BUSINESS AS USUAL APPROACH. AND IT'S BOTH UNJUST AND INADEQUATE TO MEETING THE CLIMATE CRISIS. NEIGHBORHOODS MOST HARMED BY PAST POLLUTION INJUSTICES SHOULD BE GIVEN TOP PRIORITY AND THE PROGRAM SHOULD BE ROLLED OUT BLOCK BY BLOCK. [21:37] **Dan Turner:** GIVEN THE ENORMITY AND COST OF THE CLIMATE THREAT, THE RESPONSE MUST BE ADEQUATE TO THE TASK. THE CITY NEEDS LEADERSHIP TO SECURE FUNDING FROM THE MANY SOURCES NOW AVAILABLE TO MAKE AND SUSTAIN THE COMMITMENT AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY OVER MULTIPLE YEARS TO ADDRESS ADEQUATELY THE THREAT OF AN UNLIVABLE FUTURE. ON THIS ISSUE THE CITY MUST GET OUT OF THE BUSINESS AS USUAL BUSINESS. [21:59] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. TURNER. AND OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID McKNIGHT. [22:21] **David McKnight:** MY NAME IS DAVID McKNIGHT. PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE, I WORK SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING. THE REASON WHY I CAME HERE TO SPEAK TONIGHT -- WE HAVE BEEN OVERWORKED AND UNDERPAID AND I CAN'T STRESS THAT ENOUGH. OVERWORKED AND UNDERPAID. WE'VE WORKED THROUGH FLOODS, RIOTS AND COVID AND WE WERE ALWAYS ON THE FRONTLINES AND WE HANDLE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE FROM THE UNHOUSED ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS TO JUST ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE THAT IS CONSIDERED TO BE A NUISANCE TO THE CITY. [23:00] **David McKnight:** IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE MAJOR CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES, MINNEAPOLIS RIGHT NOW DOES NOT MEET SOME OF THOSE OTHER SALARIES. WE'VE GONE TIMES IN CONTRACTS WITH NO RAISE WHICH I THINK IS A TRAGEDY. LIKE I SAID, I'M JUST HERE TO LET YOU ALL KNOW IT'S ABOUT TIME THE CITY REALLY ADDRESSES OUR NEEDS. [23:26] **David McKnight:** EVERYBODY THAT I WORK WITH IN OUR DIVISION THEY'RE HERE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE HERE. IT'S NOT A GLAMOROUS JOB. BUT THEY TAKE PRIDE IN THEIR CITY. I'M THE FIRST GENERATION FROM WARD 4 NOW I LIVE IN WARD 7 AND WE HAVE PRIDE. [23:43] **David McKnight:** AND WE WANT TO SEE THE CITY RECOGNIZE THAT PRIDE AND REWARD US FOR THE HARD WORK THAT WE DO. THAT'S REALLY THE BOTTOM LINE TO THIS. I KNOW THE LAST RAISE WE HAD IN THE CONTRACT IT WAS JUST EATEN BY INFLATION. [24:03] **David McKnight:** IT DIDN'T MATTER. IT WAS NOT EVEN A COST OF LIVING INCREASE TO KEEP UP. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO TOUCH ON WAS IN REGARDS TO THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR DIVISION WHO HAVE TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR INCOME, AND AS HARD AS WE WORK A DAYTIME JOB, THEN YOU GOT TO GO WORK A WHOLE OTHER JOB JUST TO MAKE ENDS MEET. [24:25] **Andrea Jenkins:** I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENT. SO OUR NEXT 5 SPEAKERS, 11-15: MITCHELL CLENDENEN, CARET, CAROL BECKER, ANDREA CORBIN AND MONICA SMITH. [24:57] **Mitchell Clendenen:** THANK YOU, GOOD AFTERNOON MY NAME IS MITCHELL AND I LIVE AT 3000 CALIFORNIA STREET NORTHEAST. I AM A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF OUR GREAT CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND I HAVE BEEN A CIVIL SERVANT UNTIL I WAS 18 YEARS OLD. [25:15] **Mitchell Clendenen:** I STARTED AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE BECAUSE WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, MY GRANDPARENTS AND RELATIVES ALWAYS TOLD ME THAT IF YOU WANTED A BIG JOB GO WORK FOR THE CITY. THE CITY TAKES CARE OF THE CITY AND SADLY THAT REALITY HAS BEEN GETTING FURTHER AND FURTHER AWAY EVERY PASSING YEAR. MOST OF US ARE PAYCHECK-TO-PAYCHECK. [25:51] **Mitchell Clendenen:** FACED WITH THIS, MY WIFE AND I HAVE MADE THE DECISION TO DELAY OUR FAMILY BECAUSE OUR COMBINED INCOME BARELY COVERS THE COST OF LIVING IN OUR CITY. I IMPLORE YOU TO BRING BACK THE DAYS TO TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE WHO TAKE CARE OF THE CITY BACK WHEN THE CITY CARED. [26:06] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CARET. [26:29] **Caret:** THANK YOU FOR HEARING MY STATEMENT MY NAME IS CARET I'M A MEMBER OF WARD 8 AND LOCAL 363. I PAY $995 A MONTH FOR A ONE BEDROOM IN SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS FOR RENT. [26:51] **Caret:** THIS IS THE TIME FOR YOU TO TAKE A DEEPLY REFLECTIVE LOOK AT HOW YOU ARE SPENDING OUR TAX MONEY. AS YOU CONSIDER WHERE OUR MONEY GOES, I URGE YOU TO THINK OF THE HOUSEHOLDS THAT RELY ON YOU TO PROVIDE LIVABLE WAGES AS PART OF YOUR BUDGET PLAN. FOR THOSE OF US LIVING PAYCHECK-TO-PAYCHECK AS MITCHELL SAID, THAT'S MOST OF US, THIS REALITY IS A REALITY THAT WE FACE EVERY DAY. [27:20] **Caret:** THIS AFFECTS HOW I PERSONALLY CHOOSE TO SPEND MY TIME. I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT VOLUNTEERING WITHIN MY COMMUNITY, WHICH IS WHY I CHOSE TO BE A CIVIL SERVANT. I'M A RETURNED U.S. PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER FROM SENEGAL. I'M A COCHORE FROM OUR CONTRACT ACTION TEAM. I'M THE INFORMATION OFFICER FOR OUR LOCAL MINNESOTA SOCIETY ARBORE CAL CHAPTER. I INSTRUCT NEW TREE CLIMBERS ON GEAR AND SAFETY AND I ADVISE RESIDENTS ABOUT TREE PLANTING AND TREE CARE. [27:50] **Caret:** HOWEVER, AS INFLATION AND THE COST OF LIVING INCREASES AND MY BUDGET SHRINKS I'M FORCED TO CHOOSE BETWEEN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL ENDEAVORS TO PAY BILLS. NOW, I'M IN A VERY PRIVILEGED POSITION. HOW MANY OF US ARE NOT CHOOSING WHICH ORGANIZATIONS TO VOLUNTEER OUR TIME WITH BY MAKING MUCH MORE DIFFICULT DECISIONS? [28:11] **Caret:** WE ARE THE PEOPLE KEEPING THE CITY RUNNING: WATER TREATMENT, STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, SEWERS, SANITATION, STREETS AND SO MANY MORE. HELP US HELP YOU KEEP THIS CITY RUNNING FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL BY PROVIDING LIVABLE WAGES AND A FAIR CONTRACT, THANK YOU. [28:29] **Andrea Jenkins:** [APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CAROL BECKER. [28:45] **Carol Becker:** HI, I'M CAROL BECKER. I'M FROM WARD 12. AND I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE OPEN STREETS CONTRACT. I HAVE BEEN DOING GOVERNMENT -- I DON'T KNOW MAYBE 40 SOME YEARS NOW, AND I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT HOW IMMORAL AND UNETHICAL IT IS TO ALLOW LOBBYING FIRMS TO GET MONEY FROM THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS TO USE THAT MONEY TO LOBBY THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. [29:10] **Carol Becker:** IN THIS WHOLE TIME, AND I PROBABLY EASILY HANDLED $100 MILLION OF CONTRACTS, I'VE NEVER SEEN WHERE WE ALLOWED A GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR TO USE THE RESOURCES FROM THE GOVERNMENT TO LOBBY THE GOVERNMENT. I THINK OPEN STREETS ARE GREAT. I THINK THEY'RE FUN. I THINK THEY'RE AWESOME. [29:25] **Carol Becker:** I THINK, THOUGH, IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A CONTRACTOR DO THIS WORK THEN YOU SHOULD HIRE A CONTRACTOR WHO ACTUALLY DOES EVENT PLANNING AND EVENT PUTTING-ON AND THEN DOES NOT USE THAT MONEY TO COME BACK AND LOBBY THE CITY. WE'RE NOT CHICAGO. [29:40] **Carol Becker:** WE'RE NOT NEW YORK. WE DON'T DO GRAFT. AND SO IF YOU ARE GOING TO CONSIDER PUTTING MONEY INTO THE BUDGET -- BECAUSE I KNOW -- I JUST CHECKED THIS MORNING THEY SENT YOU 7200 EMAILS USING THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS AND YOU'RE BEING HAMMERED. I'M JUST ASKING, DON'T FALL FOR IT BECAUSE IT'S IMMORAL AND UNETHICAL TO USE OUR TAXPAYER MONEY TO GIVE IT TO A SPECIAL LOBBYING GROUP AND TO HAVE THEM THEN LOBBY YOU. [30:08] **Carol Becker:** UNIONS, GIVE THEM A RAISE, PEOPLE. I'M NOT A UNION PERSON BUT GOVERNMENT HAS NOT GIVEN RAISES NEAR WHERE INFLATION IS. I THANK YOU VERY MUCH. **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU MS. BECKER. OUR NEXT SPEAKER NO. 9 IS ANDREA CORBIN. [30:25] **Andrea Corbin:** THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME. I OWN FLOWER BAR. IT'S A FLOWER SHOP ON LYNDALE AVENUE. AND I REPRESENT 74 BUSINESSES ON LYNDALE. [30:41] **Andrea Corbin:** WE PAY 5.1 MILLION DOLLARS IN PROPERTY TAXES ALONE. MANY OF THE BUSINESSES ARE MINORITY OWNED. WE APPLAUD THE CITY FOR NOT RENEWING THE CONTRACT WITH OUR STREETS MINNEAPOLIS TO HOST OPEN STREETS. PLEASE CONTINUE TO DO THE RIGHT THING, AND NOT TO FUND A LOBBY GROUP WHO TURNS AROUND AND LOBBIES YOU, THE CITY. [31:02] **Andrea Corbin:** THE MAJORITY VOICE IS AT A SERIOUS AND UNFAIR DISADVANTAGE UP AGAINST A $1.2 MILLION BUDGET. WE ARE RUNNING OUR BUSINESSES AND DON'T HAVE RESOURCES OR TIME TO CREATE A LOBBY GROUP TO KEEP PARKING ON OUR STREET TO KEEP OUR DOORS OPEN AND WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO. [31:20] **Andrea Corbin:** WE ARE BEING DROWNED OUT BY A VOICE THAT IS POSING AS THE MAJORITY AND PEOPLE SEE THEY ARE NOT. OUR NEW ROADWAY DESIGNS NEED A CHECKS AND BALANCING SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE IN FACT REDUCING OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT INSTEAD OF INCREASING THEM DUE TO CIRCLING FOR PARKING, TRAFFIC PICKUPS AND DISTURBING THE QUIET ENJOYMENT OF OUR NEIGHBORING STREETS. THANK YOU. [31:45] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU, MISS CORBIN. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NO. 10, MONICA SMITH. [32:02] **Monica Smith:** GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR MY NAME IS MONICA SMITH AND I LIVE ON THE BLOCK OF 21st AND PENN AVENUE NORTH. I'M A GRADUATE OF MINNEAPOLIS NORTH HIGH SCHOOL. I'VE RAISED ALL OF MY CHILDREN ON THE NORTH SIDE OF MINNEAPOLIS AND I AM AN EMPLOYEE OF ALMOST 24 YEARS FOR THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. [32:21] **Monica Smith:** AS YOU'VE HEARD THE TESTIMONIES OF MY OTHER COWORKERS, EVERYTHING THEY SAY IS THE ABSOLUTE FACT. WE DON'T JUST HAVE THE WATER, STREET, SEWER AND SANITATION—WE GO FURTHER FROM THAT TO RAMPS AND PAVING AND MANY OTHERS. [32:39] **Monica Smith:** WE'RE ALSO UNDER THE SAME UMBRELLA AS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BEING PUBLIC WORKS. I ASK THIS -- WE DESERVE HIGHER WAGES BECAUSE THE COMPETITIVE WAGES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT OUT THERE, IT DOESN'T MEET HAND-IN-HAND. [32:57] **Monica Smith:** IF YOU LISTEN TO ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT I HAVE NAMED, THINK ABOUT WHAT THEY EACH DO FOR NOT JUST THE CITY BUT EACH OF YOU. WE FEED OFF OF ONE ANOTHER. ONE DEPARTMENT DOES NOT WORK WITHOUT THE OTHER AND IN ORDER FOR US TO HELP YOU, YOU GOT TO HELP US. [33:16] **Monica Smith:** WITH THAT BEING SAID, I ASK THAT YOU LOOK AT YOUR BUDGET; THINK HARD. GIVE US SOME DIGNITY, LOVE AND RESPECT. THANK YOU. **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU SO MUCH AND SO OUR NEXT 5 SPEAKERS, 11-15: AJ LANGE, JOHN McCURDLE, CIIED WADDY, ROD ADAMS AND VERONICA MENDEZ MOORE. GOOD EVENING, AJ. [33:50] **AJ Lange:** THANK YOU, PRESIDENT JENKINS, COUNCIL MEMBERS, MAYOR. MY NAME IS AJ LANGE I'M THE BUSINESS MANAGER FOR LOCAL 363 AND I'M HERE TODAY SUBMITTING THIS PETITION WITH HUNDREDS OF CITY WORKERS IN SUPPORT OF THIS LETTER THAT I WILL BE SUBMITTING AS WELL AND READ FOR YOU NOW. [34:16] **AJ Lange:** WE THE PROUD MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC WORKERS AND MEMBERS OF LOCAL 363 DEMAND IN THE CITY BUDGET A FAIR WAGE FOR THE VALUES OF OUR WORK, THE CHALLENGES WE FACE, THE SACRIFICES WE MAKE AND OUR STRONG COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING THE CORE PUBLIC SERVICES OUR COMMUNITY DEPENDS ON. [34:34] **AJ Lange:** CITY LEADERSHIP MUST MAKE A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT TOWARDS THEIR FRONTLINE WORKERS. THROUGH UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES OUR CITY HAS FACED IN RECENT YEARS—THE GLOBAL HEALTH CRISIS, CITY UNREST, CITY ENCAMPMENTS OF THE UNHOUSED—WE'VE BEEN THE GLUE THAT HELD THE CITY TOGETHER. [34:51] **AJ Lange:** WE SHOWED UP EVERY DAY TO PUT OUR SKILLS TO MAINTAIN MINNEAPOLIS WATER, SEWER, TRASH, RECYCLING, LIGHTS, BRIDGES, RAMPS, PUBLIC HOUSING, PARKS, REC CENTERS, URBAN FORESTS. WE DO THE WORK THAT MAKES THE CITY WORK. [35:07] **AJ Lange:** THE CITY MUST TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO ADDRESS ITS RETENTION CRISIS THAT HAS LED TO OVERWORKED BURDENED EMPLOYEES, UNSAFE CONDITIONS AND THE REDUCTION OF QUALITY OF PUBLIC SERVICES, AND A WASTE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS. [35:25] **AJ Lange:** THIS CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED WITH THE BUDGET FUNDING DIRECTLY TO THE MEN AND WOMEN WHOSE LABOR IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR COMMUNITY. MINNEAPOLIS SHOULD BE SETTING THE BAR FOR WAGES AND WORKING CONDITIONS, NOT PERPETUATING A RACE TO THE BOTTOM. [35:41] **AJ Lange:** DESPITE OUR ONGOING SERVICES IN OUR COMMUNITY DURING OUR RECENT YEARS WE'VE BEEN FORCED TO ENDURE A PAY CUT IN REAL TERMS. WE'RE RESIDENTS OF MINNEAPOLIS, WE'RE COMMITTED PUBLIC SERVANTS, UNFORTUNATELY -- [35:56] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU, MR. LANGE. PLEASE RESPECT THE TIME LIMIT MR. LANGE. EVERYONE ELSE HAS. PLEASE RESPECT THE TIME LIMITS. YOU CAN SUBMIT THIS LETTER TO US. **AJ Lange:** I WILL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [36:14] **Andrea Jenkins:** JOHN McCURDLE. THANK YOU, SIR. [36:32] **John McCurdle:** MY NAME IS JOHN McCURDLE I'M CO-OWNER OF FRENCH MEADOW IN SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS. WE'VE BEEN AT THAT LOCATION FOR 16 YEARS. I'M HERE TODAY TO SHARE OUR EXPERIENCES WITH THE ORGANIZATION CALLED OUR STREETS MINNEAPOLIS AND TO REQUEST THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS SEVER ALL GENERAL AND FINANCIAL TIES WITH THAT ORGANIZATION AND THEIR AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS. THE FIRST OPEN STREETS EVENT WAS IN SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS ON LYNDALE AVENUE. PEOPLE APPROACHED US AND THEY SEEMED VERY SINCERE. SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA SO WE PARTICIPATED AND SUPPORTED IT. [36:50] **John McCurdle:** OUR EXPERIENCE WAS THAT ON THAT PARTICULAR SUNDAY WE HAD SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF INCOME AND SIGNIFICANT INCREASED COSTS. WE FINALLY DECIDED IT WAS IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO SIMPLY CLOSE EVERY TIME THE EVENT WAS TAKEN ON. FROM A FEW PERSONAL INTERACTIONS I HAD WITH SOME PEOPLE ON OPEN STREETS, THEY SEEMED VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THEIR PARTICULAR VIEWS. THEY HOWEVER HAVE NO SYMPATHY OR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT TAKES TO BUILD A BUSINESS TO TRY TO SEE IT SURVIVE THROUGH A RECESSION, THROUGH RIOTS, THROUGH A PANDEMIC AND TO SERVE THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. [37:30] **John McCurdle:** I HAVE NO SENSE THEY REALLY CARE ABOUT THE LOCAL BUSINESSES. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE MORE THAN ONE SIMPLE AGENDA. THEY ARE NOT JUST ABOUT HAVING A FESTIVAL A COUPLE TIMES A YEAR. THEY ARE ACTIVELY LOBBYING ELECTED OFFICIALS, GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO TAKE ACTION AS WOULD LIKELY DRIVE AWAY OUR BUSINESS AND THOSE OF OUR FELLOW LYNDALE CORNER MERCHANTS. [37:57] **John McCurdle:** THESE PEOPLE HAVE EVISCERATED THE COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS ON BRYANT AND HENNEPIN AVENUE. FOUR BUSINESSES IN OUR IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE ALREADY DECIDED THEY ARE NOT GOING TO RENEW THEIR LEASES AND THEY'RE GOING TO LEAVE MINNEAPOLIS AND THEY ARE DOING THIS SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID THAT THE BIKE ORGANIZATIONS ARE GOING TO DO TO LYNDALE AVENUE WHAT THEY DID TO HENNEPIN AND TO BRYANT AVENUES. [38:19] **John McCurdle:** YOU'RE LOSING SOME OF YOUR TAX BASE AND I PERSONALLY RESENT ANY OF MY TAXES THAT I PAY WOULD BE USED TO SUPPORT THESE ORGANIZATIONS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CIIED WADDY. [38:43] **Ciied Waddy:** PRESIDENT, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. I WANT TO JOIN THE VOICE WITH MY BUSINESS PARTNERS OVER HERE. I OWN A BUSINESS ON LYNDALE AND WE LOVE OPEN STREETS—FOR 12 YEARS WE SUPPORTED THEM WITH EVERYTHING—ONE DAY IS AMAZING AND A BEAUTIFUL DAY. JUST TO LEARN THAT THEY ARE STABBING THE BUSINESSES IN THE BACK BY REQUESTING TO THE COUNTY THAT THEY REMOVE THE STREET PARKING AND TO MAKE DEDICATED BIKE LANES AND BUS LANES. [39:13] **Ciied Waddy:** LYNDALE AVENUE IS THE LAST VIBRANT AREA UPTOWN AS WE ALL KNOW. IF YOU WALK OR DRIVE ON HENNEPIN, A LOT OF BUSINESSES LEFT THE AREA BECAUSE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING, AND I THINK IF WE ALLOW THIS TO CONTINUE HAPPENING TO LYNDALE IT WILL GO OVER TO NICOLLET AND GOD KNOWS WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO STOP. [39:34] **Ciied Waddy:** THEY ARE LOBBYING WITH TAX MONEY AND THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. AS A BUSINESS OWNER, I HAVE 70 EMPLOYEES THAT WE HIRE AND WE'RE THRIVING AND DOING REALLY WELL BUT 50% OF MY BUSINESS DEPENDS ON PARKING AND IF WE LOSE PARKING BECAUSE OUR STREETS KEEPS PUSHING THE IDEA THAT WE DON'T NEED STREET PARKING AND SHOULD REDUCE CARS IN THE STREET, I WILL LEAVE MINNEAPOLIS. [40:05] **Ciied Waddy:** I WILL LOSE MY BUSINESS, FIRST OF ALL, AND GO BANKRUPT AND THE WHOLE THING THAT GOES WITH IT—WHICH MAYBE YOU DON'T CARE AND THAT'S OKAY. BUT WE ARE THE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT HELP THE PEOPLE WORK, THAT HELP THE ECONOMY. I PAY A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS OF SALES TAX IN MY BUSINESS THAT THE CITY WILL LOSE. PLEASE DO NOT GIVE THEM ANY MONEY AND I AM NOT SUPPORTING OPEN STREETS IN LYNDALE AVENUE EVER AGAIN. THANK YOU. **Andrea Jenkins:** [APPLAUSE] THE NEXT SPEAKER IS ROD ADAMS. [40:47] **Rod Adams:** MY NAME IS ROD ADAMS I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW JUSTICE PROJECT MINNEAPOLIS. I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE INCREASING THE BASE FUNDING FOR THE CODE ENFORCEMENT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. NEW JUSTICE PROJECT IS AN ORGANIZATION WHOSE PROGRAMMING FOCUSES DIRECTLY ON BLACK WORKERS—BOTH EDUCATING THEM ON THEIR RIGHTS BUT ALSO COVERING ISSUES AND VIOLATIONS WITHIN THEIR OWN WORKPLACE. IT'S NOT JUST AN ISSUE OF WORKER EDUCATION BUT WORKER EQUITY. WITH FEW ORGANIZATIONS DOING OUTREACH TO BLACK WORKERS, AN INVESTMENT IN WORKERS IN MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES IS THE RIGHT STEP AND IN LINE WITH CITY GOALS OF ELIMINATING DISPARITIES. [41:31] **Rod Adams:** MOST OF THE FOLKS ON THIS COUNCIL AGREE THE CO-ENFORCEMENT MODEL WORKS TO THAT END. THE WORK MAY SEEM TO BE IN THE BACKGROUND OR MAYBE EVEN SEEM TO BE UNIMPORTANT BUT THE FACTS ARE CLEAR. BLACK AND LATINX WORKERS ARE THE CITY'S MOST VULNERABLE. THESE WORKERS ARE 3 TO 4 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE VIOLATIONS. IF THE CITY IS COMMITTED TO EQUITY AND PROTECTING THE MOST VULNERABLE WORKERS THE CITY WILL REFLECT THAT BY A COMMITMENT TO FULLY FUND CODE ENFORCEMENT. [42:00] **Rod Adams:** ADDITIONALLY THERE'S TONS OF DATA THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT IS WORKING. HERE ARE A FEW: FIRST IT HAS LED TO OVER $1.6 MILLION OF STOLEN WAGES BEING RECOVERED AND THOUSANDS OF WORKERS BEING TRAINED ACROSS THE CITY ON THEIR RIGHTS. LAST YEAR ALONE 400 WORKERS PARTICIPATED IN KNOW YOUR RIGHTS TRAININGS OVER 300 WORKPLACES IN MINNEAPOLIS. COLLECTIVELY OUR ORGANIZATIONS REACHED OVER 12,000 WORKERS IN MINNEAPOLIS THROUGH OUR OUTREACH. A RUTGERS REPORT TARGETING ENFORCEMENT BY THE LABOR STANDARDS ENFORCEMENT DIVISION FOUND COMMUNITY PARTNERS HAVE HELPED SUCCESSFULLY HIGHLIGHT VIOLATION INDUSTRIES BUT THE REPORT ALSO SAYS VIOLATIONS REMAIN WIDESPREAD ACROSS THESE INDUSTRIES AND LARGE MAJORITIES REMAIN UNDETECTED UNLESS WE ARE INVOLVED NOW -- [42:51] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU, MR. ADAMS. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS VERONICA MENDEZ MOORE. [43:17] **Veronica Mendez Moore:** HELLO GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL AND MAYOR MY NAME IS VERONICA MENDEZ MOORE I'M THE CO-DIRECTOR OF CTUL WHO IS ONE OF THE CO-PARTNERS TOGETHER WITH THE NEW JUSTICE PROJECT AND THE RESTAURANT OPPORTUNITY CENTER OF MINNESOTA, AND ROD SAID THE NUMBERS. I DON'T MIND TO TELL YOU THE NUMBERS. IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS HAS WORKED AND WE HAVE BEEN BUILDING THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS AND MADE IT MORE AND MORE POWERFUL EACH YEAR. YET EVERY YEAR WE HAVE TO COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL AND SAY, PLEASE, PLEASE CAN WE HAVE MORE MONEY TO BE ABLE TO FULLY FUND THIS WORK. [43:34] **Veronica Mendez Moore:** WE WANT TO SEE THIS WORK FULLY FUNDED IN AN ONGOING WAY AND RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THAT DID NOT HAPPEN YET, WE WANT TO SEE A ONE-TIME INCREASE FOR THIS YEAR OF $225,000. THAT DOESN'T GET US TO ENDING ALL OF THE WAGE THEFT IN OUR CITY, THAT DOESN'T GET ALL EMPLOYERS INTO COMPLIANCE, BUT IT GOES A LONG WAY TO ACTUALLY MAKE SURE THAT THE MOST VULNERABLE WORKERS IN OUR COMMUNITIES—WORKERS OF COLOR IN MINIMUM WAGE JOBS—ACTUALLY HAVE THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO FIGHT TO MAKE SURE THEIR RIGHTS ARE RESPECTED. [44:06] **Veronica Mendez Moore:** AND I'M NOT JUST SAYING THEY GET THEIR RIGHTS RESPECTED; I'M SAYING WHAT WE ARE PROVIDING IS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND INFORMATION SO THAT WORKERS CAN STAND UP FOR THEMSELVES. BECAUSE IF PEOPLE CAN'T STAND UP FOR THEMSELVES THEN THE LAW IS JUST A PIECE OF PAPER. WE NEED WORKERS TO KNOW WHAT PROCESSES AND STEPS TO TAKE AND WHAT STEPS THEY CAN TAKE WITH THEIR COWORKERS. [44:28] **Veronica Mendez Moore:** ROD SAID WE HAVE $1.16 MILLION—THAT'S JUST OUR NUMBERS THAT'S IN ADDITION TO THE MONEY THAT THE LSED HAS BEEN ABLE TO RECOVER FOR WORKERS. AND I SAY THAT THE WORK THAT WE DO—THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY SHOWS THE IMPACT—BUT ALSO THAT DOESN'T EVEN COUNT THE THOUSANDS AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE PREVENTED FROM BEING STOLEN OUT OF WORKERS' POCKETS BECAUSE WORKERS NOW HAVE THE TOOLS TO SAY, "HEY, I'M NOT OKAY WITH YOU NOT PAYING ME MINIMUM WAGE" AND HAVE THE COURAGE AND TOOLS TO STAND UP. THANK YOU. [45:07] **Andrea Jenkins:** [APPLAUSE] SO OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE 16-20: BRYAN KRONKE, ISHMAEL, ALEX ALLELE, HANNAH MORRELL AND JOHN WERZ. GOOD EVENING. [45:29] **Bryan Kronke:** THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK. COUNCIL MEMBERS, MAYOR, MY NAME IS BRYAN KRONKE. I GREW UP IN WARD 7, I LIVE THERE NOW. I'M A VOTER FOR WARD 7. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE PROGRESS ON THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN. I'M HERE FOR UNIDOS MN AND I WANT TO THINK BIG AND GO AS FAR AS WE CAN GO. IT'S A CHANCE FOR MINNEAPOLIS TO INVEST IN EQUITY, IN RACIAL EQUITY. [46:02] **Bryan Kronke:** I GREW UP BUSSED TO SCHOOLS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY THAT WERE SAY MORE RACIALLY DIVERSE THAN KENWOOD AND I'M KEENLY AWARE OF INEQUITIES. IT'S TIME FOR MINNEAPOLIS TO INVEST TO MAKE A CLIMATE REFUGE, A CLIMATE HOME FOR MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING MORE AND MORE FROM THE SOUTH. DREAM IT BIG BECAUSE IT'S OUR TIME. THANK YOU. [46:29] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] SPEAKER NO. 17, ISHMAEL. [46:47] **Ishmael:** GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR HEARING MY SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSAL. MY NAME IS ISHMAEL, I'M IN WARD 10 AND I'M GLAD TO BE HERE AT MY FIRST PUBLIC TESTIMONY TODAY. MY ROAD HERE BEGAN WHEN MY PARENTS CHOSE TO MOVE FROM BANGLADESH TO HERE IN 2004. WHY THEY CHANGED FROM TROPICAL WEATHER TO FREEZING WAS IMMIGRATION POLICIES AND THE DAZZLING QUALITY OF LIFE WE HAVE HERE IN THE METRO. [47:15] **Ishmael:** IT IS BECAUSE OF MY UPBRINGING HERE I WAS ABLE TO BUILD A COMFORTABLE LIFE FOR MYSELF IN UPTOWN MINNEAPOLIS. CLIMATE CHANGE IS MAKING LIFE HARDER FOR THOSE I KNOW BACK IN BANGLADESH AND FOR US RIGHT HERE IN MINNEAPOLIS. THAT BECAME CLEAR TO ME WHEN I WAS ON A TRIP TO BANGLADESH IN 2019. [47:35] **Ishmael:** I SEE A COUNTRY RAPIDLY DEVELOPING BUT AT THE SAME TIME ACUTELY THREATENED BY RISING SEA LEVELS. I REALIZED I COULDN'T JUST STAND BY. FROM RISING FLOODWATERS THERE AND SMOKE LEVELS HERE, WE DESERVE A BETTER FUTURE. [47:50] **Ishmael:** I HELPED WIN 100% CLEAN ENERGY AT THE CAPITOL THIS YEAR. NOW IT'S TIME FOR MINNEAPOLIS RESIDENTS TO GAIN THE BENEFITS. MINNEAPOLIS IS UNIQUELY EQUIPPED TO SET AN EXAMPLE FOR THE REST OF THE STATE, COUNTRY AND THE WORLD WHEN IT COMES TO THE CLEAN ENERGY TRANSITION. [48:06] **Ishmael:** BY CHANNELING FUNDS TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND BLOCK BY BLOCK ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADES—ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO CAN BENEFIT THE MOST—MINNEAPOLIS CAN UPHOLD THE SAME TREND OF PROGRESS THAT MADE MY QUALITY OF LIFE POSSIBLE. I WANT THE SAME TRAJECTORY FOR EVERYONE WHO IS GROWING UP AND WILL CONTINUE TO GROW UP IN THIS RESILIENT, BEAUTIFUL AND ENTERPRISING CITY AND I HOPE YOU DO TOO. THANK YOU. [48:29] **Andrea Jenkins:** [APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT SPEAKER NO. 18 ALEX ALLELE. [48:47] **Alex Allele:** HELLO MY NAME IS ALEX ALLELE AND I LIVE IN THE ARMITAGE NEIGHBORHOOD OF MINNEAPOLIS. I APPLAUD THE COUNCIL'S RECENT PASSING OF THE $10 MILLION BUDGET FOR THE MINNEAPOLIS CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN. DRAMATIC ACTION IS NECESSARY TO MITIGATE THE WORST CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND THIS BUDGET IS A WONDERFUL FIRST STEP. [49:05] **Alex Allele:** HOWEVER, I FEAR THAT WE WILL BE LEFT BEHIND BY THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PLAN. A TRULY EQUITABLE CLIMATE PLAN MUST ENSURE THAT EVERY HOME AND PERSON BENEFITS FROM THE PLAN. I'M ASKING THE COUNCIL TO ENSURE THAT THIS MINNEAPOLIS CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN SUPPORTS ALL RESIDENTS—BOTH RENTERS AND HOMEOWNERS—IN THEIR ABILITY TO ACCESS ALL FEDERAL, STATE AND CITY FUNDING FOR THIS PLAN AND TO ENSURE THAT WE ALL GET THE BENEFITS. THANK YOU. [49:35] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] SPEAKER NO. 19, HANNAH MORRELL. [50:01] **Hannah Morrell:** HELLO, MADAM PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL. THANKS FOR HAVING US. MY NAME IS HANNAH MORRELL I LIVE IN WARD 4 AND I'M A LEADER WITH THE YOUNG ADULT COALITION OF ISAIAH. [50:01] **Hannah Morrell:** I AM SO EXCITED FOR THE POSSIBILITIES WHICH COME ALONG WITH THE RECENTLY PASSED 10 MILLION DEDICATED TO CLIMATE. THANK YOU FOR VOTING FOR OUR FUTURE. AS EXCITED AS I AM, I TALK TO PEOPLE AT THE GROCERY STORE AND I GOT MY HAIRCUT YESTERDAY AND TALKED TO MY STYLIST, AND I KNOW JUST PASSING MONEY ISN'T ENOUGH. WE NEED SOMETHING BOLD. [50:36] **Hannah Morrell:** FOR TOO LONG CORPORATE POLLUTERS AND UTILITIES HAVE INVESTED IN POLLUTING SYSTEMS THAT HAVE CAUSED UNDENIABLE DAMAGE TO OUR AIR AND WATER AND YET THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CLEANING IT UP CONTINUOUSLY FALLS ON US AS INDIVIDUALS AND IT'S CONFUSING. PERSONALLY I HAD TO REPLACE MY FURNACE LAST DECEMBER DURING THE FIRST COLD WEEKEND AND I RECENTLY FOUND OUT LAST WEEK THAT I ONLY GOT ONE OF THE SEVERAL CREDITS AND REBATES I WAS ELIGIBLE FOR WHICH COULD HAVE SAVED ME HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THAT I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TO SPEND IN THE FIRST PLACE. [50:51] **Hannah Morrell:** THE SYSTEM AS IT EXISTS RIGHT NOW FOR ACCESSING CLIMATE FUNDING LEAVES OUT SO MANY OF US WHO DON'T HAVE TIME OR ENERGY TO FIGURE IT OUT. IT LEAVES OUT OUR NEIGHBORS AND MIXED STATUS FAMILIES. [51:09] **Hannah Morrell:** WE NEED DEDICATED, EQUITABLY RAISED CLIMATE FUNDING WHICH WE PUT A DOWN PAYMENT FOR, AND IT NEEDS TO GO TO A PROJECT THAT ALLOWS US TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF FEDERAL, STATE AND CITY FUNDING AT SCALE. BLOCK BY BLOCK AND HOME BY HOME. [51:25] **Hannah Morrell:** FULL DECARBONIZATION AND WEATHERIZATION IS A BIG GOAL BUT IT STARTS WITH BEGINNING-TO-END PILOT PROGRAMS THAT DEMONSTRATE WHAT'S POSSIBLE. IT STARTS WITH A CITY COUNCIL WHO'S READY TO LEAD ON THIS, TO SET GUIDELINES AND METRICS TO ASSESS REAL AND MEASURABLE SUCCESS. IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE LEADERSHIP. YOUR LEADERSHIP. YOU VOTED FOR THIS PLAN AND THAT'S GOOD. IT'S A GOOD PLAN. [51:40] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU, HANNAH. **Hannah Morrell:** THANK YOU. **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE] SPEAKER NO. 20, JOHN WERZ. [52:01] **John Werz:** MAYOR FREY, COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR HEARING FROM MYSELF AND MY COWORKERS. YOU ASKED US TO DO OUR JOB WITH COVID, CIVIL UNREST, HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS CLEANUP AND MILLIONS OF HAZARDS INCLUDING BODILY WASTE, WEAPONS, AND NUMEROUS OTHER HAZARDS I'M NOT EVEN LISTING. [52:30] **John Werz:** BECAUSE OF THESE SITUATIONS AND THE PAY DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN OURSELVES AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES, THE CITY IS HAVING A HARD TIME FILLING CURRENT POSITIONS. BECAUSE OF THAT, THEY ARE HIRING FROM THE OUTSIDE UNION TO FILL THESE SPOTS AND PAYING THESE MEMBERS 10 TO $12 AN HOUR MORE DOING THE SAME WORK WITH US SHOULDER TO SHOULDER, SIDE-BY-SIDE. [52:57] **John Werz:** THESE TEMPORARY WORKERS, SEASONAL WORKERS BAIL OUT IN THE WINTERTIME AND ARE NOT THERE TO CLEAR OUT THE CITY AND ICE AND KEEP THIS CITY FUNCTIONING. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TALK TO OUR AGENT AJ ON MORE DETAILS THAT I JUST TOUCHED ON. AGAIN THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME MAYOR, COUNCIL. [53:13] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE] SO OUR NEXT 5 SPEAKERS ARE MARIA VASQUEZ, FELEASE CASTING, MANDY SEIGEL, KAUAI WASHBURN AND RUSSELL BROWN. GOOD EVENING. [53:44] **Maria Vasquez (via Interpreter):** THIS IS MARIA VASQUEZ. HI MY NAME IS MARIA VASQUEZ AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF CTUL. [54:13] **Maria Vasquez (via Interpreter):** I'VE HAD MANY TIMES WHERE BOSSES HAVE STOLEN MY WAGES IN DIFFERENT WAYS. AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHO TO TALK TO WHEN IT HAPPENED UNTIL I MET CTUL. [54:32] **Maria Vasquez (via Interpreter):** AT CTUL I LEARNED THAT I COULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND AS A WORKER I HAD RIGHTS. SINCE I'VE BEEN A PART OF CTUL, I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN A NUMBER OF TRAININGS ABOUT OUR RIGHTS AS WORKERS AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. [54:59] **Maria Vasquez (via Interpreter):** CURRENTLY, I FACILITATE MEETINGS WITH NEW WORKERS ABOUT HOW THEY CAN BE A PART OF CTUL AND KNOW ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS. [55:19] **Maria Vasquez (via Interpreter):** SO MANY WORKERS FEEL SAFE AT CTUL WHERE THEY ARE GETTING INFORMATION FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST LIKE THEM, OTHER WORKERS WHO HAVE FACED THE SAME SITUATIONS OF ABUSES AND WAGE THEFT. [55:41] **Maria Vasquez (via Interpreter):** MANY OF US DON'T FEEL THAT COMFORTABLE COMING OURSELVES TO TALK TO CITY EMPLOYEES. AND THAT'S WHY THIS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND CTUL IS SO IMPORTANT. [56:09] **Maria Vasquez (via Interpreter):** IT'S IMPORTANT WORKERS ARE TRAINED IN CAPACITY IN ORDER TO TRAIN OTHERS IN THEIR WORKPLACE. [56:25] **Maria Vasquez (via Interpreter):** AND THIS BUILDS A BROADER BASE OF WORKERS THAT ACTUALLY KNOW THEIR RIGHTS ON THE JOB, AND KNOW WHAT TO DO IF THERE ARE PROBLEMS AT WORK. [56:53] **Maria Vasquez (via Interpreter):** WE ASK THAT THE COUNCIL SUPPORT AN INCREASE THIS YEAR FOR OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT WORK FOR 2024. [57:11] **Andrea Jenkins:** DE NADA. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS FELEASE -- I'M NOT GOING TO TRY -- I CAN'T REALLY MAKE OUT THE SPELLING OF THE LAST NAME. NO. 22, PLEASE. ONE MORE TIME SPEAKER NO. 22 FELIZ. WE'LL MOVE TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER AND MAYBE HE'S IN THE BATHROOM. **Mandy Seigel:** I'M MANDY SEIGEL. [57:43] **Mandy Seigel:** I OWN THE CC CLUB ON 26 AND LYNDALE AND MY PARTNER OWNS FRENCH MEADOW BAKERY AND CAFE AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE PARKING PROBLEM THAT IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW WITH THE BIKE LANES AND WHAT'S PROPOSED DOWN THE ROAD. [58:06] **Mandy Seigel:** THERE'S A COUPLE FACTS I WOULD LIKE TO STATE ABOUT OUR BUSINESSES. FIRST OF ALL, IN DECEMBER IT WILL BE 90 YEARS SINCE THE CC CLUB HAS BEEN IN BUSINESS. FRENCH MEADOW BAKERY AND CAFE, 40 YEARS. [58:22] **Mandy Seigel:** LYNN GORDON WHO'S MY PARTNER WAS THE FIRST CERTIFIED ORGANIC BAKER IN THE UNITED STATES. NOW, IF YOU WANT THESE TWO BUSINESSES TO STILL BE AROUND, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE OUR CUSTOMERS BE ABLE TO COME TO OUR RESTAURANT AND BAR. [58:40] **Mandy Seigel:** SINCE COVID CAME AND THE BIKE LANES WENT ON 26TH, WE LOST 26 PARKING SPOTS. NOW, THEY WANT TO TAKE AWAY MORE PARKING. BUSINESSES IN THE AREA ARE DOWN 30 OR 40%. [58:59] **Mandy Seigel:** IF THIS KEEPS UP LIKE THIS, OBVIOUSLY, BEING A BUSINESS PERSON YOU CAN'T SUSTAIN ANY MORE LOSSES. PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO COME TO UPTOWN RIGHT NOW WITH ALL THIS CRIME AND STUFF THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING AND PARK 3 BLOCKS DOWN IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD AND WALK UP TO 26 AND LYNDALE FOR A BEER OR DINNER. [59:26] **Mandy Seigel:** IT'S NOT A WORKABLE SITUATION AND I THINK YOU GOT TO PUT A NIX ON ANY OF THESE NEW LANES THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT AND ALSO RESCIND PART OF THE BIKE LANES ON 26TH STREET. TURN THOSE BACK INTO PARKING SPACES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. [59:42] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE] SPEAKER NO. 24 KAUAI WASHBURN. ARE YOU KAUAI? THANK YOU. I WAS JUST GOING TO CHECK IF YOU ARE FELIZ. [59:57] **Kauai Washburn:** YEAH, I'M KAUAI. MY NAME IS KAUAI WASHBURN I'M A WARD 13 RESIDENT IN THE ARMITAGE NEIGHBORHOOD. [1:00:16] **Kauai Washburn:** I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF CLIMATE INITIATIVE PROPOSED VIA FRANCHISE FEE INCREASE. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE PRESENT AT THE PREVIOUS HEARING ON THAT FRANCHISE FEE INCREASE YOU'RE ALREADY AWARE OF MY COMMENTS IN WHICH I DESCRIBED HAVING BEEN BORN AND RAISED IN HAWAII WHERE MANY OF THE LANDS I HOLD DEAR TO MY HEART ARE SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGED BY CLIMATE CHANGE. [1:00:42] **Kauai Washburn:** THAT SAME DAMAGE HAS FOLLOWED ME STATE TO STATE EVEN HERE IN MINNESOTA WHERE THE HEAT WAVES ARE GETTING WORSE AND THE RAIN IS NOT HERE WHEN THE FARMERS NEED IT. I'M HERE TO REQUEST AS PART OF THE CLIMATE LEGACY INITIATIVE SUPPORT BLOCK BY BLOCK FULL DECARBONIZATION—NOT JUST WEATHERIZATION BUT THE ELIMINATION OF OIL, GAS AND FOSSIL FUEL INFRASTRUCTURE IN HOMES AND SMALL BUSINESSES. [1:01:08] **Kauai Washburn:** THIS SHOULD BE THROUGH UNION-SUPPORTED CONTRACTORS AND PRIORITIZING GREEN ZONES AND LOW INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE POLLUTION IS THE HIGHEST. JUST FOR EMPHASIS, I'LL SAY IT AGAIN: IT MUST BE FULL DECARBONIZATION, BLOCK BY BLOCK, UNION SUPPORTED, AND INITIALLY TARGETED TO THE MOST DISENFRANCHISED NEIGHBORHOODS OF MINNEAPOLIS. [1:01:26] **Andrea Jenkins:** SPEAKER NO. 25, RUSSELL BROWN. [1:01:56] **Russell Brown:** COUNCIL MEMBERS, PRESIDENT JENKINS THANK YOU MY NAME IS RUSSELL BROWN AND I'M A STUDENT AT THE U OF M AND A RESIDENT OF THE COMO NEIGHBORHOOD. I'M HERE TO URGE YOU TO SUPPORT MUNICIPAL SIDEWALK CLEARING IN THE 2024 OPERATIONAL BUDGET. [1:02:12] **Russell Brown:** UNSAFE SIDEWALK CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO IMPACT MINNEAPOLIS RESIDENTS ESPECIALLY STUDENTS LIVING IN OFF-CAMPUS NEIGHBORHOODS. EVERYONE DESERVES ACCESSIBLE SIDEWALKS AND I'M RELYING ON YOU AS OUR LOCAL GOVERNING BODY TO TAKE ACTION. [1:02:52] **Russell Brown:** AS A FULL-TIME STUDENT I TRY MY BEST TO KEEP MY SIDEWALK FREE OF SNOW AND I'M ABLE-BODIED AND ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE SIDEWALK OUTSIDE MY HOUSE SET BY THE ORDINANCE, BUT I'M CONCERNED FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES CLEARING THEIR WALKS TO MAKE OUR CITY ACCESSIBLE FOR THEM. THIS IS A FLAWED SYSTEM. THE MINNEAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO TAKE ACTION TO PREVENT FURTHER INJURIES RESULTING FROM ICY SIDEWALKS. SIDEWALKS SHOULD BE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL AND I ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER MY EXPERIENCES AND VOTE TO INCLUDE A MUNICIPAL SIDEWALK CLEARING PROGRAM IN THE 2024 BUDGET. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME. [1:03:11] **Andrea Jenkins:** [APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT 5 SPEAKERS ARE NO. 26: KATIE SMITHBURG, 27: ALICE SHAW, NO. 28: ULLA NELSON, NO. 29: ABDUL CADAR DAHAIR AND NO. 30: OMARI THOMAS. WELCOME. [1:03:28] **Katie Smithburg:** THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR. MY NAME IS KATIE SMITHBURG AND I'M A JUNIOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA. AS A RESIDENT OF DINKYTOWN AND A CONCERNED CITIZEN, I URGE YOU TO INCLUDE A CITYWIDE SIDEWALK CLEARING PROGRAM IN THE 2024 MINNEAPOLIS OPERATIONAL BUDGET. [1:03:46] **Katie Smithburg:** UNSAFE SIDEWALK CONDITIONS CONTINUOUSLY IMPACT MINNEAPOLIS RESIDENTS ESPECIALLY STUDENTS LIVING IN OFF-CAMPUS NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE SIDEWALKS ARE POORLY MAINTAINED DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. EVERYONE DESERVES ACCESSIBLE SIDEWALKS AND I'M RELYING ON YOU AS OUR LOCAL GOVERNING BODY TO TAKE ACTION. [1:04:09] **Katie Smithburg:** UNSAFE SIDEWALK CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN A CONSISTENT PART OF MY OWN EXPERIENCE AND THOSE OF MY PEERS AS AN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT. I'VE HEARD COUNTLESS STORIES OF HOW DANGEROUS GETTING AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD CAN BE IN DINKYTOWN AND COMO. PEOPLE HAVE SHARED ACCOUNTS OF HITTING THEIR HEADS, BREAKING BONES AND GENERAL FEARS OF TRAVEL DURING WINTER STORMS DUE TO ICY SIDEWALKS. [1:04:30] **Katie Smithburg:** WHETHER IT'S WALKING TO CLASS OR A BUS STOP PEOPLE ARE UNEASY. THIS SHOULD NOT BE A CONCERN FOR STUDENTS. THE CURRENT PROTOCOLS FOR MAINTAINING SIDEWALKS ARE NOT WORKING, THEREFORE, WE NEED THE CITY TO STEP UP AND ENSURE THAT MINNEAPOLIS RESIDENTS CAN GET AROUND SAFELY. [1:04:46] **Katie Smithburg:** I TOO HAVE FELT UNSAFE ON MINNEAPOLIS SIDEWALKS AND I'VE CHOSEN TO WALK ON THE STREET IN ORDER TO AVOID THE ICE BECAUSE THE RISK OF GETTING HIT BY A CAR SEEMS LESS DAUNTING THAN TRYING TO GET DOWN THE BLOCK LAST WINTER. I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. THE ISSUE OF SIDEWALK CLEARING IN MINNEAPOLIS IS ONE THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. WE ARE INJURING OUR STUDENTS AND CITIZENS. THE MINNEAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL HAS A DUTY TO PREVENT FURTHER INJURIES AND FEAR RESULTING FROM ICY SIDEWALKS. SIDEWALKS SHOULD BE SAFE FOR ALL. THANK YOU. [1:05:40] **Andrea Jenkins:** [APPLAUSE] NEXT SPEAKER IS ALICE SHAW. WELCOME. [1:05:58] **Alice Shaw:** GOOD EVENING CITY COUNCIL. I BELIEVE A SIDEWALK PILOT WOULD BE GOOD FOR OUR CITY. I LOVE MINNEAPOLIS; I MOVED HERE 5 YEARS AGO AND IT IS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE. ORIGINALLY FROM CALIFORNIA, I HAVE ADAPTED QUICKLY TO THE COLD AND ENJOY THE SNOWY WINTERS. [1:06:14] **Alice Shaw:** ONE THING THAT STILL SCARES ME IS THE ICY SIDEWALKS, ESPECIALLY AFTER HOW BAD THE WINTER WE HAD LAST YEAR. SINCE MOVING HERE, THE RUNNING JOKE ON CAMPUS IS THE ANNUAL FALL COUNT, AND IT'S A SHARED EXPERIENCE TELLING EACH OTHER HOW MUCH WE FELL NEAR CAMPUS. [1:06:48] **Alice Shaw:** I'VE LIVED IN DINKYTOWN FOR THE PAST 5 YEARS AND THE ICE BUILDUP IS AWFUL AND DANGEROUS. HAVING A SOLUTION TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM GETTING HURT IS SOMETHING THE COUNCIL SHOULD LOOK INTO. IT WOULD BENEFIT ALMOST ALL RESIDENTS OF THE CITY. FOR STUDENTS LIKE MYSELF, OUR COMMUTE TO SCHOOL WOULD BE WAY EASIER IF THE FEAR OF SLIPPING ON ICE WAS ALLEVIATED. [1:07:07] **Alice Shaw:** WHEN THE WALKS ARE ICY AND SLIPPERY I OFTEN HAVE TO TAKE ALTERNATIVE ROUTES TO GET TO CLASS WHICH ENDS UP TAKING ADDITIONAL TIME. IN ADDITION OUR LANDLORDS ALSO DON'T TAKE CARE OF THE SIDEWALKS FOR US. I'M DEFINITELY SCARED OF TAKING A BAD FALL AND I'M DREADING THE WINTER BECAUSE OF IT. I THINK IF THERE'S A CHANCE TO MAKE MINNEAPOLIS MORE ACCESSIBLE IN THE WINTERS, THE COUNCIL SHOULD. THANK YOU. [1:07:50] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU MISS SHAW. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ULLA NELSON. [1:08:11] **Ulla Nelson:** HELLO COUNCIL MEMBERS I'M ULLA. I LIVE IN WARD 8. I'M HERE TO JUST SAY I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN AND THE CLIMATE LEGACY INITIATIVE AND ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD WEALTH AND ADDRESS RACIAL DISPARITIES IN OUR CITY WITH THESE PROGRAMS. [1:08:35] **Ulla Nelson:** ONE OF THE REALLY IMPORTANT WAYS TO DO THAT IS BY BUILDING WEALTH IN COMMUNITIES. WE HAVE A LOT OF BUILDINGS TO TRANSITION TO CLEAN ENERGY. THAT CREATES A LOT OF JOBS AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE JOBS ARE REALLY BUILDING WEALTH IN COMMUNITIES. IN ORDER FOR THOSE JOBS TO BE UNION WE NEED TO DO THIS WORK ON A LARGE-SCALE, LIKE A WHOLE BLOCK, SEVERAL BLOCKS AT A TIME, NOT JUST ONE HOUSE AT A TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [1:09:00] **Andrea Jenkins:** [APPLAUSE] NEXT SPEAKER, NO. 29 ABDUL KHADR DAHEIR? ARE THEY HERE? ONE MORE TIME OR WE WILL MOVE TO SPEAKER NO. 30. PLEASE COME FORWARD SPEAKER NO. 30, OMARI THOMAS. [1:09:37] **Omari Thomas:** GOOD EVENING CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR MY NAME IS OMARI THOMAS. I'M A WARD 5 RESIDENT AND A WORKERS' RIGHTS ORGANIZER FOR THE NEW JUSTICE PROJECT MINNEAPOLIS. I'M HERE TO TESTIFY FOR INCREASED FUNDING FOR THE CODE ENFORCEMENT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. [1:10:00] **Omari Thomas:** THIS PARTNERSHIP IS ONE THAT WORKS FOR ALL PARTIES, ESPECIALLY FOR THE VULNERABLE WORKERS—ESPECIALLY BLACK AND BROWN WORKERS. SOME OF THESE WORKERS HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY'RE ENTITLED TO WHEN IT COMES TO EARNED SICK AND SAFE TIME. IT LEADS TO WAGE THEFT AND WORKER EXPLOITATION. [1:10:22] **Omari Thomas:** FURTHERMORE, FROM WHAT WE HEAR THEIR SCHEDULES ARE UNFAIR AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW THEY'RE WORKING UNTIL THEY ARE CALLED IN. THIS LEADS THEM TO BE BEHIND ON RENT, BILLS AND LESS FOOD FOR THEIR FAMILIES. THE WORK I DO FOR NJP AS PART OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT PARTNERSHIP PROVIDES WORKERS WITH A VOICE AND A VEHICLE TO HOLD BAD EMPLOYERS ACCOUNTABLE. [1:10:45] **Omari Thomas:** IF THE CITY IS GOOD ABOUT RACIAL EQUITY, IT WILL UNDERSTAND THAT WORKERS OF COLOR IN MINNEAPOLIS ARE EVERY DAY FIGHTING TOOTH AND NAIL TO MAKE ENDS MEET. THEY DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE MAKING A COMPLAINT TO THE CITY ABOUT BEING MISTREATED AT WORK AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES THE CODE ENFORCEMENT MORE CRUCIAL FOR WORKERS TO GET WHAT THEY ARE OWED. [1:11:10] **Omari Thomas:** WORKERS DESERVE A VOICE AND THEY DESERVE ALL THE SUPPORT THEY NEED. I WANT TO SUPPORT THE CODE ENFORCEMENT BUDGET BY $225,000 IN 2024 AND SET A BASE LEVEL AT $800,000 BY 2025. THESE HARD-WORKING NORTH SIDERS NEED TO KNOW THEIR RIGHTS AND BENEFITS. THANK YOU. [1:11:31] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU, MR. THOMAS. [APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT SET OF SPEAKERS NO. 31 THROUGH 35: CARMEN ALLEN, LATEISHA, ESTELLA, JOEY WASECA AND MICHAEL A. JOHNSON. LATEISHA? [1:12:05] **Lateisha (via Interpreter):** GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS LATEISHA AND I'M A CTUL MEMBER. I'M HERE TO GIVE MY TESTIMONY ON HOW I WAS FIRED UNJUSTLY AND DISCRIMINATED AGAINST ONLY FOR BEING FROM GUATEMALA. [1:13:03] **Lateisha (via Interpreter):** THAT HAPPENED FROM A NEW MANAGER THAT CAME INTO MY WORKPLACE. THIS MANAGER BEGAN TO INSULT US WITH VULGAR WORDS AND THREATS OF AN AGGRESSIVE MANNER TO 7 WORKERS FROM GUATEMALA. WE WERE FIRED BY THIS MANAGER. WE ORGANIZED OURSELVES AND WE MET CTUL. [1:13:41] **Lateisha (via Interpreter):** WE HAVE MET OUR BOSS, BUT HE STILL HASN'T YET RETURNED OUR JOBS. AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP FIGHTING AND ORGANIZING UNTIL WE GET A RESPONSE. AND THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US THAT THIS COUNCIL SUPPORTS US WITH MORE FUNDS FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT AND BETTER LAWS FOR INVESTMENT, BECAUSE AS WORKERS, WE NEED MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO DEFEND OUR RIGHTS. THANK YOU. [1:13:57] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] NEXT SPEAKER IS ESTELLA. SPEAKER NO. 33, ESTELLA. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ESTELLA. THIS IS FREDDIE. **Estella (via Interpreter):** I'M HERE TO GIVE MY TESTIMONY TONIGHT. I'M HERE TO GIVE MY TESTIMONY OF HOW I WAS UNJUSTLY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST. UNFORTUNATELY A FEW YEARS AGO, I WAS WORKING IN A JOB WHERE THEY WEREN'T PAYING ME THE CORRECT MINIMUM WAGE AND THEY WERE STEALING MY HOURS AND MY PAY. [1:16:56] **Estella (via Interpreter):** FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO MEET THE ORGANIZATION CTUL AND I WAS ABLE TO DEFEND MYSELF. I GREW STRONGER AND INCREASED MY COURAGE TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO MY MANAGER ABOUT THE INCREASED WAGE AND THE HOURS THAT I WAS OWED. I WAS ABLE TO RECOVER MORE THAN $500 BACK FROM MY EMPLOYER FOR THE WAGES THAT WERE STOLEN. [1:17:41] **Estella (via Interpreter):** THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK THAT YOU INVEST MORE MONEY IN THIS ORGANIZATION FOR WORKERS TO STAND UP FOR OURSELVES, SO OTHER WORKERS DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SAME EXPERIENCES THAT I HAVE SO THAT WE HAVE JUSTICE IN OUR LIVES AND OUR WORKPLACES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE SPEAKER NO. 32 JOEY WASECA AND THEN SPEAKER NO. 35 MICHAEL A. JOHNSON, SPEAKER NO. 36 KELSEY MURPHY. [1:18:12] **Joey Waseca:** HELLO MY NAME IS JOEY WASECA I'M A RENTER IN WARD 1 AND I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND TO MAYOR FREY FOR YOUR UNITED SUPPORT FOR THE 10 MILLION OF FUNDING FOR THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN IN MINNEAPOLIS. IT'S REALLY ENCOURAGING TO ME TO SEE THE ENTIRE CITY LEADERSHIP IN AGREEMENT ABOUT SOMETHING AS BIG AND IMPORTANT AS THIS. [1:18:28] **Joey Waseca:** I SEE CLIMATE CHANGE AS BEING AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO MY GENERATION AND SO I'M GLAD TO SEE DECISIVE ACTION BEING DONE AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL AND NOW HERE AT THE CITY LEVEL TO ADDRESS THE CRISIS. I THINK WE IN MINNEAPOLIS HAVE A LOT OF POTENTIAL TO SHOW THE REST OF THE COUNTRY WHAT BOLD CLIMATE ACTION AT THE CITY LEVEL CAN LOOK LIKE. [1:18:51] **Joey Waseca:** I THINK THE PLAN IS A GREAT START TO WHAT I HOPE CAN TURN INTO SOMETHING EVEN BIGGER IN THE COMING YEARS. PEOPLE IN GREEN ZONES IN PARTICULAR, WHO ARE BEARING A DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH BRUNT OF THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, STAND TO GAIN FROM THE RETROFITS THAT THIS PLAN CAN PROVIDE. [1:19:36] **Joey Waseca:** BUT EVEN JUST TO COVER THESE GREEN ZONES ALONE WE WOULD NEED SUBSTANTIALLY MORE FUNDING FOR YEARS TO COME TO ENSURE HOMES MEET THE NEEDS. AND SO AS WE LOOK TO PASSING THE BUDGET FOR THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN FOR 2024 AND AS WE CELEBRATE THAT, WE ALSO NEED TO START ASKING OURSELVES: WHAT'S NEXT? [1:19:57] **Joey Waseca:** IS THIS GOING TO END UP BEING A NICE ONE-OFF WIN THAT WE DO ONCE AND THEN MOVE ON FROM? OR CAN THIS TURN INTO SOMETHING BIGGER THAT WE CAN EVENTUALLY HAVE SERVE ALL PEOPLE IN MINNEAPOLIS AT THE SCALE THAT WE NEED? THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] [1:20:19] **Andrea Jenkins:** MICHAEL JOHNSON? HI. **Michael A. Johnson:** HI. MY NAME IS MICHAEL JOHNSON. YOU GUYS ARE GREAT AT RAISING TAXES AND SPENDING MORE MONEY ON MORE GOVERNMENT EVERY SINGLE YEAR. IT'S AMAZING. [1:20:37] **Michael A. Johnson:** LAST WEEK I WATCHED ONE OF THE HEARINGS FOR THIS PUBLIC SAFETY APPOINTMENT AND ONLY COUNCILMAN OSMAN FROM WHAT I COULD TELL ASKED ANY QUESTIONS. AND JUDGE BARNETTE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT. [1:20:57] **Michael A. Johnson:** BUT EVERYBODY WAS JUST CHOMPING AT THE BIT TO APPROVE THAT GUY WHO, BY THE TIME HE COMES AND GOES, THAT QUARTER BILLION DOLLAR LIBRARY IS STILL GOING TO HAVE DRUG ADDICTS IN IT, DRUG DEALERS IN IT. NO REPERCUSSIONS, REVOLVING DOOR. [1:21:12] **Michael A. Johnson:** NO GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRAT IS COMING TO SAVE YOUR COMMUNITY. BUT HE DID GIVE A SPEECH I COULD HAVE WRITTEN—RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, EVERYTHING THAT TICKLES THE EARS OF THIS CITY BUT PRODUCES NO RESULTS WHATSOEVER. KIDS GET SHOT, PEOPLE GET SHOT, PEOPLE ARE OVERDOSING BUT THE PEOPLE WHO PEDDLE THESE DRUGS, NOTHING HAPPENS BECAUSE APPARENTLY THEY'RE JUST VICTIMS OF SOCIETY. [1:21:54] **Michael A. Johnson:** SO RAISE YOUR TAXES, RAISE YOUR PROPERTY TAXES, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO, IT'S GOING TO RESULT IN THE SAME NONSENSE. THAT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY. THANKS. [APPLAUSE] [1:22:22] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE KELSEY MURPHY AND THEN SPEAKER NO. 37 IS PHIL ANDERSON, SPEAKER NO. 38 IS HOWARD DAWSON. **Kelsey Murphy:** I'M KELSEY MURPHY I LIVE IN WARD 3 JUST OFF SECOND STREET AND I'M HERE REGARDING THE CLIMATE INITIATIVE. LIKE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS I'M PRETTY ENTHUSIASTIC WHAT THIS MONEY MEANS AS A WAY TO GET THIS BALL REALLY ROLLING ON CLIMATE ACTION IN OUR CITY. [1:22:39] **Kelsey Murphy:** I WANT TO REITERATE JUST HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE USE THIS MONEY TO LAUNCH ACTION OVER THE NEXT DECADE AND LONGER. WE HAVE A LOT TO DO AND $10 MILLION AS I'M SURE YOU'RE AWARE DRIES UP PRETTY FAST. WE NEED TO HAVE THE MOST EFFECTIVE PROJECTS WE CAN NEXT YEAR AND IN THE LONG-TERM. [1:23:08] **Kelsey Murphy:** I BELIEVE THAT MEANS RE-INVESTING ON ELECTRIFICATION IN THE GREEN ZONES. THE FOLKS IN THE GREEN ZONES ARE THE PEOPLE HISTORICALLY MOST DISADVANTAGED. ADDRESSING THEIR HOMES FIRST BEFORE ANYONE ELSE IS CRITICAL SO THEY'LL BE ABLE TO ACCESS RESOURCES THEY HISTORICALLY HAVE BEEN KEPT FROM. THANK YOU. [1:23:39] **Andrea Jenkins:** HOWARD DAWSON? **Howard "Howie" Dawson:** GOOD EVENING CHAIR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. AS USUAL I HAVE A HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT FOR YOU. I WANT YOU TO WATCH ON YOUTUBE: "WILL I LOSE MY DIGNITY" FROM THE MUSICAL RENT. 30 YEARS AGO I WAS IN NEW YORK CITY WORKING IN A DETOX AND METHADONE CLINIC SO THIS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN IN MY HEART FOR 30 YEARS. NO STIGMA, NO SHAME, LOVE AND COMPASSION. [1:24:34] **Howard "Howie" Dawson:** THE OPIATE EPIDEMIC HAS COST 1 MILLION LIVES SINCE 1999. ONLY 10% OF PEOPLE WHO NEED ACCESS TO TREATMENT WHO WERE SUFFERING FROM OPIATE SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDER GET ACCESS TO TREATMENT. HUMAN AND HEALTH PARTNERS GOT DINGED FOR VIOLATING THE MENTAL HEALTH PARITY LAW. THEY GOT A SPEEDING TICKET. THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS JACKED BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT PROFIT NOT ABOUT THE MISSION OF ACCESS OF HEALTHCARE FOR EVERYBODY. [1:24:57] **Howard "Howie" Dawson:** THE RACIAL HEALTHCARE DISPARITIES FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND NATIVE AMERICANS IS ALARMING. AFRICAN-AMERICANS DON'T RECEIVE THE MAT AT THE LEVEL THAT WHITE PATIENTS DO. NEXT 15 YEARS THERE'S GOING TO BE OPIATE SETTLEMENT MONEY. THE MAYOR SHOULD TAKE THAT STAFFING POSITION FROM THE FIRST SETTLEMENT AND PUT THAT IN THE BUDGET BECAUSE 4800 NARCAN IS NOT ON THE STREET. YOU'RE GOING TO BUDGET NEXT YEAR YOU MIGHT AS WELL BUDGET IT NOW. [1:25:41] **Howard "Howie" Dawson:** AND WE'RE ASKING FOR THE CITY AND THE COUNTY TO GIVE US NARCAN TO PUT IN SOME LITTLE HOUSES LIKE LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES. I'M ASKING CHURCHES, SYNAGOGUES, MOSQUES TO ADOPT A HOUSE AND PUT NARCAN IN IT. THE CITY AND COUNTY BRING THE NARCAN TO THAT HOUSE OF WORSHIP. THE STAFF CAN EQUIP IT, MONITOR AND STOCK IT. WE NEED MUCH MORE NARCAN. PEOPLE ARE DROPPING LIKE FLIES. PLEASE SAVE LIVES. [1:26:00] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU, HOWIE. [APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT SPEAKER NO. 39 SUE GOODSTAR. [1:26:15] **Sue Goodstar:** GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL. MY NAME IS SUE, AND I'M FROM THE PHILLIPS NEIGHBORHOOD AND I'VE BEEN A MEMBER OF CTUL FOR 2 YEARS NOW. SINCE COMING TO CTUL, I'VE LEARNED ABOUT EARNED SICK AND SAFE TIME, MINIMUM WAGE, WAGE THEFT AND UNLAWFUL TERMINATION. [1:26:35] **Sue Goodstar:** THESE THINGS ARE ALL VERY IMPORTANT TO ME AS IT HAS AFFECTED MY GOOD FRIEND LOLA, MY SISTER ADRIANNA AND MY SON. ALL THESE RIGHTS HAVE BEEN VIOLATED AGAINST THEM. FIRST WITH LOLA: SHE WAS TERMINATED FROM CUB FOODS BECAUSE OF THE FACT SHE WAS LGBTQ. [1:27:07] **Sue Goodstar:** SINCE THEN SHE HAS BEEN UNLAWFULLY EMPLOYED. THAT WAS MY FIRST CTUL EVENT. SINCE THEN, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION THAT I'VE LEARNED WITH MY SISTER AND MY SON. MY SISTER'S JOB -- I WENT TO MY SISTER'S JOB TO DEMAND HER RIGHTFUL MINIMUM WAGE BECAUSE SHE'S BEEN WORKING THERE FOR QUITE A WHILE AND WAS ONLY RECEIVING $13 UNTIL I WENT IN THERE WHEN $15 BEGAME LAW. [1:27:55] **Sue Goodstar:** SHE DISCOVERED THAT SHE WAS OWED BACK PAY OF TWO MONTHS OF NEARLY $4,000 THAT SHE HASN'T BEEN PAID. SINCE ASKING FOR HER BACK PAY, SHE'S BEEN FIRED. [1:28:18] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU, SUE. IF YOU HAVE YOUR COMMENTS WRITTEN, PLEASE GIVE THEM TO THE CLERK. WE'LL MAKE SURE WE GET THEM INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE] AND OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JAMAL CLING. [1:28:48] **Jamal Cling:** MY NAME IS JAMAL CLING I'M A MEMBER OF NEW JUSTICE PROJECT AND ALSO SOMEONE WHO WORKS DIRECTLY WITH SOME OF THE WORKERS THAT NJP ORGANIZES. I CURRENTLY WORK IN WARD 5 AT TWIN CITIES RECOVERY PROJECT AS A PEER RECOVERY COACH. I GOT IN THIS WORK TO HELP ADVOCATE AND BRING THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE WHO STRUGGLE WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, MENTAL HEALTH AND WHO ARE JUSTICE IMPACTED, UNHOUSED AND UNEMPLOYED. [1:29:24] **Jamal Cling:** I MYSELF WORKED IN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY FOR 15 YEARS AND I WAS OFFERED LESS THAN MINIMUM WAGE. ONE EXPERIENCE IN 2021 I WAS WORKING SUB-MINIMUM WAGE AND ALSO KNEW NOTHING OF THE PAID SICK AND SAFE TIME BENEFITS. OUR MANAGER DID NOT TELL US WE HAD THESE BENEFITS AND WHEN MINIMUM WAGE ROSE, I WAS ALSO NOT GIVEN THE RAISES I WAS OWED. [1:30:00] **Jamal Cling:** ADITIONALLY, DURING THE COVID OUTBREAK IN 2022, I GOT SICK AND TOOK OFF WORK TO CARE FOR MYSELF BUT WAS NEVER TOLD I COULD TAKE SICK AND SAFE TIME. THIS LED TO ME LOSING MY JOB BECAUSE OF THE TIME I MISSED. THE WORLD WAS IN A GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND MY EMPLOYER DID NOT CARE ABOUT MY LIVELIHOOD. IMAGINE IF I HAD AN ORGANIZATION LIKE NJP COME TO ME AND TELL ME THAT MY COWORKERS AND WE WERE BEING UNDERPAID AND EXPLOITED. [1:30:31] **Jamal Cling:** AS A VICTIM OF WAGE THEFT NO ONE SHOULD BE GOING THROUGH WHAT I WENT THROUGH. WORKERS OF COLOR IN MINNEAPOLIS DON'T FEEL THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHALLENGE OUR EMPLOYERS BECAUSE WE ARE USUALLY WORKING TO KEEP A ROOF OVER OUR HEAD OR FOOD ON THE TABLE. THE CODE ENFORCEMENT PARTNERSHIP ALLOWS FOR OUTREACH AND EDUCATION TO WORKERS LIKE ME. SO THAT IS WHY WE WANT TO SEE THE CODE ENFORCEMENT BUDGET INCREASE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [1:30:47] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HAVE A GREAT DAY. [APPLAUSE] I DEEPLY APOLOGIZE I SKIPPED ONE SPEAKER, MELISSA DECRUZ. PLEASE APPROACH THE -- [APPLAUSE] HELLO, MELISSA. [1:31:11] **Melissa DeCruz:** MY NAME IS MELISSA I WORKED FOR 21 YEARS GIVING VOICE TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. I CAME TO CTUL BECAUSE I WAS LAID OFF AFTER I COMPLAINED TO MY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ABOUT RECEIVING FREQUENT DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT FROM MY DIRECT SUPERVISOR. HARASSMENT OF ANY FORM SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. IT BREAKS DOWN YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND LITTLE BY LITTLE YOU'LL FIND YOURSELF NOT BEING ABLE TO SLEEP WELL, TO EAT WELL OR TO THINK RIGHT. [1:31:55] **Melissa DeCruz:** IT WAS SO BAD THAT I BECAME SO ANXIOUS, I NEEDED TO SEEK THERAPY. THANKFULLY, A FRIEND OF MINE DIRECTED ME TO CTUL FOR HELP. THROUGH CTUL'S GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT I WAS ABLE TO MEET WITH AN ATTORNEY TO GET INFORMATION ON MY RIGHTS. I DIDN'T FEEL ALONE ANYMORE. [1:32:16] **Melissa DeCruz:** ALL OF THESE EXPERIENCES GAVE ME THE STRENGTH AND KNOWLEDGE TO FILE A CASE WITH THE EEOC. THIS IS ONE OF THE MANY REASONS WE ARE HERE. WE ARE ASKING FOR THE FUNDING OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT NOT ONLY TO CONTINUE BUT TO BE INCREASED FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE WORKERS SO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE CTUL CAN CONTINUE SUPPORTING AND EMPOWERING WORKERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [1:32:33] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU, MELISSA. NEXT WE HAVE SPEAKER ANITA. [1:32:52] **Anita:** HI MY NAME IS ANITA AND I'M A RESIDENT OF WARD 1 IN NORTHEAST MINNEAPOLIS. I WANT TO TALK TODAY ABOUT THE BUDGET FOR THE CLIMATE LEGACY INITIATIVE SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE WITHIN THE NEXT 5 YEARS, I WANT TO HAVE KIDS SOMETIME BUT I'M REALLY SCARED OF WHAT CLIMATE CHANGE MEANS FOR THEIR FUTURES. [1:33:16] **Anita:** I DON'T WANT THEM TO LIVE IN A STATE WHERE THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO BREATHE CLEAN AIR. AND I DON'T WANT THEM TO SEE THE HORRORS OF THE WILDFIRES AND THE HURRICANES AND THE FLOODS THAT ARE DISPLACING SO MANY PEOPLE ACROSS THE GLOBE. IT'S URGENT TO ACT NOW TO SLOW DOWN THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE WE'VE BEEN SEEING. [1:33:32] **Anita:** IN ORDER TO BUILD A BETTER WORLD FOR MY FUTURE KIDS AND THE NEXT GENERATION WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE HOW WE SPEND OUR BUDGET IN THE CITY AND ACT RIGHT NOW. WE NEED TO FOCUS NOT JUST ON THE WEATHERIZATION OF HOMES BUT THE DECARBONIZATION AND THE ELECTRIFICATION WHICH WILL HELP US REDUCE OUR CARBON EMISSIONS EVEN FASTER. [1:34:12] **Anita:** AND BY THE TIME MY KIDS START SCHOOL IN 10 YEARS, I WANT THIS PLAN TO BE ROLLED OUT ESPECIALLY FOR THEIR CLASSMATES WITH LANGUAGE BARRIERS AND WITH LOW INCOMES AND IN GREEN ZONES BECAUSE I WANT MY CHILDREN TO GROW UP IN A MORE EQUITABLE WORLD THAN I DID. THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE EQUITY AS WE PURSUE CLIMATE JUSTICE IS IF WE DO THIS BLOCK BY BLOCK AND NOT HOUSE BY HOUSE BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES ON THEIR OWN TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DECARBONIZE. I URGE YOU GUYS TO TAKE ACTION NOW AND CREATE A ROBUST CONCRETE PLAN. THANK YOU. [1:34:48] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU, ANITA. [APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SPEAKER NO. 43, FERNANDA ACOSTA. GOOD EVENING. [1:35:23] **Fernanda Acosta (via Interpreter):** GOOD EVENING. I'M A RESIDENT OF WARD 9 HERE IN MINNEAPOLIS. AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN AND THE CLIMATE LEGACY INITIATIVE. IN THE EARLY HOURS OF OCTOBER 25TH, THE COASTAL STATE OF GUERRERO IN MEXICO WAS HIT BY HURRICANE OTIS WHICH INTENSIFIED FROM A TROPICAL STORM TO A CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE OVER THE COURSE OF OVER 24 HOURS. [1:37:09] **Fernanda Acosta (via Interpreter):** IT LEAVES BEHIND A LEVEL OF DEVASTATION THAT IS STILL UNKNOWN TO US DUE TO THE FACT THAT COMMUNICATIONS ARE DOWN. THIS IS JUST THE MOST RECENT STORY OF DEVASTATION AND DISPLACEMENT CAUSED BY EXTREME CONDITIONS DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE. GLOBAL MIGRATION PATTERNS ARE NOT A COINCIDENCE AND THAT'S WHY INITIATIVES LIKE BLOCK BY BLOCK ENERGY UPGRADES AND ACCESS TO UNION JOBS DRIVE DECARBONIZATION FOR THE CLIMATE RESILIENCE WE NEED FOR THE YEARS TO COME. NO EXCEPTIONS. THANK YOU. [1:37:43] **Andrea Jenkins:** [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NO. 44 RACHEL THOMPSON. GOOD EVENING. [1:37:59] **Rachel Thompson:** MY NAME IS RACHEL THOMPSON. I RESIDE IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. I'VE LIVED HERE MY WHOLE LIFE. I WORK FOR THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS IN THE STREET DEPARTMENT. WHEN I FIRST GOT HIRED I WAS SO EXCITED TO TELL PEOPLE: I WORK FOR THE CITY. NOW WHEN THEY ASK ME I'M LIKE: I WORK FOR THE CITY. [1:38:19] **Rachel Thompson:** I FEEL LIKE OUR WAGES ARE VERY BELOW AVERAGE. SOLID WASTE RIGHT NOW—THEY'RE STARTING AT $36 AN HOUR PLUS A $5,000 SIGNING BONUS. WE ARE STARTING AT 18. THERE'S REALLY A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THAT GAP. I ALSO FEEL LIKE OUR SAFETY WORKING HERE IS AN ISSUE AS WELL. I'VE HAD A GUN PULLED OUT ON ME DOING WHAT I WAS DOING THIS WEEK. [1:38:51] **Rachel Thompson:** I HAD NO MORAL SUPPORT FROM ANY UPPER MANAGEMENT. WE ALSO HAD SOME HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS WE HAD TO DO WHERE PEOPLE WILL CHASE US WITH BATS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I ALSO FEEL LIKE DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY TYPE OF INCENTIVES FOR ME AND MY FELLOW COWORKERS COMING IN TO WORK PUTTING US AND OUR FAMILIES AT RISK WHILE MOST WORKING IN THIS BUILDING WERE WORKING REMOTELY FROM HOME. [1:39:36] **Rachel Thompson:** I WORK TWO FULL-TIME JOBS. SO I SPEND MORE TIME WITH MY FELLOW COWORKERS THAN I DO WITH MY FAMILY AND I FEEL ONE JOB SHOULD BE ENOUGH. IT REALLY SHOULD. BUT IT'S NOT. AND I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO CHANGE THAT. WE NEED TO INVEST MORE IN THE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY DO THINGS FOR OUR COMMUNITY. [1:40:10] **Andrea Jenkins:** THAT WAS 2 MINUTES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE GOT YOUR POINT. [APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SPEAKER NO. 45. [PAUSE] SPEAKER NO. 46 WILFREDO SANTABREA? [PAUSE] CARMEN HERNANDEZ. [1:41:00] **Carmen Hernandez:** HELLO MY NAME IS CARMEN HERNANDEZ. I STAND BEFORE YOU ASKING FOR FUNDING FOR CTUL. WE HAVE WON THE FIGHT FOR 15, SICK AND SAFE TIME, AND WE FIGHT FOR LABOR RIGHTS AND WE EDUCATE OUR FELLOW WORKERS. [1:41:27] **Carmen Hernandez:** I'M ALSO ASKING FOR LESS MONEY TO GO TO POLICING BECAUSE I HAVE PERSONALLY LOST FAMILY MEMBERS TO THE HANDS OF THE POLICE. AS YOU GUYS KNOW I STOOD HERE IN THIS VERY SAME SPOT LAST YEAR CRYING ABOUT HOW WE LOST BRYAN. SOMETHING THAT NO ONE WILL FORGET. [1:41:48] **Carmen Hernandez:** WE HAVE CHILDREN THAT NEED BETTER EDUCATION. WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE SICK THAT ARE NEEDING MEDICAL CARE AND WE HAVE HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT SHOULD BE HOUSED. I JUST ASK THAT YOU GUYS REALLY LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE AND LIFT UP YOUR MINDS AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND YOU. WHAT'S RIGHT IS RIGHT AND WHAT'S WRONG IS WRONG AND I ASK YOU GUYS TODAY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THAT'S ALL. [1:42:27] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS OSMAN MONTEZ. [1:42:43] **Osman Montez:** YOU MAY KNOW I'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE. AND RIGHT NOW I'M WITH THE LYNDALE PROJECT. STOP FUNDING OPEN STREETS. WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO HENNEPIN, WE DON'T WANT THE SAME THING ON LYNDALE. THOSE STREET PARKING SPACES—YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE THEM FOR BUS LINES AND BIKE LINES. [1:43:03] **Osman Montez:** I KNOW THE BIKE LOBBY IS VERY, VERY STRONG AND THEY ARE THE ONES WHO ARE SUPPORTING YOU GUYS BUT PLEASE DON'T DO THE SAME THING. WE ARE STILL CRYING OVER HENNEPIN. [1:43:28] **Osman Montez:** AND ONE MORE THING, THE CLIMATE SOLUTION: ARE YOU GOING TO CUT ALL THOSE HUNDREDS OF TREES AND THEN YOU WILL REALIZE: "OH, WE CUT THE TREES, NOW WE ARE GOING TO GO GREEN" WHILE THE CARS ARE IDLING ON THE STREET? WHAT ABOUT THAT CARBON EMISSION? [1:43:44] **Osman Montez:** IF YOU'RE GOING TO KEEP SUPPORTING THOSE WARMONGER PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPORTING UNNECESSARY WARS—WE ARE LIVING ON ONE SIMPLE GLOBE. WE ARE NOT LIVING ON MARS. YOU DROP A BOMB AND THE EFFECT IS COMING HERE. WE ARE LIVING ON ONE PLANET EARTH AND WE NEED TO STOP SUPPORTING THESE WAR MONGERS. OUR TAX MONEY HAS TO BE HERE. OUR WORKERS NEED MONEY. STOP HURTING THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES WHICH ARE TRYING TO SURVIVE. WE DON'T GET ANY HELP BUT WE GET HARASSMENT AND OUR PARKING TAKEN AWAY. [1:44:41] **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU, OSMAN. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, SO THE LAST SPEAKER THAT WE HAVE REGISTERED IS ANDREW WILEY. [1:45:07] **Andrew Wiley:** HELLO MY NAME IS ANDREW WILEY AND I LIVE IN ST. PAUL, AND I WORK IN ROSEVILLE FOR BURLINGTON COAT FACTORY. I'M A STRONG PROPONENT OF CODE ENFORCEMENT. THE REASON WHY I SAY THAT IS ROSEVILLE DOES NOT SUPPORT STRONG WAGES OR WORKING CONDITIONS. I WORK AS A DOOR GREETER AT MY JOB LATE AT NIGHT WITH NO SAFETY CONDITIONS, WHERE I HAVE TO FEND OFF VIOLENT CRIMINALS FROM ATTACKING MYSELF OR MY COWORKERS. [1:45:58] **Andrew Wiley:** OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT THROUGH CTUL AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS MEANS MULTILINGUAL SUPPORT TO UPHOLD WORKERS' RIGHTS. UPHOLDING WORKERS' RIGHTS JUST CAN'T BE DONE THROUGH REGULATIONS THROUGH THE CITY OR STATE OR COUNTY. CODE ENFORCEMENT MEANS THAT VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS LIKE CTUL CAN HELP WORKERS UNDERSTAND THEIR RIGHTS SO THEY KNOW ABOUT SAFE WORKING CONDITIONS, CAN FIGHT SEXUAL HARASSMENT, AND KNOW THEY CAN GET $17 AN HOUR THAT THEY DESERVE. [1:47:11] **Andrew Wiley:** CODE ENFORCEMENT MEANS BETTER HEALTH BENEFITS. THANK YOU. **Andrea Jenkins:** THANK YOU, MR. WILEY. [APPLAUSE] THAT COMPLETES THE LIST OF REGISTERED SPEAKERS, AND WITH THAT I WILL CLOSE THIS HEARING. I WILL REMIND EVERYONE THAT WE WILL HAVE OUR SECOND PUBLIC HEARING ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1st AT 10:00 AM. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS HEARING TONIGHT AND EVERYONE WHO SPOKE AND/OR SUBMITTED COMMENTS. WE DO APPRECIATE YOUR ENGAGEMENT IN THIS IMPORTANT WORK AND IT HELPS TO MOVE OUR COMMUNITIES FORWARD. BEFORE I ADJOURN THIS MEETING, I WILL ASK ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES? SEEING NONE, I WILL MOVE TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING WITH NOTHING FURTHER TO COME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL AND WITHOUT OBJECTION, I WILL ADJOURN.