City Briefs - Dec 2024

Lake Street Safety Center

Mobile health care van

Posted Friday, November 29, 2024 11:15 am

Lake Street Safety Center

The new Lake Street Safety Center has opened at 2228 E. Lake St. near the Midtown Station and will be open Monday to Friday. City and community-based services will be offered there, including 311 customer services, community navigators and crime prevention specialists.

Southside 3rd Precinct Area Safety Center

The city is providing updates about the proposed larger safety center at 2633 Minnehaha Ave. that will house a variety of services and staff, including the police staff that serves the 3rd precinct area. There will be a meeting from 5 – 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 2 at the Minneapolis American Indian Center, 1530 E. Franklin Ave, and an online meeting from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Dec 17. It is not expected to open until 2026.

2025 city budget, tax levy increase
In the next few weeks week city council members will formally consider amendments the Mayor Jacob Frey’s proposed $1.88 billion city budget for 2025 with a tax levy increase of 8.3%. The final public hearing will start at 6:05 p.m. on Dec. 10 in the council chambers in the Public Service Center, 250 Fourth St. S., Room 350, followed by consideration of any remaining amendments and a vote to approve a new budget.

Mayoral candidates
So far three people have indicated that they will be running for mayor of Minneapolis in next year’s election: Current mayor, Jacob Frey; DeWayne Davis, a minister at Plymouth Congregational; and Omar Fateh, the state senator for District 62.

Ice rinks
After announcing tentative plans to save $1.5 reducing the number of ice rinks this year from 22 to 17, on Nov. 8 Minneapolis Parks and Recreation board members decided to add rinks back at Windom, Logan, and Van Cleve Parks. They have until Dec. 10 to finalize the list of closures, which includes Powderhorn and Matthews Park.

Hiawatha-Lake art
Artists have been invited to apply to design and create a large-scale, two-dimensional public artwork for the redevelopment at Hiawatha-Lake. The budget for a community engagement process, design, and creation of a roughly 5,200-square-foot, two-dimensional public artwork is $369,000. The application deadline is 4 p.m. Dec. 10.

Midtown Greenway Regional Trail Plan
The Midtown Greenway Regional Trail Plan is scheduled to be considered for final approval by the full Board of Park Commissioners on Dec. 4, 2024. While the trail is owned by the city and operated by them in partnership with the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority, the park board is the only agency within the city eligible for regional park and trail funding. The plan fulfills the requirements of the Metropolitan Council and also includes an agreement between the city, rail authority and park board focused on ownership, operations, and use of regional funding for the Midtown Greenway if it receives status as a regional trail.

County Solid Waste Plan
The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners has adopted the 2024 – 2029 Hennepin County Solid Waste Management Plan and concluded a significant effort in solid waste planning that began with the Climate Action Plan in 2021, and the creation of the Zero Waste Plan in 2023. In includes a prioritization of the highest impact zero-waste and, if implemented, would provide resources to cities to increase waste prevention and recycling, increase food waste diversion and recycling, expand collection and drop-off options, complete a food waste prevention plan, develop a plastics prevention plan, launch a new Community Zero Waste Grant program and more.

Metro Transit Network Plan
The regional transit authority that operates bus and lights rail services in the Twin Cities has released a Metro Transit’s Network Now plan that proposes expanding service by 35% and increasing the rate of metro area jobs accessible by a 45-minute transit ride by 25% by the end of 2027 by redistributing service to offer frequent service throughout the region to continue growing ridership. The plan will be refined based on the public feedback received this fall and presented for possible council adoption in early 2025. For more information visit www.metrotransit.org/network-now.

Minneapolis Labor Standards Board
Following an hours-long discussion on Nov. 14, the city council approved a resolution to establish a new Labor Standards Board. The proposal, which faced vocal opposition from some businesses and business groups, would establish a 15-member advisory board, with five seats each for employers, employees, and community stakeholders.

Mobile Medical Unit (MMU)
The city’s health department has purchased a new mobile medical van that they hope will help bridge healthcare access gaps and reduce barriers in underserved communities. More than $1 million from opioid settlement funds were used to purchase and equip and staff the new vehicle that is intended to help reduce opioid overdose deaths, increase access to treatment, and expand access and delivery of medications for opioid use disorder. The health department’s Opioid Response Team will operate the unit, offer basic health screenings, and provide medication consultation, wound care, vaccinations, mental health counseling and referrals and youth health services including physical exams, dental care, and wellness check. Services are expected to begin early next year.