Council Member's Message

As the City Council approaches the final days of budget setting for 2017, I believe it’s useful to highlight some aspects of this complex process. While the overall City budget is large, those dollars get broken down into specific department budgets. Each department is overseen by a Council committee that actively manages that department’s spending priorities and goals. Here is a small sample of the budgetary matters that I have been working on in the course of my committee work:

Transportation & Public Works

Due to our groundbreaking Streets & Parks funding agreement, the Public Works department is poised to significantly accelerate our infrastructure maintenance program beginning in 2017. This infusion of dollars will support the values we as a City have expressed through our Access Minneapolis Plan and our robust new Complete Streets Policy. Beyond that, the Public Works department will continue to have a key impact on sustainability in our City through their work on maintaining our water quality, innovating through stormwater infrastructure, and greening our City fleet.

Community Development & Regulatory Services

We have included significant resources for affordable housing projects and housing stabilization and these resources, such as the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, allow us to leverage additional dollars from outside resources and jurisdictional partners. The budget will also continue to support two important business support programs: B-TAP, the City’s business technical assistance program, and the newly-launched C-TAP, our co-op technical assistance program.

Public Safety, Civil Rights & Emergency Management

In addition to ensuring that we have a solid baseline of funding that supports the operations of the Second Precinct, I am particularly supportive of our funding for a new Co-Responder Pilot. This innovative program will pair Crisis-Intervention-trained police officers with mental health experts while responding to 911/CIT-related calls. This program, which was recommended by some strong community advocates as well as by the Police Conduct Oversight Commission (PCOC), offers significant promise as a de-escalation tool and I welcome its implementation, even as I encourage the Police Department to continue to seek new ways to foster a healthy community relationship.

There are still opportunities to make your voice heard on the City’s 2017 budget. In addition to the Dec. 7 public budget hearing at 6:05 in Room 317, City Hall, you can submit comments on the proposed budget online. All comments submitted online by 3 p.m. Dec. 6 will be entered into the public record and shared with the mayor and council members.

A Green Campus for Northeast Middle School

You may have noticed the recent transformation of the Northeast Middle School parking lot that fronts on 29th Avenue in the Audubon neighborhood. Inspired by Edison High School's Green Campus, Minneapolis Public Schools, Northeast Middle School (NEMS) and the Audubon Neighborhood Association (ANA) have teamed up with Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) to turn a large portion of the school's asphalt parking lot into a sustainably landscaped green space that will more effectively manage stormwater while also giving students a new curriculum resource. (Pictured at left: NEMS parking lot before the project).

Audubon Neighborhood Association applied for a planning grant from MWMO at the end of 2014 to create a water sustainability project that they could implement in collaboration with the school. Once a design was in place to remove 16,200 square feet of impermeable pavement and install a large raingarden, they applied for and received an action grant from MWMO.

The newly completed raingarden will clean stormwater run-off while also providing hands-on environmental learning opportunities for students. For more photos and information about this project, please click HERE. (Pictured at right: NEMS project just completed). 

City Increases Support for Affordable Housing

The City Council has approved revisions to the City’s investment policy in an effort to help preserve affordable housing in Minneapolis.

The policy change allows the City to invest in mortgage backed securities where the underlying mortgages are for properties that are “naturally occurring affordable housing” (NOAH) properties in Minneapolis. Naturally occurring affordable housing generally refers to unsubsidized multifamily rental housing affordable to households with incomes at or below 60 percent of the area median income ($51,480 for a family of four.)

Rents in NOAH units average between $500 and $1,200 per month. Minneapolis has about 23 percent of these affordable units in the seven-county metro area, roughly 38,000 units. The strong real estate market has made these properties more attractive to investors and subsequently led to dramatically higher rents at many buildings and a displacement of tenants who can no longer afford these increased rents.

Investments in NOAH properties could help finance 800 to 1,100 rental housing units in Minneapolis, depending on purchase prices. The investments would be guaranteed by agencies of the federal government, which have strict underwriting criteria. The guarantee of the federal agencies is necessary to make the mortgages eligible investments under state law. The goal is to help NOAH property owners reduce rents for tenants and invest in additional capital improvements in buildings.

City Passes Resolutions Affirming One Minneapolis

The City Council and Mayor Betsy Hodges have passed three resolutions affirming the tenets of One Minneapolis. The first was a resolution condemning violence and hate speech, and expressing solidarity with Muslims and all those targeted for their ethnicity, race or religion. The resolution recognizes that the United States was founded by immigrants, many fleeing religious persecution, who enshrined freedom of religion as one of the nation’s fundamental legal and ethical principles.

The second resolution declared November to be Transgender Awareness Month. The vote by council members came two days before the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, which honors the memory of those murdered because of anti-transgender prejudice.

The third was a resolution standing with all members of the one Minneapolis, rejecting the politics of division, bigotry, hate and fear. The resolution commits the City to fighting for the rights, freedoms and interests of all of the members of the Minneapolis community, no matter skin color, gender, the way of worship, birthplace, sexual orientation, or any other identity.

Get Ready To Shovel

Keeping our sidewalks free of ice and snow isn't just the neighborly thing to do, it’s the law. For your own benefit and to help your neighbors, people pushing strollers or using wheelchairs, and the many people in Minneapolis who walk, please do your part.

Minneapolis Ordinance requires the property owners clear sidewalks after a snowfall within:

• 24 hours for single family homes and duplexes
• Four daytime hours for apartments, commercial buildings and all other properties (daytime hours begin at 8 am)

When you shovel snow and clear ice:

• Shovel the sidewalks on all sides of your property, the full width of the sidewalk down to the bare pavement. 
• Remove all ice from sidewalks. 
• Pile snow into your yard and boulevard. It’s against the law to shovel snow into streets and alleys. 
• If you have a corner property, clear pedestrian ramps at the street corners and crosswalks to the street gutter. You are not required to clear snow ridges or piles left by the plows beyond the gutter. City crews will make an effort to return to do this work as quickly as possible, but with some 16,000 corners to clear across the City, it may take a while. However, your neighbors would appreciate it if you could clear the pile, or at least an opening sooner to help shorten the wait and provide a clear passage. 

Avoid the cost of the City clearing your sidewalk:

• If the City of Minneapolis gets a complaint or discovers that a sidewalk is not properly cleared, Public Works will inspect the sidewalk and give the property owners a chance to clear it. 
• If the sidewalk has not been cleared upon re-inspection, the property owner may be issued a citation with a fine, and crews will remove the snow and ice from the sidewalk. Property owners will be billed for this service, and unpaid bills will be added to property tax statements. 

Want to go the extra mile?

• Report snow and ice on sidewalks. 
• Are there neighbors on your street who are elderly, have a disability or may have a hard time shoveling for any reason? Work with your neighbors to give a hand and ensure your entire block is safe and accessible to all.

Water Bar Winter Social: December 3

In the past year many of you have had the opportunity to drop by the Water Barhttp://www.water-bar.org on Central Avenue in the Holland neighborhood to learn more about their work around the intersection of water sustainability and art, taste some water or participate in a workshop, art exhibit or public program. Local artists Shanai Matteson and Colin Kloecker have welcomed the community into the Water Bar and also taken their work out on the road, serving and talking about water with over 30,000 people across the United States.

Now it's time to celebrate the work they and their partners have done over the past year in concert with the community. Water Bar is hosting a Winter Social and Dance Party on Saturday, Dec. 3, 6 p.m. to midnight to thank friends and supporters and introduce new partners and projects for 2017. The event will feature family-friendly art activities from 6 - 7:30 p.m., followed by a program introducing the partners and talking about what's planned for the upcoming year, and ending with live music and dancing. For more information about this fun free event, visit http://www.water-bar.org/calendar-2/2016/12/3/winter-social.

Looking Back on Summer: Waite Park's Community Garden Stroll

The Waite Park neighborhood's annual Community Garden Stroll invited the public to visit and enjoy their large garden located on Canadian Pacific Railroad land.

This year's event featured a new twist, with a “Garden Chef” cook-off. Competitors were challenged with preparing dishes that featured zucchini. Visitors had the opportunity to sample the entries while they were judged by Minneapolis Public Schools’ Executive Chef Mark Augustine, Margo Ashmore of the Northeaster Newspaper and Council Member Reich.

In addition to delicious samples, the Stroll also featured garden tours and children's activities.

Senior Community Services' HOME Program

The Household and Outside Maintenance for Elderly (HOME) program offers senior homemaking services – vacuuming, dusting, sweeping/mopping floors, cleaning bathrooms, cleaning kitchens, and changing bed linens and more. This can also be a great relief to family members who find themselves balancing time to keep their own home comfortable.

We have Handymen available to provide assistance around the home. They can help with changing light bulbs, installing grab bars, fixing leaky faucets, repairing running toilets, installing new faucet and light fixtures, checking carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, changing furnace filters, and hanging wall decorations and mirrors. For more information on HOME or to schedule a FREE Home Health & Safety Assessment call 952-746-4046 or visit www.seniorcommunity.org.

Holiday Train Has New Location

The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train will be pulling into a new location this year on Saturday, December 10. The new stop will be near Lions Park at 37th Avenue NE and Stinson Boulevard, on the shared border of the cities of Minneapolis, Columbia Heights and St. Anthony Village.

This free community event, which is in it's 17th year, features live music, family activities and refreshments. The activities begin at 6 p.m. and the train arrives at 7 p.m. A free shuttle bus service will operate from St. Anthony Village City Offices and Community Center at 3301 Silver Lake Road, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Attendees are encouraged to bring monetary and/or healthy food donations and toiletries. Non-perishable items include cereal, low sodium canned goods, cooking oil, sugar, flour, dried fruit, condiments, crackers, tea, coffee, honey, pasta, rice and beans. All proceeds benefit the East Side Neighborhood Services Food Programs. Contact East Side at www.esns.org or 612-781-6011 for further information.

Save The Date

Water Bar Winter Social & Celebration
Saturday, December 3, 6 p.m. - midnight, Water Bar, 2516 Central Avenue NE. Enjoy live music, artwork and conversation about water at this celebration of the Water Bar's first year on Central Avenue. For more information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/1141346529248659/.

Edison Fall Musical: "The Wiz"
Thursday, December 8 - Saturday, December 10, 7 p.m., Edison High School Auditorium, 700 - 22nd Avenue NE.

2016 Canadian Pacific Holiday Train
Saturday, December 10, 6 - 7:45 p.m., Lions Park at 37th Avenue & Stinson Blvd. Enjoy a night of live musical entertainment, kids activities and refreshments while supporting the food shelves at East Side Neighborhood Services by bringing a cash or non-perishable food donation. NOTE THE NEW LOCATION.

Fix-It Clinic
Sunday, December 11, noon - 4 p.m., Grace Center for Community Life, 1500 6th St. NE. Get free, guided assistance on disassembling, troubleshooting and fixing broken household items. For more information, visit Hennepin County fix-it clinic’s webpage.

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For reasonable accommodations or alternative formats please contact Lisa Brock at lisa.brock@minneapolismn.gov or 612-673-2201. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call 311 agents at 612-673-3000. TTY users can call 612-673-2157 or 612-673-2626.

Para asistencia 612-673-2700 • Rau kev pab 612-673-2800 • Hadii aad Caawimaad u baahantahay
612-673-3500.

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Council Member's Message

In 2014 the City's Public Works Department launched a worker recruitment initiative that was intended to offer concrete and practical strategies to help achieve the City's adopted goal of doing its part in creating opportunity for all Minneapolis residents. Very simply, Public Works leadership wanted to make stable, good-paying jobs within the department more accessible to a broader cross-section of job seekers in the City.

The approach to making this happen was two-fold. First, Public Works partnered with Human Resources to develop a Service Worker Trainee Program. This program reduced barriers to applicants by assisting them in obtaining the required Commercial Driver License (CDL) and one year of laboring experience. Secondly, Public Works included several new components into the recruitment process to reach a broader audience. Outreach included information sessions around the City, multi-lingual outreach in a variety of formats. Also, they partnered with several community job placement services and attended job and career fairs at local technical colleges.

I am pleased to announce that in 2016 we are seeing the first class of graduates from that program. Please see the story below to learn more about how this innovative program is increasing broader and more varied participation of people pursuing the great jobs in Public Works.

Ward 1 Forum on Oct 6: Meet the New Public Works Director

Join us on Thursday, October 6, 6:30 - 8 p.m., at the Eastside Co-op Community Room, 2551 Central Avenue NE, to meet Robin Hutcheson, the City of Minneapolis' new Public Works Director.

Robin Hutcheson was appointed Public Works Director in June, assuming the position held for the past ten years by Steve Kotke. She was previously the Transportation Division Director in Salt Lake City and oversaw the installation of that City's first streetcar. She was also involved in a significant expansion of their 'complete streets' policy.

Public Works is Minneapolis' largest and most complicated department, with over 1,100 employees and an annual operating budget of $428 million. The department has a far-reaching impact on everyone who lives and works in the city, from the streets that move people from one place to another, to the safe drinking water we rely on, our outstanding solid waste and recycling collection and much more. Join us on October 6 to meet the new director and learn more about the department she's leading.

Fall Street Sweep Begins Tuesday, October 18

Fall comprehensive street sweeping will start Tuesday October 18, 2016. Vehicles parked in violation of signs are subject to a ticket and tow. Each spring and fall, Public Works crews sweep every mile of the City's more than 1,100 miles of streets – curb to curb – to help keep our neighborhoods clean and livable and to protect our waterways. Each spring, crews also sweep the nearly 400 miles of alleys as well. Leaves and other debris on the streets can clog storm drains and pollute our lakes and rivers. Street sweeping usually takes about four weeks to complete.

• "No Parking signs" – City crews will post "No Parking" signs at least 24 hours before sweeping any streets. Parking will be banned from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the day a street is swept. Vehicles not removed will be towed to the Minneapolis Impound Lot.
  
• Use the Street Sweeping Schedule Lookup The schedule is updated frequently during the sweep to reflect the actual progress of street sweeping.

Public Works Diversity Hiring Program Update

The Public Works Department created a new hiring pipeline that is increasing the diversity of its employees. The Public Works Service Worker 1 Trainee Program is helping the department change the face of its workforce to better reflect the community it serves.

The trainee program offers adults 18 and older a chance at on-the-job training to meet the qualifications for the Public Works service worker 1 position. Trainees perform manual labor to support construction and maintenance work while also learning the fundamentals of the construction industry and how to drive and operate Public Works equipment. Through the course of the program, they earn their Class B commercial driver’s licenses.

The first class of graduates in the trainee program included 64 percent employees of color and 21 percent women. All have now been hired in the role of Public Works service worker 1 for the City.

Spread the word: New trainee program begins soon

Public Works is hiring throughout October for the next trainee program. Applications are also open throughout October for several other job openings.

Please help spread the word about these opportunities with folks in your network. Share this flyer, and encourage prospective applicants to attend one of several information sessions in October. Attendees can talk to Public Works representatives and apply for a position on the spot; computers will be available. Applicants should apply online at www.minneapolismn.gov/jobs.

Universal Plating Site Update

The Minneapolis Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has added the former Universal Plating site, which consists of 1900-1922 Monroe Street NE and 661-19th Avenue NE, to the State's Superfund Permanent List of Priorities. This is a significant step in ultimately returning this piece of property to productive and beneficial use. Universal Plating was the site of chemical and mechanical plating and finishing from 1944 to 2009. Metals and chlorinated solvents at levels that exceed the MPCA's soil reference values for residential land use have been detected in the site's soil. The property has been included in MPCA's Voluntary Investigation and Cleanup Program since 2014.

The property was forfeited to the State of Minnesota for non-payment of taxes in 2015. Hennepin County Resident and Real Estate Services (RRES) currently administers the site on behalf of the State. In addition to securing and maintaining the property, Hennepin County staff have sampled and identified chemicals and process waste on the site and packaged and transferred waste from the site to disposal facilities. The site needs to be completely cleaned before the structures can be demolished. The clean up is expected to be completed by the end of 2016 and the demolition will take place during the spring and summer of 2017.

Edison Students Work with Architects to create PARK(ing) Day

This past September Minnesota Women in Landscape Architecture (WILA-MN) teamed up with Edison High Schoolstudents and teachers to create and install two parks in front of Sen Yai Sen Lek restaurant (the same location occupied by a parklet last summer). WILA-MN members mentored two classes of Edison students over the course of two weeks to teach them about the design and planning process. Students used that time to generate ideas for programming the public space, as well as planning the necessary design elements and building materials.

The third Friday in September is PARK(ing) Day, an annual international event in which citizens convert parking spaces into temporary public places. Since this initiative began in 2005 it has expanded to encompass 975 parks in 162 cities in 35 countries on 6 continents. The mission of PARK(ing) Day is to highlight the need for more open urban space and generate discussion about how public space is created and allocated.

One class settled on a park dedicated to board games and face-painting, while the other class decided to install a miniature soccer field in their parking space. Other activities included a lounge/rest area, a photo booth and a space for traditional Somali dance presentations. The site in front of Sen Yai Sen Lek was selected because it was walkable from Edison High School. Local businesses loaned props and design elements, including straw bales from Mother Earth Gardens and plants from Terra Vista Landscaping.

Over the course of four hours students played games, painted faces, relaxed and interacted with passersby, including children from a local daycare, residents and visitors. Some students performed traditional Somali dances. Another group kicked a soccer ball back and forth on their soccer field manufactured out of artificial turf and straw bales. Yet other students peered down at a Blokus board or balanced a teetering Jenga tower.

Edison was recommended to WILA-MN as a partner by Stantec, the international engineering firm that has been a partner on the Edison Green Campus renovations. Maddie Peck, a landscape architect from Bolton & Menk, spoke about plans for future PARK(ing) Days in Northeast, saying "This year the students didn't really know what to expect, but next year's students are going to have seen all this and will be excited and ready for us."

FREE Home Energy Squad Visits & Zero Interest Loans

For a limited time, the City of Minneapolis is offering free Home Energy Squad visits for income-qualified residents, including renters. All Minneapolis residents are eligible for a $70 home visit -- and to qualify for a FREE visit, your home must have an income of less than $48,100 for one person, $54,950 for two people, $61,850 for three people, or up to $90,650 for eight people. During a Home Energy Squad visit, a team of energy experts evaluates energy saving opportunities in your home and installs free materials to help you start saving on the spot, including door weather stripping, a water heater blanket, high-efficiency light bulbs and water fixtures, and a programmable thermostat.

Your visit may also include a test to measure your home for air leaks; an insulation inspection using an infrared camera; a safety check of your home’s heating system and water heater; and an “energy fitness plan” with a list of energy-saving priorities and financing information. For any recommended upgrades, participants will receive a personalized quote and an opportunity to schedule the work with a qualified contractor. And if the Home Energy Squad recommends insulation or air sealing, ALL Minneapolis residents also get special access to 0% financing to complete the work, thanks to an exclusive partnership with the City of Minneapolis. This is a limited-time offer, so don’t wait to schedule your visit! Call Beth today at 612-335-5874 or visit mncee.org/hes-mpls

Organics Recycling Training Session: October 13

Come to a training session on Thursday, October 13, 6 - 8 p.m. at Windom Park, 2251 Hayes Street NE to get your organics recycling questions answered with hands-on learning, demonstrations and tips that make organics recycling easier in your home. Learn what happens to organics once they are collected. Pick up a yard sign to promote the organics recycling program. Organics collection containers will be distributed to attendees while supplies last. 

Contact Laura Horner at 612-673-3318 or laura.horner@minneapolismn.gov with questions. Click HERE to RSVP.

Ward 1 Business Spotlight: Central Avenue Clinic

Neighborhood HealthSource welcomes Dr. Hindi Hussein to their Central Clinic this fall. With a medical degree from Howard University, Dr. Hussein is a family medicine doctor who enjoys caring for people in all stages of life. She has a special interest in pediatrics, women’s health and prenatal care. About her work, she says, “Having grown up in an underserved region, it has always been my desire to join an organization whose mission it is to provide quality health care for underserved populations.”


Dr. Hussein is fluent in Somali and English. Her philosophy of care: strengthening patients’ own advocacy for their health care, taking into account not just their health status but their whole wellbeing—job experience, living environment, overall factors in their life—and how that impacts their health. She is committed to access to care that takes into account cultural nuances with sensitivity to any socioeconomic or language barriers people may face. Outside of work, Dr. Hussein is interested in travel medicine, global health and medical mission trips. She enjoys cooking and spending time with family and friends.

Save The Date Calendar

Art Circle - Putting Down Roots
Wednesday, October 12, 5 - 8 p.m., MWMO HQ, 2522 Marshall Street NE. Create new fiber art for Putting Down Roots, an evolving artistic fiber exhibit.

Nordeast Big River Brew Fest
Saturday, October 22, 1 - 4 p.m., East Side Neighborhood Services, 1700 2nd Street NE. Sample a diverse array of micro and craft brews and sample local foods. Proceeds benefit the programs of East Side Neighborhood Services.

Riverfront Summit & Mississippi Minute Film Festival
Monday, October 24, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m., Mill City Museum, 704 S. 2nd Street. View the winning entries of the Film Festival and celebrate the centrality of the Mississippi River. For tickets, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mississippi-minute-film-festival-2016-tickets-27969448373.

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For reasonable accommodations or alternative formats please contact Lisa Brock at lisa.brock@minneapolismn.gov or 612-673-2201. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call 311 agents at 612-673-3000. TTY users can call 612-673-2157 or 612-673-2626.

Para asistencia 612-673-2700 • Rau kev pab 612-673-2800 • Hadii aad Caawimaad u baahantahay
612-673-3500.

Earlier this month, the community celebrated a ribbon-cutting for the new Edison Plaza. On September 17, the community comes together again for a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the new Eastside Food Co-op. These two events, separated by little more than one week, speak volumes about the values and the vibrancy of the Ward One community.

Several years ago now, I began meeting with neighborhood leaders, Minneapolis Public Schools, Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board and other jurisdictions and organizations to discuss how we could nurture an environmentally sustainable green space in the heart of the First Ward. Since those early days, partners have brought together enormous resources to realize the vision of a Green Campus and of Edison High School as the greenest school in the state. From the parking lot renovation and the athletic field redesign to the creation of a community plaza and urban agriculture hub, this area has been completely transformed. And impressive as it is, there are still more improvements to come, including a significant solar installation. (Check out the story below for more details.)

Eastside Food Co-op was also the result of community partners coming together with a vision well over a decade ago and putting in the hard work to make that vision a reality. Now we see a more than $6 million renovation that will allow enhancement of Eastside’s mission of offering fair products at fair prices while embodying cooperative values that build and enhance the community. I hope you will stop by Eastside on Saturday, September 17, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. to join in on this celebration.

We should be proud to see our community celebrating two such impressive achievements that speak so well to the strength of our schools and our economic vitality. Way to go, Ward One!

Edison Green Campus Phase II Unveiled

Project partners MWMO, Minneapolis Public Schools, Holland Neighborhood Improvement Association, City of Minneapolis, James Brenner, AWH Architects and Lazor.

Phase II of the Edison Green Campus was unveiled on September 9 shortly before Edison's first home football game. This phase of the multi-year sustainability initiative includes a new grand entrance to the Edison athletic field, a concessions building, greenhouse, community garden and underground storage tanks that will hold stormwater runoff collected from the gym roof, plaza, field and parking lot. Project partners, students and community members gathered on the new plaza to celebrate the completion of another piece of an initiative that has truly made Edison High School the greenest school in the state. Later this fall a solar canopy will be installed over the plaza that will generate enough energy to power 53 homes per year, offsetting 40 percent of the school's electricity needs. Other highlights of the Green Campus include a stormwater re-use system with the potential to store up to 110,900 gallons of captured rainwater, which will be used to irrigate the athletic field and a redesigned parking lot that can capture and treat more than 47,000 gallons of polluted stormwater runoff at a time. The greenhouse and student-created community garden will offer Edison students hands-on urban agriculture opportunities, while the entire Green Campus will function as an outdoor classroom and laboratory. The many partners involved in this project include Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, Minneapolis Public Schools, Holland Neighborhood Improvement Association, City of Minneapolis, LISC, Minnesota Vikings, Spark-Y, AWH Architects, Stantec, and Lazor Office.

Edison Plaza Greenhouse

Hydro-Illuminata Lights Up the River on October 1

Torches create pinpoints of light in the darkness. Dancers weave in spiraling lines down the banks of the Mississippi. Flaming boats trail glowing lines of molten light across the river. The water itself appears transformed into liquid fire. These dramatic images are the culmination of Hydro-Illuminata, a three-month long community conversation about water sustainability.

Join local sculptor James Brenner and the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization for a public water and fire spectacle on the banks of the Mississippi as small, fire-filled boats are cast adrift on the water, giving tangible form to a community conversation about water sustainability:

When: Saturday, October 1, 2016, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

Where: MWMO Stormwater Park, 2522 Marshall Street NE

What: Spectacular free public event that includes an iron pour performance, music, choreography and projections.

Who: Participants and partners include artist James Brenner, Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, Holland Neighborhood Improvement Association, Walker Art Center, Homewood Studios, Minnesota Waldorf School, City of Lakes Waldorf School, Rhythm of the Saints and members of the Macalester College Pipe Band.

For more information, visit www.hydroilluminata.com.

Ward 1 Community Forum: Meet the New Public Works Director

Join us on Thursday, October 6, 6:30 - 8 p.m., at the Eastside Co-op Community Room, 2551 Central Avenue NE, to meet Robin Hutcheson, the City of Minneapolis' new Public Works Director.

Robin Hutcheson was appointed Public Works Director in June, assuming the position held for the past ten years by Steve Kotke. She was previously the Transportation Division Director in Salt Lake City and oversaw the installation of that City's first streetcar. She was also involved in a significant expansion of their 'complete streets' policy.

Public Works is Minneapolis' largest and most complicated department, with over 1,100 employees and an annual operating budget of $428 million. The department has a far-reaching impact on everyone who lives and works in the city, from the streets that move people from one place to another, to the safe drinking water we rely on, our outstanding solid waste and recycling collection and much more. Join us on October 6 to meet the new director and learn more about the department she's leading.

Third Avenue Bikeway is Open for Business

This September Council Member Reich, Mayor Hodges, bicycle advocates and City officials celebrated the opening of the Third Avenue Bikeway. This north-south bicycle connector represents an important piece of the City of Minneapolis' bicycle infrastructure, offering a safer and more direct route between Northeast and South Minneapolis. A protected Third Avenue Bikeway is identified in the Minneapolis Bicycle Master Plan.

The completed project will include new protected bike lanes between 1st Street S and 16th Street E, as well as landscaping and pedestrian improvements for the length of the corridor.

Early Voting for Everyone

The City of Minneapolis reminds eligible voters that planning ahead can save them from standing in long lines on Election Day. Starting Sept. 23, any voter can vote early by mail or in person at one of four locations around the city.

Early in-person voting is convenient. It especially helps voters who need special accommodations, such as language support, that the extra time, attention and onsite resources of early in-person voting afford more readily than the polls might on Election Day.

The Northeast Early Vote Center is located at the Water Bar, 2516 Central Ave. NE. Standard hours throughout the absentee voting period are 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. During the final two weeks before the election, these hours will be extended and include weekend times. All early voting hours are posted on the website (vote.minneapolismn.gov). Other in-person early vote centers include Downtown Early Vote Center, 217 S. Third St.; North Early Vote Center, 2100 Plymouth Ave. N., in the Minneapolis Urban League building; and South Early Vote Center, 1860 E. 28th St., in the Roof Depot building.

Organics Recycling Training Sessions

Do you like the idea of organics recycling but you don’t know how to do it? The City is offering two organics recycling training sessions in the fall. Get your questions answered with hands-on learning, demonstrations and tips that make organics recycling easy in your home. Learn what happens to organics once they are collected. Pick up a yard sign to promote the organics recycling program on your block. Hear about the City’s new Recycling Block Leader program and how you can sign up to be the leader on your block.

Come to either session:

6-8 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 27
Longfellow Recreation Center, 3435 36th Ave. S.

6-8p.m., Thursday, Oct. 13
Windom Northeast Recreation Center, 2251 Hayes St. NE

RSVPs are encouraged.

Council Approves Creative City Roadmap

The City Council approved the Creative City Roadmap report — a 10-year vision and strategic plan for developing the city’s creative economy.

The road map, which was the result of an 18-month long community engagement process, has four key visions and goals:

Amplify the local, meaning diverse creative assets are developed, celebrated and promoted.
Art is actively used to build and foster access and connections.

Local artists and creative practitioners thrive with access to resources and opportunities.
Arts and creativity strengthen economic and social development.

The Creative City Road Map will be integrated into the City’s Comprehensive Plan, which shapes the future of development in the city. It will also help better align the work of city government and the local arts economy.

The Minneapolis/Saint Paul metro area ranks sixth on the list of the nation’s most “creatively vital” metro areas, but workers of color are significantly underrepresented in creative professions, according to the most recent Minneapolis Creative Index report.

Master Water Stewards Program

The Mississippi Watershed Management Organization invites residents to join its 2016–2017 class of Master Water Stewards (MWS). The MWS program provides training and opportunities for residents to take action to protect and improve water quality and habitat.

Freshwater Society developed the MWS program in 2013 to equip citizens with the knowledge and skills to help improve water quality at the grassroots level. By December of 2016, the metro area will have 150 certified Master Water Stewards. The MWMO is one of many watershed organizations sponsoring MWS classes, and is offering them free-of-charge to eligible residents.

The next MWS session begins October 11, 2016 and runs through April 25, 2017. To learn more, visit masterwaterstewards.org or attend an upcoming information session at one of the following locations (all applicants welcome at any of the following sessions):

· Sept. 20, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. — Bang Brewing Company (St. Paul)

· Sept. 27, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. — City of Eagan Maintenance Facility

Master Water Stewards are certified by participating in a broad training curriculum led by experts in the fields of hydrology, stormwater management, water policy, community-based social marketing, and raingarden assessment and installation. They must complete a capstone project that captures rainfall and allows more water to soak into the ground, and lead a community outreach event. Stewards then become a point of knowledge and influence in their communities.

Master Water Stewards are now working for watershed districts and environmental nonprofits (including Freshwater Society), participating on city and local government boards, influencing policy, and improving the health of our waters.

Save the Date

Como Cookout

Saturday, Sept. 17, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., Van Cleve Park, 901 15th Avenue SE. This free event features games, food, and a resource fair.

17th Annual Fall Fine Arts Show

Friday, Sept. 16 - Sunday, Sept. 25, Solar Arts Building, 711, 15th Avenue NE. For more information, visit https://nemaa.org/news/2016/08/1735
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For reasonable accommodations or alternative formats please contact Lisa Brock at lisa.brock@minneapolismn.gov or 612-673-2201. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call 311 agents at 612-673-3000. TTY users can call 612-673-2157 or 612-673-2626.

Para asistencia 612-673-2700 • Rau kev pab 612-673-2800 • Hadii aad Caawimaad u baahantahay
612-673-3500.

Council Member's Message

There are three upcoming events to bring to your attention as the summer winds down and we approach fall. First of all, the Eastside Community and School Barbeque will be held on Thursday, August 25. This annual event is an outstanding celebration of our schools, our students and our Eastside community as residents, businesses and local organizations all come together for food and festivity. It’s scheduled to coincide with the Eastside Schools open houses and offers us all an opportunity to support the youth of our community (see story below for more details).

Next up, I will be hosting a community forum on Tuesday, September 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the Firefighters Hall & Museum (664 – 22nd Avenue NE) to introduce Inspector Todd Loining. Police Chief Harteau recently announced some changes in the leadership of our City’s precincts, including moving Insp. Loining to the Second Precinct, while Insp. Waite has taken over the Fifth Precinct. I have every confidence that Inspector Loining will continue the strong Second Precinct tradition of community partnerships that has been the foundation of public safety in the First Ward.

Also on Tuesday, September 13, the Ward One Office is partnering with East Side Neighborhood Services on their 39th annual health and wellness event, Your Community for a Lifetime: A Health & Wellness Expo. This event, which takes place 10 a.m. to noon at 1700 2nd Street NE, connects community members with important resources and services to enhance their health and well-being.

I hope you'll be able to join me for one or more of these events in September!

The Next Generation of Stormwater Treatment & Regional Collaboration

What does rain that falls in another city have to do with the First Ward? Because the water cycle is a complex system that doesn't abide by lines on a map, rain that falls in St. Anthony Village becomes run-off that travels through Northeast Minneapolis and ends up in the Mississippi. Effectively managing that stormwater runoff is a multi-jurisdictional task, which is why St. Anthony Village, the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO), and the City of Minneapolis have teamed up to create a stormwater treatment and research facility in a grassy corner of the Windom Park neighborhood. Council Member Reich, who is also the MWMO Board President, recently joined MWMO Executive Director Doug Snyder and St. Anthony Mayor Jerry Faust (pictured at right) at a ribbon-cutting for the project.

This $1.6 million project, which is being funded by MWMO, will capture and clean roughly 169 million gallons of stormwater runoff annually, significantly reducing pollution levels of the water entering the Mississippi River. At the same time, it will allow researchers to test new and emerging treatment technologies.

The scale of this project combined with it's cutting edge technology and the significant research opportunities it offers make it uniquely noteworthy. Visit http://mwmo.org/projects/st-anthony-regional-stormwater-treatment-research-system/ to learn more about the project and watch a video of how the treatment facility works.

The next time you're on a Minneapolis city street, take a glance at the curb and gutter. That smooth, professional surface you're seeing is the work of one of the City of Minneapolis' Cement Finishers. Public Works currently employs 14 cement finishers who form, place and finish Portland concrete cement for curb and gutter, driveways, finished pavement and other unique structures made of concrete across the entire city.

This specialized position has been part of the Public Works Department for many years, as can be seen from the picture at right of cement finishers at work paving an alley in 1941. The City also has a apprentice finisher program to mentor and train city employees interested in learning this skill. Once the apprentices complete a 57-week program in the Paving Construction Division, they are then transferred to a variety of Public Works departments.

Edison Community Garden

As the Edison High School plaza continues to take shape, a garden is springing up alongside the gym, thanks to the school's new Spark-Y program.Edison High School sophmore Connor Arneson (pictured at left) is one of the four Spark-Y interns who are installing the Edison Community Garden this summer. As part of the Spark-Y curriculum last year, students created a variety of garden designs and then asked the community to vote on them. This summer Connor spent a couple of weeks modifying the design to fit the dimensions of the garden space. After that was completed the interns, with assistance from community volunteers, began the construction work on the garden, including a pergola and path. They expect to have the garden completed by mid-August.Spark-Y is a non-profit organization that provides sustainable education for youth by focusing on urban agriculture systems. The Spark-Y curriculum was introduced at Edison High School last fall with a hands-on aquaponics program. For more information about Spark-Y, visit: http://spark-y.org/.

City Minimum Wage Update

The City Council is directing staff to review and bring back recommendations on increasing the minimum wage in Minneapolis by ordinance. The staff recommendations are to be returned to the Committee of the Whole in 2017.

The action directs staff to work with stakeholders, review policies from other cities, review and incorporate results from the forthcoming minimum wage study, and recommend a minimum wage policy to bring before the Committee of the Whole by the second quarter of 2017; and to formulate a plan for engagement to bring before the Committee of the Whole on or before Oct. 5, 2016.

The City first acted on minimum wages in April 2015 with a resolution committing the city to a study of the effects of establishing a minimum wage regionally and locally. The results of the minimum wage study are expected in September.

Eastside Community & School BBQ: Thursday, August 25

Get ready for one of the Eastside's biggest parties - the 10th Annual Eastside Community & School Barbeque is coming up on Thursday, August 25, 3:30 - 7:30 p.m. at Edison High School, 700 - 22nd Avenue NE.

This event started ten years ago as a kick-off of Edison's school year and a thank you to its hardworking lunch ladies. It's evolved into a community-wide celebration that last year hosted 3000 people. All of the Eastside Schools - Marcy Open, Northeast Middle School, Pillsbury Elementary, Edison High School, Sheridan Elementary, Waite Park Elementary and Webster Elementary - will be having their open houses the same night so families can stop by the Barbeque before or after their visit.

Come join your friends and neighbors for this tasty and activity-filled event!
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For reasonable accommodations or alternative formats please contact Lisa Brock at lisa.brock@minneapolismn.gov or 612-673-2201. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay serviceto call 311 agents at 612-673-3000. TTY users can call 612-673-2157 or 612-673-2626.

Para asistencia 612-673-2700 • Rau kev pab 612-673-2800 • Hadii aad Caawimaad u baahantahay
612-673-3500.

Council Member's Message

I’m pleased to share news about two important reports that were released in June: the Clean Energy Partnership report and the 2015 Creative Vitality Index.

The Minneapolis Clean Energy Partnership was established in 2015 as a first-of-its-kind City-utility partnership between the City of Minneapolis, Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy. I and the other Clean Energy Partnership board members are charged with collaborating on strategies to help our city achieve the clean energy goals outlined in the City’s 2013 Climate Action Plan and Energy Vision for 2040. The Clean Energy Partnership’s inaugural report details highlights of its first year and the specifics of its two year work plan.

Much of the first year was dedicated to getting the Energy Vision Advisory Committee in place, as well as developing a work plan and metrics. During the course of this first year, rooftop solar installations in the City were up by 40% over the previous year and Home Energy Squad visits were increased by 68 % (see the story below for more information about receiving a free visit). Click HERE to read the two-year work plan.

The 2015 Creative Vitality Index report was also released in June. The findings showed that creative jobs have grown by 10.4 percent, outpacing overall job growth in the Minneapolis economy and the City retains its spot as the sixth highest metro index in the U.S., topping many larger municipalities. Our creative industries represented more than $4.5 billion in sales, a whopping number by any standard.

The 2015 Index included demographic data for the first time, offering some interesting insights into the makeup of our creative economy. For example, analysis found that a slightly higher percentage of women work in creative occupations in Minneapolis, than in the rest of the Metro and the country as a whole, while a lower percentage of people of color are represented in our local creative economy. The data also showed that the average creative worker has a lower hourly wage than other Minneapolis and metro workers. Click HERE to read the entire report.

Visit Water Bar for Open Studio Nights This Summer

A bar that only serves free tap water? It sounds like a joke, but it's a real thing, and it's open now in the Holland neighborhood. This new art and community space at 2516 Central Avenue offers visitors free tasting flights of local tap waters. The bartenders - scientists, artists, and community activists - help to teach visitors about where their water comes from and what they can do to protect water resources in Minneapolis and beyond.

This summer, Water Bar & Public Studio will be open every Monday night from 5 - 10PM for "Open Studio" art-making nights. Visitors can try their hand at screen printing and other art activities, or just hang out sipping water! Water Bar is also open Saturdays from 10-4PM and for special events. You can see a calendar at water-bar.org

Are you looking for volunteer opportunities? Water Bar is currently seeking volunteers of all ages and abilities to join them as Water Bar "water tenders" at the new space, and at pop-ups around Minneapolis - serving water and information to visitors. Other volunteer jobs include studio assistant and social media intern. You can contact Water Bar& Public Studio on Facebook or by email on the website water-bar.org

Waite Park School Patrol Supervisor Extraordinaire Steve Holm Retires

Just about every elementary school has a school patrol to assist students with street crossing before and after school. But for the past 23 years, under the direction of Fourth Grade teacher Steve Holm, Waite Park School has taken school patrol to a level of professionalism rarely seen.

Holm says Kindergarteners and First Graders routinely come up to him to tell him they plan to be patrols when they get to Fourth and Fifth Grade. When they do, they'll have to go through an application process, including a staff review, for one of the thirty elite positions. After the patrols are selected, they go through several trainings during the year. Young people who want to be Patrol Captains face even more rigorous selection and training, including attending a safety training camp at Legionville School Patrol Safety Training Center in Burnsville.

The hard work of being on the Waite Park Patrol has its perks also. The members get rewarded with four fieldtrips over the course of the year, including a visit to Valley Fair and a laser tag/bowling/pizza outing.

These young people take their jobs seriously. A few years ago they contacted Council Member Reich and asked for a meeting to discuss traffic and safety issues at the intersection of 34th and Johnson Street NE. After explaining their concerns and discussing various traffic calming options, it was decided to install curb bump outs at the corners. Holm said that this design feature, which allows patrol flags to extend out into the traffic lane, has reduced his patrols' reports of safety concerns significantly.

Steve Holm just retired from supervising the school patrol, although he'll continue teaching Fourth Grade.

National Night Out is August 2

National Night Out is an annual nationwide event that encourages residents to get out in the community, holding block parties and getting to know their neighbors as a way to encourage crime prevention. It's a great way to promote community-police partnerships and enjoy a Minnesota summer evening surrounded by friends and family. For more information, see the Minneapolis NNO mission statement.

If you are hosting a National Night Out event, you can also apply to close the street for it. Registering your NNO event and applying to close your street/alley is a single online process. Apply to register your event or to register your NNO event and apply for a block event permit to close down your street/alley. Note: Not every street can be blocked off depending on the traffic flow. Generally, bus routes and high traffic streets cannot be used for block events.

You will need permission of 75% of your neighbors to be approved for street closure —keep their names and addresses handy in the event your permit application needs to be reviewed. If you register by July 19 you can block your street for free. If you register from July 20 through July 27, there is a $100 fee. You will not be able to block off your street if registering after July 27.

It is free to participate in National Night Out. When you register your event, you will get free Mystery Point Passes for Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America.Registration also places you on the official list of NNO events that gets distributed to police and other departments. However, there’s no guarantee police will be able to visit your event.