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.