Ward 1 Community Forum: MPD - New Leadership, Next Steps

Join Council Member Reich and Second Precinct Inspector Todd Loining to meet Acting Police Chief Medaria Arradondo and learn more about his vision for community policing and public safety in the City of Minneapolis.

6 p.m., Tuesday, August 15

Firefighters Hall & Museum, 664 - 22nd Ave NE

 All are welcome. Please contact the Ward 1 Office at 612-673-2201 or kevin.reich@minneapolismn.gov with questions.

First Full Year of Organics Recycling Data Released

More than 45,000 households have signed up to participate in the City’s organics recycling program. The City collects food scraps, coffee grounds, meat trimmings, paper towels and many other items weekly from households for composting. In the first full year since organics recycling rolled out citywide, participating residents – almost 43 percent of Solid Waste and Recycling customers – diverted almost 4,000 tons of organics from the trash for composting. That’s 175 pounds of organics per household.

And it’s pretty clean; less than 1 percent of what residents are placing in carts is not acceptable material. The most common contaminants were plastic-lined paper products. This includes decorative paper plates, boxes from frozen pizza and other frozen foods, take and bake pizza trays, paper ice cream tubs, milk cartons, non-compostable to-go containers and coffee cups, Chinese food containers, butcher paper and butter wraps.

Customers who participate in organics recycling allow organic material to be put to a better use through composting. Solid Waste & Recycling customers who have not signed up to participate in the program may do so at any time by visiting www.minneapolismn.gov/organics. There is no extra cost, but they have to sign up. Residents who participate in the program may be able to reduce the size of their garbage carts and save money on their City of Minneapolis utility bills.

Organics recycling includes:

• All food scraps including fruits, vegetables, bones, meat, breads, pasta, nut shells, eggshells and dairy products.

• Non-recyclable and food-soiled paper products including paper towels, napkins, facial tissues, egg cartons and pizza boxes.

• Certified compostable paper cups, plates, bowls, utensils, bags and takeout containers.

• Other compostable items including coffee grounds; tea bags; wood chopsticks, Popsicle sticks and toothpicks; hair; and houseplant trimmings.

Organics recycling does not include yard waste; pet waste, litter or bedding; milk cartons; ice cream tubs; Chinese food containers; dryer lint; dryer sheets; diapers; sanitary products; cleaning or baby wipes; grease; oil; Styrofoam; foil-lined products; non-certified compostable bags and food service items; or products labeled “biodegradable.”

Find more information at www.minneapolismn.gov/organics.

Training for 911 Careers

The City of Minneapolis and partners have developed a training program for careers in 911 telecommunications. Hennepin, Anoka and Ramsey counties have partnered with HIRED and Hennepin County Technical College to offer the free course.

Students will learn core competencies for 911 telecommunications, including communication procedures, critical documentation, concepts in emergency situations, medical and safety dispatching, assessment, legal aspects, cultural awareness, and stress management. Job shadowing opportunities are also available to gain workplace exposure. Job shadowing opportunities will also be available.

Graduates may then apply to the partners who will work with their respective Human Resources teams to evaluate the candidates.

Potential candidates can learn more at an information session Aug. 10 or 22 and at www.hired.org/training/911telecommunications.

11th Annual Eastside BBQ: August 24

Once again the Eastside community, local businesses and the Eastside schools will be coming together for an end-of-summer party. This event was started 11 years ago to show community support for Edison High School. Over the years it has expanded to include all the Eastside schools and has been scheduled to coincide with the schools' open houses. Last year over 3000 people showed up to enjoy hamburgers, brats, chicken and veggie burgers while meeting their friends, neighbors and school staffs. In addition to the great food, there will be music, kids activities, and lots of fun. The part takes place in the street between the Edison campus and the Holland Basin.

For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/NortheastBBQ/. Check out the details below and plan to join the Eastside community for dinner:

3:30 - 7:30 p.m., Thursday, August 24

Edison High School, 700 - 22nd Avenue NE

Homegrown Minneapolis Food Council Seeks Members

Attention Minneapolis residents! Are you looking for a way to impact local food policy and food systems? The Homegrown Minneapolis Food Council is seeking members to be a part of this team that proposes and works on innovative solutions to improve the local food system.

The Homegrown Minneapolis Food Council is a City advisory group that works to support all Minneapolis residents and increase access to quality food, address hunger and food insecurity, connect sectors of the food system, influence policy and decision making, and ensure an environmentally sustainable and socially just food system. Fifteen (15) community members will be appointed by the Mayor and City Council. Members serve two-year terms. More information.

To learn more, visit the Food Council webpage or attend an upcoming Food Council meeting and info session:

- Wednesday, August 9 at Pillsbury United Communities | (125 West Broadway Ave)

- Wednesday, September 13 at Corcoran Neighborhood Organization | (3451 Cedar Ave S)

Info session from 5-5:30 pm; Food Council meeting from 5:30pm – 7:30pm.

Apply today!

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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

I am pleased to announce that the City Council is poised to undertake the restoration of $10 million in Neighborhood Revitalization Program funds that were frozen in 2010. This development represents positive news for our neighborhoods and their ability to continue their vital community development, livability and outreach work.

As background, back in 2010 in the face of significant residential property tax increases, the City Council voted to shrink the size of the Consolidated TIF District that funded NRP dollars in order to provide property tax relief. I voted against it. I also offered some alternative routes to property tax reduction that wouldn't take NRP dollars away from our neighborhoods. I didn't prevail, but I also held out hope that a basic sense of fairness would lead to these funds eventually being restored.

That day has come. Action will shortly be coming forward to the full council to make our neighborhood funding whole by restoring the original $10 million in funding. I am pleased to have been able to help make this possible and gratified that we are taking an action that affirms the great value our neighborhoods bestow on the City as a whole.

City Wins SolSmart & Clean Energy Community Awards

(CM Reich with Sustainability staff:
Brady Steigauf, Luke Hollenkamp, Gayle Prest & Kelly Muellman)

The City of Minneapolis has earned a couple of important awards relating to its leadership in the area of clean energy:

SolSmart Gold Designation - Solar
SolSmart, a program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy of Energy, has awarded the City of Minneapolis a Gold designation in recognition of its national leadership in advancing solar energy. A SolSmart designation is a signal that the community is "open for solar business," helping to attract solar industry investment and generate economic development and local jobs.

MN Clean Energy Community Award - Clean Energy Partnership

Minneapolis was one of six communities to receive an Achievement Award as an acknowledgement of work done to further the state's clean energy goals. Minneapolis received its award for the formation of the Clean Energy Partnership. This is a new approach that partners the City with Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy to help the City reach its Climate Action Plan and Energy Vision for 2040, goals of 30% greenhouse gas reduction by 2025 and 80% by 2050.