Lisa's Letter on the 2021 City Budget
Last week Thursday, in the early morning hours, the City Council finalized the 2021 City Budget. There was a lot of attention on the budget this year and public safety and the Minneapolis Police Department were the main topics of discussion. There was record participation in the 3 public hearings that included about 16 hours of public testimony and almost 1,000 people that registered to speak.
This year’s budget includes a 5.75% tax levy increase, however, with a 12% increase in the overall tax base, three-quarters of Minneapolis residential property owners will see a decrease in their property tax bill. What this means is that the median-valued home will see a decrease of about $59. The 2021 budget is $88 million (roughly 5.6%) less than the 2020 budget.
There are several items within the budget I’d like to highlight for you. Although the overall police budget was altered by $7.8 million, that total includes both financial shifts along with moving civilian police employees from the police department into other city departments. It also includes money set aside for additional overtime and the 2nd and 3rd recruit classes but it forces the Chief to come back to the City Council to fund the hiring of these new officers and approving overtime after the fact. Money that was moved will go into the Office of Violence Prevention and other city departments to create, expand and/or shift existing programs like:
- Mental Health Co-Responder Program
- Community Group Outreach and Intervention
- Gang Violence Intervention
- Hospital Based Intervention
- 911 Training on assessing and responding to mental health issues and situations
- 911 Training on dispatching calls to the appropriate entities
- De-escalation and restorative justice training
- Moving all parking related calls to Traffic Control
- Assigning non-police staff to respond to theft and property damage calls
- Adding 2 employees to the Civil Rights Department to investigate police officer complaints
I support these initiatives and believe that as these programs expand or get up and running it will take a significant amount of work off the plate of MPD in the future but I was not in favor of cutting the police staffing levels prior to this work getting off the ground. I voted for a both/and solution which would have funded the important violence prevention and intervention work, budget for known overtime for 2021 and fund the additional two training classes from other funds but that amendment failed. Although our both/and amendment failed, I did vote to fund these needed reforms by voting for the overall budget because of the urgency required to get them off the ground.
I voted to preserve the staffing level of sworn officers at 888 because reducing the staffing level to 750 would have meant that if the 2 recruit classes were fully funded later in 2021 and some of the officers now on leave came back we wouldn’t be able to hire them based on a cap at 750. We know it will take some time to rebuild our law enforcement personnel due to the attrition we’ve seen in the past year. In future years there could be fewer calls for MPD to respond to, based on training other responders to answer nonviolent calls, but we simple are not there yet.
In addition to the work around public safety, this budget supports rebuilding and recovery efforts for businesses impacted by COVID and civil unrest by allocating $5 million in one-time TIF funding to create the Commercial Property Development Fund (CPDF) and $500,000 in ongoing funding for this purpose. We also dedicated $400,000 for the Minneapolis Forward Community Now Coalition and $1.1 million in ongoing funding for the Minneapolis Forward Rebuild Resilient initiative to support economic recovery.
In the area of affordable housing we added an additional $7.2 million of permanent funding to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund in addition to the 10 million we currently spend annually and $2.2 million in funding for the Stable Homes Stable Schools initiative which has helped house or prevent homelessness for over 2,500 Minneapolis public school children. We also added 2 full time positions in the health department to support the city’s homelessness response efforts.
In closing, we were also able to increase funding to neighborhood organizations across the city on a 8-5 vote. Although the city council drastically cut funding to the neighborhood groups earlier in the year, we were able to restore the base funding to what was originally proposed.
The 2021 budget is a step forward during difficult times. Overall spending is down, property tax collections are down now due to COVID and likely into the near future and the economic upheaval small business, hospitality and our whole economy is facing. We need to do more with less as many households have been required to do. Most of all our budget needs to reflect our values and this budget does that during these difficult times. While the focus was on public safety, strong support remains for all the other activities the city leads on including our fire department, public works, public health and economic development priorities. If you reached out to comment, testify or ask questions about this year’s budget, Thank You! This communication is valuable to me as it directs me as how to best represent the residents of ward 7. Happy holidays and may your families and friends, including your furry ones, stay healthy and safe.
Adoption Fees Waived in December at Minneapolis Animal Care & Control
To help pets find their forever homes for the holidays, Minneapolis Animal Care & Control is waiving adoption fees for all adoptable animals during December.
Adoption details
- Browse adoptable animals on the City website.
- Call 311 or 612-673-6222 to request an adoption appointment. All adoptions are being done by appointment to limit the spread of COVID-19.
- Adopters must meet and spend time with the animal they want to adopt before completing adoption paperwork.
Minneapolis residents must purchase a City pet license.
Take Survey by December 18 on Transforming Community Safety
Provide your input on what community safety looks like and tell us your ideas about a new model of community safety for Minneapolis. You can take the survey in English, Spanish, Somali, Hmong or Oromo.
The survey has been extended to Dec. 18 to hear from more voices for the first phase of survey results, which is planned to be presented to council in early January. Input provided after Dec. 18 will continue to be used for future engagement phases.
In June 2020, the City Council pledged to create a new model of community safety. As part of that, the council committed to a yearlong process of community engagement. This survey is one of the first steps in that process. Through the survey, you can share your vision for a new community safety model. You can also provide ideas for how to accomplish that new model.
Results from the survey will be used to help create recommendations for elected leaders and to help guide the City’s next steps for community engagement.
This survey includes some questions similar to other recent City surveys. That includes questions about alternative responses to mental health crises and non-emergency crimes. Any input you already provided on those surveys is valued and will still be used as planned. Recommendations will also be considered as part of this broader focus on transforming community safety.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/J86DD7Y
Help Us Plan for Equitable Vaccine Distribution
Help the City, State and County plan to equitably distribute the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available later in 2021. Your perspectives are vital on:
- What vaccination means to you.
- Your concerns, hopes and suggestions.
Take the survey by Dec. 31
Find Free COVID-19 Tests; Help Stop the Spread
The City of Minneapolis is offering free COVID-19 tests. Testing is encouraged and available to everyone, whether or not you have symptoms. Testing is one of the best ways to stop the spread of COVID-19 and help prevent exposing your loved ones to the virus.
Columbia Golf Course, 3300 Central Ave. NE 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 13, Dec. 14, Dec. 20, Dec. 21
Minneapolis American Indian Center, 1530 E. Franklin Ave. Noon-4 p.m. Dec. 16
Sabathani Community Center, 310 E. 38th St. Noon-4 p.m. Dec. 19
You can expect to get your test results in about two business days.
More free COVID-19 tests
Minneapolis Convention Center, 1301 Second Ave. S., Exhibit Room E 9 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. weekends Make an appointment here. Saliva test. Find instructions here.
Native American Community Clinic, 1213 E. Franklin Ave. 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays Appointments required: Call 612-872-8086 to schedule an appointment.
Somali Community Resettlement Services, 4020 Minnehaha Ave. S. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays starting Dec. 14 Saliva test. No appointment needed. Somali interpreters available onsite.
Southside Community Health Services, 324 E. 35th St. 2-3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays Appointments required: Call 612-821-3548 to schedule an appointment. You can expect to get your test results in about two-three business days. Same day testing can be done for health care workers, first responders and essential workers.
Find a current list of free COVID-19 tests on the City website.
Resources
The COVID-19 test is free, and you do not need insurance for the test. If you need medical care but don’t have health insurance, the Minnesota Department of Health offers resources to find low-cost health care or health insurance.
If you can’t attend one of these testing events, you can use this directory to find a testing location near you.
Minneapolis Steps Up Investments in Food Security
To provide emergency food relief, the City of Minneapolis has awarded more than $935,000 in federal CARES-Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) funding to 37 local food shelves, food pop-ups, farmers markets, restaurants and faith communities distributing free food and meals directly to Minneapolis residents.
Awardees of the City’s federal CARES Community Food Security Grants will serve the City of Minneapolis and provide free emergency food support related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides providing immediate food relief, these grant awards will build capacity in the emergency food relief system, positioning community partners to sustain the increased level of service needs brought on by the impacts of COVID-19.
After the City received 47 applications with requests of nearly $1.3 million for the original $470,000 of CARES-CRF funding, the City allocated another $465,000 in CARES-CRF to the pool.
Awards range from $2,000 to $53,500 and will pay for food, hygiene supplies and equipment. Funded organizations serve Black people, Indigenous people and people of color and geographic areas with the highest barriers to food access. Some focus on special populations such as people with HIV/AIDS, older adults or people experiencing homelessness.
The City allocated an additional $65,000 in CARES-CRF funds to address specific identified gaps in the emergency food relief system in Minneapolis. These funds will support culturally relevant free food distribution efforts.
In collaboration with these efforts, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is donating more than 83,000 pounds of non-perishable food, valued at over $88,000, to local food banks, the Food Group and Second Harvest Heartland to support emergency food relief in Minneapolis. This is its second donation, with the same amount of food delivered to the food banks in July 2020.
City Council Approves Appointment of Bryan Tyner as New Minneapolis Fire Chief
The City Council has approved the appointment of Bryan Tyner as Minneapolis fire chief. Tyner has held several leadership posts since joining the department in 1995.
Tyner is the second Black fire chief in the department’s history. He succeeds John Fruetel in the position who retired after more than 40 years of service with the Fire Department.
Mayor Jacob Frey nominated Tyner for the position after a national search. Tyner served as assistant chief of administration since 2015 and before that was a battalion chief and fire captain, among other roles. He has spearheaded programs to ensure that the department better reflects the diversity of the city, including the award-winning EMS Pathways Academy internship and the High School EMS Program.
Read more.
COVID-19 Situational Update as of December 11, 2020
Situational updates: Minneapolis
- There are 25,418 cases in Minneapolis and 299 deaths. The total number of cases increased by 8.7% over the previous week. Hospitalizations increased by 4.6% and ICU admissions increased by 2.9%.
- Over the past week, there have been about 300 new cases per day on average. Cases are increasing across all ages, races/ethnicities, and geographic areas. Minneapolis-specific daily case counts and demographics are available at www.minneapolismn.gov/coronavirus/dashboard.
- December 6 – 12 is National Influenza Vaccination Week. The seasonal flu is serious and can be deadly. Getting a flu shot is the best way to protect yourself, your loved ones, and front line health care workers. It’s easy and free, so don’t wait! Visit the Vaccine Finder website to find flu shot locations near you.
- Mayor Frey’s Emergency Regulation No. 12 regarding masks remains in effect. The regulation requires people to wear face masks in all indoor public places.
- Mayor Frey’s Emergency Regulation No. 17 regarding bars and restaurants remains in effect, but is currently superseded by the Governor’s Executive Order 20-99.
Situational updates: Minnesota
- There are 363,719 cases in Minnesota out of over 4.6 million tests completed. There have been 4,109 deaths from COVID-19 in Minnesota. There are 76,278 cases and 1,186 deaths in Hennepin County.
- The State uses a color-coded map to track a seven-day rolling average of new cases. As of December 2, Minnesota is reporting 84 cases per 100,000 and Minneapolis is at 58 cases per 100,000.
- Governor Walz’s Executive Order 20-99 was implemented on November 20 and remains in effect through December 18. The order pauses dine-in food and drink service, both indoor and outdoor, at bars and restaurants. It also closes public pools, gyms and other fitness facilities, as well as recreation and entertainment facilities. The Governor is expected to give an update on EO 20-99 on December 11.
- MHD encourages everyone to sign up for the State’s COVIDaware MN exposure app. The app notifies you if you may have been exposed to COVID-19 by anyone else using the app. The app complements, but does not replace, case investigation and contact tracing.
- The statewide mask mandate remains in effect. People are required to wear masks in all indoor public places where people gather and some outdoor venues where physical distancing is difficult.
Winter holiday celebrations
This holiday season, celebrate safely and avoid activities that put yourself and others at higher risk for getting COVID-19. Help make sure that everyone will be at your holiday table next year.
- Gather in person only with the people you live with and host virtual events with your friends, relatives, and coworkers. Think of new ways to celebrate your favorite traditions. Try hanging your favorite holiday decorations and posting photos online, cooking special family recipes to enjoy at a virtual potluck, and sending notes of encouragement to loved ones.
- Limit travel and stay home if you can. If you must go out, wear a mask, stay 6 feet away from others, and wash or sanitize your hands often. Taking these simple steps can help stop the virus.
Health Department Incident Command updates
Case investigation/Contact tracing
- The Health Department continues to conduct follow-up on individuals diagnosed with COVID-19, as well as contact tracing at workplaces and with exposed individuals. Of the cases in Minneapolis, 59% have been interviewed and 1.8% have refused. Twenty-two percent of interviews of Minneapolis residents have been conducted in a language other than English. Thirty-three percent of cases have been lost to follow-up and 5.9% of new Minneapolis cases still need interviewed.
- We have 54 active case investigators, including three non-MHD enterprise staff and 15 AmeriCorps staff. Case investigators are interviewing an average of 80 cases per shift and making an average of 100 calls per shift, plus conducting workplace and other contact follow-up.
- Contact tracers give isolation and quarantine guidance to those who test positive for the virus and those who have been exposed. A 14-day quarantine still offers the greatest amount of protection against virus transmission. In certain situations, you may end your quarantine after 10 days, or after seven days with a negative COVID-19 test result. Detailed guidance is available on the State’s COVID-19 website.
COVID-19 testing
In the past week, 130 COVID-19 saliva tests were provided at two community events - Columbia Manor in Northeast Minneapolis and Sabathani Community Center in south Minneapolis.
COVID-19 saliva testing
- Do not eat, drink, or use tobacco products for 30 minutes before the COVID-19 test.
- Free saliva testing hosted by the Minneapolis Health Department at:
• Sabathani Community Center, 310 East 38th Street, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 19.
• Columbia Manor, 3300 Central Ave. N.E., from noon to 4 p.m. on December 13, 14, 20, and 21.
• Minneapolis American Indian Center, 1530 East Franklin Avenue, from noon to 4 p.m. on December 16.
• Free saliva testing hosted by the State health department at the Minneapolis Convention Center, the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport, and at the Brooklyn Park Starlight Center. To register at these sites and find more information visit the State’s COVID-19 testing web page.
• Minneapolis Convention Center is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.
• Brooklyn Park Starlite Center is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.
• Airport Testing Site is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week.
- The State is also offering free at-home saliva tests. Any person in Minnesota can order a saliva test kit from the COVID-19 Test at Home program. The test will be delivered to your home with rush shipping. The test is sent for processing to the new lab in Oakdale.
- The City's testing web page offers guidance about what to do while you wait for COVID-19 test results. Staying away from others while you wait for your results is extremely important. This is essential to do if you have any symptoms. The web page has short videos in multiple languages explaining how to quarantine and isolate effectively.
MHD distribution of saliva test kits
- MHD is providing free saliva testing kits and training for community partners. Virtual training on how to administer the tests is offered upon request. Over 1,600 test kits have been requested by groups ranging from Minneapolis Public Schools to community organizations, local businesses, community clinics, and first responders.
COVID-19 vaccination
- MHD submitted a local vaccine distribution plan for Phase 1 critical populations to the State on December 4. During Phase 1, we will collaborate with a variety of partners to assure vaccination of healthcare workers, long-term care residents, first responders, critical workers, the elderly and other vulnerable populations. Depending on federal approval, vaccination for initial groups may begin as soon as the week of December 14.
- MHD is supporting 27 community vaccine liaisons as they gather community perspectives on COVID-19 vaccination. Key insights from the liaisons’ first round of outreach include the impact of historical trauma on vaccine hesitancy in BIPOC communities, concerns about the lack of vaccine safety data for pregnant women, questions about potential side effects, and general pushback on any notion of vaccine mandates. These insights will help inform our vaccination distribution and communications efforts.
Responding to community needs
- There were no community requests for personal protective equipment or supplies this week. MHD staff took the opportunity to replenish our inventory of N95 masks, surgical masks, and hand sanitizer in preparation for future requests.
- Questions received through our COVID19@minneapolismn.gov inbox ranged from complaints about mask wearing in multi-family housing to requests for COVID-19 test results and guidance around safe holiday celebrations.
- An enterprise-wide survey was sent to City staff to gauge interest in volunteering at future MHD-sponsored COVID-19 testing or vaccination events. So far, 22 employees have expressed interest in supporting MHD staff at these important events.
Businesses
- Health inspectors completed 86 food safety routine inspections with an emphasis on COVID-19 preparedness plans and the implementation of COVID-19 protocols. Health inspectors responded to 11 food safety/sanitation/COVID-19 311 complaints.
- Inspectors followed-up on four restaurants with COVID positive clusters. When a cluster of cases is identified, inspectors visit the site and provide customized guidance to help the business implement proper safety precautions.
- With the precipitous climb in community spread, health inspectors are assisting with case investigation and contract tracing. They will continue to respond to complaints, outbreaks, and conduct plan review inspections for construction. Routine inspections have been temporarily suspended.
- How Executive Orders (Governor or Mayoral) apply to/impact businesses: A downtown restaurant has about 130 employees, but due to the EO 20-99 restrictions, only 8-10 staff are working to fulfill to-go and delivery orders.
• A Health inspector contacted at a restaurant identified with a COVID-positive cluster. When EO 20-99 was announced, the manager overheard his staff say they should have a gaming party during the shutdown. The manager expressed frustration that he could follow all the COVID protocols, but that he couldn’t control what his employees (age groups ranging from 18-26 years old) did in their free time.
The City specific COVID email address is: COVID19@minneapolismn.gov.
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 3:18PM
