January 7 Updates From the City of Minneapolis
Friday, January 7, 2022 at 3:26PM
This newsletter provides updates on important news and information from the City of Minneapolis and partners. Find more at minneapolismn.gov/news.
New regulation allows businesses to temporarily expand during the pandemic
A new emergency regulation takes effect today that allows Minneapolis businesses to add temporary expansions for more socially distanced customer spaces during the pandemic.
Businesses can install temporary structures on their property for no fee during the remainder of the City’s public health emergency plus 45 days to allow for the proper removal of the structures. The structures cannot be placed in the public right of way, such as on a sidewalk or in the street.
Winter patio dining supports Minneapolis restaurants’ ability to keep moving while keeping patrons and employees safe and healthy.
Businesses should contact Fire Inspections Services to obtain a permit.
Read the emergency regulation.
Mayor Frey reinstates citywide mask requirement
Because of the surging, highly contagious omicron variant, everyone in Minneapolis businesses and areas of public accommodation must wear a mask. Mayor Jacob Frey has signed emergency regulation No. 2022-1 reinstating the citywide mask policy, which requires patrons, employees and visitors to wear a mask in businesses and places of public accommodation. The policy took effect Jan. 6. Masks reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection for unvaccinated and vaccinated people. They’re an important way to help keep our businesses and schools open. Areas of public accommodation include any indoor locations where members of the public may gather, visit or patronize including bars, restaurants, museums, theaters, schools, recreational facilities, retail locations and service offices. Business owners are encouraged to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s guiding principles for:
The City of Minneapolis has a limited supply of masks for public distribution, particularly for vulnerable populations. Businesses that would like to request personal protective equipment (PPE) should send a request to the Minneapolis Health Department. The full text of Mayor Frey’s emergency regulation can be found on the City website. Find more information about the regulation on the City website. |
City’s inaugural ceremony set for Jan. 10
The City of Minneapolis inaugural ceremony for Mayor Jacob Frey and all City Council members will be livestreamed Monday, Jan. 10 from the Minneapolis Convention Center. Elected officials will take the oath of office and Mayor Frey will give an inaugural address.
Due to COVID protocols, this event is only open to City officials and their guests.
Michael A. Goze, CEO of the American Indian Community Development Corporation (AICDC), will serve as the master of ceremonies. The invocation will be offered by Bishop Richard D. Howell Jr. of Shiloh Temple International Ministries. The oath of office will be administered to the mayor and City Council members by City Clerk Casey Joe Carl, after which Mayor Frey will deliver his inaugural address.
Following the ceremony, the City Council will hold its organizational meeting online. Council members will elect a president and vice president, make committee assignments, and set a schedule of regular meetings.
Mayor and City Council inaugural ceremony
9 a.m. Monday, Jan. 10
Minneapolis Convention Center, 1301 Second Ave. S.
Watch the ceremony on the City YouTube channel.
Mayor Frey to nominate Margaret Anderson Kelliher to lead Public Works Department
Mayor Jacob Frey will nominate Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Commissioner Margaret Anderson Kelliher to serve as the City’s next Public Works director.
Anderson Kelliher brings deep expertise in transportation policy and finance, climate action, and organizational leadership. As MnDOT commissioner, Anderson Kelliher leads a team of more than 5,000 State employees. During her time as commissioner, she also created a new Office of Tribal Affairs to expand the agency’s work consulting with tribal nations, established the Sustainable Transportation Advisory Council to help reduce carbon pollution from transportation, and has worked to deepen relationships with community leaders and local governments across the state and city.
Anderson Kelliher is a Minneapolis resident who previously served as the speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives and president and CEO of the Minnesota High Tech Association.
The mayor’s nomination will be transmitted to the Minneapolis City Council at its organizational meeting on Monday, Jan. 10, their first official meeting of the new year. Under the new government structure, the length of charter department head terms is four years.
State announces expanded COVID-19 testing capacity
To provide families with more options to help keep their kids safe, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has secured an additional 1.8 million at-home rapid tests for Minnesota schools, on top of the initial 1 million announced last month. In addition to the State’s free rapid and PCR community testing sites and no-cost at-home testing program, the State’s free school testing options allow each educational institution to determine the best testing strategy for them. In partnership with local public health, tribal health, food banks, and MDH COVID-19 Community Coordinators, the State of Minnesota will distribute 150,000 at-home rapid antigen test kits. Each test kit contains two tests. Providing free at-home rapid testing will reduce barriers and expand access to Minnesotans who are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. How Minnesotans can get a COVID-19 test:
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Park building hours scaled back due to rise in COVID-19 cases, staff shortages
Due to a rise in COVID-19 cases, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is temporarily discontinuing public drop-in hours at recreation centers and returning to buildings open only for pre-registered and ActivePass programs until Feb. 14. Existing recreation center room rentals will be honored, but no new rentals will be accepted through Feb. 14. Due to staffing shortages, warming room hours will be reduced beginning today through the end of the skating season. New hours are 4-7 p.m. Monday-Friday and 1-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Lights will continue to remain on until 9 p.m. and outdoor rink-side benches and picnic tables will be added. Masks are required for all park building visitors, including instructors and sport spectators. |
Resolve to be ready for emergencies
You could make many resolutions this year. Resolving to become prepared for emergencies is one that could save your life. Resolve to be ready in 2022 with small steps that could make a big difference in your ability to be resilient. Schedule it. Use a tool like the calendar on www.Do1Thing.com to make it easy on yourself. Or build your own calendar and focus on what makes sense for your household. |
Office of Violence Prevention’s Blueprint Approved Institute accepting applications for 2022 fellowship
The eighth cohort of the City of Minneapolis Office of Violence Prevention’s “Blueprint Approved Institute” (BPAI) is now open and accepting applications. The Blueprint Approved Institute is designed for individuals and smaller grassroots community organizations doing violence prevention work. Through BPAI, individuals receive funding to provide summer youth violence prevention programming, learn skills and build capacity for further development of their organizations and get hands on support and technical assistance.
As part of BPAI, participating agencies will receive $3,000 to support their organization’s capacity, as well as a $3,000 micro-award to implement a violence prevention project, for a total award amount of $6,000. Selected agencies will be eligible to send up to two individuals to participate in the cohort.
A pre-application virtual meeting via Microsoft Teams will be held 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 11. A dial-in option will be available. The link for the meeting can be found in the application materials at the link below. The completed application is due by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 25.
Find more information and the application.
Take a virtual tour of the City’s Public Service Building
You can now take a guided tour of the City of Minneapolis Public Service Building and its beautiful artworks – virtually. The Public Service Building is a welcoming, sustainable, accessible public amenity. Close to City Hall, the office building is a central place to get services and information. It offers a higher quality of service to the public, reduces the City's real estate footprint, and provides effective space for the diverse needs of employees. Take a virtual tour or book an appointment online to get help with a permit, license or utility bill. You can also see and learn about the artworks on this virtual map. |
City holding online open house Jan. 13 on recommended design for Hennepin Avenue South Reconstruction Project
The City is hosting a virtual open house Jan. 13 to share the recommended design for the Hennepin Avenue South Reconstruction Project. The City plans to reconstruct Hennepin Avenue between West Lake Street and Douglas Avenue. Public Works has recommended a design that best meets the City’s Transportation Action Plan and aligns with the Vision Zero Action Plan, the Complete Streets Policy and the Climate Action Plan. The recommended design features:
City staff plan to advance the recommended design to the City Council for approval in the spring. Construction is expected to begin in 2024. Watch a prerecorded presentation on the recommended design. Online open house |
Using less sidewalk salt protects fresh waters, saves money, melts better
Winter road and sidewalk de-icing salt is a major – and permanent – polluter of local freshwater lakes and streams. Seventy-eight percent of salt applied in the metro area ends up in groundwater or local lakes and rivers. If de-icer is needed, people should use as little as possible. It’s easy to use too much, but more salt does not mean more melting. Removing snow and ice early and often is the best approach. Shoveling instead of using chemicals will protect our waters. Pledge to salt wisely Any residents and businesses can take a pledge on the City of Minneapolis website to salt wisely. A 30-minute course with self-guided readings and videos will teach anyone about the consequences of using too much salt and about how to protect beloved Minnesota waters from this permanent pollution. |
New date for Community Connections Conference: May 21
Save the date: The 2022 Community Connections Conference will now be held Saturday, May 21.
The conference was rescheduled from a February date in light of high transmission rates of COVID-19 and uncertainty surrounding the omicron variant.
The location has also moved up to Hall B on the first floor of the Minneapolis Convention Center.
To stay up to date on this year's conference, visit the Community Connections Conference webpage.
METRO Blue Line Extension Project releases Draft Route Modification Report for public comment
The METRO Blue Line Extension project team has released the Draft Route Modification Report. This report describes the overall process, public input, and technical evaluation that will inform the recommendation of a community supported route. The METRO Blue Line Extension Light Rail Transit project will extend the existing Blue Line from Target Field Station northwest to Brooklyn Park and connect communities along the way. This comment period is an opportunity for Minneapolis residents to weigh in on whether they prefer a route along West Broadway or Lowry avenues for the extension. The Draft Route Modification Report is available for public review at www.BlueLineExt.org. Comments on the report will be accepted through Jan. 25 and will inform the final evaluation and route recommendation in the spring. You can share your input through any of the following ways:
The Metropolitan Council and Hennepin County will review the input received along with the findings from the technical analysis completed to date. Staff will recommend a community-supported route for further evaluation in spring 2022. Following that recommendation, design and technical evaluation of the recommended route will advance to an environmental review and further engineering. Find information about upcoming meetings about the Draft Route Modification Report. |
Renters have a right to know the energy use and costs for their next apartment
Under a new City of Minneapolis rule, property owners must provide building energy cost reports to potential renters for apartment buildings with five or more units that are smaller than 50,000 square feet. These reports can help renters learn which buildings have been more energy efficient and less costly so they can compare different housing options against each other and their budget.
Sample energy report
Cost and comfort
A more energy efficient apartment allows people to pay less in monthly bills and is more comfortable: warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. When the heat and electricity cost more, the renter pays more either directly in utility bills or indirectly through higher rent.
Renters can find information by going to the City of Minneapolis website and searching for “rental energy costs” or by calling 311.
Free and affordable food resources
In need of food? Or are you looking for ways to support hunger relief in your community? Check out the updated Minneapolis food security resources on the City website. You can find locations, hours, contact information, and volunteer/donation needs of local food shelves and food distributions. To see food shelves by location, explore our map. Find winter market schedules and locations. Nearly all accept SNAP-EBT benefits. |
Minneapolis Public Works is hiring
Join the teams that keep Minneapolis running, and help spread the word about these opportunities with friends, family and community. Minneapolis Public Works is hiring and training for several job openings:
Applications are accepted through Jan. 16. Read more information online and attend one of several upcoming virtual and in-person information sessions throughout the application period. |
Share your input on draft neighborhood traffic calming process
Minneapolis Public Works wants your input on a proposed process to address traffic safety concerns and traffic calming requests on neighborhood streets. The process provides a way for community members to request traffic calming and for Public Works to review those requests fairly, transparently and equitably.
Find more information about the proposed traffic calming process and share feedback. Comments on the draft will be accepted through Jan. 31.
After reviewing feedback, Public Works will finalize the process early in 2022 and share details in the spring about how to request traffic calming measures.
Get your free COVID-19 vaccination
Vaccination is the strongest defense against COVID and its variants. Get a free COVID-19 vaccine at a Minneapolis Health Department clinic. Walk-ins are welcome, and the vaccinations are free. You don’t need insurance, you don’t need an appointment and you don’t need an ID. Questions about the vaccines? Watch and share this video for 11 things you should know about COVID-19 vaccines.
Find more information, updates and new free community vaccinations on the City website.
Hennepin County vaccination events
Hennepin County offers free COVID-19 vaccinations including boosters. Get a $50 Visa gift card when you get vaccinated (while supplies last).
- 4-7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 7. Centro Nazareno de Compasion Agape, Inc., 6421 45th Ave. Crystal Pfizer (5 and older, boosters for 16 and older)
Información del evento traducida al español
Find more information and register at hennepin.us/vaccineregistration or call 612-348-8900.
Other ways to get a vaccine
Being fully vaccinated and boosted remains the highest protection against serious complications from COVID. If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, get a free vaccine as soon as you can. About nine out of 10 Americans live within 5 miles of a COVID-19 vaccination site.
- To find the site closest to you, visit vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829 (GETVAX); or call 1-800-232-0233.
- Find COVID-19 vaccine appointments at the CDC’s VaccineFinder. You can filter by location and search for Pfizer only for 12-17-year-olds.
- Find vaccine locations and providers near you using the State’s interactive map.
- Sign up for the Minnesota COVID-19 vaccine connector in English, Spanish, Somali or Hmong to get contacted about vaccine in your area.
- Contact your primary health care provider or a local pharmacy.
Sick and safe time covers vaccine appointments
Accrued sick and safe time hours can be used to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and recover from any side effects. Learn more about the City's Sick and Safe Time ordinance.
Public health resources: Slow the spread of COVID-19
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City's Cultural Radio Programs
Tune into the City's cultural radio programs for COVID-19 updates and other City news. The City has programs on KMOJ 89.9 FM (English); La Raza 95.7 FM (Spanish); KALY 101.7 FM (Somali); and WIXK AM 1590 (Hmong.) Radio shows schedule and audio files of past programs
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