Friday

Oct302020

October 30 Ward 7 News from Council Member Lisa Goodman

Friday, October 30, 2020 at 6:43PM |

Absentee Ballots Must be Received by Election Day to be Counted

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit has overruled the approved consent decree which had extended the deadline for submitting absentee mail ballots for this year’s presidential election. As you know, that consent decree would have allowed absentee mail ballots that were postmarked on or before November 3 (Election Day) to be accepted and included in the final results tally through November 10. The Court of Appeals ruling means that absentee mail ballots must be received by Election Day in order to be counted; there will be no extension provided to receive mail ballots after polls close on Election Night. The Secretary of State’s Office will be disseminating updates about this decision via paid statewide media to alert all voters of this significant change in the rules governing the administration of the election this year.

Voting Updates

With less than a week until the Nov. 3 election, City election officials have opened two additional Early Vote Centers, making early in-person voting more convenient for even more Minneapolis voters.

There are now four places Minneapolis voters can cast early ballots:

The new North Early Vote Center at Urban League Twin Cities, 2100 Plymouth Ave. N.
The new South Early Vote Center at Longfellow Park Recreation Center, 3435 36th Ave. S.
The Early Vote Center at Election & Voter Services offices, 980 East Hennepin Ave.
The Hennepin County Government Center, 300 6th St. S. (for all Hennepin County voters)

Along with avoiding Election Day lines and crowds during the pandemic, Early Vote Centers are especially helpful to people who need language support or other special accommodations, such as curbside voting.

All four early voting locations are open through Nov. 2. For hours and other information on early in-person voting, go to vote.minneapolismn.gov/voters/vote-early-in-person.

Drop off mail ballots now

Because Election Day is just one week away, mail delivery may not be able to return completed absentee ballots in time to be counted. Instead, City election officials recommend dropping off completed ballots at one of 13 mail ballot drop-off locations now open through Nov. 3.

Voters dropping off ballots from other voters can bring no more than three completed ballots (not counting their own ballots). They will need to show identification with name and signature and complete simple paperwork.

On Election Day, mail ballots can only be dropped off at one of the 13 drop-off locations until 3 p.m. and cannot be dropped off at regular polling places.

Voting in person on Election Day after requesting a mail ballot

Voters who completed and mailed back their early ballots should check the online ballot tracking tool first thing in morning on Election Day, Nov. 3. If the tracking tool indicates that their ballots has not yet been accepted, they should look up their polling place and go vote in person.

Voters can vote in person as long as election officials have not yet received and counted their mail ballots. Elections staff at polling places check to see if they’ve received and counted mail ballots from voters who want to vote in person. Voters are given ballots as long as the City has not received and counted mail ballots from them. Any uncounted mail ballots from people who have voted in person will be cancelled and not counted (even if election officials receive it later).

Voting on Election Day, Nov. 3

To make voting safer during the pandemic, 50 polling places have changed locations. Be sure to use the online polling place finder.

Pole locations are open 7:00 am to 8:00 pm If you are in line at 8:00 pm you will be allowed to vote.

City Leaders are Taking Steps for Election Safety

In a video message, Mayor Jacob Frey and Police Chief Medaria Arradondo discuss how City leaders are working with partners to ensure public safety before, during and after Election Day on Nov. 3.

The City is taking all threats seriously and coordinating with local, state and community partners on preparedness efforts.

Watch the video.

Free COVID-19 Tests and Flu Shots in Ward

The City of Minneapolis is offering free COVID-19 tests and flu shots. All are welcome. You do not need insurance for the test. The flu shots are covered by insurance. If you have insurance, bring your insurance card for the flu shot. If you don’t have insurance, the flu shot is free.

Free COVID-19 tests and flu shots at Hennepin United Methodist, 511 Groveland Ave. Noon-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7

Free COVID-19 tests and flu shots at East Side Neighborhood Services, 1700 Second St. NE Noon-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14

You can expect to get your test results in about two business days.

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.

Fall Street Sweeping Update

Street sweeping has resumed. Keep an eye on the interactive map on the website for the most up-to-date schedule, and as always, watch for signs on your street at least 24 hours before a planned sweep.

During the comprehensive fall street sweep, crews will clean about 1,000 miles of city streets. To make sure crews can do the best job possible, temporary “No Parking” signs will be posted at least 24 hours in advance so streets will be clear of cars when they’re swept. Anyone who parks on the street will need to follow posted parking rules or their cars may be ticketed and towed.

Neighborhoods 2020 Public Hearing Nov. 5

Now that the public comment period has closed on the Neighborhoods 2020 draft program guidelines, the Neighborhood & Community Relations Department (NCR) reviewed the 244 public comments received and created a summary to present along with a public hearing at the Nov. 5 Public Health and Safety Committee meeting. The comments and summary will be available on the Neighborhoods 2020 webpage before the City Council takes action.

Next steps

1:30 p.m. Nov. 5: public hearing and presentation at the Nov. 5 Public Health and Safety Committee meeting. Find instructions on participating in the public hearing or watching the presentation on the City website.
Nov. 12: Budget Committee presentation to discuss the program allocations and base funding amounts.
Nov. 13: Full City Council vote.

By voting on the program guidelines before the budget, the City Council can discuss the funding needed to implement the program as designed.

Over the next few weeks, NCR will send out more information as it becomes available.

Find City Council meeting calendars, agendas and decisions on the City of Minneapolis’ Legislative Information Management System (LIMS).

Comment Period Extended for Draft Built Form Regulations

The City extended the comment period for the draft built form regulations to Nov. 9. The public comment period closes with a public hearing before the Minneapolis Planning Commission, which will vote on forwarding a recommendation to the City Council.

The built form regulations will regulate the scale of new buildings and additions throughout Minneapolis. The regulations are critical to achieving the goals of Minneapolis 2040, the City’s Comprehensive Plan, which was approved by the City Council in 2018. The plan will shape how the city will grow and change over the next two decades so all residents can benefit. Under consideration now are technical aspects of Minneapolis 2040 implementation.

Minneapolis 2040 includes 14 Built Form Districts that will guide the development of new regulations, which will govern issues such as: building height, floor area ratio (FAR), lot sizes and setbacks from property lines, among other things. The new built form regulations will resolve some of the major conflicts between Minneapolis 2040 and the City’s current zoning regulations. They are also intended to provide more predictability for the scale of new buildings and additions in different areas in the city, including neighborhoods, downtown, production/employment areas and areas served by high-frequency transit.

Minneapolis 2040 went into effect on Jan. 1, 2020, following over two years of community engagement. The plan guides growth and change with 14 key goals, including eliminating racial disparities, promoting climate change resiliency, and increasing access to jobs and housing.

Applications Open for Current and Upcoming Vacancies on Crucial City Boards and Commissions

Six major boards and commissions are seeking applications for people to help shape important City decisions. Most of the boards and commissions below meet between one and four times a month.

Examples of past board and commission work includes reviewing a proposed charter amendment related to the creation of a Department of Community Safety & Violence Prevention (Charter Commission), comparing national best practices with current MPD policies for officer interactions with those experiencing mental health crises (Police Conduct Oversight Commission), and reviewing zoning changes to allow new affordable housing options (Planning Commission).

The Charter Commission oversees proposed amendments to the City Charter, the local constitution for the City of Minneapolis. Applicants must be qualified voters in the City of Minneapolis. Find recent examples of proposals the commission has reviewed on the City website.
The Civil Rights Commission spreads awareness about the City's civil rights policies and occasionally serves on panels to review complaints of discrimination from Minneapolis residents. Anyone who lives in Minneapolis can apply for this commission.
The Police Conduct Oversight Commission is a volunteer body of Minneapolis residents from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Commissioners identify potential areas for study on Minneapolis police policy and practice, make policy recommendations shaped by research and engage the community in discussions about police procedure. See examples of studies completed on behalf of this commission.
The Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission preserves historically and architecturally significant buildings, districts and sites with accommodations for modern day use. Commissioners must have knowledge of historic preservation, reside in a landmark property or historic district, or be a registered architect. See examples of the Heritage Preservation Commission's work on the City website.

The Planning Commission is responsible for the City’s comprehensive plan, which outlines a vision for developing and improving Minneapolis. The Planning Commission makes decisions about planning and about how properties and buildings are used; reviews proposals; interprets the City’s zoning code; and weighs in on public land sales. See examples of the Planning Commission's work in the annual reports posted on the City website.

The Zoning Board of Adjustment hears requests for exceptions to zoning rules, appeals, and requests for properties or buildings to keep their original use if the zoning code changes around them. See examples of the Zoning Board of Adjustment's work in the annual reports posted on the City website.

New Data Dashboards Offer More Transparency with Intuitive Navigation

A new online City resource presents more than 40 different dashboards of continuously updated data. Minneapolis DataSource pulls data sets on many aspects of the City’s work and services including elections, housing, health, community safety (for example, use of force and crime statistics), outdoor air quality, city workforce demographics, and vacant and condemned properties. Minneapolis is using technology to provide services and solve city problems and sharing the data with anyone, anytime, anywhere.

These dashboards provide:

Transparency.
One place to find city data.
Dynamic dashboards responding to user clicks and filters.
Intuitive navigation and visual data representation.
Features and dashboards that will continue to grow as part of the continual service improvement efforts.

This comes as part of the City’s IT strategic plan to move toward data-driven decision-making capabilities.

Watch a demo with IT Director Fadi Fadhil introducing the dashboard and some of its capabilities.

Start using the dashboard to find information.

City Secures Property Tax Relief for Properties Damaged During Civil Unrest

The State of Minnesota has approved requests by the City of Minneapolis and Hennepin County for property tax relief for properties damaged during civil unrest.

Following the civil unrest that occurred after the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, the City’s Assessor’s Office began reviewing more than 900 properties in Minneapolis that were reported to have potential damage from the civil unrest and determined there was more than $106 million in reassessed value lost as a result of the damage.

The amount of property tax relief for impacted property owners is estimated at more than $1.7 million for 2020. Of that, the State will be reimbursing the City and other local taxing authorities $1.3 million. The City’s Assessor’s Office collaborated with departments across the enterprise along with partners from Hennepin and Ramsey counties and the Department of Revenue to seek this relief for taxpayers.

Assessment officials have determined that just over 600 properties of the 900 properties reviewed sustained some level of damage and approximately 75 sustained significant damage or were destroyed during the civil unrest and are eligible for property tax relief.

Damage to these properties included: graffiti, broken windows, structure damage due to forced entry, fire and water. While the damage was primarily along Lake Street, there was damage reported across the city.

Hennepin County notified property owners that qualify for the tax abatement that they were not expected to make the Oct. 15, second half property taxes. The County will recalculate the taxes using the City Assessor’s reassessed value and issue a new property tax statement. If the recalculation results in a tax bill being overpaid, a refund will be issued. If there is a remaining second half tax owed, property owners will have 21 days to pay the remaining amount to be considered timely.

City Council Approves Resolution Establishing Truth and Reconciliation Process for City of Minneapolis

The City Council has approved a resolution establishing a truth and reconciliation process for the City of Minneapolis. The ultimate objective of this process is to begin implementing specific solutions to specific harms that created and perpetuate racial disparities with a prioritized focus on healing with historically Black American descendants of slavery and American Indian/Indigenous communities.

The resolution notes that Minnesota and Minneapolis have some of the most severe racial inequities in the country. African Americans make up 31% and American Indians make up 8% of the incarcerated population but only 7% and 1%, respectively, of the statewide population. The Minneapolis median household income for white families is $68,000 compared to $30,000 for African American families.

The resolution calls for the establishment of a working group that will explore the creation of the truth and reconciliation process and study the meaning of reconciliation, research different models of truth and reconciliation commissions, and understand the impact that such a process might have on the City of Minneapolis and its residents.

Truth and reconciliation processes have taken place all over the world, including in South Africa after the end of Apartheid and in Sierra Leone after the end of an 11-year civil war.

Next steps

The City’s Division of Race & Equity will lead the enterprise-wide effort in collaboration with other City leaders to explore the formation of a truth and reconciliation process. Key work will include consulting with local and national truth and reconciliation experts, people skilled in conflict resolution and other stakeholders from the community. Additionally, the work will involve developing the organizational capacity and framework required for a City-led process and recommending an approach for establishing a truth and reconciliation commission. A report back on the proposed truth and reconciliation process and commission framework is due to the City Council’s Policy & Government Oversight Committee in January 2021.

This latest action follows another resolution passed by the City Council in July declaring racism a public health emergency in the City of Minneapolis. City leaders committed to a series of action steps to dedicate more resources to racial equity work.

Snow Emergency Information Coming to Household Mailboxes

Snow season has arrived. Minneapolis residents should watch their mail over the next several days for information on what to do when the City of Minneapolis declares a Snow Emergency. Residents can avoid a ticket and tow, and also help crews do a complete job by moving their cars when a Snow Emergency is declared. The City is sending out about 182,000 Snow Emergency mailers, one to each household in the city. The mailer has graphics and text showing the parking rules during the three phases of a Snow Emergency.

People should hold on to the mailers throughout the snow season and have them handy whenever a Snow Emergency is declared. They explain the Snow Emergency parking rules and ways to stay informed during the snow season. Following the rules can help make snow season easier for everyone. It’s also important to help neighbors and visitors know the rules.

Snow Emergencies are declared when there’s enough snowfall to warrant a complete plowing of our streets. Moving vehicles allows crews to plow the full width of the street. When the snow flies, City Public Works crews have enormous jobs to do, with more than 1,400 miles of streets, parkways and alleys that need to be cleared. Vehicles parked on the street in violation of Snow Emergency rules can be ticketed or towed.

Getting drivers to follow Snow Emergency parking rules helps the City, too. Towing and impounding vehicles is expensive and makes plowing inefficient, so it’s in everyone’s interest to help drivers follow the parking rules and avoid a ticket and tow.

COVID-19 Situation Update as of October 28, 2020

Situational updates: Minneapolis

There are 13,234 cases in Minneapolis and 260 deaths. The total number of cases increased by 6% over the previous week. Hospitalizations increased by 3.9% and ICU admissions increased by 3.3%.
Over the past week, average daily case counts have increased from the mid-70s to more than 90 cases per day. We have averaged more than 100 cases per day in the last five days.
Persons under age 35 still make up over 50% of cases over the past week, but we are starting to see a decrease in those under 25 and an increase in those 25 and older.
Minneapolis-specific daily case counts and demographics are available at www.minneapolismn.gov/coronavirus/dashboard. Additionally, specific case counts by neighborhood are also available.
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. The regulation closes bar areas in restaurants, nightclubs, and indoor spaces of entertainment. Food and beverages can be served tableside while patrons are seated and patrons can approach the bar to order as long as they don’t congregate.

Situational updates: Minnesota

There are 139,444 cases in Minnesota out of over 2.7 million tests completed. There have been 2,387 deaths from COVID-19 in Minnesota. There are 34,988 cases and 995 deaths in Hennepin County.
The Minnesota Department of Health uses a color-coded map to track a seven-day rolling average of new cases. As of October 26, the State is reporting 27.5 cases per 100,000 and Minneapolis is at 19.5 cases per 100,000. Both the City and State rates have increased over the last week. These numbers put Minnesota in the red category, while Minneapolis remains in the orange category. The red category is characterized as a tipping point which might indicate the need for more stringent safety measures.
Minnesota is currently in Phase III of the Stay Safe MN plan for reopening.
Governor Walz’s 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.

Health Department Incident Command updates

Case investigation/Contact tracing

The Health Department is conducting over 50 case investigations and contact follow-ups per day for individuals diagnosed with COVID-19. Of the 13,234 cases in Minneapolis, 84.1% have been interviewed, 2.4% refused, and 10.4% have been lost to follow-up. Approximately 3% of new cases still need to be interviewed. Twenty-five percent of interviews of Minneapolis residents have been conducted in a language other than English.
Starting November 5, MHD will be responsible for following up on all Minneapolis cases. In the past we have split the case load with State contact tracers. We are working to boost our staffing capacity to handle this increased workload. As of November 2, we will have 37 active case investigators, including four non-MHD enterprise staff and sixteen AmeriCorps staff.

Community COVID-19 testing and flu shots

In partnership with Communications, we are developing a new ad campaign to promote COVID-19 community testing. The campaign will launch on November 1 and will include targeted social media and community newspaper ads, new dedicated testing webpages on the City’s website, donated billboard space, radio spots, and videos. Messages will be available in multiple languages.
On October 22 and 23, we supported a State-led free testing event at Sagrado Corazon Church in South Minneapolis. 476 people received COVID-19 tests. We also led an event at Shiloh Temple in North Minneapolis on October 24. Ninety-two people received COVID-19 tests and 80 received flu shots.
We are continuing to explore options for indoor testing events during the winter months as well as purchasing saliva test kits that can be used at community events or for at-home testing.

Upcoming testing events

The following events are located outdoors. Tents, heaters, and other winter supports will be provided to help participants and staff stay warm. Test results are usually available in two business days.

Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, 511 Groveland Ave., from 12-3 p.m. on Saturday, November 7. Flu shots will be provided.
East Side Neighborhood Services, 1700 Second St. NE, from 12-3 p.m. on Saturday, November 14. Flu shots will be provided.

COVID-19 vaccination

We continue to share COVID-19 vaccination information through presentations and listening sessions with community groups. Last week, we hosted discussions with Mayflower Church, the Lao Assistance Center of Minnesota, the Division of Indian Work, and the Sheridan Neighborhood Association.
Common themes from these presentations include 1) concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine approval process; 2) questions about flu shots, and 3) questions about timing of vaccine distribution. Two resources we are sharing are the New York Times vaccine tracker and the MN Health Department’s public webpage on COVID-19 vaccination.
We are activating former members of the Health Department’s Shared Power Advisory Committee to serve as COVID-19 Vaccine Community Liaisons. After receiving training in early November, they will conduct community outreach to share information about COVID-19 vaccination and bring back residents’ questions, concerns, and insights to help guide our planning efforts.
We continue to develop our COVID-19 Vaccination Plan, due to the State by December 4. Health Department staff are meeting regularly with the State and the Metro Region Healthcare Coalition to plan for the initial phases of vaccine distribution focusing on healthcare workers and long-term care staff.

Businesses

Stories from the field: • Overall day care and pre-school attendance is down significantly. A school director for Head Start McKnight shared that last year at this time, the Center had approximately 800 children attending the school. Presently, only about 20 children attend. Many day cares and preschools are currently not operating.
A hotel operator mentioned that their hotel is operating 89 out of 229 rooms. On average, 15 rooms are occupied. On the day of inspection, only two rooms were occupied. Three-fourths of the hotel staff are currently laid off.
Other business owners report their employees are self-diagnosing “medical conditions” so they do not need to wear a mask.
An operator in the Como neighborhood wanted to express his gratitude to the City for waving Sewer Access Charge (SAC) fees for expansion of premise options rolled out this past summer. This really helped his business survive as he was able to add 10 additional 4-top tables without any SAC fees.
During the past week, Health inspectors completed over 100 food safety routine inspections with an emphasis on COVID-19 preparedness plans and the implementation of COVID-19 protocols. Health inspectors responded to nine food safety/sanitation/COVID-19 311 complaints. Inspectors also responded to four businesses with reported COVID-19-positive employees and/or patrons.

Halloween messaging

Check out Mayor Frey’s Halloween video message, featuring his daughter Frida, for tips on how to have spooky fun!
Find ideas for staying COVID-19 safe in a lighthearted Halloween flyer that ranks activities with pumpkin faces!

Homeless encampments

City staff is concerned about a growing encampment at 2nd Ave. North and Van White Memorial Blvd in North Minneapolis. The site has environmental concerns. MHD staff is reviewing information about the site to determine if it is safe for people to be camped there. Notification was given to the residents of the site last Friday letting them know we are doing an assessment and that the outcome could impact whether or not people are allowed to stay.
The Greenway encampment continues to have about 100 tents with people moving in and out daily.

Logistics

MHD staff continue to distribute cloth masks and hand sanitizer to community requestors. This past week, supplies were distributed to Minneapolis Public Schools, a long-term care facility, a neighborhood association, a community member, and the Civil Rights Commission. Hand sanitizer remains a popular item and we have a variety of sizes available for distribution thanks to a recent donation by Minnesota Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters.
We are reconnecting with past recipients of supplies to identify ongoing needs, especially any requests we may be able to fill quickly using CARES funding. We are focusing on engagement with long-term care facilities, community clinics, and multi-family housing.

Food insecurity

Last week, MHD released a rapid response Request for Proposals to address community food insecurity needs linked to COVID-19 and the resulting financial distress. $470,000 will be made available to community groups to purchase food and hygiene products, food storage equipment, and other food distribution supports. 46 applications, totaling more than $1.2 million in requests, were received by the Wednesday, October 28 deadline. Funding decisions are expected to be announced on November 2.

Find COVID-19 tips for staying well and travel guidelines on the Health Department web page.

The City specific COVID email address is: COVID19@minneapolismn.gov.

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