City briefs - June 2024

Workers at Ann Kim’s Korean American restaurant, run by award winning Ann Kim, are expected to vote on June 27 on joining Unite Here Local 17, a union that represents thousands of hospitality workers in the Twin Cities. 

 

The city has approved funding for several local groups intended to support efforts to create a fair and climate-resilient food system in Minneapolis including the Kingfield Farmers Market (Neighborhood Roots) which will receive $13,860 to strengthen its food redistribution program, Nourishing Neighbors, by buying unsold produce from its vendors to be distributed to local food shelves.

 

The city has approved the appointments of Cliff Mountjoy-Venning from Ward 7, Aaron Shaffer from Ward 8, Natalie Wagner for Ward 10, and Kevin Dillon for 13, to the Bicycle Advisory Committee for terms that end May 31, 2026.

 

The city has appointed Neal Baxter from Ward 8, Amy Nash from Ward 7, Andrea Riehl for  Ward 8, Eric Smith from Ward 7, and Alexander Johnson from  Ward 10, to the Pedestrian Advisory Committee for two-year terms that begin in July and end on June 30, 2026.

 

The city has approved appointing Gladys Mejia from Ward 7, Adam Schneider from Ward 10, and Zamzam Ahmed for Mayoral from Ward 13, to the Environmental Advisory Commission. 

 

The Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis voted ratify a new proposed contract with the city of the Minneapolis which will be reviewed and voted on by the city council this month. 

Minneapolis Public Schools Calendar

The Minneapolis Public School District announced plans to shorten the school year next year. In response some schools will likely extend school day to meet state requirements about time in school. Southwest, for example, is adding five minutes to the school day. 

 

The state legislature has approved allowing Minneapolis and Mendota Heights to implement a four-year pilot project to cameras in high-risk areas or within 2,000 feet of a school to ticket those violating speeding and red light laws.

 

Hennepin County held an open house on June 11 at the Spring House Ministry Center at 610 West 28th Street to share designs, gather feedback, and answer questions.  To learn more about what we are seeking and the updated timeline for gathering input, you can visit  Lyndale Avenue South reconstruction page at https://www.hennepin.us/residents/transportation/lyndale-avenue-safety.

 

Minneapolis elected officials are beginning their budget process with an estimated $21 million budget shortfall due in part to decreasing property values downtown. The mayor will present is recommended budget in August. In June, the council’s budget committee endorsed a proposal to add 15 additional staff to support their legislative work, including one additional policy aide for each ward office. The committee also shared priorities of individual council members. Southwest Council Members priorities as follows. 

• Cashman Ward 7: Skyway Signage, Promise Act Support,  Uptown Safety,  Traffic Calming,  and Zero Waste Initiatives; 

• Jenkins Ward 8: 38th Street Thrive, George Floyd Square, and Pillsbury Creative Commons;  

• Chughtai Ward 10: Small Business Support During Road Work, Traffic Calming, Employee Resource Groups, 2116 Nicollet Ave S Development;  

• Koski Ward 11: Maintain or Lower Levy, Police Hiring & Retention Strategies, Auto Theft Prevention, Traffic Calming, Small Business Labor Standards project, and Fire Station Alerting Systems; 

• Palmisano from Ward 13 did not share any budget priorities.

 

This intersection is expected to be closed until mid-July while construction is underway to improve the sewer partial street reconstruction, traffic signal reconstruction, new station platforms, new sidewalks, and new pedestrian ramps. After it reopens, shelters, pylons, and other station features will be added. Sidewalks are expected to be open throughout construction on at least one side of the street and pedestrian access will be maintained to homes and businesses. 

 

Construction work on France Avenue began on June 10 on the west side of France Avenue at each intersection and will shift to the east side of France Ave. at each intersection as work in completed. Construction is planned to allow France Ave. to remain open to northbound through traffic for the duration of work, detouring southbound through-traffic to Xerxes Avenue between 39th Street and 60th Street.