In This Month's Issue:

• Bike to Work Day is TOMORROW!
• Solar Egg Conversations
• Transportation Action Plan Forum Wrap-Up
• Bus Rapid Transit E-Line Open Houses
• Youth Congress Forum Wrap-Up
• Farmers Markets Opening for the Season
• MN Court of Appeals Allows Full Enforcement of Sick & Safe Time Ordinance

Bike to Work Day is TOMORROW!

Solar Egg Conversations

Last month some wonderful 13th Ward residents joined me on adventure inside the Solar Egg Sauna installation at the American Swedish Institute. This art piece was created by the Swedish art duo Bigert & Bergström, two of Sweden’s most notable international climate-inspired artists. The egg's surface reflects its surroundings and also acts as a chamber for the exchange of ideas. I thought this would be a great, and unique, setting to discuss how our city is grappling with climate change, and a whole host of other topics. I want to thank everyone who attended and look forward to hosting more unique conversations like this in the future!

For more information on this amazing art piece, check out the American Swedish Institute's website here.

Transportation Action Plan Forum Wrap-Up

Thank you to everyone who joined me earlier this month for our forum on the City's Transportation Action Plan. We had great turnout for an important conversation on how the City is going to implement the transportation goals of the Minneapolis 2040 Plan. I appreciated how engaged folks were during this meeting and the very specific comments that were made. Some of the topics brought up by residents were:

• Excelsior Blvd improvements
• Better enforcement of traffic laws
• Taking back local control of speed limits from the state legislature
• Midblock crossings and how to enhance the existing ones
• Regulating smaller freight vehicles
• Improved bus stops
• Safer crosswalks
• Creating a culture of safety through education

These and other comments made by folks in attendance were captured by our guest, Jenifer Hager, who is the Director of Transportation, Planning and Programming in our Public Works Department. Her team compiles these commentsto build an implementation plan.

Bus Rapid Transit E-Line Open Houses

Metro Transit is planning improvements to the Route 6 corridor with the E Line Bus Rapid Transit project. The E Line will substantially replace parts of Route 6 in the Hennepin Avenue corridor. Here are a few of the great benefits Bus Rapid Transit will bring to our part of the City:

• Faster, more frequent service
• Pre-boarding fare payment for faster stops
• Neighborhood-scale stations with amenities
• Enhanced security
• Larger & specialized vehicles

In late 2018 Metro Transit began evaluating more segments of Route 6 as potential end points. Based on the evaluation,  are recommending that the E Line continue along University Avenue and 4th Street SE to the north.

Importantly, there are tradeoffs and choices to make on three potential routes through our area. So please come to learn and voice your support of an option.

Next week they will be hosting Open Houses (no formal presentation, come anytime) to learn more about the routing options being advanced for further consideration and some early ideas about connecting bus service.

- Monday, May 20, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m., Southwest High School, Cafeteria

- Tuesday, May 21, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m., Marcy Open School, Multipurpose Room

- Wednesday, May 22 4:00 – 6:30 p.m. Walker Library, Bde Maka Ska Room

Learn more at metrotransit.org/abrt.

https://www.metrotransit.org/e-line-engagement

Youth Congress Forum Wrap-Up

Last week I had the privilege to co-host  an event with the Minneapolis Youth Congress and young people as they build the Minneapolis Youth Master Plan.

The Youth Master Plan is an effort to mobilize an agenda on behalf of youth and children in Minneapolis. This plan will encourage collaboration across city, county, schools, and parks systems and reflect the voices of youth in our city.

Southwest High School students identified values that they would build the Master Plan around. Below are some of those values seen in the photo above:

• Diversity in classrooms
• Youth empowerment
• Access to healthy foods
• Safe transportation
• Safe roads for women
• Learning Native history
• Empathy education
• Sexual harassment education
• Access to post k-12 opportunities
• Prioritizing the environment in the classroom

The leadership displayed by our young people is inspiring. Watching them take on a variety of topics that affect our community and prioritize making changes and putting in the work is truly something.

Farmers Markets Opening for the Season

The first farmers markets of the season have opened, and the City of Minneapolis has an online interactive map that makes it easy to find farmers markets all over the city. Clicking on the map pins at www.minneapolismn.gov/farmersmarkets will show the address, season dates and opening times for each market.

Nearly 30 farmers markets and mini markets will operate in Minneapolis this year with food that traveled an average distance of only 39 miles from the farm to the market.

In 2017 the markets operating in Minneapolis collectively represented more than $13 million in vendor sales with about 650 vendors. In 2018, market vendors supported approximately 3,500 employees and welcomed an estimated 1.5 million annual visitors to the markets in Minneapolis. An estimated 11,000 agricultural acres were owned, leased or managed by Farmers Markets of Minneapolis vendors.

All of the farmers markets operating in Minneapolis are collaborating as the Farmers Markets of Minneapolis to gather and promote insights about the markets in partnership with the City of Minneapolis, University of Minnesota and many other market supporters. Supporting the markets supports an important economic engine for the local and regional community.

It’s easy for people to buy local produce. Most of the markets accept SNAP-EBT (“electronic benefits transfer”) cards as payment to give residents on federal food assistance easier access to fresh, healthy food, as well as Market Bucks, which provides $10 in additional healthy food to market shoppers using SNAP-EBT. Some of the farmers markets are mini markets, special small markets that the City licenses to get more fresh and affordable produce on the table in low-income neighborhoods.

Local produce is nutritious and affordable. Buying food directly at a farmers market strengthens the community between the farmer and the eater, and it supports the regional economy by allowing the local farmer to keep 80 to 90 cents per dollar of sales. Many Minneapolis residents can reach a farmers market on foot or by bicycle, which is good exercise and doesn’t pollute. Many of the farmers markets also serve to build community with prepared food, environment-themed educational activities and music.

Check out Homegrown Minneapolis for more ways to get healthy, local food on the table. Homegrown Minneapolis is a citywide initiative expanding our community’s ability to grow, process, distribute, eat and compost more healthy, sustainable, locally grown foods.

MN Court of Appeals Allows Full Enforcement of Sick & Safe Time Ordinance

The Minnesota Court of Appeals recently ruled that the sick and safe time ordinance does not violate state law and can be fully enforced. The City of Minneapolis is revising the rules and FAQs implementing the sick and safe time ordinance to implement the Court of Appeals decision. The ordinance took effect July 1, 2017, but had not previously been fully enforced due to litigation. Under these proposed changes, the City will begin enforcing the ordinance against employers based outside of Minneapolis with workers in the city. As part of this process, the City is seeking public comments on the proposed changes.

Under the revised rules, employers based outside of Minneapolis with employees who work more than 80 hours in a year within the geographical boundaries of the city must now comply with the sick and safe time ordinance. Employers based outside of Minneapolis will be subject to enforcement after the rule changes take effect.

Under the sick and safe time ordinance, employers with six or more employees must provide paid sick and safe time. Employers with five or fewer employees must also provide sick and safe time, but it can be unpaid. All types of employees are covered, including part-time workers. One hour of sick and safe time accrues for every 30 hours worked within the city. Sick and safe time may be used only when an employee is scheduled to work in Minneapolis. 

Employees can use sick and safe time for their own illnesses; to care for an ill family member; to address issues caused by domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking; and to care for a family member due to an unexpected closure of their school or daycare. 

The City’s Department of Civil Rights is accepting comments on the proposed rule changes and FAQs through June 7. Comments can be submitted online or in person at the Civil Rights Department, 350 S. Fifth St., Room 239.