In This Month's Issue:

• Upgraded Liquor License Applications Public Hearing 1/30
• Palmisano Presents: Renter's Rights and Issues 2/7
• Community Connections Conference, Saturday February 2
• Openings on the Violence Prevention Steering Committee
• Minneapolis recognizes National Day of Racial Healing Jan. 22
• Be part of the conversation about improving transportation in the city
• Love Southwest Minneapolis Parks? Help plan their future at any of four upcoming events
• Use de-icing salt sparingly to protect Minnesota waters
• City and U.S. Department of Labor join forces to step up labor standards enforcement

Upgraded Liquor License Applications Public Hearing 1/30

IMPORTANT NOTICE: On the evening of Wednesday January 30th there is a hearing for three upgraded liquor licenses scheduled. The hearing will still be held, but in conversations with City staff we encourage you to submit comments to mohamed.ismail@minneapolismn.gov OR BusinessLicenses@minneapolismn.gov OR FAX: 612-673-3399

Please do not risk your well-being to attend if you don’t drive and have to walk too far from the bus or your home – please stay safe!

Public Hearing on Upgraded Liquor Licenses:

Wednesday January 30th
Armatage Community Center
2500 57^th St W, Minneapolis, MN 55410
6:00-7:00pm

Following the overwhelming passage of an amendment to the Minneapolis City Charter last fall, restaurants are now able to apply for the sale of liquor regardless of the size of the commercially zoned property surrounding them! Due to that change we have seen an increase in the number of restaurants applying for this upgrade. At the next Economic Development and Regulatory Services Committee meeting, they will be considering the applications of Red Wagon Pizza, Tilia and St. Genevieve!

Prior to that meeting however, we want to hear from you.

These applications are subject to final approval of all ordinance requirements which may include zoning, health, criminal background, and financial reviews. You are invited to attend, express your opinions, and/or submit such in writing by contacting Inspector Mohamed Ismail at 612-673-3904 or Mohamed.ismail@minneapolismn.gov.

Palmisano Presents: Renter's Rights and Issues 2/7

Community Connections Conference, Saturday February 2

The Neighborhood and Community Relations Department invites you to the 8th annual Community Connections Conference. The conference is a free event meant to build connections and foster collaboration between communities, neighborhoods and government, focusing on best practices for community engagement. The conference features interactive workshops, speakers, panel discussions, and a delicious catered lunch. The theme of this year's conference is Together: Mobilizing for a Better Minneapolis.

The schedule for the day:

• Registration and breakfast: 8:00 a.m.
• Opening panel: 9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
• Morning workshops: 10:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
• Lunch: 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
• Afternoon workshops: 1:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
• Closing forum with Mayor Frey and Council members: 2:45 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

This year's Community Connections Conference will feature:

• An opening panel with community leaders, Connecting Activism to Change.
• An exhibit hall with over 100 exhibitors from healthcare and tenants' rights organizations to sustainability and public schools. View exhibitor list here...
• A legal clinic on immigration, family and housing law courtesy of the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, Volunteer Lawyers Network, Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid and The Advocates for Human Rights. Read more here...
• Give your input to City departments on topics like the Transportation Action Plan, Vision Zero and the neighborhood organization system and the City of Minneapolis's community engagement policy.
• Interactive workshops. Preview workshop list here...
• An opportunity to learn about and apply for City appointed boards and commissions. View open seats here...
• A community round table with Mayor Frey and Minneapolis City Council members about the City of Minneapolis’s racial equity action plan. Read more here...

Free food. View caterers here...

Openings on the Violence Prevention Steering Committee

The Violence Prevention Steering Committee, created in 2018, has several open positions for City Council and mayor appointments. Applications are open now until filled.

Board and commission members in the City of Minneapolis help shape key policy decisions, give community-based input into the City’s administration of services and supply valuable insights. The City seeks applicants with a diversity of backgrounds and experiences to strengthen the work of the City. Translation and interpreting services are available on request so all residents can participate.

The Violence Prevention Steering Committee’s roles include:

• Overseeing the general implementation of the City’s comprehensive violence prevention strategic plan including prioritizing focus areas, making decisions about programming and resources, and informing future violence prevention work in the City.
• Providing advice, recommendations and support with high level strategic policy and legislative issues.

People can apply and stay up to date on vacancies, position descriptions and timelines by visiting the open position pages.

Minneapolis recognizes National Day of Racial Healing Jan. 22

Last week the City Council passed a resolution recognizing January 22nd as National Day of Racial Healing and urges all people to promote racial healing and transformation in the ways that are best suited for them individually to ensure the best quality of life for everyone. City Hall was packed full of individuals including dancers, spoken word artists, poets, healing practitioners and a panel discussion focused on the role of government in racial healing.

The resolution recognizes racial divisiveness rising in America’s communities that threatens the core of this great country’s unified front.

The resolution states that: “It is our duty to protect the children of this city and country and maintain communities in which they may all be given the opportunity to succeed.

“We understand and recognize that there is a racial divide in our country and we must all work earnestly to heal the wounds created by racial, ethnic and religious bias and build an equitable and just society so that all children can thrive.

“Children have the right to be provided every opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive in nurturing environments that don’t violate their safety, dignity, and humanity.”

The National Day of Racial Healing is a national, community-based process of transformative, sustainable change addressing the historic and contemporary effects of racism.

Be part of the conversation about improving transportation in the city

Last week City staff presented to the City Council’s Transportation and Public Works Committee for developing the Minneapolis Transportation Action Plan. The Minneapolis Transportation Action Plan will guide transportation decisions to ensure alignment with the plan goals: safety, equity, prosperity, climate, mobility and active partnerships. It’s focused on the following topics: advanced mobility, pedestrian, bicycle, transit, freight, street operations and street design.

Public Works will conduct community engagement to gather input and feedback on the Minneapolis Transportation Action Plan throughout the year. Public Works staff will be at the Community Connections Conference on Feb. 2 at the Minneapolis Convention Center to share information about the Minneapolis Transportation Action Plan and other department initiatives. Public Works will also award contracts for community engagement services from community-based organizations, artists and other individuals to broaden community input on the plan. Applications are due Feb. 11.

This initiative will coincide with the City taking it's next step in developing Vision Zero, a coordinated effort committed to the goal of zero traffic deaths and severe injuries on City streets by 2027.

Achieving the goal of safe streets for everyone will require significant effort and resources, including input from residents. Your input is critical to our work to make streets safer for everyone. Your feedback plays a key role in shaping our approach to the Vision Zero Action Plan. Our Public Works department will be releasing a Vision Zero survey and dates for upcoming community workshops in early February. Sign up for Vision Zero email updates to receive notice of these opportunities to share your input.

You can also take the Vision Zero Pledge. By doing so you pledge to:

• Slow down while driving and be alert to people walking and bicycling 
• Respect that people walking have the right of way
• Refrain from distracted driving including using my cellphone while driving
• Never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Spread the word about this pledge and Vision Zero. #VisionZeroMpls

For more information visit the official Vision Zero website here.

Visit go.minneapolismn.gov to learn more about the Minneapolis Transportation Action Plan and upcoming engagement opportunities.

Love Southwest Minneapolis Parks? Help plan their future at any of four upcoming events

Kids activities and refreshments featured at family-friendly workshops in late January and early February.

Southwest Minneapolis community members have contributed an amazing range of ideas and input on local neighborhood parks over the past seven months. Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) staff attended more than 100 public events last summer and have been using this information and working with a design team to develop initial concepts for every Minneapolis neighborhood park south of I-394 and west of I-35W.

This process is a key part of creating an overall long-term plan known as the Southwest Service Area Master Plan, called the SW Parks Plan for short.

The next step is asking people to view and comment on initial park design concepts at a series of public workshops. Each concept includes options and locations for a range of amenities and activities. Most parks have multiple concepts to consider.

Park Design Workshops

• Everyone is invited: please bring family, friends, neighbors and others!
• Each workshop includes kids’ activities and refreshments
• Four workshops give people a choice of dates and locations. Each has the same format and park design concepts. You can attend more than one, but don’t need to.

Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, 6-8 pm
Lynnhurst Recreation Center, 1345 W Minnehaha Parkway
This workshop will also have information on the Minnehaha Parkway Regional Trail Master Plan.

Monday, Feb. 4, 2019, 6-8 pm
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation Center, 4055 Nicollet Ave. S

Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, 6-8 pm
Whittier Recreation Center, 425 W 26th St.

Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019, 6-8 pm
Jones-Harrison Residence, Centrum Room, 3700 Cedar Lake Ave.

Participate Online

All of the initial park concepts on display at the public workshops will also be posted to the SW Parks Plan project page on Jan. 31, along with a link to an online survey where anyone can submit feedback on any design.

Use de-icing salt sparingly to protect Minnesota waters

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency provides these smart salting tips when clearing snow and ice from pavement. When we use de-icing salt on pavement, melting snow or rain washes the salt into storm drains and into nearby lakes, rivers and groundwater. There’s no feasible way to remove chloride once it gets into the water, and we are finding increasing amounts of chloride in waters around the state. Salty water harms freshwater fish and other aquatic wildlife.

Smart salting strategies can help reduce chloride pollution in state waters, while saving money and limiting salt damage to infrastructure, vehicles and plants.

Do your part by following these simple tips:

• Shovel. The more snow and ice you remove manually, the less salt you will have to use and the more effective it can be.
• 15 degrees is too cold for salt. Most salts stop working at this temperature. Use sand instead for traction, but remember that sand does not melt ice.
• Apply less. More salt does not mean more melting. Use less than four pounds of salt per 1,000 square feet. One pound of salt is approximately a heaping 12-ounce coffee mug. Leave about a three-inch space between granules. Consider buying a hand-held spreader to help you apply a consistent amount.
• Sweep up extra. If salt or sand is visible on dry pavement, it is no longer doing any work and will be washed away. Save this salt or sand to use again or throw it away.
• Hire a certified smart salting contractor. Visit the MPCA website for a list of winter maintenance professionals specifically trained in limiting salt use.
• Watch a video. Produced by the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, it offers tools for environmentally friendly snow and ice removal.

Learn more on the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency website.

City and U.S. Department of Labor join forces to step up labor standards enforcement

The Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights and U.S. Department of Labor signed an agreement formalizing their commitment to collaborate on investigations and public awareness of labor standards, including the City’s minimum wage ordinance.

The agreement will increase the capacity of both City and federal officials to enforce labor standards in Minneapolis to protect all workers and ensure that abusive employers seeking unfair competitive advantages are held accountable.

The collaboration comes as the City recognizes the one-year anniversary of the minimum wage ordinance and recognizes January as Human Trafficking and Exploitation Prevention Month in Minneapolis.

More than 4,000 workers received back wages or new benefits because of investigations by the City’s Labor Standards Enforcement Division in 2018.

The City’s minimum wage ordinance has a phase-in schedule requiring large businesses to pay $15 an hour by 2022 and small businesses by 2024. Currently, the minimum wage is $10.25 for businesses with 100 or fewer employees and $11.25 for employers with more than 100 workers. The next minimum wage increase takes effect July 1.

Violations of the minimum wage ordinance can be reported by calling 311 or filling out an online form, or in person at City Hall, Room 239.

The ordinance supports the City’s goals of promoting inclusive economic growth by reducing economic and racial disparities. For more information about the ordinance, visit minimumwage.minneapolismn.gov, call 311 or email minwage@minneapolismn.gov.