City briefs Feb. 16

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City negotiations with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights
On Feb. 7, the City Council received a report on the status of settlement negotiations between the City and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR) relating to MDHR’s investigation into racist practices of the city and its police department. Since August 2022, city officials and MDHR have met approximately 27 times, often for full-day, in-person sessions to address the findings of racial discrimination. The city attorney indicated that negotiations have been fruitful but that they “cannot describe the content of the negotiations because they are confidential.”

Police “off duty” work to be examined
In January, the Minneapolis City Council voted to review how the city’s police department allows its officers to do off-duty work. An audit the city conducted three years ago identified concerns about how the department assigned and tracked the extra hours worked. The department’s off-duty police work system allows businesses and organizations like nightclubs, stores or neighborhoods to hire officers while in full uniform and using a city squad car.

City Great Street grants awarded
The annual 2023 business district support grants have been awarded and 23 local business associations, community development corporations, neighborhood groups, and other not-for-profit organizations working on commercial district health will receive $671,275. Notable awardees for the southwest Minneapolis area include the Jungle Theater for $28,500 to support the Lyn Lake festival this summer; the Lake Street Council for $75,000 for a marketing campaign and promoting Lake Street art; Lyndale Neighborhood Association for $16,950 towards community events; the Midtown Greenway Coalition for $12,000 to support bike and walk ambassadors; the Minneapolis College of Art & Design for $35,000 to activate and beautify the former Kmart site and create a public art installation; Our Streets Minneapolis for $36,000 for open street events; and the Uptown Association for $20,000 to support the Uptown Art Fair.

Land use regulation up for review
People are encouraged to comment on the city’s draft land use regulations through Feb. 26. The proposed new rules will address allowed uses and development standards for various zoning districts throughout Minneapolis. This is the next major step in implementing the city’s 2040 comprehensive plan. The city hopes that the new regulations will allow a range of uses appropriate for each district and provide greater predictability for everyone. Find more details and submit comments at https://minneapolis2040.com/implementation/land-use-rezoning-study/. The City Planning Commission will hold a hearing, accept testimony and make recommendations to the City Council, tentatively on March 20 with a City Council review and vote expected in April.

New city health commissioner nominated
There will be a public hearing on Feb 15, 2023, to consider the mayor’s nomination of Damon Chaplin to be the next Minneapolis Commissioner of Health. According to the Mayor’s nomination letter to the council, “Mr. Chaplin brings decades of proven public health leadership and expertise to the table. As the current Director for the New Bedford, Mass. Health Department and a Board Member with the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), Mr. Chaplin has driven positive change in community health and health equity in historically vulnerable populations.”

More MPD Workers Comp Claims.
In February, the City Council approved another group of legal settlements of workers’ compensation claims of Minneapolis police officers including Dean Christiansen for $175,000, Keith Smith for $150,000, Jeremy Howard for $175,000 Thaya Wallace for $110,000 and Derrick Foster for $125,000. It is now estimated that over $25 million has been paid out in similar settlements to over 100 officers since the police killing of George Floyd in May of 2020.

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