The focus of City Council meetings over the last two months was rent stabilization, which was introduced as a policy ordinance in late May and was killed in late June due to an unanticipated conflict with a Muslim holiday. As a result of the rejection of the ordinance and the pending ballot question deadline of August 25, rent stabilization is now effectively dead for this year. The issue may be revisited next year, at which time there will be at least two new council members (Lisa Goodman and Andrew Johnson are not seeking re-election), and possibly more, depending on the results of the 2023 City Council elections.
The full City Council is chaired by City Council President and Ward 8 Councilmember Andrea Jenkins. Ward 13 Councilmember Linea Palmisano serves as the vice president. A previous article includes an overview of the City Council, whether councilmembers are running for re-election, and the committees the councilmembers serve on.
Each council meeting summarized below includes a link to the meeting agenda.
May 11
The council unanimously approved a resolution supporting highway removal for Olson Memorial Highway, and the restoration of 6th Avenue North, which is consistent with the goals of the Bring Back 6th campaign.
The council unanimously approved a staff direction requesting the City Auditor’s Policy and Research Division to coordinate with the mayor and City administration for a report on personnel actions taken since the effective date of the new government structure and upcoming personnel actions. This relates to new city positions which are created, positions transferred between city departments, and so forth.
May 25
The council unanimously approved the new land use policies of Minneapolis 2040, which set the rules for the types of businesses permitted in various zoning districts, as well as updates to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
The council unanimously adopted a legislative directive and a request to the City Auditor for a fiscal analysis of the Minnesota Department of Human Rights settlement. The council also unanimously adopted a revised legislative directive requesting further detail on personnel actions taken since the effective date of the new government structure and upcoming personnel actions. The revised version requested additional details regarding the personnel actions in order to strengthen the legislative directive and the report that would be received in response.
Ward 10 Councilmember Aisha Chughtai made a motion directing the City Attorney’s Office to draft a rent stabilization policy consistent with Framework 5 adopted by the City’s Rent Stabilization Work Group. The motion was adopted by a vote of 7-5. Southwest Voices also covered this meeting here.
- Yes: Payne, Wonsley, Ellison, Osman, Jenkins, Chavez, Chughtai
- No: Rainville, Vetaw, Koski, Johnson, Palmisano
- Absent: Goodman
Following the meeting, Mayor Jacob Frey announced that he would veto the motion. The following day, the City Attorney’s Office released a memo indicating that the motion did not require the mayor’s approval, and that he could not veto it.
June 15
Chughtai formally gave notice of introduction that the rent stabilization ordinance would be introduced at the next City Council meeting.
The council approved a Policy Reform and Implementation Senior Advisor position, by a vote of 7-5. The position will serve as a chief advisor in the City Attorney’s Office regarding implementation of the settlement agreement with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, as well as a likely future consent decree with the United States Department of Justice. Council members voting against the position expressed concerns regarding the announced candidate for the role – Amelia Huffman, an assistant police chief and former acting police chief.
- Yes: Rainville, Vetaw, Osman, Goodman, Jenkins, Koski, Johnson, Palmisano
- No: Payne, Wonsley, Ellison, Chavez, Chughtai
June 28
The three Muslim members of the City Council – Chughtai, Osman, and Ward 5 Councilmember Jeremiah Ellison –were absent from this meeting due to observing Eid al-Adha. The council meeting was originally rescheduled to June 28 (it normally would have been Thursday, June 29) due to an expectation that Eid would be scheduled on June 29. However, it was later determined on June 18 that Eid would fall on June 28 this year. This had major implications for the introduction of the rent stabilization ordinance. Chughtai and Osman were the authors of the ordinance. Southwest Voices also covered this meeting here.
While this is ordinarily a routine procedural motion, the motion to refer the ordinance to the Business, Inspections, Housing, and Zoning Committee was defeated by a vote of 4-6. Chughtai, Ellison, and Osman were all expected to vote in favor of the motion, so it likely would have passed if they had been present.
Outside supporters of the ordinance were harshly critical of councilmembers for holding the vote at that time.
The council then voted on a motion to “return to author,” a term in the council rules which effectively means to kill the ordinance. This motion was introduced by Council Vice President and Ward 13 Councilmember Palmisano. The motion to “return to author” was adopted by a vote of 5-4. With “return to author” adopted, this requires the policy ordinance process to start over. This effectively ends any realistic chance of the council meeting the August 25 deadline to place a rent stabilization question on the ballot this year.
- Councilmembers Chavez, Jenkins, Payne, and Wonsley voted “Yes” on the motion to introduce and refer the ordinance to the committee, and voted “No” on the motion to return to author.
- Councilmembers Goodman, Koski, Palmisano, Rainville, and Vetaw voted “No” on the motion to introduce and refer the ordinance to the committee, and voted “Yes” on the motion to return to author.
- Councilmember Johnson voted “No” on the motion to introduce and refer the ordinance to the committee, and abstained on the motion to return to author.
- Councilmembers Ellison, Osman, and Chughtai were absent.
The council adopted an 8% salary increase and a one-time $6,500 retention incentive for Minneapolis Police Department command staff – high-level sworn employees not represented by a union, such as Commanders, Inspectors, Deputy Chiefs, and Assistant Chiefs. The salary increase was adopted by a vote of 8-2 and the retention incentive was adopted by a vote of 7-3.
- Council Members Goodman, Jenkins, Johnson, Koski, Palmisano, Rainville, and Vetaw voted “Yes” on the salary increase and the retention incentive.
- Council Members Wonsley and Chavez voted “No” on the salary increase and the retention incentive.
- Council Member Payne voted “Yes” on the salary increase and “No” on the retention incentive.
- Council Members Chughtai, Ellison, and Osman were absent.
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