City Council

350 S 5th St, Minneapolis, MN 55415 (Directions)

The council confirmed the Mayor’s nomination of Margaret Anderson Kelliher to the appointed position of City Operations Officer, by a vote of 11-2, with Council Members Jamal Osman and Robin Wonsley voting no.

• Council Members Elliott Payne and Aisha Chughtai spoke about how they were uncertain about this appointment at first given past experiences with the administration and Director Kelliher, but ultimately came to support her after further conversations with her and the Mayor about how they could work together in the next term.
• Council Member Jamal Osman expressed concern that Director Kelliher had not done enough to support residents in his ward and had not supported him or the residents of Ward 6. He noted the importance of the person in this position having strong relationships with council members.

The council rejected a proposed increase in the towing fees on a vote of 6-7, and later unanimously referred the fee schedule to city staff.

• Council Members expressed concerns about the inequitable impacts of towing fees, as they are often most experienced by residents with the least ability to pay these fees.
• Other council members expressed sympathy with these concerns, but also noted the need to fund the city’s impound lot and towing operations.

The council unanimously adopted a resolution declaring unsheltered homelessness as a public health emergency, and pledged commitments for the council and the administration to work together on a new approach to addressing unsheltered homelessness.

• Council members stated that this resolution was, in part, in response to the impending closure of Camp Nenookasi, however, council members clarified that the council lacked the authority to stop the eviction.
• Following the council meeting, eight council members held a press conference and sent a letter to the Mayor requesting that the Mayor and the administration:
  • Delay the eviction of Camp Nenookaasi until February 16, 2024. - In the interim, pursue all efforts to address public health needs at Camp Nenookaasi and the surrounding community. - Meet and work with the council members to collaborate on short-term, medium-term, and long-term solutions to reduce homelessness, prevent the formation of encampments, and address the serious and urgent public health issues unsheltered populations in Minneapolis face.

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