• Energy Assistance Applications are available now through May 31st, 2018.
• Both renters and homeowners can apply.
• It is a grant, not a loan. Benefit recipients do not have to pay the money back.
• The grant is intended to cover a portion of the household’s electric and heating bill. It is important that those who receive assistance continue to make payments and/or request a reasonable payment plan with their utility provider.
• The grant is paid directly to the electric and heat provider.
• Homeowners may be eligible for emergency heating unit (ex. furnace, boiler) repair or replacement.
• Applicants are encouraged to apply before they face an emergency.
• Applications are processed on first-come, first-served basis.

Rank Your Choices: Easy As 1-2-3

By Casey Joe Carl, Minneapolis City Clerk

2017 is a municipal election year, and that means time for Ranked-Choice Voting. RCV is easy as 1-2-3. You have the option of ranking the candidates in each race on the ballot as your first, second, and third choice (including the ability to include a write-in candidate). With RCV, voters choose the candidate they prefer, just like they would with a traditional ballot. However, they also have the ability to rank other candidates in the same race, if they wish. If a candidate receives a majority of first-place choices, that candidate wins. If not, the least popular candidate(s) is/are eliminated and the ballots for that candidate are divided among the remaining candidates based on a voter’s subsequent choices. That process continues until one candidate gains a majority of support. Or, in the case of multi-winner elections, until all seats are filled.

Minneapolis voters approved the use of RCV for municipal elections in 2006. It was first used in the 2009 Municipal Election and then again in the 2013 Municipal Election. In a 2013 post-election survey, 92% of participating voters knew they would be given the option of ranking their ballots and 82% of voters did so. Of the respondents, 87% found RCV simple to use and 81% indicated they understood RCV fairly or perfectly well. Those high marks reflect an informed electorate. In the end, a solid majority—53% of voters—said RCV should continue to be used for municipal elections in Minneapolis.

RCV fosters wider participation in political processes by expanding ballot access through a single, high-turnout general election in November. It also promotes greater civility in political campaigning, as shown in the 2013 election here in Minneapolis. And, most importantly, it increases choice and the strength of a voter’s voice in the electoral process. In order to prepare, the City’s Elections & Voter Services Division encourages you to review the educational materials available on our website, at vote.minneapolismn.gov, and to use your sample ballot to practice making your choices in each race. You can bring your marked sample ballot to the polls with you to help complete your official ballot, too. Election workers will be attending a number of community events this summer to help promote awareness and turnout for the municipal election on November 7. That includes education about Ranked-Choice Voting and the options it provides to all voters.

Concrete Paving

After heavy rain on Monday night, the schedule was pushed back a day. However, Park Construction & Curbmasters finished laying the concrete section of the street between Quincy & Monroe. They followed this by installing concrete curb and driveway aprons between Quincy and Central on Wednesday & Thursday.

The concrete crew use a combination of slip formed curb through a machine and hand poured sections using formwork around intersections, catch basins and driveways. After the concrete has cured, they will continue to prepare the sidewalks for paving and also build up the asphalt layers between the curb to full height. A total of 8 inches more asphalt will be placed between the curb to the finished driving surface.

After the concrete has been laid it will take a number of hours until it can be walked on without leaving marks. Please be extra careful around the fresh concrete while it is being poured and setting. Curbs are sprayed white after installation, this is a curing compound which regulates the moisture content in the concrete while it is setting.

Asphalt Paving

Mid week next week, Park Construction plan to begin laying asphalt from Johnson and heading towards Central Avenue. As they lay the asphalt, it will not be able to be driven on until later in the day when it has cooled and stiffened. We will provide letters to properties through 18^th Avenue requesting cars be relocated during paving operations.

Electric conduit

The electrical contractor is also installing gray pvc conduit which will sit behind the curb. This will be used for traffic signals as well as future use.

Xcel Energy

In the coming weeks. Xcel will begin the process of relocating the power poles as the new curb is placed through the project. This will involve planting new poles, transferring cables and removing the old poles to allow the shared use trail to be constructed. Further notice will be provided by Xcel to any customers who may be affected during transfers.

Please be aware once the concrete has been placed it will not be able to be driven over for a minimum of 7 days to allow the concrete to reach sufficient strength. We will speak to the affected business & residential properties prior to placing the concrete to ensure alternate access arrangements are in place.

Further access restrictions will be in place when laying the asphalt paving and concrete curb/driveways through the rest of the project. Notice will be given prior to these being scheduled.

If you have any access concerns please call  651 443 1096 (John Benjamin, Chief Field Inspector) to discuss further.

Learn to Create Beautiful, Low-Input Lawns Turf alternatives support clean water & biodiversity

What?
Increasing numbers of property owners are looking to replace their
lawn with something that is beautiful, ecologically friendly, and
lower maintenance.

Installing Turf Alternatives – your guide to a low maintenance
lawn, a workshop presented by Metro Blooms in partnership with
Blue Thumb – Planting for Clean Water® covers the advantages of
using perennial ground covers to maximize ecological impact. It also
demonstrates handy how-tos for replacing traditional turf by
installing and maintaining two popular types of turf alternatives:
Low Maintenance Lawns and Bee Lawns.

When?

Tuesday, October 24 2017
6:30-8:30pm
Lynnhurst Recreation Center
1345 W Minnehaha Pkwy
Minneapolis, MN 55419

How to
Register?
Cost: $25 per household. Register for this event online at
metroblooms.org/events; by sending your name, organization, title,
email address and phone number to deborah@metroblooms.org; or
calling 651-699-2426.

Why Turf Alternatives?
Turf alternatives provide a range of ecological benefits when compared to sterile
expanses of traditional turf. They are drought tolerant, slow growing (less mowing),
require less fertilizer, and are adaptable and weed-suppressing. They can also support
beneficial insects, fix nitrogen in the soil, better infiltrate runoff, and require less
maintenance from property owners.

What is Blue Thumb?
Blue Thumb—Planting for Clean Water® is a public/private partnership that promotes
native plants, raingardens, shoreline stabilization projects and turf alternatives to
reduce runoff and improve water quality. Partners include local governmental units
(watershed districts, conservation districts, cities and counties), non-profit
organizations, and private companies such as nurseries, landscape design and build
companies, sustainable lawncare and tree care services. www.bluethumb.org

Northeast is back with a bigger and better route! Sunday, August 6th. Open Streets is rolling out in Northeast. Open Streets Minneapolis gives residents an opportunity to explore their neighborhood and local businesses in a safe, fun, and family-friendly way. It encourages the use of active transportation and healthy living, and has a goal of giving residents an opportunity to rethink our streets as public space. With almost one hundred businesses, community groups, and performers on the street – there’s something for everyone to enjoy!

200 volunteers needed for Open Streets Northeast and this is one of the last few Open Streets! Don’t miss out

Volunteering is the best way to experience Open Streets Minneapolis.Get your free 2017 Open Streets Mpls T-shirt & mystery coupon by volunteering in a new role- Event Hosts, Break-down crew (the shortest shift!), a Pop-up Protected Bikeway Crew Memberhttp://www.openstreetsmpls.org/northeast_pop_up or another important role! There are many fun volunteer options to choose from, but hurry…the last day to sign up is tomorrow. It’s a great way for families, neighbors, and friends to volunteer together. Sign up for a shift today!

Open Streets Northeast August 6th, 2017 11:00am – 5:00pm

Most Workers in Minneapolis Now Get Sick Time Off

For healthy workers, healthy businesses and healthy communities, a new ordinance protecting time off for people who get sick and work in Minneapolis takes effect July 1. Employers with six or more workers will be required to provide time off at a minimum threshold of at least one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. Employers with five or fewer workers must also provide sick time, but it may be unpaid. The goal of the ordinance is to protect public health and prevent workers from being penalized because of illness or a need to care for a sick loved one.

Until this law took effect, four out of 10 Minneapolis workers lacked access to paid sick time.

With some exceptions, the new ordinance governs all employers in Minneapolis and includes full-time, part-time and temporary workers and paid interns.​ Other requirements include:

• Workers may use leave for their own health and certain family members’ health.
• Victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault and stalking may use leave to receive medical treatment and other necessary services.
• Workers may use leave to care for family members during emergency closure of school or place of care, including for inclement weather.
• Workers will accrue one hour of leave for every 30 hours worked until they accrue 48 hours per year or 80 hours overall including carryover during additional years.

Paid time off, sick, vacation or other types of leave used at employee discretion often qualify as “sick and safe time.” Employees who already receive such leave in sufficient amounts do not receive additional time off under the new law. The 40 percent of employees – often part-time workers – who previously lacked such access will now receive it, and the ordinance creates a minimum standard of protection for everyone.

Paid sick and safe time is intended to:

• Ensure that workers can address their own health needs and the health needs of their families.
• Reduce public and private health care costs by enabling workers to seek early and routine medical care for themselves and their family members.
• Make Minneapolis a more secure and productive community.
• Safeguard the public welfare, health, safety and prosperity of Minneapolis’ residents, workers and visitors.

People who work in Minneapolis whose employers don’t provide the sick and safe time required by the new law can call 311 or visit www.minneapolismn.gov/sicktimeinfo to ask a question or file a complaint with the Labor Standards Enforcement Division of the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights.

Note: In a lawsuit brought against the City of Minneapolis in the case of Minnesota Chamber of Commerce et al v. City of Minneapolis, Court File No. 27-cv-16-15051, the Hennepin County District Court issued a temporary injunction prohibiting the City of Minneapolis from enforcing the Sick and Safe Time Ordinance against any “employer resident outside the geographic boundaries of the City.” This case is currently on appeal to the Minnesota Court of Appeals. This temporary injunction order will be applied until further action of the court.

Join the Minnesota Timberwolves and Juxtaposition Arts at Logan Park this Sunday, May 21st from 12-5pm for a live mural experience during NEMAA Art-A-Whirl event. The mural, with a design inspired by the team’s new identity and vision for the future, will remain in Logan Park once complete for neighborhood kids and families to enjoy as a lasting visual of the team’s New Era.

This event will take place on the outdoor basketball courts at Logan Park, 690 13^th Ave NE-Rain or Shine!

Black History Month Celebration

Thursday, Feb. 23, Folwell Recreation Center, 6-8 pm

This free event features:

• Spoken word
• Story-telling
• Lyrical dance
• Fashion show
• Dinner

Need a ride? Transportation is provided from the following locations:

• Harrison Park, departs 5:10 pm
• North Commons Park, departs 5:15 pm
• Farview Park, departs 5:30 pm

Black History Month Movie Night

Thursdays in February, Green Central Gym, 6-8:30 pm

Join us for movie every Thursday in February! Movies are culturally based, with an emphasis on achievement and ovecoming adversity.

Minneapolis has over 70 neighborhood organizations currently funded by the city. The current source of this funding ends in 2020. The Neighborhood and Community Engagement Commission and the Neighborhood Community Relations Department will be hosting Community Conversations throughout the city in the next few months to discuss the Future of Neighborhood Organizations. These meetings will be open to everyone. The key questions for these conversations will be:

• What are the unique services provided by neighborhood organizations?
• What is the role of neighborhood organizations with the City government?
• What are the major challenges or barriers neighborhood organizations face in serving their communities or partnering with the City?
• How do we measure the impact of neighborhood work?
• Do we have the right neighborhood infrastructure (number of neighborhoods, programming, changing demographics, resource availability etc.)?
• What resources are needed to help support the goal of supporting inclusive, vibrant and effective neighborhood organizations?

Check for updates on these meetings in the LPNA newsletter and website. If you want more info on this process, email or call LPNA. Strong participation is encouraged!

                                               Press Release

Thomas Edison High School’s
Fifth Annual Autumn Bazaar to be held
Saturday, November 19^th
October 12, 2016

Contact:  Holly Hatch-Surisook at edisontommieboosters@gmail.com

Edison High School Tommie Boosters, a parent organization supporting and invigorating student spirt and enrichment, is hosting the fifth annual Autumn Bazaar.  This free event, open to anyone in the community, will take place on Saturday, November 19 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm in the Edison High School Gymnasium:  700 22^nd Avenue NE, Minneapolis, MN  55418.

The event will feature affordable art, creative crafts, concessions and a raffle.  Organizers anticipate 60 local vendors will be on site to sell their creations, just in time for holiday gift buying.  All proceeds will be used to fund activities for Edison students.

Thomas Edison, a Minneapolis public school and International Baccalaureate World School, is located in northeast Minneapolis.   Through innovation and personal empowerment, the Edison community partners with its students, igniting a passion for lifelong learning, instilling the ideals of international mindedness, and leading its students to succeed at Edison and in their post-secondary aspirations.

For more information visit Edison’s website:  http://edison.mpls.k12.mn.us/autumn_bazaar_2

Or contact Holly Hatch-Surisook at edisontommieboosters@gmail.com.

Registration is Now Open for the City of Minneapolis October Learning Lab. October’s Learning Lab topic will be Renter Engagement.

Share best practices on renter engagement and learn about Regulatory Services Open Data Portal and Neighborhood Reports.

RSVP via Eventbrite.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/renter-engagement-learning-lab-city-of-minneapolis-tickets-21455592254

Questions can be directed to Michelle Chavez, 612-673-3564 or michelle.chavez@minneapolismn.gov

The City of Minneapolis is offering free Home Energy Squad visits to income-qualified Minneapolis households while funds last. Visits are available for $70 to Minneapolis households over the income limit. The Home Energy Squad visits bring energy efficiency experts to participants’ homes to install energy-saving materials and make recommendations on energy-saving upgrades. More than 9,000 Mpls households have already benefitted from the program.

New!  For a limited time, the City of Minneapolis also offers no-interest financing to Minneapolis participants making insulation and air sealing upgrades recommended by the Home Energy Squad (no income limits).

Call Beth today at 612-335-5874 or visit mncee.org/hes-mpls

Gayle Prest, Director

Minneapolis Sustainability Office

(612) 673-2931

Gayle.Prest@minneapolismn.gov

www.minneapolismn.gov/sustainability