BRIEFS July 2022

Longfellow and Seward collaborate
The city council has approved a $15,000 contract with the Longfellow Community Council to provide administrative support and oversight of the Longfellow and Seward neighborhood organizations as part of the Neighborhoods 2020 Shared Resources and Collaborations Fund. According to the city staff report, Longfellow Community Council and Seward Neighborhood Group intend to explore ways to partner that may include sharing resources, staffing and administration, as well as identifying work to advance each neighborhood organizations’ strategic goals and to ensure organizational sustainability, in the long term. The contract is for $8,000 to be spent in 2022 and $12,000 in 2023.

City funds for 3rd Precinct Site community engagement and agreement
Ward 2 Council Member Robin Wonsley successfully amended the 2022 Mayor’s Recommended American Rescue Plan budget proposal to allocate $100,000 from human resources department to the city coordinator’s rffice to contract for consulting services to establish a comprehensive engagement process to include stakeholders in the next steps and redevelopment of the Third Precinct site. According to the amendment this should include a community understanding and benefits agreement.

Household hazardous waste collection
Hennepin County is collecting unwanted household products including paint, chemicals, fluorescent bulbs, batteries and fuel that are typically not accepted in normal waste collection services. People can drop of materials between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Aug. 12 and 13 at South High School, 3131 19th Ave. S. Visit Hennepin County’s household hazardous waste collection event webpage for a list of items to bring.

Fix It Clinic
People can get free help with repairing broken household items at a Hennepin County’s Fix-It Clinic where volunteers offer free, guided assistance to fix small household appliances, clothing, electronics, mobile devices and more. Clinics are held on the second Saturday of every month from noon to 4 p.m., with the last items accepted at 3:30 p.m. The family friendly events are first come, first served. A Minneapolis Fix-it Clinic is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 13, at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, 5025 Knox Ave. S.

SASHA COTTON RESIGNS
Sasha Cotton, director of the Office of Violence Prevention, will be leaving her position with the city on July 15 to become the deputy director for the National Network for Safe Communities (NNSC) at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Starting as the Youth Violence Prevention Coordinator and later leading the Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) as its first director, over her eight years with the city, Cotton is credited building on the public health-based approach to community safety, implementing a Groups Violence Intervention program, and initiating the MinneapolUS Strategic Outreach program. According to the press release announcing Cotton’s departure, the city will use a competitive, national search process to secure the next director who could, under a proposed government restructuring plan, lead a new Neighborhood Safety Department under a yet to be formed Office of Community Safety.