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>> 2025 AS RACIAL COVENANT AWARENESS AND ACTION DAY IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS,
[PROCLAMATIONS, PRESENTATIONS, RECOGNITION, ANNOUNCEMENTS, GUESTS]
AND CALL UPON ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO JOIN IN ACKNOWLEDGING THIS HISTORY AND PARTICIPATING IN EFFORTS TO ADVANCE RACIAL EQUITY AND INCLUSION.[APPLAUSE] TO RECEIVE THIS PROCLAMATION, THIS EVENING, WE HAVE MICHAEL, REBECCA, GILET, AND AMELIA PASO OF THE MAPPING PREJUDICE PROJECT.
THEY'RE GOING TO COME UP AND ALSO DO A PRESENTATION WITH US.
>> PLEASE INDULGE ME. I'M GOING TO TRY TO PLUG IN QUICK.
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I DO APOLOGIZE. I RUINED THE MOMENT HERE, BUT I'M ALMOST THERE.>> WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH MAYOR SIMLA FOR HAVING US TONIGHT AND FOR THAT LOVELY PROCLAMATION.
IF I MAY, I DO WANT TO SAY, I'M NOT SURE WHO RESEARCHED THAT, BUT THAT WAS A VERY WELL RESEARCHED PROCLAMATION.
I'M THE TECHNICAL LEAD AND ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR AT MAPPING PREJUDICE.
MY COLLEAGUES, REBECCA AND AMELIA ARE HERE WITH ME TONIGHT, AND WE JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL AND THE CITY.
I DO WANT TO GIVE A QUICK HEADS-UP BEFORE I START THAT.
BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RACIAL COVENANTS, THERE ARE GOING TO BE A FEW OUTDATED TERMS THAT WILL COME UP IN THIS PRESENTATION, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW THAT'S COMING.
BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RACIAL COVENANTS, AND THIS IS THE REALITY OF OUR HISTORY.
MAPPING PREJUDICE BEGAN IN 2016 AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA LIBRARIES AS A GROUP COMING TOGETHER FROM GEOGRAPHERS, HISTORIANS, JOURNALISTS TO DO THIS VERY MULTI-DISCIPLINARY WORK TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS THE SCOPE OF RACIAL COVENANTS IN THE TWIN CITIES, AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR TODAY? ARE WE GOING TO ADVANCE? I'M GOING TO GIVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION JUST THE WORK WE DO AND WHAT IT MEANS TODAY.
WHAT IS A COVENANT MORE GENERALLY? I FEEL A LITTLE SILLY ALWAYS TELLING ELECTED OFFICIALS THIS, BUT JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF EVERYONE IN THE ROOM, A COVENANT MORE GENERALLY IS A PROVISION ON A PROPERTY SALE THAT LIMITS THE BUYER'S USE OF THE PROPERTY IN SOME WAY.
A COVENANT OFTEN "RUNS WITH THE LAND," MEANING THAT EVEN IF I SELL THE HOUSE AND TWO MORE PEOPLE SELL THE HOUSE, THAT COVENANT MAY BE BINDING ON FUTURE BUYERS AS WELL.
NOT ALL RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS ARE RACIAL COVENANTS.
SOMETIMES THOSE TERMS ARE USED INTERCHANGEABLY, BUT THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF COVENANTS, AS YOU KNOW, THAT ARE STILL TOTALLY LEGAL, AND SOME OF THEM ARE VERY INNOCUOUS, AND SOME OF THEM REALLY CAME TO BE IN THE SAME MOMENT AS RACIAL COVENANTS AND HAVE SOME OF THE SAME IMPACTS.
HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE YOU MIGHT SEE A RACIAL COVENANT.
RACIAL COVENANTS ARE IN PROPERTY RECORDS OF ALL DIFFERENT KINDS, BUT THIS ONE IS A DEED.
THIS ONE IS FROM COLUMBIA HEIGHTS.
IT IS FROM THE SHEFFIELD ACRES SUBDIVISION, WHICH IS UP ON 46.5 STREET.
THE TEXT IN THIS COVENANT SAYS IN PART, "NO PERSON OR PERSONS OTHER THAN OF THE CAUCASIAN RACE SHALL BE PERMITTED TO OCCUPY SAID PREMISES OR ANY PART THEREOF." THIS LANGUAGE SAYING CAUCASIAN PEOPLE IS THE MOST COMMON TERM THAT WE FIND IN COVENANTS, BUT YOU ALSO FIND A LOT OF COVENANTS SAYING WHO CANNOT BE THERE.
BUT REALLY, THE PURPOSE OF ALL RACIAL COVENANTS IS BASICALLY THE SAME, WHICH IS TO RESERVE LAND FOR THE EXCLUSIVE USE OF WHITE PEOPLE.
BASICALLY, EVERY COVENANT ANYONE HAS EVER FOUND, CALL OUT BLACK PEOPLE SPECIFICALLY.
THERE DEFINITELY IS A FIXATION ON BLACK PROPERTY OWNERSHIP SPECIFICALLY.
BUT YOU ALSO SEE COVENANTS RELATED TO PEOPLE WHO ARE JEWISH, PEOPLE WHO ARE ASIAN, PEOPLE WHO ARE NATIVE, AND OTHER TERMS AS WELL.
I THINK AS WE CAN APPRECIATE HERE TOO, THIS IS AN EXTENSION OF A LONGER HISTORY OF THE RESERVATION OF LAND FOR THE EXCLUSIVE USE OF WHITE PEOPLE.
ALL OF THIS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS BUILT ON TOP OF THE DISPLACEMENT OF PEOPLE FROM THIS LAND.
THIS COVENANT WAS PUT IN IN 1935, BY, AS YOU SEE HERE, A.
C KAVLI AND HIS WIFE, MARY KAVLI.
A. C KAVLI WAS A PROPERTY DEVELOPER IN THE TWIN CITIES WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PUTTING IN A LOT OF THE COVENANTS IN THIS AREA AROUND HERE IN ANOKA COUNTY.
I THINK REALLY, IT'S PRIMARILY A.
C KAVLI AND ONE OTHER DEVELOPER SUBURBAN PROPERTIES WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAJORITY OF COVENANTS IN ANOKA COUNTY.
AS YOU CAN TELL, THIS WORK IS PART OF OUR WORK IN ANOKA COUNTY.
ANOKA COUNTY IS ONE OF THE FIVE METROCOUNTIES THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING WORK IN.
SO FAR, WE'VE IDENTIFIED NEARLY 1,800 COVENANTED PROPERTIES IN ANOKA COUNTY.
THOSE COVENANTS RANGE FROM 1911, WHICH IS QUITE EARLY, ALL THE WAY TO 1967, WHICH I JUST DISCOVERED THIS TODAY, THAT IS NOW OUR LATEST COVENANT THAT WE HAVE IN MINNESOTA, IS 1967 COVENANT.
EVEN THOUGH AS THE PROCLAMATION MENTIONED, SHELLY B. KRAMER MAKES THESE COVENANTS UNENFORCEABLE, PEOPLE PUT IN LOTS OF COVENANTS AFTER 1948, TO CONTINUE TO SEND THIS MESSAGE THAT CERTAIN PEOPLE ARE NOT WANTED THERE.
IT REALLY IS UNTIL THE PASSAGE OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT IN 1968, WHERE THE LEGAL HISTORY OF RACIAL COVENANTS COMES TO AN END.
EVEN THOUGH THE IMPACTS CAN STILL BE SEEN TODAY.
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OUR WORK IN ANOKA COUNTY MAPPING IS BASICALLY COMPLETE. WE'RE PRETTY MUCH DONE.WE HAVE A COUPLE THINGS TO JUST FIGURE OUT, ALTHOUGH WE CANNOT MAP ALL OF THE COVENANTS THAT ARE ON UNPLANNED LAND, WHICH THE MAJORITY OF COVENANTS ARE ON SUBDIVISIONS, AND SO WE HAVE THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM, BUT THERE'S SOME STRAGGLERS THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO MAP.
THIS IS A ZOOMED IN VIEW OF THE COVENANTS THAT WE FOUND IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS.
YOU CAN SEE ALSO HILLTOP IN HERE TOO, AND SO IT'S VERY CLOSE TO WHERE WE ARE NOW.
WE FOUND 210 COVENANTED PROPERTIES IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS.
MOST OF THEM ARE FROM THE 1940S.
I THINK THIS IS CORRESPONDING WITH PEOPLE MOVING HERE FOR WAR WORK, ALTHOUGH SOME OF THESE DO GO BACK INTO THE '30S.
REALLY, COLUMBIA HEIGHTS IS FAR FROM UNIQUE IN THIS REGARD.
REALLY, ANYTIME ANYONE HAS LOOKED IN AN AMERICAN CITY FOR RACIAL COVENANTS, THEY HAVE FOUND THEM.
THIS IS A VERY COMMON BEST PRACTICE AMONG REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS, AND SUPPORTED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
SOMETIMES LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WOULD REQUIRE COVENANTS BE PUT IN AS A CONDITION OF ANNEXING LAND TO CITIES, FOR EXAMPLE.
THERE'S ALSO 37 COVENANTS IN HILLTOP, MOSTLY FROM THE '30S AND ALSO PUT IN BY A. C KAVLI.
ONE THING I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT COVENANT.
I GREW UP IN WISCONSIN ON A HOUSE WITH A RACIAL COVENANT ON IT, AND I REMEMBER WHEN MY PARENTS TOLD ME ABOUT THAT, THEY SAID, "DID YOU KNOW THERE'S THIS CRAZY THING ON OUR PROPERTY THAT SAYS A BLACK PERSON CAN'T OWN THIS HOUSE?" I REMEMBER THINKING, WELL, WHAT A STRANGE THING THERE'S NOT EVEN ANY BLACK PEOPLE HERE? WHY WOULD YOU NEED THAT WITHOUT A SHRED OF IRONY? I DID NOT PUT TOGETHER FOR A SECOND THAT THERE MIGHT BE A CONNECTION BETWEEN THAT PIECE OF PAPER AND WHY THAT MIGHT BE.
I MEAN, I THINK LIKE A LOT OF WHITE PEOPLE WHO GREW UP IN A NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE MINE, I COULD NOT EVEN CONCEIVE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT LOOKED DIFFERENT FROM MINE.
I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS THE NORMAL CONDITION THAT EVERYONE LIVES IN THE SAME HOUSE AND EVERYONE LOOKS THE SAME.
BUT THE CONTEXT THAT MY PARENTS DIDN'T HAVE AND I DIDN'T HAVE IS THAT, IT WASN'T JUST A RANDOM DOCUMENT ON MY ONE HOUSE.
IT WAS EVERY HOUSE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, ALMOST CERTAINLY.
AS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DISCOVER IN THE TWIN CITIES, AND THE TWIN CITIES REALLY IS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVELY MAPPED METRO AREA IN THE COUNTRY FOR THIS, IT'S NOT JUST ONE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S HUGE SWATHS OF THE CITY THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED AT THIS TIME THAT ARE BEING RESERVED FOR ONLY WHITE PEOPLE TO LIVE IN.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO ADD ANOKA COUNTY TO THIS WORK.
YOU CAN REALLY SEE THIS RING AROUND THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL, SETTING THIS HARD BOUNDARY OF WHERE PEOPLE ARE AND ARE NOT ALLOWED TO LIVE.
BUT EVEN 1968, SOME PEOPLE WILL SAY 1968 IS A LONG TIME AGO, CERTAINLY, WITHIN MY PARENTS MEMORY, I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT A LONG TIME AGO, BUT WHY DO WE CARE TODAY? THAT WAS MORE THAN 50 YEARS AGO? ONE OF THE REASONS IS THAT, THE TWIN CITIES TODAY STILL HAS THE LARGEST GAP IN THE NATION OF HOMEOWNERSHIP BETWEEN WHITE FAMILIES AND BLACK FAMILIES.
IN THE TWIN CITIES, 75% OF WHITE FAMILIES ARE ABLE TO OWN THEIR OWN HOME WHILE ONLY 33% OF BLACK FAMILIES, SPECIFICALLY.
THERE ARE OTHER PLACES THAT HAVE A LOWER BLACK HOMEOWNERSHIP RATE, BUT WE HAVE THE BIGGEST GAP IN THE COUNTRY, AND I THINK THAT WE SEE THAT IN OUR CITIES TODAY.
SIMILARLY, BECAUSE OF THE WORK WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO, OTHER RESEARCHERS USE OUR WORK AND HAVE FOUND THAT COVENANTED HOUSES IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS ARE STILL TO THIS DAY WORTH 15% MORE THAN NON-COVENANTED HOUSES.
HOUSES THAT WERE IN RED LINE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE STILL WORTH 25% LESS THAN THE MEDIAN VALUE.
FOR EXAMPLE, SOMEDAY, MY PARENTS WILL EITHER SELL THEIR HOUSE OR I WILL INHERIT THE HOUSE, AND WE SELL THE HOUSE, AND SO WE WILL MAKE MONEY.
WE WILL MAKE A PREMIUM OFF THE FACT THAT THERE WAS A COVENANT ON THAT PROPERTY, NOT BECAUSE ANYONE STILL KNOWS ABOUT IT, BUT BECAUSE OF THESE CYCLES OR NOT BECAUSE ANYONE NOW WANTS TO LIVE IN A COVENANT NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT BECAUSE OF THESE CYCLES OF INVESTMENT AND DIVESTMENT THAT CAME TO THESE NEIGHBORHOODS.
WHERE SOME NEIGHBORHOODS GOT A LEG UP, AND OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS WERE KEPT DOWN.
I'M SORRY, I SHOULD HAVE WARNED.
THIS IS WHERE THERE'S SOME LANGUAGE ON THIS SLIDE, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY WHITE MINNESOTANS WHO STILL DON'T KNOW THAT WAS THIS VERY OVERVERT RACISM IN THE NORTH.
THEY THINK OF RACISM AS A JIM CROW AS A THING THAT HAPPENED IN THE SOUTH.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT RACIAL COVENANTS ARE ONE EXAMPLE, BUT NOT THE ONLY EXAMPLE OF THIS VERY OVERVERT RACIAL PREJUDICE THAT EXISTED IN THE TWIN CITIES AS IN ALL NORTHERN CITIES.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE PROTESTING HOUSING INTEGRATION IN THE 1940S, BECAUSE AS WAR WORK WAS RAMPING UP, LIKE YOU HAVE THE AMMUNITION PLANT IN NEW BRIGHTON, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A FIGHT OVER WHETHER BLACK WORKERS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO WORK AND THAT WILL GET THOSE WAR JOBS,
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AND WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT, BLACK ACTIVISTS ARE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATE THE FACTORIES, BUT THEY ARE MUCH LESS SUCCESSFUL IN INTEGRATING THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF HOUSING THAT ARE BEING BUILT.THAT'S ATTAINABLE HOUSING THAT'S BEING BUILT IN PLACES LIKE COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, NEW BRIGHTON, SPRING LAKE PARK, SO THAT'S SOME OF THE SPECIFIC HISTORY OF THIS AREA HERE.
BUT SOMETHING WE ALWAYS SAY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RACIAL COVENANTS IS THAT, RACIAL COVENANTS ARE NOT THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN.
RACIAL COVENANTS FUNCTION AS PART OF AN ECOSYSTEM OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES OF SEGREGATION.
WE HAVE THIS HISTORY THAT RACIAL COVENANTS ARE A PART OF OF THIS OVERVERT RACIAL DISCRIMINATION.
>> CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES EXPERIMENTED WITH STRAIGHT-UP RACIAL ZONING, SAYING BLACK PEOPLE HAVE TO LIVE HERE BUT THEY CAN'T LIVE HERE.
THE COURTS RULED THAT UNCONSTITUTIONAL, AND SO THEN RACIAL COVENANTS BECAME THIS THEORETICALLY PRIVATE CONTRACT THAT WAS BEYOND THE REACH OF THE COURT.
ALTHOUGH, AS I SAID, CITIES AND COUNTIES CERTAINLY ARE CONSPIRING WITH PRIVATE INTERESTS TO MAKE SURE THAT RACIAL COVENANTS GO INTO PLACES.
WE THEN HAVE REDLINING, WHICH PEOPLE ARE OFTEN MORE FAMILIAR WITH.
THEN AFTER YOU GET TO THIS 1968 AND THIS PASSAGE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS, SOME OF THAT OVERT DISCRIMINATION GOES AWAY.
BUT THEN YOU HAVE THIS ONGOING CYCLE OF, AS I MENTIONED, ZONING RULES THAT CAME INTO PLAY AT THE SAME TIME THAT HAD SOME OF THE SAME ENDS THAT HAD THIS LONG AFTERLIFE.
NOW WE'RE MORE IN THIS ERA OF MORE IMPLICIT SEGREGATION.
I THINK AGAIN, PARTICULARLY FOR SUBURBS, SOMETIMES PEOPLE SAY, WELL, THERE JUST WASN'T ANYTHING GOING ON IN THESE SUBURBS AT THE TIME OF RACIAL COVENANTS.
WHAT DOES THIS HISTORY HAVE TO DO WITH US? THAT'S NOT SO TRUE IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS.
THERE'S A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT AT THIS TIME PERIOD IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS.
BUT PEOPLE ARE OFTEN FAMILIAR WITH THE STORY OF THE FREEWAYS.
WHAT I'M SHOWING HERE IS THESE DARKER PURPLE PATCHES ARE BLACK POPULATION IN MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL IN 1940.
YOU CAN SEE THAT BECAUSE OF RACIAL COVENANTS AND REDLINING AND STRAIGHT-UP VIOLENCE, BLACK PEOPLE ARE REALLY ONLY ALLOWED TO LIVE IN A COUPLE OF NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE TWIN CITIES BY 1940.
LO AND BEHOLD, WHEN THE FREEWAYS START BEING DEVELOPED IN THE LATE '50S AND EARLY '60S, THE FREEWAYS MANAGED TO FIND EVERY SINGLE BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE TWIN CITIES AND DISPLACED PEOPLE AGAIN.
BECAUSE OF THIS REGIMEN OF RACIAL COVENANTS THAT IS BLANKETING BOTH A LOT OF THE SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES IN MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL, ALSO THE SUBURBS ARE OFF-LIMITS TO PEOPLE OF COLOR.
IF YOU THINK OF 35W, FOR EXAMPLE, MOST OF THE PEOPLE DISPLACED FOR 35W WERE WHITE, AND THERE ACTUALLY WERE OVER 24,000 PEOPLE DISPLACED FOR FREEWAYS IN MINNEAPOLIS ALONE, WHICH IS A CRAZY NUMBER WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT.
MOST OF THE PEOPLE DISPLACED BY THAT WERE WHITE, BUT THOSE WHITE PEOPLE COULD AND DID PRIMARILY MOVE TO THE SUBURBS.
THEY MOVED TO THESE UP-AND-COMING SUBURBS.
BUT FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR WHO ARE CAUGHT UP IN THESE, THEY CAN'T DO THAT, AND THEY ARE MOSTLY FORCED TO GO DEEPER INTO THESE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT PREVIOUSLY HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY INTEGRATED NEIGHBORHOODS OF OPPORTUNITY AND NOW ARE INCREASINGLY TARGETED FOR DIVESTMENT AND ARE NEXT TO A FREEWAY THAT IS NOW PROVING TO BE A BARRIER TO ACCESS TO PARTS OF THE CITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WE ALWAYS ARE TELLING PEOPLE THAT, THIS IS NOT JUST ONE THING.
THIS IS DECADES AND DECADES OF PRACTICAL SEGREGATION THAT IS BEING INFLICTED ON COMMUNITIES.
IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS HISTORY, PEOPLE ARE DESPERATE FOR HOUSING IN THIS TIME.
THESE ARE NEWSPAPER ADS THAT PEOPLE PUT IN THE PAPER SAYING, WE ARE TRYING TO FIND HOMES FOR DOZENS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING DISPLACED.
THIS IS NOT JUST THE TWIN CITIES.
THIS IS HAPPENING AGAIN IN EVERY CITY IN AMERICA, SO IT'S NOT LIKE YOU COULD JUST GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
I THINK AGAIN, THIS IS JUST NOT HISTORY THAT I WAS CERTAINLY TAUGHT IN SCHOOL.
THAT'S THE '60S, AND I THINK LIKE ANYONE WHO WAS INVOLVED IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND GOES TO A LOT OF MEETINGS, STILL HEARS THINGS TODAY IN MEETINGS.
I THINK THOSE OF US WHO RESEARCH THE 1920S CAN POINT TO PLENTY OF THINGS THAT YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD IN MEETINGS TODAY THAT SOUND A LOT LIKE THINGS PEOPLE WERE SAYING IN THE 1920S.
I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE WAYS THAT THIS LEGACY IS STILL WITH US.
THESE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHO BELONGS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, WHO DOES NOT, WHAT TYPE OF HOUSING IS DESIRABLE, AND WHAT HOUSING IS A PROBLEM IS STILL VERY MUCH WITH US TODAY.
HOW DO WE FIND THESE COVENANTS AND WHY HASN'T ANYONE FOUND THEM REALLY IN NUMBERS BEFORE? MOST OF THESE COVENANTS ARE IN THESE PROPERTY RECORDS FROM THE '60S AND EARLIER, AND MOST OF THEM HAD GENERALLY NOT BEEN DIGITIZED UNTIL A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
AS THOSE RECORDS ARE BEING SCANNED FROM MICROFILM, THEORETICALLY THESE IMAGES ARE NOW AVAILABLE.
BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN HENNEPIN COUNTY, I THINK IT WAS THREE MILLION PAGES OF RECORDS, AND SO THE SCALE TO GET THROUGH THESE RECORDS IS CONSIDERABLE.
IT REALLY HASN'T BEEN UNTIL RECENTLY THAT WE CAN USE OCR TECHNOLOGY AND A LOT OF THE PARALLEL COMPUTING POWER THAT IS NOW
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AVAILABLE TO GET THROUGH THAT VOLUME OF RECORDS AND FLAG WHAT WE THINK ARE THE COVENANTS.BUT BECAUSE WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT VOLUME AND WE HAVE TO REVIEW, WE DON'T MAKE PEOPLE LOOK AT ALL THREE MILLION PAGES, BUT WE ARE MAKING PEOPLE LOOK AT THOUSANDS OF PAGES PER COUNTY.
THE WAY THAT WE DO THAT IS WE HAVE A NETWORK OF COMMUNITY MAP MAKERS WHO ARE VOLUNTEERS WHO WILL LOOK AT THE RECORDS THAT WE THINK HAVE COVENANTS, AND THEY'LL SAY YES OR NOS, THAT THIS IS REALLY A COVENANT, TRANSCRIBE THE TEXT, AND TRANSCRIBE SOME OTHER INFORMATION THAT WE NEED.
THAT'S HOW WE GET THROUGH THAT VOLUME OF RECORDS AND GET THEM ONTO A MODERN MAP BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT OLD PROPERTY RECORDS, IT ALSO DOESN'T SAY, WHAT'S THE ADDRESS? WE REALLY DON'T KNOW IN SPACE WHERE THESE ARE WITHOUT DOING SOME GIS WORK AND SOME PARSING OF THE PHYSICAL DESCRIPTIONS IS VERY DETAILED WORK.
THE WAY THAT WE DO THESE SESSIONS, WE USED TO DO THESE COMMUNITY MAT-MAKING SESSIONS PRIMARILY IN PERSON.
THEN WHEN THE PANDEMIC SET IN, THOSE ALL HAD TO MOVE ONLINE.
I THINK ORIGINALLY WE THOUGHT, WELL, THAT'S NOT GOOD.
WE DON'T WANT THAT TO MOVE ONLINE, BUT OUR VOLUNTEERS REALLY TAUGHT US THAT ZOOM WORKS GREAT.
OUR VOLUNTEERS REALLY TAUGHT US THAT THE CONVERSATIONS THAT THEY ARE HAVING IN THESE MEETINGS WITH EACH OTHER ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE FINDING.
SEEING THIS LANGUAGE THAT'S VERY EXPLICIT IN THEIR COMMUNITY, MAYBE LAST NAMES THAT THEY RECOGNIZE IS REALLY POWERFUL, AND THAT THAT'S WHERE THE WORK OF MAPPING PREJUDICE REALLY IS.
WE SUMMARIZE THIS IDEA IN ONE OF OUR CATCHPHRASES, WHICH IS THE PROCESS IS THE PRODUCT.
WHAT WE TRY TO TELL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME IS THAT, IF YOU WANT TO COPY OUR WORK, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT MAPPING COVENANTS.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO SCALE HERE IS CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS HISTORY OF RACE.
THAT'S WHY OUR VOLUNTEER PROCESS IS SO IMPORTANT BOTH TO GETTING THE WORK DONE, BUT ALSO TO EXPANDING THESE CONVERSATIONS AND MODELING THESE CONVERSATIONS AND TEACHING A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT THE WORLD DOES NOT END IF YOU TALK ABOUT THIS HISTORY BECAUSE I THINK FOR MANY WHITE PEOPLE, I KNOW THIS WAS ME.
I WAS JUST YOU JUST DON'T GET VERY MUCH EXPERIENCE TALKING ABOUT THESE THINGS IN YOUR DAILY LIFE.
I THINK WHAT WE HEAR IN THOSE COMMUNITY MAP-MAKING SESSIONS IS IN A LOT OF WAYS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT WE HEAR IN SOME MEETING SPACES SOMETIMES, WHEREAS PEOPLE ARE SEEING FOR THE FIRST TIME SOME OF THIS HIDDEN HISTORY AND JUST GETTING PROCESSING THROUGH SOME OF THESE FEELINGS THAT THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE AN OUTLET FOR OTHERWISE.
WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT THIS NOW THAT WE KNOW? YOU CAN HELP US RESEARCH COVENANTS.
WE HAVE DEEDS LIVE NOW AND I THINK SIX DIFFERENT COUNTIES IN MINNESOTA AND ELSEWHERE.
WE'RE WORKING IN COUNTIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED IN THIS HISTORY.
I THINK A BIG ONE, PARTICULARLY FOR GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS IS BE HONEST ABOUT YOUR INSTITUTION'S ROLE IN HISTORICALLY RACIST PRACTICES, AND WE CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT THAT HISTORY IS.
BUT I WOULD SAY, IF SOMEONE WANTS TO GO LOOK AT EARLY ZONING MEETINGS, IT'S NOT A BAD IDEA TO SEE WHAT WAS SAID IN SOME OF THOSE MEETINGS.
I THINK A BIG ONE FOR ME IS THAT WE HEAR OFTEN FROM PEOPLE, YOU KNOW WHAT? IT'S GREAT THAT THESE FRANKLY WHITE RESEARCHERS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA ARE GETTING LISTENED TO AND ARE GETTING ATTENTION.
PEOPLE ARE SAYING, RACISM, THIS IS A PROBLEM.
WE GOT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
BUT PEOPLE OF COLOR HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR WELL OVER 100 YEARS.
AND THE REASON COVENANTS WERE MADE UNENFORCEABLE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
THE REASON SHELLEY KRAMER HAPPENED IS BECAUSE ACTIVISTS AT THE END OF AACP MADE IT THEIR PRIMARY GOAL IN THE 1940S.
THAT WAS THEIR THIRD TRY AT THE SUPREME COURT.
ANY PROGRESS WE'VE MADE ON THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE WORK OF ACTIVISTS OF COLOR.
I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT LESSON IS THAT AS WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO NEXT TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT HOW TO FIX THIS, WE NEED TO TAKE GUIDANCE FROM THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN LIVING WITH THIS FOR A LONG TIME AND WHO HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR A LONG TIME AND HAVE OFTEN NOT BEEN BELIEVED.
I THINK AT THAT POINT WE NEED TO WORK TO CHANGE POLICIES AND STRUCTURES.
FINALLY, AS YOU ALL KNOW, MANY PEOPLE HAVE FOUND IT VERY MEANINGFUL ONCE THEY KNOW THEY HAVE A COVENANT ON THEIR PROPERTY TO DISCHARGE THEIR RACIAL COVENANT.
FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH DISCHARGE, IN MINNESOTA, DISCHARGE DOES NOT MEAN WE REMOVE THE COVENANT FROM THE RECORD.
THAT'S NOT HOW PROPERTY RECORDS WORK, BUT DISCHARGE IN MINNESOTA IS A PROCESS WHERE WE ESSENTIALLY ADD A DOCUMENT TO THE PILE AND SAY, HEY, THERE WAS A RACIAL COVENANT HERE, HERE'S WHERE TO FIND IT.
IT'S A SYMBOLIC ACTION FOR PEOPLE TO SAY THAT THIS IS ILLEGAL, THIS IS UNENFORCEABLE.
IT'S A WAY TO SAY I WANT TO DISAVOW THAT KNOWLEDGE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TORNS YOU HAVE HERE.
IF YOU HAVE TONS LAND RECORDS, PROCESS IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, BUT IT'S THE SAME BASIC IDEA.
I KNOW THAT THE CITY IS CONSIDERING WHETHER OR NOT TO MAKE DISCHARGE MANDATORY, AND I DID WANT TO SHARE A COUPLE OF OUR THOUGHTS ON THAT AS THE CITY IS CONSIDERING THAT.
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I WANT TO SAY THAT WE'VE BEEN SO INSPIRED BY THE WORK THAT IS GOING ON IN MOUNTS VIEW AND FALCON HEIGHTS AND NOW COLUMBIA HEIGHTS TO SAY, HEY, WE KNOW THAT THIS HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN A WELCOMING PLACE, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT TO BE KNOWN FOR.IN FACT, WE WANT TO BE KNOWN AS A LEADER IN THE OTHER DIRECTION.
WE WANT TO BE A WELCOMING PLACE, AND WE WANT OUR CITY GOVERNMENT TO REFLECT THE DIVERSITY THAT IS NOW HERE.
WE THINK THAT IS SUPER INSPIRING, AND WE ARE REALLY AMAZED TO SEE THE ENERGY THAT HAS BEEN THERE AROUND THAT.
I THINK THAT IT WOULD SEEM LIKE A NO BRAINER, THAT MAPPING PREJUDICE WOULD SAY, SO YES, LET'S MAKE IT MANDATORY TO GET RID OF ALL OF THEM, BUT WE DID WANT TO SHARE A COUPLE OF OUR THOUGHTS AS TO WHY WE ARE REALLY COMMITTED TO DISCHARGE BEING A VOLUNTARY PROCESS.
VOLUNTARY EFFORTS HAVE REALLY BUILT A STRONG FOUNDATION OF POLITICAL WILL THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
THEY REALLY HELP ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING DISCHARGE ARE DOING DISCHARGE BECAUSE THEY REALLY WANT TO.
WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM SOME RECORDS CUSTODIANS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN RAMSEY COUNTY, IS THAT MAKING DISCHARGE MANDATORY IS GOING TO REALLY INCREASE THE WORKLOAD THAT THE COUNTY HAS TO DO TO PROCESS ALL OF THE COVENANTS.
SO FAR IN MINNESOTA, IT'S USUALLY BEEN ABOUT 5% OF THE PEOPLE WHO COME INTO A CITY LIKE MINNEAPOLIS TO DISCHARGE THEIR COVENANT.
THAT'S A VOLUME THAT THE COUNTY CAN HANDLE, NO PROBLEM, AND THERE'S VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN HANDLE BUT I DO THINK WHEN AT A COUNTY LEVEL, THAT BECOMES MANDATORY FOR ALL THE COVENANTS WE'RE FINDING, THAT DOES CHANGE THE CALCULUS A LITTLE BIT.
AGAIN, WE THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE AND GREAT THAT CITIES THAT HAVE THIS HISTORY OF RACIAL COVENANTS ARE STEPPING UP AND TAKING THE LEAD ON THIS AND SAYING, WE WANT TO TAKE A STAND ON ALL OF THESE.
BUT ANOTHER THING THAT WE ARE HEARING IS THAT MANDATORY DISCHARGE COMPLICATES OUR WORK IN PLACES THAT ARE NOT AS ANXIOUS TO DO THIS WORK.
FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE GO TO A COUNTY THAT MAYBE DOES NOT HAVE AS STRONG OF A HISTORY OF THINKING THAT DOING A RACIAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE JUST SEEMS LIKE A GREAT IDEA.
IT CAN SOMETIMES BE AN EXCUSE THAT WELL, IF YOU DO THIS COVENANT RESEARCH, WE'RE GOING TO GET ALL THIS DEMAND FOR DISCHARGES, AND THAT'S GOING TO TAKE TONS OF STAFF TIME AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO LOSE A BUNCH OF FEES.
I THINK AGAIN, I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW BIG OF AN IMPACT ON REVENUE THAT TRULY IS GOING TO BE, BUT IT IS A THING THAT PEOPLE ARE ALREADY USING TO SAY, MAYBE IT'S NOT SUCH A GOOD IDEA TO DO THIS RESEARCH IN OTHER PLACES.
WE JUST WANT TO BE REALLY MINDFUL THAT WE HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN HAVING CONVERSATIONS IN LOTS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMMUNITIES ABOUT THIS WORK BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SAY, YOU DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THAT, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THAT BIG OF A BURDEN.
WE WOULD JUST ASK THE CITY TO THINK ABOUT THAT AS THEY'RE CONSIDERING WHAT TO DO.
WE JUST CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT YOU DO ALL DO BECAUSE WE'RE VERY INSPIRED TO SEE THE ACTION THAT THE CITY HAS TAKEN.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU AGAIN.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I FIRST BECAME AWARE OF THIS PROBABLY IN 2016, 2017, AT AN ICE SHANTY.
THAT'S WHERE I FIRST SAW IT AND WAS JUST SO SHOCKED BY ALL THE INFORMATION THERE.
I'M SO GLAD TO SEE IT GROW IN SUCH A WAY AND REALLY APPRECIATE THE WAY YOU PRESENTED AND THAT YOU SHARED THAT THIS HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY AND IN DIVERSE COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND IT HAS BEEN IGNORED AND SO THAT A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT ARE WHITE PEOPLE, AND WHITE PEOPLE GENERALLY LISTEN TO WHITE PEOPLE.
I'M GLAD IT'S MOVING FORWARD, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ACKNOWLEDGING THE EFFORT THAT'S GONE IN BEFORE, AND THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO BETTER WITH THAT.
>> I WILL JUST SAY THANK YOU AS WELL.
I FIRST BECAME AWARE OF COVENANTS WHEN I WORKED FOR A LIGHT RAIL PROJECT.
WE WERE HAVING RIGHT OF WAY GOING THROUGH DOCUMENTS ON DIFFERENT PROPERTIES WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY OF THE LINE.
WHEN I FIRST SAW IT, I WAS SHOCKED THAT THESE EXISTED, AND I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION AND REALLY ZONING IN ON HOW THIS AFFECTS AND CONTINUES TO AFFECT OUR COMMUNITIES BECAUSE IT'S SO IMPORTANT AND IT'S SUCH A SMALL THING THAT UNLESS YOU SEE ONE, YOU DON'T KNOW THEY EXIST OR UNLESS IT'S BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PROJECT AND THE WORK THAT FM IS DOING.
>> ALSO, I WANT TO SAY, THANK YOU FOR COMING TO NORTHERN COUNTY.
WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR A FEW YEARS.
WE'RE SO GLAD TO HAVE YOUR SUPPORT HERE AND GIVE US SOME TIME HERE. COUNSELOR BISKINS.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION AND COMMENT.
FIRST OFF, I BECAME FAMILIAR BACK IN THE '80S ABOUT CCNRS.
I WORKED IN THE MORTGAGE BUSINESS IN SEATTLE.
WE RAN ACROSS SOME REALLY INTERESTING.
LANGUAGE IN A LOT OF THOSE THINGS.
BUT THE QUESTION I HAVE IS I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE COUNTY'S REACTION TO THIS PROCESS.
WE HAVE 210 PROPERTIES IN OUR CITY.
[00:30:02]
ARE YOU SAYING THAT IF WE PUSH IT AND MAKE IT MANDATORY, THAT THEY DO IT, THAT IT COULD CREATE PROBLEMS AT THE COUNTY LEVEL? THEN THEY'RE SAYING THEY'RE ALSO USING IT AS AN EXCUSE THAT THEY'RE SAYING, WELL, THIS IS A LOT OF EXTRA WORK THAT WE DON'T THINK WE CAN DO THING.>> I APPRECIATE THAT IT'S A SUBTLE POINT, ESPECIALLY AT FIRST.
I THINK 210 DISCHARGES FROM THE CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS.
THAT'S NOT GOING TO BREAK ANYONE.
>> IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME.
HOUSES ARE GOING TO BE GOING UP FOR SALE.
SOME PEOPLE MAY SEE THIS AND SAY, I WANT TO GET TAKEN CARE OF NOW AND THEN STAY IN THE HOUSE FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS, SO IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG RUSH. IT'D BE GREAT.
>> OUR CONCERNS ARE TWOFOLD, IS THAT THIS IDEA FIRST CAME UP ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, I WOULD SAY, AND THE GROUND HAS BEEN MOVING VERY QUICKLY AND CITIES ARE JUMPING ON BOARD OF THIS.
I THINK IT'S NOT JUST ONE CITY DOING IT AT A TIME.
WE ARE A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT MORE CITIES WILL DO IT AT THE SAME TIME OR THAT THERE COULD EVEN BE A STATEWIDE BILL TO DO THAT.
BUT AGAIN, I THINK, THE COUNTIES WE'VE WORKED IN TO DATE, THEY SEE THIS AS A VALID THING TO DO, AND IT REALLY IS MORE THAT AS WE'RE MOVING TO MORE PARTS OF THE STATE, I JUST THINK PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR EXCUSES TO NOT DO THIS WORK SOME OF THE TIME.
>> ARE YOU THINKING THAT IF THIS WERE MADE MANDATORY, IT MIGHT WORK AGAINST THIS PROCESS?
>> YES. WE WERE PRESENTING TO A COUNTY SOMEWHAT RECENTLY, AND THAT WAS THEIR PRIMARY STATED OBJECTION IS THAT, WELL, IF WE DO THIS COVENANT RESEARCH, IF WE GIVE THEM ACCESS TO THE RECORDS, WELL, THEN EVERYONE'S GOING TO WANT TO DISCHARGE THEIR COVENANTS, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO LOSE ALL THIS COUNTY REVENUE FOR THE DISCHARGE FEE.
MOST COUNTIES HAVE WAIVED THE FEE TO DO THAT, BUT NOT EVERY COUNTY HAS WAIVED THE FEE TO DO THAT DISCHARGE.
AGAIN, I THINK, I DON'T KNOW THAT I TOTALLY AGREE THAT IT IS GOING TO BE THIS ENORMOUS BURDEN ALL OF THE TIME.
BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE CAN REACH FOR IT BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, COUNTY RECORDERS OFFICES, AS MANY OFFICES, THEY DON'T HAVE TONS OF EXTRA STAFF TIME OR TONS OF EXTRA STAFF.
WE ARE TRYING REALLY CAREFULLY TO BALANCE THAT WE'RE NOT TRYING TO MAKE LIFE MORE DIFFICULT FOR THE RECORDERS.
I THINK IT HAS JUST BEEN REALLY POWERFUL WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO DO THIS WORK AND WE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP EXPANDING THAT TO MORE PARTS OF THIS.
>> PART OF IT COULD BE THAT IT'S A CHANGE.
THIS IS A NEW PROCESS THAT'S COMING ABOUT IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND SO THEY'RE JUST REACTING TO HAVING TO ADD SOMETHING TO THEIR WORK SCHEDULE.
>> IN SOME WAYS, BUT IN OTHER WAYS, IT COULD BE, IF THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING IN, I COULD SEE THEIR CONCERN IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE STAFF TO ACTUALLY KEEP UP WITH IT AND THINGS GET BEHIND.
>> WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING IN TONIGHT AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, AND THIS WILL BE INCLUDED IN OUR CITY MINUTES.
I'M DEFINITELY GOING TO MAKE SURE I SHARE IT WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS AND JUST BE MORE AWARE OF THIS. THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR SIMLA AND COUNCIL, THANKS.
>> NEXT, WE HAVE WORLD HIJAB DAY PROCLAMATION, AND COUNCILMEMBER JAMES IS GOING TO READ THIS ONE.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING FEBRUARY 1ST, 2025 AS WORLD HIJAB DAY.
THE PEOPLE OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, WHO COME FROM A VARIETY OF BACKGROUNDS ARE UNITED IN CERTAIN FOUNDATIONAL BELIEFS, SUCH AS AFFIRMING THE INHERENT DIGNITY OF ALL PEOPLE, THE RIGHT OF EVERY PERSON TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT, AND THE RIGHT OF ALL CITIZENS TO PRACTICE THEIR RELIGION FREELY.
THE HIJAB, A TRADITIONAL VEIL, WHICH COVERS A WOMAN'S HAIR, NECK, AND CHEST, HAS BEEN VERY IMPORTANT TO THE HISTORY OF ISLAM.
IT IS MEANT TO PROMOTE DIGNITY AND THE RESPECT FOR WOMEN WHILE MAINTAINING MODESTY AND THE RESPECT FOR RELIGIOUS FAITH.
WORLD HIJAB DAY WAS STARTED BY NAZMA KHAN, A RESIDENT OF NEW JERSEY, AS A DAY SET ASIDE FOR WOMEN OF DIFFERENT CULTURES WHO DO NOT NORMALLY WEAR THE HIJAB TO EXPERIENCE WEARING ONE FOR THE DAY.
ITS PURPOSE IS TO ENCOURAGE RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE, CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING, AND INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY.
ON FEBRUARY 1ST, 2013, THE WORLD CELEBRATED ITS FIRST ANNUAL WORLD HIJAB DAY IN RECOGNITION OF MILLIONS OF MUSLIM WOMEN WHO CHOOSE TO WEAR THE HIJAB AND LIVE A LIFE OF RELIGIOUS FAITH.
TO COMBAT PREJUDICE, LEADERS IN THE AMERICAN MUSLIM COMMUNITY ARE WORKING TIRELESSLY TO SHOW THAT THE WEARING OF HIJAB IS A CHOICE OF FREEDOM AND A BLESSING, AS WELL AS TO EDUCATE THEIR FELLOW CITIZENS ABOUT ISLAM IN THE WAYS WHICH ARE RELEVANT AND MEANINGFUL.
>> NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT I AMADA MARQUEZ SIMULA, MAYOR OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM AND RECOGNIZE FEBRUARY 1ST,
[00:35:02]
2025, AS WORLD HIJAB DAY IN THE CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, COUNTY OF ANOKA STATE OF MINNESOTA, USA.[APPLAUSE] TO RECEIVE THIS PROCLAMATION TONIGHT, WE HAVE SOME MEMBERS FROM THE ISLAMIC RESOURCE CENTERS.
I'LL MEET YOU AT THE PODIUM AND LET'S DO A PHOTO WITH ALL OF US.
>> MY HIJAB KEEPS FALLING OFF BECAUSE IT'S SLIPPERY.
THEY WORE SLIPPERY HIJABS. [OVERLAPPING]
>> [INAUDIBLE] SAY IT OVER THERE. THAT WILL BE RECORDED.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PROCLAMATION.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE AND TO RECEIVE THIS.
THANK YOU ALL. YOU LOOK SO BEAUTIFUL.
>> THANK YOU, SHARIN. WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING IN.
>> [INAUDIBLE] WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING.
>> YES, THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE.
HELLO, WELCOME. THANK YOU, GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> HI. I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF ISLAMIC CENTER OF MINNESOTA.
I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS DOES FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND WE FEEL LIKE THIS IS OUR HOME.
SINCE 1972, WE ARE HAVING MASQUE IN HERE.
THIS IS THE FIRST MASQUE IN MINNESOTA AND WE REALLY ENJOY AND FEEL SAFE IN HERE, AND WE FEEL THAT THIS IS OUR HOME NOW.
>> THANK YOU FOR COMING. WE'RE SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU.
[APPLAUSE] IN SPIRIT OF WORLD HIJAB DAY, WE ALL WORE A HIJAB.
AS THE PROCLAMATION SAID, IT'S A CHANCE FOR WOMEN OF ALL DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS TO WEAR THE HIJAB AND PARTICIPATE AND SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE.
WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THIS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NOW WE HAVE OUR COMMUNITY FORUM.
IF ANYONE HERE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ANY ITEM, THIS IS THE TIME FOR US TO LISTEN.
IS THERE ANYONE VIRTUALLY ATTENDING THE MEETING WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK?
>> WELL, SEEING THAT THERE'S NO ONE HERE TO SPEAK, THE COMMUNITY FORUM, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
DOES THE COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONSENT AGENDA OR ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO PULL? SEEING THERE'S NONE, I'LL ASK OUR CITY MANAGER TO GO OVER THE ITEMS.JUST GETTING BACK TO THE AGENDA.
THE FIRST ITEM ON TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE JANUARY 3RD, 2025 CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES.
ITEM 2 IS ACCEPTANCE OF THE NOVEMBER 20TH, 2024 SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES.
ITEM 3 IS SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE 1709, WHICH IS ORDINANCE AMENDING VARIOUS CHAPTERS WITHIN THE CITY ZONING CODE, UPDATES THAT WERE REVIEWED AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING.
ITEM 4 IS ADOPT RESOLUTION 2025-18, WHICH IS APPROVAL OF THE PMA LABOR AGREEMENT.
THIS IS THE LABOR CONTRACT WITH THE CITY'S DIVISION HEADS AND MANAGEMENT.
ITEM 5 IS ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION 2025-19, WHICH IS THE LELS SERGEANT LABOR AGREEMENT.
CITY'S HONING IN ON THE LAST OF THE CONTRACT APPROVALS HERE.
THERE'S ONE MORE PENDING AFTER THIS EVENING, WHICH IS WITH THE CITY'S SOON TO BE CREATED BARGAINING UNIT WITH THE POLICE CAPTAINS.
ITEM 6 IS ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION 2025-020, WHICH IS APPOINTMENT OF HEARING EXAMINERS.
OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, THE CITY COUNCIL REVIEWED TWO APPLICANTS FOR APPOINTMENT TO HEARING EXAMINERS FOR THE CITY'S NEWLY CREATED ADMINISTRATIVE FINE SYSTEM AND PROCESS, AND THOSE TWO INDIVIDUALS ARE BEING PUT FORWARD FOR APPROVAL THIS EVENING.
ITEM 7 IS RESOLUTION 2025-22, WHICH IS A RESOLUTION AMENDING A PREVIOUS RESOLUTION FROM 2024, WHICH IS 2024-103 WHICH IS AWARDING A CONSULTING CONTRACT TO SPANO GROUP ADVISORS.
[00:40:07]
WHAT THIS DOES IS CLEANS UP A COUPLE OF THINGS.THE FIRST RESOLUTION PASSED LAST YEAR.
IT DID NOT INCLUDE A BUDGET AMENDMENT APPROPRIATING THE FUNDS FOR THAT LEADERSHIP EXERCISE THAT WE ARE COMPLETING AT THE END OF FEBRUARY.
THEN SINCE THAT RESOLUTION, WE ALSO INCREASED THE NUMBER OF ATTENDEES TO THAT TRAINING, SO WE'RE INCREASING THAT CONTRACT AWARD AND BUDGET AMENDMENT TO MATCH.
ITEM 8 IS ACCEPTANCE OF THE CITY'S 2024 PAY EQUITY REPORT.
STATE OF MINNESOTA, DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET REQUIRES EVERY THREE YEARS THAT THE CITY PROVE COMPLIANCE FOR PAY EQUITY BETWEEN GENDERS.
THAT WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED BY THE CITY'S HR DIRECTOR, AND THE CITY HAS PASSED THAT STANDARD AND THRESHOLD, AND APPROVAL BY THE COUNCIL IS REQUIRED SO THAT WE CAN FORWARD THIS FORMAL REPORT ON TO MINNESOTA MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET.
ITEM 9 IS A PURCHASE ORDER AUTHORIZATION FOR THE 2025 NEWSLETTER PRINTING SERVICES, BECAUSE THE CITY'S NEWSLETTER FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR IS OVER THE CITY MANAGER SPENDING AUTHORITY.
IT COSTS THE CITY ABOUT $25,000 ANNUALLY.
WE APPROVE THAT BLANKET PO SO THAT THE CITY'S COMMUNICATION STAFF CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE NEWSLETTERS.
ITEM 10 IS WE HAVE THREE ITEMS IN A ROW, SUCCESSIVE CAPITAL EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT OF EQUIPMENT FOR THE CITY'S PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
THE FIRST ITEM IS REPLACEMENT OF UNIT NUMBER 10 TO BE REPLACED BY CATERPILLAR CB 2.7 UTILITY COMPACTOR.
IF THERE'S ANY DETAILED QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT.
I HAVE DAVID CULLEN TO ASSIST THIS EVENING.
ITEM 11 IS CAPITAL EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT FOR UNIT 23, WHICH IS A TRAILER.
ITEM 12 IS CAPITAL EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT OF UNIT 6, WHICH WILL BE REPLACED BY A SCORPION II MASH TRAILER MOUNTED ATTENUATOR.
A REALLY LONG, DESCRIPTIVE WAY OF SAYING A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT PROTECTS OUR CREWS WHEN THEY'RE OUT WORKING ON THE ROAD FROM CARS THAT MIGHT COME INTO THEIR VICINITY, JUST A LARGE, TOWABLE BARRIER, SO A VERY IMPORTANT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
ITEM 13 IS ACCEPT BID AND AWARDS FOR THE 2025 THROUGH 2026 TREE AND STUMP REMOVAL CONTRACT.
WE APPROVE THESE CONTRACTS EVERY TWO YEARS.
THIS IS FOR REMOVAL OF TREES, BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, DISEASE, DAMAGE, DANGEROUS IN THE CITY'S RIGHT OF WAY, AND THEN OTHER TREES DEEMED NEEDED TO BE REMOVED BY THE CITY.
THIS YEAR'S CONTRACT OUT OF THE BIDS RECEIVED, IT'S BEING RECOMMENDED THAT IT GOES TO THE CONTRACTOR THAT THE CITY HAD LAST YEAR, NICK'S TREE SERVICE.
JUST OF NOTE, THESE PRICES HAVE GONE UP CONSIDERABLY SINCE THE LAST CONTRACT RENEWAL, AND THAT'S REFLECTED.
THAT BEING SAID, NICK'S TREE SERVICE DID PROVIDE A VERY COMPETITIVE QUOTE TO THE CITY, EVEN WITH THOSE INCREASES.
HOW THIS WORKS IS WE APPROVE THIS CONTRACT.
IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO REMOVE THAT MANY TREES IN A CALENDAR YEAR, BUT RATHER PROVIDES PRICING BECAUSE WE ARE CHARGED BY THE DIAMETER OF THE TREES, AND THIS IS AN UP TO AMOUNT.
FOURTEEN RENTAL OCCUPANCY LICENSES FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM 15, THE CITY'S LICENSE AGENDA FOR BUSINESS LICENSING.
THEN FINALLY, ITEM 16 REVIEW OF THE BILLS FOR THIS PERIOD, WHICH TOTAL $1,749,838.24. MADAM MAYOR?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL? COUNCILMEMBER JAMES.
>> THANK YOU. REGARDING THE EQUIPMENT PURCHASE, I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL THESE ITEMS TO BE BROUGHT FORWARD.
I NOTED IN THE DETAILED LETTERS THAT ALL OF THEM HAVE GONE PAST THEIR EXPECTED LIFESPAN SO THEY'VE BEEN WORKING HARD, AND I APPRECIATE THE SAFETY OF OUR STAFF.
THANK YOU FOR THESE, AND I THINK THEY LOOK APPROPRIATE, AND THEY WILL HELP US GET THE WORK DONE.
I ALSO WANTED TO THANK THOSE WHO ARE ON OUR LABOR AGREEMENT TEAMS. IT'S WONDERFUL TO HAVE OUR CITY WORK TOGETHER TO GET ALL OF THE CONTRACTS, EXCEPT FOR THE ONE THAT'S UPCOMING DONE, AND TO DO IT IN A PARTNERSHIP MANNER.
WE REALLY SUPPORT OUR UNIONS HERE IN THE CITY, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE GREAT CONTRACTS AND ALSO SUPPORT OUR RESIDENTS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SPENDING THEIR MONEY WISELY.
I THINK THESE CONTRACTS ARE VERY FAIR IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT THEM, THEY'RE ALL PUBLIC ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE UNDER THE MINUTES, AND I THINK IT'S JUST GREAT WORK.
[00:45:01]
I KNOW THAT A LOT WENT INTO GETTING OUR CONTRACTS AND THE LABOR AGREEMENTS ORGANIZED.SOME CITIES ARE STRUGGLING WITH THAT, AND THEY STILL DON'T HAVE THEIR CONTRACT, SO GOOD WORK TO OUR CITY STAFF THAT DID THAT. I THINK THAT'S ALL.
>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL? I DO WANT TO ECHO, COUNCILMEMBER JAMES.
I KNOW HOW MUCH WORK AND TIME GOES INTO THE AGREEMENTS, AND SOMETIMES THEY CAN BE DONE BY DECEMBER AND SOMETIMES THEY TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
JUST TO APPRECIATE FLEXIBILITY AND JUST MOVING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT STAFF KNOW THAT WE WANT TO SUPPORT THEM, AND WE WANT TO WORK.
I'M GLAD WE WERE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THAT.
I WANTED TO ASK DAVID CULLEN, IF YOU HAVE ONE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT YOU'RE THE MOST EXCITED ABOUT OF THE THREE.
>> PROBABLY OF THE THREE WOULD BE THE ATTENUATOR.
THAT'S A PIECE I'M GLAD WE'RE REPLACING JUST FOR ITS SAFETY AND IT'S OUR ABILITY TO WORK OUT ON THE ROADWAYS AND DO THE IMPROVEMENTS WE NEED WITH KEEPING WORKER SAFETY IN MIND.
>> THANK YOU. THEN I JUST APPRECIATE IT SO MUCH, EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMS NOT THAT MOST EXCITING ABOUT TREE AND STUMP REMOVAL, I'M SO GLAD THAT WE HAVE A BUDGET AND WE MAKE A PLAN TO REMOVE TREES.
THIS IS EVENTUALITY AND I'M JUST SO GLAD WE HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS.
IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S NOT THAT IMPORTANT, BUT AS YOU CAN TELL BY A BUDGET AMOUNT, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE CARE OF TREES.
THANK YOU. IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, THEN CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED?
>> I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
>> I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER DENEEN AND SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER BUESGENS, IS THAT RIGHT? THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING THERE'S NONE, THEN, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES.
THANK YOU. NICE TO SEE YOU, DAVID, AS WELL.
YOU DON'T ALWAYS GET TO EVERY MEETING.
NEXT I'LL ANNOUNCE, WE HAVE NO PUBLIC HEARINGS TONIGHT.
WE HAVE ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION.
[ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION]
UNDER ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS, NUMBER 17 IS THE APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION 2025-016 REGARDING THE CONDEMNATION AND ACTION TOWARD REMOVAL OF DISCRIMINATORY COVENANTS.MITCH FORNEY OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, WILL TAKE US THROUGH THIS.
>> MADAM MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I JUST WANTED TO START OUT BY THANKING MAPPING PREJUDICE FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
THEY'VE BEEN EXTREMELY HELPFUL TO CITY STAFF AND EDUCATING US ON THE PROCESS.
WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH SOME ITEMS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE TWO COALITIONS BETWEEN MAPPING PREJUDICE AND JUST DEEDS, BUT WE'RE STARTING TO FIGURE IT OUT.
THIS RESOLUTION JUST BUILDS OFF OF THE PROCLAMATION THAT WE HAD EARLIER IN JOINING THE JUST DEEDS COALITION.
THE JUST DEEDS COMPLIMENTS ALL THE EFFORTS THAT MAPPING PREJUDICE DOES AND WORKS TO PROVIDE FREE LEGAL SERVICES AND ASSIST PROPERTY OWNERS IN IDENTIFYING AND DISCHARGING DISCRIMINATORY COVENANTS.
ONE THING THAT JUST DEEDS REALLY DOES IS HELPS GET DOWN TO WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF ACTUALLY DISCHARGING THE COVENANT AND IT'S NOT JUST HERE'S A FORM YOU FILL OUT.
SEND IT TO THE COUNTY, AND YOU'RE GOOD TO GO.
THEY ACTUALLY WORK WITH MAPPING PREJUDICE TO FIND THE HISTORY OF THESE PROPERTIES AND HELP RESIDENTS IDENTIFY WHY THIS HAPPENED, WHAT HAD HAPPENED, AND WHAT IS THE HISTORY BEHIND THEIR PROPERTY.
RESOLUTION 2025-16 SETS OUT TO BEGIN THE CITY'S ROLE ITSELF WITH RECONCILING THE PAST WITH CITY OWNED PROPERTIES, AND THEN JUST THE CITY'S ROLE IN SOME OF THESE RACIAL COVENANTS DISCRIMINATORY COVENANTS AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.
ONE KEY ITEM OF THIS IS THAT IT DIRECTS STAFF TO INVESTIGATE CITY OWNED PROPERTIES FOR THE PRESENCE OF DISCRIMINATORY COVENANTS, AND THEN TAKE APPROPRIATE LEGAL STEPS TO HAVE THOSE DISCHARGED.
ONE EXAMPLE IS THE FLAT LOT RIGHT BEHIND THE ANOKA COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER, WHICH IS A CITY OWNED PROPERTY.
STAFF DIDN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO REALLY GET INTO THE RESEARCH QUITE YET SO STAFF WILL BRING BACK A PRESENTATION ON THAT PARCEL, WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND THEN WHERE THIS DISCRIMINATORY COVENANT HAD COME INTO PLACE.
IT IS A COMBINATION OF PARCELS.
IT USED TO HAVE COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS ON 40TH AVENUE AND A COUPLE OF OTHER HOUSES BEFORE IT WAS A FLAT PARKING LOT.
IT'LL TAKE A LITTLE MORE DIGGING ON STAFF'S PART TO BRING THAT BACK, BUT WE EXPECT TO BRING THAT BACK AS PART OF THE OVERALL CONVERSATION THAT THE CITY IS REALLY HAVING AND MAINTAIN THAT CONVERSATION MOVING FORWARD.
ADDITIONALLY, THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZES THE CITY TO JOIN THE JUST DEEDS PROJECT IN ENTERING AS A MEMBER ORGANIZATION.
THE CITY RECOGNIZES A COUPLE OF TRUTHS AND PRINCIPLES OF THE JUST DEEDS COALITION,
[00:50:02]
JUST TO NAME OFF A COUPLE WITHOUT READING THROUGH THE ENTIRE LIST OF THEM.SYSTEMIC RACISM AND HOUSING OCCURS TODAY.
BLACK INDIGENOUS AND OTHER COMMUNITIES OF COLOR CONTINUE TO FACE DISCRIMINATION AND LACK OF ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOMEOWNERSHIP.
CONTINUED DENIAL OF OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD GENERATIONAL WEALTH THROUGH HOME OWNERSHIP PERPETUATES INEQUALITY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ARE DEDICATED TO HONESTY THROUGH INSTITUTIONAL ROLES, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE IN BUILDING AND PERPETUATING SYSTEMIC RACISM, AND THE CITY ITSELF PLEDGES TO EXAMINE THE CURRENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES OF OUR INSTITUTIONS TO PREVENT FURTHER RACIST ACTIONS.
>> CITY STAFF ARE WORKING TO INCLUDE THE MARKETING AND OUTREACH CAMPAIGN ALONGSIDE THE CITY COUNCIL'S EFFORTS WITH THIS RESOLUTION.
AS THE PROCLAMATION HAS ESTABLISHED ON FEBRUARY 13TH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STAFF, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MAPPING PREJUDICE, WILL BE HOSTING A COMMUNITY EVENT AT CITY HALL HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY AND THE MAPPING PROJECT ITSELF, AND REALLY DIVE INTO THAT.
THIS WILL BE INCLUDED WITH FACEBOOK POSTS, POSTS ON THE WEBSITE, AND THEN ALSO MAILED OUT FLYERS TO ALL OF THE 200 PLUS PROPERTIES WITHIN THE CITY THAT HAVE THESE RACIAL COVENANTS, NOT ONLY INVITING THEM TO THE FEBRUARY 13TH MEETING, BUT ALSO INVITING THEM TO THE PROCESS, DIRECT ENGAGEMENT WITH THESE PROPERTY OWNERS TO GET THEM INVOLVED.
THERE WILL ALSO BE A MEETING ON FEBRUARY 20.
THAT ONE IS GOING TO BE ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS.
I WILL TAKE THIS MOMENT TO THANK ANDREW BOUCHER, OUR CITY PLANNER.
HE STARTED THIS RESEARCH, AND HE STARTED GETTING THE BALL ROLLING ON THIS WITH THE COUNCIL AND THE COUNCIL WORK SESSION.
I JUST STEPPED IN HERE TO HELP HIM ALLEVIATE SOME OF HIS WORKLOAD BECAUSE HE'S 100% DIVED IN AND WORKING WITH THE TWO COALITIONS TO MARKET THIS AND TRY TO BRING THIS TO MIND AS WELL.
THEN WITH THAT, THE LIBRARY HAS ALSO EXPRESSED INTEREST IN DOING ONGOING EDUCATION TO KEEP THIS CONVERSATION GOING MORE THAN JUST A MONTH.
IT'S NOT JUST GOING TO BE FEBRUARY AND THEN WE'RE DONE.
IT'S TO KEEP THIS CONVERSATION GOING IN THE COMMUNITY FOR AS LONG AS IT TAKES TO GET RID OF ALL THESE RACIAL COVENANTS, AND FOR THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHY THESE WERE IMPORTANT OR WHY THESE WERE IN PLACED AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET RID OF THEM.
WITH THAT, STAFF, OF COURSE, RECOMMEND THE PASSAGE OF THIS RESOLUTION.
YOU CAN STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU. I REALLY LIKE THE QUOTE THAT WAS SHARED EARLIER, THE PROCESS IS THE PRODUCT.
I THINK, YES, EVEN ONCE ALL 210 PROPERTIES HAVE THIS DISCLOSED, WE STILL NEED TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE WE'RE ALWAYS LEARNING ABOUT THIS, AND THE SYSTEM IS ALWAYS TRYING TO COVER IT UP, AND IT'S TRYING TO BENEFIT SOME PEOPLE AND NOT OTHERS.
IT'S A CONTINUAL WORK TO MAKE SURE THIS IS NOTICED, AND WE CAN MOVE ON AND MOVE FORWARD THROUGH IT, I SHOULD SAY.
THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL? COUNCIL [INAUDIBLE].
>> YEAH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK CITY STAFF AND THE PROJECT, OF COURSE, FOR TAKING SUCH A PURPOSEFUL AND MEANINGFUL STEP TOWARDS DOING THIS AND ALSO THE PROCESS ITSELF.
IT COULD BE SO EASY TO DELETE THESE COVENANTS AND PRETEND THAT THEY DIDN'T HAPPEN, BUT TO ASCRIBE EDUCATION AROUND IT, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING IT ON A CITY LEVEL AND TAKING OUR OWN ACCOUNTABILITY FOR WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST IS REALLY IMPACTFUL, AND I THINK THAT WILL HELP OUR NEIGHBORS KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT TRYING TO SINGLE YOU OUT AS A PROPERTY OWNER THAT HAS THIS ON THERE BUT THE CITY HAS THIS IN OUR PAST, TOO, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TALK ABOUT IT.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PURPOSEFUL STEPS OF EDUCATION, AND LEAVING IT ON THERE, SO THAT IN THE FUTURE, PEOPLE CAN SEE THAT THIS HAPPENED AND OUR CITY, WENT BACK AND SAID, WE CONDEMN THIS, AND IT WAS WRONG.
THAT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR TO SEE WHO WERE IMPACTED BY THIS AND THEIR FAMILIES WERE IMPACTED BY THIS.
I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO REALLY PUT THESE PROGRAMS TOGETHER AND THEN OUR CITY STAFF FOR BRINGING THESE FORWARD TO THE COMMUNITY.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER BISKINS?
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY CITIES GET IT DONE.
I MEAN, WE'RE DOING THIS ON A LOCAL LEVEL IN THE MIDST OF A FEDERAL AND THE NATIONAL LEVEL OF WHAT'S HAPPENING TO SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE DIFFERENT FROM WHITE PEOPLE.
I THINK THIS IS VERY POWERFUL THAT WE AT LEAST HAVE THIS POWER TO WORK WITH OUR OWN COMMUNITY AT THIS TIME TO MAKE THESE CHANGES. THANK YOU.
>> THAT WAS REALLY WONDERFUL WHAT YOU'VE ALL SAID, I COMPLETELY AGREE.
I'M VERY HAPPY TO HEAR ABOUT HOW PEOPLE CAN COME AND LEARN ON THE 13TH.
CAN YOU SHARE MORE ABOUT WHEN THAT MEETING WILL BE AND WHERE, AND ALL THE DETAILS OF THAT MEETING?
[00:55:02]
>> MADAM MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, THAT MEETING WILL BE HELD FEBRUARY 13TH IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS HERE, AND THAT WILL OCCUR FROM 5:00 TO 7:00.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO STEP UP AND GIVE US A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ON THE TOPIC, THAT'D BE EVEN BETTER THAN ME JUST TRYING TO READ THROUGH THE EMAILS WE HAVE.
>> IF YOU COULD INTRODUCE YOURSELF TOO.
>> HI. HAPPY TO. MY NAME IS REBECCA GILLETTE AND I'M THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT LEAD AT MAPPING PREJUDICE, AND SO WORKING WITH THE CITY, WE'VE DESIGNED A TWO-PART PROGRAM THAT WILL BE ON THE 13TH AND THEN ON THE 20TH.
ON THE 13TH, IT WILL BE MORE OF A PRESENTATION TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF RACIAL COVENANTS, AND THEN SAVE TIME FOR A DIALOGUE AROUND THAT.
THEN THE NEXT WEEK, WE'LL COME BACK AND WE'LL DO A COMMUNITY MAPPING SESSION IN WHICH WE'LL FACILITATE, WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO BRING THEIR OWN LAPTOPS, AND TO SHOW THEM HOW TO READ THE DEEDS, TO LOOK FOR THE RACIAL COVENANTS, AND WE'LL HAVE A CONVERSATION AROUND THAT.
WE ACTUALLY MADE A FLYER, WE'VE PUT SOME OUT ON THE TABLE THERE, SO IF THAT'S HELPFUL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
>> NO. THANK YOU. IF WE COULD THEN HAVE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE READING.
>> MOVE TO WAIVE THE READING OF RESOLUTION 2025-016 THERE BEING AMPLE COPIES AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
>> I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER JAMES AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER DENEEN TO WAIVE THE READING.
ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING IS NONE, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES.
NEXT I HAVE A MOTION THEN TO APPROVE.
>> MOVE TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2025-016, A RESOLUTION CONDEMNING THE USE OF DISCRIMINATORY COVENANTS, DISCHARGING DISCRIMINATORY COVENANTS ON CITY OWNED PROPERTY, AND APPROVING PARTICIPATION IN THE JUST DEEDS COALITION.
>> THE MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER JAMES AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER BISKINS, TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION. ANY DISCUSSION? I DO WANT TO SAY I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
WHEN I FIRST BECAME MAYOR, I WAS LIKE, CAN WE WORK ON THAT JUST DEEDS PROJECT? I WAS TOLD WE'LL GET TO IT, BUT YES, WE'D LIKE TO DO IT.
I'M SO GLAD WE'RE MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING IS NONE, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES.
THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 18.
THE FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE 1710, AND ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 5A, PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE, TO INCLUDE THE REMOVAL OF DISCRIMINATORY COVENANTS.
WE HAVE MITCH FORNEY, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
>> MADAM MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
AT THE DECEMBER 2024 COUNCIL WORK SESSION, STAFF BROUGHT FORTH THE JUST DEEDS PROJECT AND MAPPING PREJUDICE, THE IDEA THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING THIS EVENING.
COUNCIL HAD EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN COPYING WHAT MOUNDS VIEW HAD DONE WITH THEIRS.
MOUNDS VIEW ACTUALLY HAD TO CREATE A TIME OF SALE PROGRAM TO REQUIRE THE DISCHARGING OF RACIAL COVENANTS.
THE CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, AS YOU KNOW, ALREADY HAS A TIME OF SALE PROGRAM, REQUIRING THE INSPECTIONS TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE THE SALE OF THE PROGRAM.
THIS SETS UP THE CITY TO INSTALL THIS REQUIREMENT WITHIN OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE AND JUST BRING IT INTO OUR CERTIFICATE OF PROPERTY MAINTENANCE PROGRAM AS A REQUIREMENT BEFORE THE CERTIFICATE OF PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CAN ACTUALLY BE ISSUED.
HOW THIS WOULD GO IS, SOMEONE WOULD COME IN AND DO THE INSPECTION WITH THE CITY INSPECTOR.
THEY WOULD GO THROUGH THE SEWER INSPECTION REQUIREMENT, AND THEN BEFORE THEY ARE ISSUED OR THE INSPECTOR GIVES THEM THE CERTIFICATE OF PROPERTY MAINTENANCE, THEY HAVE TO DISCHARGE THE RACIAL COVENANT FROM THE PROPERTY FOR THAT TO BE ISSUED.
WITH THAT, STAFF JUST TRIED TO KEEP ALONG THE SAME LINES AS MOUNDS VIEW AND REQUIRING IT IN THE TIME OF SALE PROGRAM, AND WE ARE DEFINITELY OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER JAMES.
>> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION HERE.
QUESTION REGARDING THE TIMELINESS OF DISCHARGING IT.
IS IT COUNTED AS SOON AS YOU SUBMIT YOUR PAPERWORK TO THE COUNTY? BECAUSE ONE THING THAT WE HAVE DONE REALLY WELL IN OUR TIME OF SALE IS WE'VE MOVED PRETTY QUICKLY FOR HOUSES, SO PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A LONG TIME TO HAVE THEIR HOUSE ON THE MARKET WHILE THEY'RE WAITING FOR OUR INSPECTIONS.
I'M WONDERING WHAT THE TIMELINESS WOULD BE.
>> YEAH. MADAM MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, THIS WOULD JUST BE PROOF THAT THE ACTION HAS BEEN COMPLETED WITHOUT NOT WAITING FOR THE COUNTY TO GET BACK TO US.
YEAH. IT WOULDN'T BE RECORDING, I'D BE JUST PROOF THAT THE HOMEOWNER HAS SUBMITTED THE PAPERWORK.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER BISKINS.
>> THIS IS SOMETHING THEY CAN DO PRIOR TO THE SALE? IT'S NOT DONE AT THE TIME OF CLOSING? OR THEY COULD DO IT AT CLOSING TOO ALONG WITH THEIR OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT ARE RECORDED?
[01:00:02]
SO THEY HAVE SOME TIME LINE IF THEY [OVERLAPPING].>> MADAM MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, THAT'S CORRECT.
THIS CAN BE DONE AT ANY TIME AND WOULD BE DONE BEFORE THE SALE FOR THIS ONE.
>> I MEAN, IS IT JUST A PROCESS OF FILLING OUT THINGS? BECAUSE NORMALLY DOCUMENTS THAT YOU SIGN AT CLOSING, YOU JUST SIGN DOCUMENTS AND IT'S HANDED IN AS A FORM.
IF THEY'RE DOING IT AT CLOSING, AND THEY DIDN'T GET IT AHEAD OF TIME, THIS DISCHARGE WOULD BE ANOTHER DOCUMENT THAT THEY SIGN AND TAKE CARE OF AT THE TIME OF CLOSING, IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO GET IT DONE PRIOR TO.
>> MADAM MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, YEAH.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IT'S JUST THE FORM THAT YOU GO THROUGH.
I DON'T THINK YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO DO IT AT CLOSING.
YOU'D HAVE TO DO IT BEFORE OR AFTER CLOSING, WHICH WE DO ALLOW IN THE TIME OF SALE PROGRAM A TEMPORARY CERTIFICATE TO BE ISSUED TILL AFTER CLOSING, BUT THEN ANY FIXES HAVE TO BE DONE AFTER CLOSING, THIS WOULD ALSO BE REQUIRED [OVERLAPPING].
IT'S SEPARATE. [OVERLAPPING] YEAH.
TRADITIONALLY, WE WOULD WANT PEOPLE TO WORK WITH JUST DEEDS, WHICH IS MORE THAN JUST A PAPER BEING SIGNED.
IT'S ACTUAL RECONCILIATION, LEARNING ABOUT THEIR PROPERTY AND WHAT'S GOING ON, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REALLY GOING TO TRY TO PUSH PEOPLE TOWARDS.
THIS IS AN ITEM THAT WILL, OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS, IF THERE ARE STILL COVENANTS THAT ARE IN PLACE, IT'LL MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE COMPLETED AT THE SALE OF THE PROPERTY.
>> I'LL JUST SAY I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR POINT ABOUT MAKING IT DIFFICULT IN OTHER AREAS.
BUT I DO THINK THAT REALLY WHAT OUR GOAL IS HERE IS TO SET THE TONE FOR OUR CITY AND WHAT WE WANT TO SEE HERE AND WHAT WE WANT TO BE THE MORALS THAT WE BRING FORWARD INTO OUR COMMUNITIES.
WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT COULD MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR THEIR MESSAGING AS YOU GO OUT AND I KNOW THAT THIS WORK IS VERY IMPORTANT, I DO FEEL LIKE THE GENIE IS OUT OF THE BAG A LITTLE BIT.
IT'S BEEN OTHER PLACES, AND FOR US, I THINK, WITH THE 210 HOUSES THAT WE HAVE HERE, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE A STATEMENT ABOUT HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THOSE COVENANTS AND HOW WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD AS A CITY. THAT'S JUST ALL I'LL SAY.
>> THANK YOU FOR ADDING THAT. I WAS WANTING TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
IT'S LIKE OUR VALUES WITH THE POINT OF SALE, AND WE MANDATED THAT TOO.
WE SAID, THIS IS IMPORTANT TO US, AND SOME CITIES DON'T HAVE A POINT OF SALE, AND WE SAID, NO, WE ARE GOING TO MAKE THAT BE A REQUIREMENT.
THAT IS OUR ROLE, I GUESS IS ALL OF OUR THINGS, OUR CODES ARE REQUIREMENTS, ORDINANCES ARE REQUIREMENTS, SO I THINK THAT THAT WAS ARE PART OF OUR STAND OF VALUES, HEALTH, AND I THINK IF THERE WERE A FAMILY OR A PROPERTY OWNER THAT DIDN'T WANT TO FOLLOW THROUGH, I THINK THAT WOULD HURT OUR COMMUNITY MORE.
IT COULD BE JUST THAT THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, THERE COULD BE OTHER REASONS WHY THEY WOULD CHOOSE NOT TO OPENLY PARTICIPATE, AND THEN I THINK THAT THE RETRIBUTION OF THAT COULD REALLY BE PAINFUL, VERSUS HAVING THIS BE A PART OF OUR PLAN.
I AGREE WITH THAT. COUNCILMEMBER JAMES.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BOTH YOUR COMMENTS, AND TO GO OFF WHAT WE SAID, I THINK ONE THING WE CAN MODEL FOR OTHER CITIES IS WE WON'T HAVE ALL THE PROPERTIES ALL AT ONCE.
BECAUSE WE ARE MINDFUL OF OUR COUNTY STAFF AND OTHER STAFF, AND SO WE WERE COMMITTED TO THIS, WE ARE VOTING FOR THE VALUES THAT WE CARRY FOR, BUT WE'RE ALSO DOING IT IN A WAY THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AN IMMEDIATE FLOOD, AND I THINK THAT WILL REALLY HELP ALLEVIATE THOSE FEARS, SO YEAH. THANKS.
>> APPRECIATE THIS EDUCATION THAT'S UPCOMING AS WELL.
I THINK THAT WILL BE VERY HELPFUL.
IT'LL BE VERY WELL ATTENDED MEETINGS, FOR SURE, IN OUR CITY.
WELL, THANK YOU. I ALSO REALLY APPRECIATE MAYOR LINDSTROM IN MOUNDS VIEW.
YES. HE REALLY REACHED OUT TO ME THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO DO THIS? WE JUST DID IT, YOU NEED TO GET ON BOARD.
I KNOW THEIR CITIES HAD A LOT OF REALLY GOOD NOTICE FROM DOING THIS.
IT WAS NICE TO HAVE A ADJOINING SMALLER CITY, NOT JUST LIKE MINNEAPOLIS OR SAINT PAUL OR THESE BIGGER CITIES THAT HAVE DONE THIS, BUT TO SEE A SMALLER CITY, SIMILAR TO OURS, WORK ON THIS AS WELL AND REALLY MAKE AN IMPACT.
HIS IMPACT, I THINK THAT IMPACT HAS JUST GONE ACROSS THE STATE, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE SAID, THAT'S JUST MINNEAPOLIS.
THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS.
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A NICE PLACE.
BUT YOU TALKED TO PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND THEY'RE LIKE, NO, WHEN IT WAS 5:00 AND THE SUN WAS GOING DOWN, YOU KNEW YOU HAD TO GET OUT OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS.
WE'VE HEARD THAT. WE'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS SPECIFICALLY WITH GROUPS OF COLOR, OUR BLACK COMMUNITY, AND THAT WAS COMMON KNOWLEDGE, AND IT DIDN'T COME FROM AN IMAGINATION, IT CAME FROM THE TRUTH.
KNOWING IT WAS IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS AND SEEING US GO WITH THIS, IT'S GREAT.
[01:05:04]
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO STAFF AND ANDREW FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN.IF WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
THANK YOU. THEN I MAY HAVE A MOTION THEN TO WAIVE THE READING.
>> I'LL MOVE TO WAIVE THE READING OF ORDINANCE 1710, THERE BEING AMPLE COPIES AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
>> I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER DENEEN, AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER BISKINS.
THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING IS NONE, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES, AND NEXT I HAVE A MOTION TO SET THE SECOND READING.
>> MOVE TO SET THE SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE 1710, BEING AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 5A OF THE COLUMBIA HEIGHTS CITY CODE TO REQUIRE THE REMOVAL OF DISCRIMINATORY COVENANTS BEFORE A CERTIFICATE OF PROPERTY MAINTENANCE MAY BE ISSUED FOR FEBRUARY 10TH, 2025 AT APPROXIMATELY 6:00 P.M.
>> I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER DENEEN AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER JAMES TO SET THE SECOND READING.
ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING IS NONE, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU.
WE'LL HAVE OUR NEXT MEETING ON FEBRUARY 10TH.
WE HAVE NO BIDS, CONSIDERATIONS, NO BUSINESS REPORTS, SO THAT TAKES US TO OUR REPORT OF THE CITY COUNCIL,
[CITY COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS]
AND WE'LL START WITH COUNCILMEMBER JAMES.>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. WHAT A JOYFUL MEETING THIS HAS BEEN TO BE WITH YOU ALL.
THE LAST MONTH HAS BEEN JOYFUL AND HARD, ALL OF IT TOGETHER.
IN JANUARY 14TH, I DID ATTEND THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT RALLY AT THE STATE CAPITAL, AND WE ARE WORKING TO HAVE THAT ADDED AS OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA TO VOTE AND ADDING THAT TO OUR STATE CONSTITUTION.
I WANTED TO THANK OUR SENATOR, MARY KUNESH, WHO HAS BEEN THE LEAD ON THIS IN THE MINNESOTA HOUSE AND NOW IN THE MINNESOTA SENATE, AND SHE SPOKE, AND SHE WANTED ME TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS ERA AMENDMENT.
I ALSO WAS THE LIAISON TO THE JANUARY SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION, WHERE THE COMMISSION WORKED ON A APPROVING THE COMPLETE STREETS AND CELEBRATING THAT THAT HAD BEEN APPROVED.
THEN MOVING TOWARD, WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO NEXT, BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LONG LIST OF IDEAS OF THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO DO.
THEY ARE ALSO SAD TO SAY GOODBYE TO OUR ASSISTANT CITY ENGINEER SULMAAN, AND THAT WAS PART OF THE MEETING.
I PARTICIPATED IN THE HEARING EXAMINER INTERVIEWS.
THEN LAST MEETING, YOU ASKED US, WHAT WERE WE GOING TO DO FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR DAY OF SERVICE.
I WANTED TO SHARE BACK THAT I WAS ABLE TO BRING SOME TEENAGERS TO SOME JUSTICE EDUCATION, AND WE PACKED CARE KITS FOR OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS.
THEN I ALSO WANTED TO JUST SAY THAT COLUMBIA HEIGHTS IS WORKING AND IS AWARE FEARS AND WORRIES THAT PEOPLE HAVE REGARDING DEPORTATION AND REGARDING JUST WORRIES.
THERE'S MANY THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES THAT I'M UNAWARE OF, BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT WE CARE ABOUT YOU.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS OR IDEAS, PLEASE DO EMAIL ME AND OR ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE WANT TO BE AWARE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING, AND OUR HEART GOES OUT TO THE KIDS AND THE FAMILIES THAT ARE WORRIED AND LIVING IN FEAR.
ALSO I WANTED TO SAY THAT I KNOW OUR CITY AND THE MAYOR HAS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB IN THE PAST, AND WE ALL AGREE THAT WE WANT TO BRING FORTH THE HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY AND THAT TODAY IS THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LIBERATION OF AUSCHWITZ, AND WE REMEMBER THAT GENOCIDE IN OUR HISTORY, AND EVEN SOME ARE STILL LIVING TO THIS DAY.
WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO THE END OF ALL OF OUR HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS, BUT WE APPRECIATE THAT HISTORY AND WE WON'T FORGET. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER JAMES. COUNCIL MEMBER BUESGENS.
>> HI, EVERYBODY. I ATTENDED THE BOARD MEETING FOR MISSISSIPPI WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE.
I'M NOT SURE IF ANYONE'S AWARE OF IT THAT THEY APPROVED.
I WANT TO READ THIS WORD FOR WORD.
APPROVED 88,000 TO CONDUCT A WATER QUALITY STUDY OF SULLIVAN LAKE.
IT'S GOING TO BE AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CURRENT CONDITIONS, UNDERSTANDING OF THE ECOLOGICAL BEHAVIOR AND RESPONSE TO INCOMING POLLUTANTS, PLANS TO WORK TOWARDS IMPROVING THE LAKE IN THE FUTURE.
IT'S THEIR MONEY. THEY ARE DOING THE STUDY.
IT'S NOT COMING FROM THE CITY, BUT I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT. THAT'S PRETTY COOL.
IT'S MUCH NEEDED. SECOND, I ATTENDED THE MINI PANCAKES WITH A COP AT TASTY BITES.
THEY'RE REALLY GOOD, AND THEY HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD DESSERTS THERE AND DRINKS.
I ATTENDED THE CEREMONIAL PUSH OF THE NEW FIRE TRUCK WITH OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE.
WE GOT TO WATER IT DOWN, WHICH IS A TRADITIONAL EXERCISE THAT THEY DO WITH A BRAND NEW FIRE TRUCK,
[01:10:02]
AND THEN WE PUSHED IT INTO ITS STALL.I ATTENDED THE KORDIAK PARK MEETING.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THINGS THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS STILL RESEARCHING AND FINDING WAYS THAT COULD HELP IMPROVE THEIR LAKE IN THAT PARK.
I ALSO INTERVIEWED WITH THE APPEALS POSITION WITH OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND I ATTENDED THE POLICE AWARDS ACADEMY.
IT'S FUN, AND IT'S REALLY TOUCHING TO HEAR THE STORIES OF SOME OF THE ACTIONS OUR POLICE OFFICERS DO IN THIS COMMUNITY TO HELP PEOPLE.
I ATTENDED BRIAN CLERKIN CELEBRATION OF LIFE AT MURZYN HALL.
HE WAS A VERY ACTIVE MEMBER IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT'S BEEN A VERY SAD LOSS FOR EVERYBODY.
I ATTENDED THE PARK AND REC COMMISSION.
THEY ARE WORKING ON, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, KEVIN'S NOT HERE, BUT THEY'RE WORKING ON A PASSPORT FOR THE PARKS PROCESS, AND ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS SET UP, THEY WENT OFF OF WHAT ROSEVILLE HAS DONE, APPARENTLY, AND SHE DID A LOT OF THE WORK ON THERE, SO IT WAS PRETTY COOL.
PARTNERS. I ATTENDED THE LAST WORK SESSION FOR PARTNERS AND ENERGY WORKSHOP.
THE NEXT THING THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING IS DRAWING UP THE REPORT, AND THEY'RE HOPEFULLY LOOKING AT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE IDEAS FROM THIS GROUP IN 2026.
THEY DID A LOT OF WORK, AND IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO ACTUALLY HAVE ACTIONABLE ITEMS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO START WORKING ON.
I ALSO SET UP A MEETING WITH OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER MANDY MEISNER TO MEET WITH OUR CITY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT AT NORTH PARK ELEMENTARY, SO THAT WE COULD GO LOOK AT THEIR BIODIGESTER.
VERY EXCITING WHAT THAT SCHOOL IS DOING WITH THE PRODUCT, AND THEY'RE WAITING.
APPARENTLY, THE GRANT INCLUDED NOT JUST THE BIODIGESTER, BUT ALSO A FURNACE, WHERE IT WOULD TAKE THE COMPOST THAT'S CREATED BY THE BIODIGESTER AND FEED IT INTO THE FURNACE AND HELP ELECTRIFY THEIR BUILDING.
BUT IT'S COMING FROM IRELAND, AND APPARENTLY, IT TOOK THEM ABOUT 18 MONTHS TO GET THE BIODIGESTER, AND THEY'RE STILL WAITING FOR THE FURNACE ATTACHMENT.
THAT'S PRETTY COOL TO HAVE A SCHOOL IN OUR COMMUNITY.
ONCE THAT'S SET UP THAT'S ACTUALLY HELPING WITH NOT ONLY THEY HAVE SOLAR PANELS ON THE ROOF, BUT THEY'RE ALSO PROVIDING ANOTHER MEANS.
I I WISH ALL SCHOOLS COULD DO THAT.
I THINK THAT'S PRETTY EXCITING.
>> THANK YOU. I DO WANT TO ADD THAT IT'S YUMMY BITES.
>> IT'S YUMMY BITES. I STAND CORRECTED.
SORRY. I DON'T WANT TO GET THAT WRONG.
WE HAVE TASTY PIZZA AND YUMMY BITES.
JUST CALL IT DELICIOUS COLUMBIA HEIGHTS.
>> I ATTENDED THE PUSH IN CEREMONY FOR THE NEW FIRE ENGINE AS WELL ON THE 15TH, TOOK PART IN HEARING EXAMINERS INTERVIEWS HERE AT CITY HALL ON THE 16TH AND 17TH.
I ATTENDED THE FRIENDS OF HIGHLAND LAKE MEETING ON THE 16TH TO DISCUSS THE HEALTH OF THE LAKE, BOTH FOR THE COMMUNITY ENJOYMENT AND FOR THE WILD LIFE.
I ALSO MET WITH CHIEF MARKHAM, OUR POLICE CHIEF ON THE 16TH TO DISCUSS COMMUNITY SAFETY AND POLICE STAFFING.
I ATTENDED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AWARD CEREMONY ON THE 21ST, AND JUST WANT AGAIN, CONGRATS TO ALL OF THE RECIPIENTS.
IT WAS SO GREAT TO HEAR SO MANY SUCCESSES AND CELEBRATE OUR OFFICERS.
I ATTENDED THE FINAL PARTNERS AND ENERGY WORKSHOP ON THE 23RD, AND I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE OUTCOME OF MONTHS OF DEDICATION BY EXCEL STAFF AND COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THAT SOON, HOPEFULLY, WE GET THE ENERGY PLAN IN, AND IT'S REALLY EXCITING.
CONNIE SAID TO HAVE SOME REALLY ACTION ITEMS HERE THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT THE CITY.
I ALSO ATTENDED THE HEIGHTSNEXT MEETING AT THE LIBRARY ON THE 25TH, AND I ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO'S LOOKING TO GET MORE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY OR VOLUNTEERS AT EVENTS TO VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AND FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THEN LASTLY, I WILL BE AT SNOWBLAST, WHICH I THINK PROBABLY EVERYBODY UP HERE WILL BE AT ON FEBRUARY 1ST AND HUSET PARK FROM 4:00-7:00.
THERE'S GOING TO BE MUSIC AND SMORES AND PONY RIDES AND OTHER THINGS TO DO, FOOD AND DRINK, AND IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A GREAT EVENT.
I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
>> THANKS. ONE THING I HAD WANTED TO MENTION EARLIER WE WERE TALKING ABOUT JUSTICE IS IF YOU ARE UNAWARE OF THE TOPIC, YOU COULD WATCH THE MOVIE, JIM CROW OF THE NORTH.
THAT IS A READILY AVAILABLE MOVIE.
I BELIEVE IT'S ON YOUTUBE, MAYBE TPT, BUT IT IS A VERY GOOD WAY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT REDLINING AND THE MAPPING PREJUDICE PROJECT AS WELL.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT MOVIE TO EVERYONE.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT SALMAN KHAN, WHO WAS HERE EARLIER, ASSISTANT CITY ENGINEER, THIS IS HIS LAST MEETING.
HE'S MOVING ON TO ANOTHER POSITION AND LEAVING IN THE CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS.
BUT HE HAS DONE SUCH A GREAT JOB HERE THE LAST THREE YEARS, I BELIEVE.
THE CITY MANAGER, I KNOW WILL TALK ABOUT HIM TOO, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY HOW MUCH WE'LL MISS HIM AND HIS EXPERTISE, AND HE'S JUST BEEN SUCH A FANTASTIC TEAM MEMBER.
[01:15:02]
SO THANK HIM VERY MUCH FOR HIS SERVICE AND BLESSINGS TO HIM AND HIS FAMILY AS THEY MOVE FORWARD.I ATTENDED QUITE A FEW MEETINGS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
SISTER CITIES MEETING FOR OUR CITY IN POLAND OF WOMIYANKI, AND ONE OF THE WOMIYANKI FIREFIGHTERS IS INTERESTED IN VISITING COLUMBIA HEIGHTS SO THAT'S SOMETHING THEY'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IN THE SPRING, POSSIBLY.
NO MONEY TO OUR TAXPAYERS, BUT JUST LETTING YOU KNOW WE MAY HAVE A VISITOR FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OVER THERE.
I PRESENTED AT OUR ROTARY INTERNATIONAL OPERATION POLLINATION MEETING ABOUT WHAT WE'VE DONE IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, WITH THE MAYOR'S MONARCH PLEDGE, WITH OUR BLOOMING SUNSHINE GARDEN AND THE MONARCH FESTIVAL, WE'VE HAD THE BILINGUAL MONARCH FESTIVAL.
JUST A LITTLE INTERNATIONAL BRAGGING ABOUT WHAT OUR CITY HAS DONE TO HELP MONARCHS IN THE ENVIRONMENT.
ALSO PARTICIPATED IN OUR HEARING EXAMINER INTERVIEWS WITH THE REST OF THE COUNCIL.
I MET WITH MEMBERS FROM THE LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES ABOUT THEIR DEI PRACTICE AND HOW THEY ARE WORKING TO HAVE MORE REPRESENTATION AS PRESENTERS AND SPEAKERS AT THEIR CONFERENCES AND FINDING WAYS TO HELP THEM MEET MORE PEOPLE OF COLOR OR DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS TO PRESENT.
I ALSO ATTENDED THE FIRE TRUCK PUSH IN, AND JUST WANT TO SAY, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS FOR THIS NEW FIRE TRUCK WE HAVE.
IT IS BEAUTIFUL, AND IT'S GOING TO BE THERE TO HELP US WHEN WE NEED IT, AND WE DON'T WANT TO BE WORRYING THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE TRUCK WE NEED.
ALSO ATTENDED THE KORDIAK PARK WATER QUALITY MEETING.
THANKFUL FOR OUR PARTNERS AT ANOKA COUNTY FOR HAVING RESOURCES AND STAFF TIME TO MEET WITH OUR CITIZENS TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS.
I ATTENDED THE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH MEETING WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
TODAY, I SPOKE WITH STUDENTS AT ST. OLAF COLLEGE ABOUT THEIR RACE AND CLASS MEETING, AND ALSO, THEY ARE LOOKING AT WHAT COMMUNITIES CAN DO TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, AND FABRIZIO, WHO HAD BEEN THE INTERN LAST SUMMER, TALKED ABOUT THE BLOOMING SUNSHINE GARDEN.
WE TALKED ABOUT GARDENS AND HOW THAT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER AND CAN BRING PEOPLE FOOD AND ALL THESE THINGS.
I WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE CANNABIS EXPUNGEMENT FOCUS GROUP AND SPOKE ON THAT ITEM.
ATTENDED THE POLICE AWARDS AGAIN WITH THE COUNCIL.
WE ARE SUCH A LUCKY COMMUNITY TO HAVE THESE POLICE OFFICERS AND OUR SOCIAL WORKERS, BUT THIS WAS SPECIFICALLY PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH THE POLICE WHO RECEIVED THE AWARDS, INCLUDING QUITA, WHO WORKS WITH PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR PEOPLE WHO AREN'T HOUSED, AND JUST THE STORIES ARE INCREDIBLE.
THERE IS A RECORDING OF IT, AND I THINK IT'S POSTED. I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE.
IF IT'S NOT POSTED YET, IT'S GOING TO BE POSTED SOON, BUT I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO WATCH THAT VIDEO OR LISTEN TO IT.
THE STORIES OF WHAT OUR OFFICERS HAVE DONE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY ARE EMBRACING OF WHAT THEY DO AND THE COMPASSION THEY HAVE.
AT OUR NEXT ROTARY MEETING, WE HAD KATHLEEN MORIARTY, WHO'S FROM THE ADULT BASIC EDUCATION EXTENSION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THE PEOPLE.
THEY HAVE A WAITING LIST OF 200 PEOPLE TO TAKE THEIR CLASSES.
IT'S FOR FREE ADULT EDUCATION.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING, THEY HAVE ENGLISH LEARNER CLASSES FOR PEOPLE WHO ENGLISH IS ONE OF THE LANGUAGE THEY WANT TO LEARN.
USUALLY, THEY KNOW ONE OR TWO OR THREE OTHER LANGUAGES.
BUT SHE WAS A GREAT SPEAKER, AND SERVICE IS RIGHT HERE IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS ON CENTRAL AVENUE, FREE FOR ANY ADULT 17 AND OLDER.
I ATTENDED THE LATINX ROUNDTABLE WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE TALKING ABOUT OUR PAST ELECTION AND HOW THINGS WENT, WHERE COULD THEY IMPROVE AND SUCH THINGS.
ATTENDED OUR JLEC MEETING, WHICH IS THE JOINT LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMITTEE WITH OUR POLICE CHIEF.
IN THAT MEETING AND THROUGHOUT THIS PAST WEEK, HAVE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBER JAMES MENTIONED THIS TOO, AND JUST ABOUT OUR NERVOUSNESS AND FEARS ABOUT IMMIGRATION, DEPORTATION, ACTIVITY.
AT THAT JOINT LAW ENFORCEMENT MEETING, OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY AND COUNTY SHERIFF REITERATED AND STRONGLY SHARED THAT THEY ARE NOT AN ARM OF ICE.
OUR COLUMBIA HEIGHTS POLICE DEPARTMENT IT'S NOT A ROLE FOR THEM TO DETAIN PEOPLE AND HOLD PEOPLE FOR ICE.
GENERALLY, IF IMMIGRATION OR HOMELAND SECURITY ARE IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS,
[01:20:06]
THEY SIMPLY CALL AND SAY WE WILL BE THERE, AND THAT'S ALL THE INFORMATION THAT'S SHARED WITH OUR CITY.HEARING THAT AT THE ANOKA COUNTY MEETING WAS GOOD TO HEAR IN A LARGER REGION OF WHERE THEY STAND.
BUT POLICE ALL OVER ARE VERY CONCERNED FOR THEIR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY HERE IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS.
I DID JUST ATTEND A TRAINING FOR DEPORTATION INFORMATION, AND I'M PLANNING TO BRING SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO COLUMBIA HEIGHTS.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT HOW YOU CAN HELP YOUR NEIGHBORS AND YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY, LET ME KNOW AND AS THAT GETS SCHEDULED, I CAN SHARE THAT INFORMATION.
OTHER THINGS THAT I HAVE ATTENDED IS THE ALLEY ASSESSMENT MEETING LAST WEEK.
IT WAS THE SAME NIGHT AS THE JOINT PARTNERS IN ENERGY, AND AT THE END OF THAT MEETING, COUNCIL MEMBER BUESGENS, AND COUNCIL MEMBER DENEEN CAME IN AND JOINED THE ASSESSMENT MEETING FOR A BIT, SO WE ALL GOT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR CONCERNS FROM THE NEIGHBORS.
THEN I JUST WANT TO ECHO, ALSO, IN THE PAST, WE HAVE DONE A PROCLAMATION FOR WORLD HOLOCAUST DAY, AND I WAS REALLY GLAD THAT COUNCIL MEMBER JAMES ASKED ABOUT THAT TODAY, AND JUST WANT TO SAY AGAIN, HOW WE DO REMEMBER THAT IN ITS 80 YEARS.
IT IS A HORROR WE THAT WE CAN NEVER FORGET.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO OUR REMEMBRANCE TODAY.
THAT IS IT FOR MY REPORT, AND WE CAN GO TO THE CITY MANAGER.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
JUST A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE CITY'S WATER METER INSTALLATION PROJECT.
THERE'S 6,000 METERS TO REPLACE ACROSS THE CITY, AND THE CITY'S CONTRACTOR RATHER IS MOVING INTO THE THIRD PHASE OR SECTION, AND JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE ANYONE THAT'S RECEIVED THE NOTICE IN THE MAIL TO SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT IF YOU ALREADY HAVEN'T DONE THAT.
WE DO NEED YOUR HELP TO PARTICIPATE.
FOR THOSE THAT HAVEN'T SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT IN A ZONE THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN NOTICED OR IS AN ACTIVE ZONE, THE CITY WILL START PLACING DOOR HANGERS ON YOUR DOOR JUST AS A REMINDER FOR THOSE APPOINTMENTS.
JUST TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT'S COMING.
SNOWBLAST WAS MENTIONED FEBRUARY 1ST, THIS WEEKEND.
JUST A SHOUT OUT TO ONE OF THE SPONSORS FOR THAT EVENT, BARNAGAS AND STEPHEN.
DEFINITELY WANTED TO NOTE THAT.
THEN CITY'S E-NEWSLETTER WILL BE HEADING OUT FEBRUARY 1ST.
WE ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO SIGN UP FOR UP TO DATE INFORMATION, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CITY AND YOU CAN VISIT THE CITY'S WEBSITE TO SUBMIT YOUR EMAIL FOR THAT.
THE CITY'S HOLIDAY TREE PICKUP, THE LAST DAY TO SCHEDULE THAT IS FRIDAY, JANUARY 31ST FOR THE TREE PICKUP.
YOU CAN SCHEDULE AT THE REFUGE SUPPORT LINK ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE OR BY CALLING PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTLY AT 763-706-3727.
THEN FINALLY, MNDOT IS HOSTING AN OPEN HOUSE FOR THE CENTRAL AVENUE IMPROVEMENTS.
THEY WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU AND YOU CAN ATTEND A PUBLIC MEETING THAT'S COMING UP ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH AT 5:00-7:00 PM IN THE COLUMBIA HEIGHTS PUBLIC LIBRARY.
YOU CAN PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE DESIGN OPTIONS THAT ARE GOING TO BE PRESENTED AND ASK MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROJECT.
IF YOU CAN'T ATTEND THAT MEETING IN PERSON, ON THE 4TH, MNDOT DOES HAVE TWO VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON.
WE DON'T HAVE DATES AND TIMES, BUT LOOK TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE OR THE UPCOMING COUNCIL MEETINGS FOR FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS, BUT THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE.
THEN FINALLY, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, BITTER SWEET, TO SAY GOODBYE TO ASSISTANT CITY ENGINEER, SALMAN KHAN.
REALLY STEPPED IN IN A BIG WAY FOR THE CITY AT A TIME WHERE WE HAD INTERIM CITY MANAGER KEVIN HANSEN.
HE ASSUMED THE ROLE SALMAN DID OF ACTING OR INTERIM CITY ENGINEER.
AT THAT TIME, HIS FIRST YEAR WITH THE CITY, THERE WERE TWO VERY SIGNIFICANT ROAD RECONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, 37TH AND 53RD, AND HE TOOK THOSE ON AND SHOWED A GREAT DEAL OF LEADERSHIP IN SEEING THOSE THROUGH TO COMPLETION.
WE'LL DEFINITELY MISS HIM, BUT WE DO WISH HIM THE BEST, OF COURSE.
IF YOU KNOW OF ANY CITY ENGINEERS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN WORKING FOR A REALLY GREAT CITY WITH A LOT OF GREAT PROJECTS, THAT POSTING WILL BE OUT AS SOON AS WE CAN GET IT GOING.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANYTHING ELSE? COUNCIL MEMBER BUESGENS.
>> FOR CITY MANAGER AARON CHIRPICH, AND I'M SORRY TO THROW THIS OUT AT YOU RIGHT NOW, BUT I JUST REMEMBERED IT.
A RESIDENT MENTIONED TO ME THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED THE NEW INTERNET SERVICE.
HAVE YOU HEARD IT? WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT START IN OUR CITY YET.
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HAVE THEY, THE CITY WIDE? THAT'S NOT STARTED YET.>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER BUESGENS.
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THEY HAVE NOT ENTERED THE CITY AND THERE'S A PERMITTING PROCESS WITH US, SO WE WOULD BE TRACKING THAT AND I DON'T HAVE AN ANTICIPATED START DATE, BUT UNLESS IT WAS VERY CLOSE TO MINNEAPOLIS ON THE SOUTHERN BORDER OF OUR CITY.
I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH IT DIRECTOR AND CITY ENGINEER AND GET BETTER INFORMATION.
>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? HEARING IS NONE, THEN, I HAVE A MOTION THEN TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.
>> I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER BUESGENS, AND A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER JAMES TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.
ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING IS NONE THEN ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
>> AYE. THE MOTION IS PASSED, AND THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING THIS EVENING AND HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.