Minneapolis City — Transcript

Thursday, July 30, 2026Analysis complete

4 Topics in This Document

Regulatory Services Director Appointment

Democracy Center Project Development

NIBIN Grant Application for MPD

Fire Chief Appointment

Full Extraction
9 Ayes, 3 Nays. Carries.
12 Ayes. Carries.
7 Ayes, 5 Nays. Carries.
Not recorded in transcript

You're one of the kindest, most thoughtful leaders I have the privilege of um working with. You genuinely love Minneapolis and you know that if you spend two seconds with you, that you care about every single person in this city and the love is reflected in how you serve every single day.

Council member Vita [1:30:17]Mayor's nomination of Enrique Velasquez to Director of Regulatory Services

we got um a letter from our ASME workers in your office and and we had a meeting and discussed that and I I appreciate uh you coming and talking with me directly about this, but the facts from from this letter are just really not acceptable.

Council member Stevenson [1:32:00]Mayor's nomination of Enrique Velasquez to Director of Regulatory Services

He is someone that approaches his job with such incredible compassion. uh the issues that he is handling are they neither lack complexity nor do they lack difficulty.

Mayor Fry [1:37:05]Mayor's nomination of Enrique Velasquez to Director of Regulatory Services

We are failing this community profoundly. Um, I don't see that as your personal failure. I see it as our institutional failure and why the regulatory services department has been appointed the lead for something that is as challenging and complex as unsheltered homelessness...

President Payne [1:44:10]Mayor's nomination of Enrique Velasquez to Director of Regulatory Services

when you when you have not only one business reaching out to you, but you have several businesses, an entire corridor reaching out to you, sharing their concerns and community members that are your residents saying, "We're worried about the future of this area and how this project might impact it. You can't take it lightly."

Council member Chowry [1:50:38]Appeal from FGNC regarding the 3000 Minihaha Avenue Democracy Center & Rezoning and alley vacation for the Democracy Center at 3000 Minihaha (Items 4 & 5)

This is an area that was on fire. Buildings throughout Lake Street in this area were set on fire. This is a business area that was devastated by the uprising in the summer of 2020 after the murder of George Floyd that caused a worldwide racial reckoning. This is a unique circumstance.

Council member Chavez [1:53:57]Appeal from FGNC regarding the 3000 Minihaha Avenue Democracy Center & Rezoning and alley vacation for the Democracy Center at 3000 Minihaha (Items 4 & 5)

I think that parking on our streets and parking lots throughout the city are really an important part of our revenue stream. And for us to be inconsistent in that feels a little um hard to swallow...

Council member Schaefer [1:56:56]Appeal from FGNC regarding the 3000 Minihaha Avenue Democracy Center & Rezoning and alley vacation for the Democracy Center at 3000 Minihaha (Items 4 & 5)

this framing that this this piece of property is just like any other city-owned piece of property. And it's it's really important because I know the the staff team working on this, council members um who directly represent this area all have a shared understanding um that that this is not just any other piece of property.

Council member Shug Tai [1:59:36]Appeal from FGNC regarding the 3000 Minihaha Avenue Democracy Center & Rezoning and alley vacation for the Democracy Center at 3000 Minihaha (Items 4 & 5)

The notice of funding opportunity for the fiscal year 2026 NIBN modernization program explicitly states the program statutory purpose and program goals in terms of investigating quote crimes committed by quote illegal aliens. I don't consider the community I am proud to represent as quote illegal aliens.

Council member Chavez [2:11:47]Grant application for national integrated ballistics information program (NIBIN) from US Department of Justice

Our city attorneys have answered that question publicly, explicitly, and clearly. It would not. I appreciate my colleagues asking the question and I appreciate our attorneys for giving us a direct answer. MPD will use this grant solely to investigate shootings that occur in Minneapolis.

Council member Schaefer [2:14:00]Grant application for national integrated ballistics information program (NIBIN) from US Department of Justice

the city isn't going to lose Nibben access by applying or not applying to this grant. Applying or not applying for this grant has no impact on the city's ability to access this system. the city can continue to do so by either finding a different source of money...

Council member Shug Tai [2:16:35]Grant application for national integrated ballistics information program (NIBIN) from US Department of Justice

the term illegal alien is not just a legal term of art. It's a slur. It is an absolute slur. Calling people illegal illegal aliens is dehumanizing, degrading, and it creates a permission structure for violence against them.

Council member Chowry [2:20:53]Grant application for national integrated ballistics information program (NIBIN) from US Department of Justice

My concern would have been if this is somehow attached to uh ICE enforcement or like some kind of immigration enforcement if it would have been something similar to that we had the right to reject that. Uh but this grant specifically have not said anything about immigrant enforcement.

Vice President Osman [2:21:40]Grant application for national integrated ballistics information program (NIBIN) from US Department of Justice

I'm profoundly concerned about how the federal government will assess this. ... this agenda is overtly authoritarian. It's overtly racist. They are pushing rhetoric around white genocide. It's disgusting. And all you have to do is look at the White House Twitter feed or the Department of Homeland Security's Twitter feed to see their Aryan propaganda around what kind of country they want to see for our for for for the rest of us. and I'm not even going to entertain attaching my name to that project.

President Payne [2:28:44]Grant application for national integrated ballistics information program (NIBIN) from US Department of Justice

During that search we found a really strong uh field of impressive candidates. Um and there was an individual who rose to the top uh and that's why we've nominated Dr. Reginald Freeman to the position of fire chief.

Mayor Fry [2:45:00]Mayor's nomination of Dr. Freeman to Fire Chief

While I still have reservations, I respect the confidence they have in his ability to lead. I would also encourage Dr. Freeman to take the time to learn from the people already serving in this department.

Council member Vita [2:47:11]Mayor's nomination of Dr. Freeman to Fire Chief

if we're saying that interdep departmentally when it comes to investing in individuals that are in our fire department in our police department in our emergency services department. If they don't have what it takes, that's our fault. That's not anybody else's fault but our own. So, we have to make those concrete investments to ensure that we're investing in our homegrown talent...

Council member Warren [2:52:16]Mayor's nomination of Dr. Freeman to Fire Chief