OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Public Health Safety and Equity Committee Meeting - June 17, 2026

City Council — Wednesday, June 17, 2026
BodyMinneapolis, Minnesota
SessionCity Council
DateWednesday, June 17, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:44:29
Transcript — Verbatim
0:31

Welcome to the regular meeting of the public health safety and equity committee for June 17, 2026.

0:37

I am Jason Chavez, the chair of this committee.

0:40

Before we begin the meeting, I want to offer a friendly reminder to all members, staff, and the public that these meetings are broadcast live to enable greater public participation.

0:50

These broadcasts include real-time captioning as a further method to increase the accessibility of our proceedings to the community.

0:57

Therefore, all speakers need to be mindful of the rate of their speech so that our captioners can fully capture and transcribe all comments for the broadcast.

1:04

We ask all speakers to moderate the speed and clarity of their comments.

1:08

At this time, I'll ask the clerk to call the roll so we can verify a quorum for this meeting.

1:14

Councilmember Payne.

1:16

Present.

1:18

Absent.

1:19

Rainville?

1:20

Present.

1:21

Vita.

1:22

Present.

1:23

Whiting.

1:24

Present.

1:24

Vice Chair Stevenson.

1:26

Absent.

1:27

Chair Chavez.

1:29

Present.

1:29

That is five members present.

1:31

Let the record reflect that we have a quorum.

1:34

And I'll let the public know that Councilmember Stevenson has joined us.

1:38

I'll remind my colleagues that we'll be using speaker management today.

1:41

So please make sure you're signed in.

1:43

Our agenda is in front of us, and we will begin with the consent agenda after our consent agenda.

1:48

We will then move on to the public hearings.

1:50

If you would like to speak during a public hearing and have not signed up yet, please see the clerks in the hall and register.

1:57

I'm gonna get my cue up.

2:00

Alright, colleagues.

2:01

On our consent agenda, item number four authorizes a revenue contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves to provide bomb detection security services at Target Center.

2:09

Item number five accepts the National Environmental Health Association and FDA retail flexible funding model grant to authorize an agreement for the grant.

2:19

Item number six accepts the Bloomberg Philanthropic grant for youth climate leadership and engagement and authorizes a contract for the grant.

2:27

Item seven and eight are gift accesses to attend conferences.

2:31

Item number nine through fourteen approval appointments to the advisory committee on people with disabilities, public health advisory committee, advisory committee on aging, homegrown food council, community commission on police oversight, and the safe and thriving communities work group.

2:45

Item number 15 authorizes an MOU with the University of Minnesota to work with capstone students.

2:52

Item 16 is the second request for an update on the status of a legislative directive regarding the city's data practices related to unlawful actions of federal agents.

3:39

Refer to staff the subject matter of an ordinance related to drug peripheral decriminalization and cannabis paraphernalia decriminalization.

3:47

Item 24 sets a public hearing for July 8th to consider the mayor's nomination of Caleb McConnell to appoint a position of civil rights department director.

3:56

Colleagues, is there any discussion or any items that anybody would like to pull for further discussion?

4:03

All right.

4:04

With that, I'll move items four through 15 and 17 through 24 approval.

4:09

I'll ask the clerk to receive and file number 16, postpone number 21, and refer staffs items 22 and 23 and set up public hearing for 24.

4:24

Are there any questions?

4:26

All right, all those in favor say aye.

4:28

Aye.

4:29

Those opposed say nay.

4:30

Any abstentions, and those motions carry.

4:34

Next, we'll take up our public hearings reflected in items one through three on the agenda.

4:40

Anybody who signed up for these items will be given two minutes each to testify.

4:44

I will ask to please keep it to two minutes.

4:47

If you go over two minutes, I usually let you slide with 10 more seconds, but after that, I will have to cut you off because we have a packed agenda and we have to follow our rules here.

4:57

If anyone has questions, please see our clerks at the registration table outside the hall.

5:01

For anyone in attendance, and especially those who may participate in our hearings or comment period, let me offer this notice.

5:08

These hearings are being recorded and broadcast.

5:11

Both the recording and the broadcast are classified as public data under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act.

5:17

By attending and participating in these proceedings, your image and testimony or information that you provide will also be subject to disclosure under that law.

5:26

That includes but is not limited to your tenants, your name, and other personal details you provide, as well as any testimony or comments you provide, which includes any written submissions you make, which are included in the record of this meeting.

5:38

Our first public hearing is to consider the mayor's nomination of Rachel Sayer to the appointed position of emergency management director.

5:45

To introduce this item, we have been joined by Mayor Fry.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Miscellaneous██████████████████████████26%
Cannabis Regulation█████████████████████21%
Community Engagement████████████████16%
Public Safety██████████10%
Racial Equity██████████10%
Procedural█████████9%
Pending Litigation██2%
Engineering And Infrastructure██2%
Engineering and Infrastructure██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Public Health Safety and Equity Committee Meeting - June 17, 2026

The Public Health Safety and Equity Committee, chaired by Councilmember Jason Chavez, met on June 17, 2026, at 6:31 PM. The meeting included a consent calendar, three public hearings, multiple policy items, and reports. Key outcomes included the unanimous approval of the Emergency Management Director nomination, a 6-1 vote to advance technical amendments on adult bathhouses, and approval of the Welcoming and Affirming Minneapolis and Recognizing All Genders ordinances.

Consent Calendar

  • Items 4 through 15 and 17 through 24 were approved without discussion. These included a revenue contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves for bomb detection, acceptance of grants (National Environmental Health Association, Bloomberg Philanthropic), appointments to advisory committees, and setting a public hearing for a civil rights director nomination. Item 16 (legislative directive on data practices) was received and filed, Item 21 was postponed, and Items 22-23 were referred to staff.

Public Hearing: Nomination of Rachel Sayer as Emergency Management Director

  • Mayor Jacob Frey introduced the nomination, praising Sayer's leadership during the Annunciation school shooting (August 27, 2025) and Operation Metro Surge. He highlighted her experience with USAID, including incident command during the 2023 Haiti disaster and leading humanitarian strategy for Ukraine in 2022.
  • Public Testimony: Three speakers supported the nomination:
    • Eric Waggie (Adams County Emergency Management Director) praised Sayer's ability to coordinate complex responses.
    • Michelle Sullivan (Resiliency and Recovery Director, Annunciation School) emphasized Sayer's compassionate support after the shooting.
    • Michelle Tram Marens (President, Minnesota Council Foundation) noted Sayer's coordination during Operation Metro Surge, including needs assessments for food, rental assistance, and mental health.
  • Nominee Statement: Rachel Sayer outlined her goals to make Minneapolis the most disaster-ready city in the country, focusing on training, community engagement, and trauma-informed response.
  • Council Questions: Councilmember Vita asked about reaching historically marginalized communities; Sayer highlighted the Father Project and resilience hubs. She identified elections, severe weather, and cyber attacks as top threats. Councilmember Rainville commended Sayer's report on $700 million in damages from federal actions and noted her department's cost-effectiveness.
  • Vote: The nomination was approved unanimously.

Public Hearing: Adult Bathhouses (Technical Amendments)

  • Background: Council President Payne summarized the discriminatory history of the 1988 ban, including a 1979 raid where 125 people were ticketed and 9 charged with sodomy. He noted that the amendments remove stigmatizing language and move building standards from the high-risk sexual conduct ordinance to the adult entertainment code, creating a pathway for future regulation but not immediately legalizing bathhouses.
  • Public Testimony: Twenty-six speakers registered; most spoke in favor:
    • Stacy Gurion Sherman (Ward 9) highlighted the community-led efforts of the Safer Sex Spaces Coalition.
    • Araceli Casasola (Ward 10) cited peer-reviewed research showing bathhouses reduce HIV transmission.
    • Dee (sex worker advocate) clarified that bathhouses are not brothels and are separate from sex work.
    • Several speakers (Grace, Reese Gray, Dr. Jay Orne) emphasized the need for safe, regulated spaces and the role of PrEP and U=U in public health.
    • Dylan Boyer (Aliveness Project) shared his personal experience of getting HIV tested at a bathhouse.
    • Patrick Scully (72-year-old gay man) recounted organizing the first safe sex parties after the ban.
    • Amber O'Neill (Ward 3) opposed, arguing that encouraging bathhouses is like promoting an unhealthy diet after raising a child healthily.
  • Council Discussion: Councilmember Whiting expressed support after community conversations, noting that regulated spaces are safer than underground ones. Councilmember Vita highlighted the need for public education on the step-by-step process. Councilmember Rainville voted no, citing confusion and wanting more conversations with authors.
  • Vote: The motion passed 6-1, with Councilmember Rainville opposed.

Public Hearing: Welcoming and Affirming Minneapolis Ordinance

  • Presentation: Councilmember Chavez explained that the ordinance codifies protections for the 2S LGBTQIA+ community, including gender-affirming care, all-gender restrooms, data privacy, and anti-discrimination measures. It establishes the city as a safe haven for gender-affirming and intersex care, prohibits city personnel from interfering with such care, and requires annual reporting on outreach efforts.
  • Public Testimony: Eight speakers testified in support:
    • Stacy Gurion Sherman referenced the poem "First They Came" and urged the council to speak up.
    • Araceli Casasola (trans teacher from Texas) shared her experience fleeing for safety.
    • Susan Herder (Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights) requested more time for the commission to review and provide feedback.
    • Nell and Chris (from Tigers) highlighted specific protections for intersex people, noting that intersex individuals make up about 1.5-2% of the population.
    • Kat Roan (Outfront Minnesota) emphasized that codification sends a lasting signal of support.
    • Becca (Transforming Families) noted that families are fleeing to Minneapolis for safety and that data privacy protections are critical.
  • Council Discussion: Councilmember Vita suggested delaying to allow the Civil Rights Commission more input. Chair Chavez agreed to meet but refused to remove protections for the LGBTQ+ community. The ordinance passed with no opposition.
  • Vote: 5 ayes (Payne, Vita, Whiting, Stevenson, Chavez); Wandsley and Rainville absent.

Public Hearing: Recognizing All Genders Ordinance

  • Presentation: Chair Chavez explained that the ordinance updates the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances to use gender-neutral language, replacing masculine/feminine/neuter references with language that recognizes all genders.
  • Public Testimony: Kat Roan spoke in support, noting that outdated gendered pronouns in city code, like referring to the CFO as "him," do not reflect current leadership or community.
  • Vote: Approved unanimously.

Discussion Items & Other Actions

  • Items 25-27 (Gender-Neutral Code, Restroom Access, Legislative Directive): Approved together without separate debate.
  • Item 28 - ShotSpotter Contract Amendment: Approved after discussion. Staff requested a one-year extension through March 21, 2027, to allow time for an audit report due in August. Councilmember Whiting confirmed the three-year language in the contract was a typo; the extension is for one year.
  • Item 29 - After-Action Services Contract: Approved without discussion, though Councilmember Chavez noted there was no funding for a prior after-action review.
  • Item 30 - Youth Coordinating Board Executive Director Report: Anna Grid, Mark Woods, and Salim Ali presented on the Minneapolis Youth Congress, highlighting youth needs for safety, third spaces, and meaningful engagement. They called for consistent and authentic youth involvement in policy-making. The report was received and filed.
  • Item 31 - Environmental Services Annual Report: Kelly Mulman presented on the inspections team, covering erosion control, noise permits, tank and well inspections, and service requests. Noise pollution was the largest complaint category. She noted a planned reduction from four to three inspectors by 2027. The report was received and filed.
  • Item 32 - Senior Resident Housing Stability Report: Received and filed without objection.

Key Outcomes

  • Rachel Sayer confirmed as Emergency Management Director.
  • Adult bathhouse ban technical amendments advanced to full council with a 6-1 vote.
  • Welcoming and Affirming Minneapolis Ordinance passed committee, heading to full council.
  • Recognizing All Genders Ordinance passed committee.
  • ShotSpotter contract extended one year pending audit.
  • Youth Coordinating Board and Environmental Services annual reports received and filed.

Meeting Transcript

Welcome to the regular meeting of the public health safety and equity committee for June 17, 2026. I am Jason Chavez, the chair of this committee. Before we begin the meeting, I want to offer a friendly reminder to all members, staff, and the public that these meetings are broadcast live to enable greater public participation. These broadcasts include real-time captioning as a further method to increase the accessibility of our proceedings to the community. Therefore, all speakers need to be mindful of the rate of their speech so that our captioners can fully capture and transcribe all comments for the broadcast. We ask all speakers to moderate the speed and clarity of their comments. At this time, I'll ask the clerk to call the roll so we can verify a quorum for this meeting. Councilmember Payne. Present. Absent. Rainville? Present. Vita. Present. Whiting. Present. Vice Chair Stevenson. Absent. Chair Chavez. Present. That is five members present. Let the record reflect that we have a quorum. And I'll let the public know that Councilmember Stevenson has joined us. I'll remind my colleagues that we'll be using speaker management today. So please make sure you're signed in. Our agenda is in front of us, and we will begin with the consent agenda after our consent agenda. We will then move on to the public hearings. If you would like to speak during a public hearing and have not signed up yet, please see the clerks in the hall and register. I'm gonna get my cue up. Alright, colleagues. On our consent agenda, item number four authorizes a revenue contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves to provide bomb detection security services at Target Center. Item number five accepts the National Environmental Health Association and FDA retail flexible funding model grant to authorize an agreement for the grant. Item number six accepts the Bloomberg Philanthropic grant for youth climate leadership and engagement and authorizes a contract for the grant. Item seven and eight are gift accesses to attend conferences. Item number nine through fourteen approval appointments to the advisory committee on people with disabilities, public health advisory committee, advisory committee on aging, homegrown food council, community commission on police oversight, and the safe and thriving communities work group. Item number 15 authorizes an MOU with the University of Minnesota to work with capstone students. Item 16 is the second request for an update on the status of a legislative directive regarding the city's data practices related to unlawful actions of federal agents. Refer to staff the subject matter of an ordinance related to drug peripheral decriminalization and cannabis paraphernalia decriminalization. Item 24 sets a public hearing for July 8th to consider the mayor's nomination of Caleb McConnell to appoint a position of civil rights department director. Colleagues, is there any discussion or any items that anybody would like to pull for further discussion? All right. With that, I'll move items four through 15 and 17 through 24 approval. I'll ask the clerk to receive and file number 16, postpone number 21, and refer staffs items 22 and 23 and set up public hearing for 24. Are there any questions? All right, all those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed say nay. Any abstentions, and those motions carry. Next, we'll take up our public hearings reflected in items one through three on the agenda. Anybody who signed up for these items will be given two minutes each to testify.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com