June 30, 2008
City council actions
Steve Pease
Absent: Paul Ostrow (1st Ward)
Council opts against repealing lurking ordinance
There was great debate whether the city’s lurking ordinance should be repealed, but in the end the City Council voted against taking it off the city’s books.
Council Member Cam Gordon (2nd Ward) argued it should repealed due to a very low conviction rate and questionable enforcement of the law.
An amendment that would have repealed lurking, and instead beef up the loitering ordinance to fight suspicious practices, was defeated 7-5. Council Members Elizabeth Glidden (8th Ward), Ralph Remington (10th Ward), Scott Benson (11th Ward) and Betsy Hodges (13th) supported a repeal.
Remington noted that the bigger issue is making sure the police are being fair.
“If bad cops want to stop you because you’re black, poor, homeless and otherwise, they’re going to do it,” Remington said. “Repealing the lurking law is a band-aid over a bleeding ulcer.”
Council President Barbara Johnson (4th Ward) said, however, said that the lurking ordinance should stay intact because she personally knows 10 people — including state Rep. Willie Dominguez, (DFL-58B) — who, within the last year, were held at gunpoint by someone who was lurking.
Gordon, who has pushed for years to repeal the lurking ordinance, noted that in 2007, only 25 percent of lurking arrests resulted in convictions — the lowest rate among livability crimes.
In keeping with the notion of reform in police practices, Council Member Gary Schiff (6th Ward) said the Council was at the very tough intersection of safety and justice.
“Anytime we only have a 25 percent conviction rate we’re wasting our time,” Schiff said. “Either we aren’t applying this law correctly, or this is a bad law.”
Canines now welcome at outdoor cafés
On “Take Your Dog to Work Day” June 20, the Council unanimously decided it was a good idea to allow licensed and leashed dogs to accompany their owners to sidewalk cafés.
“It’s a very tail-wagging, feel-good kind-of-thing,” Council Member Lisa Goodman (7th Ward) said of her hard-fought ordinance change.
Goodman dismissed arguments against the change, saying it allows Minneapolis to sit alongside other progressive, metropolitan cities such as New York that allow dogs at sidewalk cafés.
“This is not a solution in search of a problem,” Goodman said.
Dogs will not be allowed to sit on tables or chairs, nor will they be able to eat of off plates or drink out of bowls.
“All over the world, dogs are companions of many people and come to public places,” Goodman said, the proud owner of a Goldendoodle.
Preparing for the Republican convention
The City Council OK’d a change in language, slightly broadening police rights regarding protests and finalized the extension of bar time to 4 a.m. Downtown during the Republican National Convention (RNC) in September.
An amendment exchanged the word “minimal” for “reasonable” in the sentence: “MPD officer taking enforcement actions against participants in a public assembly will use the reasonable level of force required to effect such enforcement actions.”
Assistant Police Chief Sharon Lubinski, who requested the changes, also asked — and was granted — that officers only be required to provide written notice alerting protesters who are arrested of the Civilian Police Review Authority and Internal Affairs Unit if they ask for it.
The Council also gave the go ahead to licensed Downtown businesses and any city hotel that wishes to serve alcohol until 4 a.m., Sept. 1–5 during the RNC. But they must first fork over up to $2,500 to do so.
Businesses must already have a liquor license, be in good standing, and have a security plan, the Council resolution stipulated.
The once contentious topic passed, 9-3, with Gordon, Glidden and Hodges (13th Ward) voting against the measure.
Council talks trash
Minneapolis Council Members were faced with a big, smelly, dilemma June 20 — grant a 6.5 percent salary increase to Minneapolis Refuse Inc. (MRI) garbage haulers or find another company and risk a stinky city in mid-July.
MRI, responsible for half of Minneapolis trash pickup (mostly the city’s north Side), requested the increase for a seventh month contract. Many Council Members did not agree with the contract extension because they would like to seek outside bids despite the fact MRI offered another year contract with no salary increase. In the end, Council Members acquiesced, 8-4, with Benson, Remington, Schiff and Goodman voting against the measure.
“As with many garbage contracts, in many cities, this system smells,” Goodman said.