HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-05-04 City Council Work Session MinutesMINUTES
OF THE EDINA CITY COUNCIL
WORK SESSION
VIRTUAL MEETING
TUESDAY, MAY 4, 2021
5:30 P.M.
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Hovland called the meeting to order at 5:37 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Answering roll call were Members Anderson, Jackson, Pierce, Staunton, and Mayor Hovland.
Staff in attendance: Scott Neal, City Manager; Jeff Brown, Community Health Administrator; Heidi Lee, Race and
Equity Coordinator; Ryan Browning, IT Director; Risi Karim, City Management Fellow; Jennifer Garske, Executive
Assistant; and Sharon Allison, City Clerk.
JOINT MEETING: COMMUNITY HEALTH COMMISSION
Chair Selleys reviewed the commission’s work plan as follow:
• Initiative #1) Study and report the benefits of social connectedness, including examples of locally focused
initiatives from around the state/country to reduce social isolation. Commissioner King-Lowe reported
on an app that individuals could use to share their personal information with first responders. He said
communities using the app have had positive experience with it.
• Initiative #2) Study and report possible City actions, policies, or code changes regarding smoking activity
in multi-unit properties. Include local and national examples. Commissioner Hawkins reported that they
have met with property owners in Edina who are supportive of a smoke-free ordinance, and with the City
of Bloomington whose ordinance is almost completed. Hawkins said this is not a common ordinance and
there are nuances such as medical marijuana use.
• Initiative #3) Study and report on existing programs in Edina and Hennepin County regarding opioid use.
Provide examples of efforts to increase public awareness of existing programs. Commissioner Wright said
after research, in addition to Edina’s first responders use of Narcon, they would be recommending that
the City use its website to increase awareness and make it easier for people to find locations where they
can dispose of opioids.
The Council asked if the commission could move mental health issues from their parking lot to their work plan
and Chair Selleys thought they could fit it in to their 2021 work plan.
In attendance for the commission were Chair Julia Selleys, Vice Chair Andrew Hawkins, Greg Wright, Isadora Li,
Philip King-Lowe, Mary Absolon, Michael Wood, Ellie Mullen, and Robert Loesch.
JOINT MEETING: HUMAN RIGHTS AND RELATIONS COMMISSION
Chair Epstein reviewed the commission’s work plan as follow:
• Initiative #1) Coordinate Days of Remembrance Recognition was being scheduled for June or July 2021 as
a virtual or hybrid event.
• Initiative #2) Tom Oye Award: Coordinate and select one recipient for the 2021 Tom Oye Award. The
award presentation would be scheduled for a December 2021 Council meeting.
• Initiative #3) Coordinate 2021 “Sharing Values, Sharing Communities” event focused on Race, Justice, and
Policing tied to Initiative #4. An event with speakers was being planned for this fall.
• Initiative #4) Complete community conversations about Race, Justice and Policing that began in 2020. This
was being planned in conjunction with Initiative #3.
Edina City Council Work Session Meeting, May 4, 2021
• Initiative #5) Bias Offense & Incident Response Plan Review and meet with police department representative
quarterly for updates. The Plan was scheduled for Council approval at its regular meeting following this
work session, and the police chief now meets quarterly with the HRRC.
• Initiative #6) Review and comment on staff proposed plan to identify barriers for participation and reach
communities of color through different modes and feedback. Staff was in the process of drafting the plan.
The Council expressed concerns that Initiatives #3 and #4 were conversational rather than taking action towards
local reform. The Council recommended a joint commission meeting of the Human Rights and Relations and
Community Health Commissions with the police department to discuss 21st century policing.
In attendance for the commission were Chair Michael Epstein, Vice Chair Jasmine Brett Stringer Moore, and Joni
Bennett.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Hovland adjourned the meeting at 6:35 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, __________________________________________
Sharon Allison, City Clerk
Minutes approved by the Edina City Council, May 18, 2021.
___________________________________________
James B. Hovland, Mayor