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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024.10.28 CCP STUDYCouncil Study Session City Hall Council Chambers October 28, 2024 AGE NDA 1.Call to Order - 6:00 p.m. 2.Council M iscellaneous Discussion Items a.Code of Conduct b.Brooklyn Center 2025 L egislative P latform - Staff request the council deliberate and discuss a draft legislative platform or agenda (legislative priorities) for the 2025 Minnesota Legislative Session. 3.City M anager M iscellaneous Discussion Items 4.Adjourn C ouncil Study Session DAT E:10/28/2024 TO :C ity C ouncil F R O M:D r. Reggie Edwards, City Manager T H R O U G H :N/A BY: S U B J E C T:C ode of C onduct B ackground: AT TA C H M E N TS : D escrip-on U pload D ate Type C ode of C onduct - proposed 10/24/2024 Backup M aterial C ouncil Study Session DAT E:10/28/2024 TO :C ity C ouncil F R O M:D r. Reggie Edwards, City Manager T H R O U G H :N/A BY: S U B J E C T:Brooklyn C enter 2025 L egis la.ve P la1orm B ackground: I n February 2024, the M innesota Legislature w ill s tart the 2024 L egis la.ve s ession, w hich w ill end by mid- May of this year. Each year the C ity develops and adopts a legisla.ve agenda for purposes of advoca.ng at the state and federal on is s ues that impact Brooklyn Center. W hile the City has annually developed a list of legisla.ve priori.es, w e have not developed an ongoing proces s for developing, execu.ng, monitoring, advoca.ng and fostering legis la.ve ac.on. S taff has developed a dra< legisla.ve process, w hich can be improved upon in years to come. I n prepara.on for a discussion regarding development and execu.on of the Brooklyn C enter 2024 Legisla.ve A genda the following documents are a=ached: 2024 – 2029 S trategic P lan 2024 Mock Up of L egis la.ve P riori.es (Based on 2023 Legisla.ve P riori.es ) Lis.ng of propos ed legisla.ve items (detailed descrip.ons will be forthcoming) D ra< A nnual Legisla.ve P roces s ( 2024-2025) North Metro M ayor ’s A s s ocia.on 2024 Legisla.ve P riori.es Brooklyn Park 2024 S tate and Federal L egis la.ve P riories Legisla.ve agenda items may originate internally or externally from partnering organiz a.ons . S taff desires to discuss with the Council the follow ing: Build agreement on an ongoing annual legisla.ve process (This process will be s ubject to modifica.on or improvement in years to come) D iscussion and P ropos e C hanges to the D ra< M ock U p of Legisla.ve P riori.es (Bas ed on 2023 Legisla.ve P riori.es ) D iscussion of new developing 2024 Legisla.ve I tems The ini.al steps of the process includes : G athering informa.on on various legis la.ve is s ues I den.fica.on of con.nuing and new legisla.ve issues Mee.ng with legisla.ve representa.ves at the s tate and federal levels A ligning advocacy on key is s ues with county and regional partners A dvoca.ng for legisla.ve items that benefit and strengthen the City of Brooklyn Center AT TA C H M E N TS : D escrip.on U pload D ate Type 2025 L egis la.ve S chedule D ra<10/24/2024 Cover Memo 2025 Brookyn C enter L egis la.ve P la1orm - D ra<10/24/2024 Backup M aterial BC Legislative Schedule – 2025 Legislative Session Dates Action Oct. 4 Internal Legislative Email – Directors Oct. 8 Internal Legislative Discussion – Directors Oct. 14 Internal Legislative Discussion – Council Study Session Oct. 25 Tour of BC Public Works Garage Oct. 22 Internal Legislative Discussion - Directors Oct. 28 Legislative Discussion – Council Study Session Nov. 1 Internal Draft of Legislative Priorities - Directors Nov. 7 Internal Final Draft of Legislative Priorities - Directors Nov. 12 Legislative Priorities Presentation – Council Work Session Nov. 20 Legislative Luncheon – Heritage Center Jan. 14 Legislative Session Begins Mar. 25 Legislative Update – Council Presentation May 19 2025 Legislative Session Ends Jun. 23 Legislative Debrief – Council Study Session Page 1 of 14 November 2024 January 2024 City of Brooklyn Center 20254 Legislative Agenda Formatted: Strikethrough Formatted: Strikethrough Page 2 of 14 Overview The City of Brooklyn Center works together with its partners to support proposals for new legislation in Minnesota designed to strengthen the community. The following list of legislative priorities and positions, along with those prepare by the Brooklyn Center Economic Development Authority (EDA), constitute Brooklyn Center's legislative agenda for the 2024 legislative session. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion The City of Brooklyn Center, with our rich racial, ethnic and demographic diversity is committed to supporting local, state and federal policies and investments that advance the goals of eliminating racial and economic disparities in areas such as housing, employment, transportation, health care, safety, etc., and works towards a more inclusive economy. Many of the detailed advocated for in this document strive to achieve these goals. Page 3 of 14 Administration • BCLG 01-20254 Official Notifications / Information Access – The City of Brooklyn Center supports the state in eliminating outdated and unnecessary publication requirements no longer relevant or representative of the City's technological capabilities. Justification – Currently, the state has laws mandating the City to establish an "official" or "qualified" newspaper for formal city notifications. The law specifies that cities designate only "one" newspaper; it must be printed in English, and if it is a daily newspaper, it must be distributed at least five days each week, etc. While the notification standards established in 1949 were well intended, they may not be complete or applicable to contemporary methods of communication or cost-efficient. • BCLG 02-20254 Election Judge Recruitment and Retention – The City of Brooklyn Center supports efforts by the state to amend regulations to eliminate the party balance requirement of appointed and hired staff administering absentee balloting before Election Day and for city special elections. We further recommend that the Legislature authorize time off for college students if they have been appointed to serve as an election judge. Justification – City elections are non-partisan and govern elections in a non-partisan manner. One of the City's strategic priorities is "community engagement across all segments of the City." The City desires to engage as many residents as possible in the election process. • BCLG 03-20254 Funding for Cultural Centers/Museums and Other Community Building Assets- the City of Brooklyn Center encourages the Legislature to provide funding and provide new rules that will support the establishment of Cultural Museum/Centers that reflect the unique traditions and values provided by immigrants, new Americans and diverse communities; thereby enriching the lives of all Minnesotans. Justification – As one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse communities in the State of Minnesota, we believe that this strength should be valued and shared. Various cultural organizations and groups would love the opportunity to collaborate with the government, non-profits, and others to share the benefits of their culture. We believe the state can play an extremely valuable role by providing funding to build capacity and facilitate opportunities for these groups to add to the culture of Minnesota in a lasting and meaningful way. We believe existing grant programs should be modified or new funding should be approved to encourage Cultural Centers, Museums, and Arts to support the goal of cultural inclusion and diversity in the state. Page 4 of 14 Essential Services • BCLG 04-20254 Brooklyn Center Public Works Garage – The City of Brooklyn Center supports increased state funding for transportation maintenance facilities, like the Brooklyn Center Public Works Garage, which provides critical regional services. The City of Brooklyn Center supports efforts of the State to increase funding for transportation operating and maintenance facilities, like the Brooklyn Center Public Works Garage, as these facilities perform critical regional services. • Justification – The 50-year-old Brooklyn Center Public Works garage is outdated, creating safety risks and operational inefficiencies. Its size and design limit the safe use of large equipment like snowplows and have insufficient space for modern upgrades, such as charging stations for an electrified fleet. Renovations are cost- prohibitive, with $3.5 million in deferred maintenance. Public Works operations are essential to regional mobility, including snow and ice control for areas like Shingle Creek Crossing, and aiding the movement of Brooklyn Center's significant essential worker population. Like many other cities across the State, Brooklyn Center’s Public Works garage has reached the end of its useful life. The current size and design of the building creates safety issues and does not support investments in modern equipment, like an electrified fleet and charging stations. Brooklyn Center Public Works operations are critical to the region, as the city crews performs important regionally significant tasks such as snow and ice control to ensure access to regional shopping centers like Shingle Creek Crossing. Housing and Development • BCLG 05-2024 - Ensure Housing Security - The pandemic has accelerated the impacts of an existing housing crisis and has exposed many people to an immediate housing emergency. Tools like aid for tenants and landlords, and funding for affordable housing are important for immediate relief and longer-term recovery. • BCLG 056-20254 Tenant Protections - The City of Brooklyn Center supports revising existing regulations that restrict local governments from enacting tenant protection measures. Further, the City of Brooklyn Center supports new legislation that clarifies and creates tools that support tenant protection measures, both locally and state-wide. These tools include but are not limited to, local authority to enact rent control, preveningprevent discrimination based on income sources, limiting tenant screening practices, preventing non-renewals of leases without just cause, and prevent retaliation by rental property owners. • BCLG 06-20254 Affordable Housing - The City of Brooklyn Center supports the creation of additional programs, tools, and funding that address the concentration of poverty and ensure the fair distribution of affordable housing opportunities across the Twin Cities metro. Specifically, the State should establish a housing tax credit contribution fund, increase funding for the Economic Development and Challenge Fund Grant program, and support dedicated funding for housing through bonding and general fund revenue. Justification – Vacancy rates remain low and the market is not keeping up with the demand for affordable housing options. Cities want to play a role in addressing this issue but lack the resources Page 5 of 14 and the flexible tools to create partnerships with public and private entities to ensure an adequate supply of affordable housing options. The City of Brooklyn Center wants to ensure that current and future policies are sensitive to ensuring all communities within the Twin Cities metro are absorbing affordable housing at an equal rate to avoid segregating certain populations or concentrating poverty. As it stands, the City of Brooklyn Center is a heavily tax burdened community and over 2% of its net tax capacity is in 4d properties. • BCLG 07-20254 Group Homes and Assisted Living Licensures – The City of Brooklyn Center believes current regulations for group homes disproportionately impact lower-income communities and communities of color. The City requests that the Legislature amend these regulations to address unintended consequences, including allowing certain non-first-class cities to establish density requirements and reinstituting the ability of a municipality to require a rental license . Currently, only cities of the first class (with populations over 100,000) have the authority to mandate a minimum distance of 1,320 feet (1/4 mile) from existing MDH Assisted Living facilities. There are no minimum distance requirements for DHS Community Residential Setting facilities. Justification – Our experience shows that single-family affordable housing neighborhoods attract investors looking to profit from establishing group homes. Brooklyn Center has seen a significant increase in the number of these homes. This concentration in lower-income neighborhoods limits homeownership opportunities and wealth accumulation for residents, and it can alter the character of the community. Additionally, these properties place a strain on local emergency response agencies, as they tend to generate a higher volume of service calls. According to MN Statutes 245A.11, subdivision 1, individuals residing in group homes cannot be excluded from the benefits of normal residential surroundings by municipal zoning ordinances or land use regulations. Group homes with a licensed capacity of 6 or fewer persons are permitted as single-family residential uses for zoning purposes, and as of May 18, 2024, state-licensed group homes with 6 or fewer persons are exempt from rental licensing requirements in Minnesota, including those licensed under Minnesota Statutes 144G.45 and 245D.02. The Commissioner of the Department of Health must consider the population, size, land use plan, availability of community services, and the number and size of existing licensed MDH Assisted Living facilities in any city where an applicant seeks to operate a facility; however, as of October 2024, Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park— the only two cities in Hennepin County with over 50% BIPOC populations—hold nearly 50% of all MDH Assisted Living licenses in Hennepin County. • BCLG 08-20254 Emergency Shelter/Transitional Housing Use in Hotels – The City of Brooklyn Center supports a more even distribution of emergency homeless shelters and transitional housing at area hotels and motels, as paid by voucher. Justification – The City of Brooklyn Center is home to 10 hotels; however, the City of Brooklyn Center has become increasingly aware of our hotels moving away from their original intended and approved use as a hotel facility and towards semi-permanent housing. In Brooklyn Center, hotels are lodging accommodations for stays of less than a month. The City is aware of hotels being purchased or considered for acquisition in the City for use as transitional housing. In the case of private ownership, this provides a guaranteed income stream by entering into a contract with county services. Removal of hotel accommodations from our City is not in alignment with the City’s goals for economic competitiveness and employment, of which in part Page 6 of 14 include the provision of accessible hotel accommodations to our City’s employment centers. As the City is built out, there are limited opportunities to provide quality accommodations for those visiting the area, and has resulted in the increased use of City resources. • BCLG 0911-20254 Building Officials – The City of Brooklyn Center supports efforts of the state to increase its efforts to train new and diverse building officials, and provide sufficient education to help local officials administer and enforce construction regulations. Justification – The City has established city priorities related to resident economic stability and the value of diversity and inclusion. There is a shortage of building officials in the state and a greater shortage of building officials of color. Sufficient funding and support by the state would permit the City and other cities to have access to a broader pool of candidates for building officials in the future. Business and Economic Development • BCLG 10-20254 Small Business Development – The city supports city and non-profit partnerships in developing small business centers, incubators, and other affordable commercial opportunities for small and BIPOC owned businesses. Agency’s such as African Career Education and Resources and CAPI USA provide support for small businesses and are critical in Brooklyn Center’s business community. • BCLG 11-20254 Business Tenant Protection – The city supports the state in creating more protection for tenants within commercial properties, with a focus on small lower-income businesses who are at greater risk of displacement. The City of Brooklyn Center has received more recent feedback relating to commercial tenants with challenging lease situation. • BCLG 12-20254 Youth Tax Credit – The City of Brooklyn Center supports efforts by the state to create an internship-to-work tax credit for organizations hosting young workers in Brooklyn Center. This type of tax credit program exists now but is targeted at Greater Minnesota. Justification – One of the City's strategic priorities is "Resident Economic Stability". This program would provide an incentive for businesses to participate in the BrookLynk Program of the Brooklyn Bridge Alliance. • BCLG 13-20254 Workforce Readiness – The City of Brooklyn Center supports efforts of the state to fund fully the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership and other workforce training programs. The City also supports the state in providing flexible funding to local workforce councils and pursuing creative programming and funding. Finally, the City supports efforts to design and implement programs designed to address youth employment and workforce readiness. Justification – One of the City's strategic priorities is "Resident Economic Stability". This program would provide an incentive for businesses to participate in the BrookLynk Program of the Brooklyn Bridge Alliance. This effort would also, support the City's strategic priority of "Resident Economic Page 7 of 14 Stability". • BCLG 14-20254 TIF District Flexibility - The City of Brooklyn Center generally supports efforts of the State to increase the flexibility of TIF to facilitate redevelopment and housing activities and supports creating special legislation that will allow for creation of two or more redevelopment TIF districts within the Opportunity Site.. Justification - In the Opportunity Site Redevelopment Area, The City has made significant investment in the acquisition and demolition of properties to achieve redevelopment goals laid out in the Master Plan. Market forces are also leading to significant delays in development of the property. Both factors a diminishing the effectiveness of TIF within the Opportunity Site. The City proposes special legislation that will allow for creation of one or more redevelopment TIF districts within the Opportunity Site ., even if those areas cannot qualify based on existing statutory requirements. • BCLG 15-20254 Opportunity Site Phase 1 Infrastructure Bonding - The City is requesting critical legislative funding that will fill gap funding necessary for the build out of Phase 1 of the Opportunity Site. The request is for $3,000,000 that will close the remaining funding gap allowing for the construction of infrastructure to phase 1 of the opportunity site. Justification – Phase 1 of the opportunity site will bring over 700 units of multifamily housing, local- oriented commercial business spaces, an event center and public gathering spaces. The city has already received $3.6 million in grants for the infrastructure and this final piece of state bonding would allow for construction to begin on the infrastructure. • BCLG 15-2024 TIF District Extension - The City supports creating special legislation that will allow for creation of one or more redevelopment TIF districts within the Opportunity Site. Justification - The City proposes special legislation that will allow for creation of one or more redevelopment TIF districts within the Opportunity Site., even if those areas cannot qualify based on existing statutory requirements. In addition, the City is requesting a 7-year extension to existing district No. 7’s term, 4 -year rule, and 5-year rule. This will provide more time to complete the project and provide for a full 26-year duration of increment collections from the project. The bill would also provide for flexibility in spending tax increments in the district since many of the buildings are already removed. Financial • BCLG 16-20254 (Metro Area Fiscal Disparities) 4D Transition Aid – The supports state funding for cities recovering tax losses due to 4D Transition Aid. Justification - Our region needs more units of affordable housing and deeper levels of affordability. Brooklyn Center supports initiatives to increase affordable housing supply in in the state. The recent legislative changes to the 4d tax classification however, disproportionality affects cities with several 4d properties whose tax bases are already stressed. Brooklyn Center is expected to lose over $250,000 in tax capacity over 2021 levels when the new rate is effective in 2025 (from non TIF-captured parcels). This translates to $145,388 in the City's portion of taxes assuming pay 2024 tax rates. The new bill does support transition aid in 2025 and 2026 for communities whose tax capacity in 4d property exceeds 2% of total tax capacity. Based on current calculations, Brooklyn Center is now Page 8 of 14 expecting $0 in aid under this program. The City supports increasing the transition aid to cover cost for the entire tax impact and extending the benefit past 2026.Justification - Our region needs more units of affordable housing and deeper levels of affordability. Brooklyn Center supports initiatives to increase affordable housing supply in in the state. The recent legislative changes to the 4d tax classification however, disproportionality affects cities with several 4d properties whose tax bases are already stressed. Brooklyn Center is expected to lose over $250,000 in tax capacity over 2021 levels when the new rate is effective in 2025 (from non TIF-captured parcels). This translates to $166,000 in the City's portion of taxes assuming pay 2023 tax rates. The new bill does support transition aid in 2025 and 2026 for communities whose tax capacity in 4d property exceeds 2% of total tax capacity. Based on current calculations, Brooklyn Center is expecting $4,231 in aid under this program. This represents only 2.5% of loss expected by Brooklyn Center. The City supports increasing the transition aid to cover cost for the entire tax impact and extending the benefit past 2026. • BCLG 17-20254 Metro Area Fiscal Disparities - Brooklyn Center was once a net contributor to the Fiscal Disparities pool. Today as a net recipient, the fiscal disparity is a major factor contributing to the fiscal stability of the City and our taxpayers. Without Fiscal Disparities, the property tax burden in Brooklyn Center would escalate dramatically, perhaps more than 25%. We strongly encourage continued legislative support for Metro Area Fiscal Disparities. • BCLG 18-20254 Sales Tax Exemption Simplification - We advocate for a way to simplify the utility of the current sales tax exemption for construction materials. The process for using the current sales tax exemption on construction is so complicated, risky, and burdensome to contractors and cities that we are aware of no city that has decided to use this exemption. In Brooklyn Center, we estimate savings of $300-$400 thousand annually for our neighborhood street and utility construction projects if the sales tax exemption was viable. • BCLG 19-20254 Property Tax Relief – The City of Brooklyn Center supports efforts of the state to increase property tax relief for property owners experiencing high tax burdens due to property tax shifts. Justification - The City has experienced significant shifts in tax capacity growth from commercial to residential properties throughout the years of the most recent economic recession. As a result, residential property owners have endured a tax shift burden. We expect this trend to continue for the coming years as housing values continue to recover and commercial and industrial market values normalize. • BCLG 20-20254 Local Government Aid - LGA – The City of Brooklyn Center supports the existing LGA funding formula as an appropriate mechanism to distribute LGA. The city supports adding an annual indexing factor to the formula. In addition, the city supports , support adding a racial and economic equity factor to the existing formula and opposes special funding using LGA funds. Justification – LGA has been cut for many years. The City’s budget stability continues to be dependent on LGA funding. Any changes in the formula or siphoning of funds from the overall pool for special projects may be detrimental to the City’s financial stability. Page 9 of 14 Health and Well-Being BCLG 21-2025 Racial Trauma Treatment - The City of Brooklyn Center supports the state supports the state adding “racial trauma” to eligible conditions for psychological condition treatment. Justification – Currently state statute stipulates that an employee seeking psychological condition treatment approval shall pay the employee’s full salary and employer-provided benefits. The state does not list “racial trauma” as an eligible condition for psychological condition treatment. Thereby, currently staff cannot receive pay or benefits during a time of seeking psychological condition treatment. According to the National Center for PTSD, (website: www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/types/racial_trauma.asp, October 2024), “Racial trauma can lead to an increased risk of physical and mental health problems. University of Georgia, Department of Psychology, (website: https://psychology.uga.edu./coping-racial- trauma, 2019), states “experiences with racial discrimination are associated with negative mental (e.g., depression, anxiety, hopelessness, violent behavior) and physical (e.g., hypertension, thickening and calcification of the arteries, and hear rate variability) health outcomes (https://www.semanticsscholar.org/papter/Percieved-descrimination-health-%3A-a-review.-Pascoe- Richman/886863c7ce89acfe9551d8fca9699381297cef52). Law Enforcement & Public Safety • BCLG 20251- Permanent Prevention and Intervention Public Safety Aid - The City supports extension and permanent funding of Public Safety Aid. Justification – In 2023, the State Legislature passed one-time funding “Public Safety Aid” for purposes of supporting public safety, including community violence prevention and intervention programs, community engagement; mental health crisis; victim serves; training programs; first responder- wellness; equipment related to fire, rescue, emergency services; or to pay other personnel or equipment costs. Public safety response strategies alone are not sustainable financially or to the well-being and health of humans. Cities, counties and communities have little to no abilities to fund the critical public safety strategies of prevention and intervention. Permanent funding of community-centered public safety prevention and intervention will lead to a more sustainable, healthier and well-being of people. • BCLG 23xx-2025 – Support for a Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) for Law Enforcement Officers - The City of Brooklyn Center supports the implementation of a Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) or a similar program for law enforcement officers in Minnesota. Such programs allow senior officers to retire while continuing to work and accrue retirement benefits, providing financial incentives for experienced officers to extend their careers. The City recognizes the value of maintaining a seasoned workforce and the potential benefits of retaining senior officers to support leadership continuity, mentorship of younger officers, and overall departmental stability. Justification - DROP programs have been successfully implemented in various states, encouraging veteran officers to remain in service for a few additional years, thereby alleviating immediate staffing challenges and ensuring that experienced officers can contribute to departmental objectives. A similar program in Minnesota could address ongoing recruitment and retention issues and enhance public safety by leveraging the skills of veteran officers. Page 10 of 14 • BCLG 24XX-2025 Presumption of Privacy for Body-Worn Cameras Used by Non-Sworn Staff - The City of Brooklyn Center supports extending the presumption of privacy for Body-Worn Camera (BWC) footage to non-sworn staff, in alignment with the current state law that protects BWC data collected by licensed peace officers. This expansion would ensure that BWC data recorded by non- sworn staff, such as community service officers or professional staff, is classified as private data, except when specifically required by law to be released. This adjustment aligns with the broader privacy protections afforded to law enforcement and supports the responsible use of technology to enhance public trust and safety without compromising individual privacy. Justification - BWCs have proven to be a valuable tool for transparency and accountability. However, it is important to extend the same privacy protections to non-sworn staff, as their roles also involve sensitive interactions with the public. This proposal ensures consistency in data classification and builds community trust while respecting privacy. • BCLG 252–20245 Race Identification on Driver’s License – The City support self-identified race designation on driver’s license. The City of Brooklyn Center supports legislative efforts to improve race-related data collection by offering individuals the option to self-identify their race on their driver’s license. This option should be voluntary and include safeguards to ensure that the data is used exclusively for the purpose of improving racial equity and reducing bias in law enforcement activities. Justification – A self-identified race designation on the driver's license will facilitate the automatic capture of accurate race-related police activity data. This will improve our capacity to capture information to develop policies and practices that reduce/eliminate racial bias and inequity in policing. Accurate race-related data is critical for assessing and addressing racial disparities in policing. Allowing individuals to self-identify their race on their driver’s license provides a more precise and voluntary method of data collection, supporting efforts to develop fair and equitable law enforcement practices. The City remains committed to reducing racial bias and inequity in policing through data-driven policies. • BCLG 263-20245 Cop Autism Response Education and Vitals AppTechnologies - The City of Brooklyn Center supports legislative funding for the expansion of the COP Autism Response Education (CARE) training model and VITALs app to better meet the needs of individuals on the Autism Spectrum and build more inclusive communities. the development and utilization of innovative technologies that improve public safety responses to individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). These technologies could include apps, sensory tools, or other support systems that enhance communication and understanding between first responders and individuals on the autism spectrum. Justification- Each year globally, an increasing number of children are being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. The State of Minnesota has the second-highest autism prevalence rate in the United States. Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder are valued members of our community and help to strengthen the City of Brooklyn Center, Unfortunately, individuals on the Autism Spectrum face significant barriers in utilizing emergency services due to sensory processing and Page 11 of 14 other characteristics that are included in the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. CARE and Vitals App are two significant tools that may be used to improve the efficacy and effectiveness of the emergency response to persons living in our community diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. As more individuals are diagnosed with ASD, first responders must be equipped with tools to provide appropriate and effective services. The use of supportive technologies can help bridge communication gaps and ensure safer, more inclusive responses for all community members, without prescribing a specific technology, such as the Vitals App, which may not be universally suitable. • BCLG 274-20245 - Juveniles in Municipal Jails – The City of Brooklyn Center supports efforts by the state to clarify state statutes that would allow juveniles to be held for questioning and booking in the City jail for up to six hours. Justification – The City would have more of an opportunity and time to work with a juvenile to resolve or remedy their situations before being transported to Hennepin County Jails should the state increase the max time juveniles may be held in a licensed municipal jail. • BCLG 285-20245 - 21st Century Policing – The City of Brooklyn Center supports action by the state to increase funding for peace officer training, peace officer wellness activities, and grants to the cities to deploy technologies such as dash and body-worn cameras, all of which align with the President's Task Force 21st Century Policing Report. The City of Brooklyn Center reaffirms its support for implementing the principles and strategies outlined in the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing and calls for sustained state funding to enhance training, officer wellness initiatives, and the adoption of modern policing technologies. This includes body-worn cameras, de-escalation techniques, and holistic safety approaches. The City encourages the integration of whole-of-government and whole-of-community strategies to achieve safe, healthy communities. Justification - The City initiated efforts to implement 21st Century Policing soon after the report was published. The City continues to develop and train peace officers under the report. Funding support from the state would help advantage and stretch the use of City resources. To date, the City has taken on the expense of such efforts at the City's expense. The recent report, Task Force on 21st Century Policing: A Renewed Call to Action (April 2023), emphasizes the need for transformation in policing through collaboration, public trust, and reducing the harm associated with aggressive enforcement. By focusing on community safety over crime suppression, and supporting training in de-escalation and other non-violent conflict resolution techniques, Brooklyn Center can ensure its officers are well-prepared to meet the demands of modern policing. Ongoing funding will allow the City to invest in technology, officer wellness programs, and community-led policing strategies, all of which align with the holistic safety model that prioritizes long-term trust and partnership between police and the community. • BCLG 296-20254 – Appropriation; Fencing Consortium - $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2024 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of public safety for a grant to the Fencing Consortium for acquisition of anti-scale fencing, pedestrian doors, and vehicle gates for local government facilities statewide to improve equitable access to a de-escalation and safety tool. Page 12 of 14 This appropriation is available until the project is completed or abandoned, subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.642. This is a onetime appropriation. Justification – Currently there is a consortium of Hennepin County cities participating in this joint effort. Having the state take the lead on this effort would benefit all entities across the State of Minnesota. • BCLG 3027-20254 Joint EOC and Indoor Regional Fire Training Facility (located in Brooklyn Park) – The city supports funding for Brooklyn Park’s regional joint emergency operations center and indoor fire training facility. Justification - There currently is no option for this type of training in the NW metro. Having this type of resource available to departments would be great in expanding fire training for our firefighters. The demand for this type of regional facility is in huge demand since many of our paid-on call firefighters have only a few years of service and very little real-life training. Brooklyn Center Fire Department would use this type of training facility many times annually. • BCLG 3128-20254 Regional Live Fire Training Facility (located in Dayton) – The city supports funding for the Dayton Regional live fire training facility. Justification - The Dayton facility will include a live burn tower where we can teach and learn with live fire training and operations from a multi-story training building. There currently is no option for this type of training in the NW metro. Having this type of resource available to departments would be great in expanding fire training for our firefighters. The demand for this type of regional facility is in huge demand since many of our paid-on call firefighters have only a few years of service and very little real-life training. Brooklyn Center Fire Department would use this type of training facility many times annually. • BCLG 3229-20254 Continued and increased funding to MNFIRE and MBFTE – The city supports continued and increased funding of MNFIRE and MBFE Justification - Both of these State funded programs offer resources to fire fighters and fire departments that are crucial for the wellbeing of our fire fighters. Brooklyn Center takes advantage of both of these programs annually and the extra resources are vital to our budget. MNFIRE is a wellbeing program that helps firefighters deal with top problems many fire fighters encounter while or after serving their community, such as cancer, sleep, emotional trauma, and nutrition. BCFD has been trained in all of their classes they currently offer for free. MBFTE give each city back training dollars and pays a majority of the initial firefighter training, again crucial for departments budgets to continue this. • BCLG 330-20254 Public Safety Responder Mental Health and Well-Being – The city supports creation and permanent funding for public safety responder mental health and well-being. Justification - During service to their community, front line first responders handle some of the most difficult calls. One call or the totality of calls in one’s career, can negatively impact their mental and physical health if not addressed properly. While we continue to normalize the conversations surrounding mental health, we must provide resources to first responder staff to live, work and retire Page 13 of 14 healthy. PTSD related retirements have grown exponentially in the recent years. PTSD is treatable; we need to ensure we are providing prevention, resiliency and treatment options for our first responders. Lithium-Ion Battery Safety – Lithium – ion batteries supply power to many kinds of devices, but if not properly handled can catch fire or explode. We want to ensure that firefighter training, fire suppression methods and fire codes are modernized as needed. Justification – Traditional firefighting techniques that use water to extinguish fire are inadequate when fighting these lithium-ion batteries. These fires in particular pose serious risks to life safety. Any legislation impacting the use or disposal of lithium-ion batteries, including requirements for EV charging stations should be vetted with input from MNFAC and the understanding of risks associated with the batteries, including thermal runaway, stranded energy, deep seated fire and generation of toxic and flammable gases.; Transportation • BCLG 341-20254 Highway 252/I-94 Project – The City of Brooklyn Center supports the State addressing the long-standing safety issues on Trunk Highway (TH) 252, while at the same time protecting human health, promoting regional equity, and enhancing the livability and prosperity of Brooklyn Center. Justification - The TH 252 corridor is dangerous by design. According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), the full length of Highway 252 and I-94 within the project area have a demonstrated crash problem and that crossing Highway 252, on foot or by bike, can be difficult due to the number of lanes, crossing distances, and busy intersections. Brooklyn Center has long advocated that the safety issues along the corridor must be addressed. However, the solution to the problem needs to ensure the project protects human health, promotes regional equity, and enhances the livability and prosperity of Brooklyn Center. Specifically, the City supports the following initiatives: o Using racial and economic equity factors when considering state and local cost shares for the Highway 252/I-94 Project. o Creating and funding strategies to mitigate the impact the project will have on the local tax base. • BCLG 352-20254 MVLST Funding - The City of Brooklyn Center supports including Hennepin County in the distribution of motor vehicle lease sales tax (MVLST). Justification - Hennepin County residents contribute substantially to the MVLST but State Law excludes the county from receiving funding from this transportation source. If included, Hennepin County would receive $10.4 million annually for roads, bridges, and pedestrian and bikeway projects. The rationale to exclude Hennepin and Ramsey counties from receiving MVLST formula funds was based on enabling new taxing authority through the creation of the County's Transit Improvement Board (CTIB). With CTIB's dissolution in 2017, this rationale for excluding Hennepin and Ramsey counties from receiving MVLST Formula funds has ceased to exist. Page 14 of 14 • BCLG 363-20254 Transportation Funding – The City of Brooklyn Center supports the state by providing more funding, including bonding, for improvements to all components of the transportation system. The City specifically supports funding for the TH 252/I-94 project and the Blue Line Light Rail Extension Justification – The City supports a well-funded regional transportation system. Additional funding by the Legislature would permit the City to access various funding sources from the Minnesota Department of Transportation for City projects. • BCLG 37XX-2025 City Cost Participation on State and County Roads – supports flexibility in, or exemption from, cost participation policies when a city cannot meet cost share obligations due to unique circumstances. The City calls for special or additional funding for cities that have burdens of additional cost participation in projects involving state and county roads including the placement of underground utilities due to those projects. Justification – When municipal state aid (MSA) eligible cities (those with populations greater than >5,000) face significant cost participation requirements related to state and county road projects, they commonly dedicate all or large portions of their available MSA to meet cost participation obligations. When this happens, MSA funds are not available for use on the MSA system within the city, and local taxpayers must fully fund their own local roads and stormwater infrastructure. This has been exacerbated by significant new transportation infrastructure investments on the trunk highway system authorized by the state and federal governments. Additionally, these state and county projects often present a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to replace or rehabilitate utilities under regional roadways, forcing cities to allocate resources immediately and defer more urgent utility infrastructure needs. “The one-size fits all” cost participation policies adopted by the state and counties are inequitable. They do not consider unique factors including a disproportionate number of trunk highway lane miles in some communities, the high cost of some projects, or tax base challenges that may limit the financial ability of some cities to pay. Cost participation obligations can consume the finances or debt capacity of communities for many years. Furthermore, regional agencies are mainly focused on facilitating travel and commerce through--and not into--a local community. Trends in cost share policies, including ownership and long-term maintenance of regional assets, continue to add to the local burden every time a cost share policy is updated or developed.