Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020 07-13 CCM Work SessionMINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL/ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA WORK SESSION JULY 13, 2020 CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center City Council/Economic Development Authority (EDA) met in Work Session called to order by Mayor/President Mike Elliott at 8:20 p.m. The meeting was conducted via Webex. ROLL CALL Mayor/President Mike Elliott and Councilmembers/Commissioners Marquita Butler, April Graves, Kris Lawrence -Anderson, and Dan Ryan. Also present were City Manager Curt Boganey, Deputy City Manager Reggie Edwards, Community Development Director Meg Beekman, City Cleric Barb Suciu, and City Attorney Troy Gilchrist. CHANGE THE NAME OF EARLS BROWN HERITAGE CENTER, EARLS BROWN DRIVE AND EARLS BROWN DAYS Mayor/President Elliott stated there is recognition unfolding across the country about America's past, which manifests people who represented racist ideas. He added there has been much discussion about this in the community, as statutes and monuments are being removed and places re -named. He noted there have been many examples of this, including the re -naming of Lake Calhoun to Lake Bde Mka Ska, Mayor/President Elliott stated the School District recently voted to re -name Earle Brown Elementary School to Brooklyn Center Elementary School. He added this is based on research by the author Elizabeth Dorsey Hadler, who concluded that Earle Brown, a Hennepin County Sheriff and candidate for Minnesota Governor, and who held many other prominent posts, had connections to the Ku Klux Klan in Minnesota. He noted the author has reached out to him directly to discuss this issue. Mayor/President Elliott stated Earle Brown Heritage Center, an enterprise business entity, is named after Earle Brown, as well as Earle Brown Drive and Earle Brown Days. He added decisions to remove Earle Brown's name from these entities will have an impact, but any questions about Earle Brown's involvement with the Ku Klux Klan could impact businesses that the City owns. Mayor/President Elliott stated the City Council should consider making a request to the University of Minnesota for information and data regarding Earle Brown in Minnesota. He added Earle Brown Farm was originally given to the University of Minnesota, and then 07/13/20 -1- transferred to the City of Brooklyn Center. He noted he would like to give the author the opportunity to come before the City Council and shed some light on her research. Councilmember/Commissioner Ryan stated he appreciates this discussion. He added he also appreciates that Mayor/President Elliott brought up the re -naming of Lake Calhoun, as there is no issue about who John Calhoun was or what he represented, as he was a U.S. Vice President and also a Senator with very strong ties to a powerful block of southern states that justified slavery and worked effectively to expand slavery. He noted it was entirely appropriate to have his name removed from Bde Mka Ska in Minneapolis. Councilmember/Commissioner Ryan stated the question is, who was Earle Brown. He added if the public believes that Earle Brown was involved with the Ku Klux Klan, then the City Council should act on this rather than acting against public opinion. He added he hopes there will be more information and evidence to deal with this issue. He noted he would not be opposed to changing the name if Earle Brown was that kind of a person. Councilmember/Commissioner Graves stated she forwarded an article a few weeks back about the School Board's decision to change the name of the school. She added she is happy to see this on the Agenda. She noted she does not know all of the historical background of Earle Brown but felt somewhat skeptical about his character based on the history that she is aware of. Councilmember/Commissioner Graves stated there is a long history of connections to the Earle Brown name in Brooklyn Center, including farm emblems on street signs. She added it is prudent to discuss this issue and she would be interested in replacing the name. She noted there was discussion a few years ago about changing the name of Earle Brown Days, because the community has changed since that event started. Councilmember/Commissioner Graves stated she is not opposed to getting a report from the author although she does not need more convincing. She added, without any additional information, she has felt intuitively uncomfortable about the symbolism of Earle Brown around the City. She noted the community is speaking up about it now, and she is interested in making these changes, with the assurance that the community is part of the discussion and process. Councilmember/Commissioner Lawrence -Anderson stated she was not fully aware of all of Earle Brown's activities. She added there were positive things that he did throughout the course of his life. She noted if there is enough disparaging information, whether or not he was an active member of the Ku Klux Klan, it is a moot point and warrants a name change. She added she is supportive of whatever the City Council wants to do. Councilmember/Commissioner Lawrence -Anderson stated Councilmember/Commissioner Graves mentioned community engagement around the topic of changing the names. She asked whether the City Council would make the decision, or seek community input. She added, if the name is changed, it would be a good idea to include "formerly known as" to link the enterprise business to its former name, so people can still find it online. She noted she is amiable to changing the name if that is the consensus of the City Council, but she would also like to get community feedback, and if there are any ideas about what the new name should be. 07/13/20 -2- Councilmember/ Commissioner Butler stated she appreciates the fact that the School Board made the name change for the school. She added having the research presented to the City Council would be helpful, and she would appreciate that approach. Mayor/President Elliott agreed to reach out to the author to try to schedule a meeting with her. Councilmember/Commissioner Ryan stated the staff report included a link for a website that referred to historians who criticized this research. He added it was not a secure website, so he did not access the link. He noted he intends to go to the library to do some further research. Councilmember/Commissioner Ryan stated if there is a strong link between Earle Brown and the 'Cu Klux Klan, obviously the City should make the change. ZOOM MEETINGS Mayor/President Elliott asked whether City Staff intends to make the change from Webex to Zoom for online meetings. Mr. Boganey stated the City has contracted for a Zoom account. He added he wanted to ensure that is the preference of the City Council before making the change. Mayor/President Elliott stated he supports making the change to Zoom. He added he has received feedback from community groups and people who have presented over Webex that we should consider switching to Zoom. Councilmember/Commissioner Graves stated she supports switching to Zoom. She added it has more capabilities and she is more familiar with it. Councilmember/Commissioner Ryan stated he is a little out of his league, but he is amenable to any recommendations. Mr. Boganey stated at least three Councilmember/Commissioners have expressed support for switching to Zoom, and that is sufficient. He added he has participated in Zoom conferences and they seem to work more efficiently. He noted members of the community have expressed a preference for Zoom as well. EARLE BROWN DISCUSSION -CONTINUED Mayor/President Elliott called for additional comments. Councilmember/Commissioner Lawrence -Anderson stated, with regard to Councilmember/Commissioner Ryan's comments about the website link, she did not access the site via link, but typed the name into her Google search bar and came up with the correct website. Councilmember/Commissioner Ryan stated he appreciates the help. He added, once this has been established, the decision becomes pretty clear. 07/13/20 -3- Mayor/President Elliott stated people who are doing an online search for Earle Brown Heritage Center will be presented with that link as well. He added it is prudent to take action on this issue. Councilmember/Commissioner Ryan stated this is an opportunity for a unique public service. He added, should the evidence suggest the worst case about this historical figure, the City can illustrate the malevolence of racist ideology while at the same time acknowledging the historical contributions of this character. He noted there are a great many examples of this type of historical figure, including Thomas Jefferson, who did a great service to the republic, but also some of the greatest disservice because of racist ideology. He expressed the importance of this great learning opportunity for the City and for posterity. PREVIEW BEYOND COVID-19 PROCESS Mr. Boganey stated Dr. Edwards has joined the meeting to give a presentation. Deputy City Manager Reggie Edwards gave a presentation on City Staffs efforts to use the innovation approach to look at how Covid49 is affecting the community and identify ways to change some City services to provide more value to residents. He added City services may need to change to respond to conditions created by Covid4 9. He noted the way services are delivered to residents may need to change as well. Dr. Edwards stated a group of 23 staff members have been meeting over the past several weeks, talking to the community and gathering feedback, doing research and brainstorming. He added the group came up with 70 innovative ideas in 7 different areas of consideration, and ultimately narrowed this down to 4 ideas: 2 new services; 1 redesign of current service; and 1 service delivery. He noted the hope is to pilot test these innovations to determine effectiveness and potential implementation on a long-term basis. Dr. Edwards stated no action is required from the City Council. He added there are issues related to cost, funding and sustainability before specific recommendations can be made. Dr. Edwards stated he may have technical difficulties, as he is currently in an RV on a family vacation in the Rockies in Colorado. He reviewed a presentation on the work done by City Staff to put this together in a short period of time. He added City Staff displayed an impressive culture of innovation, especially during the unprecedented pandemic, unlike anything we have seen. Dr. Edwards stated Brooklyn Center residents have indicated that their households and businesses have been fundamentally changed. He added now life is different, but the City must Find innovative ways to provide services and programs to the community in these difficult times. He noted the key idea is innovation, or creating something new, which was also a process for City Staff. A multi -departmental group of staff members brought different elements of the organization together. Dr. Edwards stated grant funding for nonprofit organizations was discussed as a potential model, including challenges, opportunities and observations. He added staff interviewed senior citizens 07/13/20 -4- and youth, to get the best perspective in a short period of time. He noted they tried to hear with their ears, but also their hearts, and what they heard was that this has been a very difficult time, and families face multi -faceted problems. Dr. Edwards stated City Staff decided on four initiatives for presentation to the City Council, 1. Community services for seniors —increased availability of community programs would promote connectivity and reduce the sense of isolation felt by many of the community's seniors. New and innovative ways of bringing activities and services to seniors will be sought due to COVID49. This pilot will include recreation programming, connecting seniors with families, mobility services, and increased access to essential programs. Applications from seniors will be downloaded onto Wads to allow them to connect and work with. City Staff and other partners. 2. Internet access in neighborhood parks —internet access and connectivity are significant challenges for many families. Staff reviewed ways to provide internet access at a time when people are looking for jobs, doing homework, and trying to stay socially connected. Internet access brings connectedness, gathering and socialization while addressing isolation, income issues and the digital divide. There are 17 parks in Brooklyn Center, and all but one of the parks is within a 2-minute walk of a residential property. A pilot program is being considered at Firehouse Park due to internet access and a park shelter in that location. The pilot program would eventually be rolled out to all the City's parks. Year-round wi-fi access and types of shelters are being reviewed and considered. 3. New services —residents indicated that they do not have access to the resources they need. This pilot initiative would provide access and resources to residents, bringing out skills and investing in talent that already exist in the community. Innovations can help solve neighborhood problems by empowering residents to use existing skill sets to aid each other. This initiative would be project -based with funding similar to that which was set up for non- profit organizations and small businesses affected by COVID49. It is hoped that this initiative will pilot by October 2020 for one year, with a rolling grant application to be reviewed internally. 4. Community food collective —City Staff heard fiom many residents who did not have access to affordable, healthy food. When City Staff talked to food vendors who received grant funding, they indicated that they saw people they had never seen before, who are experiencing this for the first time. This plan includes a year-round greenhouse garden where food can be grown that is healthy and culturally appropriate and provided to food shelves or directly to residents. The pilot program would be supported by research, design and expertise from the University of Minnesota, and would include classes, workshops as well as support for access to resources. Centennial Park is being considered for this initiative, as it is close to utilities and 07/13/20 -5- has parking and restrooms. Solar energy, recycling water and other environmentally sustainable methods are being considered. Dr. Edwards stated staff members have joined us for this presentation and are prepared to answer questions. He added he is a small mouthpiece for the immense amount of work that has been done by City Staff in planning these pilot initiatives. Councilmember/Commissioner Butler thanked Dr. Edwards for being available while on his vacation. She added she is extremely impressed by the thorough presentation and foresight of City Staff. She noted those, like herself, who are leaders in organizations are being tasked with being imaginative and forward -thinking, as COVID49 is not going away any time soon. She thanked City Staff and Dr. Edwards for bringing the pilot initiatives forward. Councilmember/Commissioner Lawrence -Anderson stated she is also extremely impressed with the presentation, and especially excited about the greenhouse concept, which is extremely innovative and much needed in the community. She added she attends the farmer's market in the summer months and loves to get fresh produce. She noted it would be a great complement to the neighborhood garden. Councilmember/Commissioner Lawrence -Anderson stated she supports the idea of classes, and teaching people about gardening. She added the rest of the presentation was great. Councilmember/Commissioner Graves stated she is excited too, and grateful to Dr. Edwards for taking the time during his vacation to give the presentation. She thanked all the other staff who have worked on this. She added Dr. Edwards always does a good job of being attentive and innovative. She noted she is excited to see what is next and whether the pilots might turn into some substantial growth. Councilmember/Commissioner Ryan stated he appreciates the work that is being done by Dr. Edwards. He added he has always been struck by Dr. Edward's commitment to thorough research and bringing items to the City Council that can be brought to fruition. He noted he really appreciated the report. Mayor/President Elliott thanked Dr. Edwards for his presentation. He added the City Council held a retreat before the COVID-19 pandemic, and innovation was something that they agreed to be guided by. He noted this is a good example of moving toward becoming a more innovative City. Major Elliott stated he fully endorses the greenhouse idea, which is a great opportunity to get the community involved. Mr. Boganey thanked the City Council for their feedback. He thanked Dr. Edwards for his hard work, and for giving this presentation while on vacation. He also thanked all City Staff who worked together diligently to bring this forward, adding he is impressed with the results, and appreciates the great work that has been done. 07/13/20 -6- ADJOURNMENT Councilmember/Commissioner Lawrence -Anderson moved and Counciimember/Commissioner Butler seconded adjournment of the City Council/Economic Development Authority Work Session at 9:20 p.m. Motion passed unanimously. STATE OF MINNESOTA) COUNTY OF HENNEPIN) ss. Certification of Minutes CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER) The undersigned, being the duly qualified and appointed City Clerk of the City of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, certifies: 1. That attached hereto is a full, true, and complete transcript of the minutes of a Work Session of the City Council of the City of Brooklyn Center held on July 13, 2020. 2. That said meeting was held pursuant to due call and notice thereof and was duly held at Brooklyn Center City Hall, 3. That the City Council adopted said minutes at its July 27, 2020, Regular Session. F Barbara Suciu, City Clerk Mike Elliott, Mayor 07/13/20 -7-