Officials with the city of Minneapolis and SEH engineering presented an overview of reconstruction plans for 37th Avenue NE at the Dec. 16, 2021, board meeting of the Waite Park Community Council.
Questions about ballot issues? City clerk explains proposed charter changes at neighborhood forum
The Waite Park Community Council invited neighbors to attend an online informational meeting on Thursday, Oct. 14, to learn about the three proposed charter amendments on the Nov. 2 city election ballot.
City Clerk Casey Carl presented information on each of the proposals before taking questions from attendees. Waite Park Community Council's aim for the meeting was to provide neighbors with information about the ballot language. The meeting was not be a forum to debate how attendees should vote.
About Casey Carl:
Casey Carl is the Minneapolis city clerk, a position he has held since August 2010. As clerk, his most important responsibility is administering elections and ensuring all voters have access to the ballot box. As the City’s records custodian and responsible authority, he also is tasked with providing management of the City’s information assets and making government data accessible to the public. Finally, he serves as the clerk and parliamentarian of the City Council and manages its legislative process.
Casey is a member of several professional industry organizations, including the International Institute of Municipal Clerks, the International Association of Governance Officials, the National Association of Election Officials, the National Association of Parliamentarians, and the Minnesota Clerks & Finance Officers Association, among others.
—Megan Ausen
Anti-racism conversation series concludes with focus on next steps for neighborhood
Waite Park community members gathered Sunday, October 3, to finish a six-month conversation series on anti-racism and discuss next steps on how the community can continue to challenge systemic white supremacy.
The gathering was an opportunity for participants to reflect on themes of the twice monthly meetings, which included topics such as raising anti-racist children, creating welcoming and inclusive neighborhoods, and challenging implicit bias.
The series was facilitated by artists and Waite Park neighbors, Shá Cage and E.G. Bailey of Freestyle Films and Trú Rúts. As experienced community organizers, healers, and conversation facilitators, they created space and invited guest facilitators to challenge the group to lean into the discomfort that talking about race creates to think creatively about ways to unlearn internalized racism.
The conversation series was funded by the Waite Park Community Council after community members suggested the idea to the board and more than 30 neighbors signed up to participate in the new initiative.
At the final, and only in-person gathering of the six month series, members of the group discussed ways to continue the momentum on working toward becoming a more anti-racist neighborhood. Stay tuned to the newsletters for opportunities to engage in conversation with neighbors.
—Hayley Nemmers