Week of October 26th
Published: 2 days ago | Author: Council Member Michael Rainville
Council Member Michael Rainville
October 30th, 2026
Message from Council Member Rainville
Hello to all my 3rd Ward neighbors,
This week I will give you an update on the progress of the budget journey. At the council meeting we passed a resolution expressing the council’s intent to apply any government restructuring (merging departments and layoffs) savings to be applied to reducing the property tax levy. The discussion that followed was a strong commitment by all council members to adjust the budget levy of 11.8% lower while admitting we will have to compromise between the cuts needed to lower the proposed tax increase while restoring some of the cuts that are important to them.
Here are the budget presentations the City Council heard this week:
- Performance Management and Innovation Budget Presentation
- Public Works Budget Presentation
- Information Technology Budget Presentation
- Technology Improvement Plan Budget Presentation
- Capital and Debt Budget Overview Presentation
As always Mike, Patrick and I are here to serve you. We can be reached at ward3@minneapolismn.gov. Please report all issues to 311 before contacting us so there is a paper trail and staff are already aware of the issue when we speak with them. You can contact 311 by simply dialing 311, email them at Minneapolis311@minneapolismn.gov or by submitting a 311 Contact Form.
Your neighbor,
Michael
- When you change your clocks, check your smoke alarms
- Be ready for Election Day
- Minneapolis sets early voting record for non-presidential election year
- Family Gathering Concert Series continues Oct. 31 at The Cedar Cultural Center
- Minneapolis Amplified: TAP IN Kitchen & Cocktails
- Influence investment in the City’s parks, streets and public facilities
- City of Minneapolis funds, hosts community solar garden to lower residents’ energy bills
- Minneapolis firefighter takes third place at world championships
- Register for the Public Health Community Institute
- Keep your kids and family safe from lead
When you change your clocks, check your smoke alarms
The National Fire Protection Association reports that 71% of non‑working smoke alarms had battery issues. When you “turn back” your clocks on Sunday, Nov. 1, take a few minutes to replace the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms, too.
Smoke alarms are important because smoke spreads quickly and fire doubles in size every minute. Smoke alarms give you the critical seconds you need to escape and call 911 if a fire starts in your home.
Carbon monoxide (CO) alarms detect the invisible, odorless gas that can be fatal, especially during the winter season when using heat.
How to act when you “turn back”
- Set your clocks back one hour.
- Change your smoke alarm batteries at least once a year. Make a habit of replacing batteries each fall and spring during daylight saving time.
- Replace the whole smoke alarm if it is more than ten years old. See the manufacturer’s date on the back of the smoke alarm.
- Test all smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
- Review your home fire safety plan including the escape routes and meeting location.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm tips from the Minnesota State Fire Marshal
- Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.
- Interconnect your home’s smoke alarms. This way, when one sounds, they all sound.
- Teach children the sound of the smoke alarm and to exit the home or building when it sounds.
- Place alarms on the ceiling. If alarms are placed on the wall, they must be no more than 12 inches below the ceiling.
- Always follow the manufacturer's recommendations that are included in your alarm's instructions.
- Make sure you test your smoke alarms every month by pressing the test button.
- Even hard-wired alarms need fresh batteries.
Be ready for Election Day
Nov. 3 is Election Day in Minneapolis. After the City’s Early Vote Center closes at 5 p.m. Nov. 2, any voters who still haven’t voted can only do so at their assigned polling place or by dropping off a completed mail ballot at the City’s election office. All polling places are open Nov. 3 from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Anyone in line to vote by 8 p.m. Nov. 3 will still have the opportunity to vote.
Find the right polling place
Voters who plan to vote on Election Day should find out the location of their polling place. They can look for their polling place on the Secretary of State website.
Confirm a mail ballot was received
Voters who completed and mailed back their early ballots should check the online ballot tracking tool the morning of Nov. 3. If the tracking tool indicates that their ballot has not yet been accepted, they should look up their polling place and go vote in person.
Voters can vote in person as long as election officials have not yet received and counted their mail ballots. Elections staff at polling places check to see if they’ve received and counted mail ballots from voters who want to vote in person. Voters are given ballots as long as the City has not received and counted mail ballots from them. Any uncounted mail ballots from people who have voted in person will be cancelled and not counted (even if election officials receive it later).
Any Minneapolis voter who has a completed mail ballot should not mail it in at this point. Instead, mail ballots can be dropped off during voting hours at any Minneapolis Early Voting location. Or, on Election Day Nov. 3, ballots can be dropped off from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services, 980 E. Hennepin Ave., or the Hennepin County Government Center, 300 Sixth St. S. Mail ballots cannot be accepted at polling places on Election Day.
Voters can bring materials into the polls to help complete their ballots, and the sample ballot is the single best tool for this. Find sample ballots for all Minneapolis precincts on the City website.
Video
Voting in Minneapolis is safe, and there are security measures in place. You can vote at your polling place, or you can still vote early in person through Nov. 2. Watch the video on YouTube.
Find information about registering and voting in Minneapolis on the City website.
How to help
Every election year, Minneapolis sees strong voter turnout and residents who step up. From offering a ride to the polls, to sharing information across languages, you can use our guide for simple, nonpartisan ways to support voters. Download the guide in multiple languages.
Remember, polling places — and within 100 feet — are reserved for voters and people helping them vote.
How to identify an election judge
If you need any help while you’re out voting, just ask an election judge. They’ll be inside and outside polling places to make sure voters have access to their ballot. Minneapolis election judges outside of the polling place will be wearing a light blue safety vest with a City of Minneapolis logo. Election judges inside the polling place will have clearly visible identifying lanyards.
We’re fully staffed and ready to help you vote. Let’s work together to help ensure a smooth and accessible election for all.
Minneapolis sets early voting record for non-presidential election year
With less than a week to go until Election Day, a record-setting number of Minneapolis voters have made their voices heard by casting their ballots. Minneapolis Elections & Voters Services has accepted 52,661 ballots as of Wednesday, Oct. 28. The previous record was set in 2018 when 52,313 early/absentee ballots were cast.
This year’s numbers represent a 79.8% increase in early vote turnout so far compared to 2022.
By the numbers
- At this point during the 2022 Gubernatorial Election, 29,290 ballots had been accepted.
- At this point during the 2018 Gubernatorial Election, 28,896 ballots had been accepted.
The Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services Division is responsible for administering elections in the City of Minneapolis. Find information about registering and voting in Minneapolis on the City website.
Family Gathering Concert Series continues Oct. 31 at The Cedar Cultural Center
Bring the kids for a free morning of live music, creative activities and fun.
Family Gathering Concert Series: The Cactus Blossoms and Laamar 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31 The Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Ave.
The series is produced in collaboration with the Minnesota Independent Venue Alliance and funded by the City of Minneapolis through Minneapolis Forward to support community and economic resilience.
Get event details and see who's performing.
Minneapolis Amplified: TAP IN Kitchen & Cocktails
Minneapolis Amplified brings local artists to unexpected neighborhood spots, from hot dog joints to flower shops, while supporting the small businesses that make our city special.
This week’s event:
Minneapolis Amplified: TAP IN Kitchen & Cocktails Tolzy Sound & Friends 8-11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31 TAP IN Kitchen & Cocktails, 2618 Lowry Ave. N.
More events are planned at small businesses across the city through December.
Minneapolis Amplified is led by Dance Agenda in partnership with the City’s Arts & Cultural Affairs Department and funded through Minneapolis Forward.
Find upcoming events and participating venues on the Dance Agenda website.
Influence investment in the City’s parks, streets and public facilities
Help shape Minneapolis’ future through informed, community-focused investment decisions.
The Capital Long-Range Improvement Committee (CLIC) is recruiting members Nov. 1-30. This is your opportunity to influence long-term City investments in parks, streets, and public facilities, guide how the City funds major projects, and collaborate with fellow community members.
What you’ll do
- Review and evaluate capital project proposals.
- Participate in public listening sessions.
- Develop recommendations.
- Serve for two years.
- Meet weekly from late March-June (noon-2 p.m. Wednesdays).
Ready to help shape our city? Learn more on the City website, then apply Nov. 1-30.
City of Minneapolis funds, hosts community solar garden to lower residents’ energy bills
Minnesota remains among the top five states for community solar, with its program exceeding its target goals in ensuring low-income residents have access.
On Oct. 22, the Minnesota Renewable Energy Society (MRES) built on that success through a 704 kW community solar garden specifically for low-income residents. Local solar company Greenway Solar developed the garden, which sits on the roof of the City-owned Eastside Maintenance Facility in Northeast Minneapolis. A dedication ceremony was held to recognize the City’s role in the project.
The solar array was funded in part by a $150,000 grant from the City‘s Green Cost Share program, which offers funding to help pay for solar projects on buildings across the city.
The solar array serves up to 100 low- and moderate-income subscribers, with 25 spots remaining.
Learn more about the Green Cost Share program on the City website.
Minneapolis firefighter takes third place at world championships
Congratulations to Minneapolis firefighter Andi Barrickz, who earned an impressive third-place finish at the Firefighter Challenge League World Championships in Las Vegas last week. She showcased the skill, strength and determination of Minneapolis firefighters on the world stage. Called “the toughest two minutes in sports” by ESPN, the Firefighter Challenge tests competitors’ speed, endurance and strength as they complete demanding firefighting tasks while wearing full protective gear and breathing apparatus.
Barrickz and fellow Minneapolis firefighters Greta Boogren and Penelope Onsrud competed against 368 firefighters from more than 20 nations around the world, demonstrating the athleticism and dedication needed to excel in one of the fire service’s most physically demanding competitions. Their team was also one of the fastest in the event.
The skills required to compete at this level — physical endurance, quick decision-making, teamwork and the ability to perform under pressure — are the same skills Minneapolis firefighters rely on every day to respond to emergencies and keep our communities safe.
Congratulations to Barrickz, Boogren and Onsrud for their outstanding efforts and for their commitment to protecting our community.
Register for the Public Health Community Institute
The Minneapolis Health Department’s Public Health Community Institute (PHCI) is a free opportunity to learn about public health and how to build projects that meet public health needs in your workplace or community. All PHCI courses are free. You can attend as an individual or as a part of an organization.
Courses will be held from 5-9:30 p.m. on Wednesday evenings, starting Nov. 4 and ending Dec. 16. No course will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 11.
Funding opportunity
Organizations can choose to take the full core competency series and apply to receive funding for a community project. You can use demonstration funding to make a public health program or resource in your community.
A few organizations will be awarded up to $15,000 each.
See the list of courses and register on the City website.
Keep your kids and family safe from lead
Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, Oct. 25-31, helps raise awareness about the dangers of lead exposure, especially for children and pregnant women.
Each year, hundreds of Minneapolis children are found to have elevated blood-lead levels. The City of Minneapolis is committed to eliminating childhood lead poisoning. Lead poisoning is 100% preventable and can only be detected with a blood test.
Contact your healthcare provider and test your child for lead poisoning if:
- Your child is under 6 years old
- Your child lives in a home built before 1978
- Your child lives in a home with recent repairs to painted windows, wood trim, walls or floors
- You’re concerned about your child’s health
Lead facts:
- There is no safe level of lead exposure in children.
- Lead is toxic, especially in young children. It can cause long-term health issues.
- Lead may also be brought into the home on work clothes, shoes, hair and pets.
The City offers several resources to help with lead mitigation and testing, including:
- Home mitigation
- Testing drinking water and replacing service lines
- Renovation grants
- Corrosion control
- Replacing service lines
- Free lead testing for children
Bring your child to a free lead testing event or talk with your healthcare provider.
Learn more about testing your child for lead.
Read more about managing lead paint and how the City can help.
Contact Ward 3
Visit: minneapolismn.gov/ward3
Email: michael.rainville@minneapolismn.gov
Phone: 612-673-2203
City Hall
350 S. Fifth St., Room 370
Minneapolis, MN 55415
For reasonable accommodations or alternative format please contact 311. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call 311 at 612-673-3000. Para ayuda, llame al 311. Rau kev pab, hu 311. Hadii aad caawimaad u baahantahay, wac 311.
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