Week of September 21st
Council Member Michael Rainville
September 25th, 2026
Message from Council Member Rainville
Hello to all my 3rd Ward neighbors,
This was a busy week in Ward 3. On the public safety side, 15 new firefighters were sworn in and 30 new police officers were sworn in. This will help with overtime costs in both departments. Although both departments remain understaffed, the city has applied for a federal grant to hire 15 firefighters and with the new police officers, we are at 643 officers compared to over 900 officers in 2020. Being short staffed is the main cause of fire and police overtime costs. When you see a patrol car in your neighborhood or anywhere in the city, half of the officers are working overtime as we still cannot fill all the shifts.
At the Public Safety Committee, we had updates on both the Police Chief search and the staff selection for a new Behavioral Crisis Response vendor. The application window has closed for the Police Chief position. 8 candidates are being interviewed by 2 panels, one is composed of law enforcement officials, and the other is composed of community members including 2 current council members and former Council Member Andrea Jenkins. Thank you for stepping up to help Andrea.
The new vendor chosen for the Behavioral Health Crisis will operate under a contract that will add the direction for them to work closely with Hennepin County to help clients get into ongoing services for their individual issues. Another goal is to work with the county to get reimbursement from the federal government for services given to clients that have Medicare and Medicaid coverage. Cities and private companies that deliver Behavior Crisis Response help are not able to be reimbursed. If we can develop this important relationship with the county it will be a tremendous saving for city taxpayers.
For those of you who are artists or know artists, the City is looking for an artist to design and create artwork in the new tunnel connecting Graco Park to Boom Island Park. Learn more and apply at Call for public artists or Contact Witt Siasoco for more information.
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
- Family Gathering Concert Series continues Sept. 26 at the Quinlan Room by Dakota
- City of Minneapolis Open Streets event takes place along Nicollet Avenue this weekend
- Call for artists: Graco Park tunnel
- Minneapolis 311 staff training may cause longer hold times next week
- Upper Harbor reaches a major milestone
- Register to vote before Election Day
- City of Minneapolis sending letters to properties with lead in water service lines
- An inside look at the Minneapolis Police Department’s forensic science team
Family Gathering Concert Series continues Sept. 26 at the Quinlan Room by Dakota
Bring the kids for a free afternoon of live music, creative activities and fun.
Family Gathering Concert Series: The Bazillions & MacPhail Ensembles 2-6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26 The Quinlan Room by Dakota, 901 Nicollet Mall
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.
City of Minneapolis Open Streets event takes place along Nicollet Avenue this weekend
The City’s Open Streets events transform city streets into car-free spaces for a day, giving people a chance to walk, bike, roll and enjoy local businesses, events and activities.
This weekend’s event features entertainment, local vendors and activities along the corridor:
Nicollet Avenue between Lake Street and 46th Street 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26 Hosted by the Lyndale Neighborhood Association
Learn more about Nicollet Open Streets.
Call for artists: Graco Park tunnel
The City of Minneapolis invites artists to apply to design and create artwork for the interior of the Graco Park tunnel. This bike and pedestrian tunnel connects Hall’s and Boom islands under the Plymouth Avenue bridge. Graco Park and the connecting trails opened in 2025.
Dates and deadlines
- Monday, Sept. 21: Call for Artists posted
- Monday, Oct. 5 at 5 p.m.: Virtual informational meeting
- Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 4 p.m.: Deadline to email your questions
- Friday, Oct. 9 at 4 p.m.: Review the posted questions and answers document
- Monday, Oct. 26 at 5 p.m.: Upload and submit a completed application
Contact Witt Siasoco at witt.siasoco@minneapolismn.gov for more information.
Learn more and apply for this public art project on the City website.
Minneapolis 311 staff training may cause longer hold times next week
The Minneapolis 311 team will be participating in agent training next week, which means callers may experience longer than usual hold times.
The training will take place 12:30-4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30 and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
Upper Harbor reaches a major milestone
A major milestone in the transformation of Upper Harbor is here. The new 20-acre Upper Harbor Regional Park opened Sept. 19, giving the public its first opportunity to experience the riverfront as redevelopment of the former Upper Harbor Terminal site continues.
The opening marks significant progress on a project designed to reconnect North Minneapolis to the Mississippi River and create new opportunities for housing, jobs, arts, recreation and community gathering.
The City has been building the public infrastructure needed to support the site’s transformation, including new and reconstructed streets and utilities. Later this year, the City will complete the new segment of West River Road North on the site, creating another connection along the riverfront.
The site is also home to the future 8,000-seat Community Performing Arts Center. Construction is underway, with the foundations and steel now taking shape. The amphitheater will open in 2027 and will be a major new venue for outdoor performances.
Future development at Upper Harbor is expected to include 520 housing units, 180,000 square feet of industrial space, commercial and cultural space, and a health and wellness hub.
Together, this work is transforming a former industrial site into a place where people can live, work, gather and connect with the Mississippi River.
Learn more about the Upper Harbor project on the City website.
Register to vote before Election Day
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Anyone getting ready to vote in this year’s general election will want to make sure they’re registered.
You can register to vote online. You can use this same registration link to update your current name or address on your registration.
Unsure if you are registered at your current address? You can use the online lookup tool to check your registration.
The pre-registration deadline is Tuesday, Oct. 13. Registering beforehand will make for a smooth check-in when you vote. You can also register in person when you vote early or vote on Election Day.
You will need to show proof of residence. You can prove where you live in many ways; be sure to read all your options and come prepared.
The Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services Division is responsible for administering elections in the city of Minneapolis. For information about registering and voting in Minneapolis, go to the City website.
City of Minneapolis sending letters to properties with lead in water service lines
During the week of Sept. 28, Minneapolis residents with a lead water service line will be getting a letter from the City. The water service line is the pipe that runs from the water main in the street to the meter inside a property and is owned by the property owner. The letter provides information about the water service line material, steps that can be taken to minimize lead exposure in drinking water and an update on the City’s effort to replace lead water service lines.
See an interactive map of the water service line inventory on the City website.
How we know our tap water is safe
Minneapolis takes steps to make sure our tap water is lead-free and safe to drink. The water is tested hundreds of times a day and is treated in a way that prevents lead from pipes from getting into the water.
This is the City’s third year of using state and federal grant funds to proactively replace lead service lines at no cost to property owners. This year, the City will replace nearly 2,000 lead service lines using state and federal grant funds. This effort will continue until the City has replaced or attempted to replace every lead service line in the city (replacement requires the property owner’s consent).
Project locations are selected based upon priorities established in State law; the City doesn’t replace lines upon individual property owner request. State law requires the City to prioritize replacement by:
- Replacing service lines at daycares and schools
- Focusing on areas with lower-income residents and other disadvantaged communities
- Coordinating the replacement of lead service lines with other capital improvement projects to maximize available grant funding
If you wish to replace your lead service line before your property is in one of the City’s designated project areas, you may do so at your own expense by contracting directly with a licensed plumbing contractor. Alternatively, you may authorize the City to hire a licensed plumbing contractor to replace the lead service line. In doing so, you agree either to reimburse the City directly for the replacement costs or to have any unpaid portion assessed as a special tax on the property payable over five years.
Find more information on the City website.
An inside look at the Minneapolis Police Department’s forensic science team
During National Forensic Science Week, the City of Minneapolis is highlighting the work of one of its specialty units.
The Minneapolis Police Department’s (MPD) experts play a critical role in investigations, helping to uncover answers to complex questions. The Forensic Services Division laboratory conducts casework in:
- Computer forensics: Perform forensic examinations on items such as cell phones and computers
- Field operations (crime scene and fingerprint analysis): Examine, document, process and collect evidence at crime scenes and in the laboratory; process vehicles; and analyze and compare friction ridge impressions
- Firearms and toolmarks: Perform examinations on firearms, fired bullets and discharged cartridge casings
- Video forensics: Recover video from video systems, isolate and enhance still images, perform comparative analysis and prepare timelines
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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