Week of October 12th
Council Member Michael Rainville
October 16th, 2026
Message from Council Member Rainville
Hello to all my 3rd Ward neighbors,
At the City Council this week we had a 2-hour discussion on awarding a new contract to respond to residents in behavioral crisis. This highly effective program has social workers respond to people in crisis instead of fire or police. The discussion centered on staff’s recommendation to hire a new vendor which would also be able to answer calls for livability issues. The current vendor does not answer calls in encampments, shelters or transport clients to housing or addiction services if asked. The current contract expires December 31st and none of us want this much needed service to end without a replacement. No final agreement has been reached, and I will continue to update you on this new layer of public safety.
The City Council continued its budget committee meetings this week. We learned about the proposed budget associated with meeting the terms of the Minnesota Department of Human Rights Settlement Agreement as well as a presentation from our Human Resources Department who plan to reduce their department by six people. You can check out these presentations by clicking these links.
A big thank you to the St. Anthony East Neighborhood for sponsoring a pumpkin grab at the community park. While the neighborhood children grabbed a pumpkin, the adults enjoyed a Chicago Dog from Uncle Frankie’s food truck.
An additional thank you for the Sheridan Neighborhood for another successful community walk. I joined them as we identified burned out street lights, picked up debris from a car accident and stopped in to say hello to the managers of the busy restaurants along 13th Avenue NE.
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
- Fall street sweeping begins Oct. 20
- Fall leaves are here, and your storm drain could use a neighbor
- Family Gathering Concert Series continues Oct. 17 at PILLLAR Forum Café
- Minneapolis Amplified: East Hennepin Auto Service
- Attend the free South Minneapolis Seniors Fair Oct. 21
- Mayor Frey nominates Bill Peterson as Chief of Police
- Options for voting early
- A better Minneapolis 311 experience is here
- Virtual Meeting: Light rail construction safety
Fall street sweeping begins Oct. 20
City crews are getting ready to sweep streets across Minneapolis. Street sweeping helps keep leaves and debris out of the storm drains. That helps keep them out of our lakes and creeks and the Mississippi River. Minneapolis Public Works will begin the big task of curb-to-curb street sweeping throughout the city Tuesday, Oct. 20.
During the four weeks in October and November, crews clean about 1,000 miles of city streets.
Stay informed
Temporary hot pink “No Parking” signs will be posted at least 24 hours before they start so the street will be clear of cars when they’re swept. The first signs will be posted Monday, Oct. 19, and sweeping will begin Tuesday, Oct. 20. Anyone who parks on the street will need to follow posted parking rules, or their cars may be ticketed and towed.
Stay informed about the parking rules through a web map (to be updated shortly) showing when your street is scheduled for sweeping, “no parking” signs on the street, and email and text alerts.
Learn more about street sweeping on the City website, Facebook, Bluesky, Threads and X.
Fall leaves are here, and your storm drain could use a neighbor
When leaves, grass clippings and other debris on streets and wash into storm drains, they can carry pollution into our lakes, rivers and streams. Keep them clear of debris by joining your neighbors in adopting a storm drain near your home. It’s free, easy and only takes a few minutes to sign up.
- Pick a drain near you.
- Keep it clear of leaves, trash and debris.
- Help protect local water.
- Keep your neighborhood drains flowing.
Minneapolis residents have already adopted more than 8,400 storm drains across the city.
Sign up to adopt a storm drain on the Adopt-a-Drain website.
Remember: Never reach into a storm drain or remove the grate. Only clear debris you can safely reach from the street surface.
Family Gathering Concert Series continues Oct. 17 at PILLLAR Forum Café
Bring the kids for a free morning of live music, creative activities and fun.
Family Gathering Concert Series: Mae Simpson with Colin Bracewell and School of Rock 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17 PILLLAR Forum Café, 2300 NE Central 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: East Hennepin Auto Service
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: East Hennepin Auto Service Some S***** Cover Band Noon-3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18 East Hennepin Auto Service, 2100 E Hennepin Ave #16
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.
Attend the free South Minneapolis Seniors Fair Oct. 21
The annual free South Minneapolis Seniors Fair will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 21. This fair is tailored to our senior community members and caregivers.
The day will feature workshops, an elected officials panel, a resource fair and a free lunch. The workshops will cover the City Budget, Elections and Voter Services, public safety and crime prevention, and connecting with the community. The resource fair will feature vendors from the City of Minneapolis, as well as community partners and organizations that provide services to seniors.
South Minneapolis Seniors Fair 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21 Diamond Lake Lutheran Church, 5760 Portland Ave. S.
Schedule
- 9 a.m.: Breakfast
- 9:45 a.m.: Welcome address
- 10 a.m.: Breakout sessions
- How to Build Community — Your Voice Matters
- City Budget
- 10:45 a.m.: Breakout sessions
- Consumer Protections with Attorney General Keith Ellison
- Social Security & Healthcare with Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s office
- 11:30 a.m.: Lunch
- 11:45 a.m.: Elected officials panel
- 12:45 p.m.: Raffle
- 1 p.m.: Yoga
- 1:20 p.m.: Breakout sessions
- Crime Prevention
- Elections and Voter Services
- 2 p.m.: Wrap up
The South Minneapolis Seniors Fair is sponsored by Wards 8, 11 and 12; the City of Minneapolis; and TRUST Inc.
Mayor Frey nominates Bill Peterson as Chief of Police
Mayor Jacob Frey has nominated Interim Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) Chief Bill Peterson to take the permanent role of Chief of Police.
The City launched a national search for the next Minneapolis Police Chief earlier this summer, seeking a candidate who could advance critical reforms, strengthen community trust, recruit and retain a strong police workforce, and lead the department into its next chapter.
The search engaged residents, community leaders, law enforcement and public safety leaders, labor representatives, and other stakeholders through multiple community listening sessions. The City also engaged department employees through an anonymous survey to help identify the qualities and priorities sought in the next chief.
There was a mix of strong internal and external candidates who were reviewed and vetted based on community engagement feedback and the department’s desired qualities. The strongest candidates advanced to interviews with a community panel and a public safety & law enforcement panel.
The finalists were then interviewed with Mayor Frey, Commissioner Barnette, and other City leaders, followed by the required background, nomination, and City Council confirmation processes.
Next, Mayor Frey will formally submit the nomination to the Minneapolis City Council, and the City Council will schedule a public hearing and confirmation vote. Interim Chief Peterson will continue to serve as Interim Chief pending confirmation.
Learn more about Interim Chief Peterson on the City website.
Options for voting early
Minneapolis voters can still vote early by mail or in person for this year’s general election.
Voting by mail
If you requested a vote-by-mail ballot, we recommend mailing it back by Oct. 27 or bringing it back in person. Check the City website for more details.
Voting early in person
Minneapolis has a main Early Vote Center open at 980 E. Hennepin Ave. We’ll also have one on the North Side and one on the South Side opening Oct. 20, with the same hours as the main site.
We’re also opening 12 special one-day voting sites across the city Oct. 19-30. These pop-up sites have the same security measures, rules and processes as the main sites.
Find the voting sites and their open times on the City website.
A better Minneapolis 311 experience is here
Minneapolis 311 is making it easier to connect with City services, find information and get help.
Residents can now use 311.minneapolismn.gov to:
- Request City services: Report issues and request help with streets, sidewalks, trees, garbage, signs and more, with 126 service types available online.
- Track requests: Create an optional account to manage service requests in one place and get notifications as they progress.
- Explore the map: See open service requests across Minneapolis and check whether an issue has already been reported.
- Find answers: Navigate City services and find information more easily.
An updated Minneapolis 311 mobile app for Apple and Android devices will be available soon. And residents can continue to call 311 for help.
The new online experience arrives as Minneapolis 311 celebrates 20 years of connecting residents with their City, building on that commitment with more ways to access City services.
Virtual Meeting: Light rail construction safety
The City of Minneapolis will host an online meeting Oct. 28 about rail safety during construction of the METRO Green Line extension. The project is also known as the Southwest light rail. The extension will add 14.5 miles to the existing METRO Green Line, which connects downtown Minneapolis with downtown Saint Paul.
Residents will get information and have the opportunity to ask questions. Participants include the Southwest LRT Project Office and the Minneapolis Fire Department.
Rail safety meeting 6-7:15 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28 Join the meeting on Microsoft Teams.
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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