CC PACKET 08232016 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

City Council Regular Meeting Minutes August 9, 2016 Page 4 wants to engage with the school and support the mission of the schools. They want to increase 1 community outreach and like town hall meetings. Ms. Caines stated they want to liaise more 2 effectively with the Council, noting they are small but mighty. 3 4 Ms. Jennifer McGuire, 3408 31st Avenue NE, stated she has lived in St. Anthony for two years. 5 She is a professor at the U of M. She stated several pieces of information have been gathered that 6 show processes may not have been followed appropriately and she found some of Chief Ohl’s 7 comments in the annual report offensive. Ms. McGuire described an incident she had witnessed. 8 There was a black family in a car in her front yard. The officers had pulled over the car and it 9 would be towed away. She did not feel there was a compelling reason for the vehicle to be 10 towed. She gave details of the incident and stated the police did not exercise any positive 11 discretion in this incident. She has heard of one other similar incident within the City. She asked 12 Council to create systems and procedures for the Police Department to follow. A Community 13 Group should be involved in the hiring of the new Police Chief and to oversee police procedures. 14 15 Ms. Mary Jackson, 3605 37th Avenue NE, stated she wants to emphasize the recent past dealing 16 with some incidents such as in 2014 regarding the Muslim Worship Center. She is also 17 concerned with the death of Philandro Castile and the recent information on racial bias on traffic 18 stops within the City. She is also concerned about the sale of Lowry Grove and the families that 19 would be displaced. She stated the City of St. Anthony needs to use this as an opportunity to 20 review practices, policies, procedures, programs, etc. to remove racial bias and discrimination. 21 She referred to an article in the Star Tribune and stated this crisis should be tackled with 22 overwhelming force and matters need to be looked at urgently. The community group is being 23 supportive. 24 25 Ms. Maggie Whiting, 2509 30th Avenue NE, spoke on behalf of St. Anthony Villagers for 26 Community Action (SAVCA). She is a member of the Communications Committee. She thanked 27 Mayor Faust for attending their block party but stated she was disappointed he failed to discuss 28 with the neighbors the topics of face, diversity, or inclusion. She stated things are heated topics 29 in the community and the community is having a difficult time in talking about these issues. The 30 Council must take the lead, lead by example, and Mayor Faust is the face of the community. Ms. 31 Whiting suggested Council review the information provided this evening as St. Anthony is in the 32 spotlight. 33 34 Ms. Marleen Fry, 3205 Harbor Lane, Plymouth, stated she is here in support of SAVCA. The 35 group is here to assist the community as a mediator and advocate. She quoted scripture and 36 stated SAVCA can assist in the transformation to take place. She asked what the Council is 37 afraid of, noting racism is something that has been done for many years and it hurts. Council can 38 choose to participate in the transformation and be part of the solution or be part of the problem. 39 40 Ms. Nona Kennedy-Carlson, 2926 Armor Terrace, a member of SAVCA, stated they have over 41 300 members and she is speaking as a citizen. They are the same as the Councilmembers who are 42 citizens. Ms. Kennedy-Carlson stated she worked on the school bond referendum, School Board 43 elections in support of the incumbents, and on many other causes. She felt SAVCA had been 44 misunderstood, stating change creates discomfort – discomfort creates change. Ms. Kennedy-45 Carlson quoted from Mayor Faust’s letter and stated she wants to be part of the solution. She 46 referred to the book distributed Council at the last meeting and stated she wants the Council to 47 4