There are several topics which have led to particularly close votes in City Council this year, which generated significant controversy and media coverage. Such votes have included public safety, housing, transit, and conflicts between the legislative (City Council) and executive branches (Mayor’s office).
There tends to be two blocks of five council members each which generally vote together on most issues. One such block is Councilmembers Rainville, Vetaw, Goodman, Koski, and Palmisano, and the other is Councilmembers Payne, Wonsley, Ellison, Chavez, and Chughtai. Councilmembers Osman, Jenkins, and Johnson appear to be the “swing” votes between these two blocks. This dynamic often causes 8-5 votes.
Here is a breakdown of the most divided City Council votes in 2022.
The Police Federation contract
On March 24, the City Council considered a new contract with the Police Officers’ Federation of Minneapolis, which is the collective bargaining unit for Minneapolis police officers. The contract included raises and bonuses for officers and included relatively little details concerning police reform. The contract was ultimately approved on an 8-5 vote. Chughtai was the only Southwest councilmember to vote against the contract.
Hennepin Avenue South redesign
On June 16, the City Council considered the layout for the reconstruction of Hennepin Avenue. Key areas of disagreement involved the hours of operation for a dedicated bus lane. The council originally adopted a plan for a 24/7 bus lane on an 8-5 vote. Then, Mayor Frey vetoed this plan. At least nine votes are needed to overturn a veto, so the council had to come up with a compromise plan or else the plan would not move forward. The council adopted a compromise plan, developed in the Public Works & Infrastructure Committee, for dynamic bus lanes with a minimum of six hours for dedicated transit on an 8-2 vote.
Southwest councilmembers were split on the 24/7 bus lanes plan, with Chughtai and Jenkins voting yes and the other Southwest councilmembers voting no. The only Southwest councilmember to vote against the six hour bus lane plan was Goodman.
August 4 vote on the minimum of six hour bus lanes on Hennepin
Yes: Chavez, Chughtai, Ellison, Jenkins, Johnson, Koski, Osman, Palmisano, Payne, Rainville, Vetaw
No: Goodman, Wonsley
Total Vote: 11-2, Passed
City coordinator appointment
The mayor has the authority to appoint numerous executive branch officials, and some of the top officials require council approval. Several of these appointments were controversial this year, particularly the appointment of Heather Johnston as city coordinator. Many employees in the City Coordinator’s Office submitted an open letter asking the council to reject the appointment based on a racist, toxic workplace in the Coordinator’s Office. The council ultimately approved the appointment on an 8-5 vote. Chughtai was the only Southwest councilmember to vote no. Johnston has recently been promoted by the Mayor, via executive order, to serve as the city’s Interim City Operations Officer, and a search is ongoing for a permanent hire for the City Operations Officer.
Government structure
There has been significant disagreement over how to best implement the executive mayor-legislative council government structure, colloquially known as the “strong mayor” system. The strong mayor system was adopted through a charter amendment during the 2021 election. Councilmembers put forward many proposed amendments, most of which were defeated with a majority of the council voting against the amendments.
The government structure ordinance was ultimately adopted by a vote of 9-4. Chughtai was the only Southwest councilmember to vote no.
The City’s clearing of encampments
On October 20, the council considered a variety of proposed actions relating to encampments populated by unsheltered people. Actions included an order to pause the closures of encampments, an order to update encampment response policies, a staff directive requesting information on and the fiscal impacts of encampment closures and a staff directive requesting information on best practices for encampment closures.
The actions ordering a pause of encampment closures and an update of encampment response policies were defeated by a vote of 5-8.
The staff directive for information on encampment closures, including fiscal impacts, was adopted by a vote of 9-4. The staff directive for analysis of best practices for encampment closures was adopted by a vote of 8-5.
Chughtai voted for all four actions. Jenkins voted for both staff directives for information, but voted against the directives to pause closures and to update policies. Koski voted for the staff directive requesting information, including fiscal impacts, and voted against all other actions. Goodman and Palmisano voted against all four actions.
Mayor Frey vetoed both actions requesting additional information, arguing that the directives violated the new government structure because they named specific departments to respond to the requests. The council failed to override the vetoes on a vote of 6-7. Chughtai was the only Southwest Councilmember to vote to override. A new legislative directive was proposed which combined the previous requests for information and was adopted unanimously.
On November 17, Wonsley introduced an ordinance to repeal an ordinance which generally prohibits temporary housing, which has been used by the city as a legal reason for prohibition of encampments. The motion to refer the ordinance to the Business, Inspections, Housing, and Zoning committee (generally a formality) was defeated by a vote of 5-6. Chughtai was the only Southwest councilmember to vote for the motion to refer. Jenkins was absent from this meeting.
October 20 vote to update encampment response policies
Yes: Chavez, Chughtai, Ellison, Payne, Wonsley
No: Goodman, Jenkins, Johnson, Koski, Osman, Rainville, Palmisano, Vetaw
Total Vote: 5-8, Failed
October 20 vote to analyze best practices for encampment response
Yes: Chavez, Chughtai, Ellison, Jenkins, Johnson, Osman, Payne, Wonsley
No: Goodman, Koski, Rainville, Palmisano, Vetaw
Total Vote: 8-5, Adopted and then vetoed by Mayor Jacob Frey
November 3 vote to override vetoes of encampment response staff directives
Yes: Chavez, Chughtai, Ellison, Osman, Payne, Wonsley
No: Goodman, Jenkins, Johnson, Koski, Rainville, Palmisano, Vetaw
Total Vote: 6-7, Failed
November 17 vote to refer Temporary Housing Ordinance to Business, Inspection, Housing and Zoning Committee
Yes: Chavez, Chughtai, Ellison, Payne, Wonsley
No: Goodman, Johnson, Koski, Rainville, Palmisano, Vetaw
Absent: Jenkins, Osman
Total Vote: 5-6, Failed
The 2023 Budget
On December 1, the council considered many proposed amendments to the city budget. While most amendments were adopted unanimously, a few were narrowly adopted or defeated. These close votes were about amendments that involved the transfers of funds from the Police Department. They included:
- A proposal to transfer $350,000 and the equivalent of three full time employees from the Police Department to Performance and Innovation (adopted by 7-6)
- A proposal to transfer $200,000 from the Police Department to Neighborhood and Community Relations for immigration-related services (adopted by 7-6)
- A proposal to transfer $200,000 from the Police Department to Performance and Innovation for a Victims Services Pilot (defeated by 6-7)
- A proposal to transfer $200,00 from the Police Department to Neighborhood and Community Relations to plan for implementation of a Municipal ID Card program (defeated by 6-7)
Chughtai voted for all four amendments. Goodman and Koski voted against all four amendments. Jenkins voted for the transfer to Performance and Innovation for the three full-time employees amendment but voted against the other amendments. On December 13, Jenkins announced at the December 13 meeting that she had intended to vote in favor of the amendment transferring funds from the Police Department to Neighborhood and Community Relations for immigration-related services. Koski voted for the transfer to Neighborhood and Community Relations for immigration-related services, and voted against the other amendments.
December 1 budget vote to moves $350,000 from Police Department to Performance and Innovation for transfer of three full-time employees
Yes: Chavez, Chughtai, Ellison, Jenkins, Johnson, Payne, Wonsley
No: Goodman, Koski, Osman, Rainville, Palmisano, Vetaw
Total Vote 7-6, Passed
December 1 budget vote to move $200,000 from Police Department to Performance and Innovation for Victims Services Pilot
Yes: Chavez, Chughtai, Ellison, Osman, Payne, Wonsley
No: Goodman, Jenkins, Johnson, Koski, Rainville, Palmisano, Vetaw
Total Vote: 6-7, Failed
December 1 budget vote to moves $200,000 from Police Department to Neighborhood and Community Relations for municipal ID card implementation
Yes: Chavez, Chughtai, Ellison, Osman, Payne, Wonsley
No: Goodman, Jenkins, Johnson, Koski, Rainville, Palmisano, Vetaw
Total Vote: 6-7, Failed
December 1 budget vote to moves $200,000 from Police Department to Neighborhood and Community Relations for immigration-related services
Yes – Chavez, Chughtai, Ellison, Koski, Osman, Payne, Wonsley
No – Goodman, Jenkins, Johnson, Rainville, Palmisano, Vetaw
Total Vote 7-6, Passed
NOTE: Jenkins later announced she intended to vote Yes on this amendment.
Community Commission on Police Oversight
On December 13, the council considered the Community Commission on Police Oversight ordinance. The city’s current system of civilian oversight consists of the Police Conduct Oversight Commission, which looks at overall trends and makes recommendations on police policies, and the Police Conduct Review Panel, a pool of civilians chosen for review panels to review particular cases of misconduct and make recommendations to the police department on whether the complaint has merit.
The primary change in the new ordinance is that it would combine both of those bodies into one commission, the Community Commission on Police Oversight, which would perform both functions. The ordinance provides that the Police Conduct Oversight Commission is immediately dissolved. The Police Conduct Review Panel would continue to exist until the ordinance takes full effect 120 days after publication, which allows for time to recruit and train members of the new commission.
The ordinance was originally scheduled for a vote on December 8, but due to significant criticism from councilmembers and the public, the motion was postponed to December 13 for a markup session. The council considered a series of amendments to the ordinance. Many of the amendments were adopted unanimously (or quite close to it), but others were the subject of significant disagreement.
Some of the closest votes were:
- An amendment providing that all members of review panels would be civilians. The draft ordinance provides for review panels with three civilians and two police officers of Lieutenant rank or higher.
- An amendment requiring vacancies to be filled within 60 days.
- An amendment to have the ordinance take effect 30 days after publication (instead of 120 days).
Each of these amendments was defeated by a 5-6 vote. Chughtai was the only Southwest Councilmember to vote for each of these amendments. Goodman was absent.
After an unsuccessful attempt to postpone the ordinance, the council adopted the ordinance, as amended, by a vote of 7-4. Chughtai was the only Southwest Councilmember to vote against the ordinance. Goodman was absent.
December 13 vote on to add only civilians on review panels to the Community Commission on Police Oversight ordinance
Yes: Chavez, Chughtai, Ellison, Payne, Wonsley
No: Jenkins, Koski, Osman, Rainville, Palmisano, Vetaw
Absent: Goodman, Johnson
Total Vote: 5-6, Failed
December 13 vote to fill vacancies in 60 days to the Community Commission on Police Oversight ordinance
Yes: Chavez, Chughtai, Ellison, Payne, Wonsley
No: Jenkins, Koski, Osman, Rainville, Palmisano, Vetaw
Absent: Goodman, Johnson
Total Vote: 5-6, Failed
December 13 vote to change effective date to 30 days after publication, instead of 120 days, to the Community Commission on Police Oversight ordinance
Yes: Chavez, Chughtai, Ellison, Payne, Wonsley
No: Jenkins, Koski, Osman, Rainville, Palmisano, Vetaw
Absent: Goodman, Johnson
Total Vote: 5-6, Failed
Graphics for this story designed by Melody Hoffmann
