November 4, 2026 Public Health, Safety & Equity Committee

The Minneapolis Public Health, Safety & Equity Committee met on November 4, 2026. It heard an update on the 2026 inspections special-assessment levy, totaling about $5 million across several city departments. New levy items included sidewalk snow and ice removal and prolonged-vacancy enforcement; residents appealed individual charges, and staff said cases would receive administrative review and follow-up. The committee advanced contracts with Piedmont Global LLC and Certified Languages International LLC for remote interpreting services, and with Conservation Corps Minnesota and Iowa for a conservation corps member, to the full Council with approval. No contract amounts were stated. The committee also approved Mayor Frey’s nomination of Heidi Ritchie as Health Commissioner; discussion included budget uncertainty, grant funding, and a proposed city-county review to identify overlapping services. The nomination of interim Police Chief Billy Peterson was forwarded to the full Council without recommendation for further consideration.

The committee also approved a local fire-code ordinance addressing ventilation hoods and solid-fuel cooking at restaurants, including inspection and cleaning requirements intended to reduce fire risks. No additional procurement award or spending amount was identified for that ordinance.