>> council will start in 30 seconds
here.
it says 5:30 on my clock.
>> good evening, mr. Van tassle and
company, will you be coming forward for
the community as a whole.
we'll get started when you're ready.
remind me of your name, please.
>> nephew, council kennedy and
president nephew, my name is susan
kelly and I'm the plan of the planned
department and I'm here with director
anne vantassle along with the community
members, chair steve wick, annie
schwartz and each one will give a brief
presentation on these recommendations.
first, we are very grateful to be here
and also very grateful for all the work
that this community has been doing.
this community has been reviewing over
500 pages of applications and seeing
what is best for community needs 2026.
they have reviewed based on needs that
were described on hearings and also
were currently needed.
last year with these funds, they were
able to provide, the community home
funds and these chief funds were able
to provide over 200 units of affordable
housing, job training for over 400
people and provide 18,000 meals and 91
families and shelter housing service to
over 2000 people who are homeless or
at-risk of becoming homeless.
reviewing and scoring applications and
to make sure we meet the best needs for
2026.
and with that, I will introduce steve.
>> thank you, susan, good evening
counselors.
so my name is steve wick and as chair
of my community, I want to thank you
for giving us this time tonight to
present our work and our
recommendations for funding.
before we begin, I want to provide some
process.
hud requires public participation
especially low income populations.
we accomplished through through service
and questionnaires among other
opportunities.
a faof-year consolidated plan was
adopted last year during an input
process.
the previous consolidated plan, and the
current consolidated plan covers 2025
through 2029, a plan for those not
familiar is a very prescriptive
document.
if you do get a copy of it t reading
the summary is a good place to start.
neighborhood housing, neighborhood
reinvitation, increasing income,
creating living wage jobs, homeless
nels services, food access, childcare
access and community development
facilities.
hud also requires that the five-year
consolidated plan be reviewed annually
to and was determined.
thises called an action plan.
tonight, we'll be presenting the action
plan.
the priorities are for this action plan.
hud requires that they also have public
input which are gathered again by
community sessions and input from
agencies that serve the community.
this year, we also had some special
emphasis on four areas, increasing
childcare access and/or children's
programming.
preparing for a additional work for
medicated snap benefits.
providing additional innovation or
enhancement downtown and colocation of
services.
so multiple of these additional goals
are seen throughout the proposals that
we have recommended for funding.
as a note, this year the community
received almost million dollars in
application requests and we expect to
receive just over 3 million dollars in
funding from hud.
should there be a variance in the
expected award, we are asking for the
adoption of contingency plan of each of
the funding proposals tonight that you
have.
members of the committee have put in
long hours as volunteers provide input
for the application process.
they've been looked over information,
and reviewed the application submitted
to organizations.
recommendation that we are presenting
tonight, came after months of efforts
and long hours of discussion and
understand that with limited funding
not every need would be met.
so to start off we're going to dig into
the block grant recommendations.
I'm going to review three of those.
so to start with our housing,
recommendation, this one is receiving
the most funds at 623,000 dollars.
you'll notice that the committee had
made a precommitment of funds to the
union mission, unfortunately, they were
unable to secure the low income housing
funds necessary to complete that
project at this time.
so the silver lining is that it freed
up fund to go be moved around to other
areas including our public facilities.
actually, I should note within the
housing there are 70 new units that the
funds are being recommended tonight.
so I'm going to go into public
facilities.
public facilities are structure that's
available and address a need.
those needs can vary as you can see
from the recommended projects tonight.
each project here addressed one of the
consolidated goal plans I mention
approximated earlier.
there is 47 2000 being recommended to
public facilities.
the final piece is public services.
total public service south side 35 2000
which is 15 percent of the hud cap on
community block.
public services activities cover a wide
range of various activities and
sometimes we're able to get some of
those activities covered under
different chunks of community block
grant funding.
so we try to move things around to make
sure the cap is not being too
restrictive to what we can fund.
let's see here.
but because of that, we try to fit the
programs where ever possible.
and difficult decisions for funding
recommendations, we often get public
service recommendations.
utilizing our scoring and community
needs processes and programs in making
those recommendations.
with that, those are my three sections,
if you have any questions about any of
those, I can try to answer them
otherwise, I can hand them over to
another community member.
>> queue.
council randorf.
>> do we have any documents, to follow
along as you're presenting?
>> you can see some of the information
in the resolutions, yes, thank you.
>> okay.
>> so you'll just let us know what
you're referring to, it's a little hard
to digest.
>> sure, sure the so the block grant is
broken into four areas, housing and
public facilities.
and then had the fourth is economic
development.
>> if I may, are you specifically
speaking torres losings 00451234
>> potentially.
>> okay.
>> actually, I have not read the
resolution.
>> if you can help them and refer to
maybe the resolution that they would be
speaking on, that would be helpful.
>> my apologies, I am so sorry about
that.
>> that's okay.
>> this res lubesinger 26-0053, I
believe.
>> okay.
>> if you just give us just a minute to
get acclimated here.
could you give me that number again,
please.
>> 0055.
>> I believe it's 0053.
>> thank you.
>> counselors any other?
>> we also have the opportunity to pull
these items before, if we have more
questions than is going to be a lawable
during this community as a whole.
are we able to move forward?
any other questions.
seeing none, please continue.
>> thank you, so the fourth and final
session is the economic development and
I'm going to invite annie shwartz out
to present that.
>> again, if that's connected to our
resolution, if you can refer to that,
that would be helpful.
it's the same one?
>> yes, it's 0053.
>> so it looks like we have a quite a
few, three or four of them.
so thank you.
>> good evening, as I mentioned, I'll
be talking to the economic.
>> could you state your name, please.
>> speaker: sorry, annie schwartz.
>> thank you.
>> economic development focuses on
creating jobs.
that's accomplished through three areas.
the first was job training, that's
funding to lifehouse which is focused
on youth, goodwill, aka sore and family
center.
the second area was assisting small
business through the entrepreneur fund
and family rise together.
as stated earlier, childcare has been a
state of the priority by the community
and that, we accomplished that through
funding to train people working in the
childcare industry.
and the total funding for that area is
495,000.
any questions on that section?
okay, I'll introduce my colleague,
shannon lee.
>> thank you.
>> thank you, an other and thank you
counselor.
the one to follow for mine mine is 0054.
I'll be talking about home funding
which is quick and to the point.
we're looking at 450,000 and that will
be divided between, the hra for some
homeless rental assistance programming.
in 5 new units for the one roof and
center housing apartments 30 which is
in process.
and with that, I'm going to turn it
over to will wilson.
>> good evening, members.
I am here to talk about resolution
h550--which stand for emergency
solutions grant.
so this portion of funding.
there are five activities that are a
lawable during this portion of the
funding, straight out rach, shelter,
services homeless prevention, and
housing and then the homeless
management information system which is
what the system uses to track people as
they come through the programs.
we received applications for about
232,00 from this funding source.
and we were able to fund 27 2000.
the lit of agencies is in the
resolution.
and they do cover all five of those
areas within what is a lawable for the
grant.
the next portion of funding that I
would like to talk about is embedded in
the other resolutions as well but it
has to do with administration.
each of these funding sources that's a
portion of funding that is set aside
for administration and I want to take a
moment to thank the staff that work on
this.
it's, it, the work that goes into it is
not just, getting input from my
community, it's explaining to us as a
community members.
it's literally translating what we want
to have happen into something that hud
will understand and it's doing that in
an environment that is changing rapidly.
I wanted to give a kudos to the staff,
susan phyllis, hannah, sam, jen, others
as well.
it's, it's a major undertaking and I, I
just want to speak on behalf of them
and to justify the funding for
administration that is going to this
program.
last thing that I will talk about is
the contingency plan which as our chair
mentioned is embedded in these other
resolutions as well.
if, the funding final amount is not
known yet, for this we don't get that
from hud until later on in the process.
if that funding is more than 3 percent
above or below what we're recommending,
then, we will have a public meeting to
talk about allocating that funding
based on the actual amount that we
received.
if it's less than 3 percent variance up
or down, staff is directed by us as at
committee to distribute that funding
within the proposals that are before
you.
with some of the guidance that we have
given them through the process of
coming up with these recommendations.
so that is, the end of our
presentation, are there any questions?
>> my question s of the funding that
we're receiving from fund, I understand
the funds were restored so we're really
expect to go get this.
are these the numbers we were expect to
go get last year or has that been
changed or are you in like an unknown
world?
>> speaker: counselors, thank you for
that questions.
I think we're all in an unknown world.
however, nobody can predict, the funds
that you're talking about, may be more
of the county funds, the continued
funds focused on helping people
experiencing homelessness.
we have funds for housing, and then,
home grant.
I hear different things, part of those
meetings.
one thing about these programs is
they're appreciated by all political
parties.
so we do feel confident that this will
be the funding for next year.
and I always hope for a little bit more.
>> thank you.
councilor durrwatcher.
>> thank you, vice president kennedy.
I have a question, mpr, released an
article that begins stew minnesota
cities released funds because they're
unsure they can meet requirement and
urban development.
these new rules participate housing
transgender people, according to their
assigned gender at birth and a band on
diversity, equity and inclusion
initiatives.
and my understanding, has had to dmrai
some of the hud funds that they
received.
how much you've all scutsed this
article that has come outed and how
that impacts, these, the all the
information that you have given us
today how does that impact your work
here in duluth?
>> thank you, counselor, and thank you
counselor--okay, we've got ten minutes.
we are able to spend the funds.
agencies are aware of these executive
orders.
at this time, we are, asking for what
is the basic requirements?
what is the person's raise and income
level.
that is it.
for the immigration issue, there is a
whole other system.
but, we already have systems in place
that meet that need that has been
established established to the
executive level.
we check payments.
so really not much is being changed.
we really have processes in place and
right now we're going into what is
specifically allowed and that is the
person's raises and income level.
that's the only thing that we're
working on.
>> okay, thank you.
>> these grants given that there may be
some equity and diversion changes from
past practices.
do you have some emerging practices in
place?
for example, working with he rition,
how do you try to implement these funds
in a way that are consistent with our
past practices and community values?
>> thank you.
another excellent question.
we work very closely with the agencies
to make sure that people who need the
assistance will be getting the
assistance.
we do work with the human rights, we
work with dr. Martin lou and we do a
lot of out reach making sure that if
people need assistance, they need
assistance.
and we do have strategies in place.
>> counselors any other questions for
the community as a whole?
I'm not seeing any.
so I want to thank you, director
vantassle and community development
committee for coming here today.
thank you.
we are adjourned.
>> thank you very much.
>> I would like to let folks know that
there is overflow next door.
you'll be able to watch the council
meeting from there.
thank you.
>> I will call the duluth city council
meeting will now call to order.
will the clerk please call the roll.
>> clerk: councilor clanaugh.
>> here.
>> counselor durrwatcher.
>> here.
>> counselor tomanek.
president nephew.
>> vice president kennedy.
>> here.
>> the pledge.
>> I pledge allegiance to the fwlag of
the united states of america and to the
republic for which it stands, one
nation, under god indivisible with
liberty and justice for all.
>> I want to remind people that there
is overflow seating in the room next
door and you'll still be able to come
in and do public comment and
participate in the meeting.
we just want to make sure shah we're
not exceeding capacity.
the agenda for this evening meeting is
posted in the bulletin board in the
back and copies are available in the
rear as well.
I would like to welcome everyone to the
regular meeting of the duluth council.
today council will vote on several
matters on the agenda.
there will be an opportunity for public
comment before we move on to the
consent agenda.
if you wish to speak, you need to sign
up on the sheet next to the clerk.
for those watching on public access
television, the agenda on this meeting
is available on the city of duluth
website and live streaming can also be
held on the city council meeting media.
I do ask that you silence your phones
while you're in the chamber.
the duluth council meetings are
conducted in accordance to the standard
rules and robert rules of order to
ensure our meetings, are fair,
efficient and orderly and provide a
clear process for decision-making.
in accordance be respectful in public
comment s and refrain from using
profanity.
and do not call out councilmembers by
name.
if you have a matter you wish to
address, you may find the contact
information on the city's official
website.
you'll be given three minutes to speak,
when you're a speaker.
there is a time on the lectern so you
can track your three minutes.
when your three minutes are up, I will
interrupt you and call on the next
person.
before we move on to the, before we
move on to any of our reports or
anything tonight, I would like to take
a moment of silence and then I'm going
to ask councilor tomanek to say a few
words.
I know the community is hurting.
it's important to keep names on top of
mind.
we'll take a moment of silence for
renee good and alex pretti.
thank you.
councilor tomanek.
>> thank you, president neff'.
holly one you who we call in many ways,
we pause tonight to gather here to
honor the lives of renee good and alex
preti two people who were doing nothing
more than than exercise their right to
express themselves and they were
brutality killed.
we're shaken at the core and outraged
at the murder of two.
we are angereded, saddened and confused
watching our democracy be threatened.
we ask for help in dealing with the
trauma that our community, our state
and the world are dealing with.
we also ask for the grace that people
grief in their own way.
that people help in their own way.
that people protest in their own way.
we ask for blessings on all the helpers.
give them the strength to continue
their fight and may be supported by all
in our country who are work to go stop
the brutality and inhumane treatment of
our immigrant neighbors and friends and
distortion of democracy and harm
brought to their families and neighbors.
bring us together and work to help
those who desperate knee need our help.
our desire to do good and our request
to restore community.
may it be so, shalom.
>> we'll move on to approval of minutes.
do you have a motion to approve.
>> moved.
>> second.
>> moved by clanaugh and seconded by
tomanek.
is there any discussion?
I see none.
all those in favor.
>> aye.
>> opposed say sign.
and that passes 9-0.
move on to reports from the
administration?
>> thank you.
thank you, nephew.
members of the council, members of the
duluth community.
I want to give some voice to what is
weighing leave --heavy on our hearts
and that is unexplicable and senseless
killing of alex pretti, a v.a.. Nurse
dedicated to serving veterans, a cause
near and dear to my heart.
I heard the calls for justice at city
hall last friday.
and we're going to hear a lot of
impassion testimony this evening.
my heart is breaking right along with
yours.
emotionally I'm feeling the same
feelings and understand where the
demands are coming from.
operational speaking, some of the
demands are not possible.
and for reasons that are complicated
and diverse.
we can however, address some of the
public safety concerns ernestly here
tonight.
first and for most, I promise you this
this, duluth employees, will never ever
ever, never ever, do immigration
enforcement.
never ever.
we need to understand each other better.
we need to build trust between our
police department, our public safety
divisions, our citizens and our
stakeholder groups.
I propose, that we engage with our
citizens review board, human rights
commission, inner faith groups and
other stakeholder groups to engage in a
series of good faith collaborative
discussion to see weigh a foundation,
for community police engagement.
before I came to the city of duluth
about a year ago, I spent the last 29
years in the city of saint cloud.
the city of saint cloud began a similar
collaborative effort of engagement in
2004, at a time when there was
significant samoli immigration to the
saint cloud community and racial
composition was changing rapidly.
the community discussions that
culminated in a community policing
agreement.
there is inherent value in the
agreement itself, but perhaps, the
unanticipated value was the
relationship that's resulted in the
process.
where a community leader and member of
the clergy can get on the phone and put
the police chief on the phone during a
crisis or more value yet to avert a
crisis.
these relationships pay dividend in the
aftermath of the george floyd murders.
let's invest in some relationship
building here.
this community does its best work when
it operates together.
duluth is at its best when all the
voices feel they're being heard.
thank you.
>> thank you, administrator staehling.
we'll move on to public speakers.
>> clerk: our first speaker is julia.
>> speaker: is this lower?
there is,
>> if puck please state your name and
address.
>> speaker: julia covert, 1830denine nn
avenue.
council, thank you so much for the
lovely words.
however, there are 39 items on this
agenda and not a single addresses the
issue that will likely dominate public
comment tonight.
there are no resolutions to affirm non
cooperation between dpd and ice and no
ordinances propreventing ice from city
funds just because the worse has not
reached us yet, does not mean that you
can stay silent and pray that it
doesn't.
many people tonight, will layout a full
lit of demands all which deserve full
support.
they articulate these points, a lot
better than I can.
so I'll emphasize just one.
if deputy truly does not assist or
intend to assist, you should have no
problem passing a resolution that
codifies that resolution so we can hold
the city accountable and I mean never
ever ever work with ice.
finally I want to mention what happened
two weeks ago because it's weighing on
my mind.
it was parked with people, many people
spoke, they shared stories, and built
community and experienced and begged to
you listen to us.
I watched the chief of police stand
there with his arms cross and tell my
neighborhood say that what they
watched, was not real.
I saw a despicable agenda item on 14
that made me ashamed for what I voted
for.
and I watched my neighbors walk out
losing hope.
I don't know how else to represent that
but as a failure.
I want to remind you if people are this
upset, things need to change and you
have the power to do so.
thank you.
>> thank you.
next speaker.
>> our next speaker is brandon parker.
>> please state your name and a your
address.
>> speaker: good evening, council, I'm
brandon parker, I live in district 4
and I'm the membership secretary of
socialist of america.
rest in power, alex preti and rene good.
that solidarity event that we organized
and coordinated with the state wide
strike was attended business over 500
people coming and going.
we organized together attendees and
sang songs for liberation and
revolution together.
we made a safe place for all and
invited a community to grief together
and rally against state sponsorism
destroying our community.
any elected official that shows not to
participate in this day of action or at
least a statement at the very least,
did so by political choice.
not because there was not space for
them, the deep problem with that line
of thinking, that tlfts not space for
you, is that this issue is is not
polite cal at all.
there is an issue rooted in humanity
and fighting a fascist threat.
I want to thank councilor durrwatcher,
clanaugh, I see you.
is hear you.
for sharing space with us, for their
well stated condemnation of fascism and
for their promise to pursue our demands.
but when it comes to the status quo
majority of this council and the
mayor's office, we only heard
deflection, saw gaslighting and minimal
acts.
mayor ryanhart's statement maintained
that the occupation with ice, that is
complete and utter bull shit.
he also claimed that we have a right to
protest but we don't protest because it
is our right, we protest because we
have demands for action.
and those demands are the following.
pass an ordinance of city ordinance non
collaboration with ice, cpb, hsi and
building sharing with homeland security.
pass an ordinance to observe ice
without interference.
to protect the public from ice and
coordinating know-your-rights training
for local businesses.
pass an eviction moratorium.
pass an ordinance passing ice from
staging on public property, from
entering city offices without a
judicial warrant.
reverse the city of duluth with flock
safety.
end the city's contract with nexus
lexus.
to prevent county jail for being
utilize as a detention center.
pass an ordinance requiring prosecution
when they're clear fourth amendment
violations.
pass an ordinance of niz person by ice
without a judicial ordinance.
requiring dpd to protect individuals
from kidnapping.
and data and other means.
hear us.
thank you.
>> our next speaker is eleanor doland.
>> please state your name and address.
>> speaker: hello I'm eleanor and I
litch in the fourth district.
I'm a member of the imports usa.
last friday, almost 500 people showed
up to get ice out of duluth and I have
heard time and time again, that you
only feel a small group of activist
attend city council and that we don't
represent the community as a whole.
I have to ask you, how many more people
do you want us to rally next time for
to you finally take action or maybe
it's another ballot measure which is
know --
~>> I do ask that you address the body
as a whole.
>> speaker: I brought to you concerns
as a member of the public about dbb
interfering with my ability to entire
ice agents.
I brought you a store of ice agents
going straight to my home as a way of
intimidation.
how can can I trust a stim that has let
me down.
all I know, only one showed up and
pledged to answer our demands friday
despite me emailing you an invitation.
I wanted to build a relationship, you
didn't show up.
I ask that you rest of you pledge these
demands.
anything else is clearly undemocratic
and you will have and will continue to
hear those demands today.
and as you'll continue to see, when the
crowd agrees, they will stand.
so here are the demands, pass an
ordinance of city non collaboration
with ice cpb and banning building
sharing with homeland security.
pass an ordinance codifying and observe
isaac tiff its without interference.
establish a city lead working group
aimed at creating policy
recommendation, protect the public from
ice and know your rights training for
the public and local businesses.
pass an eviction moratorium because our
most vulnerable neighbors fear going to
work and getting their basic needs met
right now.
pass an ordinance banning ice cbb from
staging on public property and ban ice
from entering city offices and other
non public spaces without a judicial
warrant.
I understand that there is policy but
nothing is as solid as an ordinance
would be.
reverse the city contract with flock
safety, cameras that supply on
duluthians tracking our routine sxz
habit and selling that data to ice.
end the city's contract with nexus
lexus despite the renewal that you just
did, two weeks ago and look more into
whether or not that no data sharing is
at the top.
it wasn't this time.
which is extremely concerning.
sign on to the petition to prevent
douglas county jail to be utilized an
ice detention center and pass a
resolution condemning that federal
agencies use of the facility.
requiring prosecution with when their
clear fourth amendment violations.
pass an ordinance prohibiting any
detainment of any person without a
judicial warrant.
and end any other collusion from ice,
with ice from any other surveillance
technology or any other means that we
as the public are not currently aware
of.
>> our next speaker is erin rellis.
please state your name.
>> speaker: my name is aaron rose, I
live in the fourth district.
some proud, huh.
>> keith port per, parity law.
al behr sanchez do minguez.
victor, louis, louis gustavo, heraldo,
renee good.
alex preti.
these are all the lives thus far taken
by the homeland security in 2026.
you heard the last two and I'm sure you
don't need me to say why.
these discussions will continue under
the department of homeland security.
are we going to wait for them to mutter
a de laougtian before we act?
they're already operating outside of
the law.
what they're doing in the twin cities
is a blueprint for the sort of violence
that they want to bring to the other
communities.
thz a army of men that are not be
holding to laws, they're be holding to
violence.
political power, grows out of the
barrel of a gun.
the duluth police department as well as
sheriff's department have been
witnessed with my own eyes
collaborating, regardless of intent of
this collaboration, this collaboration
cannot be accepted.
he wanted to help protect this
community has why he did the work he
did.
I'm sure there are many fine folks in
the duluth police department, I met
several of them, they're human beings
just like everyone else.
but the institution itself cannot
collaborate with a fascism organization.
regardless of what the fascism
organization is doing.
sometimes protecting this community
means protecting radical actions.
sometimes the mezity to act out strips
the laws.
the law that homeland security claimsed
to own force are rotten.
dhs has fundamentally changed and we
must opinion change but move in an
proactive manner.
do not let them bring the violence to
duluth.
this does not just exist without the
innocence of a mountain and it can be
dismantled by the people.
that dismantlement may not begin at the
top.
cities across the united states can
assist by electing the department of
homeland security by their
municipalities.
questions over quality while they
execute martyrs in the street, you'll
have to excuse me if is could only
shake my head.
legality is out the window at this
point.
we have that power as a community and
through you councilor, I hope and pray
that there is resistance.
there is a lot of fear and anger in
this room tonight, righteous anger,
because we know you have the power to
act.
we're demanding that you act, we're
demand anding pleading for to you act
and end all collaboration with this
fasist organization to protect their
community from this group and eject
them from their city.
I'm not going to repeat the demands, I
have 8 seconds left.
but you're going to hear it a lot and I
hope the repetition sticks.
thank you.
>> our next speaker is ana.
>> welcome, please state your name and
address.
>> I'm rebeccabergh, I live in the
second district.
I moved here to duluth by choose
because I love it here.
and in the past two weeks, ice agents
have murdered two people within two
miles from my childhood home.
what the community is going through
right now is heavy in my heart.
I say this to you, because some of you
seem to be operating that this will not
affect you.
like it's not close to home and there
are already ice agents present here in
duluth.
the situation is not improving.
the situation is illegal and horrendous.
it's not enough to say that police
department is is not working and that
it's fine.
thoughts and prayers don't do anything
when you're in a position of power.
this is my first time speaking before
you all but I've been a tebding these
meetings for months now.
I have seen countless community members
asking you for your vote to represent
their voices and again and again, I
watched the majority of this council
vote against the desires of your
constituents.
the people have no faith that people
will protect them from ice and so
they're organizing to protect each
other and will continue to do so.
if you continue to sit back, you prove
to them that you're more aligned with
the racist than with the people of your
own city.
we need touz change course.
let the current events be a wake up to
respond to the public safety threats at
hand.
we need you to ban 287 agreements,
require dpd to protect individuals from
kidnapping from ice in the same manner
that they would be protected of
kidnapping from citizens.
and prohibit them from staging on
public property.
ban ice from school grounds within the
city.
pass a resolution of non collaboration
and not just non binding language that
states that dpd does not assist in
immigration enforcement.
reverse the tracking data with federal
agenciesle.
codify to observe isaac tiff its
without interference in a city
ordinance.
we need to you pass an eviction
moratorium so that our people can stay
home from work when it's not safe for
them to leave.
as the violence against citizens
intensifies.
>> our next speaker is jacob bell.
>> speaker: hi I'm council, I'm jacob
bell and I'm here not to speak about
ice.
with that said, I do stand with the
neighbors, and I'll just say this
h.when the kk, were doing atrocities,
we need to call this what it is.
but I'm here to talk about something
else.
a matter of importance to black and
brown neighborhoods in the central
hillside neighborhood and that's
upcoming proposal from council will get
for a sale of the washington center
property of the city's portion of the
property to ryan nelson and lake avenue
lost for 25,000.
I'm here on behalf of ffc, program that
operates out of the first floor out of
the washington center and I'm here to
really speak to the native families
that use the washington center as a
home every single day.
and I'm here with a simple request,
take this decision seriously.
very seriously.
the decision that city council makes on
this base will determine our families
on hillside for years and years to come.
this place is a home for black and
brown families in this neighborhood.
and now more than ever, black and brown
people feel a place where they feel
safe.
now, ffc is actually a certified cdbo
so we're committed to the economic
development of our neighborhood.
but the real question is development
for who?
our greatest fear right now is
gentrification and the displacement of
low income families and the central
hillside neighborhood.
wiz is why, we submitted a proposal to
the city to purchase the space for a
dollar, a few months back and I'm not
sure if council ever got that proposal
but we did it to protect the space and
make sure this stays a permanent home
with our families.
we have been in contact with the city
staff, as well as the company trying to
purchase this space.
and they've expressed a willing toness
to --willingness to work with us to
ensure that this building stays a home
to black and brown families but also
available to low income families that
live there now.
they've expressed they said that they
will look into it but that's not enough.
this isn't to cast blame on anyone.
there is been a lot going on in the
last couple of months.
but we need to have these conversations
now, and we're doing everything we can
to ensure that this space remains a
home to all of us.
making sure that that the space, the
space stays subsidized.
I'm honestly here to let you know that
these conversations are taking place.
there is a solution and I would love to
come back in a month or two and let you
know, this is what our communities and
our partnerships want and this is what
we're going to do but we're not there
yet.
would I invite you all, come business,
stop over at fcc, meet our families and
hear about the things that are
important to us.
this is where those conversations are
taking place and those conversations
are for the future of the community as
a whole.
thank you.
>> our next speaker is taylor cross
bobing en.
>> speaker: hi I have lived in duluth
for ten years.
thank you counciloring for all that you
do and being able to listen to us,
concerned citizens.
thank you, councilmember tomanek.
>> I do ask that you address the body
as a whole.
>> speaker: thanks for what you said at
the beginning of the meet ing.
I'm here to ask to you do what you can
to separate yourself, ourselves the
city of duluth from ice and do what you
can to protect the citizens of duluth.
others have shared more details about
how to do this and I'm sure you've been
given the list.
but I want to use my time to tell you
about what I experienced in minneapolis
this weekend.
I went down to protest on friday and it
was amazing to see all the support,
seeing tens of thousands brave the
extreme cold was heart warming.
there is a big protest in duluth as
mentioned but the whiplash of alex
preti saturday morning was insane.
shortly after the mutter, I was
peacefully protesting with hundreds of
angry protesters.
to be clear, this was not a riot, this
was nothing like tha. There were
community members, there were business
owners, there were grandmas, there were
people in the street that were hurt,
they were angry, they were scared, they
were fed up with ice in their city,
they were fed up with the abductions,
the killings of their killings.
it sounds insane to say but it's
literally what is happening.
while all the protesters remained
behind the line, ice agents decide
today throw and send tear gas and
concussion grenades and spray pepper.
I was shot in the leg by a rubber
bullet.
I was extremely lucky, hit my cell
phone destroying it and I had no injury.
that bullet was rock hard, I cannot
imagine if it would have happened in my
face or something like that.
I want to share this with you to give
you a glimpse of who these people are.
that means both people that are
peacefully protesting o ordinary
people going about their day that have
brown skin.
although we don't have a lot of
brown-skin people in duluth as we do in
minneapolis, our police department
needs to be ready.
police department is not working with
ice, at all, and it was great to see
that separation and the cooperate.
it may not be there yet but silence
will soon become complicity.
please take action, real action.
thank you for your time.
>> our next speaker is darlene.
>> we do have a request from the next
room that you speak closerly--closely
into the mic so they can hear.
and if you can give us your name and
address, that would be great.
>> can you tulle the mike down.
thank you.
>> diane and I'm from town sil, but I
was born and raised in duluth.
this is another dark and shameful
period in america's history.
violent' deporting immigrants based on
race, seeking asylum and a better life
for their children is not what this
country has stood for for over 70 years.
the ufm states has welcomed immigrants
from all over the world becoming a
beacon of democracy.
this policy of the trump administration
is cruel and stands in blatant contrast
to viftian values.
ill trained ice agents that appear to
revel in brutality so very shameful in
so many ways.
the resent killing of two u.s. Citizens
in minneapolis by our own government is
an atrocity and leave a lasting
reprehensible scar.
unfortunately, the duluth city council
does not have the authority to abolish
ice but it could make a statement by
voting against ice raids being
performed in our city and guard rails
being put in place if they are.
this can be done by passing the
ordinance of demands prevented this
evening.
as leaders of our city, you have a duty
and an obligation to protect the
citizens of duluth and to try to
prevept this evil from happening here.
I implore you to be on the right side
of history and vote for guidelines to
be put in place to prevent another ice
tragedy.
future generations will be asking you,
what did you do as city councilor
during this tragic times for so many
people.
you will be asked.
you ought to be proud of what you
decided.
>> our next speaker, is bruce.
>> welcome, if you would like to
address.
>> speaker: good evening, I live at 417
simerlay am in the western duluth.
my heart goes out to all those affected
by this circumstances that have been
talked about and I have a lot of the
same concerns that they're speaking
about.
but I'm here as a member of the
advocacy of trails.
I live in western duluth.
and before this city council is a
resolution authorizing the application
for to the transportation authorization
fund to go construct a cross section of
the trail from free mont.
on behalf of the members of friends of
parks and trails and community members
we represent, I want to express the
support for this resolution and not
action of this trail that potential
funding will construct.
it will give the many people who walk
and bike in the western neighborhoods a
safer path for recreation.
when my knew bride and I moved into our
home near the longer trail in 1992, we
looked forward to riding our bikes to
west duluth for shopping and recreation.
we were disappointed to learn that
there was not a safe path to get there.
over the years, several of our
neighbors, say that they would ride our
bikes to work if only, there was a safe
path to get there.
a number of years ago, I spoke with the
group of people on the monger trail who
said they were part of a family reunion.
the plan was for them to ride from
carleton so shop, eat and walk the
boardwalk.
once they foupd that there was no safe
route, they shortened their trip and
turned around and can now park
businesses lost these potential
customers.
several of our group have been working
with the city of duluth for 15, 30 to
get the gap closed between the trail
head in canal park as envisionds 40
years by the late jim ol'behr stein.
the multi use transportation path to
canal park will be realized.
we thank the city council for
continuing to support the parks and
trails of our great city and we look
forward to continuing to work with the
city on this and other projects.
thank you.
>> thank you.
our next speaker is jenny ward.
>> welcome, if you can state your name
and address.
>> speaker: good evening, council, my
name is jenny, I live at 301 west
street.
and I want to thank everyone who has
spoken on ice.
I would like to talk tonight about the
last council meet ing.
I was not here but I was watching from
home.
we can agree that it was a tense
meeting and many of us walked away
being frustrated.
ints and we do wish for everyone to
feel safe at home and in the workplace
and in our city.
if anyone has felt unsafe I am truly
sorry.
however, I believe it's important that
we all feel hurt.
when I witnessed two weeks ago, was
many many people come out to spaik
about an issue that they cared deeply
about.
many councilmembers had a different
opinion, things escalated and there was
a short recess and a vote was done.
a vote that we knew was controversial.
this is not how decalation works.
many were loudly reacted and reacted
when they were doing so.
this would be like slapping somebody
and then getting mad for saying ouch.
I understand the importance of
civilianity.
I also want to live in a civil world.
it just does not feel like a reality
right now.
the president of our nation says new
vulgar nonsense every day.
is any of that civil?
we are scared, we are angry and we are
very sad.
we look to our local leaders for
representation.
so please listen to us.
listen to the people who voted you on
to council.
we will not agree on everything all the
time, but we need the people need to be
heard and respected.
we live here, work here and pay taxed.
the future of this city is in our
hands, we will make mistakes but we
must meet each other with grace and
dignity.
and real quick, before I go, I want to
mention that the live stream was muted
when hare much words were being
exchanged in the chamber.
I understand the intention but I think
it's our right to not be censored,
those of us viewing at home or watching
later, even if there is profanity, I
don't think that tht live stream should
be censor sd.
we deserve to know what is going on.
I had loved one here, and I was worried
about their safety, I almost ran over
here in my pajamas to make sure
everything is okay.
so please consider not censoring the
audio in the future.
thank you.
>> our next speaker is chance wells.
>> welcome please state your name and
address.
>> speaker: hello councilor, president
nephew.
my name is chance.
danny the person who spoke before her,
is my partner and I'm so proud of her.
should I is calm when I am not and for
giving when I cannot and wise when I'm
lacking.
my problem is I've attended too many of
these meetings.
I've watched as the council voted down
the cease fire resolution and thus
endorsed the countless murder of
palestinian.
but the council decided to anyway.
I've tried to work with council in my
capacity as a queer organizer and I was
told to my face that what we proposed
was divisive.
since when does loving who you love is
divisive?
when is a recognizing a festival of joy
divisive?
and then I watched as the council vote
today renew contract with nexus lexus.
despite every speak egg vote to go
reconsider.
please tell me, how am I suppose to
remain civil?
you said my existence as a queer is
divisive, you said yes to genocide and
yes to police using ai and
collaborating with ice.
when I read the truth to you, doesn't
that sound shameful?
I hope those to make better choices
next time.
there is only so many times that I can
come up here and hope you'll listen
before I break.
I am breaking.
we are all breaking.
a five-year-old was abducted his name
was leanne conejo.
alex preti was murdered protecting a
women from ice.
beaten and shot at least ten times.
what are we doing here?
ndpd cooperation with ice now, required
dpd to protect individuals from
kidnapped in ice in the same manner
they would be protected kidnapping.
I know the duluth say they are not
working with ice but by using nexus
lexus and giving them money, we are
complicity in their evil regardless,
despite public opinion, I hope you'll
consider a bit of what I said today.
>> thank you.
>> please no cheers or jeers.
>> our next speaker is matt sergeant.
>> you can adjust the lectern on the
right side.
>> speaker: my name is matt sergeant
I'm from you lincoln park.
and I want to reflect on something
before we started.
you looked at the flag and you took an
oath and the last thing you said, is,
justice for all.
you didn't say justice for, citizens,
justice for white people, justice for
all.
that's what we're here about.
we are living right now, in dangerous
times.
things have been dangerous for some of
us for much longer than others and some
of us now are seeing that and it's
scary and things going to continue to
get scary not just for us here, but for
you too, it's time to not use words but
actions.
because words without actions are
meaningful.
so here's some actions for you.
pass an ordinance of city council non
collaboration with ice, cbp, hsi and
building sharing with homeland security.
isaac tiff its without interference.
established a city lead working group
aimed at protecting the public from ice
and collaborating know your rights.
pass an eviction moratorium, pass an
ordinance, banning ice, cpi from
staging on public properties and ban
ice from entering city offices and
other non public spaces without a
judicial warrant.
we verse the city of duluth for fuck
sake and the city contract with nexus
lexus.
pass on nard ans virg problemsing when
there are clear fourth amendment
violations, within city limits without
a judicial warrant.
pass an ordinance requiring dpt to
protect individuals from kidnapping
from ice nat same manner they would be
protected from protecting citizens and
other means, I'm going to take the
remaining almost minute here of silence
for our brown brothers and sisters who
didn't get a moment of silence earlier.
>> thank you.
our next speaker is david tricksted.
>> welcome if you can please state your
name and address.
>> speaker: my name is david, glad
sfoen street in duluth.
I thank you for this opportunity to
speak to all of and president nephew
and the rest of you, thank you very
much.
my wife and I came to duluth 33 years
ago and I came to serve first lutheran
xhoifp as a pastor and for 22 years and
a half I served both lutheran and
concordia lutheran.
we lived in morgan park for 13 years,
loved it through.
our grandson now has a house there with
his daughter and his partner.
we love lakeside, we love this
community here very much and hope to
spend the of our days there.
I too wanted point out that we pledged
allegiance to the flag and the r&b for
which it stands.
and the question is will it stand?
if we can't affect what is going on in
washington, we can affect what is going
on in duluth.
and and we come to you, the response
has been amazing.
they take my breath away and I cannot
replicate for what has been saying.
thank you for the silence at the
beginning and thank you for the
profound words and prayer.
let's, actualize those words.
let's make something happen from those
words.
I'm part of a weekly protest against
ice on 60th avenue east and superior
street.
every wednesday at noon, since may, we
started on thursday, but there is a
veterinarian on that corner who does
chemotherapy to the drags and the dogs
were honking because the cars on
agreement.
the agreement is what we're doing over.
due process for all.
even non citizens, for all.
there is no due process.
and the entrance of homes, knocking
down doors.
now we learned that ice secret decide
that they don't need that at all.
en sitement of violence.
I think the government is just waiting
for an opportunity and excuse to
declare marshal law.
please from your point of view, please,
put your words and feelings into action
and move on these things that are being
called for.
your call to serve and to protect your
constituents all of us.
please help the duluth police
department protect us.
one of our citizens, two doors from us,
is a police officer, wonderful,
wonderful man p I pray for him
regularly.
but what he do in the face of ice
showing up?
what are they told to do?
>> that is your time, thank you.
>> thank you.
>> our next speaker is laura termmin.
>> welcome if you want to address your
name and address, if you want to adjust
the lectern, you can.
>> speaker: I would like to say that
now would be a pretty good time for all
of our elected officials to listen to
the people and with that, I would like
to reaffirm what the demands that the
people.
to pass an ordinance of city non
collaboration with ice, cbp, hsi and
ban building sharing with homeland
security.
pass an ordinance, codifying a
constitution and review isaac tiff its
without interference.
establish a working group aimed at
establishing policy to protect the
public from ice and incorporating know
your rights for the public and local
businesses.
pass an eviction moratorium.
pass an ordinance banning ice, cbp,
hsi, from staging on public property
and ban ice from entering city offices
in other non public spaces without a
judicial warrant.
reverse contract with block safety and
the city contract with nexus lexus,
sign on to the petition to prevent
wisconsin from being utilizes a hsi
detention center and pass a resolution
condemning federaltions use of the
facility.
pass an ordinance requiring prosecution
when there are clear fourth amendment
violations.
pass an ordinance prohibiting
detainment of ice without a judicial
warrant.
pass an ordinance requiring dpd to
protect individuals from kidnapping
ice, by kidnapping by ice in the same
manner they would be protected from
kidnapping by private citizens.
and any other collusion from ice from
surveillance technology and data or any
other needs.
thank you.
>> thank you.
>> our next speaker is andrew saint
gray.
>> might be a minute.
my name is andrew st. Croix.
thank you for having me here.
mr. Mayor.
oh.
I am a resident of 8th district,
indigenous land that carries the name
of a setler, duluth.
let's get one thing straight right off
the bat.
no one, no one, is illegal on stolen
land!
don't naen to attack you, I hope I'm
being kind.
let's be honest about that for a second.
what is happening in this country?
where, we as white people, have owned a
system since time morium that landed on
shores.
time memorium in reality is indigenous
where we stand, where we business,
where we could not convenient right
now, I'm going way off script but
that's how 'em passioned we are right
now.
we need to lean into the indigenous
wisdom, where we refocus the
relationship with the land.
we are not looking at the things with
our property.
at the end of last year, there was a
discussion about the land, around
lester park where the park is s.I went
skiing there earlier, a few weeks ago,
and I thought to myself, man, how good
would some condos look right now.
and we love and there is a lot of
solidarity in this room right now.
think of where we are.
this is a moment in history, where do
you want to be?
that's why people live in duluth, not
all.
I want too talk in the last minute
about my weekend.
I helped organize the sit-in here on
friday.
and that morning I felt so good.
I saw what was happening down in the
twin cities.
the endeavors, I saw it on the news
sunday morning with flash and tear gas,
that was fun.
but, I felt so good saturday morning.
my wife and I were having our coffee
and a friend of mine who lives here who
grew up in minneapolis, texted me,
there was another shooting five minutes
after it happened.
I was so like many, anger, angry, sad,
heartbroken confused but mostly
empowered to protect my neighbors.
alex preti was a helper.
I'm going to poorly quote mlk, but look
for the helpers.
you either plan something now, because
I consider myself a helper and you may
have to come out a press release about
my killing.
thank you.
>> our next speaker is grant stutter.
>> welcome, please state your name and
address.
>> speaker: hello I'm grant studer,
greetings, president nephew, staff, I
appreciate you listening attentively
this evening.
I've had a variety of drafts and as I
hear what my neighbors and friends and
people are saying, I've what I feel
feels important.
I like to get started with it.
but I live in district 3, zip code
55805 and, I want to consider maybe
supporting just switching to zip codes
and districts, because if I were to
come up and read your address off into
the microphone and on to the record,
that may make you feel uncomfortable.
that I may not feel great reading my
name out.
we're at a time of genuine fear, so as
a small protocol, you have accepted
that many have shared that info and
there is no push back.
as you consider the possibility of
increasing things to confirm and
reaffirm duluth pds, non compliance and
non support of the violent folks who are
such havoc in our city, I want you to
consider what enforcement may look like.
because over the past couple of years,
anytime I meet.dpd officer, I have to
ask is this tele live breed.
is this the guy that fired six bullets
through a door and then retired and
worked until until he had credible
accusations of sexual assaults.
if we're going to say no, we don't do
that.
and if there are no consequences, what
happens next?
that is a way to build trust.
to make sure that there is
accountability and things are hard
right now and I've heard some of your
speechesed.
--speeches.
and you ran on city services and
schools and safe neighborhoods.
I don't want this to be interrupted.
this is bigger than the job you signed
up for.
and I appreciate the stress at that.
some sense of why, maybe would be a
more advantageous thing for future run.
what we're asking of you, is scare aoeg
than deciding not to fund another
community center for the park.
so say that you're going to do things
that may go against armed members of
the government or that may anger those
folks is big.
and you cannot rise to the moment,
consider whether you need to find a
better way to contribute right now.
>> that's your time.
thank you.
>> thank you very much.
>> our next speaker is danny frank.
>> welcome, please state your name and
address and many people just give your
zip code, that's acceptable.
--
~>> we do ask that you address the body
as a whole.
>> speaker: I'm addressing, but thank
you president nephew.
two weeks ago, many of us stood here
and asked to you cut ties with nexus
lexus, the company that is mrieg
information for ice for hsi operations.
we asked that you and the duluth police
department, ask non cooperation with
ice and its various nefarious branches.
we ask that you speak out against the
authoritarian on slot.
that same night many you stated that
you would not--that you would minimize
our impassioned speeches and that mayor
reiner would remain silent which she
did.
that is until another was murdering
while many of us were finishing our
first cup of coffee.
since then, we've heard the same
shallow plat tude, from rogers from
this council tonight.
we hear the outrage, we hear the anger,
the sadness, the prayers, the moments
of silence, what we have not heard is
what you're going to do to preemptively
make our community safer for everyone.
our neighbors here tonight have given
you a laundry list of demands and
opportunities and options, none of
which are all that radical and
attainable.
you have plenty to choose from, pick
one and start there.
show us you're doing something.
this probably isn't going away, we've
got at least 77 more months until a new
congress that may have the chance of
putting the trump regime in check, that
is if we even have election nz november.
history will tell the story of those
who step back and those who stood up.
what will history say about this
council and each one of you here
tonight?
thank you.
>> our next speaker is star brainered.
identificationer I'm stars brainered,
I'm here for the same reason a lot of
people are here.
it's really really challenging feeling
so powerless every day.
it soupsed like you may too from the
words but the cool thing is that you
can actually do something.
I try to go to protest whenever I can
but I'm afraid what could happen.
I was here for my first council meet
ing last council meeting and I was
stupidly, hopeful, because you said
really nice passionate things and I was,
silly op timistic item that there
would be an agenda addressing what so
many people are passionate about and so
many here today.
if you have to say, we can't do
anything, I would ask that you try
anything.
make it look like, we're making an
effort even if it's symbolic.
I think there are anyone'sing that
would not be symbolic but anything.
if you say there are not that many ice
officers here, let's do something
before there are.
let's not wait until there are more
people dead somebody more has died
people are literally dying, we're
watching our democracy crumble.
sets do an ordinance, and pro vibity
ice and cbp and chi from staging in
property.
establish a city task poers aimed at
creating policy recommendations to
protect citizens from ice and
coordinating from our know your rights
training for citizens and local
businesses and ban ice from school
grounds within with the city.
please, ban ice from school grounds in
the city, kids deserve to go to school.
thank you for the time.
>> our next speaker is, robert carleton.
>> speaker: hi, I'm robert carleton.
I would like to commune --communicate
some information on nexus lexus, I know
you renewed but I believe it's
important that in 2024, on christmas
day, they suffered one of the worse
breaches a data firm ever has.
364,000 people had their, had their
data breached this data includes full
names, email addresses and driver's
license numbers and social security
numbers among other things.
this is devastating because looking
over the, looking over the forms that
the banks use, that's enough
information to close somebody's account.
I've, I personally worked in data
security.
I work in technology now.
I like this council, council, I would
like to consider rescinding any
contract with nexus lexus as well as
adding my voice to the list of demands
that has been given tonight.
thank you.
>> thank you, our next speaker is
maggie.
should we just go on to the next
speaker?
okay, the next speaker is james hansen.
>> speaker: I know you're not federal
government so I apologize.
but, over the weekend, what is
happening and the federal abuse of the
state of minnesota is terrifying to me.
I am a teacher at lincoln park, I'm
afraid for students and families.
I'm afraid for my friends and my
children's friends.
and the question, I have sat with all
weekend is, where is the state and city
check on federal dollar?
I feel like we keep, we've had several
strong statements and we've had
reassurances, lower the temperature,
and cooperate and and suddenly this
administration, and the department of
homeland security lack.
dhs immigration ep forcement has been a
thing of over two decades.
president obama deported more people
than bush, but at least they followed
laws.
and in the wake of lawless federal
agents, I'm begging the city council to
please reach out to the state and
communicate to us the citizens, how are
we going to be protected from lawless
agents.
I was seeing the execution saturday
morning, I was filled with fear and
desperation.
what would I do if my daughter watt a
friend's house over the weekend.
what would I do if I shoeld up at her
friend's house, I'm not sure the
immigration status of her friends.
but, I don't.
I don't want to die.
and I am so sad to see the death that
have happened to our citizens and I
feel it will continue to happen if we
do not take a stand against federal
abuse and federal reach.
I would like to have a clear statement
from the city and government about how
our information agencies, duluth pd,
all how we will, how we will handle
lawless federal agents.
if federal agents show up at the school
will dpd show supe or courthouse or
hospital, will they come and escort ice
agents away?
we live in a society governed bylaws
and the executive branch is is not
following those laws.
and we need our state and we need our
city to stand together to push back
against federal power.
I'm feeling very desperate over the
weekend and I'm looking for reassurance
and solidarity.
thank you.
our next speaker.
>> welcome if you can state your name
and address.
>> speaker: yes, I was in the other
room.
my name is maggie hilton, I live in zip
code 5881.
I just want to speak from the heart
instead of what I had prepared.
I had not been to one of these meetings
until the last meeting.
and I am ashamed that I have not come
until now and I am ashamed that I have
not spoken until now.
I moved to duluth in 2024 and I got the
privilege to meet my neighbors in
duluth heights.
and I want you to know that what I'm
saying and what the others are saying,
are reflective of the attitudes of
majority of duluthians.
this is what most want.
I agree with all the demands that has
been laid out.
this is not some fringe opinion, I
believe that you all have power to do
something at least make them work for
it.
god damn, like we can do something.
I am, not somebody who enjoys feeling
powerless and I feel powerless in this
moment and I'm looking at a group of
people who have the power to do
something.
when we look at what was said at the
last meeting, I was, dismayed by some
of what I heard in terms of hsi, isn't
ice and dpd isn't ice.
let's proof it.
what is stopping us from proving it.
we heard that because, hsi officers
have lived and worked in the community
for a long time, that is suppose to
make us feel better.
and I'm not diminishing the important
work that is being done by agents but
look at the person who killed renee
good.
that is a person that lipped in the
minneapolis community for ten years
with his immigrant wife and he went on
and did that.
how are we suppose to trust anyone to
have our best interest at heart and to
work with dpd at any kind of capacity,
at the very least let's put a pause at
work with dpd with whatever crisis is
happening right now.
that seems to be the bear minimum.
there has to be something that you can
do.
and I appreciate the words and
solidarity and I want to be part of
this community.
I want to build trust with that
relationship and this council and here
and my neighbors but it's hard to build
trust when there is that foundation of
mistrust because of who that agency is
and that work going complete hee off
the book and the rest of the state.
I don't know what else to say, I'll
seize the rest of my time.
thank you.
>> our next speaker is kathy peterson.
>> speaker: I'm speaking for general
harris who could not be here this
evening, she is with human rights
commission.
hope of the day, a state in position of
an unyielding spirit collectively
assembles and grows stronger with each
voice after being subjected to repeated
attempts.
day 55 of the seige, in the state of
minnesota, in which folks can quickly
become targets.
one bad turn, one decision being at the
wrong place at the wrong time can get
you face-to-face with the trigger
angered agent untrained in deescalation
or tactics or just a general bad actor,
seizing the moment.
however, strengthen numbers has been in
the works since spring and summer of 25
to form a parameter of protection.
they come from all walks, excuse me,
clergy, parents, on neighborhood patrol.
financial advisors, city counselor, the
elderly, musicians, basketball coaches
service workers, legislators,
attorneys, doctors, respond to go
document abuse of power or suspicious
activity as trained constitutional
observers.
we are a for giving people and connect
be respective but the collective
response change when defensive people
skulls bounce off the ground from
shoves akin to a bully on the
playground.
the collective response change when
dignity has been stripped from humans.
the collective response changed when it
would seem that a constitution was
stuffed in a paper shreder, somewhere
out east.
with you border patrol homeland, are
you police?
are you customs, enforcement?
I cannot tell.
why is this unmarked unmarked vehicle
rapidly moving after grocery shopping?
did I forget my id, did should I have
brought my passport, do I look american
enough?
how many people are there in that
vehicle?
how many of them are trained enough to
know when to walk away, will I see my
home and family again?
are we not seeing the grievance.
and stand up in the face of the of the
oppressor or no words fortitude.
and you have not picked a side yet,
close your eyes and dream about which
america you wish to live in because we
are heading into the america our
ancestors did not want us to know.
the thoughts of jen hearis.
thank you for listening.
>> I'm sorry, no cheers or jeers.
>> our next speaker, is lucy billings.
>> speaker: I'm an educator so my main
thing is that kids have a place to go
safe.
my aunt and uncle in minneapolis kept
watch at a park to try to keep children
who were attending a community event
from being abducted.
we all want to keep our children safe
from creating traumatic memories of
this time period.
and one thing that makes people feel a
sense of safety is knowing that our
government is trying to protect us from
harm.
you are the local government, you are
the people that we elected in moments
of crisis like this.
doing nothing, no new ordinance south
side nothing.
if and when a larger number of agents
decides to come up, it's clear that all
the people of duluth, all of us, are in
danger not just our immigrant neighbors
of doors being beaten down without
warrants or grounds, chemical weapons
being used on peaceful protesters and
anyone of us in the wrong place at the
wrong time, being detained or beaten or
shot and killed by federal agents.
so I don't think there is a question of
whether or not we need new ordinances.
it's a question of what our city and
policies do to protect us.
so I brought today, a couple of
examples from other cities that have
already created new ordinances or
amended theirs to take the actions that
we're asking to you take today.
I stand with all the dsa's demands and
I wanted to offer some language, some
examples of how to do that.
so I'll read a couple from
minneapolis's and then, if I could give
these two guys later.
there is more examples from other
cities.
minneapolis they have already amended
their city ordinance to see say, other
than when required by law, city
employees representatives, contractors,
shall not use city facilities property
monies equipment data technology
including license plate recognition and
surveillance videos and computers for
the purpose of enforcing federal
immigration laws.
they have, updated their access to see
property no federal state or personnel
is authorized to use any city owned or
city controlled parking lot or vacant
lot or garage as a staging area,
processing location and operation base
or any other similar use for
immigration laws.
they have said non city spaces are not
open for the purposes of enforcement of
federal immigration laws except with a
judicial warrant.
public safety officials shall not
question or person or persons about
their immigration status.
public safety officials shall not
question or arrest.
including but not limited through
traffic stops or creation or
participation in checkpoints.
I think, that if minneapolis can do all
of that, that should be the basic
starting point and the dsa's demands
are great examples of what we can do as
well.
>> thank you.
that's your time.
>> our next speaker is marcus edget.
>> speaker: hello, my name is mark
edget, I live in 55804 and district 1.
I would like to speak on a couple of
separate issues as a human rights
commissioner, it is my understanding
that part of my duty is to advise and
specifically the state human rights act
whether it be through a lack of
training, I and other human rights
commissioners are unsure of the
communication vehicle which which you
would like us to do so.
would that be a general or where we may
discuss a particular concern.
my representatives as durrwatcher.
>> please address the council as a
whole.
thank you.
>> speaker: perhaps the council, would
like to send the commission
clarification as to your desire as how
you would like us to communicate.
during my interview, the council made
the reasonable statement that the
council may not agree with the
commission and I accept that.
but current structure feels like
communication are lacking on this area.
an unrelated note, I like to discuss
the minnesota knights.
they are now attempting to export
efforts to only attacks as those they
view as political enemies.
racial profiling, firing tear gas
canisters at samaritans.
with no phones or no photos as a crime.
breaking the window of a car full of
children and releasing tear gas is
inhumane.
as long as they're not actively
impeding information.
you cannot mace them as their pastor
raise them to sew fear.
that also means stopping and asking for
papers as a violation of constitutional
rights.
law enforcement those they know and
they don't care.
as a commissioner, I would like to
reiterate the commissioners reach out
to the city and city council to see
take a stance on ice operations we
emailed last week.
we want you to protect your family and
your community even as a volunteer
commission per, I swore an oath to the
state of minnesota and its constitution.
I know each of you did too and if I
were to suggest and suggest a statement
it would be the following.
due to the violations of minnesota
human rights act and the constitutional
rights of minnesotaians, duluth police
department cannot in good faith act in
any future collaborations with ice.
we stand with our community.
>> thank you.
>> welcome if you'll state your name
and a drits.
--address.
>> speaker: I'm evan and I live on
third street avenue east.
I felt the need to speak today in order
to represent those of us who are
opposed, to any sort of, ice
involvement in of course minneapolis
but obviously in the city of duluth.
I can just say as a concerned citizen
that a lot of us, may be coming here
for the first time in this year or, at
all today, but, you know, we're all
working people just like y'all and
you're the closest reach we have to
sharing our general thoughts and
concerns.
so thank you for being available and
potentially to its not your sole job to
educate us on what is and what isn't
possible.
but a lot of us are confused as to
minnesotans who were killed by the
federal government or arms of the
federal government.
so if any of our demands are not being
met or if any of them are being
unreasonable in your eyes, please, have
a conversation with us somehow.
whether it be a public statement as you
made at the beginning of the meeting
or, anything that isn't, silence is
much appreciated as if, if, you're
mentioning that it's very complicated
to do these things and some of them are
possible tell us, so we can have that
conversation of and so we can, the
people can warrant as well.
and in general, I'll just say, if, if
this were to be any other issue of,
let's say house or road development or
working with any third party or even
another government agency, on
principal, you wouldn't hire a housing
developer that has had their.
very high rate or you would not
contract a third party to build a road
that wouldn't be stable.
so you as a city, the city of duluth
should not collaborate with an agency
who has killed two minnesotans, it's a
mistake that is very unforgiving.
and, thank you.
the people we want to talk so, if
something is not possible or if we're
misunderstanding something, let's try
to learn.
>> thank you.
>> our last speaker is max bowman.
>> welcome, if you'll please state your
name and address.
>> max bulman, I live in--(inaudible)
please listen to what those have said
before in nexus lexus ice.
this is related.
it will be great to know that my
councilmembers have any safety and
security in mind.
I'm talking about flock, it's a
surveillance system integrated with ai,
flock safety areas were installed in
town without the consent of our
citizens instead attached to something
like a bail to approve police overtime.
a youtuber, just some guy found over 60
vulnerable in flock, one of being
operating system that has not been used
for 8 years.
on google can access--yes so.
so anything that a creep would want to
view is on available on flock or from
flock safety.
sometimes they execute people just for
living their lives.
stockers and ice,/homeland security.
two types of people I don't want
everybody watching my moves or
monitoring my routine and those of my
neighbors.
with police whom ever and also, there
was, a ruling where ice is no longer
allowed to use flock safety but police
departments across the country are
allowing them access regardless.
and yeah, it's just awful and bad for
us people.
if you want surveillance and security,
it should be done safely and with risk
and ethicacy in mind.
thank you.
>> thank you.
>> if there is no more speakers, we
will take a five-minute, point of
privilege.
we will reconvene in 30 seconds.
if you can please take your seats.
>> okay, I will call the meeting of
duluth back to order.
do we have a motion to approve the
consent agenda.
do I have a second?
let's get a second and if you would
like to discuss, if you would like to
pull that time.
do I have a second to we can discuss?
second by forsman and I see we have
councilmember clanaugh on the cue.
>> I move for the suspension of the
rules so we can discuss what our fellow
citizens have remitted in our moment of
constitutional crisis and apparel
public safety.
>> can you please repeat that.
>> I move for a suspension of the
rules, so we can discuss and consider
what our fellow citizens have presented
as responses a potential of responses
to our constitutional crisis and
imperiled public safety.
>> second by randorf?
>> any discussion?
>> we also have a resolution and a
second.
we need to do that first.
>> we're going to go back to the
consent agenda.
so we had a motion and a second, is
there any discussion on the consent
agenda?
councilor clanaugh.
>> yes, I would like to pull item
number 2 for separate consideration.
>> is there a second to pull number 2?
second by durrwatcher, any discussion
on it?
if there is no discussion, we will pull
item 2 from the consent agenda.
any other discussion on the consent
agenda?
if none, let's, I, all those in favor
to approve consent agenda with pulling
number 2 say aye.
>> aye.
>> oppose same sign.
that passes 9-0.
then we will go to item number 2 on the
consent agenda.
I'm sorry, item number 2 which would be
councilor randorf.
>> it's a administration to accept
gifts on the behalf of the amount of
10,000 or less, and I'll move that.
>> seconded by tomanek and we have
councilor durrwatcher.
>> I'm going to yield at the moment.
>> councilor clanaugh.
>> yes, as I read the prior resolution,
this expired in 23.
I'm curious why this was aloud
--allowed to lapse for three years.
I'm trying to understand this
resolution and proposal.
>> so the council questions for the
agenda item should have been asked by
staff at the agenda or prior to the
meetings, so tonight is for comments on
it.
do you have comments on it?
>> yes, I can add comments.
I think it's a good thing for our city
to receive gifts.
however for them not to be disclosed
and reviewed by council would be
troubling.
with the commitment to transparency and
accountable, disclosure would
disclosure would guard against
potential influences peddling,
especially given the 10,000 threshold
which I find to be signature.
so therefore I move to amend this
proposal to require that the city
council receive public notification and
that this information is included in
council minutes listing all gifts to
the city that would occur under this
resolution.
>> so we have a motion to amend before
us, is there a second?
second by durrwatcher, any discussion
on the motion to attend?
--amend.
we have councilor forsman.
>> thank you, I can see where you're
coming from.
since it's not typical to amend from
the floor, I'm wondering if attorney or
clerk need clarification on the what
the motion is?
>> councilor forsman, president nephew,
I think I understand, and I would work
with the attorney's office to put it
into the resolution if it's amended.
>> thank you.
>> councilor durrwatcher.
>> thank you, president nephew and
thank you, councilor clanaugh for
suggesting that amendment.
I would support that h I still have a
lot of questions about this too after
further discussion.
I think the very least we can do is
just become as transparent as possible.
>> administrator?
>> thank you, council president.
council forsman.
I would suggest quarterly reporting to
the council.
whatever you would like.
I think frankly bringing this it to
council as we receive these, would be a
waste of staff time and frankly a waste
of council time.
so I would recommend something on more
regular basis, I would like to consult
with my staff to see what would make
sense.
I don't know how often we receive
donations, I would like to check with
them first.
maybe, we could table this item.
I don't think this is of any urgency,
so we can bring this back for a couple
of weeks with more questions.
if this is causing the council
consternation, we can bring this back.
>> councilor kennedy.
>> that is my discussion to table this.
I would need more information to make a
more informed vote, voting it up or
down.
so I would suggest to table it if we
could.
>> councilor durrwatcher.
>> thank you, president nephew and
administrator stear-ling.
I asked a question and I didn't have
time to follow-up with a more clear
question.
and I know david has councilor clanaugh
has a list of questions that he would
still like to ask as well.
so I, I move to table it.
>> do we have to quick vote on the
amended version first or can we move to
the table?
>> I withdrawal my proposed amendment.
>> okay, and councilor durrwatcher are
you making a motion to table?
>> yes.
>> and seconded by kennedy.
any discussion?
all those in favor signal by saying aye.
>> aye.
>> opposed same sign.
resolution 61 will be tabled.
>> next, we will move on to councilor
questions or comments.
council cer clanaugh.
>> point of motion on rules.
it has a sec.
>> so there is a motion to suspend the
rules and a second.
any discussion on that?
councilor tomanek.
>> can you clarify what we're
suspending the rules for?
>> sure, yeah.
so that we can have some discussion and
consideration.
I mean our fellow citizens have brought
extensive concerns to us.
we're in a moment that is unprecedented
during our lifetime.
and there is a sense of urgency that
we, that we figure out some way to
begin acting, we may not be able to do
a lot tonight.
but I think for consideration for our
fellow citizens, we should at least
have some discussion among ourselves.
and with, with informed information
from staff to figure out a path forward.
>> next we'll move on to councilor
forsman.
>> thank you, president nephew.
I think at this point in time, we voted
on the item we pulled it seemsed
inappropriate that we could have that
discussion to suspend the rules.
I would encourage councilor to hit your
button and say what is on your mind.
>> councilmember johnson.
>> I was going ask clarification
between sharing comments or suspension
and addressing what has been presented
to tuesday.
is would prefer to move and have
conversation.
>> attorney, can you address that?
>> president nephew, I'm not really
sure what is being asked.
the business as you councilor, moving
on to councilor questions and
conversation so you can have that
discussion now.
I don't know what different format we
would go to by suspending the rules.
>> okay, thank you.
>> next we have in the queue,
councilor tomanek.
is there anyone else?
councilor johnson?
>> I'm just, can I president nephew can
you provide a point of where we are?
>> well there is a motion to sus pend
the rules but according to attorney,
that is not something that we need to
do because this is councilors comments
and questions.
soy guess, we can go to a vote for
suspending the rules or do we just want
to go to councilor questions and
comments?
councilor randorf you're next in the
queue.
>> thank you, I'll dig right in and I
encourage councilor clanaugh to do so
too.
let's do this time to address.
I want to thank everyone that came here.
you're right, we are set hearing you
loud and clear.
I think you're going to hear from
another councilor, some good news that
you're going to be wanting to hear.
our role is to ensure that city
policies do not place in harm's way.
when we watched this unfold this
weekend, it was horrific and it was, it
was a feeling of helplessness and
immediately I began thinking what can
we do as a council as a city to protect
our citizens from having that happen.
we need to help provide clear direction
along with staling to protect the
integrity of our public safety work,
maintaining public trust that allows
our city to function.
right now when federal action create
fear and undermine that trust which is
what is happening, tt our
responsibility to respond through
policy.
you're going to see the next couple of
weeks us doing that.
so I'll pause there.
encouraged to hear anyone else and also
to hear from council johnson.
>> let's just go to councilor johnson?
>> thank you.
president nephew.
and I want to thank everybody for
speaking tonight and sharing your voice.
I listen, I listened deeply to what is
taking place within our country, within
our state, and within our city and
generally within our communities.
and trust has been disrupted.
and it's, a challenge to build trust
but I believe in building relationships
and being emersed in community and work
ining partnership to protect and keep
our people in our community safe.
and I want to inform you that I having
working in language for a city council
action that upholds the people living
in our city.
and it's focused with our relationship
with federal agencies with respect to
federal immigration laws.
our city agencies are not here for the
purpose of federal immigration laws.
our city employees play a critical role
in public safety and protecting our
community and I want to remind the
people that we are port city.
duluth is a port city.
and as long as, we have a long history
of people emigrating to our community
and contributing to our economy.
please know that I've taken account I
have measures regarding language that
comes before us with respect to federal
immigration law and you will see that
in the coming weeks.
so thank you, president revenue.
--nephew and again, thank you for
coming here and speaking up.
>> councilor, clanaugh.
>> thank you, president nephew and
councilor johnson and thank you members
of the public for your deep concern.
I hope that tonight, you felt more
welcomed and this is been a more
hospitalitiable en timer than it has
been in the past.
it's hard, as folks running for public
office, our first qualification is grow
some thick skin.
even when it feels hard too do that.
I mean what is going on in minneapolis
is totally, you know, there is no
excuse for it.
and duluth is not immune.
and the blurring of the boundaries, I
mean, this is how these types of,
efforts work blurred boundaries.
coopt, infill straight and --infiltrate.
and that is not a buy partisan.
to find it as a partisan issue.
this is an issue of survival of our
system of constitutional laws and fair
elections, peaceful transfers of power
and we have seen so much evidence of
what we're up against here is not about
this stuff, right?
we're trying to preserve politics among
ourselves, right and authoritarianism
is not about politics it's about
conformity, working together.
learning from one another as
councilors, as fellow citizens.
because when we do that, the product is
actually better.
I don't have all the answers.
I need help, I need to learn, I need to
listen.
I think the editorial in yesterday's
"new york times" sums up where we're at
right now.
the administration is urging americans
to reject the evidence of their eyes
and ears.
they're lying in the obvious truth.
they're lying in the manner of
authoritarian regimes that require
people to accept lies as a
demonstration of their power.
it's a disgrace how it's continued that
the first public comment of mr. Trump
in the wake of mr. Preti's death was to
post a picture of the gunman's gun, I'm
not a big fan of conceal and carry, but
if I have a permit to carry and get
that turned against me, that's not the
spir sit of our laws in this state.
steven miller, organizably mr. Trump's
most influential advisor wrote on
social media without offering evidence
that mr. Preti was an assessin.
these are bold face lies, trying to
gaslight people.
we got good caring people who are right
now are under the spell of these stuff.
we have to find ways of reaching one
another here.
and getting back to, we're trying to be
as fellow citizens of this society.
so, and you know, right now, the
government has killed, it has an
obligation that it acted in the public
interest.
again, the trump administration is
engaged in a preversion.
it's not that liberal.
so, we got to work together here to
mike sure we got clear and strong
boundaries.
and I really thank you councilor
johnson for making initiative on this
and how we communicate with one other.
we want to observe open meet ing laws,
we don't want to break quorum, but
we've got to find way to see work
together.
right now, more than ever.
right.
now more than ever.
and you know what, I am a person who
works in public safety who has
extensive histories of sexual violence.
I have a deep appreciation of offender
task force, they've done incredible
work regarding human trafficking, drug,
running and these types of things.
but, my concern is that we potentially
have a trojan horse situation in our
midst.
we're good people who have done good
work.
like the frog in a pod of water.
and these authoritarian, regimes they
offer a duel state.
there is normative, every day business,
we have contracts, and we prepare
mortgages and we go to work.
but it's prerogative state and we've
got to figure out a way to stop this.
we have to be proactive in our
community and we have to pull together
as a society.
so, I could have never imagined
starting my service, these last two
weeks, right.
but I'm endebted to you folks.
thank you, thank you.
and don't give up.
and let's join hands here together.
this is a golden opportunity council
that struggled sometimes, right?
to work well together.
we have a golden opportunity to build a
fine relationship among ourselves.
thank you.
[applause]ed
--[applause]
[gavel] no cheers or jeers.
we're going to move on to councilor
desotelle.
>> thank you.
I feel in jewish tradition, we need to
repeat and repeat and go through this,
to figure out a solution to what we do
as a local government and woo we do as
a state and society.
I was at the rally also on friday.
I did want to say that and I'm a
staunch defender of the constitution
and I believe in due process as we all
do.
and today we're witnessing the opposite
of that of what america promises.
our federal leaders are provoking fear
and lifes of people who go to work and
go to school here.
we witnessed ice killings, killing and
traumatizing law abiding citizens and
immigrants in the metro area and we are
fearful of them coming here and other
communities.
I know that chief has been working a
lot with officers across other
communities and cities trying to help
us help you, figure out how best we can
point things in language and how we can
enforce those.
so, it's very hard, you can write all
the ordinances you want but we have to
make sure that we have the ability to
enforce them and we're trying to figure
them out.
there is been a lot of exceptions going
over the last two weeks.
I wish I can say we had all the magic
words but two weeks and what is this a
second meeting.
we're still trying to get our arms
around it.
but we do stand by you and do support
woo is going on and trying to figure
out woo is the best actions for us to
do on a local level.
I'm committed to advance the health and
safety of our residents by building and
nurturing trust in each:00 I encourage
you on saturday to go to citizens in
action and also go to the saturday
event at the depot where we'll have
other groups in this community, there.
grass roots, inter faith congregations,
and many other, local elected officials
on the county level speaking and doing
things together and talking about
training and action that we do together
as a community as well.
we need to continue to support our dpd
because they support us and we have to
figure out the right tools that will
help them be able to protect us as we
move forward.
so we're working on this.
we hear you, thanks again for coming
out tonight.
>> next in the queue is councilor
durrwatcher.
>> thank you, president nephew.
we're in a different situation than
we've ever been in before.
we need a new approach.
not just a few bad apples are creating
these problems, it's tt entire
situation in itself.
it's kristi noem, steven miller and
trump and they keep reframing it.
we need to make sure that the city is
not collaborating with operation metro
and we need, we need to end any city
collaboration with ice.
we have relative peace in the city
right now.
but we need to be proactive.
this is needed to preserve the peace.
and for that reason, I vow to pursue
all of these items.
I vow--[applause]s
I vow to consider everything in this
pamphlet.
I speak regularly with leash caloski
and leash has wonderful things to add
to your demands on this list because of
all of their work that they're doing,
meeting with state legislatures on this
topic every day.
meeting with people, that, that have
been detained with ice in helping them
personally gain legal counsel and
exercise their legal rights.
so I will work with them to add to your
demands.
and a constituent, a speaker earlier, I
want to thank everyone for speaking.
and, jen harris speech was a beautiful
piece of poetry and I'm glad we all got
to hear it tonight.
and before I finish, I want to thank
sacred heart for allowing a group to
organize so quickly last-minute, a
beautiful vigil for the deceased, and I
also want to thank city administration
for allowing this group to organize a
really beautiful and peaceful rally on
saturday, friday as well.
and a speaker, really kind of said it
all, no one is illegal on stolen land.
and I just want to add to that further,
no human being is an alien.
we need to stop that really disruptive
language.
thank you.
[applause]
>> if there is no other councilor
comments, I will just give my few
things.
thank you to the speakers tonight.
I hope you hear from us that, in the
wake of what is going on and
minneapolis is with us as well.
thank you, council member tomanek for
that your words were equally powerful
and I trust what you said is truth and
how much you're speaking from the heart.
councilor johnson, I know you've been
working on that this weekend.
thank you for taking the reigns we're
happy to support you.
I've been thinking about what we can do
and voubl councilor johnson has taken
the reigns on that.
but the reality is, our federal
government is not following the rules
and one thing that I have been cracking
down with pulling agenda names, let's
follow our rules.
we have standing rules.
we have city charter, we can show how
to follow the rules regularly.
so I appreciate that this council
chamber was respectful tonight and I
hope that continues and I think we can
lead by example with that along with
taking care of the things that we can
do through resolutions and showing our
city should operate but we can show how
government can work respectfully.
thank you for that tonight.
if there is nothing else, I'll ask for
a motion to adjourn.
>> so moved.
>> moved by randorf.
>> second by johnson.
all those in favor.
>> aye.
>> have a nice evening.
thank you.