Government Structure Ordinance
At a glance
Based on human-uploaded captions, which may still contain errors in names and numbers.
- What: an ordinance revising the city government structure. As described by Council Member Wonsley, it would eliminate the Office of Community Safety and move its work to the Neighborhood Safety department, eliminate the Department of Racial Equity, Inclusion and Belonging and realign that work with the Neighborhood and Community Relations department, and eliminate the Performance Management and Innovation division.
- Where it stands: on October 13, 2026 the Committee of the Whole set a public hearing for October 27, 2026 on the consent agenda by voice vote. The ordinance carries no budget recommendations; budget effects are for budget markup.
- Next: public hearing October 27; markup comes later, not at the next cycle, and there is no final vote yet. Budget Chair Chughtai said the goal is to finish the structure work in committee in time to send it to Mayor Frey alongside the budget.
Background and concerns
- Wonsley recalled that the 2022 implementation ordinance was framed as "try before you buy" and said three years of data show the Office of Community Safety has not delivered measurable benefit, with the Neighborhood Safety department doing most of the safety work. She said it follows, and does not copy, reorganization proposals in the Mayor's recommended 2027 budget and avoids waiting for the Charter Commission.
- Council Member Shaffer urged the Council to work together to avoid a veto that is then sustained. Deputy City Attorney Abelson said the City Attorney's Office will prepare a memo on what happens if the budget is vetoed and the veto upheld.
- Council Member Chowdhury called this and the budget the biggest tasks before the body and the first time two such parallel actions have been needed.
From the video (October 27, 2026)
Public hearing and debate on the ordinance eliminating the Office of Community Safety, the Performance Management and Innovation Department and the Race, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Department. Supporters cited a $60 million budget gap, about $2.1 million of coordination cost and unmet plan and settlement goals; opponents said it would undercut coordinated public safety or the strong-mayor system. Forwarded to the full Council for Thursday on 9 ayes, 3 nays and 1 abstention. See 2026-10-27 - Committee of the Whole.
Sources
- 2026-10-13 - Committee of the Whole (video of the October 13, 2026 meeting)
- 2026-10-13 - Committee of the Whole
- Minneapolis agenda portal: https://lims.minneapolismn.gov
Discussion time
About 12 minutes across 1 meeting (from transcript timestamps; approximate).
| Meeting | Minutes |
|---|---|
| 2026-10-13 - Committee of the Whole | 12 |
Log
- 2026-10-13 - Committee of the Whole - consent agenda item set the public hearing for October 27, 2026 (voice vote); Wonsley outlined the proposed eliminations.
- 2026-10-26 - Budget Committee - Shaffer's levy reduction resolution was tied to the restructuring savings (estimated $2 million to $4 million); discussed ahead of the next day's restructuring session (from auto-captions).
2026-10-27 - Committee of the Whole
Marked agenda: public hearing held and the ordinance approved as amended.
2026-10-13 - Committee of the Whole
Consent item: public hearing set for October 27, 2026 (marked agenda).