City of Bloomington, MN Council Minute 2020, 15 Jul 2020

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From YouTube: July 13 Council Minute

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Mayor Tim Busse discusses the July 13 Study Meeting where Council approved a face covering proclamation at all City facilities, dove deeper into police practices and heard the details of the Racial Equity Business Plan.

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Hello bloomington, I'm mayor tim busse, and this is your council minute for the week of july 13th we had a busy study session on monday.

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Evening it seems like they're all busy now doesn't it, and here are some of the highlights I want to share with you.

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First of all, at monday's meeting I read a proclamation requiring.

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Everyone to wear a face mask when they are inside a city of bloomington.

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Facility, I also strongly encouraged everyone to.

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Wear a mask whenever they're out anywhere in public to help protect yourself, your loved ones and the community from covid-19.

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I know that, as recently as two weeks ago, I stated that we wouldn't be mandating.

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Masks in bloomington, but the public health response to this.

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Pandemic continues to evolve and we will as well all along we've, been.

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Following recommendations set forth by the centers for disease control in the.

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Minnesota department of health, both of those organizations now.

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Recommend masks for the general public, but earlier in the pandemic, both.

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Organizations recommended just the opposite.

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I get that the shifting guidelines have made it confusing about the benefits of.

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Wearing masks but health experts say the evidence is.

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Now clear that masks can help prevent the spread of covid-19 and that the more.

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People wearing masks the better. We know now that both.

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Pre-Symptomatic and asymptomatic transmission are possible and even common, and we can't tell who's infected a mask.

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Can help protect you and anyone you come in contact with the idea here is.

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Risk reduction rather than absolute prevention. We can't just throw up our.

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Hands and say well, a mask: isn't 100 percent effective, so we're not going to do it.

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That's silly nobody's taking a cholesterol, medicine.

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And believing that they're going to prevent a heart attack 100 percent of the time, but they take it to reduce their risk substantially. The city council will consider a.

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City-Wide mass mandate at the july 27th council meeting.

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Despite the urgency on this, we need to wait until then, because we no longer.

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Have an emergency declaration in effect in bloomington, so we'll be addressing.

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This through city ordinance, please folks, wear a mask. It protects you.

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It protects your loved ones and it protects the entire community.

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We also continued our discussion with police chief jeff potts.

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About police practices, the bloomington police department's commitment to.

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Community engagement and we learned more about the department's policy on response to aggression and resistance.

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More commonly known as their use of force policy.

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The discussion lasted more than two hours and you know I'm really hesitant.

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To try and summarize it because it was full of good information.

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Strong questions by the council and detailed specifics on police.

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Training provided by officer josh, seifert and sergeant colin mccarg, who, by.

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The way did an outstanding job. If you are interested in or concerned about this topic, I strongly encourage you to go to.

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The city of bloomington youtube, channel and watch this portion of the council.

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Meeting I know there are many discussions underway in this community right now about this important topic. Whatever your.

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Opinion is, or whatever your thoughts may be, on this, the more information you have, the better. The discussion will be.

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Finally, the city's racial equity coordinator, faith jackson led a discussion on a proposed racial equity business plan.

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That she's developed in collaboration with the city's executive leadership.

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Team, it is intended to guide bloomington's racial equity work in the.

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Near future, the council started this discussion.

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Earlier this year we first heard from ms jackson on this at a study session. I.

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Believe back in february and the intention was to discuss the.

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Complete racial equity business plan at our march 16th study session that.

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Meeting was cancelled because of covid 19 concerns and the topic was postponed.

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And since that time, the topic of racial equity has obviously moved to the.

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Forefront of many discussions and ms jackson worked to develop more detailed and specific action steps to be included in.

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The plan the plan captures ongoing equity and.

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Inclusion priorities from this council's current strategic plan and.

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Provides goals, strategies and performance measures that.

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Will move the work forward? The plan includes four high-level goals.

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That are written as statements that clearly declare what bloomington.

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Will work toward first, the city of bloomington's.

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Workforce reflects the diversity of the community across the breadth and the depth of the organization.

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Second, the city of bloomington is committed to fostering a culture that.

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Values and advances racial equity. Third, the.

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City of bloomington is committed to racial equity in the design of our.

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Services and programs and fourth the city of bloomington, is.

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Committed to equitable and authentic community engagement faith also introduced a new video that talks more about the racial equity work.

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Underway at the city, it's on the city of bloomington website and I hope you'll.

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Take time to watch it that'll do it for this week's council.

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Minute, thank you very much for watching and please don't hesitate to contact me.

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If you have questions or need more information about anything, we've talked about today, see you next week, stay safe, bloomington,.