City of Minneapolis, MN / A City that Works

Fire Stores Supervisor Jim Thomas handles all the supplies firefighters need. From safety gear to saws and paper towels to potato mashers, his warehouse stocks it all.

Traffic Control Agent Mai Yang spends a lot of time in her vehicle. But when streets in Minneapolis get a little hectic, she's eager to direct traffic at busy intersections to help people get around the city.

Student Election Judge Coordinator Caryn Scheel hires 400 high school students to help run the polling places on election day in Minneapolis. Some students see it as an opportunity to earn a little money but for many it is a way to serve their communities.

Health Inspector Kenya Urena-Muro visits about 350 businesses in Minneapolis each year. A large part of her job is building relationships with restaurant operators and managers to make sure the food served in our community is safe.

Officer Mike Kirchen coordinates the Minneapolis Police Department's Bike Cops for Kids program. He spends most of his time biking around the city, interacting with kids and making sure they share a positive moment with police.

Blacksmith Nick Bounds creates custom tools and parts from metal to keep the Minneapolis Water Works Division of the Public Works Department running. His work is a form of functional art that he approaches with creativity.

City of Minneapolis veterinarian Mary Thury works with 100 or more animals each week to get them ready for adoption and placed into loving homes. Learn more: http://minneapolismn.gov/animals/index.htm

Environmental Health inspector Tiana Cervantes spends part of her job building pollinator habitats in collaboration with the Healthy Bees Healthy Lives campaign. Pollinator populations are in sharp decline, so Tiana has chosen to organize the construction of 150 patches and planted more than 200 trees, providing pesticide-free nutrition for pollinators throughout Minneapolis. Learn more: http://www.minneapolismn.gov/environment/bees

Water quality expert Andy Weyer makes sure Minneapolis tap water tastes great and remains among the best in the nation. He helps perform thousands of tests on Minneapolis water each week, including taste and smell tests. Learn more: www.minneapolismn.gov/publicworks/water.