Minneapolis council denies mayor�s community-safety nominee, fails to override two mayoral vetoes; approves street renaming for fallen officer

The Minneapolis City Council on May 7 voted to deny Mayor Jacob Freys nomination of Todrick Barnett to serve as Commissioner of the Office of Community Safety and sustained two mayoral vetoes after failing to reach the two-thirds threshold required to override.

Council President Elliot Payne opened the meeting with ceremonial recognitions before the body moved to its business docket. After debate about how to handle mayoral appointments and whether to postpone or deny the nomination, the council voted 7-6 to deny Barnetts nomination, sending the decision back to the mayor. Council members who opposed the nomination cited substantive concerns they said related to job performance, contract and budgeting matters, and prior interactions with the council; proponents urged continued dialogue but acknowledged the need for clearer processes for vetting charter department heads.

The council then considered two automatic reconsideration rolls on ordinances that Mayor Frey had vetoed. Under the city charter, overriding a mayoral veto requires at least nine affirmative votes. The first reconsideration asked whether the council would stand by its earlier decision to pass an ordinance related to decriminalizing possession of certain drug paraphernalia. The roll call produced 7 ayes and 6 nays, short of the nine votes needed, so the mayors veto was sustained and the ordinance was not adopted. The second automatic reconsideration—an ordinance that would have temporarily extended the length of required pre-eviction notice—met the same fate: it also failed to receive nine affirmative votes, with the clerk recording 7 ayes and 6 nays, and the mayors veto was sustained.

Separately, the council approved a number of committee reports and consent items, including a street renaming to honor Minneapolis Police Officer Jamal Mitchell. Vice President Osman and others described the renaming as a way to memorialize Mitchells service; Chief Brian OHara told the council, "There is not a day that goes by that Jamal is forgotten," urging the body to adopt the commemorative renaming. The council carried the related item as part of the business housing and zoning report according to the roll call in the record.

The council also amended and approved a contract amendment related to unearned incentive funds tied to the Greater Minneapolis Convention and Visitors Association. Under the motion and accompanying amendment, $400,000 of incentive funds may be disbursed (with $200,000 designated for Taste of Minnesota), and the administration was directed to report to the council on the potential use of any remaining incentive funds beyond activities explicitly promoting Minneapolis as a tourist or event destination before such funds are spent. Council Member Chavez, who offered the reporting motion, said the requirement was intended to preserve council oversight and transparency about how incentive funds are used.

Other formal actions included holding the Cook House certificate-of-appropriateness appeal for one cycle to allow additional discussions among parties, and routine approvals of committee reports and nominations referred to committee for hearings. President Payne said he would refer Mayor Freys nomination of Brian OHara for police chief to the Public Health, Safety and Equity Committee for a formal hearing process.

The council concluded with announcements of upcoming community events and adjourned.

What happens next: the denial of Barnett is returned to the mayor, who may submit a different nominee; the two vetoed ordinances remain defeated unless the council and the mayor reach new agreement or the mayor withdraws and resubmits different text.