HomeMy WebLinkAbout20220103 - Workshop MinutesHastings, Minnesota
City Council Workshop
January 3, 2022
The City Council of the City of Hastings, Minnesota met in a workshop on Monday, January
3, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. in the Community Room at the Hastings City Hall, 101 East 4th Street,
Hastings, Minnesota.
Members Present: Mayor Fasbender, Councilmembers Braucks, Folch, Fox, Leifeld, Lund,
Vaughan
Staff Present: City Administrator Dan Wietecha
Assistant City Administrator Kelly Murtaugh
Chief Bryan Schafer, Police Department
Commander Bryan Schowalter, Police Department
Officer Whitney Rinowski, Police Department
Mayor Fasbender called the workshop to order at 5:36 p.m.
Commander Schowalter reviewed the grant funds that enabled the community engagement work
of Officer Rinowski. The purpose of community engagement officer position is to engage with
the community in a number of ways based on draw on resources: businesses (graffiti, damage to
property, etc.), neighborhoods (break-ins, theft, suspicious people, traffic concerns), mental
health coordination (connect with services, follow-up during non-crisis times), homelessness
(partnering with housing support organizations), and code enforcement. These are the focus areas
of the three-year grant.
Council discussion on the intersection of homelessness and mental health coordination and how
this was addressed with eliminating the homeless encampments, placement in
temporary/permanent housing, and jobs. Discussion about next steps for the City in regards to
homelessness. Town Hall meeting on Thursday on the Homelessness issue. Question about
veterans in the homeless population. Questions about stigma of being in the “system.”
Rinowski gave an overview of the work this past year. They identified ongoing issues, worked to
help community members feel safer in the community, connected those struggling with
appropriate resources; experienced significant reductions in calls for service due to providing
connection to supportive services for homeless or those living with mental health conditions,
worked to reduce non-police related calls, organized National Night Out and Neighborhood
Watch programs, performed residential checks and safety assessments.
Future goals include participation in more community events, providing in-community
presentations, partnering more strongly with community groups/neighborhood watches, and
utilizing administrative citations rather than the court system.
Discussion on how Council help with policy, investment, and grant support.
ADJOURNMENT
The workshop adjourned at 6:51 p.m.
____________________________ ______________________________
Mary D. Fasbender, Mayor Kelly Murtaugh, City Clerk