City of Minneapolis

Also in this issue:

Minneapolis launches bike tour

Gear up for National Night Out

Airport Noise Update Website

Mayor delivers 2008 city budget

Free movies at the Capri Theater

Wireless update tracker

Also on the web
mayorrybak.us:

Mayor Welcomes Republicans

Create a Great City Design Team

Mayor calls for Housing Funds

Green Minneapolis: Funding Grassroots
Action and Innovation

This month the City of Minneapolis awarded $70,000 in grants to support innovative grassroots efforts taking place throughout Minneapolis directing people to take meaningful actions to reduce their energy use. The grantees include churches, neighborhood groups, non-profit organizations and parks and are already galvanizing people to fight global climate change.

As a green leader, Minneapolis is doing everything it can to reduce our energy use and fight global climate change. But city government can’t do all of this work alone. We need strong partnerships with our churches, community groups and neighborhoods. We need innovation, but we also need action. That’s why we are funding community organizations to help residents roll up their sleeves and reduce energy consumption and fight climate change.

People-led leadership and inspiration is critically important because while city government can be more “green”, we can make monumental progress to improve our environment if we also inspire residents and community groups to act.

The twenty $1,000 Grassroots Climate Change grants and five $10,000 Climate Change Innovation grants are part of Minneapolis comprehensive sustainability initiative to reduce the City’s carbon dioxide footprint 12 percent by 2012, with the realization that everyone can and must play a part to reduce climate change. The grantees will use their City grants to promote the Minneapolis Energy Challenge campaign to reduce our consumption of fossil fuels.

To find out more about these grants and how you can get involved in Minneapolis Green Print environmental action plan visit Sustainability Initiatives.

Good luck and many thanks to these green grantees and all the community organizations fighting global climate change – one person at a time.

Mayor Rybak

Minneapolis Parks Launch Sept. 16 Bike Tour
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is organizing the first-ever Minneapolis Bike Tour to support and enhance the Minneapolis park system. The event features a bike expo, bike safety rodeo, bike demonstrations, food, entertainment and more. The tour will take place Sunday, September 16, 2007 during peak fall colors. A long course will run 41 miles and span the entire Minneapolis park system, while a short course offers an abridged 15-mile circuit around Lake of the Isles, Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriett. Participants begin and end both courses at the Parade Stadium located at 600 Kenwood Parkway. For more information and a map of the tour, visit www.minneapolisbiketour.com or call 612.230.6400.

Minneapolis Gears Up for National Night Out
National Night Out is a time to get together with your neighbors at an event you design for your block. National Night Out has a long tradition throughout the United States. In 2006, more than 34 million people from all 50 states got involved. In Minneapolis last year, 39,000 people participated in more than 943 separate events. Most events are small, giving neighbors a real chance to get to know each other better. When people know and care about each other, they do a better job of keeping watch and calling 911 at the first sign of trouble. For more information on this year’s events, go to the city’s NNO website.

Get Airport Noise News and Updates Online
Recognizing the impact that airport noise has on the daily life of people in our city, Minneapolis has created a new airport noise website to help residents keep up to date on the most current events surrounding airport noise issues. Nearly 1,000 residents attended our Airport Open House in late June where city leaders talked about our lawsuit against the Metropolitan Airports Commission and asked residents for their input on possible terms that could be included in a settlement proposal. The comments we received at the Open House and directly from residents helped develop a very fair proposal we presented to the MAC. If you were not able to attend the Open House or are looking for more information please check out our new website at ww.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/airportnoise.