July 16
Thursday’s city council meeting was difficult to predict. Ward 10 Council Member Aisha Chughtai was on medical leave, leaving the council with 12 members present. Her absence may have pressured Ward 6 Council Member Jamal Osman to reconsider his vote on the Skydio drone pilot measure he co-authored with Ward 4 Council Member Latrisha Vetaw. Between co-authoring and Thursday’s vote, Osman decided Skydio’s client base was unacceptable. His vote against his own measure resulted in a 6-6 tie, which meant it did not pass.
Skydio
Vetaw introduced the pilot as an alternative policing method her Ward 4 constituents wanted. After 2.5 years of work, the pilot would cost nothing for 75 days while the city assessed data—with no clarity on pricing afterward. Two police-operated drones would respond to the most serious 911 calls (Tier 0 & 1). Of 33,000 Ward 4 calls in 2025, over 5,000 could have had drone first responders. For half the council, possible lives saved outweighed privacy and abuse risks. Jacob Frey made a rare chamber appearance to support the pilot, saying the “people of Minneapolis shouldn’t be collateral damage for geopolitical concerns.” Rainville noted a drone might have saved Officer Mitchell’s life. Shaffer highlighted rapid Narcan delivery and faster response to lake distress calls. Voting yes: Vetaw, Warren, Whiting, Rainville, Shaffer, and Palmisano.
Opposition was passionate. Beyond surveillance concerns over peaceful protests, suspicion centered on Skydio itself. The company holds contracts with the Israeli Defense Force and ICE/DHS. Osman explained his reversal by referencing Palestinian children killed by the IDF. Another factor was distrust of the MPD. Chowdhury and Wonsley worried internal procedures would fail to prevent abuse and said the MPD has a poor track record of holding officers accountable (Facebook surveillance was cited as an example). Chavez referenced a lawsuit against Skydio in Chula Vista, CA. Voting no: Chavez, Wonsley, Payne, Stevenson, Chowdhury, and Osman.
Were it not for Skydio’s contracts with the IDF and DHS, this pilot likely passes. Other cities nationwide and in Minnesota use Skydio for first responder programs. The debate raised important questions: What data proves effectiveness? What would count as success? The discussion revealed the MPD already operates drones with a trained operator unit in place. If they have the equipment and expertise, why Skydio? Why now? The MPD might be able to proceed with its own first responder program.
Heritage Park Relocation
This topic received detailed coverage during Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole. Few questions were asked, but controversy remained. Wonsley pushed for approval of a measure requiring a memo outlining ways to recoup the $2.5 million drawn from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund for relocating 686 residents. Warren opposed the memo, wanting focus on helping residents rather than parceling out blame. Yet Warren herself blamed Public Housing Authority Director Abdi Warsame. (The NAACP has called for his termination.)
The council approved both: funding and a memo on cost recovery. Emergency Management Director Rachel Sayre explained the relocation process. As of yesterday, the Heritage Park Coordination Group was established to coordinate efforts across departments and government levels. The relocation is being treated as an emergency—the first major test for Sayre since her June 26 confirmation. She told the council the effort exceeds one department’s capacity. The funding vote was 12-0.
Lyndale Avenue Reconstruction
On another day, this measure would have dominated. It passed 8-4, opposed by Warren, Shaffer, Rainville, and Vetaw. The county plan was adopted: bike lanes, reduced parking, removed trees. Amendments passed aimed to reduce construction impact, including extended work hours. Chowdhury advocated for “whimsy” like a “beers with bulldozers” program to keep the area vital during construction. She said construction needn’t become the area’s death knell. Business owners, represented by Shaffer, disagreed. No dedicated funding exists to help corridor businesses survive. Wonsley noted $900,000 allocated for Hennepin Avenue businesses went unspent.
The timeline proved decisive. Federal funds require a finalized plan by June 2027. Chavez and others flagged the risk to that funding. Warren raised operational concerns. She said emergency vehicles struggle when traffic backs up (the Annunciation shooting illustrates the problem). Others felt the design addresses these issues. Construction won’t begin until 2028, but business owners will likely seek exits starting today. Lyndale appears headed for Hennepin’s fate.
Final Thoughts
Council divisions continue to harden and seem to be a microcosm of larger Democratic Party friction. Those voting for the drone pilot likely support Representative Angie Craig for Senate; opponents favor Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan. Both candidates are spending millions on negative advertising ahead of August 11’s primary. Whether they can unite afterward remains unclear.
The council mirrors this dynamic: resentment and mistrust persist despite coaching and counseling. If this fracture scales to the state level, the party emerges weaker. Fortunately for Minnesota Democrats, the Republican Party is in even worse shape.
