Declaration of Local Public Health Emergency

On March 16, 2020, Mayor Frey declared a local public health emergency due to COVID-19.

Seal of the City of Minneapolis, MN

Whereas, the City of Minneapolis, Minnesota, has a current local public health emergency resulting from imminent health conditions caused by presence of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19); and

Whereas, the City of Minneapolis is a public entity within the State of Minnesota; and

Whereas, the Center for Disease Control identifies the potential public health threat posed by COVID-19, and has advised that person-to-person spread of COVID-19 will continue to occur; and

Whereas, the State of Minnesota has confirmed multiple positive test results for COVID-19; and

Whereas, the United States and the State of Minnesota have both declared states of emergencies related to urgent conditions created by the presence of COVID-19; and

Whereas, the necessary resources to respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic may exceed the resources available in the City of Minneapolis; and

Whereas, the following conditions exist in the City of Minneapolis as a result of this local public health emergency:

  1. COVID-19 is present in the State of Minnesota, the Minneapolis-St. Paul greater metropolitan area, and Hennepin County.
  2. Significant community spread of COVID-19 is now a very high risk based on data from the Minnesota Department of Health and confirmed by the Minneapolis Department of Health and federal health authorities. This risk has resulted in specific recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Health regarding sizes and formats of public gatherings.
  3. The presence of COVID-19 may have the potential to compromise the provision of essential City services, including a reduction in the size of the workforce due to school closures, isolation, or quarantine.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Jacob Frey, Mayor of the City of Minneapolis, do hereby declare a Local Emergency pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Ch. 12.29, and Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 128.50.

I further declare that:

  1. The emergency exists on the date of this declaration as indicated below and shall continue and remain in effect as long as the State of Minnesota peacetime emergency declaration remains in effect, pending initial ratification by official act of the Minneapolis City Council within seventy-two (72) hours of this declaration.  Pursuant to MCO Section 128.50(a), the City Council retains the ability to disapprove of the declaration at any time following initial ratification.
  2. The Director of Emergency Management for the City of Minneapolis shall immediately request and coordinate the appropriate aid and resources from surrounding city and county jurisdictions, the State of Minnesota, and the United States Federal Government.
  3. The emergency executive authority section of the Minneapolis Emergency Operations Plan, and all other applicable sections of the Plan, is immediately invoked.  
  4. Emergency regulations promulgated by mayoral proclamation to protect the public health, safety, and welfare during this emergency as authorized by MCO Section 128.50(c) are subject to rescission by the City Council at any time.  If not sooner rescinded, every such regulation shall expire at the end of thirty (30) days after its effective date or at the end of the declared emergency, whichever occurs first.
  5. A Policy Group is hereby convened to coordinate, support, advise, and assist in the communication of and discharge of the duties and responsibilities pertaining to this declared state of emergency and the City’s response and mitigation efforts.  The Policy Group shall consist of the Mayor, the President and Vice President of the City Council, the City Coordinator, City Clerk, the Director of the Office of Emergency Management, Commissioner of Health, and additional selected Department Heads.
  6. All City departments shall review all existing City of Minneapolis regulations, policies or rules and be prepared to recommend the alteration, modification or temporary suspension of same for the purpose of aiding the residents, workforce, and visitors present in Minneapolis during the pandemic. 
  7. All City departments shall evaluate and recommend resources that can be acquired and deployed for the purpose of aiding the residents, workforce, and visitors present in Minneapolis during the pandemic.
  8. This declaration of local emergency, all emergency regulations of any kind, any additions or changes to this declaration, and the eventual termination of this declaration, and all official communications pertaining to same, shall be posted by the City Clerk on the front page of City's website.
  9. The Mayor’s office and relevant city staff and department leads will provide public updates on COVID-19 related work at City Council meetings.

March 16, 2020

See the official signed copy