[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6516303,"mediaKeyId","5601340-a0a2db2684f1ac7f22c65aaea93a2cc6","parentId",5601340,"title","Mankato council approves agenda, minutes and consent calendar; council member reports Region 9 levy increase","audioSeconds",1703,"startMs",42000,"endMs",1745000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5601340-a0a2db2684f1ac7f22c65aaea93a2cc6&start=42&end=1745","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5601340-a0a2db2684f1ac7f22c65aaea93a2cc6/thumbnail_42000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6516303/Mankato/Blue-Earth-County/Minnesota/Mankato-council-approves-agenda-minutes-and-consent-calendar-council-member-reports-Region-9-levy-increase","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6516303-4bdde89a8c6ed2f4fc823a6b8755de2b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770765153&Signature=B2v4wHhmdq7UrYM~JeNq80nIW~gizw36W4ubYJu-VcS-d3AD-SlSUYUX3GysHc2OuYlodm1MsxBDPYbSNSTTyd05zXi1GFs5rLElRbul1Qcmzjp9uP6vfVbG99Onvz8WE289PGspaw6dXm6FIJgdWrOP-vlrsTi8roVUCKoJg-nJFUgOj2KOHRkQOoLhMVlc7NUbRB8~bTmREk8olzc8szISeVP~S26cAW7sseII20HQGQw436XoUDEoqMiS-Ddaxoc9Ex1cDO-660o3O9r172JQ~B-0GnJ~30wMXD46UFVPsvFcTNxyOJwAEdA7Oe3FUCVhWwfYRjmktfxin0ZMIw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mankato City","date","2025-06-23T00:00:00Z","article","The Mankato City Council on June 23 approved the evening's agenda, the minutes of a June 16 special meeting and the consent calendar by voice vote.

Council member Hatanum Tampa made the motion to approve the agenda; Council member Metler seconded, and the mayor called the vote in the affirmative. Council member Melby Kelly moved to approve the June 16 special meeting minutes, Council member Hatanum Tampa seconded, and the minutes were approved.

Council member Lavin moved to approve the consent calendar and the council voted in favor. During the roll call for the consent calendar, the clerk recorded votes in the affirmative from Melby Kelly, Tampa, Metzler, Laven and Mayor Maison.

Separately, Council member Blaven reported as the city's representative to the Region 9 Development Commission that the commission approved a 3% levy increase for its next federal budget year, raising the nine-county levy from $719,000 to $740,000, a $21,000 increase. Blaven said Blue Earth County’s share of that increase is $5,510 and gave an example showing the regional levy on a homeowner’s statement increasing from $3.66 to $3.89 next year.

The council announced its next meeting dates: July 14 (work session in the Mankato Room at 6:00 p.m., followed by EDA) and July 28 (work session). The meeting adjourned and continued into a work session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Mankato City Council Regular Meeting\tJun 23, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its June 23 meeting the Mankato City Council approved the evening's agenda, the June 16 special meeting minutes and the consent calendar. Council member Blaven reported that the Region 9 Development Commission set a 3% levy increase for the coming federal budget year, raising the nine-county levy from $719,000 to $740,000.","taxTitle","Mankato, Blue Earth County , Minnesota","taxId",52765,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6516308,"Residents tell Mankato council to rescind AI surveillance approval; city manager says authorized systems don't connect to national database",786,687000,1473000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5601340-a0a2db2684f1ac7f22c65aaea93a2cc6&start=687&end=1473","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5601340-a0a2db2684f1ac7f22c65aaea93a2cc6/thumbnail_687000.jpg","/articles/6516308/Mankato/Blue-Earth-County/Minnesota/Residents-tell-Mankato-council-to-rescind-AI-surveillance-approval-city-manager-says-authorized-systems-dont-connect-to-national-database","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6516308-42eec4099969960fb84c1c814f4b5dd0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770765153&Signature=P4CHx8C3fvnoMO6VWtfaRwZVwyM4nS~9D91sH3pQpR1fI8MJ3gOiV7OSwwDsD4UZbmXxWmxAMcQSxAJMYXjE7vGV~JcbxXLHsfCIGUUHq2p-IOkef-yC5CstZyV7jozHqRrYQwcv4rBQeq~-UjzGlzXZIrVr7hpRLYHTUMD27GsuXQBoS9wh5zoi2urJ~nGHGoApCAg9VvPxO2~In75wIzN~GV4V5YvufCaDzMwEpg9kujFntOGrWhfSjFlm-hi98XW~6y3SkQN-7XA2-lp~USn9TSJMmOeLKIgFz1lPkiflXv1vNlSrASrJLc1WZ2Zk962y5rdkXH9ih4xZaz5mlw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Residents who spoke during the Mankato City Council public forum on June 23 urged the council to rescind a prior vote approving an expansion of police surveillance technology and to give civil-rights experts the opportunity to speak to the council.

Ava (surname not provided), who said she represents a local organization, told the council she and others met with a state ACLU representative and a surveillance-technology expert and asked the council to \"rescind your vote approving the AI surveillance proposal\" and to allow ACLU experts the same platform the director of public safety previously received. \"We hope that you can show us that you care about protecting residents' rights and privacy with your actions and not just your words,\" she said.

Natalia Rosio, who identified herself as a community health worker and member of Mankato's Latino community, said the council's June 9 vote made her feel the council ignored public concerns and that new evidence raised by FOIA reporting merited pause. \"This is not how you build trust. It's how you destroy it,\" Rosio said. She described reporting that, she said, showed ICE access to license-plate data and a broader pattern of agencies using license-plate networks without local oversight.

Benton Bakke, a resident, argued that introducing AI into policing would not make the community safer and cited scholarship on algorithmic bias. \"Opening the door to AI policing of our communities takes decisions away from officers who live and take part in our community,\" he said, and urged the council to \"rescind this vote.\"

In response to concerns raised about national data sharing, the city manager told the council that the systems the council authorized do not connect to a national database and that the data are regulated by the Minnesota Governmental Data Practices Act. \"I just want to make sure... the council has not taken action on implementing flock cameras. The two systems that the council did authorize do not connect to a national database,\" the city manager said, adding that the council made an amendment to the recommendation and that the city \"hear[s] the concerns.\"

No motion to rescind the June 9 action appeared on the June 23 meeting agenda and council members did not vote to rescind the prior approval during this meeting.","Multiple residents at the June 23 meeting asked the council to rescind its June 9 approval of AI surveillance technology and demanded more public engagement; the city manager said the systems the council authorized do not connect to a national database and are regulated by the Minnesota Governmental Data Practices Act.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6516313,"Residents urge Mankato council to oppose federal budget cuts, ask for resolution",539,114000,653000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5601340-a0a2db2684f1ac7f22c65aaea93a2cc6&start=114&end=653","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5601340-a0a2db2684f1ac7f22c65aaea93a2cc6/thumbnail_114000.jpg","/articles/6516313/Mankato/Blue-Earth-County/Minnesota/Residents-urge-Mankato-council-to-oppose-federal-budget-cuts-ask-for-resolution","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6516313-539b99c563ea6224a1340697a92f0663/orig.mp4?Expires=1770765153&Signature=dEV0O25MqE1XV7Fn4mmHMejGMcPMWZ4bB2vpT-5XgmL4kLTfr-FEWBcY1r96aVif1aoZ5O8ZPJkFo9YPDvujax4d47CcRZ2120KoMfLZUDF-WQhwksVsswZim5nS3xTnVnWFH0jgJRHDpU3KfX8Yl6FhvR3X9oXHSv6BSFzDFYMLkPW2-fH1oZ5iNJgmQYQxmAiSWgp83dMWGcExa9lpC7KGAbkIxLvFT~sP7G0utaNQRSM~SwbFpQG--9cU1gBIFvsRorQdUAYp-5GR~yY9HBLoFyAujQXGq7Fj-w1fj6XJFod6V7msVe3fmRpXlnqyhNwUq8lBrr1ndil5ntNN9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jane Dow, a Mankato resident, and two other speakers told the Mankato City Council on June 23 that a federal reconciliation bill under consideration would cause significant local harm and asked the council to publicly oppose the legislation.

The speakers said cuts to programs including Medicaid, SNAP and Head Start would increase homelessness, strain local health and social services, and likely require higher local taxes to fill gaps. \"This will cause instability, social unrest, and unraveling of the social fabric in our communities,\" Jane Dow said during the public forum, adding that the bill would give tax breaks to \"the richest and the mega corporations.\"

The request for formal action was specific. Teresa Zeman, who said she lives at 117 Rita Road in Ward 3, urged the council to send a letter to the city’s federal delegation—she named \"Representative Finstead and Senators Smith and Klobuchar\"—or to draft a public resolution opposing the funding cuts. \"I'm happy to provide you with several such resolutions to review, if you wish,\" Zeman said.

Leah Hanson, a North Mankato resident who identified herself as a social worker with Connection Shelter, described how reductions to Medicaid, SNAP and housing assistance would affect people she serves: \"We're talking about unhoused individuals losing access to the mental health supports that have provided them safety and stability…families choosing between paying rent or putting food on their table.\" She urged the council to \"write a resolution, to reach out and contact our legislators and members of Congress,\" and to add Mankato to calls opposing the cuts.

Speakers cited research and national comparisons to make their point. Jane Dow referenced the book Spirit Level to argue that stronger social safety nets reduce inequality and social harm. Zeman warned that local governments could face increased demand for services and higher local taxes if federal funding is reduced.

Council members did not adopt a resolution or formal letter opposing the federal bill at the June 23 meeting. Commenters asked the council to act publicly and to coordinate with other local governments; no council motion on a resolution was shown in the meeting record.

The public forum portion of the meeting was time-limited and the council then moved to its regular agenda.","Three residents told the June 23 Mankato City Council that proposed federal reconciliation bill cuts to Medicaid, SNAP and Head Start would harm local households and urged the council to send a letter or adopt a resolution opposing the cuts.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Mankato council approves agenda, minutes and consent calendar; council member reports Region 9 levy increase

Residents tell Mankato council to rescind AI surveillance approval; city manager says authorized systems don't connect to national database

Residents urge Mankato council to oppose federal budget cuts, ask for resolution