Two residents used public comment to urge the council to make downtown and the skywalk system more welcoming and accessible, arguing that current practices push people — including unhoused residents and people with mobility needs — out of public spaces.

Joff Schumacher, a Lakeside resident, said he has not found Duluth “to be a very welcoming city” and described reports from neighbors that people are told by police and by city safety teams to leave the skywalk. Schumacher said those he knows avoid recommending the skywalk to visitors because “nobody apparently is welcome there.” He recommended practical changes such as providing public restrooms or porta-potties near downtown, adding benches in the skywalk for people with mobility challenges, and other physical accommodations to reduce the causes of public urination and to allow people to pause without being asked to leave.

Nut graf: Commenters framed their concerns as both a public-health and accessibility issue: they recommended facility upgrades and humane responses rather than more enforcement, and asked the council to consider policy or design changes so downtown can be used by more residents.

Cheyenne Payan, another resident, urged council members to “practice empathy with all humans,” criticized what she called a pattern of targeting marginalized people, and said recent local policy changes have given police and other agencies broader powers that can disproportionately affect houseless and migrant neighbors. Payan specifically referenced remarks by a council member (identified in her comments by surname) about feeling unsafe in the skywalk and said those remarks reflect a tendency to prioritize individual comfort rather than structural supports.

Discussion versus decision: These remarks were part of public comment; no council action or vote followed during the meeting. Councilors acknowledged the concerns and referenced upcoming neighborhood meetings and project consultations elsewhere in the agenda. No specific commitment to construct toilets or benches in the skywalk was made at the meeting.

Ending: Commenters asked the council to pursue design and policy responses — such as public restrooms, benches, and clearer guidance for staff and police — to make downtown and the skywalk more accessible and welcoming; follow-up would require administrative review and possible budget decisions.