Remarks by Aurin Chowdhury
19 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 1 of 1
- Play at 19:33
“And whereas a welcoming Minneapolis requires more than words or celebrations, it calls for continued commitment to language access, equitable services, meaningful community engagement, inclusive employment practices, and ensuring residents have real opportunities to shape the decisions that affect their lives. And whereas our communities continue to show resilience, creativity, and support for one another, reinforcing the strength that comes from a shared commitment to belonging. And whereas Welcoming Week 2026 with the theme, Stories We Share, The Courage to Connect, will take place…”
City Council · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 27:02
“Yeah, thank you so much for your words. Thank you for being here. And echo what my colleague said about thanking OERA and Neighborhood Community Relations for all of your work, not just for this resolution, but this last year and the many, many years prior to this that have been foundational in having a resilient local government that can show up for community members, but also hear community members and be responsive to their needs because at the end of the day this welcoming week what I think about is this is really a government reflecting its people because the city of Minneapolis is…”
City Council · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 36:53
“Thanks, President Payne. Going to just keep it really brief. Wanted to, again, just highlight the Nicollet Avenue public restroom funding. Just this past few months, earlier in the summer, Councilmember Stevenson, Whiting, and myself, we had a meeting with seniors in our ward and one of the seniors who's a constituent of mine pulled me aside and she was just like, I have this really great idea. What if we had public restrooms on Nicollet Avenue and in areas in downtown where there are transit users and seniors who need to use the bathroom? I've run into that issue and I told her, we actually…”
City Council · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 40:35
“Thanks, President Payne. The Committee of the Whole will be bringing two items forward. Item number one approves a resolution honoring the victims, survivors, and families and community of Annunciation School and Church and commemorating one year of hope and healing. Item number two is a resolution rescinding delegated authority for non-disclosure agreements to the Community Planning Economic Development Department. With that, I will move both items for approval and see if there's any discussion.”
City Council · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 59:46
“thanks uh president payne i just had a clarifying question um just want to make sure i fully am checking my understanding so just in reading the code uh it says sounding of a motion sensor on private property so far as it's not audible from an urban neighborhood or residential mixed use district boundary or permitted conditional residence use so could you just explain like in which circumstances the sounding of a motion sensor is allowed on private property versus when it's not, like how would you determine when it's violating this code?”
City Council · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 1:01:43
“A sidewalk or like light rail station? Correct. It's just a place where someone lives? Correct. Okay, that's helpful.”
City Council · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 2:02:25
“Thank you, Mr. President. I don't think I'm going to wade into anything regarding actual policy positions I hold. I will look forward to sharing that with Councilmember Palmisano as we proceed. I just want to state one thing that I've been kind of thinking about since we had our conversation in budget, and that's in regards to vacancies and quorum issues on boards and commissions. I do think this is something that's not going to be fixed through the legislative process. I do think like perhaps there is an idea that Chair Bernstein shared about seated members creating quorum. I do think that…”
City Council · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 2:25:30
“Thanks, President Payne. Two happy announcements I want to make. The first is on September 4th, it's Council Member Chugtai's birthday. So I have to shout out the other Virgo on the council plate, Virgo's Groove by Beyonce. um so just just make sure you wish her happy birthday as it comes around to as well as councilman warren the other happy announcement that i want to share is that uh councilmember whiting and his lovely wife kelly their due date for their first baby their baby girl is tomorrow so that's really exciting and wanted to just congratulate him and kelly for this just wonderful…”
City Council · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 12:46
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
City Council · Aug 13, 2026
- Play at 29:26
“Thank you, President Payne. The Committee of the Whole is bringing two items forward today. Item number one adopts a resolution for voluntary relocation plan for Heritage Park. I will note that after discussion at the Committee of the Whole, staff submitted a resolution to formalize this policy. There are printed copies before us and available online. I will move approval of this resolution. Lastly, item number two approves the contract with OnCourse Home Solutions for the Sewer Lateral Insurance Program. With that, I move both of these items for approval.”
City Council · Aug 13, 2026
- Play at 5:09
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
City Council · Jul 30, 2026
- Play at 16:24
“councilmember chowdhury thanks president payne um thank you director velasquez for your service to the city of minneapolis we had a really good conversation in my office and i thought it was a really important one we got to be very very candid with one another It's no secret that the job of the regulatory services director is extremely difficult, and that's why I do thank you for your work and for deciding to step up to the plate again and come before this body for a nomination process, which... It's no secret that's not easy either. So I just wanted to appreciate that. I want to give you a…”
City Council · Jul 30, 2026
- Play at 44:51
“We can take them together Okay, if the body wants to split it down the line, that's all right, too. Okay, I will recognize councilmember Chaudhry Thank you so much president pan and I just want to start off by THIS IS THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT PRELIMINARY PLOT SITE PLAN REVIEW APPEAL. I FIRST WANT TO START OFF BY GIVING A BIG THANK YOU TO THE thank you um to the folks at the hook and ladder and in downtown longfellow the businesses and the community members in the area that have reached out to my office that have reached out to council member chavez he represents the area in the ninth ward i…”
City Council · Jul 30, 2026
- Play at 59:48
“JUST ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT TO THIS PROCESS. WHEN THIS ARRIVED AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION, IT WAS WHOLLY UNACCEPTABLE. APPROACHED BY NOT JUST THE HOOK AND LADDER BUT SEVERAL OTHER BUSINESSES IN THE BUSINESS DISTRICT THAT THEY HAD NOT BEEN CONSULTED WITH AS IT CAME TO THE DESIGN OF THE DEMOCRACY CENTER AND THE IMPACTS ON THEM. and and not consulted enough not brought in enough and that was wholly unacceptable this is after all the democracy center it's ironic for us not to do the engagement that's necessary moving on this and we have to in this moment as we take this vote make a…”
City Council · Jul 30, 2026
- Play at 1:03:48
“Yeah, it looks like we do have Andrew here from planning. Maybe you want to speak to that, but it's my understanding that there was always an intention from the city to have a shared use agreement for public use on this site. There hasn't been any conversations around metering. So I can pass it to staff.”
City Council · Jul 30, 2026
- Play at 1:19:20
“The Committee of the Whole will be bringing forward three items to today's meeting. Item one approves a special law related to food hall licenses. Item number two is a grant application for a National Integrated Ballistics Information Program from the US Department of Justice. This item was sent forward without recommendation.”
City Council · Jul 30, 2026
- Play at 1:36:30
“IS CORRECT. IS CORRECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CHOWDHURY. COUNCIL MEMBER CHOWDHURY. COUNCIL MEMBER CHOWDHURY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, PRESIDENT THANK YOU SO MUCH, PRESIDENT The contention that I have with this is not with NIBIN, right? I see the value in the resource, absolutely. I think it's important to state, because I have had residents reach out that believe that if we don't apply for this grant, it's just gonna cease to exist. I think me and others on this body and the police department can agree that's not helpful for residents to believe that NIBIN's gonna cease to…”
City Council · Jul 30, 2026
- Play at 2:30:38
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
City Council · Jul 30, 2026
- Play at 2:53:57
“Thank you, President Payne. July 31st, August 1st, and August 2nd is Nokomis Days 2026. Be sure to come out and support our local businesses and community in the 12th and 11th Ward. There are events for families and people of all ages. There's wonderful sales. competitions, prizes, parking lot, parties, free concerts, you name it. Just a really great time to do what Minnesotans love to do, which is go outside and enjoy eating good food, listen to good music. So come down to the South Side. There's a lot of South Side We Outside moments happening in the upcoming weekend.”
City Council · Jul 30, 2026