During a tense meeting, The Minneapolis City Council sustained the mayor's veto as the commissioner’s future remains in limbo.
The council failed to reach a nine vote supermajority required to override Mayor Jacob Frey's veto of their previous rejection of Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnett.This vote prevents the immediate dismissal of the commissioner.
Tensions flared as members accused Council President Elliot Payne of overstepping his authority by filing a vision letter that critics claimed misrepresented their views on the issue.
"I would not say some of these things in this letter that it further harms the commissioner by putting it in the record and saying that this is our vision," Ward 4 Council member Latrisha Vetaw said. "This is not my vision."
The council must now decide whether to introduce a new motion to formally approve or reject the appointment while Barnett continues to serve in a holdover capacity.
This comes during a deeply divided time for the council with members trading accusations of overstepped authority and numerous 7-6 votes showing a clear split in opinions on issues facing the city.
Ward 13 council member Linea Palmisano took aim at Council president Payne.
"That's a concerning pattern raised before, that the council president uses a position to give preference to a particular faction of this body," says Palmisano. "Acting more as the leader of a political coalition instead of a leader of the entire body."
Mayor Frey's office responding to the vote with a statement that reads: “Commissioner Barnette is the right leader for this job. We’re going to work with the City Council to make sure he can continue strengthening public safety in Minneapolis.”
