Minnesota briefs: St. Louis Park City Council rejects conflict charge lodged against colleague

City Council Member Anne Mavity last week was cleared of wrongdoing after being accused by a neighborhood group of a conflict of interest in violation of the city charter.

The council voted 5-1 Monday to dismiss the complaint against Mavity, executive director of the Minnesota Housing Partnership. A group of Elmwood neighborhood residents alleged she had used her council position to advance an affordable housing project, saying she had interfered with city staffers and failed to recuse herself from votes concerning the project.

But City Attorney Soren Mattick said she had acted in line with the city charter. Mavity e-mailed City Manager Tom Harmening after the city received the project's zoning application to disclose her conflict of interest and recuse herself from voting on it.

Tim Harlow

The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community plans to reopen the Mystic Lake and Little Six casinos in Prior Lake on Tuesday, and casino officials said they will take precautions to ensure visitors' safety.

The casinos were closed March 18 in response to the pandemic. According to a news release, they will reopen in phases, with slot machines and game tables opening first. Half the chairs will be removed from those areas, blackjack tables will be limited to three people, and players will be able to press a button to have their slot machine sanitized.

The casinos will enforce occupancy limits and mask wearing by all workers and guests. Temperatures will be taken at entrances and employees will undergo health checks before their shifts. Other safety measures will be in place, such as plexiglass barriers at cash registers, prepackaged food and sanitized bathrooms.

Erin Adler

The Anoka County Board on Tuesday will consider a resolution encouraging Gov. Tim Walz to allow the opening of all bars, restaurants, churches and other establishments that follow safe distancing and other rules designed to prevent spread of the coronavirus.

The resolution, offered by Commissioner Jeff Reinert, asks Walz to recall his March 27 stay-at-home order which, it says, "has caused undue hardship and financial loss to many businesses, churches, and local non-profits, both large and small, many of whom may never recover from this financial catastrophe."

One part of the resolution was resolved Saturday when Walz said places of worship may open at 25% occupancy starting Wednesday.

KIM HYATT

Shoreview is offering up to $5,000 in grants to small businesses hit hard by Walz's stay-at-home order.

The city's Economic Development Authority this month created the Small Business Emergency Assistance Program and seeded it with $200,000.

To qualify for grants, businesses must be owned and operated in Shoreview, have three to 25 employees and annual gross revenue of $1 million or less.

Full guidelines and the application can be found at thinkshoreview.com.

Shannon Prather