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Community Events/News

Start Date Title Tags Description
Dec 11, 2025 08:00 AM Olmsted County - Operation Green Light ('veterans',) Olmsted County is proud to once again participate in Operation Green Light, shining a beacon of hope and support for veterans.
Dec 04, 2025 05:30 PM Forum and Discussion on ‘Democracy Innovations for Better Public Meetings’ (Date changed to Dec 4) ('key', 'governance') The event will provide residents the opportunity to learn more about the Democracy Innovations for Better Public Meetings project and provide feedback. This project is designed to make public meetings more engaging while strengthening connections between community members and local government.
Nov 21, 2025 07:00 PM RPS Sound School Presents Tuvergen Band ('arts', 'education', 'rps') During the week of November 17, Tuvergen Band will visit public schools in Rochester to lead workshops and performances for students. These visits are part of the Sound School program, which brings professional musicians into classrooms for hands-on learning, cultural exchange, and musical exploration. The residency ends with the public concert at the Chateau Theatre, where the community can enjoy the same exciting music and cultural experience.
Nov 20, 2025 06:00 PM Hot Stuff: Electrifying Water Heating, Cooking, and Clothes Drying ('sustainability',) Learn about upgrading your home appliances to energy efficient options at this City of Rochester-sponsored workshop.
Nov 15, 2025 05:00 PM NAACP 2025 Freedom Fund Banquest ('diversity', 'NAACP') The 2025 Freedom Fund Banquet will feature two trailblazing leaders as keynote speakers: Mayor Shaundel Washington-Spivey of La Crosse, Wisconsin, and Mayor Hollies Winston of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, the first Black mayors in their respective cities. Their historic achievements serve as powerful examples of progress and inspiration for our Rochester community.
Nov 15, 2025 12:30 PM ZMVS Presents Heartreach Clinic ('America City for Health', 'community health') Free Heart Disease Screening Blood Pressure Screening, Cholesterol Testing, Blood Sugar Screening, Heart Exam, ECG and Ultrasound
Nov 13, 2025 08:00 AM Introduction to Restorative Justice - Circle Training ('compassion', 'RPS', 'Education', 'community') Three Rivers Restorative Justice About the Training: A 16 Hour interactive training for aspiring circle keepers.
Nov 11, 2025 04:00 PM Introduction to Restorative Justice - Circle Training ('compassion', 'RPS', 'Education', 'community') Three Rivers Restorative Justice About the Training: A 16 Hour interactive training for aspiring circle keepers.
Oct 29, 2025 05:00 PM World Cafe - Uplifting Parent Voices for Multilingual Leaders ('rps', 'Education') Join us for a World Café—a welcoming, community-led conversation where your voice matters. As a parent or caregiver of a multilingual student, your insights and experiences are powerful tools for shaping educational policies and practices in Minnesota. (The target parent group is Spanish and Somali speaking, plus parents of native/indigenous students.)
Oct 29, 2025 09:00 AM 2025 C2C Annual Education Summit ('C2C', 'education') Join us for an inspiring day of learning and community collaboration at the Cradle 2 Career Annual Education Summit! From Insight to Impact: Shaping the Future of Our Systems.
Oct 28, 2025 09:30 AM Oct 2025 Mayor's International Relations Committee Meeting ('Diversity', 'global', 'governance', 'culture', 'key', 'education') Coordinate the Sister Cities Program; support international affairs in the city; provide a welcoming and supportive climate for international residents
Oct 26, 2025 03:00 PM Isaiah - Yes to Our Future Summit ('interfaith', 'isaiah') Join this public meeting with state, county, and city elected officials about how we protect our civil rights and social safety nets from federal overreach.
Oct 24, 2025 05:30 PM IMAA Pearl Gala Annual Fundraiser 2025 ('imaa', 'diversity') United for Humanity: Building Bridges to Belonging
Oct 24, 2025 06:00 PM Healing in Action: Nutrition and Lifestyle for Breast Cancer Support ('America City for Health', 'Health/Wellness') FREE EVENT: Join us for an empowering session featuring a recorded presentation by oncology dietitian and breast cancer survivor Alison Tierney: Nourish to Thrive – Whole-Person Strategies for Breast Cancer Risk Reduction & Healing. Alison shares her personal journey and practical, evidence-based strategies to support cancer prevention, treatment, and recovery through everyday choices like nutrition, stress management, and movement.
Oct 23, 2025 06:00 PM Stay Cool, Stay Warm: Heat Pumps Demystified ('sustainability',) Learn about energy efficient air source heat pumps, their benefits, and how to choose the best option for your home.
Oct 22, 2025 06:00 PM How to Start a Business - In English ('diversity', 'community engagement', 'Entrepreneurship') Training Topics: Accounting/Budget, Business Financing, Business Plan, Business Start-up/Preplanning, Legal Issues, Managing a Business, Marketing/Sales, Tax Planning Description: How to Start a Business from Scratch - Part 2: In the final classes, you will dive into the practical implementation of your business idea, addressing key aspects such as legal and financial structure, initial marketing strategies, and preparing to launch your venture into the market. Additionally, you will learn to establish basic accounting systems and financial management to ensure operational soundness from the outset.
Oct 21, 2025 05:00 PM MPR News presents Politics Friday LIVE in Rochester ('mpr', 'community engagement', 'governance') Join MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst live in Rochester for an interesting and informative evening of Politics Friday.
Oct 21, 2025 08:30 AM 2025 Entrepreneurs First (E¹) Summit & Expo ('Entrepreneurship',) Rochester, MN — IgniteMN is proud to host the 2025 Entrepreneurs First (E¹) Summit & Expo on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, from 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota – Rochester Campus. The E¹ Summit is Southeast Minnesota’s premier gathering for entrepreneurs, innovators, and community partners. This free, full-day event offers inspiration, networking, and resources for entrepreneurs at every stage—from idea to scale.
Oct 21, 2025 01:00 PM 2025 Co-design Leadership Training Session 1 Option 2 ('diversity', 'dmc', 'co-design') We will cover how to evaluate co-design processes, share back insights from the mini-design sprint, and building on those insights discuss how to initiate a co-design project.
Oct 21, 2025 05:00 AM City of Rochester Link or Treat ('transit',) The City of Rochester invites community members of all ages to celebrate the season at Link or Treat, a free family-friendly event on Tuesday, October 21, from 5 to 7 p.m.
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October 2021 Activities

FORUM  WITH INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT DR. KENT PEKEL- October 21, 6:30 to 8:00:

In the City for Good will be presenting an online forum to give all in the community an opportuniy to hear from Rochester Public Schools Interim Superintendent Kent Pekel. Dr. Pekel will give an overview of his time so far in the district, along with more information on the strategic plan he will be proposing. Interested Rochester residents may submit questions ahead of time or during the meeting to be used in a Q&A time period after his primary presentation. The October 21 forum will be from 6:30 to 8.

 

Steering Committee- Tuesday, October 5, 4:00 p.m.

Topic: In the City for Good Steering Committee

Time: Oct 5, 2021 04:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

 Join Zoom Meeting

Contact [email protected] for Zoom info. 

 

Housing Team- Monday, October 11 7:00 p.m.

Our next In the City for Good Housing Team meeting will be on October 11 at 7 pm. We will be discussing the proposed Unified Development Code with Ryan Yetzer, Interim Deputy Director, Community Development for the City of Rochester leading the discussion along with others in the Community Development area. We will especially focus on what some of the proposed changes could mean related to Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and the role of ADUs in addressing the concerns around the affordability of workforce and senior housing. This will be an online meeting, with the link to be sent out later this week.

 

Age-Friendly- Oct 12th and 26th 2:30 to 4:00

Meeting Information:

Age-Friendly Olmsted County Planning Group

Tues. Oct 12 and 26

2:30pm - 4pm

 

Contact [email protected] for Zoom info

 

Social Services/Social Justice- Watch for info of upcoming November meeting

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Purpose of the site
A sub-site of Community Beam, the City4Good website is being prototyped by openBEAM.net  to help the "In the City For Good initiative" to better collaborate.
Community Status/News

This panel displays the latest community news. For a standalone view please click this LINK.



Restorative Justice Circle Collaboration with RPS

2025 RPS Collaboration to improve school attendance; Circle Training

2024 Project Legacy Collaboration

 References

Last Updated October 26, 2025



DMC 2026 Budget and Workplan

2026 Budget and Workplan September DMCC Board Meeting

Reference(s): Concurring City Council Oct 6 2025 Approval Request 

 

Last Updated October 26, 2025



America's City for Heath and Older Elders Needs

AI Summary of Dave Beal's PB Op Ed:

"Include older adults in Rochester's Plans"

 

Last Updated October 23, 2025



HOME OWNERSHIP CREATION PROGRAM – LONDON BROOK PONDS

City Council Meeting Approval of Housing Support: Housing Funding Allocations; TIF approval

PB reporting

Last Updated October 21, 2025



Seneca Property Plan Shelved

2025: PB reporting: Plan to develop vision for former Seneca site shelved

2022: (1) RAEDI partners with Olmsted County to solicit Statements of Interest (SOI) for former Seneca property; (2) Olmsted County signs agreement with RAEDI to solicit development proposals for former Seneca property

Last Updated October 16, 2025



Mayor and City Council Launch ‘Democracy Innovations for Better Public Meetings’

Press Release and focuses: Civic Engagement Scorecard, Civic Infrastructure Scan

References: AI summary of project, Community Forum

Last Updated October 15, 2025



DAP Funding Justification

Oct 15, 2025 D.A.P. Meeting Info Sharing - Building a community-owned data repository

 

 

Last Updated October 15, 2025



DMC 2015-2025 Review and Next 5 Years

DMC Board Sep 2025 Meeting: Next 5 Year Plan Update Briefing

July 2025 Reflections: DMC’s next decade will focus on deepening its impact—through infrastructure, entrepreneurship, and community engagement—while continuing to support Rochester’s evolution into a vibrant, health-focused destination.

Last Updated October 12, 2025



Discovery Square Shared Lab Infastructure

Sep 2025 Update Presentation

May 2025: Biolabs as shared space partner: A shared lab space for a community of like-minded entrepreneurs associated with one or more academic research partners, PB reporting

Nov 2023 DMCC Board Presentation

Last Updated October 12, 2025



Rochester Sports and Recreation Complex

Oct 6, 2025 City Council Meeting

July 28, 2025 City Council Study Session 

Sample of community feedbacks on Facebook

Last Updated October 11, 2025



Community Health Improvement Plan Update

Availability of 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment

  • Admin Message
  • Oct 2025 Newsletter 

PB Report

Last Updated October 07, 2025



2026 Annual Action Plan - Community Development Block Grant Allocations

  • 2026 Annual Action Plan - Community Development Block Grant Allocations
  • Presentation 

Last Updated October 06, 2025



Local Sales Tax Update

  • City Council Study Session:
  • Sales Tax Renewal Projects - Utilization of Sales Tax: Street Reconstruction. Flood Control and Water Quality, Economic Vitality, Home Ownership
  • AI summary of PB Reporting  

Last Updated October 02, 2025



Destination Medical Center (DMC) Plan Status Reports

2025 Report: Videos, 10 year reflection

2016 Report: In addition to the December 2016 status report, DMC EDA shows a useful diagram that positions the relationships of various studies going on within Rochester.

Last Updated October 01, 2025



September 2025 Charter Commission

  • City Governance Work Item
  • Application for replacement member

Last Updated September 28, 2025



2024-2025 RPS Data Analysis

Sep 2025 MCA Improvement Action Plan 

2024-25 Fastbridge Data Analysis and Literacy Plan Update

PB reporting on MCA

Last Updated September 27, 2025



Healthy Living Wellness Tips

2025 Oct podcast; Sep Newsletter

2025 Conference Materials

2020 Lifestyle Medicine Symposium (March 19-20)

Last Updated September 27, 2025



Collaboration & Conflict Insights

Minnesota State - Office of Collaboration and Dispute Resolution Sep 2025 Newsletter

Last Updated September 27, 2025



Rebranding RPS 2025

Sep 23, 2025 School Board Prep

  • Superintendent Video recording clip 
  • Presentation Slides
  • Proposed New Logo

PB Reporting

Last Updated September 26, 2025



City of Rochester 2026-2027 Budget Planning

  • Sep 22, 2025 City Council 
  • Sep 15, 2025 Study Session, Sep 3, 2025 Study Session;  Aug 25, 2025 Study Session; Press Release; 
  • June 23, 2025 Study Session: 2026 Capital Improvement Plan & Outside Agency Funding Budget Update
  • May 27, 2025 City Council Study Session ; Apr 28, 2025 City Council Study Session Material 
  • Press Release: The City of Rochester is beginning its 2026-2027 budget process and invites residents to learn more about the factors shaping the City’s financial outlook.

Last Updated September 23, 2025