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Community Events/News

Start Date Title Tags Description
Oct 22, 2023 02:30 PM Isaiah: October 2023 Rochester Area Summit ('faith', 'ISAIAH', 'cmrc', 'key') Summit of neighbors, leaders, and elected officials. We're expecting 200 attendees so far and 13 elected officials serving in the city, county, school board, and state legislature!
Oct 19, 2023 06:30 PM In the City for Good: School Referendum ('governance',) Superintendent Kent Pekel will join us to share information and address the upcoming School referendum. Index cards will be provided for questions from the audience.
Oct 19, 2023 05:30 PM Redlining & Racial Covenants ('Housing', 'Diversity') Phil Wheeler Presentation on history of racial covenants in Olmsted County, the homeownership gap, and impacts to affordable Housing
Oct 17, 2023 10:00 AM NIH Build UP Trust Grant Webinar ('co-design', 'health', 'openbeam', 'key', 'Diversity') The Build UP Trust Challenge will host a live Q&A Webinar at noon Eastern Time on Tuesday, October 17, 2023. During the webinar, we will provide an overview of the competition, walk through the website, and answer questions.
Oct 12, 2023 06:00 PM SBDC: How Do I Start a Business - Session 2 ('cmrc', 'Entrepreneurship') What do I need to start a business?
Oct 12, 2023 11:00 AM 2023 Fall Co-design Leadership Training Session 1 Option 2 ('diversity', 'dmc', 'co-design') Co-design has become a valued and effective community-centric approach to developing healthy and equitable projects, policies, and practices in the Rochester region. However, we have also seen what can happen if co-design is co-opted as just another “box” to be checked. If you are not familiar, co-design is an approach to encourage, compensate, and prioritize the inclusion of diverse populations throughout the design and development process. We would like to invite you to participate in training sessions designed to proactively ensure that those leading organizations and projects are able to create meaningful co-design opportunities and structures for shared decision-making in the work that you do.
Oct 11, 2023 10:00 AM October 11, 2023 Coalition for Rochester Area Housing Alliance (By Invitation) ('RAF', 'Housing', 'openbeam', 'key', 'housing') Zumbro Ridge Estate 5-Year Updates; Local Real Estate Update; Community Organizations Looking for Housing; Round Table from Members
Oct 10, 2023 01:00 PM 2023 Fall Co-design Leadership Training Session 1 Option 1 ('diversity', 'dmc', 'co-design') Co-design has become a valued and effective community-centric approach to developing healthy and equitable projects, policies, and practices in the Rochester region. However, we have also seen what can happen if co-design is co-opted as just another “box” to be checked. If you are not familiar, co-design is an approach to encourage, compensate, and prioritize the inclusion of diverse populations throughout the design and development process. We would like to invite you to participate in training sessions designed to proactively ensure that those leading organizations and projects are able to create meaningful co-design opportunities and structures for shared decision-making in the work that you do.
Oct 10, 2023 10:00 AM RPS October 10, 2023 Monthly District Family Engagement Meeting ('rps', 'education', 'diversity', 'youth', 'openbeam', 'key', 'Education', 'cmrc') Family Engagement with Special Education
Oct 06, 2023 08:00 AM October 2023 Rochester Area Foundation: Fall DEI Practitioner Convening and Luncheon (By Invitation) ('RAF', 'Diversity', 'openbeam') A retreat that will focus on equipping DEI practitioners with practical tools to manage stress and invest in their overall wellness through practices focused on mindfulness, self-love, restoration, and healing.
Oct 05, 2023 06:00 PM SBDC: How Do I Start a Business - Session 1 ('cmrc', 'Entrepreneurship') Introduction to starting a business
Oct 05, 2023 10:00 AM 2023 DMC Emerging Developer Expo ('Housing', 'DMC', 'Diversity', 'openbeam') One of aims of the Expo is to disrupt the systemic racial barriers to real estate investment and development. The Expo is an opportunity for organizations, government, and community partners to showcase the resources offered in service of creating equity in development and investment of housing in our communities.
Oct 04, 2023 10:00 AM 2023 C2C Annual Education Summit ('diversity', 'c2c', 'C2C', 'Education', 'boys & girls') Learn, Reflect and Connect with us at this free event as we come together to support children and youth from cradle to career
Oct 03, 2023 07:00 PM October 2023 Co-Design Summer Cohort Graduation ('diversity', 'DMC', 'co-design', 'openbeam') Celebrating the graduation of 2023 summer cohorts
Oct 03, 2023 07:00 AM Unite Way of Olmsted County Annual Meeting ('united way', 'key') DMC Equitable Development; Social Determinants of Health; MN LT. Governor, Peggy Flanagan, RPS Superintendent, Dr. Kent Pakel; Community Schools Student Perspective
Sep 28, 2023 05:30 PM SBDC: Setting & Adjusting Pricing ('cmrc', 'Entrepreneurship') Join us to learn about pricing strategies, including how to set initial prices and change them with the market!
Sep 28, 2023 03:30 PM Olmsted County SHIP Open House ('community health', 'Health', 'key') To showcase 28 Olmsted County's Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) Projects
Sep 28, 2023 09:30 AM September 28, 2023 DMCC Board Meeting ('EDA', 'key', 'Entrepreneurship') Metrics, 2024 Work Plan and Budget, Business Development and Lead Generation, Communications Strategy, DEED Main Street, Discovery Square, District Energy, Downtown Riverfront, Equitable Economic Development, Heart of the City, Housing, Mobility, Rochester Downtown Task Force, Soldiers Field Memorial Park, West Transit Village
Sep 27, 2023 12:00 PM Enhancing equitable housing opportunities through community initiatives and collaboration ('DMC', 'Diversity', 'Housing', 'key', 'CMRC') Across the United States, there is a growing emphasis on using community collaboration and partnerships to produce more housing, ensure affordability, and create more opportunities for homeownership to build community wealth. Minnesota has one of the largest racial homeownership gaps in the country.
Sep 26, 2023 04:30 PM CMRC September 26, 2023 Meeting ('RPS', 'diversity', 'Diversity Council', 'welcoming', 'CMRC', 'openbeam', 'key', 'Diversity', 'cmrc') Topics: CMRC Partner SBDC Small Business Assistance Partnerships Grant; Superintendent Kent Pekel on Technology Referendum; Community Mobilization Engagement Updates
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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.



DMC 2025 5 Year Plan Update

DMC 2025 5 Year Plan Draft Dec 2025 DMC Board Meeting

  • Request for Action
  • 2025 5-year plan draft

Last Updated December 07, 2025



City of Rochester, MN Mayor's Medal of Honor Recipients

Mayor Norton Honors 2025 Mayor's Medal of Honor Recipients

Mayor Norton Honors 2024 Mayor's Medal of Honor Recipients

Mayor Norton Honors 2023 Mayor's Medal of Honor Recipients; Mayor Norton Honors 2022 Mayor's Medal of Honor Recipients

Last Updated December 06, 2025



Looking Back Equity Alliance Series Topics

Collection of Topics from alliance start to Dec 2025 to offer "a grounded reflection on our collective progress and the work still ahead to strengthen equity across our community."

Last Updated December 06, 2025



City of Rochester Internship Program

2026 Summer Paid Internship Positions: City Clerk, community Development, Communications & Engagement, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Legislative Affairs, Library Communications, Office of the Mayor, Parks & Recreation , Public Music, Rochester Public Utilities Safety, and Transit & Parking.

 

Last Updated December 05, 2025



RPS Balanced Budget Model

2026 Review and 2027 Enhancements: 

 Phase I of the Balanced Budget Model (BBM), launched across all learning sites and select special education programs, served as both a starting point and a critical learning stage.

AI Summary of PB ePaper Article

Last Updated December 04, 2025



Rochester International Relations Committee

2026 Sister City Visits Germany Visit

2025 Sister City Trips: Japan

Rochester Sister City Application (Roles and Responsibilities)

Sister Cities Relationship Logs

IRC Meeting Logs

Last Updated December 03, 2025



2026 Property Tax Levy and Other Budget Items

Dec 1, 2025 City Council Meeting Materials

  • Background
  • Video Recording
  • Presentation

PB Reporting

 

Last Updated December 02, 2025



RPS Strategic Plan Review

Dec 2 2025: Strategic Plan Review Part 1

  • Background
  • Presentation Slides
  • Part 1 Goals

Last Updated December 01, 2025



Downtown Building Energy Transition Initiative

City of Rochester Launches Minnesota’s First Operational Thermal Energy Network Through Downtown Building Energy Transition Initiative

Last Updated December 01, 2025



RPS 5 Year Budget Reduction Strategy

2025-11-21 RPS Reducing 2026 budget cut

RPS Board Presentation July 15, 2025 

AI generated summary of budget reduction strategy 

Last Updated November 21, 2025



Cradle to Career 4Q/3Q 2025 News

2025-11-20 C2C Connection StriveTogether 

2025-10-29  C2C 2025 Summit 

2025-6-2014 2025 Summer Financial Aid Sessions: Locations: RCTC, Rochester Public Library; Information for CBO hosting Financial Aid Sessions

Last Updated November 20, 2025



Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness

Fall (November) 2025:

  • Background Information
  • Video Recording
  • Presentation Slides

Last Updated November 18, 2025



Senior Housing Transition Mentorship

2025-11-14 Post Bulletin ePaper Abstract - "Assist older adults navigate all aspects of housing transitions,”

2025-11-14 AI summary of PB ePaper reporting

Last Updated November 14, 2025



UMR Expansion Plan

 PB ePaper Reporting: 2 new campus buildings are planned to accommodate student growth

AI Summary of PB Reporting

Last Updated November 13, 2025



About Rochester Community Initiative (RCI)

Oct 2025 C2C Summit: Cross-Sector Collaboration: Civic Engagement

Oct 2024 C2C Summit: Students Decoded: The Mental Health Database

Aug 2025 Equity Alliance Series RCI Introduction

 

Last Updated November 11, 2025



Rochester Public Library - Master Plan

Master Plan Approval 11/3/2025

Rochester City Council Study Session 4/14/2025 

Post Bulletin Reporting

References: 2024 Usage Data, Community Survey Request

Last Updated November 08, 2025



National Small Business Initiative & National 311 Day

November 6, 2025 - Rochester Selected as One of Six Cities for National Small Business Initiative

March 11, 2025 – ROCHESTER, MINN. – The City of Rochester is excited to celebrate National 311 Day. 

Last Updated November 07, 2025



Opioid Settlement-Funded Initiatives

November 4, 2025 Olmsted County Board of Commissioners Meeting; 

- Video Recording; Credible Mind Tool

PB ePaper Reporting
Last Updated November 06, 2025



Rochester Public Utilities

2026 Rate Increase

2019 Residential Rate Structure Survey 

Last Updated November 05, 2025



Rochester-Olmsted County 4(d) Affordable Housing Incentive Program

Application Open

Background: The current Rochester-Olmsted County 4(d) Affordable Housing Incentive Program application is for the Tax Assessment Year 2025 - Tax Payable Year 2026, the tax savings for this application will not be realized until the Tax Payable Year 2026.

 

Last Updated November 03, 2025