Minneapolis leaders are trying something a little unconventional to turn down the temperature at City Hall. Mayor Jacob Frey and the Minneapolis City Council quietly started a series of facilitated sessions this week that participants themselves have compared to “couples counseling” for city government, an attempt to repair frayed relationships and get back to the basics of running the city.
The retreat-style gatherings picked back up last week with sessions on Thursday and Friday in downtown Minneapolis, drawing 10 of the council’s 13 members, along with Mayor Frey and his three-person cabinet. City Clerk Casey Carl said the trainings stayed away from official policy debates and instead zeroed in on interpersonal dynamics and communication, according to Star Tribune.
How the coaching was arranged
The city set up a three-year contract with Darcy Luoma Coaching & Consulting LLC that began Oct. 1, 2025 and runs through Sept. 30, 2028. The agreement carries a total not-to-exceed amount of $1,386,000 and covers new-elected orientation, strategic advance sessions, and leadership and executive coaching for the mayor, council and cabinet. City officials approved the deal after a formal request-for-proposals and selection process, according to the City of Minneapolis legislative portal.
Who attended and what they said
Those in the room said the sessions were meant to bring simmering frustrations into the open, set some basic ground rules and, ideally, improve how everyone works together once they are back on the council dais. Council Member Pearll Warren described the gathering as a “very brave space.” Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw said they focused on “finding common ground, setting ground rules and airing grievances.” Mayor Frey warned that “nobody benefits … if the council chambers looks like a circus,” and officials said the group agreed to avoid personal attacks and to hold one another accountable, according to Star Tribune.
Why it matters…