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
The facilitated sessions follow a run of very public clashes between the mayor and the council, including recent vetoes that underscored both policy disagreements and personality conflicts. City leaders say that kind of standoff can slow down votes and make it harder to deliver basic services. Coverage of those vetoes and the resulting tensions has been detailed by MPR News.
Officials are pitching the Luoma contract as a mix of leadership development and strategic planning rather than formal mediation. The agreement also leaves room for additional coaching or advance sessions if city leaders decide they need more. The three-year term and spending cap are publicly listed in the City of Minneapolis legislative portal, and residents are being told to expect the mayor’s office and the council clerk to report back if the work leads to any formal changes in how meetings are conducted.
