15 West Kellogg Blvd.  
Saint Paul, MN 55102  
City of Saint Paul  
Minutes - Final  
Legislative Hearings  
Marcia Moermond, Legislative Hearing Officer  
Mai Vang, Hearing Coordinator  
Joanna Zimny, Executive Assistant  
legislativehearings@ci.stpaul.mn.us  
651-266-8585  
Thursday, January 11, 2024  
9:00 AM  
Room 330 City Hall & Court House  
Garbage Hauling Assessments  
9:00 a.m. Hearings  
Special Tax Assessments  
Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 1288  
EDGERTON STREET. (File No. CG2303A2, Assessment No. 230113)  
1
RLH TA 24-13  
Sponsors:  
Kim  
Reduce assessment from $133.87 to $62.48.  
Almaz Kassa, owner, appeared via phone  
Rahel Sekadu, owner’s daughter, appeared via phone  
Daughter: I’ll be translating for my mother into Amharic. She is right next to me.  
Moermond: are you over 18?  
Sekadu: yes.  
[Moermond gives background of appeals process]  
Moermond: looks like we have two assessments, one for the second quarter of 2023  
and one for the third quarter of 2023. I’m going to ask we do them both at the same  
time, since they appear to be the same issue.  
Staff report by Lydia Campbell: property owner is appealing because they did not call  
the hauler to set up service when they purchased the property on June 1, 2023.  
Previous property owner did not cancel their service. The property owner is  
contesting the charges because she states that she was not aware that garbage  
services were charged separately. Property owner did not receive Notices of  
Non-Payment from the hauler because they were still being sent to the address of the  
previous PO at a different address. City staff does not see this as a sufficient reason  
to waive the assessment. As the current property owner, they are responsible for  
assessments left by the previous owner. This also includes the assessment for  
delinquent garbage bills in Quarters 1 and 3 of 2023.  
Moermond: it sounds like you have learned you have to sign up for the service. Ms.  
Campbell, does Waste Management now have the account in the right name?  
Campbell: yes, we did get in touch with the hauler.  
Moermond: two bills went to the old owner; your mom was in the property and using  
the service which is provided regardless. Tell me what you’re looking for in this  
appeal?  
Sekadu: she lived with us at Rosemount where you can shop around to get the best  
price and they deliver the container. We had no idea that you have the can and use  
it. Since she lives by herself and is mostly at work, she doesn’t have much trash. I  
would just take it home with me. She didn’t know there was a trash can under her  
name, or outside, or any of those things .That was the problem.  
Moermond: does your mom read English?  
Sekadu: no, but I come every week to collect her bills and help her, or she brings it if  
she visits me.  
Moermond: but she doesn’t, you help as best you can?  
Sekadu: yes.  
Moermond: when she bought the property, which is in her name, yes?  
Sekadu: yes.  
Moermond: was the paperwork at the closing in English and she relied on others to  
translate it?  
Sekadu: yes.  
Moermond: so, she signed paperwork all in English?  
Sekadu: yes.  
Moermond: I don’t want to take a difficult situation and make it more difficult. I do  
have obligation to recoup costs for providing service. If she has little garbage, we do  
have an option to go with a small can that gets collected every other week. I’d like to  
get her signed up for that. We can do that with a couple of calls on our end. Is that  
something you’d like us to do?  
Sekadu: yes, at the same time we did sign up once we found out and they did bring a  
smaller container that is taken out every week. The one you suggested would be  
great.  
Moermond: does she have a dark gray container with a dark gray lid?  
Sekadu: yes.  
Moermond: the lid isn’t pink/purple?  
Sekadu: one is blue and the other is kind of black.  
Moermond: Ms. Campbell, what would the cost of every other week service be for  
this household?  
Campbell: in 2023 it would be $62.48 quarterly.  
Moermond: in consideration of your mom’s language, she would have had difficulty  
navigating any paperwork in closing that may have dealt with this, as well as any mail  
that may have been received. I’m going to ask the Council to decrease this as low as  
I can. Each would go from $133.87 to $62.48. We’ll get her into a container with  
purple lid.  
Referred to the City Council due back on 3/13/2024  
Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 195  
GOODRICH AVENUE. (File No. CG2303A2, Assessment No. 230113)  
2
3
4
RLH TA 24-46  
RLH TA 24-47  
RLH TA 24-15  
Sponsors:  
Noecker  
Delete the assessment.  
No one appeared  
Moermond: this has been in the Vacant Building program a while, and is now a  
Category 3, so it makes sense to delete both of these assessments. Quarter 2 and  
Quarter 3, 2023.  
Referred to the City Council due back on 3/6/2024  
Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 195  
GOODRICH AVENUE. (File No.CG2304A1, Assessment No. 230114)  
Sponsors:  
Noecker  
Delete the assessment.  
No one appeared  
Moermond: this has been in the Vacant Building program a while, and is now a  
Category 3, so it makes sense to delete both of these assessments. Quarter 2 and  
Quarter 3, 2023.  
Referred to the City Council due back on 3/6/2024  
Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 1740  
IGLEHART AVENUE. (File No. CG2303A2, Assessment No. 230113)  
Sponsors:  
Jalali  
Delete the assessment.  
No one appeared  
Staff report by Lydia Campbell: the resident states she has been paying the bill and  
she has payment verification to prove it. Property owner provided proof of electronic  
payment for every quarter dating back through 2020. The garbage bill for Quarter 2,  
2023 was already paid to Waste Management, so staff recommends full removal of  
the assessment.  
Moermond: sounds good. I agree.  
Referred to the City Council due back on 3/13/2024  
Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 749  
SCHEFFER AVENUE (File No. CG2303A2, Assessment No. 230113)  
5
RLH TA 24-12  
Sponsors:  
Noecker  
Delete the assessment.  
No one appeared  
Staff report by Lydia Campbell: the property owner states that they already paid the  
garbage bills for both Quarters 1 and 2, 2023. Waste Management confirmed that  
payments for both Quarters 1 and 2, 2023 were received for 749 Scheffer Ave. The  
payments had been applied to the wrong account. Staff therefore recommends  
removal of the full Quarter 2, assessment.  
Moermond: recommend deletion. What I’m struggling with is we have a fair number of  
bills that Waste Management has sent to assessment that Pos have come forward  
with proof the bill was paid or went to the wrong place. Are these owners reaching out  
to Waste Management before the City and what sort of experience they’re having.  
Maybe they didn’t call, do you know?  
Haas: a majority of residents do contact the hauler. It is a result of poor customer  
service. That’s why we are taking over billing in 2025.  
Referred to the City Council due back on 3/13/2024  
10:00 a.m. Hearings  
Special Tax Assessments  
Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 1319  
6
RLH TA 24-8  
ARLINGTON AVENUE EAST. (File No. CG2304A1, Assessment No.  
230114)  
Sponsors:  
Yang  
Delete the assessment.  
No one appeared  
Staff report by Lydia Campbell: the property owner states that they already paid this  
bill. The property owner shared a copy of their checking account showing that this  
payment was made. Aspen confirmed that the assessment was sent in error and  
asked that we remove it.  
Moermond: so recommended.  
Referred to the City Council due back on 3/13/2024  
Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 1256  
DANFORTH STREET. (File No. CG2304A1, Assessment No. 230114)  
7
RLH TA 24-11  
Sponsors:  
Kim  
Delete the assessment.  
No one appeared  
Staff report by Lydia Campbell: the property owner died last year and the brother,  
property representative, says they should not be charged for service that they did not  
use. The property owner passed away December of 2022 and brother of the  
deceased was handling the account/home. Requesting that the Quarter 3, 2023  
assessment be removed as a courtesy. Hauler had evidence of service use first 2  
quarters, so City staff is only requesting that Quarter 3 assessment be removed.  
Moermond: and it is squared away that they don’t need to be collected there?  
Campbell: yes, it an Unoccupied Dwelling Registration Form is in and service is on  
hold.  
Moermond: so, recommend deletion.  
Referred to the City Council due back on 3/13/2024  
Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 1288  
EDGERTON STREET. (File No. CG2304A1, Assessment No. 230114)  
8
RLH TA 24-10  
Sponsors:  
Kim  
Reduce assessment from $133.87 to $62.48.  
Almaz Kassa, owner, appeared via phone  
Rahel Sekadu, owner’s daughter, appeared via phone  
Daughter: I’ll be translating for my mother into Amharic. She is right next to me.  
Moermond: are you over 18?  
Sekadu: yes.  
[Moermond gives background of appeals process]  
Moermond: looks like we have two assessments, one for the second quarter of 2023  
and one for the third quarter of 2023. I’m going to ask we do them both at the same  
time, since they appear to be the same issue.  
Staff report by Lydia Campbell: property owner is appealing because they did not call  
the hauler to set up service when they purchased the property on June 1, 2023.  
Previous property owner did not cancel their service. The property owner is  
contesting the charges because she states that she was not aware that garbage  
services were charged separately. Property owner did not receive Notices of  
Non-Payment from the hauler because they were still being sent to the address of the  
previous PO at a different address. City staff does not see this as a sufficient reason  
to waive the assessment. As the current property owner, they are responsible for  
assessments left by the previous owner. This also includes the assessment for  
delinquent garbage bills in Quarters 1 and 3 of 2023.  
Moermond: it sounds like you have learned you have to sign up for the service. Ms.  
Campbell, does Waste Management now have the account in the right name?  
Campbell: yes, we did get in touch with the hauler.  
Moermond: two bills went to the old owner; your mom was in the property and using  
the service which is provided regardless. Tell me what you’re looking for in this  
appeal?  
Sekadu: she lived with us at Rosemount where you can shop around to get the best  
price and they deliver the container. We had no idea that you have the can and use  
it. Since she lives by herself and is mostly at work, she doesn’t have much trash. I  
would just take it home with me. She didn’t know there was a trash can under her  
name, or outside, or any of those things .That was the problem.  
Moermond: does your mom read English?  
Sekadu: no, but I come every week to collect her bills and help her, or she brings it if  
she visits me.  
Moermond: but she doesn’t, you help as best you can?  
Sekadu: yes.  
Moermond: when she bought the property, which is in her name, yes?  
Sekadu: yes.  
Moermond: was the paperwork at the closing in English and she relied on others to  
translate it?  
Sekadu: yes.  
Moermond: so, she signed paperwork all in English?  
Sekadu: yes.  
Moermond: I don’t want to take a difficult situation and make it more difficult. I do  
have obligation to recoup costs for providing service. If she has little garbage, we do  
have an option to go with a small can that gets collected every other week. I’d like to  
get her signed up for that. We can do that with a couple of calls on our end. Is that  
something you’d like us to do?  
Sekadu: yes, at the same time we did sign up once we found out and they did bring a  
smaller container that is taken out every week. The one you suggested would be  
great.  
Moermond: does she have a dark gray container with a dark gray lid?  
Sekadu: yes.  
Moermond: the lid isn’t pink/purple?  
Sekadu: one is blue and the other is kind of black.  
Moermond: Ms. Campbell, what would the cost of every other week service be for  
this household?  
Campbell: in 2023 it would be $62.48 quarterly.  
Moermond: in consideration of your mom’s language, she would have had difficulty  
navigating any paperwork in closing that may have dealt with this, as well as any mail  
that may have been received. I’m going to ask the Council to decrease this as low as  
I can. Each would go from $133.87 to $62.48. We’ll get her into a container with  
purple lid.  
Referred to the City Council due back on 3/13/2024  
Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 1716  
HYACINTH AVENUE EAST. (File No. CG2304A1, Assessment No.  
230114)  
9
RLH TA 24-14  
Sponsors:  
Yang  
Delete the assessment.  
No one appeared  
Staff report by Lydia Campbell: the property owner states they paid the Quarter 3 bill  
to Waste Management. The property owner has shown adequate evidence in the  
form of bank statements showing that this bill was paid in July 2023. Waste  
Management confirmed that they received the payment and applied it to the wrong  
account. City staff acknowledges that property owner made payment July 31, 2023  
which is past the due date. City staff is still recommending full removal (including late  
fees) because Waste Management doesn't apply their late fees until the last day of  
the month as indicated on all residential account billing copies that they have shared.  
Moermond: so recommended. What I’m struggling with is we have a fair number of  
bills that Waste Management has sent to assessment that Pos have come forward  
with proof the bill was paid or went to the wrong place. Are these owners reaching out  
to Waste Management before the City and what sort of experience they’re having.  
Maybe they didn’t call, do you know?  
Haas: a majority of residents do contact the hauler. It is a result of poor customer  
service. That’s why we are taking over billing in 2025.  
Referred to the City Council due back on 3/13/2024  
Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 759  
MARYLAND AVENUE EAST. (File No. CG2304A1, Assessment No.  
230114)  
10  
RLH TA 24-49  
Sponsors:  
Yang  
Delete the assessment.  
No one appeared  
Staff report by Lydia Campbell: the property owner states that they already paid this  
bill and that they never received an overdue bill notice from Waste Management and  
assessed anyway. Waste Management has no proof that a Notice of Non-payment  
was sent. Waste Management found that the assessment was for a different parcel.  
The property owner provided proof of payment from July 25, 2023. City solid waste  
staff recommends full removal of assessment totaling $119.89.  
Moermond: recommend deletion. What I’m struggling with is we have a fair number of  
bills that Waste Management has sent to assessment that Pos have come forward  
with proof the bill was paid or went to the wrong place. Are these owners reaching out  
to Waste Management before the City and what sort of experience they’re having.  
Maybe they didn’t call, do you know?  
Haas: a majority of residents do contact the hauler. It is a result of poor customer  
service. That’s why we are taking over billing in 2025.  
Referred to the City Council due back on 3/13/2024  
11:00 a.m. Hearings  
Special Tax Assessments  
Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 658  
EDMUND AVENUE. (File No. CG2304A2, Assessment No. 230115)  
11  
RLH TA 24-48  
Sponsors:  
Bowie  
Approve the assessment.  
Hattie Ward, owner, appeared via phone  
[Moermond gives background of appeals process]  
Moermond: are you M&D Heavenly properties, LLC?  
Ward: yes.  
Staff report by Lydia Campbell: the property owner is appealing because they state  
that no extras bags were set next to their garbage containers during Quarter 2, so  
they should not owe the extra charges that were applied to the Quarter 3 bill. This  
overdue bill is from Quarter 3, 2024. The property owner agrees that the garbage bill  
was not paid. The baseline overdue garbage bill for service alone is $267.66, which  
covers two 96 gallon containers (duplex), plus late fees. The contested charge is for  
extra bags that property owner allegedly set out next to, and overflowing from, their  
trash carts the quarter prior (Quarter 2). It is acceptable for the hauler to add charges  
for extras from the previous quarter onto the bill. The disagreement is about the  
number of bags.  
The property owner is stating that no extra bags were set out for collection in Quarter  
2. Property owner rents the property and agrees that there was a litter issue at the  
property. They rented a dumpster to clean it up. The property owner is stating that all  
extra garbage bags and litter were put in the dumpster and none were picked up by  
Republic. Republic Services provided a week-by-week list with a count of bags that  
they recorded for each of those extras. The total they said they had was 70, however  
in the photos they provided only 54 bags were visible during that quarter. One note of  
concern I want to make is that I had given Hattie an initial suggestion that I was  
thinking I would remove the bag charges for the difference but upon further  
inspection I said I wouldn’t be able to make that recommendation and leave it up to  
the Legislative Hearing Officer.  
Moermond: one thing early in your report you said was that the owner put these bags  
out, but I’m understanding this is a rental property so it would have been tenants  
putting them out.  
Campbell: yes, correct.  
Moermond: just to clarify the record. I have M and D Heavenly Properties, LLC in  
Compton, California. Is that right?  
Ward: yes.  
Moermond: so, you’re in Compton?  
Ward: there were no excess bags. I did get a dumpster, I removed them. I paid for it  
myself. I made sure it was gone. If they would have had proof, a picture, I know I  
removed them.  
Moermond: I have a pile of paperwork including a lot of photographs.  
Ward: that was from previous ones.  
Moermond: what do you mean by previous?  
Ward: that was the month before, and I paid that. After that because the City  
inspector was on me, I had to go do it myself and paid for the dumpster.  
Moermond: when did you do that?  
Ward: July I think.  
Moermond: I think I understand the problem.  
Ward: I had my tenant pay for a dumpster, and I did too. We both had. I made sure  
they got it all up.  
Moermond: I’m not sure if you received an invoice from the hauler and I know how  
the billing works an di think it’s the billing that’s tripping us up. I am definitely seeing  
the same thing as you, a July bill for the third quarter, July 3 through September 30th.  
The thing is you’re being charged for is from the second quarter. It didn’t happen in  
the third quarter. What it makes it complicated is you pay a garbage bill prospectively,  
so your July 5 bill covers July, August and September and they don’t know if there  
will be extra bags since you’re billed at the beginning of the quarter. The same thing  
happened the second quarter, April 5 bill. They didn’t know there would be extra bags  
between April 1 and July 1. If there are, that would be the next bill. So, you are paying  
for something happening the quarter before since they can’t know.  
Ward: it wasn’t even the quarter before. They moved the end of July.  
Moermond: I have a photo from June 30, June 16, June 9,  
Ward: and all those photos are when she got a dumpster, the one she paid for.  
Moermond: I see the garbage hauler picked up on those days the extra bags.  
Ward: no, no, no.  
Moermond: you’re saying they left them on the ground?  
Ward: they were in the garage. I made them take them out of the garage and get a  
dumpster.  
Sarah Haas, Manager of Solid Waste Program: the confusion with the dates from  
Hattie and the garbage was there was also a Summary Abatement Order on the  
property in August, and that was where the dumpster came in. There were a large  
number of bags collected by the hauler but also an abatement order to clean up.  
[Moermond reviews Summary Abatement Order and photos]  
Ward: I was aware the freezer was out there.  
Moermond: it was after this stuff, so it makes sense you were taking care of  
business.  
Ward: I paid $638 and sent a receipt, because I know I paid.  
Moermond: we can send these photos from the second quarter of what the garbage  
people picked up.  
Ward: I paid them 638  
Moermond: I’m not sure what that is from, the assessment lookup isn’t giving any  
clues either.  
Ward: I have the photos. I’m a very honest woman, honey. I can’t stress that enough.  
The inspector and I were very acquainted. I paid for all of that. I’m just ready for you  
to make your decision and tell me what I have to do.  
Moermond: I’m going to recommend approval. [Moermond gives appeals process  
again] the Council Public Hearing is March 13th. That’s the next place to talk to  
someone about it.  
Ward: you aren’t seeing record of me paying $638?  
Moermond: what is visible to me online are the pending assessments. They clear  
their books on December 1. I have current information. I’d need to call the  
assessment office to find out what was going on with that payment. It isn’t on the  
computer I can see.  
Additional comments after hearing:  
Moermond: it sounds like she has had some other bills. She seems confused as to  
what they were. Maybe we should check the 2023 records and see any other  
pending bills or assessments that were paid during 2023 that we should have as part  
of the record that may explain some of this confusion.  
Referred to the City Council due back on 3/13/2024  
Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 1128  
FOURTH STREET EAST. (File No. CG2304A2, Assessment No.  
230115)  
12  
RLH TA 24-6  
Sponsors:  
Johnson  
Delete the assessment.  
No one appeared  
Staff report by Lydia Campbell: the property owner states that they already paid their  
bill and provided proof of the payment. The property owner stated that they already  
paid the bill and provided proof with a bank statement. The hauler, Aspen, then  
confirmed that this bill was sent to the City in error.  
Moermond: recommend deletion. What I’m struggling with is we have a fair number of  
bills that Waste Management has sent to assessment that Pos have come forward  
with proof the bill was paid or went to the wrong place. Are these owners reaching out  
to Waste Management before the City and what sort of experience they’re having.  
Maybe they didn’t call, do you know?  
Haas: a majority of residents do contact the hauler. It is a result of poor customer  
service. That’s why we are taking over billing in 2025.  
Referred to the City Council due back on 3/13/2024  
Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 1964  
MINNEHAHA AVENUE EAST. (File No. CG2304A2, Assessment No.  
230115)  
13  
RLH TA 24-7  
Sponsors:  
Johnson  
Delete the assessment.  
No one appeared  
Staff report by Lydia Campbell: the property owner stated they paid this bull already  
in full to the hauler on July 24, 2023. The property owner provided proof of payment  
in full for amount of bill. Republic Services confirmed that the delinquent bill was sent  
to the City in error and should be removed.  
Moermond: what I’m struggling with is we have a fair number of bills that Waste  
Management has sent to assessment that Pos have come forward with proof the bill  
was paid or went to the wrong place. Are these owners reaching out to Waste  
Management before the City and what sort of experience they’re having. Maybe they  
didn’t call, do you know?  
Haas: a majority of residents do contact the hauler. It is a result of poor customer  
service. That’s why we are taking over billing in 2025.  
Referred to the City Council due back on 3/13/2024  
Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 651  
WELLS STREET. (File No. CG2304A2, Assessment No. 230115)  
14  
RLH TA 24-9  
Sponsors:  
Yang  
Delete the assessment.  
No one appeared  
Moermond: two people being billed Waste Management says it was a mistake.  
Recommend deletion.  
Referred to the City Council due back on 3/13/2024  
Special Tax Assessments-Rolls  
Ratifying the assessment for the City’s cost of providing Collection of  
Delinquent Garbage Bills for services during April to June 2023. (File  
No. CG2303A2, Assessment No.230113)  
15  
16  
17  
RLH AR 23-107  
RLH AR 23-108  
RLH AR 23-109  
Sponsors:  
Brendmoen  
Referred to the City Council due back on 3/13/2024  
Ratifying the assessment for the City’s cost of providing Collection of  
Delinquent Garbage Bills for services during April to June 2023. (File  
No. CG2304A1, Assessment No. 230114)  
Sponsors:  
Brendmoen  
Referred to the City Council due back on 3/13/2024  
Ratifying the assessment for the City’s cost of providing Collection of  
Delinquent Garbage Bills for services during April to June 2023. (File  
No. CG2304A2, Assessment No. 230115)  
Sponsors:  
Brendmoen  
Referred to the City Council due back on 3/13/2024