City Hall and Court House

15 West Kellogg Boulevard

Council Chambers - 3rd

Floor

City of Saint Paul

651-266-8560

Meeting Minutes

City Council

Council President Rebecca Noecker

Vice President HwaJeong Kim

Councilmember Anika Bowie

Councilmember Cheniqua Johnson

Councilmember Saura Jost

Councilmember Matt Privratsky

Councilmember Nelsie Yang

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

ROLL CALL

3:30 PM

Council Chambers - 3rd Floor

Meeting started at 3:32 PM

7 -

Present

Councilmember Rebecca Noecker, Councilmember Nelsie Yang,

Councilmember HwaJeong Kim, Councilmember Anika Bowie,

Councilmember Saura Jost, Councilmember Cheniqua Johnson and

Councilmember Matt Privratsky

COMMUNICATIONS & RECEIVE/FILE

Amending the 2025 spending and financing budgets in the Department of

AO 25-36

Public Works Traffic Signals and Street Lighting Maintenance Accounting

Units to fund the purchase of two new wire trailers.

Received and Filed

CONSENT AGENDA

Items listed under the Consent Agenda will be enacted by one motion with no separate

discussion. If discussion on an item is desired, the item will be removed from the

Consent Agenda for separate consideration.

Approval of the Consent Agenda

Council President Noecker stated that Item 2 would be taken separately.

Councilmember Bowie moved approval.

Consent Agenda adopted as amended

7 -

Yea:

Nay:

Councilmember Noecker, Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim,

Councilmember Bowie, Councilmember Jost, Councilmember Johnson and

Councilmember Privratsky

Establishing the rate of pay for Data Practices Specialist, in EG 02, AFSCME

Technical, Grade 039.

RES 25-780

Laid over to July 9, 2025

Establishing the rate of pay for Data Practices Supervisor, EG 09., SPSO,

Grade 018.

RES 25-781

RES 25-901

Laid over to July 9, 2025

Approving the City’s cost of providing Rubbish and Garbage Clean Up

services during April 15 to May 14, 2025, and setting date of Legislative

Hearing for July 22, 2025 and City Council public hearing for September 3,

2025 to consider and levy the assessments against individual properties. (File

No. J2524R, Assessment No. 258563)

Adopted

Approving the City’s cost of providing Miscellaneous Abatement services

during February to May 2025, and setting date of Legislative Hearing for July

22, 2025 and City Council public hearing for September 3, 2025 to consider

and levy the assessments against individual properties. (File No. J2502A,

Assessment No. 258564)

RES 25-902

Adopted

Approving a Liquor On Sale- 100 Seats Or Less, Liquor On Sale - Sunday,

and Entertainment (B) New Location license to STARCADE LLC d/b/a

Starcade (License ID 20240001843) for the premises located at 928 7th St W.

RES 25-924

RES 25-938

Adopted

Authorizing the Department of Public Works to apply for and enter into a grant

agreement with the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District for the

enhanced street sweeping stewardship grant to perform additional street

sweeping within the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District

boundaries.

Adopted

Establishing the rate of pay for SPRWS Asset Manager, Grade 024,

Employee Group 09.

RES 25-943

RES 25-955

Laid over to July 9, 2025

Authorizing the Office of Neighborhood Safety (“ONS”) to apply for grant

funding from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Justice

Programs’ 2026-2027 Community Crime Intervention and Prevention Grant.

Adopted

Authorizing the Fire Department to apply for the 2024 Staffing for Adequate

Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant in the amount of

$4,820,054.40 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to

hire 12 additional firefighters.

RES 25-962

RES 25-995

Adopted

Authorizing the Fire Department to apply for the 2024 Fire Prevention and

Safety Grant in the amount of $100,000 from the Federal Emergency

Management Agency (FEMA) to purchase supplies for the community risk

reduction program Project Safe Haven.

Adopted

Recognizing Immigrant Heritage Month, World Refugee Day, and Caribbean

American Heritage Month.

RES 25-975

Adopted

FOR DISCUSSION

Directing the City Clerk to notify the County Auditor to place a referendum of

Ordinance Ord 25-2 on the November 4, 2025, ballot and approving the title

and language for that ballot question.

RES 25-681

Council President Noecker moved approval of Version 2.

Adopted as amended

7 -

Yea:

Councilmember Noecker, Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim,

Councilmember Bowie, Councilmember Jost, Councilmember Johnson and

Councilmember Privratsky

Nay:

2025 Legislative Session Report

SR 25-119

Laid over to July 23, 2025

7 -

Yea:

Councilmember Noecker, Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim,

Councilmember Bowie, Councilmember Jost, Councilmember Johnson and

Councilmember Privratsky

Nay:

SUSPENSION ITEMS

Honoring Community Partners and Recognizing National Gun Violence

Awareness Month.

RES 25-1015

Councilmember Bowie spoke in favor and moved approval.

Councilmember Privratsky spoke in favor.

Bowie gave additional remarks.

Councilmember Johnson spoke in favor.

Bowie gave additional remarks.

Adopted

7 -

Yea:

Councilmember Noecker, Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim,

Councilmember Bowie, Councilmember Jost, Councilmember Johnson and

Councilmember Privratsky

Nay:

Recognizing the successes of the Hmong International Freedom Festival held

by The United Hmong Family, Inc.

RES 25-1030

Councilmember Yang spoke in favor and moved approval.

Adopted

7 -

Yea:

Councilmember Noecker, Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim,

Councilmember Bowie, Councilmember Jost, Councilmember Johnson and

Councilmember Privratsky

Nay:

ORDINANCES

An ordinance is a city law enacted by the City Council. It is read at three separate

council meetings and becomes effective after passage by the Council and 30 days

after publication in the Saint Paul Pioneer Press. Public hearings on ordinances are

generally held at the second reading.

Final Adoption

Amending the Appendix to Chapter 409 of the Legislative Code pursuant to

Section 17.07.1 of the Charter, and Section 409.20 of the Legislative Code to

create an additional Commercial Development District at 1624/1626 White

Bear Avenue North.

Ord 25-36

Councilmember Yang spoke in favor and moved approval.

Councilmember Privratsky spoke in favor.

Councilmember Johnson spoke in favor.

Adopted

7 -

Yea:

Nay:

Councilmember Noecker, Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim,

Councilmember Bowie, Councilmember Jost, Councilmember Johnson and

Councilmember Privratsky

First Reading

Amending Chapters 33, 60, 61, 62, 63, 65 & 66 of the Legislative Code to

correct errors, and to update and clarify language.

Ord 25-34

Bill Dermody, City Planner, gave a staff report and answered councilmember

questions.

Laid over to July 9, 2025 for Second Reading

PUBLIC HEARINGS

Live testimony is limited to two minutes for each person. See below for optional ways

to testify.

Authorizing Public Works to collect fees from RDUs for garbage services to

support the costs of operations and disposal and setting the 2025 late fee for

delinquent garbage bills.

Ord 25-37

Councilmember Kim moved to close the public hearing.

Laid over to July 9, 2025 for Final Adoption

7 -

Yea:

Councilmember Noecker, Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim,

Councilmember Bowie, Councilmember Jost, Councilmember Johnson and

Councilmember Privratsky

Nay:

Approving the application of St. Paul Saints Baseball Club for a sound level

variance in order to present amplified sound for the Rock the Fourth event on

July 4, 2025 at 360 Broadway St - CHS Field.

Councilmember Johnson moved approval.

Adopted

7 -

Yea:

Councilmember Noecker, Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim,

Councilmember Bowie, Councilmember Jost, Councilmember Johnson and

Councilmember Privratsky

Nay:

Approving the application of Rondo Avenue Inc. for a sound level variance in

order to present amplified sound on Saturday, July 19, 2025 at 271 Mackubin

St - Martin Luther King Recreation Center.

Councilmember Bowie moved approval.

Adopted

7 -

Yea:

Councilmember Noecker, Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim,

Councilmember Bowie, Councilmember Jost, Councilmember Johnson and

Councilmember Privratsky

Nay:

Approving the application of El Burrito Mercado for a sound level variance in

order to present amplified sound on Tuesdays, July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, August 5,

12, 19, and 26, 2025 at 175 Caesar Chavez St - El Burrito Mercado patio.

Councilmember Jost moved approval.

Adopted

7 -

Yea:

Councilmember Noecker, Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim,

Councilmember Bowie, Councilmember Jost, Councilmember Johnson and

Councilmember Privratsky

Nay:

Approving the application of Marcela Vega for the Chicano Fest event sound

level variance in order to present amplified sound on July 12, 2025 at 235

Marshall Ave - Parking Lot.

Councilmember Bowie moved approval.

Adopted

7 -

Yea:

Nay:

Councilmember Noecker, Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim,

Councilmember Bowie, Councilmember Jost, Councilmember Johnson and

Councilmember Privratsky

LEGISLATIVE HEARING DISCUSSION ITEM

Amending Council File RLH AR 25-34 to ratify the assessment for Collection

RLH TA 25-290

of Vacant Building Registration fees billed during March 11 to October 17,

2024 at 1003 ARCADE STREET. (File No. VB2508, Assessment No. 258807)

Assessment ratified and made payable over 5 years.

Ia Lee, owner, appeared by phone

Marcia Moermond, Legislative Hearing Officer: This is an appealed vacant building fee

that has already been ratified. I’m bring items like this back when there is reason to

believe there may have been a City error. A person can file in district court to bring

that to the attention of the City Attorney's Office. In this case, we can look at it but still

keep that option available to them. What gave me pause was the address that the

notice was sent to. I wanted to verify if the notice went to where it should have gone in

the timing that it should have gone. The fee period is from September 2024 to

September 2025. When the owner, Ia Lee, first got the letter, she appealed the

registration notice. The address was correct at that time. Council granted a 90-day

waiver. There were questions then about address changes during Legislative Hearings

on that subject. Ramsey County updated the address changes the day after Council

had made its decision. So, notice did go to the correct place. The second layer of this

had to do with the owner not thinking it was doable to complete the work in under three

months. The waiver is just that, a waiver. If work is not completed then, they are

responsible for the whole fee. In this case, Lee got the Fire Certificate of Occupancy

(FCO) last week. That puts us 9-10 months into the fee period. I can’t find an

argument for a reduction, given the notice being properly done and the time it took to

complete the work. I don’t see extenuating circumstances. Lee stated that she thinks

notices should have been emailed. City Departments use US Mail. I see nothing to

make me recommend a reduction or deletion. If you decide to make changes, we can

pass a new resolution.

Council President Noecker: Could you clarify the time period? The file says different

dates than what you mentioned.

Moermond: That title is the assessment roll for fees billed during that period. This fee

appeared on that assessment roll and was billed during that window you see in the title.

Councilmember Johnson: Were no permits pulled until last week?

Moermond: The permits pulled in the last fall and also in March, April, and June. They

were all finaled in mid June and the FCO was issued June 23.

Johnson: Could you restate your recommendation?

Moermond: To not amend the already ratified assessment roll, which includes

ratification of this assessment.

Ia Lee: I want to be clear that I was not aware of mail coming to the building or to me

at my home address. I don’t know which department is responsible for that. The only

reason I found out about this is when I went into the office last month to pay property

taxes. They told me I had this assessment there. I would like a waiver because we did

bring this building up to code. I bought this back in 2022 and there were a lot of

issues that weren’t disclosed to us. We worked hard to get the building back up and

running. The City takes so long with permits, inspections, and approvals, going one

step at a time. I’m asking for leniency on this fee. The work is all done.

Councilmember Yang moved to close the public hearing. Approved 7-0.

Yang: I’m not inclined to amend the amount, since we already ratified the assessment,

but I move to spread the amount out over 5 years.

Noecker: I support that.

Yang: I also want to make sure the mail is going to the right place. Could that be

followed-up on?

Moermond: We went through an exhaustive review of all addresses that notices have

been sent to. There were four different ones and there was no mail returned to the City.

These addresses were confirmed in the Legislative Hearing.

Johnson: Are permits pulled or is the project done?

Moermond: Both. The FCO was issued this Monday. It can now be occupied.

Adopted as amended (assessment made payable over 5 years)

7 -

Yea:

Nay:

Councilmember Noecker, Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim,

Councilmember Bowie, Councilmember Jost, Councilmember Johnson and

Councilmember Privratsky

LEGISLATIVE HEARING CONSENT AGENDA

Items listed under the Consent Agenda will receive a combined public hearing and be

enacted by one motion with no separate discussion. Items may be removed from the

Consent Agenda for a separate public hearing and discussion if desired.

Approval of the Consent Agenda

Councilmember Privratsky moved approval.

Legislative Hearing Consent Agenda adopted as amended

7 -

Yea:

Councilmember Noecker, Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim,

Councilmember Bowie, Councilmember Jost, Councilmember Johnson and

Councilmember Privratsky

Nay:

Appeal of Carlos Block to a Summary Abatement Order at 2125 AMES

AVENUE.

RLH SAO 25-43

RLH FCO 25-35

Adopted

Appeal of Ronald Staeheli to a Fire Inspection Correction Notice at 358

ARBOR STREET.

Adopted

Appeal of Connie Baehr to a Fire Inspection Correction Notice (which includes

condemnation) at 961 ARCADE STREET.

ADJOURNMENT

Adopted

First Making finding on the appealed substantial abatement ordered for 887

CHARLES AVENUE in Council File RLH RR 24-17.

Amended and referred to July 15, 2025 Legislative Hearing

Appeal of Rebecca J Monsoor-Cassidy Tr to a Fire Certificate of Occupancy

Correction Notice - Complaint Inspection at 944 CROMWELL AVENUE.

Adopted

Appeal of David Jacobowitch to a Vacant Building Registration Renewal

Notice at 839 EDMUND AVENUE.

Adopted

Meeting ended at 4:12 PM

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comment on public hearing items in writing or via voicemail. Any comments and

materials submitted by 12:00 pm of the day before the meeting will be attached to the

public record and available for review by the City Council. Comments may be

submitted as follows:

The public may comment on public hearing items in writing or via voicemail. Any

comments and materials submitted by 12:00 pm of the day before the meeting will be

attached to the public record and available for review by the City Council. Comments

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Written public comment on public hearing items can be submitted to

Contact-Council@ci.stpaul.mn.us, CouncilHearing@ci.stpaul.mn.us, or by voicemail at

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