time employees in Department of Safety and Inspections. They provide dedicated
services to the 24/7 needs of the unsheltered community.
Councilmember Thao said they have talked about this with the overtime hours and
action plan. He asked for the locations. Logsdon responded 5th Street & Cedar
Street, Lowertown-Mears Park, Pedro Park, West 7th Street and Grand Avenue.
Thao said they have nothing to do with the encampment. They are just public safety
extra patrol. Tincher responded that last year said they had over 100 encampments
and they took an approach of having a focused plan to tackle what they could. They
took that learning and said let’s support Downtown and utilize that learning. They
identified the locations they wanted to focus that coordinated response, which include
the Ambassador work, SPPD (Saint Paul Police Department), Met Council,
Community Ambassadors, maintenance staff from the large facilities. They wanted to
increase public safety, maintenance, and cleanliness. Those were the areas they
identified. As the work evolved, they could move the locations to where they have a
need. Rice and Sherburne is an area they want to move in. Thao responded the
overtime dollars are very specific for the encampment. They shouldn’t expect patrols
in Frogtown, University Avenue. Tincher responded this is specific. If
Councilmembers want to engage in your districts, they are happy to facilitate that.
Brendmoen said she also noticed if you have intense activity in one area, things will
move to another area. To resolve the recurring issues is the solution in a long run.
Councilmember Prince said she is confused about the dollars for Police patrol. There
were 2 bullet points. She thought there were police patrol being added as part of this.
Tincher responded that is the case. They have added additional staffing by Police.
Some of that work is foot patrol along W. 7th, being able to allocate offers to check
on businesses. Prince responded she is familiar with that work, but she was under the
impression that the dollars were for more than the area action plan. That was not clear
to her. She agrees that we need to be in those areas. There were lots of problems in
the areas. Everyday, it is not getting better. Tincher responded that they are adding
patrols and not FTEs. It was intended to add patrols through overtime staffing. Prince
responded this was not clear in her briefing. She does not remember there being any
discussion about the area action plan. She is just learning that now.
Brendmoen asked would it be helpful to look at that slide again. Prince responded
yes.
(The slide was brought up.)
Prince said it should be one sentence instead of 2 bullet points. Bringing this
American Rescue Plan funding in 3% at a time or $5 Million at a time or whatever it is
not the way we talked about spending this money. We talked about getting into
working groups, making investments that we are never able to make because we don’t
have money like this to focus on the huge needs of our City. She is deeply distressed.
This is our second budget amendment where we are spending ARP money, all worthy
causes, and we are going to see another $10 Million coming in to hire Finance people
to help us spend this money. The Administration is not communicating transparently
with us about this. If we are going to be fed occasional resolutions with things that we
cannot vote against as a means of using this money, we are missing an opportunity.
Our sister city has a plan with the council and mayor working together. Regardless of
the needs, we have an opportunity here to be really planful and strategic about
spending the money. This cannot continue.
Brendmoen said the American Rescue Plan is appropriate and necessary for us to
spend the money for things. This is her job to weed through these. We are going to
