St. Paul City Council Meeting Summary 2025-12-10

The St. Paul City Council convened this evening to address urgent matters regarding police conduct during recent federal immigration enforcement operations, approve several ordinances, and present legislative priorities. The meeting was marked by a passionate debate over the city's response to ICE activities on November 25th, resulting in the adoption of a resolution mandating investigations and a review of the separation ordinance. While many council members expressed strong support for accountability and community engagement, Councilmember Yang voiced significant disappointment over the lack of time allocated for public testimony, a concern that prompted further discussion on future agenda structures.

Consent Calendar

• Adopted the balance of the consent agenda (items 3-18) unanimously (5 yea, 0 nay).
• Items 7 and 14 were withdrawn prior to the vote.
• Suspended the rules as requested to allow for discussion on the immigration resolution.
• Adopted legislative hearing consent agenda items 28-35 as amended, and continued the hearing for item 29 (Richardson appeal) to January 14, 2026.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Councilmember Yang: Expressed deep disappointment and frustration that the council did not provide a dedicated public forum for community members to speak following the community's request regarding the November 25th events. She stated that she is "sick and tired" of repeating this situation and argued that the council should prioritize giving space for community members to speak, even on topics not on the agenda, comparing it to her own past experiences as a resident advocate.
• Councilmember Coleman: Expressed gratitude to the community for their patience and leadership, noting the urgency of the situation. She highlighted the community's demand for the city to strengthen the separation ordinance.
• Councilmember Yang (Secondary): Named the tension of not having clear policies in the "gray area" regarding federal agents in St. Paul, expressing a desire to ensure police officers have clear expectations.
• Councilmember Kim: Expressed a desire for a public forum where community members, police officers, and council members can share experiences. She emphasized that the posturing of SPPD in riot gear was "abhorrent" and not expected.
• Community Voices: Members of the public attempted to speak during the recess to address the November 25th events but were interrupted by the Council President due to procedural rules regarding public hearings. This interruption fueled Councilmember Yang's subsequent remarks.

Discussion Items

• Resolution 25-180 (SPPD Conduct during Federal Immigration Enforcement):
  • Context: Discussed the deployment of SPPD in riot gear, use of tear gas, pepper spray, and rubber bullets against ICE operations on November 25th, which resulted in harm to observers and journalists.
  • Councilmember Coleman: Stated the actions were "unjustifiable" and a failure to meet the city's standards of excellence. She emphasized the need for an internal integrity investigation, a Board of Peace Officers Standards and Training review, and a financial audit of the event.
  • Councilmember Yang: Articulated support for the resolution while expressing personal tension about the lack of clear protocols for federal operations in public spaces like libraries and rec centers. She argued the city must clarify expectations to prevent police from being "scapegoated" and to stop ICE from staging operations in public spaces.
  • Councilmember Kim: Described the deployment of chemical agents as "indiscriminate" and "unjustified." She shared a first-hand account of being tear-gassed and noted that the police appeared to know who was who in the crowd yet still shot indiscriminately. She called for a public forum to hear community grievances and emphasized the need for rapid response training and constitutional observers.
  • Councilmember Joast: Expressed that the events were "heartbreaking" and "not aligned with city values," acknowledging the dual issues of frequent federal agent presence and SPPD's specific conduct.
• Resolution 25-1914 (2026 Legislative Agenda):
  • Staff presented preliminary priorities due to the mayoral transition. The Council President noted that the final agenda would be presented on January 21st to account for the new administration's input. The item was laid over.
• Ordinance 25-4 (Tree Preservation): Laid over to December 17th for a policy update due to the absence of testifiers during a recess.
• Ordinance 25-72 (Mississippi River Critical Corridor): Adopted after a long deliberation period.
• Ordinance 25-78 (Vacancies and Overtime Reporting): Adopted to establish structured quarterly reporting requirements.
• Ordinance 25-79 (Planning Commission Process Improvements):
  • Proposed reducing the Planning Commission from 21 members to 7 with 2 alternates.
  • Proposed streamlining the process by moving all business to the full commission to improve efficiency, reduce meeting frequency for commissioners, and eliminate the need for a separate zoning committee step.
  • Councilmember Coleman and Councilmember Kim expressed strong support, noting the current size is disproportionate compared to other major cities and creates issues with quorum and accessibility.
• Ordinance 25-79 (Planning Commission) - Additional Context: Staff noted that the size reduction would allow meetings to be held in the main Council Chambers rather than the cramped basement Room 40, improving transparency and participation.

Key Outcomes

• Resolution 25-180 ADOPTED (5-0): Commitment to:
  • Conduct an internal police integrity investigation into the November 25th use of force.
  • Partner with the Board of Peace Officers Standards and Training for an independent use-of-force investigation.
  • Conduct a financial audit of the November 25th events to determine taxpayer costs.
  • Convene a public review and potential strengthening of the city's separation ordinance in January.
• Ordinance 25-72 ADOPTED (5-0): Approved amendments to floodplain management and Mississippi River critical corridor regulations.
• Ordinance 25-78 ADOPTED (5-0): Established structured quarterly reporting for personnel vacancies and overtime.
• Ordinance 25-79 (Planning Commission) - STATUS: First reading granted; the item is laid over to December 17th for a second reading and public hearing.
• Resolutions 25-240, 25-270, 25-276, and 25-279 adopted (5-0 each): Approved the Ivy Birmingham mill and overlay project, amended spending/financing plans for various departments, and authorized a police grant amendment for the violent crime enforcement team.
• Good News/Community Events Announced:
  • Councilmember Yang highlighted a Hazel Park community dinner on Dec 11 and a library event "Stories of Abundance" on Dec 13.
  • Councilmember Kim announced a Rice Larpender Alliance winter event on Dec 13.
  • Councilmember Joast announced a Highland Community Center holiday event on Dec 13.
  • Councilmember Staley announced the construction of a 5,000-pound world-record hockey puck for the World Juniors in Rice Park.
• Action on Public Comment: The Council President acknowledged Councilmember Yang's concerns and stated openness to considering a dedicated public comment section at the end of future agendas, though maintaining the position that meetings should not be interrupted to conduct business on non-agenda items.
• Next Steps: A public meeting to discuss the November 25th events is being planned by the Council Vice President's office in partnership with the Council President's office, though it was noted that a formal commitment to such a meeting was not included in the adopted resolution.