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Record of Proceedings

Saint Paul City Council Meeting – September 2, 2026: Drone Grant Debate, Staff Appointments, Youth Address

Budget Committee — Wednesday, September 2, 2026
BodySt Paul, Minnesota
SessionBudget Committee
DateWednesday, September 2, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:12:52

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Twenty-five miles per hour.

0:01

Residential side streets are now twenty miles per hour.

0:05

If there are no speed signs on the street, it is a twenty mile per hour street.

0:10

Let's make our streets safer for every one of us.

2:38

Stop.

2:42

Love it, but we need a different bag.

2:45

Thank you so much.

2:46

Welcome everyone to our St.

2:47

Paul City Council meeting.

2:48

We're glad you could join us today.

2:49

We invite everyone to join us in standing for the Pledge of Allegiance.

2:58

And to the Republic stands one nation under battery, invisible liberty and justice for all.

3:08

And we are also gonna do a roll call because we went right into it.

3:12

That was me.

3:13

Johnson.

3:14

Here.

3:15

Joast.

3:16

Here.

3:16

Kim.

3:17

Here.

3:17

Yang.

3:18

Here.

3:19

Here.

3:19

Coleman.

3:20

Council President Naker.

3:22

Here.

3:22

Uh seven present, none absent.

3:24

Consent agenda items two through thirty-one are before you for your consideration.

3:28

Item four has been withdrawn.

3:30

And I know that we are pulling items sixteen thirty and thirty-one for separate consideration.

3:34

Is there anything else to come off of consent?

3:37

Seeing none, I'll take a motion from Vice President Yang for the balance of the consent agenda.

3:41

All in favor say aye.

3:42

Aye.

3:42

All opposed?

3:43

Seven in favor, none opposed.

3:44

The consent agenda is adopted as amended.

3:47

Uh take a motion from Miss Coleman for suspension of the rules to consider uh item twenty-six dash fifteen forty-four.

3:56

Um an item from the city attorney's office.

3:58

All in favor of suspending the rules, please say aye.

4:01

Aye.

4:01

All opposed.

4:02

Seven in favor, none opposed.

4:03

The rules are suspended.

4:04

Resolution twenty-six-fifteen forty-four, appointing the public rights project as special counsel for the purpose of providing legal representation to the city of St.

4:11

Paul in affirmative litigation to challenge a federal rule related to grants.

4:15

And uh this is uh sort of late breaking legislation uh against the federal government, and it was something we needed to get on the agenda um somewhat quickly, so grateful to my colleagues for being willing to bring it uh under suspension.

4:28

Um I will move approval.

4:29

Is there any discussion of the motion?

4:31

Seeing none, all in favor say aye.

4:33

Aye.

4:34

All opposed?

4:34

Seven in favor, none opposed.

4:36

The resolution is adopted.

4:37

Item sixteen, resolution twenty-six dash thirteen ninety-nine authorizing the police department to apply for the fiscal year twenty twenty-six CPD microgrants program from the U.S.

4:46

Department of Justice.

4:48

Wonderful.

4:49

Um, I just pulled this to get a greater transparency and ask some questions.

4:53

So I'd like to invite um uh DC Halstrom.

4:58

Sorry if I got your rank wrong.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety██████████████████████████████████████38%
Procedural█████████████████████21%
Youth Programs███████████████████19%
Personnel Matters█████████9%
Technology and Innovation████████8%
Public Health███3%
Transportation Safety██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Saint Paul City Council Meeting – September 2, 2026

The St. Paul City Council held a regular meeting on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, from 3:30 PM to 4:40 PM in the Council Chambers. The agenda included a consent calendar, a suspension item to appoint special counsel, discussion of a police drone grant application, new staff appointments, a staff report on the inaugural State of the Youth address, multiple public hearings on sound variances and Fire Department budget amendments, and several legislative hearing items. All seven council members were present.

Consent Calendar

  • The consent agenda (items 2–31) was adopted as amended. Item 4 (RES 26-1298, Vacant Building Registration fees) was withdrawn. Routine approvals included authorizing Public Works to apply for federal highway safety funding for Snelling Avenue, approving assessment costs for multiple street projects (mill and overlay, reconstruction), accepting a $10,000 golf cart donation from The Toro Company, approving a development agreement with The Sanneh Foundation for Conway Park, and celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Seal Hi-Rise. All votes were 7–0.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • 777 Ohio Street Special Tax Assessment (Item 46): Jessica Classen, daughter of the deceased property owner, and Adam Lynn, a relative, disputed $6,868 in charges for sewer work. They presented evidence that the city’s contractor did not perform the billed digging and that the work was not properly completed, leaving the basement flooded. They requested the charges be dismissed or adjusted. The council closed the public hearing and referred the item to the October 6, 2026 Legislative Hearing for further fact-finding, with a subsequent public hearing on October 14, 2026. The motion passed 7–0.

Discussion Items

  • Suspension Item: Appointment of Special Counsel (RES 26-1544): Council President Noecker introduced a suspension item to appoint the Public Rights Project as special counsel for affirmative litigation challenging a federal grant rule. Adopted 7–0.
  • Police Drone Grant Application (RES 26-1399): Councilmember Kim pulled Item 16 from consent for discussion. Deputy Chief Halstrom explained the department applied for a $200,000 FY 2027-28 DOJ CPD Microgrant to add drones to the existing three-drone program. Councilmembers Kim, Yang, Jost, Coleman, Bowie, and Noecker raised questions about scope, budget, data ownership, transparency, and the need for a broader surveillance policy. Councilmember Coleman stated she would vote no due to privacy and civil rights concerns. Councilmember Jost noted the lack of prior outreach. Vice President Yang moved for a one-week layover to allow further study. The motion passed 7–0, laying the item over to September 9, 2026.
  • Staff Appointments (RES 26-1492): The council unanimously appointed Korinne Dennis as Communications Lead, Reggie Evans as Reparations Legislative Aide, and Joanna Zimny as Legislative Hearing Officer. Each was sworn in during the meeting. The resolution passed 7–0.
  • State of the Youth Address (SR 26-186): Councilmember Kim’s intern, JC Johnson Becker, presented a staff report on the inaugural address held earlier in 2026. The event featured youth speakers and poets covering topics such as sustainability, immigration, housing, and public safety. Feedback indicated the room was standing-room-only. The report was received and filed.
  • Proclamation: Jacy Johnson Becker Day (RES 26-1493): Councilmember Kim read a resolution declaring September 2, 2026 as Jacy Johnson Becker Day in St. Paul, honoring JC Johnson Becker’s leadership in organizing the State of the Youth address. Adopted unanimously 7–0.
  • 947 Fremont Avenue Abatement (Item 40): Legislative Hearing Officer Mormond presented options for forfeiture of a performance deposit. Councilmember Johnson moved to forfeit the remaining $10,000 deposit in $2,500 increments every 45 days to align with the 180-day completion deadline. The motion passed 7–0.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Agenda: Adopted as amended (items 2–31) with unanimous votes.
  • RES 26-1544 (Special Counsel): Adopted 7–0.
  • RES 26-1399 (Drone Grant): Laid over one week to September 9, 2026 (7–0).
  • RES 26-1492 (Staff Appointments): Adopted 7–0; appointees sworn in.
  • SR 26-186 (State of the Youth): Received and filed.
  • RES 26-1493 (Jacy Johnson Becker Day): Adopted 7–0.
  • Public Hearings (Items 33–39): All adopted 7–0 (sound variance for University of St. Thomas events, Walk for Water, and Fire Department budget amendments totaling $153,618.15).
  • Item 40 (Abatement): Adopted as amended (forfeit $2,500 and $2,500 every 45 days) 7–0.
  • Legislative Hearing Consent Agenda (Items 41–45, 47–51): Adopted as amended. Items 42, 43, 47, 51 continued to September 9 or October 14, 2026. Item 46 referred to October 6 Legislative Hearing and October 14 public hearing.
  • Adjournment: 4:40 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Twenty-five miles per hour. Residential side streets are now twenty miles per hour. If there are no speed signs on the street, it is a twenty mile per hour street. Let's make our streets safer for every one of us. Stop. Love it, but we need a different bag. Thank you so much. Welcome everyone to our St. Paul City Council meeting. We're glad you could join us today. We invite everyone to join us in standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. And to the Republic stands one nation under battery, invisible liberty and justice for all. And we are also gonna do a roll call because we went right into it. That was me. Johnson. Here. Joast. Here. Kim. Here. Yang. Here. Here. Coleman. Council President Naker. Here. Uh seven present, none absent. Consent agenda items two through thirty-one are before you for your consideration. Item four has been withdrawn. And I know that we are pulling items sixteen thirty and thirty-one for separate consideration. Is there anything else to come off of consent? Seeing none, I'll take a motion from Vice President Yang for the balance of the consent agenda. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed? Seven in favor, none opposed. The consent agenda is adopted as amended. Uh take a motion from Miss Coleman for suspension of the rules to consider uh item twenty-six dash fifteen forty-four. Um an item from the city attorney's office. All in favor of suspending the rules, please say aye. Aye. All opposed. Seven in favor, none opposed. The rules are suspended. Resolution twenty-six-fifteen forty-four, appointing the public rights project as special counsel for the purpose of providing legal representation to the city of St. Paul in affirmative litigation to challenge a federal rule related to grants. And uh this is uh sort of late breaking legislation uh against the federal government, and it was something we needed to get on the agenda um somewhat quickly, so grateful to my colleagues for being willing to bring it uh under suspension. Um I will move approval. Is there any discussion of the motion? Seeing none, all in favor say aye.

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