City Council Meeting - January 7, 2026

The St. Paul City Council convened its first meeting of 2026 following a moment of silence and a collective expression of grief after the fatal shooting of a community member in Minneapolis by ICE earlier that morning. The Council President emphasized the Council's commitment to protecting the community and opposing federal actions that demonize or harm residents. The meeting proceeded with the adoption of several routine resolutions, the swearing-in of a new City Attorney and various mayoral appointees, and a public hearing addressing grievances regarding federal immigration operations. The Council also held a public hearing on the removal of a nuisance CVS property on Maryland Avenue.

Consent Calendar

• Resolution 26-38: Adopted unanimously (6-0) to approve the appointment of Irene Gao as City Attorney.
• Resolution 26-42: Adopted unanimously (6-0) to approve the Mayor's appointments for senior assistant mayor, executive assistant to the mayor, assistant mayor's assistant to the mayor (two positions), and executive director of public affairs and communications assistant to the mayor.
• Resolution 26-43: Adopted unanimously (6-0) to appoint a Blank to serve as acting mayor in the absence of Mayor Kahiliha.
• Final Adoption: Ordinance 25-79, amending Chapter 107 regarding improvements to the planning commission process, was adopted unanimously (6-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Heather C. Liu: Expressed full support for a sanctuary city stance and requested the Council condemn DHS and ICE presence. Ms. Liu stated that "ICE and DHS must go home," describing their actions as domestic terrorism and Gestapo behavior, specifically citing reports of ICE knocking on Hmong and Asian American doors.
• Guillaume: Expressed strong support for protecting St. Paul as a welcoming city and proposed four specific restrictions: no city property usage for immigration enforcement, no SPPD involvement in crowd control for ICE, no unidentified law enforcement activities, and a requirement for the Mayor to authorize any SPPD deployment in riot gear for these activities.
• Barbara Sibley: Urged the Council to take swift action to upgrade the separation ordinance, specifically recommending prohibiting the St. Paul Police Department from providing security or crowd control during immigration enforcement and citing the use of chemical agents on November 11th as a reason for urgency.
• Nancy Kafka: Asked factual questions regarding the deployment of the National Guard, Home Field usage, and city authority over ICE activities near the Minnesota Army National Guard Station, noting observations of tactical gear and unmarked vehicles.
• Jamie Daniels: Expressing full opposition to federal agents endangering the community, called on the Council to immediately hold the police force accountable for allowing police assistance with federal agents. Ms. Daniels characterized any delay as an "act on the side of fascism."
• Rebecca Church: Expressed concern for the safety of immigrant families in the community and asked what active measures the city would take to protect residents from ICE actions, citing the tragedy in Minneapolis.
• Betsy Werwine: As a non-violent observer, provided testimony regarding an HSI vehicle spotted at a separate St. Paul Police incident and questioned why St. Paul is utilizing Homeland Security Investigation agents. Ms. Werwine submitted written documentation and stated that police officers made false statements to observers.
• Steve Smith: Expressed support for stronger municipal protections beyond the current ordinance, urging the adoption of measures including prohibiting city cooperation absent a judicial warrant, banning massed or unidentified enforcement, cutting funding for detention, and directing the City Attorney to investigate applicable city laws regardless of the actor.
• Mark Schneider (Unidos): Confirmed that Unidos is urging the Council to adopt a separation ordinance with four key elements: no use of city properties/data, no SPPD crowd control for ICE, no unidentified enforcement, and a requirement for the Mayor to authorize riot gear deployment.
• Council Members' Response to Public Comments:
  • Council Vice President Kim: Expressed solidarity with the community, stating that ICE's presence creates chaos and is not solving a problem. She acknowledged the "murder of our constitutional observer" as a common occurrence for community observers and noted an active DOJ investigation regarding a previous HSI shooting.
  • Councilmember Yang: Expressed deep gratitude for the testimony and the bravery shown by residents. She characterized the public hearing as an unconventional but necessary step to create a space for those most affected. She confirmed the work on the separation ordinance is proceeding with urgency.
  • Councilmember Coleman: Expressed gratitude for the community's resistance and the collective work of the Council. She noted that the separation ordinance is "step one" and emphasized the need for swift action and the continuation of mutual aid efforts.
  • Councilmember Bowie: Echoed remarks on the necessity of the public hearing and shared her office's plan to review police oversight policies with the P.A.R.C. and Minnesota Post Board to strengthen accountability and create a safety plan.
  • Councilmember Joast: Expressed full support for the Council's unified stance that ICE is not welcome and is not adding to the community. She noted the Council's commitment to doing everything within city power despite federal jurisdiction limits.
  • Council President Acre: Expressed gratitude for the shared feelings of loss and courage, noting that staff were working on the separation ordinance draft even on New Year's Eve.

Discussion Items

• Resolution 26-50 (Reconsidered): The Council reconsidered and ultimately adopted (6-0) Resolution 26-50, declaring January 10, 2026, as "Dr. Puijong Day" in the City of St. Paul to celebrate the 25+ years of service of Dr. Puijong and the St. Paul Family Medical Center. Dr. Puijong, who is a first Hmong woman physician in the U.S., gave remarks about her 30-year residence in St. Paul and her commitment to community health. She invited the public to a celebration on Saturday, January 10, from 12 to 5 PM.
• Ordinance 26-1 (First Reading): Staff Director Jay Wilms reported on a proposal to codify the position of Director of Operations within the Office of the City Council. Director Wilms stated that "de facto authority" is being turned into "accountable authority" to clarify operational decision-making, policy authority, and budget authority without granting political authority or overriding legislative judgment. Councilmember Bowie requested clarification on the definition of "approval" regarding legislative aid personnel. The motion was supported by Councilmembers who noted it formalizes existing work. The item was laid over to January 14th for second reading.
• Resolution 26-8 (Public Hearing): The Council adopted (6-0) a resolution to vacate public right-of-way in and around Miriam Park.
• Resolution RLHRR25-33 (Legislative Hearing): The Council held a public hearing on the order to remove or raise and remove a CVS property at 810 Maryland Avenue East.
  • Representative for CVS (Adam Niblick): Requested 120 days (until May 7, 2026) to coordinate the lease termination and demolition with a new tenant (potentially McDonald's). He argued that a 15-day order would frustrate the transaction. He stated the building is currently fenced and maintained.
  • Community Testimony (Face to Face Health, Payne Failing Community Council): Community members expressed support for demolition but raised concerns about the timeline, safety of removal, and future development. They questioned the need for a four-month extension and emphasized the loss of opportunity for affordable housing at the site.
  • Legislative Hearing Officer Recommendation: Originally recommended a 15-day order. However, after hearing from the community and the property owner's plan, Councilmember Yang proposed an amendment to grant until March 1, 2026, as a compromise to allow the transaction to proceed while maintaining urgency. Councilmember Coleman supported the amendment, noting frustration that this is the second CVS nuisance case involving significant harm to the city. Councilmember Bowie supported the amendment, emphasizing the potential for future development if the transaction is successful.
  • Outcome: The Council adopted (6-0) the resolution as amended, requiring the raising or removal of the structure by March 1, 2026. Councilmember Coleman expressed hope that this is the last time the Council must deal with a CVS property as a nuisance.

Key Outcomes

• Separation Ordinance Update: The Council unanimously agreed on the urgency of strengthening the separation ordinance regarding ICE. A formal discussion and presentation are scheduled for Wednesday, January 14, at 10:00 AM in the Policy Committee. A public community hearing on the separation ordinance is scheduled for Thursday, January 8, at 6:00 PM at the Indigenous Roots Cultural Center.
• New Appointments: Irene Gao was sworn in as City Attorney. Several additional mayoral appointees (Senior Assistant Mayor, Executive Assistant, and others) were also approved.
• Dr. Puijong Day: The Council officially declared January 10, 2026, as Dr. Puijong Day to honor her service to the Hmong and East Side communities.
• Nuisance Abatement: The CVS property at 810 Maryland Avenue East is ordered to be raised or removed by March 1, 2026.
• Legislative Layover: Ordinance 26-1 (codifying the Director of Operations role) is laid over to January 14 for second reading.
• Good News: The Halle Sue Brown Library temporary location soft opened on January 3, with a ribbon-cutting scheduled for Friday. The Groveland ice rink is operational but currently closed due to warm weather.