The Saint Paul City Council met on March 18, 2026, at 3:31 PM in the Council Chambers. The meeting covered consent agenda items, discussion items, ordinance final adoptions, public hearings, and legislative hearing items. Key topics included a resolution recognizing Eid al-Fitr, an ordinance extending the pre-eviction notice period from 30 to 60 days (with a proposed exemption for the St. Paul Public Housing Agency), establishing minimum qualifications for the next Fire Chief, approving a sound level variance for Allianz Field summer concerts, and a public hearing on federal immigration grievances.
St. Paul City Council to order. Roll call, please. Johnson, Joast. Kim. Here. Yang. Here. Bowie. Coleman. Here. Council President Naker. Here. Five present, two absent, those being council members, Bowie and Johnson, and they are expected shortly. Thank you to everyone for joining us for our city council meeting today. I invite everyone to join us in standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. Which fans, one nation under God, indivisible liberty and justice for all. Is there anything to be taken for separate consideration? See none, I'll take a motion from Vice President Yang to approve the balance of the consent agenda. All in favor say aye. Hi. All opposed? Five in favor, none opposed. The consent agenda is adopted. Item number sixteen is resolution twenty-six-four sixty-one. Recognizing Eid Alfatier and all Saint Paul residents who are celebrating the holiday. Ms. Kim. Thank you. Um, I'm very briefly going to read this into the record. Um, and I just want to thank my LA Abdi Hamid for writing this for us. Whereas the Muslim community of St. Paul contributes to the civic and cultural fabric of our community, enriching our community through their entrepreneur entrepreneurship and service. Whereas Ramadan is a time of heightened devotion and self-discipline in which Muslims abstain from food and drink from dawn until sunset, cultivate gratitude, deepen their connection to faith and family, and renew their commitment to service and generosity. And whereas Eidal Fatur is one of the two most sacred celebrations in Islam, marking the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. Whereas in 2026, Adel Fatur is observed on Friday, March 20th, by Muslims around the world and throughout the city of St. Paul, gathering to give thanks, celebrate with our family, perform acts of charity known as Sakat Al-Fatur, and attend communal prayers. Whereas the city of St. Paul is committed to celebrating the diversity of its residents, affirming the dignity of all faiths and cultures, and fostering a city where every resident feels welcomed and valued. And now therefore be it resolved. So I just um I think my comments will be brief, but just to name, I think it's an incredibly difficult time to be um of many different faiths, but in particular for our Muslim community here in St. Paul and across the country, the vitriol that's coming from our national narrative around the folks in our community that are loving and devoted, um, is incredibly dangerous. And so I just expand extend my own heartfelt thanks to them and not just for the contributions, but for the way that they love St. Paul as much as we love St. Paul. I often have to question why we choose to create like boogeyman and boogie people out of folks of faith. And I believe in my bones that there are so many religions and particularly Islam that bumps up against a lot of the things that we fight here every day colonialism, white supremacy. And so as we start to think about how we celebrate this year, I just ask myself and our folks that do not practice Islam to think about why it is necessary for the federal government and our president to have a boogeyman and why they choose folks of incredible faith and devotion. So thank you to my um Ellie Abdi Hamid for this beautiful resolution, and I look forward to support on it.