OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Saint Paul City Council Meeting Summary for May 6, 2026

City Council — Wednesday, May 6, 2026
BodySt Paul, Minnesota
SessionCity Council
DateWednesday, May 6, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 39:48

Transcript — Verbatim
7:04

Johnson.

7:05

Here.

7:05

Joe's.

7:06

Council President Naker.

7:07

Here.

7:08

Six present, one absent, that being Council Member Kim.

7:11

Thank you, everyone, for joining us at our city council meeting today.

7:14

We're happy to have you.

7:15

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

7:20

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

7:24

And to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

7:37

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

7:41

And I know we're going to be pulling items ten and eleven for separate consideration.

7:44

Is there anything else to come off of consent?

7:48

Seeing that I'll take a motion from Vice President Yang for the balance of the consent agenda.

7:51

All in favor say aye.

7:53

Aye.

7:53

All opposed?

7:54

Six in favor, none opposed.

7:55

The consent agenda is adopted as amended.

8:01

So then we'll do these, right?

8:03

So resolution twenty-six-seven hundred approving the mayor's appointment of Aliana Golds, who are lore, and Mary Waugh to three-year terms on the Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity Commission.

8:15

And I wanted to pull this item and the next one off because as all of us know, we have a really uh wonderful youth on boards um program in the city of St.

8:25

Paul, where we place young people on boards and commissions throughout the city.

8:40

But uh, but we have so many amazing young people who do this work and who are putting in the time and effort and bringing that perspective to so many boards and commissions.

8:48

So we happen to have two of our youth on board's appointees today in the audience, and and they are here for these two specific items.

8:55

Um and Jua Laura is the first who is with the Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity Commission.

8:59

So I wanted to invite you up to uh introduce herself and um tell us what her favorite thing is about the City of St.

9:07

Paul and also uh what she's looking forward to about serving on the commission.

9:11

So come on up right in in between the two golden columns so that all five live cameras can be on you at once.

9:19

Um, hello.

9:20

Um hi, my name is Jewel Law.

9:23

Um, I'm going to be appointed on the HERO Commissions, and one thing I love about St.

9:30

Paul is the diversity on the people in the community.

9:29

I love the fact that when I look around, I can see my culture being represented and just see familiar faces.

9:42

And most importantly, our mayor, who also kind of looks like me.

9:46

So yeah.

9:47

Awesome.

9:48

And actually, tell us if you're in school where you go to school or where you what you do when you're not on the board.

9:52

Um, so I'm a senior, I go to Johnson Senior High School, and I got accepted to the U of M Twin Cities.

9:58

So I will be attending there this fall.

10:03

All right, thank you so much for your service.

10:06

All right, uh since you go to Johnson High School, take a motion from Ms.

10:10

Johnson for approval.

10:12

Any discussion?

10:13

All in favor say aye.

10:15

Aye.

10:15

All opposed?

10:16

Six in favor, none opposed.

10:17

The resolution is adopted.

10:19

Resolutions 26-700.

10:21

Nope, I'm sorry, 703, approving the mayor's appointment of Michelle Collins, Ollie Grotsky, and Sir Watt to two year terms on the Labor Standards Advisory Committee.

10:30

And for this item, Ollie Gratzki is here, so I would invite them up to introduce themselves also and tell us what you do when you're not on the labor standards advisory committee and what you love best about the city of St.

10:41

Paul.

10:43

Uh hi.

10:44

Uh my name is Ollie Gratsky.

10:46

I go to Como Park Senior High School.

10:48

I'm a junior, and I'm being appointed to the Labor Standards and Advisory Committee.

10:52

And my favorite, one of my favorite things about the city of St.

10:56

Paul, I think is the public transit system, because I think it's really cool seeing a way for people to get around and to explore and to do all these things without being restricted by like a car or a bike or whatever.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████46%
Technology and Innovation████████████████████20%
Community Engagement███████████████15%
Fiscal Sustainability██████████10%
Public Safety█████5%
Land Use Regulation████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Saint Paul City Council Meeting - May 6, 2026

The Saint Paul City Council met on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at 3:32 PM in the Council Chambers, with Council President Rebecca Noecker presiding. Six members were present (Noecker, Yang, Bowie, Jost, Johnson, Coleman); Councilmember HwaJeong Kim was absent. The meeting adjourned at 4:05 PM. The agenda included a consent calendar, discussion items, a suspension item, ordinances, and public hearings on bonds, grants, an interim use permit, and sound level variances.

Consent Calendar

  • Items 2 through 30 were approved as a block, with items 10 and 11 removed for separate discussion. Notable actions include:
    • RES 26-476: Approval of tree removal assessments and setting hearing dates for June 2 and July 15, 2026.
    • RES 26-642: Authorizing agreement with the Metropolitan Council for the METRO G Line Bus Rapid Transit Project.
    • RES 26-676: Approving 2026 micromobility agreements with Lime and Spin.
    • RES 26-727: Accepting a bequest from the Nancy E. Sittard Irrevocable Trust for police dog purchase, training, and care.
    • RES 26-728: Memorandum of Agreement for a 2026 interim wage increase for Tri-Council unions was laid over to May 13, 2026.
    • RES 26-745: Approving a three-year lease with Second Chance Recycling at 60 Sycamore Street.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • One resident from 726 Fuller Avenue spoke against the interim use permit for a T-Mobile monopole tower at 732 Central Avenue West, citing concerns about health hazards, reduced property values, and aesthetic impact. No other public testimony was offered on any item.

Discussion Items

  • Items 10 and 11 (Pulled from Consent): RES 26-700 appointing Alliana Golds, Joua Lor, and Mary Wah to the Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity Commission, and RES 26-703 appointing Michelle Collins, Ollie Grotzke, and Hser Wah to the Labor Standards Advisory Committee. Both were approved (6-0) after the appointees introduced themselves; Joua Lor (senior at Johnson Senior High School, heading to U of M Twin Cities) and Ollie Grotzke (junior at Como Park Senior High School) spoke about their backgrounds and appreciation for St. Paul.
  • Suspension Item: RES 26-619, urging European financial institutions to divest from companies enabling DHS/ICE, was withdrawn due to a clerical error.

Public Hearings & Key Outcomes

  • Ordinances:
    • Ord 26-25 (correcting green roof lot coverage error) and Ord 26-26 (extending license renewal fee payments) were laid over to May 13, 2026, for final adoption after public hearings with no testimony.
  • Bond Sales:
    • RES PH 26-103: General Obligation Various Purpose Bonds, Series 2026B, awarded to Cabrera Capital Markets at a true interest rate cost of 2.89% for a 10-year term (down from 3.26% in 2025). Adopted (6-0).
    • RES PH 26-111: General Obligation Street Reconstruction Bonds, Series 2026C, awarded to Stonex Financial at a true interest rate cost of 3.92% for a 20-year term (down from 3.93% in 2025). Adopted (6-0).
    • The city maintained its AAA stable outlook from S&P and Fitch.
  • Budget and Grants:
    • RES PH 26-114: Transfer of $50,000 from General Fund to Special Projects Fund for Audit Committee spending. Adopted (6-0).
    • RES PH 26-115: Use of $245,050 in unspent 2025 fund balance to increase City Council Special Projects Fund. Adopted (6-0).
    • RES PH 26-48: Acceptance of a DEED Contamination Cleanup grant for Face to Face at 1170 Arcade Street North. Adopted (6-0).
    • RES PH 26-102: Acceptance of $298,000 from the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s Microgrids at Community Lifeline Facilities Grant Program for Oxford Community Center. Adopted (6-0).
  • Interim Use Permit:
    • RES PH 26-109: Approved a temporary IUP for T-Mobile to install cellular antennas on a 76-foot monopole tower at 732 Central Avenue West (Pilgrim Baptist Church site) until April 27, 2027, to replace a decommissioned tower. Staff recommended approval; Councilmember Bowie supported the motion citing connectivity needs. Adopted (6-0) after a public hearing.
  • Sound Level Variances: Seven items were approved unanimously (6-0) after public hearings with no testimony:
    • RES PH 26-96: El Burrito Mercado for multiple events from May through September 2026.
    • RES PH 26-78: Ordway Center for Flint Hills Family event May 27–30, 2026.
    • RES PH 26-79: University of St. Thomas for Tommie Fest on May 15, 2026.
    • RES PH 26-98: Dual Citizen Brewing for Friends of the Mississippi Benefit Concert on May 30, 2026.
    • RES PH 26-99: Skinner’s Pub for Music on the Patio series Tuesdays June 2–September 29, 2026.
    • RES PH 26-101: Wabasha Brewing for Live Music at Wabasha on selected Saturdays May–August 2026.
    • RES PH 26-104: Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority for Train Days Music Festival on June 6, 2026, at Union Depot.
  • Legislative Hearing Consent Agenda: Items 47–62 were adopted as amended (6-0), including:
    • Several special tax assessments deleted (e.g., 511 Bay Street, 1077 Blair Avenue, 828 Englewood Avenue, 476 Sherburne Avenue).
    • Appeal of Emmett Owens Jr. at 233 Bates Avenue and others adopted.
    • RLH RR 26-3 for 118 Manitoba Avenue: Granted 180 days for rehabilitation or razing.
    • RLH SAO 26-33 for 412 White Bear Avenue North: Nuisance abated, matter resolved.

Good News & Announcements

  • Councilmember Johnson announced a citywide Tenant Protections community conversation on May 7, 2026, from 6:00–7:30 PM at North End Community Center.
  • Councilmember Bowie promoted the Howie Q Brown Community Center annual spring tea on May 8, 2026, celebrating Mother’s Day.
  • Councilmember Johnson celebrated her first Mother’s Day and wished all mothers well.
  • Councilmember Noecker noted the Downtown Alliance annual meeting at the Palace Theater from 4:00–6:00 PM that day.

Meeting Transcript

Johnson. Here. Joe's. Council President Naker. Here. Six present, one absent, that being Council Member Kim. Thank you, everyone, for joining us at our city council meeting today. We're happy to have you. We invite everyone to join us in standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Consent items two through thirty are before you for your consideration. And I know we're going to be pulling items ten and eleven for separate consideration. Is there anything else to come off of consent? Seeing that I'll take a motion from Vice President Yang for the balance of the consent agenda. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed? Six in favor, none opposed. The consent agenda is adopted as amended. So then we'll do these, right? So resolution twenty-six-seven hundred approving the mayor's appointment of Aliana Golds, who are lore, and Mary Waugh to three-year terms on the Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity Commission. And I wanted to pull this item and the next one off because as all of us know, we have a really uh wonderful youth on boards um program in the city of St. Paul, where we place young people on boards and commissions throughout the city. But uh, but we have so many amazing young people who do this work and who are putting in the time and effort and bringing that perspective to so many boards and commissions. So we happen to have two of our youth on board's appointees today in the audience, and and they are here for these two specific items. Um and Jua Laura is the first who is with the Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity Commission. So I wanted to invite you up to uh introduce herself and um tell us what her favorite thing is about the City of St. Paul and also uh what she's looking forward to about serving on the commission. So come on up right in in between the two golden columns so that all five live cameras can be on you at once. Um, hello. Um hi, my name is Jewel Law. Um, I'm going to be appointed on the HERO Commissions, and one thing I love about St. Paul is the diversity on the people in the community. I love the fact that when I look around, I can see my culture being represented and just see familiar faces. And most importantly, our mayor, who also kind of looks like me. So yeah. Awesome. And actually, tell us if you're in school where you go to school or where you what you do when you're not on the board. Um, so I'm a senior, I go to Johnson Senior High School, and I got accepted to the U of M Twin Cities. So I will be attending there this fall. All right, thank you so much for your service. All right, uh since you go to Johnson High School, take a motion from Ms. Johnson for approval. Any discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed? Six in favor, none opposed. The resolution is adopted.

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