Kim.

Here.

Yang.

Here.

Council President Naker.

Here.

I'm sorry, seven present, none absent.

Thanks so much to everyone for joining us at our city council meeting today.

We appreciate you being here, and we invite everyone to join us in standing for the Pledge of Allegiance.

I know that we are going to be pulling item twenty-one for separate consideration.

Is there anything else to be taken 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.

Six in favor, none opposed.

The consent agenda is adopted as amended.

Item twenty-one, resolution twenty-six-one one five zero.

Recognizing the historic legacy, cultural preservation, and community contributions of the Rondo Days drill teams and dance groups.

So today is Ronda Day's week.

And when I think about our city's vitality, it isn't only defined by our budget or by building more buildings, but it's really true or truly rooted in arts and culture in the legacy preservation of what shapes our neighborhoods.

And for generations, uh all of these drill teams and dance groups have done exactly that.

They have built belonging for our young people while creating memories that have united our city.

And I just want to thank each and every one of you and hundreds of people out in community who and also the folks who are watching today, um, helping to cultivate not only the conversations, but truly trusting uh me as their council member to really um cherish and nourish and recognize um this community-driven effort and this community-driven effort to do something very ambitious with bringing all of the drill teams and um dance groups over generations together for this reunion, but also to expand pathways for our collective healing.

And if you know the story about Ronde, it's more than just uh destruction, it's about the rebuilding, the repairing, and the restoring, and this has been so restorative for all of our communities as we've been honoring and recognizing um many of the efforts of the drill teams, as well as the continuation of building that legacy.

So uh for all the millions of viewers at home, uh you're invited, even though you're not here, but you're also invited to join us at Rondo Days this Saturday at the MLK Center, where we'll be doing our official ceremony, and all my colleagues are also welcome to join.

It is now my honor to invite the representatives of each of the legacy Rondo drill teams in dance groups for it.

I'm going to invite each speaker in the order um of which I uh invite you.

You're gonna be receiving the resolution, and we just ask um for each of you to have two minutes.

Um you well prepared, I know everyone's well prepared.

We've been waiting for this day.

Uh, but we're gonna invite uh Shash Sha Suler, that's a s or excuse Garland as a second speaker, as well as Elder Lynn Graham and an elder Jean House Foster.

Welcome.

All right.

Good afternoon, everyone.

Uh my name is Shasu Adeley.

Um it is an honor to accept this recognition on behalf of uh my beloved grandmother, Miss Lutham O'Wiley.

In 1972, our grandmother and grandfather, Mr.

Roscoe S.

Wiley, moved to St.

Paul, Minnesota.

Uh Lou Wiley had a deep love for children and an unwavering belief in their potential.

She understood that young people thrive when they are given opportunities to express themselves in positive, supportive, and nurturing environments.

That vision led her to find the Lou Wiley High Steppers in 1980.

What began as a dance line soon grew into a celebrated performing arts organization that embraced multiple genres of dance and artistic expression.

Their creativity and artistry helped shape a style that was both distinctive and sophisticated, making the high steppers a source of pride throughout the community.

Over the next 15 years, the Lou Wiley Highsteppers performed across the state of Minnesota, including an appearance at Super Bowl 26.

They became known not only for their exceptional performances, but also for their stylish costumes inspired by the rich traditions and historically black colleges and universities and their renowned dance teams and marching bands.

Among all of their performances, Rondo Days held a special place in the hearts of the high steppers.

It was more than an event.

It was a celebration of community, culture, and connection.

To be a high stepper meant more than learning choreography.

It meant standing tall, taking pride in who you are, and striving for excellence.

It meant showing up, practicing, perfecting your craft, and as our grandmother would say, strutting your stuff.

Today the legacy of the Lou Wiley High Steppers lives on.

The spirit, confidence, discipline, and sense of community that Miss Wiley instilled in her students continue to echo far beyond Minnesota.

Many former high steppers have gone on to become outstanding individuals, leaders, and contributors in their communities, carrying her lessons with them wherever they go.

We are deeply grateful for this recognition and proudly accept this award on behalf of Miss Lutham O'Wiley, whose vision, dedication, and love touched countless lives and whose legacy continues to inspire generations.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Welcome.

Thank you.

My name is Garland Jackson, St.

Paul resident here, representing Yamoja Percussion Unit.

I was also a member of the Elks Drill Team and the African Perfection Drill team in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s.

I didn't come prepared to speak today.

I just wanted to support the movement, appreciate the invite.

But I just want to ask, encourage the council to continue to support the city's youth and uh drill teams in particular, the arts, music, dance, and uh just appreciate your support and appreciate being there.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Welcome.

Hello, my name's Lynn Graham Washington, lifelong resident for 72 years in the Rondo community.

And uh drill teams have not only been the heartbeat of the Rondo community, but they were also my heartbeat.

I grew up on the corner of St.

Albans, St.

Anthony, which is now westbound entrance to I 94, and um across the street from the old Maxfield Elementary School.

And the Elks used to practice in that playground every day.

And when you would not only hear the drum beat, but you would also hear the bugle call.

If y'all know what it is, do do do do do do doot, do doot, do do do.

Then you hear the drums kick in.

It was Willie Burrell and the Elks Drum and Bugle Corps, sponsored by Peter's Meets.

They were like the Pied Pipers.

We'd stop what we were doing, ask our parents, could we run down and go march with the Elks down the street?

When the freeway was under construction, they also practiced on it.

Rain, mud, and heat.

They would practice that freeway up and down till they till it was completed.

I wanted to play the drums back then, but only the girls could be in, and they did skirts and boots, and I didn't want to wear that.

So it became they became the Golfer Elks Large with Granny Bridgeford and Gladys Miles, and they were called the highlighters.

Um I was too old to play the drums with them, but then I seen the Lou Wiley high steppers at Selby Days, and I knew I needed to feel fulfill my dream.

That parade inspired me to start a drill team.

We started out through the St.

Croix Valley Boy Scouts as explorers, but in order to make sure I could get insurance and reach a wide range of at-risk youth between the ages of five and twenty one.

We worked with University of Minnesota Extension Services and the 4-H Foundation.

I got insurance, that's what I needed, and we became a St.

Paul Falcons.

Why the Falcons?

Because the Falcons, the Perikin Falcon is a wide respected bird due to its high trainability, versatility, and availability.

Parrican Falcons were an endangered species, and so are our African American youth.

But the Falcons were removed from the United States Endangered Species list in 1999, but our youth are still on that list.

A paracron falcon never lets her young out of the nest until they are ready to make it on their own.

Through the Falcons, I was going to make sure I taught our youth the skills they needed in order to survive in this world.

So through gardening, survival camping, experiencing the underground railroad with Kamal Kambui at Wilder Forest, computer technology with Philip True at the University of Minnesota Technology Center, and to keep passing grades in school.

We did more than entertain and dance based on the 3Ds, which are determination, dedication, and discipline, and the five piece, which is proper preparation prevents poor performance.

We became who we are, the St.

Paul Falcons drill team and drum corps, providing entertainment throughout the Midwest, from Sway City, Iowa to the Green Giant Festival in Lesur, Minnesota, the Timberwolves and Viking Half Times, Minnesota State Fair, St.

Paul Winter Carnival, Minneapolis Aquitine, and the Bud Bilikan Parade and Competition in Chicago.

Just a few to mention.

But Rondo Days was the most important event of all.

These varied teams mentioned right here would prepare to compete against each other.

We fought with drums, not with guns.

The Falcon reached over 250 youth through the 4-H program in the Rondo, Frogtown, and St.

Paul communities.

Many of these youth have now their own businesses, work in the education system, are proud parents and have professional careers.

Some are still carrying the baton.

Brian, Selena, where are you?

Some are now.

And this young man right here, Garland.

Some are not called dance lines.

It's still the art of drums and dance, but with a new flavor.

So keep it up, because it's still the heartbeat of the Ronald community.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

So you heard it.

The innovation, the ingenuity, the excellence.

And Rondo is still rising.

Rondo is still here.

I just want to say thank you so much.

I also want to recognize we have here our reparations commissioner, chair of the preservation and archive committee here with us as well, who's also a Rondo drill team participant.

Followers.

Follower, honorary, okay.

That's like me too.

I beg to be on the drill team, but no, I was I was a supporter, but here I am.

So thank you so much.

We're going to move for final adoption and open up for any discussion.

Thanks so much, Ms.

Bowie.

Thank you so much to all of our speakers for so eloquently painting a picture and joining us today.

It's an honor to have you with us.

There's a motion for approval.

I'd look to my colleagues to see if there's any discussion of the motion.

Ms.

Johnson.

Well, thank you all for being here today.

And just overall, I will just share that as stories were shared.

I think I was envisioning the entire picture that you created in real time in my head, so it was making me smile.

And I really just appreciate you guys taking the time to come here and to be a part of the city council meeting.

I think it's really important that the public record reflect the history that is embedded in the work of the drill teams, especially and and their impact in the Rondo community.

And so we've spent a lot of time, uh, Councilman Rabuy and I as well being intentional about ensuring that the record reflects the work of so many different entities, especially within the black community and the black story and the black narrative.

And this is a part of that.

So just really appreciate you all for being here and participating in that because that's ultimately what you are doing.

I encourage this opportunity, which I think is the first time that this has been recognized, uh, unfortunately, in our history here, the city.

But because of that, it is history in the making as well.

And so just look forward to this being captured and added to the archival work as well as it continues to preserve the story and the heritage of the heartbeat of Rondo, and this is definitely a part of that.

So thank you all, and I am very supportive of the resolution.

Great work, Councilman Rabuy, and making sure that all different things are upload uplifted, and I really appreciate you taking the time to do that today.

Thank you, Ms.

Johnson.

Any other discussion of the motion?

Seeing none, all in favor say aye.

Aye.

All opposed.

Seven in favor, none opposed.

The resolution is adopted.

I think there's a request for a quick photo.

So come and recognise me.

Oh, share graphics.

Let's get a little closer.

Sure.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

So we'll be dedicating it to Halloween.

Thank you.

Item 24, ordinance 25-4, amending Title 4 of the St.

Paul Administrative Code to add chapter 92, titled Tree Preservation for City Sponsored Construction Projects.

So this brings us to the ordinance section of our agenda.

If you are here for the first time, if you're not one of our millions of regular followers on YouTube, um, all of our ordinances have at least three readings.

The first reading is a staff report where we hear about what is being proposed.

The second reading is a public hearing where we hear comments from the public about the idea, and the third reading is final adoption.

And the third reading is final adoption.

In some cases, we take more time for final adoption.

In this case, we've taken over 16 months for final adoption because sometimes we need to take the time to get it right.

First of all, to my legislative aide, Megan Jackett, who shepherded this through, who facilitated our pig meetings, who made sure that every single I was dotted, T was crossed, and that everything in this ordinance was uh ready for prime time and that all of us were fully educated about it.

So thank you to Megan.

Um I also want to thank the members of the public input group, the lovingly referred to PIG for being part of this effort.

I want to thank everyone who's weighed in on this, all 17 district councils for inviting us to come and present about this ordinance, um the Parks Commission, the Mayor's Advisory Commission on Disabilities, and all of the other groups that weighed in.

Um and I'm I want to say how excited I am to have this ordinance on the books.

We are finally giving trees um a voice at the table early on in the process.

We are recognizing that trees are public infrastructure.

Um we are recognizing the critical importance that so many people all across the city on every single corridor in every neighborhood feel about the importance of trees for for climate reasons, for equity reasons, um, and for just the vitality and livability in our city.

Um so with that I will move approval and I would look to my colleagues to see if there's any further discussion of the motion.

Vice President.

Thanks, Council President.

I uh want to commend you and also your legislative aid jacket, all of the community members, the staff members who was a part of this work, um, because it it's been a long time coming, I've got to say.

And um I do uh just want to acknowledge that um you know, even though it took a really long time, me it was necessary for this work to be done in a way that was equitable and right to the best way possible.

And so I really believe that you know, um bringing in different stakeholders, especially our community um residents to be a part of the work is very important.

It's how we can make sure that um, you know, even tree preservation, which falls right into the bucket of equity work is at the forefront of decision making and even um development and projects that come before us in the city here rather than an afterthought.

And so the work has to be very intentional because equity work has to also be very intentional too.

And so I uh care a lot about this.

It's how we can combat climate change and build towards environmental resilience and provide everybody with the higher quality of life.

It's especially important for neighborhoods that um that are in areas of concentrated poverty that tend to experience higher display uh levels of disparities when it comes to health and economics.

And so I'm all in support for it.

Thank you, Vice President.

Um, Ms.

Just.

Uh thank you, Council President.

I uh want to thank you and um your aide, Megan Jeckett, for all of your work on this and also all the staff and everyone involved.

Um I I just am totally impressed by how much effort that you both put into this and your ability to um be able to take a uh a really complicated problem and look at it from all sides and listen to um you know very differing point of views and opinions and being able to bring everyone together on something they feel good about.

I think we heard that a couple weeks ago in the public hearing.

Um and I I just I just think that that is an example of how we can uh bring something forward with the community in a way that is what's best for our city.

I'm really excited about the ordinance itself too, because um we have experienced challenges when it comes to a lot of our new construction projects, whether it's buildings or roads, um, or just you know, new uh new the new vision that you know we we have for our city with um all of these projects, and we know that we can do those projects and we can preserve trees at the same time.

And I think that that uh is so important um because we're gonna have a lot of those projects moving forward.

And as um Council Vice President Yang mentioned, you know, there are huge disparities across our city when it comes to our tree canopy, when it comes to you know what is the the temperature uh in the city and what do our residents experience.

And um it'll it'll take a while for you know trees, trees to grow, um but this makes sure that uh we have something in place so that all of our residents have the opportunity to benefit from uh what trees provide.

So thank you very much to everyone involved.

Thank you, Ms.

Jost.

Um any further discussion of the motion.

Uh seeing that, I want to thank again all my colleagues for your support.

Um all in favor say aye.

Aye aye.

All opposed, seven in favor, none opposed.

The resolution, the ordinance is adopted.

Uh item 25, ordinance 26.

Oh.

Oh, and actually, I'm so sorry, before we move on, I completely forgot to thank I thanked them last week, but I meant to do it this week as well.

Our park staff, our public work staff, our consultants who worked on this project.

Not only for starting the applause just now, but also for being uh critical partners in this.

We could not have done it without you.

And um, I think as I said last week, I the process really is the outcome, the partnership that you showed, the collegiality, um, the working relationships that I think were built throughout this process between the two departments and teams is really gonna be what makes this ordinance successful from day one and your willingness to put pen to paper on all the details of the ordinance, the rules, the standard operating procedures, not just the ordinance language, um, makes all the difference.

So please pretend like that was all said before the vote and the applause.

And ordinance twenty-six-thirty five, amending chapter sixty five of the legislative code pertaining to golf courses.

Now for something completely different.

This is a first reading, so we will have a staff report.

Welcome up.

Hello, good afternoon, Council President, Council members.

Um yes, this is a uh zoning text amendment.

Um this is the first reading.

Uh so there'll be a public hearing and then a second reading.

Um I'll give a little bit of background um and then uh we can talk about the planning commission uh review and their recommendation.

Um and then uh district council sent a letter of recommendation as well.

Um so the amendments originated from a request from the Department of Parks and Rec.

Um they would allow the Parks Department to light the driving range at Highland Golf Course until 10 p.m.

Um, until 9 p.m.

for operations and then until 10 p.m.

for cleanup.

Uh and then um it would also provide uh allowance for current lighting at Como golf course um that is used in the winter for cross-country skiing and other winter activities.

Um the amendments were initiated by city council um in resolution two six-nine six two.

Um uh the city council partnered with parks and recks department and then sent the amendments to planning commission for their review, which is required under Minnesota State Statute.

So Planning Commission has reviewed the zoning amendments.

Um this is the uh proposed amendments from City Council.

Um so there's just changes to uh subsection C and D.

Um it's a removal of a restriction on pitch and putt miniature golf courses, um, which is an outdated uh restriction.

So removal would allow there's no plans for pitch and putting, but removal would allow um parks and golf courses to do more varied golf um activities.

Um and then changes to D would uh remove the lighting restriction.

So the proposed words are golf courses that are equipped with lighting for night use shall not operate after 10 p.m.

Um after planning commission discussed the course, the the uh amendment, um they reviewed it, discussed um the entire uh golf course subsection, and had a uh change that is um different from the original uh amendments that were proposed by council.

So the changes in red um and it is a change to the proposed line D.

Um the city council recommendation is to strike line D completely.

Um there are not similar regulations on other sports related to lighting, um, and the parks department has a whole process for um how they're they operate and uh public process to weigh in on operations like lighting.

Um they're side by side original proposed from council and then the planning commission recommendation that is different.

Um the discussion was uh at Planning Commission was that the um proposed amendments are in alignment with the comprehensive plan.

Um they um are in line with other rec facility zoning regulations, which are none um for other sports.

And um it would allow golf course operations more hours and more access um for accessibility um for our public golf courses.

And then the historic barriers to recreate recreation are also discussed in relation to golf, um, which has had some historic racial barriers.

Uh so again, no other sports are regulated in in the same way that golf courses are in the zoning code.

Um then uh the planning commission recommended uh considered this at the July 22nd um sorry at their meeting.

Uh and then um this their recommendation along with um the Highland District Council's resolution in support will be considered at the at the um public hearing on July 22nd.

Um and that's my presentation, and I can stand for questions.

And the um Andy Rodriguez from Parks and Rec is also here if there are questions for Parks and Rec.

Thanks so much, Mr.

Ohm.

So just to be clear the language in front of us is the original staff proposed language or it's the planning commission proposed language.

The language in front of you is the original proposed amendment.

Um you have the planning commission changes as well that you can consider.

Thank you.

Any other questions during the staff report part of this ordinance?

Obviously, we'll have a public hearing and consideration in the next few weeks.

Ms.

Bowie.

Thank you, Council President.

Um just in short, I really appreciate um just with the slides.

Um if we could just summarize um, because I was just trying to follow if I could ask Canet Lee, like what problem are we looking to solve?

Is it accessibility alone?

Or if you can um speak to just kind of what is this, how would this and what solution are we bringing forth with this amendment?

So it was originally proposed to allow um later use at Highland Golf Course, so they could be open until 9 p.m.

and then have time to clean up until 10 p.m.

Um and the lighting is uh just for their driving range.

Um and it's just to have like slightly later hours um to allow for more revenue for parks and rec, um allow more accessibility for more people to stay just a little later.

Thank you.

Ms.

Joseph.

Um thank you, Council President.

I can um add to that too.

The I I don't recall what year the lights were installed, but they were installed I think three years, four years, two or three years ago.

I'm losing track of what year it is.

Um with this intention.

Uh it and um they have been on for um I think cross-country cross-country skiing, and so the goal is really um to provide more opportunity.

The golf, uh the driving range does get used quite a bit, um, and it would provide quite a bit more revenue, and also there are golf lessons at um at Highland.

Uh and you know, there are um just a lot of opportunities there for for folks to get to get more use out of the golf course.

Great.

Any other questions for staff?

Otherwise, thanks so much.

And this item will lay over.

Yep.

Uh yes, this item will lay over to July 22nd, ordinance 26-36, adding chapter 86.13 to the administrative code to require city council approval of mixed municipal solid waste contracts.

On this item, uh, there isn't a staff report per se.

I will give a council member report, which is basically that this ordinance is a uh proposal to require that the city council have the authority and be required to approve um municipal solid waste contracts.

It came to uh my attention when we were considering our most recent organized trash collection contract that this was not a contract that the council approves.

We approve um any smaller contracts than this, and we approve many contracts that affect our constituents' lives much less than organized collection.

Um and so the proposal here is to give the council more of over an oversight role um in approving those contracts.

Um and hopefully also greater transparency to the public um as to what those contracts contain as part of that process.

So that's my council member report by way of staff report, and I'm happy to take any questions.

See none.

This ordinance is laid over to July 22nd.

Item 27, ordinance 26-32, amending appendix C of the legislative code relating to Northern States Power DBA XL Energy Electric Franchise.

So this brings us to the public hearing section of our agenda.

Um so the way public hearings work is that when your item is called, we ask that you come up to the front.

Um you will have two minutes to speak.

You start please with your name and where you're coming from.

Um and you don't need to adjust the two microphones.

You can stand up straight and leave them where they are, they should pick you up just fine.

Um when you're done testifying, we ask that you sign in with your name and where you're coming from on the two sign-in sheets on either side.

Um we do require that folks stick to the subject at hand, so make sure that the subject that you're testifying on is the subject that you're speaking about.

Um and again, two minutes do go by quickly, so if you find that you're running out of time, there is a timer right in front of you so you can track yourself.

Um and it's my unenviable job to keep everybody to the two minutes.

We also accept testimony via email um if you or in writing if you feel like you uh need to give us more.

Um so with that, this is the public hearing on item 27.

Is there anyone here to speak to this item?

If so, come on up.

Welcome.

Thank you, Council, uh President and Council members.

John Burdy from uh West Side of St.

Paul uh Minnesota.

Umhead work.

Voice activated projector.

Say again.

Um we joke that it's voice activated, but we actually just have to wait for our media folks to turn it on, which is which has not happened yet.

But it will any moment.

All right.

Well, here's your um ordinance uh draft here.

And uh I can understand the intent is to extend it to December 31st because the negotiations haven't been completed.

And I can appreciate that.

It's a 20-year contract coming to an end, so all due diligence, and I know the City of Minneapolis had to do the same thing.

Uh but I would like to point out that there's just going to be a uh you need to, I would suggest that you uh need to make a different version for it uh because uh the uh 2024 last time this these ordinances were amended, um we we had to deal with uh the rate issue.

Here you're dealing with the the actual contract, but you have rates that you haven't adjusted in your legislative text here.

And by that I would have to say that um you could look here at what was done uh by councilmember Joost in 2024, and uh first of all, this is the electric rates that are up, but you'll notice now I don't know if you can see it, yeah.

The schedule of rates was amended.

If you look at the top column there, it was to extend from well, the last column was to apply for from 2025 until 2026.

That's a calendar year.

But the city attorney and the council recognized that this contract would end at the end of uh August.

And so they modified the the uh the schedule of rates, as you can see here, by adding in the expiration of August 2026.

And you can see that on the residential, but that applies on all of the various rate groups.

So um you would need to simply just correct and do what the council did in 2024 by by copying that language.

Mr.

Purdy, that is getting your getting your you don't want to leave uh you know one third of the revenue.

Yeah.

That is two minutes, but I appreciate your point, and I will follow up with our city attorney's on that point.

Thank you so much for testifying.

Make sure to sign in.

Okay.

Is there anyone else here to speak on this topic?

Oh well, I just uh I I'll just come back up for the gas one.

Okay.

Sounds good.

Are you here to speak on this topic?

Come on up.

Members of the City Council and the City Government, it is my unenviable task of speaking on this topic and in particular a topic to which the city has acted unilaterally, non-cooperative.

Can you start with your name and where you're coming from, please?

Yeah, absolutely.

Uh my name is Lily Eggers, I'm a Ward 1 resident.

Um, and I'm here to talk about uh a public hearing item that remains notably glaringly off of this list.

It has been exactly one week since the assistant mayor told in a private call to service providers, shelters, and the department of affairs.

I need you to stop talking on that topic, but there must be a public hearing on this item.

I appreciate your point.

Thank you for raising it.

We need you to speak on this topic today.

Will will there be a public hearing on this item so that members and residents of the camps that are about to be shut down have a chance to actually voice their opinions.

Thank you for your testimony.

Please make sure to sign in.

Is there anyone else here to speak on this topic?

Thank you.

This ordinance will we need to close the public hearing.

I'll take a motion for Ms.

Jose to close the public hearing.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

All opposed?

Seven in favor, none opposed.

Public hearing is closed.

The ordinance is laid over.

Item 28, ordinance 26-33, amending appendix B of the legislative code relating to Northern States Power, DBA XL Energy, Gas Franchise.

This is a public hearing.

Is there anyone here to speak on this topic?

Welcome back.

Thank you again.

And uh the gas, as you probably all know, is uh receiving an 8% rate increase in the next several weeks, I think September 1.

Uh in the uh 2024 uh conversation on our uh franchise fees, we pointed out that the increase that was taken there by eliminating the shelter of a uh May excuse me, May uh time frame, which was exempt from natural gas uh franchises, we added that back in.

So instead of there being a six-on, six off, uh it became seven and five.

And that raised everybody's rates up to now.

I just want to make clear that the way these rates are standing until until August 31st, uh those represent the highest franchise fees in the state of Minnesota, barring none.

And so um I know that we can't talk much about what's happening on the future.

I did want to point out that you need to change the correct the uh the uh franchise rate chart to to reflect collections after August 31st, but I also want to ask the council to please, as you as you sit in front of, and I appreciate the last ordinance resolution you made, that you need the council needs to make their input on how these 20-year agreements run and how much they're gonna be assessing it.

Very difficult to understand uh without some analysis how much the city is collecting from us, but other cities have made it a little bit easier, but in the end, we've got to address the residential side and the fact that we've lost you know how you make up that revenue.

You know, we lost uh North Star Steel, we lost uh uh Horn or Waldorf, big gas user, big electric users.

You know, is the burden gonna condense upon the residences?

Thank you, Mr.

Purdy.

Thank you.

Make sure to sign in.

Is there anyone else here to speak on this topic?

Seeing none, I'll take a motion from Ms.

Jose to close the public hearing.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

All opposed, seven in favor, none opposed.

The ordinance is laid over and public hearing is closed.

Item 29, resolution public hearing 26-153, approving the application of Irish Fair of Minnesota for a sound level variance in order to present amplified sound for a Twin Cities Irish Fest event in August 7th, 8th, 9th at 200 Dr.

Justice O.H.

Boulevard Harriet Island Regional Park.

This is a public hearing.

Is there anyone here to speak on this topic?

Seeing none, I'll take a motion from Vice President Yang to close the public hearing and approve.

All in favor say aye.

All opposed?

Seven in favor, none opposed.

The resolution is adopted.

Legislative hearing consent agenda items 30 through 36 are before you for your consideration.

Welcome, Ms.

Mormon.

We normally have a staff report, and she is coming right now.

Welcome.

My apologies, Council President, Council members.

Uh the only item I have to pull is the Portland address and the other.

1317 Portland.

And there you go.

Yep, item 33.

R L H RSA 26-7.

Appeal of Tenant Michael Smith to a rent stabilization determination at 1517 Portland Avenue Apartment D.

Ms.

Mormon.

Council President, uh, this is a rent stabilization appeal.

The appeal was made by the tenant of Unit D.

The matter under appeal is that there be an exception to the rent cap, which is set at 3%.

So landlords in the city can increase the rent annually up to 3%.

Anything beyond that does require um the Department of Safety and Inspections to review and approve.

Their approval is a preliminary approval pending a final determination.

Final determination could be after 45 days passes and no one appeals, or final determination could be made by the city council here.

That's what you're doing today.

Reasonable return on investment has a decent handful of provisions, and I did pull it up here in it.

There we go.

It's all golf things.

Okay.

So what's in front of you here is the code 193a.06.

And I will walk through.

There are the first level of analysis provided is what the department does, and the department compared in this case, the 2023 set of books with the 2025 set of books.

And looking at that, they said 17.9% is what is justified in this analysis of income and expenses in 2023 to income and expenses in 2025.

I looked at it again, which is what you have me do, and I found that there were a couple of aspects of the analysis that weren't adequately considered in my view.

The first has to do with here in this section of the code, and it speaks to failure on the part of the landlord to provide adequate housing services or to comply substantially with applicable state rental housing laws, local housing, health and safety codes, or the rental agreement.

My specific items that I look at in that that I think are problematic would be that the window in the bedroom could not open and stay open on its own.

That is considered an emergency egress, and you need to have two ways to get out of a sleeping room.

One would be directly to the outdoors, which this window would do, and the other can be through the house, so through the closed door.

If it can't stay open, you can't use it safely.

Another thing that I thought was key was that the fire extinguisher needed to be replaced and was not fit for use.

With respect to my other concern, and this is really the equally important, is the way that the code is constructed when it comes to utilities, is this.

Nobody is, but it's this isn't a matter of dragging in a bad landlord.

This is the valuation of this application and the inspection is a snapshot in time.

Unlike most things you see from me, it's not a correction order that got issued where we're giving a certain length of time to be to for it to be remedied.

This is what did it look like right now, which is a separate kind of a conversation.

And the um the owners could be referred back to the Department of Safety and Inspections to revise their application, or better still, to completely submit a new application, and that would be under whatever rules the department has for dealing with reapplication.

I'm not involved in that process, but that would be a solution.

Again, and finally, uh, as you hear from me with all of these, the uh recommendation and the decision that you are making today pertain only to unit D within this building.

Thank you, Ms.

Mormon.

Are there any questions before we hear from the uh appellant?

All right.

Um then in this case, this is the legislative hearing for item 33.

If you are the appellant, this is your time.

Come on up.

Welcome.

Council President, Council members, my name is Abby Hansen.

I work at Housing Justice Center.

I'm here on behalf of Michael Smith, the appellant, who will speak in just a moment.

Our ask today is that you adopt the hearing officer's recommendation and grant Mr.

Smith's appeal.

We think there are at least two legal bases on which you can affirm the recommendation.

The first is habitability under the ordinance, habitability must be considered.

Section 193a.06C mandates that this council deny any rent increase for units in which a landlord has failed to comply with Minnesota Habitability Standards, Minnesota Habitability Standards, include local code.

As you can see in the code, and as the hearing officer referenced, there's an inspection report in the record uh that shows there are open code violations here.

I also do want to note that this is a Class B property whose fire certificate of occupancy inspection is one year overdue.

So as Mr.

Smith will talk about, there's maybe additional issues that would arise, and so those condition issues themselves will allow you to affirm this recommendation.

The second issue on which you can affirm the recommendation is utilities.

All utilities at this property, gas, water, garbage, common area electricity, those are passed through to tenants.

When uh utilities measured by a single meter are passed through to tenants.

Minnesota law has specific disclosure and apportionment formula requirements, as explained in the materials that we submitted.

Those are not being met here.

And under Minnesota law, failure to follow that is itself a habitability violation, and that brings us back to subdivision C, meaning that this council cannot approve this rent increase.

So I would ask this council to adopt the hearing officer's recommendation and grant Mr.

Smith's appeal, and I'll hand it on over to Mr.

Smith who has more to say.

Thank you very much.

Make sure to sign in.

Welcome up.

Hello, my name is Michael Smith, and I have lived at 1517 for more than a decade.

I've learned to navigate an old building.

Don't run the coffee pot when the toaster is plugged in.

Never plug two things into the bathroom because you'll blow a fuse.

Don't run AC units in both rooms at the same time.

And don't use the stove because the gasket isn't complete, and it will set off the fire alarm.

Doing all my little tricks and even leaving the front half of my apartment with nothing plugged in.

My electric bills, which I pay all of, have soared and become unmanageable.

I have a large chunk of my wall that sends a moisture of moisture meter all the way past 99 and is only getting worse.

I had a meeting with my father and Robin to discuss rising costs in electricity and rent in the first week of August 2025.

At this meeting, I pointed out the oven and showed the water was coming in from the roof and that the wall was wet.

I understand that costs are up, but I can't carry the burden of paying more for an apartment that doesn't meet my basic needs.

And the rising cost of gas, water, trash, and common area electricity are already passed on to me as a tenant.

The building is now for sale for the third time since I've lived there.

The hallways haven't been vacuumed.

There's bugs and cobwebs since my neighbor moved out last month.

The lawn has not been mowed or tended to.

If they are not willing to do basic maintenance to sell the building, I think it clearly shows they're unwilling to do maintenance in general.

Please adopt the hearing officer's recommendation.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Make sure to sign in.

I'll take anyone here else here to speak on this legislative hearing.

Please come on up.

Make sure to start with your name where you're coming from.

Good afternoon.

I'm Robin Dorso.

Along with my husband, Rich Cronfeld, we own the building at 1517 Portland Avenue.

We purchased it in September of 2022.

The complainant, Michael Smith was already a tenant in the building when we purchased it.

Somehow it was related to the prior owner, so there was no damage deposit.

We thought maybe we need to institute that.

But we thought, no, we're not going to do that.

We're going to leave the situation unchanged, try to foster good relations with our tenants.

We kept the former owners' leases in force when we purchased the building.

A rent variance had been completed by the former owners just a few months before the sale, with the resulting rent for the unit being $1,324.

That amount reflected a base rent of 1,060 and monthly utilities on average of $264.

We kept this going.

This is what we inherited from the prior owner.

Between two uh 2023 and 2025, we implemented a couple of increases to the base rent.

We received a 5% variance through the city of St.

Paul in 2023 and raised rents accordingly.

Other increases did not exceed the 3% cap in any 12-month period.

Due to huge increases in property taxes and insurance, as well as rising costs all around.

Um we went through the lengthy variance process again, end of last year, receiving the recommendation for the 17.97% variance at issue today.

We raised the rent for apartment D to $1,500 on January 1st of 2025, decreasing it to 1,466 later that year due to a decrease in average utility costs, which was likely a result of a new thermostat regulation system we had installed at a substantial cost.

After receiving notice of the variance granted, we raised rent for three of the four apartments, each around 15%, not the full 17.9% uh to commence on May the first.

For apartment D, the base rent was scheduled to go from 1266 to 1461, an increase of 195 or 15.4%.

So we do need you to summarize your testimony since we're past two minutes.

So I'm sorry?

We do need you to wrap up your testimony since you're past two minutes.

So if you can try to summarize your ask or um we can also accept the written testimony.

Okay.

So we've also I'm responding also to Mr.

Smith's first letter saying that the apartment was um too expensive.

Research shows that a two-bedroom apartment in the Lexington Hamlin South neighborhood, which is the neighborhood, run between 1,500 and 2100 a month, um, with the median price being 1700.

Classic older traditional brick walk-ups, such as ours typically start around 1500 and go to 1700.

Um let's see, a similar property.

Um in his initial complaint, he asserted that his electric bills had doubled and said he got zero help from the landlord.

This is false.

We've contacted XL Energy on his behalf.

We purchased the home served program for all the tenants.

We did our best.

Um we have also um circled back with XL and brought in home serve.

We've done what we what we can.

Can you make your ask of us and then we need you to sum up?

Yes, um, we would like you to um grant the um variance.

Um, and I would like to speak to the deficiencies.

We really unfortunately I'm so sorry, we don't we limit things to two minutes, so I think we've heard your ask, we'll accept written testimony if you have it.

Um thank you so much.

Thank you.

Um else here to speak on this legislative hearing.

Seeing none, I'll take a motion from Ms.

Bowie to close the public hearing.

All in favor say aye.

All opposed.

Hi, um, my name is Linda Voigt.

Um, I reside in Frogtown in Ward 1, a neighborhood that was tragically uh you know, decimated and cut off from uh Rondeau from a unilateral governmental uh decision.

Um much like Mr.

Smith, I believe that everyone deserves housing that meets their basic needs, and I think that the city and the county and the country is failing our residents.

And we are here to demand a public hearing on the eviction plan because we don't have time.

They're going to be evicted on August 5th, and we need to talk to our election officials that we whose paycheck.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those are seven in favor, none opposed to the public hearings closed.

Ms.

Bowie.

Thank you, Council President.

Uh, and thank you so much to our hearing officer, Mr.

Smith for being here, housing justice network, as well as uh um the property owners.

I just have just a clarifying question.

Um, I I came prepared uh reviewing all the information and came prepared with my uh decision, but I just want to have a clarifying uh question just for the record, since the landlord is here.

You had mentioned that um this is more so just like a based off of the assessment of how they applied that it does not meet the conditions to um grant that variant, and you mentioned uh DSIs and it you know is between DSI and the applicant, particularly around reapplying.

Is there anything?

And I was looking at the ordinance.

Is there like a grace period in between of when a property owner can apply and say they are denied and then when they can reapply?

I was wondering if there's a grace period with our policy.

Council President, Councilmember uh to the best of my knowledge, uh the code is silent on that matter, and that would be a policy internal to the Department of Safety and Inspections and how they administer the code.

Okay, thank you.

Uh so I I feel um uh confident we're moving forward with the motion.

Um I just want to, well, one, I would just say I do plan on moving forward to granting the approval of the recommendation from the hearing officer based off the findings, and I just wanted to just uh reiterate you know some of the things.

Uh I think we have a really strong uh ordinance here with our tenant protections.

We actually have nine um um conditions in terms of which someone uh property owner has to meet in order to uh receive a variance to uh go above our our rent cap and then in this case uh with the applicant of applying for the um the housing services uh or particularly or they did not meet um um condition number eight uh with the egress window, um the fire exchanger, um also having the fees, utilities as a pass through.

Um I think all of those uh question uh Minnesota Hapitality are oh my gosh, I'm trying to say the word, but you know I'm trying to say the standards and which we um have for our housing codes um because of that.

That's why I'm moving forward.

Um I also want to just like highlight and appreciate um the um tenant being here.

It's really important when um we supported the tenant protections um ordinance.

It was because of reasons and opportunities like this for tenants to step up and share, you know, what their experience has been like.

Um I appreciate you sharing some of the Saint Paul life hacks of living in an old home.

Um, being born or raised in an old home, um, particularly in the Rondo neighborhood.

I know the feeling of not plugging up the toaster and air condition.

Um, and you know, that is even more a reason why we need to have more investment and to our housing and to our repairs um and really helping to improve our our old housing stock here in St.

Paul.

Um, you know, affordability issues are are real, um, and I just appreciate the practice of um this appeal.

And uh so because um I am in alignment um with our hearing officers.

Um you know I motion to um grant the grant the appeal.

Thanks, Ms.

Bowie.

So the motion is to grant the appeal.

Um any discussion of the motion.

Right.

Uh seeing none, all in favor say aye.

Aye.

All opposed?

Seven in favor, none opposed.

The resolution is adopted.

Uh, Ms.

Mormon, is there anything else to come before us for separate consideration?

To the best of my knowledge, no one else is here to testify.

All right, so this will be a public hearing if you're here on items 30 through 36.

This is your public hearing.

I'm really gonna reiterate that we need folks to speak to an item on the agenda, so we'll ask you which item it is, and then we'll need you to stick to that topic.

Which item?

Uh we're talking about presently, 3336.

31.

Okay, very well.

Oh, six seconds when we just did right.

No, council president, council members.

Uh what you have in front of you for this address uh is a tree removal assessment.

Uh this tree was deemed to be dangerous.

A letter went out um and telling the owner that it was a dangerous tree on May 29th of 2026.

The dead tree, which is a green ash, was removed from the yard.

The cost of the tree removal was $4,400.

Uh, the assessment indicates that cost plus services and fees attached to it.

My recommendation is approval of that assessment, but allowing its payment over the course of 10 years in order that uh the property owner can more easily manage the costs.

Okay.

Thank you, Ms.

Mormon.

Um, and so this is a public hearing item 31.

Do we need to read that in the directly?

Yeah.

R L H T A 26-125, ratifying the appeal special tax assessment for property at 720 Cottage Avenue East.

All right.

Come on up.

Hello.

My name is OB Smith, and I live in Ward 3.

Um, and I'm just here to continue the point that other people have been making and say that people of St.

Paul deserve an immediate public hearing on the decision to display members.

I'm going to continue speaking until my two minutes are up.

Disruption is what we will continue to get until you decide to be transparent with the people of St.

Paul until you decide to actually listen to the people who are being affected by homelessness.

And then actual public health solutions.

Thank you.

We need you to sign in.

Thank you.

So we are not going to hold further testimony unless you are here to speak on this topic.

So please do not begin speaking unless you're here to speak on this topic, or we are going to need to recess the meeting and not have any further conversation on any topic.

So please go ahead with your name and please keep it to the topic of tree removal.