The Saint Paul City Council met on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, from 3:30 PM to 4:36 PM. All seven council members were present (President Noecker, Vice President Yang, and Councilmembers Kim, Bowie, Jost, Johnson, and Coleman). The agenda included consent items, discussion items, ordinance readings, public hearings, and a legislative hearing consent agenda. Key actions included the final adoption of a tree preservation ordinance, a recognition resolution for Rondo Days drill teams, and a decision on a rent stabilization appeal.
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.