Thanks to Minnesota Locks for their support.
Wendy’s received official approval to return to West St. Paul and the City Council dug into finances with the 2023 audit and first discussion of the 2025 budget.
Wendy’s Returns to West St. Paul
City Council approved the site plan, conditional use permit, and planned development amendment for a new Wendy’s fast food restaurant located on Robert Street in the Cub Foods outlot.
- The smaller building footprint is due to the shift from dining room to drive thru.
- The drive thru can stack 10 vehicles, though overflow would go into the parking lot drive aisle and not a street so there was little concern.
- Pedestrian crossing of the drive thru caused some concern, especially in Planning Commission, but it is a product of recent code changes that push buildings up to Robert Street. Traditional drive thru designs have the same issue and it hasn’t been a problem in other locations.
- No timeline on opening, though the city expects construction to start this year.
Budget & Audit
During the Open Council Work Session (OCWS), Council reviewed the 2023 audit and started the conversation about the upcoming 2025 and 2026 budgets.
- No issues in the audit.
- Wages and salaries are one of the big drivers of increases for the 2025 budget.
- The Dakota County assessor’s office might have the biggest impact on property taxes in 2025 with valuation changes that drop home property values but increase commercial property values. The result will shift tax burden to commercial properties. For example, if the levy stays the same as 2024, the average home will see a $44 decrease in property taxes while the average commercial property will see a $1,001 increase. There’s nothing the City Council can do about that.
- City Manager Nate Burkett said he doesn’t plan any big changes in the 2025 budget—no new staff, no new programs or services. Mostly he expects to fine tune what they’re already doing.
- Burkett also said he’s targeting a 6-8% levy increase for property taxes (last year’s increase was 5.97%). Mayor Dave Napier said he wants to see it lower, even if it requires cuts.
Other Items on the Agenda:
- Council pay raise: With Council Member Robyn Gulley absent, the Council tabled a vote on a potential pay raise until the July 8 meeting. They did hold a public hearing, though no one from the community spoke.
- Strategic planning: During the OCWS, Council reviewed the results of two business surveys and discuss engagement options with local businesses.
- Parks: Two park planning contracts were improved in the consent agenda for Kennedy Park and then with the Smith/Dodd intersection realignment looking at changes to Albert Park and Dodd Park.
Engage
- Watch: City Council meetings are archived online (at press time the OCWS meeting was not online).
- Learn more: Guide to West St. Paul City Council.
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