We rely on your support to offer these City Council previews.
On Monday the West St. Paul City Council will make appointments to committees and consider a range of city business, including translation, sidewalks, town hall meetings, finances, and more.
Standard COVID-19 disclaimer: City Council meetings are open to the public, though the audience is limited, masks are required, and an overflow crowd can watch in the lobby. All meetings are broadcast online and on cable TV. Public comments will be in-person and via call-in.
Committee Appointments
During the Open Council Work Session (OCWS), Council will vote on appointments to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee and Environmental Committee. Those appointments, along with the mayor’s appointments to the Planning Commission, will be approved during the regular meeting.
Applications were accepted through the end of last year. To avoid bias, names are redacted on the considered applications, so we can’t share who is being considered.
- Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee: Four open positions with 11 applicants (including current members Bonnie Bellows, Robert Gausman, and Dave Lynch).
- Environmental Committee: Three open positions with nine applicants (including current member Tara Wright).
- Planning Commission: Four open positions and nine applicants (including current members Maria Franzmeier, Samantha Green, and Lisa Stevens—current member Peter Strohmeier is not seeking reappointment).
Other Items on the Agenda
- Sewers: For fans of inflow and infiltration (I/I), representatives from the Met Council will be making a presentation during the OCWS to give an update on how West St. Paul is doing at keeping clean water from entering the sewer system.
- Sidewalk: The Council will discuss potential new sidewalk on Bidwell between Marie and Crusader during the OCWS.
- Town hall meetings: OCWS will include discussion and planning for the upcoming virtual town hall meetings, tentatively planned for Thursday, February 11th from 1-3 p.m., Wednesday, February 24th from 6-8 p.m., and Saturday, February 27th from 10 a.m.-Noon.
- Translation: Also during OCWS, the Council will discuss translating more city services into Spanish.
- Car wash: Crew Car Wash comes before the Council again for a public hearing and site plan approval.
- Definition of family: An updated definition of family that includes domestic partnerships will come up for a publish hearing after some debate at the last meeting.
- Financial advisor: Prior to approving Ehler’s as the city’s financial advisor, the Council will get an update on the city’s approach to finances over the last few years and Ehler’s role as an advisor.
- Thompson Avenue: An update on the proposal from Dakota County to return Thompson Avenue to city control.
- Bond sale: Results of a bond sale for city sewer projects.
- EDA: The Economic Development Authority (EDA) will consider changing their bylaws to make the city manager the executive director of the EDA. In short, this clears up the chain of command and ensures all city staff report to the city manager and the city manager is responsible to the City Council and EDA.
The public can watch the meeting live on Town Square TV or cable TV starting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday (5 p.m. for the EDA meeting and OCWS).
If you’re unable to attend in person, you can always use our coloring pages to imagine you’re there.
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