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It will be a night for transparency in government with six public hearings on the schedule for Monday’s West St. Paul City Council meeting—assuming anyone shows up to speak. Topics include marijuana moratorium, catalytic converters, and mayor/council salary increase among others. There will also be a first look at the Bike & Pedestrian Plan update.
Public Hearings
There are six public hearings during the regular City Council meeting:
- Edibles: The public has a chance to weigh in on the city’s moratorium on hemp and CBD products.
- Catalytic converters: The city is finally bringing forward an ordinance to address catalytic converter thefts. Initially proposed back in April, the ordinance limits sales and possession, which gives the police power to take action when the pull someone over and see a catalytic converter in the back seat.
- Mayor/Council salary increase: The Charter Commission has unanimously approved a 3% salary increase for the next two years, effective starting in 2023. It’s comparable to city staff salary increase. City charter requires salaries are reviewed in even number years and changes have to be unanimously approved by the entire Council and mayor.
- Truck parking: Back in April, Council discussed an ordinance to limit large commercial trucks parking in residential areas.
- Gift cards: Another item from April will address fraudulent gift card usage by requiring retailers to verify ID. The police department is generally investigating a dozen of these type of cases at a time. Retailers have been informed and so far the only response is Target expressing gratitude for the change.
- Sidewalk snow removal: Assessment for Robert Street snow removal.
Bike & Pedestrian Plan Update
The city’s Bike & Pedestrian Plan is more than a decade old, but an update is in the works. After gathering community feedback, the Council will get an update during the Open Council Work Session (OCWS). The initial plan includes a number of recommendations, but it’s not final yet and there will be another round of community input.
Other Items on the Agenda
- Park cleanup: After complaints at the last City Council meeting, park maintenance will be covered during OCWS.
- Rezoning: The proposed Thompson Square townhome project will get a final reading for rezoning, moving it from more to less dense zoning.
- Expansion: St. George Church is requesting a small expansion to their building to accommodate a larger altar space.
The public can watch the meeting live on Town Square TV or cable TV starting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday (5:30 p.m. for the OCWS meeting).
Learn more about how city council works with our Guide to West St. Paul City Council.
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