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The rental license for Eagle Pointe apartments continues to be an issue, this time over unsafe decks. West St. Paul City Council will also discuss the 2025 budget, consider forcing a temporary easement, and hold a closed session for the potential purchase of property.
Eagle Pointe Rental License Renewal
Eagle Pointe apartments will again come before City Council over their rental license. The license came up in June 2023 and March 2024 for various issues.
- Issues: While Eagle Pointe has addressed a number of issues, now nearly two dozen decks have been deemed unsafe by the building inspector. The city is requiring an “unsafe deck” label be posted and doors to the decks barred.
- Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the license with a number of stipulations, including a timeline for the deck repairs to be completed by July 1, 2025.
- Public hearing: While it’s not listed as a public hearing, anyone can speak during a license review.
2025 Budget
During the Open Council Work Session (OCWS), Council will give input on the preliminary budget numbers and property tax levy before they’re officially approved later this month (once the numbers are approved, they represent a cap—the property tax levy could be lowered but not increased).
- Budget: The 2025 budget works out to $38.5 million, not including sewer funding which doesn’t impact the levy (for comparison’s sake, the total 2024 budget was $41.6—which included sewer funding; adding sewer funds to the 2025 budget works out to about $47.5 million).
- Property tax increase: 7.22%. That works out to $125 for the average home. Last year’s increase was 5.97%.
- Commercial property tax: Due to rebalancing by the county, the increase hits commercial properties much harder with an increase of $1,869 for the average property.
- Rising costs: The causes of the increase include staff wages (up 6.5%), Dakota911 (up 16.9%), contracts and services (up 4%), and capital expenditures (primarily streets and parks, up 5%).
- Lowering the levy: Some Council members have asked for reductions in the property tax increase. There are some options—though City Manager Nate Burkett doesn’t recommend any of them, mainly because it will impact the city’s long-term financial stability by reducing cash reserves, which limits flexibility in the future.
- Fee structure: Council will also look at 2025 fees, including a number of increases (e.g., business licenses that haven’t increased in 10 years).
Other Items on the Agenda
- Condemnation: As part of the Smith/Dodd intersection realignment, the city needs temporary construction easements—essentially access to the property to do work, not seizing property. The city will have to restore the property to the condition it was in, including any landscaping. Easements have been secured with three of five parcels. The two remaining parcels, where Clover Montessori School is located, have yet to be settled. The city continues to negotiate, but needs to start the condemnation process to force the issue in order to maintain the construction timeline. If the city and Montessori One LLC (the property owner) are not able to come to an agreement, the condemnation process means the court would decide what the compensation is.
- Charter amendment: Council will also consider the first reading of a Charter amendment to allow Council members and the mayor to be paid for serving as election judges. Currently the role is paid, but elected officials are barred from holding any other paid position in the city. Charter amendments require two readings and have to be passed unanimously, including by the mayor.
- Closed session: The Economic Development Authority (EDA) will hold a closed session to discuss the purchase of 424 Butler Avenue East.
- Public hearing: Council will hold a public hearing to vacate unused right of way in relation to the Thompson Square East townhome project.
Engage
Watch: The public can watch the meeting live on Town Square TV or cable TV starting at 6:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m. for the OCWS) on Monday.
Learn more: Guide to West St. Paul City Council.
We believe in government transparency and provide these West St. Paul City Council previews with the support of our members.
