Thanks to Block Portrait Studios for their support.
At the final City Council meeting for West St. Paul’s first-ever junior Council member, discussion focused on a damaged property on Robert Street and a review of city finances to kick off the budgeting process.
Condemned Property
The building at 1254 Robert Street, formerly Minnesota Locks, was damaged by a fire in 2023 and has sat vacant since then. A conditional use permit (CUP) obtained by the owner to repair the property has lapsed, and the property is in violation of several city codes. Because of this, the city is seeking a court order to have the building torn down.
- City Council emphasized that they’ve given the property owner plenty of time to rebuild the property, but given the severity of the damage, the number of code violations, and the fact that more than a year has passed since the CUP lapsed, demolition seems like the only option.
- The owner of the property, Bill Goldberg, spoke against the resolution, arguing that the building is salvageable and that his insurance will pay for the building to be repaired. He further argued that the city has misrepresented the condition of the property–a claim that the city disputed, mentioning that there were several code violations assessed before the fire.
- The abatement order eventually passed unanimously. This doesn’t mean the building will automatically be torn down; it simply starts a legal process, which Goldberg can contest.
City Finances Review
- City Manager Nate Burkett presented a review of the city’s finances, how property taxes work, and how the budgeting process works. He gives this presentation annually before the council starts creating the budget for the coming year. The budgeting process will happen between now and December, starting with a high-level financial review before drilling down into specific department budgets, setting the property tax levy, and eventually settling on a final budget.
- Redevelopment is essential for the city’s financial health. Because the entire city has been developed, the only way to grow the city’s tax base is to improve the value of existing properties, and redevelopment is the best way to do this.
- The city is facing growing costs. Many city facilities have growing lists of deferred maintenance issues to address. The South Metro Fire Department will need a facilities upgrade soon. Salaries and benefits for employees have gone up considerably. Inflation and/or tariffs could also increase the costs of planned projects. Burkett’s initial estimates of the levy increase for next year are over 6%, and perhaps closer to 8 or 9%.
- City staff reviewed and proposed changes to the rates at which different types of properties are assessed for street improvement projects. Currently, single-family homes are assessed for road work on a per-unit basis; every home pays the same amount. Other properties, including private businesses, apartments, and condos, pay based on the size of their property. The result of this is that homeowners are paying disproportionately high rates for road work. The city wants to assess apartments and condos on a per-unit basis similar to single-family homes to more equitably share the costs. No votes were taken at this time, but the mayor and city council are in favor of the change.
- City staff reviewed the process by which permits and zoning decisions are made. The planning commission is usually the first group to consider these issues, and they make recommendations to the city council, which can approve or reject them. Other key factors in these decisions include the city’s comprehensive plan, existing city code, and guidance from the Metropolitan Council. Staff emphasized the importance of making sure that land use decisions go through the legally established process and provide a clear record of that process in case any decisions get challenged in court.
Other Items on the Agenda
- This was the last meeting for the city’s first-ever junior City Council member, McKinley Cherrier. The mayor and Council thanked him for his service and presented him with an award.
- Council Member Pat Armon highlighted progress on Kennedy Park, mentioning how grants and donations have paid for a new artistic bench featuring two figures embracing. Armon also reminded us about the city-wide litter cleanup and holiday egg hunt on Saturday, April 19 at Harmon Park.
- Darlene Tinucci and Kristi Larson gave a presentation to the city council on another successful year of Relay For Life, which raised thousands of dollars to help fight cancer.
- Mayor Dave Napier read a proclamation honoring Fair Housing Month, which celebrates the anniversary of the fair housing act.
- The City Council went into recess to hold a brief session of the Economic Development Authority (EDA) to consider a grant request from Navy Island, which owns several properties in the city’s industrial area. The grant application is for new signage, and the EDA would match Navy Island’s spending on the project on a one-to-one basis. The grant application passed unanimously.
- Council ended the meeting by holding a closed session to plan for upcoming labor negotiations with city staff.
Engage
- Watch: City Council, OCWS, and EDA meetings are archived online.
- Learn more: Guide to West St. Paul City Council.
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