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Updating a prevailing wage standard that’s nearly a quarter of a century old was the main topic of discussion for the West St. Paul City Council. They also covered Delaware Avenue reconstruction, the police department’s embedded social worker program, and honored the late Rep. Melissa Hortman.
Fair Labor Standards Ordinance
During the Open Council Work Session (OCWS), City Manager Nate Burkett presented a plan to repeal the city’s prevailing wage ordinance and replace it with a more thorough but flexible fair labor standards ordinance.
- Background: The city’s union-friendly prevailing wage ordinance is nearly 25 years old. West St. Paul is one of only a handful of cities in Minnesota with an ordinance requiring prevailing wage for projects with a public subsidy.
- Key change: The current ordinance lacks strong enforcement tools. Burkett suspects there have been projects that aren’t complying, but the city has no legal framework to investigate and enforce the ordinance. The new framework proposes better worker protection and accountability.
- Potential issue: The new ordinance introduces a public benefit waiver to allow more flexibility for certain projects.
- Council’s take: Council members generally agreed the current ordinance isn’t working and the city needs a more effective solution. “We have to do something or throw it out, because it looks pretty but it doesn’t do anything,” said Council Member John Justen.
Delaware Avenue Reconstruction
Dakota County gave an update on the proposed Delaware Avenue reconstruction project during the OCWS.
- Public input: The county has held two open houses—with 55 people attending the first one—and met with multiple property owners individually.
- Decisions: After weighing impacts on both sides of Delaware, a trail will be added on the west side of Delaware Avenue. There will be no sidewalk on the east side. Parking will be limited to the east side north of Emerson.
- Unresolved: Council Member Doug Fromm raised concerns about a safe crossing at Emerson. It’s currently planned as a marked crosswalk, but they’ll explore other options including a flashing beacon.
- Timeline: Construction won’t happen until 2027.
Embedded Social Worker Program
Council heard an update on the police department’s embedded social worker program.
- Staff: They’ve had staff changes, with the former embedded social worker now leading the Crisis Recovery Response Center and new staff—social worker Albert Vargas, who speaks Spanish and whose father worked in the department as a chaplain, and crisis response worker Stephanie Robinson, plus two part-time staff.
- Impact: Last year they handled 834 police calls, freeing up officers to deal with other calls.
Other Items on the Agenda:
- Resolution: In the aftermath of the recent killings of former Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, the Council had a moment of silence and passed a resolution honoring the Hortmans. The resolution read in part: “We denounce political violence and reject the rise of polarizing rhetoric that threatens both individuals and our democracy.”
- Snow removal: Council unanimously approved the assessment for last winter’s Robert Street sidewalk snow removal. No one spoke during the public hearing.
- Building materials: Council unanimously approved a change to the building materials ordinance, allowing more flexibility for maintenance free materials and allowing certain older buildings to be painted.
- Oath of office: Mayor Dave Napier swore in Lucas Newinski as the newest police officer.
- Robert Street trees: Council ran out of time during the OCWS to cover Robert Street trees and that topic will come back at a future meeting.
Engage
- Watch: City Council and OCWS meetings are archived online.
- Learn more: Guide to West St. Paul City Council.
We believe in government transparency and provide these West St. Paul City Council recaps with the support of our members.