Thanks to The North 40 Tavern for their support. A north woods tavern somewhere in the middle of a big city. They regularly rotate tap beers, so stop in to see what’s currently flowing.
West St. Paul City Council approved $50,000 in rental assistance for families impacted by increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity, as well as interviewed applicants for open board and committee positions.
ICE Response
For a third meeting in a row, City Council discussed potential actions in response to increased ICE activity. The ongoing arrests and detainment have resulted in many families staying home from work, school, and activity, resulting in a plethora of needs. Many are impacted regardless of immigration status as ICE routinely detains U.S. citizens and those with no criminal record.
- Food assistance: Council formally approved the $10,000 in emergency food assistance they authorized at the last meeting. The money is going to local schools where nonprofits and PTAs are coordinating significant grocery deliveries to impacted families. The money will be evenly divided between Garlough, Moreland, Heritage, and the Early Learning Center (with 360 Communities administering their funds since the Early Learning Center doesn’t have a PTA). The money comes from the city’s general fund where there is discretionary spending for this kind of expenditure.
- Rental assistance: Council unanimously approved $50,000 in rent/mortgage assistance for impacted residents.
- Who: Staff estimates there are 50 to 100 families who are facing imminent eviction.
- Where: The money will evenly be divided between the schools—Garlough, Moreland, Heritage, and the Early Learning Center—as well as Beyond the Yellow Ribbon, a nonprofit serving veterans that volunteered to coordinate funds for anyone not connected to assistance through the schools (applicants do not need to be veterans).
- Requirements: The money will go to nonprofits with standard safeguards, including income and residency verification, anti-duplication and anti-fraud controls, audit provisions, and reporting requirements. Recipients would need to be at or below 80% area median income (AMI).
- Funding: The money will come from the city’s Local Affordable Housing Aid (LAHA) funds, which is a state affordable housing program. Much of this money has been earmarked for the 424 Butler townhouse project, though City Manager Nate Burkett said that project is underwater—a topic for a future meeting—and $50,000 wouldn’t make or break the project.
- Other proposals: The agenda packet included other potential actions, including a separation ordinance, mask ban for law enforcement, and banning use of public property for immigration enforcement. Staff recommended not pursuing these proposals because current action is already achieving similar results or they would be difficult to enforce and as a result erode public trust. These proposals were not discussed during the meeting.
Committee Interviews
During the Open Council Work Session (OCWS), Council interviewed eight candidates for six open positions on city boards and commissions.
- Another opening: A ninth candidate will be interviewed by the Charter Commission for a seventh open seat, though the Charter Commission recommends its own appointments.
- Eager: While well short of last year’s 20 applicants, this year’s candidate pool was again a wealth of interested and engaged residents with enthusiasm for their city.
- Next steps: Council will make appointments at the next meeting.
Rental License Hearing: 97 Orme Street East
City Council held a rental license hearing for the 10-unit building at 97 Orme Street East and unanimously approved a provisional license.
- The owner did not apply for a rental license on time, has had two code enforcement issues, and multiple concerning police calls.
- The owner appeared and blamed the issues on a property manager and attempted sale that hasn’t been finalized yet.
- Council approved a standard mitigation plan to address the outstanding issues.
Other Items on the Agenda
- Board policy: During OCWS, Council discussed next steps for creating a policy for city boards and commissions. Discussion centered around board chairs and if Council should appoint them or limit their terms to encourage more change and opportunity.
- Consent agenda: A couple items of note were approved in the consent agenda, including the city manager’s performance review (“overall performance met and, in several areas, exceeded expectations”) and lowering the fee on second-hand stores from $300 to $25.
- Rezoning: The rezoning for the 424 Butler townhouse project was approved unanimously in the final reading.
- Admin code: Council also approved the final reading of the updated administrative code.
Engage
- Watch: City Council and OCWS meetings are archived online. You can also watch the video recap with Council Members Robyn Gulley and John Justen.
- Learn more: Guide to West St. Paul City Council.
We again had to hire a contributor to cover the ISD 197 School Board meeting happening on the same night as the Council meeting. We make local news freely available, but it’s not free. Join now to support local news and keep your community informed.
