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West St. Paul City Council approved a rental license for the Hilltop at Signal Hills apartments after a 92% drop in nuisance calls. Council also discussed wages of city employees falling behind the market.
Rental License for Hilltop at Signal Hills
The Hilltop at Signal Hills apartment complex (the family building at the former K-mart site) has been on a provisional rental license for the past two years for code and nuisance call issues. But this year, after a vast improvement, Council unanimously approved a regular rental license.
- Improvement: Valid police calls dropped from 72 in 2024 to just six in 2025. The property met all the terms of their mitigation plan, including installing additional cameras and repositioning existing cameras for better coverage.
- Ongoing concerns: Council Member John Justen shared that though he would vote for the renewal, he received a call from a resident of the building who said they’d rather the license be denied and they be kicked out of housing than continue to live in the existing conditions. Justen said those issues were outside Council’s legal scope, but the call concerned him. Staff also noted some residents continue to complain about the level of service and amenities at Hilltop, though those issues are outside the scope of a license renewal.
City Employee Wages
During the Open Council Work Session (OCWS), Council discussed the wages of city employees.
- Background: In early 2024, the city implemented a plan to boost wages to remain competitive and avoid falling behind comparable cities.
- Why: It’s more economical to retain good employees rather than face repeated turnover and additional training costs. City Manager Nate Burkett said he’d much rather have dedicated and committed employees who aren’t always looking for a position with a slightly higher pay.
- What happened: Burkett’s plan was working and on track to close the gap by 2027. But now market wages are rising even faster, meaning the gap continues to exist. One reason market wages are rising so high seems to be the state legislature repealing a cap on city government salaries in 2023.
- Impact: The city will make some adjustments in the 2027 budget with a cost of living increase, a tweak to the pay structure, and reclassifying one position, but the bigger impact will come in future years. To continue closing the wage gap, the city’s property tax levy in 2028 will need at least a 6.8% increase.
- Stance: Council members were generally supportive of the philosophy behind closing the wage gap, but also concerned about the ongoing impacts.
Engage
- Watch: City Council and OCWS meetings are archived online.
- Learn more: Guide to West St. Paul City Council.
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