This transcript covers two sessions: a City Council Workshop followed by a Regular City Council meeting. I have corrected transcription errors (e.g., "Mayor Monkey" to "Mayor Monge") and assigned speakers based on the roles provided and the context of the dialogue. **Note on Timestamps:** As the source text did not include original timecodes, I have provided relative timestamps starting from the beginning of each session. ### **Part 1: City Council Workshop** **[00:00:00] Jennie Kloos:** Roll call. Council Member Cole is absent. Council Member Schweer? **[00:00:05] Council Member Schweer:** Here. **[00:00:06] Jennie Kloos:** Council Member Wong? **[00:00:07] Council Member Wong:** Here. **[00:00:08] Jennie Kloos:** Council Member Nordby? **[00:00:09] Council Member Nordby:** Here. **[00:00:10] Jennie Kloos:** Mayor Monge? **[00:00:11] Mayor John Monge:** Here. Can I get a motion to adopt the agenda? **[00:00:13] Council Member Schweer:** So moved. **[00:00:14] Mayor John Monge:** Moved by Council Member Schweer. Second? **[00:00:15] Council Member Nordby:** Second. **[00:00:16] Mayor John Monge:** All in favor say aye. **[00:00:17] Council Members:** Aye. **[00:00:18] Brian Frandle (City Manager):** Thank you, Mayor. First topic up is Ramsey County HRA Levy discussion. We’ll start that off with a quick staff report from Randy Howard, Community Development Director. **[00:00:28] Randy Howard (Community Development Director):** You might recall a meeting back in April where we had a presentation on the HRA levy. I thought tonight would be a good opportunity to revisit that... [Explains Ramsey County HRA history and the 2022 levy details]. **[00:05:40] Mayor John Monge:** I'll open up with our own now—how much are we bringing in for our HRA that we have? **[00:05:46] Randy Howard:** I believe the levy is paused at the moment with our HRA. **[00:05:50] Mayor John Monge:** What do we have for funds? **[00:05:52] Randy Howard:** I believe it's a little over $400,000 right now. **[00:05:56] Mayor John Monge:** Why was it paused? **[00:05:58] Brian Frandle:** We sold the 19th Avenue house and made significant money... we felt they didn't need the funding and that's what was voted on last year. **[00:06:10] Council Member Troy Woods:** If we elect to go with the Ramsey County one, ours has to stop, correct? **[00:06:15] Randy Howard:** I don't believe that is correct. We would continue to operate our own. Carrie Collins, the Community Development Director with the County, is present to answer questions. **[00:06:25] Carrie Collins (Ramsey County HRA):** This is a great question... ours is in addition to cities that also have an HRA. Every city does it differently. [Explains workforce housing and economic recovery]. **[00:08:45] Mayor John Monge:** What about ending, let’s say in three years, if it’s not a good fit? **[00:08:50] Carrie Collins:** Yes, you have an opt-in/opt-out option available to you because you fall within the "before 1971" status. **[00:09:15] Council Member Wong:** Thank you for your presentation. In regards to some of the submissions you received, what are some of the factors the HRA considers when allocating a project? **[00:09:25] Carrie Collins:** Great question. We look at the range of affordability... wealth generation programs like down payment assistance are first-come, first-served. [Explains geographic distribution commitments]. **[00:11:30] Council Member Schweer:** No, I think I'm ready for discussion. **[00:11:34] Council Member Wong:** Aside from the student-built housing, what are the other goals of our HRA at this point in time? [Expresses interest in corridor and downtown funding]. **[00:12:10] Council Member Jason Nordby:** I have a question about the math. Is the tax base of Saint Paul above or below that 50% mark of all in Ramsey County? **[00:12:35] Carrie Collins:** It's almost an even split, about 49.8% St. Paul and the rest is Suburban. North St. Paul’s contribution is 1.8%. **[00:13:30] Randy Howard:** Do you mind if I ask her a question? Could you describe the three types of grants for critical corridors? **[00:13:45] Carrie Collins:** Thank you, Randy. [Explains pre-development funds and the Commercial Corridor Initiative]. **[00:15:30] Council Member Troy Woods:** Randy, doing the math, you had broken it down—was it $42 a month for the tax levy? **[00:15:38] Randy Howard:** No, that’s $42 per year on the median tax bill. **[00:15:45] Council Member Troy Woods:** Forgive me, this is kind of a newbie question... what is the history on issues like this? Can we put it on the next election? **[00:16:10] Randy Howard:** This isn't a referendum. It's $42 per year for the average house. **[00:16:20] Council Member Troy Woods:** When you break it down, it's technically $1.40 a day... wait, that's not the right number. $42 for a whole year? That’s even less. **[00:16:50] Council Member Wong:** We don't have a lot of staff dedicated to running the HRA. Limited capacity. **[00:17:10] Victoria Reinhardt (Ramsey County Commissioner):** North St. Paul is part of my district... This is really brought forward by the city; it’s what you want. We wouldn't come in and tell you what to do. I believe your community will benefit from it more than what is put in. **[00:19:30] Mayor John Monge:** I appreciate your perspective on the staffing piece. It's something to consider. **[00:20:20] Brian Frandle:** We can bring it forward as an action item at the next meeting to have a thoughtful reaction. **[00:20:35] Mayor John Monge:** I prefer doing that. We keep adding monthly charges; it’s tough the way things are going up. **[00:21:00] Randy Howard:** I agree there's a lot to think about. There are corridor grant opportunities we’ve missed out on. **[00:22:20] Council Member Wong:** I just want us to think about that return on investment. As we continue to redevelop the downtown, that business corridor piece intrigues me. **[00:23:00] Mayor John Monge:** Part of the equation is the student build. How long is he [the teacher] going to do it? Is there someone replacing him when he retires? That's the unknown. **[00:23:50] Mayor John Monge:** Motion to adjourn. **[00:23:52] Council Member Wong:** So moved. **[00:23:53] Council Member Nordby:** Second. **[00:23:55] Council Members:** Aye. *** ### **Part 2: Regular City Council Meeting** **[00:25:00] Mayor John Monge:** Let’s do the Pledge of Allegiance. [Pledge]. Roll call, please. **[00:25:30] Jennie Kloos:** Council Member Cole is absent. Council Member Schweer? (Here). Council Member Wong? (Here). Council Member Nordby? (Here). Mayor Monge? (Here). **[00:25:45] Mayor John Monge:** Can I get a motion to adopt the agenda, please? **[00:25:47] Council Member Schweer:** So moved, Your Honor. **[00:25:48] Council Member Wong:** Second. **[00:25:50] Mayor John Monge:** All in favor say aye. (Aye). **[00:26:00] Brian Frandle:** Presentation tonight is from the Silver Lake Improvement Association. President Paul Nichols. **[00:26:15] Paul Nichols (President, SLIA):** Hello Mayor and Council Members. I’m here to recognize our partnership and update you on the invasive hybrid milfoil outbreak. [Explains the $20,000 full-lake treatment plan]. I am requesting $5,000 from the City. **[00:30:10] Ron Youngbauer (SLIA Member):** I’m a lake resident. It’s a grassroots operation. We’re working the community, doing a "Max's Give Back" event, and going door-to-door. **[00:32:45] Mayor John Monge:** Is the milfoil what you're fighting every year? **[00:33:00] Ron Youngbauer:** The hybrid is new. The DNR gave us a variance for this one-year treatment. **[00:34:20] John Mueller (SLIA Board):** I've been on the lake 68 years. This hybrid is a whole different animal. It spreads like wildfire. **[00:35:50] Mayor John Monge:** Can I have a motion for a resolution for $5,000 for the Silver Lake fund? **[00:36:00] Council Member Schweer:** So moved. **[00:36:02] Council Member Wong:** Second. **[00:36:05] Mayor John Monge:** All in favor say aye. (Aye). **[00:36:20] Brian Frandle:** Consent agenda. [Lists items A through O]. **[00:38:15] Council Member Wong:** I’d like to pull H, J, and O for comments or questions. **[00:38:30] Mayor John Monge:** Vote to accept the rest of the consent agenda. [Motion/Second/Passed]. **[00:39:10] David Nelson (Resident):** I’ve been a master naturalist for 18 years. I’m looking at a fire hazard at Southwood with the dead trees... they need to be cleaned out. Also, the turtle signs—they need to come down in the fall. **[00:41:45] Mayor John Monge:** We’ll have Public Works take a look. Thank you. **[00:42:00] John Small (Resident):** Regarding Saturday’s Planning Commission meeting... please give the people running these meetings some backing with working mics. It was terrible. **[00:42:30] Brian Frandle:** Item A: Flood Resiliency Plan. Rebecca from WSB. **[00:43:00] Rebecca (WSB Engineer):** [Summarizes the flood resiliency plan and identified focus areas]. **[00:45:10] Mayor John Monge:** Motion to approve? [Moved/Seconded/Passed]. **[00:45:30] Brian Frandle:** Item B: PUD Amendment for the Lily Redevelopment project. Randy Howard. **[00:45:45] Randy Howard:** The developer, Jim LaValle, needs an amendment due to high interest rates. He’s eliminating dedicated commercial space for "live-work" units... lowering building height from 58 to 50 feet. **[00:49:10] Council Member Schweer:** Were live-work units adequately described to the public in those forums? **[00:49:25] Randy Howard:** They were always a piece of the project. **[00:49:50] Mayor John Monge:** Are the measurements for live-work built to suit? **[00:50:10] Jeff Reedy (Architect, MGD):** They range from 800 to 1,200 square feet. 12-foot ceilings on the first level. **[00:51:30] Mayor John Monge:** We’re new since this started. How did we land here? **[00:51:45] Jim LaValle (Developer):** We engaged retail firms. They said don't do it because of the cost and the vacant storefronts nearby. Sunrise Bank wouldn't give credit for retail income... that's a value loss of $800k-$900k. **[00:54:10] Jeff Reedy:** We worked with the Historic Society. This building looks like the old piano and organ factories. These live-work spaces are incubators. **[00:57:15] Council Member Schweer:** If you fill the building and people want to rent these just to live in, would you rent to them? **[00:57:30] Jim LaValle:** We will market them as live-work, but I can't promise. **[00:58:45] Council Member Troy Woods:** I’m slightly concerned about a "bottom of the ninth" change of strategy. We’re hashing this out in 10 minutes. **[01:03:00] City Attorney (Jack):** The language is a bit vague. We need to put detail in the development contract. **[01:05:40] Michaela Hewitt (Baker Tilly):** [Explains the revised TIF agreement and the $793k upfront financial incentive for the developer to fill the financing gap]. **[01:10:00] Mayor John Monge:** Motion to approve the PUD and TIF revisions subject to the revised development contract in two weeks? [Moved/Seconded/Passed]. **[01:15:20] Mayor John Monge:** Item J: Newman’s Bar temporary extension. **[01:16:00] Brian Frandle:** This is for a one-day special event on Sept 16th. [Motion/Second/Passed]. **[01:17:15] Mayor John Monge:** Item K: The Den liquor license. **[01:17:30] Council Member Wong:** I thought that was an adult daycare. I'm not clear on the use. **[01:18:00] Randy Howard:** It feels premature. They haven't pulled building permits for the interior yet. **[01:18:45] Mayor John Monge:** Let’s table it until we have more information. [Motion to continue to June 20th/Passed]. **[01:20:00] Brian Frandle:** Reports. McKnight project is mostly done. Rotary Park had some vandalism/tagging. New public works person starts Monday. **[01:23:00] Mayor John Monge:** Memorial Day was a beautiful service. Car show went well. Motion to adjourn. **[01:23:15] Council Member Nordby:** So moved. **[01:23:16] Council Member Schweer:** Second. **[01:23:20] Mayor John Monge:** All in favor? (Aye). Meeting adjourned.