[Music] South St. Paul is a community built on resilience, progress, connections, and community. Over the past year, we've celebrated achievements that reflect the hard work and dedication of our residents, businesses, and city staff. From investments in public safety and infrastructure to expanding opportunities for recreation, and economic growth, we've made strides that strengthen the foundation of our city. Together, let's look back at the successes of 2024 and set our sights on what's to come. [Music] South St. Paul's Police Department continues to evolve, strengthened its relationship with the community and ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone. One of the most significant programs we introduced in 2024 was our therapy K9, Riley. In partnership with Soldier 6, Riley isn't just a typical K9. He's a therapy dog who helps our officers and staff cope with the emotional challenges of this very difficult job. Riley spends his shifts here at the police department, helping reduce stress, and promoting mental health by offering support to our entire team. His presence has made a lasting impact, encouraging officers to seek help when needed, and strengthening our bond with the communities we serve. We've even had the privilege of assisting neighboring agencies during crisises, showcasing the broader role Riley plays in our entire public safety network. Our connection with the community is growing stronger every day. From major events like Composure Days and Splish Splash Bash to the quiet moments like celebrating a local resident's 25ear sobriety milestone, our mission remains clear to build trust and to be present in South St. Paul. We hear from residents daily about the positive impact of our officers. And while challenges exist, the overwhelming support we receive proves that community policing works and that our officers dedication does not go unnoticed. In 2024, we formalized a training and career development program for all of our new officers, ensuring consistency and giving them a voice in shaping their law enforcement career. We've also secured critical funding to enhance public safety for both the officers and the public we serve. With federal and state funding, we've been able to acquire ballistic vests and license plate reader technology. These aren't just tools, they're essential for protecting officers and ensuring public safety. Last year's tragedy in Burnsville showed how crucial it is to have the right resources available in high-risisk situations. In 2025, we're excited to launch a new initiative to improve transparency and keep our residents informed. Our new transparency and data page on the city website will feature real time crime data and allow our residents to access crime maps and summaries directly. We're working with tools like the Lexus Nexus crime mapping tool to provide accurate and up-to-date information. This will allow our residents to see not only where incidents have occurred, but also how we're addressing crime proactively in our community. We want to make it easier for people to engage with the facts instead of relying on hearsay or misleading social media. This page will also feature regular updates from our department. Everything from incident reports to proactive crime fighting efforts we're making. We're committed to making sure that South St. all stays safe and that everyone has the information they need to feel secure in their community. We firmly believe that building trust with our community starts with sharing the truth. This new tool will empower our residents to take an active role in keeping South St. Paul safe. From emergency response to community safety, South Metro Fire Department continues to grow and adapt to meet the needs of our city. In 2024, the department responded to more calls than ever before, marking a historic milestone in their commitment to serving residents. In 2024, we responded to 8,114 incidents, the most in our department's history. As call volume continues to rise, we've worked to ensure our department has the resources to respond effectively. Thanks to a grant, we're adding more firefighters, which will allow us to staff and run a third ambulance 24/7. The increase in available hours for our third ambulance will enable us to maintain our response times, ensuring we're ready when our residents need us most. Training new firefighters is critical, and our recent partnership with Burnsville, Egan, and Lakeville has revolutionized how we prepare recruits for service. Previously, we had to train new hires on our own, which limited hands-on opportunities. Now, our recruits get better training experience, which includes live fire exercises. This partnership has been a gamecher. Every recruit who's gone through the academy has nothing but good things to say about the experience and it strengthened how we train our next generation of firefighters. For the first time in our department's history, we have a formal strategic plan to guide our work. After completing studies on our facilities and coverage standards, we've developed a comprehensive roadmap that will help us meet the challenges of the future while continuing to serve the community effectively. This plan ensures that the South Metro remains prepared for the challenges ahead while continuing to grow and serve the community. Our EMS team is an essential part of the fire department. In 2024, we renewed our contract with M Health, which ensures that residents receive the highest level of care. This partnership also brings in nearly 2.5 million in revenue over the next 3 years, helping sustain and improve our EMS services. This year, we were finally able to replace a nearly 30-year-old ladder truck that had become too costly to maintain. For nearly 2 years, we operated with just one ladder truck. But now, we have the redundant capabilities once again, ensuring we can respond effectively in any emergency. One of the most difficult moments for our department this year was the unexpected loss of our fire dog, Hagan. Oh my god. asked house takes the whole where you going to go Hal. While his time with us was short, his impact was immeasurable. He provided comfort and calm to all of us during stressful times, reminding us of the power of companionship. Though Haligan is missed, his spirit lives on in our department. We have been fortunate enough to welcome Finnegan, our new service dog, who has stepped in admirably and continues to lift our spirits every day. Though 2024 had its ups and downs, South Metro Fire is stronger than ever, expanding our team, enhancing training, and making critical investments to better serve our residents. We are ready for whatever comes next. Infrastructure is the foundation of a thriving community. In 2024, South St. Paul makes significant strides in upgrading roads, utilities, and pedestrian pathways, ensuring a safer and more connected city. One of our biggest infrastructure projects in 2024 was the complete reconstruction of 7th Avenue South from I494 to South Street. This road had severe cracking, potholes, and was in very poor condition. Our goal was to create a safer, smoother road for everyone. We replace the water man beneath I494, eliminating redundant crossings and ensuring a safer, more reliable system. This upgrade significantly reduces the risk of sinkholes beneath the interstate in case of future water main breaks. The project was completed on time and under budget, improving safety for pedestrians and motorists alike. Yet another major accomplishment was the full reconstruction of Conquered Exchange from Grand Avenue to 6th Street East. This improvement included new asphalt, curb and gutter, sidewalks, street lighting, and upgrades to our underground utilities. This project also included streetscape improvements along Grand Avenue and Conquered Exchange North to enhance both aesthetics and accessibility along the corridor. We are also proud to have completed the Wakakota scenic trail head project which added a new multi-use trail, multiple picnic areas, restrooms, and a bicycle fix it station within walking distance of both our community gardens and boat launch. This project was enhanced uh our trail system, making easier for residents and visitors to enjoy South St. Paul's outdoor spaces. This space will help residents and visitors explore South St. Paul's scenic trails more easily and comfortably. Ensuring access to clean and safe water is a priority for us. In 2024, we made significant progress on the water treatment plant at well number three, which will address radium levels that currently exceed Department of Health standards. This project on track to be completed in May of 2025. In addition, staff have completed an inventory of all lead water service lines across the city and secured grant funding to remove and replace them in the coming years. We also secured funding to address PAS contamination at our well number four. In 2024, we focused on improving pedestrian safety, placing damaged sidewalks throughout the city. We also completed new trail improvements around Sidles Lake, once again connecting us to our neighbors in Grove Heights. This project will make it easier for residents to access and enjoy this outdoor space all year long. In 25, we'll continue making critical infrastructure improvements. We secured a $1 million safe route to school grant to improve pedestrian access along Marie Avenue from 3rd to 9th Avenue. Construction scheduled for this summer. We also be constructing Marie Avenue from 3rd to 9th and we'll be working towards replacing all lead water service lines across the city to ensure long-term safety and reliability. We're always working towards safe, modern, and sustainable infrastructure that meets the needs of our growing [Music] community. South St. Paul continues to evolve, balancing growth in our city's rich history. In 2024, we saw new housing, business expansion, infrastructure investments, and communitydriven redevelopment efforts that will shape our future. We've been working to modernize our zoning code and subdivision ordinance to reduce red tape and make it easier for homeowners and businesses to invest in their properties. In 2024, we passed new ordinances that make it easier for businesses to offer outdoor dining, install signage, and for homeowners to build residential additions. We also introduced a zoning process for craft production, allowing artisans to produce and sell their products in commercial districts. These updates create opportunities for local businesses to grow while ensuring that new development aligns with the character of our neighborhoods. In 2024, we continued our efforts to restore South St. Paul's public tree canopy after removing over 1,600 trees due to the emerald ashbor infestation. Thanks to grants from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, we planted 124 new trees in parks and boulevards, and nearly 300 trees have been planted over the last 3 years. This funding allows us to continue replanting trees in parks and boulevards, ensuring a greener, healthier South St. Paul for future generations. In 2025, we will complete the South Conquered Corridor study, which will guide future land use between I494 and the river. This will help us develop a long-term vision and update zoning regulations to support smart growth. Our library reuse study, which began in 2024, will be completed in May 2025. This means the future of the former South St. Paul Library is still being determined. The final report will be presented to the city council and the community and will provide data-driven recommendations for how the former library space can best serve the community moving forward. The goal is to find the best fit that makes this space a meaningful part of South St. Paul's future. This is an important step in making sure the space is repurposed in a way that benefits residents and aligns with South St. Paul's future goals. In 2024, we saw the completion of the backyards, part of the larger yards development project. This multi-year project added 263 market rate housing units to South St. Paul, featuring a wide range of amenities that support a modern, sustainable lifestyle. These high amenity buildings align with our vision for conquered exchange and our master housing strategy, which calls for a diverse range of housing options in the city. This project is a great example of how South St. Paul is growing in a way that supports both new residents and our existing community members. The EDA's lowterest loan programs continue to help businesses, homeowners, and landlords make improvements. In 2024, five homeowners participated in our lowinterest loan program, and 12 senior homeowners took advantage of our zerointerest senior loan program. Several businesses, including Black Sheep Coffee and Asian Mart, have used these programs to reinvest in their businesses in 2024. The lowinterest loan program helps ensure our business community continues to thrive. In 2024 and early 2025, we made major strides in preparing the Hardman Triangle Super Block for redevelopment. The demolition of the Twin City Pallet Company buildings and the acquisition of the Conquered Fresh Meets building are critical steps toward transforming this area into a mixeduse neighborhood. A master plan was adopted in March 2025 and we've entered into a preliminary development agreement with Zavi Development. This redevelopment will bring new housing, retail, and dining options to the area, transforming it into a vibrant mixeduse neighborhood. The Hardman Triangle project is a gamecher for South St. Paul. We're excited to see progress in the coming years. South St. Paul is growing thoughtfully and intentionally. With continued planning, investment, and community support, the future in South St. Paul looks bright. Fleming Field continues to be a vital part of South St. Paul, supporting aviation enthusiasts, businesses, and emergency services. In 2024, major infrastructure improvements helped enhance safety and efficiency for all who rely on the airport. One of our biggest projects in 2024 was the reconstruction of a major taxiway at Flemingfield. This investment improves safety and reliability for pilots and aircraft operators, ensuring smooth operations for years to come. We also replaced our aging beacon system, a crucial upgrade that enhances nighttime visibility and overall airport safety. These improvements are part of our ongoing commitment to providing a highquality facility for our aviation community. Looking ahead, we're planning a major fuel system replacement project which is scheduled for construction in 2026. This upgrade will modernize our fueling infrastructure, ensuring long-term reliability and efficiency for both pilots and businesses at Flemingfield. Investing in airport infrastructure keeps South St. Paul connected and ensures that Flemingfield remains a top tier aviation [Music] facility. From maintaining streets to enhancing parks and replacing aging infrastructure, the South St. Ball public works department plays a vital role in keeping our city safe, functional, and beautiful. They were busy in 2024 completing several key projects to improve roads, public spaces, and city services. Past year, we have invested in critical road maintenance projects, including street overlays on Richmond Street, Syndicate Avenue, 9th Avenue South. These overlays extend the lifespan of our roads by 4 to 8 years, providing smoother, safer streets while reducing long-term maintenance costs. We will also perform crack sealing and chip seal coating on multiple streets. These preventive measures help keep moisture from damaging the asphalt, extending the life of our roads. We finally received long-awaited vehicle orders, some of which had been delayed for 2 to 3 years. In 2024, our fleet was updated with a new tanker truck, three single axle dump trucks, three pickup trucks, and one one ton dump truck. Public works vehicles are replaced every 10 to 12 years to keep maintenance costs down. Our new fleet ensures we're equipped for snow removal, maintenance, and daily operations. As we look forward to 2025, we have several key projects planned, including additional street overlays on 1 Avenue South, Stewart Avenue, multiple other locations. We're also joining parks and recreation by investing in playground safety. An employee will be certified in playground inspection and maintenance. This training will ensure that our playgrounds remain safe for our community. Our team works year round to ensure South St. Hall remains a safe, well-maintained, and welcoming community. We're proud of the progress made in 2024, and we're excited to for the improvements to come in 2025. South St. Paul Parks and Recreation spaces are more than just amenities. They're where our community gathers, plays, and thrives. In 2024, we made major strides in improving our parks and planning for the future. In 2024, we finalized the parks master plan, a year-long effort that engaged the community, city council, and advisory commissions. This plan is a long-term road map guiding the future of our parks for the next 10 to 20 years. In 2025, we're taking action by replacing several playgrounds across the city. This is just the beginning of the improvements outlined in our plan. We were fortunate to secure almost $30,000 over several key grants in 2024, supporting a wide range of new and existing programs. Thanks to the Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Department of Health, the No Child Left Inside Grant Program, and the Statewide Health Improvement Partnership Grant, we're launching new youth and community rental programs focusing on cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, roller skiing, and biking. These programs will provide opportunities for yearround activities, ensuring all residents can enjoy our natural spaces. In 2025, we'll also be resurfacing the Summit Park tennis courts with funding from the United States Tennis Association. This investment will improve accessibility and quality for all players. Our community pools have been serving South St. Paul for decades, but they are aging and require substantial reinvestment. In October 2024, the city council approved a pool feasibility and design study to help us explore funding options for a future aquatic facility. This study will help us determine how we can best meet the aquatic needs of our community for years to come beyond our grant-f funded programs. We also completed several key parking facility upgrades in 2024. We added a new volleyball court at Lorine Park, completed a trail overlay at Caposia Landing, and upgraded the Caposia Park pavilion. We also renovated eight ball fields across the city, ensuring these spaces remain safe and high quality for all residents. Our events continue to bring the community together year after year. In 2024, we introduced the South St. Paul 5K color run, and the response was overwhelming, showing just how much our community values opportunities to get active, have fun, and connect. Splish Splash Bash was once again a huge success. With perfect summer weather, nearly 2,000 participants showed up ready to make a splash. Over the past three years, this event has grown tremendously, and that momentum isn't slowing down anytime soon. The Giant Egg Hunt in partnership with the South St. Paul Lions Club is another great example of how our community comes together year after year. None of this would be possible without the support of our local partners, including the South St. Paul police and South Metro Fire Department who help make these events safe and successful. Whether it's a new event or a long-standing tradition, these gatherings continue to strengthen our connections and make South St. Paul a place where people come together. As we look ahead to 2025, we're focusing on several key city improvements. With the parks master plan complete, we'll also start replacing aging playgrounds, ensuring our parks remain safe and engaging for families. We're also pri prioritizing the replacement of the Zamboni at Doug Woo Arena and beginning the process of upgrading the arena's rooftop units and HVAC systems. Our parks are essential to the well-being of our community. In 2025, we'll continue developing wellness focused programs to encourage residents to stay active, enjoy our incredible spaces. South St. Paul is more than just a city. It's a community built on collaboration, tradition, and pride. In 2024, residents came together to preserve history, support local causes, and create lasting memories. Lucy was nearly lost. She was headed for the dumpster, but our community stepped in. A task force came together, including County Commissioner Joe Atkins, local artist Jack Lee Slaba, and South St. Paul Mayor's Youth Task Force and countless residents who donated their time, talent, and resources. After almost a decade at the South St. Paul Library, Lucy found a home at the Dakota County Caposia Library, and she continues to stand as a proud symbol of our community spirit. The response was overwhelming. The support we received to save Lucy truly showcase the heart of South St. Paul. Lois Gvy was our local historian and storyteller who made sure South St. Paul's history would never be forgotten. One of her most significant contributions was sharing the story of 90 South St. Paul women who were the first in the nation to vote after the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Lois passed away in 2023 and the community felt a memorial was a fitting tribute not just to her but to the women she worked so hard to recognize. Before this, there was nothing on South St. Paul that highlighted this moment in history. This memorial located in Lashi Park, the site of the first boat, ensured that Lois's legacy and the story of those pioneering women will continue to inspire future generations. The knockout hunger border battle brought South St. Paul and West St. Paul together for a friendly competition, but with a much bigger purpose. Over 200 volunteers packed more than 30,000 packets of oatmeal for local food shelves serving northern Dakota County. In 2025, we're aiming even higher. Our goal is to pack 55,115 meals representing West St. Paul's zip code. Our community events in 2024 were a resounding success. We know this by the smiles, laughters, and connections that they made. But I truly feel this is a question for the community to answer. And looking ahead to 2025, a new committee will continue a timehonored tradition, the South St. Paul Memorial Day parade and program. For many years, this was planned and facilitated by the military organizations including the Gallagher Hansen BFW and Ladies Auxiliary. With the merging of the VFW organization with Hastings the VFW that they would no longer be hosting the Memorial Day activities here in South St. Paul, community members and organizations came together and refused to let this timehonored tradition end. Since January, the committee has been meeting to plan, organize, and bring the community together to honor those that have served our country. 2024 was a year of community moments, and in 2025, we're looking forward to creating even more. The office of the city clerk plays a vital role in ensuring fair elections, managing city licensing, and overseeing rental housing standards. In 2024, South St. Paul saw a busy election cycle and important improvements to rental licensing. 2024 was a busy election year with three elections conducted over nine months. We held the presidential nominating primary, statewide primary, and presidential general election. One of the biggest changes this year was the introduction of in-person early voting at city hall. This allowed voters to cast their ballots directly into a tabulator just like they would on election day. Early voting was expanded from 7 to 18 days before election day, offering evening and weekend hours to increase accessibility. Over,300 residents took advantage of direct balloting in November alone. Providing more voting options makes it easier for South St. Paul residents to participate in elections. In 2024, we made significant changes to our rental licensing program to improve the quality of rental housing in South St. Paul. Property owners were asked to provide leases and screening processes to ensure compliance with best practices. And we strengthened our inspection program to protect both tenants and neighboring homeowners. These improvements help ensure that rental properties are well-maintained, safe, and in good standing with city regulations. Balancing strong rental housing standards with a positive working relationship between the city and the property owners is key. And these changes set the foundation for continued improvements. As we prepare for 2025, we're focusing on two major priorities. continuing to strengthen our rental inspection program and evaluating our city precincts to ensure a better balance for voters on election day. Right now, precinct 5 at Caposia Education Center is the largest in Dakota County with over 3,800 voters, while precinct 4 at Dakota County Museum has just over 800. Realigning precincts will create a better voting experience, reducing congestion, improving parking, and ensuring polling places are evenly staffed. The key will be making these changes early and ensuring residents are well informed about new polling locations well ahead of the next election. South St. Paul's public housing program continues to provide safe, modern, and energyefficient homes for our senior residents. In 2024, the South St. Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority, otherwise known as the HA, successfully completed a major modernization project and laid the foundation for future energy efficient upgrades. In 2024, the South St. Paul secured funding from Minnesota Housing's publiclyowned housing program or POP program for a transformative project at the John Carroll Highrise. The building underwent a full plumbing modernization which required every resident to temporarily relocate while the work was underway. This was a massive undertaking and it took about 18 months to complete. We replaced all plumbing and each apartment received a fully updated kitchen and bathroom with new water fixtures, lighting, cabinetry, and flooring. In addition to the plumbing and interior updates, we also carefully mitigated hazardous materials such as asbestous, lead, and radon, ensuring the safety of all our residents. By December 2024, everyone was safely back in their homes and the high-rise is now a model of modern accessible living. We also saw a significant milestone in 2024 with the closure of our 20-year energy performance contract or EPC with HUD, which had been providing us with operating subsidies through the rate reduction incentives. To continue reaping the benefits of energy efficiency, we entered into a new project development agreement with Johnson Controls to secure a new EPC contract. This new agreement will allow us to plan a range of energy efficient upgrades for both John Carroll and Nan McKay high-rise buildings. Planned upgrades include HVAC heat pump units, solar panel systems, LED lighting, and geothermal energy options among others. These projects will be funded through a combination of grants, loans, capital fund dollars, and HR reserves helping to reduce our energy usage and lower the costs. As we look to the future, our top priority is making these high-rise buildings as energy efficient as possible. We will be applying for funding through Minnesota Housing's POP forgivable loan program with applications due by April 10th, 2025. We're hopeful for continued success with this program, which has already been a tremendous resource for us. In addition to POP funding, we're also applying for grants through our insurance provider, HAI Group, and for an emergency capital health and safety grant through HUD. These efforts will help us continue upgrading the buildings while making them as energy efficient as possible. These projects will help us reduce energy consumption, lower our energy bills, and save money that can be reinvested into our public housing program for years to come. We're committed to making our housing as green and sustainable as possible. As we look ahead to 2025, it's clear that South St. Paul is a community that rises to every challenge and embraces every opportunity. Whether it's through new investments in our parks, new public safety initiatives, or the dedication of our city staff and residents, we continue to shape a future that honors our past while moving us forward. By continuing to work together, we will create a South St. Paul that is stronger than ever. The future is bright, and I can't wait to see what we accomplish together. [Music]