North St. Paul City Council — Transcript
Sunday, September 14, 2025
EDA 2026 Preliminary Budget and Levy
Community Center Land Future Discussions
Facade Improvement Program Updates
Pine Tree Site Redevelopment
Mueller Funeral Home Site Update
Student Build House Program
Votes (2)
EDA 2026 Preliminary Budget and Levy
Dissent: None
Moved by Member Nath [0:20:00] · Seconded by Member Matthews [0:20:05]
Finance Director Dan Winnick presented the 2026 preliminary budget and levy, highlighting the EDA's strong financial position with increasing cash and fund balances. He explained the decision to maintain the current levy amount of approximately $21,000, as well as the planned reduction in the Community Development Director's funding allocation from the EDA. A previous $125,000 contractual services budget for a consultant and downtown manual, originally for 2025, has largely gone unspent. Members inquired about EDA property ownership and the rationale behind property transfers.
Community Center Land Future Discussions
Executive Director Frannle (Brian) updated the EDA on the Community Center, explaining that grants for a multicultural center conversion were being returned due to prohibitive costs revealed by a feasibility study. Options for the land's future include reallocating grant funds to a new water tower project, exploring a land lease (e.g., for 20-25 years at $1/year), selling the property, or demolishing the existing, dilapidated building for future redevelopment. A primary concern is retaining the Ramsey County Library within the city, necessitating discussions on relocation or continued accommodation. Significant structural repair costs for the existing building (roof, RTUs) make continued use unfeasible in its current state, and watershed regulations pose challenges for new development on the site.
Notable Quotes (5)
Um and so unless there's something that um the city manager and myself is unaware of of of some huge needs coming up into the future of the economic development authority. Um we're kind of looking at that the preliminary budget that we're looking at um that we would recommend that we stay with the same levy.
The intent of the 125,000 for this year and for next year is that there was conversations last year um that you wanted to part of the um the decision to pull down the percentage of the community development director was that you were going to hire a consultant um to help out with some of the economic development needs of the city.
Um, you know, we got the funding or grants from state and federal to uh kind of update the community center into a multicultural center. Um, after doing a uh a feasibility study when it came to we hired an engineering and architectural firm to look at that. um just looking at all the numbers and what it took to get where we're at and and future because one of the aspects of those grants is you have to run it as whatever you had asked for the money for for the next, you know, probably 25 years. Um and if that's not the case, they can come back and say, 'Well, it's really not uh part of the program. uh we'd like our money back.' So clearly we couldn't do that.
I like the water tower idea. I mean that is just that adds value to a city. It's it's a good thing for future development. I like that. And then you talked about repurposing or reallocating monies that would go to that water department into into the community center. I I do see a lot of land leases and a lot of companies like a Walgreens or CVS, they do a land lease because they don't want that asset. They don't want the liability on their books.
One challenge I may come up for any redevelopment is uh with current watershed regulations, what are they going to do for storm water management? Nowadays, it's always ponding or underground systems and that will be an additional expense andor take some of the land away that would be available unless the neighbor to the north buys it and then they can incorporate it somehow.
Ordinances & Resolutions (8)
Proposed financial plan for the Economic Development Authority for the fiscal year 2026.
Proposed tax levy amount for the Economic Development Authority for 2026.
The maximum tax levy that the City Council will certify, which includes the EDA component.
The city's plan for capital projects, including infrastructure for streets, facilities, and parks, impacting long-term levy needs.
A feasibility study conducted by EAPC for the community center.
An architectural firm that provided information on the Community Center's condition and costs.
The budget cycle for Ramsey County, impacting the financial outlook for the library services.
City program designed to provide financial assistance for improving the exterior appearance of buildings in the downtown area.