St. Paul — Transcript

Thursday, July 23, 2026Analysis complete

4 Topics in This Document

Mayor's Encampment Release Plan (SR 26-145)

Amendment to Business Assistance Fund (BAF) Guidelines (RES26-1174)

Redevelopment Project at 47 Douglas Street (SR26-143)

Second Quarter Budget to Actual Report (SR26-144)

Full Extraction
Information Item, No Action Taken
6 in favor, 0 opposed. Resolution adopted.
7 in favor, 0 opposed. Resolution adopted.
7 in favor, 0 opposed. Resolution adopted.
Information Item, No Action Taken (scheduled for approval August 5th)
Information Item, No Action Taken

The whole general purpose u for this council or excuse me this public safety meeting is really for our council members to really field the details, provide insight, perspectives, and really provide feedback um to some of our partners that are leading this um encampment um transition.

Chair Buouie [02:30]SR 26-145 Mayor's Encampment Release Plan

When it comes to the assessment, um we did an assessment in that assessment um which was coordinated by our department of safety and inspections. Um the assessment consisted of uh code enforcement information, um police information and fire information. um that information was pulled together um which really supports the basis of why we made the decision that we did.

Assistant Mayor Cedric Baker [13:09]SR 26-145 Mayor's Encampment Release Plan

Ramsey County yesterday, uh, executed an agreement with Catholic Charities to provide an additional 49 emergency shelter beds at Higher Ground. These beds are paired with trauma-informed shelter advocates who provide crisis intervention, navigation, and ongoing support.

County Manager Ling Becker [30:52]SR 26-145 Mayor's Encampment Release Plan

We are needing to deal with um a health and a safety situation. But on the other side, we are literally trying to say let's let's dig in and think differently. What can we do? Who do we need to bring together and how can we all have a more effective conversation on how people that are experiencing unsheltered homelessness can be really supported and actually end up thriving?

Assistant Mayor Cedric Baker [45:49]SR 26-145 Mayor's Encampment Release Plan

I would say please don't actually come down on the fifth. It's not because we don't want your your help. We just want it placed in different ways.

Assistant Mayor Cedric Baker [58:04]SR 26-145 Mayor's Encampment Release Plan

We know that overdoses will rise in the time period immediately following the closure. We know that the spread of infectious diseases will rise as people are unable to find the folks who they've been providing public health treatment to. So understanding what we've learned from other cities and how we are mitigating against those public health concerns and how we are ensuring that we are not again in our in our attempt to address a set of concerns exacerbating harm...

Council Member Coleman [1:08:44]SR 26-145 Mayor's Encampment Release Plan

It adds the threeword skyway access improvements. Um, I'd defer to council president or commissioner uh nker to talk a little bit about this, but I'll just note that the philosophy behind public realm improvements as an eligible use um does contribute directly to the vibrancy of downtown and that interoperability between buildings and streetscapes and vice versa.

Assistant Mayor Sumo Linger [1:16:51]RES26-1174 resolution amending the business business assistance fund BAF guidelines citywide.

So uh we've had the central portion of our skyways through um central station, the athletic club and the Alliance Bank building cut off for too long. Um and it's become clear that we need to restore that access. That does come with funding challenges in part due to the need to secure some of the businesses that are adjacent to the Skyway, especially in the Alliance Bank building, the need for additional cameras and other physical changes.

Commissioner Nger [1:17:47]RES26-1174 resolution amending the business business assistance fund BAF guidelines citywide.

Historic St. Paul proposes to reestablish the original floor plan resulting in a two-bedroom, oneb home. Historic St. Paul will rehabilitate the home in a manner consistent with the Secretary of the Interior standards for rehabilitation as if it were listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Joe Musaf [1:25:28]SR26-143 introduction to redevelopment project at 47 Douglas Street, District 9, Ward 2.

I am so excited to see this coming in front of us for action. I think you and I toured this home 10 some years ago. Um, and it has been clear since then that there is um, that the neighborhood deserves um, reinvestment in this property and that it needs to be um, preserved.

Commissioner Nre [1:28:44]SR26-143 introduction to redevelopment project at 47 Douglas Street, District 9, Ward 2.

This uh Historic St. Paul will be required to sell this home for owner occupancy to a household whose income does not exceed 80% of the area median income.

Joe Musaf [1:29:43]SR26-143 introduction to redevelopment project at 47 Douglas Street, District 9, Ward 2.

The city's PLA policy is that if um investment exceeds $250,000, there is a protocol that we shall follow which uh requires notification of interested parties that this project is uh likely going to commence and whether there is a recommendation from any interested parties that a project labor agreement should be considered or not. We received no response and therefore our our um recommendation is no project labor agreement.

Joe Musaf [1:31:07]SR26-143 introduction to redevelopment project at 47 Douglas Street, District 9, Ward 2.

Our job uh on the finance side is to provide accurate and objective decision support information um in a timely uh in a timely fashion. We rely on the understanding um of leadership our understanding of leadership's capacity uh perspective and approach to guide the development and presentation of that information.

Deputy Director Nicole Green [1:36:58]SR26-144 second quarter budget to actual report.

PED is most significantly funded through our special funds. Um we have about our total budget is about four 4.6% of the city's overall budget but our general fund um uh receipts our general fund um portion is uh less than um half a million dollars.

Deputy Director Nicole Green [1:38:52]SR26-144 second quarter budget to actual report.

I don't expect to see an IND like an individual program using H funds just go over budget without having some sort of board action. So if that was the case in that matter um you know we had a full stack presentation in particular around that um where the presentation that was presented was $350,000 and that was an increase from prior years and there was a little bit of ambiguity around I think what could be spent at that time if I recall correctly and I just don't want to make a habit of going over budget from what's given and if that was the case where that was necessary I would fully expect it to come to the board for approval prior to doing so not on the back.

Chair Johnson [1:42:36]SR26-144 second quarter budget to actual report.