Oakdale Council Approves Police Equipment Grant, Food Shelf Donation
The Oakdale City Council approved accepting a $12,195 state grant for additional license plate readers and authorized a donation to Open Cupboard food shelf during their Oct. 28 meeting.
The Minnesota Autotheft Grant will fund two stationary license plate readers to be installed near 34th Street and Marketplace, expanding the police department's current network of four readers. Police Chief Newton reported the existing readers have scanned nearly 8 million license plates since early 2024, resulting in 58 actionable items including several arrests and recovery of eight stolen vehicles.
The council also approved a one-time donation to Open Cupboard food shelf using charitable gambling funds. Mayor Zabel cited upcoming cuts to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program affecting 42 million Americans starting Nov. 1. The food shelf, which serves both Oakdale and Maplewood, has grown from supporting 400 families weekly a decade ago to 4,000 families currently.
In other business, the council certified delinquent utility accounts totaling an unspecified amount to Washington County for inclusion in 2026 property taxes. Property owners have until Nov. 15 to pay outstanding balances before the certification takes effect.
The meeting concluded with a closed session regarding allegations against city employee Bob Banick. Details of the closed session were not disclosed publicly.
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The Oakdale City Council held their regular meeting on October 28, 2025, addressing routine business including delinquent utility certifications, a donation to Open Cupboard food shelf, infrastructure agreements, and police equipment grants. The meeting concluded with a closed session regarding allegations against city employee Bob Banick.
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