Minutes 01-07-1993 MINUTES OF THE SAINT PAUL CITY COUNCIL
Thursday, January 7, 1993
9:00 A.M. Council Chambers
Third Floor City Hall and Court House
Saint Paul, Minnesota
The meeting was called to order by President Wilson at 9:00 A.M.
Present - 5- Councilmembers Guerin, Maccabee, Rettman, Thune, Wilson
Absent - 2- Grimm, Long (both arrived during discussion of first item of business)
9. Councilmembers Guerin, Grimm and Wilson presented certificates to the Youth Volunteers
of the Month.
CONSENT AGENDA
FOR ACTION
1. Letter from Mayor Scheibel announcing vacancies on the Carousel Board; Private Industry
Council (PIC) and Truth-In-Housing Board of Examiners.
Noted as on file in the City Clerk's Office.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
2. Third Reading - 92-1055 - an ordinance amending Chapter 28 of the Saint Paul Legislative
Code pertaining to campaign funding limits or contributions to City Elections. (Human
Services, Health and Business Regulations Cte. recommends approval of substitute
ordinance.)
Councilmembers Guerin, Thune and Rettman spoke in support of referring the item back
to committee or laying it over indefinitely.
Councilmembers Long and Maccabee supported laying the matter over to a date certain.
After extensive discussion regarding the process on timeline for review and action.
Councilmember Guerin moved to refer the item to committee.
Councilmember Long moved to lay the item over to February 4th in Neighborhood Services
Committee.
- Council President Wilson ruled that a motion to layover supersedes a motion to refer to
committee.
Motion to layover.
Adopted Yeas - 7 Nays - 0
Laid over to February 4, 1993
ADDITIONAL ITEM:
1. Third Reading - 92-1495 - an ordinance amending Chapter 231 of the Saint Paul Legislative
Code regarding public nuisances, to conform to State Statute and to set forth the procedure
to be following when charging any person with violating this section. (Neighborhood
(Discussion on following page)
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Januar�t 7, 1993
(Continued from previous page)
Services Cte. recommends approval as amended - laid over from January 5, 1993)
Substitute adopted and laid over to January 14th for final adoption
Councilmembers Wilson and Rettman summarized a meeting with the affected parties on
this issue.
Councilmember Rettman moved approval of the substitute ordinance.
Adopted Yeas - 7 Nays - 0
Councilmember Maccabee raised concerns regarding the language specifying defenses for
landlords who have been cited.
Jim Seal, member of the 3PR Committee, spoke in support of the substitute being
discussed by the Council.
Jim Anderson, 905 N. Marion, spoke in support of the substitute before the Council and
supported adding language to penalize "chronic problem property owners."
Matt Hollingshead, 1728 Hague Ave., and a representative of the Merriam Park Community
Council, spoke in support of the current law and urged the Council to give judges flexibility
in accepting defenses if the substitute is adopted.
Scott Van, representative of District 6 Planning Council, supports the substitute being
discussed by the City Council and said that landlords must be held accountable.
Caroline Donakowski, a Representative for the Merriam Park Community Council, spoke
about the problems caused by student housing and urged the Council to adopt
amendments that would promote responsible leasing.
Councilmember Rettman moved to close the Public Hearing.
Roll Call Yeas - 7 Nays - 0
Extensive discussion ensued among Councilmembers regarding the impact of the language
outlining landlord defenses against citations.
Councilmembers Maccabee, Long and Thune did not want landlords who repeatedly had
bad tenants to be exempt from citations.
Councilmembers Rettman and Wilson did not want landlords who had a couple of bad
tenants, treated as a repeat offender.
Natalie Hudson, City Attorney, responded to some questions and asked for additional time
to meet with her staff to respond to questions raised by Councilmembers.
Councilmember Maccabee also questioned the reasons for eliminating the maximum penalty
provisions.
Councilmember Wilson again summarized the impacts of the ordinance and the previous
meeting on this issue.
Councilmember Maccabee asked that the City Attorney responses be put in writing prior
to fourth reading and final adoption.
3. Third Reading - 92-1929 - an ordinance amending the presumptive penalties provided for
intoxicating and non-intoxicating liquor licenses in Section 209.26 of the Saint Paul
Legislative code. (Referred to Human Services, Health & Business Regulations Cte., with
readings to continue.)
Councilmember Rettman left and returned later in the meeting.
(Continued on following page)
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January 7, 1993
(Continued from previous page)
Counciimember Maccabee asked for a one week layover to allow time for the Human
Services Committee to meet and discuss this item.
After a brief discussion among Councilmembers, Councilmember Thune moved an indefinite
layover.
Roll Call Yeas - 6 Nays - 0
Laid over indefinitely.
Councilmember Rettman returned to the meeting as this point.
4. Third Reading - 92-1930 - an ordinance amending Chapter 324.08 of the Saint Paul
Legislative Code restricting the free distribution of cigarettes on public sidewalks and other
public spaces. (Human Services, Health and Business Regulations Cte. recommends
approval.)
Councilmember Maccabee moved adoption of a substitute requested by the License
Department to adjust same.
Adopted Yeas - 7 Nays - 0
Substitute adopted and laid over to January 14th for final adoption.
5. Third Reading - 92-1931 - an ordinance amending Chapter 321 of the Saint Paul Legislative
Code relating to rooming and boardinghouses. (Human Services, Health and Business
Regulations Cte. recommends approval.)
No one appeared in opposition.
Laid over to January 14th for final adoption.
6. Resolution - 92-1718 - ordering the correction or wrecking and removal of a structure at
350-352 Aurora Avenue. (Laid over from December 3rd.)
No one appeared in opposition.
Councilmember Guerin moved to amend the resolution to demolish within 6 months as
recommended by committee.
Amended and adopted Yeas - 7 Nays - 0
7. Resolution 92-18r27 - ordering the owner to remove or repair within 30 days after
publication, property at 528 Virginia Street. (Laid over from December 8th)
Councilmember Guerin explained the committee recommendation was for repair or
demolition within 30 days after publication.
Mr. Kittleson, Chair of the URAP Program and a member of District 7, asked the Council
to extend the demolition for six months and summarized efforts by the community to rehab
and move the property. He noted that the current owner of the property supported the
efforts to rehab the building and the layover.
Gary Sather, 620 Virginia, a representative of the Virginia-Thomas Block Club, spoke in
support of saving the building and delaying the demolition.
Councilmember Wilson spoke in support of a six month delay in demolition.
(Continued on following page)
14
January 7, 1993
After a brief discussion among Councilmembers regarding the timeline for rehabilitation, the
feasibility for obtaining financing; organizations involved and the need for insurance and
upkeep.
Councilmember Guerin moved approval of the resolution as amended to delay demolition
for six months and require that insurance be posted and the property be properly
maintained.
Adopted as amended Yeas - 7 Nays - 0
8. Resolution 92-1936 - approving the vacation of parts of Arch Street and Wales Street,
between Jackson and Wales Streets by the Public Housing Agency of the City of St. Paul.
(Public Works Cte. recommends approval - laid over from December 29th)
Councilmember Thune moved approval.
Adopted Yeas - 7 Nays - 0
MISCELLANEOUS
2. Resolution - 92-1946 - approving the list of eligible organizations for the 1993 Charitable
Gambling 10% Club. (laid over from January 5, 1993)
Councilmember Wilson asked that the resolution be amended to delete several
organizations who did not meet the qualifications. Discussion ensued among
Councilmembers regarding the position of the Youth Fund Board on the deletions, the
reasons for ineligibility and the impacts on the progress of the organizations to be deleted.
Councilmember Long moved a two week layover.
After councilmembers discussed the impacts on withholding funds from the qualifying
organizations, Councilmember Long withdrew his motion.
Councilmember Guerin moved approval with the deletion of several organizations as
discussed during the meeting.
Amended and adopted Yeas - 7 Nays - 0
Councilmembers asked Eric Thompson, Parks and Recreation Division, to draft another
resolution including the names of those organizations deleted to be discussed on January
21 st.
Councilmember Thune moved suspension for the following resolution.
Adopted Yeas - 7 Nays - 0
Resolution - 93-45- supporting the petition of Northern States Power Company authorizing
the continuation of Area Development Rate Zones.
Councilmember Thune briefly explained the effects of the resolution and moved approval.
Adopted Yeas - 7 Nays - 0
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January 7, 1993
Counciimember Thune moved to adjourn the meeting.
ADJOURNED AT 7:03 P.M.
r
. .
ATTEST:
ouncil Presi ent, Bill Wilson
�
�--� Minutes approved by Council
City Clerk, Ily O' R rke ,�'� i/� / 9 93
M :th
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