City Council

About the Council

As the legislative body, the City Council is responsible for setting City policy through ordinances and resolutions. The Council also has sole responsibility for adopting the City’s budget. The Council legislates by passing Ordinances which become City laws. The Council also makes performance auditing decisions and monitors the operation and performance of city agencies and holds regular oversight hearings on city departments to determine how programs are working and whether budgeted funds are being spent well. In its decision-making roles, the City Council actively involves public through its weekly public meetings. (NOTE: The meetings can be viewed live on cable TV, via webcast and on most mobile devices.  Videos of past council meetings and agendas going back to 2006 are available by clicking on the “Research” tab.)

In addition, the Council acts in a quasi-judicial role in hearing appeals regarding actions taken by a number of City agencies. In addition to their duties as Councilmembers, the City Council serves as the Board of Health and as the directors for the Public Library Agency and commissioners for the Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA). Representatives from the Council are members of the boards for the Saint Paul RiverCentre Convention and Visitors Authority, the Saint Paul Port Authority, the Joint Property Tax Advisory Board (JPTAC), and the Board of Water Commissioners.

Councilmember photos courtesy of Rich Ryan.

Term of Office

Councilmembers are elected to a 4-year term. The current term runs through the end of 2027.

2024 BUSINESS AWARDS WINNERS SPOTLIGHT

Every year, the Saint Paul Business Awards program honors businesses in the city, in 5 award categories:  Alice O'Brien, Good Neighbor, New Kid on the Block, People's Choice, and Traditions.

City Council Meetings

City Council Meetings are open to members of the public for in-person testimony; however, the public may also comment on public hearing items in writing or via voicemail, and by telephone during the City Council meeting.  Live testimony is only taken on public hearing items.

View City Council Meetings Online

Members of the public may view City Council meetings and follow along online or on local cable Channel 18.  

Submit Comments for Public Hearings 

The public may comment on public hearing items in writing or via voicemail. Any comments and materials submitted by 12:00 pm of the day before the meeting will be attached to the public record and available for review by the City Council. 

Written public comment on public hearing items can be submitted to Contact-Council@ci.stpaul.mn.us, CouncilHearing@ci.stpaul.mn.us, or by voicemail at 651-266-6805. 

Tennessen Warning (Minnesota Statutes, § 13.04, subd. 2)  If you submit a comment to our office, the email address you provide is public data under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act. You are not legally or otherwise required to provide your email, but we cannot contact you without it.

Live Public Hearing Testimony 

• In-Person

  Live testimony will be taken in person in the Council Chambers. You may need to sign up to testify when you attend a Council meeting so, please check with a greeter. You can watch the "Democracy in Action" video to learn more about participating.

• By Telephone

  Register here by 12 noon on Tuesday to participate.  Callers who do not register will not be allowed to participate in the live remote testimony. All City Council public hearings are held at 3:30 p.m. 

  If you missed your opportunity to register to speak on an agenda item, you could still attend in person to testify. You can also opt to email your comments to Contact-Council@ci.stpaul.mn.us or CouncilHearing@ci.stpaul.mn.us.  If you prefer to leave a voicemail message at 651-266-6805, your comment will be transcribed and attached to the agenda.

When an Ordinance Takes Effect

Ordinances are read at three separate council meetings and becomes effective after passage by the Council and 30 days after publication in the Saint Paul Legal Ledger. Public hearings on ordinances are held at the second reading.

Reasonable Accommodation

• Language Interpretation Request 
  Sign language and interpreters for languages other than English are available upon request at least 72 hours prior in order to participate in a City Council meeting. To request such an accommodation, please email Contact-Council@ci.stpaul.mn.us or call 651-266-8560 and specify the specific need.
   
• Americans With Disabilities Act Request
  Special assistance is available for disabled persons addressing City Council.  Efforts will be made to provide adaptations or accommodations based on individual needs of qualified individuals with disabilities, provided that notification of at least 72 hours prior to the date of the meeting has been received by the City Council.  Please make your request by emailing Contact-Council@ci.stpaul.mn.us or calling 651-266-8560 and specify the specific need.

Meeting Schedules and Materials

All meetings are held in the Council Chambers of the Saint Paul City Hall and Ramsey County Courthouse, 300 City Hall, 15 Kellogg Boulevard, West. The public is welcome to attend meetings and can access meeting information on the Council's Meeting Calendar such as looking at meeting videos or looking up agendas, minutes, and documents. Review the "Democracy In Action" video below to learn more about how to attend a City Council meeting.

Saint Paul Channel 18 also broadcasts the meetings live and then replays are normally available on Thursdays at 5:00 PM and Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 PM.  Activity packs are available for children by request.

Regular Meetings

• City Council – meets at 3:30 p.m. every Wednesdays (except the fifth Wednesday of the month); Council President Mitra Jalali chairs the meeting.
• Library Board – meets at 2:00 p.m. on the first Wednesday of the month; Councilmember Saura Jost chairs the meeting.
• Housing and Redevelopment Authority – meets at 2:00 p.m. every Wednesdays; Councilmember Rebecca Noecker chairs the meeting.
• Budget Review Committee - periodically meets on Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. from August through December; Council President Mitra Jalali chairs the meeting.  For additional information, please refer to the Budget and Property Tax Resources website.
• Organizational Committee – periodically meets on Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. throughout the year; Council President Mitra Jalali chairs the meeting.  

Saint Paul City Services Community Complaint 

Please report a non-emergency incident regarding garbage collection, rental property issues related to un-shoveled sidewalks, graffiti to potholes, etc. to the Department of Safety and Inspection (DSI).  DSI also provides an overview of the complaint process to help community members understand the type of concerns and how complaints are handled and resolved. Please call 651-266-8989 any time from 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. For non-English speaking callers, the city uses Language Line to assist team members with live, on-demand interpreters, providing assistance in more than 200 languages. Questions and concerns for Parks/Forestry can be directed to 651-266-6400; and for street maintenance issues, calls should be directed to the Public Works service desk at 651-266-9700. Messages left at this number are checked and responded to 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.