Meeting Information

• Date: January 14, 2025
• Title: Committee of the Whole Regular Meeting
• Present: Payne, Wonsley, Rainville, Vetaw, Cashman, Chughtai, Koski, Palmisano, Chowdhury, Chavez (10 members)
• Absent: Ellison, Osman, Jenkins (3 members)
• Guests: Daniel Ableson (presenter), Daniel Le (Ethics Board nominee), Casey Karl (City Clerk), Kristin Anderson (City Attorney), Adam (Assistant City Attorney)
• Votes: 2 (1 public hearing closure, 1 consent agenda)

Highlights

• Ethics Board nomination hearing for Daniel Le
• Annual Council tracking report showing significant legislative output in 2024
• Comprehensive briefing on Department of Justice consent decree terms for police reform
• Discussion of implementation timeline and oversight for police reforms
• Update on Jamaican Kitchen liquor license revocation process

Discussion

Ethics Board Nomination

Daniel Ableson presented Daniel Le’s nomination to the Ethics Board, highlighting his 26 years of legal experience including work with Legal Aid, the St. Paul City Attorney’s office, and current role as General Counsel for the Minnesota Credit Union Network. The nomination received positive comments from council members and no public opposition. No formal vote was required as the council’s role was to receive public comment.

2024 Council Activity Report

City Clerk Casey Karl presented a comprehensive report showing significant council activity in 2024, including 47 enacted ordinances, 449 resolutions, and 953 other actions. Council members emphasized the importance of measuring outcomes rather than just output. Councilmember Palmisano noted: “The data is important, but outcomes reporting is the next frontier…our work and our accomplishments are shared between the Council and the Administration.” Report was received and filed.

DOJ Consent Decree Briefing

City Attorney Kristin Anderson presented the newly negotiated DOJ consent decree terms, emphasizing new requirements around community engagement, use of force, behavioral health response, and oversight. Significant discussion focused on implementation timeline, with several council members pushing for faster completion than the typical 12-20 year timeframe seen in other cities. Councilmember Wonsley stated: “We should not set that as an expectation for our police department. We’ve experienced mismanagement of it for far too long and should not elongate the process.” Report was received and filed.

Jamaican Kitchen License

The committee discussed the pending liquor license revocation for Jamaican Kitchen. Councilmember Cashman explained they were giving the business maximum time to submit required tax clearance documentation before Thursday’s full council meeting. Discussion indicated a preference for allowing withdrawal rather than revocation if requirements aren’t met, to protect the business’s future licensing abilities. Moved forward without recommendation.

Public Comments

One public hearing was held regarding Daniel Le’s nomination to the Ethics Board. No members of the public came forward to speak.