2023 Budget approved as some meeting dates shifted in new year

St. Paul Park residents can soon expect a slight increase in their tax bill, following the approval of the 2023 budget at the Monday, Dec. 5 Council meeting.

Meeting in the City Council chambers, the St. Paul Park Council went through its short agenda in just under 17 minutes. With no changes from the council budget workshop, the city approved a levy of 7.92 percent to raise a total of $2.636 million in taxes for city needs.

The budget approval means a St. Paul Park resident with a $270,000 home can expect an additional $120 in taxes for the coming tax year.

Also among the items covered Dec. 5 was a slightly amended 2023 Council meeting schedule, as follows: • Monday, Jan. 2 moved to Jan. 3 for New Year’s Day

• Monday, Jan. 16 moved to Jan. 17 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

• Monday, Feb. 20 moved to Feb. 21 for President’s Day, and

• Monday, Sept. 4 to Sept. 5 for Labor Day The time of council meetings moving forward being 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of the month.

Also on tap at the St. Paul Park Dec. 5 council meeting was a citywide ordinance related to de-icing material, the bottom line being that city residents must store such material inside or else covered. The amendment to Chapter 26 of the city code was joined to another from Chapter 10 related to animal waste. In short, clean it up!

Both ordinance updates are related to the city’s stormwater permit. Following resolution approval of the tax levy, council members gave updates on commissions, with the following

• The Public Works Commission now meets at 5 p.m., its most recent meeting Tuesday, Dec. 6

•Public Safety Commission is expected to have two open chairs soon for those interested in serving

• A requested stop sign was put in at a T-intersection near Pullman Elementary following a young person making appeal to Public Safety

• National Night Out is changing to “Night to Unite”

• Plan Commission meets Monday, Dec. 12 and needs two members

• Glow in the Dark sledding will take place on Dec. 28 behind City Hall, with free hot cocoa and cookies

• Parks and Recreation needs three or four members, meeting at City Hall on Thursday nights

• The Holiday Lights contest sponsored by Old National can be signed up for at City Hall or Old National through Dec. 17

• Dog licenses are due by Dec. 31 A full review of the council and other city boards is available at stpaulpark.org.