Meeting March 20 at City Hall, the St. Paul Park Council conducted regular business, including one resolution and two ordinances, as well as the updating of mayoral appointments.

As for the resolution and ordinances, the city used its consent agenda to adopt resolution No. 1738, approving plans and specifications for the Third Street Reconstruction Project. It also approved Ordinances 775 and 776, amending ordinances 610 and 609, extending the term of the electric and gas franchises. From there it was into new business.

“Alright, new business,” Mayor Keith Franke said March 20. “First thing I just want to update on a mayoral appointment of Tony Brninkman, our interim Public Works Director, to the Public Works Commission.”

This being done, Franke took a question on the filling of the Community Service Officer from Council Member Char Whitbred-Hemmingson, listed as item F on the consent agenda.

“So the CSO, do they drive around and see stuff that’s against the ordinance themselves, or does someone have to complain?” Whitbred-Hemmingson asked.

Police Chief Jessica Danberg answered for the city.

“No, both,” Danberg said. “They answer the complaints they receive first, it’s just a matter of prioritizing what’s coming in. So when they do have downtime, when they’re not handling the complaints that come in to the city, whether it be by phone, dispatch, the template format that we started or assisting officers, then they drive around the city. And I say ’they’ because it’s whoever fills the position.”

“Right,” Whitbred-Hemmingson said. “So what’s the process? Because I get asked that by people in town all the time. Get rid of your abandoned cars that you’ve had for six years. What’s the process with that?”

“If the complaint is not observed by the CSO, then it needs to be reported to us,” Danberg said. “And  whether that be—I mean the preference would be you call dispatch and it gets handled by an officer.

Then the next best option is to fill out a form we have for the ordinance violation that we have on our website. And then that gets sent to me and when we don’t have a CSO and then that gets delegated, and they address it when they’re available. The process is once they receive that complaint they go to confirm it, and it has to be visible from the street or an alleyway. They can’t come on to the property to view the property unless they have the owner’s permission. They notice the violation and they sometimes make sure they talk to the property owner but historically we also make sure we get a letter out because it has to be documented. That letter then gives them 14 days to take care of whatever items need to be taken care of so there’s no longer a violation and they’re in compliance.”

In cases where the violation is “pretty extraordinary,” more time is given as practical, extending the 14 day deadline. If the project doesn’t show progress it can go to court. The city only finds out if the case was plead or dismissed, rather than strict details.

“And then after that process has happened, if the violation is still occurring—which does happen—and it comes to our attention, then that whole process starts over again…there’s only so much we can do to force the situation,” Danberg said.

The goal was to help residents see that it wasn’t the city’s goal to just throw a fine at them but rather to get the property up to better standards, she said.

The city will now go out for posting on the new Community Service Officer position, following approval at the March 20 council meeting. Starting wage is $20 per hour.