Maplewood staff presents strategic priorities for FY 2025–26, traffic calming tops resident survey

City staff presented proposed strategic budget priorities for fiscal year 2025–26 at the Maplewood City Council work session on Feb. 11, asking the council to confirm goals that will guide budget requests and longer-term planning.

The presentation, which staff said incorporated a community survey that closed the afternoon of Feb. 11, identified traffic calming as the top priority in respondents’ top-three lists. "We determined that traffic calming was the top priority," a city staff member said, adding the survey produced "just shy of 35 respondents." The staff member noted the packet numbers were updated through 5 p.m. the day of the meeting to reflect the final responses.

The report framed the discussion as an opportunity to "articulate our goals and values for the upcoming budget year" and to assess the organization’s capacity to pursue multiple priorities simultaneously. The staff presentation grouped priorities that are ongoing projects or that have strategic implications for operations and financial sustainability.

Key priorities identified in the presentation included: - Traffic calming implementation and continued work on the traffic-calming plan; - Police facility needs assessment and possible funding mechanisms tied to the results; - Parks master plan implementation and associated signage and capital needs related to a planned city rebranding effort; - Comprehensive plan implementation and related zoning code modernization (chapter 56 of the city’s zoning code was mentioned as the chapter of focus); - Development of a 10‑year capital projection to move beyond one-year urgency budgeting for major asset replacement; and - Personnel code updates, an employee manual and an equitable pay plan tied to the budget process.

Staff described several department-level priorities that align with those citywide goals. Laura Miller, the director of community development, was cited as leading a city communications plan and a planned multiyear rebranding. Anthony Traxler, public works director and zoning administrator, was identified as a partner with Miller and the executive office on economic development infrastructure and interdepartmental collaboration.

On staffing and operational capacity, staff warned of limits in some areas. The fire department’s goal to fully staff three fire crews was described as requiring additional headcount and therefore a "slow approach" to adding positions. The public works and parks agenda includes resuming the ADA study (RFP may be issued this fiscal year but costs may be incurred next fiscal year) and continued implementation of prior traffic and parks work. Finance priorities included purchasing modernization and standardized AP/AR documentation.

Council members asked questions about funding approaches. A council member asked whether pursuit of these initiatives implicitly includes grant-seeking; staff confirmed grant prospects will be marked in the budgeting software so the consultant can pursue relevant applications. Another council member asked whether recent federal executive orders affect projects; staff replied they had not identified an effect "yet."

Council discussion also touched on intermunicipal shared services. Staff cited a 1999 collaboration among nearby municipalities that produced a park cooperative and said staff would seek council permission to explore broader cooperative service agreements — potentially covering courts, administrative functions, public works, fire and police — if the council would support those conversations.

On social services, council members asked about the social services coordinator position shared with Richmond Heights and a $5,000 emergency social services allocation approved last year. Staff said Maplewood incurs all expenses and bills Richmond Heights 50 percent; the $5,000 emergency allocation is expected to be spent and Richmond Heights will be charged $2,500 of that amount. Staff noted the Maplewood Community Foundation was intended to receive donated funds for distribution but is not yet operating in that capacity.

Why it matters: the council’s confirmation of these strategic priorities will shape which capital projects, personnel changes and grant pursuits appear in the FY 2025–26 budget request and how the city sequences large replacements and investments.

The council did not take formal votes on the priorities during the work session; staff said it would return with details and budget requests in subsequent work sessions.