St. Louis Park council approves first reading to remove school-board-appointed voting seats on four commissions, sets second reading July 21

The St. Louis Park City Council unanimously approved on first reading amendments to Chapter 2 of the city code that remove school-board-appointed regular voting members from four city boards and commissions and convert those positions into nonvoting, agenda-based liaisons. The council set the ordinance’s second reading for July 21, 2025, and directed staff to resolve several consistency issues in the code language before that vote.

Pat Coleman, the city’s community engagement coordinator, told the council the change responds to a request from school district leadership to move from designated, voting seats appointed by the school board to a liaison model. Coleman said the change would remove the school district’s appointment power and make those seats city council appointments going forward. He said the proposal affects four bodies that historically included school-appointed representatives: the Human Rights Commission, the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission, the Communications Technology Advisory Commission, and the Planning Commission.

Coleman outlined how the liaison model would work: district administrators would serve as agenda-based liaisons rather than regular voting members; attendance would be tied to agenda items rather than automatic membership; and the executive assistant to the superintendent would be a primary point of contact to coordinate liaison participation and information sharing with city staff. Coleman also said current occupants of the school-appointed seats would be able to apply for the city-appointed seats through the normal appointment process.

Cheyenne Brodean, the city’s administrative services director, clarified that the city intends to transition current school-appointed members into the city appointment process if they want to continue serving, and that staff has already reached out to those representatives to gauge interest. Brodean said the goal is a thoughtful transition rather than an immediate removal without opportunity to apply for the new city-appointed seats.

Council members asked about timing and effects on ongoing subcommittee work. Coleman and Brodean said the timeline anticipates administrative work through July and August, public notice July 31, an effective date of August 15, and the possibility of making formal council appointments at the Sept. 2 council meeting. Coleman said those currently seated would need to enter the regular appointment process because several current terms have expired; Brodean said staff would attempt to minimize disruption for people working on active projects.

Councilmembers also debated whether the code amendment should explicitly include language giving preference to candidates with school involvement (parents, teachers, volunteers or other school-connected persons). A councilmember moved to amend the ordinance to add a preferred-criteria provision reserving one seat on each affected commission for candidates with school involvement; that amendment failed, recorded as two yays and four nays. After the failed amendment, the council approved the ordinance amendment on first reading unanimously with the requirement that staff address wording inconsistencies in Chapter 2 before the second reading.

Council discussion and staff comments noted historical context: the city’s formal school–city representation on advisory bodies dates to the 1950s and was intended to strengthen coordination between city decision-making and the school community. City staff recommended handling any preference for school involvement through the council’s selection criteria and appointment process rather than embedding detailed eligibility criteria in the city code.

Next steps: staff will revise the ordinance text to address the consistency items the council requested, publish the ordinance in the SunSailor and on the city website July 31, 2025, and return for a second reading on July 21, 2025. If the schedule holds, the ordinance would take effect Aug. 15, 2025, and council appointments could be made at the Sept. 2 meeting.