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Saint Paul council lays over public safety committee proposal for two weeks amid calls for clearer partnerships
Summary
Councilmember Buie asked to create a City Council Public Safety and Community Wellness Committee but moved a two-week layover so members and administration can review revised language and build partnerships. Council voted 6-0 to lay the item over to March 26.
Councilmember Buie asked the Saint Paul City Council to establish a City Council Public Safety and Community Wellness Committee but moved to lay the resolution over for two weeks to allow fuller review and partnership-building with city administration.
Buie said the item was urgent for her ward and the city and asked colleagues to “vote for a 2 week layover to review the latest revisions and highlight the city and community partnerships that I believe actually helps improve this process.”
The measure before the council was Item 14, “resolution 205-434, amending appendix A2 of the Administrative Code to establish the creation of the City Council Public Safety and Community Wellness Committee.” Buie told the council the committee’s vision is to ensure “public safety remains a top priority, not just when there's a crisis, but as an ongoing structural commitment.”
Several members supported the layover while urging a clearer coordination plan with departments that would work with the committee. Chair Johnson said she supported the layover but pressed for “intentionality around the inclusion” of the Office of Neighborhood Safety, the Saint Paul Police Department and relevant directors, asking whether department leaders had been involved. Vice President Kim raised a procedural concern about whether the revised resolution text (referred to as “version 2”) was in the public record; staff clarified that version 2 had been placed in Legistar but needed to be republished to appear on the agenda.
Buie responded that her office had prioritized getting mayoral and director-level buy-in before bringing the item forward and said the next two weeks would be used to build that trust and partnership.
On a voice vote the council voted “6 in favor, no 1 opposed.” The council laid the resolution over to March 26 for further review and return with the revised language.
Why it matters: Councilmembers framed the matter as both urgent and procedural — endorsing a public safety-focused committee while seeking clearer, documented commitments from administration and affected departments before final action.
Details and next steps: The layover gives council members and city attorneys time to review version 2 of the resolution and to hold the intentional interagency and community conversations councilmembers requested. The item will return March 26 as announced.
