St. Paul council approves unsafe-building review, fire-station consulting, surplus sale and routine financial transfers

The St. Paul City Council unanimously adopted a package of administrative, project and financial measures at its July 1 meeting.

Mayor Mike Feeken opened the meeting and the council acted on a change to Municipal Code Article 4 (Unsafe Buildings). City Attorney Jason White reviewed the code, and Council member Katie Kowalski moved that when city officials place a building in a potential demolition category or determine a building is unsafe the City will obtain a professional opinion to determine whether the structure is safe; the professional opinion fee will be assessed to the property owner. Council member Chuck Schmid seconded; the motion carried 4–0.

The council approved additional professional services from JEO Consulting Group Inc. related to the new St. Paul Fire Station. The approved scope includes a Construction Administration phase (fees not to exceed $50,000) and a Wetland Delineation & Report (fees not to exceed $7,500). Council member Chuck Schmid moved to approve the agreement; Council member Bill Peters seconded and the motion carried 4–0.

Council also approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the South Central Economic Development District (SCEDD) for grant administration and project management services under the 2023 Rural Community Recovery Program (RCRP). Chuck Schmid moved and Brian Sack seconded; the motion passed 4–0.

By Resolution 2024-12 the council directed the sale of listed surplus personal property by online bidding through BIG IRON with no reserve, and required notice of the sale consistent with Neb. Rev. Stat. §17-503.02 and §17-503.01. The resolution passed on a 4–0 vote.

The consent agenda — which included approval of minutes from prior meetings, disbursements for July 1, 2024, and purchase of a UV bulb for the wastewater treatment facility from Trojan Technologies — was approved 4–0 on a motion by Chuck Schmid and second by Brian Sack.

Financial approvals included recorded disbursements (vendor list reviewed by council) and a set of sinking fund transfers approved by motion: Ambulance $9,000; Fire $2,000; Light $6,000; Senior Center $2,500; and Water $27,500 (total transfers $47,000). Council member Katie Kowalski moved the transfers; Brian Sack seconded and the motion carried 4–0.

Votes at a glance: • Unsafe buildings: professional-opinion requirement; mover: Katie Kowalski; second: Chuck Schmid; vote 4–0; outcome: approved. • JEO Consulting additional services (fire station): Construction Admin ≤ $50,000; Wetland Delineation ≤ $7,500; mover: Chuck Schmid; second: Bill Peters; vote 4–0; outcome: approved. • SCEDD MOU (2023 RCRP): grant administration/project management; mover: Chuck Schmid; second: Brian Sack; vote 4–0; outcome: approved. • Resolution 2024‑12 (surplus property sale via BIG IRON): mover: Katie Kowalski; second: Bill Peters; vote 4–0; outcome: approved. • Consent agenda (minutes, disbursements, Trojan Technologies purchase): mover: Chuck Schmid; second: Brian Sack; vote 4–0; outcome: approved. • Sinking fund transfers to ICS accounts (total $47,000): mover: Katie Kowalski; second: Brian Sack; vote 4–0; outcome: approved.

The council’s actions were routine in nature: motions were moved and seconded by named council members (Kowalski, Schmid, Peters, Sack) and carried unanimously. The council set no additional conditions or implementation dates in the meeting minutes for the professional-opinion requirement beyond assessing the fee to property owners; the fire-station consulting authorization specifies cost caps for the two service elements. Where statutory notice requirements were cited (surplus sale), the minutes reference the applicable Nebraska statutes for posting and sale procedures.

The council adjourned at 7:40 p.m. The mayor and city clerk’s signatures appear on the minutes.