Advocacy News, February 27, 2026

158TH ANNUAL MEETING RECAP AND FISH FRY SEASON

Hello, hello!

Well, we're through two full weeks of session. My crystal ball is still cloudy, and it feels like both parties are talking past each other. To quote an un-named source, "this feels like a slow walk to nowhere." Only time and bipartisanship will tell.

There was some great news for downtown Saint Paul this week. Katie Galioto at the Star Tribune broke the story (on her birthday no less) of a full-service grocery store returning to the ground floor of the Penfield. Let's hope for smooth sailing with the permitting process and build out. As an only child who suffers from an obsessive concentration on self, I can't wait for the returning convenience of stopping for last-minute dinner prep items on my way home.

In other food-related news, with the Lenten Season upon us, my Wisconsin genetics are activated to search out area fish fries. I flew solo last week for takeaway from the Pillbox and the Perliches are looking forward to a trip to Saint Paul Brewing today. Send me your fish fry suggestions. If Blois Olson at Morning Take can do a highly debated "authoritative pizza list", maybe I should start a contentious fish fry list. You can also take the Dakota County fish fry survey hosted by Commissioner Joe Atkins.

One final fish fry related shout out, the ESABA Annual Fish Fry is coming up quick. I hope to see some of you on March 6.

Last—but certainly not least (yes, I’m burying the lede)—thank you to all our members, partners, stakeholders, and friends who joined us for the Chamber’s 158th Annual Meeting. It was both energizing and genuinely moving to be in a room filled with engaged, authentic, and passionate champions of a strong and vibrant East Metro business community. The panel highlight for me was Matt Majka's (Minnesota Wild) discussion of Jim Collins and servant leadership. If you haven't yet read Good to Great, I highly recommend it.

The conversations, the connections, and the shared sense of purpose were a powerful reminder of why this work matters. Your membership and investment in the Chamber make our advocacy possible. They allow us to show up at City Hall and the Capitol, to convene business leaders and policymakers, to elevate the priorities of employers large and small, and to push for policies that strengthen our regional economy. We don’t take that trust lightly. Thank you for standing with us—and for continuing to build an East Metro that is competitive, resilient, and unmistakably open for business.

Until next time,

- JP

BILLS WE'RE WATCHING

HF 2381 (Norris) | SF 2691 (Bolden) – Proposes comprehensive reforms to manufactured home park regulations, including rent and fee controls, utility and safety standards, and park sale procedures.

HF 3513 (Koznick) – Establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles in Minnesota, including operating requirements, authorization process, and state preemption.

SF 3645 (Drazkowski) – Changes Minnesota’s Paid Leave program from mandatory participation to voluntary by giving employees the right to decline coverage in the state’s family and medical leave benefit programs.

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

Joe Birkholz (Park Street Public) joined the Chamber GA team at the Saint Paul City Council this week. As a neophyte to City Council, Joe picked the wrong meeting to attend. After four hours they finally got to the public hearing on the long-running drive thru ban ordinance. The version three "compromise" doesn't bode well for drive thru businesses. We’ve made it easy for you to contact your Councilmember and share your concerns.

Congrats Joe, you made it.

Kim O'Brien aka K.O.B. pulled me aside for a quick selfie at the Chamber's 158th Annual Meeting on Thursday night. While Kim and I are quite different in our personalities, punctuality, and views on the frequency of virtual meetings, we always seem to have a good time. Fun fact about Kim: she loves Downtown Detroit's activated alleys. Actually, it's only one alley but she mentioned it each time we strolled through during our ICLV Detroit visit.

We have two more "Photos of the Week" first timers. Thank you to Assistant Mayor Nick Stumo-Langer (City of Saint Paul) and Legislative Aide Megan Jekot (City of Saint Paul) for joining 700+ Chamber members, community partners, and stakeholders at the Annual Meeting. While we won't always agree on policy choices, we look forward to a continued partnership and constructive relationship.

IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEWS

Nearly a year after Lunds & Byerlys closed, Aldi to open in downtown St. Paul.
Stan Karwoski seeks re-election to Washington County Board of Commissioners.
(Opinion) Instead of scrapping skyways, let’s work on getting people in them.
Bill McGuire invests $170M in St. Paul’s Midway neighborhood.
Park Grove Library in Cottage Grove to close this month for $13.5M redesign.
West St. Paul City Council Recap: Feb. 23, 2026.
New full-time Farmington firefighters sworn in.
Baytown Township residents take issue with proposed cell phone tower.
New Farmington acting mayor introduces himself to community.
Rosemount adds two new police officers.
Maintenance barge on the on the Mississippi River is partially submerged.
St. Paul City Council expands a rent aid program.
Eagan plans to use data center pause to study potential impacts.
Former St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter hired by nonprofit.

IN STATE GOVERNMENT NEWS

‘Oh, For Sleet’s Sake’: MnDOT names winners of its name a snowplow contest.
Minnesota Freedom Caucus announces formation to focus on conservative issues in Senate and House.
Gov. Tim Walz introduces anti-fraud package, calls federal Medicaid pause ‘illegal and unprecedented’.
Uncertainty clouds Minnesota’s economic outlook as state finance officials deliver latest estimates.
Report: Minnesotans lost more than $100 million during Operation Metro Surge.
Business owners urge Minnesota senators to draft relief bill for small businesses.
What to know about current legislation attempting to tackle fraud in Minnesota.
Minnesota House DFL unveils fraud package as impasse over inspector general continues.
Report: Groundwork for fraud in Minnesota human services goes back 50 years.
Walz appoints Shireen Gandhi to lead embattled Department of Human Services.
Legislature generally agrees Minnesota needs a new fraud watchdog, but the details prove tricky.
MN fraud report: Former workers say DHS put 'compassion over compliance' for fraud prevention.
Minnesotans say their state is headed in the wrong direction, no matter who you ask.
Lawmakers take aim at high-cost, low-ridership bus lines.
Minnesota lawmakers want increased protections for themselves after Hortman assassination.
Requiring disclosure of investigations into possible overpayments gets committee OK.
Minnesota paid leave program's rollout was $70 million under budget, director says.
State fraud review finds missed warning signs, calls for independent watchdog.
Lawmakers weigh delay of in-state testing for THC seltzers.

WAYS TO GET INVOLVED

Schedule a free premise survey with SPPD Crime Prevention team.

Saint Paul is currently seeking applicants for the Labor Standards Advisory Committee.

Dakota County is seeking members for three advisory committees.

Ramsey County is seeking members for Advisory Boards and Committees.

Apply to a Washington County Advisory Board or Committee.

Minnesota Boards and Commissions Seeking Applications, The Office of the Secretary of State opened all seats on Governor appointed Boards and Commissions to begin accepting applications for appointments. People interested in serving on a state board or commission can view open board and commission positions as well as submit their application on the Office of the Secretary of State’s website.

Join a Vadnais Heights Advisory Commission.

Forest Lake is accepting applications for appointments to the Airport Commission, EDA, Parks Commission, and Planning Commission.

Saint Paul HREEO Commission Openings.

Rondo streets study- Phase 1 engagement visioning survey.

Arden Hills seeking applicants for Advisory Commissions and Committees.

Saint Paul’s Capital Improvement Budget Committee seeks applicants.

Join the Ramsey County District 3 Small Business Collaborative.

Apply to join the Saint Paul Board of Zoning Appeals.

Saint Paul seeking names for new park at The Heights.

Falcon Heights seeking applicants for Community Engagement, Environment, Planning, and Parks & Recreation Commissions.

Take the Saint Paul Audit Committee topic suggestions survey.

Provide public comments on MnDOT's Rethinking I-94 proposals.

Roseville is seeking applicants for four citizen advisory commissions.

Saint Paul’s Neighborhood STAR and Cultural STAR grants now open.

Apply for the Capitol Outreach for Revitalization & Expansion (CORE) Grant Program.

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Combined State Plan Modification Open for Public Comment.

Apply to join the Lake Elmo Planning Commission.

Eagan Police Department opens applications for Citizen’s Academy.

Take Commissioner Joe Atkins's February 2026 Data Center Survey.

TOWN HALLS/PUBLIC MEETINGS

Community Coffee Hour w/ Rep. Robert Bierman

February 28, 9:30-10:30am, Galaxie Library - 14955 Galaxie Ave, Apple Valley, MN 55124

Chat w/ Representative Dave Pinto

February 28, 1-2:30pm, Palace Community Center - 781 Palace Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55102

Office Hours w/ Shoreview Mayor Sue Denkinger

March 3, 8-9:00am, Shoreview City Hall - 4600 Victoria Street North, Shoreview, MN 55126

ESABA’s Annual Fish Fry w/ Arcade-Phalen American Legion Post 577

March 6, 4:30-7:00pm, Arcade-Phalen American Legion Post 577 – 1129 Arcade Street, St. Paul, MN 55106

2026 State of Maplewood

March 10, 9-10:30am, Maplewood YMCA Community Center - 2100 White Bear Ave, Maplewood MN 55109, Register Here

Office Hours w/ Vadnais Heights Mayor Mike Krachmer

March 11, 3:30-4:30pm, Vadnais Heights City Hall - 800 County Rd E, Vadnais Heights, MN 55127

St. Paul Police Department Western District Monthly Community Meeting

March 17, 9:00am and 6:00pm, SPPD Western District - 389 Hamline Ave, St. Paul, MN 55104

St. Paul Police Department Eastern District Monthly Community Meeting

March 17, 9:00am and 6:00pm, SPPD Eastern District – 722 Payne Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55130

Saint Paul Police Department Virtual Workshop Series

March 19, 6-7:00pm, Register Here for Crime Prevention 101
April 23, 6-7:00pm, Register Here for Personal Safety
May 28, 6-7:00pm, Register Here for Fraud and Identity Theft

Breakfast w/ Vadnais Heights Mayor Mike Krachmer

March 23, 7:00am, Perkins - 1045 County Road E, Vadnais Heights, MN 55110

ELECTED OFFICIALS, LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANTS, AND COMMS STAFF:

Help us help you spread the word about engagement opportunities, town halls, listening sessions, etc. in the East Metro. If you have news to share, please be sure to send it to JP for inclusion in the newsletter!