Chief Peterson said the State Fire Marshal is the lead investigative agency following a March 21 fatal fire and that a press conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday to discuss the cause.

The council voted to adopt a staff-recommended preliminary tax levy ceiling for 2027 tonight, setting a maximum that can be lowered but not increased before the December Truth in Taxation hearing.

Council member Walsh reported on a Ramsey County dispatch advisory-committee meeting and asked staff to invite Ramsey County dispatch to present an update to the council as county staff work toward a standardized joint‑powers agreement and radio-system consolidation.

The White Bear Area Food Shelf told the City Council that local demand and statewide food‑shelf visits have risen sharply; the organization described a shift from monthly appointments to more frequent curbside, market and mobile distributions and said it served about 78,000 visitors across programs last year.

Council adopted an updated 2026 strategic plan that sets six core strategies (safety, historic character, responsive services, fiscal responsibility, workforce support and community engagement) and directed the city manager to create action plans with benchmarks and quarterly check‑ins.