White Bear Lake City Council 10/13/2026

The October 13, 2026, White Bear Lake City Council meeting included police department updates and procurement-related actions. The council approved a Department of Public Safety traffic-enforcement grant, which will support DWI enforcement as well as speed and pedestrian enforcement; no grant amount was stated. The council also unanimously approved a settlement agreement resolving the city’s dispute with White Bear Township over payments under the fire services contract. Under the agreement, the township will pay the outstanding amount owed, the city will dismiss its lawsuit, and the existing contract will end in 2027. The parties will begin negotiating a replacement fire service contract once the settlement is finalized. A council member noted the agreement avoids potentially $80,000 in additional legal fees, a figure discussed as a possible cost rather than an approved expenditure.

The police chief’s report covered staffing and community engagement, crime trends, and possible future needs such as a crime analyst and crisis-intervention training; no related purchases or budget decisions were made. The chief and city manager said any future consideration of surveillance technology such as automated license-plate readers would involve council and community discussion, with privacy protections considered. The city’s prosecution contractor also reported staffing and court-scheduling changes, but no contract action was taken.