Spotted around town: This promotional cow keeps hanging around Kemp's back 40 in Energy Park, waiting for ice cream season to get here.
10 Elected to District 10 Board ...
More than 120 residents voted in the District 10 elections.
More than 120 community members turned out April 16 to elect new board members to the Como Community Council. Elected to two-year terms, which expire in 2021:
Chair: Melissa Liu
Secretary: Marika Staloch
Sub-District 1: Sarah Reuter
Sub-District 2: Amanda Rohrer
Sub-District 3: Sara Benzkofer
Sub-District 4: Alexis Baker
At-Large: Debra Verber, Jennifer Victor-Larsen, Maggie Zimmerman
In a special election, Mike Ireland was elected Treasurer, filling the one year remaining in that term.
Baker, Ireland, Liu, and Zimmerman currently serve on the board, though mostly in different roles. The other candidates are newly elected.
In more-routine business: Board members voted to support Como Senior High School's efforts to obtain a sound-level variance for athletic field activities this fall. The board also adopted policies governing the use and retention of files created by live-streaming board meetings and other council activities.
... But 1 Board Vacancy Still Remains
Melissa Liu's election as District 10 board chair means there is a vacancy for her former seat: an At-Large position with one year remaining (until April 2020). A
special election will be held at the regular May 21
board meeting. Any renter, homeowner, or other resident age 16 or older who lives in District 10 is eligible to run. So are authorized representatives from a business or nonprofit located in District 10. To get on the ballot,
fill out the online application by Tuesday May 14.
Mosquitoes: The Showdown
One of our most invisible government agencies -- the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District -- reveals how they fight our blood-sucking nemesis,
what's in those fog machines, the agency's middle-of-the-night maneuvers, and even what those red triangles on storm grates mean. Find out everything you need to know about the agency's public-health mission and other goals during the next presentation in District 10's Sunday Series.
Details: Mosquitoes: The Showdown. Next Sunday, April 28, 1-2:30 p.m. at the Como Park Streetcar Station, which is at the northeast corner of Lexington and Horton. Free. (This is rescheduled from the original date in March.)
Future Sunday Series presentations:
Recycling Ain't What It Used to Be. Sunday May 5. Things are shifting rapidly in the world of reduce, reuse, and recycling. Get up to speed on what it all means and what we can do about it.
Have We Got a Deal for You
Want a
backyard compost barrel for the ridiculously low price of $30? This is your chance. District 10 and Eureka Recycling are teaming up to make a limited number of barrels available.
Order your bin in advance (through our PayPal account), then pick it up during the May 5 Sunday Series presentation at The Good Acre, 1790 W. Larpenteur Ave.
Start Planning for June 8 Drop-Off
The annual Citywide Drop-Off at the State Fairgrounds is Saturday June 8 from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. The Drop-Off, organized by Saint Paul and District 10, is a great chance for Saint Paul and Falcon Heights residents to get rid of the junk they can't throw in the trash (and to get rid of it for a reasonable price).
Find out what you can bring to the Drop-Off and how much it will cost
Volunteers get a free bonus: Without volunteers, the event doesn't work. If you do volunteer to staff the event, you receive a voucher to get rid of one load of your junk for free. We'll also keep volunteers well-fed and hydrated. Volunteers work a 3.5-hour shift; you can
register here.
If you are a senior: District 10 will attempt to pick up items in advance for senior citizens in the neighborhood. You pay for what you are disposing, but the pick-up itself is free.
Email District 10 or call 651-644-3889 so we can get you on the schedule.
Don't Forget to Help Pick Up
Saint Paul's annual
Citywide Spring Cleanup is next Saturday, April 27, from 9-11:30 a.m. at Como Lakeside Pavilion (and a dozen other sites citywide). It's a chance for residents to help pick up trash, litter, and whatever else accumulated in our parks all winter. Supplies are provided; so are snacks (sponsored by Speedway).
Photo: Magnum Truck Racks
What Do You Think of Alley Plowing?
Saint Paul doesn't plow alleys. Some people think the city should. Some people like it the way it is. If you've got an opinion, the city's Department of Public Works wants to know. The University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute is running a
survey to find out how residents really feel. Fill it out by Friday May 3.
The Library Wants Your Opinion, Too
The Saint Paul Public Library wants to provide more opportunities for families to use the library. What should that include?
Share your ideas
Environment Committee Meets Wednesday
District 10's Environment Committee meets this Wednesday, April 24, at 7 p.m. at the Como Park Streetcar Station, which is at the northeast corner of Lexington and Horton. All renters, homeowners and other community members are welcome to attend and participate. A
preliminary agenda will be posted as soon as it is available.
Are We Still Up to the Challenge?
District 10 is going head to head with four other district councils to see which neighborhood can
do more for clean water. The challenge: to see which district's residents can adopt more storm drains by the end of the summer.
Hamline University is tracking the results. Here's how to adopt one or more drains near your home, school, organization, or business:
Type in your address and click "Find storm drains." The site will generate an interactive map of all the storm drains near your address.
Red means the drain is available. Green means someone else already has it. Pick one or more of the available drains to adopt. (You can even name your drain!)
Diligently keep the drain clean so leaves, trash, and other debris don't flow into the lake or Mississippi River.
As a reminder to you and your neighbors, you'll get a lawn sign pointing out that you are protecting our local water resources.
Plan Your Garage Sale Now
The 2019 Como Neighborhood Garage Sale is scheduled for the weekend of May 17. Typically, dozens of neighborhood residents hold garage, yard, and rummage sales that weekend, making it easier for bargain hunters to hit a lot of sales in a small area in a short amount of time. District 10 promotes the weekend, publishes a map of participating sales, and compiles lists of what you can find where.
It's easy to
register your sale online. The registration fee is $15 (collected through PayPal). Sales must register by Thursday May 9; after that, we can't guarantee your sale will be on the map.
Red Lake Currant is one of the shrubs available this year.
Think Green, Then Act on It -- Today
Today, Friday April 19, is the last day to
place an order through the
annual plant sale from Friends of the Parks and Trails of St. Paul and Ramsey County. The group -- which works to plan and preserve parks, trails, and open spaces -- offers 16 locally grown, hardy selections of trees, shrubs, roses, vines and, for the first time, a native perennial (liatris). You can buy a plant for your yard. You can buy a plant for a local park. You can do both. Just place your order today. Pickup is in Maplewood in two weeks, on Saturday May 4.
We Already Knew That
City Pages is out with its annual
Best of the Twin Cities issue, and Como institutions show up in a few places:
Half-Time Rec: Staff name the Front Ave. bar and grill the region's "best dive bar." Among the praises: "... it could exist anywhere or in any era, and it'd still be the first place you'd go for a burger and a beer."
Marjorie McNeely Conservatory is the best place to people-watch. "It's the kind of constant motion, like bees visiting flowers, that soothes rather than agitates," the paper says. "Sit back and let it roll by."
Sweet Science: The "bold, flavorful" ice cream stand that was at the Lakeside Pavilion last summer gets credit for having the region's best ice cream. (Alas, they're not back this year -- you'll have to wander down to Keg and Case Market on West 7th if you need a fix of sweet corn blueberry.)
City Council Schedules TCGIS Votes
The Saint Paul City Council has scheduled public hearings and votes on the two major, unresolved issues affecting Twin Cities German Immersion School's proposed building project.
Historic designation: The four-week process on whether or not to give the former Saint Andrew's church building local historical designation begins with introduction of the proposed ordinance on May 1. A second reading is May 8, the required public hearing is currently scheduled for May 15, and the City Council vote is planned for May 22.
A local preservation group, Save Historic St. Andrew's, is seeking historical designation for the building, which the school now uses as its Aula. The school opposes designation. Saint Paul's Heritage Preservation Commission says the building is eligible for local designation, but the city's Planning Commission says local designation would not be compatible with the city's Comprehensive Plan. The City Council has the final word.
Construction: The City Council will hold a public hearing and vote June 5 on appeals challenging the zoning variances and a construction site plan the school needs for its proposed building expansion. Save Historic St. Andrew's is challenging the validity of the proposed variances, arguing that they fail to meet five of the six standards spelled out in state statute. A second appeal by the preservation group challenges the validity of the site plan.
The Como Community Council is challenging a Feb. 8 decision by the city's Planning Commission. The district council argues the commission is allowing variances and a site plan to take effect that fail to comply with the city's zoning ordinances, rather than approving later versions that do comply.
Machinery Hill Criterium Race Series: This Tuesday, April 23, on roads north Dan Patch and south of Hoyt. 5:30-9 p.m. Bicycle races for beginners to experts. Admission: adults, $25; beginner women, $15; junior girls, $10.
Minnesota United park-and-ride: This Wednesday, April 24. Parking lots adjacent to Randall Ave. and the west transit hub will be open for tailgating and shuttle buses from 4-11 p.m. The soccer match vs. L.A. Galaxy is 7 p.m. at Allianz Field.
Minnesota Horse Expo: Next Friday-Sunday, April 26-28, Warner Coliseum. Hours: Friday-Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Sunday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission: Teens and adults, $13; children ages 6-12 and seniors age 62 or older, $9; children 5 or younger, free. Daily rodeo, $5-$15 extra.
Wrapping Up the Month
Next Friday, April 26: Bio Blitz, 5 p.m. Kilmer Fireplace, Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom. Count spring ephemerals in the Woodland -- the first of five nature surveys this year. To register, email Teri Heyer. (This is part of Saint Paul's participation in the City Nature Challenge.)
Next Friday, April 26: A Century of Civic Engagement, 5-7 p.m. Landmark Center, 75 W. 5th St. This reception opens an exhibit honoring the 100th anniversary of the League of Women Voters of Minnesota. Free. (Exhibit runs through May 28.)
Tuesday, April 30: Community Meeting: Larpenteur Ave. 4-3 Conversion, 5:30-7 p.m. Community School of Excellence, 270 W. Larpenteur.
Wednesday May 1: District 10 Land Use Committee, 7 p.m. Como Park Streetcar Station. The agenda includes a request from Gabe's By the Park to amend its liquor license to allow speakers on its patio.
Monday May 6: First of four community conversations about water quality in Saint Paul, 6-8 p.m. Capitol Region Watershed District, 595 Aldine St. Free.
Neighborhood Events You've Been Asking About
Como Community Seed Library's "Seed Your Dreams." Saturday May 18.
Como Neighborhood Pollinator Garden Tour. Saturday July 13.
When You Call 911
Emergency calls to Saint Paul Police are handled by Ramsey County. If you call 911 from a land line, your call goes directly to the county's dispatch center. If you call 911 from a mobile phone, however, the call first goes to a statewide dispatch center before being rerouted to Ramsey County.
The quicker solution: If you're calling from a cell phone in Saint Paul, dial the 651-291-1111. That connects directly to Ramsey County dispatch, which connects directly to Saint Paul police.
District 10 is one of Saint Paul's 17 citizen participation districts. The District 10 Como Community Council is a nonprofit organization, governed by a Board of Directors who are elected by members of the community. The Council's mission is to inform, educate, and connect the neighborhood to increase community pride and confidence.
You are receiving this email because you expressed interest in District 10 activities.
