February 25, 2022 | Friday

D10 Meeting Updates

Neighborhood Relations Committee Meeting - Tuesday, March 1, 7pm

The D10 Neighborhood Relations Committee typically meets on the first Tuesday of every month. Next week we will be evaluating the February donation drive, discussing plans for an April 30 community event at North Dale Rec, early planning for the Ice Cream Social, and fundraising. Join us if you want to help make our events better!

The March Land Use Committee meeting, typically held the first Wednesday of each month, is going to be held on Monday, March 14 at 7pm because of a scheduling conflict. Check back for meeting agendas as the meeting gets closer!

All D10 Como Park meetings are open to the public and have space for community members to bring topics for discussion.

Get Involved: Join The Board In April

The Como Community Council is a great opportunity to get involved with your neighbors and learn more about what's going on in the community: Eight seats on our board are up for election in April.

Board seats up for election in April:

• One representative each from the neighborhood's FOUR sub-districts (map)
• Two representatives from the neighborhood at-large
• One representative from the neighborhood at-large who is a renter
• One representative from the neighborhood at-large who is a youth (age 16-24)

To get on the ballot, submit a board member application.

The filing deadline is Sunday April 3. The election is April 19. If you have any questions or would like to know more about being a board member you can reach out to D10 Como Park at district10@district10comopark.org.

Get Involved: D10 Planning "Celebrate Spring!" Event for April 30

Our members have been working hard on our 2022 events calendar. We're planning to have a community event in each of our four sub-districts in 2022. On April 30, we're partnering with St. Paul Parks and Rec to host an event at North Dale Rec Center, 10:30-Noon.

We'll be discussing the April 30 event at next week's Neighborhood Relations Committee meeting, and we have a sign up sheet for anyone who would like to indicate specific availability to connect and help out with the event.

We also welcome financial donations to the Neighborhood Relations Event Fund to help with the costs of our community events. Stay tuned for information on more events!

Hamline Midway Library Listening Session

Wednesday, March 2 | 3:30-5:30 p.m. 

Hamline Midway Library

1558 W Minnehaha Ave.

This in-person, drop-in event is an opportunity for community members to engage with designers and architects from LSE along with library leaders. Attendees can drop in at any point between 3:30-5:30 p.m. to share ideas, ask questions, and learn more about the project. COVID-safety protocols will be in place, including a mask requirement for all attendees and capacity monitoring.

Como Parks & Rec

North Dale Rec Center (1414 N. St. Albans)

• Taekwondo March ages 9-22 - Mondays & Wednesdays beginning March 2 - $60*
• NEW Magical Pink Unicorn Art ages 4-7 - Sat, Apr 2 - $30*
• Pickleball Lessons Intermediate - Tuesdays starting May 3, 1-2pm - $40*
• Teen Open Dance ages 13-18 - Mondays thru May 2, 6:30-8pm - Free
• Senior Gamers (ages 50+) - Tuesdays thru May 31, Noon-2pm - Free
• Social Needle Work Time ages 18+ - 2nd Thursdays thru May 12 - Free
• Teen Video Game Night ages 12-18 - Wednesdays thru May 25 - Free
• Senior Fitness ages 50+ - Tues & Thurs thru May 31, 9:30-10:30am - Free
• Senior Day ages 50+ - Thursdays thru May 26, 10am-2pm - Free
• NEW Celebrate Spring Event - Sat, April 30, 10:30am-Noon - Free

Northwest Como Rec Center (1550 N. Hamline)

• Adult Corn Hole ages 18+ - Wednesdays through February 23 - Free
• Floor Hockey ages 8-12 - Fridays March 4-April 1 (Not March 18)- Free
• Red Ballers Tennis ages 8-11 - Week of March 15, Tue-Fri, 3:45-4:45 - Free
• April Fools Day Art ages 4-10 - March 25 - $30*
• NEW Conquer Ninja Field Trip ages 7-15 - Mon, Apr 4 - $24*
• NEW Bowling at Flaherty's Field Trip ages 7-12 - Tue, Apr 5 - $20*
• NEW Artist Workshop Spring ages 7-15 - Tuesdays beginning Apr 12 - $60*
• Red Cross Babysitting Training ages 11-18 - Friday, April 15, 9:30am-3:30pm - $60*
• Parents Night Out ages 6-11 - April 22, 6-9pm - $10*

*Registration Required

Become a Music in the Parks Performer: Music in the Parks is an outdoor music series taking place in Saint Paul's beautiful parks, including Como Zoo & Conservatory and Como Pavilion, during the summer months. We are now seeking performers for the 2022 season. Visit the Music in the Parks webpage for details on how to apply.

Summer Sports Registration begins March 1: Early bird discounts. Register during the first five days of the month to save - the sooner you're in, the bigger the discount. More Info.

St. Paul Parks & Rec Fee Assistance Program

The City of Saint Paul operates a special program that helps families pay for Parks & Recreation youth classes and activities. Fee Assistance can be requested by families who meet program requirements when registering for youth activities. To be eligible for the program, youth must live in Saint Paul, be 18 years old or younger, and qualify for free and reduced lunches.

Fee Assistance can be used toward most recreational sports or activities offered by Saint Paul Parks and Recreation. To view the online catalog of all available activities offered, click here.

Note: Although adult programs are also listed in the catalog, they do not qualify for Fee Assistance credits.

St. Paul Invites Community Members to Serve on Advisory Panels Director Selection Processes

As previously reported, the directors of both St. Paul Parks & Recreation AND the Department of Safety & Inspections (DSI) retired in February. The City is inviting community members to serve on advisory panels for the selection processes to fill the positions...or you can apply for the jobs. Find links for both below. Related: There will be a retirement celebration for retired Parks & Rec Director Mike Hahm at the Como fire pits on March 5 at 2:30pm, details on Facebook.

ABOUT THE COMMUNITY PANEL SELECTION PROCESS 

Community members interested in serving on a community advisory panel are invited to apply now through March 1, 2022 here. Two panels will be formed, with one panel for the Parks & Recreation Department director position and one panel for the Department of Safety & Inspections director position.  

Each panel will consist of up to 10 community members who will meet 2-3 times between late March and early April to provide input on interview questions, review application materials, and conduct interviews of candidates. Once they finish their review process, each panel will provide their feedback to the Mayor who will conduct final interviews and selections. Interested members of our community can apply to serve on a community advisory panel here.  

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS & RECREATION 

Saint Paul Parks and Recreation is a nationally accredited and gold medal award-winning organization that manages over 180 parks and open spaces including: the AZA-accredited Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, 26 city-operated recreation centers, more than 100 miles of trails, indoor and outdoor aquatic facilities, a public beach, a variety of premium sports facilities, municipal golf courses, and the Great River Passage – which is the new identity for all proposed public development along Saint Paul’s more than 17 miles of Mississippi riverfront.

Saint Paul Parks and Recreation has been recognized by the Trust for Public Land as the #1 Urban Park System in America in 2015, #2 from 2016 to 2019, #3 in 2020, and #2 again in 2021. 

ABOUT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR POSITION 

The Department Director reports to the Mayor and provides strategic leadership and management for the Department of Parks and Recreation, including highly responsible planning and administrative work in the direction of all activities and operations of the Parks and Recreation Department.  

Direct reports include two deputy directors and seven managers. The Director is responsible for an annual operating budget of over $66 million with a staffing complement of 568 full time equivalencies (FTEs).  View the full job posting along with position description, and application information here. The application is open now and closes on March 14, 2022 at 4:30pm.  

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY AND INSPECTIONS 

The Department of Safety and Inspections (DSI) is a multi-disciplinary regulatory organization that works to promote safety and wellness where we live and work, prevent life and property loss, support neighborhood vitality, and promote equitable, innovative, and sustainable solutions that work for all. Each year, the department certifies more than 4,000 residential and commercial buildings to ensure they are safe and habitable; processes more than 32,000 permits; and issues more than 200 types of business licenses. Animal Services provides care for more than 2,000 dogs, cats, and critters at the City's shelter annually. DSI also oversees the City's Information line, ensuring an average of 80,000 customers each year get their questions and concerns resolved. 

ABOUT THE SAFETY & INSPECTIONS DIRECTOR 

The Department of Safety & Inspections Director reports to the Mayor and ensures that the Department of Safety and Inspections effectively balances the needs of customers with the need for public safety and neighborhood livability through regulatory enforcement with a lens on equity.  

The Director is responsible for an annual operating budget of approximately $21 million with a staffing complement of 144 full time equivalencies (FTEs). View the full job posting along with position description, and application information here. The application is open now and closes on March 14, 2022 at 4:30pm. 

Keystone Food Distribution Event

Keystone is hosting a FREE Drive-Through Grocery Event on March 5 from 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. at the Roseville Public Works Building!

What will I receive? Every household will receive one box that includes:

• 1 bag of 5–7 varieties of fruits and vegetables
• Assorted shelf-stable grocery items

Who can participate? This event is open to anyone in need of food support. It is intended for Ramsey County residents but anyone is welcome.

Where is the event being held? The event will be held at Roseville Public Works, 2660 Civic Center Dr, Roseville, MN 55113

When is the event? The event is on Saturday, March 5 from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. There are specific time slots for people to participate.

How do I participate? This event requires pre-registration! To manage car traffic and guarantee quick service delivery, participants are required to sign up in advance. All households picking up the food packages must arrive only during your assigned pick up time slot. You may carpool with friends or family but every household must register separately to ensure we have enough food for everyone. This event will be offered in a drive-through model for everyone’s safety.

Saint Paul Homeownership Preservation Program

The City of Saint Paul announced that it is partnering with the Minnesota Homeownership Center to create and administer the Saint Paul Homeownership Preservation Program (SPHPP). SPHPP will provide foreclosure prevention advising to city homeowners and limited financial assistance under certain circumstances.

Eligible applicants will be referred to a foreclosure prevention advisor with a Minnesota Homeownership Center network partner. Foreclosure prevention advising is required to be eligible for any potential financial assistance, which is being offered for future housing expenses and past-due bills under specific conditions. The maximum amount available to any household through SPHPP is $35,000. Payments will be made directly to the entity that is owed the funds. To determine if you are eligible for SPHPP, go to https://www.hocmn.org/stpaulhpp/ and refer to the graphic shown or call 651-236-8952.

The Minnesota Homeownership Center has been helping Minnesotans achieve sustainable homeownership and prevent foreclosure for more than 25 years, with a focus on serving those facing the greatest barriers to homeownership: lower income households and communities of color.

Right Track Youth Employment - Employer and Youth Applications

Right Track is the City of Saint Paul's youth employment program. Right Track offers six- to nine-week internships for young people through two different programs: Saint Paul Youth Jobs One (YJ1) and Youth Jobs Two (YJ2). stpaul.gov/parks-and-recreation/right-track

Employers and Business Leaders: Employer applications to host a Saint Paul intern this summer are now open. Help cultivate Saint Paul’s future workforce. Regardless of the industry or organizational structure, your company will benefit from mentoring Saint Paul youth. More information and to apply stpaul.gov/parks-and-recreation/right-track/employer-partners.

Youth seeking employment: Youth applications must be received by February 28 for jobs beginning in Summer 2022. Employment opportunities are for youth ages 14-21. Learn more, watch a video, and find resources at stpaul.gov/parks-and-recreation/right-track. For application support and/or questions, please reach out to the Right Track team at righttrack@ci.stpaul.mn.us.

St. Paul 2022 Capital Improvement Budget Planning

The city uses the Capital Improvement Budget (CIB) to fund the construction of maintenance of City infrastructure - streets, bridges, libraries, parks, rec centers, and other public facilities. The budget is composed of a variety of funding sources.

CIB functions on a two-year cycle. In odd calendar years, projects are planned and proposed by city departments based on their five-year plans. In even years, like 2022, the city recruits applications from the community for consideration by the CIB Committee. Selected ideas are incorporated into the following year's budget (usually proposed in mid-August). This year's CIB project priorities are ideas that incorporate Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).

We're currently in the project development cycle, which includes the following key dates:

• City begins accepting full applications for CIB project proposals – February 28
• Deadline for submitting full applications – March 25
• Departments provide cost estimates for submitted projects – April 11