October 7, 2022 | Friday

Como Halloween Decoration Competition is Back!

Register thru Oct. 17!

It's once again time to get out your pumpkins, skeletons and ghosts for the D10 Neighborhood Relations committee's Halloween Decor Competition! Each year we challenge our community to go all out and register their house or apartment building to be included in the Halloween Decor map. 

If you have a friend or neighbor who deserves to be included, nomination door tags are available at the D10 Office, or use this PDF to print your own nomination flyer.

Registrations will be accepted through October 17. Maps and voting will be available starting on October 21!

Como Community Blood Drive

D10 Como Park is partnering with the American Red Cross and the Como Zoo & Conservatory to host a series of community blood drives at the Zoo. There are still a handful of reservations available for the October 18 drive.

Upcoming Drive Dates:

• Tuesday, October 18, 2022 – 9am-3pm
• Wednesday, December 7, 2022 – 9am-3pm

If you’re interested in volunteering at the check-in table, we still have shifts available for December 7, you can sign up for a shift here.

2022 Como CURB Cleanup Underway!

October 1 through November 30, in front of your own home!

Como Community Council is again teamed up with the Capitol Region Watershed District for the Como Curb Cleanup. When it rains, leaves on streets release nutrients into the water that flows into storm drains and the lake. There it becomes food for invasive algae. Join 100+ neighbors in sweeping your curb once a week this fall to help keep Lake Como clean with this surprisingly effective effort.

Signing up to be an official participant helps us track results and helps (a lot) to support future efforts! It's not too late to join the effort!

D10 Subdistrict 1 Board Vacancy

Interested in getting more involved with the Como Community? Our board has one vacancy to fill in a Subdistrict 1 Seat (View subdistrict map). To be considered for the board, submit a board member application.

Vacancies are appointed by the board, all appointed board seats are automatically included in the next annual election, and appointed board members may not serve as officers.

If you have any questions or would like to know more about being a board member you can view info on our website or reach out to district10@district10comopark.org.

Como Regional Park Trail Master Plan

The City of Saint Paul's Parks and Recreation Department is engaging community members to inform and develop an updated Trail Master Plan for Como Regional Park. The master plan will emphasize improving the connection between the trails within the park to Saint Paul's Grand Round trail network. The process will prioritize connections around Como Lake, Picnic Pavilions, McMurray Fields and Outdoor Classroom areas over those within the Zoo, Conservatory, or Golf Course areas.

On the City's site you can:

• Use the Map to drop pins, share photos and leave comments on areas of the park you'd like to see improved, or places you like the most.
• Take the Survey to share how you use the park and how you would prioritize improvements to it.
• Post Comments and photos to the community Ideas Board to get the conversation going with other Como Regional Park visitors.

October Lyngblomsten Volunteering

Lyngblomsten senior apartments and care center over off Midway Parkway has so many different fun ways to volunteer it's difficult to share them all here, but here are some of the opportunities in October:

• Donut Social Helper (Lyng Apts): Fridays 7:30am-9:30am.
• Halloween Party (Care Center): Mon, Oct. 31 1:30-3:30pm.
• The Gathering: 9:30am to 2:15pm at the Care Center Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Help participants with memory loss take part in brain-stimulating activities while their caregivers have a reliable weekly respite.
• Birthday Party (Heritage Apts): Tue, Oct. 18, 2:30pm. Celebrate October Birthdays at The Heritage! 
• Big Bingo (Chapel): Fridays, October 14 and 28. Transport starts at 10am.

Learn more about volunteering at Lyngblomsten here on their website. Last night the D10 Neighborhood Relations committee began plotting to take Popcorn Thursdays on, wait until they hear about Donut Social Fridays!

Como Lake Honey While Supplies Last

Ever since the Know Your Como article about Dean Anderson and Como Lake Honey, we have been receiving questions about how our community can purchase this honey.  Dean will be selling honey while supplies last for the next two Sunday afternoons (October 2nd & 9th) from his home off of Como Lake between Rose Avenue and Wheelock Pkwy.

Como Parks & Rec Programming

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

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• New Awesome Art ages 6-10 - Wednesdays in Nov. - $62*
• New Taekwondo Jr ages 6-8 - Mondays & Wednesdays in Nov. - $60*
• New Taekwondo ages 9-21 - Mondays & Wednesdays in Nov. - $60*
• Tot Time ages 1w-6 - Mondays & Wednesdays thru Dec. 28 - Free
• Senior Fitness ages 55+ - Tuesdays & Thursdays thru Dec. 29 - Free
• Pickleball ages 18+ - Tuesdays & Thursdays thru Dec. 15 - $3
• School Year Rec Check 1st-5th Grade - Weekdays thru June 14 - Free*
• Zumba w/ Marie ages 18+ - Wednesdays thru Dec. 21 - $4

Northwest Como Rec Center (1550 N. Hamline)

• New Basketball Skills ages 11-14 - Oct. 20-21, 3:15-4:45pm - Free*
• New Coding club ages 8-14 - Thursdays Oct. 27-Dec. 8 - $60*
• Halloween Bonfire - Friday, Oct. 28, 6-8pm (Costume Contest!) - Free
• New Taekwondo Jr ages 6-8 - Tuesdays & Thursdays in Nov. - $60*
• New Taekwondo ages 9-21 - Tuesdays & Thursdays in Nov. - $60*
• New Men's Open Soccer ages 18+ - Thursdays starting Nov. 3 - $3

*Registration Required

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.

Neighborhood Notes

Upcoming Applications/Renewals

• New Automate Car Repair has submitted an application for an Auto Repair Garage License for 991 Front Ave. Anyone with input should email the Como Community Council or contact the office of Ward 5 Council Member Amy Brendmoen at ward5@ci.stpaul.mn.us. The owner of Automate is planning to attend the Oct. 18 D10 Land Use committee meeting to introduce himself and answer questions.
• New Carter’s BP (623 Como): Gas Station License is up for renewal Dec. 29. Anyone with input should email the Como Community Council or contact the office of Ward 5 Council Member Amy Brendmoen: ward5@ci.stpaul.mn.us.
• Speedway (950 Lexington): Gas Station and Malt Off-Sale Licenses are up for renewal Dec. 1. Anyone with input should email the Como Community Council or contact the office of Ward 5 Council Member Amy Brendmoen: ward5@ci.stpaul.mn.us.

*While license renewal dates serve as community reminders, feedback on a business license can be submitted at any time.

Property Tax Deferral for Senior Citizens

The Senior Citizens Property Tax Deferral Program allows property taxpayers who are 65 years or older, and whose total household income is $60,000 or less, to defer a portion of their homestead property taxes until some later time. It provides senior citizens whose property taxes are high relative to their incomes, but who wish to stay in their homes, an option for paying their property taxes. 

To qualify, all of these must be true:

• You are 65 or older in the year you apply. If married, one of you is 65 or older and the other is at least 62.
• Your household income is $60,000 or less.
• You have owned and lived in your home for the last 15 years.
• Your home has been homesteaded for 15 years.
• You do not have a reverse mortgage, a life estate, or any state or federal liens on your property.
• Other liens against your property are less than 75% of the estimated market value.

There are also programs like the Ramsey County Service Center Navigators that can help people find and navigate issues for these kinds of financial programs.

Upcoming Crime Prevention Activities from SPPD

Crime Prevention

• 3 Burglary Prevention Open Houses - All 5-7pm
• Oct. 12 - Rice St. Library (1011 Rice St.)
• Oct. 19 - West District (389 Hamline Ave.)
• Oct. 27 - East District. (722 Payne Ave.)
• These open houses give residents the opportunity to talk with SPPD staff and see examples of lighting, locks, windows, security systems, cameras, etc. 

Youth and Programming

• Safe Summer Nights Fall Festival - Saturday, October 29, noon-2pm at Arlington Hills Recreation Center (1200 Payne Ave). Food, games, and candy.

Fall Fun at Midway Peace Park

Join our neighbors at the Union Park Council for their Fall Fun Event.  Bring family, friends and neighbors to enjoy inflatables, art, sambusas, tea and more. 

This free event will take place October 8th from 12-4pm

2023 St. Paul Budget

The City Council is responsible for adopting the City's operating and capital budgets and property tax levies. In August, the Mayor proposes the budgets for the following year. After the budgets are proposed, the City Council begins its consideration of the budgets. A series of Council Budget Committee meetings are held throughout the fall to review the Mayor's proposed budgets in detail. Public hearings on the proposed budgets and tax levies are also held during this time period. In mid-December, the Council adopts the final budgets and property tax levies, incorporating any changes Councilmembers have to the original proposal into the adopted budgets and levies.

Budget Committee Meetings are be held on Wednesday mornings at 10am through December 7, 2022. The council hears budget breakdowns from different departments.

Meetings can be live streamed and are recorded to view later. Find minutes, live streams, recordings, and updated scheduling here on the city's website. You can send comments and feedback to the City Council: CouncilBudget@ci.stpaul.mn.us

Absentee Voting Open for General Election

Anyone eligible to vote in Ramsey County may cast their absentee ballot – either in person or by mail – before the general election on Nov. 8. Voters can cast their ballot from Sept. 23 through Nov. 7.

Sample ballots are available at mnvotes.org.

Vote in person

Beginning Sept. 23, in-person absentee voting is available at two locations. Eligible voters may visit either location, regardless of their home address. Locations include:

• Ramsey County Elections Office
• Ramsey County Library - Roseville

Beginning Nov. 1, four additional locations will offer in-person absentee voting:

• Arlington Hills Community Center
• First Tee of Twin Cities - Highland National Golf Course
• Frogtown Community Center
• Ramsey County Library - White Bear Lake
• View hours for all locations

In alignment with Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act, Hmong interpreter election judges will be available at in-person voting locations in 2022. Sample ballots will also be available in Hmong at mnvotes.org.

Vote by mail

Voters can visit ramseycounty.us/VoteByMail to request a ballot. A ballot will be mailed to the voter along with a pre-paid, pre-addressed envelope for returning their completed ballot materials. Voters can track the status of their absentee ballot through the Minnesota Secretary of State’s online ballot tracker.

Ballots returned by mail must be received by the Ramsey County Elections Office by Nov. 8 per state guidelines to be accepted.

Voters may also return their ballot in person at the Ramsey County Elections Office or the Ramsey County Library in Roseville. All ballots must be returned inside the building to designated staff who will verify the voter information is complete. Ballots placed in any outdoor document drop boxes or payment boxes will not be accepted.

Voter registration

Eligible residents may register to vote or update their address online at mnvotes.org through Tuesday, Oct. 18.

Residents may also register at the in-person absentee voting locations or at their polling place on Election Day. Proof of residence is required. A list of approved documentation and sample ballots are available at mnvotes.org.

What's going on at the Fairgrounds?