District 10 Environment Committee in partnership with St. Paul Parks & Rec invites individuals or groups (families, schools, churches, clubs and others) to volunteer and give back and to help keep our regional treasure welcoming for everyone.

To become a Como Park Steward, you will participate in ongoing clean up, special clean-up events, work with the city departments to report tree and natural damage, graffiti, safety, and other concerns. We ask for a minimum commitment of one-year with visits twice monthly. (Some parcels may be allowed more than one steward, depending on commitment levels)

Pick your favorite area to walk, run or bike, or that you have a special connection to, as an environmental project or learning experience, or even in memorandum of someone special. You can even name your parcel on the map.

It will be first come, first served so if you want a special spot, register soon.

Look at all available parcels on the Como Steward Program map. After you complete your registration, you will be contacted about parcel selection.

NOTE: click on ‘Park Steward’ under the Volunteer Interest section.

News From Your District 10 Community Council

Know Your Como: Bobby Logan

By Sonjie Johnson

Pick a day. Any day, at Como Lake, 7 or 8 in the morning. Ask another regular walker if they’ve seen Bobby and they’ll know exactly who you mean. “Bobby?” They’ll smile. Bobby Logan. He’s the guy walking briskly on the bike path, 365 days a year, seven days a week - three times around Como Lake, before heading back to his home on Hamline. Bobby begins his 7 mile walk at five or six a.m. He walks fast and he does all the hills. Bobby’s been doing this route for close to 50 years. (Read more...)

D10 July Special Election Underway

Benjamin Kowalski-Grahek is D10's candidate for the vacant Vice Chair seat. Ben is currently serving on the board representing Sub-District 4. If he is elected, we will be seeking candidates to fill the Sub-District 4 vacancy in August.

Benjamin Kowalsky-Grahek

Como Pl.

I'm running for Vice Chair for the same reasons I ran for the Council in the first place: to prioritize an agenda which makes Como affordable, accessible and inclusive. I champion developments that will contribute to the overall goal of eliminating homelessness by ensuring everyone has a home, without exception. I champion infrastructure that will decrease the dependence on and necessity for cars and increase the accessibility of bicycle, pedestrian and public transportation. I believe that historical inequities have lead to disparate outcomes that fall along racial lines, including here in Como. Some of the most dense single family housing developments were made explicitly to exclude the possibility of having neighbors of color. These iniquities must be acknowledged and addressed boldly with new ideas for housing policy, business policy, accessibility and reparative justice. While a Community Council can't make policy, we can certainly champion it and advocate for it. And that's what I intend to do.

Statement of support for Benjamin Kowalski-Grahek, from Jennifer Nelson:

I have known Ben since he joined the Como Community Council board in the fall of 2020. During that time, he has proven himself to be a welcoming, thoughtful, and hardworking member of the board and of the Como neighborhood. He has my highest recommendation for the officer position of Vice Chair on the District 10 (D10) Como Community Council board.

During his tenure with D10, Ben has demonstrated a sincere commitment to the board and neighborhood in many ways. Ben has been an energetic participant of the Land Use committee, engaging respectfully with neighbors on issues that can stir big emotions. He attends well to both details and larger strategic visions, and he proactively crosses over to other committees when he recognizes opportunities for the board to collaborate to make positive change. As board members, Ben and I participated in an intensive, week-long community organizing cohort in winter 2021. This cohort required an unusual level of commitment, vulnerability, and growth, and Ben stepped fully engaged into that space. Afterwards, he co-created and co-led a presentation with me about how to best leverage this training to help the board live into its new mission statement. He has been a helpful resource for prospective candidates and new board members, and during our transition to a new executive director, he stepped up to create and send out our weekly newsletter to make sure residents stayed informed and connected.

Ben brings his care for the Como community and his excellent collaboration and communication skills to the role of Vice Chair, and I look forward to serving with him in this capacity.

To vote in the special election you must request a ballot on our website. Paper ballots were sent earlier this week to community members who requested them. Online ballots can be requested until 5 pm on July 20. Voting will close at 7pm on the 20th and results will be announced at the board meeting beginning at the same time.

More Election Info

D10 Board Meeting

Tuesday, July 20 - 7pm on Zoom

Elections, Bylaws, Committee Updates

The D10 Como Park Board of directors will meet on Tuesday. We will hear the result of the July Special election, discuss changes to the bylaws, and get updates from the D10 Committees.

All D10 board and committee meetings are open to the public and reserve space for community members to give input on issues that are important to them. Click the button below to get meeting access info.

Land Use Committee Meeting Special Time

Monday, July 26 - 7pm @ Dock & Paddle

Dock & Paddle Evaluation

The Land Use Committee will be meeting in-person on July 26 at the Dock & Paddle in the third floor event space. In addition to regular committee business, the operators of Dock & Paddle will be present to talk about their future plans for the pavilion spaces/businesses and to collect community feedback about their operations. By moving our meeting date up and adding this to our agenda, they will be able to put that feedback into motion during the month of August as part of their work to meeting their city benchmarks.

Preparations and options for giving Dock & Paddle input for those who can't or aren't comfortable meeting in person are still being finalized. Stay tuned for more info next week!

News from your Neighborhood

Have You Adopted a Drain? Take a Survey!

The folks from the Adopt-a-Drain program are looking for feedback on the experience.

The survey wraps up July 23, 2021. At the end of the survey, you will have the opportunity to enter a drawing for a pair of Minnesota State Fair tickets.

Adopt-a-Drain

Take the Survey

Ward 4 Office asking for input on STAR Funding

The Ward 4 office is looking for input on how to make best use of year-round STAR funding to make needed improvements in our community.

STAR funds can be used on a range of capital improvements and expenses for business, non-profits, and/or placemaking projects in our neighborhoods - from supporting a local business in expanding part of its facilities, to creating a pedestrian safety improvement that combines art and placemaking to slow down vehicles and make our roads more family-friendly.

If you know of a business, non-profit, project idea or other initiative that could use some love and investment, take the short survey and let them know your ideas and suggestions. Ward 4 intends to use this survey's results as one of many sources of feedback to inform how to spend Ward 4 STAR funds in a meaningful, community-based way.

Take the Survey

National Night Out Coming Up August 3

National Night Out is Tuesday, August 3. You can register your event or find your nearest registered NNO event here on the city's website.

District 10 has street barricades and portable recycling containers that community members can use for block parties, neighborhood, or family events. You can borrow the recycling containers for free; there are two kinds:

For cans, bottles and other items you can include in your weekly recycling.
For food scraps and other compostable organics.

The street barricades are required by the city when you block off your street or alley -- but ours are a more-affordable option than getting them from Public Works. Barricades require a $50 deposit. We return $40 when you return the barricades. Reservations are first-come, first-served. (To rent our barricades, you must have an event permit from the city.)

To reserve any of this equipment, call our office at 651-644-3889, or send us an email.

What's Going on at the Fair?

Street Machines Nationals Series

July 16-18

Street Machine Nationals are national events geared toward the hot rod, muscle car, street machine and street truck enthusiast. You will not only see the most unique vehicles at these shows, but get a chance to be a part of an industry that is growing everyday.

Street Machine Website

Street Machines Nationals Series

July 16-18

Free Event! MSHA will share info about the American Saddlebred horse and many styles of showing in the ring.

Location: Compeer Arena

Hours:

Saturday 10am, 1pm, 6pm

Sunday 10am, 11:30am, 2:30pm

Capitol Classic Horse Show Information

Full Fairground Schedule

News from your City

Public Hearing on Parking Minimums August 11

The Saint Paul City Council will hold a public hearing on text amendments to Saint Paul’s Zoning Code regarding minimum parking requirements on Wednesday, August 11, 2021 at 3:30 p.m. Background information and draft amendments can be found at the City’s web site: www.stpaul.gov/parkingstudy.

The D10 Land Use Committee will discuss the proposed amendments at the July 26 meeting at Dock & Paddle.

Minimum Wage Increase

Helpful Links

The Department of Human Rights & Equal Economic Opportunity is reminding everyone that as of July 1, 2021 the minimum wage in Saint Paul has increased as required by Chapter 224 of the City of Saint Paul Municipal Code.

Four Business Categories

All businesses in the City of Saint Paul fall into one of four groupings pictured below. Please reach out with any questions regarding the minimum wage ordinance.

Federal Child Tax Credit

This year, as part of the American Rescue Plan, the federal Child Tax Credit (CTC) is significantly increased and half of it will be available through direct monthly payments.

Eligibility

You can receive the Child Tax Credit if you have children under 18, even if you make little or no money. Joint filers making up to $150,000, single head of households making up to $112,500, and other single filers making up to $75,000 are likely eligible for the full CTC.

If you have filed tax returns for 2019 or 2020, or if you signed up to receive a stimulus check in 2020, the IRS will automatically send you monthly payments.

If you did not have to file your taxes this year or last year, and you did not register for Economic Impact Payments last year, you must sign up for the CTC payments. Go to ChildTaxCredit.gov and click on the “Non-Filer Sign-Up” link.

More Information

I-94 & I-35E, St. Paul construction begins Sunday evening, July 18

A two-year project to repair and resurface Interstate 94 between Western Avenue and Mounds Boulevard and Interstate 35E between I-94 north and University Avenue in St. Paul will begin Sunday evening, July 18.

Beginning at 10 p.m. Sunday, July 18, construction crews will close the left two lanes of eastbound and westbound I-94 from just west of Western Avenue to St. Peter Street. The lanes will remain closed until Saturday, Aug. 21. Later in the week, the ramp from 12th Street to westbound I-94 and southbound I-35E will close on Wednesday, July 21st, until early October.

As work continues this summer, motorists will encounter additional lane and ramp closures on the interstate and some local roads through this area. When possible, MnDOT will attempt to keep two lanes of traffic open in each direction. Information about upcoming traffic impacts will be posted on the website and sent out in email updates as details become available. All traffic impacts are tentative and weather dependent.

The project is being carried out in three stages during the next two construction seasons. Construction will continue next year on I-94 between Marion Street and I-35E, from spring through mid-summer 2022. The final stage will complete work on I-94 from I-35E to Mounds and run from mid-summer through fall 2022. Both stages next year will include work on I-35E between I-94 and University Avenue.

In addition to repairs and resurfacing, work also includes resurfacing ramps and frontage roads along I-94, repairing drainage and upgrading storm sewers, bridge rehabilitation work as well as repairing sidewalks and upgrading pedestrian sidewalks and approaches to Americans with Disability Act (ADA) standards.

When completed in the fall of 2022, the project will provide a smoother, longer-lasting road surface, improve safety and mobility along the corridor and upgrade pedestrian/bicycle accessibility.

For more information, please visit the I-94&I-35E in St. Paul project webpage.