Check out Fitness Rooms at Local Rec Centers

Many of Saint Paul's recreation centers have fitness packages available to the public. We invite you to join us for one of our fitness room open houses. Learn what equipment is available, view a fitness class, use the walking track (El Rio Vista, Hillcrest, North Dale and Oxford only) and receive a healthy snack. Here are the schedules for local rec centers.

Open House Schedule:

Saturday, January 4|Battle Creek|9am-Noon

Wednesday, January 29|Conway|6-8pm
Thursday, January 30|Dayton's Bluff|6-7:30pm

Red Rock Corridor Alternatives Analysis Comment Period

On December 12, the Red Rock Corridor Commission approved the final draft plan for the corridor - the alternatives analysis update.  This draft plan is available for public review and comment.  You can download a PDF copy of this final draft plan by clicking on this link: http://redrockcorridor.org/pdf/AAU%20Draft%20Final%20Report.pdf

A four-page flyer summarizing the plan is also available.  You can download it by clicking on this link: http://redrockcorridor.org/pdf/AAU%20Summary%20Flyer.pdf

You can also find both of these documents on the right-side sidebar of the project's webpage: http://redrockcorridor.org/transit-study

The Commission decided to take another look at the previous 2007 Alternatives Analysis (AA) due to new census and ridership data, updated population forecasts, and additional completed transitways in the region.  The AAU builds upon the original report by updating relevant sections and providing new analysis and alternatives for transit in the corridor. 

Over the past nine months the Commission has been evaluating technical data, working with a Community Advisory Committee, and engaging the public to determine the best mobility solution for the Corridor. With these stakeholders’ input, the AAU considers four mode alternatives in terms of their mobility, cost, economic development, and environmental impacts in the region. 

The AAU Draft Final Report provides details on the future vision for the Red Rock Corridor, implementing Bus Rapid Transit to provide all-day transit service to the Corridor. In moving forward with the development of BRT, the Red Rock Corridor Commission will pursue a staged implementation plan. In conjunction with the actions and improvements in each of the three stages, there are other broad and ongoing strategies that will be pursued by the Red Rock Corridor Commission. They are:

Advocate for integrated multi-modal investments including pedestrian and bicycle facilities, freight, rail, highway, and transit improvements that support mobility throughout the Red Rock Corridor. 
 

Advocate for funding for mobility improvements along the corridor. This includes advocating for sustainable local and regional funding sources, as well as supporting and applying for funding at the Federal level. 
 

Continue to monitor peak period capacity needs in the corridor to determine the timing for implementation of      additional transit services, alternative modes, or capital improvements.

Public hearing and public comment period
A public hearing will be held during the Commission's next meeting on Thursday January 23, 2014, starting at 4:00 pm, at the Cottage Grove City Hall (12800 Ravine Parkway South, Cottage Grove, MN 55016 - map >).

This will be an opportunity to provide comments on the draft plan. But the public comment period will continue until February 14, 2014.

You can view a summary of public guidance received for this project here: http://www.redrockrail.org/pdf/Public%20Involvement%20Documentation.pdf

Comment on the Feasibility of Streetcars in Saint Paul

Give your input on the proposed streetcar lines for Saint Paul. The top priority is a streetcar along 7th Street (both East and West 7th). This is a potentially important driver of development along East 7th. There will be open houses about the proposals on January 15 from 4-7p at the Randolph Fire Station, 645 Randolph (on West 7th and Randolph), and on January 16 from 4-7p at the Daytons Bluff Rec Center, 800 Conway.

If you can't make one of these meetings, you can leave comments at this location.

The feasibility study for the streetcars will come before the City's Planning Commission on Friday, January 24 at 8:30a in room 40, in the basement of City Hall (15 W. Kellogg Blvd.).

Changes to Saint Paul's Snow Plowing

Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman today announced several changes to the Saint Paul Public Works snow maintenance operations as a result of an internal review following the storm that began on Wednesday, December 4.

“Weather conditions in the Twin Cities presented a particularly challenging set of circumstances for our snow plow drivers,” Mayor Chris Coleman said. “But this is Minnesota, and we are no strangers to erratic snow fall. As a result of this weekend’s internal review, we will make a number of necessary changes to ensure Saint Paul remains the most livable city in America.”

Changes in the department will include:

• A continued increase in the use of salt and sand per square mile to help address current road conditions, a change made Sunday morning.

• A reprioritization within the Public Works budget that will direct just over $2 million to accelerate the purchase of several additional salter/sander/plow trucks.

• A reorganization of snow maintenance leadership within the Public Works department.

“Saint Paul has always prided itself on the high quality of services we provide residents, and it is clear after a thorough review that the city did not live up to those expectations,” Mayor Coleman continued. “In the short term, a more aggressive salting and sanding operation should help alleviate some of the issues on our roads, especially when the temperatures start to rise. In the long term, these changes should help provide residents, visitors, and business owners with the type of city services they have come to expect. At the end of the day, weather patterns are unpredictable and will continue to throw us curveballs well into the future. But we have the responsibility to strive to be the best we possibly can be.”

In 2011, Mayor Coleman approved a $6 million Public Works vehicle replacement plan. The plan provided an additional $1.2 million per year for five years to replace the city’s aging fleet. In the changes announced today, Mayor Coleman has directed Public Works to reprioritize an existing $1 million in capital spending and accelerate the $1.2 million in capital spending planned for 2014.  

With temperatures hovering around zero degrees for a number of days, the City of Saint Paul asks for your patience while we continue to address the drivability of our roads. The City of Saint Paul operates a 24-hour street maintenance hotline at 651-266-9700. The city encourages concerned parties to continue to report problems areas throughout the city. Emails can also be sent to snowemergency@ci.stpaul.mn.us.

Meeting Summary for Nov. 25th Meeting

Welcome and Call to Order of the Board (Erika Martin, President presiding) at 6:35p

Attorney General’s Report–Westerberg presents; copies of the report were distributed for review; Mohr moved (Fuehrer second) the resolution that the report be adopted; discussion of its significance focused on the breakdown of the expenses into programming, administrative and fundraising costs and on the legal obligation of the board to review financials and provide oversight of financial dealings of the organization; unanimous approval

Financial Reports Quarterly Approval – Westerberg presents; Rosbacka moved (Mohr second) to approve the first quarter financials; copies of the financial reports were distributed for review; this approval was held over from our October meeting due to the community discussion at that earlier meeting; no discussion/questions regarding the reports – unanimous approval.

Neighborhood Honor Roll Submissions – staff – Two names had been submitted by neighbors for the city-wide honor roll, one additional submission made by board members. All three submissions were unanimously approved. (Look for the announcement coming soon about these neighborhood activists!!)

 2014 Budget and Workplan– staff presented the proposed budget for 2014, which reflected a reduction in the increase the City had told us we would be receiving. That reduction was a result of using different data sets to outline the boundaries of the district council. The budget reflects a change in staffing with a new programming focus on youth. Discussion focused on the details of the budget and how our organization might raise more money. Staff presented the draft workplan for our city contract, explaining that the two sections of our historic contracts (Citizen Participation and Crime Prevention) will be merged this year into a single Community Engagement contract. Such a merger better reflects the philosophy of this organization and of the district council system as a whole. Staff went through the 5 goals that were proposed for next year. The new goal is the focus on youth work. Mohr moved approval (Nixon second) unanimous approval.

Transit Equity Covenant (Draft) - Melendez presented the background on the development of covenant based on his work as an organizer in the Fostering East Side Transit Equity Conversations (FESTEC) project operating this fall as a collaboration between eastside district councils and other organizations; He summarized the recent town hall and the work FESTEC has been doing to include people who have not been heard from before about what was wanted with regard to transit. The covenant is a set of principles that can guide community response to the multitude of transportation projects that are looming on the horizon and include principles on equity in housing, jobs, construction mitigation, access and safety. Melendez moved (Clark second) that the covenant be adopted; discussion centered on whether adoption obligated our organization to specific responses. The document is a framework of principles rather than specifics and is a living document. Unanimous approval.

Updates on projects - several local projects were summarized regarding their on-going work.

         

 THERE WILL BE NO BOARD MEETING IN DECEMBER!!

This Weekend - More Compost Site Hours

This is because the weather has been so odd this fall, and all our leaves fell at once!!

Ramsey County Residents Will Have an Extra Weekend to Drop Off Yard Waste

Yard waste collection sites will be open the following days and times Nov. 25 – Dec. 1:

Monday, Wednesday & Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.;

Saturday, 9 a.m.  to 5 p.m.;

Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

After Dec. 1, yard waste sites will switch to winter hours, with only the Midway, Frank & Sims, and White Bear Township sites open only on the second Saturdays and Sundays of each month, from December thru March.

Talk Transportation with Met Council and State Officials

Minnesota Department of Transportation Commissioner Charlie Zelle and Metropolitan Council Chair Sue Haigh invite the public to attend town hall meetings on transportation, including transit, on several dates in December. The meetings that are closest to the eastside are listed below.

All meetings are from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.·

•        Tuesday, Dec. 10 at St. Paul Union Depot, Veterans Gallery, 214 E. 4^th Street., St. Paul
•          Thursday, Dec. 12 at Century College, 3300 Century Ave. N., Room #2315, White Bear Lake

·       

Zelle and Haigh will lead a discussion about transportation, how it affects quality of life, its link to Minnesota’s economy and the importance of investing in this state asset. The officials will also take feedback and answer questions about Minnesota’s transportation system. Local MnDOT officials will be available to answer questions, as well.

Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend. Additional information is available at www.mndot.gov/minnesotago/.

To request an ASL or foreign language interpreter, or other reasonable accommodation, call Janet Miller at 651-366-4720 or 1-800-657-3774 (Greater Minnesota), 711 or 1-800-627-3529 (Minnesota Relay). You also may send an email to ADArequest.dot@state.mn.us.

Local Road Closure

Winthrop will be totally closed between Falcon and Glenridge starting today - November 25 - through Wednesday the 27th for water main work.

There will also be some continued lane closures on White Bear near Old Hudson as they continue to work out the water main issues there.

And you all know that the lane closures on Warner Road will go on into 2015, right?? Fixing/redoing the bridge over Childs Road...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Garbage vs Recycling? We know which is better...

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has been studying our habits when it comes to throwing stuff in the trash...

• The amount of plastic thrown away has increased from 11 percent of the waste stream to 18 percent since 2000.
• Paper in the waste stream has decreased from 34 percent to 25 percent, likely due to decreased printing of newspapers.
• Twelve thousand tons, or 24 million pounds, of aluminum beverage containers were discarded in Minnesota in 2012—the equivalent of 3.6 million aluminum cans per day.
• Over 543,000 tons (1 billion pounds) of recyclable paper were discarded in Minnesota in 2012.
• 21,000 tons (41 million pounds) of PET beverage container plastic were discarded in 2012.
• Organics (food) accounts for 31 percent of the waste stream, which is a 21 percent increase from the 2000 study.

The 2013 waste composition study indicates there is less paper and less glass in the waste stream, but more plastic and more food waste. This speaks to the need to find a way to recycle more types of plastics, and to establish more organics collection opportunities to handle the large amount of food waste that is being thrown away.

“The organics information is the most obvious issue we can, and will, address with more organics recycling and composting,” the MPCA’s Peder Sandhei said. “There are many findings to discuss and strategize to improve from this report, but the main point is that we’re discarding valuable resources, and jobs are lost with every garbage truck that’s emptied.”

The study also shows that Minnesotans are discarding a large amount of material that is currently recyclable -- material that can be used to create jobs in the local economy. Some of the Minnesota companies that make or produce products out of recycled material are Rock-Tenn in St. Paul; Bedford Technology in Worthington; By The Yard in Jordan; Master Mark in Paynesville; Liberty Paper in Becker; New Page in Duluth; and Gerdau Ameristeel in South St. Paul.

Ok folks, better recycling is coming to Saint Paul next spring - with more plastics able to be collected, with single stream and so on. The County will allow collection of organics at the compost site - next year... In the meantime, we can still be doing better than this!! And Gerdau Steel is a business in OUR neighborhood!!

Winter Energy Assistance News from Rep. Johnson

The Minnesota Department of Commerce and the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) encourages Minnesotans to contact their utilities now to learn more about the Cold Weather Rule protection to keep homes heated all winter long. The Cold Weather Rule helps customers who heat their homes with natural gas or electricity to avoid shut-off during the winter months.

Minnesota’s Cold Weather Rule took effect on October 15 and protects residential utility customers from having their heat shut off through April 15, 2014. But to prevent heating disconnection, customers must contact their utility to establish and maintain a monthly payment plan.

To be eligible, customers must contact their utility to work out a payment plan and must make the payments.  Customers who have a combined household income at or below 50 percent of the state median income are not required to pay more than 10 percent of household income; others are also eligible to negotiate a payment plan. Households that need to re-connect for winter should contact their utility now to take advantage of the payments options.

More information on the Cold Weather Rule is available at the PUC website or by calling 651-296-0406 or 800-657-3782.

To help pay home heating costs, Minnesota offers the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP or the Energy Assistance Program (EAP). The Minnesota Department of Commerce administers LIHEAP in partnership with 32 local service providers throughout the state. LIHEAP is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The program helps renters and homeowners earning less than 50 percent of the state’s median income ($43,642 for a family of four) obtain grant money to help pay their heating bills.

The average annual grant per household last year was $500. Households with seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, and children are especially encouraged to apply. Applications were recently sent to households that qualified for energy assistance last year; others who may qualify are encouraged to apply. To apply, contact the local service provider in your county by calling 1-800-657-3710 or visit the Energy Assistance Program sectionon the Division of Energy Resources websitehttp://mn.gov/commerce/energy.

The Minnesota Department of Commerce also administers the Weatherization Assistance Program, a companion program of EAP. The program provides cost-effective energy conservation measures to reduce energy costs for low-income households. Minnesotans who meet the income guidelines for weatherization may receive weatherization services; they may also receive additional assistance from the utilities. Both homeowners and renters may apply for weatherization.

Other forms of assistance may be available through county social service programs, community-based organizations and nonprofit agencies. For a list of resources, visit theStay Warm Minnesota website.

Energy-saving tips

The Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources provides a wide range of energy-saving information that every household can use to help control heating costs. Some basic no-cost and low-cost energy-saving recommendations include:

•               Weather strip and caulk windows and doors to eliminate air infiltration.

•               Cover drafty windows with tightly sealed plastic to keep the warm air in.

•               Open curtains and blinds on south-facing windows to let the sun in during the day to naturally heat your home.

•               Seal air leaks to prevent cold air infiltration through chimneys, vents, pipes, and wires that penetrate walls, ceilings and attics.

•               Close your fireplace damper when a fire is not in use to prevent warm air from escaping.

•               Maintain your heating system. Have annual furnace or boiler inspections, clean or replace furnace filters regularly, and consider replacing old heating systems with more efficient ENERGY STAR models.

•               Use a programmable thermostat. Set your thermostat to automatically turn down the heat at night and when you’re not at home.

More energy-saving tips can be found atwww.energysavers.gov. For more information on energy efficiency and energy conservation, visit the Commerce Department website and check out two consumer energy guides: Home Envelope and Appliances, Lighting, Electronics.

District 1 Hears from City on Recycling and from Transit Officials

The District 1 Board and about 13 residents heard updates from officials on the city recycling program and about the Gateway and Red Rock Corridors. Here is a summary of what was presented.

Presentation by Anne Hunt (Policy Director for Mayor Coleman on Sustainability). Ms. Hunt introduces Kris Hageman who is the Environmental Coordinator of Public Works. Ms. Hunt presented a summary of research conducted by Wilder Research on the recycling habits of St. Paul residents. The city undertook this research because recycling rates have leveled off or fallen over the past 5-8 years. Some of this may be due to changes in packaging, some to the recession, and some to alternative means to dispose of recyclables, but there are demographic differences in recycling behavior that the city wants to address.

7000 surveys were distributed to investigate recycling habits and needs and 18.4% of the recipients responded – a very high response rate. In addition, all 7 wards were well-represented and all (major) ethnic groups were also represented. They also held 6 focus groups and additional stakeholder interviews. The results of the survey were that people wanted to see:

• More types of plastics able to be recycled
• Simpler process for recycling (e.g., single stream – everything in one bin – Mpls had a 57% increase in recycling when it went to single stream)
• Bigger bins with lids and wheels
• More information about what can and cannot be recycled

60% of residents in Ward 7 (which includes District 1) wanted to have organics recycling at yard waste sites and were willing to pay up to $3 more per month to have that service.

Dumping of bulky items (such as illegal dumping along Battle Creek Road…) was seen as a problem, but 81% of the respondents in Ward 7 were aware of community clean ups as a way to get rid of these items. The city is interested in making it easier to get rid of these items and will be rolling out changes to the community clean up process in the coming year. (More later on this…) Now, the City spends about $300,000/year on collecting stuff that is illegally dumped on public property.

People were also interested in improving trash collection in the City and cost and customer service were what is most important to them (other cities have significantly lower average garbage hauling rates than does St. Paul…).

All this research set the City up with 6 goals – some for the short term and some for the longer term:

• Educate everyone about and promote the program better
• Expand and simplify plastics recycling (1, 2, 4, 5 and 7 plastics, and their caps)
• Go to single sort system in wheeled carts
• Allow for source-separated organics recycling (the County has just announced that it will have kitchen scrap recycling sites at each of its yard waste sites next year, including the Totem Town site)
• Diversify how bulky items can be recycled
• Coordinate trash hauling with an incentive program

For next year (besides the County’s organics program), the City will go to a single sort system (using the same blue bins) and will increase the types of plastics it accepts. It will also make changes to the community clean up events (more information in the coming months). In the following year, new wheeled carts will be available for recycling. Longer term changes will be dealt with during the bidding process for the recycling contract currently held by Eureka Recycling (2016 is the end of Eureka’s contract).

Presentation by Lyssa Leitner – Washington County. Ms Leitner presented updates on the Gateway and Red Rock Corridor Transit projects. The lead agency of these projects is Washington County, although Ramsey County and the City are partners.

Interesting background facts: Transportation costs are the second highest expense for families after housing costs. Building transit projects is half as costly as building new roads (and is more effective at relieving congestion). People who take transit get on average 13 minutes of the recommended 30 minutes of exercise simply by the additional walking that accompanies transit use.

The Gateway Corridor (along I-94) will see an increase of its population by 90,000 people by 2020 and an increase of 30,000 jobs in that time. Transit results in increased development along a corridor. An investment of $4.4billion in a transit project will result in the direct creation of 30,000 full-time jobs and an additional 36,000 jobs in supportive commercial enterprises (such as coffee shops, retail, etc…).

The alternatives analysis that was done last year looked at both LRT and BRT in this corridor, and two main alignments – along I-94 on Hudson Road, and partially there, up White Bear and along E. 7^th. That analysis eliminated the latter alignment because of cost and disruption. The federal government received some comments that this elimination was unwise and asked the Gateway Commission to do a more thorough study of the White Bear- E 7^th route. That study has now been completed and the Commission and the entire eastside community is in agreement that this particular alignment should be eliminated from further consideration. At this time, the assumption is that the alternatives to be further considered are BRT vs LRT but with a routing along Hudson Road only.

In January a scoping document will be released with this information in more detail and a public comment period will be opened. At that time, the public and interested parties are encouraged to submit comments about things they would like to be considered in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. These considerations can be along any natural, historical, social or economic lines. District 1 expects to have a copy of the scoping document in its office, and other public places will be sites for the document as well. It will also be available on line.

The Red Rock Corridor (along Highway 61) is a lower priority project because it is expected to serve many fewer people (about ¼ the number that Gateway would serve, and 1/16 the number that Central Corridor is expected to serve). Two years ago, there was an extensive planning project for Red Rock around the proposed station areas (Hastings, Cottage Grove, Newport and Lower Afton). At that time, the expectation was that in the near term efforts would be made to increase ridership by improving the commuter bus service with the expectation that ultimately a commuter rail system would be put in place (similar to Northstar – NOT light rail). Since that time, a freight rail use study has taken place, Northstar performance has been less than expected, the political and economic landscape has shifted and so the end goal is being reconsidered.

Surveys of current park and ride users, and potential users have been made and there is clearly a demand for all day service to all the cities along the route. But the projected ridership doesn’t warrant considering commuter rail, which would severely impact growing freight rail service. Likewise, light rail is not warranted because of the cost and the lack of new available right of way. So the current expectation is that the best alternative would be BRT (bus rapid transit) with the buses running on the shoulders (not in a dedicated lane as is proposed for Gateway). The proposal would still include moving the current Lower Afton park and ride to north of Lower Afton, and would include upgraded stations with improved loading and unloading of passengers. But the timeline for this project is very much in the future – later than Gateway and probably not til 2020 at the earliest.

Still current improvements will continue, including the building and opening of a new Newport park and ride in about 1 year from now.

If you have  questions, please contact our office - district1council@aol.com or 651.578.7600.

Road Work on Highway 61 and I-94

Motorists may experience delays in both directions of Highway 61 in St. Paul and Interstate 94 between Woodbury and the Wisconsin state line as crews begin installing cable median barriers Monday, Oct. 7.

At 9 a.m., crews will intermittently close roadway lanes and shoulders on Highway 61 between Lower Afton Road and Warner Road, and on I-94 between I-494 and the Wisconsin state line. Work hours will be restricted to prevent congestion. Crews will install the cable median barrier during off-peak daytime and overnight hours.

Motorists should prepare to slow down in work zone areas. 

The work on Highway 61 is expected to be complete by Monday, Oct. 21, weather permitting. The work on I-94 will be partially complete by Friday, Dec. 20.

Cable median barrier prevents vehicles from crossing medians and into oncoming traffic. Installing cable median barriers in strategic locations helps prevent fatal and serious injury crashes.

For real-time travel information anywhere in Minnesota visit www.511mn.org.

Booya - Sunday, October 13 at St. Pascals

St. Pascal’s Men’s Club will hold their Annual Booya on Sunday, October 13^th from 10:00 AM until empty.  Individual servings will be available in the School Cafeteria located on the corner of Third St. and White Bear Ave.  COME EARLY, IT GOES FAST.  Proceeds will help purchase the equipment, uniforms, and supplies needed for the St. Pascal’s K-8 Grade School Physical Education Program and the Extra-curricular Sports Activities.  For additional information, contact Rich Hoffman at 651-774-0892 (H) or 612-554-6579 (C)

Attention Eastview Neighbors!!

Got a minute and have an opinion about the services Twin City Barbell and Brunette Boxing located at Eastview Recreation Center are providing to the community?  Complete Parks online survey and let your voice be heard.

In an effort to ensure we are meeting the needs of our residents at our partnered facilities, we are a conducting an online survey about the services being offered by Twin City Barbell.

The results of this survey will give us a better understanding of how residents are using the partnered facilities.

The survey for Twin City Barbell can be found here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/twincitybarbell

The survey for Brunette Boxing can be found here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/brunetteboxing

Comments will be collected until October 14.  If you have any questions about the survey, please contact us at 651-266-6400.

Thanks in advance for your participation.

Community Blood Drive at Culvers

On Tuesday, Oct 1 from noon to 5p there will be a Red Cross community blood drive at Culvers, 2065 Old Hudson Rd.

This is a "Give a Pint, Get a Pint" opportunity.

Walk-ins will be taken until 4:45p (but don't try around noon - that is booked already). You are STRONGLY encouraged to pre-register to assure that you have a spot. You can register at www.redcrossblood.org, then enter code 0177239, or call 1-800-REDCROSS.

A picture ID or Donor Card is required to give blood.

Remember, "Give a Pint, Get a Pint" of Culvers frozen custard. Everybody wins!!

85 People Turn Out to Hear About Boys Totem Town

Eighty-five people turned out last night for a presentation and discussion about the future of Boys Totem Town. The meeting, a joint venture between Ramsey County and the District 1 Community Council, was meant to update the community about what has happened in the evaluation of the facility at Totem Town, an assessment of the programming for juvenile corrections, and the process for determining how to best use the 80 acre site. (An added note - the 100th year anniversary of the founding of Boys Totem Town is coming up on October 9 from 3-6p at the facility - 398 Totem Road - the public is welcome.)

Erika Martin, District 1 Council President, welcomed the attendees and introduced County Commissioner Jim McDonough. Commissioner McDonough introduced the Ramsey County Corrections staff attending, including Corrections Director, Carol Roberts; Deputy Director for Juvenile Corrections, Michael Belton; Boys Totem Town Superintendent Steve Poynter and his Assistant Superintendent, Keith Lattimore; Treatment Director, Neerja Singh;  and Chris Crutchfield, Deputy Director for Community and External Affairs; and other corrections staff. Several of these officials made brief presentations or answered attendees' questions.

The buildings at Boys Totem Town were identified some time ago as being inadequate for the way in which treatment of juvenile offenders is now conducted. The main building at the site is the second oldest in Ramsey County; the newest building on site is from 1975. The purpose of Ramsey County's work around the facility at this time is to better align the programming (based on best practices of a Juvenile Detention Alternatives model (JDAI) and on evidence-based treatments, that is, focusing on what has been demonstrated to work) with the available facilities.

Boys Totem Town (BTT) has a capacity to house up to 85 young men, but has only been housing 20-40 youth over the last several years. This lowered number of residents is a result of 1) a significant reduction in juvenile crime, and 2) the use of JDAI approach - finding the appropriate treatment for each youth rather than applying a "one size fits all" approach. In addition to the reduction in use of beds at BTT, the juvenile detention center in downtown has seen a consistent reduction in the number of youth confined. So the range of juvenile corrections facilities has been in need of reassessment.

In 2008, a consultant was hired to assess the facility at BTT. (Read the report or executive summary at these two links.) The consultant came up with 6 possible alternatives. At the current time, Corrections staff is working to take the consultant's report and narrow the alternatives to 2 or 3 based on: 1) what kind of facility is needed, 2) how big the facility should be, 3) what services are necessary, and 4) where the location should be. A part of this assessment is determining whether BTT and the Juvenile Detention Center should be co-located. This narrowing of alternatives should be completed by November. This narrowing will be done by Corrections staff based on the needs of the youth.

Once the alternatives are narrowed, the information will be taken to the County Board of Commissioners who will decide if more information is needed about this narrowed list of alternatives, before the County Commissioners decide which alternative the County can make happen. Regardless of whether the decision is to build on the current site, or to vacate it (either option of which is probably 3 1/2 years in the future), the County is committed to working with the community to determine what happens at the current site.

Director Belton outlined how the County's juvenile justice system works, the many players in that system - from law enforcement to the judiciary to the corrections professionals. Within the later group there are three branches - the detention center ("juvenile jail"), juvenile probation and supervised release, and BTT - the residential treatment center. In addition, there are regional and state facilities and players.

The mission of BTT is two-fold: to provide safety for the community and for youth, and to provide treatment to turn around the lives of the youth at BTT and reconnect them in a positive way with the community. The young men ordered to go to BTT are between the ages of 12 and 18 years.

Questions from the attendees included:
1) How does the future planning for the site play in with existing community plans which designate a vacated site to remain as open space? Are such plans a covenant? - District 1 notes that the existing community plan is in the process of update; the community is and will continue to be involved in that process; and any update will assure sustainability of the proposal. Current plans are available for review by the public and are a part of the updating process. (Highwood Plan here, D1 Community Plan here)
2) Can the open space be used for urban agriculture? Housing? - These types of suggestions or concerns will be addressed in the planning process once the decision is made about what is best for aligning corrections' needs with facility needs. District 1 notes that it currently is receiving assistance from UM's Center for Urban and Regional Affairs to assess housing needs in the area.
3) What can residents do now? - The decisions being made now require professional expertise from corrections personnel. Residents can read the materials linked here, sign up for email notices about next steps, talk to others about what they have heard, ask questions of and make your opinions known to County Commissioner McDonough and to City Council President Kathy Lantry or District 1.
4) How unique is BTT? and How can the programming there make best use of the setting? County Corrections staff compared BTT to similar facilities across the state, spoke about how they work with other facilities that offer different options, and said that they will try to see how they can incorporate the environmental amenities into their programming.
5) What is the timeline? - Again - November for a reduction of the options from 6 to 2 or 3, leaving the option open for the need for further input in order to select the prime alternative, an extensive period for community process to determine how the site fits in with the community and with this prime alternative, and PROBABLY a break ground date 3 1/2 years down the road.
6) How do we assure that equity issues are addressed in this planning? How do we involve the populations most affected by the decision in the decision-making to come? - District 1, Ramsey County Corrections, Ramsey County and the City of Saint Paul are committed to do everything possible to assure equitable community involvement. We all welcome your suggestions and assistance in making that happen.

Annual Bow Deer Hunt in Area Parks

Ramsey County Parks and Recreation, in partnership with the Metro Bowhunters Resource Base (MBRB), will again conduct controlled archery deer hunts this fall throughout the Ramsey County parks system. Daylong hunts will be conducted in 10 park locations on select dates in October, November and December.

During the hunts, entire parks or portions of a park may be closed. Efforts will be made to keep most major paved hiking and biking trails open while the hunts are being conducted. Signs will be posted at common entry points to parks where hunts are being conducted, and park visitors are requested to stay out of these areas during the hunts.

The 2013 hunt for District 1 area and dates are:

• Fish Creek Open Space (Maplewood/St. Paul): Oct. 11-13, Nov. 8-10
• Pig’s Eye (Battle Creek Regional Park, St. Paul): Oct. 11-13, Nov. 8-10
• Battle Creek Regional Park (St. Paul/Maplewood): Oct. 14-16, Nov. 11-13

Most hunts will be held Friday through Sunday, with select hunts being held Monday through Wednesday to help minimize the impact on weekend park and trail users. Each hunt period is three days long, with two to three weeks between the first and second hunts. Any changes to the schedule will be announced on the Parks and Recreation website.

The annual fall deer hunts are held as part of the Ramsey County Cooperative Deer Management Plan, which was passed by the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners and is a joint effort between the county and municipalities where parkland is located, including Maplewood, St. Paul, Shoreview, Vadnais Heights and White Bear Township. The plan addresses the high deer population in Ramsey County, which exceeds the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recommendations for a healthy deer herd. High deer populations impact park vegetation and public safety due to increased car collisions.

This will be the 14th year the Parks and Recreation department has held the special permit hunts. All participating hunters have passed a DNR archery safety class, a shooting proficiency test and have agreed to special hunt rules. Archers for the 2013 hunts have already been selected. Archers interested in participating in future hunts should contact MBRB and visit the organization’s website at www.mbrb.org. 

Click here for more information on Ramsey County's deer management plan.

Cystic Fibrosis Fundraiser

Healthsource Chiropractic + MN Wild Hockey + Cystic Fibrosis Foundation = A REALLY FUN EVENING!

Join HealthSource for a Cystic Fibrosis Fundraiser at the MN Wild Hockey Game, Saturday, Oct. 5th, 7:30pm.

We have tickets to this Tier II game, which will sell-out.

These tickets normally sell for from $95 (Attack 1) to $125 (Attack 2).

We have them available for $65 and $85!!!

Also up for Silent Auction on EBay: Photo-op on the ice after the game; Oct. 14th VIP Tour of the Facilities, and 2 Rides on the Zamboni!

Call HealthSource of St Paul for info or to purchase tickets.

#651-731-1880.    

Watershed District hosting discussions...

How would you invest $50 million?? We are talking about real money that WILL be going to improve your local surroundings through water-related projects.

As the Ramsey-Washington-Metro Watershed District begins to update its 10-year management plan, we are asking you, our community members, to provide input about what you value about our local lakes and streams, ask questions and raise concerns about issues you think the Watershed District should address. Three conversations are scheduled around the district this fall and they will each be from 6-8:30p.

The one that applies to the District 1 area will be Thursday September 26 at the Woodbury City Hall, 8301 Valley Creek Road (the Ash/Birch conference rooms...).

If you are living in District 1, you are contributing to the $50 million so you should have a voice in how your dollars are invested.

An RSVP can be sent, but isn't necessary. Refreshments will be served.

Contact Sage Passi with questions at sage.passi@rwnwd.org or 651.792.7958

St. Pascal's Fall Festival 9/22

Come and join the family fun at the Annual St. Pascal's Fall Festival, Sunday, September 22 from noon to 5p. There will be a home-cooked spaghetti dinner, bingo, children's games, a cake walk, raffle, games of chance, the Festival Mercantile Store, football, tacos, beer and more.

The location of St. Pascal Bylon Catholic Church and School is 1757 Conway (between Conway and 3rd at White Bear Avenue). You can reach them for more information by calling 651.774.1585

Health Tip - Keep Hydrated!

The summer is finally here and heating up fast. Are you prepared to keep your body hydrated?

It may come as no surprise that many people go through the simmering summer months without proper hydration. We drink water occasionally, but usually prefer to get our liquids from other, less-healthy sources.  

According to the World Health Organization, dehydration can not only make you feel fatigued, listless, and ill, but can also cut down on your productivity and even pose a threat to your health. That is why WHO recommends that each person drink anywhere from 6-8 cups of water on average each day - and more if you are exercising or doing strenuous physical activity in the summer.  A general rule of thumb is that if you are outdoors exercising or working hard and perspiring considerably for longer than 1 hour, replace electrolytes and minerals through an enhanced sports drink in addition to water.

Keeping the right amount of healthy water in your body will help you fight off the effects of summer sun and humidity. You will move better, play better, work better, and FEEL better - all terrific reasons to keep yourself hydrated during the summer.

Water helps you to keep your body well-supplied with vital liquid that your body craves.  Water not only helps to revitalize your body, but also help you to combat heat stress. 

Remember: Drink plenty of water this summer, and fight that heat!

Keep yourself active and lively this summer. Enjoy your favorite summertime activities, like swimming, having a BBQ, playing sports, or other fun-filled events, with the knowledge and security that your body will be protected.

Use water to quench your thirst, hydrate your body, and stay healthy.

By: Dr. Josh Kary

Healthsource Chiropractic

1754 Old Hudson Road

St. Paul MN, 55106

651-731-1880