Park Perspective - July 2018

Park Perspective July 2018

www.stlouispark.org

St. Louis Park in brief No time to read the Park Perspective? Here’s what you need to know if someone asks you what’s new in St. Louis Park!

1. R anked-choice voting for mayor and city council seats was adopted. Page 8 2. W estwood Hills Nature Center project moves to next phase. Page 3 3. Replacing city vehicles with electric vehicles. Page 3 4. The St. Louis Park Police Department is considering the use of body-worn cameras starting 2019. Page 4

Celebrate National Night Out Aug. 7

5. Waste Management chosen to provide solid waste collection services starting this fall. Page 6

5005 Minnetonka Blvd., St. Louis Park, MN 55416-2216

City Hall (7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.)............................................952.924.2500 Emergency..............................................................................911 Police (non-emergency).........................................................952.924.2618 Municipal Service Center........................................................952.924.2562 Winter Parking Hotline...........................................................952.924.2180 The Rec Center........................................................................952.924.2540 Westwood Hills Nature Center...............................................952.924.2544

For city events, activities and news, visit www.stlouispark.org.

nextdoor.com @stlouispark

@stlouispark @stlouispark

Make service requests or receive city information via the app or visit www.mystlouispark.org.

Every year, St. Louis Park police attend more than 100 citywide gatherings to help support their year-long goals of heightening crime prevention awareness; generating support for anti-crime programs; strengthening neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships; and letting criminals know that residents are organized and aware of what’s going on their neighborhoods.

We hope to see you Tuesday, Aug. 7, 6 – 9 p.m. to celebrate the city’s 34th annual National Night Out. Along with the police department, other city departments, including fire and public works, will be out attending as many National Night Out parties as possible. Visit www.stlouispark.org/national-night-out to learn more.

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Twin Cities Permit No. 603

The Park Perspective is printed on 30 percent post-consumer recycled paper in an effort to meet the city’s environmentally preferable purchasing policy.

National Night Out is an annual community-building event aimed at creating safer, more connected neighborhoods and communities and building police-community partnerships.

Help voters in the Get involved with community by serving your neighborhood as an election judge Every year, the City of St. Louis Park hires election judges to assist with city elections. Selected election judges work in the 16 city polling locations to ensure every eligible ballot can be cast and counted. They help verify voter eligibility, assist with voter registration, distribute ballots to voters and certify results.

Election judges are paid $10 – $12 per hour. Full day or partial day shifts are available depending on schedules and preferences. If you are interested in serving as an election judge, complete the online application at www.stlouispark.org/election-judge.

The city also provides high school students the opportunity to serve as student election judges alongside election judges. Learn more and apply at www.stlouispark.org/student-election-judge.

Where to find St. Louis Park elections information:

www.stlouispark.org/elections

952.924.2503

St. Louis Park’s 35 neighborhoods each have their own distinct appearance and feel. Many have organized associations supported by grants and other resources from the city. Involved and active neighborhoods contribute to the overall quality of life in St. Louis Park by building investment and pride, increasing feelings of safety and security, connecting neighborhoods with each other and with the city and creating and maintaining a sense of community.

Neighborhood associations accomplish this through a variety of fun events and gatherings.

To find out if your neighborhood has an association or how you can organize one, visit www.stlouispark.org/our-city/neighborhoods or contact Breanna Freedman, community liaison, at bfreedman@stlouispark.org or 952.924.2184.

Credit: Prairie Restorations, Inc.

Keep watering your trees All trees, even mature ones, need water. Significant changes in climate patterns are impacting entire ecosystems. Our urban landscapes are not immune to these changes. In fact, trees in urban areas are more prone to drought damage and death than natural stands of trees. The best solution to help trees through a drought period is to water them!

Native landscape to be added near popular trail

Prairie Restorations, Inc. (PRI) is converting turf grass located along the North Cedar Lake Trail into a native landscape area to enhance pollinator habitat as part of the city’s bee-friendly resolution and environmental stewardship goals. The area is located just west of Virginia Avenue at West 28th Street and runs several hundred feet between Lake Victoria and Texa-Tonka Park. PRI, which maintains all native landscape areas in 10 of the city’s park sites, began work on the site in mid-June.

This native landscape area will include mostly flowering prairie plants and some prairie grasses, and will serve as a pollinator habitat and food source for many insects, bees and birds. Native landscape areas reduce the amount of mowing needed, modify the soil through deep plant root penetration, absorb water efficiently and reduce runoff. It will take two to four years for all of the plants to be fully established.

Trees that do not receive enough water are unable to create new growth. When this happens, root development is reduced and wound formation is restricted. As trees reach this stage, they start to shut down and become targets for diseases and insects that may kill them.

The best place to apply water is different for newly planted and established trees: • Newly planted trees: Water immediately after planting. All tree roots should be kept in the original root ball area. Until new roots grow into the soil, water the original root ball area and a little beyond. The root ball area may dry out faster than the surrounding soil, so check the moisture in this area frequently for the first month or two after planting.

• Established trees: Don’t irrigate the area directly adjacent to the trunk as this can increase the risk of disease. Roots extend far beyond the edge of a tree’s canopy or drip line. Water in the drip line area by placing a hose, at trickle speed, in one spot of the drip line area for 30 minutes and then move to another drip line spot and repeat. On sunny summer or fall days, a mature tree can use more than 150 gallons of water daily!

Water deeply rather than frequently. Because most tree roots are found in the upper 18 – 24 inches of the soil, this is the area that should be watered in each irrigation cycle. A lawn sprinkler is insufficient for deep watering purposes; let the water trickle out of the hose in order for water to penetrate past the turf grass roots.

Funding available for landscaping projects Support water quality by creating your own stormwater treatment project. The City of St. Louis Park’s Rainwater Rewards program provides funding and technical guidance to residential property owners who install projects that: • Protect and restore stormwater by capturing pollutants in rainwater runoff; • Increase the watershed’s ability to store water; • Preserve and restore native plant and wildlife communities; and/or • Protect and preserve groundwater quality and quantity.

Project examples include green roofs, pervious pavement, rain gardens, rain barrels and tree plantings. The program also helps share costs as well as guidance on management practices, selecting designers and contractors, and future planning.

Discounted prices available to treat ash

trees, prevent emerald ash borer infestation

The program is available to residential property owners in St. Louis Park.

Applications will be accepted year-round on a first-come, first-serve basis. To learn more, visit www.stlouispark.org/rainwater-rewards, or contact Erick Francis, water resources manager, at efrancis@stlouispark.org or 952.924.2690.

The emerald ash borer has been confirmed in neighboring communities, including Minneapolis, Plymouth and Edina. In preparation for the inevitable arrival of emerald ash borer (EAB), the City of St. Louis Park has contracted with Rainbow Treecare to treat public ash trees growing along streets and in parks.

As part of this partnership, a citywide discount will be offered through 2018 to St. Louis Park homeowners to treat privately owned trees. To receive the discounted treatment rates, trees must be at least 10 inches in diameter and in good physical condition. The citywide discount provides homeowners with an affordable option for managing their ash trees for long-term protection.

For more information about the discount program or to schedule a free consultation, visit www.rainbowtreecare.com/stlouispark, email info@rainbowtreecare.com or call 952.767.6920. Visit www.stlouispark.org/trees for more information on tree care.

What about BOB?

A new disease, bur oak blight (BOB), is affecting bur oak trees in St. Louis Park.

This disease only infests bur oak trees and mimics symptoms of oak wilt disease, with brown leaves appearing at the tree’s crown then falling off during the second half of growing season, typically mid to late July. BOB tends to appear more during growing seasons that start out cool and wet. Trees can die from having BOB year after year. The best treatment for BOB is a fungicide treatment, administered by a St. Louis Park licensed tree service, in early spring. Check your bur oak trees now to see if they are displaying and/or losing brown leaves and plan for treatment early next spring. Visit www.stlouispark.org/trees for more information on what to do about BOB.

2

Identifying illicit discharge Have you ever noticed an unusual odor, discoloration or something that doesn’t seem to belong in our storm drains, lakes or rivers? It may have been an illicit discharge and may be harmful to our community and environment. Illicit discharges are anything that is not rainwater. They are illicit because the storm drains and water bodies are not designed to accept, process or discharge these wastes.

If you see an illicit discharge, notify the city through www.mystlouispark.org or by submitting a request through the myStLouisPark app (available on iPhones and Androids). Find the illicit discharge option under the Private Property/Business Issue category. For more information, contact Erick Francis, water resources manager, at efrancis@stlouispark.org or 952.924.2690.

City receives Xcel Energy Community Partner Award St. Louis Park charges ahead on Climate Action Plan Accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles is one of three kick-start projects identified in the Climate Action Plan, which was adopted by the St. Louis Park City Council earlier this year and sets a goal for the city to achieve a net-zero carbon footprint by 2040. To advance that project, the city recently joined Cities Charging Ahead, a Minnesota GreenStep Cities group of more than 20 cities working on electric vehicle readiness by local governments, including charging stations, policy language and fleet vehicle purchases.

The city recently installed information-gathering devices on 20 of its vehicles to help identify which ones may be candidates for replacement with battery electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles. Conducted in partnership with Xcel Energy and Fleetcarma, the assessment will run for about one year. Any identified vehicle replacement would take place as part of the established replacement schedule for city vehicles in the city’s capital improvement program.

The City of St. Louis Park received Xcel Energy’s 2017 Community Partner Award for its participation in the Partners in Energy program. In 2015, St. Louis Park became the fourth city in Minnesota to participate in the program. Through a two-year commitment, Xcel helps communities identify their energy objectives, develop a plan and implement strategies that incorporate unique, local resources.

As a result of this program, the city finalized an Energy Action Plan with four key focus areas:

• Encourage the use of renewables • Drive energy efficiency in business • Develop a partnership with youth • Create a climate action plan From this partnership and the creation of the Energy Action Plan, the city has already worked on initiatives in all of these areas and will continue to further the goals, actions and strategies outlined in the Climate Action Plan, adopted by the city council in February 2018.

Visit www.stlouispark.org/climate-action-plan to learn more about the Climate Action Plan. Minnesota GreenStep Cities is a program of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and its partners to help cities achieve sustainability and quality of life goals through a series of five steps. St. Louis Park achieved Step 3 status in 2017. Visit www.greenstep.pca.state.mn.us to learn more.

City of St. Louis Park

N A T U R E

C E N T E R

Interpretive Center project update

In May, the St. Louis Park City Council voted to approve the design development

Home improvement financing available Thinking about a kitchen remodel? Need new windows or central air conditioning?

Summer is a great time to start home improvement projects! The City of St. Louis Park has partnered with the Center for Energy and Environment’s (CEE) Lending Center to provide low-interest financing options for your interior and exterior home improvement projects. Call CEE’s residential loan specialists at 612.335.5884, or visit www.mnlendingcenter.org to get started today!

phase of the Westwood Hills Nature Center project, allowing staff and consultants to move to the next phase of preparing designs and specifications for construction.

The city council will consider the construction documents and authorize bids for the project this fall, with approval of bids and project authorization taking place by the end of the year. Construction is expected to start in spring 2019, with completion in 2020. The estimated project cost has grown by $500,000 from the original cost of $12 million due to soil conditions that will require a different foundation; however, those costs may eventually be offset by savings in other areas.

The new interpretive center will be zero energy certified, with 100 percent of the building’s annual energy needs supplied by on-site renewable energy. This design aspect is in keeping with the city’s Climate Action Plan, adopted in February 2018 by the St. Louis Park City Council.

Visit www.stlouispark.org/whnc/new-interpretive-center for more information about the project.

Submit your building plans online Did you know that building permit plans can be submitted online for all commercial construction, commercial additions or alterations, and all residential construction? The City of St. Louis Park’s ProjectDox is a streamlined and easyto-use online program to apply and pay for building or construction permits. Visit www.stlouispark.org/services/permits for information.

ParkTV provides local cable access programming to St. Louis Park.

ParkTV has five channels covering meetings, sports and events in St. Louis Park, and is available through Comcast, CenturyLink or YouTube.

Visit www.parktv.org for more information and to sign up for email updates, or tune in to www.youtube.com/slpcable for the latest programming.

3

Permits required for recreational fires The St. Louis Park Fire Department wants you to enjoy your small backyard recreational fires safely. The term recreational fire means “cooking fires and camp fires using charcoal or firewood for cooking or pleasure.” Fires used for debris disposal purposes are not considered recreational fires. Yard waste (including grass, leaves, branches and twigs), garbage and recyclables must be disposed of through a licensed solid waste collector, such as the city’s hauler. Large branches and logs can be taken to the city’s brush drop-off site.

Be a good neighbor In addition to following the recreational fire permit rules, consider your neighbors as well. Remember that smoke and the smell of smoke often carries into neighboring homes, even on calm days. Not everyone likes the smell of a campfire, especially inside their home, and it can be an irritant. Young children, the elderly and people with asthma, lung or heart disease are especially vulnerable to wood smoke in the air. If you suspect an illegal burn, call 911 and let the fire department investigate and educate.

St. Louis Park firefighter EMTs roll out bike patrol Typically, firefighters respond to an emergency in large red fire trucks. Now you may see them respond on vehicles of the two-wheel variety. Twenty-one St. Louis Park firefighter emergency medical technicians (EMTs) are rolling out on rotating bicycle patrols to cover the city’s 38 miles of bike trails and 56 neighborhood parks and recreation areas. They will also be at large events such as parades, road races, Fourth of July fireworks and more. Bike patrols allow for easier access where larger crowds are gathered.

Each bike carries approximately 40 pounds of medical equipment, including trauma dressings, spinal immobilization, oxygen and an automated external defibrillator (AED). The extra weight requires precision and balance to navigate parks and trails.

Firefighter EMTs train on obstacle courses designed to perfect their bike skills so they can operate effectively in crowds, off road or on the trails. Many also train while off duty to maintain adequate strength and endurance.

Contact Firefighter Andy Willenbring at awillenbring@stlouispark.org or Deputy Fire Chief John Wolff at jwolff2@stlouispark.org for more information.

Close your door. It could save your life.

Fire is getting faster. If you can get out, then get out. But if you can’t, a closed door could make a life-saving difference. Here’s what else you should know: • A closed door can hold back fire’s heat. In tests, an open-door room reached dangerous temperatures, while a closed-door room stayed under 100° F. • Closing the bedroom door at night could give you more time to react if the smoke alarm sounds.

• A closed door can help slow a fire’s spread and keep dangerous smoke away from you.

• Because of the plastics in most modern furniture and household items, fire is more toxic and much faster than ever before.

• A fire needs heat, fuel and oxygen to exist. Closing the door when exiting a burning structure can cut off the oxygen and stop the growth of fire.

Learn more at www.closeyourdoor.org.

Pathways to Policing program receives awards The St. Louis Park and Bloomington police departments recently received two awards for their participation in the Pathways to Policing program, which provides an alternate track to help mid-career professionals or those with non-law enforcement degrees enter policing.

• 2 018 Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association Excellence in Innovation Award, aims to generate new ideas to support Minnesota law enforcement and public safety. Nominations are scored for effectiveness, impact and ability to replicate a program or initiative.

• 2 017 League of Minnesota Cities Topical Award: Promoting Leadership and Career Opportunities in City Government. Recognizes communities who have developed a successful program to recruit, hire and/or retain new city staff or interns, particularly younger members of the workforce or people of color.

2 44

What’s required All wood burning recreational fires within the City of St. Louis Park require a recreational fire permit. Permits are available at www.stlouispark.org/recreational-fire-permit or at Fire Station 1, 3750 Wooddale Ave. S. For more information, call 952.924.2595 during normal business hours. There is a one-time fee of $25 for a lifetime permit for the current resident living at the property.

• R ecreational fires are permitted Sunday – Thursday from 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. – midnight.

• Recreational fires must be 25 feet away from any structure and 10 feet away from the property line.

• Only burn untreated, unpainted, clean, dry, aged firewood that is at least one inch in diameter. If the city determines a fire is offensive or may cause injury, you will be required to extinguish it.

• Recreational fires are not allowed when prevailing winds are greater than 10 miles per hour or if the state has issued burning restrictions.

Visit dnr.state.mn.us or pca.state.mn.us for details.

• The permit holder is responsible for conducting, controlling and extinguishing the fire. All fires must be extinguished completely to ensure there is no smoldering or potential for reigniting. Never leave a fire unattended and always have a garden hose or fire extinguisher nearby.

PulsePoint is free and available for both Apple and Android smartphones.

Once the app is downloaded, locate “agencies” under the menu tab, select St. Louis Park Fire Department and click “follow.” Under settings, select CPR, then acknowledge the message.

Help save the life of someone having a cardiac event in public by downloading the PulsePoint app. Here’s how the PulsePoint app works: If a cardiac emergency occurs in a public place and 911 has been called, trained bystanders within 400 yards are alerted by the app of the need for CPR until police, fire or emergency medical services crews can arrive. The app also directs citizen rescuers to the exact location of the nearest publicly accessible Automated External Defibrillator.

Police consider

body-worn cameras The St. Louis Park Police Department is considering implementing the use of body-worn cameras for its officers. With the assistance of the police advisory and human rights commissions, and the multi-cultural advisory committee, work on a policy for the use of body-worn cameras began earlier this year. A draft policy will be presented to the city council at a study session tentatively scheduled for August 13, followed by a public hearing at the August 20 regular city council meeting, then adoption in September. Following adoption of a policy by the city council, body-worn cameras would be put into use by officers by the second quarter of 2019.

“We have worked hard to build a high level of trust with our community; however, body-worn cameras increase accountability and transparency and are helpful in gathering evidence,” said Police Chief Mike Harcey.

“They’re also becoming standard equipment for many police departments.”

Road construction continues A few road construction projects are highlighted below. Visit www.stlouispark.org/construction-updates for a complete list of city, county and state projects that affect the city.

• M nDOT’s Highway 7 work in St. Louis Park, Hopkins and Minnetonka continues through September. Watch for intermittent lane and road closures. Visit www.mndot.org for information and to sign up for updates.

• B ids were opened in mid-June for the Wooddale Avenue bridge improvement project; work is expected to start mid-July.

Visit www.stlouispark.org/wooddale-bridge for information.

• T he 2018 pavement management project is underway in the Elmwood, Brooklawns and Brookside neighborhoods and is expected to be complete in November.

Visit www.stlouispark.org/pavement-management for information and to sign up for updates.

City council adopts strategic priorities In May, the St. Louis Park City Council adopted five strategic priorities that will guide the work of elected and appointed city officials and city staff. The following priorities were developed taking into account the recommendations of the Vision 3.0 process conducted in 2017.

St. Louis Park is committed to: • Being a leader in racial equity and inclusion in order to create a more just and inclusive community for all.

• Continue to lead in environmental stewardship.

• Providing a broad range of housing and neighborhood-oriented development.

• Providing a variety of options for people to make their way around the city comfortably, safely and reliably.

• Creating opportunities to build social capital through community engagement.

Stay updated on Southwest Light Rail Transit The Southwest Light Rail Transit project will operate on a route from downtown Minneapolis through St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Minnetonka and Eden Prairie, passing in close proximity to Edina. The route is expected to open in 2023 and will include 16 new stations, including three in St. Louis Park at Beltline Boulevard, Wooddale Avenue and Louisiana Avenue. It will be part of an integrated system of transitways, including the METRO Blue Line, the Northstar Commuter Rail Line, many bus routes and proposed future transitways. The estimated $2.003 billion project will be funded by a mix of federal, county, state and local sources, with federal funds making up about 46 percent of the total. Visit www.swlrt.org to sign up for email and text updates on the Southwest Light Rail Transit.

Comprehensive plan enters six-month review period In late June, the St. Louis Park City Council approved sending the draft 2040 comprehensive plan to nearby and affected jurisdictions — school districts, adjacent cities, watershed management organizations and state agencies — for a six-month review period. Any comments received will be considered when the final plan is adopted by the St. Louis Park City Council following the six-month review period.

Updated every 10 years, the comprehensive plan is an official document that guides the future of St. Louis Park with policies governing land use, transportation, public facilities, economic development and housing and other elements. Thanks to the many residents who provided input on the comprehensive plan through in-person meetings, surveys and online comments.

Your comments are welcome throughout the six-month review process; visit www.stlouispark.org/slp2040 to view the draft plan and provide comments.

City’s AAA credit rating benefits tax payers In May 2018, independent bond-rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) affirmed their AAA credit rating — the highest bond rating — for the City of St. Louis Park.

St. Louis Park is one of 22 Minnesota cities with the S&P AAA rating.

Standard & Poor’s rating report reflects the agency’s view of the many factors that contribute to St. Louis Park’s high rating, including a very strong economy; management; liquidity; budgetary flexibility; and strong budgetary performance, debt and contingent liability position.

The AAA bond rating helps ensure that future St. Louis Park debt will be issued at the lowest possible interest expense and cost to the tax payers. The rating also provides opportunities to refinance outstanding debt at lower interest rates.

3 5

Minnesota

Green Corps member tackles recycling Minnesota GreenCorps member Xinci Tan started her service year with the City of St. Louis Park last fall, tackling recycling in multi-family buildings and city parks. After visiting more than 70 apartments, condominiums and townhomes, representing 88 percent of all multi-family units in St. Louis Park, she found that plastic bags are the biggest contaminant, both loose and when used to hold recyclables. Plastic bags and film are never accepted in single-sort recycling, but can be taken to some retail stores and placed in designated bins if clean and dry.

Swap your clothing Aug. 1 Wednesday, Aug. 1, 6 – 8 p.m.

Lenox Community Center gym 6715 Minnetonka Blvd., St. Louis Park Wardrobe in need of an update? Bring clean/washed clothing items that are no longer right for you and swap them for items that are new to you. Take home as many items as you’d like. All styles, sizes and types of clothes, shoes and accessories are welcome.

Leftover items will be donated to STEP (St. Louis Park Emergency Program) and other nonprofits. Torn and stained textiles will also be collected for recycling. The event is FREE and open to all ages and genders!

Xinci created a recycling workshop program and has presented at six multi-family buildings, with help from local recycling champions. Participants took surveys before and after workshops to test their knowledge. To help educate residents, Xinci also provided resources to property managers.

Xinci has also spent part of her service year promoting the city’s organics program, and before her service year ends this August, Xinci will be educating park visitors on what can and cannot be recycled. You may find her speaking to residents at the Oak Hill Splash Pad or peering into recycling carts at a city park.

For questions regarding the GreenCorps project or recycling in multi-family buildings, contact Emily Barker at ebarker@stlouispark.org or 952.924.2187.

Learn about upcoming changes to solid waste program at an open house Make plans to attend an open house to learn about the upcoming changes to the city’s solid waste program. Open house events will be held at the Municipal Service Center, 7305 Oxford St., on Aug. 9 and 13 from 5 – 7 p.m. both days.

Each open house will start with a short presentation about the city’s garbage, recycling, organics and yard waste collection services and new changes starting in October 2018.

Plan to stop by! For more information visit www.stlouispark.org/garbage-recycling or call public works at 952.924.2562.

Waste Management selected for residential solid waste collection Waste Management (WM) was recently selected as the city’s contractor for the next five years for all solid waste collection services from residences and small businesses who receive city service, starting Oct. 1, 2018. This selection was made after a year-long process of surveying residents, discussions with city council and requesting proposals from 10 hauling companies. WM currently collects residential garbage and recycling and will start collecting organics and yard waste in October.

Most of the city’s residential solid waste services will stay the same. The most significant changes to the program include: • Additional garbage service levels: Optional every-other-week garbage collection for 20- and 30-gallon carts.

• Beginning Jan. 1, 2019, organics and yard waste will be collected separately.

Residents with organics collection will need to set yard waste out in separate compostable bags or personal reusable containers.

Visit www.stlouispark.org/garbage-recycling or plan to attend an open house in August for more information about these and other changes.

62

Ranked-choice voting coming for mayor, council seats

The St. Louis Park City Council recently approved a charter amendment allowing for a new method of voting, ranked-choice voting, to be used in municipal elections to elect the mayor and city council. This method of voting combines the primary and general elections into one event and allows a voter to rank the candidates for an office in order of their preference, a certain number of times. Ranked-choice voting won’t be used in 2018, since mayor and city council elections take place in odd years only. Ranked-choice voting cannot be used to elect federal, state, county or school district offices.

The next step in the implementation process is for the city council to write the rules for conducting ranked-choice voting in St. Louis Park. This includes important details such as how many rankings a voter will be allowed, how ballots will be counted and how ballots will be designed. This will be a phased process that will occur over the next six months, starting in July.

Visit www.stlouispark.org/ranked-choice-voting for more information and ongoing updates.

St. Louis Park Rotary Club E E R F Summer Concert Series All performances are free and filled with amazing talent!

In the event of bad weather, call 952.924.2567 for concert status. day

date

time

event

Description

Location

W

July 25

7 – 8:30 p.m.

St. Louis Park Community Band

Concert band

Wolfe Park, 3700 Monterey Drive

Sa

July 28

7 – 9 p.m.

Teen ROC

Teen bands

ROC, 3700 Monterey Drive

W

Aug. 1

7 – 8:30 p.m.

612live

Rock/blues/pop

Wolfe Park, 3700 Monterey Drive

W

Aug. 8

7 – 8:30 p.m.

Tailspin Band

Country/rock

Wolfe Park, 3700 Monterey Drive

W

Aug. 15

7 – 8:30 p.m.

Community Talent Show

Variety

Wolfe Park, 3700 Monterey Drive

Sa

Aug. 18

6 – 9:30 p.m.

Dan Israel & Friends

Folk

Wolfe Park, 3700 Monterey Drive

s it i o n d u A y 31 Jul m. .

6–8 p

Talent Show Wednesday , Aug. 15 7 p.m.

Summer Teen ROC

FREE

St. Louis Park Community

Talent Show Wolfe Park, 3700 Monterey Drive Park Theater Company will host its 10th Annual St. Louis Park Community Talent Show at the Veterans’ Memorial Amphitheater in Wolfe Park.

A variety of talent of all ages is welcomed. Auditions will be held at the Wolfe Park Building on July 31 from 6 – 8 p.m. Interested performers should contact theparktheater@gmail.com or call 952.935.5762.

Wednesday, Aug. 22, 5 – 8 p.m.

ROC, 3700 Monterey Drive Community Link is an interactive community event that links St. Louis Park families in need of short- or long-term support with community services and resources that may be difficult for them to access. The FREE event offers services such as haircuts, bike repair, family portraits, employment resources and health care information. A picnic style meal is served and Aquatic Park access is available to participants attending the event.

Saturday, July 28, 7 – 9 p.m.

ROC, 3700 Monterey Drive Let’s rock under the ROC this summer and hear some tunes from great local youth bands. Bands will play back to back.

Sign up for a splashin’

good time!

Our Aquatic Park is the hottest place to stay cool this summer! Wade into the pool from our zero-depth entry or splash into the water from the four-story water slides. Our summertime fun facility features a sand-and-water play area, tot whale slide, spray arches, water geysers, aqua obstacle course, drop slides, lap swim lanes, diving boards and sun decks. We also offer a picnic area, full-service concession stand and locker rooms.

Register for a season pass: www.stlouispark.org/aquatic-park/season-pass

7 3

Primary election day is Tuesday, Aug. 14 What’s on the ballot?

In 2018, all voters in Minnesota will be able to vote for these state and federal offices: • United States Senator • United States Representative

Plan ahead – prepare to vote You are encouraged to plan ahead before going to your polling location.

Finding your polling location, registering to vote and learning what offices will be on your ballot are all important steps to take when preparing to vote. The city is here to help! Below are some of the most common questions asked during election season:

• Governor and Lieutenant Governor

• Am I eligible to vote?

• Secretary of State

• Am I registered to vote?

• State Auditor

• How do I register to vote before Election Day?

• Attorney General

• How do I register to vote on Election Day?

• State Representative

• Where do I vote?

• What is on my ballot?

Additionally, voters in St. Louis Park will be able to vote for these county and judicial offices. Mayor and city council seats are NOT on the ballot in 2018.

• County Commissioner District 3 • County Attorney • County Sheriff • Supreme Court – various seats • Court of Appeals – various seats • District Court Fourth Judicial District – various seats

Visit www.stlouispark.org/elections or call 952.924.2503 to find the answers to all these questions and more.

Note: The Secretary of State’s Office has many voting materials and forms available in the following 12 languages: English, Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Vietnamese, Russian, Chinese, Lao, Oromo, Khmer, Amharic and S’gaw Karen. Visit www.stlouispark.org/elections or call 952.924.2503 for more information on how to access these materials.

Can’t go to the polls on primary election day?

Vote absentee.

Request an absentee ballot

Absentee voting means voting by mail or in person before an election day, instead of at a polling place. Absentee ballots are available 46 days before an election. Any eligible voter may choose to vote absentee for any reason.

Complete an online application at www.stlouispark.org/elections, or request an application by calling 952.924.2503.

In 2018, Hennepin County will be responsible for administering all mailed absentee ballots. The City of St. Louis Park will continue to administer in-person absentee voting.

Where to vote absentee • St. Louis Park City Hall, 5005 Minnetonka Blvd.

• Hennepin County Service Center, 300 S. Sixth St., Minneapolis

When to vote absentee • St. Louis Park City Hall: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., through Aug. 10. Extended hours for absentee voting for St. Louis Park residents only will be offered the following days: – Aug. 11, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

– Aug. 13, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

• Hennepin County Service Center: Visit www.hennepin.us for hours.

What is a primary election?

When can I place my absentee ballot directly into a ballot counter at City Hall?

All eligible voters can vote at City Hall Aug. 7 – 13 and place their ballots directly into a ballot counter. Votes will be counted immediately, but results will not be reported until the polls close on primary election day, Aug. 14. Direct balloting will be available: • Aug. 7 – 10, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

• Aug. 11, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

• Aug. 13, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

New name, same location for Precinct 14 • The polling place for Precinct 14 has changed its name from Park Assembly Church to Park Harbor Church. The location remains the same, 1615 Texas Ave. S. Before Election Day in November, all registered voters in Precinct 14 will receive a mailed notice from Hennepin County about the name change.

Party A

A primary election determines which candidates will be on the ballot in the November general election. For example, five candidates from one political party might run for governor. Only one candidate can be on the ballot in November. The winner of the August primary election will represent their party on the November election ballot. There may be two kinds of offices on your primary ballot: partisan offices and nonpartisan offices.

Partisan offices Partisan offices will list a political party next to a candidate’s name on the ballot. All state and federal offices – such as U.S. representatives or Minnesota senator – are partisan offices. Partisan candidates will be listed in two columns on the front side of the primary ballot. One column will list the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party candidates. The other column will list the Republican Party candidates.

You can only vote for candidates from one political party. If you vote for candidates from both political parties, your votes will not count. You decide which one of the two parties you will vote for – Minnesota does not have political party registration.

8

This marking would result in a spoiled ballot. The voter selected Party A candidates then voted for a Party B candidate. A voter must vote for all partisan offices in the same party column for the vote to count.

Party B

Nonpartisan offices Nonpartisan offices will not list a political party next to a candidate’s name on the ballot.

For example, county, city, township and school board offices are nonpartisan. Nonpartisan offices will be listed on the back side of the primary ballot. You can vote for any candidate.

The candidates who get the most votes will be on the November general election ballot.