Reading the Highland Villager #222

[A Villager waits on a Selby sidewalk.]

[Basically the problem is that the best source of Saint Paul streets & sidewalks news is the Highland Villager, a very fine and historical newspaper. This wouldn't be a problem, except that its not available online. You basically have to live in or frequent Saint Paul to read it. Until this newspaper goes online, sidewalk information must be set free. See also: Three Reasons Why I Re-Blog the Highland Villager.]


Headline: City ups minimum wage to $15/hour
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: People who do not get paid very much get paid more now. Well, not "now" now, as the raise to $15 per hour is phased in over many many years. It passed unanimously.


Headline: Voters OK $18.6M increase in school levy
Author: Kevin Driscoll

Short short version: Property taxes are going up for schools, which are expensive.


Headline: St. Thomas outlines plans for two new dorms; $85M project to being next summer on north campus
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: After years of lobbying by concerned neighbors, the University of St. Thomas is planning to build two new dorms on campus. They will be done by 2020. The school might make on-campus residency required for the first two years. [IMO this would go a long way to solving some nuisance issues, as kids from the suburbs require a few years to learn some basic skills about how to live in a city. Parking is not mentioned in the article, but I have read elsewhere that the new dorms will have lots of parking spots as well, for some reason. I seem to recall that neighbors are sometimes concerned about this issue.]


Headline: UST unveils #12.7M plan to expand chapel, build faith center
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: A nice building on the University of St. Thomas campus will be made nicer.


Headline: Ryan Companies stresses need for changes to Ford master plan
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: The developer who is probably buying the Ford site wants to make some changes to the zoning, reducing densities along the river and allowing more parking to be built around the retail parts of the project, among other things. City staff like some things and do not like others, as do concerned neighbors. Quote from neighbor who opposed the project originally about the changes: "those have made the plan more palatable to people who otherwise had issues with the development." There is an issue about whether or not Finn Street will go through the project or not, as the street is currently a strip mall parking lot. The little league baseball fields are also mentioned, as being potentially saved [depending a few things that the community would have to do, I have heard, such as et a bunch of money together, keep them open to the public, and make a proper non-profit].


Headline: City Council cites state law in rejecting valid petition to hold referendum on trash collection
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: People who do not like the city's new organized trash collection scheme even though it passed with support from elected officials gathered signatures for a petition to overturn the new contract even though some state laws make it impossible for the city to void such a contract, apparently. The Council voted to not allow a vote on the issue. Quote from seemingly squeamish petition-supporting neighbor about a possible lawsuit: "It's trash. We don't want to go to court over trash."


Headline: Summit bike safety upgrades sought
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: People who like biking but think that Summit Avenue is dangerous want to see improvements to the bike lanes that would make it safer and are asking for the city to spend money on this. A man on a bike was killed by a bus on Summit last year. A city engineer is quoted with a few ideas they could do if they made it a priority, including bigger traffic signal heads, green paint, and left turn arrows.  [They seem awfully marginal, though the arrows would be a good change. Protected bike lanes are not mentioned.] 


Headline: City holds hearing on capital improvements in '19
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: There is some money that the city has that could be spent on good projects, like bridges, parks, paving, and other things but they have to compete for them.


Headline: HRA grants $15M in revenue bonds for new Higher Ground upper school
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: A charter school got a grant.


Headline: MMAA opens its new space in downtown
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: A museum that was closed for remodeling is opening again, on December 2nd.