Thanks to Jameson’s Irish Bar and Blue Sky Bookkeeping for their support.
Twenty community members came to city hall on Monday to be interviewed by City Council to potentially serve on volunteer committees in West St. Paul. The process took more than 90 minutes, but offered a glimpse at community engagement and enthusiasm.
“I have to pause and say everyone’s answers are healing my soul,” said Council Member Lisa Eng-Sarne after about an hour of interviews. “We don’t always get to hear the good, so this is really fun, thank you.”
Process: Applicants were interviewed for 13 potential openings across three committees (an additional six incumbents have reapplied, which brings the total applicant pool to 26). Appointments will be made at the next City Council meeting on February 24.
Applicant Energy
“I was pretty blown away, it’s not ancient history where we didn’t have enough applicants to fill all the seats on our commissions,” said Council Member John Justen. “I saw so many faces in that interview pool that I’ve never seen before. Which means people are getting engaged in our community in a different way, which is fantastic. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been that happy about an Open Council Work Session.”
So here’s a rundown of some of the comments and themes from the interviews:
New & Old Neighbors
The residents who applied to serve represented a range of longevity, some life-long West St. Paul residents and some brand new.
- One person moved here in 1980 and another in the last year.
- More than half of the applicants moved to West St. Paul in the last five years.
- About a quarter have lived in West St. Paul for more than 10 years.
Parks
The city’s parks were repeatedly mentioned as a favorite amenity and reason people moved to West St. Paul.
- “It seems like they’re blossoming, and that’s exciting,” said Jeannette Henrikssen.
- Several people commented on the prairie restoration: “I would love to see more of that,” said Stephanie Moline. “Because I think it’s not only important for our local flora and fauna, but it really emphasizes how much West St. Paul is paying attention and caring about the environment and the longevity of the area.”
- Trails and biking also got high marks, with several commenting on the River-to-River Greenway Trail and wanting to see more bike rides.
Improvements
Another theme was improvements across the city:
- Several applicants noted that roads are getting better, and several said how much better the snow plowing is than other communities.
- Rebecca Foote liked seeing the city pursue development that’s not cookie-cutter and takes advantage of available grants. “Not every city is in a position to take advantage of those opportunities,” she said.
- “You deliver on promises,” said Cathy Frazier.
Neighborly
A lot of applicants talked about the community feel of West St. Paul, both from longtime residents and new residents:
- “The neighborliness is phenomenal,” said Gretchen Berkebile.
- Dan O’Connell mentioned running into people you know everywhere you go.
- “We used to live in Eagan, and it was easy to get lost in the city and not feel a sense of community,” said Josh Moline. “When we moved here, the first thing we noticed was the small town feel.”
- “Small but mighty,” is how Molly Peterson described West St. Paul. “I felt welcomed and a part of West St. Paul since the day I arrived,” she said.
- “It feels like family,” said Natosha Stone.
Diversity
Several mentioned diversity as a strength and reason they moved to West St. Paul. Victor Obisakin is the son of an ambassador and grew up all around the world. Before moving here, he asked his potential neighbors about living here, and found neighbors originally from Peru and Mexico.
Future
Several people commented about the energy and forward progress:
- “I’m excited about the potential,” said Jill Reynolds.
- “I’m here to make a better West St. Paul,” said Bryant McClelland. “For my children I don’t have yet.”
- “What makes me proud is our community’s ability to take a progressive approach to growth and creating a welcoming environment for people from all different backgrounds but acknowledging its history as well,” said longtime resident Mikael Garland.
- Josh Moline summed it up in one word: “Momentum.”
Room for Improvement
While overall the applicants oozed positivity for West St. Paul, there was still room for improvement.
- Accessibility came up several times, whether it was disability-friendly playground equipment or sidewalks and trails making it safer to get to parks.
- “We need more arts and findable stuff in the city,” said Jen Jevnisek, referencing the hidden fairy doors and the exploration that encouraged.
- The Council specifically asked about how to do better at engagement, drawing lots of suggestions for improved communication and better outreach.
More Opportunities
Council members encouraged the applicants to get engaged even if they’re not appointed. Council Member Pat Armon suggested they attend committees as residents and offer input. Council Member Doug Fromm encouraged them to apply again next year. Emily Vergin, currently on the Environmental Committee, encouraged residents to serve on sub-committees.
Watch: You can watch the full interviews thanks to Town Square TV.
If you want to be engaged and support your community, become a member of West St. Paul Reader and help us inform neighbors.
