Como Community Council
District 10 is one of Saint Paul’s 17 neighborhood community councils. We represent the Como Park neighborhood, bounded generally by Snelling to the west, Larpenteur to the north, Dale to the east, and the rail lines south of Energy Park Drive to the south (map). The District 10 Como Community Council is a non-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors elected by members of the community.
Mission Statement
We connect and empower each other, creating a compassionate community, courageously addressing injustices of the past and present, and forging a bold and inclusive future.
Vision Statement
A vibrant, diverse, affordable neighborhood filled with a spirit of kindness and belonging.
District Councils are part of every neighborhood in Saint Paul. Here in Como, we are the glue behind neighborhood action. We connect neighbors with other neighbors who want to accomplish things.
District 10 was the force behind creating the Como Woodland and the Capitol Region Watershed District. We’re the keepers of the Neighborhood Honor Roll. We throw an annual Ice Cream Social, and also hash out development, zoning, housing, transportation, and all kinds of “official” topics.
Big picture, we do basic community organizing. We magnify the ideas and power of our community members. We give residents, businesses, and local organizations a constructive, respected, ongoing way to combine voices. We push for decisions that are made from the bottom up, not the top down. We provide a trusted space for conversation, the support for grassroots energy, a hub for local partnerships, a way to stay informed, a place to get things done. When we can, we work cooperatively with institutions, city staff, and elected officials. When we can’t, we challenge them.
How We Operate
The Como Community Council is not part of City government. We are not part of any political party. We are an independent, nonprofit organization. We are accountable to our neighbors, and run by a 17-member board of volunteers elected by our neighbors.
Board members meet on the third Tuesday of every month; their meetings are open to the public. Upcoming meeting dates, times and locations are posted. A time for community discussion is available near the start of every meeting. That time allows community members to ask questions or raise their issues and concerns. If you have a specific issue you want to address, feel free to let us know in advance.
Get Involved
Elections for board members are every April; sometimes, there are open seats at other times of the year, too.
We do most of our work through three committees: Environment, Land Use, and Neighborhood Relations. Committees also meet once a month. The way we operate, any community member can attend, participate in, and vote at any committee meeting. Occasionally, we set up short-term committees or ad-hoc work groups to delve into specific topics or initiatives.
If sitting in a chair and attending meetings is not your thing, there are plenty of other ways you can make a difference in our neighborhood.
We go out of our way to be more inclusive. That means we are constantly expanding which issues (and whose issues) become priorities. When we do things right, we reflect the desires of the full richness of our community: renters, homeowners, businesses, local institutions, and neighbors regardless of how they identify themselves, how old they are, how they get around, or how deep their roots are in Como or in Saint Paul.