N ews Briefs

Register by Feb. 9. Legacy Pickleball Club Tour & Trial , 11 a.m.noon, Thursday, Feb. 23. $20. Transportation is not provided. $20. Register by Feb 16.

TED Talks (Technology, Entertainment and Design), 1-2:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16. $10 annually. Free tech support for both hand-held and homebased devices, 9 a.m.-noon each Monday.

AARP Tax-Aide Preparation - AARP volunteer income tax preparers will be doing tax returns free of charge at TPAC beginning February 7. Appointments are held between 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, Feb. 7-April 18, (no appointments Mar 28-30.) Call 651-403-8300 to schedule an appointment. Space is limited.

Friends of the Library names new trustees

The Friends of the St. Paul Public Library has elected eight new trustees to its board of directors. Each will serve a 3-year term, renewable for up to three terms. The new members are Joel Pierre (JP) Bond, Laura Harris, Greg Johnson, Christine Kain, Beth McCray, Mario Paez, Chris Rider and Andrea Zimmerman. Established in 1945, The Friends is a nonprofit that supports the St. Paul Public Library through fundraising, advocacy and programming. The group is moving in February after an 8-year tenancy at the CommonBond Communities administrative offices at 1080 Montreal Ave. The Friends is relocating to the First National Bank Building in downtown St. Paul. Longtime partner Mairs & Power is donating the space under a 2-year agreement.

SPAC board election

The St. Paul Art Collective has new leadership. Newly elected board members are Diane McNew, president; Mariusz Kujawski, vice president; Thomas Burke, secretary; Kris Johnson, treasurer; and Zachary Cohen, Melissa Critchely, Emma Fitzsimmons, Caleb VanDeman, at-large.

Volunteers needed

DARTS has recently launched a new program to bridge the technology gap for seniors. The nonprofit’s new Tech Buddies program pairs volunteers with older adults to provide technology assistance with laptops, smart phones, tablets, smart TVs and other devices. DARTS is seeking participants and volunteers for the program. For more information, contact DARTS at info@darts1.org or call 651-455-1560. Volunteers are also needed to shovel snow from the driveways and walks of older adults in the community.

Square dance lessons

Triple T Square Dance Club is offering beginner square dance classes 6:308:00 p.m. on Mondays, starting February 6, at St. Mark Evangelical Lutheran Church, 550 7th St., St. Paul. Cost is $5. The first night is free. For more information, call 651-503-7040.

Music Under Glass

Free concerts are held

4:30-6:30 p.m. on select Sundays at the tropical gardens of Como Park Zoo & Conservatory, 1225 Estabrook Dr., St. Paul. The Jorgensens (Americana) will perform on February 5; New Riverside Ramblers (Cajun dance music) on February 19; Trevor McSpadden and Mary Cutrufello (country harmonies) on February 26. Beer and wine will be available for purchase. No reservations required. Standing room only.

MH Parks and Rec events

Coffee, Cribbage and Cards, 9-11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1 and 22 at Mendota Heights Par 3 clubhouse. Free but registration is required. Call 651-4521850.

Tour de Rec, 6-7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 2 at Southview Park, 257 Westview Dr., West St. Paul. Group games, sports, arts and crafts, and more for ages 6-12.

St. Matt’s hosts annual Fish Fry

The Church of St. Matthew, 510 Hall Ave., St. Paul, will host its annual Fish Fry 4:30-7:30 p.m. each Friday from February 24 through March 31. For more information, visit www.st-matts. org or call 651-224-9793.

Student Notes

St. Norbert College dean’s list: Alexis Bonfe University of WisconsinMadison dean’s list: Dan- ny Eldredge, Julianne Mason, Kerry Salisbury, Andrew Walsh, Nicholas Apitz, Elizabeth Dreelan, John Harms, Robin Moody, Veronica Morse, Neil Pursley, Joseph Schwirtz, Charles Skadron, David Skadron, Rebecca Tuvey, Rachel Ziskin, College of Engineering, Josephine Hall Wartburg College dean’s list: Meadow LaDuke

Open Arms recently opened a new distribution center on the West Side that supports meals delivered statewide. The Bloomington-based nonprofit was founded 36 years ago and delivers meals to people who are ill, impoverished or otherwise under-cared for. Here, the first volunteer group packed meals at the new center, located at 380 E. Lafayette Frontage Rd. An open house is planned for 2-5 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 4. The event will include a tour of the facility, games, a drawing for prizes, and appetizers.

University of New Hampshire graduate: Ben Young earned a master’s in business administration

Iowa State University dean’s list: Thomas Buell, Kally Dreelan, Michael Chhoun, Cameren Steinhoff, Amber Oestreich

University of WisconsinOshkosh dean’s list: Angela Bornhoft

St. Cloud State University dean’s list: Daniel Murphy

South Dakota State University dean’s list: Zakary

Olafson

Gonzaga University president’s list: McKenna Krey

Concordia UniversityNebraska honors list: Nathan Demlow

Marquette University dean’s list: Sarah Dyrhaug, Ted Lawder, Marta Pursley, Lizzy Roszkowski

Iowa Lakes Community College dean’s list: Baylee O’Donnell

Southern New Hampshire University president’s list: Michael Chhoun, Cameren Steinhoff, Amber Oestreich

University of Wisconsin-Stout dean’s list: Elaina Blazei, Andrew Domler, Xander McFaul, Seringa McHugh, Lydia Wagner

University of Iowa: Justin Wheeler was named to the dean’s list; Sydney Shapiro earned a master of business administration

University of Wisconsin-River Falls dean’s list: Elizabeth Vujovich, Carlie Davies, James Kinzer, Emma Klinger, Maggie Klinger, Madilynn Lyford, Marni Lynch, Nora Schletty, Madeline Ticiu, Emily Tschida,

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Neighbors,

Charlie Thompson President & CEO

Inc.

Editor’s note: Executive director Charlie Thompson has resigned from Neighbors, Inc. to lead a nonprofit in the state of Washington. He has been executive director since 2017. This is his farewell column.

The second most-asked question I get

Joe Atkins

Dakota County Commissioner for District 2

Inlast month’s column I answered the No. 1 question I hear as a Dakota County commissioner: “What does Dakota County do?” Since county government is occasionally referred to as the invisible layer of government, it surprises people to learn of Dakota County’s extensive impact on our everyday lives.

For example, Dakota County maintains 81 bridges and 440 miles of county roads, like Thompson, Delaware, Oakdale, Southview and Concord. We handle felony prosecutions for all cities and towns in the county, run the county jail, and collaborate with local cities on Dakota911, making our 9-1-1 emergency response far faster and more efficient. We

This past Christmas, my family did something we had never done before. We took a vacation to Florida and visited theme parks and beaches. It was an amazing experience. I cannot remember the last time the four of us spent so much time together. The weather was cold by Florida’s standards. It wasn’t until our last day that the temperatures climbed into the seventies. It made it difficult to leave but we knew we had to get back to life in Minnesota.

Six years ago, I did something I had never done before. I accepted a job in Minnesota. Not just any job. The job I took on was one that afforded me experiences like no other. My time at Neighbors has allowed me the opportunity to meet incredible people and be part of an organization that is well respected and supported by its community.

One of my earliest memories is celebrating Virginia Milbert’s 100th birthday. As a part of that celebration, the Rotary Club honored her with an award. The highlight was listening to Virginia tell stories of her time at Neighbors. I have been blessed to have heard many more of her stories during the past six years.

Ducks are another aspect of Neighbors that will be hard to forget. Delbert and the Duck Races are as unique as it gets when you think of nonprofits. Our mascot and fundraiser offer a fun way to show support to our neighbors in need.

I have never seen a community come together the way we do in March during Minnesota Food Share. The outpouring of support is incredible. Creative contests to raise pounds of food and funds abound. From churches to businesses, Food Share exemplifies the support we have in the community.

Finally, our volunteers, donors and employees are THE BEST. I have met so many great people. I will cherish the relationships I have formed during my six years here. I want to give special recognition to the pair up social workers with West St. Paul and South St. Paul police to help respond to calls involving mental health. We address more than 50,000 intake and crisis calls a year, while also creating places like Aspen House in Mendota Heights, which provide a safe place for teens in crisis. We partner with the state to protect our drinking water and prevent its exportation elsewhere. We oversee a 5,000-acre park system, including Thompson County Park in West St. Paul and our River to River Greenway connecting South St. Paul, West St. Paul and Mendota Heights, welcoming over a million visitors annually to our parks and trails. Even more popular are our nine county libraries, including Wentworth Library in West St. Paul, where 2 million visitors checked out 4 million materials in 2022 alone. Next year, a 10th library, currently under construction in South St. Paul, will join our Dakota County library system. All of these examples prompt the second most frequent question I hear as a Dakota County commissioner, which is, “How does all this get paid for?”

Neighbors’ staff. You show up every day and connect our volunteers with our neighbors in need. You manage the programs and services. You bring joy to people’s lives. I will miss you all very much.

Much like my recent trip to Florida, it is hard to leave when so many positive changes are taking hold. I am incredibly humbled by the talent and dedication our community has to offer. As I depart to move back to Washington and lead a new organization, my hope is that I have been able to help provide opportunities to thrive.

2023 County Budget

After six months of work that started in June 2022, the Dakota County Board of Commissioners adopted our 2023 county budget in December. The $438 million budget was a slight increase over 2022, prioritizing services like public safety, mental health support, transportation, and preservation/ restoration of natural areas. Since many county services are mandated by the state and federal government, a portion of these services is paid for through state and federal grants. The rest of the cost for these required programs falls upon county property taxpayers. These unreimbursed expenses, together with increased cost for things like utilities and insurance, resulted in a countywide property tax levy of $147 million, an increase of 1.9% over 2022.

Countywide, the 1.9% increase in the county tax levy means the average property taxpayer is paying $22.99 more for county taxes in 2023. Because market values of homes in West St. Paul and South St. Paul increased less than elsewhere in Dakota County, the property tax impact is lower here, averaging $17.82 per year for homes in South St. Paul and a mere $1.26 per year for homes in West St. Paul. Keep in mind that cities and school districts make up the rest of each property owner’s tax bill, and some cities