Como District 10 appeals to the City for additional funds

As a result of a boundary change, District 10’s population will increase from
about 11,900 to 15,800. The boundaries will stretch from Snelling to Dale and Larpenteur to the southern-most BNSF Railway tracks.[/caption] By JAN WILLMS How do you provide services for more people with less funding? That, in a nutshell, is the quandary facing District 10 as the City enacts a boundary change between Districts 6 and 10. As a result of that change, District 10’s population will increase from about 11,900 to 15,800. The boundaries will stretch from Snelling to Dale and Larpenteur to the southern-most BNSF Railway tracks (south of Energy Park/Front). “The level of change and the number of people involved is unprecedented,” said Jon Knox, board chair of District 10. The District Councils were established in 1975 to provide citizens a role in spending federal urban renewal dollars, debating community issues and getting the word out on issues such as crime and development. Up until now there has been only one important district boundary change. That was in 1982 when some West 7th Street residents opted to leave Highland for the West Seventh district. The major change in boundaries between Districts 6 and 10 followed public meetings in which groups of South Como residents requested they be redistricted from 6 to 10. These residents claimed they fit better geographically in the Como district, where they could participate in local issues of concern to them. Many cited a wish to have a voice closer to home about parking, traffic and other issues related to living next to Como Regional Park. At an earlier meeting held to discuss the potential change, one District 6 resident seemed to sum it all up when she said, “My daily life is more impacted by Como Park than by Rice Street. Ward 5 Councilmember Amy Brendmoen said she had heard the request for a boundary change from an overwhelming majority of South Como constituents. The boundary change is scheduled to take place on Jan. 1, 2014. It will not result in any more funding for District 10. And therein lies a major concern. It has been reported that when the change takes place, District 6, which has a population of about 25,000 and an annual budget of $85,000, will lose 3,500 residents and $3,800 in funding. District 10, with a population of about 11,900 and an annual budget of $55,000, will gain residents but no funding because its population will not increase above the city’s minimum funding threshold. In a letter addressed to Mayor Chris Coleman, Knox expressed his disappointment that the budget proposal for the districts does not reflect the challenges facing the Como Park neighborhood. “This outcome leaves our neighborhood in a precarious position,” Knox wrote. “It reduces the funding per resident in District 10 by 25% from $4.35 to $3.29 in one fell swoop.” Knox explained that District 10 is concerned that significant cuts will have to be made in planning work, environmental improvement programs, community engagement activities and crime prevention efforts. In his letter, he notes that the Mayor’s budget proposal phases in funding cuts for district councils facing a population loss over a three-year period. “I am asking that you consider placing us in a similar category and consider our proposal to adjust District 10’s funding over three years in order to maintain equity among district councils, allow time for us to adjust our work to the new reality and to seek alternative funding sources for our work,” Knox wrote. “The City agencies recognize that this has not been a very smooth way to do this boundary change,” Knox said. The City has placed a moratorium on any further boundary changes until the issue can be more fully studied. However, that moratorium does not apply to the changes between Districts 6 and 10. But the large numbers of District 6 residents requesting a boundary change had an impact, and that change will take place. Knox said he was also disappointed “that the district was not provided with an opportunity to provide input on this proposal before it was finalized and publicly presented.” “Our letter is almost a compromise,” he added. “We’re not going to win any argument, but just request a phasing process. I feel our proposal is legitimate and very reasonable.” District 10 is requesting that it be funded by the city at a rate of $3.90 per resident in 2014, $3.70 per resident in 2015 and $3.55 per resident in 2016. The amount of $3.90 represents the average per resident funding rate of all district councils. He said District 10 council members plan to meet with Nancy Homans from the Mayor’s office to further discuss the funding. “There are a lot of things we have to do,” he explained. “We have to change the bylaws and do remapping and reconfiguring.” Public meetings will be scheduled as these changes take place and additional board members and new volunteers are recruited.