Saint Paul Ward 3 City Councilmember Saura Jost

08/23/2026

Stop by Central Honors Philando today from 1-5 pm! There’s great food, community, and lots of activities for the kids! Proceeds support the Philando Castile foundation!

08/20/2026

📣Mattocks Park update - surface will be upgraded from sand to engineered wood fibers around Labor Day.

St. Paul Parks & Recreation is phasing out the use of sand as a playground surfacing material across our city - this is becoming an industry standard across parks systems. These alternative surfacing options help make playgrounds more welcoming for a wider range of families, improve safety and accessibility, and support the long-term durability of our playground equipment.

I understand and appreciate the concerns that have been raised. Many children enjoy playing in the sand, and as a parent myself, I understand that connection. I take my son to Mattocks Park regularly and have enjoyed watching him play there since he was a baby.

The reasons for this change include:
✅ Improved safety through more resilient impact protection than sand
✅ Reduced maintenance needs and operational challenges
✅ Elimination of common hazards associated with sand
✅ Enhanced accessibility, especially with ADA-compliant playground designs
✅ More consistent surfacing with fewer uneven areas
✅ Extended playground life and better long-term asset management
✅ Alignment with modern playground safety standards
✅ Better integration with rubber surfacing systems for improved user experience

As a parent, I also recognize that playground surfaces affect families in different ways. For example, in my experience as the mother of a child with thick, curly hair, sand can be challenging and difficult to manage. These updates can help create a more comfortable and welcoming experience for a broader range of children and caregivers.

Our neighborhood parks should be safe, accessible, and welcoming spaces for everyone. Those are values we share as a city, and they are the reasons I support this change.

08/20/2026

The new YMCA Peter J. King Family Foundation Center is a powerful investment in the future of the Midway community and our city. Spaces like this do more than provide opportunities, they send a message to every child and family who walks through the doors: you matter, and your future matters. I’m thrilled that our youngest learners will have a place to grow, learn, and build confidence. Thank you to everyone who helped bring this vision to life!

08/19/2026

Happy Council Wednesday!

📊 Today we’ll hear a more detailed presentation of the Mayor’s 2027 budget at 10:00 AM.

🚗 At our 1:00 PM Policy Meeting, the state will provide a presentation on Automated Vehicles.

🏛️ Our regularly scheduled Council Meeting begins at 3:30 PM. The most notable item on the agenda is establishing a selection committee for the new Fire Chief. 🚒

08/18/2026

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08/18/2026

🏛️ Last week, the Mayor presented a detailed budget proposal to address a significant budget gap while continuing to provide the services residents rely on every day.

💰 The proposal includes a 6.8% levy increase, which would amount to about $58 annually for a median-valued $290.3k home.

📍 Residents in Ward 3 will see:
• ⏰ Highland Park Community Center opening at 10 AM instead of 9 AM
• 🏀 Edgcumbe Recreation Center opening at 2 PM instead of 9 AM (preschool programming not impacted)

📚As Library Board Chair, I want to note the closure of the Dayton’s Bluff Library, which has served as an important community resource for so many residents.

Every community should have access to a library. I am committed to working with Councilmember Johnson, the Library Board, staff, Metro State, and community members to identify a path forward and find solutions that meet the needs of the neighborhood.

🤝 Given the size of the deficit we face, I am relieved we are not discussing deeper cuts to staffing or major reductions in services. At the same time, I do not want to minimize the impact these changes will have on residents who rely on these facilities.

🏗️ I was encouraged to see continued investment in deferred maintenance. Taking care of our city buildings and infrastructure today helps prevent larger costs down the road.

🌎 I was also pleased to see investments in climate action, including support for the Power of Home program and climate leadership within our city. Achieving the goals of our Climate Action Resilience Plan remains a core responsibility in responding to the global climate crisis.

🔍 This is only the beginning of the budget process. I look forward to digging into the details, asking questions, and working with my colleagues to develop a final budget that puts Saint Paul on stronger financial footing while investing in our future.

08/14/2026

Thank you to everyone who welcomed me to your National Night Out celebrations last week! It’s one of my favorite nights of the year.

Visiting block parties across Ward 3 and connecting with neighbors was a great reminder of what makes our community special. These conversations and connections strengthen our neighborhoods and help build an even brighter future together.

One highlight was at the last party when my son and I got to check out the fire truck! Thanks again to everyone who made this possible!

07/30/2026

Neighbors,

I am deeply concerned to learn of the allegations made against Mayor Her. Every city employee deserves respect and a safe, welcoming, inclusive workplace; especially from leaders to whom we have entrusted the most power. Sexual harassment has no place in any workplace. It has no place in city government.

I respect Mayor Her's right to due process and my expectation is that she fully and transparently cooperates with the on-going investigation. I will not be commenting on the allegations during an open investigation but I look forward to the conclusion of the investigation, understanding the facts, and evaluating any findings.

At the same time, I am frustrated that this situation is taking attention away from the serious challenges facing our city. Our residents need us focused on the work ahead, and none of that happens without our city employees. Together - we are Team St. Paul, delivering the services our residents rely on every day, and our employees deserve our gratitude, support, and respect.

In this month alone, four people have died in our Ward. Next week, our city is scheduled to begin closures of our encampments which will impact hundreds of our residents. At the same time our city is trying to solve for a $26 million budget gap while at a minimum maintaining the critical services our residents expect from their local government.

I care deeply about this city and our team. I remain focused on working alongside our employees to solve problems, improve people's lives, and follow through on the vision for our city that we are building together.

Trust is at the heart of local government. Even the perception of impropriety can undermine public confidence and distract from the important work before us. My office will continue to follow the investigation closely and work with my colleagues to maintain trust and ensure accountability. Our residents are counting on us, and we owe them our full attention and commitment to the work that matters most.

-Saura Jost

07/22/2026

I want to apologize for not reaching out to you sooner regarding the tragic triple homicide that has shaken our community.

Like so many of you, I have been struggling to make sense of this senseless act of violence. I attended the vigil last night, and it was heartbreaking to witness the pain and grief experienced by the victims' loved ones and by our community as a whole. No one should ever have to go through this. My heart is with the families of AJ, Dena, and Nansi and everyone who knew and loved them.

Everyone deserves to feel safe at home, at work, and in their neighborhood. That sense of safety was profoundly disrupted by this malicious act. I am devastated by the suffering it has caused.

Until now, 2026 had been a relatively safe year in Saint Paul. This single act of violence increased our homicide total from 8 to 11 and has deeply impacted our community. Gun violence tears apart families and neighborhoods and has no place in our city.

I want to thank the Saint Paul Police Department for their swift work to take a suspect into custody. I am confident justice will be served.

This is a difficult moment, but it does not erase the significant public safety progress our city has made. Through the dedicated work of SPPD, particularly its non-fatal shooting unit, the Office of Neighborhood Safety and the support of community partners such as Moms Demand Action, we have seen meaningful reductions in violence. I am angry that so much hard work has been marred by one senseless act of cruelty.

But we will not lose sight of what we know works: patient, consistent policing that builds trust, thoughtful policies that reduce violence, and strong community partnerships.

We are also grateful to the many residents who have reached out to support affected neighbors. Their generosity is a reminder that Saint Paul is stronger than its worst moments. We take care of one another, and that is what we will continue to do.

We will keep you all updated with any mutual aid efforts here.

Go Fund Me for Dena: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-denas-children-after-tragic-loss?modal=donations&tab=all&utm_id=97757_v0_s00_e0_tv2_a1demo0cvvhmhn

Support Now for Nansi: https://www.supportnow.org/nansi-g-fuentes-zambrano

07/18/2026

We were so busy cleaning up downtown yesterday... we forgot to hit "post." 😅🧹

Yesterday, Council President Rebecca Noecker joined Saint Paul Ward 3 City Councilmember Saura Jost, City of Saint Paul Public Works, and community volunteers for a downtown litter cleanup around Rice Park and Mears Park.

Thank you to everyone who spent part of their morning helping care for our shared public spaces. Small acts of service like these make a big difference - not just in keeping downtown clean, but in building pride in our community.

Interested in joining a future cleanup? Keep an eye on Saint Paul Public Works and the Downtown Saint Paul event page for future volunteer opportunities. We hope to see you at the next one!