Save the date: Waite Park Community Council annual meeting and board election set for March 3

The Waite Park Community Council (WPCC) invites all community members to attend and participate in its annual neighborhood meeting and board election from 7-9 p.m. on Thursday, March 3, 2022.

Due to COVID-19, the event will be held via Zoom. All attendees must register at https://tinyurl.com/wpcc2022

The event is an opportunity to meet your neighbors, hear from local elected officials, and learn about WPCC programs and volunteer opportunities, including the election of new board members and officers.

Our local elected officials, including Ward 1 City Council Member Elliott Payne, District 1 Parks Commissioner Billy Menz, County Commissioner Irene Fernando, State Sen. Kari Dziedzic, and State Rep. Sydney Jordan, will provide short updates on their recent priorities.

WPCC board members will update the neighborhood on the board’s accomplishments in 2021. They include drafting a plan to improve engagement with three underrepresented groups: renters, seniors, and Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC).

The board’s priorities for 2022 include building on the success of last year’s revived fall festival, as well as education and outreach to homeowners about hurtful and discriminatory racial covenants that remain in an estimated 200 housing deeds in our neighborhood.

WPCC is a volunteer-powered organization. We receive a small annual budget from the city to cover some administrative costs, but we depend on people giving their time and energy to make our programs and activities a success.

Any person 18 years or older residing, working, owning property or a business in the Waite Park neighborhood is invited to participate in the annual board election. The neighborhood’s boundaries are Central and Stinson avenues (between 37th Avenue and St. Anthony Parkway.)

This year’s election includes seven board of director positions. Each term lasts two years. Board members are expected to attend monthly board meetings on the last Thursday of the month. They are also strongly encouraged to participate in committees that make our programs and events happen, for a total volunteer commitment of about 5-10 hours per month.

In addition to filling seven board seats, members will also elect a president and vice president. The president is responsible for presiding over meetings and seeing that board orders and resolutions are carried out, as well as other administrative duties on behalf of the organization. The vice president shares similar duties in collaboration with the board and president.

To become a candidate for election to the board, eligible individuals need to be present at the meeting, express their interest, and provide a few words on how they would like to support the Waite Park community. Meeting participants will vote to elect candidates to the board.

The Waite Park Community Council is committed to creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization and neighborhood. All are encouraged to attend and volunteer for a board seat, regardless of experience. Please join us at the table to create an inclusive neighborhood for everyone!

Waite Park Community Council adopts Diversity, Equity & Inclusion statement, land acknowledgement

The Waite Park Community Council at its Jan. 27 board meeting voted to adopt a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) statement and a land acknowledgement statement:

DEI Statement

We believe our organization and neighborhood will benefit from being more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. We are committing to improving our engagement of underrepresented groups. We acknowledge that our community has benefited from past injustices, from the taking of Dakotah land to racist real estate practices. We are committed to listening, learning, self-reflection, and taking action with the hopes of becoming a more welcoming organization and community.

Land Acknowledgment

We acknowledge that Waite Park is located on stolen Dakotah land, land that was formerly inhabited by the Wahpekute (Wah-puh-koo-tee) of the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Oh-cheh-tee Shah-koh-win), meaning Seven Councils of Fire. The people are also known to us as the Dakotah. The land that is now Waite Park was ceded to the United States of America on July 29, 1837 with the Treaty of 1837. The land included in this treaty travels southeast from what is now St. Cloud, Minnesota to Eau Claire, Wisconsin. This includes the sacred place of Bdote in the southern Metro area. This land was ceded by the Dakotah with the trust and understanding that they would be paid, in addition to having their rights to hunt, fish and gather. The U.S. government didn't follow through on any of these conditions, instead forcing their removal from their homeland in Minnesota through the Indian Removal Act of 1863. To this day, there is still legislation in place stating that the Dakotah people aren’t legally allowed to live in the state of Minnesota. 

We pay reverence to those who came before us, not solely through the speaking of this acknowledgment, but most importantly, by doing the work to honor them: through examining white privilege, engaging in discussions about anti-racism, and bringing racial equity to the forefront of the decisions we make as a board so that our neighborhood is accessible to all. Both slavery and genocide played a role in the founding of the state of Minnesota; we keep all those who are impacted in our hearts and minds as we work towards creating a better present. 

Cosmic Coffee brings 'food-truck mentality' to Central Avenue corner cafe space

Dusty Wahl has dreamed of running a small food business since he was a high school student in Mahtomedi, Minnesota. A couple of decades later, the Waite Park resident and mental health counselor is getting his chance with Cosmic Coffee.  

The coffee shop opened Feb. 3 in the former Sammie's Avenue Eatery space at 3301 Central Ave. NE. 

Wahl works at a drop-in support center in the Seward neighborhood but has lived in Waite Park with his wife, Casey, for almost eight years. In addition to his mental health career, he has worked stints at Buffalo Wild Wings and Jimmy John's restaurants.

He recently spoke with the Waite Park Voice about his plans for the coffee shop. The conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Q: How long have you lived in Waite Park?

A: Almost eight years — eight years in March. My wife, Casey, grew up in Northeast. We had looked around in a couple different places. I wasn't sure about Northeast because I didn't know much about it, but I'm so glad we moved in. It's been the best. We've got great neighbors. There's been turnover. The people that left, it's been sad to see them go, but it's been awesome seeing the new people come through and the growth of the community. It's fun. It's got suburban neighborhood feels but with city mentality, which I appreciate. You get to know your neighbors. 

Q: Tell me about the origin story of Cosmic Coffee.

A: Ever since high school I have wanted to do something food related, either a food truck, or I've thought about doing a hot dog cart — just something small to get started. When we moved in and Hill Valley was here in this spot, I loved the space. I love the vibe in here, the local aspect, being part of a community in the neighborhood, within walking distance from where I lived. I noticed that it switched ownership once or twice and so I always keep my eye on the place. 

When I saw the for lease sign in October, a friend was coming into town the next day who is really into coffee and runs his own business out in L.A. I asked him if he’d be interested in running a coffee shop in Minneapolis, because he lived here before. We called the number on the lease. The next day we took a tour of the place. Then we waited about a month before we got that it was ours and then the lease started in December. It was a quick turnaround.

Q: What do you hope will distinguish Cosmic Coffee from previous shops in this space?

A: I bring a food-truck mentality to the space, where I have food pre-made and ready to go. You come in and order and get your stuff right away. We are a cashless operation, to try to keep things moving faster. My hope is to have some fairly consistent hours and communicate if those hours change. I want to be open at 6 a.m. everyday so that if only one person in the neighborhood wants coffee at 6 a.m., that person can come get it. My mantra is that I am here to provide the community and the neighborhood with coffee and a gathering space. My main goal is just to be here and be available. 

Right now my hours are closing at noon. That might continue on, but I do hope to add some evening events and hours, whether that’s consistently or on a calendar basis — the purpose being to utilize that backspace. I love that backyard area. It's a beautiful area. It's great in the summertime and I would love to see the neighborhood be able to gather in that space on a more regular basis.

Q: What else should people know about Cosmic Coffee? 

A: It's a one-person operation. I'm not hiring anybody right now. I figured, with the employee market so volatile and people leaving and getting sick and having to quarantine, the best way to be reliable and set expectations for the community is for it to just be me. Food should be pre-made and ready to go for folks. Coffee might take more time because it's just me preparing the coffee, as well, but I want to talk to people when they come in. I want to get to know your name. I've got discounts for people in the neighborhood. I really want it to be a neighborhood, local spot for folks. 

Cosmic Coffee is open 6 a.m.-9 a.m. Monday and 6 a.m. to noon Tuesday through Sunday. More info at https://cosmiccoffeemn.com.

—Dan Haugen