Russ Stark

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Russ Stark

Prior offices

St. Paul City Council Ward 4

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Education

Bachelor's

Swarthmore College, 1995

Graduate

University of Delaware, 1999

Personal

Profession

Nonprofit director

Russ Stark is a former member of the St. Paul City Council in Minnesota, representing Ward 4 from 2008 to 2018. Stark announced his resignation in January 2018 after Mayor Melvin Carter appointed him to serve as St. Paul's environmental policy director. He started in this role on February 16, 2018.

Biography

Stark graduated from Chaparral High School in Las Vegas, Nevada. He earned a B.A. in political science from Swarthmore College in 1995, going on to receive an M.A. in urban affairs and public policy from the University of Delaware in 1999. Stark's professional experience includes the following:

• 2018: Environmental policy diector, St. Paul, Minnesota
• 2008-2018 Council member, St. Paul City Council
• 2002-2007: Executive director, St. Paul Smart Trips (formerly Midway TMO)
• 1999-2003: Program director, University UNITED
• 1995-1997: Environmental justice coordinator, Clean Air Council

Campaign themes

2015

Stark's website highlighted the following campaign goals:

Economic development

• Excerpt: "As Vice Chair of the City’s Housing and Redevelopment Authority, collaborate to establish goals and timelines for job growth and related metrics. Turn the long-neglected Dickerman Park property into a quality urban park that will catalyze private investment in jobs and housing. Work with Metro Transit (property owner), City staff, and surrounding property owners to maximize development potential of the Snelling bus garage site and redevelopment of Midway Shopping Center."

Solid waste and recycling

• Excerpt: "Work with the Mayor’s office and Public works to bolster the City’s recycling program and recycling rate, including residential organics pickup, by 2017. Work towards Citywide coordinated trash collection in order to save residents money, reduce wear and tear on our streets and alleys, and improve air quality."

Transportation options

• Excerpt: "Improve North Snelling with planned projects in 2015, and work toward extending improvements south of Dayton and north of Taylor on Snelling. Streetcars and transitways progress. … West Midway Transportation improvements to reduce conflicts between heavy trucks and the high quality public realm along University Avenue."

Racial equity

• Excerpt: "Help establish and support new and existing programs to provide clearer pathways for residents of color to become City employees, such as the EMS Academy and the Right Track program. The City employees 2,700 people and should be a vehicle for improving racial equity in our community."

Elections

2015

See also: St. Paul, Minnesota municipal elections, 2015

The city of St. Paul, Minnesota, held elections for city council on November 3, 2015. Because the city uses instant-runoff voting, there was no primary election. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was August 11, 2015. In the Ward 4 race, incumbent Russ Stark defeated Tom Goldstein in the general election.

St. Paul City Council Ward 4 General Election, 2015
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Russ Stark Incumbent	61.4%	3,293
Tom Goldstein	38%	2,039
Write-in votes	0.7%	35
Total Votes		5,367
Source: Ramsey County, Minnesota, "Resolution: RES 15-1989," November 14, 2015

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Stark and his wife Betsy, who is a pediatrician at the University of Minnesota, have two children. In his spare time, Stark enjoys reading, playing basketball, cooking, traveling, walking and biking.

See also

• St. Paul, Minnesota
• Cities in Minnesota

External links

Suggest a link

• St. Paul City Council

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by -	St. Paul City Council, Ward 4 2008-2018	Succeeded by Samantha Henningson