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North St. Paul arts commission recommends 1,500 'food passports,' plans outreach to restaurants
Summary
A commission subcommittee recommended ordering 1,500 printed "food passports" (estimated cost about $1,700, within the commission budget) to promote local restaurants and cultural expression. Members discussed distribution at high‑traffic events, business signups, and legal questions about prizes and use of city funds.
The North St. Paul Arts & Culture Commission recommended ordering 1,500 printed "food passports" to promote local restaurants and encourage residents to visit participating businesses.
A subcommittee reported that the preferred print quote would put the total cost at about $1,700, including a small buffer for taxes and incidental expenses; commissioners said that falls within the commission's allocated budget. The subcommittee plans to distribute passports at large public events such as the truck night and to provide participating restaurants with a small number of passports to hand out to customers.
Members discussed practical distribution tools, such as inexpensive countertop holders for restaurants and a QR code linking to an online page for business registration, volunteer signups and feedback. The group also proposed a short Google form to collect business logos and program details to include in the passport template.
Commissioners asked staff to pursue a mix of outreach strategies — direct in‑person canvassing, contacts through the North St. Paul Business Association, and using Ramsey County business lists — to ensure a broad and fair opportunity for businesses to participate. Staff said they would coordinate with city communications to add a sign‑up button on the arts commission web page.
The commission also flagged a procedural question raised by the city attorney: whether a prize or a program that appears to promote specific private businesses would require a different legal or administrative framework (for example, an Economic Development Authority placement). The city manager was asked to follow up with the attorney to clarify any risk and to return with guidance; commissioners said they would be comfortable proceeding if the city manager reported that identified risks were acceptable or could be mitigated.
Next steps: staff will collect the final print quote and vendor details, prepare the Google form and distribution plan, and report back with clarified legal guidance and a recommended procurement step for the passports.
