After 10 years in office, Russ Stark is leaving the St. Paul City Council to work as Mayor Melvin Carter's top environmental official.
Stark, who stepped down as council president in December after three years, will serve as chief resilience officer in the mayor's office starting next month. An interim council member will fill his seat until August, when the city will hold a special election in tandem with the primary election.
Amy Brendmoen, who replaced Stark as council president, said the resilience officer position — which focuses on preparing the city for climate change — is Stark's "dream job."
"We're really happy for Russ," Brendmoen said. "This really puts a fine point on the work he wants to do."
When Stark announced he was stepping down as council president, he said he wanted to focus on big projects, from raising the citywide minimum wage to improving bicycle and pedestrian safety. He did not indicate any plans to leave the council.
As council president, Stark worked closely with former Mayor Chris Coleman's administration, discussing ideas with them before they reached the rest of the council.
By giving up the position, Stark also gave up an opportunity to work closely with Carter, for whom he campaigned during the 2017 mayor's race. But in December, Stark said he saw his choice to leave the council president job as a "win, win, win."
Before being elected to the council in 2007, Stark worked on transit, bicycling and pedestrian issues for the nonprofit University UNITED and the Midway Transportation Management Organization.
