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Hugo Resident Receives 2003 "Eleven Who Care" Award Hugo resident Pete Pedersen was recently hon- is to work these people through a process,where, ored by local television station KARE 11 when he if they agree,there is eventually a one-on-one was named one of their 2003 "Eleven Who Care" meeting between the two of them with me there award winners. Pedersen was recognized for his as the official third party," explains Pedersen. 28 years of volunteer work with the Amicus pro- "The objective of this program is to help the vic- gram,which helps people in Twin Cities area tim get rid of all of the anger and all of the ques- . prisons maintain contact with individuals in the tions he or she may have. It's an interesting,help- community,and eventually helps transition them ful, and often emotional process." back into society. In addition to his work with these two programs, "Amicus is a one-on-one program where a volun- Pedersen is also a charter member of the Hugo teer agrees to visit with an inmate twice a month," Parks Commission,where he has worked on Hugo resident Pete states Pedersen. "The objective is to develop a property acquisition for the past five years. He is Pedersen—Recipient of friendship, so that when the inmate is released,he also active in the Hugo Lion's Club,volunteers "Eleven Who Care" or she has one person who can act as a mentor to with Habitat for Humanity through his 3M retiree Award help them through their transition back into the program,and works each year for the American community." Pedersen has worked with prisoners Cancer Society's world's largest garage sale. at both Stillwater State and Oak Park Heights prisons. At Oak Park Heights,he has also visited Pedersen's "Eleven Who Care" award included a with men who are in segregation and are locked $1,100 donation to the Amicus program made by up for 23 hours each day. "These men have virtu- KARE 11,and he was featured in a live televised ally no contact with anyone but the staff," he awards ceremony. Pedersen also received a con- explains. "I stand outside their door and speak gratulatory certificate of appreciation for all of his .hrough the glass." volunteer work from the Hugo City Council at its September 15,2003 meeting. "Pete is a strong Pedersen is also involved in a restorative justice overall volunteer who has served the City in program with Washington County called Victim- many ways over the years," states Hugo Mayor Offender Conferencing, in which volunteers Fran Miron. "We are fortunate to have Pete liv- mediate between victims and offenders. "My job ing and volunteering in our community." Downtown Planning Process Revisited At its September 2,2003 meeting,the Hugo City Hugo's "downtown" can be described as going Council hired Landform, a Minneapolis planning from Nadeau's Market to the Post Office,prima- and engineering firm,to assist the City in updat- rily along Highway 61. Expected components of ing and finalizing a redevelopment master plan the plan include location of roadways and build- for downtown Hugo. Using a"charrette"process ings,provisions for sewer and water,traffic flow, similar to the community visioning process held and architectural standards. in 2001,Landform will rely heavily on input from City staff,the City Council,the Planning City Council Member Mike Granger states, Commission,current and potential business own- "Because of Hugo's growth,we have a demand ers, and the general public to produce a revised from residents for additional services in the downtown plan. "The end result will essentially downtown area. We have new businesses that be an update of the downtown plan we put want to come into Hugo and existing business together in 1998," explains Community that want to expand." He goes on to say, "We Development Director John Rask, "taking into don't want our downtown to be a hodgepodge of consideration the changes that have occurred development. It's important to have an actual since then—especially the new realignment of plan in writing—so that we have the appropriate County Road 8." infrastructure in place,and so that we have some guidelines for things like zoning,building place- For residents who may be new to the area, ment,and architectural design."