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WORK CONTINUES ON FACILITY (Continued from Page 1) ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PLAN Department from scratch, notes City Administrator Mike Ericson. In A Stakeholder's Task Force has been School District. Ted Blaesing, addition to Petree, the department formed to work on plans for a new Superintendent of White Bear Lake currently employs one other full-time elementary school site proposed for Area Schools, is excited about this and two seasonal staff members, and the Everton Avenue neighborhood, project as well as the cooperation the plans are to have two more full- northwest of downtown Hugo. A among the various groups involved. time staff members by July, 2002. concept plan was originally prepared However, he believes it is premature by architects from the Borman Kroos to speculate about when a referendum The City Council has determined a Vogel (BKV) Group, at the request of might be held. "We need to be sure tentative timeline for a new Public local developers Len Pratt and Jim that we plan this carefully," he states. Works facility— Peterson, and was endorsed by the "We need to use this unique opportu- 2002: Needs study and site selection Hugo City Council in January 2002. nity to get a facility that will be of use process The task force, a cooperative effort to the entire community." 2003: Engineering and purchase of between the City of Hugo, the White property Bear Lake Area School District, the Haas agrees that it is important to rec- 2004: Construction and moving into developers, and other interested resi- ognize this excellent opportunity. a new facility dents and groups, is working on final- "We have developers here who recog- izing the components of the concept nize the value of a school in their The ultimate plans for the former plan. development," he notes. "They are City Hall building have yet to be willing to set aside land to have a determined. Many possibilities have Two components have been agreed on school built on it, because they recog- been discussed, but no definite plans at this time: (1) a K-6 elementary nize that it is important to the com- have been made. school,which would be built by 2005 munity, and they know it also makes and serve 750 students, and (2) ball sense for their development." Haas and play fields. Other possible com- further explains that building this new ' — ponents include a fitness center, gym- facility will be cost efficient. He adds, nasium, soccer fields, a senior center, "We hope to show voters that they and a county library. Ward 3 City will get$3 worth of facilities for every Council member Chuck Haas, who is $1 paid by taxpayers." the City Council's liaison to the task force, explains, "This is not going to be your typical elementary school. We are trying to make it much more than that." In fact,he prefers to call it HELP HUGO GROIN! a "lifetime of learning center," which would be open all hours of the day, all The City of Hugo is looking for residents who would be interested in serving year long, for people throughout the on the Stakeholder's Task Force for the proposed elementary school develop- community to use. ment. Duties would include attending meetings, suggesting and evaluating Once plans for the center are final- components of the plan, and ultimately promoting the plan to voters and ized, it will ultimately have to be other interested groups. For more information or to volunteer, contact City voted on in a referendum in the Administrator Mike Ericson at City Hall, (651) 762-6300. 10