2020 Fall Newsletter - Laserfiche WebLink

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CITY OF ' ZZVI� EST. 1906 Hugo City Hall 14669 Fitzgerald Avenue North Hugo, MN 55038 651-762-6300 • www.ci.hugo.mn.us Fire Department 651-762-6362 Washington County Sheriff's Office Non -emergency: 651-439-9381 %at &t;(- &sue --- Parks & Rec Updates ...................... 2 Historical Commission ................... 2 A Word from Public Works .............. 3 Pet Waste / Pick Up the Poop ......... 3 Economic Development ................ 4 Housing Development Updates...... 4 Smart Irrigation Controller Program .... 5 Smart Irrigation Controller App.......... 6 Update from the Fire Chief ............. 7 Sheriff's Office Updates .................. 7 Open Burning ................................. 8 Virtual Meetings ............................. 8 Election Information ....................... 8 COMMUNITY NEWS, INFORMATION AND EVENTS Letter from the Mayor One of the reasons why my wife and I first moved to Hugo is because of what the City had to offer. We wanted a sense of community along with a great place to raise a family. Over the past 20 plus years, we have been incredibly happy with the growing community, and I continue to have a sense of pride when I say that I am from Hugo. Hugo is a great place and welcoming to all residents. I think that we can all agree that this past year has been strange and difficult, but we are here for each other. Now, more than ever, I am so thankful for the support of the community and am happy to call Hugo my home. While business has been anything but usual, Hugo remains an active community with much to offer. There are 18 community parks in the City — which have been busier than ever this past summer! One of the City Council's top feedback items from residents is to expand on community amenities, including our parks and trails. Our community is growing and so are our needs. The Council has been listening to residents and has approved a financing plan that will allow the City to redevelop Lions Park with construction anticipated in 2021. As the first park in the City, Lions Park has been an important part of Hugo and is a great asset to the community. The redevelopment of Lions Park will include a park pavilion with picnic spaces, multipurpose courts, ballfields, open lawn spaces, and an amphitheater. The design of the park is still being refined, and I encourage residents to partic- ipate in the process. The hope is to create a space that everyone can enjoy and be proud of! With so much to offer already, there is so much more to came. A growing community comes with the growing responsibility of making sure the needs of the community are met. With this, the City's Public Works department is constantly busy maintaining and improving our infrastructure and public spaces. Hugo Public Works be- gan over 20 years ago with a pickup truck and snow shovel. We now have 14 full time Public Works employees, 11 snow plows, and 39 various vehicles that help maintain 132 miles of roads, 450 acres of parkland, and the City's water and sewer system. As you probably know, they operate out of the Public Works building on 137th Street. The current building was built in 2005, but the City has outgrown the facility. After completing a feasibility study and comparing different options, the City is moving forward with expanding the public works operations to a new building to be constructed at Irish Avenue Park off of 140th Street. The new building went out for bids in late summer and construction is starting this fall. In addition to providing space for Public Works, the new building will also accommodate space for the Washington County Sheriff's Office as they continue to serve and protect our community. We are lucky to have them. Hugo is a developing community, as it is not yet fully developed. With so much to offer already, there is so much more to come. With time there will be more businesses offering more choices to our residents. Hugo is open and ready for business and I am excited for what the future has to hold. Thank you to everyone for making Hugo a great place to live, work, and play. Be Good Neighbors, respect and care for one another, and stay safe. 4��o If you have a question you would like to ask the Mayor, send it to info@ci.hugo.mn.us Tom Weidt, Mayor Your question could be featured in the next newsletter!