2023.02.06 Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Schoolhouse and Heritage Center Facebook pages. While the committee has been able to engage with many area residents through that vehicle, it does not reach the full range of community members who may have an interest in this work. While social media will continue to be an important tool in distributing information on the project to community members, new channels for distributing information to community members will be added. One early operational investment will be the implementation of a customer relationship management system designed and priced for non-profits. The tool provides a mechanism to centralize project data and ensure that communications with stakeholders can be easily, routinely, and affordably managed. The system includes functionality to distribute electronic newsletters, manage volunteer projects/sign-ups, track data needed for reporting to funders, process donations, and manage event registration. Beyond direct communications with community members, the Committee will seek to partner with area businesses and non-profits to cross-promote volunteer opportunities, boost visibility of projects underway, and to recognize the difference volunteers are making in our community. Accomplishments August – September 2022 During the months of August and September, the Steering Committee focused on developing the initial concept for the proposal, and engaging with community members to better understand what they hoped the restoration of the schoolhouse would bring to the community. The primary mechanism used to gather community input were the Old Forest Lake and Hopkins Schoolhouse and Heritage Center Facebook pages. During this period, the committee met several times with the Snowmobile Association to explore opportunities to partner on the proposal to the City of Hugo. In October the two groups met with City staff for preliminary feedback on a joint proposal concept that would include both the restoration of the schoolhouse and the construction of a storage building and grooming station for the North Star Trail. A key benefit of the joint proposal concept was the potential for sharing costs for common needs (e.g. well, septic, utilities, parking). Following the meeting with City staff in October, the two groups mutually decided that the Steering Committee should proceed with the development of the proposal for the Hopkins Schoolhouse and Heritage Center, and revisit opportunities for the two organizations to partner in the future. City of Hugo staff agreed to request that the Council provide additional time for the Steering Committee to refine the proposal, and to allow the Committee to proceed with the temporary cover on the schoolhouse roof, soffits, and chimney, which was granted by the Council in October. Accomplishments October 2022 – January 2023 The following is a summary of what was accomplished during the period since the HSHC Steering Committee met with City of Hugo staff in October, and the Council acted to provide an extension for the committee to continue its work through the end of the year. Raising Public Awareness & Engaging the Community •Developed logo and brand for Hopkins Schoolhouse and Heritage Center •Built/launched website (https://hopkinsschoolhouse.org/) – 653 visits, 700 page views as of 1/31/2023 •Developed/released video with local volunteer to share the HSHC vision with the community (https://youtu.be/d8vB30Rd0nM). The video has been viewed more than 1,100 times. •Installed HSHC sign on schoolhouse building with link to website •Ongoing promotions on social media via Old Forest Lake (5,569 members) and Hopkins Schoolhouse and Heritage Center (154 members) Facebook pages. Improvements to Protect the Schoolhouse •Installed temporary roof, soffit, and chimney covering. •Installed lights on the north, west, and east sides of the building for security. •Completed temporary repair of stairs to basement and water-damaged floors to make it safe for contractors to enter. •Hauled off a load of brush that was cut down by the city.