2023 Spring Newsletter - Laserfiche WebLink

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Letter from the Mayor (cont’d) As I mentioned in my State of the City address, the City is committed to preserving and expanding our public spaces. The Parks Commission has been working through several projects to make our open space more enjoyable with trail construction. Clearwater Creek Preserve is set to receive a major upgrade to its trails, designed to make the space more easily enjoyed by all. Additionally, the Parks Commission has been advancing toward making the concept for the Bernin Tree Farm property master plan a reality, opening up the western shore of Oneka Lake to the public. Meanwhile, the Planning Commission has been having important discussions surrounding the future of residential development, with particular focus on how the City should approach apartment proects. The Planning Commission has also been setting several neighborhood developments in motion, which will welcome more neighbors to Hugo.The Economic Development Authority has been working hard to create a thriving business environment. It is import- ant to recognize the difficulty and risk of starting a business from square one, therefore the City is also dedicated to supporting those who make the choice to invest in our community. The Historical Commission has been hard at work ensuring that Hugo’s history is well preserved as we grow and progress toward our future, as well as celebrating the 20th anniversary of the commission’s creation! Needless to say, volunteers who serve on the City’s commissions are instrumental in keeping Hugo a fantastic place to live, work, and play. At the end of 2022, the City Council selected some of the many candidates interviewed to serve on City Commissions. I would like to thank them all, and introduce three of them to you now. Tom Weidt, Mayor WELCOME NEW COMMISSIONERS! Mike Granger PLANNING COMMISSION What do you consider the best part of living in Hugo? The best part of living in Hugo (for me) is that I live within walking distance to both a gun range and a golf course! I think this is a great example of the culture of the city. While the city has grown significantly in the last 20 years, over half of the city is still rural-resi- dential and agricultural. This creates a unique blend of excellent trails/ parks for the residential communities along- side open spaces for farming, fishing, and hunting. Why did you decide to volunteer for the Planning Commission? I decided to volunteer for the planning commission because I’ve lived in Hugo for 30 years, and thought it was time to give back to the community. While the city has grown significantly over that time period, I love that fact that it still has that “small town” feel. As a planning commissioner I will work to support the growth of the city as well as preserve the culture in any way that we can. The residential development will continue, and with that, we will see more commercial development in the downtown area (stores, restaurants, etc...). Like many Hugonians, I am looking forward to closer proximity to amenities such as these. While this all takes time, I am excited to see it develop and grow in the coming years. Mike Kelly PLANNING COMMISSION Why did you decide to volunteer for the Planning Commission? In October of 2018 my wife, Arlene, and I made our move to Adelaide Landing in Hugo to be closer to our two daughters and their families. I decided to volunteer for the Planning Commission because I have a back- ground in real estate, planning and development. I am looking forward to staying current on today’s issues. 2 Mike Kelly, Planning Commission Mike Granger, Planning Commission