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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003 December Newsletter P' Hugo City Hall • 14669 Fitzgerald Avenue North • Hugo, Minnesota 55038 y Voters Approve New Elementary School For Hugo Residents in the White Bear Lake Area School believed we had a very well thought-out plan,and District#624 voted in favor of both questions we're so thankful and appreciative of the voters placed before them in the November 4,2003 elec- supporting what we proposed to do. It allows us tion,paving the way for a new elementary school to meet our enrollment demands for the next sev- to be built in the City of Hugo. eral years,to buy equipment for our classrooms, and to update and modernize some much-needed The first question,which passed by a margin of facilities." 5163 (53%)to 4583 (47%),asked school district residents to approve the issuance of$28.2 million Hugo Support Crucial in bonds to accomplish four things: Support from Hugo residents was crucial in get- Construct a new elementary school in Hugo to ting approval for the new elementary school. The P results for Question#1 in and accommodate 7506 a-_ __ , Hugo were 973 "yes" students in grades K-5. (75%)to 316 "no" (25%). THE NEW SCHOOL IS J • Renovate and remodel Susan Brott, GOING TO HAVE A MAJO • Communications the existing Hugo Coordinator for the School Elementary School to IMPACT ON THE QUALITY accommodate 500 stu- District also noted that there dents. This would be was a large voter turnout in Hugo, "larger than would done after the new school ► 1 have been expected given is built and be finished by the fall of 2008. that there wasn't anything else on the ballot." Hugo • Renovate the community City Council Member Chuck theater at Central Middle School in White Haas adds' "It was clear from the breakdown of Bear Lake and bring it into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act(ADA). all the precincts that it could not have passed • Construct locker room improvements at both without the overwhelming support of the people campuses of the high school to bring them into of Hugo." compliance with federal Title IX requirements. Much of that support was a result of a strong _ The second question was a capital improvement campaign by"Partners for Building," a volunteer • group made up of community leaders,people levy asking residents to authorize spending of from the school board,and a parent group co- $500,000 per year for up to 10 years for the pur- chaired by Hugo residents Pauline Lacher and chase of computers and technology,library books, Dean Dehling. "A large group of parents commit- textbooks,science equipment,pianos and other musical equipment used for choirs and bands. ted a lot of time,"notes Lacher. She and Dehling Residents voted 54% "yes"to 46% "no" on this managed a core group of approximately 20 par- ents who were responsible for a variety of activi- question. ties including arranging for lawn signs to be dis- When asked for his reaction to the voters'deci- played,handing out brochures and answering sion, School District Superintendent Ted Blaesing questions at informational meetings and commu- stated, "We were just elated." He adds, "We New School:Continued on Page 6 City Tax Rate To Decrease . Seven Percent In 2004 Although building permit revenues are expected and recruit firefighters. With interest rates at his- to remain constant for the third consecutive year, toric lows,the City borrowed funds for a heavy Hugo's property tax rate will decrease by 7% rescue vehicle slated for purchase in 2004. The next year. City staff,at the direction of the City funds were borrowed for less than 2%and will Council,assembled an operating budget that be repaid over a five-year period. increases spending less than 3%,yet allocates additional resources to the fire and public works The City also continues to staff and equip a pub- departments. lic works department to take over road mainte- nance and snow removal services previously The total property tax levy proposed for 2004 is contracted with Washington County. Included in $2,659,983,which is $253,293 higher than the the budget are funds for a new road grader and previous year. Of this increase, $145,936 is several plow trucks. Again,these big-ticket needed to pay principal and interest on bonds. items will be purchased with borrowed funds. The remaining$107,357 of the increase is need- ed to replace a portion of the state aid that was City officials anticipate a continued strong cut by the legislature. reliance on property taxes to balance the budget. Property taxes account for approximately 80%of The City continues its commitment to upgrade general fund operating revenues,up from 52% and replace antiquated fire department trucks and two years ago. This is directly related to the loss equipment,as well as provide incentives to keep of state aid and anticipated building activity. Hugo Historical Commission Collaborates With Other Area Historical Groups On October 23,Carrie Meyers,Vi Maslowski, and Kitty Cheesebrow attended a special program and din- ner at Woody's Restaurant,sponsored by the White Bear Lake Area Historical Society,who had contact- ed the Hugo Historical Commission to get information about hunting and harvesting in the Hugo/White Bear Lake area between 1850 and 1950. They interviewed Joe and Quentin Marier and Marcel and Clara Miron, and offered to share the results of their research for Hugo's archives. Commission Chair Kitty Cheesebrow notes, "We had a great dinner and a wonderful time listening to the program as it outlined the changing history of hunting,fishing,and trapping in the Hugo area since the first settlers came here." The Commission was invited to hold its November meeting at the new Little Canada Historical Society History Center. Their host was Al Dahlquist,a genealogy researcher who specializes in French Canadian immigration to the area,which includes White Bear Lake,Little Canada,Vadnais Heights,and Hugo. Another of his specialties is mapping and documenting historic cemeteries. Al's grandmother was born in Hugo, so he has strong family roots here and has decided to be an active volunteer with the Hugo ' Historical Commission. Cheesebrow states, "We welcome Al with open arms, and we hope to be able to collaborate our research efforts with Little Canada and other community historical groups." The Historical Commission is also very grateful to the Bald Eagle Sportsman's Association for their$500 donation. "We feel honored and excited about the opportunities that these additional funds open to us in the coming year," states Cheesebrow. The Hugo Historical Commission continues to welcome residents'photos,documents,journals,and any key historical dates or information they may have regarding Hugo's history. For more information about the Hugo Historical Commission,or if you would like to help by volunteering or donating your historical items,contact City Administrator Mike Ericson at 651-762-6312 or Kitty Cheesebrow at 651-429-6560 or by e-mail at kitty@visi.com. � j To The Residents Of Hugo: As 2003 draws to a close,an opportunity exists to review our goals and priorities. As Mayor,I encour- age the City Council to set goals and priorities each year,and by doing so, staff is provided with clear ' direction as the Council works together as a team. This process also enables the Council to evaluate our success or failure. Probably the most exciting and positive event of 2003 was voter approval of a new elementary school in Hugo. This collaborative effort between the City and school district ranked high on our list of priorities. We recognize the importance that good schools have on our quality of life in the community. Life-cycle , housing also factors into our quality of life. I'm excited that we've been able to successfully negotiate the sale of City property next to the Post Office,which will provide a site for senior-assisted living. Our remaining parcel in the Industrial Park is being developed with five new businesses,and it will provide new job opportunities and an expanded tax base. "...the most excit- This past year,the City and Washington County worked hard with our ing and positive citizens to identify an alignment for County Road 8,and as a member of event of 2003 the Tri-Cities Coalition,we are working to address transportation issues was voter area-wide. The traffic signal at TH61 and 140th Street was installed and should improve traffic safety at that intersection. Although construction approval of a new difficulties delayed completion of municipal services to the Peloquin elementary Industrial Park,Lametti& Sons of Hugo replaced the original contrac- tor,and the project is now near completion. Our apologies to everyone school in Hugo." inconvenienced by that long delay and our thanks to Lametti& Sons. Communities statewide were concerned with balancing budgets as we lost state aid. I'm pleased to announce a decrease in per capita spending in Hugo for 2004,as well as a reduction in our tax rate. A long-time City goal has been to maintain a level or flat tax rate,while still providing quality services. For a City to experience a reduction in tax rate,while other communities experience difficulty in balanc- ing budgets,bodes well for Hugo. I wish to begin a public outreach and accountability initiative as we enter 2004 by meeting with residents to discuss issues of concern. If individuals or groups, such as homeowner associations,would like to have their Council ward representative and myself attend a meeting, call me directly or call City Hall and we'll gladly schedule a meeting at your convenience. The Oneka Room in City Hall is available for such purposes. Through this process,and with your input,I hope to maintain a responsive local government. With Best Wishes for a Happy Holiday Season, Fran Miron Mayor Help Decide The Future Of Hardwood Creek The City of Hugo and the Rice Creek Watershed District invite all residents of Hugo to a presenta- tion and discussion about the future of Hardwood Creek/Judicial Ditch 2 on Thursday,January 15 at 7:00 p.m. in the Oneka Room at City Hall. We encourage everyone to come and help decide the future of this important natural resource for Hugo. If you have any questions,you may call Steve Hobbs of the Rice Creek Watershed District at 763-398-3071 or visit their website at www.rice- creekwd.com to see the various options being discussed. Hat News FromThe Hugo Fire Department Winter Car Survival Kit Be prepared for winter car breakdowns by keeping a winter survival kit in your car. Items that you should have in your car include: blanket,flashlight, candles,matches,hand warmers,bandages,and flagging tape,which is hung on a window and has a written message asking passersby to call for help. Hugo Fire Chief Jim Compton also recommends carrying food items, such as nuts or granola bars,and a small shovel. Survival kits are avail- able for$6.00 from the St.Paul area chapter of the American Red Cross,located at 176 South Robert Street in St. Paul,phone 651-291-4699. Prevent Fireplace Fires Hugo Fire Chief Jim Compton reminds you to burn only seasoned wood in your fireplace—wood that has been cut at least a year ago and stacked so it has had a chance to dry out. Do not burn freshly cut wood in your fire- place! It will cause the development of creosote,which will line your chimney and can cause a chimney fire. Also,before burning any wood,check your chimney to make sure it's clean. Chimneys should be cleaned at least once a year,preferably in the fall, in preparation for the wood burning season. Keep Your Chimneys And Air Vents Clear As the amount of snow builds up,be sure to check chimneys,roof vents,and any air vents for your gas furnace, to make sure they are clear and don't have any snow blocking or covering them. Remember City Looking To Acmw; To Recycle Land For Parks The average American throws out his weight The City of Hugo would like to acquire land in packaging every 30-40 days. Out of every for neighborhood parks, active recreational $10.00 spent at the market, $1.00 pays for the areas,and open spaces. "We are primarily packaging. When shopping, look for things interested in land located in the central por- made with recycled materials,as indicated by tion of the City," explains Community the three recycling arrows. Development Director John Rask, "but we wouldn't rule out any parcel of 20 to 100 In Hugo, items for recycling are collected acres suitable for active recreation purposes." curbside as part of your trash collection. A Funds for purchasing this land come from the City's park dedication fund,which is obtained recycling container is available from your from new development in the City. A$1,800 garbage hauler or by calling City Hall at 651- fee is collected and deposited into this fund ° A 7 762-6300. Those items which can be recy- when new residential lots are created. 97,V�y newspapers,cled include news a ,aluminum beverage � p p g Anyone who is interested in selling land to the cans,tin cans, glass jars and bottles, corrugat- City of Hugo is asked to contact City ed cardboard,glossy magazines,and car and Administrator Mike Ericson at City Hall or tractor batteries. Parks Commission member Pete Pedersen at 651-426-4126. ' I 1 E I The Latest News On CSAN 8/14 Since the fall of 2001,Washington County, alignment with a railroad crossing,which the Anoka County,the Cities of Hugo and Lino County Board agreed to do at their October 28, Lakes,along with their consultant TKDA,have 2003 meeting. been working on a study for the County State ROAD Aid Highway(CSAH)8/14 corridor between The City of Hugo has initiated the process for a Interstate 35E (I-35E)and Trunk Highway(TH) railroad crossing with a request to the MinnesotaWORK 61. Proposed improvements being studied Department of Transportation. An administrative h nn include expanding the roadway to four lanes and hearing is scheduled for early December with a ri 4� adding turn lanes,a center median,a pedestri- decision expected by February 1,2004. If the an/bicycle path, and new drainage systems. crossing is approved,the County Board will Following more than 18 months of research, review any conditions placed on the crossing environmental assessments,and public hearings prior to final County approval of the alignment. and comment,the Hugo City Council selected Design details related to the 142nd/143rd Street the 142nd/143rd Street alignment as the pre- alignment, including exactly where the road will ferred alternative at its May 5,2003 meeting. intersect TH 61,what type of improvements are The Washington County Board of needed on TH 61 and to the east,and effects to Commissioners adopted a resolution supporting St. John the Baptist Church,will also need to be that decision on June 24,2003. evaluated. If the railroad crossing is approved by March 2004,road construction is expected to To implement the preferred alignment,abandon- begin in 2005. This schedule will not jeopardize ment of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail- the$4 million in federal funding,which has been road line between 145th Street and 140th Street allocated to this project. was required in order to connect the new CSAH 8 alignment to TH 61. It was understood that For more information, visit the Washington Minnesota Commercial Railroad,which current- County web site at .�?eases the track,would petition for abandon- www.co.washington.mn.us/trnsphdv/trnsp5yrcip. rent of the track;however,further negotiations htm. You may also contact Chris Manthey, have revealed that they are not willing to petition Design Coordinator, at 651-430-4316 or by e- for track abandonment. Therefore,at its October mail at chris.manthey@co.washington.mn.us. 6,2003 City Council meeting,the City of Hugo requested that the County Board continue the project development for the 142nd/143rd Street City Project Update CSeeks Planning from Senior Engineering Technician, Commissioner Scott Anderson I Pelouuin Industrial Park PrWect Due to the retirement of longtime member Moues Forward Theodora Peltier,the City of Hugo is seek- ing a member of the community to volun- A new contract for the continuation of the teer to serve on the Planning Commission. Peloquin Industrial Park utilities was awarded on July 21,2003 to Lametti& Sons,Inc.,a Hugo Meetings are held on the second and fourth based general contractor with extensive experi- Thursdays of each month. ence in deep sanitary sewer and tunneling proj- ects. Construction has been underway since mid- For an application, contact Hugo City Hall August and is expected to wrap up shortly before .he new year. This project will complete the at 651-762-6300 or visit our web site at sewer and water utilities in the Peloquin Industrial www•ci.hugo.mn.us. Application deadline Park area and provide service for the adjacent is December 22,2003. Oneka Ponds development. ' t New School:Continued from Page 1 nity events,and making phone calls to likely vot- ty." Haas adds, "Most important is what this tells ers. "We knew that Hugo could make or break our kids. It says that they matter—that their edu- this," Lacher explains. "Certainly there were ben- cation is important to us." efits to the whole district,but we knew the biggest stakeholders in this were people in Hugo. Next Steps OUR That's why we worked so hard to make sure that The school board met on November 24 to put THAT THEIR Hugo residents were informed and to build excite- together a steering committee for each project,as ment about a new school." well as a naming committee to determine a name EDUCATION IS for the new school and the existing Hugo A Collaborative Effort Elementary. These committees will be led by IMPORTANT Plans for the new Hugo elementary school have school board members and will include appropri- been underway for almost two years in a coopera- ate members of the district administration and tive effort between the City,the school district, community members. Community input will be local developers Len Pratt and Jim Peterson,and encouraged,and plans are already underway for other interested residents and groups. The City of public forums to be held to actively solicit citizen Hugo agreed to donate to the school district 30 input about grade configuration for the two acres of land and provide infrastructure improve- schools. The school district's goal is to obtain ments for the school site—a package worth$2.5 construction bids by late spring of 2004 and to million. break ground by early fall. "This is the first time in all the years that I've Once the new school is open in the fall of 2006, served on the City Council that we have worked renovations will begin on the existing Hugo so collaboratively with the school district," states Elementary School. It is expected to be able to Hugo Mayor Fran Miron. "The governing body reopen in the fall of 2008 without the portable of a city isn't necessarily responsible for educa- classrooms and with a capacity of 500 students. tion or planning for schools,but I think it makes Blaesing notes, "The new building is going to be sense-because of the quality of life that schools quite nice,but when we have renovated the exist' provide in an area. I'm really pleased that we ing building,you're going to see a very impres- started an initiative such as this." Susan Brott sive school." adds, "It's been a great partnership. The school board has said numerous times how much they appreciated and enjoyed working with the Hugo city administration,the Council, and the Mayor." Impact For Hugo New Winter "I think the new school is going to have a mayor impact on the quality of life here in Hugo," states Mayor Miron. Chuck Haas believes the new Parking school will provide a great economic benefit to the City. "Good schools are important," he notes. r '�a n "The interest in our community to locate busi ce nesses and homes will be enhanced." Susan Brott agrees, saying, "Having the new school in Hugo Earlier this year,the Hugo City Council will draw people into the community. Having a adopted a new parking ordinance for the win- referendum pass shows community support for public education,and that's the kind of communi- ter season. From November 1 through March ty people want to raise their kids in." 31,no parking is allowed on any street in the Having a second elementary school in Hugo will City between the hours of 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. help alleviate the overcrowding in the existing school and avoid further busing and shifting of Outside of those dates,the same restrictions attendance boundaries. "It's best for students if apply if there is a snow accumulation of 2 they can learn in a neighborhood school," Brott pp y states. Pauline Lacher notes, "Having a neighbor- inches or more. hood school is important for building communi- i In The Works Report,from the Public Works Department g single plow truck is A 2004 Sterlin V l f Public Works Space Needs Study g axle Identifies Site For New Building equipped with front plow,wing plow,rear sand- At its November 17,2003 meeting, the Hugo ing unit,and underbody plow. It is the third City Council was presented with a space needs plow truck in Hugo's fleet and the first new truck study for the Hugo Public Works department and purchased,the previous two having been bought a master plan for the Rice Lake property. By used from Washington County. This truck will formally accepting these documents,which were have its own snow plowing route and is the last completed by ESG Architects of Minneapolis, piece of equipment needed to complete the tran- the Council has approved a plan to build a sition from Washington County. 16,000-20,000 square foot public works facility on a 4-1/2 acre site on the west side of the Rice Lake property. Hugo Public Works Director Chris Petree explains that the next step is to hire an architect to work with City staff and the Public Works 46 Building Committee to come up with a detailed design for the building. "We will also be looking at possible funding sources,"he states, "and the a Parks Commission and City Council will work on plans for the rest of the Rice Lake property." Petree also notes that this project is progressing an schedule,as the Council's goal for 2003 was to determine a building site and begin the design process. Public Works Equipment Purchased Meet Rick Kieffer,Public Works Two significant pieces of equipment were pur- Maintenance Worker chased by the Hugo Public Works department in To help meet the increased demand for public 2003—"the two largest capital equipment pur- chases ever made for public works,"notes Public works services,the City of Hugo has hired Works Director Chris Petree. Public Works Maintenance Worker Rick Kieffer,who began with the City on October A 2003 Caterpillar 143H Motor Grader,which 6,2003. He will be performing a variety of replaces a 1988 Caterpillar 120G Motor Grader, maintenance duties in all areas of the public is the most utilized piece of equipment in the works department, including sewer,water, fleet. It is used to maintain over 30 miles of and roads. Kieffer worked in the City of gravel roads in Hugo and has its own snow White Bear Lake's street maintenance depart- ment for seven years,and he attended plowing route. Lakewood Community College and North Hennepin Community College where he earned a Public Works Certificate. He also has an SD Wastewater License and a Class C 4,t Water License,having attended classes offered by the American Public Works - ` Association covering all aspects of water and sewer system maintenance. Kieffer grew up i in White Bear Lake and has lived in Centerville since 1996 when he married his Rick Kieffer wife,Becky. He enjoys playing hockey, Our new Public Works weight lifting,and running. Maintenance Worker i BULK RATE Hugo City Hall- 14669 Fitzgerald Ave.N.-Hugo,MN 55038 POSTAGE PAID HUGO, MN 55038 PERMIT NO.21 OCCUPANT Ww City Directory Service city Staff City Administrator Mike Ericson 651-762-6312 ' Directory Community Dev. Dir. John Rask 651-762-6320 Public Works Director Chris Petree 651-762-6316 eltv General Building Official John Benson 651-762-6313 ' ll Building Inspector Gary Schwartz 651-762-6317 Information Sr. Engineering Tech. Scott Anderson 651-762-6326 ' ' ' City Clerk Mary Ann Creager 651-762-6311 ' '' dae' olidays 651-762-6300 Community Dev.Asst. Michele Lindau 651-762-6315 Deputy Clerk Renee Cunningham 651-762-6310 Billing Clerk Jodie Guareschi 651-762-6309ON Nall FAX Number Finance Director Ron Otkin 651-762-6314 -426-2859 Fire Chief Jim Compton 651-429-6366 Washington countV City Council Sheriffs Department Apt- non-emergency) Mayor Fran Miron 651-429-5961 (Police Ward 1 Becky Petryk 651-426-4722 • 9-9381 Ward 2 Frank Puleo 651-653-9369 Ward 3 Chuck Haas 651-439-4475 Fire Nall Council-at-Large Mike Granger 651-426-8171 • Monthly Meeting Schedule 9-6366" City Council 1 st and 3rd Mondays at 7:00 p.m. Fire a Police EmergencV Planning Commission 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. 911 Parks Commission 2nd Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Historical Commission 3rd Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.