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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001 September Newsletter ' �® SEPTEMBER 2001 �- YOUR CITY REP RT HUGO CITY HALL, 5524 UPPER 146TH STREET NORTH HUGO, MN 55038 651-429-66/6 ............... GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY HELD . FOR NEW CITY HALL Mayor Fran Miron Construction of Hugo's new City Hall is underway following a groundbreaking ceremony held Monday,July 16, 2001. Those in attendance included the Mayor NEW CITY HALL and City Council members, City staff, State Senators Jane Krenz and Michele VITAL STATISTICS Bachmann, Metropolitan Council Representative Marc Hugunin, and property owners Earl and Violet Williams and Joe Marier, whose homes were purchased by Main floor: 11,600 sq. feet - with the City for this project. room for expansion on 3 sides Basement: 1,500 sq. feet. Includes Chief architect Bob Russek is pleased to report that the project is currently on complete basement waterproofing schedule and under budget. "The building demolition came in under budget," system. Russek notes, "and the soil appears to be better than expected, based on prelimi- nary reports." Completion is expected in January, 2002. date Minnesota weather. The new City Hall will offer residents a multi-use community room,which will be Creative site plan — holds storm available for use by local clubs and organizations. It will also have improved City drainage on-site and recharges the Council chambers and an administration wing for City staff offices. City aquifer. 'A,dministrator Mike Ericson says that the City staff and Council are excited about Under-floor heating ducts — for a the project, noting that"the citizens will have a much better opportunity than they better comfort level with less energy do now to utilize their City Hall." than overhead systems HUGO RECEIVES TOWN MEETING TO GRANT FOR DISCUSS FUTURE OF HUGO'S FUTURE PARK RURAL AREA The City of Hugo was successful in A Town Meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, November 1 at 7:00 p.m. at the acquiring a $305,000 grant from the Hugo City Hall to begin to discuss the future of the eastern side of the City of Minnesota Department of Natural Hugo. In attendance will be the City's Planning Commission and the City Resources (DNR) to assist in the Council, and the public is encouraged to attend. purchase of the Bernin property,a 21- "What we're essentially looking at is how to best preserve the rural character of the acre site located on Oneka Lake. east side of the city," states Community Development Director John Rask. He Currently a Christmas tree farm goes on to explain that there are a variety of ways to do this. One way would be owned and operated by the Bernins, with "cluster housing," which involves allowing homes to be placed closer the property has approximately 1500 together on smaller lots, but requiring a certain amount of open space surround- feet of shoreline and is adjacent to the ing them. Another option would be to re-examine minimum development DNR boat access on Oneka Lake. standards in terms of lot sizes and road frontage requirements. The City's future plans for this land One more possibility for preserving the rural character is through the purchase of are to establish a natural park-like development rights. With this option, a governmental agency or some setting, with a small picnic area, and conservation organization could essentially purchase easements over a given such features as play equipment for property in order to maintain it permanently as an open space. children, barbecue pits, and a fishing Both Rask and City Administrator Mike Ericson are encouraging the citizens of pier. It would also provide public Hugo to attend the meeting and offer their opinions on this issue. "We want to access to Oneka Lake and allow for do this right," Ericson says, "by taking the time and getting citizens involved."The expansion of the DNR boat access Metropolitan Council will also be hosting a similar discussion on the future of the facility. rural metropolitan area on September 20, at Hooley Hall at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Baytown, MN from 6-9 pm. Call 651-602-1844 to reserve Community Development Director a place at this meeting. John Rask reports that the City is currently in negotiations to purchase this property and expects that it will REMEMBER TO RECYCLE! be acquired by the end of the year. It Did you know that recycling afour-foot stack of newspaper saves one mature is anticipated that the grant will cover approximately half of the cost, with tree from being harvested? And one family's yearly supply of daily newspa- pers can be recycled into almost enough insulation for one house. In Hugo, the balance coming from the City's park fund—a special fund set aside by items for recycling are collected curbside as part of your weekly trash collec- tion. A recycling container is available from your garbage hauler or by call- the City for park development. Rask ing City Hall at (651) 429-6676. explained that when developers Those items which can be recycled include newspapers, aluminum beverage sub-divide property in Hugo, $1350 cans, tin cans,glass jars and bottles, corrugated cardboard,glossy magazines, is paid into this park fund for each junk mail, boxboard(such as cereal boxes), #1 and#2 plastic bottles, and car new home site. and tractor batteries. 20-YEAR CAPITAL CITY PROJECT UPDATE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM from City Engineer Dave Mitchell PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL A Capital Improvement Program (CIP) was presented at Production Wells the August 20, 2001 City Council meeting, outlining The pump house for Well No. 3 is under construction and major expenditures for the next 20 years in the City of is on schedule to begin providing water for the City's Sys- Hugo. Earlier this year the Council hired Springsted, Inc., tem this fall. The City Council has authorized the City a Minnesota company that provides financial and Engineer's office to begin work on Well No. 4. Sites will be management consulting services to government agencies, evaluated, and it is anticipated that the new well will be bid to work with City officials and citizens to put together a 20-year CIP to coincide with work to the City's later this fall. Construction of the pump house will take Comprehensive Plan. place next summer, and the well will be providing water to the City's system in the fall of 2002. The CIP identifies over 200 capital projects totaling more than $91 million in expenditures, such as public buildings, Water Tower major equipment purchases, and infrastructure, including sewer,water, storm sewers, and road reconstruction. It also The foundation construction has been started for the new looks at how these capital needs will be financed without water tower, located immediately northwest of the causing significant changes in the City's tax rates. The CIP Creekview Preserve 3rd Addition, northwest of the current was presented at the Council meeting, but the more west terminus of 159th Street North. The contractor important component is an interactive computer model expects to complete the column of the tower this fall. The which will enable the City to instantly see the impact of water tank will be completed next spring. The City expects changing any of the parameters involved. the new tower to be operational in the summer of 2002. Nick Dragisich, senior vice president of Springsted, Inc., Water Main Extensions who worked with the City on this project, gives an exam- ple of how the computer model will work. "The staff can Construction is nearly complete for water main extensions enter what they think their growth is going to be and what to connect Well No. 3 and Water Tower No. 3 to the City's the capital needs are for that growth, and the computer existing water system. The contractor will be completing program will come back and say, based on your current tax final testing and restoration work before the middle of rate and your current fee structure, here is what your finan- September. cial projections look like. If these aren't acceptable, you can look at things like changing your tax rate or your user Peloquin Industrial Park fees or putting a project into a different year—there are an infinite number of possibilities you can adjust to see what This project will provide sewer and water utilities to the works best for any given situation." The model is user- Peloquin Industrial Park area and will include the extension friendly, so City workers can use it on their own, changing of sanitary sewer from the southeast corner of the parameters to look at different scenarios. Creekview Preserve development. As part of the project, the street and storm sewer system will be improved to meet The CIP was developed in interactive sessions with City City standards. The contractor has started de-watering to staff and Council members at public meetings, as part of an remove groundwater from the area where pipe will be interactive process. Dragisich adds, "I think that's really the beauty of it—the computer model allows for a very par- installed. Sanitary sewer pipe installation will begin this ticipatory process in developing the CIP." City fall. The contractor anticipates completing most of the Administrator Mike Ericson adds, "We now have a very project before the end of the year. Final paving and effective long-term planning tool to accurately predict not restoration work will be done in the spring of 2002. only what we're going to do, but how we're going to pay for it and what impact it will have on the budget. BOND ISSUES APPROVED FOR FALL HYDRANT CITY HALL, WATER UTILITY FLUSHING BEGINS OCTOBER 1 At its August 20, 2001 meeting, the Hugo City Council approved the sale of bonds The Public Works Department will be to finance both the new City Hall project and some important additions to Hugo's flushing hydrants in the City of Hugo water system. The bonds for the City Hall are in the amount of$1,870,000 with beginning Monday, October 1, 2001. an interest rate of 4.77%, and the water revenue bonds of $3,120,000 have a Hydrant flushing will take place 4.41% interest rate. Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., for approximately City officials are very pleased with the low interest rates. Finance Director Ron three weeks. Otkin notes that the pre-sale interest rate estimates were 5.91% on the City Hall bonds and 5.15% on the water bonds. "These lower interest rates mean that the Flushing allows the Public Works City will pay less interest over the life of the bonds," Otkin explains. "The lower Department to purge rust and stag- the interest, the lower the amount that the city has to levy for taxes." nant water from the distribution sys- tem, and it allows the Department to Otkin also points out that Hugo has maintained its A3 bond rating given by identify hydrants in need of mainte- nance. Moody's investor service. He states, "Because of current economic conditions, some cities are being downgraded, so keeping our A3 rating is a very positive thing As a result of the hydrant flushing,it is for the City." At the Council meeting, Mayor Fran Miron made special mention inevitable that some residents will of Moody's report, which specifically mentions Hugo's "history of fiscally prudent receive rust-colored water that could measures." stain laundry. Please check that water coming into your house is clear before doing any laundry during this time. LAND USE ISSUES & PLANNING An questions regarding hydrant Y q g g PROCESS TO BE DISCUSSED AT flushing should be directed to the Public Works Department at (651) WORKSHOP 429-6676, ext. 5 The public is invited to attend a workshop being held on Saturday, December 1st from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hugo City Hall to learn more about the City's HUGO planning process. Also attending will be members of the Planning Commission, the City Council, and the City staff. WELCOMES One part of the workshop will involve an informal discussion of some of the City's NEW EMPLOYEE development policies and land use issues, such as zoning ordinances and subdivision design standards. The other part will be more educational,with a local KrIsH Montanari consultant brought in to help the Planning Commission and the City Council and Deputy Clerk7Receptionist staff to better understand their individual roles and responsibilities and to be able As of July 9, 2001, Kristi is the to work together as a team. person who greets you at the Hugo City Hall both in person and on the "There will be a tremendous workload when the residential housing moratorium phone. Her duties also include ends in February, 2002," states Community Development Director John Rask, assisting in both the Building and "and we all need to be working together in an efficient and productive manner." the Finance Departments, and she will soon be trained in utility billing. COMMUNITY VISIONING FIRE DEPARTMENT OPEN HOUSE TO BE PROCESS NEARING HELD OCTOBER 13 COMPLETION The Hugo Fire Department Hugo's ongoing community visioning/charette process, which began in March, will host its annual open house is nearing completion. A final draft of the Community Visioning Plan, a guide on Saturday, October 13, 2001 for development in Hugo over the next 20 years, is expected to be presented to from noon until 4 p.m. There the Planning Commission on September 26 and to the City Council at its will be plenty of activities for October 1 meeting. both children and adults, including fire truck rides, tours The City of Hugo selected the Minneapolis architecture, engineering, and plan- of the fire station, and the ning firm of Hammel, Green, and Abrahamson, Inc. (HGA) to manage this opportunity to use a real fire highly public, participatory process, sometimes referred to as a "Charrette" process. It began with a series of interviews with City staff, elected officials, and hose. The first 100 children planning commission members. HGA also conducted roundtable discussions who attend will each receive a and community workshops with Hugo residents. free pumpkin, and there will also be door prizes,free fire pre- Rich McLaughlin,senior urban designer with HGA,who has been involved with vention handouts,and a chance the entire visioning process, states that the plan is oriented around two funda- to meet Smokey the Bear. mental concepts: the natural environmental system of Hugo and neighborhood development. "The first part of the plan addresses what we call Hugo's 'coun- tryside' and includes 'green' areas such as wetlands and active agriculture," This year Fire Department McLaughlin explains. "We then assimilate that into a 'blue' structure, which personnel will be holding a includes all the water systems. And what we want to do is link them so that we booya in conjunction with the can have a healthy ecosystem." open house, with the proceeds going to the department. The McLaughlin goes on to say, "The second component of the plan addresses the Fire Department will also question: How do we construct real neighborhoods? We demonstrate how to benefit from the proceeds of a weave neighborhoods within the 'green' and'blue' structure, and we also start to describe some of the standards that could be used to make up those neighbor- hot dog.and bake sale held by " the Fireflies. . Fire Chief Joe hoods. McMahon encourages the McLaughlin emphasizes that this is what is called a "strategic" or "vision" plan, citizens of Hugo to take meaning it conceptualizes how the city will evolve. "It is a very basic format— advantage of this chance to essentially a stepping stone to the next level, which is a comprehensive plan for meet the people who are the City that includes this vision." dedicated to providing the Hugo's Community Development Director John Rask believes that the most community with emergency significant part of the plan is that it provides"a framework for the expansion and medical and fire services. The redevelopment of what we're referring to as central Hugo—the historical down- Fire Department is located at :own area." Rask also notes that this framework takes into consideration natur- 5323 140th Street North, one al features and reflects the traditional "downtown" design concepts, such as block west of Nadeau's Market. buildings located close to the street with a mix of uses and public spaces. ® HUGO BULK RATE ■ POSTAGE OF YOUR CITY REPORT PAID 5524 Upper 146th Street North HUGO,MN 55038 Hugo, MN 55038 PERMIT NO.21 OCCUPANT IN THIS ISSUE. . . • City Hall Breaks Ground • Hugo Receives Grant for City Park • Fire Department Open House Visit our new website! www. ci.hugo. mn. us City Staff Service City Administrator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mike Ericson D ir e c t o r y Community Development Director . . . . .John Rask Public Works Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Chris Petree Building Official / Zoning Administrator .John Benson City Hall General Information City Clerk/Treasurer Mary Ann Creager 8:00 a.in. to 4:30 p.m. Community Development Asssistant . . . .Michele Lindau Monday-Friday except holidays Deputy Clerk / Receptionist . . . . . . . . . . .Kristi Montanari 651-429-6676 Finance Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ron Otkin Fire Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Joe McMahon City Hall FAX Number 6 City Council 51-426-2859 Washington County Mayor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Fran Miron (651) 429-5961 sheriffs Department Ward 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Becky Petryk (651) 426-4722 (Police non-emergency) Ward 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Frank Puleo (651) 653-9369 651-439-9381 Ward 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Chuck Haas (651) 439-4475 Council at Large . . . . . . . . . . . .Mike Granger (651) 426-8171 Fire Hall (Non-emergency) Monthly Meeting Schedule 651-429-6366 City Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1st and 3rd Mondays at 7:00 p.m. Fire & Police Planning Commission . . . . . . . . . . . . .4th Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. Emergency Parks Commission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2nd Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. 911 Visit our new website ! www . ci . hugo . mn . us