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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012 Fall NewsletterInside: A Word from 2 Public Works 0 Lions Park Fire Chief Mid -Year Budget Elections 4 Road Construction Recreation 6 Programs Economic 7 Development sur rNu 0 1tv Reny Tour Get in gear for the 2nd d e 1� Annual Tour 1 de Hugo Community Bike Ride, Saturday, September 15 starting at Sam at Hanifl Fields Athletic Park (7032 137th Street) in Hugo. Come out and "Bike the Beauty" on the 5.5 mile route, or the 18 or 26 mile routes. Be sure to see Mayor Fran Miron host as honorary "King of the Mountain". There will be fun activities for the whole family including a Bounce House, the Battle of the Bikes, Le Grande Prize Wheel, crafts and delicious food from the Cadillac Diner and Dairy Queen. Youth will have the opportunity to work on their safety skills on the challenge course at the Bike Safety Rodeo which begins at 8:30am. They will receive a free bike helmet thanks to Fairview Lakes Medical Center. All riders will receive a t -shirt, a Hwy 61 Update The MN Department of Transportation has started the milling and repaving process on Highway 61. This project is scheduled to be completed by late October 2012. Allow additional time when traveling on T.H. 61. There will be delays in the areas of construction. For more updates, go to www. dot. state. mn. us/metro/projects/ hwy61 hugo/ commemorative bandanna and a bike bag full of goodies from our sponsors. Thanks to our Golden Spoke Sponsor, Dr. Aaron Arvig at Oneka Chiroprac- tic. Registration is available the day of the event for a fee. For more information visit www. ci. hugo. mn. us or call 651-762-6342. Hazardous moved to the public right -of- sweeping all bituminous (paved) .off way can create hazardous streets during this time. Waste Orop situations, including slippery Hydrant Flushing ber 29 areas, frozen ridges, bumps, Septeml2.Oppm sight obstructions and drain- The Public Works Department will be g:00am works age problems. Property flushing hydrants starting Monday, ugo Pub11c N owners are liable should an September 10. It should take about N 7th St' . b accident occur as a result two weeks to complete all hydrants. 69()()3.3t;shosted y of improper snow place- Flushing purges rust and stagnant even be This collection t They can ment. Also, residents water from the system. It is inevitable COun y 6655 with washingtOnat 651.430- should check their mail that some residents will receive rust contacted more ;nformatjo boxes to ensure they are colored water that could stain laundry. Questions or for sturdy and in good con- During this time, please check that dition. Mailboxes that are damaged water coming into the house is clear. Lions Park Planning A Word From Public Works will feature a large shelter, walking Winter Parking Ordinance by snow, and not actual plow contact Park, located east of Hugo City Hall, is Beginning November 1 and extending will not be repaired by the City of Hugo Parks Commission in reviewing through March 31, parking is prohib- Hugo. ings such as Good Neighbor Days, ited on all City streets from 2:00am to Compost Site 7:00pm at Hugo City Hall. 7:00am. Also, if we receive two inches or more of snow any other time The compost site is located on the As a resident, you during the year, parking is prohibited south side of 170th Street North can choose any one of the seven licensed at those times. The Ci Council west of Highway 61. The site is open refuse haulers. All passed this ordinance in 2003 to allow from April 18 to November 15 p are required to the Public Works Department to clear on Saturdays & Sundays from provide recycling the snow from the roadways in a safe 8:00am to 6:00pm. The site is for services. Haulers and efficient manner. grass, leaves, and soft organic matter will drop off a blue recycling bin to new Snow Removal only. No brush, branches, or residences. If you woody materials are accepted. are in need of a bin The City of Hugo would like to remind p. Street Sweeping g recycling bin, pleas everyone that it is against the law to contact Hugo City deposit snow on or next to a public The City of Hugo Public Works Hall at 651-762-6300. street. Minnesota State Statute 160.27 Department will begin sweeping City prohibits plowing, shoveling, blowing streets on October 15. Typically, or otherwise placing snow onto any sweeping will take place Monday public road right-of-way, and doing so through Friday, from 7:00am to is punishable by a misde- 4:30pm, for approximately eight meanor Snow which is weeks. The City of Hugo will be Hazardous moved to the public right -of- sweeping all bituminous (paved) .off way can create hazardous streets during this time. Waste Orop situations, including slippery Hydrant Flushing ber 29 areas, frozen ridges, bumps, Septeml2.Oppm sight obstructions and drain- The Public Works Department will be g:00am works age problems. Property flushing hydrants starting Monday, ugo Pub11c N owners are liable should an September 10. It should take about N 7th St' . b accident occur as a result two weeks to complete all hydrants. 69()()3.3t;shosted y of improper snow place- Flushing purges rust and stagnant even be This collection t They can ment. Also, residents water from the system. It is inevitable COun y 6655 with washingtOnat 651.430- should check their mail that some residents will receive rust contacted more ;nformatjo boxes to ensure they are colored water that could stain laundry. Questions or for sturdy and in good con- During this time, please check that dition. Mailboxes that are damaged water coming into the house is clear. Lions Park Planning Residents are invited to participate in will feature a large shelter, walking the planning of Lions Park. Lions paths, open space, as well as a play - Park, located east of Hugo City Hall, is ground and skate park. Please join the planned to continue to be used for Hugo Parks Commission in reviewing community events and large gather- a proposed Master Plan for Lions Park ings such as Good Neighbor Days, on Wednesday, September 26 at family or work picnics, etc. The park 7:00pm at Hugo City Hall. Meet your Hugo Hello, my name is Kevin Colvard and I am the new Fire Chief. I have been Fire Chief Kevin Colvard serving on the Fire Department since 2000. I have previously held the posi- tions of Deputy Chief for 1 1/2 years, Safety Captain for 2 years, and Training Captain for 7 years. I have an A.A.S. Degree in Fire Science. I am always impressed with the service our firefighters provide to the community. I feel the dedication our firefighters possess benefits the community immensely. A great example would be our response to the 2008 tornado, that event was truly remarkable. I intend on continuing the great service we provide. I live in Sweet Grass Meadows with my wife Kim and our dog Dakota. Our hobbies are scuba diving, cooking, and a little traveling. We are looking forward to starting a family soon. Submitted by Chief Colvard Mid -Year Budget Review 10 :....................................................: Hugo's eroperty Tax Levy Will Continue To Decline Economic challenges continue in 2012; however, residents of Hugo saw some positive news from the City's mid -year budget review. Hugo's prop- erty tax levy will decline by $210,000. "We will be able to reduce the tax levy and still provide the high level of service the community expects," notes Hugo Mayor Fran Miron. City Finance Director Ron Otkin's budget presentation at the September 4 City Council meeting called for a prelimi- nary 2013 tax levy of $4,749,083, which is a reduction of $210,500, or 4.24%, from the previous year. This will result in a balanced general fund budget and translates to a tax reduction of $39.77 on a median value home- stead. Otkin explained that there was a net surplus of $208,000 from 2012 that will be carried into the 2013 fiscal year. "This is primarily due to the budgeting techniques Hugo currently uses," he states. "We conservatively estimate our revenues and practice `contingency budgeting' for expendi- tures." This means planning for expen- ditures that may or may not occur. This usually leads to annual budget surpluses that can be added to Hugo's reserves or carried over to the follow- ing year. Otkin adds, "These tech- niques are also favorably looked upon by bond rating agencies." The public is invited to speak at the December 3 regular City Council meeting, held at 7:00 pm at City Hall, before the final budget and tax levy are adopted. Hot Tips from the Fire Department: Remember to clean your chim- ney before this burning season. Also, remember to use properly seasoned wood. Change your € smoke detector batteries every time you change your clocks. Election Update By now, you're probably noticing all the signs posted around town. Yes, elections are here! The General Election is Tuesday, November 6, 2012, and here are some things you should know before heading to the polls. Are you eligible to vote? To vote you must be 18 years of age or older on the day of election, and main- tained residence in Ward2 . precinct 2A Ward 1 - precinct 1 Ward2 - precinct 28 Polling Location. (Public Works polling Location. Location. Rice Lake Centre N Hugo Fire Hall polling School ggp0 137th Street North Oneka Elerf Pa k�xaY North 5323 140th Street Nosh 488. Heritag Minnesota for 20 days preceding the election. You may not vote if you have a felony sentence that has not expired or you are under a court-ordered guardianship. Are you registered to vote Voter registration is available at the polling site, but you are likely to ex- perience long waiting lines and must present proper identification as proof of residence in your precinct. If your ID does not have your current address, you can pro- vide a utility bill or fee state- ment as proof of residence as long as it is due within 30 days of Election Day. You may also register to vote by having someone who is registered in the same pre - e cinct vouch for you. City of Hugo vLegislative Districts Election Map Adopted April 2, 2012 C3 School Districts Polling Location Pre -registering will make your voting experience more enjoyable. To find out if you are registered, visit the Secretary of State's website at https:// mnvotes. sos. state. mn. us/ VoterStatus. aspx. If you need to register, you can find the appli- cation on the same website or pick one up at City Hall. Fill out the application and drop it in the mail. Pre -registration ends 20 days before the election, which is October 16 at 5:00pm. Where is your polling place? Every ten years municipalities are required to redraw ward boundaries based on the decennial census to ensure balanced representation. You may, or may not, vote at the same place as in the past. Know where to go before you head out. Check out the election map on page 4 of this newslet- ter, or call City Hall at 651-762-6300 to find out. Polling place information is also available on the Secretary of State's website at http:// pollfinder.sos.state. mn. us/ PollingPlace.aspx. Enter your address and it will tell you where you vote as well as what districts you are in. Polls are open from 7:00am to 8:00pm What if you're unable to make it to the polling place on Election Day? You can absentee vote starting September 21, 2012. Absentee voting is available by mail, but also at: the Government Center in Stillwater, the Headwaters Service Center in Forest Lake, the Woodbury Service Center and the Service Center in Cottage Grove. They are open Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm and the Saturday before the election, November 3, from 8:00am until 3:00pm. If you know you will need to vote by absentee ballot, please plan ahead and vote right away after the period begins on September 21 to avoid long lines and wait times you are likely to experience closer to election day. Who is on the ballot? This is a presidential election year, and there are two questions on the bal- lot as well as state, federal, judicial, and municipal offices. The City offices on the ballot are Mayor, Coun- cil Member Ward 2, and Council at Large. To see who is running for those offices, visit the City of Hugo website at www. ci. hugo. mn. us . To find out more about your local candidates, attend the Candidates Forum at Hugo City Hall on Tuesday, October 2 at 7:00pm, or watch it on Cable Station 16. Voting is a right and responsibility of every citizen. Get out and vote on November 6! Road Construction Updates 2012 Street Reconstruction The City reconstructed 126th Street, 124th Street and 124th Street Circle this summer. On 124th Street Court and Europa Avenue, the final lift of pavement was placed late August. The gravel shoulders will be placed in early September. The heat and lack of rain made the restoration very challenging. Continued cooperation from the residents has made the project a success. Seal Coating Projects Increase Chip sealing projects have increased in Hugo. The benefits are that chip sealing extends pavement life, reduces maintenance costs related to patches or potholes, provides a safer driving surface with better surface friction, and it gives the appearance of a new roadway. The City of Hugo has completed chip sealing projects in the Victor Gardens commercial area and Heritage Ponds neighborhood. A Library Express is located at Hugo City Hall. You can check out a book through Washing- ton County's Library Website and pick it up at City Hall. You can also return books. eEDITION Did you know you can read The Citi- zen newspaper online? Visit www.readthecitizen.com and click on the eEdition icon. The newspaper is also mailed free of charge to area residents and business owners who request it. Just call Press Publications at 651-407-1200 to be added to the mailing list. Find us on ® Recreation Programs . Facebook Movie Night in the Park Tot Time & Family Time For up to date i Now showing! On Friday, September € The City of Hugo has partnered with formation, chec 14th , How to Eat Fred Worms (PG) the White Bear Lake School District to out the City of Hugo, MN on will be shown at Hanifl Fields Athletic make the gymnasium at Oneka Facebook. Park (7032 137th Street). Bring your ` Elementary (4888 Heritage Parkway friends, family and lawn chairs and North) open to all Hugo residents. Tot enjoy a free movie at the park! Games Time & Family Time will begin will start at 7:00pm and the movie will ' November 1 and go through March 21. 7 start at sunset (approximately Activity options may include a bounce ' 7:30pm). Thank you to Postal Credit house, basketball, bowling, sensory Union for sponsoring this community event. development toys, age 0-2 play space and an assortment of toys for all ages Snow Jam and developmental stages. Parent or p g guardian participation is required. Save the date for the third annual Snow Jam that will be held on Tot Time (ages 0-6) Saturday, January 19. This family- Tuesdays & Thursdays 4:00-7:30pm friendly event will have your kids Sunday 1:00-5:00pm rocking out to a DJ and playing on in- flatable games all afternoon! Family Time (ages 7-12) Tuesdays & Thursdays 6:00-7:30pm Sunday 1:00-5:00pm Open Gym The gymnasium at Oneka Elementary artment Hugo Fire Dep will be open for basketball and A nnual Open House volleyball for adults. Monday 8:00-9:30pm = Sunday 5:00-7:00om Saturday, October 6 1i:00am- 3:OOpm Hugo Fire Hall ( 5323140th St. North) Fire Truck Rides Kids Prizes Bounce House Fireflies Bake Sale Fire Extinguisher Demonstp uto Body Hot Dogs fromNorth Country d Car Seat Class Sign Ups CpR/AED Class, Chil Colne Celebrate Fire eek. wonoprevention W - Additional information for Tot Time, Family Time & Open Gym: For more information and for skip dates, please call White Bear Lake Schools Community Services at 651-407-7501 or go to www.whitebearcommunityservices.org The cost is $2 per person or $5 per family. Punch cards are available for $20. Photo identification is required. ....................................................................................................: Sledding Party The Parks Commission is excited to present the fourth annual Sledding Party! It will be held on Saturday, February 9 at Oak Shore Park (12790 Exhall Ave. N.) Economic Development EXTRA! Business Retention & Update on Downtown Expansion International Redevelopment Award of Excellence On June 20, 2012 the City of Hugo was presented with the Award of Ex- cellence from Business Retention and Expansion International during its annual conference for its 2010 BR&E Program. The awards were judged on the success of the marketing and com- munications plan, improvements to the business climate, measurable results and outcomes, and the business survey plan. Because of all of the collabora- tion of local businesses in the BR&E program, it continues to positively influence local economic development New Medical Building The City Council approved a site plan for a one-story, 12,381 square foot medical office building on the property located directly east of Blue Heron Grill. As the 2nd phase of the French- man Place development, the 1 st phase being the HealthEast building, two new spaces for medical business ten- ants will be created. Hugo is a premier location for medical businesses. The approved plans also include two out - lots for future development, construc- tion of a new private drive parallel to CSAH 8 connecting Victor Gardens North Village (Festival Foods/Blue Heron) with this development. Glamos Wire Expands Glamos Wire Products will expand to include a 22,283 square foot ware- house addition. The City Council ap- proved the addition to their existing office, warehouse and manufacturing spaces in the Pelquin Industrial Park. Redevelopment continues to be a priority of the Economic Development Authority. Deteriorated buildings including the city -owned house at 14701 Forest Boulevard North, and what was once Ricci's res- taurant were demolished, making the land available for redevelopment. In December, 2011, the City of Hugo received grant money from the Metropolitan Council's Livable Communities Grant to fund the redevelopment of the old stock lumber yard located on the southeast corner of Highway 61 and 145th Street. The vision of the project includes a mixed-use development with retail and housing to create a main street atmosphere. Xcel Energy Locates Training Center in Hugo On June 4, 2012, the City Council approved a site plan for the Xcel Energy Training Center in the Bald Eagle Industrial Park. Plans includ 20,000 square foot building and an outdoor electric and gas field training area. Construc- tion started in July and is planned to be completed this fall. The new commercial development is a great addition to the industrial park and will create new ea jobs in our community. a vur nugv 651-762-6312 City Clerk Michele Lindau 651-762-6315 Public Works Director Scott Anderson 651-762-6326 Building Official Chuck Preisler 651-762-6313 Building Inspector Scott Baller tv Rena Steve Duff 651-762-6316 Parks Planner Shayla Syverson 651-762-6342 Planner Rachel Juba 651-762-6304 Planning Intern Liz Hanson Hugo City Hall, 14669 Fitzgerald Ave. N., Hugo, MN 55038 Current Resident Visit our website: www.ci.hugo.mn.us City Directory City Staft City Administrator Bryan Bear 651-762-6312 City Clerk Michele Lindau 651-762-6315 Public Works Director Scott Anderson 651-762-6326 Building Official Chuck Preisler 651-762-6313 Building Inspector Scott Baller 651-762-6322 Sr. Engineering Tech. Steve Duff 651-762-6316 Parks Planner Shayla Syverson 651-762-6342 Planner Rachel Juba 651-762-6304 Planning Intern Liz Hanson 651-762-5311 Bldg. Dept. Secretary Debi Close 651-762-6300 Finance Director Ron Otkin 651-762-6314 Accounting Clerk Anna Wobse 651-762-6338 Billing Clerk Jodie Guareschi 651-762-6309 Fire Chief Kevin Colvard 651-429-6366 City Council Service Directo Monday — Friday, 651-762-6300 651-762-2859 BULK RATE POSTAGE PAID HUGO, MN 55038 PERMIT NO. 21 651-439-9381 p case of a fire or police emergency, (non-emergency) dial 911. 651-429-6366 Monthly Meeting Schedule Mayor Fran Miron 651-429-5961 City Council 1st and 3rd Mondays at 7:00pm'w Ward 1 Becky Petryk 651-426-4722 Planning Commission 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 7:00pm Ward 2 Phil Klein 651-762-6340 Parks Commission 2nd Wednesday at 7:00pm Ward 3 Chuck Haas 651-247-0354 Historical Commission 3rd Tuesday at 7:00pm Council -at -Large Tom Weidt 651-334-4076 Economic Development Authority 2nd Monday at 8:30am