Proposed project completion by September 2017
The St. Michael and Albertville city councils and St. Michael-Albertville School Board will form a design committee to determine the project size, scope and cost for expanding the STMA Ice Arena that is jointly owned by the cities and school district.
The three entities met in a joint session Nov. 30 at STMA Middle School West.
“The city councils and STMA must pass resolutions to move the project forward,” STMA Supt. Jim Behle later said. “(Albertville City Administrator Adam Nafstad) did a timeline that was basically moved backward from a completion date of 2017. We’ll be in the design phase for next three to four months, then have a more concrete estimate, and the cities and board can make a decision on whether they are moving forward.”
LEVY
Behle said that while most people attending were in favor of a proposed abatement levy to raise dollars for the project, those opposed were mostly against tax increases for the project.
“Even those in opposition, for most of those that spoke, there did not seem to be disagreement for need for a second sheet of ice,” Behle added.
School board chairperson Doug Birk read a statement prior to the meeting updating those present to the arena expansion process (see Birk’s full letter in a sidebar here).
“At this point, the school board and cities are considering a tax abatement levy with each paying one-third of the levy through property taxes.,” Birk said. “The school district and cities have discussed different project cost limits ranging from $5 million to $8 million with Youth Hockey Association contributing $1 million of the project cost.
A voter approved levy through the school district has not been ruled out, but there is acknowledgment that this option would require an extended wait.”
Birk said the cities and STMA have gathered information in preparation for discussion of the next steps.
“It was a necessary first step to get pulse from each government body since we are joint owners before we move forward to develop a specific proposal and expend dollars for planning,” he said.
SCHEDULE
According to Albertville Administrator Nafstad’s development timeline, the schedule began in November with a project oversight and continues with selection of the Design Committee. The committee will include district administration, one elected official from St. Michael, Albertville and the school board, two hockey association representatives and one from the high school activities department. This committee will be tasked with researching facility needs, visiting various facilities, interviewing architects, developing a recommended concept, and reviewing cost estimates.
The next tasks include in December each entity approving the Mighty Ducks grant agreement, and approving a Joint Agreement for Expansion (part one). This agreement will identify each entity’s commitment to fund the pre-construction elements of the project, including architecture, engineering and bidding.
In January the next task is for the Design Committee to determine the selection process for an architect and provide the arena board with a recommendation. In March the committee and architect will develop a recommended concept plan with cost estimate for arena board approval.
Then, in April, there will be a public hearing to consider adoption of an abatement levy resolution followed by the financial advisor’s completion of a finance plan and official statement for the rating agency.
BIDS
The architect is to complete final construction documents in June for Arena Board approval and authorization to advertise for bids. The project will be advertised for approximately four to five weeks prior to bid opening.
Then the cities and school district will be asked to approve a Joint Agreement for Expansion (part two) in July that will identify each entity’s commitment to fund construction for the project.
The final tasks include July authorizing resolution adopted by the city councils, July closing on bonds and awarding construction, August contracts and construction start and September 2017 construction completion/grand opening.
“There is misconception that this is a done deal,” Supt. Behle said. “The first step is to see if the three parties would do a project like this, to see if there is any interest.”
Contact Aaron Brom at aaron.brom@ecm-inc.com