by Theresa Malloy
Contributing Writer
As the cities of Albertville and St. Michael continue to explore building a new arena and second sheet of ice with the St. Michael-Albertville School District, a lot of questions are circling the community about the project.
Some of those questions were discussed at the Dec. 7 Albertville City Council meeting, which prompted the council to direct staff to create a frequently asked questions section on the city website.
Those who have questions about the project can now refer to the city website www.ci.albertville.mn.us. The ice arena icon is on the front page and brings users to a list of FAQ’s, project details and a timeline.
The drafted timeline was unanimously approved by the council, which puts the plan into several tasks with approval of concept and the estimated project cost projected for March or April 2016. The project would be approved and finalized in June, with construction scheduled to start in August 2016, and the ice arena’s grand opening tentatively in September 2017.
The council and city staff intend to update this website throughout the coming months.
The concern was partly a reaction to what council called “misinformation” in the area disseminated through pamphlets and an online website.
Mayor Jillian Hendrickson said a “key takeaway” is that the “community felt like there was a lack of communication.”
She expressed a desire to get all the information out there, which council members echoed.
However, a concerned citizen told the council he thought this project will hit some homeowners hard and called a second sheet of ice “a luxury.” He said he did not want to see more foreclosures in his neighborhood because this is a burden to taxpayers.
He said the city already has a “struggling commercial base.”
“Let’s do it smart,” he said. “Let’s not bankrupt our city or our neighbors.”
The council asked the resident how it could be more transparent. “I’d be an advocate if you were honest,” he said.
He also asked why students couldn’t play on outdoor ice arenas, if ice time was an issue.
A youth hockey representative stepped up to tell the resident that some of the points he raised were based on “misinformation.” The hockey representative felt a question and answer section would be helpful.
LEVY
In other news, the city council approved the final 2016 levy at 4.98 percent, which is the same as the preliminary levy approved in September.
The vote passed with a 4-1 vote, with councilor Walter Hudson dissenting.
Hudson wanted to pass the levy at the 3.98 percent, which was also presented before the council as an “alternate” option.
City Administrator Adam Nafstad said the higher levy “would be designed to help assist with other cost such as something like an arena,” or it could be used to ladder out the debt or offset a future levy.
The 1 percent difference accounts for $35,000. That money could go toward the second sheet of ice project, if approved next year. If not, the money would be designated into the general fund.
Hudson said if the council was going forward with a second sheet of ice, it would make sense to do the 4.98 percent, but “it seems like we are putting the cart before the horse … since we haven’t truly started the conversation,” he said.
Finance director Tina Lannes said that, depending on the property value of the home, that would be a $10 to $14 increase in that 1 percent jump.
Albertville will also receive local government aid from the state, which is predicted to be $90,462.
The council conducted its required truth and taxation hearing, but no one from the public spoke.