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Month: March 2020

Hermantown To Close Governmental Services Building To Public

For Immediate Release

March 17, 2020 

Hermantown to Close Governmental Services Building to Public

Hermantown, Minn. – In alignment with a growing number of cities and the evolving updates regarding COVID-19, the City of Hermantown is closing its Governmental Services Building to the public beginning Wednesday, March 18. There is currently not an end-date set for this closure, but there will be updates as the situation continues to change.

The Hermantown Governmental Services Building houses City Hall, the Hermantown Police Department, and Fire Hall #1 of the Hermantown Volunteer Fire Department. Emergency services will still be available during this time, but members of the public will no longer be able to access the police offices or Fire Hall #1. This decision halts non-emergency services, such as fingerprinting and access to the HPD’s Training Center during this time. Should the public encounter an emergency, calling 911 is still the advised approach. Members of the police department are also still available at 218-729-1200.

Members of the city staff within City Hall will be available to conduct business and meet citizen needs despite the closure. A wide range of traditional interactions occurring at City Hall – from paying utility bills to acquiring and completing any number of permits or licenses – can be completed online at the City’s new website at www.hermantownmn.com. Additionally, limited city staff will be available to assist during the workday at 218-729-3600.

Additional, regular updates regarding the City of Hermantown can also be found on the City’s Facebook and Twitter pages – both @hermantownmn.

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For more information, contact: Joe Wicklund, Communications & Community Relations Manager, City of Hermantown at [email protected] or 218.729.3614.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Hermantown2020

Hermantown’s annual community assessment survey is available now at the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Hermantown2020

As elected officials and city staff members work toward serving and building community in Hermantown, the annual community assessment survey provides a great voice for citizens to weigh in on what is most important through their eyes. This has helped prioritize road improvement and a focus on parks and community recreation in recent years. If you are a Hermantown citizen, please take a few moments to fill out your community assessment survey. It is a per-resident survey, so multiple people within a residence can complete the survey. Thanks in advance for making your voice heard in Hermantown!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Hermantown2020

St. Fennessy 4K To Impact Hermantown Roads

For Immediate Release- March 9, 2020

St. Fennessy 4K to Temporarily Impact Hermantown Roads

Hermantown, Minn. – Grandma’s Marathon is set to host the seventh annual St. Fennessy 4K Run/Walk in Hermantown on Saturday, March 14. This year’s event features a different route, as the newly-designed course now finishes at Skyline Social & Games.

The event will cause road closures beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 14, and expected to last until 11:30 a.m. The event will impact the following roadways:

  • Arrowhead Road will be closed to traffic between Ugstad Road and Stebner Road
  • Ugstad Road will be closed to traffic from Hawk Circle Drive to Arrowhead Road
  • Stebner Road will be closed to traffic from Village Drive to Arrowhead Road
  • Village Drive will remain fully accessible, as will Marcus Lakes Cinema, Harley Davidson Sport Center, and Skyline Social & Games
  • The intersection at Lavaque Road and Arrowhead Road will be closed.
  • The intersections at Lavaque Road and Ugstad Road, as well as Stebner Road and Arrowhead Road, will be partially closed. Motorists should expect event delays.
  • Through traffic on Lavaque Road will utilize detours as posted.
  • Access onto the racecourse will be restricted between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. from the following roadways: Ugstad Road, Rebecca Road, Grouse Ridge Drive, Lavaque Road, Getchell Road, and Heartwood Lane.
  • Parking will not be allowed on the affected sections of Arrowhead Road, Ugstad Road, or Stebner Road from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 14.
  • All roadways will reopen by 11:30 a.m. or sooner to all regular vehicle traffic
  • Motorists are asked to slow down and be alert to special signing and follow directions of traffic control volunteers when near the racecourse roads

All proceeds from this fun, all-ages event benefit the Young Athletes Foundation, directly supporting youth sports and wellness organizations throughout the Northland. The St. Fennessy 4K has grown each year since its inception, with more than 700 participants in 2019.

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For more information, contact: Joe Wicklund, Communications & Community Relations Manager, City of Hermantown at [email protected] or 218.729.3614.

City Commences Trunk Sewer Spur Construction

Coordination Map

For Immediate Release – March 5, 2020

City Commences Trunk Sewer Spur Construction

Hermantown, Minn. – The City of Hermantown has begun commencing work on the Section 24 Trunk Sewer Spur project, which will open up more than 230 acres in the City’s eastern edge to development opportunities.

Utility Systems of America (USA), Inc., of Eveleth, Minn., was the selected contractor at the February 18 Hermantown City Council meeting. Contractor mobilization operations have already started with staking operations beginning at the end of this week. The first month of construction work is expected to include mobilization to the site, tree removal, and granular material stockpiling, as well as drilling/blasting and beginning of the sanitary sewer construction.

Because bedrock removal will be necessary to the project, blasting will be utilized to break part the rock before it is excavated and removed. Although the experienced blasting contractor will monitor blasting vibration to limit potential for any structural damage, there is always risk. The City of Hermantown has hired EPC to conduct Pre-Condition Surveys of all structures within 500 feet of potential areas of blasting. In the coming days EPC will be reaching out and contacting residents and commercial owners to obtain consent to access the parcel’s structures and, if allowed, will document the structure’s condition prior to blasting occurring within 500 feet. It is important and beneficial for residents and property owners to respond in a timely manner if they are contacted.

Traffic impacts will be limited to areas along Anderson Road between Haines Road and Okerstrom Road beginning soon and resulting in temporary closures or flagging to allow for construction operations. The contractor also plans to close Okerstrom Road from Hermantown north to the Trunk Sewer easement. This will temporarily end access to Hermantown Road from Okerstrom Road.

In addition to the sewer project, a community-accessible trail will also be built within the completed trunk sewer spur corridor as part of the Munger Trail Spur. This stretch of non-motorized, paved trail – which will be 10 feet wide and is expected to be available year-round – will connect the southeastern parts of Hermantown with Stebner Park and the future city-wide trail system.

Weekly construction meetings will be held each Wednesday at 8 a.m. at USA’s jobsite trailer located in Stebner Park. These meetings are open to the public.

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For more information contact: Joe Wicklund, Communications & Community Relations Manager, City of Hermantown via e-mail at [email protected] or via phone at 218.729.3614.

City To Close Bridge On Lindahl Road

For Immediate Release – March 4, 2020

City to Close Bridge on Lindahl Road

Hermantown, Minn. – Hermantown’s City Council passed a resolution Monday, March 2, authorizing the closing of the bridge spanning the Midway River on Lindahl Road.

The bridge, located on a gravel stretch of Lindahl Road in southwest Hermantown, was either slated for significant repairs or removal. With the cost of repairs slated to be roughly four times the cost of removal, combined with the environmental benefits to Midway River, the City Council voted 5-0 to pass the measure.

The resolution and vote followed a December public information meeting with residents.

The exact date of closure and removal of the bridge will be set following a spring inspection of the bridge’s current status. Initial expectations are that the bridge will remain open until the 2021 construction season.

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For more information contact: Joe Wicklund, Communications & Community Relations Manager, City of Hermantown via e-mail at [email protected] or via phone at 218.729.3614.

City Council Gives Preliminary Approval to The Pillars Project

For Immediate Release – March 2, 2020

City Council Gives Preliminary Approval to The Pillars Project

Hermantown, Minn. – Hermantown’s City Council approved a preliminary Planned Unit Development (PUD) for a senior living community featuring 110 total units by a 5-0 vote at Monday’s meeting.

The project – dubbed “The Pillars” – will feature a mix of independent, assisted, and memory care units within the three-story building. The Pillars differs from a recently proposed project on the same site that featured a taller senior building, 20+ single-family homes, and several fourplexes. The site itself is 10 acres located on the corner of Maple Grove Road and Lavaque Road in the center of Hermantown.

That initial project – called “The Arbours” – was voted down by a 3-2 mark by the City Council primarily because of concerns about density and building height. Oppidan, the developer for The Pillars, visited with community members in advance of tonight’s meeting to help understand their initial concerns and answer any remaining questions.

The project is now scheduled for final approval from Hermantown’s Planning and Zoning Commission at its March 17 meeting. The final step would be approval of the final PUD at Hermantown’s April 6 meeting.

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For more information contact: Joe Wicklund, Communications & Community Relations Manager, City of Hermantown at [email protected] or 218.729.3614.