The City of Hermantown is creating a Broadband Task Force to inventory existing broadband infrastructure and existing broadband providers in Hermantown, identify areas within the City of Hermantown that are underserved or unserved by broadband, and create a strategy for providing broadband service to underserved and unserved areas.

The Task Force will feature six individuals who live in the City of Hermantown, plus a member of the City Council, and will serve until December 31, 2024. The Commission will make recommendations to the City Council about strategies to provide broadband service to underserved and unserved areas. The Task Force, with approval from the City Council, may apply and accept grants to perform its duties. Once established, the Task Force will create its own meeting schedule, which may involve monthly meetings or on an as-needed basis. 

If you are interested in volunteering on this commission, please contact Bonnie Engseth, Hermantown City Clerk, at 218-729-3600 or submit a commission application found on the City’s website.

/government/boards-commissions/board-commission-openings/

All interested parties will be expected to complete and submit the application and will then be considered for appointment by the City Council.

For Immediate Release – May 11, 2021

City Opens Annual Community Survey

Click here to access the Community Survey.

Hermantown, Minn. – Hermantown has opened its annual community survey in order to garner feedback on an array of services provided in the city.

The 19-question survey focuses on several areas, including safety, fire protection and overall appearance, as well as specifically targeting roads, snow plowing services, water and sewer, and other services.

“This is a great opportunity for residents to give us feedback on a host of services that impact their lives and experiences in Hermantown,” said Joe Wicklund, the City’s Communication and Community Engagement Director. “These performance measures help drive where we focus attention and improvement in order to best serve those residents and build our community.”

The survey, which went live on Tuesday, May 11, is available until Thursday, June 10. The online tool can be found at the following website: www.surveymonkey.com/r/Hermantown2021.

For Immediate Release – May 10, 2021

Hermantown’s Lavaque Junction Closes for Construction

Hermantown, Minn. – Lavaque Junction will close to through traffic for several months as the road is reconstructed as part of Hermantown’s multi-year road improvement plan.

While preliminary construction work has already taken place on the road, the project begins in full on Monday, May 10. Residents of this historic Hermantown road, featuring many of the City’s Jackson Project homes, will have continued access to their home during construction, but the road will no longer be passable from Lavaque Road through to Ugstad Road.

Public information meetings regarding the project will be held weekly at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays, beginning on May 18. Additional information regarding the Lavaque Junction and other road improvement projects can be found at the dedicated website; www.hermantownmn.com/roads.

As an integral portion of a large-scale financial management plan passed in March of 2019, Hermantown’s road improvement plan allows for the updating of roadways across the entire community over the next several years. Road projects set for 2021 include not only Lavaque Junction, but also Swan Lake Road and Sundby Road.

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

For Immediate Release – May 5, 2021

Keene Creek Park to Experience Temporary Construction Closures

Hermantown, Minn. – Two different areas in and around Keene Creek Park will be closed to the public during construction projects in the coming weeks.

The first project, slated to begin on Wednesday, May 5, is the construction of a portion of Hermantown’s city-wide accessible trail. This will close an area running from the parking lot in Keene Creek park north past the baseball field. This area is expected to be closed from May 5 through July 1.

The second project is a restoration of Keene Creek due to damage caused in the 2012 flood. This project will reinforce and reshape the banks of the creek and is being performed by South St. Louis County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD). Originally slated to be done in 2020, the work was delayed due to the COVID-19 health pandemic. Work is slated to begin in the area south of the Keene Creek Park parking lot in mid-May and be completed by July 1.

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

For Immediate Release – May 4, 2021

Trio of New Police Officers Sworn in for Hermantown Police Department

Jon Pernu recognized with promotion to Sergeant

Hermantown, Minn. – The Hermantown Police Department swore in three new officers Monday, May 3, and promoted Jon Pernu to Sergeant.

Officers Olivia Gottschald and Jonathan Stracek joined the HPD in 2020, but limitations due to the COVID-19 pandemic postponed their swearing in ceremony. The pair of first-time officers were sworn in alongside newly-hired Andrew Leibel, who joined the HPD from the Proctor Police Department.

“Police officers are, for many people, the most visible form of local government, and because of that we need to ensure that we attract and retain the very best people,” said Jim Crace, Hermantown’s Chief of Police. “Our department has worked hard to build a reputation of honesty, care, dependability, and integrity. This all begins with hiring the right people to join our department, and we know we are adding three great people of solid character to serve the City of Hermantown.”

Judge Dale Harris performed the oath of office for Hermantown’s new police officers.

Pernu, who serves as one of Hermantown’s two K-9 handlers, has been a member of the Hermantown Police Department for more than eight years. Pernu’s promotion aligns with the upcoming retirement of Sergeant Bill Marsolek, who has been a member of the HPD for nearly three decades.

The trio of newcomers, paired with Marsolek’s pending retirement, brings the total number of officers in the HPD to 16, as well as a pair of K-9 officers.

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