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FETE DE LACS 2019: see photos on PAGE 2

‘It’s not my first TIF go-round’ BY LORETTA HARDING CONTRIBUTING WRITER

CENTERVILLE — Every municipality would love to have a crystal ball when entertaining the idea of establishing a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district. Will a city reap a return on its investment of tax dollars by subsidizing a start of a future successful development in a difficult area of the city or won’t it? The Centerville City Council doesn’t have a crystal ball either, so it only dangled the edge of its little toe into the TIF waters at the July 24 meeting. After much discussion and reservations about a proposed modification of Development District No. 1 and establishment of TIF District No. 1-8 within that district, council voted 4-1 (Council Member Matt Montain opposed) to call for a public hearing on the proposal at 6:30 p.m., Oct. 9 at City Hall. For help in speculating whether tax dollars invested in establishing a TIF district would be beneficial to the surrounding community, the city is calling on its citizens, commissioners, Anoka County officials and Centennial School District officials for input. A written plan for the proposed TIF district will be prepared by Northland Public Finance and distributed to the county and school

PHOTOS BY SHANNON GRANHOLM | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

Furry friends visit Keystone

Above right: Kathi McMahon, of Stillwater, visits Keystone Place at LaValle Fields in Hugo July 16, with therapy animals from Sweet Manes/ This Little Horse. Above left, resident John Curtain visits with Marshmallow the bunny and Ruth Golda meets Victor the miniature horse. See more photos on page 2.

SEE TIF DISTRICT, PAGE 14

White Bear Schools bond would be biggest in state history BY SARA MARIE MOORE VADNAIS HEIGHTS EDITOR

WHITE BEAR LAKE — At its July 15 meeting, the school board unanimously approved a big ask — a $326 million bond referendum — to be on the ballot this fall. If passed, it would be the largest in state history, confi rmed Greg Abbott, Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) communications director. MSBA has a record of passed and failed school bonds dating back to 2000 on its website. The largest bond passed was by Anoka-Hennepin

School District for $249 million in 2017, according to MSBA records. The district is using the money to renovate five high schools and build two new elementary schools. White Bear Lake Area Schools plans to build one new elementary school in Hugo, expand North Campus to house all high school grades and construct upgrades at all other schools with the $326 million. The plans include the relocation of Sunrise Park Middle School to South Campus. Sunrise would become an early childhood center, transition center and senior center, and would

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house district offices. The vacated District Center, where the district offices are currently, would be an expansion for Central Middle School. Oneka Elementary in Hugo would become a K-5 school and Hugo Elementary would become an early childhood center. Districtwide safety and security improvements, as well as flexible learning spaces, are also part of the plans. The plans were put forth by a 90-member committee that met this winter. The facility planning committee of staff, parents and community members came to a consensus on the

plans this spring after discussing five options for high school and elementary configuration to meet growing enrollment needs. The facilities planning was prompted by the district’s recent strategic planning. The district projects that more than 2,000 new students will enroll during the next 10 years due to housing growth. The growth will be 25% higher than current capacity. The tax impact for the $326 million in voter-approved bonds on a $275,000 home would be an increase of $280 SEE BONDS, PAGE 18

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