There's something to be said about the tenacity of Cloquet Mayor Bruce Ahlgren and Cloquet City Administrator Brian Fritsinger in trying to get a local option sales tax on the ballot.
For the past six years, Ahlgren and Fritsinger have tried to convince the Minnesota Legislature to allow the city of Cloquet to put the option of a city sales tax in the hands of voters within the city. Each time, it was passed in the Senate only to be shot down in the House. On Tuesday night, the Cloquet City Council passed a resolution allowing Ahlgren and Fritsinger to seek legislation authorizing the voters of the city of Cloquet to vote on the establishment of a sales tax. Will the seventh time be a charm? Ahlgren thinks so.
"The two people who were on the tax committee the past six years in the House are now gone," said Ahlgren. "And they were the driving factor behind the committee not passing it. With a new House after the 2006 election, I think we have a higher chance of passing the sales tax. Much higher."
During their 2006 push for putting the proposed tax on the ballot, Fritsinger included two major pieces in the request for the sales tax designating how proceeds could be used:
- To finance the extension of utilities and the construction of all improvements and infrastructure associated with the Cloquet Business Park.
- Construction and completion of various park improvement projects, including the reconstruction of the Pinehurst Park Swimming Pool complex, St. Louis River riverfront improvements, Veterans Park construction, and enhancements to the Hilltop soccer complex and Braun Park baseball/softball complex.
An estimate of $9,000,000 was placed on these projects, presented to -- and shot down by -- the Legislature in 2006.
However, a revised projects list for 2007, as discussed by the Cloquet City Council, puts the total cost of projects at $19.5 million. In addition to the projects listed from 2006, new projects would include improvements on the pedestrian/biking trails, Athletic/Sunnyside Parks, the possibility of a Community Center (estimated at $2.5 million) and improvements to community infrastructure (connecting certain parts of Cloquet to city sewer and water).
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A half-cent sales tax would result in an estimated $500,000 per year revenue, according to the city's financial advisors, Ehlers and Associates. The $500,000 per year figure means $20 million in proposed project costs would take 40 years to pay off. However, Fritsinger said he would consider limiting the amount to $10 million or 20 years.
The council reviewed the list of projects and provided input, with the possiblity of creating an indoor/outdoor community pool in place of the Pinehurst Pool generated the most conversation. Cloquet does not have a pool that is readily available for public use since the Pinehurst Pool closed this past summer -- and the closest thing to a public/lap/therapy pool is at Cloquet Middle School, but lack of staffing prevents them from having convenient and extended hours. If a community pool or community center were to be proposed, the idea of the "Splash Pad" concept at Pinehurst Park was again mentioned. The Splash Pad, which would be significantly smaller than a pool, would allow room at Pinehurst for the creation of a disc golf course, a permanent hockey rink with year-round boards for basketball/inline skating/soccer in the summer months and other types of year-round activities. This would also allow the bandshell to remain.
However, Fritsinger, Ahlgren and the council agreed a concensus needs to be made on what kind of aquatic facilities Cloquet will have in the very near future. Because of this temporary uncertainty, the council left the amount of money sought with the local option sales tax open ended until they had a solid number and community input regarding what type of pool facilities would work best.
- In other council news, newly elected Ward One councilor Erik Blesener was sworn in, along with fellow councilors Dave Bjerkness and Herb Johnson and Mayor Ahlgren.
- Johnson was also appointed as acting mayor for 2007.
Pine Journal Editor Mat Gilderman can be contacted at: mgilderman@pinejournal.com .
