St. Cloud Voters Asked To Approve Half Cent Sales Tax for Improvements to MAC

(KNSI) – St. Cloud voters will decide if the city should raise its sales tax to pay for improvements to the Municipal Athletic Complex and denounce the Russian attack on Ukraine. The council also approved asking the Legislature to allow the city to go for a half-cent tax on four road projects.

The council voted unanimously to ask voters to approve a half-cent sales tax to cover $21 million in bonds for upgrades to the MAC. The project would include 30,000 to 40,000 square foot addition, including locker rooms, training areas, pregame areas, storage, adding artificial turf to Dick Putz and Joe Faber field, maintenance upgrades, and additional paved parking.

The city received $10 million from the 2020 Minnesota bonding bill and was given authority to go to the voters by the Legislature to ask for a .5% sales tax to pay back the bonds. St. Cloud would like to start construction in 2023. The tax would be collected until the bonds are paid off.

St. Cloud has also asked St. Paul to pay for four road projects if voters pass the tax in November.

St. Cloud wants to use the tax for road and sewer improvements to Heatherwood Road from Clearwater Road to Opportunity Drive, transportation and utility improvements to County Road 74 from 33rd Street South to 40th Avenue South, road and utility work on 40th Street South from CSAH 75 to Cooper Avenue South and road and utility upgrades to 2nd/3rd Street North from 10th Avenue to Highway 15. If approved, the half-cent tax would be collected until the bonds are paid off.

At the end of Monday’s meeting, members of the city council voiced their opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Councilwoman Carol Lewis says she hopes Ukraine can remain an independent nation.

“My heart just breaks for the people of Ukraine for being a sovereign nation and being attacked. And I’m just hoping that the strength that we’ve seen from the Ukrainian people holds up. And that they are able to maintain their sovereignty.”

City Councilman Paul Brandmire says he admires the Ukrainian resolve.

“I would be remiss if I did not express my contempt for what’s going on over there and my admiration for the Ukrainians in the way they’re fighting back. Reagan said it best, ‘freedom is only one generation away from extinction if we don’t keep our guard up freedom will disappear.'”

St. Cloud also approved a resolution to allow the police department to get a breath-testing machine. Officers have been using the breath testing equipment at the county jail facility when getting official breath test results related to DUI cases.

Officers say that can create challenges resulting in delays for officers of up to 45 minutes. Officials say having a breath tester would make the process more efficient and save time. The machine comes from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension at no cost to the city.

St. Cloud approved a joint powers agreement with St. Joseph to license and inspect massage parlors. The reason is to keep an eye out for illegal activity and illegitimate massage therapists. St. Cloud’s Health and Inspections Department will take care of massage license inspections, review massage therapist and massage business applications and other code enforcement. St. Cloud will be paid an annual fee of $465 per establishment. Mileage and other work over and above routine inspections would cost extra.

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