Waite Park Set To Ask St. Cloud For Fire Help, Weighs New Location For St. Robert Bellarmine Academy

(KNSI) – Waite Park City Council will consider a new 10-year partnership with the St. Cloud Fire Department and could approve a new private school at Monday’s meeting.

Staff says Waite Park Fire has already been relying on St. Cloud for assistance in providing service for the last several months due to a decline in members. If approved, the agreement would go into effect on January 1st and last 10 years.

It would then automatically renew for one year at a time. The agreement can be terminated by either side as long as they give one year’s notice. Payments from Waite Park to St. Cloud would be made quarterly. The price tag rises to nearly $824,000 annually by 2033.

Also on the agenda, St. Robert Bellarmine Academy will ask the council to approve a Conditional Use Permit to move to a bigger building. It hopes to use a property on the 100 block of 6th Avenue North owned by St. Joseph Church.

The school would expand to 110 students. As part of the CUP, it must coordinate with Stearns County for food and beverage licensing. The academy would be given five years to replace the current gravel lot with pavement. The alleyway nearby would also be reconfigured, which staff says is similar to the work done around the Ultimate Sports Bar site.

The Conditional Use Permit is needed for the building because it has been vacant for at least a year. It was used as a school at one time.

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