Schoen, Waters Accept League of Cities Award in Rochester

There's a first time for everything.

Though the St. Michael City Center isn't the first time the communities of Hanover, St. Michael and Albertville have worked together on various projects, Friday's League of Minnesota Cities event marked the first time they were recognized at such a high level for that cooperation.

 The League of Minnesota Cities announced City of Excellence Award winners for 2011 on Friday, as awards were presented at the League’s Annual Conference in Rochester.

Awarded in the category for communities ranging in population from 5,000 to 19,999 was St. Michael, who was recognized for the St. Michael City Center.

The center, which includes a library, senior center, city hall, and public meeting rooms, was completed in November 2010 as a collaborative effort by the cities of St. Michael, Albertville, and Hanover, along with the Crow River Senior Center and the Great River Regional Library (GRRL) system. The community also supported the new center by forming a volunteer committee and raising $75,000 in contributions.                                                                                                                                  

According to the city's application for the award: "The collaboration allowed the cities to bring improved services to their growing populations and resulted in increased community participation, enhanced customer service, improved efficiencies, and lower costs. Since opening last December, the senior center has attracted 15 new volunteers, and the library has seen an increase in program attendance of almost 300 percent. Costs are shared among collaborating communities based on facility location, population, and tax capacity."