North/east metro briefs: Second new downtown hotel proposed in Stillwater

A proposal to build a three-story, 64-room hotel in downtown Stillwater went before the city's Historic Preservation Commission last week and will be presented to the Planning Commission on Wednesday.

Midnight Real Estate Group of Minneapolis wants to build the North Main Hotel on a site between older buildings at 232 N. Main St. It would include a restaurant with outdoor dining areas, parking ramp and three-story office building. Some of the project would front 2nd Street on the west. An existing one-story office building on that lot would be demolished, according to the developer's application to the city.

If approved, the hotel would contribute to a changing landscape on North Main. A performing arts theater has been proposed for the former Minnesota Zephyr train station, and three major housing complexes were built mostly on vacant lots a decade ago.

The North Main Hotel is the second lodging project in the works in downtown Stillwater. On the south end, in the historic Joseph Wolf Brewery, a planned development includes a 40-room boutique hotel, restaurant and retail space.

Kevin Giles

New Brighton's acting public safety director has been given the job on a permanent basis.

Tony Paetznick, who moved into the position on Nov. 28, has been with the department since 1991 as a volunteer. He was hired as a community service officer in 1997 and moved up through the ranks, becoming deputy fire chief.

Officials also announced that officer Trevor Hamdorf will become deputy director of public safety, having been acting director in recent months after Bob Jacobson, the city's longtime public safety director, retired in July.

Hamdorf began with the department in 2001 and has been a patrol officer, multi-housing crime liaison, president of North Suburban Hazmat, member of a multi-jurisdiction response team and firefighter.

David Peterson

A reception this month will honor Vadnais Heights Mayor Marc Johannsen and Council Member Jerry Auge, both of whom opted not to run for re-election this year.

Johannsen was elected to the City Council in 1994 and was appointed mayor in 2011 when the incumbent resigned. Auge was first elected to the council in 2008 and was part-time fire chief from 1990 to 2003.

David Peterson

In an effort to figure out how to handle water resources in the next decade, White Bear Lake is asking residents and business owners to fill out an online survey on what they consider to be the problems, needs and priorities.

Officials are updating their surface water management plan and are asking people what use they make of lakes and other water bodies. The survey can be found via the city's home page or at http://tinyurl.com/gw7n9lr.

David Peterson

North Hennepin Community College (NHCC) is hosting an array of free winter concerts over the next week.

All performances are at 7:30 p.m. and will take place at the Fine Arts Theatre on campus, 85th Avenue N. and W. Broadway Avenue.

For more information, call the NHCC Fine Arts Center at 763-424-0775 or visit www.nhcc.edu/finearts.

Hannah covington

For the first time in 57 years, it will cost candidates more to run for public office in Maple Grove: The filing fee will rise from $5 to $40.

In 2014, the Legislature allowed home rule charter or statutory cities like Maple Grove to adopt a filing fee up to $40. City officials say the fee increase will help support staff time needed to prepare election documents.