Hopkins Schoolhouse organization receives green light

“Initially I thought that this probably wouldn’t get off the ground, but I have to give you kudos. You’ve done an excellent job of bringing this back to the forefront and getting community participation,” council member Phil Klein added. 

The Hopkins Schoolhouse and Heritage Center’s steering committee needed to establish financial viability in the refurbishing process for the city of Hugo to agree they wouldn’t demolish the building. The city will now pass financial responsibility to the Forest Lake Historical Society until the Hopkins Schoolhouse’s nonprofit status is finalized and direct city staff to draft a written agreement between the city and committee about the future of this building.

This approval will allow the newly formed Hopkins Schoolhouse and Heritage Center organization the ability to begin several projects on the structure toward the long-term goal to reopen it to the public as a community space, something they’re hoping to do in eight years. 

The commission has been fundraising since the fall to prove to the Hugo council that there is interest from community members and businesses to revitalize the schoolhouse, which is the case they presented at the early-February meeting. 

“There have been accomplishments on both the business development side as well as on the site that have put us in a position where we feel very confident that we have the momentum and the interest by the community in order to proceed,” said Liz Cinqueonce, a Hopkins Schoolhouse and Heritage Center steering committee member.

The project to restore the building will take years and lots of funding to complete, so the group understands it’s important to take baby steps to meet the final outcome. 

“We’re planning to estimate each phase separately, in part to be able to break this project down into smaller goals that don’t seem as intimidating,” Cinqueonce said.

They will continue fundraising efforts throughout the year, but will refrain from beginning projects on the building if they do not already have available funds in an effort to keep propelling the restoration forward. 

“We felt like this conservative budget would allow us to actually get the wheels on the bus of the new nonprofit so that we can start generating the funding that we need in order to move forward,” Cinqueonce said.  

She explained at the council meeting, before they offered the Hopkins team the green light, that from October to January they fundraised around $4,000 a month and are projecting to receive around $45,000 for this upcoming year’s projects. Projects in this first year are estimated around $49,000. Some of the funding will come from grants, with the bulk coming from area businesses choosing to donate to this project.

“The committee wanted to be very conservative in putting together the numbers for next year and what we think is realistic and possible. So we based the projections for next year on the last few months of fundraising,” Cinqueonce said. 

The bulk of the $49,000 estimated budget expenses will go toward repairing the roof, siding and chimney, which is estimated around $31,000. 

Cinqueonce explained they already have an area business who offered its services at that $31,000 estimate that was previously estimated around $145,000 to repair in 2019.

“In addition to raising funds, we’ve also been identifying opportunities for saving by engaging the community members who really want to make a difference and contribute to the project,” Cinqueonce said. 

The committee of the Hopkins Schoolhouse and Heritage Center organization hopes that unlike the city’s estimate of $1 million to fix the building into working condition, the cost will be lower due to charity and grants. 

“I don’t know that we’re completely there with the financing, but I think you’ve put a lot of pieces into place to try and get there, and I think we owe it to you guys – and to the schoolhouse – to make an effort to do that,” said Mayor Tom Weidt at the February meeting after Cinqueonce’s presentation. 

Weidt and council member Mike Miron expressed concern that if funding were to run out in the future without the schoolhouse being fully restored, how could the city ensure they still have a right to prevent it being a hazardous building. 

“If something were to stall out in the process, we’ve got to maintain the safety and security of what exists out there. … The intent of the city is to restore yet preserve our ability to make a different decision if it comes to that point,” Miron said. 

City Administrator Bryan Bear explained that city staff would draft documents that allow the city to continually assess this project throughout the next several years to ensure the organization remains on track with the schoolhouse project.

The proposed use of the schoolhouse took shape throughout the past year when the group started forming because they wanted to create a space for anyone in Forest Lake and Hugo to explore history and connect. 

“We heard a lot of feedback that the project and the effort long term can’t just be about honoring history, it has to have a connection to the present and relevance to the future,” Cinqueonce said. 

The plan is to restore the schoolhouse as a historical museum in a historic one-room schoolhouse for both cities, a meeting place for educators or businesses, and a Hardwood Creek Trail rest area. 

Even though the council was satisfied with the Hopkins Schoolhouse and Heritage Center’s fundraising efforts throughout the past few months, they think they’ll be able to raise more after receiving the green light.

“We’ve been really looking forward to this evening. Mostly because we’re ready,” said Craig Moen, Hugo Historical Commission and schoolhouse steering committee member at the Monday council meeting. “Secondly, because as impressive as our funding … is, it’s still been a big hindrance in not having your approval.”

He added that even though they were able to raise around $10,000 in a few months, potential donors were apprehensive to offer money if it would need to be returned if the city denied it. 

“We hesitated to ask any of the real big hitters for money knowing very well that if you disprove this we’d have to give it all back,” Moen added. 

There will be some volunteer opportunities in the future for community members to go to the schoolhouse and help clean up the site, welcoming anyone willing to lend a hand. 

“We have so many organizations in Forest Lake area and Hugo area that are nonprofits and businesses that rely on engagement of volunteers, so the heritage center is a real opportunity for us to build that pipeline of volunteers,” Cinqueonce said. 

More information about the Hopkins Schoolhouse and Heritage Center can be found online at hopkinsschoolhouse.org.