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The Victoria Lions We Serve.

Weddings, Proms, All Formal Occasions

Waconia 952-442-6383

Crossroads Medical Centers, P.A.

Chaska 448-2050

Shakopee 496-6700 Prior Lake 447-1700

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Victoria * 952-443-4659

S.A.F.E.R. IN CARVER COUNTY

CREATING AWARENESS IN VICTORIA

sponders, spoke to Victoria City Councilmembers on Monday evening, March 23rd, about the organization he founded in July of 2008. “I am the proud father of a 6-year old son with autism,” he said, and then told the story of his son wandering off. “Without the technology, my son may not have been found. Our members wear transmitters.”

“This is not just for kids with special needs, but also for those with Alzheimer’s,” continued Mr. Cortolezzis. “We can locate people two miles on the ground and ten miles in the air.”

“Families were asking for support,” he said. “A lot of kids with special needs are attracted to water so we’re also going to do swimming lessons now. I started this for my son and it’s grown for others. Our funds are generated by the Community Foundation for Carver County. They’ve been viable to our success. We’ve branched into Hennepin County and now Three Rivers Park District wants to make it available for campers. We’ve had tremendous support from the Sheriff’s Department. The biggest thing tonight is for us to create awareness in Victoria.”

S.A.F.E.R. members wear a one-ounce transmitter on their wrist or ankle 24 hours a day. Should they wander away from family member or caregiver, they can be located in a short amount of time, ensuring a safe return home. Responders are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A caregiver calls 911 and tells the dispatcher that the S.A.F.E.R. member is missing. Receivers pick up a signal from the member’s transmitter. Parents or caregivers are responsible for the $260 transmitter and a small monthly fee.

STREETS AT LIONS PARK AND HARTWOOD

GETTING BIDS FOR CONSTRUCTION THIS SUMMER

Councilmembers approved construction plans and specifications and ordered the advertisement for bids for the 2009 street, drainage, and utility improvements. It’s an 88-page plan set.

City Engineer Cara Geheren anticipates the bid opening on April 23rd, construction start on June 1st, final assessment hearing in the fall of 2010 with first payments from assessed property owners being made on May 5th, 2011.

The project includes the streets in the Lions Park neighborhood and also in the Hartwood neighborhood.

Lions Park. “We looked at putting in a wider than 28-foot street, but you can also park on both sides of a 28-foot street,” said Cara. “We hope people will use common sense. Basically, we decided wider streets wasn’t a wise use of the money. The Lions Tournament only happens once a year. We’ll have to monitor parking for Concerts in the Park.”

Continued the engineer in her report to councilmembers that evening of March 23rd, “We will realign the intersection at Community Living to make a four-way intersection there ... This is the oldest sanitary sewer system in the city. We’ve determined that it needs to be replaced.”

Cara also included a possible layout for improvements to the two parking lots in Lions Park for the bidders. When bids come in, she said, councilmembers can then decide if they want to proceed in that direction.

She said the parking area along 82nd Street would be expanded and more precisely arranged. Improving the interior parking lot would also be an option, as well as getting the trails paved in Lions Park. “You’ll have numbers to help make those decisions,” said Cara.

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