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VICTORIA’S GROWTH IS TO THE SOUTH AND MAYBE FIBER CONNECTIONS ALSO Council voted 4-1-0 to be against any agenda coming before them that is related to the Lake Minnetonka Communication Commission effort to bring fiber optics to residential homes in Victoria. Name of the project proposed that the LMCC has been studying: Fiber to the Home (FTTH). Councilmember Jim Crowley abstained from voting because he's the City of Victoria Council representative on the LMCC along with Victoria resident Henry Pryor, who was also in attendance at this July 25th city council meeting. The LMCC has already expended $63,988 for the fiber study, seminar, and market survey. The LMCC is now proposing to spend an additional $55,000 for an analysis that would be used to prepare a feasibility study. If the project is deemed feasible, the LMCC would spend an estimated $90,000 for project design. City Administrator Don Uram stated, "I don't think anyone has looked at if the joint agreement [between Victoria and the LMCC] makes sense any more. Our major growth area is to the south. Victoria will become, by far, the largest of the 17 communities [in the LMCC]. Asked Councilmember Crowley, "Did you look at alternatives?" "I see a partnership with our [closer] neighbors for future public television," said Mr. Uram. "What was the original mission of the LMCC?" asked Councilmember Roden. "To manage the franchise agreement with Mediacom," replied Mr. Uram. Said Councilmember Roden, "If you do research on fiber, most of them fail. The change in technology is so fast. None of the fiber projects have cash flowed. If this was such a good idea, private enterprise would be doing it. I just can't support this." Councilmember Tom Strigel spoke to a packet item from the LMCC that asked: "Why is the LMCC involved?" One of their answers was: "Private entities are not interested or motivated." Asked Councilmember Strigel, "Government should step in when others won't? Why? I'm not in support of funding this or moving forward with this." Mr. Pryor at the podium commented that the LMCC was formed 26 years ago. He added, "Fiber is future proof.' Stated Councilmember Tom O'Connor, "'Fiber is future proof' is a hard notion to stomach." Said Mr. Pryor, "Fiber is what people are looking for. In overall speed, the USA is last in the world. This has nothing to do with political affiliation." Councilmember Crowley spoke to the issue. "The LMCC is a wonderful organization," he said. "They're a topnotch organization. But I'm concerned about sponsorship of a fiber project. Why do we need to do this? There are multiple solutions. My concern is incurring the cost of that today. I have strong concerns about cities using money for this." "Chances are that this expenditure of funds will be approved regardless of how Victoria votes," said Administrator Uram. The city's representatives on the LMCC were instructed: "Tell them to Vote NO, period." Added Mayor Thun, "The LMCC is all over the place doing good work. We simply need to investigate other alternatives because Victoria is a growing city." The city administrator will investigate possibilities for the City of Victoria. [See Carver County Commissioner Randy Maluchnik's column on page 29 of the paper edition of the Gazette.]
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August 2011 |
