Hanging Out at the Hall

AT THE OPEN HOUSE AT THE HALL

Many events and functions are held at the Hall every week.  In the old days, the place was called the Village Hall, where wedding dances and other parties were held, not to mention basketball games.  It was Victoria’s gymnasium.  Today, since it’s connected to Victoria City Offices (that building was once the old Fire Hall), it’s often called City Hall.  It’s the Hall where City Council Meetings are held, where Planning Commission Meetings are held, where the Victoria  Lions hold their regular meetings as well as their Pancake and Sausage Breakfasts.  Most all city and business meetings are held at the Hall.  When it’s demolished in 2014, everybody gets to find another gathering place.  In January 2014, I was hanging out at the Hall on at least three different occasions.

From Editor Sue at the Hall

Email:  Sue@PrintsPublishing.com

HomePage:  www.PrintsPublishing.com

The above sketch is the latest City Hall design.  Each floor is approximately 6,000 square feet.  The second floor includes city offices and City Council Chambers.  The first floor is scheduled to become part of the Carver County Library System.  Location:  On Stieger Lake Lane across from the Victoria House.

This sketch is of the proposed Victoria Public Works Facility and has 16,328 square feet.  It will be located on Bavaria Road, on property that was formerly part of the Hartman Tree Farm.  There is adjacent space that will allow a doubling of size as future needs may dictate.  The city will retain its existing Public Works garage on Stieger Lake Lane for cold storage.

Presider at the Open House was Victoria City Manager Don Uram, left, with Mayor Tom O’Connor, right, and other city councilmembers and staff available to answer questions.

Nick Demassis, Carver County Library Director, with the bow tie, was also on hand to answer questions about the Victoria Public Library.

Corey Brunton is the architect for the new City Hall.  Brunton Architects offices in North Mankato.

Visiting with each other that evening (l-r):  Dale Sonnichsen (project manager for Stahl Construction, managing construction of both the new City Hall and new Public Works Facility), Corey Brunton (architect for the new City Hall), Victoria City Councilmember Jim Crowley, and Victoria City Councilmember Tom Strigel.

Also answering questions that evening (l-r):  Victoria City Engineer Cara Geheren (FOCUS Engineering), Victoria Public Works Superintendent Chuck Almjheld, and Victoria Community Development Director Holly Kreft.

Some of the Victoria residents attending the Open House (l-r):  Tim Amundsen Jr., Gerda and Jerry Schmieg, and Jeff Chapman.

More interested attendees (l-r):  Tom Wartman (owner of Fresh Seasons Market), Randy Miller (President of the Victoria Business Association), John T. Riley (owner of MintVictoria cleaning services), and Jerry Hartman (Hartman Brothers).

AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AT THE HALL

Isaac Leif, the 16-year old Mound Westonka High School student, was hired by the City of Victoria to video council meetings.  Although Isaac also worked for the Lake Minnetonka Communications Commission, Isacc’s first gig under city authority was Monday, January 13th.  Last year Victoria opted out of the LMCC to save thousands of dollars with expectations that students could be hired for video work.  There are two city council meetings each month — and also workshops, which are seldom videoed

AT A PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING AT THE HALL

The Victoria Planning Commission is a recommending body to the Victoria City Council.  The Council is always interested in those recommendations and, in fact, depends on them.  At the Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday, January 21st, four members were present (l-r):  Jeff Loeschen (Smithtown), Todd Triethart (Lions Park), Chair Jim Donadio (Swiss Mountain), and Ken Goulart (Lakebridge).  Not in attendance that evening:  Grant Peterson (Baycliffe).

AT A VICTORIA LIONS MEETING AT THE HALL

Victoria Lions President Brian Tjenstrom called the meeting to order on Wednesday, January 22nd, after a delicious fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn and coleslaw dinner. 

Three Lions were recognized for reaching milestones in years of membership.  (L-r):  Steve Olson (10 years), Jeff Williams (30 years), Ray Notermann (45 years).

Susan and Lion Tom Bogaard received a check for $1,000 at the Lions Dinner, having won the Grand Prize in Charity Mania, a Lions fundraiser. 

Victoria Lion Chuck Freiberg, an architect by profession, presented one of his pen and ink sketches as a club gift to Lions 5M2 District Governor Joan Blank, who is a Lion from Nicollet, Minnesota.

Victoria City Staff and Council held an Open House at the Hall on Thursday evening, January 16th, for residents to come and learn more about the proposed new City Hall and Public Works Building.