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The Scoop

at City Hall

VICTORIA SIGNS PURCHASE AGREEMENT

TO BUY RUTH JOHNSON HOME ON MAIN STREET

Council voted 4-1 on May 28th too approve the purchase agreement for the purchase of Ruth Johnson's home located on the Main Street of downtown Victoria. The address is 7948 Victoria Drive. The purchase price is $165,000 plus a waiver of $17,000 in special assessments on the property.

The property is adjacent to the city-owned parcel that has been eyed for some time as a favorite site for a new City Hall but it was deemed to be rather small. This makes a larger City Hall possible on the site, although no decision has been formally made in that regard.

Those in favor of the purchase agreement: Mayor Tom O'Connor and Councilmembers Jim Crowley, Tom Strigel, and Lani Basa. Against: Joe Pavelko.

"Tell me why we're doing this," said Councilmember Pavelko.

City Manager Don Uram replied that they could get a 9,000 square foot building on the city-owned piece, and that acquisition of the Johnson property gives the city the opportunity to expand to 14,000 square feet on two levels.

"I'm operating on a commitment to build City Hall downtown for today and into the future," said Mr. Uram. "It's the only remaining attractive property available in downtown. Even if City Hall is built elsewhere, this acquisition makes the city-owned property more valuable."

Councilmember Pavelko said he wanted to hear from the people, that he'd like the city to arrange for a public meeting to which all residents would be invited and where all residents would have a chance to give their opinion on where to build a new City Hall, because that's who's going to be paying for it -- the residents.

Replied Councilmember Jim Crowley, "We've had discussions but never made any decisions. We still have to have a vision. We're asked as councilmembers to make a decision on behalf of the citizens. The more options we have, the more benefit comes to the city. The purchase of that property gives us more options."

Said Mayor Tom O'Connor, "My vote would be to get a City Hall downtown. To hang a City Hall on the end of a Public Works Building on the edge of town doesn't serve the residents well."

The mayor was referring to property located at 8099 Bavaria Road, currently part of the Hartman Tree Farm. It was on April 22nd, 2013, that city councilmembers approved the purchase agreement for 10 to 12 acres of the Hartman Tree Farm for the location of a new Public Works Building. Purchase price was $70,000/acre.

Still replying to the request of Councilmember Pavelko ("Tell me why we're doing this"), Mr. Uram stated, "The city has historically been aggressive in buying small properties downtown for development." He pointed in particular to the KidTalk Building which required city purchase of the old Braunworth Building, and Fresh Seasons Market, which required city purchase of three single family homes.

Mr. Uram could also have pointed to the Stieger Lake Condos, which required the purchase of three or four single family homes. The City of Victoria also purchased the old Schmieg Bottle Shop and the old Tuffy's Tavern/Cox Building on Main Street Victoria, which paved the way for Tower Boulevard and the Clocktower Building. The city's purchase of the old Victoria Cafe in 2003 (demolished in 2008) is now making possible a new City Hall in downtown Victoria.

Also, the city purchased the Victoria Auto Body Shop and turned it into the paved parking lot across from Vic's Bar and Grill, and the city purchased the Jerry Noreen house and turned the property into the parking lot behind the Victoria House. The city also purchased the ballfield across from the St. Victoria Catholic Church.

Resident and former Councilmember Tim Amundsen came to the podium and spoke of the 40 acres of property the city purchased for the Victoria Recreation Center and Diethelm Park.

Click here to continue Purchase Agreement.

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Short Scoop at City Hall

June 2013