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Just West of Waconia on Hwy 5 952-442-5000 |
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Sebenaler Chiropractic Center Chaska * 952-448-9908 |
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CORNERSTONE Insurance Agency David Barsness * 952-448-5028 |
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8661 Deer Run Dr. * Victoria 952-443-2351 |
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MACKENTHUN’S MEAT & DELI St. Bonifacius * 952-446-1234 |
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Dine in Downtown Victoria * 952-443-2858 |
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952-442-4411 |
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“Trees Are Our Roots” 8099 Bavaria Rd * Victoria * 952-443-2990 |
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Island View Dining Waconia. 952-442-2956 |
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VOLKSFEST SET FOR AUGUST28TH GETTING A HANDLE ON CITY PORTION OF COSTS “Volksfest is taking a different method this year,” said Mayor Mary Thun regarding its implementation and financing. “They’ve hired a planning coordinator to head it up,” she said, “and they’ve applied to get a 503C tax deductible organization. Volksfest is set for Saturday, August 28th, so the weather should be good.” Stated Councilmember Tim Amund-sen, “I’d like to see what the city costs have been for this event, and I’d like to see that as part of the discussion since it has come into profitability. I’d like to see all what the city provides and how does that money get back to the citizens of Victoria.” In past years, the Victoria Volksfest has been put together by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce which was recently grouped with other cities into the SouthWest Metro Chamber.
THE GRAY HAIRS OF VICTORIA CONSIDER NEW WAYS OF NETWORKING City Attorney Mike Norton commented February 8th on society’s new ways of social networking and how it could affect the City of Victoria. He suggested that cities might come to consider how to use Facebook, MySpace, twittering and texting in their communications with the younger generations. “There are some legal issues,” he said, “none of them pressing for us today. I have gray hair but see that the city could use these things for recruitment, for example. I have finally become convinced. People of a certain age communicate differently today. It’s not just the teenagers, but also those in their 20’s and beyond who access information in a fundamentally different way that we used to. They seek out places that use their kinds of sites and entities. They get their information on their own time and in their own way.” “It’s something to think about for over the next few years,” he said. “There’s not a significant cost involved, certainly staff time. They’re repackaging information they already have. I see this as something to think about, maybe as a tool for hiring. It’s an emerging tool.” Said City Administrator Don Uram, “We are looking at it. There is a steep learning curve for me also. I’m from the gray haired generation as well.” Said Councilmember Jim Paulsen, “I’ve heard that the secret is to be hip and I don’t know how we turn out to be hip with all this gray hair. Who do we have working with us and how best to approach them, those of us with gray hair?”
VICTORIA WANTS MORE THAN A KUMBAYA MEETING WITH MINNEHAHA WATERCREEK WATERSHED At the end of a workshop on Monday, February 22nd, it was agreed that Victoria city councilmembers will submit questions to the Victoria city administrator who will submit them to the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District. Also, it was noted that the joint meeting between the City of Victoria and the MCWD that had been scheduled for Wednesday, March 3rd -- on “neutral” ground in Shorewood -- may or may not occur. [In fact, it was later cancelled.] The contentious issue centers on the fact that the Watershed District, which is an appointed body that operates on taxpayer dollars, proposes to purchase a significant portion of property that currently lies in Laketown Township but is projected to be annexed into the City of Victoria and developed for 150 single family homes. With the Watershed plan, which places more acreage into green space than the city plan, the city would be limited to only 75 new homes. The City of Victoria has spent time and money on new infrastructure that will service the 150 homes according to its long-term Comprehensive Plan, a Plan that is regularly reviewed and approved by the Metropolitan Council. Holly Kreft, the city’s Planner and Community Development Director, reported, “The Watershed District is continuing negotiations with the Hesse family and Lennar Builders, current property owners in that area. We have water in place. We have a trail in place. Since the year 2000 the city has acquired almost 300 acres in this manner.” According to Holly, the total size of the acreage now in question is 161 acres. There are three owners: Jim Hesse and family (69 acres), Lennar (53 acres), Tom Steffens rental property (39 acres). She pointed to some of the city’s concerns, should the Watershed District make the land purchase. Those concerns include loss of anticipated fees to Victoria, loss of anticipated property taxes to Victoria, and the inability for Victoria to cost effectively extend utilities. She said the city’s scenario for the 161 acres in question includes preserving 90 green acres (through city ordinances) and this doesn’t include the additional parkland development.
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March 2010 |
