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8661 Deer Run Dr. * Victoria

952-443-2351

1915 Arboretum Blvd * Victoria

952-443-2808

On Stieger Lake * Victoria

952-443-1331

Floor to Ceiling

33 West First Street * Waconia

952-442-4242

Lake Auburn Moravian Church

Victoria * 952-443-2051

Highway 5 in Victoria

952-443-2491

Take the worry out of winter..

Call 1-888-41-SEPTIC.

The Victoria Lions We Serve.

Sebenaler Chiropractic Center

Chaska * 952-448-9908

Sue’s Album

A symphony of photos

and fewer than a thousand words

at www.VictoriaGazette.com

MORE STAFF RAMIFICATIONS IN VICTORIA

DUE TO DOWNTURN IN BUILDING ACTIVITY

Stated City Administrator Don Uram on September 25th, “Our workload has decreased and I’ve recommended to the Personnel Committee that we reduce hours for both of our building people to four days. If the workload doesn’t change, I’ll recommend another layoff. Meanwhile, I hope to use Bill Schwanke in other areas here, in maintenance and Public Works. We’re going to do this for three months.”

He added, “On a positive note, we issued nine building permits this month, which is nine more than we issued last month.”

Remarked Councilmember Jim Paulsen, “I want our employees to have some stability in their lives, especially those with young children.”

In August, the city laid off the assistant planner and administrative assistant. Due to lack of work, their positions were abolished.

THE DEVIL IS ALWAYS IN THE DETAILS

REVIEWING FIBER OPTICS FOR COUNTY AND CITY

Councilmember Richard Tieden reported on September 11th that he met with Carver County Elected Leaders group and that Jaguar Communication was chosen to equip several cities in the eastern part of Carver County with fiber optics.

He mentioned Chanhassen, Victoria, Waconia, Watertown, Norwood Young America, Chaska and Mayer, adding that New Germany and Hamburg want to be included. Richard said that the 70 miles of fiber optics cable will cost close to $3 million. “It makes communication 700 times faster,” he said. “It pays for itself in seven to eight years. They’re all pretty excited at the county level.” Stated Mayor Thun, “I want to know how much Jaguar is going to make out of this deal.”

On September 25th Steve Taylor, representing Carver County, further updated councilmembers. “It’s a 70-mile loop to connect nine county and city buildings,” he said. “Our first priority is to county buildings. Our second priority is with cities and schools. Our third priority is economic development and accessing residential.”

“Fiber is really 30-year old technology,” he said. “It’s fast, stable, reliable. We have a desire to enter into an agreement with a private sector firm. We need to be more efficient with less staff ... There’s a six to seven-year payback. We’d be transmitting information up to 700 times faster. We’re looking at creating an enterprise system. There’d be a cost for cities to get this ... All of our information gets backed up nightly. We’re looking at creating a larger backup center. Instead of just nightly, it would be immediately ...

“As for cost, there’s a county commitment of $1.5 million for 72 strands. The private sector would have more strands. Jaguar’s interest would be residential and businesses ... The system is $3 million and the county is on the hook for $1.5 million with a six to seven-year payback. A selection committee recommended Jaguar. This is a year’s work of information.”

Asked Councilmember Kim Roden, “How much does it cost to dig up the streets? Who pays for that? I’d recommend you nail down some of those things or it’s not a pretty scene. I’m speaking from experience. Some of the contracts aren’t very well understood. Build in all those contingencies about who pays. The devils is always in the details.”

Councilmember Tieden asked if there had been further communication with New Germany and Hamburg. Replied Mr. Taylor, “It’s around $200,000 to create two more laterals to those communities.”

Asked Mayor Mary Thun, “How are you going to recoup costs?”

Replied Mr. Taylor, “We’re now spending $200,000 a year on DSL, etcetera. Our payments on a lease purchase [for fiber optics] would be less than $200,000 a year.”

Continued Mayor Thun, “I want to know why tax dollars will be going into a private company. It seems to me that you better be getting a lot of money from them because to expect competition from Jaguar, it’s not going to happen.”

Replied Steve Taylor, “I hope they do well financially. They could fall on their face. They could a make a million. They’re taking a big risk. I don’t have a crystal ball. I know we’ll be paying a third to a half less compared to if we did it ourselves.”

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