PETITIONING FOR BETTER STREETS
AND LOOKING FOR ECONOMIES OF SCALE
On July 11th council acknowledged receipt of several petitions for feasibility studies for the improvements of several streets within the city.  When 35% of the property owners residing in a neighbor-hood request such a study, the city de-clares the petition adequate and orders the feasibility study.
Those neighborhoods seeking better streets are Parkside Estates, Minnewashta Acres, Lake Virginia, Hartwood First Addition, and maybe Parkwood.  Zumbra Ridge submitted a 35% petition, but two of the signers removed their names from the petition.
Economies of scale should result in a lower price for street assessments to the various property owners.  Studies and costs will be reviewed over the coming fall and winter months, said Administrator Steve Sarvi, with possible street improve-ments in 2003.  Public hearings on costs and assessments would be held and affected residents notified before any project is ordered. 

COUNCIL ORDERS SURVEY
PLANS TO MOVE ROSE STREET 20 FEET TO THE WEST
At a public hearing on  July 25th councilmembers authorized the city's engineering firm to coordinate a certified survey of Rose Street and Stieger Lake Lane in the vicinity of Victoria City Offices in order to determine property lines accurately.
Street reconstruction is being pro-posed as construction on the Stieger Lake Bridge replacement project is expected to begin within the next few weeks.   It has been determined that, while Rose Street lies entirely within the city's right of way, the center line of the right of way does not fall in the center of the existing street.  The city proposes to have the street reconstructed closer to the center of the right of way.  This gives the appearance of moving onto the adjacent Leuthner property.
Said Maurice Leuthner, "That road has been there 50 years.  How can it be off by 20 feet?"
Stated Jack Griffin, the city's engi-neer, "It's always been off the center right of way that much.  We've had legal experts and county documents support it.  We can't explain how it happened.  It has happened a lot.  We're seeing it all over town."
Stated City Planner Mark Kaltsas, "In order to rebuild the street, we have to put it in the right of way.  They were less technical in the old days when surveying.  It would be much more expensive for the city to buy property for a new right of way."
Stated Councilmember Jerry Bohn, "We're not taking any of Mr. Leuthner's property.  If we leave the road where it is, we'd have to purchase land.  The road is not in the right place.  We don't know why that is.  It sounds like it's been in the wrong place for 50 years."
"Would it help if we staked out the right of way?" asked Councilmember Richard Tieden.  "I think surveying the actual right of way would help every-one."
Councilmember Bohn pointed out that a certified survey needs to be done at some point on Rose Street and Stieger Lake Lane anyhow.
In responding to a statement from Maurice Leuthner, Councilmember Bohn said, "We don't want to be pushing this down your throat.  We're trying to up-grade the downtown and increase the tax base.  We have to get these things going.  This is just part of a whole process."
Total street cost is estimated to be $450,000.  According to staff, the city would pick up 56% (or $250,975) plus its own assessment of $35,600.  Adjacent residents would pick up the rest (approxi-mately $162,000).  In addition to City Hall, there are nine affected properties.

NO BIDS RECEIVED
FOR STREET PROJECT
Bid opening on the Stieger Lake Lane and Rose Street reconstruction project was expected on July 24th, but it was reported on July 25th that no bids were received for the street improvements.  Engineer Jack Griffin said the reasons are two-fold -- contractors already have a heavy workload, and "it is a project of many components."
It will therefore be added to the Diet-helm Park Civil Site package and bid as an alternate.  Those bids are expected on August 8th.  Competitive bidding will get the best price possible.

OTHER NEWS FROM JULY
*Resident Paul Kohls, the endorsed candidate for the Republican party in Dis-trict 34A, introduced himself and addressed city councilmembers on June 27th.  "The quality of life here is second to none," he said.  He encouraged people to call him with questions or concerns.  He projected 70 new members in the Minnesota legislature next year.
*Planning and administrative mem-bers of city staff toured two new housing developments in the Stillwater area to get fresh ideas that may be applicable to fu-ture development in Victoria.
*The Stieger Lake Bridge Contract went to Lunda Construction Company for their low bid of $852,249.50, with an estimated city cost of $101,584.
*Council approved a Parks & Rec recommendation to purchase two large identification signs for "Lions Park" and "Diethelm Park."
*Council approved a Parks & Rec recommendation to hire Decision Re-sources to conduct a survey with the citi-zens of Victoria "to find out exactly what the public feels the future needs are for programming, to gauge current and poten-tial needs, to see if there's a strong senti-ment to build tennis courts, for example," said Steve Sarvi.  Cost of the survey is estimated between $4,000 and $6,000.
*The Victoria Relief Association asked councilmembers for an increase of $100 per year of service in the pension fund for each of its members for 2002.  The increase brings the total amount to $1,700 per firefighter per year of service.
* The City of Victoria entered into an agreement with the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority to purchase a necessary easement at the site of the Stieger Lake Bridge.  Cost is "not to exceed" $5,460.  Jack Griffin said it's common practice to pay for easements.  Said Mayor Mary, "Even if something's been used for the last 75 years?"
*Council ratified a Laketown Town-ship Fire Aid Agreement based on net tax capacity and number of calls.  For the 2002-2003 period, the city's fee will be $18,926.