Stated Councilmember Dave Lind-gren, "I agree the south might be a better site, but a great number of people have been told a school is going to be located on the Michel site."  He was referring in particular to the large number of residen-tial developments that have grown up since 1999 in the vicinity of the Michel site.  Also nearby are the amenities of Diethelm Park, the Victoria Field House, and Holy Family Catholic High School.
Stated Ms. Stofferahn, "We have to be sensitive to that."
Added Councilmember Terry Bishop, "You're not saying that a school will never be constructed there [on the Michel site].  If voters know there's still a possi-bility ..."
Stated Ms Stofferahn, "There's all kinds of possibilities."
Mayor Jerry Bohn spoke about the benefits of locating a school on the south side instead of the east side.  He said there were benefits for the City of Victoria as well as the school district because "the city could multi-use the project to be more frugal with taxpayer dollars.  At the Lund-gren site, many costs could come out of the development project."
City Administrator Steve Sarvi said that Victoria could also encourage the school district to purchase more land at the Michel site while it is still available, possibly increasing district ownership to 40 acres, the size needed to accommodate the needs of a Middle School. 
In subsequent discussion, Steve has also suggested the west side of Victoria will likely be prime space for a Waconia District #110 school as those large pieces of township property are annexed to Vic-toria and developed.
City Planner Mark Kaltsas was di-rected to set up a joint meeting between Victoria and School District #112.

A CLUB SPACE FOR HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
AT THE VICTORIA FIELD HOUSE
With a unanimous vote on July 10th, Victoria councilmembers voted to allow Holy Family Catholic High School to create a "club room" at the Victoria Field House.  City staff was authorized to for-mulate an agreement between the school and the city.

Tom Dryer, Head Hockey Coach at Holy Family, attended the July 10th meet-ing.  "We're really growing our program, doubling the size.  We [HFCHS] are very excited about the field house," he said. 
"It's one of the best facilities in the Twin Cities.  I'm here to discuss a club room-locker room facility at the field house.  We don't have a facility for kids to keep things in.  We're here first for academics, but also we're right here in the middle of some of the best hockey.  We're looking at portable, moveable usage, temporary lockers, not attached to back walls."
Stated Mayor Jerry Bohn, "They're asking to use that space in the field house that we originally thought would be a kit-chen.  This is not putting in anything per-manent.  They're not asking us to undo anything.  They're intending to fund this, basically, furniture, and would be there on a year to year basis."
Councilmember Terry Bishop asked that the City of Victoria be named as an additional insurer at no cost to the city.  Councilmember Richard Tieden said, "I think it's good for the players and good for the city."
According to Coach Dryer, "The club space would be a great addition to the fa-cility that could be used to attract quality revenue-generating venues ... We are excited to see the commitment that the city is making toward youth programs and facilities."
Administrator Steve Sarvi has stated, "The partnership with Holy Family and Waconia will make a more stable hockey program."

EXCEL BURIES DOWNTOWN ELECTRIC LINES
ANTICIPATED COST IS AROUND $200,000
On July 10th councilmembers adopt-ed a resolution authorizing the execution of an agreement with Xcel Energy to bury its utility lines in downtown Victoria. 
Stated City Planner Mark Kaltsas, "Right now we assume we'll be paying for it, approximately $200,000.  Another alternative is a surcharge back to benefit-ing customers.  We think we'll end up paying for this in one way or another."
Mark said that the city can force Xcel to bury their lines and pay for it, but under state statute they can then attach a sur-charge.
In adopting the resolution, the City of Victoria left it open as to how the project will be financed and how the funds may be recouped.
Electrical lines are in the process of being buried in downtown Victoria at this time.  According to Steve Sarvi, approxi-mately 1,500 yards of line to be buried.  There are approximately 1,200 yards of city streets.

OTHER NEWS FROM JULY 10TH
SIGN PERMIT FOR VICTORIA AUTO HAUS
*Sondergaard-Forcier Builders re-ceived a temporary construction permit for the Victoria Auto Haus to be located at 1900 80th Street, in the vicinity of the former G & G Auto Sales.  The proposed sign indicates an opening of the car sales business in the fall of 2003.
.  *Council approved the 2003-2004 Laketown Township Fire Aid Agreement.  The annual protection, at the request of the township, comes at a cost of $19,065.  Last year the cost was $18,927.
*Stated Mayor Bohn on July 10th, "I look forward to working with the school district and convincing the voters we need an elementary school and it should be in Victoria."
*Stated Steve Sarvi, "We're rolling into the 2004 budget cycle and would like a workshop and invite input to a draft budget for September."
*Floyd's does not plan on exceeding the decibels allowed under the city's noise ordinance and therefore does not need to receive a variance from the ordinance.
*Victoria received matching grant funds in the amount of $47,520 from the DNR for the East Side Trail Connection.  Application for the grant was made in 2001 with an issuance in 2003.
*Final cleanup of title was made on a city-owned downtown parcel which allowed its sale to Hartman Communities for the Clocktower Building.