ANNEXATION PAINLESS AS POSSIBLE
VICTORIA AND LAKETOWN MOVING FORWARD
On July 28^th Victoria councilmem-bers adopted a resolution that clarifies how existing residents on Maple Street, Krey Avenue, and County Road #43 will be taxed and how Maple and Krey resi-dents will pay for utility improvements.  In June the City of Victoria annexed approximately 500 acres of Laketown Township, including the three streets, in order to provide for subdivision and de-velopment.
Maple and Krey Avenue will remain gravel roads until their residents petition for blacktop.  Only at that time will those residents be assessed for that improve-ment. 
If those residents want to be taxed as a rural entity, they may not hook up to city sewer and water.  If those residents hook up to sewer and water, they must pay the urban tax rate.
Stated Ken Essig, Chair of the Lake-town Town Board, "I appreciate the work of your Planning Commission and Coun-cil.  We didn't want to be annexed.  We still don't want to be developed.  But you've done a good job.  When you drive around other communities, you can see how dirt movers have cleared trees and changed the topography.  But you've done a good job here.  I don't know how you did it with all the changes in the city council and planning commission."
Laketown resident Charlie Johnson asked that, as the annexed properties are developed and receiving approvals from the City of Victoria, that the city have consideration and compassion for the long time residents of the township.
Stated Mayor Jerry Bohn, "Annexa-tion might not be our choice either, but we have to respond to the market and make it as painless as possible."

MORE FOOD AT VICTORIA FIELD HOUSE
CHICKEN, FRENCH FRIES, MOZZARELLA STICKS
Following the recommendation of Jude Boulianne, director at the Victoria Field House, councilmembers approved the purchase of a hoodless fryer for the concession kitchen at the facility.  The best bid of $4,800 came from Perfect Fry through the company's distributor, Tracy Smith, who is a resident of Victoria.
Reported Jude on July 28^th, "The Field House Operating Board asked us to find some options for food.  This fryer is very safe and very operational for people working in the concessions.  We hire high school students to work for us so safety is a big concern.  There is no splashing of oil.  It's very user friendly.  There are food items available like French fires, chicken, mozzarella sticks, and a vast list of items available."
Jude said the Perfect Fry seemed more cost effective for Victoria than another vendor.  "We expect to make the money back in a short period of time," he said.  "This fryer could also be used at Lions Park.  It's moveable.  Hopefully it can be in use year round."
Council approved purchase of the fryer and also $249 for a heating element.

LIVING NEAR A VICTORIA STREET?
RECONSTRUCTION IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER
Victoria councilmembers held a 90-minute workshop on July 28^th to look at a 10-year plan from City Engineer Jack Griffin that would allow the reconstruc-tion of city streets in a timely manner, and yet would not increase taxes in the City of Victoria. 
In general, the plan allows for around $2 million of street upgrade during each of the ten years.  "Actually, we have a ten-year plan here and we're addressing the first five years," clarified Mayor Jerry.  "If some future council has more money, they can kick it up … If we follow this plan, we don't have to raise taxes for these projects."
According to city policy, the City of Victoria picks up half the cost of street re-construction projects and assesses the other half to benefiting property owners.  Such projects could therefore be a monu-mental drain on city funds if too many projects occurred in one summer. 
The city engineer's task was to space the projects over time, using current con-dition of streets as a guide to a timetable for future work.
Stated Engineer Griffin, "We are at a decent project size for each of the up-coming years.  But we were forced to push some of these projects off in order to make the cash flow."  He mentioned the streets at Smithtown and Bayshore which will be pushed down the road to 2007 and 2008, respectively, for example.
Someone commented that construc-tion costs also go up as time marches on, but it was pointed out that the extended time allows the work to be done in a more painless manner for city taxpayers.
Said City Administrator Steve Sarvi, "I think we should blow these charts up and put them on boards and invite the public for comment, and show them that here's the city-wide street reconstruction plan and give us your thoughts."
Steve said that public comments from the Open House could change the street reconstruction plan but that's okay because "it's only a plan.  It's not set in cement to begin with."
He also pointed out that when a cer-tain street project comes to the front, "It won't be a lot of fun.  There will be pro-jects all over town and people will be say-ing that you didn't raise the taxes but they instead got a street assessment."
The following is a tentative schedule for street reconstruction projects in the City of Victoria.
For the Year 2006:  80^th Street, Bay-view, 77^th Street, Lilac Circle, Kirke-Lachen, Wintergreen. 
For the Year 2007:  Woodstone Dr., Smithtown Rd., Smithtown Court.
For the Year 2008:  Bayshore, 80^th Street, 81^st Street, 82^nd Street, Park Drive.
For the Year 2009:  Lions Park and 81^st Street.
For the year 2010:  Rose Street, Sunflower Street, Victoria Circle.
City staff and councilmembers will be setting up a date for an Open House so that Victoria residents can view large maps and identify more accurately when their neighborhood might under the scope for street reconstruction.

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