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Joe Ryan, partner of Mike Ayres with Oppidan Investment and president of the Minnetonka Youth Hockey Association, asked to speak to the council at this time. "We just went through the construction of the Pagel Activity Center," he said. "They put together a hell of a facility. The irony is I've also done projects through Tony Haddad and he convinced me in the past of Krause Anderson. There is no profit. There is only cost. I asked Mike why he was doing this for Victoria and he said it's because he said he would."
Commenting on the evening and the successful December 20th vote to build the Victoria Field House, Mr. Ryan conclud-ed, "I hear sour grapes. Excuse me for showing a little anger, but Mr. Haddad has sold me about $2.5 million worth of construction."
At the following city council meeting held on Wednesday, January 23rd, council-members talked further about the field house slated to be built in Victoria. Mayor Mary Meuwissen said she met with Victoria Lions President Ed Hjerm-stad and Secretary Don Dyer who wanted to review with her the needs of the City of Victoria as related to the field house.
She said that the Lions would prefer that the kitchen space planned for the field house be constructed on the first floor rather than the second floor. She said that the Lions are interested in actually designing and creating that kitchen space for the city, and that they hope to bring the suggestion up to the Lions Board at their next meeting.
She said that the Lions would be will-ing to work with the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and Victoria Legion in work-ing on the kitchen facility.
Said Mayor Mary, "We've got a group of people who are willing to do some donating and we have to work with them. To have a kitchen available on the first floor is important. That is a critical element."
She also commented on the fact that the Victoria Parks and Rec Board was not well informed about the field house proposal. Some of this blame has been laid at the feet of Victoria's Parks & Rec Director who attends all city council meetings and is expected to communicate to the Parks Board.
Said the mayor, "This is an exciting project for the city. The Parks Board wasn't on board at the beginning because they weren't informed. Now they are."
City Councilmember Richard Tieden said that some members of the city's Parks Board, along with Parks and Rec Director Mary Saarion, toured the Pagel Center at Minnetonka last week. "They had a general concept of a hockey rink," said Richard, "but now they know it's more than that. Now they are very excited about it."
He added, "They are concerned about a place to store equipment, lawn and park equipment. They're thinking it could be in a bigger field house or in a separate building. And they are very excited about the possibility of a gymnasium."
To add a gymnasium to the field house would mean an additional $1 million, more or less, added to the cost. Finance people from Wells Fargo and Briggs and Morgan will be giving advice and information regarding possibilities for financing at the February 7th city council meeting.
About the field house in general, Richard said, "We'll also have a tremendous amount of possible activities and space available for the women in the community," who, he suggested, might not currently have access to as many athletics and activities in Victoria as men. Said he, "We really, at this time, have a tremendous opportunity to tap into funds."
"Tapping into funds" could become the responsibility of Jodi Vlatkovich, an expert in finding resources to advertising dollars. Large corporations such as Coke and Pepsi, for example, pay big dollars to have their products available at sporting arenas. Jodi Vlatkovich who sold thou-sands of dollars worth of advertising to help fund the Pagel Center in Minnetonka, will be presenting information on possi-bilities to Victoria councilmembers at the Thursday, February 7th, city council meet-ing. Victoria would like to raise at least $80,000 per year in that manner.
Stated Mayor Mary, "Jod Vlatkovich has educated us on how much money we can raise through advertising." Now he will speak to the public directly about the $80,000 line item on the $5 million project.
Said Councilmember Tieden, "The word is getting out! People are extremely excited about the concept of the field house."
Said Councilmember Jerry Bohn, "The article in the Gazette last month was very one-sided." He was referring to the three-page feature story in the January 2002 edition entitled "A Decision to Build" that quoted verbatim from council-members, staff, and experts.
He was invited to write a letter to the Gazette to tell the facts as he sees them.
Mayor Mary has stated she feels the Victoria Field House could cost taxpayers $150,000/year. There are other things that cost taxpayers - such as city streets, city water, city fire department, city ballfields, city tennis courts, city sport court, city tot lots, city offices, city staff, etcetera.
JIM PAULSEN RESIGNS FROM VICTORIA CITY COUNCIL
CITING AN "INTENSELY PERSONAL DECISION"
Part way into the January 10th city council meeting, after continued discus-sion on the Victoria Field House, Council-member Jim Paulsen asked to speak ...
"I need to take a few moments of the council's time to talk about something that is intensely personal. I need a break, and I have made a decision to resign from the council. I am no longer at my best and am not satisfied with my own perfor-mance. This is an intensely personal deci-sion.
"Like my father I have an immigrant perception of the American experience. My family, my gene pool, if you will, has survived based on conservative financial principles. Although they are not univer-sal, they are mine and in this instance my city is my family.
"I have given this effort to the city council all my energy. My views have not always been popular although I thought they were principled and would stand the test of time. I know, too, that my humor runs a few degrees off due north, and I also know that I am an acquired taste. As it was said recently in a great movie, 'It takes some time getting used to.'
"Now I want to take a few minutes here and I'll be very very brief ..."
Click here to continue February City Scoop.
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