SAFETY IS VICTORIA'S MISSION
SIDEWALK TRAIL TO GO IN AT SMITHTOWN ROAD
After much deliberation on January 25^th, councilmembers voted 3-1 to ap-prove the construction of a sidewalk trail along with the new construction of Smith-town Road. 
City Engineer Cara Geheren stated that the city's Park Master Plan indicates a trail along the Lake Virginia side of Smithtown Road.  She said a meeting was held with nearby residents on January 3^rd to hear concerns. 
"Those in favor of the trail cited safe-ty concerns and speed on the road," she said.  "There were generally preferences for the Lake Virginia side.  Those against it called it a trail to nowhere because it ends at the city boundary with Shore-wood.  There are impacts to landscaping.  People have invested significant landscap-ing in the right of way.  It's a very real impact that people would feel with the addition of a trail."
Admitted Cara, "I'm struggling with finding a balance ... Forty percent of the residents did not respond to the survey ... I recognize that it's a trail to nowhere but it's a safety concern ... We're intending to use about $400,000 in state aid money, so we talked to them and they would allow a 26-foot wide road and a 6-foot sidewalk aligned behind the curb or a 28-foot wide road with no trail."
Three Smithtown residents spoke against a trail at the January 25^th council meeting and mentioned the loss of trees and faster speed on a new road.  Cindy Hagen said, "We did have a resident vote and it was voted down so I don't under-stand this discussion."
Stated Councilmember Kim Roden, "It's been pretty clear the residents don't want the trail.  It's my job to represent the will of the citizens, though I think a side-walk is a good idea."  She made a motion to eliminate a trail/sidewalk from the plans.  There was no second to the motion, however.
Stated Councilmember Richard Tied-en, "The number one mission of a city council is safety of its citizens.  We've got to have a sidewalk there.  You can't stop the speed but you can control it, and we're going to try to control it.  It would be unconscionable to not have a sidewalk there."
  Mayor Mary Thun clarified, "It will not be feasible to add a trail at a later date." 

The motion to approve a sidewalk passed 3-1 with Kim Roden casting the nay vote.

TREATING WATER IS A NOISY TASK
IRRIRATES SOME NEARBY VICTORIA RESIDENTS
Pete Bren, resident of Victoria who lives near the new Water Treatment Plant on Narcissus Street, voiced his concerns and complaints at the January 11^th city council meeting about the noise being generated by the plant.
"I'm probably more affected than anyone in the neighborhood," said Mr. Bren.  "It's an industrial facility placed in a residential neighborhood.  We find it difficult to understand how a council could do this."
City Engineer Cara Geheren said she has been working through resident Dave Dexter who reported the neighborhood was uncomfortable about constructing a permanent wall to abate the noise, and that the issue is in "a holding pattern," perhaps until spring.
Stated Councilmember Tim Amund-sen, "This is not a dead issue.  I've talked to a number of your neighbors.  Some could care less.  Some do care.  It's a solvable issue."
Mayor Mary Thun asked City Ad-ministrator Dave Urbia and the city engineer to come up with a plan.

IMPROVING VICTORIA'S LIONS PARK
NEW BLEACHERS AND OTHER THINGS
Council voted unanimously to ap-prove renovations for Lions Community Park in Victoria as recommended by the Victoria Parks and Recreation Committee, but stipulated that the City of Victoria will handle all negotiations with the assistance of others.
Stated Councilmember Tim Amund-sen, "This is Victoria's baseball field.  It's not the Vics'.  It's not Holy Family's.  We can't have exclusivity.  The Lions have never laid claim to the park, yet they've paid hundreds of thousands of dollars toward it."  Tim said he doesn't want locked gates.
According to information from Vic-toria Parks and Recreation Supervisor Kristy Mock, "The Lions baseball field is used the majority of the time by Holy Family Catholic High School and the Victoria Vics baseball team."
There is currently $48,900 in the Lions charitable gambling fund.  Recom-mended improvements, proposed to cost $25,600, will include bleachers, cement under bleachers, tarps, trees, hedges, fence cap, windscreen, and gates.
The Lions approved this project.  Stated Councilmember Richard Tieden, "I'm not really happy with the evolution of this, but I am happy with the result."

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