A GIANT WISH LIST
CITY SANTAS CUT AND SLASH AND QUESTION CAPITAL ITEMS
The various departments in the City of Victoria presented a giant wish list of capital expenditures.  As presented, the wish list totaled $6,176,942 through 2006.

  It included dreams of Administra-tion, Finance, Planning & Zoning, Police & Sheriff, Fire Department, Building In-spection, Public Works, Parks & Recre-ation, and the City Council.
Councilmembers cut and slashed some very big numbers and questioned other numbers.  The wish list was ac-knowledged as such by everyone con-cerned.  It was admittedly a rough draft of possible expenditures over the next years if everyone lived in a dream world.

Cutting and Slashing
From that wish list Victoria council-members cut a proposed $25,000 air com-pressor powerful enough that it could blow the city to China.  They cut a pro-posed $60,000 for a recreation supervisor and a Parks & Rec secretary.  They cut a $30,000 Parks truck and a $8,500 bobcat.  They cut $100,000 for paved parking lots at the park and $20,000 for paved trails.  They cut $100,000 for comprehen-sive street studies and $40,000 for new playground and equipment.  They cut $50,000 for an engineering coordinator.  They cut $15,000 for concrete pads under bleachers.

Questioning
Councilmembers questioned the $3 million for a water treatment plant and Well #4 in 2002.  They also questioned $100,000 for a new picnic shelter in 2003.  They questioned the large amount to re-move the tennis courts at Kirke-Laken.  They questioned $40,000 for a playground at South Lake Virginia Shores, which is an older development.

Maybe Okay
What did councilmembers not cut and slash, at least not at this time?  Computer upgrades and office equipment, an all-terrain $6,250 vehicle in 2003 for site inspection by the city planner, $100,000 annual contracts for police protection, additional building inspector, truck re-placement, sanitary and storm sewer expansion, a $15,000 mower in 2005, a $4,000 trail plow in 2003, the construction of new parking lots at Diethelm Park totaling $140,000, football goals, land-scaping, lighting, a $10,000 basketball court for Lions Park in 2006, more picnic tables in 2003 for Lions Park, a new $3,000 accessible fountain at Lions Park, a $12,000 paved hockey rink in Lions Park in 2004, a $2,000 batting cage for Lions Park in 2005, and the $15,000 replacement of a backstop mesh in 2002.  Other smaller items also remained on the list, at least for the time being.

The Bridge
City Planner Mark Kaltsas reported that replacement of the bridge near City Hall is now estimated to cost $525,000.  He said the city received $300,000 grant money from MnDOT and is hoping for more grant money but, meanwhile, must be prepared to spend $200,000.
Mark said that street costs, including sidewalks and curbs, related to the bridge project could cost an additional $100,000 to $125,00.
He said that with income from TIF and gas tax money, "It might be more advantageous to wait until next year."  When the population of Victoria reaches 5,000 the city receives its own gas tax money.  That figure is projected to be reached in 2002.  Currently all of Vic-toria's gas tax money goes to Carver County.
There is also property near the bridge and street project that could be assessed for part of the costs.  Stated Mayor Mary, as an example, "The Leuthner property will benefit extensively."

The Roads
Roads throughout Victoria are in need of repair and replacement.  Said the mayor, "We've talked about an assessing policy of approximately 50%.  On road projects totalling $5 million, projects can be done in phases, doing particular neighborhoods at certain points.  We have $600,000 in the road fund now, to be used on road projects in phases, plus $165,000 that we put in this year, so we've probably got $765,00 to work with."

The Fire Department
City councilmembers also looked at the $962,100 wish list from the Victoria Fire Department.  Said Jim Paulsen, "I want to get a sense of how much the Fire Department is costing us.  We spend a lot of money on the Fire Department.  I want to understand what the soft costs are.  The list is really long."
Councilmembers looked especially at the Fire Relief Pension Fund, which has a deficit.  Said Mayor Mary, "The problem here often lies with the state.  It's across the state.  It's not inherent in Victoria."
Victoria firefighters requested an additional $200 per year per firefighter for their pension, which brings the total figure to $1,800 per fighter per year of service.  Mayor Mary explained that this amount is paid to firefighters upon retirement, going back to year one of each of their particular years of service.
In an effort to attract and retain young firefighters, Mayor Mary suggested the possibility of Victoria apartment owners putting firefighters on a list of first-call for vacancies, in an effort to help with afford-able housing.  She also mentioned the possibility of cash bonuses.

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