KIDTALK HOPES TO GROW EVEN MORE
GETS EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS TO THE SIDCO PROPERTY
Candy and Tom Almquist of Victoria were granted exclusive redevelopment rights on the city-owned Sidco property in downtown Victoria for a 90-day time period.  During the 90 days the Almquists can negotiate terms on the property as they spend time, effort, and dollars to research development of a building for their growing business, Kidtalk.
The resolution, which was approved on June 26th, states, "Should a complete and binding agreement for the redevelop-ment of this property not be reached upon expiration of three months, the City of Victoria may choose to reconsider the de-veloper of this property."  Similar resolutions have been adopt-ed for other downtown projects in the past.
Kidtalk provides speech-language and occupational therapy services for children up to 18 years old.  The business currently operates on Main Street Vic-toria adjacent to the Victoria Post Office.
"In our two years here we've expand-ed from one to eight therapists," said Candy at a presentation on June 12th.  "We want to add physical therapy ... Our goal is getting children to be functional.  Children usually need all three disciplines -- speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy."
"Kidtalk would be the anchor business," she said.  "We're also looking at retail and office space."
Husband Tom said they have a multi-story building in mind, "two or three levels, depending on the cost," and that the building would be "owner occupied."
According to City Planner Mark Kaltsas, size of the parcel is 10,000 square feet.  For purposes of comparison, he said, the footprint of the proposed Clocktower Building for downtown by Hartman Communities is 5,500 square feet -- which is also the exact size of the Clocktower parcel.
Candy said her hopes are to be out of their current small space by next May.  "We would be going from 150 square feet to 3,000 to 4,000 square feet," she said. 
The city planner stated on June 12th that a second party was also interested in obtaining the 90-day exclusive develop-ment rights on the former Sidco property.
"Tim Forcier has a group of inves-tors, local and nonlocal," said Mark.  "They have an interest in an office for themselves.  They are currently leasing property in the Hartman Building."
Neither Tim Forcier nor the investors were in attendance at the June council meetings.  Mayor Jerry Bohn said the group has an opportunity to come forward in 90 days if Tom and Candy's plan doesn't work. 
Councilmember Terry Bishop was enthusiastic about Tom and Candy's pro-posal.  "It sounds like you have a business that is growing.  I think it's terrific that you've located in Victoria.  More power to you."
Said Councilmember Richard Tieden, "I think you're a business very much in need."

PERMISSION TO SELL PULLTABS
FROM BEHIND THE BAR AT SCHMITTY'S
Now under new ownership, Schmit-ty's Tavern in Victoria received permis-sion to sell pulltabs for charitable gamb-ling from behind the bar rather than from a special booth.  The Chaska Lions will continue to manage the operation.
It was reported on June 26th that over the last five years the City of Victoria only received a total of $9,000 from the charitable gambling proceeds at Schmit-ty's.  The resolution approved June 26th states that "a minimum of $20,000 will be generated at Schmitty's Tavern for donations in the Victoria Trade Area per year."
Craig Glynn, who purchased Schmit-ty's last month, stated on June 12th, "We have a strong desire to move the pulltabs behind the bar.  The pulltab booth is not profitable.  I know there's opposition because of problems in the past ... We're going to run a special register just for pulltabs."
He also stated that he worked in the Domino's Pizza business for 14 years and knows at what hours a place is going to be busy; during those hours he'll have extra help at the bar to sell pulltabs and keep everything straight.
Rick Nolan, who manages charitable gambling for the Chaska Lions, said, "You can have a good operation for behind the bar sales with good management."  He said that their return to charities is significant, that it's 15% more than the return on slot machines and 70% more than the state lottery.  In keeping pulltab income separate from food and drink income at the bar, Mr. Nolan stated, "The cash register is itself a computer.  Amounts and dates are recorded to the minute."
City Administrator Steve Sarvi said there was a time when the state advised in favor of pulltab sales from a booth be-cause money is easier to keep track of when handled by a special employee of the operation rather than the bartenders.
Councilmember Dave Lindgren said the Chaska Lions should be given an op-portunity for behind the bar sales and should not be penalized because of prob-lems under previous bar ownership.
Upon hearing that the Chaska Lions would provide the City of Victoria with an up to date monthly statement of sales, Mayor Jerry Bohn stated on June 12th, "I'd be willing to see if you could make it profitable.  I'd support it."
Stated Jerry Schmieg, who was in-volved with pulltabs at Schmitty's when the operation was managed by the Vic-toria Lions a few years back, "I think it can be done with an astute gambling manager on top of things."
Although Councilmember Richard Tieden compared the sale of pulltabs, at times, to a "feeding frenzy," and the in-ability of some people to afford charitable gambling, councilmembers voted unani-mously to allow behind the bar sales of pulltabs at Schmitty's under the manage-ment of the Chaska Lions.
The resolution states that 60% of allowable charitable proceeds from the Schmitty's/Chaska Lions operation will be donated to the City of Victoria's Parks and Recreation budget, 35% to the Vic-toria trade area, and 5% to the benefit of Carver County residents in general.
Stated Councilmember  Lindgren, "I think they'll have more money for the city now because of eliminating the guy in the booth that they had to pay."
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