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STUDY OF 2,000 ACRES ON SOUTH SIDE
AS VICTORIA GROWS IN THAT DIRECTION
City councilmembers held a workshop with members of the Planning Commission and Parks and Recreation Committee on Thursday evening, May 24th, to look at various land use ideas for the "South Side."
The South Side is not yet within the city limits of Victoria; it lies in Laketown Township and is slated to become part of Victoria one day according to annexation agreements. If and when Laketown develops it will need municipal services, and the city wants to be prepared.
SRF Consulting was hired by the city to study the area, present land use ideas, and give guidance. Said Victoria City Planner Mark Kaltsas, "There are 45 property owners in this area. We have talked to over 30 of them personally and now have better knowledge of the current use of the property as well as the intentions of the property owners."
IT'S NOT HAPPY TRAILS … YET!
LOCATION ALONG #18 IS THE ISSUE
City councilmembers and Wintergreen residents of Victoria have reviewed and discussed several different options for the location of a trail, or trails, along County Road #18, a road nearly completed through Victoria.
Wintergreen is only a block or so from Lions Park where many of the neighborhood's children are expected to hike and bike, so location of the trail along a busy street and intersection becomes a significant safety issue. There is still no resolution as to where the trail will be located. The city has also applied for a large grant to assist with construction costs of that trail.
Said Mayor Mary Meuwissen, "We are trying to do the trail system and preserve trees and make it safe for children and pedestrians ... It's not a regional trail, but a city's opportunity to connect to a regional trail."
Councilmember Richard Tieden, a resident at Wintergreen who has been opposed to construction of County Road #18 as a "thoroughfare," said, "I see the safety of children is the number one issue ... there could be a lawsuit if kids slip in the mud into the traffic ... It's a mess. I don't think we have the answer yet ... This #18 is going to be trouble ... We have to think of the whole picture."
SPEAKING AGAINST THE ORPHANAGE
PRIVATE VERSUS PUBLIC INSTITUTION
Mary Ford introduced herself to Victoria councilmembers on May 10th as a former social worker who worked with children in foster care. Now a research associate for the North American Council on Adoption, she was brought to Victoria at the invitation of Councilmember Jerry Bohn. Three other women who attended with her also spoke at the podium that evening.
Mary Ford said she came to spotlight the "drawbacks of institutional care and the advantages of family home care." She asked coun-cilmembers, and others in attendance at that meeting, "Where would you want your children go to? To an orphanage? To a family? To a cottage? I think you'd chose a family for your child."
She said, "Large institutions do children more harm than good ... Children need families, not cottages ... Congregate care is soul destroying ... The need to belong is one of the basic human needs … Who will live in Mary Jo Copeland's cottage style institution?"
IMPROPER STUCCO APPLICATION
CREATES PROBLEMS IN DEER RUN
Dan and Norie Hennen attended the May 10th council meeting with questions and concerns about the poor construction quality of their home at Deer Run. "Our home is roughly six years old," said Norie, "and it's in rough shape with severe leakages, and wherever we turn we get turned away. I'd like to know who is responsible."
Norie Hennen said there were several code violations that should have been picked up, and that they finally got the name of the building inspector who worked for the city at that time. He is since deceased, but Norie said the person speaking on his behalf said, "You catch some and some get by."
DURING THE VISITOR'S PRRESENTATION
A VISIT FROM COMMISSIONER SIEGFRIED
Carver County Commissioner John Siegfried attended the May 24th council meeting in Victoria and tried to answer a few questions from Victoria city council-members during the Visitors Presentation.
Councilmember Jim Paulsen referred to the county budget and the county's way of paying bills. "With a growing county, why pay with cash rather than finance at reasonable rates over a number of years?" asked Jim, who said it would be more equitable to spread some county costs to taxpayers of tomorrow.
Replied Commissioner Siegfried, "Expenditures have been lower than anticipated so the fund balance has increased and we've got the cash." He said the county's fund balance is about $69 million.
Jim said that the City of Victoria is asked to keep approximately six months of the annual budget total on hand at all times to cover emergencies. "What is the county's annual budget?" asked Jim.
"It's about 61 million," said John. It was pointed out that Carver County has more cash on hand than its annual budget. Last week one of the county commissioners, Julianne Ortman, moved for county taxpayers to receive a tax cut. Her motion to do so failed 3-2. John was not in favor of the tax cut at this time.
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