To the Editor:
The Republican Party of Minnesota is holding its precinct caucuses on Tuesday, March 5, 2002, beginning at 7:00 a.m.  The Victoria Republican caucuses will be held this year at the Parks and Recreation Building (the Acorn House) located at 8465 Kochia Lane in Diethelm Park.  This is a change in location; for the last several years the caucuses have been held at the Chanhassen Elementary School.  Anyone with questions can call me at 952-443-0048.  Thanks.
Paul Kohls
Victoria, Minnesota

To the Editor:
After attending the Victoria city council meeting on February 7th, 2002, concerning the proposed building of an ice arena at Diethelm Park, I am very concerned at how the vote to build was completed. 
While I don't think the city council is trying to sneak this by the residents, they ignored the need for public discourse required to commit Victoria to a $5 to $6 million expenditure.  This ice arena comes with risk, and if we are going to make this commitment, the process must be fully explained to the residents of Victoria.
Why an ice arena?  Why not a pool or a library?  I don't think we were ever asked if this is really what we want as a city.  The building is nice, the idea behind it is genuine, but is this what is best for the community?  Shouldn't we explain to the residents the way the ice time will be split up, how they are getting corporate revenues for advertising, and if naming rights will be sold to someone?
I used to find it amusing when I read about signage issues in town for the few businesses that are here.  This arena could have more advertising and signage in it than the whole of Victoria.
When Mr. Bohn was asked why he had voted against the proposal, he stated he was not comfortable with the risk to the taxpayers.  While the hockey associ-ations have contracted to buy ice time, and advertisers are being lined up, these revenues will not cover all the expenses nor can you hold a nonprofit hockey asso-ciation to the contract if they default.
Mr. Paulsen was also in attendance at the council meeting.  While I am not privy to all the reasons he stepped down from the council, it was clear that he felt the process had broken down on this issue.  We were spending before we had the study explaining the feasibility.
When Mary Saarion, the city's Parks and Rec Director, was asked what she thought, she paused painfully before ex-plaining that her 24 years of experience in the Parks and Recreation business has been that subsidies are required to main-tain these facilities.
When the conversation and discus-sion about the feasibility study came up, Mr. Ayres unequivocally stated that the study will not come back negative.  Then the study is a forgone conclusion and seems unnecessary.  This is and should be disturbing to all residents.
The mayor took the time to explain the growth pattern and projections of the city's population growth, expressing that Victoria could grow to 8,000 to 10,000 residents in the near future, and explain-ing that this venue would be a great place for the children and residents.  Have we already forgotten about the school district problems already at hand?
Maybe our vision would be better served by looking at this potential growth and asking how we're going to deal with schooling for our kids.  Why isn't there an aggressive plan to get an industrial tax base in this city?  We need to find a way to generate revenues other than property taxes.
There was a sense of indignation from residents in favor of the plan with those of us asking the hard questions.  Some of us believe that before a decision is made, the discourse and risk assessment must come first.  The process must pre-vail.
Brian Breckler
Victoria, Minnesota