MORE CITY SCOOP FROM SEPTEMBER
VICTORIA NEEDS 15-MINUTE PARKING SPOTS
*Councilmembers continued the con-sideration of parking spots in downtown Victoria which might be posted for 15-minute parking.  Spots under considera-tion are located in front of City Hall, the Kid Talk, and the Post Office.
*Councilmembers agreed to pay $215,000 for two public works trucks through the city's general fund or internal borrowing rather than through the issuing of Equipment Certificates.  As Kim Roden said, "That 7.5% interest rate is quite a hefty amount that causes us to do some long range planning."  Jylan John-son, Victoria Finance Director, has sug-gested setting money aside each year for such purchases, in a manner similar to the fire truck fund.  The city puts $75,000 in-to the fire truck fund each year so there is money there when the Victoria Fire De-partment needs another vehicle.
*Councilmembers approved a minor subdivision at Ridge Ponds Drive that creates a landscape buffer between two adjacent properties at Deer Run.
*Councilmembers authorized TKDA, the city's engineering company, to begin survey work along Smithtown Road.  The survey will lead to completion of street design by TKDA and help ensure a spring bidding schedule for street reconstruction and drainage and utility improvements.  Estimated city cost of survey work is $16,000.  Estimated city cost of design is $200,000.  The Metropolitan Council will be paying for the installation and replace-ment of sewer facilities and box culvert in the area as well as related road reconstruc-tion.
*Councilmembers heard the first reading of an ordinance regulating snow-mobiles and other traffic on the LRT trail that runs through Victoria.  Snowmobiles have now been banned on that  trail by the Regional Railroad Authority.  Kristy Mock, the Victoria Parks and Rec Director, requested council set a public hearing date to consider other ordinance changes including Youth Operation Regu-lations.
*Councilmembers approved a license agreement with Kelly Lindseth for per-sonal training services at the Victoria Field House.  Kelly has a degree in Exer-cise Science, is certified through the American College of Sports Medicine, and has over ten years of experience.
*Councilmembers approved the hir-ing of Garrett Sohns and Jeremy Augustin as part time basketball camp instructors with Victoria Parks and Recreation Dept.
*Councilmembers approved a pro-gram whereby kids visit adult polls on election day.  The City of Victoria has participated successfully in the Kids Vot-ing program of Minnetonka Community Education over the last several elections.
*Councilmembers accepted a dona-tion of $300 from the Wintergreen Home-owners Association for the Victoria Fire Dept.
*Councilmembers approved the hir-ing of Choice Inc., a nonprofit company that employees people with developmen-tal disabilities, to clean the Victoria Fire Station.  Estimated yearly cost is $1,700. 
*Councilmembers approved applica-tion for a DNR matching grant to assist the Victoria Fire Department as it applies for replacement equipment.
*Councilmembers approved dona-tions of the Victoria Fire Department to the startup fire department at St. Augusta, located near St. Cloud, including 16 pagers and 25 chargers that are no longer used and worth less than $1,000. 
*Councilmembers okayed a bow and arrow permit for Charles Latterner to hunt deer on property at Hwy 7 in Victoria.
*Councilmembers accepted a gift from Roman and Peggy Roos of Victoria that includes the donation of two ever-green trees plus a permanent tree in memory of their son who died of cancer.
*Councilmembers budgeted $3,000 for the 2006 Summer Concert in the Park Series and then received $3,325 in donations to the program.  The final expenditures were $5,860.  This leaves about $500 in seed money for next year's Concert in the Park series. 
*Councilmembers accepted a quote of $2,505 from Hartman Tree Farm/Com-panies for tree plantings at Diethelm Park.  The City of Victoria will use money from the Lions Charitable Gambling Fund to pay for the project.