Stated 6528 Aster Trail, "We were kind of hoping this day would come.  We love the neighborhood but would like to see this project done.  Our cars are always sloppy.  There's lots of wear and tear on our cars.   Lots of dirt.  It seems like we're paying a lot of taxes but that we don't see too many amenities.  We never see a police car.  We don't have sewer and water or a good street.  I'd like to see this project happen now so we can enjoy it.  I am concerned, however, about having a turnaround for the school bus.  We don't need parking on that road.  Nobody com-plains about the width of the road.  They complain about the gravel."
Replied Mayor Bohn, "Taxpayers do not pay for roads.  The homeowners do, so you're not missing out.  About sewer, you can never say never."
Stated 6244 Aster Trail, "I appreciate the council's interest, but signing a peti-tion can lead to a bit of shock.  It's a humungous project at great cost.  I don't think consideration of the property owner was paramount.  Why was not the existing turnaround designated as the turnaround?  At the stroke of a pen, the design is going to disfigure my neighbor's front yard with a turnaround.  Also, I'm hearing conflict-ing statements about sewer.  I heard over five years ago that sewer would be man-dated in about five years because of pollu-tion to the lake."
Replied Mayor Bohn, "I believe it'll be state law that homeowners have to have sewer.  We don't know the future.  About that turnaround, that may be a very valid thing to do.  This is a first look at this study."
Stated 6550 Aster Trail, "I think there's a bit of a culture clash going on in our fair city.  I signed the petition, but don't misinterpret that.  Most of us signed out of curiosity.  It's patently unfair and premature for you to take a vote on this without workshops and talking about this with us.  For goodness sake, anything is feasible if money is no object.  Accord-ing to this, I'm a land baron with four units.  It's not fair for you to make this decision that will have great impact on our lives."
Deduced Councilmember Dave Lind-gren after all of this public input, "Most of the homeowners seem to be in favor of the project, but the cost dividing is the problem."
Finally, 6530 Aster Trail, made it to the podium.  "I'm the one that developed the Aster Trail development in 1972," he said, "at which time the Metropolitan Council said there'd be no more subdivi-sions without sewer and water.  My question is, if sewer and water don't come in, where are you going to dump drainage water and how are you going to provide fire protection?  When you do your studies, you should know enough to consult your fire department. 
"And my plat shows you have a 33-foot road easement.  I think we ought to go to a 28-foot or 30-foot or even 32-foot road.  The road has to be done right.
"The City of Victoria set up its fire department equipment on the Tall Tree parcel for that house fire up here.  If that property would have been developed [as being proposed], that house would have burned down.
"There are two culverts out here that have never seen a drop of water.  Water is running directly into the lake.  Is the lake considered a holding ground?
"You've got to service this area.  But you haven't increased the size of your public works crew since the population of Victoria was 350 people.  You've got to look at the whole area.  I'm not for or against this road project, but if you're going to do it, do it right."
City staff will sit down with Aster Trail residents and city councilmembers to arrive at solutions that are in the best interests of the city and the residents.  A workshop has been scheduled for Thurs-day, September 11th, at 5 p.m.

OTHER NEWS FROM AUGUST
NEW STREETS FOR PARKSIDE ESTATES
*Council formally adopted a resolu-tion ordering the improvement and prep-aration of plans and specifications for the Parkside Estates street and drainage im-provement project.  Assessments will be approximately $8,000 for each of the 30 homeowners.  Construction should begin next spring in that Schutz Lake neigh-borhood.
*Council appointed Jennifer Kretsch, the city's utility billing and finance clerk, as Victoria's new City Clerk.  She has studied in the Municipal Clerk's Certifi-cation program at the University of MN and will become a Certified Municipal Clerk, the highest standard attainable in this profession.
*This past June, councilmembers accepted a proposal to participate in the issuance of bonds for a senior housing project in Chanhassen by Presbyterian Homes.  On August 14th council ap-proved a resolution providing for the issuance and sale of Senior Housing Revenue Bonds.  The City of Victoria incurs no obligation with this resolution.
*Councilmember Mary Thun intro-duced Jonathan Cobb, chair of the newly formed Parks and Recreation Committee.  Other members are Steve Kartsonis, Mary Erickson, Nick Gerebi, Tony Harris, and Mary Thun as council representative.
*Council approved and adopted the Capital Asset Policy that meets the new financial statement reporting requirements and provides management information.
*Tammy Abrahamson received per-mission to attend the MN Ice Arena Man-ager's Association Conference at Breezy Point in September.
*Said Richard Tieden, "We need to take a look at our philosophy here.  There are a lot of issues.  Nobody's beating down our door to build their roads.  We're taking on too much.."