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LAKE WASSERMAN PROJECT BRINGING

SEVERAL NEW NEIGHBORHOODS TO VICTORIA

Council approved final payment on January 27th to Ryan Contracting for their work on the Wasserman Trunk Utility Improvement Project. Total contract amount came to be $1,071,470.

Bid for this project was awarded in January 2013 in the amount of $1,073,888. The project connected city sewer and water lines to undeveloped property south of Lake Wasserman. Property south of Lake Wasserman was annexed from Laketown Township into the City of Victoria at the request of developers.

Councilmembers approved an additional expenditure of $199,977 on January 27th, 2014, on the Wasserman sewer project. "We excavated some really poor soils which were not conducive for supporting the pipe," said City Engineer Cara Geheren. "It's a gravity sewer line and it needed to have a minimum slope. We decided to have our contractor not do that section. We came up with the most cost effective solution and rebid that section. Six bids were received. Minger Construction had low bid. We've worked with Minger quite a bit and are comfortable with their work."

Commenting on the entire Wasserman project, Cara said, "We've had an interesting swing of change orders. With all the work and all the change orders, the project came in $8,000 over budget."

"Compensation to Mr. Traxler is still not settled," she added, referring to acquisition of a necessary easement. "It's still in condemnation proceedings. Our offer was $73,000. Mr. Traxler's appraisal is $201,000."

Entire Wasserman project cost, without Traxler's settlement, is $1.6 million including $300,000 in legal fees, engineering fees (including design, construction administration and observation, geotechnical services, wetland services, surveying), and other minor construction costs such as tree relocation and planting.

City Manager Don Uram reported that actual payback on the project is five years. His pro forma in making that assessment included several assumptions such as number of lots, number of houses that might be built each year, value of the homes used to calculate taxes, and the city's current fee schedule. About 250 to 300 homes would not be built today if not for the project and there are 300 more still coming, he said.

Said Councilmember Crowley, "Staff did the right thing in recommending it be done. This is another example of partnering with business."

WORK CONTINUES IN 2014

TO MEET GOALS IDENTIFIED IN 2013

On January 13th, Council reviewed their goals as outlined in the 2013 Strategic Plan. Progress was made in several of the areas, which included Focused Development, Financial Balance, Community Engagement, Community Vision, Operational Effectiveness, and Infrastructure.

Many goals were met: The new city website became operational, the community was engaged in several events such as Discover Victoria Day held at the Victoria Recreation Center, and major infrastructure was constructed to accommodate new residential development south of Lake Wasserman.

Council also agreed, as Mayor Tom O'Connor said, that "2014 better be a year of execution." In that regard, City Manager Don Uram said that both the new Victoria City Hall and new Public Works Facility will be constructed and completed in 2014.

Mr. Uram also noted that evening there were five inquiries into the city-owned 13.5 acres on the west edge of the downtown business district. "This is an ongoing effort," he said. "We've talked to a senior developer, a residential developer, and a developer with commercial ideas."

"Our population is now 8,300," he said, "but we need more rooftops to generate the commercial development. National drugstores say we need 10,000 people to support a drug store."

A workshop will most likely be scheduled to review the goals with course correction, refinement, and execution in mind.

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