Victoria MN Newspaper

Added Councilmember Crowley, "It doesn't matter whether we have an easement. The city will be involved. I never want to put more laws on the books, but this is an example of where we can help. We better have a rock solid agreement to go along with it."

"I'd like the city attorney to look at this," stated Councilmember Pavelko.

Regard the draintile, already installed in the neighborhood's backyards, the city engineer stated, "We would want residents to make correct connections and would want to inspect them."

Councilmember Strigel said he believed the city's maintenance costs will be more than $300 as estimated. "There'll also be restoration. I'd be more in favor of holding developers accountable, that they manage groundwater issues."

Commented Mayor O'Connor, "We're talking about an insignificant amount of money over the long haul."

Councilmember Crowley asked for a list of risk points and the signature of the attorney on the drainage easement agreement. He didn't believe the legal agreement was yet ready to act on.

Ann Mahnke stated, "I would like to take some time to look at that."

Stated Councilmember Strigel, "If easements are common in backyards, why are we talking about it?

Asked Councilmember Pavelko, "Will the Planning Commission have any role in this?"

Mayor O'Connor made the motion to approve the draintile easement which allows city workers to maintain the draintile through the private backyards. Councilmember Crowley seconded the motion. Councilmember Basa amended the motion to include further study and information on backyard draintiles.

City Engineer Cara Geheren said she preferred that language in the agreement not stipulate that homeowners refrain from planting trees over the draintile. "If a tree is planted and it breaks the line, the cost can be assessed," she said.

UNIVERSITY GRANTS TO ASSIST CITIES

JUMPSTART PROJECTS TO GET OFF GROUND

Councilmembers heard a report on the "Resilient Communities Project" Monday evening, January 26th. Jessica Beise, Executive Assistant at City Offices, explained that it is "a partnership between the University of MN and selected communities."

"Multiple cities make applications and it's a highly competitive program," she said.

Through the Resilient program, cities take advantage of various classes offered at the University to assist with various municipal projects or issues that a city identifies in the application. Also, cities not chosen to be part of the University classes may take advantage of information gleaned by cities or communities that were chosen.

Jessica said that the City of Victoria identified four projects in its 2015 application and anticipates allocating up to $5,000 total, or no more than $2,000 per project if only one or two projects are chosen.

The four projects identified by the City of Victoria: 1) Identify ways to retain and recruit firefighters, 2) Create a signage plan for Victoria trails, 3) Generate a marketing plan for the city's natural features, 4) Help create water conservation programs.

"Not a lot of staff time would be required," said Jessica. "We would have access to the University and learn about new ideas and perspectives. University students would come out here to Victoria and meet with the Fire Department, for example. If no project moves forward, we are not on the hook for anything. These are projects that city staff identified last year."

"The program allows us to take information from other cities," she said. "Projects can have some overlapping. The program is based on the specific projects and the University being able to tie them into their classes."

Jessica said that it is Carver County who submits application to the Resilient Communities Project and includes those projects identified by its cities who chose to participate. Council voted 5-0 to submit a letter of support to Carver County to submit an application.

Partners in the application this year include the county and the cities of Chanhassen, Chaska, Watertown, and Southwest Transit. Together they have identified 46 projects.

The University receives about $200,000 annually for the Resilient Communities Project.

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