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LONG TERM VIABILITY OF THE LMCC

QUESTIONED BY CITY OF VICTORIA AND OTHERS

Council voted 5-0 June 10th telling Manager Don Uram to proceed as indicated with the possibility the City of Victoria will opt out of membership in the Lake Minnetonka Communications Commission.

Council voted 4-0 (Jim Crowley absent) June 24th to support a long-term viability resolution that is, as Mayor Tom O'Connor said, "more financially attractive to us and it allows us more flexibility."

The LMCC is currently comprised of 17 communities including, in alphabetical order, Deephaven, Excelsior, Greenwood, Independence, Long Lake, Loretto, Maple Plain, Medina, Minnetonka Beach, Minnetrista, Orono, St. Bonifacius, Shorewood, Spring Park, Tonka Bay, Victoria, and Woodland.

The City of Victoria was being asked to contribute $80,000 as its annual fee for membership in 2013.

Said Mr. Uram on June 10th, "With 17 communities, it's hard to reach a mutual agreement. The challenge is the cable franchise fee. I want to bring it down for Victoria from $80,000 to $25,000. Minnetrista is a community partner with us. We share a building inspector. We've discussed a joint powers agreement with them and Mediacom. It's a growing community. This would allow us to share our resources, primarily let us transmit city council meetings. We can take control of our destiny in regard to cable television, and take control of our own operations. The long term viability of the LMCC concerns me. Others are considering leaving the organization, unless there are some serious changes. I've said that Victoria would consider leaving the LMCC."

The motion on June 10th to instruct the city manager to proceed as indicated -- decreasing the city fee structure, working with the City of Minnetrista, perhaps opting out of the LMCC -- passed unanimously.

It was pointed out that the LMCC collects $624,000 from its 17 member cities on an annual basis. Nine cities contribute less than $25,000. Mr. Uram recommended a maximum base-level contribution level of perhaps $25,00/year. There are other less costly possibilities, he said.

On June 24th it was resolved. Said Mr. Uram, "The City of Greenwood is trying to keep cities in the LMCC and is proposing a resolution."

He pointed out issues that were addressed in the resolution, including cities being able to leave the Joint Powers Agreement with two-years' notice, 75% of franchise fees being returned to the cities, a change rules for appointing each city's two board representatives, and changing rules so that one city's representative may cast the vote of an absent representative.

As Councilmember Tom Strigel said, "So approximately two-thirds of our fee will be returned to the city."

"Yes," said Mr. Uram. "The public programming will be decreased. There won't be a video of Concerts in the Park, Volksfest, and Classic Cars, but our city council meetings will still be televised."

VICTORIA VOTES 3-2 TO EXTEND

FIBER OPTIC TO THE RECREATION CENTER

Council voted 3-2 on June 10th to approve a service agreement and maintenance/construction agreement to expand the fiber ring to include the Victoria Recreation Center at a cost of $14,000.

It already includes Victoria City Hall and the Victoria Fire Station/Water Treatment Plant at no cost to the city. The county-wide fiber project was made possible to public buildings through a federal grant and stimulus package.

Those voting in favor of constructing a lateral to the Rec Center: Mayor Tom O'Connor, Councilmember Jim Crowley, Councilmember Lani Basa. Those against: Coucilmember Tom Strigel and Councilmember Joe Pavelko.

Jennifer Kretsch, the IT person at Victoria City Offices, summarized the fiber project. "Carver County constructed the fiber ring. The Recreation Center was not included in the project criteria. We are looking at consolidating services. With fiber we can eliminate the server over there. There are several efficiencies with fiber. We can share resources with Carver County and other cities. Backups can be done off-site."

Said Dan Melling of Solution Builders, the city's IT consultant, "This opens up a whole host of benefits to the city. It's bringing city facilities under one network. Fiber is of high speed and quality. You can consolidate equipment and eliminate servers. I think this is a huge benefit now and a whole host of benefits down the road."

Steve Taylor, Assistant Carver County Administrator, introduced himself as "not a tech guy."

"There are seven cities signed on," he said. "Four are still considering. Victoria is among the four."

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