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Victoria’s Corner Bar. Nightly Specials and Menus. 952-443-9944 |
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Buying or Selling Victoria? Call Nan Emmer. 612-702-2020 |
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Specialized assisted living for those with memory challenges. Victoria. 952-908-2215 |
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Weinzierl Jewelers |
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Waconia 952-442-2885 |
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The Victoria GAZETTE |
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City Scoop Continued |
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NEW HIRE FOR VICTORIA PUBLIC WORKS MEET SUPERINTENDENT CHUCK ALMHJELD Council voted 4-1 on May 10th to offer the full time position of Public Works Superintendent to Chuck Almhjeld of Princeton, Minnesota, most recently serving as Public Works Superintendent at Grand Forks. He will report to Public Works Director Ann Mahnke and begin with the City of Victoria on June 1st, 2010. Speaking of the search and interview process to fill the position, PW Director Mahnke said, “Don [Administrator Uram] and I and others have been working diligently over the past several months. All Chuck’s references are quite good. We received lots of positive feedback. He has significant experience in sewer, water, and streets. Councilmember Tim Amundsen said that Victoria’s Public Works Department needs additional personnel, and Chuck Almhjeld will provide leadership to the team, but he’s interested in seeing his resume. The administrator will oblige. In the meantime, he voted against offering the position to Mr. Almhjeld for that reason. “I like to see resumes,” he said.
INCREASING GAS TAX BY $2/GALLON WOULDN’T COVER EXPANSION COST OF HWY 5 In anticipation of a summer workshop to review the upcoming 2012 improvements to Hwy 5 (intersection work, bridge work, settlement work) and to discuss strategies to to move expansion forward, City Engineer Cara Geheren reported that the state gas tax would have to be increased by $2 per gallon in order to deal adequately with the state’s principal arterials such as Interstate Highways 494 and 394, and this doesn’t include expanding minor arterials such as State Highway 5 through Victoria. “Eventually, to move up to the next step, we have to decide what our priorities are and how much we’re willing to contribute,” said the engineer. “The expansion of Highway 5 is still identified as a need but it remains unfunded in MnDOT funding programs.” Estimated cost to expand Highway 5 to four lanes from Trunk Highway 41 to the Victoria Dairy Queen is $50 million. Added Councilmember Tim Amundsen, “Highway 5 is a state road. That cities would pay for state roads is bad form.”
LOOKING BEYOND BOUNDARIES AS DEVELOPMENT POINTS TO VICTORIA Council voted 4-1 on May 10th to table action that would have repealed Growth Management and Development Guidelines related to the City of Victoria. The Guidelines were adopted in 2005 in response to the limited availability of sanitary sewer and the phasing of development. Because of the economic slowdown, the Guidelines have not been needed to manage growth. There has been little growth. And yet, in the City of Victoria there have been 26 new home permits already issued in 2010. Only a total of 35 new home permits in 2010 were planned for in the 2010 city budget. City Administrator Don Uram pointed out that there is some development interest south of Lake Wasserman, which lies outside of “developable boundaries” currently approved by the City of Victoria. There are currently 225 vacant/developable lots within the City of Victoria. Council will consider the proposal to develop outside the current developable area of Victoria when and if such a proposal occurs. Councilmember Jim Paulsen voted against the motion to repeal the guidelines. “I don’t think there should be a rush to build homes or lots. We should defend what we have,” he said.
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June 2010 |
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Victoria Public Works Director Ann Mahnke introduced new hire, Victoria Public Works Superintendent Chuck Almhjeld, to city councilmembers on May 10th |