Victoria MN Newspaper

8 HOUR STRATEGIC PLANNING RETREAT

VICTORIA TO FLUSH OUT AND FOCUS IN 2015

Council held a Strategic Planning Session on Saturday, January 22nd, from 9:10 a.m. until 4:20 p.m. It was facilitated by Richard and Irina Fursman of Brimeyer Fursman Group. The result was a Strategic Plan for 2015 which councilmembers formally adopted on February 23rd.

City Manager Laurie Hokkanen had reported on February 9th that a Focus Group of 21 residents had previously "given up their time for three and a half hours. We got great feedback from them."

"Then Council and Staff gathered for approximately eight hours here in this room," she said, referring to City Council Chambers in the New City Hall. "I was very much impressed with how much has changed and how much has been accomplished in Victoria," continued Victoria's new city manager.

A lengthy packet of information related to the Strategic Planning Session is available on the city's website. It includes such things as the city's mission statement, vision statement, goals, accomplishments, and action calendars.

"We're not looking for approval of anything tonight," she said. "We're asking for comments and direction." She suggested quarterly meetings to measure progress toward stated goals, adding, "We'll have the survey results at our first meeting in May."

It was learned that pre-notification postcards were mailed on February 17th. The first wave of surveys went out on February 24th.
A second wave (same people, just a final reminder) will go out on March 3rd.

About the volume of pages related to the Planning Session, Mayor Tom O'Connor said, "We'll plow into it over the next couple of weeks. It would be silly to not follow through."

Said Councilmember Lani Basa, "I like the idea of quarterly meetings."

Councilmember Joe Pavelko asked for an executive summary of the lengthy Planning Session. "It was the best ever retreat," he said, "but we didn't have time to debate things."

Replied Laurie, "There are certainly a lot of issues that have to be flushed out. We'll all have to be patient with each other to get things done."

She said on February 23rd that the 1,200 citizen surveys had now been mailed out and that results and findings of the surveys will be incorporated into the city's strategic plan, which is a "conversation starter."

Councilmember Tom Strigel reiterated a request for an executive summary of the retreat and strategic plan,.

"It's a call to began an analysis," said Mayor O'Connor.

"Yes, we're committed to looking into these things," said Laurie.

Agreed Councilmember Crowley, "There are things we want to study and we want citizens' input."

Added Councilmember Lani Basa, "We're trying to get all the areas of focus together for the benefit of the citizens. It's getting staff energy focused on what we think is best for the community."

MET COUNCIL AFFORDABILITY ACT

WOULD GIVE VOICE TO VICTORIA & OTHERS

Mayor Tom O'Connor commented February 9th on the Metropolitan Council Accountability Act of 2015. Suburban legislators introduced bills to reform the Met Council by requiring a majority of city councils in a Met Council district to approve an appointment by the governor before it is allowed to proceed to confirmation by the Senate.

The bill is sponsored by two legislators including Representative Jim Nash, former mayor of Waconia.

Said Mayor O'Connor, "With this we would at least have a vote in who gets to represent us. I assured Jim Nash we'd do anything possible to support this. When Jim is focused, he's really focused. I want to be positive about this bill. This is the most serious attempt to get this initiative underway."

INTRODUCING EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

OF VICTORIA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION 2015

Randy Miller, President of the Victoria Business Association, introduced members of the 2015 Executive Committee of the VBA, to councilmembers on Monday evening, February 9th.

Members of that Executive Committee include President Randy Miller plus Noel Stiller (Vice President), Joseph Lieser (Secretary), Tammy Lueck (Treasurer), Laura O'Neill (Director of Events), Brent Romenesko (Director of Membership), Terry Hartman (Director of Business Development), Paul Carlson (Member at Large), Marta Christensen (Member at Large).

"We are thankful to the city for supporting us for five years," said Randy. He reported that Discover Victoria Day this year is Saturday, May 16th, and the first Classic Car Night is Wednesday, June 10th.

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