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He pointed out that there are many advantages for Deep and his existing Hi-5 Liquor store including excellent Highway 5 frontage, a large visible parking lot for anybody that wants to stop, a lower cost building to operate, and adjacent businesses to entice drivers to stop. When asked the size of Hi-5 Liquors, Deep replied it was 2,450 square feet. Added Councilmember Amundsen, “I think there’s room for two liquor stores in Victoria. I think it’d be fantastic to have the competition. We can’t afford anything but to have that store be a smashing success. I think it’s incumbent upon us to take it at face value when Dale says this would help him.” Tim took umbrage with some comments that evening. “This is not an issue of favoritism. It’s an issue of fairness. We don’t have a blighted property next to Hi-5 so we can’t sell it to him for a dollar. I’m interested in the city’s role when other businesses want to expand, to show a willingness to help businesses in town. It’s not a slippery slope. It’s fairness. I don’t think there’s a leg to stand on in denial.” A new entrance to Fresh Seasons will be constructed to accommodate Crossroads Liquor as well as the grocery store.
NEW SIGN COMING FOR KLEINBANK WILL IT STILL TELL US TIME AND TEMPERATURE? Council voted unanimously April 26th to approve a variance request for KleinBank as they proposed a relocation of their outdoor identification sign. The variance was needed because KleinBank asked to reduce the required setback for monument signs from 10 feet to zero feet. Said Planner Holly Kreft, “Their new sign is slightly smaller than the one currently in place. The existing sign was approved in 1997. The new sign uses LED technology. The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval. Staff also recommends approval.” A representative for KleinBank stated the current placement “encountered some serious issues” when the large new Fresh Seasons Market was constructed adjacent to the bank on Highway 5. “That ten feet is important,” he said. “Visibility is the factor, not just for KleinBank but also for the sign to the east.”
LOOKING AT FIRE RELIEF FUND VICTORIA WOULD LIKE TO BE 100% FUNDED Jeff Nordeen, secretary of the Victoria Fire Relief Association, presented on April 26th a brief analysis of the fire relief fund as of year-end 2009. “I would always suggest that you be 100% funded,” said City Administrator Don Uram. In other words, the fund should contain enough dollars to pay the retirement pension of each of the 35 Victoria firefighters, should they choose to retire after being vested at five years. Firefighter Nordeen said the Victoria Fire Relief Fund is “more in the 60/40 range -- 60 funded/40 unfunded.” Balance in the fund as of January 1st, 2009, was $549,324. Balance as of December 31st, 2009, was $654,712. He said there were “significant returns” in equities (27.2%) and little return in non-equities such as Certificates of Deposit (1.025%). “We’re quite pleased with the performance overall,” said Jeff. He reported that two Victoria firefighters will be taking benefit checks in 2010 totalling $45,419. He also reported that there are four active firefighters with $209,400 in total benefits who could retire and collect pension amounts within 60 days. He said that the total of all active and deferred firefighters who are eligible for pension is $893,321. There are ten active members with less than five years in the Victoria Fire Department.
WORKING WITH THE WATERSHED DISTRICT IT’S BEEN A LEARNING PROCESS FOR EVERYONE City Administrator Don Uram reported April 26th on the city’s situation with the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District and their efforts to buy a chunk of land in Victoria that would reduce the city’s capacity to develop it as planned into single family lots along Six Mile Creek. “There haven’t been any changes that I can see,” he said. “We received numerous pages of responses to our questions. Is there anything specific to the reponses that you’d like to do? Would you like a workshop with the Watershed? Staff is spending a significant amount of time and money on this. They understand our concerns. I don’t know where they’re at at this point. What is the council’s direction? It’s been a learning process for everyone.” Stated Councilmember Tom O’Connor, “I’d hate to get into chapter 25 of the saga.” Stated Councilmember Jim Paulsen, “I think we have to become our own governing unit like Minnetonka did. Being a LGU, a Local Governing Unit, would put us more on a par with the Watershed.”
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Sue’s Album A symphony of photos and fewer than a thousand words at www.VictoriaGazette.com |
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May 2010 |
