|
8661 Deer Run Dr. * Victoria 952-443-2351 |
|
JOHNSON FUNERAL HOME |
|
Waconia 952-442-2121 |
|
Metropolitan Ford Jerry Chapman 952-943-9000 |
|
Pediatric Rehabilitation Clinic. Occupational Therapy. Speech Therapy. 952-443-9888 |
|
Victoria’s Corner Bar. Nightly Specials and Menus. 952-443-9944 |
|
Buying or Selling Victoria? Call Nan Emmer. 612-702-2020 |
|
Specialized assisted living for those with memory challenges. Victoria. 952-908-2215 |
|
Weinzierl Jewelers |
|
Waconia 952-442-2885 |
|
Headlines and bylines |
|
Front Page Feature Story |
|
From the Editor |
|
Addie’s Drawing |
|
Letters to the Editor |
|
Victoria Moments |
|
Hook Line & Sinker |
|
Calendar of Events |
|
Click here to Advertise |
|
the Gazette |
|
Return to Home Page |
|
Order paper Gazette |
|
Notes and Quotes |
|
The Scoop at City Hall |
|
Home Page |
|
The Victoria GAZETTE |
|
Preparing Purchase Agreement On Property for New City Hall Council adjourned to a closed session about 8 p.m. that evening of April 22nd to discuss the acquisition of property located at 7948 Victoria Drive. This address is the location of the single family home on Main Street in downtown Victoria, owned by Ruth Johnson. A purchase agreement should come to the council in mid May for action, according to Mayor Tom O'Connor. Discussions in 2012 on location of a new City Hall centered on downtown city-owned property between the Johnson home and the Post Office. That site, former location of the Victoria Cafe, was purchased by the city in 2003 and the cafe was demolished in 2008. It was said to be small for City Hall needs, but possible expansion to the Johnson property had been noted.
SOUTH LAKE VIRGINIA SHORES PARK SHOULD BE READY FOR RESIDENTS IN jULY Council voted 5-0 on April 22nd to accept bids and award contracts for the construction of South Lake Virginia Shores Park and for purchase of play equipment. "We received bids on April 15th from six contractors with a fairly decent range of prices," said City Engineer Cara Geheren. "Staff reviewed the bids and recommend awarding the contract to Urban Companies with the low bid of $171,329." Council also approved an expenditure of $40,000 for play equipment from Minnesota Wisconsin Playground. Said Park and Rec Director Ann Mahnke, "We set a dollar amount and requested proposals from five vendors. Park & Rec ranked those proposals. The price includes installation and safety servicing." Design cost and engineering fees amount to an approximate additional $25,000. The park is located at Smithtown Road and Highway 7. It is being paid for with rent monies paid to the City of Victoria by the Metropolitan Council, who used the park property as a staging site when they constructed regional sewer lines in the area. Victoria received $371,000 in rent which will cover all costs plus leave a contingency to cover "surprises in the field." The park will include a tennis court, basketball court, a freestanding shelter, and play equipment, also bathroom facilities. The plan was the result of Park and Rec Director Ann Mahnke meeting with the neighbors and getting their input. Construction will start soon. The projected completion date is June 30th, 2013.
VICTORIA HOPES TO STAY OUT OF COURT BUT MAY USE POWER OF EMINENT DOMAIN April 8th Council voted unanimously on April 8th to authorize easement agreements with several property owners on the west side of Lake Wasserman. The acquisition of the easements allows the construction of trunk sanitary sewer that will enable development south of Lake Wasserman, beginning with the Segal property. "This acquisition began in 2004 and 2005," said City Engineer Cara Geheren. "We reached back out to the property owners in 2011. We used the final design process for the actual alignment and came up with a different alignment, looking in a fresher way." Continued Cara, "In February we heard from one of the property owners who said he wasn't interested. He provided a counter offer, asking for what everyone else was receiving plus $150,000. That is significantly more than what we feel the property is worth. We'll probably have to go through eminent domain to get it [the easement]." "In the meantime," said Cara, "we'll build the line up to that property on both sides, until we get the easement." Those property owners who signed agreements include Bill Bonner and Waterbrooke Fellowship, Scott and Hillary Patz, John and Lisa Hayes, Dan and Rhonda Notermann, James and Jane Ann Hesse, David Segal and Paul Stephenson (DM &RS Limited Partnership and Minneapolis Jewish Foundation). According to Cara, "Segal owns two properties north of the new development that are not included in the development. The sewer line needs to pass through these properties. Water will be located within the easement from the Hesse's and also the county right of way." No identification was given to the property owner asking for greater remuneration for an easement. Said Cara, "It should be noted that this is the biggest of the easements, but the long term opportunity for development for him is difficult without his neighbors also wanting to develop. It does impact where houses would go. You can't build on top of a sewer line."
|
|
May 2013 |
