Victoria MN Newspaper-City Scoop

WORST ROAD CONTINUED

Said Cara, who has been the engineer for the City of Victoria since 2001, "Traffic volume is a factor. 78th Street is a collector road. It serves a broader public, not just the neighbors. I get more complaints from residents about this street than any other street in Victoria. I look at pavement condition and traffic complaints."

Mayor O'Connor clarified, "We're not approving anything except the $15,000 to do the study."

Added Cara, "Every step has continued discussion. It shouldn't be in the Capital Improvement Plan if it wasn't a priority of council."

Said the Mayor, "What I hear from Councilmember Pavelko is that we're never going to get a street project done because there'll always be other priorities."

Said Councilmember Crowley, "I'm trying to get my arms around the entire debt structure. I will approve this tonight if we can get a workshop before the next meeting." With that agreement he made a motion to approve a feasibility study for 78th Street and Kochia Lane. It passed 4-0.

Councilmember Basa repeated a request that she made earlier that evening. "I'm asking again that councilmembers get their direct questions to staff prior to the next meeting."

VICTORIA FIRE RELIEF ASSOCIATEION

JOINS STATE FIREFIGHTER PENSION PLAN

Council approved two resolutions on October 28th in regard to the Victoria Fire Department. In the first resolution, councilmembers approved the request of the Victoria Fire Department to switch to the "Minnesota Statewide Volunteer Firefighter Retirement Plan as administered by PERA under the terms provided by PERA at the $3,000 benefit level."

It has been explained, including in the October issue of the Gazette, that putting the Pension Fund under state control, rather than local control, has many benefits including the elimination of $5,000 in annual auditor's fees, no advisory fee of $3,000 per year, and a more competitive pension level.

The state pension benefit is $3,000 per year of firefighter service, and a firefighter must stay with the Fire Department at least five years to receive that benefit. Victoria's current pension level is $2,000 per year of service.

The second resolution approved by Victoria councilmembers was to accommodate five Victoria firefighters who will not be staying with the Victoria Fire Department for another five years. As recommended by the Victoria Fire Relief Board, council approved an increase in their pension level from $2,000 to $2,300 effective immediately.

At a workshop on October 14th, Victoria Firefighter Jeff Nordeen presented handout information to council and staff that stated: "Firefighters feel dissatisfied about lack of growth in plan benefit levels. Victoria is near the bottom in comparison to neighboring cities' benefit levels. This has a negative impact on both recruitment and retention efforts."

The estimated contribution from the City of Victoria to the state pension plan at the $3,000 pension level is $24,865. If that pension level rises to $3,500, it is estimated that the city's contribution rises to $50,306. The city's current contribution to the Fire Relief Association Pension Plan (at the $2,000 benefit level) was approximately $20,000.

In the city's October 28th Claims Roster, there was a payment to the Victoria Firefighter Relief Association for $54,108 for 2013 State Fire Aid. City Manager Don Uram explained to the Gazette that, in fact, this State Fire Aid is sent to the city and the city remits it to the Victoria Fire Relief Association or, from now on, to the State Fire Pension Fund.

"I have no idea why the State sends the money to us since we are required by Statute to give it to the Relief Association within 30 days," said Mr. Uram.

He also explained from where the State receives these funds. "A percentage of the premiums paid by individuals and businesses for fire insurance is paid to the State. The State then distributes this money to qualifying fire departments in the form of State Fire Aid. The money is sent to the city associated with the department. MN Statutes Chapter 69 explains the process in detail."

CLIMATE CHANGE COMES TO VICTORIA

AND IT’S GOING TO BE EXPENSIVE

Leslie Yetka, Education Manager with the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District, spoke to councilmembers on October 28th, presenting information and findings upon completion of a study that focused on two cities in the Watershed District: Minneapolis and Victoria -- one a highly urbanized area and the other a developing area.

The study was started, said City Engineer Cara Geheren, in 2011. "There are more stringent requirements now. There are some impaired waters in the City of Victoria. We're required to lay out a timeline as to meeting some goals regarding our lakes and levels of phosphorous. Continued maintenance of our current facilities is an important piece and we have to be educated."

Click here for more Climate Change.