Page Title

Take the worry out of winter..

Call 1-888-41-SEPTIC.

Lori Treff * Chaska * 952-368-4440

Flowers. Dresses. Tuxedos.

Chanhassen * 952-934-3434

“Trees Are Our Roots”

8099 Bavaria Rd * Victoria * 952-443-2990

For all your home financing needs.

Bob Merrill 952-746-9555

Saturday, September 23rd.

Dolce Vita

Wine Shop

Hwy 41 & 212

Chaska

952-361-0044

The Victoria Gazette Archives

Past issues are pushing up daisies at

www.VictoriaGazette.com

Tom O’Connor

1635 Hidden Pond Lane

Since 1997.

1) Roots. My wife Cathi and I moved to Victoria nearly eleven years ago from Connecticut when the company I was working for was acquired by United Health Group. We have four children and three grandchildren: Sean, his wife, Lisa, and their two little girls live in northern California; Brian and his wife Sonia live in Maine; Meghan, her husband Paul, and new daughter Maura live in Elk River; and Mark lives in a group home in Chaska operated by Mount Olivet Rolling Acres.

2) Education/Work. I graduated from Canisus College in Buffalo, NY, in 1966, earned a Master degree in Economics from Indiana University in 1974, and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Minnesota in 1978. My wife and I went to Western Samoa in the South Pacific as Peace Corps volunteers. I served as an Officer in the US Navy for six years with sea duty responsibility as an Operations Officer and shore duty as a Professor of Naval Science at the University of Minnesota. I have 30 years experience in finance, strategic planning, and real estate management for companies such as Xerox Corp., The Trammell Crow Company, and United Health Group.

3) Reason for running. I offer my candidacy because the issues the City faces are complex and will only get more so if the growth projected in the 2008 Comprehensive Plan is to occur. Positive solutions will not always be obvious. The opportunities for the City must be proactively developed. My extensive business experience in finance, strategic planning, and real estate are assets that will benefit the City. Further, my wife and I are committed to Victoria as our year round, long term home. This is an opportunity to give back to the community we love. Also, as a retiree, I have the time to invest so that solutions to issues are fully comprehensive.

4) Improving Victoria. The best way to improve Victoria is to continue to build on the professionalism of the administration, elected officials, and volunteers who staff the various commissions and committees vital to the effective functioning of government. There are numerous complex issues, many of them finance and real estate related, confronting our community. Important steps have been taken. Much more needs to be done. In all humility, I offer my candidacy as a further step in this direction.

5) Characteristics of a Councilmember. A representative of the citizens of Victoria must be professionally capable, hard working, exhibit the utmost integrity, be able to lead in a collaborative environment, be open to resident input, and have a ready sense of humor.

6) Expectation of citizens. I expect the citizens of Victoria to remain actively involved in the civic affairs of our City, limited only by the other priorities of family, work, and church. They demand excellence. This is a community that cares deeply about our City.

7) Safeguarding transparency. I commit to the citizens of Victoria that I will operate in an open, transparent manner in all civic affairs and will insist on this behavior from each government official.

8) Parking. Victoria is a very walkable community and its citizens make extensive use of bike and hiking trails. However, the ultimate success of the yet to be fully developed central business district will be heavily dependent on vehicular traffic and the availability of ample parking for the patrons of the various businesses. A successful central business district is predicated on a diversity of retail and service related uses, but central to all is the availability of easy access/egress and adequate parking. Nothing will hurt a business more than the inability of potential customers to easily access a place of business.

9) Lofty purpose. The representatives of city government will promote the dignity of its people by being role models for the entire community. They must be honest listeners of perspectives that differ from theirs and open to new ideas. They must also be willing to make tough decisions. Our citizens deserve this.

10) Council time. The anticipated workload does not present a problem to me since I am retired. I have the time necessary to devote to effectively deal with the complexity and volume of issues the City faces. The only thing that may suffer will be my golf handicap which has proven very difficult to improve anyway.

Click here to meet the next four candidates.

Weinzierl

Jewelers