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The Victoria GAZETTE |
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October 2012 |
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(Joe Pavelko) 1) Are you happy with the chosen location for the new Victoria City Hall? No, not at all. I think the proposed decision is shortsighted and perceived by the City Council as the cheapest and safest decision but, in reality, it's just a waste of our money. This just doesn't make any sense. It's like buying a $3 t-shirt. It's cheap, but you're throwing it away six weeks later. The Council has acknowledged the City will outgrow this building and has embraced the argument that they can sell this structure in the future to recoup our investment. I'm not at all confidengt in this line of thinking. This is the same line of thinking that resulted in the development of the Victoria Field House. In that instance, the Council expected to turn a profit, but many years later that has yet to materialize. The Council should scrap this location and go back to the drawing board. There are many location options that are larger and more suitable for a long term solution. How many $3 t-shirts do the residents of Victoria have to buy? 2) Is it okay that a new City Hall means an increase in taxes? As proposed, No. Even this short term throw-away solution is a major expenditure. How much will this new City Hall cost each of us? If residents are to support a tax increase, it is expected that we will be informed of the shortcomings of the current facility and the advantages of a new one. However, after talking with many residents around town, I don't believe there has been enough outreach and transparency on the issue. All of this information should be at our fingertips on the City's website so we can make an educated decision. Unfortunately, the decision isn't there. I understand the need for a City Hall. Anyone who has visited the existing City Hall knows the building is far beyond repair. I'm not against spending money but don't throw it away on a $3 t-shirt. 3) Are you in favor of a city administrator or city manager form of government? Undecided. Again, I am disappointed with the lack of information available to us residents on the issue. What does this potential change actually mean and how will it affect our everyday lives? I have more questions than answers at this point. Does changing the form of government increase costs? Decrease costs? After doing some research, I am leaning towards the City Manager form of government as I believe this will create some efficiency and will allow the City Council to focus their attention on the most critical and big picture issues. Essentially, a City Manager would function like a CEO and would be responsible for operations and carrying out requests made by the Council. The City Manager would now have hiring authority, not the Council. If I was to vote for this change, I would want to make sure the Council has the authority to hire department heads to ensure the City Manager influence is kept in balance. 4) What are some of the most important things in life to you? Family, friends, health, hard work, coffee over a kitchen table, my wife's to-do list. The most impirtant things in life aren't things. My family shapes and influences every decision I make. 5) What are some of the least important things in life to you? A resume, status, scheduling every minute of your life. It's too often that the least important things in life take priority over the most important things. I don't want to reach the end of my life and have regrets. 6) Tell about your interest in city government. I strongly believe that local government is the most important and true form of government. City government isn't entrenched in ideological debates. Local government actually has to get things done and serve a meaningful purpose. Our roads have to get plowed, the water needs to be turned on, police and fire must arrive quickly, and our parks and trails need to be maintained. I became interested in city government after we moved to Victoria and we received our first property tax statement. From then on, I have always paid attention by going to council meetings and reading the meeting minutes. The decisions affect our daily lives. 7) What are your goals for city government in Victoria? I have three goals. My first goal is making sure essential city government services that residents expect are delivered in an efficient and effective manner while not raising taxes. My second goal is to greatly improve transparency. We expect to be able to easily find and review information on what's going on with the city. We have to do a much better job. I want the ability for every resident to be able to go online and have a full understanding of the issues. We need to bring the website design up to 2012 standards. The third and most important goal is to be your voice. The councilmembers represent you, not themselves. The Council is spending your hard-earned money and they have an obligation to listen to your concerns at all times. We may not agree at times, but I can guarantee your voice will be heard.
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Lake Auburn Moravian Church Victoria 952-443-2051 |
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