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Chaska Community Center

Victoria Memberships. 952-448-3176

Fairview Jonathan Clinic

Chaska * 952-448-3500

Dine in Downtown Victoria * 952-443-2858

Victoria * 952-443-2022

St. Bonifacius * 952-446-1338

IT’S GOING TO COST MORE MONEY

TO WORK ON CLEANING UP LAKE MINNETONKA

Dick Osgood, executive director of the Lake Minnetonka Association, spoke to councilmembers August 14th about plans to rid the lake of milfoil.

“I’ve been on this job ten years in some capacity or another,” he said. “We’ve gathered experts from across the country. This isn’t going to be easy, to get rid of milfoil and keep out invasive species ... We need to spend ten to twenty times what we currently spend. It won’t be possible without raw community support. It will require fees from lake communities and users ...”

According to submitted information, “Eurasian water milfoil has been in Lake Minnetonka for twenty years, causing serious recreational, ecological, and economic impacts.”

The Association proposes to expand milfoil treatments, monitor efforts, manage lake accesses, attack new infestations early, support research, and educate the community.

In responding to questions, he mentioned that Lake Minnetonka is, in fact, “a couple dozen little lakes connected by waterways” and that “we don’t have zebra mussels in Lake Minnetonka, to our knowledge, but we’ve got them up north.”

He reported that aquatic invasive species “at our doorstep” include zebra mussels, spiny waterflea, hydrilla, Brazillian elodea, rusty crayfish, and viral hemorrhagic septicemia.

CREAMERY IN NEW TIF DISTRICT

SPLIT COUNCIL VOTE ON RELATED ISSUES

Council voted 3-2 to approve the developer’s request and remove the Creamery project from the old TIF District and place into the city’s newly created TIF District. The old TIF District expires in 2028, giving the developer and city 18 years of tax increment; the old TIF District allows the development and city to acquire the full 20 years of tax increment according to terms of the original agreement.

Reported Holly Kreft, Community Development Director for the City of Victoria, “The terms are not changing. It’s mainly a change in dates. Last year Council approved a 20-year TIF plan and a cap of $2.2 million.” Holly recommended that the TIF agreement for the Creamery project be amended to be included in the city’s newest TIF District. Councilmembers voting in agreement were Jim Paulsen, Richard Tieden, and Tim Amundsen. Those voting against the recommendation, and against other Creamery related issues, were Mayor Mary Thun and Kim Roden.

The newest TIF District in the City of Victoria was created to accommodate the proposed Fresh Seasons Market and Drugstore and encompassed other parcels in the downtown district. Updates on the progress of the Creamery project have not changed over several months.

OTHER VICTORIA NEWS FROM AUGUST

FILINGS CONTINUE THROUGH SEPTEMBER 9TH

*To date, four residents have filed for city office. Mary Thun filed for re-election as mayor. Kim Roden and Richard Tieden filed for re-election as councilmembers. Jay Swenson filed for election as councilmember. Filing for candidacy closes September 9th at 5:00 p.m.

*Council will be reviewing with staff the short time span between the monthly Planning Commission meetings and the last City Council meeting of each month. As Tim Amundsen said on August 28th, about the August 26th Planning Commission meeting, “It gets on our plate too fast.”

*Council approved job descriptions for the following city jobs: City Administrator, City Clerk, Administrative Assistant, Finance Director, Accountant, Utility Billing Clerk, Community Development Director, Direct of Planning, Building Official, Building Inspector, Park & Rec Field House Director, Field House Building Supervisor, Field House Receptionist, Public Works Director/City Engineer, Public Works Superintendent, Public Works Worker 1, Public Works Worker 2, Public Works Worker 3.

*Council approved City Administrator Don Uram’s employment agreement. It lists his salary at $93,383 with an increase to $95,721 on January 1st, 2009. He also receives $400/month car allowance, $60/month cell phone cost, four weeks of paid vacation/year, 12 paid sick days/year, and insurance for health, dental, life, and short and long term disability, plus other benefits outlined in the agreement.

*City Administrator Don Uram was given permission to attend the International City/County Management Association Annual Conference in Richmond, Virginia, September 21-24 at a city cost of $2,050.

*Community Development Director Holly Kreft was given permission to attend the Minnesota Area Planners Association conference in Duluth September 22-24 at a city cost of $330.

*Council increased the Service Availability Charge (SAC) from $1,825 to $2,000 per SAC unit per connection to the metropolitan wastewater system.

*Council authorized staff to apply for a Carver County Solid Waste Grant in the amount of $1,500. The grant would be used to purchase three trash receptacles for the downtown area; their combined cost is $1,845.

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