Enjoying a balmy winter afternoon in Victoria, just prior to the 4 o'clock City Council Workshop on January 26^th, (l-r) Sergeant Jason Kamerud, Deputy Dan Strickland, Deputy Jim Blatzheim, and Deputy Erick Boder.

INTRODUCING VICTORIA'S NEW TOWN COP(S)
HAPPY TO WORK HERE
Erick Boder was introduced to councilmembers on Janu-ary 12^th as the new Victoria Town Cop.  Deputy Boder said he has 16 years of experience with one year at the Carver County Sheriff's Department.  As the Police Chief for the City of Tri-mont, Minnesota, he said he was looking for a little more excitement.  He lives in  Mayer.

On January 26^th Deputy Boder introduced other officers especially connected to Victoria and said, "We want to know your concerns," he said.  "We want to be on the same page."
Deputy Jim Blatzheim and Deputy Dan Strickland are Victoria's "night cops"  Sergeant Jason Kamerud also attended from the Carver County Sheriff's Office.
Said Councilmember Kim Roden, "The major issues I hear about are quality of life issues, primarily about traffic during peak times, double parking downtown Victoria, the behavior of snowmobilers.  I haven't witnessed it, but I've gotten comments from people."  Kim also mentioned the dangerous intersection at Highway 5 and Park Drive.
Mayor Jerry Bohn said, "Most complaints I've gotten are also traffic related; people are driving too fast.  Another com-plaint that surfaces is related to Floyd's noise and the motor-cycles."
Councilmember Richard Tieden said, "There are so few complaints that you can actually talk to people about it.  There are very few complaints about Floyd's.  Noise coming from their music is less than the noise coming from the highway.  Overall, this is a very respectable and respectful community."
Commented Victoria's new Town Cop, "It really is a safe community.  There's traffic and maybe a domestic once in a while."
Added Sergeant Kamerud.  "These are the same com-plaints that all of our communities are having.  Most com-plaints about speeding come from neighborhoods but most crashes come from thoroughfares."
Said Erick, "If anybody here ever needs anything, please let me know.  I'm glad I was given this opportunity to work for Victoria."

MORE FEES TO VICTORIA DEVELOPERS
TO HELP PAY FOR TRANSPORTATION UPGRADES
Councilmembers authorized staff  to go ahead with Planning Commission rec-ommendations related to transportation issues in the City of Victoria. 
The city will, therefore, deny pro-posed developments that would have an adverse impact on the city's transportation system.  The city will develop an ordi-nance allowing charges to new develop-ments for impacts to the city's transporta-tion system.  The city will identify trans-portation deficiencies and determine im-provements and cost.  The city will use transportation impact fees to construct improvements.
City Planner Eric Zweber had stated, "It's agreed that we have a transportation issue.  Another study would only confirm that.  I'd like to come up with a fee that could be used to fund improvements … and try to get matching funds from the state and county because most of the problem intersections are at our state and county roads."
Eric said some intersections could be improved with the addition of a turn lane, others with four-way stops, for example.
City Attorney Mike Norton advised, "We should be able to charge a reasonable fee to a developer … especially if there is some specificity to show cause and effect relationships to impact.  If there is a rea-sonable and rational basis, I think it's okay to do that."
Mayor Jerry Bohn added, "Develop-ers have a large war chest to help mitigate these issues."  He encouraged staff to find ways to help pay for upgrades to the trans-portation system in Victoria.

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