[Roll Call]
[00:00:05]
HI, WELCOME TO THE MONDAY, APRIL 22ND, 2024, CITY COUNCIL MEETING HERE IN ORONO.
I NOTE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT EXCEPT FOR COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY TODAY.
BEFORE WE DO, START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, I LIKE TO HAVE A QUICK MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THE HONORING THE LIFE OF JERRY ROCKMAN, 42-YEAR MAYOR OF SPRING PARK, WHO JUST PASSED AWAY RECENTLY.
SO JUST A QUICK MOMENT OF SILENCE.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
[Approval of Agenda]
AND I'LL GO THROUGH THE LIST OF WHAT IS ON CONSENT.[Consent Agenda]
AND SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANY OBJECTIONS AND WANTS TO TALK MORE ABOUT ONE OF THE ITEMS, JUST RAISE YOUR HAND.SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, WHO WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A STAB AT THE CONSENT AGENDA TONIGHT? I CAN DO THAT.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ONE THROUGH 12, REMOVING SEVEN, NINE AND TEN.
OKAY. SO, WHAT WE HAVE IN THE CONSENT AGENDA TONIGHT IS NUMBER ONE CITY COUNCIL MINUTES, TWO CLAIMS AND BILLS, THREE WORK SESSION SCHEDULE 4975 LONG BRIDGE LANE, PAUL AND ANDREA SCOTT, ENCROACHMENT AGREEMENT RESOLUTION NUMBER 7472.
WESTWOOD PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, ON BEHALF OF WAYZATA COUNTRY CLUB, 200 WAYZATA BOULEVARD WEST.
INTERIM USE PERMIT IAP RESOLUTION 7471 AND NUMBER SIX 485 ORONO ORCHARD ROAD SOUTH.
ASSENT TO REGISTRATION AND RIGHT OF WAY OF WAY.
EASEMENT AGREEMENTS. RESOLUTION 7474.
NUMBER SEVEN WILL TAKE OFF AND DO RIGHT AFTER WE'RE DONE WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA.
FINAL PLAT RESOLUTION NUMBER 7466.
AND NUMBER NINE. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE OFF AND DO RIGHT AFTER NUMBER SEVEN.
NUMBER TEN WILL TAKE OFF AND DO AFTER NUMBER NINE.
AND NUMBER 12 IS PUBLIC WORKS MAINTENANCE WORKER RESIGNATION AND RECRUITMENT OF FULL-TIME PUBLIC WORKS MAINTENANCE WORKER AND ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO CHAT MORE ABOUT.
SEEING NONE. I'VE GOT A MOTION.
AYE. NOTE THAT PASSES FOUR ZERO.
SO, WE'LL JUST JUMP RIGHT TO NUMBER FOUR.
[7. LA24-000008, GreenWood Design Build o/b/o Brenda Iversen, 1850 Lakeside Trail, Variance - Â Resolution No. 7473]
NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS ONE OF THE THREE THAT WE TOOK OFF, WHICH IS LA 24-8 GREENWOOD DESIGN BUILD ON BEHALF OF BRENDA IVERSON, 1850 LAKESIDE TRAIL VARIANCE RESOLUTION NUMBER 7473.THE REASON I TOOK THIS OFF IS BECAUSE WHEN WE DISCUSSED THIS AT OUR PREVIOUS MEETING, WE CRAFTED A MOTION TO ESSENTIALLY DIRECT STAFF TO ALLOW FOR AN EIGHT-FOOT ASPHALT DRIVEWAY WITH TWO FEET ON EITHER SIDE OF GRAVEL.
AND IN REVIEWING THE RESOLUTION, I SAW THAT IT INDICATED A 12-FOOT DRIVEWAY.
THE CONDITIONS IN THIS REALLY UNIQUE PROPERTY WERE KNOWN FROM THE BEGINNING, AND WE DO NOT TYPICALLY ALLOW FOR ANYTHING MORE THAN AN EIGHT-FOOT-WIDE DRIVEWAY IN AREAS LIKE THIS THAT INVOLVE A 75-FOOT SETBACK BECAUSE OF A PROTECTED CREEK AREA.
IN ADDITION, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING AGAINST THIS VARIANCE, AND ALSO WHEN PLANNING ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE, THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT TEN FEET VERSUS 12.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S SPLITTING HAIRS.
I THINK EVERY FOOT OR ADDING OF HARD COVER IN SENSITIVE AREAS IS, IS SOMETHING THAT DOES MATTER.
SO, WHEN WE HAD THE DISCUSSION AND IT WAS A GOOD ONE IN OUR COUNCIL MEETING, WE DID TALK ABOUT THAT EIGHT FOOT OF ASPHALT WITH TWO FEET OF GRAVEL ON EITHER SIDE, WHICH DOES ADD UP TO 12. NOW, WHEN I ASKED FOR THEIR QUESTIONS OF THIS, HAVING SEEN THE RESOLUTION OF STAFF, IT'S NOW MY UNDERSTANDING WHICH WE DIDN'T QUITE TOUCH UPON IN THAT MEETING. THAT 12FT IS 12FT.
[00:05:02]
VARIANCE ABOUT WHAT IS PAVED AND WHAT IS GRAVEL.SO GIVEN THAT I HAVE CONCERN AND WOULD LIKE TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF HARD COVER THAT WE'RE ALLOWING, 12 FOOT MAY BE STANDARD.
AGAIN, THIS IS NOT A STANDARD AREA.
IT'S AN AREA THAT INVOLVES A PROTECTED CREEK OF 150FT SETBACK IN TOTAL.
AND THESE WERE KNOWN CONDITIONS GOING IN.
SO, I WANT TO BE MINDFUL THAT WHILE WE TRY TO WORK WITH APPLICANTS AND KIND OF UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE ISSUES HERE, IT WAS A KNOWN CONDITION AND STAFF DOES NOT VIEW THIS AS A HARDSHIP OR UNDUE HARDSHIP BECAUSE THERE'S STILL ACCESS TO THE PROPERTY.
SO, I WANTED TO PULL IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME THERE WAS A GOOD DISCUSSION IN PLANNING.
THERE WAS A SUGGESTION IN PLANNING ABOUT A TEN-FOOT-WIDE DRIVEWAY BEING ALLOWED RATHER THAN 12.
THAT WAS ALSO A DISCUSSION WE HAD HERE IN THE COUNCIL MEETING.
AND I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON MADE A GOOD POINT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ALLOWING EIGHT FOOT OF OR EIGHT FEET OF ASPHALT WITH TWO FEET OF GRAVEL ON EITHER SIDE. MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT GRAVEL IS CONSIDERED A MORE PERVIOUS OR YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT WOULD ALLOW DRAINAGE, WOULD ALLOW ABSORPTION OF WATER AND NOT CREATE AS MUCH RUNOFF. IT'S NOT THE CASE NECESSARILY IN ANYTHING THAT'S INVOLVING COMPACTED EARTH IS CONSIDERED HARD COVER.
SO, THIS DISTINCTION TO ME IS NOTEWORTHY.
AND I WANTED TO PULL IT TO ENSURE THAT OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL ALSO UNDERSTAND THE, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE CONDITIONS BEFORE WE APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION.
SO THAT'S MY THINKING AND I'M OPEN TO HEAR FROM OTHER PEOPLE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER THOUGHTS.
I KNOW DID YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO GO OVER THERE? I KNOW SHE HAD EMAILED ALL OF US.
AND OUR FIRE VEHICLES ARE EIGHT FEET WIDE, AND THE DIVE IS.
SO, IT'S GOT TO BE A 20-FOOT DROP WHERE THE CREEK IS THAT'S PROBABLY 15FT WIDE.
AND SO, TO ME, I SAW THAT AS A VERY CLEAR, PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY.
AND I THINK GOING OUT AFTER GOING OUT THERE, IF THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE, I WOULD HAVE I WOULD SAY NOW THAT 12 FOOT BITUMINOUS IS ABSOLUTELY APPROPRIATE FOR THE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY OF SAFETY ON THAT DRIVEWAY, NOT ONLY FOR THE SAFETY OF THE RESIDENT AND ANYBODY COMING TO SEE THEM, BUT THE SAFETY OF ANY EMERGENCY VEHICLES THAT WOULD NEED TO GO THERE FOR SURE.
SO, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING IT UP FOR THAT CONVERSATION.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY THOUGHTS AS WELL.
YOU KNOW WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THE WHOLE THING? IT'S A PLANNED DEVELOPMENT OUT THERE THAT THE REST OF THE NEIGHBORS HAVE 12FT WITHOUT A PROBLEM.
I THINK WHAT CHANGES THIS ONE, THAT THERE'S A CREEK INVOLVED, BUT AFTER SEEING IT AND LEARNING, YOU KNOW, WHEN I MADE THE MOTION, I DIDN'T REALIZE OUR CODE COUNTED THEM AS THE SAME IF IT'S GRAVEL OR, OR BLACKTOP OR CONCRETE.
BUT AFTER SEEING IT, THE 12FT SEEMS REASONABLE TO ME.
I'M GLAD WE'RE ALSO HAVE THIS ON THE DOCKET HERE TO, YOU KNOW, REVIEW IT, BECAUSE SOMEBODY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS LENGTH OF A PROCESS AS A RESIDENT IN MY MIND, TO GET A 12-FOOT DRIVEWAY INTO THEIR HOUSE, IT'S AND THERE IS CLEAR AND OBVIOUS SLOPE ON EACH SIDE. SO BETWEEN SNOW REMOVAL, EVERYDAY DRIVING AND THE POSSIBILITY OF EMERGENCY VEHICLES BEING IN A PLANNED NEIGHBORHOOD WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, TYPICAL FOR THE REST OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEN I'M IN SUPPORT.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? NOTHING.
OKAY. I JUST WANT TO MENTION SOMETHING BECAUSE I THINK THE SAFETY CONSIDERATION IS A VALID ONE.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, I DID ADDRESS THAT ISSUE IN MY QUESTIONS WITH STAFF.
AND THROUGH THOSE DISCUSSIONS, LEARNED THAT THE AREA THAT WOULD NOT BE PART OF THIS DRIVEWAY, YOU CAN PULL IT UP THERE AND MAYBE POINT IT OUT.
MELANIE IS NOT A SHEER DROP OFF.
AND SO, ALLOWING FOR AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN OR SOME SORT OF OTHER NECESSITY, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES PEOPLE DRIVE ON THE GRASS IN AN EMERGENCY.
[00:10:01]
AND I WANT TO BE MINDFUL THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SETBACK AREAS, WE'RE NOT CREATING A SITUATION WHERE VARIANCES ARE GIVEN WITHOUT REALLY LOOKING AT THE PROCESS, WHAT THAT ENTAILS, POTENTIAL PRECEDENT SETTING AND BEING MINDFUL THAT THIS IS NOT LIKE ANY OTHER PLANNED COMMUNITY.AND IT'S ALSO A CONDITION THAT WAS KNOWN GOING IN.
SO, I WOULD BE MORE INCLINED TO CONSIDER AMENDING THE RESOLUTION TO HAVE WHAT WAS SUGGESTED IN PLANNING, WHICH WAS TEN FEET.
I, YOU KNOW, I, THIS IS NOT FLAT ON EITHER SIDE.
THESE CONTOURS, IT SLOPES EITHER WAY WHEN IT GETS TO THE MIDDLE.
THIS DOESN'T EVEN GIVE IT JUSTICE.
THIS IS AS BAD AS TOM RYAN'S GULLY THAT HE'S GOING THROUGH.
AND IT'S GOT A DRIVEWAY GOING OVER IT.
SO, THIS IS I THINK FOR PURE PUBLIC SAFETY, WE'RE NOT SETTING ANY PRECEDENT.
THIS IS VERY CLEARLY NEEDS TO BE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY.
I'D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING AT THIS POINT ANYMORE.
YEP. IF WE'RE LOOKING TO RECONSIDER THE CODE HERE IN THE FUTURE, I DO THINK IT'D BE ALL RIGHT TO BE ON THE MAYBE THE TEN-FOOT SIDE AND PLAY IT CONSERVATIVE AT THIS POINT AND REVISIT IT.
THEY'D BE ALLOWED TO COME BACK THEN.
CORRECT. IF WE REVISIT IT AND WE DECIDE 12 FOOT IS IF.
SO TONIGHT, YOU'RE ASKING FOR A VARIANCE, AND WE'RE HAVE TO WORK WITHIN AN APPROPRIATE TIMELINE BY STATE STATUTE AND ACT IN THAT TIMELINE, IF YOU WERE IN THE FUTURE, WERE TO CHANGE THIS CODE TO ALLOW ALL FUTURE DRIVEWAYS TO BE 12FT WIDE, THEN THIS THEN THIS DRIVEWAY ESSENTIALLY JUST WOULD BE CONFORMING TO OUR NEW CODE.
THEY WOULDN'T NEED A VARIANCE TO HAVE THAT 12-FOOT DRIVEWAY.
SO, IF YOU WERE TO LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, IF THIS RESOLUTION WERE TO BE DENIED TONIGHT AND THEY HAVE AN EIGHT-FOOT DRIVEWAY, BUT THEN IN THE FUTURE YOU CHANGE THE CODE TO ALLOW 12 FOOT. THEY COULD THEN JUST DO A 12 FOOT DRIVEWAY BECAUSE THE CODE HAD CHANGED.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YEP. SO I THINK PLAYING THE CONSERVATIVE ROUTE WITH A TEN FOOT MIGHT BE KNOWING THAT WE HAVE THIS LOOMING MIGHT BE A GOOD MIDDLE GROUND AT THIS POINT.
I THINK IF YOU WENT OUT THERE, I GUESS I'M GOING TO DISAGREE WITH THAT, BECAUSE I THINK IF YOU WENT OUT THERE AND FIND THAT YOU YOU PUT A TEN FOOT DRIVEWAY IN AND THEN TRY AFTER THE FACT TO TRY AND PUT A 12 FOOT DRIVEWAY IN, THEY WILL HAVE ALREADY HAD TO BUILD ALL THE STRUCTURE ON THE SIDES TO SUPPORT THE TEN FOOT DRIVEWAY, AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO TEAR THAT APART TO THEN START REDOING.
ALL YOU START GET INTO A WHOLE BUNCH OF CONSTRUCTION ON THE ON THE SLOPES THAT.
I WASN'T ABLE TO DRIVE THE SITE, SO I GUESS I WILL.
WELL, JUST TO REITERATE THAT IT IS NOT FLAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, AFTER SEEING IT, IT WAS CLEAR TO ME AND, YOU KNOW, YEAH, WE ALL WANT TO PRESERVE HARDCOVER, BUT THIS IS THEIR EVERYDAY ACCESS INTO THEIR HOME.
AND THE 12FT SEEMS REASONABLE.
I'M GOING TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CODE, WHEN, I MEAN, WE'RE SPLITTING HAIRS.
I MEAN, 12FT OR, YOU KNOW, TEN FEET, WE'RE WILLING TO GO TEN FEET.
I THINK IT JUST IT JUST MAKES SENSE.
I DO WANT TO ADD SOMETHING ELSE IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH STAFF.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE IDEA OF MITIGATION BECAUSE IN THIS TYPE OF SITUATION, MY UNDERSTANDING WITH STAFF IS THAT IF AN APPLICANT IS ASKING FOR A VARIATION, AND ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THIS ONE BEING IN A 75 FOOT SETBACK ZONE, THAT WE AS A COUNCIL CAN INCLUDE LANGUAGE WITH MITIGATING FACTORS SUCH AS PLANTINGS OR OTHER SORTS OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO OFFSET THIS HARD COVER IMPACT AND THIS TYPE OF AREA.
IF I RECALL, IT WASN'T A HARD COVER ISSUE, THOUGH.
THERE WAS. THEY WERE STILL, WELL, THEY'RE WAY UNDER.
I MEAN, THEY'RE UNDER AND THEY'RE OVERALL HARD COVER FOR THE SITE.
AND THE WATERSHED DISTRICT ALLOWS US TO MAKE THIS DECISION, DO THEY NOT? I BELIEVE THEY DON'T PROVIDE COMMENT.
AND THIS VARIANCE WOULDN'T IMPACT ANY CHANGES TO THE CULVERT THAT'S OUT THERE.
SO THEY DIDN'T NEED TO REVIEW OR HAD THIS DIDN'T FALL WITHIN THEIR PURVIEW BECAUSE WHAT THEY WERE REVIEWING IS THE PROTECTION OF THE CREEK IN THAT CULVERT SPECIFICALLY IN THIS VARIANCE WOULDN'T IMPACT ANY CHANGES TO THE CULVERT.
[00:15:01]
SO JUST GOING BACK IN TIME A LITTLE BIT.YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THE COUNCIL, THE CITY OF ORONO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WILLY NILLY ADDED ADDITIONAL SETBACKS TO THAT OF THE WATERSHED DISTRICT, AND ORONO JUST PUT MORE ON TOP OF IT.
BUT WHEN WE INVESTIGATED WHY THERE WASN'T ANY REAL UNDERSTANDING WHY WE ADDED MORE TO THE WATERSHED.
THE AUTHORITY THAT HAS ACTUAL JURISDICTION OVER THE CREEK IS THE WATERSHED DISTRICT IN THIS CASE.
AND SO, IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PRECLUDE US FROM ALLOWING THEM TO HAVE 12FT, THEN IT TELLS ME IT'S NOT A PROBLEM, THEN WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT AS THESE ARE OUR RESIDENTS TRYING TO DO REASONABLE THINGS.
THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO HARM IT.
THEY'RE, THE WATERSHED IS COMFORTABLE WITH IT.
AND SO, I THINK WE CAN FIND A WAY TO, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT OUR RESIDENTS' INTERESTS IN DOING REASONABLE THINGS, PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY'RE HARD COVER IS WHAT IS THE HARD COVER HERE? I MEAN, IT'S LOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A 25 OR 35% ZONE, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE WAY UNDER IT.
WELL, IT'S DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE.
I MEAN, WE'VE DONE THIS, NOT THIS PARTICULAR KIND OF THING, BUT WITH THE DRIVEWAYS, LIKE, ESPECIALLY ALONG COUNTY ROAD 19, WHERE PEOPLE HAVE THE DRIVEWAYS GOING TO THE HOUSE AND THEY HAVE TO BACK OUT IN THE 19, WE'VE GIVEN THEM THE EXTRA HARD COVER TO DO A KIND OF A CUT IN TO THE YARD TO BILL SO THEY CAN PULL UP AND THEY CAN GO STRAIGHT OUT TO 19 BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY ISSUE. SO, SAFETY IS DEFINITELY VERY PREVALENT IN TERMS OF OUR PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES.
AYE. OPPOSED? NO, NO, THAT PASSES 3 TO 1.
OKAY. THAT'LL TAKE US TO HOLIDAY UPDATE FOR HOLIDAY PAY, WHICH IS NUMBER NINE.
[9. Update for Holiday pay]
AND I KNOW SOREN MARIA COUNCIL MEMBER VEACH SAID THAT SHE'S GOING TO RECUSE HERSELF.AND I'M ASSUMING THAT'S WHY COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON PULLED THIS OFF.
I PULLED IT OFF OR YOU PULLED IT UP.
YOU'RE RIGHT. IT IS A POINT OF ORDER.
SO, IT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION.
COUNCIL MEMBER VEACH THAT YOU RECUSE YOURSELF FROM THAT PARTICULAR VOTE.
THANK YOU. WHEN I CALL A POINT OF ORDER, SIR.
AND WOULD YOU PLEASE REVIEW WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN? SURE. IF YOU ASK FOR A POINT OF ORDER.
IT'S A COMMENT OUTSIDE OF THE BOUNDS OF THIS ISSUE WE'RE DISCUSSING.
SO, WHO'S GOING TO PRESENT ON THIS ONE? CHIEF, IS THAT YOU? THAT'S YOU OKAY.
IN THAT ORIGINAL COUNCIL MEETING, WE TALKED ABOUT HOLIDAY PAY FOR FIREFIGHTERS BEING A DOUBLE TIME.
HOWEVER, IT SHOULD HAVE READ TIME AND A HALF, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH THE REST OF OUR.
ALL RIGHT, SO IT SEEMS PRETTY, PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
OKAY, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SPECIAL COMPENSATION PAY AS LISTED ABOVE IN THE TABLE.
AYE. OPPOSED? NO. NOTE THAT PASSES 2 TO 1.
COUNCIL MEMBER OPPOSED AND COUNCIL MEMBER.
ABSTENTION. ABSTENTION 2 TO 1 TO ONE.
[10. Updating our membership into the Hennepin County Fire Chiefs Association]
CHIEF, AND I'LL COME UP HERE.WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS THEY'VE SWITCHED TO GETTING THEIR NONPROFIT STATUS.
[00:20:07]
SO, I RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION 7470.ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS FOR CHIEF? ALL RIGHT. THANKS. ABSOLUTELY.
ALL RIGHT. WELL, I GUESS I'LL MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 7470.
SECONDED. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
AYE. OPPOSED? NO. THAT PASSES 3 TO 1 WITH A COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON VOTING AGAINST.
OKAY, THAT'LL BRING US TO OUR FINANCE REPORT.
[13. First Quarter Financial Update]
MAGGIE. OUR FIRST QUARTER FINANCIAL UPDATE.I'M JUST WAITING FOR POWERPOINT.
WELL, THEY DIDN'T TELL YOU YOUR FIRST ONE.
SORRY. THANK YOU. IT WILL BE HARD FOR YOU GUYS FOLLOWED US.
SO. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
TONIGHT, I WILL BE PRESENTING THE FIRST QUARTER FINANCIAL UPDATE.
SO, I'LL GIVE A BRIEF RECAP OF THE FIRST QUARTER FINANCIALS FOR OUR GENERAL FUND.
FIRST QUARTER REPRESENTS 25% OF THE YEAR.
SO, STARTING OFF WITH REVENUE.
THE CITY IS CURRENTLY AT 13.38% OF THE BUDGETED REVENUE FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
THE LARGEST GENERAL FUND REVENUE WOULD BE THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.
CURRENTLY, TAX COLLECTION IS AT 0% DUE TO FIRST HALF SETTLEMENT NOT GETTING DISTRIBUTED UNTIL JUNE OF THIS YEAR, AND AT THAT POINT WE SHOULD BE AT 50% OF THE BUDGETED REVENUE FOR TAXES.
THE SECOND LINE ITEM, THE SECOND LINE ITEM FOR CHARGES FOR SERVICES IS AT 37.11%, WHICH IS OVER A QUARTER OF THE BUDGET DUE TO HALF YEAR OF THE POLICE SERVICE CHARGES COLLECTED FROM MOUNT POLICE OR FROM CITY OF MOUNT AND THEN OTHER GOVERNMENTAL REVENUE IS CURRENTLY AT 0%, WHICH WOULD BE OUR THIRD BIGGEST REVENUE LINE ITEM. TYPICALLY, THAT'S AT 0% AS POLICE STATE AID IS A BIG PORTION OF THAT AND THAT IS TYPICALLY COLLECTED IN OCTOBER. INTEREST IS ALSO AT 0% AS THIS IS NOT ALLOCATED UNTIL YEAR END.
IN 2023, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S NOT ALLOCATED YET.
IT WILL BE ALLOCATED WITHIN THIS NEXT MONTH AS WE UNDERGO THE 2023 AUDIT PROCESS.
SO BASED ON PREVIOUS YEAR'S TREND AS SHOWN ON THE NEXT SLIDE IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT REVENUE WILL MEET OR EXCEED BUDGET. AS WE ARE TRENDING AS WE HAVE IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS.
SO NEXT UP WE HAVE THE BUILDING PERMIT REVENUE SLIDES.
WE ARE CURRENTLY ON TREND WITH PREVIOUS YEARS.
AND THEN NEXT SLIDE WOULD SHOW WHERE WE'RE AT YEAR TO DATE.
WE ARE ANTICIPATED TO MEET BUDGET.
AND THEN NEXT SLIDE WOULD BE OUR GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES.
TWO DEPARTMENTS ARE CURRENTLY TRENDING OVER BUDGET AT THIS POINT IN THE YEAR.
THE FIRST ONE WOULD BE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
MAYOR AND COUNCIL TYPICALLY TREND OVER BUDGET AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
THIS DEPARTMENT IS EXPECTED TO MEET AND NOT EXCEED BUDGET BY YEAR END.
NEXT LINE ITEM THAT'S OVER BUDGET AT THIS POINT WOULD BE PUBLIC WORKS SPRING PARK.
AS THERE WAS A CHANGE IN ALLOCATION OF PAYROLL AT THE END OF LAST YEAR.
SO, OUR BUDGET PROCESS WAS ALREADY OVER AT THAT POINT.
TO ACCURATELY ACCOUNT FOR STAFF TIME AND EXPENDITURES ARE REIMBURSED BY SPRING PARK.
AND SO, THIS IS OFFSET BY CHARGES FOR SERVICE REVENUE LINE ITEM.
ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE CURRENTLY TRENDING AT OR BELOW BUDGET.
IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES WILL BE AT OR BELOW BUDGET AT YEAR END.
IN THE NEXT SLIDE, I'VE INCLUDED SOME NEW INVESTMENT THAT WE'VE INVESTED IN AS A CITY.
INTEREST RATE HAS FALLEN SLIGHTLY FROM QUARTER FOUR OF 2023.
[00:25:09]
INVESTMENT. AND THEN ON NEXT SLIDE, I'VE INCLUDED THE CITY'S CURRENT INTEREST EARNINGS.AND THIS WILL BE ALLOCATED AT YEAR END BETWEEN OUR DIFFERENT FUNDS.
OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS FOR MAGGIE? THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU.
[Public Safety Report]
ALL RIGHT. THAT'LL TAKE US TO A PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT, CHIEF.I GUESS BEFORE YOU START, AS IS JUST LOOKING AT ADAM'S REPORT THAT HE DOES EVERY WEEK.
AND I NOTICED JAMES, YOU HAD A FEW GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN HERE.
YOU HAD TRAINING WITH THE LADDER AND RESCUE LAST WEDNESDAY.
THOSE ARE GREAT PICTURES. THANKS FOR SENDING THOSE OUT.
SO HOPEFULLY BY IN MAY, WE'LL HAVE ALL THOSE IN THE DOCKET AS WELL.
ABSOLUTELY. IT'S KIND OF MY SECOND GO AROUND WITH THAT.
SO THAT'S AWESOME. GREAT STUFF.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SO, AS WE GO THROUGH OUR UPDATE, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP FROM LAST MEETINGS UPDATE WAS IF WE COULD GIVE SOME SORT OF LEGEND AS TO WHAT SOME OF THIS MEANT ON THE NEXT SCREEN.
SO, THE LEGEND IS IN THE LOWER LEFT HERE.
IT'S LIKE ANYTHING THAT'S KIND OF HIGHLIGHTED IN SOLID GREEN IS COMPLETE.
ANYTHING IN THE DASH SCREEN EQUALS THAT WE ARE EITHER ON ORDER, ARRIVING AND READY FOR OUR STARTUP. HERE WE GO.
ALL RIGHT. SO VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAD LAST TIME.
SO, ON THE LEFT SIDE IS THE STARTUP OF JULY 1ST, 2024.
SO, WE HAVE ONE FULL TIME INDIVIDUAL MYSELF.
THE CAREER PART TIME INDIVIDUAL.
YOU'LL SEE EIGHT OF THEM HERE ON JULY 1ST.
AND THEN WE'VE HIRED TWO STARTING.
THEY WERE STILL KIND OF ON DOCKETS TO BE HIRED FOR THAT.
AND THEN OUR PAID-ON CALL VOLUNTEERS.
SO PAID ON CALL AND VOLUNTEER IS USED KIND OF SYNONYMOUSLY BETWEEN THE TWO.
I LIKE THE PAID-ON CALL VERSION OF IT BECAUSE WE ARE PAYING OUR INDIVIDUALS, BUT THEY ARE REFERENCED ALSO AS VOLUNTEERS BECAUSE THEY DO A LOT OF EXTRA DUTIES. AND THAT THAT YOU SEE IN AND AROUND THE COMMUNITY WITHOUT GETTING PAID.
SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE NINE WITH THE SWITCH IN THE DUTY CREW MODEL, WE KIND OF DOWNSIZED THAT TO WANTING TO HAVE ABOUT 14 IF WE COULD THIS YEAR.
SO, LIKE THE MAYOR WAS TALKING ABOUT, WE HAVE TWO OF THEM.
WHAT'S NICE ABOUT THAT IS THEY'RE BEING RECOMMENDED BY INDIVIDUALS THAT WE HAVE HIRED ALREADY.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE ARE DOING SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS.
THEY RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE COUNCIL.
AND THE SAME WITH THE PART TIME ONES, TOO.
SO THAT'S ALWAYS A POSITIVE MOVING DOWN TO EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES.
YOU SEE THAT ON THE LEFT SIDE, WE HAVE THE THREE VEHICLES.
WE TALKED WITH THE MANUFACTURER A WEEK AGO, JUST BEFORE THEY WENT DOWN TO CONFERENCE AT FDIC.
AND THEY'RE STILL ON TRACK TO BE HERE.
OBVIOUSLY, THE OLD PUBLIC WORKS, OR AS IT WAS KIND OF CALLED OUT BEFORE, AND THEN THE NAVARRE GARAGE, THOSE ARE STILL ON TRACK TO BE UP AND READY FOR US TO START JULY 1ST.
AND THEN AS WE MOVE ACROSS FOR JANUARY 1ST, 26, THE ENGINE THAT IS IN HIGHLIGHTED GREEN IS ON ORDER AND SUPPOSED TO BE DELIVERED SO THAT ACTUALLY THE LADDER TRUCK IS HIGHLIGHTED IN SOLID GREEN IS HERE AND READY TO GO.
THE ENGINE IN THE DASHED GREEN LINE SHOULD BE HERE IN NOVEMBER OF 25, IS WHAT THEY'RE TELLING US.
SO, WE'LL START ORDERING EQUIPMENT.
FOR DELIVERY IN THE BEGINNING OF OR MID 25 FOR THAT TRUCK.
AS OF JANUARY 1ST, 2026, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT BUILDING FOR US.
[00:30:01]
THAT'S WHY IT'S IN THE DASHED GREEN.AND THEN THE WILLOW STATION IS KIND OF STILL UNDER CONTRACT WITH LONG LAKE AND JOINT OWNERSHIP.
AND SO, WE'LL HAVE TO TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT ENDS UP LOOKING LIKE COME JANUARY OF 26.
SO, WE TALKED ABOUT THE TRAINING.
THANKS, MAYOR, FOR MENTIONING THAT WE STARTED TRAINING IN APRIL.
WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT WITH THE VEHICLES THAT WE HAD.
OF COURSE, A COUPLE OF THEM WERE OUT TODAY ALSO TRAINING WITH THE VEHICLE.
GOT SOME NICE PICTURES FROM THAT.
AND THESE PEOPLE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT BEING A PART OF THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND AS WE MOVE DOWN TO THE ADMINISTRATION ON THE LEFT SIDE FOR JULY 1ST THE ONLY THING THAT'S NOT IN GREEN, WHICH MEANS THAT IT'S NOT COMPLETE, 100% COMPLETE YET IS THE FIRE ID NUMBER. SPOKE WITH DAVID JENSEN, WHO'S OUR FIRE SPECIALIST.
FIRE SERVICE SPECIALIST FOR THIS AREA.
HE SAID OUR NUMBER WAS ACTUALLY ALREADY GENERATED THROUGH THE NATIONAL SYSTEM.
WE SHOULD BE SEEING, HOPEFULLY, A LETTER FROM THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL THIS WEEK WITH THAT NUMBER.
AND THEN AS WE MOVE ACROSS SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE GOT IN PLACE, OUR RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, THE PRE PLAN INSPECTION SOFTWARE, TRAINING SOFTWARE, THE CO-USE AGREEMENT STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE.
WE WENT THROUGH AN EXERCISE THEN THAT WAS BACK IN I THINK FEBRUARY IS WHEN WE KIND OF WENT THROUGH THAT AND STARTED TALKING ABOUT MISSION, VISION AND VALUES AND WHAT WE WANT THE DEPARTMENT TO LOOK LIKE. SO, WE CAME UP WITH SOME GOOD ONES, SENT THEM OUT.
AND SO, IT'S IN DRAFT FORM RIGHT NOW.
ONCE WE GOT TO GET CONSENSUS ON THAT, WE'LL BRING IT BACK FOR THE COUNCIL TO REVIEW.
SO VERY EXCITING THINGS HAPPENING.
SO, WE DECIDED TO KIND OF JUMP ON THAT AND TALK ABOUT OUR OPERATING BUDGET.
THE MAJORITY OF OUR EXPENSES WILL HIT, OBVIOUSLY, STARTING JULY 1ST.
THAT'S WHEN THE MAJORITY OF OUR PERSONNEL COSTS WILL START COMING.
IF YOU WERE TO COMPARE THE TWO BUDGETS AND OUR MODEL IS JUST DIFFERENT, WE'LL HAVE SOMEBODY ON STAFF 16 HOURS OUT OF THE DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AT THE STATION TO RESPOND TO CALLS OR EMERGENCIES.
DO THEIR DUTIES AS, AS THEY SEE FIT.
AND THEN FOR THE OTHER EIGHT HOURS, WE'LL BE RELIANT ON A DUTY OFFICER THAT WILL BE ON SHIFT.
SO THAT'S A MAJOR DIFFERENCE THAT YOU SEE THERE IN OUR OPERATING BUDGET IS THAT PERSONNEL COST.
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT. SO, WE'VE KIND OF BROKEN OUT.
WE HAVE FOR CAPITAL EQUIPMENT PURCHASES FOR THIS YEAR, TURNOUT GEAR FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS.
THAT IS A CAPITAL PROCUREMENT FOR US.
THEY HAVE THEIR WORKING SET; THEY HAVE A SPARE SET.
THAT'S SIZED FOR THEM. AND IT'S NOT A SPARE SET THAT'S NOT THAT'S INCORRECTLY SIZED.
MOST OF IT'S BEEN COMING IN THE TANKER TENDER, SOME OF THAT IS ON ITS WAY.
SO, AS YOU SEE, WE'RE ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH OUR CAPITAL BUDGET AND THEN THE CAPITAL FACILITIES THE PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY IS REPURPOSED. THAT'S A LITTLE LIGHT THERE.
THERE'S 9000 THAT WE'VE DONE FOR SOME GARAGE REPAIRS AND ADDITIONS TO EYES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND THEN WE'VE HAD ABOUT $30,000 WORTH OF EQUIPMENT.
GEAR DRYERS, HOSE RACKS, HOSE DRYING STUFF GEAR GRID LOCKERS THAT HAVE BEEN DELIVERED.
WE JUST HAVEN'T PUT THOSE UP YET.
UNTIL PUBLIC WORKS MOVES OUT, IT GETS A CLEAN, AND THEN WE'LL PUT THEM UP.
AND THEN THE NAVARRE GARAGE, WHICH IS THE TEMPORARY FACILITY DOWN ON THE SOUTH.
THAT'S MAINLY THE PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURAL REVIEWS OF THAT TYPE OF STUFF.
PROBABLY SOMEWHERE BETWEEN MY GUESS WOULD BE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN ABOUT 125 AND 135.
[00:35:04]
SOMEWHERE IN THERE.AND THEN THE NAVARRE GARAGE IS THAT WAS 338, 200.
SO. SO THAT'S REALLY THE PRESENTATION I HAVE FOR YOU TONIGHT.
I'LL STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY ANY QUESTIONS FOR CHIEF OR COMMENTS I LIKE TO.
ABSOLUTELY. I JUST WANT TO GO OVER THE OPERATIONAL BUDGET A LITTLE BIT.
YEP YEP. SO IT'S A IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT MODEL.
WE'RE WE'RE ACTUALLY STAFFING THE STATIONS.
AND WE'LL HAVE PART TIME PEOPLE THAT WILL BE THERE FOR 16 HOURS OUT OF THE DAY.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE AN ON CALL DUTY OFFICER.
ALL RIGHT, SO THIS IS I'M JUST TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND THE THE DIFFERENCE IN STAFFING.
IF YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE FIRST ONE.
AS IT STANDS, THE SERVICE THAT WE'RE USED TO IS ONE FULL TIME.
AND THE PAID ON CALL VOLUNTEER.
ARE THE REST OF THE POSITIONS CURRENTLY CORRECT? CURRENTLY OVER AT LONG LAKE, THEY HAVE ONE FULL TIME FIRE CHIEF AND THEN THEY HAVE PAID ON CALL FIREFIGHTERS AND THEY DO A VOLUNTEER DUTY SHIFT DURING THE DAY WHEN THEY WHEN THEY'RE ABLE TO STAFF IT.
SO I THINK THAT ONE WAS VERY HELPFUL.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE USING VOLUNTEER CAREER EVEN THOUGH I KNOW THEY'RE NOT STANDARD FOR YOU.
MY NEXT QUESTION WAS I WANTED TO KNOW WHICH WAYS YOU'VE BEEN WORKING WITH CORREY AND MAGGIE OR ADAM.
YEAH. SO THE RESOURCES HERE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, ANYWHERE FROM IT ALL THE WAY UP TO PUBLIC SAFETY, RIGHT? JUST SITTING DOWN AND BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH CORREY AND WATCHING HIS OR REVIEWING HIS MODEL OF, OF THE CAPITAL PLAN AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST WAS NOT OFFERED TO ME OVER AT LONG LAKE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THOSE TYPE OF RESOURCES.
RIGHT. SO TO BE ABLE TO SIT DOWN WITH HIM IN A ROOM AND KIND OF GO THROUGH HOW HE'S BEEN ABLE TO BUILD A VERY SUCCESSFUL POLICE DEPARTMENT AND CAPITAL PLAN OVER THE YEARS, TRYING TO MODEL SOME OF THAT AND BORROW SOME OF HIS IDEAS, AS WE SAY.
AND I THINK THE LAST ONE THAT WELL, TWO MORE, I GUESS YOU SAID STAFFING HAS BEEN GOING WELL.
AND CAN YOU ELABORATE ON YOUR GUESSES OF WHY HIRING IS GOING WELL? YOU KNOW, IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS I STARTED ASKING THE QUESTION WHEN WHEN I'M STARTING TO TALK TO HIM OR WHEN I GET THE EMAILS AND STUFF, AND IT REALLY IS JUST THE EXCITEMENT ABOUT BUILDING SOMETHING NEW AND BEING ABLE TO BE ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF THAT.
AND ALSO THE AMOUNT THAT THE CITY IS COMMITTED FROM AN INVESTMENT STANDPOINT IN, IN EQUIPMENT AND TRUCKS AND GEAR AND, AND KIND OF THE BACKING THAT WE'VE SEEN FROM THIS COUNCIL FOR PUBLIC SAFETY HAS BEEN VERY EXCITING FOR THE INDIVIDUALS.
ABSOLUTELY. AS WE MOVE FORWARD YOU'LL START SEEING UPDATES ON A REGULAR BASIS.
YOU'LL SEE MORE OF THIS JUST ABOUT EVERY WEEK WOULD BE OR NOT.
EXCUSE ME EVERY COUNCIL MEETING.
THAT'LL BE A MATRIX OF HOW ARE WE DOING, HOW ARE WE RESPONDING, YOU KNOW, WHERE HAVE WE IMPROVED? WHERE DO WE NEED TO IMPROVE STILL? AND ARE WE HITTING THE MATRIX THAT WE WANT TO HIT.
YEAH, I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
YEP. SO ADAM AND I HAVE HAD THAT CONVERSATION.
NOLA SHOULD BE PUTTING SOMETHING UP FROM THIS LAST COUNCIL MEETING.
THIS SLIDE RIGHT HERE WILL GO UP ON THAT UPDATE, AND THEN WE'LL PROBABLY ADD LIKE ANOTHER SECTION TO THIS THAT WILL GIVE SOME EXPLANATION BENEATH IT, BECAUSE JUST LOOKING AT THE SLIDE DOESN'T NECESSARILY LEND ITSELF REAL WELL TO EXPLAINING WHAT IT ALL MEANS.
SO WE'LL HAVE KIND OF A MAYBE A LITTLE ANSWER BELOW IT AS TO, YOU KNOW, THE GREENS MEAN THIS.
WE HAVE THIS MANY FIREFIGHTERS AND ADD SOME OF THE NOTES THAT I'VE ARTICULATED OUT.
SO I AGREE AND I THINK LAY PEOPLE NEED TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND AND COMPREHEND AND, AND BE ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH WHAT THEY SEE ON A PUBLIC WEBSITE. SO I'D AGREE WITH THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE CURRENTLY EXISTS ON OUR WEBSITE.
A CLEAR INDICATION OF WHERE THIS CALL AREA IS THAT IS TO BE SERVICED.
I'VE SEEN IT HAVE IT HERE IN FRONT OF ME.
SO I THE SAME ONE YOU HAVE, I'LL MAKE A NOTE THAT WE ADD IT.
[00:40:02]
SO BECAUSE I THINK THE, THE MAPS FUNCTION THAT WE HAD LAST TIME IN THE MEETING IS NOT AN IMAGE THAT LENDS ITSELF WELL TO THE AVERAGE PERSON BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHICH PORTIONS OF THE CITY ARE ARE SCHEDULED TO BE SERVICED JULY 1ST.ONE IS GIVEN ALL OF THIS INFORMATION.
AND I'M ASKING THIS QUESTION BECAUSE THIS IS A QUESTION I GET ASKED AND I UNDERSTAND MAYBE IT'S GETTING IN THE WEEDS A LITTLE BIT, BUT WHEN WE TALK, WHICH YOU DID TONIGHT, A LOT ABOUT THE WORD NEW AS IT RELATES TO FIRE SERVICE IT MATTERS THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND HOW THEIR HOME IS GOING TO BE SERVICED AND HOW THEY OR THEIR FAMILY OR RELATIVES ARE GOING TO BE ASSISTED WHEN A CALL COMES.
SO I GUESS WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR HERE IS IF YOU COULD JUST ADD SOME INFORMATION HERE IN THE REPORT ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN JULY 1ST, EITHER FOR A MEDICAL CALL, WHICH THE MAJORITY OF CALLS ARE NOT FIRE AS WE KNOW, A MEDICAL LIFT ASSIST, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WHERE ARE FOLKS GOING TO BE REPORTING FROM? OR I SHOULD SAY, RESPONDING FROM? HOW IS THAT FLOW GOING TO LOOK LIKE WITH OLD PUBLIC WORKS VERSUS NAVARRE GARAGE? WHERE IS THE EQUIPMENT BEING HOUSED? HOW WOULD YOU GET TO A HOME IN THIS CALL AREA, EITHER FOR A MEDICAL OR IF IT WAS A FIRE, AND WOULD IT LOOK DIFFERENT IN THOSE SCENARIOS? TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, IT SHOULDN'T LOOK ANY DIFFERENT THAN WHEN THEY'RE BEING PAGED OUT TODAY, RIGHT? THEY'RE CALLING 911.
THE ANSWERING POINT'S PICKING UP.
IF IT'S A MEDICAL POLICE ARE BEING POLICE ARE RESPONDING.
NORTH MEMORIAL IS RESPONDING OR AN AMBULANCE IS RESPONDING.
AND THEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS RESPONDING FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE AREAS.
RIGHT. JUST DEPENDS ON WHERE THE TRUCK IS AT THE TIME.
FOR US, IT SHOULD BE DOWN IN THAT AREA.
THAT'S WHERE OUR CONCENTRATION IS GOING TO BE.
IF IT'S DURING THE DAY, WE'LL HAVE, YOU KNOW, STAFF, TWO PEOPLE THAT THAT COULD BE RIGHT NEXT DOOR, OR THEY COULD BE A LITTLE WAYS AWAY, DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY'RE DOING AT THAT DAY, IF THEY'RE DOING SOME TRAINING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, THEY'LL THEY'LL DROP WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND THEY'LL RESPOND TO THE CALL.
SO THE TURNOUT TIME IS NEXT TO NOTHING FOR THEM WHEN THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
TURNOUT TIME MEANS THE TIME THAT THEY GET THE PAGE TO THE TIME THAT THEY'RE IN THE TRUCK AND RESPONDING WHEREAS WHEN YOU'RE PAID ON CALL, VOLUNTEER AND RESPONDING DIRECTLY FROM YOUR HOUSE YOU'RE RESPONDING FROM YOUR HOUSE TO THE STATION AND FROM THE STATION, THEN TO THE, TO THE CALL.
SO THAT'S THE MAJOR CHANGE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IS THAT TURNOUT TIME SHOULD BE LOWER.
OR WILL BE LOWER, I SHOULD SAY AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE MEASURING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS.
AND THEN IF WE ARE IN THE OFF HOURS WHERE WE DON'T HAVE DUTY CREWS ON, ON STATION OR EXCUSE ME, AT THE STATIONS OR STATION WE'LL HAVE A DUTY OFFICER THAT IS PAID TO BE IN AND AROUND THAT AREA AND WILL BE RESPONDING TO THOSE CALLS ALSO, ALONG WITH, DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF CALL, IF IT'S LET'S JUST SAY IT'S A NORMAL MEDICAL THE PAID ON CALL STAFF THAT WILL BE RESPONDING TO AND THEN ALSO THE POLICE ARE RESPONDING AND THE AMBULANCE IS RESPONDING.
SO, SO WILL WILL PERSONNEL BE AT THE NAVARRE GARAGE WAITING THERE FOR CALLS? IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING THAT DAY.
YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE DOING DIFFERENT THINGS, RIGHT? SO THEY COULD BE AT THAT GARAGE.
ABSOLUTELY. THEY COULD BE UP HERE.
THEY COULD BE DOING A PUBLIC EVENT THAT THEY HAVE TO LEAVE FROM.
THERE'S JUST MANY THINGS THAT THEY COULD BE DOING.
YOU'RE SAYING NOT 100% OF THE TIME, OR THEY'RE GOING TO BE AT THE GARAGE? NO. THAT'S THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT THE PLAN.
THEY'LL BE IN THE AREA AND THEY'LL BE THEY'LL BE VERY VISIBLE.
YES, BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE AT THE GARAGE 100% OF THE TIME.
SO THESE CURRENTLY, LIKE YOU DON'T HAVE ANYBODY AT STATION TWO 100% OF THE TIME.
SO THE DUTY CREW WILL BE MOVING AROUND THE CITY DURING THE DAY.
MOVING AROUND THAT AREA? YEP. AND THEY COULD BE DOING EVENTS.
THEY COULD BE TEACHING HANDS ONLY CPR OR FIRST AID LIKE WE'VE DONE ALONG WITH SOME OTHERS.
YEAH, I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE OUT PATROLLING THE AREA.
THEY MAY BE DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
CALL COMES IN, THEY MOVE TO THE TO THE PRIORITY CALL.
AND SO THAT IS THAT'S THE WHOLE NEW THING THAT TWO THIRDS OF THE TIME I'LL BE SO READY.
[00:45:04]
AND THAT HELPS TO CLARIFY FOR SURE.THIS IS A VERY DIFFERENT MODEL IN THAT LIKE POLICE, WE'RE ESSENTIALLY HAVING MOBILE FIREFIGHTERS MOVING ABOUT THE CITY WHEN THERE ARE NO CALLS.
OKAY. NAVARRE GARAGE WILL NOT BE OUTFITTED FOR ANY SAFETY OR EYEWASH STATIONS.
IS THAT ONLY GOING TO BE HAPPENING AT OLD PUBLIC? NO, THAT'S THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
THERE WILL BE A TEMPORARY EYEWASH STATION THERE.
WE'VE WORKED WITH ADAM AND I HAVE HAD THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT THERE'S THERE'S THE ABILITY TO HAVE KIND OF A TEMPORARY ONE, WHICH IS A SELF-CONTAINED UNIT THAT CAN BE MOVED IN. SO THEY WILL HAVE THAT.
YES. YOU BROUGHT UP THE ISO RATING AND I'M WONDERING HOW IF YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE THAT IS ANOTHER QUESTION I'VE RECEIVED.
WHAT CAN HOMEOWNERS EXPECT IN THIS ZONE FOR THEIR ISO FROM ORONO? INITIALLY THEY SHOULDN'T SEE A CHANGE WHATSOEVER.
YOU SAID INITIALLY THEY SHOULDN'T SEE A CHANGE.
UNTIL WE'RE UNTIL WE'RE REEVALUATED.
ONCE WE HAVE THAT, THEY'LL REEVALUATE US.
SO HOPEFULLY WE ARE AS GOOD OR BETTER MOVING FORWARD.
SO THE ISO RATING WILL BE THE SAME AS WHAT IT IS NOW WITH LONG LAKE FIRE FOR THE FIRST SIX.
IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THEIR REPRESENTATIVE, THAT'S WHAT HE SAID.
ANYTHING ELSE FOR CHIEF? CHIEF. LET'S PICK A SPOT.
CASCO. THAT'LL BE PART OF THE NEW TERRITORY THAT WE TAKE OVER IN JULY.
THERE'S A MEDICAL EMERGENCY ON CASCO.
WHAT HAPPENS NOW? SO WHAT HAPPENS RIGHT NOW? CURRENTLY? SO THE PAGE GOES OUT TO THE LONG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO RESPOND.
POLICE ARE RESPONDING AND AN AMBULANCE IS ALSO RESPONDING.
MORE THAN LIKELY, THE POLICE GETS THERE FIRST.
IN THIS MODEL, BECAUSE THEY ARE IN AND AROUND THAT AREA QUITE OFTEN.
SO IT JUST DEPENDED ON HOW IT WENT.
SO AND THEN ARE THEY IS THERE A DUTY CREWS IN STATION NUMBER TWO THAT ARE GOING TO RESPOND TO A DAYTIME CALL NOW, DO YOU KNOW NOW I DON'T KNOW I DON'T THINK THEY'RE HAVING A GREAT TIME STAFFING THAT FROM THE LAST FIRE ADVISORY BOARD MEETING THAT WE HAD.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THEM.
SO OKAY. SO THEN WE'LL FAST FORWARD TO JULY 1ST.
YOU KNOW, 1:00, LET'S SAY IT'S A MONDAY.
SO SAME TYPE OF PAGING MECHANISM GOES OUT TO OUR TO EVERYBODY.
RIGHT. SO YOU PAGED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, GETS PAGED, NORTH MEMORIAL GETS THEIR AMBULANCE DISPATCH.
OUR DUTY CREW DURING THAT TIME WOULD GET DISPATCHED.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE BEING PAGED OUT.
WERE THOSE TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ON STAFF.
OR IF WE HAVE THREE, DEPENDING ON WHO'S ALL ON STAFF AND MYSELF WOULD GET THAT PAGE.
SO THEY WOULD RESPOND FROM WHERE THEY'RE RESPONDING FROM DIRECTLY TO THAT CALL.
I WOULD SAY MORE LIKELY THE POLICE ARE GOING TO GET THERE FIRST.
WE'LL GET THERE SECOND, AND THE AMBULANCE SHOULD BE BEHIND US.
SO WHEN WE SEE, YOU KNOW, SOME STATISTICAL DATA WITH HOW IT'S GOING NOW THAT THERE'LL BE, YOU KNOW, 12 OR 14 OFFICERS OR FIREFIGHTERS RESPONDING, HOW HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN NOW? SO THAT HAPPENS NOW BECAUSE DEPENDING ON THE DAY AND THE TIME AND THE TYPE OF CALL LONG LAKE PAGES BOTH STATIONS TO RESPOND, WHICH THEY DID WHEN I WAS THERE TOO.
SO THAT WOULD BE LIKE THE ALL 40.
OKAY. JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'D HAVE ENOUGH TO FILL THE TRUCKS TO BE ABLE TO GO CURRENTLY.
THOSE THOSE TWO, UNLESS IT'S A MAJOR EVENT.
AND THEN WE'LL PAGE EVERYBODY OUT.
BUT THOSE TWO CAN HANDLE THAT MEDICAL ALONG WITH THE POLICE AND THE AMBULANCE.
SO AND SO THEY DO THAT THEY PAGE OUT ALL 42 OFFICERS OR SORRY, FIREFIGHTERS.
BECAUSE WHY DO THEY DO ALL OF THEM? SO WE DID THAT WHEN I WAS THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD AN ADEQUATE RESPONSE.
YEP. AND SO SO THEY PUT OUT 42 AND THEY COULD HAVE 14 OR 20 SHOW UP BECAUSE THEY JUST DON'T.
[00:50:01]
THAT'S THAT'S JUST THE PAID ON CALL MODEL, RIGHT? THEY RESPOND WHEN THEY'RE ABLE TO AND THEY'RE ONLY REQUIRED TO MAKE THEIR 30%.SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO RESPOND TO EVERY CALL, BUT THEY DO NEED TO RESPOND TO A GOOD NUMBER OF THEM.
YES. SO THEN WHEN WE GO TO JULY 1ST.
WE'RE ONLY PAGING THE TWO THAT ARE ON CALL FOR A MEDICAL.
YEAH, EXACTLY. BECAUSE THEY'RE THERE.
EVERYBODY IN LONG LAKE IS A VOLUNTEER.
AND THEN THERE HAS TO BE PEOPLE AT THE STATION THAT CAN DRIVE THE TRUCK BEFORE THEY CAN GO ANYWHERE.
AND JUST BECAUSE FIVE PEOPLE SHOW UP DOESN'T MEAN THERE'S ANYBODY THAT CAN DRIVE THE TRUCK.
YET THEY NEED THAT ONE PERSON TO GET IN THE TRUCK TO GO.
BUT BUT FROM OUR STANDPOINT WE'VE GOT PEOPLE THAT ARE ON BECAUSE THEY'RE PART TIME.
THEY'RE WORKING THAT THEY WILL BE THERE.
THEY GET PAGED AND BOOM, THEY'VE THE VARIABILITY GOES DOWN.
YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR RESPONSE IS GOING TO BE RIGHT AWAY.
YEP. SO AS AN ON CALL MODEL, THERE'S JUST MORE VARIABILITY.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM.
IT'S JUST A MODEL THAT, YOU KNOW, STARTED BACK IN THE 40S AND 50S AND HAS KIND OF MORPHED OVER TIME.
WE'RE HOPEFULLY USING A LITTLE BIT OF A HYBRID OF THAT MODEL WHERE WE'RE UTILIZING ALSO THE PAID ON CALL FOR A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE EIGHT HOURS AND A LOT OF OUR BIG CALLS, THEY'LL BE PAGED OUT FOR IT.
THEY CAN ALSO WORK OUR DUTY CREWS IF THEY WANT TO BE ON THE PART TIME SIDE, TOO.
ESPECIALLY SINCE WE EXPANDED IT OUT, EXPANDED THE HOURS.
SO AND THAT JUST REALLY JUST GOES BACK TO BEST PRACTICES AS LOOKING AT ALL THE BASIC, NOT THE BASIC, BUT ALL THE POTENTIAL THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO TO GIVE THE BEST RESPONSE TIME DEPENDING ON WHAT'S GOING ON.
EVEN MOVING FORWARD FROM THAT STANDPOINT, WE WON'T NEED CLEARLY AS MANY PAID ON CALL AT THE SAME TIME AS THERE IS CURRENTLY, POSSIBLY AS LONG AS WE CAN KEEP THE PART TIME OR THE CAREER NUMBERS UP THERE TO BE ABLE TO FILL THE SHIFTS.
YES. THE OTHER NICE THING ABOUT THAT IS YOU HAVE SOME, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IF WE IF AS WE LOOK DOWN THE LINE, RIGHT, AND EXPAND OUT THIS MODEL TO MAYBE, YOU KNOW, THE SUCCESS RATE OF HAVING THEM THERE FOR OR HAVING SOMEBODY ON SHIFT FOR 16 HOURS OUT OF THE DAY MERITS US ALSO EXPANDING THAT OUT TO THOSE EIGHT HOURS.
AND MAYBE WE CAN JUSTIFY THE THE BUNK ROOMS AND HAVING PEOPLE ON SHIFT FOR THAT OTHER EIGHT HOURS FROM 10 TO 6 TO COVER THOSE AND ALSO RESPOND IN A QUICK FASHION. SO A GREAT POINT.
APPRECIATE THAT. I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION.
YEAH. OKAY. WELL, I THINK, MATT, I THINK MATT.
GO AHEAD. OH. WERE YOU OH GO AHEAD.
THE DIFFERENCE IN COSTS OF THIS COURSE OF ACTION WERE SIGNIFICANT BASED ON CONTRACT CITIES.
I'VE HAD NO CONVERSATION WITH THEM ABOUT WORKING WITH US.
I'M SORRY. SO I'M NOT ABLE TO.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, LAST TWO THINGS HERE.
THE FIRST ONE IS THAT AT OUR LAST MEETING, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WERE RESIDENT BUT SOME SOMEBODY HERE ASKING SOME QUESTION ABOUT OUR HOSES AND WATER. DO YOU RECALL THAT QUESTION? I DO, YES. KEN DID.
DO YOU HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT QUESTION? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH CHIEF HYLAND.
WE WENT OUT FOR LUNCH AND HAD A, I THOUGHT, A VERY, VERY PRODUCTIVE MEETING.
AND IN THAT CONVERSATION, I ASKED HIM, I KNEW THAT THEY HAD SOME EXTRA THREE INCH HOSE THAT THEY DON'T USE QUITE OFTEN, AND I ASKED IF WE WERE ABLE TO USE IT DURING TRAINING IF WE COULD COME OVER AND BORROW SOME OF IT IN THE MEANTIME.
AND THAT'S WHERE THAT CAME FROM.
IT'LL BE HERE WELL BEFORE THE TIME, BUT IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO, TO WORK WITH US TO, TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE SOME OF THAT SPARE HOSE THAT'S JUST SITTING THERE.
[00:55:02]
SO BUT I HAVE NOT HEARD BACK IF, IF THAT'S IF HE'S GOING TO LET US DO THAT OR NOT YET.SO AND THEN I'M GOING TO ASK YOU THIS QUESTION EVERY TIME I SEE YOU UP AT THE COUNCIL.
ANYWAY HOW DO YOU ANSWER THE QUESTION TO PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, WILL WE BE SAFE WITH ORONO FIRE STARTING JULY 1ST? I WOULD SAY YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY GOING TO BE SAFE WITH ORONO FIRE.
AS I LOOK DOWN AT OUR PAID ON CALL PEOPLE AND I LOOK DOWN AT OUR PART TIME PEOPLE, AND I LOOK AT THEIR CREDENTIALS AND THEIR TRAINING AND THEIR EXPERIENCE, IT IS AS GOOD OR BETTER THAN THAN WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
SERVING YOU OUR MODEL FOR 16 HOURS OUT OF THE DAY SHOULD BE BUILT TO RESPOND A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFICIENTLY THAN WHAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY GETTING.
SO I'M HOPING THAT AS WE LOOK AT ALL OF THE DATA AS IT COMES THROUGH, WHEN WE START JULY 1ST AND INTO THE FIRST FEW MONTHS THAT WE START SEEING THOSE, THOSE MARKERS THAT KIND OF PROVE US RIGHT.
YOU'RE WELCOME. THAT REMINDED ME OF ANOTHER QUESTION YOURS JUST DID.
SO I'M GOING TO ASK IT BECAUSE THIS IS A QUESTION THAT COMES TO ME.
AND IN REAL TIME, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHILE THESE CHANGES ARE IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE PRESENTING A POSITIVE CHANGE HERE.
AS A CITY AS WE IMPLEMENT A PROCESS LIKE THIS, ARE MINDFUL OF ALWAYS ANSWERING THE QUESTION, NOT JUST WHAT ARE YOU SPENDING, BUT HOW IS THAT GOING TO IMPACT MY TAXES? AND THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE ASKED OF STAFF IN THE PAST AS WE GO INTO THE BUDGETING CYCLE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK ABOUT BECAUSE I'M ASKED THIS QUESTION AND IT'S SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT FROM HOW AM I GOING TO BE SAFE? THE SECOND QUESTION IS, WHAT AM I GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING? AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING I EXPECT TO BE ANSWERED TODAY, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT COMES UP QUITE A BIT THAT WE AS A CITY AND THAT YOU ALSO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO ANSWER FOR WITH THIS MODEL.
MY OTHER THE QUESTION I HAVE IS CAN I JUST COMMENT ON THAT REAL QUICK FOR SURE.
SO MINNESOTA IS ONE OF THE MOST UNDERPAID VOLUNTEER OR FIREFIGHTERS IN THE, IN THE COUNTRY.
WE RANK LIKE 48TH OUT OF THE 50 STATES, WHICH IS SOME OF THE WORST EVER.
SO I TRULY THINK WE'VE BEEN GETTING BY WITH WITH SOMETHING THAT IS IS A FAILING SYSTEM RIGHT NOW.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO INVEST AS CITIZENS IN THAT SYSTEM TO IMPROVE IT.
SO I SPEAK, I SPEAK TO THAT AS WELL.
IT WAS IN YOUR NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
I'VE BEEN DOING LIKE I'VE TOLD YOU, TRYING TO EDUCATE MYSELF ON THIS.
IT WAS IN THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT, THE BREAKDOWN.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD A CHANCE TO READ THAT, BUT IT WAS IN THERE AS A BREAKDOWN PER TAXPAYER.
I THINK WE WANT IT WAS WAS A PER HOUSEHOLD AS THE ONE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PER HOUSEHOLD.
I THINK MOST PEOPLE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, HELP THEMSELVES IN GENERAL.
SO IF IT'S IN A NEEDS ASSESSMENT, I THINK THOSE ARE THINGS AS WE THINK ABOUT COMMUNICATING AS YOU'RE DOING TONIGHT, THAT'S ANOTHER PIECE THAT WE ARE AVAILABLE TO COMMUNICATE IN AN ONGOING FASHION.
THE USER ASKED TO SERVE THE CHIEFS AND A ROLE FOR THE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION.
I AM CURIOUS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE PRESENTATION AND THE CONFIDENCE IN THIS MODEL, HOW THIS TYPE OF MODEL IS RECEIVED ACROSS THE STATE.
YOU SEE DUTY CREWS THAT ARE HAPPENING NOT ONLY HERE BUT FURTHER OUT WEST.
AND AS WE MOVE TOWARDS SAINT PAUL AND OUT EAST.
[01:00:07]
AND THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT IS TO START AUGMENTING IT WITH EITHER A PART TIME DUTY CREW THAT YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE OVER IN LONG LAKE, WHICH IS USING YOUR PAID ON CALL PEOPLE TO FILL VOLUNTEER SHIFTS.TO NOW WHAT YOU START SEEING IN IN EXCELSIOR AND HERE STARTING JULY 1ST, WHICH IS UTILIZING AND PAYING PEOPLE TO BE AT THE STATION AND USING MORE PART TIME PEOPLE TO DO THAT.
AND THE IDEA OF MOVING TO DUTY CREWS CAN BE A REALLY HELPFUL CHANGE.
IT'S NOT JUST THAT, IT'S IT'S DUTY CREW AS A MODEL, BUT THE IDEA OF IMPLEMENTING DUTY CREW MOSTLY, OR PAY PART TIME FOLKS, MOSTLY IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF A NEW DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS THE STREET.
ONE OF THEM BEING US ONE OF THEM BEING LINO LAKES.
LINO LAKES STARTED MORE AS A PUBLIC SAFETY MODEL, USED USING SOME OF THEIR POLICE OFFICERS TO RESPOND AS FIREFIGHTERS, BUT HAVE NOW BASICALLY SCRAPPED THAT TO GO TO PART TIME PEOPLE TO FILL THEIR SHIFTS.
WE ACTUALLY HIRED ONE OF THEIR FIREFIGHTERS THE OTHER TWO OSTEGO AND NOW THEN ARE SMALL ENOUGH THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO JUST GO PAY DOWN, CALL TO SEE IF THAT WORKS FOR THEM. I KNOW NOW THAT IS ACTUALLY CONTRACTING WITH ANOTHER CITY.
IT'S IT'S THAT MODEL WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF A NEW DEPARTMENT.
BECAUSE I WOULD FULLY AGREE, AND I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT THE THAT LONG LAKE WAS UNDERFUNDED OR FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND THAT CAPITAL INFUSIONS ARE VERY, VERY NECESSARY TO KEEP A DEPARTMENT HEALTHY AND PROGRESSING THROUGH TIME IN A POSITIVE WAY.
YOU'VE ANSWERED MY QUESTION AND ABSOLUTELY I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU.
BUT UNDER THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE CONTRACT, THE CAPITAL PLAN WAS THE CAPITAL PLAN.
SO WHEN I WAS CHIEF THERE, YOU HAD TO WORK WITH UNDER THE CONSTRAINTS OF THOSE CONTRACTS.
NOW THAT THE CONTRACT IS TWILIGHTNING THERE CAN BE SOME CHANGES.
RIGHT. AND I UNDERSTAND THE INS AND OUTS OF THAT.
AND I'M NOT I'M. WE WON'T GET INTO THAT TONIGHT.
I HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEW OF THAT, A DIFFERENT OPINION.
BUT THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS.
YOU'RE WELCOME. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS FOR CHIEF QUESTIONS.
YEAH. GOOD JOB. THANKS. THAT WAS HELPFUL.
ALL RIGHT. THAT'LL TAKE US TO SAUNA, OUR CITY ATTORNEY REPORT.
THANK YOU. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I DON'T HAVE ANY UPDATES FOR TONIGHT.
THANKS. ALL RIGHT, WELL, THAT'LL BRING US OUR CITY ADMINISTRATOR.
MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL I HAD I HAD PUT ON A PARKS REPORT FOR THIS EVENING.
[Parks Report]
UNFORTUNATELY, OUR PARKS SUPERINTENDENT HAD A FAMILY ISSUE, SO I GOT CALLED AWAY.BUT I COULD REAL QUICKLY RUN THROUGH HIS.
HE DID TEXT ME OR EMAIL ME THIS REPORT FOR YOU ALL.
AND THAT WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, MAY 7TH, 5 P.M.
AND THEN THAT IMMEDIATELY PRECEDES THAT EVENING'S PARKS COMMISSION MEETING.
AND THEY'LL BE LOOKING TO BRING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL.
13 ON MOVING THAT PROJECT FORWARD OUT AT BIG ISLAND.
AS WELL AS GETTING THE FIRST ROUND OF MOWING OF THE TRAILS AND TRAIL MAINTENANCE OUT THERE.
DONE. AT THE GOLF COURSE WARM WEATHER IS ALLOWED FOR SOME RECORD ROUNDS IN APRIL.
AND THEY'RE ON ON TRACK WITH LEAGUE PLAY BEGINNING AT THE BEGINNING OF MAY.
IN A WEEK'S TIME. AND THEN DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL REMEMBER, BUT WE DID WE DID PROMOTE AND MOVE ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES, JACK WHO IS NOW NOW WORKING FULL TIME AS THE GOLF COURSE.
AND THEN ALSO IN THE PERSONNEL ARENA.
ALL ALL GOING WELL AND PARKS RIGHT NOW.
[01:05:02]
I HAD TWO QUESTIONS FOR JOSH.SURE. CAN HE PROVIDE A LINK FOR LEAGUE? THAT'D BE GREAT.
I COULDN'T. IN THE FACEBOOK POST THERE WAS REFERENCE TO LEAGUE IF HE COULD PROVIDE A LINK FOR THAT.
JOIN ONE OF THE LEAGUES. THAT'D BE GREAT.
OKAY. AND THEN JUST A GENERAL QUESTION, AND I THINK YOU COULD PROBABLY SPEAK TO IT.
WHAT IS THE AFTER WINTER? WHAT IS THE ASSESSMENT OF OUR PARKS.
IS IT APRIL, MAY, JUNE? WHEN DO WE START ASSESSING OUR PARKS AND LIKE LOOKING AT THEM? OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE SNOW TO MELT, I'D GUESS.
AND SO IT DEPENDS WHAT YOU MEAN BY ASSESS.
SO CONSTANTLY THERE WE HAVE MAINTENANCE CREWS GOING AROUND FOR CERTAIN FUNCTIONS SAY PLAYGROUNDS, WE DO ANNUAL INSPECTIONS OF ALL THE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT THAT USUALLY STARTS MID-SUMMER SOMETIME.
WE COMPLETE AT LEAST ONE CYCLE OF THAT.
AND SO EVERY SPRING, A LOT OF IT WEATHER DEPENDENT.
THAT USUALLY STARTS THE BEGINNING OF APRIL.
OKAY. AND THEN ALSO PUTTING OUR DOCKS IN AT OUR LAKE ACCESS POINTS WHERE WE HAVE DOCKS AT MOST OF THOSE ARE NOW IN AND THEN THERE'S KIND OF THE, YOU KNOW, PUTTING UP SHADE SAILS AT THE PARKS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF THAT HAPPENS IN THIS PART OF THE SPRING.
AND THEN IN BETWEEN PARTICULARLY THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER MONTHS, THAT'S WHEN WE BRING IN OUR ADDITIONAL FOLKS, OUR SEASONAL EMPLOYEES TO TO REALLY TRY TO GET AFTER, YOU KNOW, THAT ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND AS WELL AS THE MOWING CONTRACTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO TO GET ALL THOSE.
ADAM, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
COULD YOU REPEAT? I DIDN'T CATCH WHEN THE PAVILION PROPOSAL IS GOING TO BE.
NOT PRESENTED TO COUNCIL, BUT YOU MENTIONED AND YOU DIDN'T CALL IT AN OPEN HOUSE.
OKAY. FOR THE GOLF COURSE PAVILION PROPOSAL.
AND THAT WILL BE TUESDAY, MAY 7TH AT 5 P.M.
HERE AT CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
HOW ARE WE NOTICING THAT? IT WENT OUT TODAY.
I KNOW, I SAW IT GO OUT ON OUR WEBSITE.
IS THERE POSTING OR WOULD THERE BE A POSTING AT THE GOLF COURSE ABOUT THIS AS WELL? I'M NOT SURE IF HE'S GOT LIKE A FLIER UP.
YEAH, YEAH, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT A FLIER, BUT I COULD CONSIDER IT UNREASONABLE.
AND WHAT WHAT IS THE WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR THE OPEN HOUSE? WHAT WILL BE DISCUSSED OR PRESENTED? THEY HAVE A RENDERING OF WHAT THE LATEST VERSION OF THE PROPOSED, PROPOSED PAVILION IS FOR FOLKS TO TAKE A LOOK AT AND PROVIDE ANY COMMENTS THEY MIGHT HAVE.
WILL THAT BE AN ITERATIVE PROCESS? IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A WEEK OR SO BETWEEN THIS OPEN HOUSE AND THIS BEING BROUGHT TO COUNCIL, CORRECT.
SO WHERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ITERATION OR FEEDBACK WITH THAT TIMELINE? WELL, THEY'LL RECEIVE FEEDBACK RIGHT THEN IF THERE'S SOMETHING MAJORLY I MEAN, IF EVERYBODY'S COMING THERE AND SAYING THEY DON'T LIKE A PAVILION WITH FOUR CORNERS OR, I DON'T KNOW, PAVILIONS ARE FAIRLY SIMPLE STRUCTURES.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH COMMENT WE CAN GET ON THAT.
BUT WE DID SAY WE'D HAVE ONE, SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE AND LET PEOPLE PROVIDE COMMENT.
IF THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN CHANGE BASED ON THAT.
OKAY, THAT'S MY QUESTION BECAUSE I JUST WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AS A COUNCIL ONCE AND I KNOW IT CAME OUT OF PARKS, BUT THE IDEA IS TO NOT TO NOT HAVE A PERMANENT STRUCTURE PLACED IN A PARK THAT IS NOT WELL KNOWN AS A POTENTIAL PROJECT IN THE CITY AND HAS NOT BEEN WELL NOTICED AND HAD TIME FOR DISCUSSION BECAUSE I'VE TALKED ABOUT COMPRESSED TIMELINES AND THE FACT AND IN THE PAST, AND MY PREFERENCE AGAIN, IS TO ALLOW LOTS OF TIME AND SPACE TO GIVE FEEDBACK ON THIS TYPE OF PROPOSAL, BECAUSE IT IS A CHANGE.
AND IT INVOLVES A NON TEMPORARY STRUCTURE.
AND I THINK WE'VE DONE EXACTLY WHAT WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO DO BETWEEN PARKS APPROVING IT, COMING HERE SAYING WE WANT TO MOVE IT FORWARD AND THAT WE WOULD HAVE AN OPEN HOUSE BEFORE IT CAME TO COUNCIL.
[01:10:01]
IF THERE'S ANY ISSUES, AND THEN IT WILL BE AT OUR COUNCIL TO DISCUSS AND FORMALIZE THE FOLLOWING MEETING.AND I JUST WANT TO ENSURE THAT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDING AN AMENITY TO A PARK, THAT IT'S WELL CONSIDERED AND, AND GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A LOT, FOR LOTS OF FEEDBACK AND TO AVOID ANY APPEARANCE OF OF AN ITEM BEING RUSHED THROUGH, BECAUSE I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TIME AND SPACE TO BE ABLE TO CONSIDER CHANGES TO THEIR PARKS.
THANK YOU. ADAM, I THINK WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING THAT.
FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR ENGINEER UPDATE.
JUST A FEW THINGS. ONE IS JUST A PUBLIC REMINDER.
WE DO HAVE SPRING CLEANUP THIS SATURDAY FROM 8 TO 2 AT THE PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY.
THAT SPRING CLEANUP JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS, WE DO IN CONJUNCTION WITH SOME OF OUR SISTER CITIES.
SO LONG LAKE, MINNETONKA BEACH AND SPRING PARK ALL CAN PARTICIPATE IN OUR SPRING CLEANUP WITH US.
I KNOW THE ABSENTEE BALLOTS ALREADY UNDERWAY.
SO THOSE ARE A COUPLE THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP ON THE, ON THE CALENDAR.
[City Administrator/Engineer Report]
IN THE ENGINEERING WORLD, I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THAT THE NEW PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY THE CREWS HAVE BEGUN MOVING IN.WE DID GET OUR OUR CERTIFICATE, OUR TEMPORARY CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.
AND SO THEY'VE STARTED TO MOVE OVER THERE.
I KNOW I'VE HAD A COUPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS ASK ABOUT GOING ON A WALKING TOUR.
RATHER THAN HAVING ALL OF YOU AT ONCE AND HAVING TO POST A MEETING.
IF ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO A WALK THROUGH OF THE BUILDING.
I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE YOU OVER THERE IF YOU JUST LET ME KNOW.
WHEN'S A GOOD TIME FOR YOU? I CAN TAKE YOU THROUGH.
WE DO PLAN TO HAVE AN OPEN HOUSE FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AND THE PUBLIC.
ON THE 13TH OF JUNE, WHICH IS A THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
AND WE'LL BE. SOME POSTINGS OUT FOR THAT AS WE GET A.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. ANY QUESTIONS FOR ADAM? SEEING NONE. THAT BRINGS US TO OUR COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS, NUMBER 14.
[14. Review Council Committee Reports]
AND I THINK WE HAD ONE COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE WITH ME AND MARIA, ADAM AND CHRISTINE AND MARIA, IF YOU WANT TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THAT.I THINK WE DISCUSSED MORE ABOUT OUR ROLE FOR THE COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST.
SOMEONE THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO PREPARE CONSUMABLE PRESENTATIONS, LIKE WHAT JAMES WAS WORKING ON.
IT'D BE REALLY NICE TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO HAD AN EYE FOR A WAY TO PRESENT THAT.
BUT, LIKE, MAYBE DIFFERENT ICONS OR SOMETHING THAT WAS EASILY TO READ.
WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT SKILLS WOULD BE IDEAL FOR SOMEONE IN A COMMUNICATIONS ROLE.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT CLEARLY WRITTEN COMMUNICATION SKILLS, BUT ALSO ANALYTICAL SKILLS, BEING ABLE TO GIVE US SOME ADVICE ON BEST BEST PRACTICE, ON WHAT IS WORKING, WHAT ISN'T WORKING.
ARE WE REALLY REACHING PEOPLE OR DID WE JUST MAKE PRETTY PICTURES? SO I THINK IT'S THOSE TWO PARTS WERE KIND OF THE MAIN ELEMENTS THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR.
WE DISCUSSED ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
AND THEN WE TALKED ABOUT, YEAH, THE SPECIFIC EVENTS ADAM JUST TOUCHED ON, I THINK THE SPRING CLEANUP, THE PUBLIC WORKS OPEN HOUSE, THE OR THE START OF THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE GOLF COURSE CELEBRATION FOR THE 100 YEARS TO BE A FEW OF THEM THAT WILL BE HIGHLIGHTING.
AND THEN WE TALKED FINALLY ABOUT THE WEBSITE REDESIGN.
JUST SO WE CAN MAKE IT A VERY USABLE WEBSITE.
I'M WONDERING WHEN WE'RE ENGAGING WITH THE PUBLIC ON FACEBOOK, AS THE CITY DOES, I'D RAISE A CONCERN BECAUSE I'M AWARE THAT THERE WAS A CONCERN IN THE COMMUNITY AROUND THE ABILITY THE CITY HAS TO REMOVE ITEMS OFF OF A WEBSITE.
AND I DID WANT TO KNOW IF THERE'S ANY MORE, IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU COULD SHARE FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE IT'S A COMMUNICATION DEVICE THAT THE THE COMMUNITY IS USING TO ENGAGE WITH THE CITY OF ORONO.
AND IF YOU COULD JUST PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT RIGHTS A CITY RESERVES TO EITHER, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'D CALL IT, HIDE, REMOVE OR BLOCK COMMENTS, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL BECAUSE THIS IS A COMMUNICATIONS ISSUE THAT'S COME UP.
[01:15:04]
SURE. THE THE CITY DOES HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. I WOULD SAY THAT IN GENERAL, HOW CITIES MANAGE THOSE IS AN EVOLVING PART OF THE LAW.SO WHEN YOU USE THOSE FORUMS, YOU ARE SUBJECT TO THOSE POLICIES.
AND THAT RIGHT IS IN LINE WITH STATE STATUTE AROUND COMMUNICATIONS.
[Public Comments]
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL.THE COUNCIL WILL NOT ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION OR TAKE ACTIONS ON ITEMS PRESENTED AT THIS TIME.
HOWEVER, THE COUNCIL MAY REFER ISSUES TO STAFF FOR FOLLOW UP OR CONSIDERATION AT A FUTURE MEETING.
SO IF YOU CAN, OPEN IT UP TO ORONO RESIDENTS.
SO IF YOU CAN COME UP AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND ADAM WILL START THE CLOCK.
TIM CARSWELL OR SORRY? KIM CARSWELL 261 SIGNET PLACE.
I KNOW THIS WAS THERE WAS A RECENT TOPIC.
THIS WAS A RECENT TOPIC ON A WORKING SESSION AND DECISIONS WERE MADE TO STREAMLINE THEM.
THIS ALSO LEADS TO AN EFFECT OF SUPPRESSING CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT.
AFTER A WHILE, COMMENTS PROVIDED BY CITIZENS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE MINUTES, AND NOW THE MINUTES ONLY INCLUDE WHO HAS SPOKEN AND NOTHING ABOUT THE TOPIC OR THE SENTIMENT OF THE CITIZEN SPEAKING.
NUMBER TWO, THE AGENDA HAS RECENTLY BEEN CHANGED TO PREVENT ANY COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS DURING THE MEETING INDICATING AN INTENTIONAL LACK OF INTEREST IN HEARING FROM THOSE YOU REPRESENT. NUMBER THREE, PUTTING PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THE END OF THE MEETING, HOPING TO WEAR DOWN THE VERY PEOPLE YOU REPRESENT, PEOPLE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO COME AND SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS, AND THEN LIMITING THEIR TIME TO SPEAK TO THREE MINUTES.
NUMBER FOR THE NEWSLETTER CONTENT LACKS CRITICAL INFORMATION AND PROJECTS.
NUMBER FIVE DISREGARDING THE OVERALL SENTIMENT OF THE CITIZEN, COMMENTS COLLECTED ON KEY ISSUES SUCH AS THE NEW FIRE DEPARTMENT AND PLANNING, THE PICKLEBALL COURTS AT THE GOLF COURSE, PICKLEBALL COURTS AT THE GOLF COURSE.
THESE ALL SUGGEST THAT THIS COUNCIL IS NOT HERE FOR THE PEOPLE.
THEY ARE HERE TO DO WHAT THEY BELIEVE THE PEOPLE WANT.
I'M SPEAKING TO THE COUNCIL AND TO THE PEOPLE LISTENING AT THIS MEETING ON NOVEMBER 5TH.
THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS TERMS WILL BE ON THE BALLOT AS THE TERMS FOR THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE FROM ORONO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT? CHERYL. CHERYL COLE.
I WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THE APRIL 8TH CITY COUNCIL MEETING, BUT I DID WATCH IT ON VIDEO AND THERE WERE THREE THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO COMMENT ON TONIGHT THAT PERTAIN TO THAT MEETING. FIRST, THERE APPEARS TO BE A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY CONCERNING THE COSTS RELATED TO THE FIRST AND SECOND CONTEMPT OF COURT DECISIONS.
AS AN ORONO TAXPAYER, I BELIEVE I HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT FUNDS ARE WHERE THE FUNDS ARE COMING FROM TO PAY NOT ONLY THE LEGAL FEES, BUT ALSO THE FINES IMPOSED BY JUDGE MILLER.
TO THIS END, I'VE EMAILED OUR CITY ADMINISTRATOR WITH A REQUEST TO PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING WITH REGARDS TO THE CITY OF LONG LAKE VERSUS THE CITY OF ORONO LAWSUIT, WHAT ARE THE TOTAL FINES AND FEES THE CITY OF ORONO HAS TO PAY TO THE CITY OF LONG LAKE? WILL THESE BE COVERED BY ANY OF OUR CURRENT INSURANCE POLICIES, AND IF NOT, HOW WILL THESE FINES AND FEES BE PAID? DOES THE CITY ANTICIPATE AN INSURANCE PREMIUM INCREASE? WITH THE TWO RECENT CONTEMPT OF COURT CHARGES AND A FEW ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? IS THE CITY ANTICIPATING AN INSURANCE PREMIUM INCREASE RELATED TO THE NEW FIRE DEPARTMENT?
[01:20:03]
AND WHAT IS THE YEARLY BREAKDOWN OF THE CITY'S LEGAL COSTS DEDICATED TO HANDLING VARIOUS LAWSUITS OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS? AND WHAT ARE THE CITY'S YEARLY LEGAL INSURANCE PREMIUMS OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS? THE SECOND AREA I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT, CHIEF DANIELS ANSWERED A LOT OF MY QUESTIONS ALREADY, BUT IT REALLY WAS ABOUT THE READINESS ASSESSMENT OF OUR OUR I WOULD CALL IT A GO LIVE ON IN JULY OF 2024 FOR THE NEW FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THINGS ARE ON TRACK.I DON'T I DIDN'T HEAR THERE WERE MODERATE RISKS OR ANY SEVERE RISKS.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT UPDATE AND I APPRECIATE THAT PICTORIAL.
SURELY IT DOESN'T BENEFIT THE CITIZENS.
I THANK THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, BENSON AND JOHNSON FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE 2022 EFFORT, AND THAT WAS A GREAT FORUM FOR THE CITIZENS TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS, HEAR FROM THE CANDIDATES AND DECIDE WHO WOULD GET THEIR VOTE.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE FROM ORONO THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT? TO. HI.
JEANNIE DELANEY, 1315 WOODHILL AVENUE.
I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS I'M WONDERING IF THE CITY MIGHT CONSIDER.
AND ONE IS THERE WAS NO WORK SESSION TONIGHT.
CAN YOU SEND OUT A CANCELLATION NOTICE FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE ANTICIPATING A MEETING? I MEAN, I KNOW THERE'S CANCELLATIONS FOR OTHER TYPES OF MEETINGS, SO THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS ON THE PAVILION FOR THE GOLF COURSE.
CAN YOU POST THAT CURRENT PLAN, THAT UPDATED PLAN ONLINE.
SO WE PEOPLE THE PUBLIC HAS LIKE THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS TO SEE IT, MAYBE COMMENT ON IT OR FURNISH SOMEPLACE WHERE YOU GET FEEDBACK LIKE YOU KNOW, THEY CAN EMAIL OR POST ON THE CITY WEBSITE OR SOMETHING.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE VALUABLE.
ONE HOUR AT 5 TO 6 IS NOT REALLY A I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO ALLOW AS MANY PEOPLE TO COME.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT FROM ORONO? RYAN TURBIVILLE 997 WILD HORSE TRAIL.
I'M ONE OF THE WACKOS THAT SHOWS UP AT THE MEETING.
THANK YOU. I THOUGHT I WOULD SPEAK TONIGHT TWO WEEKS AND THREE HOURS LATER ABOUT COUNCIL MEMBER.
VEACH YOUR YOUR LONG SPEECH AT THE END OF LAST MEETING, WHILE I FOUND IT FACTUALLY CORRECT, I FIND IT MISLEADING IN MANY WAYS.
THE EXPENSES, AS YOU PUT IN THE REPORT LAST, LAST WEEK OR TWO WEEKS AGO.
THE INCREASED EXPENSE THAT CAME AS A SURPRISE WITH NO INPUT FROM THIS COUNCIL.
I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY TIED TO DUTY CREWS THAT WE ACTUALLY DO KNOW ABOUT.
SO IT'S MISLEADING THAT THE PRICE WENT UP FOR LONG LAKE'S FIRE EXPENSES FOR NO APPARENT REASON.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAID FOR NO APPARENT REASON.
BUT ANYWAYS AND ALSO THE IDEA THAT THERE'S A LEGAL BATTLE GOING BETWEEN THE TWO CITIES AND YOU'RE CALLING OUT THAT LONG LAKE WON'T COME HERE AND PRESENT.
I CAN SAY FIRSTHAND THAT WHO WOULD WANT TO COME AND TALK TO THIS COUNCIL? WHO? AND CERTAINLY NOT SOMEBODY THAT'S GOING TO BE ATTACKED.
AND THAT WAS A PROVEN FACT BY THE MAYOR IN A LATER REPORT.
SO WHILE YOUR NUMBERS AND YOUR STATEMENTS WERE FACTUALLY CORRECT, THEY'RE MISLEADING BASED ON THIS SCENARIO THAT THE BULLY PULPIT AND THE GOOD OLD BOY SYSTEM IS WORKING AGAINST.
THANK YOU. IF I IF I MAY, BRIAN, IF YOU HAVE THE SPECIFIC THINGS THAT I HAD SAID IN THE BEGINNING.
IF YOU HAVE THE LINES THAT I SAID AND WANT TO EMAIL ME, I'D LOVE TO REACH OUT.
[01:25:04]
YEAH I WILL OKAY.IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE FROM ORONO THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT? SAY NO OTHER ORONO RESIDENCE.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANTS TO COME UP TONIGHT? ORONO RESIDENTS OR NON ORONO RESIDENTS? SO I WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR BEING THINKING AHEAD OF PAYING THE FIREFIGHTERS MORE THAN $16 A FRIGGIN HOUR.
UNBELIEVABLE. RICHIE ANDERSON.
RIGHT? RICHIE ANDERSON 3205 CRYSTAL BAY ROAD.
SO I REMEMBER WHEN MISS BENSON HAD VETOED $16 AN HOUR.
I'M GOING. I WISH I COULD GET THOSE GUYS FOR 16 BUCKS AN HOUR, BUT JUST A QUICK UP LMC MEETING ON WEDNESDAY JUST TO KIND OF GET YOUR FEELERS UP.
GOT OUSTED FROM MY TREASURER POSITION BY MISS BENSON AND HER HER HER FRIENDS.
BUT THEIR BUDGET COMMITTEE HAVE TWO THINGS THAT ARE REALLY DISTURBING AS I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS. THE PERSONNEL BUDGET THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT INCREASING FROM 85 TO $97,000.
HE'S THE TEMPORARY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
HE'S DOING A GOOD JOB, BUT WE HAVE IT WELL COVERED WITH WITH WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
OUR OUR BUDGET FOR 2024 IS 315,000.
THERE'S OPTIONS IN THERE TO MAKE IT 406 AND 414.
AND SO I WILL STRONGLY OPPOSE THAT.
BUT THE OTHER THING IS THERE'S A NEW LINE ITEM THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING IN THE 2025 BUDGET OF $100,000 FOR THE HENNEPIN COUNTY WATER PATROL, AND IT'LL BE A SMOKE AND MIRRORS THIS YEAR, BUT NEXT YEAR IT'LL BE A LEGIT LINE ITEM.
THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF BUDGET LEFT IN THE SAVE THE LAKE FUND THAT THEY CAN SMOKE AND MIRRORS FOR THE 2025 BUDGET, BUT CLEARLY IT'LL BE A ONCE IT GETS IN THERE, IT'LL BE A LINE ITEM.
NOW WE'RE REPRESENTED BY 14 COMMUNITIES ON THE LAKE.
TEN OF THOSE ARE IN THE TOP 20 RICHEST CITIES IN MINNESOTA.
SHOULD HENNEPIN COUNTY BE PAYING FOR THE WATER PATROL IN LAKE MINNETONKA, OR SHOULD WE BE FUNDED FOR $100,000 ON OUR EXPENSE ITEM? AND THEY START FROM THAT.
THEY CAN CHARGE THE PEOPLE THAT LAID OUT THESE BUDGETS.
THEY CAN CHARGE THE CITIES ANY AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY WANT TO.
IS THERE ANYBODY, ANYBODY ELSE FOR TONIGHT? THEY SEE NO ONE ELSE. I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND WE'LL TAKE IT TO OUR MAYOR COUNCIL REPORT.
[Mayor/Council Report]
COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON.THE EVENT INCLUDED AN INTERACTIVE COMMUNITY POLL, A PRESENTATION INCLUDING THE CITY'S CHALLENGES AND ACHIEVEMENTS FROM 2023, AND A Q&A WITH THE MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER.
AND I WANT TO SHARE A FEW TAKEAWAYS FROM THE EVENT, BECAUSE WE CAN DRAW INSPIRATION FROM OTHERS AS WE CONTINUALLY AIM TO IMPROVE WHAT WE DO HERE IN THE CITY OF ORONO, MAYOR MOUTON DETAILED SEVERAL PROJECTS FOCUSED ON MAKING WAYZATA A MORE WALKABLE COMMUNITY.
CITY HALL, THE LIBRARY AND THE FIRE STATION WILL BE OUTFITTED THIS YEAR.
THE MAYOR REPORTED THAT ABOUT A THIRD OF THE CITY'S TOTAL ENERGY USAGE WILL BE OFFSET BY THIS SOLAR INSTALLATION, WHICH WILL RESULT IN A NET SAVINGS OF ABOUT $850,000 OVER THE NEXT 2025 YEARS.
ANOTHER TAKEAWAY WAS THE CITY'S FOCUS ON STRATEGIC PLANNING.
[01:30:08]
BASED ON COMMUNITY NEEDS.I'M SHARING THIS INFORMATION WITH COUNCIL BECAUSE STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESSES ARE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CITY LEADERSHIP TO COMMUNICATE WITH CITIZENS ABOUT THE STRUGGLES, SUCCESSES, AND FUTURE GOALS OF THE CITY.
THE MINNESOTA MAYOR'S HANDBOOK, PRODUCED BY THE LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES, PROVIDES DETAILED GUIDANCE FOR MAYORS AND NOTES THAT QUOTE, THEIR ROLE AS AN INSPIRATIONAL LEADER OF THE CITY CANNOT BE UNDERESTIMATED.
THE SUGGESTIONS ARE BASED ON MY OBSERVATION AND THE FOCUS IS ON ACTIONS ALONE.
IT IS NOT A COMMENTARY ON PERSONALITIES, OPINIONS OR ANYONE'S VOTING RECORD.
I'M GOING TO ADDRESS TWO ISSUES THAT NEGATIVELY IMPACT OUR MEETINGS.
BOTH ISSUES HAVE SOLUTIONS, WHICH IS ULTIMATELY WHAT I WANT TO FOCUS ON.
HOW DO WE IMPROVE WHAT IS HAPPENING GOING FORWARD? THE FIRST ISSUE IS CONTINUED VIOLATION OF THE RULES OF DECORUM.
THE MAYOR'S HANDBOOK STATES THAT THE MAYOR SHOULD, QUOTE, MODEL, RESPECT AND CIVILITY, AND CONDUCT MEETINGS IN A MANNER THAT ENCOURAGES OPEN DISCUSSION OF ISSUES AND HONEST DIFFERENCES OF OPINIONS WITHOUT THE USE OF PERSONAL ATTACKS, NAME CALLING, OR SCAPEGOATING.
THE MAYOR'S HANDBOOK STATES THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS MUST, QUOTE, AVOID PERSONAL ATTACKS AND REFRAIN FROM USING ANY INSULTING OR DEMEANING LANGUAGE OR INDECENT OR THREATENING BEHAVIOR. END QUOTE.
ENGAGING IN BEHAVIORS THAT VIOLATE RULES OF ORDER HAS A CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF STIFLING INDEPENDENT THOUGHT, DISSUADING DELIBERATION, AND SUPPRESSING INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS.
THE MAYOR'S HANDBOOK ADDRESSES WHAT OCCURS WHEN COUNCIL COUNCIL CULTURE IS INTOLERANT.
INNOVATION AND RISK TAKING LEADS TO LOW MORALE AND TURNOVER, AND ULTIMATELY TO FAILURE.
END QUOTE EVERY DERISIVE COMMENT UTTERED BY A COUNCIL MEMBER TOWARD THEIR COLLEAGUE PROVIDES EVIDENCE THAT STAFF MAY ALSO BE SUBJECT TO THE SAME UNPROFESSIONAL AND UNDESIRABLE TREATMENT.
THEY ARE BENEATH COUNCIL ON THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND MODELING.
A LACK OF DECORUM SENDS A MESSAGE, EVEN IF UNINTENTIONAL, THAT STAFF MIGHT BE SUBJECT TO THE SAME.
OUR GOAL AS A COUNCIL SHOULD BE TO ENSURE STAFF FEELS EMPOWERED AND ENCOURAGED IN THEIR WORK, RATHER THAN BEING CONCERNED THAT A RECOMMENDATION COULD OPEN THE DOOR TO PERSONAL CRITICISM.
I AM NOT SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF STAFF AND I WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.
I AM SPEAKING AS A COUNCIL MEMBER WHO SHARES IN THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH STAFF.
I WANT TO SEE COUNCIL ADHERING TO THE SAME PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT THAT THIS ADVISORY COMMISSION DOES.
[01:35:03]
UNLESS THIS INFORMATION IS REVIEWED AND PUT TO USE, WE ARE NOT SUCCEEDING IN ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND CRITICAL PARTS OF OUR WORK.IN THE PAST, THIS ITEM WAS ORDERED TOWARD THE BEGINNING OF THE AGENDA.
IT ALSO ENABLES COUNCIL TO HEAR PUBLIC INPUT BEFORE SOME ITEMS ARE DISCUSSED.
IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY EXPLANATION JUSTIFYING THE PRACTICE, WE ARE AT RISK OF COMMUNICATING THAT THE ORDERING IS PUNITIVE RATHER THAN PRACTICAL, ESPECIALLY WHEN THIS COUNCIL HAS RECEIVED PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE SUBJECT.
I SUPPORT A CHANGE IN THIS AREA AND SUGGEST REINSTATING COMMENT TOWARD THE BEGINNING OF MEETINGS, WE TALK ABOUT WANTING TO WORK WITH THE PUBLIC WHEN CONSIDERING ITEMS THAT COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL, AND THE SAME IS TRUE HERE.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TONIGHT.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON.
JUST MAKE SOME COMMENTS TO SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT THERE.
I THINK WE COVERED THE MEETING MINUTES THAT, YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF FOLLOWED THAT AS A BEST PRACTICE AS FAR AS HOW YOU ORGANIZE THEM. AND WE COVERED THAT LAST WEEK.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE DO, YOU KNOW, VIDEOTAPE ALL OF OURS.
SO I DON'T SEE THAT AS LIMITING.
AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT AND HOW YOU GET IT.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY CONCERN WITH ADDRESSING THE QUESTION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'RE AT WITH LEGAL FEES, BUT WE ARE COVERED UNDER THE LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES.
THEY'RE COVERING YOU KNOW, THE THE FINES.
AND WE'RE GOING TO APPEAL THOSE.
BUT THE THE RESIDENTS ARE REQUIRED YOU KNOW, AS A IS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COST OF THE INSURANCE THE LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES. BUT THE FINES AND THE COSTS OF THE ONGOING.
LEGAL BATTLE WITH LONG LAKE HAS NOT BEEN CHARGED TO THE TO THE RESIDENTS.
SO HOPE THAT MAKES THAT CLEAR.
THERE ARE SOME OTHER QUESTIONS. SOUNDS LIKE YOU'VE YOU'VE EMAILED IT IN TO STAFF.
I DON'T KNOW THE PARTICULARS OF THE REST OF THEM.
AND THEN I THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE THE LMC REP SCHEDULE SOME TIME BECAUSE I HAD SOME MORE QUESTIONS FOR YOU, SO IF WE COULD GET YOU ON OUR SCHEDULE.
BUT I APPRECIATE YOU CONTINUING TO.
MAKING SURE WE'RE BEING THE BUDGETS ARE BEING RESPONSIBLE OVER THERE AS THEY'VE DONE.
YOU KNOW, THE LMISD DOESN'T YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T THEY DON'T DO THE WEED HARVESTING ANYMORE.
YEAH. I BELIEVE THE TAXPAYERS OF ORONO PAY MORE THAN OUR FAIR SHARE OF THE HENNEPIN COUNTY'S TOTAL BUDGET, AND THEY CAN SURE PAY FOR THE BORDER PATROL NEEDS, BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY PAYING FOR IT.
SO TO PAY AGAIN THROUGH THE LMC IS IS SO UNREASONABLE WITH 27% INCREASES TO OUR PROPERTY TAXES.
[01:40:06]
AND AND WE'VE SAID THIS MANY TIMES, BUT WHEN YOU EVALUATE THE PERCENTAGE OF WHERE THAT BUDGETARY MONEY IS GOING, THE SMALLEST RECIPIENT IS THE CITY, AND THE REST OF IT IS GOING TO THE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT TWO.BUT WE'RE PAYING OUR FAIR SHARE.
AND I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU CONTINUE TO PUSH THAT THE THE COUNTY CONTINUES TO PAY THAT PAY THAT BILL.
AND SO THIS ISN'T ABOUT YOU KNOW, SUPPRESSION OF PUBLIC COMMENTS IS JUST WHERE IS IT GOING TO BE? BECAUSE IN FRONT OF YOU ARE OTHER RESIDENTS THAT HAVE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE ON THE DOCKET AND COME TO THE TALK TO THE CITY, AND THEY'RE WE'VE ELECTED AS A COUNCIL TO HAVE THEM GO FIRST.
I WOULDN'T WANT IT TO BE PERCEIVED AS.
THERE'S ONLY ONE OPINION IN THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHERE THOSE SHOULD BE, BECAUSE THERE'S MORE THAN ONE.
SO THERE'S MORE THAN ONE SIDE OF THAT.
THERE WAS ONE LAST THING THAT I WANTED TO MENTION.
AND I'M GOING TO TABLE THAT TILL I RECALL WHAT IT IS.
BUT THAT'S WHY I HAVE FOR NOW.
I'LL GO MUCH SHORTER THIS TIME.
TODAY I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS TRUST.
IT WAS BROUGHT UP LAST WEEK, AND I WANTED TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THAT.
TRUST IS A CURRENCY OF OUR INTERACTIONS.
THE FOUNDATION OF EFFECTIVE AND RESPONSIBLE GOVERNANCE.
I UNDERSTOOD THE CITY'S PROCEDURE OF AN APPOINTMENT WOULD HINDER THE PROCESS OF TRUST.
SO ONE IS I TRY TO OFFER A TRANSPARENCY OF PROCESS.
THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN DONE HISTORICALLY IN OUR CITY AND IN MANY SURROUNDING CITIES.
MY INTERVIEW WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD MET EVERYONE HERE.
I HAD HEARD ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY THROUGH THE NEWSPAPER AND ASSUMED THE POSITION SHORTLY THEREAFTER.
I THOUGHT I'D TAKE A LITTLE TIME TO TELL YOU WHY.
MAYBE THAT'S WHY I GOT THE JOB.
I OUTLINED MY EDUCATIONAL AND CAREER LEADERSHIP TRAINING.
I SPOKE ABOUT MY EXPERIENCES GROWING UP AS AN ORONO GRADUATE AND I'VE AND MY FONDNESS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND I SHARED MY INSIGHTS AND APPROACH TO BUILDING CULTURE THROUGH DIRECT, MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS.
NEXT, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO ACCOUNTABILITY.
TRUST IS A TWO WAY STREET, AND AS A MEMBER OF COUNCIL, I AM ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
I TRY TO OFFER REGULAR UPDATES.
I'VE TRIED TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT AND UNDERLINE HOW THE PROCESS WORKS, WHAT THE FORMATS OF THE MEETINGS ARE, HOW TO CONTACT, HOW TO REACH US, THE BEST WAYS TO COMMUNICATE.
ALL THINGS BRINGING ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO GOVERNMENT PROCEDURES.
AND THEN FINALLY, I'VE TRIED ENGAGING WITH CONSTITUENTS OUTSIDE.
OUTSIDE OF COUNCIL UPON REQUEST.
I'VE MET WITH 100% OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE ASKED TO MEET.
THE LAST WAY I DO IT IS I TAKE NOTES DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.
I'M NOT I'M NOT INTO MY OWN NOTE TAKING.
I AM, I AM LISTENING, AND WHETHER OR NOT I CAN MAKE ACTIONABLE PROGRESS RIGHT AWAY IS TO BE SEEN.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO PROVE.
AND THEN THE FINAL WAY IS I WORK TO GAIN TRUST THROUGH VULNERABILITY.
[01:45:07]
ON THE THOUGHT PROCESS MAKING THAT I'M HOW I'M GETTING TO MY ANSWERS AND ABOUT HOW THE PROCESS IS MADE.IN MY IN MY PURSUIT OF TRUST, I ALSO FOLLOW UP ON MY COMMITMENTS.
RECENTLY, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH STAFF TO PRESENT CONSOLIDATED INFORMATION ABOUT THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND TODAY, CHIEF JAMES DID A GREAT JOB ILLUSTRATING THE MODES OF RESPONSIBLE GOVERNANCE THAT WE DISCUSSED LAST WEEK.
HE PROVIDED THE UPDATE ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS INVESTMENTS THAT OUR DEPARTMENT NEEDS.
HE GAVE A QUARTERLY UPDATE ALONG WITH MAGGIE.
TO 10 P.M. TWO THIRDS OF OUR DAY BEING STAFFED.
SHIFTING AWAY FROM THE HEAVY RELIANCE ON A VOLUNTEER MEMBER.
FOCUS TO STABILIZING OUR STAFFING WITH A BALANCED HYBRID APPROACH.
SO I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT TRUST IS NOT GIVEN.
IT IS EARNED, AND I'VE NEVER SHIED AWAY FROM THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO START THAT PROCESS.
AND THEN I'D LIKE TO FINISH BY HIGHLIGHTING A FEW EVENTS IN THE AREA.
SO SOME COOL THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE ORONO SCHOOLS I THINK I HIGHLIGHTED HAVE A GREAT HISTORY DAY PROJECT, AND MY DAUGHTER WAS ABLE TO COMPETE AT THE STATE LEVEL ON A HISTORY TOPIC AT THE CONVENTION CENTER, AND A REALLY GREAT TOOL THAT THE SCHOOL GIVES TO OUR KIDS A NEW WAY TO LEARN.
ALSO THE CHOIR, THEY WERE ABLE TO SING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM AT THE TIMBERWOLVES GAME.
I THOUGHT A REALLY UNIQUE AND AWESOME OPPORTUNITY THAT A SMALL COMMUNITY PROVIDED.
I HAVE NO SKIN IN THE GAME OF ORONO BASEBALL, I DON'T.
MY SON STOPPED BASEBALL A FEW YEARS AGO, BUT I LOVE THE SPORT AND I LOVE TACOS AND TRIVIA.
SO I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD GO.
AND THEN I DO HAVE A PASSION FOR CORN DOGS, AND IT'S NEVER TOO SOON TO TALK ABOUT.
AUGUST 10TH IS CORN DAYS AS WELL.
BEAUTIFUL. THAT'S GREAT, MISTER MAYOR, THERE'S ONE.
WE AGREED WITH THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THREE RIVERS PARK DISTRICT FOR THE LUCE LINE TRAIL.
AND IT'S A IT'S A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE DAKOTA AND THE LUCE LINE TRAIL.
WHAT I WANTED TO SAY ABOUT THAT, ADAM, IS.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BEEN 3 OR 4 YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN PLOWING THE TRAIL.
SAY THREE. SO THE CITY OF ORONO HAS A PILOT PROGRAM.
WE WE WENT TO THREE RIVERS PARK DISTRICT.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE DAKOTA RAIL TRAIL SYSTEM IS A TERRIFIC RESOURCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND PEOPLE USE IT ALL YEAR WE WENT TO THREE RIVERS.
THEY WOULDN'T PAY OR THEY WOULDN'T PLOW THE DAKOTA RAIL TRAIL.
AND SO AS A COUNCIL, WE BROUGHT THAT UP.
WE GOT WE WENT THROUGH SPRING PARK EVEN AND AND GOT IN AND STARTED DOING A PORTION OF IT THERE, TOO.
I BRING THIS UP BECAUSE WE KEEP DOING IT.
THIS IS A BETTER YEAR THAN MOST, THIS LAST ONE TO DO IT.
BUT THAT IS A RESPONSIBILITY OF THREE RIVERS.
WE'RE PAYING THE EXPENSES TO HAVE IT DONE.
AND AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THEM AVAILABLE YEAR ROUND BECAUSE THIS IS A YEAR ROUND STATE.
WE WE GO OUT ALL YEAR AND PEOPLE USE THE TRAIL.
SO MAYBE IN OUR CONVERSATION WITH THREE RIVERS, WITH THIS AGREEMENT, WE COULD ALSO REINVIGORATE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THEM DOING THEIR PART IN PLOWING THE TRAIL SYSTEM.
SO THERE'S JUST A NOTE OUT THERE.
ALL RIGHT. WELL, I AGREE WITH MARIA.
LONG-TERM AND RESPONSIBLE GOVERNANCE IS REALLY OUR MAIN FOCUS UP HERE ALL THE TIME WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT ORONO AND THE THINGS THAT WE DO AND SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY DEMONSTRATES OUR REASONABLE GOVERNANCE IS ACTUALLY MOVING THE PUBLIC COMMENTS TO THE END OF THE MEETING.
[01:50:01]
LIKE MAD. IT SAID THEY THEY ACTUALLY HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM.AND SO WE DECIDED THAT WE NEED TO GET THAT BUSINESS DONE FIRST.
SO THAT IS ACTUALLY THAT IS ACTUALLY DEMONSTRATING WE'RE PUTTING OUR CITIZENS FIRST.
I HAVE A STATE OF THE STATE EVERY SINGLE MONTH.
AND IN FACT, I PUT IN THE NEWSLETTER, WHICH COMES OUT EVERY 60 DAYS, WHICH I TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN ORONO ALSO THAT I'M ALWAYS AVAILABLE FOR COFFEE OR WHATEVER IT HAPPENS TO BE.
SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE STATE OF THE STATE ALL THE TIME.
BUT LONG TERM GOVERNANCE IS THE ISSUE THAT WE ALWAYS.
AND WHAT IS LONG TERM GOVERNANCE, RIGHT.
IT'S TAKING CARE OF NEGLECTED AREAS IN THE CITY.
AND WE STARTED THAT WHOLE PROCESS EIGHT YEARS AGO WHEN I BECAME MAYOR.
NAVARRE IS ONE OF THOSE AREAS.
WHEN I FIRST CAME TO MAIER, WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT CAME FROM NAVARRE ALL THE TIME TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT WERE IN NAVARRE, AND PART OF OUR LONGTERM GOVERNANCE, AGAIN, WAS TO TAKE CARE OF NEGLECTED AREAS.
SO WHAT DID WE DO THERE? WELL, WE PILOTED, WE STARTED DOING OUR PILOT PROGRAMS FOR OUR PARKS THERE, AND WE TOOK CARE OF LIVINGSTON PARK.
NEXT THING YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING THE NAVARRE PARK.
EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T ALLOWED IN OUR CODE, WE CHANGED OUR CODE.
WE HELPED THEM BUILD TO KEEP THAT BUSINESS.
WE HELPED GET THAT 15 TO 19 INTERSECTION COMPLETELY REDONE.
SO WE HAVE SAFETY BECAUSE WE ALWAYS HAD SAFETY ISSUES OF GETTING ACROSS THERE.
THAT WAS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE, GETTING ALL THAT STUFF DONE FOR CROSSING.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE DRIVEN UP THERE LATELY.
WE'VE CHANGED THE WHOLE WAY THAT THAT PEOPLE DRIVE IN THAT PARKING LOT, HOW THEY GET AROUND, ETC.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO GET KELLY AVENUE DONE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE DONE. THAT'S WHAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO.
I'LL END WITH A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS HERE.
THIS RAISES MONEY FOR THE SCHOOL.
I THINK THE I DON'T KNOW IF THE TICKET SALES HAVE ENDED OR NOT.
BUT I KNOW THAT THE ONLINE AUCTION IS OPEN, SO THAT'S GOING.
I KNOW THE I WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT WAS THE FIRST PANCAKE BREAKFAST I MISSED AT LONG LAKE BECAUSE I WAS DOWN IN BETTENDORF, IOWA FOR THE REGIONAL GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIPS. THAT MY DAUGHTER PARTICIPATED IN REPRESENTING THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.
AND THEY TAKE THE TOP SEVEN OF ALL THE DIFFERENT AGE AND THE LEVEL TENS.
AND I THINK THE REGION IS MINNESOTA, WISCONSIN, NORTH AND SOUTH DAKOTA, MISSOURI.
IOWA. AND ONE OTHER I CAN'T REMEMBER, BUT IT WAS AN AMAZING, AMAZING TIME TO BE ON THIS A LONG RIDE.
YOU CAN'T REALLY GET THERE ANY EASIER BY FLYING OR ANYTHING, BUT SHE MADE THE TOP SEVEN.
SHE'S GOING TO BE GOING DOWN REPRESENTING THE REGION SEVEN DOWN IN DAYTONA IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GYMNASTICS DOWN THERE BEFORE SHE HEADS OFF TO THE GOPHER GYMNASTICS TEAM HERE IN JUNE.
SO WE'RE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE A SENIOR, WE'RE PLANNING LOTS OF STUFF.
MY DAUGHTER IS IN TRACK AND SO THEY JUST STARTED THOSE MEETS AND ORONO IS KICKING BUTT ALREADY.
THE GIRLS AND THE BOYS, SO THAT'S EXCITING.
NOT UNLIKE WATCHING FOOTBALL GAMES IN THE FALL.
I'VE GOT A 60TH BIRTHDAY PARTY COMING UP HERE FRIDAY, AUGUST 9TH, AND WE'RE RENTING OUT THE NARROWS.
GOING TO HAVE A BIG PARTY TO CELEBRATE.
SO I DO HAVE A I USUALLY PRINT OUT MY MY MY QUOTES, BUT I FORGOT THEM AT
[01:55:01]
HOME. BUT I DO HAVE MY I DO HAVE THEM HERE, AND IT'S MORE ALONG THE LINES OF I WAS ALSO HONORING JERRY EARLIER.WE TALKED ALL THE TIME ABOUT MAYOR STUFF.
AND SO I'VE GOT THREE QUOTES THAT ARE KIND OF RELATING TO JERRY.
FIRST ONE'S FROM DOCTOR SEUSS.
HE SAID, DON'T CRY BECAUSE IT'S OVER.
SECOND ONE WAS FROM WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE.
GOD KNOWS WHEN WE SHALL MEET AGAIN.
MILNE, WHO WAS THE CREATOR OF WINNIE THE POOH.
HE SAYS, HOW LUCKY I AM TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT MAKES SAYING GOODBYE SO HARD.
AYE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.