Nov 12, 2024 City Council

[00:00:05]

ALL RIGHT. WELCOME TO THE.

[Roll Call]

AND NOTE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT ALL FOUR OF US.

AND WE ALWAYS START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

SO I INVITE YOU TO STAND AND FACE THE FLAG.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. NEXT ON THE LIST IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AND THE CONSENT AGENDA AT THE SAME TIME.

[Approval of Agenda]

AND IF ANYBODY WANTS ANYTHING TAKEN OFF FOR THE COUNCIL TO DISCUSS A LITTLE LONGER, JUST RAISE YOUR HAND.

WE'D LIKE TO TAKE A STAB AT THE CONSENT AGENDA TONIGHT.

[Consent Agenda]

I'D MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS ONE THROUGH 15, AS IS.

ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON THE COUNCIL? OKAY, SO WHAT WE HAVE TONIGHT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ONE, CITY COUNCIL MINUTES.

TWO, THE WORK SESSION SCHEDULE, THREE, CLAIMS AND BILLS, FOUR, ELECTION RECAP.

FIVE, CANVASS ELECTION RESULTS, RESOLUTION 7525, SIX RENTAL HOME LICENSE, SEVEN ALCOHOL LICENSES.

EIGHT, AGREEMENT FOR GILLESPIE CENTER SERVICES, NINE, 2024 FUND TRANSFERS, TEN, SET 2025 UTILITY RATES, 11 RESIGNATION AND RECRUITMENT, PUBLIC WORKS UTILITY WORKER.

12, COMPENSATION INCREASE FOR PUBLIC WORKS MAINTENANCE WORKER, 13, 2025 EMPLOYEE PAY SCALE AND BENEFITS RESOLUTION 75 24, 14, LA 24-46865 PARTONWOOD ROAD VARIANCE RESOLUTION 7527 AND NUMBER 15, WHICH IS LA 2452 875 FOREST ARMS LANE, ALS VARIANCE RESOLUTION 7526.

ANY OTHER ITEMS ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SEE DISCUSSED LONGER WITH THE COUNCIL TONIGHT? OKAY, SEEING NONE, I HAVE A MOTION.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED? THAT PASSES FOUR ZERO.

OKAY. THAT WILL BRING US TO OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORT.

[16. LA24-000053, 700 North Arm Drive, Variances]

THANK YOU.

THIS APPLICATION INCLUDES VARIANCES TO CONSTRUCT A NEW SINGLE FAMILY HOME ON THE PROPERTY.

THE EXISTING HOME IS A WALKOUT RAMBLER ENCROACHING 12.5FT INTO THE 75 FOOT LAKE SETBACK.

THE BUILDABLE AREA ON THIS PROPERTY IS REDUCED BY THE SANITARY SEWER EASEMENT ON THE STREET SIDE.

AND THE 75 FOOT SETBACK ON THE LAKE SIDE, NARROWING THE BUILDING ENVELOPE CONSIDERABLY.

THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A LAKE SETBACK VARIANCE TO ALLOW A NEW TWO STORY HOME TO BE BUILT ON THE EXISTING FOOTPRINT, 62.9FT FROM THE LAKE.

A DECK IS PROPOSED 61.4FT FROM THE LAKE.

A FOOT AND A HALF CLOSER TO THE LAKE THAN THE EXISTING FOOTPRINT APPROXIMATELY.

THE EXISTING ONE STORY HOME AGAIN IS IN THE LAKE SETBACK.

THE APPLICANT HAS REFINED THEIR HARD COVER AS DIRECTED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

WITHIN THE 75 FOOT SETBACK, TO CLARIFY AND TO REFLECT A 25% LEVEL.

THEY'VE RELOCATED THEIR BACKUP APRON JUST OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARIES OF WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY.

I DID INITIATE A DISCUSSION WITH THE APPLICANT TODAY.

THIS BACKUP APRON IS SHOWN IN YELLOW HERE.

THE ORIGINAL BACKUP AREA WAS WITHIN THE PROPERTY IN THIS LOCATION.

THE BACKUP APRON IS NOT REQUIRED BY CODE ON THIS PROPERTY.

IT'S NOT ON A COUNTY THOROUGHFARE.

THE REVISED HARDCOVER CALCULATIONS SHOW 832FT² OF HARDCOVER IN THE 75 FOOT SETBACK, WHICH IS A REDUCTION OF 286FT² FROM THE 1118FT² OF EXISTING HARDCOVER WITHIN THE 75 FOOT SETBACK.

LOT WIDTH AND LOT AREA VARIANCES ARE ALSO NECESSARY DUE TO THE NON-CONFORMING SIZE OF THE LOT.

STAFF SUPPORTS THE REQUESTED VARIANCES TO PERMIT, EXCUSE ME TO PERMIT A CHANGE IN THE HARDCOVER WITHIN THE 75 FOOT SETBACK, RESULTING IN THE NET REDUCTION AND THE SETBACK VARIANCE TO ALLOW THE NEW HOME SECOND STORY TO ENCROACH WITHIN THE 75 FOOT SETBACK OVER THE EXISTING FOOTPRINT, AS BOTH VARIANCES ARE SUPPORTED BY PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. STAFF CONTINUES TO RECOMMEND A REDUCTION IN THE NEW LAKESIDE DECK FOOTPRINT SO THAT IT DOES NOT ENCROACH FURTHER LAKEWARD THAN THE EXISTING HOME FOOTPRINT.

STAFF DOES NOT SUPPORT THESE ENCROACHMENTS.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE DECK ENCROACHMENT AT THEIR MEETING.

TONIGHT, THE COUNCIL SHOULD REVIEW THE REQUEST AND THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND STAFF AND DRAFT STAFF TO DRAFT A RESOLUTION REFLECTING YOUR DECISION AT YOUR NEXT MEETING.

[00:05:02]

THAT'S ALL I HAVE. ALL RIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MELANIE? IS THE APPLICANT HERE LIKE TO COME UP AND TALK ABOUT THEIR PROJECT? HI, I'M KEN LEVITT.

THANK YOU FOR HEARING FROM ME TONIGHT.

WITH ME TONIGHT IS MY WIFE CHRISTINA, AND ALSO ANDY FROM LACY BROTHERS.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH LACY BROTHERS FOR ABOUT A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW, OFF AND ON, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET A HOUSE THAT FITS ON THE LOT.

PLANNER CURTIS DID A NICE JOB OF DESCRIBING SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACED.

REGARDING THE DECK, THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANTED TO SAY.

PLANNER CURTIS, COULD YOU BRING UP THE PHOTO OF THE BACK OF THE HOUSE? YEP.

WHICH ONE WOULD YOU LIKE? CAN YOU GO TO THE ONE BEFORE? YEAH, YEAH.

SO HERE WHAT YOU CAN SEE IS THERE'S A TWO STORY STRUCTURE THAT PROTRUDES OFF THE BACK OF THE HOUSE.

AND WE ARE NOT ASKING TO REBUILD THAT.

SO BASICALLY SO THE STRUCTURAL PORTION OF THE HOUSE IS GOING TO BE FURTHER AWAY FROM THE LAKE.

I INCREASES VISIBILITY, INCREASES SIGHT LINES.

WHAT WE WOULD DO IN THAT SPOT IS TO PUT THE DECK.

NOW THE CURRENT DECK, YOU CAN SEE A PORTION OF IT HERE I, THANK YOU.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO REBUILD THAT DECK EITHER.

SO WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS TO MOVE JUST A SUBSET OF THAT DECK OVER TO WHERE THE STRUCTURAL PORTION OF THE HOUSE IS, AND THE DECK WOULD STICK OUT ABOUT A FOOT AND A HALF PAST WHERE THE STRUCTURAL PORTION OF THE HOUSE IS.

BUT IT'S ABOUT EVEN WITH WHERE THE EXISTING DECK IS.

SO ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT PORTION? NO. I APPRECIATE YOU PUSHING IT BACK AND REDUCING A WHOLE BUNCH OF HARDCOVER IN THE 0 TO 75.

I MEAN, THAT'S THE I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGER ISSUE HERE THAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED.

SO. YEAH. THANK YOU. WE'VE TRIED NOT TO.

WE'VE TRIED NOT TO GRAB EVERYTHING THAT WE THOUGHT WE COULD.

WE'RE TRYING TO JUST GET A HOUSE THAT WORKS FOR US AND OUR NEEDS.

BRIEFLY, WITH REGARD TO THE BACKUP I PORTION OF THE DRIVEWAY, IF WE NEED THAT TO GO, IT'LL GO REASONABLY INCLUDED.

HONESTLY, IS, IT'S JUST WE THOUGHT IT'D BE SAFER TO GET OUT INTO THE STREET IF THERE WAS A WAY TO BACK UP, AS OPPOSED TO TRYING TO BACK OUT INTO THE STREET AND THEN TURN.

IT WAS JUST SO WE COULD PULL OUT INTO THE STREET MORE EASILY, AND GUESTS COULD PULL OUT INTO THE STREET MORE EASILY.

OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? NO. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

AND YOU GOT ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY? SURE. WHAT DO YOU HAVE A I CAN PASS ALONG.

ANDY, WITH [INAUDIBLE] HOMES, APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

I'VE GOT A COUPLE DIAGRAMS HERE THAT THAT JUST HELP KIND OF, THERE'S A LOT OF LINES ON THAT SURVEY, AND YOU MAY NOT HAVE QUESTIONS AT ALL.

I JUST HELP TO CLARIFY THAT I HIGHLIGHTED THAT SURVEY TO SHOW YOU THE AREAS THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR, THAT VARIANCE IN TERMS OF THE TWO STORY STRUCTURE.

AND THEY'RE THE SAME THING, I APOLOGIZE JUST YEAH, JUST SO WE COULD PASS THEM ALONG.

THE PURPLE LINES ARE BASICALLY THE AREA WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, THAT IS OUR SETBACKS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITHIN THE FRONT SETBACK IS THAT SEWER EASEMENT THAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH.

AND THEN THE REAR IS WHERE THAT EXISTING SETBACK IS FROM THE LAKE.

AND YOU CAN SEE IN THAT, KIND OF THAT THE YELLOW THERE THAT I'VE GOT EX'D OFF.

THAT'S THE AREA THAT WE'RE THE TWO STORIES ENCROACHING I THINK THAT 3D MODEL THAT I DON'T KNOW.

MELANIE, IF YOU COULD, THERE YOU GO.

THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DICTATE ON THAT RENDERING ALSO TO SHOW YOU WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT WHERE WE'RE LOOKING FOR THAT VARIANCE.

AND AS MY CLIENT MENTIONED, THERE ARE SOME AREAS THERE WHERE THERE IS TWO STORY STRUCTURE WHERE WE PULLED BACK ALONG WITH THE HARDCOVER JUST TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW NOT AS MANY EYES AS WE CAN TO PROTECT THE SITE.

SO, I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL, IF YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS.

I DO NOT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ANDY.

NOPE. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, WE'LL BRING IT UP TO COUNCIL.

ANY THOUGHTS? I THINK IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT I COULD SEE WHERE YOU GET SUPPORT, WHERE THE PLANNING COMMISSION GAVE SUPPORT, BECAUSE THE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES ARE PRETTY EVIDENT TO ME.

YEAH. AND I THOUGHT IT WAS.

I MEAN, THE BIG ISSUE IS YOU TOOK A LOT OF SQUARE FOOTAGE OUT OF THE 0 TO 75.

AND THEN THE OTHER DECK IS ABOUT THE SAME SIZE OR THE SAME ACROSS FROM WHERE THE OTHER DECK IS, SO THAT SOUNDS PRETTY EASY TO ME.

I HAVE A THOUGHT. I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH STAFF ON THIS ONE.

IN THAT THE MASSING HAS BEEN AND IS APPROPRIATE THERE IN THAT 75 FOOT IN THE UPWARD TO BE ABLE TO

[00:10:08]

HOWEVER, FOR IN MY ESTIMATION, THE IDEA HERE IS TO NOT ENCROACH FURTHER FOR MANY REASONS.

THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR ONE ALSO PROTECTION OF THE LAKESHORE TO NOT GET INTO FURTHER ENCROACHING INTO THE 75 FOOT.

SO MY ASSESSMENT IS THAT THAT ADDED FOOT AND A HALF IS NOT SUPPORTED AS A PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY ON THE DECK.

SO I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH STAFF ON THAT AND WOULD BE LOOKING TO NOT APPROVE THAT VARIANCE AS IT RELATES TO THE DECK.

AND I WILL SAY, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF TIMES WHERE WE'VE HAD PEOPLE WITH SOME DIFFERENT LAKESHORE OR ZERO 75 HARDCOVERS, WHERE THEY'VE COMBINED THEM AND MOVED THEM AROUND AND MADE THEM LESS, AND BEING ABLE TO MOVE THAT WHICH RIGHT NOW, LIKE THE DECK, LIKE I SAID ON THAT, ON THAT UPPER SIDE, THE NEW DECK WOULD BE JUST ALMOST STRAIGHT ACROSS FROM WHERE THAT IS. SO I'M I'D MAKE A MOTION OR TO DIRECT STAFF TO DRAFT A RESOLUTION FOR APPROVAL.

I'LL SECOND THAT.

ANY OTHER CONFERENCE? NO. AGAIN I'D SUPPORT THE OTHER TWO VARIANCES, BUT NOT THE ONE ON THE DECK.

YEP. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? NO. NO. THAT PASSES THREE ONE.

BENSON ON THE ONE.

OKAY. IS THAT ALL GOOD FOR STAFF? OKAY. THAT'LL BRING US TO NUMBER 17 WHICH IS LA 24-55.

[17. LA24-0000055, Cannabis setback text amendment - Ordinance 306]

TEXT AMENDMENT ORDINANCE 306.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING COUNCIL AND MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

JUST ONE SECOND HERE WHILE I PULL UP THE INFORMATION.

SO, I'LL JUST PULL UP THE DRAFT LANGUAGE JUST FOR REFERENCE HERE.

SO BEFORE YOU TONIGHT, WE ARE PROPOSING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CITY CODE TO ALLOW CANNABIS BUSINESSES AS PERMITTED USES WITHIN BUSINESS AND INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS ONLY WHEN SPECIFIC SETBACKS ARE MET.

SO THROUGHOUT 2024, THE CITY HAS BEEN WORKING TO FOLLOW STATE GUIDELINES AND HENNEPIN COUNTY LICENSING PROGRAM TO DEVELOP APPROPRIATE LOCAL REGULATIONS FOR CANNABIS BUSINESSES.

THE STATE ANTICIPATES IT WILL BE USING CANNABIS LICENSES FOR, OR ISSUING CANNABIS LICENSES FOR HIGH POTENCY CANNABIS BEGINNING IN 2025.

PER STATE STATUTE THAT'S BEEN ADOPTED.

A LOCAL MUNICIPALITY CAN IMPLEMENT A REGISTRATION, INSPECTIONS, AND ZONING BUFFERS FOR CANNABIS BUSINESSES.

AT AN AUGUST WORK SESSION WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, WE REVIEWED SOME OF THE ROLES AND POLICIES OF THAT THE CITY CAN DO.

COUNCIL GAVE DIRECTION FOR STAFF TO WORK WITH HENNEPIN COUNTY REGARDING REGISTRATION AND INSPECTIONS, WHICH STAFF IS STILL WORKING ON.

THEY ALSO DIRECTED STAFF TO DEVELOP A ZONING AMENDMENT THAT APPLIES BUFFERS ALLOWED BY STATE LEGISLATION TO AMEND AND AMEND THE DEFINITION WITHIN THE CITY CODE.

SO TONIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU IS THAT AMENDMENT I'VE INCLUDED DEFINITIONS OF SOME CANNABIS BUSINESSES, BOTH CANNABIS PRODUCER AND CANNABIS RETAIL, TO BE ADDED TO THE ZONING CODE AND THEN WITHIN THE EACH BUSINESS DISTRICT LISTING A CANNABIS RETAIL OR CANNABIS PRODUCER AS A PERMITTED USE, BUT LISTING THEN THE BUFFERS THAT THEY HAVE TO MEET.

SO THAT'S OUTLINING 1000 FOOT BUFFER FOR SCHOOLS AND THEN A 500FT BUFFER FOR DAYCARES, PARKS WITH AMENITIES FOR MINORS AND RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FACILITIES, WHICH ARE THE LARGEST BUFFERS WE'RE ALLOWED TO ENACT FOLLOWING STATE STATUTES.

I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT THAT IS THE LARGEST THAT WE CAN PUT IN PLACE.

TRUE. YEP. SO CURRENTLY TODAY UNDER THE CITY CODE, IF A CANNABIS BUSINESS WERE TO COME AND APPLY OUR HIGH POTENCY CANNABIS BUSINESS WOULD APPLY.

THEY WOULD JUST NEED TO MEET THE CURRENT CITY CODE FOR RETAIL, STOREFRONTS OR INDUSTRIAL USES BY LISTING THEM AS A SPECIFIC USE AND THEN PUTTING THEM AS A PERMITTED USE WITH THESE BUFFERS, THEY NOW WOULD HAVE TO MEET THOSE SETBACKS AND FOLLOW THE DEFINITION OF THAT TYPE OF BUSINESS WITHIN THE CITY CODE.

SO I'VE DRAFTED THE LANGUAGE WHICH IS IN FRONT OF YOU NOW.

SO ONE THING TO NOTE, TO BE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFIC THAN OUR WORK SESSIONS, IS STATE STATUTE LIMITS THE BUFFER, NOT NECESSARILY TO THE PARK BOUNDARY, BUT TO THE AMENITY FOR MINERS SPECIFICALLY.

SO IT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT NUANCED.

SO WE'VE GONE THROUGH AND HAD TO REMOVE THE PARKS FROM THE BUFFER THAT DO NOT HAVE AMENITIES FOR MINERS.

SO WE'VE INCLUDED LIKE PLAYGROUNDS, BEACHES, THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT GENERAL PASSIVE PARKS DO NOT QUALIFY FOR THAT BUFFER.

[00:15:01]

AND I'VE PUT OUR ZONING UNDERNEATH SO YOU CAN SEE THAT AS WELL.

THE ZONING, ALL THE BUSINESS DISTRICTS ARE KIND OF IN THIS PINK COLOR, PINK PURPLE COLOR.

SO IN THE YELLOW IS AN APPROPRIATE SUGGESTED BUFFER BASED ON THE DIFFERENT BUSINESSES THAT WERE PARKS OR DAYCARES THAT WE HAVE AND SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE TODAY.

SO REALLY THIS KIND OF LIMITS A BUSINESS TO GO IN MOSTLY ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF NAVARRE.

SO AGAIN, THE MAP HAS BEEN UPDATED AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE UPDATED AS WE CHANGE OUR PARK FACILITIES, OR AS NEW DAYCARES OR SCHOOLS WERE TO POP UP.

THIS IS KIND OF AN EVER CHANGING MAP.

WE WILL BE REVIEWING.

IF AN APPLICATION WERE TO COME AND BE REQUESTED IN ORONO, THEN STAFF WOULD DO A MORE SPECIFIC BOUNDARY SEARCH FOR THAT LOCATION THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING TO ENSURE THAT IT MEETS THE ZONING FOR ALL SETBACKS THAT SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED ARE MET.

SO PLANNING COMMISSION VOTED.

THEY REVIEWED THIS ORDINANCE ON OCTOBER 21ST.

COMMISSIONERS RAISED SOME QUESTIONS WITH ALLOWING CANNABIS BUSINESSES DISCUSSED IF CHURCHES QUALIFY WITHIN THE SETBACKS AND AND THEN AND QUALIFYING CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS.

NO PUBLIC COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED ON THIS PROPOSED APPLICATION OR AT PLANNING COMMISSION.

STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED DRAFT ORDINANCE AND THE SUMMARY DRAFT ORDINANCE THAT'S INCLUDED.

SO COUNCIL IS ASKED TO MAKE A MOTION TO TONIGHT TO ADOPT ORDINANCE 306, WITH THE SUMMARY ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY CODE TO ESTABLISH THE BUFFERS FOR CANNABIS BUSINESSES.

I'M AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.

THIS IS AND I CAN WALK THROUGH THIS MAP IF THERE'S MORE QUESTIONS THERE.

AND OBVIOUSLY WE HAD TO KIND OF SORT IT OUT A LITTLE BIT TOO, BECAUSE WE HAVE IF SOMEBODY APPLIES, WE HAVE TO RESPOND SOONER THAN WE NORMALLY WOULD.

SO WE HAD TO CREATE THAT NEW LANGUAGE AND HAD TO SEPARATE THAT OUT AS WELL, BECAUSE I THINK THE STATE MAKES US HAVE TO REPLY WITHIN 30 DAYS.

THAT SOUND RIGHT, VERSUS THE NORMAL 60 OR 90 THAT WE'VE GOT FOR THE DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS THAT WE HAVE? YEP. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING WHEN AN APPLICATION IS MADE, THE CITY HAS 30 DAYS TO RESPOND TO SEE IF THAT BUSINESS MEETS WITHIN THE CURRENT CITY CODE, AND TO GIVE A RESPONSE OF AN APPROVAL LOCATION, WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM ALL THE OTHER RESPONSES THAT WE'VE GOT.

SO WE HAD TO KIND OF CARVE THAT OUT A LITTLE BIT.

YEAH, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S QUITE A STRICT DEADLINE ON SOME OF THE OTHER REQUESTS OR ON OTHER BUSINESSES THAT THE CITY REGULATES.

THIS IS A PRETTY SHORT DEADLINE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR LAURA? I GUESS I WOULD LOVE MORE FOLLOW UP ON HOW WE PLAN TO ENFORCE IT DOWN THE ROAD.

I KNOW, NOT RIGHT NOW. THAT'S NOT YOUR JOB TO ENFORCE IT, BUT I THINK THAT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW WE DO THAT.

AND JUST KNOWING THAT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF MOVING PARTS IN LEGISLATION RIGHT NOW.

CAN WE FLAG THIS TO BE REVIEWED AGAIN IN A YEAR OR.

YEAH, THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING.

YOU KNOW, THE STATE'S COMING OUT WITH NEW REGULATIONS, NEW GUIDES AS THIS IS BEING IMPLEMENTED.

SO I SEE THIS AS KIND OF A FIRST OPTION TO IMPLEMENT FOR THIS ORDINANCE.

BUT THE COUNCIL HAS EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THIS BACK UP, TO REVISIT IT AS REGULATIONS CHANGE OR AS MAYBE VIEWPOINTS CHANGE OR AS DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS COME IN.

THIS IS SOMETHING I SEE AS BEING EDITED AS THESE NEW REGULATIONS BE ADOPTED THROUGH THE STATE.

SOUNDS GOOD. THANKS, LAURA COUNCIL MEMBER VEACH.

IF I MIGHT JUST A COUPLE POINTS ON THAT.

ONE OF THE THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT THIS ORDINANCE IS, YOU KNOW, AS A CITY, WE'RE USED TO, WELL, WHAT'S ANOTHER CITY DONE? CAN WE, YOU KNOW, SEE WHAT THEY'VE DONE AND TRIED AND TRUE.

AND NO OTHER CITY IN MINNESOTA HAS PASSED THIS.

IT'S NEW TO EVERYONE AND SO I THINK, LIKE MANY NEW THINGS, THERE WILL BE SOME TRIAL AND ERROR TO IT.

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE LEGISLATURE MAY LOOK AT SOME OF THE DEFINITIONS.

I THINK THERE'S BEEN FEEDBACK ON HOW WE'VE DEFINED THE PUBLIC SPACES.

THAT'S VERY HARD TO ENFORCE.

WE'RE USED TO PROPERTY LINES, WHICH ARE A DEFINED POINT.

SO I THINK THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT GETS REVISITED, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO TRY AND SPECULATE TOO FAR ON THAT EITHER.

AND THEN I DO THINK THE CITY IS LOOKING AT ENGAGING HENNEPIN COUNTY TO ADMINISTER PART OF THIS, WHICH DOESN'T MEAN WE GIVE AWAY ALL OF OUR ENFORCEMENT POWERS, BUT IT BECOMES MORE OF A PARTNERSHIP FOR THEM TO ADMINISTER AND TO THE 30 DAY POINT THAT IS VERY FAST.

AND IT'S AND IT'S NEW BECAUSE IT'S THE CITY'S ADVISING THE STATE ON.

YES, IT COMPLIES WITH US AND THE STATE ISSUES THE REGISTRATION VERSUS WHAT YOU'RE PERHAPS USED TO SEEING WITH LIQUOR LICENSING AND TOBACCO LICENSING.

WHEN HAVING HENNEPIN COUNTY ENFORCE A TWO, THEY'RE GOING TO BE KEPT UP TO SPEED ON ALL THE NUANCES OF THE PRODUCTS AND EVERYTHING, WHERE THERE'S NO WAY WE COULD, YOU KNOW, ASSUME THAT ALL OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS ARE GOING TO HAVE ALL THOSE KNOWLEDGES.

AND SO IT MAKES SENSE TO PARTNER WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT KNOWLEDGE FOR SURE.

YEAH. CITIES ARE AT A DISADVANTAGE IN MY OPINION, JUST IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU HAVE, IN TERMS OF EXPERTISE, IN TERMS OF PRODUCT CONTROL, IF YOU WILL, BUT SETBACKS AND ZONING YOUR TRADITIONAL FUNCTIONS FOR SURE.

JUST LIKE LAURA EXPLAINED, WE'RE IN A GOOD POSITION TO ADMINISTER THAT.

SO I THINK THE PATH FORWARD MAKES SENSE.

BUT IT IS. IT'S A NEW ORDINANCE.

IT'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THINGS TO FIGURE OUT AND FLUSH OUT.

[00:20:02]

SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON IT AND UPDATE THE COUNCIL ACCORDINGLY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. MAKE A MOTION.

SURE. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT ORDINANCE 306 WITH A SUMMARY ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY CODE FOR ESTABLISHING CANNABIS BUSINESS BUFFERS.

VEACH, HAVE A SECOND.

I'LL SECOND IT. CROSBY.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED? NO. THAT PASSES FOUR ZERO.

ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT? YES, I DO HAVE A PERMIT SLIDE HERE.

LET'S SEE HERE.

SO THIS IS JUST A SUMMARY OF OUR CURRENT PERMIT BUILDING PERMIT REVENUES.

WE DID HAVE JUST UNDER $80,000 IN PERMIT REVENUE IN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, WHICH BROUGHT US JUST TO OUR BUDGET AT 570 $576,000, ROUGHLY.

SO WE ARE HAVE MET OUR GUIDED BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR.

AND I WILL SAY OUR PERMITS ARE STILL VERY BUSY AND ACTIVE AS THIS NICE WEATHER HAS HOLDS.

SO I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT TO BE WELL ABOVE THE BUDGET.

BUT JUST AN UPDATE WITH THAT.

ADDITIONALLY, STAFF HAS BEEN BUSY.

WE ARE TRAINING OUR NEW PLANNERS STILL, SO THAT'S EXCITING TIMES AND WE HAD A HIGH NUMBER OF LAND USE APPLICATIONS COME IN, HOPEFULLY TO BE HEARD ON THE NOVEMBER PLANNING COMMISSION.

SO I WOULD ANTICIPATE A BUSY AGENDA FOR THE COUNCIL OR FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN NOVEMBER, WHICH WILL RESULT IN A BUSY DECEMBER CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR YOU, BUT QUITE A FEW UNIQUE APPLICATIONS COMING THROUGH IN NOVEMBER.

SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'VE BEEN MOSTLY FOCUSED ON, ESPECIALLY THIS WEEK BEING OUR WEEK WE'RE TRYING TO PUBLISH.

SO OTHERWISE I'M AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.

ALL RIGHT. AWESOME. ANY QUESTIONS FOR LAURA? ALL RIGHT. THANKS. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. THAT WILL BRING US TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT NUMBER 18.

[18. Long Lake Fire Department Fire Truck Purchase / 2025 CIP Approval.]

MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

I HAVE THAT ONE.

SO BEFORE YOU IS A COUNCIL ACTION WITH A PROPOSAL TO APPROVE THE LONG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S 2025 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AS WELL AS TO APPROVE THE PROCUREMENT OF A NEW BRUSH MEDICAL RESPONSE UTILITY VEHICLE.

THE CITY OF LONG LAKE SUBMITTED THEIR CIP FOR 2025 BACK IN SEPTEMBER, AS IS REQUIRED BY THE CONTRACT.

THEY DID THIS YEAR AND THE ADDED A BRUSH MEDICAL RESPONSE VEHICLE FOR 2025 PURCHASE.

THAT VEHICLE THEY'VE ACTUALLY ALREADY PLACED ON ORDER.

AND SO I UNDERSTAND, AT LEAST FROM OUR LAST FIRE ADVISORY BOARD MEETING, IT IS DUE TO BE DELIVERED BY THE END OF THIS YEAR AT SOME POINT.

AND THEY ARE ASKING FOR THE CITY OF ORONO TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PURCHASE PER THE CONTRACT TERMS. I PUT IN YOUR COUNCIL PACKET.

SO THE WAY THEY HAVE THE PURCHASE BROKEN DOWN ON THEIR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN IS THE TOTAL VEHICLE PURCHASE IS $240,000.

THE ORONO PORTION OF THAT PURCHASE WILL BE $184,900.

AND THEN THE REMAINING AMOUNT IS A SPLIT BETWEEN THE CITIES OF LONG LAKE AND MEDINA.

FOR THE CITY OF ORONO, THE PORTION OF THAT PURCHASE WILL COME FROM OUR CAPITAL FUND.

THIS THIS PURCHASE WAS NOT SOMETHING WE HAD BUDGETED.

IT'S NEW. IT WAS JUST PUT ON THE 25 OF CIP.

SO THIS WILL RESULT IN A NEGATIVE CASH BALANCE FOR THAT FUND FOR 2025.

HOWEVER AT THE AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE FIRE ADVISORY BOARD, THE CITY OF LONG LAKE DID DISCUSS AND MADE A MOTION AND HAD A VOTE TO AGREE THAT THEY WOULD, IN FACT, BUY BACK ORONO PORTION OF THAT PURCHASE AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT, WHICH WOULD BE THE END OF 2025.

SO WE ARE SHOWING THEN OUR FUND BALANCE GOING BACK INTO THE BLACK.

ONCE THAT REIMBURSEMENT OR THAT BUYBACK IS COMPLETED.

SO BEFORE YOU, I HAVE A REQUESTING COUNCIL ACTION WITH THREE PORTIONS.

PORTION NUMBER ONE IS A MOVE TO APPROVE THE 2025 LONG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

PORTION NUMBER TWO IS TO MOVE TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF THE BRUSH MEDICAL RESPONSE VEHICLE AND $184,900 WITH THE PROVISO THAT THAT LONG LAKE AGREED TO BUY ORONO OWNERSHIP SHARE.

AND THEN PART THREE IS A MOTION TO DIRECT STAFF, AND PARTICULARLY THE CITY ATTORNEY, TO DRAFT AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF LONG LAKE TO MEMORIALIZE THAT AGREEMENT TO

[00:25:03]

THAT'S ALL I HAVE. SO BASICALLY THEY JUST WANT THEY WANT US TO PAY 184,000.

THEY'LL PAY US BACK IN A YEAR. SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE A NO INTEREST LOAN FOR A YEAR ESSENTIALLY.

THAT CERTAINLY BE ONE WAY TO THINK ABOUT IT.

OKAY. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? I THINK PART OF THIS THAT'S I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT IN OUR FIRE ADVISORY BOARD, PART OF THE PART THAT MADE THIS DIFFICULT WAS OUR CIP WAS NOT PRESENTED LAST YEAR.

AND A CIP STANDS FOR A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, AND THIS WAS NOW A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PURCHASE.

BECAUSE WE WEREN'T GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY BEFORE.

SO THAT MAKES IT QUITE DIFFICULT.

THAT BEING SAID, WE DID TALK ABOUT KNOWING WHERE THE DIRECTION WE'RE HEADING.

AND JUST SAYING THAT THERE'S A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY.

IT WOULD BE BEST TO HAVE SOME DECISIONS MADE ON WHO WOULD HAVE OWNERSHIP OF THAT.

AND I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DRAFT SOMETHING UP FOR US.

BUT I SAW IN HERE THAT IT WAS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DRAFT IT UP.

THEY WENT AHEAD AND IN A COUNCIL FORUM, THE THEY MADE A MOTION AND THEN IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED BY THEIR COUNCIL THAT THEY WOULD BUY THAT BACK. BUT CURRENTLY THAT'S ONLY A MOTION.

THAT'S MEMORIALIZED IN THERE MINUTES AFTER DISCUSSING WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY THAT WOULD NOT BE NECESSARILY LEGALLY BINDING.

SO THE IDEA WE HAD WAS WE WOULD PUT WHAT I HOPE IS A SIMPLE AGREEMENT TOGETHER TO MAKE THAT TURN THAT INTO A LEGALLY BINDING ACTION. THAT WAS MY RECOMMENDATION.

OKAY. JUST TO MEMORIALIZE IT.

OTHERWISE, IT'S JUST A MOTION.

SO, ADAM, NUMBER THREE ON COUNCIL ACTION REQUESTED.

IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE MOVING TONIGHT TO DIRECT CITY ATTORNEY TO DRAFT THE AGREEMENT, AND THEN THIS WOULD BE COMING BACK BEFORE COUNCIL? IT IS A IT IS AN AGREEMENT THAT REQUIRES COUNCIL APPROVAL.

YES. OKAY. BUT IT WOULD BE OUR STAFF TIME FOR THEIR REQUEST OF THEIR PURCHASE.

YES. YEAH.

AND THAT'S THE PART I THINK WE TALKED DURING OUR OUR FIRE ADVISORY BOARD THAT THEY WOULD BRING THAT TO US AND HAVE IT ALL DRAWN UP.

AND NOW SEEING THAT IT TAKES OUR STAFF TIME.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WAS THAT'S NEW TO ME.

AND THEN JUST THE IDEA OF NEEDING THREE.

IF WE'RE TRYING TO COMBINE RESOURCES AND HOPING FOR A FUTURE OF SHARED AT THE VERY LEAST SHARED EQUIPMENT, KNOWING THAT WE ALREADY PURCHASED TWO.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER.

ADAM, I HAVE A QUESTION.

YOU SAID THIS WAS DISCUSSED AT THE LAST FIRE ADVISORY.

THIS PROPOSAL WAS IT WAS DISCUSSED AT THE LAST TWO FIRE ADVISORY BOARDS, I BELIEVE.

AND WAS THERE GENERAL AGREEMENT? I DON'T KNOW WHO WAS ALL IN ATTENDANCE.

WAS THERE GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS AMENABLE TO THE REPRESENTATIVES AT THE FIRE ADVISORY? YES, YES.

SO I WOULD SAY NO ON MY PART.

I WANTED THEM TO REMOVE THIS FROM THE BUDGET AND POSTPONE IT TILL NEXT YEAR.

WELL, DURING THE MEETING, THEY COULDN'T GIVE US AN ANSWER.

RIGHT. THEY HAD JUST SAID THAT THEY WOULD LOOK INTO IT, BUT THEN THE CITY COUNCIL REPORT CAME OUT.

BUT I WAS HOPING THAT WE'D HAVE SOME A DRAFT OF AN AGREEMENT.

OBVIOUSLY WITH JUST A COMPLICATED CONTRACT AS IT IS.

SO THIS BEING ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT IS SOMEWHAT OF A SURPRISE TO THE FIRE ADVISORY BOARD REPRESENTATIVES WITHOUT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS UNDERSTANDED AS THE AGREEMENT OR UNDERSTOOD AS THE AGREEMENT BASED ON THE MEETING.

NOT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I DID EXPECT TO SEE IT ON HERE.

I THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO DRAFT IT UP.

THE AGREEMENT, IT'S THE CONTRACT FOR THEM.

PLUS, I THINK WE'RE STILL ALSO HAVING THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT WHY ARE WE LOANING THEM? IF THEY NEED A LOAN, ASK FOR A LOAN.

I'M NOT SURE WHY WE NEED TO BUY SOMETHING WITH A GUARANTEE THEY'RE GOING TO BUY IT BACK IN 12 MONTHS WHEN THEY'VE ALREADY ORDERED IT.

THEY NEVER ASKED US ABOUT ORDERING IT.

WE DON'T NEED IT. THEY SAID THEY DON'T NEED IT FOR THE ACTUAL SERVICE.

IS THIS OKAY? SO THIS IS NOT NEEDED.

THERE IS NO RISK TO SAFETY OF THE STAFF OR TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO FOR THE NEXT YEAR OF SERVICING TWO THIRDS OF OUR CITY, THIS TRUCK IS NOT REQUIRED FOR THAT.

THEY HAD SAID THAT IT WASN'T GOING TO IMPACT SAFETY FOR THE STAFF OR THE CITIZENS.

I THINK THEY HAVE MEMORIALIZED THAT THEY WANTED IT FOR THEIR OWN FLEET MOVING FORWARD.

SO WHY WE WOULD LOAN THEM THE MONEY TO DO IT IS KIND OF BEYOND ME, BUT, WELL, I GUESS I WOULD CHARACTERIZE IT THE, YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF LONG LAKE, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTRACT TO PROVIDE THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, DID LIST IT ON THEIR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AS A NEED.

THERE WAS CERTAINLY DISCUSSION IN THE FIRE ADVISORY BOARDS ABOUT HOW, HOW MUCH OF A NEED IS IT IMMEDIATELY VERSUS GETTING THE EXISTING EQUIPMENT TO, TO LIMP ALONG A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

BUT I GUESS THE SIMPLE WAY THAT I LOOK AT IT IS THE CITY OF LONG LAKE, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTRACT OF SUBMITTING THEIR NEEDS VIA A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, HAS DONE THAT.

[00:30:09]

RIGHT. WELL, I THINK IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE THEY I AND A LOT OF MAYBE ON ME IS WE SHOULD GO AHEAD AND IF WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, ALSO GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THE PURCHASE.

AND I THINK IT'S PRUDENT BASED ON WHAT WE'VE, WHAT WE'VE DISCUSSED AT A STAFF LEVEL, THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS AGREEMENT, IT SHOULD BE MEMORIALIZED.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A BIG DEAL.

WHO CREATES THE DRAFT AGREEMENT? EITHER WAY, AN AGREEMENT HAS GOT TO BE CREATED BY ONE OF THE ATTORNEYS AND THEN REVIEWED BY THE OTHER ATTORNEY.

SO, YOU KNOW, THE DELTA AND COST BETWEEN PREPARING AND REVIEWING, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THAT BIG OF A DIFFERENCE TO, TO REALLY WORRY ABOUT.

I LIKE THE IDEA OF US PRODUCING WHAT WE THINK.

THE FIRST VERSION OF THAT AGREEMENT IS TO PROTECT THE CITY'S INTERESTS AND HAVE THEM REACT TO IT, BUT THAT'S JUST MAYBE ME.

WHAT'S INTERESTING TO MARIA'S POINT.

THIS IS A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PURCHASE ON A.

THEY DIDN'T GIVE US THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN BEFORE THEY PURCHASED THIS.

THEY PURCHASED IT AND THEN GAVE US THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, WHICH DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.

AND THEY'VE SAID ALREADY THAT IT'S REALLY FOR THEIR FLEET.

IT'S NOT IT'S NOT FOR WHAT WE NEED.

SO I MADE I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO DENY ONE, TWO AND THREE.

I'M GOING TO ADD SOMETHING THERE.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? I'M WAITING FOR A SECOND.

I'LL SECOND IT. OKAY.

DISCUSSION. YES.

SO IN THE BACKGROUND, THE SECOND THIRD SENTENCE SAYS THE VEHICLE WILL BE USED TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO THE CITY OF ORONO DURING 2025.

IT'S WILL REPLACE UTILITY 11, WHICH HAS BEEN IN SERVICE SINCE 1999 AND BEYOND ITS RECOMMENDED USEFUL LIFE.

SO WE HAVE VEHICLES THAT SERVICE OTHER PARTS OF ORONO THAT YOU'VE BEEN OKAY NOT APPROVING.

I'M READING WHAT'S IN FRONT OF ME HERE ABOUT THIS ISSUE, SO I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY ABOUT IT OTHER THAN IT'S CLEAR HERE THAT THIS VEHICLE IS THE ONE THAT'S PLANNING TO BE USED TO SERVICE OUR CITY STARTING.

I THINK IT'S SUPPOSED TO COME IN IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, STARTING AT THAT TIME, SO I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD.

DO THEY NOT HAVE THE OLD UTILITY ANYMORE? THEY STILL HAVE THE OLD UTILITY.

OKAY. THIS THIS IS MEANT TO REPLACE THE OLD ONE.

REPLACE THE OLD ONE. OKAY.

CORRECT. OKAY, I'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND BY CROSBY.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. AYE.

NO. OKAY, THEN WE TWO TWOS.

NO. I'M OPPOSED.

I WOULD SUPPORT THE MOTION FAILS.

OKAY, I'M IN SUPPORT.

IN OTHER WORDS, THAT WAS A LITTLE CONFUSING TO ME.

I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS PURCHASE.

OKAY. THE MOTION WAS TO DENY.

OKAY. ITEMS ONE, TWO AND THREE UNDER THE COUNCIL ACTION.

OKAY, SO WHAT WAS THE FINAL COUNT THEN? 2 TO 2. SO THE MOTION FAILS.

SO WE HAVE THE FLOOR IS STILL OPEN FOR ANOTHER MOTION.

THE FLOOR IS STILL OPEN FOR MOTION, SO THERE WAS A MOTION TO DENY THE ITEM BEFORE YOU 2 TO 2.

IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A SWING AT ANOTHER MOTION, YOU CAN OR WE CAN MOVE ON TO ANOTHER ITEM IN THE AGENDA.

OKAY. WELL, I GUESS WE'LL MOVE ON TO ANOTHER ITEM ON THE AGENDA.

ANY OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT? NOTHING. OKAY.

HOW ABOUT ATTORNEY REPORT? I HAVE NOTHING, MISTER MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

OKAY. CITY ADMINISTRATOR.

ENGINEER REPORT.

[City Administrator/Engineer Report]

COUNCIL ITEM NUMBER 19 IS TO FOR THE COUNCIL TO ACCEPT THE RESIGNATION OF COUNCIL MEMBER MATT JOHNSON.

HE SUBMITTED TODAY.

HE SUBMITTED A WRITTEN RESIGNATION ASKING FOR HIS RESIGNATION TO BE EFFECTIVE TODAY.

AS COUNCIL MEMBER, JOHNSON HAS OVER ONE HALF OF HIS TERM REMAINING.

HIS RESIGNATION WILL RESULT IN THE NEED OF A SPECIAL ELECTION IN 2025.

AND AT SOME POINT, THE COUNCIL WILL NEED TO APPOINT A VACANCY OR FILL THAT VACANCY BY APPOINTMENT UNTIL THAT ELECTION OCCURS.

SO BEFORE YOU TODAY, YOU HAVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 7530, WHICH IS TO ACCEPT THE RESIGNATION OF COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON AND TO DECLARE A VACANCY ON THE IN THE COUNCIL, EFFECTIVE TODAY.

AND JUST UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WILL DRIVE A COUPLE OF FOLLOW ON ACTIONS FROM THE STAFF.

SO AFTER ACCEPTING THIS, WE WILL BE LOOKING TO PUT TOGETHER A PLAN FOR A SPECIAL ELECTION IN 2025.

THERE ARE BASED ON THE WAY THE STATUTE WORKS, THERE ARE ONLY A CERTAIN NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES TO HOLD SPECIAL ELECTIONS.

[00:35:07]

AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT WE WILL NEED TO BRING FORWARD IS A PLAN FOR HOW THE TEMPORARY FILLING OF THAT POSITION CAN OCCUR THROUGH AN APPOINTMENT.

DID I MISS ANYTHING? NO.

MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, I THINK ADAM HIGHLIGHTED THE ACTION BEFORE YOU IN TERMS OF ACCEPTING THE RESIGNATION, DECLARING THE VACANCY AND THEN EXPLAINING THE SPECIAL ELECTION AND APPOINTMENT PROCESS.

THE ONLY OTHER THING I'D ADD IS, I THINK SOMETIMES THERE'S A QUESTION OF, YOU KNOW, HOW DO ITEMS LIKE THIS GET ADDED TO THE AGENDA? STAFF DID RECEIVE THE NOTICE OF RESIGNATION TODAY.

TODAY IS ONE OF YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETINGS, AND SO COUNCILS ARE ABLE TO ADD AND OR DELETE ITEMS FROM YOUR AGENDA.

AS YOU'VE DONE TONIGHT, AS YOU ADOPTED YOUR AGENDA, SOMETIMES ON A SPECIAL MEETING, I KNOW THERE'S QUESTIONS OF WHEN CAN WE ADD THINGS? AND WHEN YOU HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING THAT IS NOT REGULARLY NOTICED, THEN THERE ARE LIMITATIONS ON YOUR AGENDA.

BUT THIS ITEM, IN MY OPINION, IS PROPERLY ON YOUR AGENDA FOR CONSIDERATION TONIGHT.

THANK YOU. SO, ADAM, HOW DOES COUNCIL PROCEED THEN WITH IS THIS GOING TO COME BEFORE US AT A DIFFERENT MEETING AFTER TONIGHT IN TERMS OF HOW COUNCIL IS GOING TO HANDLE THIS RESIGNATION OR THE POSITION? YES. MY MY PLAN WOULD IS TO BRING YOU WHAT YOUR OPTIONS ARE FOR THE FILLING AND THEN SETTING THE SPECIAL ELECTION CALENDAR, SETTING WHAT DATE FOR THE SPECIAL ELECTION, WHICH THEN DRIVES A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER DATES THAT THAT ARE REQUIRED IN IN AN ELECTION TO THE NOVEMBER 25TH MEETING? OKAY. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ADAM? I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION I GO AHEAD.

NO, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO MATT FOR ALL HIS HIS SERVICE.

HE'S DONE A LOT FOR THIS CITY.

I KNOW HE TAUGHT TAUGHT ME A LOT BY LISTENING TO HIM.

IT WAS REALLY REALLY COOL TO HEAR DIFFERENT THINGS AND LEARN ABOUT THE CITY THAT WAY, AND I.

I APPRECIATE HIS SERVICE.

YEAH, HE HAD SIX YEARS IN STARTING.

HE STARTED ON THE CODE REVIEW COMMITTEE, WHERE WE HAD PRETTY MUCH CHANGED A GAZILLION CODES.

AND WITH BETWEEN HIS KNOWLEDGE AND THE OTHER TEN PEOPLE THAT WERE EITHER HOMEOWNERS OR DEVELOPERS OR JUST PROPERTY OWNERS, AND TO HELP KIND OF GET THE SYSTEM UP AND RUNNING, TO GET THE WHOLE ONLINE SYSTEM PUT TOGETHER AND WHAT WORKED AND WHAT DIDN'T, AND ALL THE OTHER CITIES THAT ALL THESE BUILDERS WORKED IN.

ANDY, WHO WAS HERE, WHO LEFT, WAS A BIG PART OF THAT AS WELL FROM [INAUDIBLE] CONSTRUCTION.

SO YEAH, DEFINITELY PUT IN SOME GREAT SERVICE.

SO I APPRECIATE IT AS WELL.

SO MAKE A MOTION.

YEAH, A QUICK QUESTION.

DON'T THEY HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THIS? YES. WE'RE MAKING A MOTION.

NO. WE ALREADY HAD THE AGENDA MEETING.

THEY ALREADY HAD THE AGENDA AGENDA.

OKAY. THANK YOU. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 7530, ACCEPTING THE RESIGNATION OF MATT JOHNSON AND DECLARING A VACANCY ON THE COUNCIL EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 12TH, 2024.

COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY, SECOND.

I'LL SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED? NO. THAT PASSES 4 TO 0.

OKAY. THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE, MA'AM.

YES. ANY OTHER REPORTS FROM CITY ADMINISTRATOR? ENGINEER? NO.

I THINK THE BIGGEST, THE BIGGEST THING TO HIGHLIGHT FROM STAFF PERSPECTIVE OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS WAS THE COMPLETION OF A VERY SUCCESSFUL ELECTION PROCESS.

WE THOUGHT WE WERE AT THE END OF OUR ELECTION SEASON.

AS THIS LAST COUNCIL ITEM SHOWS, WE ARE NOT.

BUT THIS WAS A VERY HEAVY ELECTION YEAR.

AND SO I JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, DO A LITTLE SHOUT OUT AND RECOGNITION FOR OUR CITY CLERK AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, AS WELL AS THE NUMEROUS ELECTION VOLUNTEERS FROM OUR COMMUNITY WHO CAME FORWARD TO BE ELECTION JUDGES TO GET US THROUGH.

THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

SO THEY DID A REAL NICE JOB.

DID YOU KNOW MANY PEOPLE THAT I COULD GET THAT FOR YOU? I DON'T KNOW, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT IT WAS REASONABLY HIGH.

I DON'T THINK WE HAD ANY COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS, SO THAT'LL BRING US TO OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS, WHICH IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.

[Public Comments]

IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL.

THE COUNCIL WILL NOT ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION OR TAKE ACTION ON ITEMS PRESENTED AT THIS TIME.

HOWEVER, THE COUNCIL MAY REFER ISSUES TO STAFF FOR FOLLOW UP OR CONSIDERATION AT A FUTURE MEETING.

SPEAKERS SHOULD STATE THEIR NAME AND HOME ADDRESS AT THE PODIUM BEFORE SPEAKING, AND THE COUNCIL WILL OPEN UP THE PODIUM TO COUNCIL OF ORONO RESIDENTS.

BEFORE OPENING THE PODIUM TO ANY OTHER MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL, IS THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE ORONO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT? SEEING NONE, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT?

[00:40:06]

I JUST WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY, COUNCIL MEMBER VEACH AND MAYOR FOR YOUR SERVICE OVER THESE LAST FEW YEARS.

I APPRECIATE THAT. AND ALSO TO COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT? BRIAN TURBERVILLE 997 WILD HORSE TRAIL.

I HAVE AN AWARD WINNING SPEECH WRITTEN.

EVERYBODY WOULD LOVE IT.

I'VE READ IT 50 TIMES AND IT DOESN'T COME OFF.

SO HERE IT GOES.

IT DIDN'T COME TO THE COUNCIL MEETING TO MAKE A VICTORY LAP.

I CAME TO SAY THANK YOU.

I BELIEVE THE SERVICE PUT IN BY YOU, MAYOR WALSH IN THE BEGINNING WAS VERY GOOD.

I THINK YOU DID A LOT OF GOOD THINGS FOR THE CITY AND MR. CROSBY I KNOW YOU DIDN'T RUN, BUT SO SAME THING.

BUT THE SERVICE TO THE CITY, THE SERVICE TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT YOU'VE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE CITY.

BOTH OF YOU HAVE, AND I APPRECIATE IT.

MISS VEACH, COUNCIL MEMBER VEACH.

THE CARDS WERE STACKED AGAINST YOU.

THIS DAY WAS ALREADY IN MOTION.

AND I THINK YOU CAME FOR THE RIGHT REASON.

I THINK YOU HAVE THE RIGHT THING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

BUT THE TIME WASN'T THERE.

AND SO I, I'VE STOOD IN THIS CHAMBER OUT OF ORDER AND COMPARING MAYBE MY BEST COMPARISON, THE DIFFERENCE OF SITTING BEHIND THE DAIS AND STANDING AT THIS PODIUM, I BELIEVE POLITICS AND TIME COLLIDE, POLITICS AND TIME COLLIDE AND CREATE A POWER VACUUM THAT IS NOT GOOD.

AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT HAPPENED HERE TOO LONG.

THIS COUNCIL STAYED TOO LONG.

AND WHAT PEOPLE STAND HERE AT THIS PODIUM AND SAY.

AND TO COMPARE THAT TO WHAT HAPPENS AND WHAT'S SAID BEHIND THE DAIS IS NO COMPARISON.

I THINK IF COUNCIL HAS SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT A RESIDENT OR ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER, TAKE YOUR THREE MINUTES AS A CITIZEN, COME HERE, STAND TO THE PODIUM AND SAY IT.

DON'T USE THE DAIS AS A BULLY BULLY PULPIT.

AND I TRULY APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE AND SINCERE.

IT'S A SOMBER DAY, AND IT'S BEEN QUIET.

IT'S A DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERE HERE WITH A LOT MORE PEOPLE HERE.

THERE'S GOING TO BE A NEW COUNCIL SEATED.

THE CITY MOVES ON, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN ALL GET TOGETHER, FINISH OUT THIS COUNCIL ON A HIGH NOTE. AND THAT'S ALL FOR NOW.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT? WELL, OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT I'LL BE SO HAPPY TO COME UP HERE WITHOUT SOME KIND OF CLOCK TELLING ME I'M LIMITED IN WHAT I HAVE TO SAY TO MY COMMUNITY, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT HAS PERVADED THIS FOR A WHILE.

I FEEL A GREAT BURDEN LIFTED OFF MY SHOULDERS FROM THE FIRST DAY THIS COUNCIL CHOSE TO OUTLAW ME AND MY RENEWABLE PRODUCTS IN THIS COMMUNITY, TO THE OUTRIGHT PERSECUTION THAT I'VE SUFFERED AT THE HANDS OF ORONO MAYOR WALSH.

I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER.

AND WHY DO I FEEL BETTER? BECAUSE OF THIS COMMUNITY.

THE PEOPLE WHO ROSE UP.

THE PEOPLE WHO SAW WHAT WAS GOING ON.

NOW, I WAS ASKED NUMEROUS TIMES.

WHY HAVE YOU STOPPED GOING TO COUNCIL MEETINGS? AND I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? I STARTED GOING UP THERE BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T FILMING STUFF.

NOTHING WAS PUBLIC.

AND PEOPLE HAD TO KNOW BECAUSE I KNEW IF PEOPLE HAD TO KNOW, PEOPLE WOULD BE UP HERE VOICING THEIR OPINION AS TO WHAT WAS GOING ON.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.

THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY CAME FORWARD IN GREAT NUMBERS, AND THEY VOICED OVER AND OVER TO A BRICK WALL.

THAT DIDN'T MATTER.

THEY KEPT WORKING, THEY KEPT WORKING.

AND NOW WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE OUR COMMUNITY IS AT A CHANGE.

WE'RE MOVING FROM THE, LET'S JUST SAY, BLOCKHEADED IDEAL THAT I'M ELECTED TO REPRESENT YOU.

I DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY IS A PART OF THE ANSWER.

THAT'S WHERE WE'RE MOVING FROM.

AND THAT'S WHY I'M SO PROUD OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY, THE PEOPLE WHO STOOD UP.

NOW WE HAVE CHOSEN TO LOP OFF THE HEAD OF THE SNAKE HERE, THE VIRTUAL SNAKE.

[00:45:03]

THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY ILLEGALITIES, SO MANY OTHER THINGS GOING ON IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT JUST GETTING RID OF YOU.

WALSH AND MRS VEACH AND MR. JOHNSON COWARDLY WALKING AWAY AND RESIGNING AFTER HE TOOK OUR LAND.

THERE ARE STILL OTHER PEOPLE TO DEAL WITH.

I KNOW MR. EDWARDS HAS HAD NUMEROUS ONE ON ONE MEETINGS WITH YOU, MR. WALSH, WHICH VIOLATES THE CODE.

PRETTY SURE MR. MADDOCK HAS AS WELL.

I'M ALSO KNOWLEDGEABLE THAT OVER THE 15 YEARS OF HARASSMENT OF ME AND MY GREEN ENERGY, MR. MADDOCK COULDN'T EVEN BE BOTHERED TO COUNSEL YOU GUYS ON STATE STATUTE.

WE'VE GOT A BUNCH OF PEOPLE UP HERE WHO I REALLY THINK NEED TO BE STILL DEALT WITH TO CLEAR THIS COMMUNITY OUT AND MOVE US ALL FORWARD.

BUT I'M GOING TO SAY ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL, BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU KNOW WHAT I NOW KNOW.

EVIL CAN BE DEFEATED.

AND I WILL GIVE YOU YOUR LAST GAVEL.

MR. WALSH OUT THE DOOR.

ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT? OKAY. SEEING NONE, I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND BRING IT TO MAYOR.

[Mayor/Council Report]

THANK YOU.

I ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS MY MY THANKS TO ALL THE STAFF WHO WORKED SO HARD DURING THIS ELECTION CYCLE, BOTH BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER.

WE HAD REAL OVER 90% VOTER TURNOUT IN ORONO AND A SUCCESSFUL ELECTION.

SO THANKS TO ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO WORKED TIRELESSLY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, INCLUDING THE ELECTION JUDGES AND OTHER SUPPORTERS.

I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT I DID ATTEND THE VETERANS PROGRAM YESTERDAY MORNING AT THE ORONO HIGH SCHOOL, ALONG WITH OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM MANY OTHER LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND AT THE STATE LEVEL.

AND I DO WANT TO THANK THE ORONO ROTARY AND MAYOR JULIE MACKOWSKI OF MAPLE PLAIN THAT ORONO HIGH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION.

IT WAS A GREAT TRIBUTE AND CEREMONY, AND A LOT OF FOLKS FROM THE COMMUNITY WERE ABLE TO ATTEND.

AND IT'S IT WAS A VERY MOVING CEREMONY IN MANY WAYS, AND I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO ORGANIZED AND PUT IT ON.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

COUNCIL MEMBER. VEACH. YEAH.

FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE VETERANS.

I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE.

AND SECONDLY, THANK YOU TO THE ELECTION STAFF.

I'VE BEEN THERE AND PLAYED CRIBBAGE WITH A FEW OF YOU.

IT'S A LONG DAY, A LOT OF HOURS, AND I APPRECIATE THE SERVICE.

AND FINALLY, I GUESS I'LL SAY THANKS TO MATT AGAIN.

THAT WAS REALLY FUN.

GIVE ME A SECOND.

I'VE GOT PLENTY OF TIME.

THANKS. I THINK IN THE COMMUNITY, WHEN WE START VIEWING VOLUNTEERISM AS PROBLEMATIC, IT CAN DISCOURAGE GENUINE, PASSIONATE PEOPLE FROM STEPPING IN TO SERVE, POTENTIALLY ROBBING OUR COMMUNITY FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE HEART TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. I CAN TELL YOU IT'S BEEN A REALLY GREAT EXPERIENCE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU'VE SEEN.

I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE PEOPLE THAT STEPPED IN THAT ARE WILLING TO FILL THE ROLE, AND I LOVE THIS CITY AND CAN ONLY BELIEVE THAT THEY DO TOO.

SO THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY. I'D LIKE TO START OUT BY THANKING THE VETERANS.

YESTERDAY WAS VETERANS DAY.

A LOT OF VETERANS DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE TO US AS CITIZENS.

SO I'VE ALWAYS MADE IT MY OBLIGATION TO THANK EVERYONE THAT I SEE WHO'S WEARING A HAT OR PART OF THE UNIFORM, JUST TO LET THEM KNOW HOW MUCH THEY MEAN TO US, AND HOW OUR FAMILY UNDERSTANDS THAT OUR FREEDOM IS DUE TO OUR VETERANS.

I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT OUR FREEDOM HAS BEEN GIVEN BY GOD, BUT IT'S ENFORCED WITH OUR VETERANS, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THEIR SACRIFICES AND THEIR FAMILY SACRIFICE.

WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE BOB TUNHEIM.

STEVE PERSHING AND JACQUELINE RICKS FOR THEIR WIN IN THE PAST ELECTION.

I WISH THEM NOTHING BUT THE BEST FOR OUR CITY.

I LOVE OUR CITY.

I'VE SERVED ORONO AND PARTS OF LONG LAKE FOR GOD.

IT'S ALMOST 20 YEARS NOW.

SO TEN YEARS OF FIRE.

[00:50:01]

I'D LIKE TO TO THANK MATT JOHNSON FOR ALL HIS GREAT WORK.

MATT WAS OUTSTANDING AND AND HELPING US AUTOMATE THE CITY AND SO FORTH HAS BEEN FANTASTIC.

AND HE UNDERSTANDS SETBACKS, VARIANCES, THINGS REALLY, REALLY WELL.

AND I LEARNED AS I WENT.

TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THAT WAS NOT REALLY THAT EASY FOR ME.

THAT'S NOT MY FORTE.

AND MOST OF THE THINGS I AS FAR AS SETBACKS AND SO FORTH, OTHER THAN PROTECTING THE LAKE AND DOING THE 75FT I FOUND VERY BORING.

I'D LIKE TO THANK MARIA.

YOU HAVE BEEN OUTSTANDING.

YOU ARE SO INCREDIBLY IMPRESSIVE, DETAILED, WONDERFUL PERSON TO WORK WITH, AND IT HAS BEEN OUR HONOR TO WORK WITH YOU.

I'M STILL HERE. TWO MORE MEETINGS.

I KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW, YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE YET, BUT THAT'S ABOUT IT.

SO THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR COMING TONIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR THE NICE COMMENTS.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S IT. I WANT TO SAY AGAIN THANKS TO MATT AS WELL, IT'S SIX GREAT YEARS OF DOING AMAZING STUFF HERE WHEN WE HAD NO TECHNOLOGY AND WE REDID ALL THE CODES.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF YEARS OF WORK OF GETTING ALL THAT STUFF DONE TO WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY.

AND AND CONGRATULATIONS TO NEW ADMINISTRATION COMING IN IN JANUARY.

YOU'LL FIND THERE'S A LOT TO LEARN, THAT'S FOR SURE.

BUT IT IS FUN. SO WITH THAT MOTION TO ADJOURN.

SO MOVED. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY AYE. AYE.

HAVE A GOOD NIGHT, EVERYBODY.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.