Nov 25, 2024 City Council

[Roll Call]

[00:00:03]

ALL RIGHT. WELCOME TO THE MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25TH, 2024 ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

NOTE ALL CURRENT ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE HERE AND PRESENT ALL FOUR OF US.

WE ALWAYS START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

SO I INVITE YOU TO STAND AND FACE THE FLAG WITH US.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THAT.

BEFORE WE GET TO THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA, I'D LIKE TO JUST HAVE A QUICK MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THE FAMILY, FOR WE LOST AN ORONO CHILD THIS LAST WEEK.

LUCAS JAMES KNUDSEN, KNOWN AS LUKE AND THEIR FAMILY.

SO IF WE COULD JUST HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THE FAMILY, I'D APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

[Approval of Agenda]

[Consent Agenda]

WHO WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A STAB AT THAT? I'LL TAKE CARE OF IT THIS EVENING.

MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AND ALSO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IS.

BUT I WOULD MOVE ITEM NUMBER 15 UP AFTER ITEM NUMBER 12.

I WILL SECOND THAT.

I'D LIKE TO REMOVE NUMBER NINE, PLEASE.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE ANY AMENDMENTS TO YOUR MOTION? NO THANK YOU, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION AS IS.

ALL RIGHT. WELL, I HAVE A MOTION.

I HAVE A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED? NO. NO.

SO THAT PASSES 3 TO 1.

EXCUSE ME. OKAY, THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE NEXT ITEM NOW.

THAT'S THIS.

SORRY. THE. I'D LIKE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT JUST HAPPENED, THAT THE AUDIENCE DOESN'T GET TO HAVE A POSITION HERE.

NOTHING'S HAPPENED TO NUMBER 15 EXCEPT WE MOVED IT UP.

WE MOVED IT TO RIGHT AFTER THE CONSENT AGENDA.

YEAH, BUT I AGREE.

ALL RIGHT. SO THAT HAS PASSED.

[15. Council Vacancy Appointment]

AND IF EVERYBODY HAS READ THE COUNCIL APPOINTMENT INFORMATION, YOU WILL HAVE NOTICED THAT THERE IS NOT GOING TO BE ANY SPECIAL ELECTION BECAUSE THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS DETERMINED THAT UNLESS WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT ADDRESSES THE SPECIAL ELECTION, THERE WILL NOT BE ONE.

AND WE DO NOT HAVE AN ORDINANCE BECAUSE IT PROBABLY HAS NEVER HAPPENED IN ORONO BEFORE WHERE SOMEBODY HAS LONGER THAN TWO YEARS TO GO.

AND SO THEY SAID WE.

SO WHOEVER WE DO APPOINT WILL BE MAY HAVE THAT APPOINTMENT THROUGH 2026.

AND I KNOW I'VE TALKED TO A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME FOR THIS APPOINTMENT, AND WE TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY.

I KNOW THE LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES SAYS THAT IT IS OUR DUTY TO FILL THIS PROMPTLY, AND THE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS SOMEONE WHO'S GOT WHO IS KIND OF FROM ORONO BEEN AROUND HERE FOR A LONG TIME, MAYBE KIDS WENT HERE, HAS BEEN ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY IMPORTANT STUFF.

SO WITH THAT, I.

SORRY YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER.

NO, NO, I'M SORRY. YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER.

SORRY YOU ARE OUT OF ORDER.

I'M SORRY YOU DON'T GET TO SPEAK.

MAYOR, I HAVE A I WILL MAKE IT.

I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION RESOLUTION APPOINTING CLAIRE BARRETT AS ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEMBER TO FILL MATT JOHNSON'S SEAT THROUGH 2026. POINT OF ORDER.

I'LL SECOND THAT.

ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

DISCUSSION. YES, YOU HAVE DISCUSSION.

DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? GO AHEAD. I'LL WAIT.

THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS THIS IS THE EXACT PROBLEM THAT WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW AS A CITY, THAT THIS MEETING TONIGHT HAS BEEN BILLED AS A PROCESS FOR UNDERSTANDING THE APPOINTMENT.

ACTUALLY, IT WAS BILLED AS THEY WILL PRESENT THE PROCESS AND PART OF THE PROCESS, AS YOU'VE SEEN, IS APPOINTMENT AS PART OF THE PROCESS.

MAYOR, IT'S MY TURN TO SPEAK.

WHEN STAFF ADAM EDWARDS, AT THE LAST MEETING, PRESENTED WHAT WE'D BE DOING AT THIS MEETING, AND WHAT THE RESIDENTS OF ORONO ARE EXPECTING AT THIS MEETING, INCLUDING THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED THEIR INTEREST TO US COUNCIL.

AND THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL.

WE'VE ALL GOTTEN THE EMAILS IS THAT TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT THAT WE DISCUSS PROCESS AND THAT WE HEAR FROM STAFF, NOT

[00:05:05]

WE CAN WE DO IT? YES, WE CAN RUSH THE PROCESS WE CAN MAKE AND SECOND MOTIONS.

WE CAN MOVE THINGS AROUND ON THE AGENDA.

SHOULD WE? NO. AND THERE'S LOTS OF REASONS WHY WE SHOULDN'T.

AND NOW THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING THIS AGENDA ITEM, I WILL GIVE YOU MY REASONS WHY WE SHOULD NOT BE DOING WHAT YOU HAVE JUST MADE A MOTION TO DO.

YOU GET YOUR OPINION, ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S MY OPINION AND IT'S ALSO BASED ON BEST PRACTICE, WHICH IS THE EXACTLY THING WE JUST DISCUSSED.

YOU JUST MENTIONED LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES, AND I IMAGINE THAT FOLKS WHO WORK AT THE LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES WOULD NOT INCLUDE THIS IN A TRAINING VIDEO ON HOW TO APPOINT A MEMBER TO COUNCIL THAT WILL SERVE THIS CITY FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS.

IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT DECISION AND RUSHING IT IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES.

SO JUST BECAUSE WE CAN DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULD.

WE HAVE ONE MEETING LEFT THIS YEAR, IN DECEMBER AND THIS MONTH EARLIER.

WE'VE HEARD FROM RESIDENTS AND A GENERAL ELECTION THAT THEY ARE INTERESTED IN NEW LEADERSHIP IN THE CITY OF ORONO.

THAT WAS MADE CLEAR BY THE ELECTION RESULTS.

SO IT'S THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF HONORING THOSE ELECTION RESULTS AND THE MESSAGE THAT THE VOTERS HAVE SENT WITH IT.

BY DOING THIS SORT OF MANEUVER AT THIS MEETING TONIGHT, THERE IS CLEAR INTEREST.

AS I SAID A MOMENT AGO, IN THIS POSITION, COUNCIL HAS RECEIVED AT LEAST WE ALL RECEIVED AT LEAST TWO EMAILS FROM CANDIDATES WHO WERE INTERESTED.

WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED AN EMAIL IN THE LAST FEW DAYS INDICATING THAT THIS PROCESS SHOULD BE FAIR, BALANCE AND REFRESH REFLECT BEST PRACTICES.

THAT'S NOT WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT BY STATE STATUTE.

AND I JUST CLARIFIED THIS WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY.

THIS COUNCIL IS NOT REQUIRED TO RUSH THE PROCESS.

WE ARE NOT REQUIRED TO APPOINT SOMEBODY TONIGHT.

WE ARE NOT REQUIRED TO APPOINT SOMEBODY IN DECEMBER.

THIS COUNCIL HAS THE AUTHORITY TO DELIBERATE, TO HEAR FROM STAFF, WHICH WE HAVEN'T DONE.

I KNOW THAT STAFF HAS SPENT THE BETTER PART OF TWO WEEKS PREPARING FOR THIS MEETING WITH OPTIONS, AND WHAT HAS JUST HAPPENED UP HERE COMPLETELY THROWS THAT UNDER THE BUS. SO, I'M INTERESTED IN HEARING WHAT STAFF HAS TO SAY AND I KNOW THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE INTERESTED IN HAVING A FAIR, TRANSPARENT AND JUST PROCESS.

WE'RE IN THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

THIS IS, AGAIN, AS I'VE CRITICIZED THIS COUNCIL BEFORE, A COMPRESSED TIMELINE, A COMPRESSED PROCESS, AND THERE ARE STILL LINGERING FEELINGS OF UPSET FROM THE LAST APPOINTMENT THAT THIS COUNCIL MADE IN JUNE OF 2023.

SO CAN THE COUNCIL VOTE IN A RUSHED WAY AND IGNORE THE CITIZENS OF ORONO? YES. PEOPLE WHO CHOOSE TO DO THAT CAN.

IS IT BEST PRACTICES? NO. IS IT WHAT VOTERS HAVE WANTED IN THE CLEAR MESSAGING SENT IN THE LAST ELECTION? NO. IS IT FAIR TO STAFF? NO. DOES IT REFLECT WELL ON OUR CITY? IT DOES NOT.

SO, I WANT TO, SO I'M NOT DONE.

AND THOSE WHO KNOW ME KNOW THAT I DON'T SPEAK FOR APPLAUSE.

THIS IS VERY SERIOUS, THIS IS A TWO YEAR APPOINTMENT.

IT COULD STAND TO BE AND I DO WANT TO HAVE COUNSEL CLARIFY IN A MOMENT ON THAT POINT, BUT AM I DONE? NO, I'M NOT DONE.

BECAUSE THE THING I WANT TO SAY PRIOR TO ANY OTHER DISCUSSION.

SHE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, JUST. THE THING I WANT TO SAY PRIOR TO ANY OTHER DISCUSSION IS THAT REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME OF THIS VOTE OR THIS MEETING TONIGHT, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE SHOWN AN INTEREST IN THE POSITION, AND MY HOPE WOULD BE, REGARDLESS OF THE VOTE THAT HAPPENS ON THIS APPOINTMENT TONIGHT, THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT MORE WORK TO DO IN THE NEW YEAR ABOUT UNDERSTANDING THIS PROCESS BETTER AND HAVING IT REFLECT BEST PRACTICES AND REFLECT A VOTE THAT WOULD GAIN TRUST BACK WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

COUNCIL MEMBER VEACH PLEASE AND I DO WANT TO HEAR FROM OUR CITY ATTORNEY AT SOME POINT ABOUT THIS ITEM.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM THE.

WHAT I WANT TO HEAR, WE DISCUSSED THIS BEFORE THE MEETING.

I'D LIKE A CLARIFICATION OF THE PROCESS FOR APPOINTMENT, AND SHOULD WE DISCUSS THIS BEFORE THE MEETING? A LITTLE BIT, SO WHAT? WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THIS COUNCIL DECIDES TO APPOINT A MEMBER TO THIS COUNCIL TONIGHT? WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN FOR A NEWLY SEATED COUNCIL IN THE NEW YEAR, IN TERMS OF THE ABILITY TO STILL HOLD A SPECIAL

[00:10:02]

SO, A COUPLE OF ITEMS ON HERE.

THERE WAS AN OBJECTION OR A DISCUSSION ON THE MOVE, THE ABILITY OF THE COUNCIL TO MOVE THIS ITEM UP TO RIGHT AFTER THE CONSENT AGENDA.

THIS IS A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING, SO I DO BELIEVE YOU CAN MOVE THOSE ITEMS UP PER THE MOTION THAT WAS MADE.

SO THE ITEM IS PROPERLY BEFORE THE COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.

IN TERMS OF FILLING, COULD YOU SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE JUST A BIT MORE? THANK YOU. IT'S HARD TO HEAR ON THE RECORDINGS, I'VE NOTICED.

IN TERMS OF FILLING THE CURRENT VACANCY, THE COUNCIL IS NOT, IN MY OPINION, REQUIRED TO FILL IT TONIGHT, BUT IT CAN FILL IT TONIGHT, TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON TO YOUR POINT.

I AGREE WITH YOUR SUMMATION OF KEN VERSUS HAVE TO.

NO YOU DON'T HAVE TO, BUT YOU CERTAINLY CAN AND THAT WOULD BE A LAWFUL APPOINTMENT IN MY OPINION.

WHAT THE STATUTE IN GENERAL TERMS SUGGESTS IS THAT WHEN THERE IS MORE THAN TWO YEARS LEFT ON THE TERM, WHICH THERE IS FOR MR. JOHNSON'S REMAINING TERM, IT CONTEMPLATES A SPECIAL ELECTION.

WHAT WE KNOW FROM OUR LAST MEETING, AND I CERTAINLY DIDN'T REALIZE IT AT THE TIME, IS THAT THE CITY CODE DOES NOT HAVE A SPECIAL ELECTION PROCESS IN IT. SO, IT IS INCUMBENT UPON THE CITY BEFORE HOLDING A SPECIAL ELECTION, IN MY OPINION, TO CREATE A CITY CODE PROVISION THAT TALKS ABOUT HOW THAT WOULD BE DONE. THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT BEFORE US TONIGHT, AND I'M NOT SURE IT'S POSSIBLE, CANDIDLY, TO GET IT TO YOU WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.

SO, IT IS SOMETHING THAT TO THE EXTENT WE WANT TO IMPLEMENT IT, IT IS PROBABLY A JANUARY TYPE ITEM OR FEBRUARY.

THE ISSUE WILL BE IS IF THE APPOINTMENT HAPPENS TONIGHT, CAN YOU CRAFT A CODE THAT COMES BACK AND DEALS WITH A POSITION THAT'S ALREADY BEEN APPOINTED? WHETHER YOU WANT TO CALL THAT A RETROACTIVE CODE, OR WHETHER IT'S JUST A MECHANICAL PIECE TO DEAL WITH THAT PARTICULAR POSITION.

I DON'T HAVE A GOOD ANSWER FOR YOU AT THIS POINT.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE GENERALIZED ANALYSIS IS WITHOUT THAT CODE, THIS POSITION FOR APPOINTMENT WILL STAND OR STAY IN THEIR OFFICE UNTIL THE ELECTION IN NOVEMBER OF 26.

IN MY OPINION, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S BEEN PRETTY UNIVERSALLY VETTED.

SO WITHOUT ANYTHING ON THE BOOKS, THIS THIS APPOINTMENT WILL LAST UNTIL NOVEMBER OF 26.

SO I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT I HAVE SPOKEN WITH MAYOR ELECT BOB TUNHEIM ABOUT THIS, WHO HAS ALSO SPOKEN WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

AND IF THE COUNCIL DOESN'T OBJECT, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM MR. TUNHEIM ABOUT WHAT HE LEARNED FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC HEARING.

SO I'M NOT HAVING ARE WE? WE ARE ABLE, AS A COUNCIL TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC IF WE CHOOSE THAT'S THE QUESTION.

PUBLIC HEARING, AND SO WE'RE NOT HAVING PUBLIC.

IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING, WE CAN ALLOW THE.

I MADE MY STATEMENT. SO, YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC.

I'VE MADE MY STATEMENT.

SO, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY I'M NOT FINISHED YET, BECAUSE I DO WANT TO CLARIFY THAT MY CONVERSATIONS WITH MAYOR ELECT BOB TUNHEIM HAVE CLEARLY INDICATED THAT THIS ISSUE OF THIS APPOINTMENT, AND ALSO THE ISSUE OF A SPECIAL ELECTION IS VERY, WHAT I'D SAY UNCLEAR.

IT IS UNCLEAR.

IT IS NOT AND I'M NOT A LAWYER, BUT I KNOW IN TALKING TO A FEW TODAY THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE ITSELF IS CONSIDERING THIS AND MAYBE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PRECEDENT FOR THIS, BUT IT WAS NOT CLEAR TO ME THAT JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY IS APPOINTED TONIGHT THAT THAT PERSON WILL NECESSARILY SERVE TILL THE END OF 2026.

THIS SEEMS TO BE A BIT IN FLUX IN TERMS OF THE LEGAL INTERPRETATION.

IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH. I TAKE NO ISSUE WITH THAT STATEMENT.

OKAY. WHAT I CAN TELL YOU, THOUGH, IS THAT THE COUNCIL THAT THE APPOINTMENT WILL LAST UNTIL NOVEMBER OF 26 IF THERE IS NO ORDINANCE PUT IN PLACE. I DO BELIEVE THAT AN ORDINANCE HAS TO BE PASSED.

SO AS WE SIT HERE RIGHT NOW, THERE IS NO ORDINANCE.

UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER VEACH. SORRY.

SO AFTER LOSING MATT I KNEW THAT WE HAD A BIG TASK AT HAND.

AND AS BEING SOMEONE WHO HAS PERSONALLY GONE THROUGH THE APPOINTMENT PROCESS AND DEALT WITH ITS AFTERMATH FOR MY ENTIRE TERM.

IT'S ONE THAT I KNEW THE IMPORTANCE OF.

I KNEW THAT REALLY WELL INTENTIONED PEOPLE WON'T BE GIVEN A CHANCE AND THE APPOINTMENT PROCESS IS BRUTAL. UNFORTUNATELY, WHAT WE'RE TASKED WITH IS UNPRECEDENTED YET AGAIN.

[00:15:01]

KNOWING THAT NOT GETTING A 4-0 VOTE, I BELIEVE, HURT ME THE ENTIRE TIME, EVEN THOUGH I BELIEVE I DID GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AS IT WAS LAID OUT AS BEST I COULD.

YOU CAN BELIEVE WHAT YOU WANT, BUT EVERYBODY KNOWS I DID THE SAME PROCESS WITH ALISA, WITH RICHARD, WITH DENNY, AND WITH MATT AND IT STILL DIDN'T WORK OUT. I THINK I LOOKED OVER THE AGENDA AND TRIED TO REACH OUT TO EVERYBODY, ALISA INCLUDED.

IT WASN'T THE RIGHT MOMENT, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.

I WAS HOPING FOR SOME CLARIFICATION, AS YOU'VE BEEN ON THE OTHER END.

I'VE NEVER BEEN ON THIS END.

AND SO WHEN I REACHED OUT AND DIDN'T GET FEEDBACK, I WAS ON MY OWN.

TO PUT IN THE WORK, I WORKED WITH STAFF.

I CONTACTED WHO I SEE IS THE.

AS THE CITY IS DESIGNED, IT SHOULD BE.

PARKS AND PLANNING HAVE REALLY THE MOST EXPERIENCE.

PEOPLE THAT HAVE SERVED ON THE PARKS BOARD OR THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

UNDERSTAND A BIG PART OF WHAT WE DO, THEY UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.

THEY UNDERSTAND THE STAFF, AND THEY UNDERSTAND HOW THE AGENDAS WORK, HOW THINGS MOVE FROM PLACE TO PLACE OVER THE YEARS.

IT WAS NATURAL FOR ME TO REACH OUT TO SEE IF ANYBODY ON PARKS OR PLANNING HAD INTEREST.

I ACTUALLY MET WITH EVERYBODY THAT REACHED OUT AND SAID THEY HAD AN INTEREST.

I TOOK THE TIME FROM MY WEEK TO MAKE SURE I TOLD THEM WHAT WE WERE UP AGAINST AND THE OPTIONS THAT I SAW, BECAUSE I SAW THIS AS AN OPTION.

THIS IS ABSOLUTELY THE RIGHT.

DO I DO I LOVE THE PROCESS? NO, I DON'T.

THANK YOU. THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC HEARING.

THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC HEARING. LET HER FINISH HER CONVERSATION.

I GUESS GOING FORWARD, MY ADVICE TO STAFF IS, I THINK IN THAT APPLICATION THAT WAS PRESENTED IN OUR PACKETS, I THINK SOME BACKGROUND THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ARE THE FOLLOWING. IF YOU WANT TO TAKE NOTE FOR FUTURE THIS IS MY ADVICE TO STAFF THAT I THINK ELECTION HISTORY SHOULD BE NOTED IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS. I THINK SOMEONE THAT HAS APPLIED BEFORE HAS DONE LIKE WHEN I MET WITH SCOTT, I.

THAT WAS ANOTHER NATURAL ONE TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE WHO HAS GONE THROUGH THE ELECTION PROCESS, WHO UNDERSTANDS THE FORUMS, WHO UNDERSTANDS THAT.

SO ELECTION HISTORY ATTENDING MEETINGS, I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT CURRENT ISSUES ARE.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THEY'VE AT LEAST BEEN TO A MEETING IN THE LAST YEAR, WHETHER OR NOT THEY PARTICIPATED AS SOMETHING ELSE.

BUT TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE ENGAGED IN RECENT COMMUNICATIONS AND ONGOING TOPICS OF THE CITY.

I THINK UNDERSTANDING CURRENT TOPICS IN THIS CASE, I THINK FIRE IS A BIG A BIG TOPIC THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT A LOT.

AND I THINK HAVING SOMEONE THAT HAS A KNOWLEDGE OF FILL IN THE BLANK TOPIC IN THIS CASE FIRE WOULD BE IMPORTANT.

AND THEN I THINK THE TWO BIG ONES ARE PARKS AND PLANNING.

THAT'S A BIG PART OF OUR JOB, AND I THINK THAT SHOULD BE NOTED IN AN APPLICATION.

SO THEN I WADE THROUGH THE PROS AND CONS OF WHAT I SEE AS PROGRESS OR EFFICIENCY OVER PROCESS AND TRYING TO BALANCE THE TWO. WHICH ONE IS MORE IMPORTANT? IS PROCESS MORE IMPORTANT AND MAYBE GETTING AN UNDERVALUED UNDER UTILIZED BUT DOING THE RIGHT PROCESS? YEAH, I SEE MERIT TO THAT FOR SURE.

IS SOME IS THE CITY THAT'S ABLE TO KEEP GOING IMPORTANT? OF COURSE, I KNOW THAT WITHOUT A MAJORITY, WITHOUT A QUORUM, WE CAN'T EVEN HAVE PUBLIC MEETINGS.

SO IS IT IMPORTANT WHEN I LOOK TO THE LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THEY SAID A SWIFT FILLING THIS SWIFTLY IS IMPORTANT.

I GET THAT, THAT MAKES SENSE.

SO, I GUESS I GO BACK AND FORTH.

I WOULD LOVE FOR EVERYBODY THAT HAD INTEREST OR TO BE ABLE TO TALK.

AND I GUESS I'LL ASK AGAIN IF THAT'S AN OPTION.

IT'S NOT A PUBLIC HEARING.

IN WHICH CASE, ADAM, I WOULD JUST.

THEN PLEASE DEFINE THE PROCESS.

AND STAFF, I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING, SO THAT WILL TAKE A LOT OF WORK.

I THINK WE NEED TO DEFINE THIS ROLE.

THE EXPECTATIONS, I THINK THINGS LIKE THE TIMING, CADENCE OF MEETINGS SAYING THAT IT'S A I DON'T REMEMBER THE WORD THAT WAS IN THE PACKET, BUT IT SAID IT'S

[00:20:02]

I THINK IT'S A MUCH BIGGER COMMITMENT.

I THINK GETTING OUT THERE, THE INFORMATION OF HOW YOU GET A PACKET, HOW YOU PREPARE FOR MEETINGS, HOW YOU PREPARE FOR WORK SESSIONS THE RELATIONSHIP TO CITY AND COUNCIL THE CITY STAFF AND COUNCIL SHOULD BE NOTED IN THERE, AND THEN MAYBE EXPLAINING THE NATURAL PROGRESSION TO OUTLINE THAT FOR THE FUTURE. THAT BEING SAID, I KNOW THAT DOESN'T CHANGE TODAY.

SO, I DID ASK SOREN WHAT A 2-2 VOTE DOES TODAY, AND I KNOW THE OUTCOME.

A 2-2 VOTE IS STILL AT THE DISCRETION OF THE MAYOR.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.

I ALSO UNDERSTAND WHAT NOT HAVING SUPPORT OF COUNCIL AND HAVING SOMEONE IN PLACE DOES TOO.

WHEN KNOWING THE OUTCOME AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE AND NOT HAVING THE SUPPORT OF COUNCIL THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS IS AN UPHILL BATTLE AND IF WE WANT EFFICIENCY AT SOME POINT I'M STUCK.

THE OUTCOME DOESN'T CHANGE.

SO I'M JUST GOING TO I'M GOING TO ADD ONE MORE THING THAT TO COUNCIL MEMBER VEACH'S POINT IN AN APPOINTMENT PROCESS IS TWO WAY.

IT TAKES TWO TO ENTER INTO THIS TYPE OF AGREEMENT AND CONTRACT, ESSENTIALLY.

AND WHILE THE COUNCIL CAN DECIDE A PERSON TO APPOINT TO THAT POSITION, IT ALSO REQUIRES THAT THE PERSON THAT THE COUNCIL CHOOSES ENTERS IN WILLINGLY INTO THAT AGREEMENT.

AND SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT IT'S CLEAR FROM THE WAY THIS HAS HAPPENED TONIGHT THAT THE PROCESS IS TAINTED.

THE PROCESS IS NOT BEST PRACTICES.

THE PROCESS HAS NOT ALLOWED FOR A FAIR CONSIDERATION.

JUST LIKE LAST TIME.

OF ALL CANDIDATES WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD, WE ARE IN THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

OUR CITY IN GENERAL DOESN'T KNOW THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO APPOINT COUNCIL MEMBER AT THIS TIME BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE CONSUMED WITH END OF YEAR THINGS IN THEIR LIVES.

AND SO WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT THE PERSON WHO ACCEPTS THE APPOINTMENT THEMSELVES WILL BEAR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT CHOICE IN THE EYES OF THE PUBLIC, AND ALSO IN WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL.

SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE.

NOBODY IS FORCED.

IT'S NOT AN INTIMIDATION OR ANYTHING, IS IT? NOBODY. WHAT I'M SAYING.

OKAY. YES. I'M JUST WONDERING.

YOU KNOW, I COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY IS THE PERSON WHO'S TALKED ABOUT DECORUM AND CIVILITY FROM THE MOMENT THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN INTIMIDATION TO ME.

WHAT IT IS, IS THE IDEA THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR PUBLIC HAS SPOKEN THIS MONTH IN A GENERAL ELECTION AND ANY INDIVIDUAL, REGARDLESS OF WHO THEY ARE, WHO TAKES AN APPOINTMENT AND DECIDES TO BE IN THAT SEAT GIVEN THE PROCESS AND GIVEN ALL OF THE DECISIONS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT AND CHOICES, THESE ARE ALL CHOICES.

JUST BECAUSE WE CAN DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULD.

THAT PERSON WILL HAVE A VERY CHALLENGING TIME, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER VEACH HAD JUST TOUCHED ON A MOMENT AGO.

AND THAT'S NOBODY'S FAULT EXCEPT THE PERSON AND THE PROCESS THAT CREATES THAT DYNAMIC.

WE ARE NOT OBLIGATED UNDER STATE STATUTE TO APPOINT SOMEBODY TONIGHT.

WE HAVE ONE REGULAR MEETING THIS YEAR.

I DON'T BELIEVE A QUORUM IS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM.

SO, LET'S I DON'T WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO IS PRETEND THAT WE ARE OBLIGATED TO SEAT SOMEBODY OUT OF A FALSE SENSE OF URGENCY.

THAT'S ALL. AND I'M DONE NOW.

ALL RIGHT. I'LL CLOSE DISCUSSION.

WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR? WOULD YOU REPEAT THE MOTION, PLEASE? THE MOTION IS TO.

PASS THE RESOLUTION APPOINTING CLAIRE BARRETT AS THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.

AND FOR MATT JOHNSON'S SPOT THROUGH 2016 OR 2026, WHEN HIS TERM IS OVER.

IS THAT A CORRECT READING OF THE MOTION? IT IS. THERE IS A MOTION IN YOUR PACKET THAT DOES NOT HAVE ANY NAMES IN IT, BUT THE WE ARE ADOPTING THIS RESOLUTION.

I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR THE LAST ONE.

THERE IS A RESOLUTION AT THE DAIS THAT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE NAMES ARE BLANK ON IT.

THAT'S BEEN PREPARED BY STAFF.

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THE NAME CLARE BARRETT WILL BE INSERTED IN THAT RESOLUTION.

AND THE MOTION IS TO MOVE THE RESOLUTION AS IT'S BEFORE YOU WITH CLARE BARRETT'S NAME INSERTED.

CORRECT. I WOULD BE, I WOULD BE INTERESTED.

ONE OTHER THING. I KNOW IT'S NOT A PUBLIC HEARING.

I WOULD BE INTERESTED IF THIS INDIVIDUAL IS PRESENT TONIGHT, IF THEY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SPEAKING.

WELL, I WE'VE CLOSED DISCUSSION.

THAT'S A QUESTION. THIS IS NOT.

WE DON'T WE HAVE THE ABILITY.

I DO WANT TO CONTINUE ARGUING WITH ME.

I CLOSE DISCUSSION.

I'M INTERESTED.

YES OR NO? I'M INTERESTED TO KNOW IF THE PERSON WHO IS NAMED IN THE MOTION WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.

[00:25:08]

SO I HAVE A MOTION.

YOU HAVE A SECOND. HAVE A SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. AYE.

ALL OPPOSED? NO.

MAYOR, SO THE, THE MOTION FAILS BECAUSE IT DOES NOT GAIN A MAJORITY OF THE QUORUM ON A 2-2.

WHAT THE STATE STATUTE SAYS, AND I'M LOOKING RIGHT AT IT RIGHT NOW.

AND THIS IS, WELL, I BELIEVE DISCUSSED IN 412.02.

IT DOES DISCUSS THAT IN THE EVENT OF A TIE THAT THE MAYOR DOES GET TO APPOINT.

SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, MR. MAYOR, IF YOU CHOOSE TO APPOINT YOU CAN I CHOOSE TO APPOINT CLAIRE BARRETT TO FILL THE POSITION THAT WE JUST SPOKE OF.

[13. Cable Franchise Agreement Public Hearing]

IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS CITY COUNCIL ON A PROPOSED ACTION OR ISSUE BEFORE A DECISION IS MADE, AND THERE'S NO DECISIONS BEING MADE TONIGHT.

THESE ARE INFORMATIONAL ONLY.

RELEVANT COMMENTS OF SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION FROM THE PUBLIC ARE REFLECTED IN THE MEETING RECORD AND CONSIDERED BY THE COUNCIL IN MAKING A DECISION.

THOUGH THERE ARE NO DECISIONS TONIGHT, THESE ARE JUST PUBLIC HEARINGS, INFORMATIONAL ONLY.

AND OUR FIRST ONE IS NUMBER 13.

IT'S OUR CABLE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT PUBLIC HEARING WITH MIDCO WHO IS HERE, WHO IS GOING TO BE BRINGING US A HIGH SPEED FIBER THROUGHOUT ALL OF ORONO. MR. MAYOR, I HAVE A QUESTION.

WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET TO THE, DID YOU REORDER THE AGENDA SO THAT THE ITEM I PULLED OFF CONSENT IS COMING AFTER THIS.

THERE WAS NO ITEM PULLED OFF [INAUDIBLE] IT ALL.

I DID. NO, WE DID NOT ACCEPT IT, SO IT WAS PASSED.

OH, YOU DID NOT ACCEPT NOT PULLING AN ITEM OFF CONSENT.

I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT.

SO THAT'S PERMISSIBLE.

IT IS CUSTOM IN PRACTICE TO ALLOW IT TO BE PULLED.

BUT ONCE THERE IS A MAJORITY VOTE ON IT.

OKAY. WELL THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING SOREN.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR WALSH AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS ELLIE BURROWS.

I AM HERE WITH MIDCO.

THANK YOU FOR SURE.

IS THIS BETTER? NO.

THAT'S OKAY. THANK YOU FOR LETTING US ALL BE HERE WITH YOU TONIGHT.

EXCUSE ME. I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE MY COLLEAGUES.

WITH ME, I HAVE RYAN BARR.

HE IS OUR CENTRAL CONSTRUCTION MANAGER.

AND THEN I ALSO HAVE ERIC HOUSEHOLDER, WHO IS OUR FIELD OPERATIONS MANAGER HERE IN MINNESOTA.

SO, THEY ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

THE CITY OF ORONO. WHAT WAS THAT? YOU CAN KEEP GOING.

DEMOCRACY AT WORK.

ALL RIGHT. IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

ALL RIGHT AND THERE IS A QUICK LITTLE VIDEO THAT I THINK IS KIND OF A GOOD WAY TO START.

SO WE'LL SEE IF IT'LL WORK.

IN A WORLD WHERE CONNECTIONS MATTER MORE THAN EVER, MIDCO IS HERE TO ENSURE YOU STAY LINKED TO WHAT TRULY COUNTS FOR WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW AND FOR WHAT'S NEXT, BECAUSE WE'RE READY TO SPEND LESS TIME WORRYING ABOUT CONNECTIVITY AND MORE TIME PLANNING FOR YOUR FUTURE, BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS AND MAKING MEMORIES WITH THOSE AROUND YOU.

WITH OUR RELIABLE MULTI-GIG FIBER BASED SERVICES, AS WE APPROACH EACH NEW DAY WITH A FIBER FORWARD MENTALITY, EVERY MILE OF FIBER THAT WE LAY IS AN INVESTMENT IN YOUR FUTURE AND OUR POSSIBILITIES TOGETHER.

BUT OUR CONNECTIONS GO BEYOND JUST TECHNOLOGY.

WE'RE DEDICATED TO MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITIES, FROM SUPPORTING LOCAL SCHOOLS TO SPONSORING COMMUNITY EVENTS.

MIDCO IS PROUD TO STAND BY THE PEOPLE WE SERVE AS A FORCE FOR GOOD.

[00:30:04]

PERFECT. THANK YOU. ADAM.

SO, LIKE THE VIDEO SAID, WE ARE A BROADBAND COMPANY.

WE OFFER CABLE, INTERNET AND TELEPHONE SERVICES, AND WE ARE HERE TO SEEK A FRANCHISE CABLE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT TO SERVE THE ENTIRE CITY OF ORONO.

IT IS OUR INTENT TO BUILD TO THE ENTIRE CITY WITH FIBER TO THE PREM SERVICES.

SO I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE BACKGROUND IF YOU WANT TO MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

ADAM. THAT'D BE GREAT.

RIGHT NOW YOU'RE IN MINNETRISTA, RIGHT? YES. YOU'RE WORKING OVER THERE.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO START ON THE WEST SIDE OF ORONO AND KIND OF WORK YOUR WAY EAST, ESSENTIALLY.

YES. YEP. THAT IS THE PLAN.

WE ARE DOING A LARGE EXPANSION OUT HERE IN THE WEST HENNEPIN COUNTY AREA.

SO ORONO IS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE ARE PLANNING TO GO TO.

SO, A LITTLE HISTORY ON THE COMPANY OF MIDCO.

IT WAS STARTED IN 1931 WITH A MOVIE THEATER COMPANY IN MINNEAPOLIS CALLED WELL WORTH MOVIE THEATER.

THE FOUNDERS OF THE COMPANY WANTED IT TO BE WELL WORTH THE DIME THAT IT COST TO GO SEE A MOVIE BACK THEN, AND THAT'S AN ETHOS THAT WE CARRY WITH US TODAY WHEN IT COMES TO CUSTOMER SERVICE AND HOW WE TREAT THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE PROVIDE SERVICES FROM THE MOVIE COMPANY.

WE MOVED ON, MANAGED THE FIRST TV STATION IN SOUTH DAKOTA, AND AS TECHNOLOGY CHANGED, SO DID WE.

IF YOU COULD MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

TECHNOLOGY CHANGE, OBVIOUSLY INTERNET AND CABLE TELEVISION CAME TO BE.

AND IT BRINGS US TO WHERE WE ARE NOW.

IN 2021, OUR LEADERS ANNOUNCED A $500 MILLION FIBER FORWARD INVESTMENT THAT IS ALL PRIVATE CAPITAL.

FIBER EXPANSION BEING ONE OF THEM.

SO THAT IS WHAT WE ARE CURRENTLY HERE TO TALK ABOUT.

NEXT SLIDE.

SO OUR CURRENT FOOTPRINT AND I DID PASS OUT THOSE PACKETS.

IF YOU OPEN THOSE UP, THAT SHOWS OUR ENTIRE FOOTPRINT.

WE OPERATE IN MINNESOTA, NORTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, KANSAS AND WISCONSIN.

WE ARE CONSIDERED A REGIONAL COMPANY AND WE ARE CURRENTLY EXPANDING, LIKE I SAID, LOOKING TO DO AN EXPANSION HERE IN THE WEST HENNEPIN AREA.

17,000 FIBER MILES.

SOME FUN LITTLE STATS ON THERE FOR YOU 24/7, 365 MONITORING AND SUPPORT FOR OUR NETWORK.

IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT ONE.

HERE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF WORDS THAT WE LIKE TO TALK ABOUT.

2024 CABLEFAX TOP OPS MULTIPLE SERVICE OPERATOR OF THE YEAR AND OOKLA IS A THIRD PARTY VALIDATOR.

SO WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT AWARD TOO.

AND OF COURSE, FORBES MIDCO.

LISTED AS AMERICA'S BEST MIDSIZE EMPLOYER SINCE 2021.

AND AS AN EMPLOYEE, I CAN AGREE WITH THAT.

IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO BE.

ALL RIGHT. SO OUR CUSTOMER SUPPORT, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THAT IS A VERY LARGE PART OF MIDCO.

WE ARE A COMPANY THAT INVESTS IN COMMUNITIES AND WE STAY IN COMMUNITIES.

WE LIVE AND WORK IN THE AREAS THAT WE SERVE.

SO CUSTOMER SERVICE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO US.

ONE FACT THAT WE LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE AND YOU NEED A TECH TO COME OUT TO YOUR HOME, WE PROVIDE YOU A 15 MINUTE WINDOW IN WHICH THE TECH WILL BE THERE AND WE ARE ON TIME 97% OF THE TIME.

THAT'S A STAT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF.

WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT INTERNET SERVICE IS, TELEVISION SERVICE AND PHONE SERVICE.

SO WE DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO MAKE SURE OUR CUSTOMERS FEEL THAT THEY GET THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED AND ISSUES GET RESOLVED.

ON TO THE NEXT ONE.

ADDITIONALLY, BEING A FORCE FOR GOOD IS AN ETHOS WE CARRY THROUGHOUT THE COMPANY.

MIDCO FOUNDATION.

WE GIVE AWARDS OUT TO NON-PROFITS, CITIES, AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS.

WE ARE OVER $6 MILLION GIVEN TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND SCHOOLS IN THE AREAS IN WHICH WE SERVE.

THAT IS IN AN ONGOING APPLICATION PROCESS.

SO WE ENCOURAGE YOU, IF THERE'S ANY NONPROFITS THAT YOU'RE INVOLVED IN OR KNOW OF, ANY FOLKS THAT COULD BE PUTTING FOUNDATION DOLLARS TO GOOD USE, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO APPLY.

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS WAS JUST OUT TOURING IN THIS AREA LAST WEEK, AND THEY ACTUALLY MADE A $4,000 DONATION TO WEAKEN IN MOUND.

SO WE'RE EXCITED TO BE HERE AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH WONDERFUL NONPROFITS IN THE AREA.

IN ADDITION TO THE FOUNDATION, WE ALSO GET INVOLVED IN YOUTH ACTIVITIES AND COMMUNITY EVENTS THROUGH DIFFERENT SPONSORSHIPS, AND WE WOULD PLAN TO GET INVOLVED SIMILARLY HERE IN ORONO.

GO TO THE NEXT ONE.

SO, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS, BECAUSE OF COURSE, GETTING FIBER TO THE PREMISE IS AN INTENSIVE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS, BUT WE TRY TO MAKE IT AS PAINLESS AS POSSIBLE, SO WE'LL GO THROUGH THAT.

SO CURRENTLY IN ORONO, THIS MAP INDICATES THE AREA IN WHICH WE PLAN TO BUILD, WHICH SHOULD BE ALIGNED WITH THE ORONO CITY LIMITS.

[00:35:02]

3895 IS OUR CURRENT ESTIMATE.

THAT WILL BE 620,412FT OF FIBER.

AND WE PLAN TO DO THIS PROCESS.

HAVE THE COMMUNITY SERVED BY 2027.

NOW WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS CONSTRUCTION INTENSIVE, AND SO WE WANT TO SPACE THAT OUT.

SO IT'S NOT ALL AT ONCE AND YOU'RE COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED.

SO WE WILL PLAN HOPEFULLY TO GET STARTED IN THE SPRING SUMMER OF 2025 AND THEN MAKE PROGRESS EACH YEAR WITH THE GOAL DATE OF BEING COMPLETED BY 2027.

SO FIRST STEP OF OUR CONSTRUCTION PROCESS IS THE WALK OUT, AND DESIGN IS WHAT WE CALL IT.

AND THAT'S CURRENTLY HAPPENING NOW THAT WILL BE WRAPPED UP BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE FOLKS THAT GO OUT MARK THINGS ON A MAP, MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THE MOST ACCURATE DATA AND PLANNED LOCATIONS OF WHERE OUR ITEMS AND SYSTEMS NEED TO GO.

THEN IT'S GETTING READY TO DO CONSTRUCTION TIME.

SO OUR TEAM, OUR CONSTRUCTION TEAM WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

WE ARE VERY INTO OPEN COMMUNICATION.

AND RYAN AND HIS TEAM WILL BE GOOD FRIENDS WITH THE CITY PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE UP TO DATE IN ALL OF OUR HAPPENINGS.

CONSTRUCTION BEGINS.

OF COURSE. OUR GOAL IS TO DISTURB AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE.

THERE WILL BE SIGNS AND COMMUNICATION PLAN, WHICH I'LL GO OVER IN A COUPLE SLIDES, BUT JUST KNOW THAT THAT WILL BE HAPPENING.

BUT WE'LL TRY TO MAKE IT AS NOT OF AN ISSUE AS POSSIBLE.

ONCE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FIBER IN THE GROUND IS COMPLETE, WE START SPLICING AND ACTIVATION.

THAT'S THE EXCITING PART.

THAT'S WHEN SERVICE GOES LIVE.

AND THEN INSTALLING MIDCO.

WE DO OFFER A PROCESS.

PART OF OUR OUTREACH AHEAD OF TIME IS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO PRE-REGISTER FOR SERVICES, PRE-REGISTER FOR DROPS TO THEIR HOME IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN.

AND THEN EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT AT THAT TIME AND THEY WANT SERVICE, WE ARE HAPPY TO COME BACK AND INSTALL THAT FOR THEM.

ALL RIGHT. EXCUSE ME.

AND AS I MENTIONED, COMMUNICATION IS KEY, ESPECIALLY IN A PROCESS LIKE THIS.

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE CITY AND THEN AS WELL AS THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY THIS WORK.

SO NOTIFICATION STRATEGY IS BIG.

WE OUR CONSTRUCTION TEAM WORKS TO GET PRIVATE EASEMENTS AND LONG DRIVEWAY AGREEMENTS AHEAD OF TIME SO THAT WE CAN INCLUDE THAT IN THE PLAN.

WHEN THEY'RE SETTING OUT THE DESIGN OF THE PROJECT.

YARD SIGNS AND DOOR TAGS ARE PUT OUT PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTION TO LET THOSE FOLKS KNOW THAT WORK IS GOING TO BE HAPPENING IN THEIR AREA, AND ON THOSE DOOR TAGS AND YARD SIGNS, THERE'S GOING TO BE A PHONE NUMBER FOR A LOCAL CONSTRUCTION LEADER WHO IS ACTUALLY ON THE GROUND IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO IF THERE IS A CONCERN, THEY CAN REACH OUT TO THAT INDIVIDUAL WHO IS ACTUALLY ON THE GROUND IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE YARD SIGNS THAT YOU WILL SEE.

AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, WE DO, OF COURSE, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OUTREACH.

BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR US THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU INFORMATION FOR YOU TO POST ON YOUR WEBSITE, CITY NEWSLETTERS, SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES.

WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR FROM RESIDENTS, AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION TO SHARE AND INFORMATION THAT THAT YOU CAN PASS ON TO THEM SO THAT THEY CAN REACH OUT TO US.

AS YOU'LL SEE ON THIS SLIDE, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A WEBSITE THAT WE HAVE MIDCO.COM/MINNETRISTA, AND WE INTEND TO DO MIDCO.COM/ORONO GOING LIVE IN 2025.

BUT THAT WILL SHOW A DETAILED MAP OF PROGRESS IN THE AREA AND PLAN CONSTRUCTION SO FOLKS CAN PLAN OUT IF CONSTRUCTION IS GOING TO BE HAPPENING THIS YEAR OR NEXT YEAR, OR WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, AS WELL AS SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS REGARDING RESTORATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO WE WILL PLAN TO HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION ON THERE AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.

AND THEN THIS IS JUST A QUOTE.

AS YOU MENTIONED, MAYOR WALSH, WE'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE CITY OF MINNETRISTA.

WE'RE OUT THERE NOW.

ALI HAS BEEN WONDERFUL TO WORK WITH.

AND SO JUST KIND OF PROVIDING SOME CONTEXT AND EXPERIENCE SO FAR.

BUT AT THIS POINT, I GUESS I WOULD OPEN IT UP IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS.

I KNOW I HAD I WAS AT A LUNCHEON SOMEBODY THE OTHER DAY WHO ACTUALLY HAS YOUR SERVICE AND THAT OBVIOUSLY IN ORONO, BUT AND THEY WERE HUGE PREACHERS OF THE GREAT SERVICE BECAUSE YOU HAVE HAD A LOCAL CALL CENTER THAT THEY CALL THAT ARE LOCAL.

THEY'RE NOT CALLING INDIA OR SOMEWHERE LIKE THAT.

IT'S A LOCAL CALL CENTER.

AND THEN THEY HAD PEOPLE OUT AT THEIR HOUSE THE NEXT DAY, BECAUSE YOU HAVE LOCAL PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY DOING ALL THE WORK, WHICH IS A BIG DEAL, BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES WITH LIKE MEDIA, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT PEOPLE EITHER CAN'T GET THEM TO COME OUT, THEY DON'T ANSWER THEIR PHONE.

[00:40:03]

SO HE WAS A HUGE FAN OF THE SERVICE, SO I DEFINITELY KNOW WE WILL ALL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT, THAT IS FOR SURE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR OUR PRESENTERS? EXCITING. VERY EXCITING.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THAT'S A VERY AGGRESSIVE TIMELINE TOO.

HAVE YOU LEARNED. HAVE YOU LEARNED ANYTHING.

ARE YOU INDEPENDENCE AS WELL? YES, YES. HAVE YOU LEARNED ANYTHING THROUGH THE PROCESS THUS FAR THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE ANY INSIGHTS OR.

SURE. AS FAR AS THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS GOES, OR.

YES, JUST IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS, HOW IT'S BEEN GOING? SURE. YEAH. YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY THAT WE ARE ALWAYS REFINING AND LEARNING THINGS AS WE GO.

WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING IN, AS YOU MENTIONED, INDEPENDENCE, MINNETRISTA AND THEN VICTORIA AND WE ARE LEARNING A LOT ABOUT WHAT WAYS THAT WE CAN PERFECT OUR OUTREACH TO CUSTOMERS.

AND SO WE'RE ALWAYS TAKING THAT TO THE NEXT STEP TO SEE HOW WE CAN DO BETTER.

I THINK PROVIDING THAT PHONE NUMBER OF THE LOCAL PERSON ON THE GROUND HAS PROVED TO BE EXTREMELY HELPFUL.

THAT QUICKENS HOW FAST WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF ISSUES OR QUESTIONS THAT ARISE AND A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE JUST LIKE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOMEBODY TO TALK TO THAT UNDERSTANDS THE SITUATION THAT THEY'RE IN. SO WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT.

GOOD TO KNOW. THANKS. YEAH.

ALL RIGHT. WELL THANK YOU. I KNOW THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.

SO IF THERE'S ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND HAVE COMMENTS ABOUT THE MIDCO SERVICE AND WHAT THEY'RE PROVIDING, COME UP AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND WHATEVER THOUGHTS YOU MIGHT HAVE FOR THE RECORD.

HELLO. JANIE DELANEY, 1315 WOODHILL.

WHAT EXACTLY IS THIS? IS IT ALL UNDERGROUND? MAYBE YOU CAN JUST STAY UP THERE.

YOU CAN. YOU MIGHT AS WELL JUST STAY UP THERE.

RIGHT. SURE.

SORRY. HI. I MIGHT RELY ON RYAN FOR A LITTLE BIT OF IT, BUT, YES, IT IS MOSTLY UNDERGROUND.

YES. YOU'RE A DIRECT COMPETITOR WITH MEDIA.COM, THEN? YES. OKAY.

ARE YOU CHEAPER? IT'S. IT'S FIBER THOUGH.

IT'S FIBER. IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT FASTER.

IS IT FASTER? YES.

I GUESS YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL THE THINGS YOU DO, BUT WE ACTUALLY.

I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT IS, EXACTLY WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE, WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS.

IS IT ALL UNDERGROUND? IS THERE ANYTHING ABOVE GROUND? SURE. AS FAR AS CONSTRUCTION GOES, IT IS.

YEAH. IT IS UNDERGROUND FOR THE MOST PART.

FIBER TO THE PREMISE THAT IS WIRELINE SERVICE TO YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS, WHICHEVER YOU PREFER.

AND IT IS INTERNET.

I GUESS IT'S KIND OF THE BEST WAY.

SORRY. CABLE. INTERNET, TELEPHONE, PHONE.

STREAMING SERVICES, STREAMING SERVICES.

FIBER IS OBVIOUSLY A MUCH FASTER PRODUCT THAN ABOUT AS FAST AS YOU CAN GET.

YEP. COMPARABLE TO MEDIACOM.

AND WE STAND BEHIND OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE.

SO WHAT IS THE COST TO THE CITY? ANYTHING? NOPE.

THIS IS 100% A PRIVATE INVESTMENT.

OKAY. AND WHY DO YOU WHY DID YOU CALL? MIDCO. WELL, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING ACTUALLY FOR INTERNET PROVIDERS BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE RURAL AREAS THAT DON'T HAVE ANY SERVICE, AND THEY'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVES, AND WE'VE TALKED TO JUST ABOUT EVERY PROVIDER POSSIBLE.

NOBODY WOULD COME OUT BECAUSE THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH DENSITY OUT HERE TO MAKE ANY MONEY.

AND MIDCO, I GUESS I WOULD SAY IF I HAD TO SAY IT, YOU KIND OF ARE THE EXPERTS IN THE MORE OF THE RURAL AREAS OVER SOUTH DAKOTA, MINNESOTA.

AND SO THAT'S THE AREA THAT THEY SPECIALIZE IN.

AND SO THEY REACHED OUT TO SEE IF WE WERE INTERESTED, AND WE GRABBED THEM AND BROUGHT THEM IN AND SAID, LET'S MOVE THIS FORWARD.

THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS FOR A LONG TIME.

AND IT'S RIGHT UP THEIR ALLEY IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY DO TO AS WELL.

THAT'S WHY THEY'RE ALREADY OUT WEST AND THEY'RE RIGHT UP AGAINST US HERE.

AND THEY JUST KEEP GOING IN.

AND BASICALLY THEY HAVE TOLD ME EARLIER WHEN WE HAD WE'VE HAD A FEW DIFFERENT MEETINGS WITH THEM THAT THEY DON'T CHOOSE TO GO INTO, LIKE DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS AND COMPETE WITH 40 OTHER MEDIA PROVIDERS.

THEY GO OUT IN THE RURAL AREAS WHERE THERE ISN'T A WHOLE LOT OF ALTERNATIVES, AND THEN THEY CAN BE THE BIG MAN ON CAMPUS, BASICALLY, AND COMPETE AND BRING BETTER SERVICE TO THE RURAL AREAS, WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.

SURE. YEP. AND I WILL JUST ADD AS WELL, THIS IS PART OF A LARGE INVESTMENT THAT WE'RE MAKING IN THE WEST HENNEPIN COUNTY AREA.

SO ORONO, MINNETRISTA, MEDINA.

THERE'S GOING TO BE OVER 30,000 PASSENGERS THAT WE PLAN TO EXPAND TO.

SO THIS IS PART OF A LARGER PROJECT IN THE LAKE MINNETONKA AREA.

YOU'RE GOING TO DO MOUND TWO.

YEP. I'M SURE IF YOU REACH OUT TO THEM, I'M NOT SURE IF THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE PRICING YET, BUT YOU CAN PROBABLY GET INFORMATION BASED ON THE PRICING THAT THEY'VE ALREADY GOT IN. SO I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE ALREADY SERVICING MINNETRISTA.

YOU'VE ALREADY GOT STUFF BUILT IN.

SO THEY'RE ALREADY SERVICING AND PEOPLE ARE ALREADY BUYING THEIR SERVICES.

SO I'M ASSUMING IT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO PROBABLY WHAT'S GOING ON ALREADY OUT HERE.

[00:45:02]

AND YES, BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.

WE'VE NEEDED SOME COMPETITION OUT HERE FOR A LONG TIME, AND THERE'S A LOT OF RESIDENTS THAT COMPLAINED ABOUT THEIR SPEEDS AND CONNECTIVITY, AND ESPECIALLY CUSTOMER SERVICE.

SO IT'S EXCITING.

I THINK IT'S TERRIFIC.

MR. MAYOR, IF I MIGHT REAL QUICK, JUST TO PUT TO PUT THIS EVENING IN CONTEXT, BECAUSE THAT WAS A VERY GOOD QUESTION FROM JANIE.

WHAT WE'RE WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT.

SO THE BIT THAT WE'RE THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING HERE AS A CITY IS THE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE FRANCHISEE, WHICH IS THE CABLE COMPANY MIDCO, IN THIS CASE, FOR THEIR RIGHT TO PUT THEIR FACILITIES WITHIN OUR CITY RIGHTS OF WAY.

SO THAT'S WHAT THIS THAT'S WHAT THIS PROCESS IS ABOUT.

IT'S ABOUT ESTABLISHING A FORMAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE AND THE FRANCHISEE ON HOW THAT ALL WORKS, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW WITH MEDIACOM AND ESSENTIALLY BE THE SAME AGREEMENT WITH MIDCO.

YEP. WE HAVE BOTH.

YEP. IT'S NON-EXCLUSIVE.

YOU CAN COME UP IF YOU WANT.

WE CAN HAVE MORE THAN ONE AGREEMENT SO WE CAN IF THE COMPETITIVE IF OTHER COMPETITORS COME IN, WE WOULD ENTER INTO THE SAME PROCESS WITH THEM.

SO IT'S NOT AN ENDORSEMENT OF ANY COMPANY.

IT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING IS ALLOWING THEM TO USE THE CITY RIGHTS OF WAY SO THEY CAN SERVICE THE VARIOUS RESIDENTS.

IT'S THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN RUN THE FIBER CONTINUOUSLY UNDERGROUND TO EACH OF THE HOMES.

THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO ACCESS THE COMMUNITY, SO.

PART OF THE PROCESS IS THEY HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THEY CAN GET A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT.

SO THAT'S WHAT THIS IS TODAY.

I DON'T KNOW A WHOLE LOT ABOUT FIBER INTERNET, SO SORRY ABOUT THAT.

AND I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST MIDCO OR ANY OTHER COMPANY THAT PROVIDES INTERNET SERVICE, BUT I'M HAVING A REALLY HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING THE ENTHUSIASM ABOUT A RURAL INTERNET SERVICE.

WHEN YOU WERE PUSHING SO HARD FOR A SUBURBAN FIRE DEPARTMENT MODEL.

ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO COME UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS MIDCO PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY, I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THAT'LL BRING US TO OUR SECOND PUBLIC HEARING.

I THINK WE HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION, THOUGH, ON THIS ONE.

RIGHT. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO DIRECT STAFF TO DRAFT THE ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING A CABLE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT FOR CONSIDERATION AT THE DECEMBER 8TH MEETING.

I'LL SECOND IT.

YOU HAD A MOTION AND A SECOND BY CROSBY.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED? THANK YOU. WE LOOK FORWARD TO.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT.

[14. 2025 Budget and Levy Public Hearing]

MAGGIE. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

TONIGHT, I HAVE THE 2025 TRUTH AND TAXATION FOR THE 2025 GENERAL FUND BUDGET AND TAX LEVY BY LAW THE CITY NEEDS TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PUBLIC TO MAKE COMMENTS PRIOR TO THE ADOPTION OF THE 2025 GENERAL FUND BUDGET AND LEVY.

THE PURPOSE OF TONIGHT IS TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS TO ASK QUESTIONS AND TO DISCUSS THE 2025 BUDGET AND TAX LEVY.

FOR PROPERTY VALUATION DISCUSSION, OPEN BOOK MEETINGS ARE HELD IN THE SPRING BY THE HENNEPIN COUNTY ASSESSOR'S OFFICE.

THIS PAST MARCH, PROPERTY OWNERS WOULD HAVE RECEIVED THEIR 2024 VALUATION.

THIS VALUATION, UNLESS CONTESTED WITH THE COUNTY DURING THE OPEN BOOK MEETING IN APRIL OF 2024, WOULD BE FOR TAXES PAYABLE IN 2025 AND UPCOMING. THE UPCOMING SPRING VALUATIONS IN 20 IN 2025 THAT PROPERTY OWNERS WILL RECEIVE WILL BE FOR TAXES PAYABLE IN 2026.

IF PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING THEIR PROPERTY TAX VALUATION, THEY CAN CONTACT HENNEPIN COUNTY ASSESSOR'S OFFICE.

I HAVE THE CONTACT INFORMATION UP ABOVE.

YOU CAN ALSO FIND THAT CONTACT INFORMATION ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.

SO TO BEGIN, THE PROPERTY TAX PROCESS IS WHAT I WILL LAY OUT.

IN THE SPRING THE COUNTY ASSESSORS DETERMINED THE PROPERTY VALUES IN THE CURRENT YEAR FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.

THE CITY SETS THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET AND LEVY BY SEPTEMBER.

SO DOES OTHER TAXING DISTRICTS SUCH AS THE COUNTY AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

AND THEN IN NOVEMBER, PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX NOTICES ARE MAILED BY THE COUNTY.

THE CITY WILL HOLD A TRUTH AND TAXATION PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH IS TONIGHT.

BY DECEMBER IS THE DEADLINE TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE 2025 LEVY AND BUDGET.

[00:50:02]

SO, TO START OFF, I WILL TALK ABOUT HOW SOMEONE CAN CALCULATE THEIR PROPERTY TAXES, SO COMPONENTS TO CALCULATING THE PROPERTY TAXES INCLUDES THE ESTIMATED MARKET VALUE OF THE PROPERTY, THE TAX CLASS RATE, THE TAX CAPACITY PER PROPERTY, THE TAX CAPACITY OF THE CITY AS A WHOLE, THE TAX LEVY THAT THE CITY TAX LEVY PORTION, AND THEN THE TAX CAPACITY RATE.

THE CITY DOES HAVE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL, BUT OVER 95% OF THE TAX CAPACITY IN ORONO IS MADE UP OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.

SO, THE MAIN FOCUS WHEN I'M TALKING ABOUT THE CALCULATION WILL BE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES WILL BE GEARED TOWARD RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.

SO SO HOW DOES ONE CALCULATE THE CITY PROPERTY TAX PORTION OF THEIR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY? THEY WILL TAKE THE HENNEPIN COUNTY'S ESTIMATED MARKET VALUE FOR THEIR HOME AND THEN TIMES IT BY THE TAX RATE.

SO FOR THE FIRST 500,000, IT WILL BE TIMED BY 1%.

AND THEN AFTERWARDS FOR ANY AMOUNT OVER 500,000, IT WILL BE TIMED BY THE 1.25%.

THAT'S HOW YOU GET YOUR PROPERTY'S NET TAX CAPACITY.

DANIELLE, ALSO NEED YOUR CITY'S TAX CAPACITY RATE.

CAPACITY RATE.

SO TO GET THAT NUMBER, YOU'LL TAKE THE CITY'S PROPERTY TAX LEVY, WHICH I'LL, I'LL EXPLAIN WHAT MAKES THAT NUMBER UP.

AND AFTER THE CALCULATION YOU'LL TAKE THAT PROPERTY TAX LEVY, DIVIDE IT BY THE CITY'S TAX CAPACITY, AND THAT EQUALS YOUR CITY'S TAX CAPACITY RATE. SO FOR 2025 THE TAX CAPACITY RATE IS ESTIMATED TO BE 16.35%, WHICH IS THE SAME JUST SLIGHTLY HIGHER BY 0.001% FROM THIS YEAR'S ACTUAL.

I SAW THE EXAMPLE UP ABOVE WILL BE THE CALCULATION FOR A MEDIAN HOME VALUE IN ORONO OF $1,056,900.

SO THE PROPERTY'S NET TAX CAPACITY EQUALS 11,961.

YOU TIMES IT BY THE CITY'S TAX CAPACITY, CAPACITY RATE OF 16.35%.

AND THAT GETS YOU A NET CITY TAX PORTION FOR THAT PROPERTY OF $1,955.62.

SO GOING INTO THE LEVY DETAIL A MAJOR PORTION THAT MAKES UP THE LEVY IS THE GENERAL FUND PORTION.

AND THEN DOWN BELOW YOU'LL SEE THAT MAKES UP 71% OF THE LEVY TOTAL AND THEN DEBT SERVICE AND THEN CAPITAL.

LEVY MAKES UP THE OTHER PORTION.

FOR 2025, OUR, OUR TOTAL CERTIFIED TAX LEVY FOR THE LOCAL LEVY IS 09,631,000. THAT'S AN INCREASE OF 2.29% FROM THIS YEAR'S TAX LEVY, WHICH IS $250,900. AND THEN TAKING THAT LEVY NUMBER, DIVIDING IT BY OUR TAX CAPACITY FOR THE CITY.

SO 9,631,000 DIVIDED BY OUR CITY'S ADJUSTED NET TAX CAPACITY OF 58,000,975 42 GETS US TO THAT TAX RATE OF 16.35% FOR 2025.

THAT AMOUNT MAY CHANGE AS THE CITY OR AS THE COUNTY RELEASES THEIR FINAL TAX ADJUSTED TAX CAPACITY FOR THE CITY. SO THE FINAL NUMBER WILL BE OUT IN JANUARY.

I'M UP ON THE SLIDE.

I HAVE INCLUDED THE PAST TEN YEARS TAX RATE.

SO WE HAVE MAINTAINED A STABLE TAX RATE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, FLUCTUATING SLIGHTLY UP AND DOWN THROUGHOUT.

BUT OTHER THAN THAT, JUST KEEPING IT PRETTY STABLE THROUGHOUT.

AND THEN I HAVE INCLUDED A 2020 2025 PROPOSED TAX RATE COMPARISON TO NEIGHBORING CITIES.

SO YOU CAN SEE ON HERE ORONO IS ONE OF THE LOWEST.

IT DOES ORONO DOES COME IN FOR ITS LOWEST TAX RATE IN HENNEPIN COUNTY FOR 2025 FOR THE PRELIMINARY NUMBERS.

AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THAT HENNEPIN COUNTY IS AVERAGING AROUND 38% BASED ON THE ABOVE.

SO WE ORONO IS BASICALLY HALF OF THE COUNTY'S AVERAGE.

[00:55:02]

ORONO IS THE LOWEST LEVY INCREASE IN HENNEPIN COUNTY WITH THE COUNTY AVERAGE JUST SLIGHTLY OVER 10% FOR LEVY INCREASES FOR NEXT YEAR'S PRELIMINARY NUMBERS.

AND THEN I HAVE INCLUDED A SAMPLE TNT NOTICE THAT WENT OUT TO ONE OF THE PROPERTIES IN ORONO CITY OF ORONO PORTION MAKES UP APPROXIMATELY 16.99% OF THE PROPERTY TAX BILL FOR A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY IN SCHOOL DISTRICT 278.

HERE'S ANOTHER COMPARISON.

THIS WOULD BE FOR 2020.

FOR COMPARISON PRIOR IN IN FOR THIS CURRENT YEAR, ORONO MAKING UP 17.5% OF A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES PROPERTY TAX DISTRIBUTION.

AND THEN KIND OF GOING BACKWARDS TO 2025 AGAIN WITH THE DOLLAR KIND OF SHOWING HOW YOUR DOLLAR IS SPREAD OUT FOR WHAT YOU PAY IN PROPERTY TAXES.

I LIKE THAT. THAT'S PRETTY COOL.

SO, YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS IS ONLY 17% OF A DOLLAR THAT YOU PAY FOR YOUR OVERALL PROPERTY TAXES.

AND THEN HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT OF THE IMPACT ON A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.

SO ORONO HAS A 2.6% MEDIAN INCREASE IN MARKET VALUE, WITH A MEDIAN HOME VALUE IN ORONO IN 2024 OF 1,056,000.

THEY THAT HOME WOULD BE LOOKING AT A $56.28 INCREASE IN THEIR CITY PORTION OF PROPERTY TAXES.

FOR NEXT YEAR.

SWITCHING GEARS A LITTLE BIT GOING INTO THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET.

THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET PLAYS INTO THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE FOCUSING ON THIS BUDGET ONLY.

AND ALTHOUGH ALL THE OTHER FUND BUDGETS ARE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET BOOK WITH THE COUNCIL PACKET, THE GENERAL FUND SUPPORTS CORE GOVERNMENT SERVICES SUCH AS POLICE, FIRE, PARKS, ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.

2025 WE ARE LOOKING AT A GENERAL FUND REVENUE BUDGET OF 11.935 MILLION.

THE BIGGEST REVENUE SOURCE IN THE GENERAL FUND IS THE PROPERTY TAXES.

AND THEN HERE'S A BREAKOUT OF THE ALLOCATION OF THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE.

SO YOU'LL SEE 58% OF THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE IS COMING FROM PROPERTY TAXES.

THE REMAINING THE SECOND MOST THE SECOND BIGGEST REVENUE SOURCE IS PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICE CHARGES.

AND THAT'S FROM CONTRACTED SERVICE WITH OTHER CITIES FOR POLICE SERVICES AND PUBLIC WORKS SERVICES.

THE BIGGEST BUDGET IMPACTS AND CHANGES TO THE EXPENDITURE BUDGET, WHICH WILL WHICH I'LL PRESENT AFTER THIS SLIDE.

IS SORRY INFLATION.

WE'RE LOOKING AT 3.5 FOR JULY TO JULY 20TH 23 TO 2023 2024.

ESTIMATED TAXABLE MARKET VALUE INCREASES 2.3%.

FOLLOWING SUIT IS ADJUSTED NET TAX CAPACITY INCREASING BY THE SAME PERCENTAGE.

FOR BUDGET WISE WAGES ARE A BIG A BIG IMPACT TO THE INCREASE ON UNIONS.

WE ARE LOOKING AT A 3% COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT TO FOLLOW THE UNION CONTRACTS NONUNION.

WE ARE LOOKING AT A MARKET ADJUSTMENT WITH 3% COST OF LIVING TO FOLLOW THE UNION CONTRACTS AS WELL.

AND THEN ADMINISTRATION.

IN THE FOLLOWING SLIDES YOU'LL SEE THERE'S A REALLOCATION OF EXPENDITURES BETWEEN ADMINISTRATION AND ELECTIONS TO ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF HOURS TO SCAN DOCUMENTS.

SINCE IT'S AN OFF YEAR WITH ELECTIONS FOR COMMUNICATIONS, WHERE WE ALLOCATING SOME EXPENDITURES AS WELL TO BETTER TRACK COMMUNICATION EXPENDITURES, AND THEN AN ADDITION OF A COMMUNICATIONS PERSONNEL FOR ASSESSING COUNTY.

THE COUNTY IS NO LONGER CHARGING CITIES UNDER 30,000 POPULATION.

THEY WILL LEVY THAT WITHIN THEIR BUDGET.

SO WE'LL SEE THAT FALLING OFF FOR 2025 EXPENDITURES.

AND THEN CENTRAL SERVICES AND PARKS WHERE REALLOCATING THE POSITION, THE WAGES FOR THAT POSITION FOR THE PARKS AND FACILITIES SUPERINTENDENT.

SO IN THE UPCOMING SLIDE, YOU'LL ALSO SEE THAT CHANGE AND THEN FIRE WILL BE A FULL YEAR OF OPERATIONAL SERVICE TO NAVARRE AREA TO

[01:00:04]

SO YOU'LL SEE THAT INCREASE AS WELL.

SO IN THE NEXT COUPLE SLIDES I HAVE THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURE BY CATEGORY FIRST.

SO YOU'LL SEE THAT PERSONNEL SERVICE IS THE BIGGEST AREA WHERE THERE'S A BUDGET INCREASE.

THAT'S TO ACCOUNT FOR ALL OF THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS.

AND THEN THE MARKET ADJUSTMENT TO NONUNION ALONG WITH THEIR COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.

AND THEN YOU'LL SEE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE DROP DOWN TO ACCOUNT FOR TO ACCOUNT FOR THE DECREASE OR HENNEPIN COUNTY NO LONGER CHARGING THE CITY FOR ASSESSING SERVICES.

SO THOSE ARE TWO BIG AREAS BY CATEGORY.

AND THEN IN THE NEXT GRAPH I HAVE THE EXPENDITURE BROKEN UP IN THIS PIE GRAPH.

SO, YOU'LL SEE THAT 68% OF PERSONNEL SERVICES IS MAKING UP THE EXPENDITURE AND THEN PROFESSIONAL SERVICE, WHICH IS STILL A CONTRACTED PERSONNEL SERVICE, IS MAKING UP 15%.

SO THOSE ARE TWO BIG AREAS MAKING UP THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURE.

AND THEN NEXT I HAVE BY DEPARTMENT YOU'LL SEE THAT ASSESSING SERVICES ARE HAVE FALLEN OFF FOR 2025 BUDGET.

AND THEN AN INCREASE IN POLICE IS DUE TO PERSONNEL COSTS AND THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS.

AND THEN YOU'LL SEE ORONO FIRE SECTION INCREASING AS WELL TO COVER FOR A FULL YEAR OF SERVICE IN NAVARRE AREA AND EXPENDITURE BUDGET IS 11.935 MILLION OR 11,935,000 AS WELL.

AND THEN THIS IS JUST BROKEN OUT.

PUBLIC SAFETY IS MAKING UP A MAJORITY OF OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET AT 72% BETWEEN POLICE, FIRE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

AND THEN IN THIS SLIDE THIS SHOWS THAT WE HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET.

REVENUE EQUALS EXPENDITURE.

THE BUDGET NUMBER HAS DECREASED SLIGHTLY FROM WHAT THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET WAS THAT WE HAD SET FOR PRELIMINARY IN SEPTEMBER. FOR THE LEVY ITSELF, THERE WERE NO CHANGES FROM THE ADOPTED PRELIMINARY LEVY NUMBER.

SO WITH THAT, I CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION AND I OPEN UP TO ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.

ANY COMMENTS FOR MAGGIE? NO, I JUST MY NOTE WAS THE BUDGET JUST MAINTAINS THAT LOW TAX RATE.

AND YOUR WORK TOWARDS THAT, MAGGIE, HAS BEEN REALLY, REALLY WELL DONE THIS YEAR.

AND I APPRECIATE IT HOW YOU ADDRESSED RISING COSTS IN THE COLA THAT WERE FACED AND SUPPORTING ESSENTIAL SERVICES.

AND KEEPING IT BALANCED.

GREAT JOB. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MAGGIE? I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

I JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO EXPRESS MY THAT I DON'T SUPPORT THE BUDGETARY EXPENDITURES FOR THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT BASED ON THE FACT THAT THE CITY CAN RECEIVE MORE COST EFFECTIVE AND SAFE SERVICE FROM LONG LAKE FIRE.

SO THAT IS MY ONE COMMENT ON THIS.

THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY. WELL THEN I WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING TO ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO COME IN AND SPEAK FOR THE RECORD ON THE BUDGET.

I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IF THE VIDEO IS CURRENTLY BEING BROADCAST.

I RECEIVED WORD FROM SOMEONE THAT THE VIDEO FOR THIS MEETING IS NOT LIVE RIGHT NOW.

IT SHOULD BE.

I MEAN, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT.

I CHECKED IT WHEN THE MEETING BEGAN AND IT WAS ON.

I DID LOG IN AND CHECK.

SO ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TO SPEAK ON THE BUDGET.

IS THERE A WAY TO VERIFY THAT IT'S WORKING? WE COULD LOG ON, I COULD STAFF.

YES. WE'LL LOG ON AGAIN.

THANK YOU. IF NOT, IT'S BEING RECORDED.

WE CAN SEE.

THANK YOU. I KNOW THERE'S INTEREST IN THIS MEETING, SO IF YOU COULD GIVE US AN UPDATE.

APPRECIATE IT.

YEP. IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU.

RYAN TURBEVILLE, 997 WILDHURST TRAIL.

I CAME FOR AN ISSUE.

I STAYED FOR THE SHOW FOR THE SHIT SHOW.

THIS IS, I CAME UP LAST WEEK AND I COMMENDED THE SERVICE, I BELIEVE.

AND DO YOU HAVE TO COMMENT ON THE BUDGET AND TAX LEVY? THIS IS HEARING FOR THE BUDGET AND TAX LEVY YOU DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

THIS IS NOT PUBLIC YET.

THAT'S LATER OKAY.

THIS IS AN OPEN HEARING PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE BUDGET AND TAX LEVY.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THE BUDGET AND TAX LEVY? I DO HAVE A I DO HAVE A COMMENT ON THE TAX.

WELL, IT'S GREAT THAT WE HAVE THE LOWEST TAX RATE AS ONE OF THE RICHEST, IF NOT THE RICHEST CITY IN MINNESOTA.

THE MONEY COLLECTED IS STILL GREATER THAN ALL THE OTHER COMMUNITIES.

SO DOES ANYBODY ELSE.

AND IF YOU CAN STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, IF YOU CAN STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

[01:05:01]

I HAVE A QUESTION.

IF THE CITY, THE NEW CITY COUNCIL DECIDES NOT TO SPEND ALL THIS RIDICULOUS MONEY ON A NEW, REDUNDANT AND UNNECESSARY FIRE DEPARTMENT, WILL THIS CHANGE THE TAXES FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR? THIS LEVY IS FOR 2025.

AND THIS COUNCIL SETS THAT LEVY.

THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SET THE LEVY FOR 2026.

I UNDERSTAND THAT IF THE SPENDING DOESN'T HAPPEN, THEN WILL THE FOLLOWING YEAR JUST REFLECT THAT? WELL THEY WILL, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A MYRIAD OF THINGS THAT ARE BEING THINGS ARE BEING SPENT ON.

AND SO THEY WILL HAVE TO WORK ON THROUGH ALL THE BUDGET ITEMS, WHICH STARTS IN ABOUT JUNE.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO SPEND IT JUST BECAUSE IT'S IN THE BUDGET.

CORRECT? TECHNICALLY, I GUESS.

NO, THEY DON'T HAVE TO. SO THE TAX LEVY IS SET AND THEN THOSE TAXES ARE COLLECTED.

I UNDERSTAND THE EXPENDITURES DON'T AREN'T THE SAME AS WHAT WE'VE BUDGETED.

THEN THERE WILL BE A BUDGET SURPLUS AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

VERY GOOD. THANK YOU.

ANYBODY ELSE? RICHIE ANDERSON, I LIVE AT 3205 CRYSTAL BAY ROAD.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY WOULD BE ABLE TO ASK OR ANSWER THIS.

I HEARD THAT THEY STARTED PUTTING FISCAL DISPARITY TAX ON OUR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.

I'M USED TO IT WITH MY COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.

I DON'T SEE IT ON MY TAX STATEMENT, BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT FOR 2025.

BUT I DO SEE A THING CALLED OTHER SPECIAL TAXING DISTRIBUTION.

MY IT'S 895 ON MINE, BUT NO MEETING REQUIRED.

DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT THAT SPECIAL TAXING DISTRICT IS? IT'S ON SLIDE.

THE MICROPHONE.

ON THE SLIDE HERE.

OTHER SPECIAL TAXING.

YEAH, I JUST OH THERE IT IS.

FISCAL DISPARITY TAX.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IT IS.

IT SAYS FISCAL DISPARITY TAX DOWN THERE AND MAYBE.

NO THAT'S BLANK.

IT'S BLANK OKAY.

FISCAL DISPARITY I HEARD THAT, THAT'S WHY I CHECKED IT BEFORE I CAME UP HERE I HEARD THAT THEY'VE BEEN IT'S BEEN ON MY COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, BUT I HEARD IT WAS GOING ON A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.

AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, WE GOT TO RAISE HOLY HELL WITH SOMEBODY.

BUT ANYWAY, SO JUST I SAW THIS, AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT IT.

I DON'T NEED AN ANSWER RIGHT NOW IF WE DON'T HAVE IT, BUT NO MEETING REQUIRED.

SOUNDS KIND OF WEIRD.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY. SEEING NOBODY ELSE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND I WILL BRING IT BACK HERE TO SEE IF WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL DIRECTION FOR STAFF OR TO DIRECT THEM TO BRING US THE APPROVAL ON DECEMBER 9TH.

ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? I GUESS I CAN MAKE A MOTION FOR STAFF TO BRING US THE APPROVAL FOR THE BUDGET ON DECEMBER 9TH.

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

AYE. OPPOSED? THAT PASSES FIVE ZERO.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MAGGIE.

THANKS, MAGGIE. OKAY.

THAT WILL BRING US TO OUR.

YOU DO YOU LAST.

ADAM. WELL, ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, WE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

[Community Development Report]

JUST SOME GENERAL UPDATES.

WE HAD A BIG PLANNING COMMISSION PACKET THIS MONTH, SO THOSE ITEMS WILL BE COMING TO YOU AT THE DECEMBER PLANNING COMMISSION FOR YOUR REVIEW.

THE DEPARTMENT IS STARTING TO GET ORGANIZED FOR END OF YEAR UPDATES AND REPORTING AS TO OTHER AGENCIES AND UPDATING OUR HANDOUTS.

AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN A HANDFUL OF TRAININGS THIS LAST MONTH, INCLUDING SOME DNR TRAININGS.

AND THEN HENNEPIN COUNTY DID A WORKSHOP ON ON THEIR CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND KIND OF GUIDANCE FOR CONSERVATION OF LAND THAT WE PARTICIPATED IN AS WELL.

SO JUST GENERAL UPDATES FOR THE DEPARTMENT TRYING TO CLOSE OUT YEAR END STUFF AND GET BUILDING PERMITS OUT BEFORE THE WINTER REALLY STARTS.

RIGHT, RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR LAURA? HEY, MAGGIE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AT ALL.

[Finance Report]

AND YOU'RE PREPPING FOR A YEAR END PROCESS AND PREPPING TRY AND WRAP UP THE 2024 FINANCIALS FOR THE AUDIT THAT'S COMING UP.

THAT'S ALL. THANKS.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MAGGIE? NO. OKAY. PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT.

[Public Safety Report]

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

SO PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT HERE THE INCIDENTS THAT WE'VE HAD SINCE THE LAST TIME I REPORTED OCTOBER 26TH THROUGH NOVEMBER 22ND.

[01:10:07]

I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THE ACCIDENT CALL THAT HAPPENED ON 11/20.

THAT WAS THE NIGHT WHERE WE HAD THE REAL ICY CONDITIONS.

OUR DUTY OFFICER, JEFF KROLL, WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND.

AT THAT CALL WAS A TWO CAR.

ENDED UP JUST DOING A PROPERTY DAMAGE ACCIDENT.

HE ASSISTED THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER TO GET ONE OF THE CARS OUT.

HE ACTUALLY BROUGHT ONE OF THE PARTIES BACK TO THEIR WORK BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT DRIVE THEIR CAR.

SO THAT WAS VERY NICE.

AND THEN WHEN HE CAME BACK, THERE WAS ANOTHER CAR THAT WAS KIND OF ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND IT WAS SOMEBODY THAT WAS NOT FAMILIAR ON HOW TO DRIVE AND IN ICY CONDITIONS.

SO HE GAVE A CRASH COURSE ON HOW TO DRIVE IN ICY CONDITIONS.

SO I WANT TO CALL HIM OUT FOR JUST GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND.

HE DID A FANTASTIC JOB, SO.

SO, CHIEF, THE MAJORITY OF OUR CALLS ARE ANSWERED BY THE DUTY CREW.

YES. YEP.

SO THE MAJORITY OF OUR CALLS ARE ANSWERED BY THE DUTY CREW.

I WOULD SAY PROBABLY ROUGHLY ABOUT 90% OF OUR CALLS ARE HANDLED BY OUR DUTY CREW.

AND THEN WHEN WE HAVE A DUTY OFFICER THAT'S ON AFTER 10:00 TO 6:00, HANDLES SOME OF THE OTHER TYPES OF CALLS.

THAT ACCIDENT WAS AN ALL CALL FOR US BECAUSE IT CAME OUT.

WE DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS EXTRICATION NEEDED OR INJURIES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

ENDED UP BEING JUST ABLE TO HANDLE BE HANDLED BY OUR DUTY OFFICER AT THAT TIME.

THANKS. SO OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WE DID FLY THE FLAG ON VETERANS DAY OUT HERE FOR THE MORNING PROGRAM OR CEREMONY THAT WAS HAPPENING AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.

WE DID HOST HALLOWEEN AT THE STABLES.

WE DID GIVE AWAY SOME GLOW STICKS, STICKERS, HELMETS.

WE HAD ABOUT TEN KIDS DOWN IN THAT AREA.

WE ASSISTED ALSO WITH THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS FAIR HERE FOR THE ORONO CITY EMPLOYEES.

WE DID SOME BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS FOR PEOPLE.

WE DID A HEART SAFE EVENT OVER AT STONE BAY CONDOS.

WE PARTICIPATED IN THE PARADE FOR THE STATE CHAMPS WOMEN'S SWIM AND DIVE TEAM FROM THE ORONO HIGH SCHOOL, AND WE'VE BEEN COMPLETING PRE PLANS OF THE BUSINESSES IN NAVARRE.

SO GETTING OUT AND ABOUT IN THAT COMMUNITY AND STUFF TOO, SO.

REALLY THE ONLY CHANGE ON THIS ONE IS WE DID TAKE DELIVERY OF THE TANKER.

SO THAT IS BOLDED IN GREEN ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE THERE.

AND WE WILL GET THAT IN SERVICE HERE SHORTLY.

WE'RE TRYING TO GET EVERYBODY TRAINED ON THE DRIVING OF IT AND GETTING IT OUTFITTED WITH HOES AND ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF.

SO THAT SHOULD HAPPEN SOON.

AND THE OTHER TANKER WILL BE RETURNED TO LINE OF LAKES.

SO. I STAND FOR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE A COUPLE ADAM.

UPDATED COUNCIL ON OCTOBER 28TH ABOUT THE STAFF COUNTS.

AND AT THAT TIME, IT WAS 12 PART TIME AND SEVEN PAID ON CALL.

I'M WONDERING IF IT'S THE SAME TODAY.

IT'S ACTUALLY 13 PART TIME, NINE PAID ON CALL AND ONE FULL TIME.

AND THEN WE HAVE TWO OTHERS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF BACKGROUNDS RIGHT NOW AND THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL EXAMS. I'M HOPING WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO BRING THEM TO COUNCIL IN DECEMBER AT THE DECEMBER COUNCIL MEETING.

AND THEN WE HAVE TWO OTHER APPLICATIONS THAT WE JUST INTERVIEWED WITH, TWO, AND WE'LL BE MOVING ONE OF THEM FORWARD IN THE PROCESS.

THANK YOU. THE OTHER QUESTION INVOLVES THE WATER ZONE AREAS.

I THINK IT'S 65F200 AT LEAST ACCORDING TO OUR WEBSITE.

I WOULD LIKE YOU TO ADDRESS THE WATER AREAS AND THE RESPONSE FOR THOSE BECAUSE OF THE, I GUESS I'D SAY, THE SPECULATION IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHO IS COVERING THAT AREA.

I'D LIKE CLARIFICATION ON THAT, PLEASE.

SURE, ABSOLUTELY.

WE APPRECIATE MOUND FIRE'S HELP FOR THE PAST FOUR MONTHS AT FOREST LAKE AND NORTH ARM DUE TO COLDER CONDITIONS.

ALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BOATS HAVE BEEN BEING REMOVED FROM THE WATER.

WE MET WITH WATER PATROL.

I MET WITH WATER PATROL THIS PAST WEEK, DISCUSSED EXPECTATIONS FOR RESPONSE TO THOSE LOCATIONS AND WHAT THEIR EXPECTATIONS ARE FOR FIRE DEPARTMENTS.

HENNEPIN COUNTY IS THE PRIMARY RESPONDING AGENCY TO ALL WATER INCIDENCES, AND WE ARE THERE TO ASSIST THEM.

SO WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THEM TO DO THAT.

FOREST LAKE IS STILL A LAKE THAT YOU KNOW, THERE'S A DUAL RESPONSE TO THAT AREA.

SO, IT WOULD BE US AND MOUND.

THAT'S PART OF THE PLAN THAT HAD BEEN PUT IN PLACE A LONG TIME AGO.

WITH WHEN MOUND WAS WHEN LONG LAKE WAS COVERING THAT AREA TO NORTH ARM WILL BE COVERED BY US AND WATER PATROL. SO WE'LL BE ASSISTING WATER PATROL IN THOSE AREAS.

IF THERE ARE LARGER INCIDENTS ON THE WATER, WE WOULD IMPLEMENT THE MUTUAL AID SYSTEM AND CALL OUT OTHER FIREBOATS OR OTHER BOATS THAT IF THEY WERE NEEDED, ONCE HARD WATER COMMENCES, WHICH HOPEFULLY AS WE SEE THE, YOU KNOW, THE SEASONS CHANGE HERE.

WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY AND THE CAPABILITY TO HANDLE INSTANCES ON THE WATER OURSELVES TOO.

[01:15:02]

EITHER TWO DIFFERENT BAYS.

YOU SAID IT'S. YES. THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT BAYS.

SO TO NORTH ARM WE'RE PAGED TO THAT AREA.

AND OBVIOUSLY WATER PATROL IS THE RESPONDING AGENCY.

THEY'RE THE PRIMARY. SO THEY'RE IT'S THEIR CALL.

AND WE'RE THERE TO ASSIST.

AND FOREST LAKE.

IT IS A DUAL RESPONSE BETWEEN US AND MOUND FIRE.

AGAIN, THAT AREA IS THE PRIMARY RESPONSE AGENCY IS HENNEPIN COUNTY WATER PATROL.

AND THAT'S PER STATE STATUTE.

SO IS MOUNDS STILL RESPONDING THERE? THEY RESPOND TO THE FOREST LAKE.

THEY SAID THEY WOULD RESPOND AS IN THE PAST.

YES. IS THAT A VERBAL AGREEMENT OR DO WE HAVE THAT IN WRITING? BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT PERHAPS MOUND IS NO LONGER WILLING TO SERVICE THAT AREA.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND. WHO'S PRIMARILY RESPONDING? AND IF MOUND IS PROVIDING MUTUAL AID, THAT'S ONE THING.

BUT WHO IS THE PRIMARY RESPONDER TO THAT OTHER AREA? PRIMARY RESPONDER TO THESE LOCATIONS AND THESE INCIDENTS IS HENNEPIN COUNTY WATER PATROL.

OKAY. AND MUTUAL AID IS US OR WE ASSIST THEM IN THE IN THOSE BOTH THOSE BAYS AND THEN MOUND IS ALSO RESPONDING TO THE FOREST LAKE AREA LIKE THEY HAVE FOR THE PAST.

I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THAT THAT MAP HAS BEEN IN PLACE, BUT IT'S BEEN IN PLACE BEFORE I GOT THERE, SO.

OKAY. THANK YOU. YEP.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR JAMES? WELL JEFF GREAT JOB.

I WILL DO THAT. GREAT JOB.

ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

THAT'LL BRING US TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY REPORT.

MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, I DON'T HAVE ANY UPDATE AT THIS TIME.

AND I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS.

[City Administrator/Engineer Report]

ENGINEER REPORT.

MR. MAYOR, THE I GUESS THE MAIN EFFORT FOR THE CITY ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF HAS BEEN REPLACEMENT OF PERSONNEL.

SO WE DID YOU DID NOTE ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA UNDER THE CONSENT THAT WE DID HAVE A NUMBER OF REPLACEMENT POSITIONS.

SO WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME, A LOT OF TIME IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS DOING INTERVIEWS AND BACKGROUND CHECKS AND ALL THOSE THINGS TO BRING SOME FOLKS FORWARD.

SOME OF THE APPOINTMENTS WE MADE, MOST OF THEM WERE INTERNAL.

SO PROMOTIONS FOR FOLKS, WHICH JUST THEN CREATES THAT CYCLE WHERE NOW WE'RE LOOKING TO REPLACE THE POSITIONS, LOWER LEVEL POSITIONS.

SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE ON THOSE ACTIONS.

AND ENGINEERING ON THE ENGINEERING FRONT.

MOST OF OUR PROJECTS ARE CLOSED OUT, AND MY EFFORTS THERE HAVE BEEN ON TRYING TO GET RFPS OR REQUESTS FOR PROPOSAL PUT TOGETHER FOR THE DESIGN OF NEXT YEAR'S WORK. THAT'S NOT ALREADY IN DESIGN.

SO AWESOME.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE. ANY QUESTIONS FOR ADAM? NOPE. OKAY. WELL, THIS IS AN HOUR TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.

[Public Comments]

IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE 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 ADDRESS AT THE PODIUM BEFORE SPEAKING.

WE WILL HAVE A ORONO RESIDENTS FIRST AND THEN ANYBODY ELSE AFTER THAT.

AND IF YOU CAN STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, THAT'D BE GREAT.

AND THAT SHOULD BE UP THERE TO BE ABLE TO WATCH THE TIME.

FOR 705 WATERTOWN ROAD.

I ASKED TO SPEAK TO THE APPOINTMENT AGENDA ITEM BUT WAS DENIED.

IT WAS GOING TO SAY TONIGHT THAT ANY REMAINING IMPORTANT DECISIONS FOR THIS COUNCIL TO VOTE ON SHOULD BE EXECUTED WITH INTEGRITY.

I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT I BELIEVE THAT WHEN YOU'RE SERVING ON A BOARD OR COUNCIL LIKE THIS, YOU HAVE TO LEAVE THE CITY IN A BETTER POSITION THAN WHEN YOU STARTED.

IT WAS GOING TO REMIND YOU THAT FOLLOWING BEST PRACTICES AS DEFINED BY THE STATE OF MINNESOTA AND LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES, IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN THESE FINAL TWO MEETINGS.

I WAS GOING TO REMIND THE COUNCIL THAT ORONO RESIDENTS OVERWHELMINGLY VOTED AGAINST THIS COUNCIL'S PROPENSITY TO ACT WITHOUT COMMUNITY INPUT OR DUE PROCESS. MAKING UNILATERAL DECISIONS IS CLEARLY NOT WHAT THE PEOPLE OF ORONO SUPPORT.

CLEARLY YOU DON'T CARE.

I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU THAT THESE FINAL VOTES AND ACTIONS WILL EITHER BE GOOD FOR THE CITY OR DETRIMENTAL TO THE CITY, BUT THEY WILL BE YOUR LEGACY.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MAYOR, WHO JUST SPAT IN THE FACE OF TWO THIRDS OF OUR VOTERS.

I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT IT'S MY FERVENT HOPE YOU'LL HAVE ENOUGH RESPECT FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND YOURSELVES TO TAKE THE TIME NEEDED TO SEE THAT YOU LEAVE THE CITY IN THE BEST POSITION. IT'S YOUR SWORN DUTY.

IT'S EVIDENT THAT THE MAYOR HAS NOT LEARNED A THING FROM THESE ELECTION RESULTS, AND YOU RUSHED THROUGH AN APPOINTMENT OF AN INDIVIDUAL WITHOUT ANY PROCESS.

I HAD HOPED TO LEARN YOU'D TAKE AN APPROACH THAT SHOWS VOTERS YOU RESPECT THEM.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU'RE LEFT WITH NOTHING BUT YOUR CORE VALUES.

I WAS GOING TO IMPLORE THIS COUNCIL TO FOLLOW A TRANSPARENT PROCESS AND VOTE WITH INTEGRITY AND RESPECT FOR YOUR COMMUNITY.

[01:20:08]

THAT HOPE IS ABSOLUTELY DESTROYED WITH YOUR ACTIONS TONIGHT.

I'M HONESTLY IN SHOCK.

YOU HAVE SO LITTLE RESPECT FOR VOTERS AND YOUR OWN REPUTATION.

BASED ON WHAT OCCURRED HERE TONIGHT, I AM DISAPPOINTED AND EMBARRASSED FOR OUR CITY.

BRIAN TURBYFILL, 997 WILD HORSE TRAIL CAME FOR AN ISSUE.

STAYED FOR THE SHOW. AND I AM NOBODY.

I AM ONE OF WHAT I BELIEVE.

MANY VOICES OUT THERE.

THIS COUNCIL GOT VOTED OUT BECAUSE OF, AS KELLY SAID, LACK OF PROCESS.

TAKE THE SMARTEST PEOPLE IN THE ROOM.

WE HAVE THE SMARTEST PEOPLE IN THE WHOLE CITY SITTING RIGHT HERE BEFORE US.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE, DON'T KNOW YOU.

IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU.

IT'S ABOUT THE PROCESS.

IT'S ABOUT HOW THIS GOES DOWN.

OUR GUESTS TO OUR CITY.

DID YOU SEE HOW FAST THEY SCURRIED OUT OF HERE? THEY'RE IN. I'M EMBARRASSED FOR THEM.

I'M EMBARRASSED FOR YOU.

ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF ORONO, I HAD THIS AWARD WINNING SPEECH WRITTEN LAST WEEK.

AND I HAD MANY THINGS TO SAY TONIGHT, WHICH ENCOMPASSED.

I WAS APPRECIATIVE OF LAST WEEK'S OR LAST, LAST MEETING TWO WEEKS AGO, THAT IT WAS CIVIL AND IT WAS ON, ON COURSE.

AND IT WAS TO THE POINT.

AND I CAME TO IMPLORE THAT WE DO THAT FOR THE REST OF THIS TERM.

THE LEGACY LEFT BEHIND IS GOING TO BE LEFT TARNISHED.

I'M I HAD SO MUCH RESPECT FOR YOU, RICHARD.

I TRULY DID, AND I'VE LOST A LOT OF IT TONIGHT.

AND I'M JUST ONE.

I'M NOBODY. WHO THE HELL AM I? I'M NOBODY.

MISTER MR. MAYOR.

MR. EAGLE, THIS IS TERRIBLE.

TERRIBLE MOVE.

AND YOU'RE IN A BAD POSITION.

AND I'M SORRY TO SAY THE PROCESS PUT YOU HERE.

I'M EMBARRASSED.

EMBARRASSED FOR YOU? YOU'RE NOT NOBODY.

YOU'RE THE PEOPLE THAT THEY REPRESENT.

YOU DESERVE TO BE HEARD.

I'M NANCY BRANTINGHAM, 3185, COUNTY ROAD SIX.

YOU ALL HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT TO BE GRACIOUS, TO HONOR THE WILL OF A LARGE MAJORITY OF ORONO CITIZENS, AS IT WAS EXPRESSED IN THE ELECTION ON NOVEMBER 6TH FOR NEW LEADERSHIP FOR OUR CITY.

BUT INSTEAD, YOU CHOSE TO BE PETTY AND VENGEFUL, TO FLOUT ANY PRETENSE OF RESPECT FOR DEMOCRACY AND FOR OUR CITIZENS AND THEIR RIGHT TO CHOOSE THEIR OWN LEADERS.

IT IS A NEW LOW, EVEN FOR YOU, MR. MAYOR. PROCESS MATTERS.

THE PROCESS BY WHICH MISS BARRETT HAS GAINED A COUNCIL SEAT WAS SHAMEFUL.

I HAVE NO IDEA IF SHE'S QUALIFIED ON ANY OTHER BASIS, EXCEPT THAT SHE IS VERY GOOD AT BULLYING ONLINE AND THAT SHE'S BEEN VERY LOYAL TO YOU.

ANOTHER EMBARRASSMENT FOR OUR CITY IN A SERIES OF EMBARRASSMENTS UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, MR. MAYOR. I, FOR ONE, AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE SEATING OF OUR NEW MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS IN JANUARY.

ANYBODY ELSE FROM ORONO THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP? ANYBODY ELSE FROM ORONO? KIM CARSWELL 261 CYGNET PLACE.

I HAVE A QUOTE IN THIS AGE, IN THIS COUNTRY, PUBLIC SENTIMENT IS EVERYTHING.

WITH IT, NOTHING CAN FAIL.

AGAINST IT, NOTHING CAN SUCCEED.

WHOEVER MOLDS PUBLIC SENTIMENT GOES DEEPER THAN HE WHO ENACTS STATUTES OR PRONOUNCED PRONOUNCES JUDICIAL DECISIONS.

THIS WAS SAID BY ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

THE PROCESS USED TONIGHT TO APPOINT A COUNCIL MEMBER DID NOTHING TO BUILD POSITIVE PUBLIC SENTIMENT.

IT WAS HANDLED IN A WAY TO BUILD NEGATIVE PUBLIC SENTIMENT.

THE MAYOR RECOMMENDED THE AN APPOINTMENT AT 6:04 P.M..

WE WERE ALL JUST SETTLING IN AND YOU ALREADY MADE THE APPOINTMENT.

THE PERCEPTION AND REACTION WAS ASTONISHMENT.

PART OF A LONG LEGACY OF SUBOPTIMAL PROCESSES AND MANAGEMENT OF THIS COUNCIL'S ACTION.

IN JANUARY, I ASKED THE NEW MAYOR AND THE NEW COUNCIL TO REVIEW THIS ACTION AND EXPLORE OPTIONS TO RETROACTIVELY REVISIT THIS APPOINTMENT, TO ALLOW THE STAFF AND THE COUNCIL TO

[01:25:02]

THIS WOULD FOSTER POSITIVE PUBLIC SENTIMENT.

THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE FROM ORONO TONIGHT? CINDY MCDONNELL, 1420 BOULDER PARK ROAD.

THIS IS NOT WHAT I WAS ORIGINALLY GOING TO SAY.

AND I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO SAY SOMETHING NICE.

AND SAY THANK YOU FOR SERVING.

AND THANKS FOR FIXING THE ROADS AROUND HERE.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? ALL THAT IS GOING TO GO AWAY BASED ON WHAT YOU JUST DID.

AND NOT ONLY DID YOU DISREGARD PROCESS, YOU TRIED TO HOODWINK US ALL AGAIN BY SAYING THAT THIS WAS WHAT YOU HAD TO DO AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO DO IT.

NOT AT ALL.

SO THAT IS EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING AND THAT IS GOING TO BE YOUR LEGACY GOING FORWARD.

YOUR ACTIONS ARE DETERMINING YOUR OWN LEGACY, NOT WHAT WE DID.

IT'S WHAT YOU DID.

SO YOU'VE MADE YOUR OWN REPUTATION HERE, AND YOU APPOINTED SOMEONE WHO ALSO CONDUCTED AN EMPTY CHAIR FORUM AT THE LAFAYETTE CLUB AS PART OF THE ORDINARY ORONO GARDEN CLUB.

PARDON ME. THAT HAS TO BE NOTED IN THIS ALSO.

THAT WAS NOT A LEGAL THING TO DO UNDER THAT, WHATEVER THE ORONO GARDEN CLUB IS.

SO I THINK YOU'VE HIT A LOT LIKE SOMEONE ELSE SAID, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO 2025 BECAUSE IT CAN'T COME SOON ENOUGH.

IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE FROM ORONO THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP? HI, I'M ANDY COHEN, 4100 ELM STREET, AND I WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WAS INTERESTED IN THE APPOINTED POSITION.

AND I DO APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS AND RESPONSES THAT YOU GAVE TO MY EMAIL.

I FOUND THEM TO BE HELPFUL AND INSIGHTFUL, AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT.

I WAS PRETTY DISAPPOINTED JUST TO HEAR WHAT HAD HAPPENED TONIGHT WHEN, YOU KNOW, NOT ON ANY PERSONAL LEVEL, BUT JUST WHEN ALL SIGNALS AND INDICATIONS WERE THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A MEETING TO DESCRIBE THE PROCESS AND WAS PRETTY BLINDSIDED AND JUST FELT THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO KNOW IF THERE WAS ALREADY A DECISION MADE THAT THERE WAS.

SO I WAS DISAPPOINTED BY THAT.

BUT THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO COME UP FROM ORONO TONIGHT? HELLO, BOB TUNHEIM, 679 MINNETONKA HIGHLANDS LANE.

AND I WANTED TO FIRST OF ALL, SAY THAT AS THE MAYOR ELECT, I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING WITH MISS BENSON AND MISS BARRETT.

AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.

BUT I ALSO WANTED TO MAKE IT MAKE A STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD THAT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT I DO BELIEVE THAT THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL HAS EXCEEDED ITS AUTHORITY IN NAMING MISS BARRETT TO SERVE UNTIL DECEMBER 31ST, 2026.

MINNESOTA STATUTES, SECTION FOUR 1202, SUBDIVISION 2A MAKES IT VERY CLEAR THAT IN THE CASE OF A VACANCY THAT OCCURS WITH MORE THAN TWO YEARS LEFT IN THE TERM, THAT A SPECIAL ELECTION SHALL BE HELD ON OR BEFORE THE NEXT REGULAR CITY ELECTION, AND THE APPOINTED PERSON SHALL SERVE ONLY UNTIL THE QUALIFICATION OF A SUCCESSOR ELECTED AT A SPECIAL ELECTION, TO FILL THE UNEXPIRED PORTION OF THE TERM.

I HAD A NUMBER OF DISCUSSIONS WITH JUSTIN ERICKSON, WHO'S THE GENERAL COUNSEL FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

HE BELIEVED IT TO BE INCONSEQUENTIAL THAT ORONO DID NOT HAVE ORDINANCES IN PLACE FOR CALLING A SPECIAL ELECTION.

SO WE WILL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO HANDLING THIS MATTER IN A PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIL MANNER AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.

THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE FROM ORONO THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT? IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP THAT ISN'T FROM ORONO? KELLY GRADY, LONG LAKE.

I RECEIVED AN EMAIL OR A DIRECT MESSAGE RATHER FROM CHRISTINE, WHO WAS PART OF ORONO STAFF, IN REGARDS TO A COMMENT THAT I POSTED ON FACEBOOK.

AND SHE WAS SEEKING INFORMATION.

SHE SAYS, I WAS JUST ALERTED THAT YOU MAY HAVE WITNESSED A FIREFIGHTER NAME CALLING OR POTENTIALLY VIOLATING EMPLOYEE POLICY.

[01:30:03]

I DID WRITE BACK TO ADAM AND CHRISTINE, AND I SAID ALISA AS WELL, INDICATING THAT I WOULD NOT BE REPORTING ANY FIREFIGHTERS BECAUSE IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THEY ARE VICTIMS OF WHAT HAS BEEN DONE BY THIS COUNCIL, AND THAT IT IS NOT RIGHT TO REPORT SOMEONE WHEN LEADERSHIP IS NOT EVEN HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR BAD BEHAVIOR.

WHEN THE MAYOR CAN SIT AT THE DAIS AND NAME CALL AND BE RUDE TO PEOPLE OUTRIGHT.

GIVE PEOPLE THE MIDDLE FINGER AND THE IN THE VESTIBULE OUT HERE.

WHY SHOULD A FIREFIGHTER.

IT'S. I'M SORRY.

YOU CAN SHAKE YOUR HEAD ALL YOU WANT TO.

IT'S PHOTOGRAPHED.

SO WHEN YOU'RE NOT HELD TO THOSE STANDARDS, WHY SHOULD A FIREFIGHTER BE HELD TO THOSE STANDARDS? AND TONIGHT, I WATCHED THIS PROCESS HAPPEN FOR ORONO CITIZENS.

AND I'M REALLY GRATEFUL THAT I'M A LONG LAKE RESIDENT BECAUSE MY COUNCIL WOULD NEVER PUSH SOMEONE THROUGH IN THAT WAY, ESPECIALLY WHEN TWO THIRDS OF THE VOTERS HAVE SPOKEN. ESPECIALLY FOR A PERSON WHO HAS, AND I CAN AND WILL SHOWCASE EXTREME ONLINE BULLYING THROUGHOUT ALL OF YOUR CAMPAIGNING AND PRIOR TO ALL OF THAT.

SO IF FIREFIGHTERS ARE MEANT TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, THE PEOPLE ON THIS COUNCIL WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR BEHAVIOR ONLINE.

AND I DON'T THINK THAT IT IS FAIR TO ORONO RESIDENTS AND ANYBODY WHO IS HERE TONIGHT, PLEASE STAND UP. IF YOU HAVE PERSONALLY SEEN MISS BARRETT BULLY AND TREAT PEOPLE POORLY ONLINE IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T BECOME THE DAIS.

ADDRESS. I'D LIKE TO JUST GO AHEAD AND SAY BECAUSE IT CAN'T BE SEEN ON CAMERA.

NO, I WILL NOT. I HAVE MY 30S LEFT.

I WOULD LIKE TO RECLAIM MY TIME.

I KNOW YOU WANT TO, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT OVER HALF THE AUDIENCE SITTING HERE HAS INDICATED THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THAT PERSONAL BULLYING AS WELL. IT IS NOT OKAY TO TREAT YOUR CITIZENS LIKE THEY DON'T OR SHOULDN'T HAVE A VOICE.

AND IT'S WHY YOU WERE VOTED OUT.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT MARIA VOTED NO TONIGHT BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES SHE STOOD UP AGAINST YOU, AND I THINK IT WAS WELL DESERVED.

IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT? OK, SEEING NOBODY ELSE, I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND WE WILL BRING IT TO THE MAYOR.

[Mayor/Council Reports]

COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE, WHICH WAS ON CONSENT, BECAUSE I WASN'T ABLE TO SPEAK TO THIS EARLIER.

SO I DO JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THIS CAPITAL LEASE AGREEMENT FOR MORE EQUIPMENT FOR THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I SUPPORT OUR CITY ENTERING INTO.

AND THEN MY OTHER COMMENT I WASN'T GOING TO HAVE A REPORT TONIGHT, BUT I MUST SAY THAT THE MANNER IN WHICH THE OPEN SEAT ON THIS COUNCIL WAS HANDLED TONIGHT IS A CLEAR INDICATION THAT OUR CITY WILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO IN THE NEW YEAR TO REBUILD TRUST IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND I DO THINK THE SILVER LINING ABOUT A PROCESS THAT UNFOLDS THE WAY THIS ONE HAS TONIGHT IS THAT IT DOES ENCOURAGE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO BECOME INVOLVED AND TO STAY INVOLVED IN THEIR CITY GOVERNMENT.

AND I DO BELIEVE THAT'S A POSITIVE THING.

I DO WANT TO FINALLY THANK THOSE.

AND ONE OF THEM SPOKE TONIGHT.

THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PUT THOUGHTFUL EFFORT AND CONSIDERATION AND TIME INTO THIS PROCESS AND HAVE DECLARED THAT THEY ARE INTERESTED IN THIS OPEN SEAT.

AND FOR ALL THOSE WHO THUS FAR HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THIS SEAT, I THANK YOU AND ENCOURAGE THAT CONTINUED INVOLVEMENT INTO THE NEW YEAR.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER VEACH.

I GUESS I WAS PUT INTO A TOUGH POSITION TONIGHT, AND I WANT TO APOLOGIZE.

IF MY VOTE AGAINST YOU IN ANY WAY UNDERMINES WHO I THINK YOU ARE AS A PERSON CLAIRE, I THINK YOU ARE WELL DESERVED.

I THINK YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF GREAT COMMUNITY WORK, AND I THOUGHT THERE WERE TWO WAYS TO GO AGAINST IT OR TO GO WITH THIS.

I THOUGHT ONE WAS TO VOTE AGAINST THE PROCESS, NOT THE PERSON.

AND FOLLOW UP WITH HOW I CAN SUPPORT YOU EVEN VOTING NO.

BUT SAYING THAT THAT DOESN'T MEAN I CAN VOTE AGAINST SOMETHING AND FOLLOW ALONG AND SUPPORT STILL.

AND I WANTED TO GIVE THAT OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT WAS ONE THAT I GOT.

I THOUGHT SOMEONE THAT VOTED NO MAYBE HAD TO STICK BY THAT AND MAYBE WASN'T GIVEN THAT.

[01:35:05]

AND I THINK THAT YOUR WILLINGNESS, LIKE I SAID TO EVERYBODY I MET, IT'S TO HAVE WILLINGNESS IN A COMMUNITY LIKE THIS, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

THERE ARE A LOT OF CITIES THAT DON'T HAVE PEOPLE WILLING TO STEP UP, AND I THINK IT'S REALLY GREAT THAT WE DO.

AND REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU THINK OF SOMEONE ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, I THINK THERE IS SOME RESPECT THERE.

AND I'VE ENJOYED GETTING TO KNOW YOU OVER THE COURSE OF THESE MEETINGS AND APPRECIATE THAT YOU'VE BEEN STAYING CURRENT WITH THIS.

SO THANK YOU, CLAIRE, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE.

I WANTED TO TALK TO MIDCO AND SAY THANKS FOR THEM FOR COMING.

I PART OF MY WHOLE WORK, THIS WHOLE SINCE THE APPOINTMENT WAS ON COMMUNICATIONS PART WAS GETTING THE INTERNET WHERE IT NEEDED TO BE, ESPECIALLY WITH SO MANY PEOPLE WORKING FROM HOME AND THEN THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.

SO I THINK THIS IS A REALLY BIG STEP, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THEIR WILLINGNESS AND SPEED TO IMPLEMENT.

AND THEN I WANTED TO JUST MAKE ANOTHER SHOUT OUT FOR THE TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY.

IT CONTINUES TO GROW IN ATTENDANCE AND APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS THAT FUND THAT GREAT COMMUNITY EVENT.

COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY.

YEAH. I'D LIKE TO FIRST SEND OUT CONDOLENCES TO THE YOUNG MAN'S FAMILY.

THAT'S MOST IMPORTANT.

OUR COMMUNITY GRIEVES WITH YOU.

I KNOW WE LOST ANOTHER ORONO CLASSMATE.

HE'S ONE OF MY DAUGHTER'S CLASSMATES.

HE PASSED AWAY AT A VERY YOUNG AGE TOO, SO THAT SHOULD BE PUBLIC RECORD SOON.

SO MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO TO HIS FAMILY.

YOU KNOW, I'VE SERVED THIS COMMUNITY FOR A LONG TIME, TEN YEARS AS A FIREFIGHTER, AND YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR SOME RUMBLINGS FROM PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE AND I GET THAT.

BUT NOBODY HAS DONE MORE FOR THIS CITY THAN THIS COUNCIL.

THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN DONE, BALANCING THE BUDGET, KEEPING IT AS ONE OF THE LOWEST TAX CITIES IN THE AREA, GETTING THE ROADS DONE, SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY, GOING INTO OUR OWN POCKETS FOR THE SCHOOLS.

WE'VE DONE OUTSTANDING WORK.

AND ONE OF OUR MAJOR, IMPORTANT THINGS WAS GETTING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DONE.

NOW YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE THAT COME TO THE MEETINGS THAT HANG OUT OVER AT LONG LAKE AND THEIR LONG LAKE CITIZENS.

SOME OF THEM AND SOME OF THEM ARE FRIENDS WITH THE MAYOR AND SO FORTH.

THEIR INTEREST IS THE CITY OF LONG LAKE WAS AS SOMEBODY WHO WAS VOTED IN BY THE CITIZENS OF ORONO, EVEN THOUGH I WAS A LONG LAKE FIREFIGHTER, MY ALLEGIANCE AT THIS DESK IS TO THE CITIZENS OF ORONO.

AND IF ANYBODY SELLS YOU, THE IDEA THAT WE SHOULD BE PAYING 95% OF SOMEBODY ELSE'S BUDGET IS SELLING YOU A BILL OF GOODS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT IS.

ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT IS GOOD, IT'S STAFFED, AND IT'S RIGHT THE LONG LAKE PEOPLE DON'T WANT IT BECAUSE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN? THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR BUDGET.

WELL, WE HAVE A VERY CAPABLE FIRE DEPARTMENT HERE.

YOU COULD SHAKE YOUR HEAD ALL YOU WANT, BUT WE NEEDED A LADDER TRUCK 20 YEARS AGO.

YOU KNOW WHO GOT IT DONE? THIS COUNCIL GOT IT DONE.

SHAKE YOUR HEAD SOME MORE.

THIS COUNCIL GOT IT DONE.

WE SUPPLIED OUR PEOPLE WITH WHAT THEY NEED.

OUR. OUR MAIN PURPOSE IS SAFETY AND PUBLIC SERVICE HERE.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GIVEN THE CITIZENS.

AND WE'VE DONE IT.

AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MAGGIE PUTS UP THE GRAPH? WHERE IS ORONO? WE'RE THE LOWEST IN TAX RATE INCREASES.

THE LOWEST.

YOU COULD SHAKE YOUR HEAD ALL YOU WANT.

FACTS ARE FACTS.

FACTS. BUT I'M PROUD OF THE WORK WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED.

I'M PROUD OF THE STAFF HERE AT ORONO.

YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN TERRIFIC TO WORK WITH.

REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK.

DJ, I'VE KNOWN YOU A LOT LONGER THAN BOTH OF US WANT TO ADMIT.

BUT YOU'RE FANTASTIC.

AND I LOVE YOUR BROTHER.

MAGGIE, YOU STEPPED INTO SOME TOUGH SHOES, BUT YOU'VE BEEN OUTSTANDING.

AND GOD BLESS YOU.

YOU'VE DONE REALLY GOOD WORK HERE.

AND, ADAM, YOU'RE TERRIFIC.

YOU MAKE THIS CITY PROUD EVERY DAY.

SO I JUST WANTED TO SHOUT OUT TO OUR PEOPLE AND LET THEM KNOW HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE THEIR HARD WORK.

[01:40:01]

THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER BARRETT.

SEVERAL OF YOU HAVE MENTIONED THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHO I AM.

SO I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF.

ALTHOUGH I SEEM TO FIND MYSELF AT THIS DESK IN AN UNORTHODOX WAY.

I WAS ASKED TO SERVE, AND MY 29 YEARS OF RESIDENCY IN ORONO IS AN EXAMPLE OF A SERVANT'S HEART.

AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT IN A WAY THAT SEEMS BOASTFUL.

I'M SAYING THAT BECAUSE IT'S THE TRUTH.

I HAVE BEEN PRESIDENT OF THE ORONO MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENT ASSOCIATION.

I'VE BEEN A MEMBER AND PRESIDENT OF THE SAINT GEORGE PARISH COUNCIL.

I CHAIRED CORN DAYS A COUPLE OF TIMES.

I'VE DONE A LOT. THERE'S MORE, BUT I DON'T HAVE TO GO ON.

SO I HOPE TO GET TO KNOW YOU ALL IN A REAL FACE TO FACE WAY, NOT BEHIND KEYBOARDS. YEP.

BECAUSE KEYBOARDS ARE TOXIC.

AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CIVILITY THAT INCOMING MAYOR TUNHEIM HAS PROMISED.

AND I HOPE THAT FILTERS THROUGH ALL OF ORONO I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING WITH COUNCILWOMAN BENSON, INCOMING MAYOR TUNHEIM, AND THE REST OF THE CITY COUNCIL IN COMING.

IT'S AN HONOR.

IT FEELS AWKWARD TO ME RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I WASN'T EXPECTING THIS, BUT I WILL PROMISE YOU THIS.

I WILL ALWAYS, ALWAYS VOTE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ORONO AND ITS CITIZENS.

AND I PROMISE YOU THAT.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

THANKS. IT WAS GREAT.

SO I WANT TO REITERATE WHAT MARIA SAID TO HAVE THE TREE LIGHTING COMING HERE ON DECEMBER, DECEMBER 9TH, FROM 530 TO 730.

IT'S GONE FROM, I THINK, 30 OR 40 PEOPLE THE FIRST TIME TO HAVE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS AND GREAT FIREWORKS AND THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS OF THE PEOPLE THAT THE ORONO LIONS AND LIONS AND GIVING FOOD, AND THE PEOPLE COOKING BRATS AND DONATING MONEY FOR THE FIREWORKS.

IT'S PRETTY AMAZING.

I ALSO WANT TO WISH EVERYBODY A HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND SAFE TRAVELS.

IF YOU'RE IF YOU'RE IF YOU'RE GOING ANYWHERE, IT'S GOING TO BE BUSY.

I KNOW THE CHARLOTTE AIRPORT THERE ON STRIKE, SO BE PREPARED FOR THE CRAZINESS WITH STUFF LIKE THAT.

AND I'M GOING TO END WITH A POEM TODAY FROM LUKE KNUDSON THAT'S ON THE BACK OF HIS CARD SAID, IF THERE EVER AND THIS IS FROM WINNIE THE POOH.

IF THERE EVER IS TOMORROW WHEN WE'RE NOT TOGETHER, THERE IS SOMETHING YOU MUST ALWAYS REMEMBER.

YOU ARE BRAVER THAN YOU BELIEVE, STRONGER THAN YOU SEEM, AND SMARTER THAN YOU THINK.

BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS, EVEN IF WE'RE APART, I'LL ALWAYS BE WITH YOU.

MOTION TO ADJOURN.

SO MOVED. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. WE ARE ADJOURNED.

HAVE A GREAT NIGHT, EVERYBODY.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.