[Roll Call]
[00:00:04]
ALL RIGHT. WELCOME TO THE MONDAY, DECEMBER 9TH, ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
NOTE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE HERE AND PRESENT.
WE ALWAYS START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
SO I INVITE YOU TO STAND UP AND FACE THE FLAG.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
[Approval of Agenda & Consent Agenda]
AND I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS WELL AS THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED, INCLUDING BRINGING NUMBER 20 UP INTO THE CONSENT AGENDA.AYE. OPPOSED? NO. THAT PASSES 4 TO 1.
COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON IS THE ONE ON? NO. OKAY.
[20. LA24-000062, Text Amendment: Sections 78-1 and 78-823 Industrial Uses - Ordinance 310]
THAT'LL BRING US TO A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORT.TONIGHT WE ARE JUST WORKING ON LAND USE APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE COME IN.
WE'RE DOING END OF THE YEAR REPORTING, GETTING OUR INFORMATION AND STILL RUNNING THROUGH PERMITS.
SO I'M STILL BUSY KIND OF END OF THE YEAR STUFF, BUT NO BIG NO BIG UPDATES TO REPORT AT THIS TIME.
YEP, CONSTRUCTION SEASON IS STILL VERY ACTIVE.
AWESOME. ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS FOR LAURA? ALL RIGHT. THANKS.
[Finance Report]
THAT'LL BRING US TO OUR FINANCE REPORT.MAGGIE. NOTHING REALLY NEW TO REPORT.
I'M JUST WORKING THROUGH YEAR END CLEANUP AND THEN TRANSITION OF STAFF RIGHT NOW.
ALL RIGHT. I HAVE ONE QUESTION.
DID THAT REQUIRE COUNCIL ACTION? I MOVED 20 UP INTO CONSENT.
I HAVE NOTHING, MR. MAYOR. ALL RIGHT, CITY ENGINEER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT, SIMILAR TO WHAT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SAID, THE STAFF OVERALL IS STARTING TO DO OUR TRANSITION
[City Administrator/Engineer Report]
YEAR END CLOSE OUTS AND THEN PREPARE FOR THE NEW YEAR, SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE.[Public Comments]
AWESOME. OKAY. WELL THAT'LL BRING US TO OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS, WHICH IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.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.
THE COUNCIL WILL OPEN THE PODIUM TO THE CITY OF ORONO RESIDENTS FIRST, BEFORE OPENING THE PODIUM.
TO ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.
ADAM IS OUR TIMEKEEPER AND SO LOOKING UP THERE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THE TIME.
SO IS THERE ANYBODY FROM ORONO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT? NANCY BRANTINGHAM.
I BELIEVE, AND PERHAPS MR. MADDOCK WOULD CLARIFY, I THOUGHT THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WERE ALSO TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PULL ITEMS FROM THE AGENDA, BUT AM I INCORRECT, MR. MADDOCK? THAT HAS BEEN CUSTOM IN THE PAST.
THAT IS CORRECT. THAT HAS BEEN THE CUSTOM IN THE PAST, I THOUGHT SO.
WELL, THANKS FOR MAKING THIS LAST MEETING OF YOUR TERM.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE FROM ORONO THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT? JAY NYGAARD, 1886 WREST POINT ROAD.
YOU ALL KNOW THAT ORONO HIGH SCHOOL.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE DISRESPECT TO A DISABLED VETERAN.
AND THAT'S A CLASSIC WAY FOR YOU TO CLOSE OUT HERE.
THE DISRESPECT YOU'VE SHOWN PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY, INCLUDING WHAT HAPPENED TONIGHT.
I'M NOT SURPRISED AT ALL THAT YOU WOULD BE SO CHILDISH AS YOU JUST WERE.
WHEN I GREW UP IN THIS COMMUNITY, IT WAS A SMALL COMMUNITY.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S BEEN CHANGING LATELY.
AND THANK GOODNESS THE PEOPLE STOOD UP AND WANTED IT TO STOP.
BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAINTAIN THIS RURAL NATURE.
[00:05:01]
WE'VE LOST PROTECTIONS FOR TREES, FOR THE LAKE.THAT'S COMPLETELY GONE BECAUSE OF THIS COUNCIL.
YOU, MR. MAYOR, YOURSELF, CLEARED YOUR BANK AND WAS DECLARED A VIOLATION BY AN ORONO INSPECTOR WHO YOU HAD FIRED AND THE CITY STAFF HAD MOUND CLEAR YOU.
I MEAN, THE MOST RIDICULOUS THINGS GO ON IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THIS COMMUNITY CAN HOPEFULLY BE REMOVED AND THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, IS A NEW ERA COMING IN NOW THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE GONE AND THE PEOPLE HAVE LOUDLY SPOKEN, AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, THE PEOPLE DIDN'T VOTE AGAINST YOU.
WHY? BECAUSE YOU'RE RUDE TO EVERYBODY.
THE PEOPLE DIDN'T HELP YOU BECAUSE OF YOUR IGNORANCE OF THEIR WISHES AND GOALS.
THAT'S NOT WHY THE PEOPLE VOTED.
THEY KNEW THAT THEY COULD ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING AND THEY CAME OUT IN DROVES AND DID IT.
THE RIGHT THING TO DO WAS TO NOT VOTE FOR YOU.
AND I'M SO PROUD OF THE REST OF MY COMMUNITY IN THE SAME WAY.
I'M KATHY SWEETMAN, 475 DEBORAH DRIVE, AND I AM AMONG THE 65% OF ORONO VOTERS WHO ARE EAGERLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HITTING REFRESH IN 2025.
SURPRISINGLY, WE HAVE ANOTHER ELECTION IN THE NEAR FUTURE, SO MY PURPOSE IN SPEAKING THIS EVENING IS TO ENCOURAGE ORONO VOTERS ORONO CITIZENS TO REMEMBER TO VOTE IN THE YET TO BE SCHEDULED SPECIAL ELECTION FOR ORONO CITY COUNCIL FOURTH PERSON AND CONSIDER THE QUALITIES THAT YOU MIGHT PREFER IN ANY POTENTIAL CANDIDATE.
SO I HOPE THAT WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT HONESTY AND INTEGRITY ARE NOT NEGOTIABLE QUALITIES.
ADDITIONALLY, I'D SAY CRITICAL THINKING.
ABILITY TO ANALYZE INFORMATION, ABILITY TO LISTEN TO OTHER PEOPLE, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WILLINGNESS TO SHARE INFORMATION, POWER AND COMMUNICATION WITH OTHERS.
I THINK THAT'S VITALLY IMPORTANT IN LEADERSHIP.
RECENT WORLDWIDE TRENDS TOWARD AUTHORITARIANISM REMIND US OF THE CONTRAST THAT WE SEE IN SOME OF THOSE QUALITIES THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. WE'VE ALL EXPERIENCED MOMENTS KIND OF LIKE RIGHT NOW WHEN THE AMYGDALA, THE FEAR AND ANGER PART OF OUR BRAIN, WANTS TO TAKE OVER. IT'S HAPPENED TO EVERYONE.
THIS IS A FIGHT OR FLIGHT, FEAR INDUCED RESPONSE.
AND IT WAS LIFE SAVING WHEN WE LIVED NEXT DOOR TO A SABER TOOTHED TIGER IN A CAVE.
BUT TODAY, WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR CULTURE AROUND THE WORLD, NOT JUST IN OUR CULTURE, IN THIS TOWN OR IN THIS COUNTRY, CULT LEADERS AND AUTHORITARIANS HAVE BECOME EXPERT AT ELICITING THIS PRIMITIVE FIGHT OR FLIGHT BEHAVIOR FROM US.
NOT ONLY DO THESE LEADERS FAIL TO UTILIZE THEIR OWN CRITICAL THINKING, BUT THEY EXPLOIT OUR PRIMITIVE, PRIMAL RESPONSES AGAINST US, AND THEY LIMIT OUR OWN CRITICAL THINKING TO CONTROL AND TO OBTAIN POWER.
IT'S A WELL RECOGNIZED PHENOMENON.
I HAVE PERSONALLY VERY OPPOSED TO THIS KIND OF LEADERSHIP, AND I BELIEVE THAT CONCERNS FOR ALL CITIZENS OR AS DESCRIBED BY JOHN STUART MILL, POLITICAL PHILOSOPHER, THE GREATEST GOOD FOR THE GREATEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE SHOULD BE A NECESSARY GOAL FOR LEADERSHIP.
AND I WOULD RECOMMEND WE LOOK FOR SOMEONE WHO FULFILLS THOSE KIND OF QUALITIES.
[00:10:08]
AND MEAN PRIVATE INTERESTS? THAT WAS JOHN ADAMS. JUST MY VIEW. THINK IT OVER AND REMEMBER TO VOTE.IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE FROM ORONO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT? SEEING NOBODY ELSE? IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT'S NOT FROM ORONO THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT? KELLY GRADY, LONG LAKE.
THE CITY WHERE MY HUSBAND SERVES AS A FIREFIGHTER AND HAS FOR NEARLY A DECADE.
DESPITE AMPLE COMMUNITY PUSHBACK, A FEW WEEKS AGO, A NEW OR BOB TUNHEIM OVERWHELMINGLY WON THE MAYORAL RACE AGAINST EUGENIE WALSH.
IN AN ARTICLE IN THE STAR TRIBUNE, AN INCOMING COUNCIL MEMBER, FORMER LONG LAKE FIRE CHIEF STEVE PERSIAN, WAS QUOTED TO SAY, THIS COMMUNITY HAS SPOKEN VERY LOUDLY AND THEY SIMPLY WANT TO GO BACK TO AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY FEEL RESPECTED AND WELCOME TO SHARE THEIR OPINION.
IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE MAYOR ELECT, BOB TUNHEIM STATED, I'M EAGER TO BEGIN REBUILDING TRUST AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN FIND A PRACTICAL SOLUTION THAT BENEFITS ALL PARTIES WHILE FULLY ADDRESSING ORONO PUBLIC SAFETY NEEDS.
IN A COURT FILING A FEW WEEKS AGO, ORONO OR ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING THE CITY OF LONG LAKE ASKED A JUDGE TO POSTPONE SOME COURT DATES, WRITING THAT THEY WERE CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THAT THE PARTIES MAY BE ABLE TO FIND A RESOLUTION OF THEIR ABOUT THEIR DISPUTE IN THE NEW YEAR ONCE THIS NEW COUNCIL IS IN PLACE.
AND I HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK ME LIKE, WHAT DO I THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN? OF COURSE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
I'VE NEVER KNOWN THIS WHOLE TIME ALL I'VE WANTED WAS EXACTLY WHAT THOSE TWO WERE QUOTED AND SAYING IN THE PAPER, WHICH IS FOR OUR COMMUNITIES TO COME TOGETHER ON THIS ISSUE AND NOT TO TEAR APART OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND THIS COUNCIL COULDN'T MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND I'VE NEVER BEEN SO DISAPPOINTED IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR THAT.
AND NOW, HAVING SEEN THE ELECTION AND THE PEOPLE STAND UP AND KNOWING THAT A LARGE PART OF THIS ELECTION WAS A REFERENDUM ON FIRE SAFETY CHANGES, I AM REALLY PROUD OF THE COMMUNITY OF ORONO AND I WHEN PEOPLE AGAIN WHEN THEY ASK ME WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, I SAID, I DON'T KNOW, BUT NOW IS THE TIME FOR HEALING AND I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO A DAY WHEN WE CAN LOOK BACK ON ALL OF THIS AS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD TO GO THROUGH TO GET TO SOMETHING BETTER.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEW COUNCIL.
ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT?
[Mayor/Council Report]
SEEING NONE, I WILL BRING IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL FOR THE MAYOR.COUNCIL REPORT. COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON.
GOOD GOVERNANCE IS SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES CONSCIOUS AND CONTINUAL EFFORT.
IT DOES NOT HAPPEN AUTOMATICALLY.
IT REQUIRES A WILLINGNESS AND AN ABILITY OF LEADERS TO LISTEN TO THOSE THEY SERVE, LEARN FROM STAFF AND OTHER EXPERTS, AND WORK EFFECTIVELY AS A GROUP, RESPECTING INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND DIFFERENCES ALONG THE WAY.
GOOD GOVERNANCE ALSO REQUIRES THAT CITY LEADERS WORK WELL WITH THOSE WHO REPRESENT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, STATE AGENCIES, AND MANY OTHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS.
I HAD A NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE DISCUSSED, IN ADDITION TO ONE THAT WAS PUT ON CONSENT AGENDA THAT INVOLVES LAND USE, A TEXT AMENDMENT CHANGE WHICH IS CONSIDERABLE, AND THAT ISSUE, ITEM NUMBER 20 WILL NOW NOT SEE ANY DISCUSSION.
IT'S NOT AN INSIGNIFICANT CHANGE, AND I SPENT A GOOD DEAL AMOUNT OF TIME TODAY WITH STAFF DISCUSSING THAT ISSUE, AND WOULD HAVE RATHER BEEN ABLE TO DISCUSS IT WITH THE COUNCIL BEFORE IT WAS PASSED.
IT'S AT ODDS WITH GOOD GOVERNANCE.
[00:15:04]
LOCAL GOVERNANCE CAN BE.AND FOLLOWING OUR LAST MEETING, AND THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE, DURING MY TIME ON COUNCIL, SEVERAL YOUNG INDIVIDUALS REACHED OUT TO ME WITH AN INTERVIEW REQUEST AND THEY ASKED VERY INSIGHTFUL QUESTIONS ABOUT LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND ABOUT ORONO CITY COUNCIL IN PARTICULAR.
I'M REALLY HONORED AT THESE TYPES OF REQUESTS, AND I ALSO USE THEM AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY ANSWER QUESTIONS, BUT ALSO TO HIGHLIGHT THE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS AND AS INDIVIDUALS AND ALSO AS A GOVERNING BODY, HAVE ON THOSE THEY REPRESENT.
I ALSO USE THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION IN THE PROCESS OF GOVERNANCE.
AND I DO WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO FORMALLY CONGRATULATE MAYOR ELECT BOB TUNHEIM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS ELECT JACQUELINE RICKS AND STEVE PERSIAN ON THEIR SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGNS FOR OFFICE.
I DO LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE NEWLY SEATED COUNCIL NEXT YEAR.
HE IS ONE OF THE LONGEST SERVING MAYORS IN THE NATION, AND HIS COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE AND GOOD GOVERNANCE HAS BEEN AN INSPIRATION TO SO MANY, INCLUDING MYSELF.
SO BEST WISHES TO HIM IN HIS NEXT CHAPTER.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU.
AT THIS TIME, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE.
I KNOW I WAS APPOINTED AND APPRECIATE WHAT I WAS ABLE TO LEARN FROM YOU ALISA.
BUT REALLY FROM YOU, RICHARD, DENNY AND CLAIRE.
I'M SORRY I DIDN'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND, MATT, YOU'VE BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN MY LEARNING ON HOW CITY GOVERNMENT WORKS.
GOT ME UP TO SPEED REALLY QUICK WHEN THE CARDS WERE STACKED AGAINST ME.
TO CITY STAFF, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
I THINK YOU DO A TREMENDOUS YOU DO TREMENDOUS WORK FOR OUR CITY.
I'M REALLY PROUD TO LIVE HERE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT THE NEW COUNCIL CAN DO, AND I WILL BE ALWAYS A PHONE CALL AWAY.
I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CITY FOR WELCOMING ME TO THE STAFF.
I HAVE HAD SEVERAL REALLY GOOD CONVERSATIONS, AND I ECHO THAT SENTIMENT THAT THERE ARE VERY WONDERFUL PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR THE CITY, AND SO WE'RE ALL REALLY LUCKY FOR THAT.
I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE CITY ON A WONDERFUL EVENT.
THE TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY WAS JUST FABULOUS.
LOTS AND LOTS OF LITTLE KIDDOS GOT TO SEE SANTA.
IT WAS JUST A REALLY BEAUTIFUL GATHERING.
AND WE DON'T HAVE REALLY A TOWN CENTER.
WE DON'T HAVE AN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CREATES GATHERINGS.
AND SO THEY DO HAVE TO SORT OF BE MANUFACTURED IN A WAY.
I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK THE SPONSORS, THE ORONO LIONS CLUB ORONO DENTAL COUNCILMAN ORTHODONTICS, LUNDS AND BYERLY'S, ORONO PARK LEGACY, ALIGN HEALTH AND WELLNESS, AND PAUL KUBISTA TWIN CITY SEED.
WITHOUT THAT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, IT WOULDN'T BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS IT IS.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT TRADITION CONTINUING.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, THAT TRADITION CONTINUING.
COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY. I'D LIKE TO THANK THE CITIZENS OF ORONO WHO I'VE REPRESENTED THESE LAST EIGHT YEARS.
IT'S BEEN TRULY AN HONOR TO SERVE.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK MY WIFE PATTI AND MY THREE DAUGHTERS, YOU KNOW, MANDY, SHANNON AND ERICA FOR SUPPORTING ME 100%.
IT'S NOT EASY BEING THE WIFE OF A FIREFIGHTER AND THEN A CITY COUNCILMAN, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES YOU PUT YOUR FAMILY ON THE BACK BURNER AT TIMES WHEN IT'S NOT NECESSARILY WHAT YOUR INTENTION IS.
I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF ALL THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE HERE IN ORONO.
WE SUPPORTED THE POLICE THROUGH VERY DIFFICULT TIMES, THROUGH THE RIOTS.
[00:20:01]
WE ALWAYS HAD THEIR BACK.AND WE FIXED A LOT OF THE PARKS AND CLEANED UP A LOT OF THE PARKS.
THE TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY, WHICH HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR HOW MANY YEARS NOW? SIX YEARS NOW.
IS A FABULOUS EVENT AND THE CITIZENS LOVE IT.
IT BRINGS OUT THE CHILD IN ALL OF US.
THE LIES OF ORONO NOT WILLING TO NEGOTIATE AND SO FORTH.
ORONO HAD GOOD FAITH NEGOTIATIONS WITH LONG LAKE FOR A LONG TIME.
US PAYING FOR LONG LAKE'S BILLS IS UTTERLY RIDICULOUS, THE CITIZENS OF ORONO.
AH I AM PROUD OF THIS COUNCIL.
DENNY, YOU'VE BEEN AN OUTSTANDING MAYOR.
MARIA, YOU'VE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB.
IT'S BEEN NICE WORKING WITH YOU, ALISA.
CLAIRE, I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST OF LUCK.
I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO DO TERRIFIC.
IT WAS FUN WORKING WITH MATT AND MY BUDDY AARON PRINTUP.
VICTORIA. AND VICTORIA, YES, I CAN'T FORGET VICTORIA.
BUT THOSE PEOPLE HAVE GROWN DEAR TO MY HEART, AND THEY'RE TERRIFIC PEOPLE.
BUT I'M PROUD OF ALL THE WORK WE'VE DONE.
I DIDN'T INTERRUPT YOU, OKAY? YOU'VE BEEN A SNAKE SUING THIS CITY FOR 20 YEARS.
SO? SO LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING.
THIS IS A GUY THAT TRIED TO SELL HIS VIDEOS ON THE MURDER OF A DEAD CHILD.
OKAY, DO YOU REMEMBER THAT? AND PEOPLE CAN LOOK IN THE VIDEOS.
AND HE WAS TRYING TO MONETIZE HIS CHANNEL ON THAT.
THAT'S A DESPICABLE HUMAN BEING RIGHT THERE.
SON OF A BITCH. YOU COULD SIT DOWN.
SIT DOWN. CHRIST, I DIDN'T SIT DOWN.
SO, AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE CITIZENS OF ORONO, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING.
I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE BOB TUNHEIM AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL THAT'S COMING IN.
I WISH YOU GUYS ALL THE BEST OF LUCK.
AND I HOPE YOU DO GREAT THINGS FOR ORONO.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S NEXT MEETING ISN'T UNTIL JANUARY.
SO A HAPPY NEW YEAR, AND MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HANUKKAH TO EVERYBODY OUT THERE FOR SURE.
WE DID HAVE A GREAT TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY THE OTHER DAY.
IT WAS AMAZING. SANTA USUALLY COMES FROM, OH, I DON'T KNOW, 6:30 TO 7:30.
WHEN I LEFT, THERE WAS STILL A LINE OF KIDS.
I THINK I THINK ORONO HAS THE VIDEO UP THERE WITH ALL THE KIDS.
IT'S A IT'S A GREAT EVENT THAT STARTED WITH ABOUT 40 PEOPLE WHEN WE FIRST STARTED IT.
AND WE HAVE TURNED THAT INTO ONE LONG TERM COMMUNITY EVENT THAT EVERYBODY LOOKS FORWARD TO, WHETHER IT'S THE FIREWORKS OR THE LIONS PROVIDING ALL THE HOT DOGS, BUT ESPECIALLY THE KIDS SEEING SANTA.
AND HE ARRIVES ON THE HE ARRIVED ON THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT TRUCK.
SO IT WAS IT WAS AN AMAZING NIGHT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN A LONG JOURNEY, THAT'S FOR SURE.
IT'S A LONG BOOK, BUT THAT LONG BOOK HAS 361 CHAPTERS IN IT, AND EVERYBODY'S GOT LOTS OF CHAPTERS IN THEIR LIVES, AND THIS WAS ONE OF MY CHAPTERS.
THERE'S LOTS OF CHAPTERS TO GO.
THE VIKINGS HAVE BEEN TO FOUR SUPER BOWLS AND NEVER WON.
THE TWINS HAVE WON TWO WORLD SERIES, LOST A FEW.
[00:25:02]
I BOUGHT BUSINESSES, SOLD BUSINESSES.I HAVE RAN NONPROFITS, SMALL AND LARGE.
I'VE RETIRED FROM NONPROFITS, SMALL AND LARGE.
I HAVE WON STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS.
I'VE LOST STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS OVER THE YEARS.
EVERYBODY HAS LOTS AND LOTS OF CHAPTERS IN THEIR LIVES, AND THIS WAS A FABULOUS ONE.
AND I'M SURE PEOPLE MY AGE WILL REMEMBER THAT LITTLE BOX YOU GO AROUND AND COLLECT.
NEXT THING WAS IN THE TEENAGE YEARS WHEN WE WORKED AT THE JAYCEES AND THE HAUNTED HOUSES AND COLLECTING MONEY FOR THE JAYCEES AND DOING THEIR HAUNTED HOUSE STUFF, AND THAT WAS KIND OF FUN. THEN IN MY 20S, WE WERE DOING THE SECRET SANTA IN NORTH MINNEAPOLIS, AND WE WOULD BRING PRESENTS TO THE KIDS THROUGH THEIR SANTAS LIST THAT THEY SENT TO THE CITY SAYING, SANTA, PLEASE BRING ME THESE GIFTS.
AND WE WOULD GET THOSE LETTERS AND WE WOULD BRING THEM THEIR GIFTS AS SANTA'S HELPERS.
FROM THERE, IT MORPHED AND I WAS ON THE BOARD OF BIG BROTHERS AND BIG SISTERS FOR MANY YEARS, HELPED THE INTEGRATION OF SAINT PAUL, MINNEAPOLIS COMBINED INTO ONE, HELP THEM GET BEST PRACTICES ON HOW THEY'RE GOING TO FUNDRAISE.
SO THEY'RE NOT DEPENDENT ON ONE BIG DONOR, WHICH THEY HAD A PROBLEM WITH WHEN THE ECONOMY GOT BAD.
THEN I WENT ON TO THE FBI CITIZENS ACADEMY, WHERE WE HELPED SPREAD THE WORD ONLINE AND ALL ONLINE PREDATORS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THE ONLINE STUFF STARTED HAPPENING AND THE FBI WAS DIGGING INTO THAT HARD, GOT ON THE NATIONAL BOARD AND WAS DOING THAT AROUND THE COUNTRY AS WELL.
AND THEN AFTER YEARS AND YEARS OF DOING THAT AND LEAVING THAT ORGANIZATION IN BETTER SHAPE.
WE RAN INTO THE SHERIFF'S FOUNDATION.
WHICH IS AMAZING WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT.
SO EVERYBODY HAS LOTS OF CHAPTERS.
IT'S BEEN TEN YEARS. I'VE ALSO BEEN TEN YEARS IN THE ICE ARENA BOARD AND ORONO.
AND I KNOW MY MENTORS WHEN I WAS YOUNG SAID, WHEN YOU ARE IN ORGANIZATIONS, YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO ABIDE BY THE TWO PILLARS OF SUCCESS, AND THE TWO PILLARS OF SUCCESS SHOULD GUIDE ALL OF YOUR DECISION MAKING ON HOW YOU DO THINGS AND HOW YOU LEAVE THINGS.
WE HAVE BROUGHT A ROADS BUDGET FROM 0 TO $1 MILLION, GOT THEM ALL FIXED, SO NONE OF THEM WERE FIXED.
WE HAVE A PARKS BUDGET NOW OF $250,000.
WE BROUGHT ALL THE PARKS BACK TO SPEED, AND THERE'S LOTS OF THEM.
SOME OF THE BIG ONES ARE LIKE BIG ISLAND, WHICH WAS UNINHABITABLE PRACTICALLY.
AND WE NOW THERE'S NOW YOU CAN GET AROUND IT.
WHEN WE STARTED, THE CITY WAS RUNNING OUT OF MONEY FOR ALL THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
WE HAVE FUNDED ALL THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS NOW WATER, SEWER PLOWS, VEHICLES, CITY VEHICLES, INSPECTION VEHICLES, YOU NAME IT, FIRE ENGINES AND ALL THE NECESSARY LONG TERM INVESTMENT NEEDS THE CITY NEEDS TO BE FULLY PREPARED FOR.
WE HAVE ONE OF THE SAFEST CITIES FOR ALL THE TEN YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE.
WE HAVE KEPT THE TAX RATE FLAT AND STEADY FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS.
WE ALSO HAVE A NEW FACILITY FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS.
BUT NOT ONLY THE PUBLIC WORKS, IT'S THE PUBLIC WORKS, IT'S THE FLEET MAINTENANCE DIVISION, AS WELL AS THE PARKS DIVISION, WHICH IS TWICE AS BIG AS THE OUTDATED PARK PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY THAT'S NEXT DOOR.
AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THEY ARE READY TO GO AND IT WILL TRULY BE A HISTORIC EVENT WHEN THAT HAPPENS, BECAUSE THAT WILL WOULD BE THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF ORONO THAT ORONO WILL THEN OWN AND CONTROL ALL OF THE SERVICES TO ITS OWN RESIDENTS.
SO WE HAVE LEFT FOR SO FOR THE FIRST PILLAR OF SUCCESS, WE HAVE LEFT THE CITY WELL DRESSED AND PREPARED FOR THE NEXT ORONO CITY COUNCIL TO COME IN HERE AND BUILD ON ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS.
[00:30:04]
THE SECOND PILLAR OF SUCCESS IS THAT WHEN YOU ARE IN THAT ORGANIZATION THAT YOU'RE WITH, WHETHER IT'S A NONPROFIT OR WHATEVER IT HAPPENS TO BE, THAT YOU'RE ONE OF YOUR OBLIGATIONS IS TO FIND GOOD PEOPLE.SO WHEN YOU DO LEAVE OR RETIRE OUT OF IT, BECAUSE YOU DO IN ALL THESE NONPROFITS, YOU TIME OUT AND YOU TERM OUT AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE GOOD PEOPLE TO CONTINUE RUNNING THE ORGANIZATION. AND I TELL YOU, OVER THE TEN YEARS WE HAVE RECRUITED AND BROUGHT PEOPLE UP TO SPEED UP TO NEW POSITIONS IN THE CITY OF ORONO.
AND WE HAVE SOME OF THE MOST GREAT STAFF HERE, WHETHER IT'S A LAWYER IN OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OR OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT WITH MAGGIE OVER HERE, OUR CITY ATTORNEY, WE HAVE LOTS OF STAFF THAT SUPPORTS EVERYBODY.
WE HAVE ADAM, OUR CITY ADMINISTRATOR, WHO BRINGS IT ALL TOGETHER.
WE HAVE COREY, OUR POLICE CHIEF.
WE HAVE JAMES, OUR FIRE CHIEF.
WE HAVE TAYLOR, WHO IS OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT, WHO IS RELATIVELY NEW BUT A FABULOUS, FABULOUS PERSON.
WE HAVE DG WHO RUNS OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, AND WE HAVE GREAT PEOPLE.
AND EIGHT YEARS AGO WHEN I BECAME MAYOR, WE GAVE THE STAFF A VOICE BECAUSE WE TOLD THEM, YOU'RE RUNNING THIS DAY TO DAY, YOU KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED, WHAT NEEDS TO BE UPGRADED.
AND WITH THIS FABULOUS PEOPLE THAT ARE UP HERE HAS BEEN WITH THIS TEAM EFFORT BETWEEN STAFF AND ORONO CITY COUNCIL TO BRING ALL THESE THINGS TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY RUN IT DAY TO DAY. I MEAN, ADAM'S GOT TO BE THE BEST CITY ADMINISTRATOR I'VE EVER SEEN.
SO WE LEAVE ORONO DRESSED FOR SUCCESS WITH GREAT PEOPLE FOR THE NEW COUNCIL WHO I WISH THE BEST OF LUCK AND BEST WISHES TO YOU AS WELL TO CONTINUE BUILDING ON WHAT WE HAVE. AND THEN I WISH THEM BEST LUCK.
BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I WANT TO THANK MY WIFE, MY FAMILY AND ALL MY FRIENDS WHO CAME.
I WANT TO THANK THE ORONO RESIDENTS, THE STAFF WHO HAS BEEN FABULOUS TO BE HERE.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO LEAVE YOU WITH A POEM BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO DO THAT.
HAVE A GOOD NIGHT, EVERYBODY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.