[00:00:01] >> THANK YOU FOR WAITING FOR US TO RECONFIGURE THE ROOM HERE. [Roll Call] I WILL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER, NOTING THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR ARE IN ATTENDANCE, AND WOULD ASK THOSE IN ATTENDANCE TO JOIN ME IN PLEDGING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. >> >> FIRST ITEM HERE IS TO APPROVE TONIGHT'S AGENDA. [Approval of Agenda] [Consent Agenda] WE HAVE A CONSENT AGENDA THAT WAS PREPARED. THESE ITEMS ARE CONSIDERED ROUTINE. WE'LL BE ENACTED IN ONE MOTION WITH NO DISCUSSION UNLESS A COUNCIL MEMBER OR STAFF REQUEST THE ITEM TO BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR SEPARATE DISCUSSION AND ACTION. TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS ARE AS FOLLOWS. THE CITY COUNCIL MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING, CLAIMS AND BILLS, UPCOMING WORK SESSION AND COUNSEL TRAINING SCHEDULE, HIRING PART-TIME FIREFIGHTERS, A CONTRACT FOR RECYCLING COLLECTION, PURCHASE OF CAPITAL EQUIPMENT, CHANGE ORDER FOR BRUSH MEDICAL RESPONSE UTILITY VEHICLE, NAVARRE WATER TREATMENT PLANT, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM UPGRADE, AND ACCEPTING THE RESIGNATION OF A POLICE OFFICER. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED FROM THAT FOR SEPARATE DISCUSSION? >> I WANTED TO REMOVE TWO AND SIX. WE'VE TALK ABOUT THEM AT THE SAME TIME. >> ANYTHING ELSE? >> I'D LIKE TO ADD AN ITEM TO TONIGHT'S AGENDA. >> OKAY. >> THE DISCUSSION OF HACKBERRY PARK REVITALIZATION. >> I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE CAN MOVE ITEM 13 ONTO THE CONSENT AGENDA. >> IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THAT? >> NO. >> NO. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, ANY OTHER REQUESTS? NOT I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, MINUS ITEMS NUMBER 2, AND 16 PLUS ITEM 13. YOU GET A MOTION? >> TO A MOTION TO APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA, REMOVING ITEMS NUMBER 2 AND 6, AND ADDING ITEM 13 TO CONSENT, AND THEN ADDING AN ITEM FOR HACKBERRY PARK REVITALIZATION. >> BUT NOT TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. >> NOT TO CONSENT. >> IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT? >> I'LL SECOND THAT. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? NOT. ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL OPPOSE SAME SIGN. >> MOTION CARRIES. NEXT, WE'LL MOVE ON [9. Three Rivers Park District] TO PRESENTATION BY THREE RIVERS PARK DISTRICT. WELCOME TO OUR MEETING. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COUNCIL. MY NAME IS MARCH BEARD, AND I'M THE THREE RIVERS PARK DISTRICT COMMISSIONER FOR DISTRICT 1. DISTRICT 1 REPRESENTS MOST OF WESTERN HENNEPIN COUNTY, INCLUDING THE CITY OF ORONO. I REPRESENT YOUR RESIDENTS ON THE THREE RIVERS PARK BOARD. TONIGHT, MY PRESENTATION IS A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THREE RIVERS, AND MY GOAL IS THAT YOU LEARN SOMETHING NEW, SO MAYBE I'LL TEST YOU AT THE. THREE RIVERS. OUR MISSION IS TO PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP THROUGH RECREATION AND EDUCATION IN A THE NATURAL RESOURCES-BASED PARK SYSTEM. THE KEY PHRASE THERE IS REALLY THE NATURAL RESOURCES-BASED. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES US DIFFERENT THAN CITY PARKS OR MUNICIPAL PARKS IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE THINGS LIKE BALL FIELDS. BALL FIELDS TEND TO BE MORE CITY STYLE PARKS, AND OUR PARKS TEND TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE FULL NATURE-BASED. LOOK. WHO IS THIS THREE RIVERS? I GET THAT QUESTION A LOT. WE WERE ESTABLISHED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE IN 1957. WE ARE A STAND-ALONE LOCAL UNIT OF GOVERNMENT. WE'RE RUN BY A BOARD OF SEVEN COMMISSIONERS. FIVE ARE ELECTED, TWO ARE APPOINTED BY HENNEPIN COUNTY. I SERVE IN ONE OF THE ELECTED ROLES. OUR DISTRICT INCLUDES SUBURBAN HENNEPIN COUNTY. IT'S JUST WHAT YOU THINK. IT'S HENNEPIN COUNTY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MINNEAPOLIS BECAUSE MINNEAPOLIS HAS THEIR OWN PARK BOARD. WE HAVE A LONG STANDING PARTNERSHIP WITH SCOTT COUNTY. IF YOU'RE EVER DOWN IN SCOTT COUNTY AND SOUTH, YOU MIGHT SEE THE THREE RIVERS BRANDING DOWN THERE. IT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF GOOD GOVERNMENT. REALLY, THE TWO GOVERNMENT UNITS WORK TOGETHER. WE CAN SPREAD ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS. IT'S A GOOD PARTNERSHIP. WE ALSO REPRESENT SOME OTHER AGENCIES. FOR EXAMPLE, HENNEPIN COUNTY OWNS GLEN LAKE GOLF. IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN THERE, IT'S A NINE HOLE COURSE IN MINNETONKA. [00:05:02] WE RUN THAT ON THEIR BEHALF, BUT WE DON'T ACTUALLY OWN IT. WE HAVE 25 PARKS AND PARK RESERVES, 27,000 ACRES OF LAND, 175 MILES OF REGIONAL TRAIL. WHAT MAKES THE REGIONAL TRAIL IDENTIFIABLE IS THAT IT'S ALWAYS PAVED WITH A YELLOW DASHED LINE. WHEN YOU SEE THAT YELLOW LINE, YOU KNOW THAT'S A THREE RIVERS REGIONAL TRAIL. WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER 300 MILES OF TRAILS WITHIN OUR PARKS. A LOT OF THOSE, SOME OF THEM ARE PAVED. MANY OF THEM ARE DIRT TRAILS, WHICH I PERSONALLY LIKE BETTER. I'M A HIKER, AND I LIKE TO WEAR MY BOOTS AND HIKE ON THE DIRT TRAILS RATHER THAN THE PAVED TRAILS. WE GET 16 MILLION VISITS A YEAR. REMEMBER, THIS IS JUST THE SUBURBAN PART OF HENNEPIN COUNTY. IT'S REALLY SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT'S MORE THAN TWICE OUR STATE'S POPULATION. WELL USED PARK SYSTEM. NATURAL RESOURCES MAKES IT ALL GO. ON THE WATER SIDE, WHICH IS NEAR AND DEAR TO ORONO, WE HAVE OVER 100 TRAINED, DNR TRAINED, AQUATIC, INVASIVE SPECIES INSPECTORS SPREAD THROUGHOUT OUR SYSTEM AND SOME BY CONTRACT IN OTHER PLACES. WE'RE REALLY DEDICATED TO TRY OUR BEST TO KEEP THOSE AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES, AT A MINIMUM. A LOT OF THAT ROLE IS REALLY EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC. LOOKING AT OUR DEER PICTURE OF THAT, SO THE FOREST IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US, AND ONE OF THE LITTLE KNOWN FACTS ABOUT THREE RIVERS IS ALL OUR TREES AND SHRUBS ARE ALL NATIVE. EVERYTHING WE PLANT IN OUR PARKS, WE ACTUALLY GROW IN OUR NURSERY UP IN THE ROGERS AREA, AND WE PLANT WITHIN OUR PARKS. EVERYTHING WITHIN THREE RIVERS COMES WITHIN SEED FOUND WITHIN 25 MILES OF HENNEPIN COUNTY. LET'S CLICK. PEOPLE COME TO US FOR RECREATION. SO WE HAVE ALL THE NATURAL RESOURCES, BUT THE REASON THEY COME INTO THE PARKS REALLY IS THROUGH RECREATION. SUMMERTIME, WE HAVE, BIKING, HIKING, WATER SPORTS, BEACHES, THINGS LIKE THAT. IN THE WINTER, WE HAVE CROSSCOUNTRY SKIING, AS WELL AS DOWNHILL SKIING, SO A WIDE VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. FOR THE PAST DECADE OR SO, WE'VE REALLY BEEN WORKING ON WELCOMING PEOPLE INTO OUR PARK SYSTEM. ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL WAYS IS A PROGRAM WE HAVE CALLED TRIADS. IT'S JUST WHAT YOU THINK. WE HAVE AN ENTRY LEVEL ACTIVITY THAT WE INVITE THE PUBLIC TO COME TRY IT. ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR ONES IS OUR ICE FISHING TRIAD. BECAUSE PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING OUT THERE? IS IT SAFE TO WALK ON THE ICE? THERE'S A LOT OF CURIOSITY, SO THAT'S, I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS IT'S SO POPULAR. WE PARTNER WITH THE DNR. THERE'S USUALLY A COUPLE THOUSAND PEOPLE WHO COME OUT TO THAT EVENT EACH YEAR, AND THEY GET TO TRY THEIR HAND AT ICE FISHING, MAYBE LEARN SOMETHING, MAYBE TAKE IT UP, AND AT LEAST KNOW THEY'RE WALKING ON ON SAFE ICE. THE HIGHLIGHT OF THIS YEAR HAS BEEN OUR GRAND OPENING OF OUR MISSISSIPPI GATEWAY REGIONAL PARK. THIS PARK IS IN BROOKLYN PARK. IT'S ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, AND YOU MAY HAVE VISITED IT YEARS AGO AS A PARK CALLED COON RAPIDS DAM REGIONAL PARK. BUT EIGHT YEARS AGO, WE CHANGED THE NAME BECAUSE WE WERE TRYING TO DIRECT THE PUBLIC TO THE FACT THAT IT'S ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. IT'S ONE OF THE GREAT RIVERS OF THE WORLD. WE DID THE RIBBON CUTTING EARLIER THIS MONTH. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO OUT THERE. THE FACILITY IS BEAUTIFUL, AND I'LL HIGHLIGHT IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER. THAT'S OUR TREE TOP TRAIL. IT IS JUST WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE AN ELEVATOR TRAIL OFF THE SIDE OF THE GATEWAY CENTER THAT YOU SEE THERE, WHICH IS THE VISITOR CENTER AS WELL AS CLASSROOMS FOR SCHOOL GROUPS. THERE'LL BE MANY SCHOOL GROUPS COMING INTO THIS FACILITY. I JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET OUT THERE. WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO EXPAND OUR PROGRAMMING TO GET KIDS AND FOLKS INTO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. THERE'S ALSO SOME FANTASTIC PARKS, A LITTLE CLOSER TO HOME HERE. THE FIRST PICTURE, THE BIG PICTURE ON THE LEFT IS BAKER OUTDOOR LEARNING CENTER. THE WHOLE BAKER PARK RESERVE COMPLEX HAS MANY ITEMS, AND ONE OF THEM IS A CABIN BASED CAMP GROUND. THE PICTURE ON THE TOP RIGHT IS NOERENBERG GARDENS, AND THEY'RE GETTING READY TO WRAP UP FOR THE SEASON. THEY'RE CLOSED IN THE WINTER. NOT ONLY IS IT A GREAT PLACE TO GET MARRIED, BUT IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO EXPERIENCE LAKE MINNETONKA THERE. WELL KNOWN HERE, THE BOTTOM RIGHT PICTURE IS THE DAKOTA RAIL TRAIL. THAT'S OUR FIRST TRAIL AND OUR MOST VISITED TRAIL, SO IT'S REALLY A GEM IN OUR SYSTEM. BEFORE I WRAP UP, I HAVE WITH ME. I LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE CITIES. WE HAVE A LOT OF DATA ABOUT YOUR RESIDENTS AND WHERE THEY VISIT OUR PARKS. NUMBER 1 PARK IS PROBABLY NO SURPRISE HERE, BUT THE UMBER 1 PARK THAT ONO RESIDENTS VISIT IS BAKER PARK RESERVE. PROBABLY NO SURPRISE. NUMBER 2 WAS GALE WOODS. I WASN'T QUITE SURE THAT WOULD BE NUMBER 2, AND NUMBER 3 IS FRENCH PARK. AS FAR AS SEASON PASSES GO, [00:10:03] WE KNOW THAT ORONO RESIDENTS LIKE TO CROSS COUNTRY SKI. I'M VERY SORRY THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD NATURAL SNOW IN THE PAST TWO SEASONS, BUT THAT IS THE MOST POPULAR PASS THAT ORONO RESIDENTS BY, THE CROSS COUNTRY SKI PASS, FOLLOWED BY THE HORSE TRAIL PASS, AND THIRD IS THE DISC GOLF PASS. IN WRAPPING UP THE LAST SLIDE JUST TALKS ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS. I MENTIONED A FEW PARTNERSHIPS WE HAVE. WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO WORK CLOSER WITH OUR CITIES ON ANY PARK QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. WE HAVE EXPERTISE THROUGHOUT HENNEPIN COUNTY. IF YOUR STAFF EVER HAS QUESTIONS ON FLORA FAUNA TRAILS, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE EXPERTISE IF WE CAN. YOU SHOULD LOOK TO US AS A RESOURCE TO BE SHARED. WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES. >> THANK YOU. ARE YOU WILLING TO TAKE SOME QUESTIONS FROM US? >> I'D BE HAPPY TO. >> ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBERS? >> I DO. FIRST, I WANT TO START BY SAYING THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU ALSO. YOU DIDN'T MENTION IT, BUT I DID ATTEND THE THREE RIVERS STATE OF THE PARKS ADDRESS. >> YOU DID. >> APRIL OF THIS YEAR. IT WAS A FANTASTIC PRESENTATION AND THE RESOURCE FAIR THERE WAS JUST REALLY APPRECIATED. THE NUMBER OF RESOURCES FOR CITIES, FOR RESIDENTS WAS EXTENSIVE. ON THAT NOTE, I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NATIVE SEED COLLECTION. WE JUST OVER THE WEEKEND HANDED OUT FOR ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES MONARCH BUTTERFLY PACKETS. FOR THE SEEDS FOR THE MONARCHS FOR THE MILKWEED. I'VE BEEN ON THREE RIVERS SEED COLLECTION EXPEDITIONS IN SOME OF THE PARKS. I KNOW THAT YOU'RE REPOPULATING THE PARKS WITH LOCAL NATIVE SEEDS. DOES THREE RIVERS EVER ADVISE OR HELP MUNICIPALITIES IN TERMS OF THOSE TYPES OF EFFORTS? I KNOW BURNSVILLE, I BELIEVE, IS ONE CITY THAT DOES THAT. BUT I'M WONDERING IF YOU EVER PARTNER WITH CITIES ON THAT TYPE OF INITIATIVE. WE HAVE SOME PARKS IN THE CITY THAT ARE MORE NATURAL. THAT'S SOMETHING I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT BECAUSE I KNOW THREE RIVERS HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN THAT AREA FOR GOOD REASON. >> OUR CROW-HASSAN PARK RESERVE, WHICH IS UP IN ROGERS, I SKIPPED OVER THAT BECAUSE MY PRESENTATION WAS A LITTLE LONG. IT'S THE LARGEST RESTORED PRAIRIE IN THE METRO AREA, SO THINK ABOUT THE WHOLE METRO. RIGHT HERE, WE HAVE IT JUST, 15 MILES AWAY FROM US. ALTHOUGH WE DO SEED COLLECTION DOWN IN BLOOMINGTON, WE ALSO ARE PRIMARY PLACES CROW-HASSAN AND, WE COLLECT THE SEEDS. WE'VE LEARNED OVER, I GUESS, THE 30, 40 YEARS TRYING TO RESTORE THAT WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T. I THINK YOU LEARN AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU CAN MAKE NO PROMISES WITHOUT THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR MAKE NO PROMISES, BUT I'M SURE WE'D BE HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU OR YOUR STAFF ABOUT HOW TO TURN SOME LAND INTO MORE NATIVE. IT'S IMPORTANT TO US. IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE FOCUS ON THE CORRIDOR. THE REASON WE WANT TO PARK IN THE CITIES IS THE CORRIDORS. IF YOU LOOK AT OUR BIGGER MAP, WE HAVE PARKS AND ALL, AND THE ANIMALS DON'T STAY IN OUR PARKS. THE BUTTERFLIES DON'T STAY IN OUR PARKS, THEY TRAVEL THROUGH. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US. WE'VE IDENTIFIED SOME PLACES WHERE WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE A MORE, CORRIDORS, IF POSSIBLE TO TRY TO DO IT. I'M SURE WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP, AND I CAN CONNECT WITH YOU OR WHOMEVER OUTSIDE HERE. GREAT. >> THANK YOU. >> OTHER QUESTIONS? >> I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL WORK YOU'RE DOING. WE ARE SO BLESSED IN ORONO TO HAVE CLOSE PROXIMITY TO PARTICULARLY TO BAKER PARK. MY FAMILY LOVES TO CROSS-COUNTRY SKI IN THE WINTER, AND WE GET SEASON PASSES. WHEN THERE IS SNOW, WHICH BRINGS ME TO A QUESTION, I KNOW SOME OF YOUR OTHER PARKS DO MAKE SNOW. IS THAT EVER A POSSIBILITY THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ADD THAT AT BAKER BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A POPULAR DESTINATION FOR CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING, BUT IF THERE'S NO SNOW, AS HAS BEEN THE CASE, THE LAST TWO WINTERS, IT'S NOT USED, OBVIOUSLY. IT'S FOR THAT PURPOSE. >> THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS ANYTHING'S ALWAYS POSSIBLE. IT'S NOT LIKELY. ONE OF THE BARRIERS AT BAKER FOR THAT HAPPENS TO BE LIKE WATER SOURCING. WE HAVE TO GET WHEN WE MAKE SNOW, WHETHER IT'S FOR IN CASE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, WE HAVE A DOWNHILL SKI HILL IN BLOOMINGTON, AND SO WE MAKE SNOW THERE, WE MAKE SNOW IN BLOOMINGTON ON THE CROSS-COUNTRY TRAILS, AND WE MAKE SNOW IN ELM CREEK ON THE CROSS-COUNTRIES. IT'S ALWAYS A BIG DISCUSSION WITH THE DNR, WHERE WE GET WATER. THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE [OVERLAPPING] EATING FACTORS IN THAT, AS WELL AS THE EXPENSE OF IT [OVERLAPPING]. BUT REALLY, WHERE WE SOURCE OUR WATER FROM IS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON ANY OF THOSE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES. >> THANK YOU. THE OTHER THING THAT I KNOW WAS A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION AT [00:15:04] OUR COUNCIL OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS ACTUALLY HAS BEEN MOUNTAIN BIKING. AS A CITY, WE'VE TRIED REALLY HARD TO FIND PLACES TO ACCOMMODATE MOUNTAIN BIKING. WE HAVE THE LOOSE LINE TRAIL, BUT WE DON'T REALLY HAVE AREAS THAT ARE CONDUCIVE TO A GOOD MOUNTAIN BIKING TRAIL. HAVING SPENT A LOT OF TIME, AT LEAST IN THE WINTER GOING THROUGH BAKER PARK. IT SEEMS LIKE THAT WOULD BE A WONDERFUL PLACE FOR MOUNTAIN BIKING. HAS THAT BEEN CONSIDERED AT ALL IN PLANNING FOR FUTURE USES OF BAKER PARK? >> WE HAVE. THREE RIVERS, WE'RE REALLY DEDICATED TO MOUNTAIN BIKING. WE HAVE FOUR SINGLE TRACK TRAILS, AND WE HOST THE LARGEST MOUNTAIN BIKING RACE COMPETITION IN THE METRO AREA EACH YEAR, WHICH BRINGS OUT 2000 YOUTH ON MOUNTAIN BIKES. WE'RE REALLY INTO MOUNTAIN BIKING. BAKER IS A PARK RESERVE, VERSUS A REGIONAL PARK. THIS IS A LITTLE MORE IN THE WEEDS, BUT PARK RESERVES BY DEFINITION, HAVE SOME OF OUR DEFINITION, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE MET COUNCIL DEFINITION OF PARK RESERVES HAVE AN 80, 20 RULE, SO 80% OF THE PARK, A PARK RESERVE HAS TO BE RESERVED WITH NO DEVELOPMENT REALLY FOR NATURE. BAKER PARK IS OVER OR UNDER THE 80%, WE HAVE MORE THAN 20% DEVELOPED. AT THIS TIME, THERE'S NO ROOM FOR ANY DEVELOPMENT AT ALL WITHIN BAKER WITHOUT SOME TYPE OF LAND EXPANSION OR SOME WAY WE CAN CHANGE THE MATH. THAT COMES UP AND THE MOUNTAIN BIKING QUESTION HAS COME UP IN THE PAST. CAN'T WE JUST RIDE OFF TRAIL AND, GO THROUGH THE WOODS? THE ANSWER IS REALLY NO BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF THE VOLUME THAT WOULD HAVE, THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE TO THE LAND AND TO THE NATURAL PLANTS AND SHRUBS, WOULD BE TOO MUCH DAMAGE FOR THE PARK TO WITHSTAND. THAT'S WHY WE ASK PEOPLE NOT TO DO THAT. >> THANK YOU. GREAT EXPLANATION. >> CAN I ASK YOU ONE MORE? >> GO AHEAD. >> DEALING WITH BIKING AND STUFF. HOW ARE YOU GUYS DEALING WITH THE TRAILS WITH SOME OF THE NEW ELECTRIC BIKES THAT ARE OUT AND ABOUT? >> THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION. I GET A LOT OF FEEDBACK ON THAT. PERSONALLY, WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF FEEDBACK. WE NO ONE REALLY HAS A GOOD ANSWER FOR THAT. WE WILL FOLLOW WHATEVER ORDINANCES CITIES PASS. I GUESS WE DON'T REALLY HAVE AN ANSWER. WE WILL ENFORCE THE MUNICIPALITIES. IT' HARD TO I LIVE OFF A REGIONAL TRAIL, AND IT'S VERY HARD TO DO THAT. I'M NOT SURE WHERE THOSE DISCUSSIONS GO. BUT THAT IS A BIG CHALLENGE BETWEEN ALL MUNICIPALITIES AS WELL AS PARKS AND PROBABLY STATE PARKS AND STATE TRAILS AS WELL. I DON'T HAVE A GOOD ANSWER FOR YOU ON THAT. >> THANK YOU. >> GREAT. OTHER QUESTIONS. THANKS VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND GREAT PRESENT. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. [OVERLAPPING] >> NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS. [10. Alcohol License] FIRST OF WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ASSIGNMENT OF AN ALCOHOL LICENSE. SO I'VE GOT SOME MAGIC LANGUAGE, I'M SUPPOSED TO SAY HERE. THE COUNCIL WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ISSUANCE OF A NEW ALCOHOL SALES LICENSE TO NARROWS SALOON AND LAKE ROOM DUE TO A CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP. PURPOSE OF THIS HEARING IS TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING THE LICENSE FOR A NARROWS SALOON AND LAKE ROOM, AND HERE ARE THE GROUND RULES FOR THE HEARING. EACH SPEAKER WILL BE RECOGNIZED BEFORE SPEAKING. PLEASE, BEGIN BY STATING YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. COMMENTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES PER SPEAKER. ALL REMARKS SHOULD BE RESPECTFUL AND PERTAIN TO THE LICENSE FOR NARROWS SALOON AND LAKE ROOM. COUNCIL WILL LISTEN TO ALL COMMENTS, BUT WILL NOT ENGAGE WITH SPEAKERS DURING THE HEARING, SO JUST BE AWARE OF THAT. THE MEETING RECORD WILL REFLECT THE SPEAKERS AND THEIR SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION OF THE LICENSE. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE HEARING, THE COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER A LICENSE FOR NARROWS SALOON AND LAKE ROOM. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK ABOUT THE LICENSE FOR NARROWS SALOON AND LAKE ROOM, PLEASE COME FORWARD. >> J GUARD 1386 WEST POINT ROAD, [00:20:02] AND I WASN'T GOING TO, BUT YEARS, MANY MOONS AGO, WHEN I WAS ON THE COUNCIL, I BROUGHT UP AN IDEA TO THE COUNCIL, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY EVERYBODY POOH POOHED ME, BUT WE GOT A PUBLIC LOT RIGHT THERE, WHICH I KNOW YOU GUYS JUST TALKED ABOUT. I REALLY THINK WE SHOULD ALLOW THESE PEOPLE TO PUT A THING ON THE DASHBOARD, IF THEY'RE GETTING A SOBER CAB HOME SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR VEHICLES GETTING TOWED OUT OF THERE. IT'S A WAY OF ENCOURAGING RESPONSIBLE DRINKING. LIKE I SAID, I DON'T KNOW WHY WHEN I BROUGHT IT UP WAY BACK WHEN THEY WERE SO AGAINST IT. BUT THERE'S SOMETHING SIMPLE THE CITY CAN DO TO HELP PROTECT THE COMMUNITY A LITTLE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. WE JUST TALKED ABOUT IT IN OUR WORK SESSION PRIOR TO THE MEETING. WE HAVE A MUNICIPAL PARKING LOT BEHIND THAT FACILITY. IS THERE OVERNIGHT NO OVERNIGHT PARKING THERE, RIGHT NOW? JUST ASKING THE QUESTION. INTERESTING SUGGESTION. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENT? SEEING NONE, THE PUBLIC HEARING ON LICENSE FOR NARROWS SALOON AND LAKE ROOM IS NOW CLOSED. THE COUNCIL WILL NOW CONSIDER THIS ITEM. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ALCOHOL SALES LICENSE? >> MOTION TO APPROVE THE ALCOHOL SALES LICENSE. I WILL SECOND IT. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES. NOW, WE HAVE ANOTHER. [11. City Code Update - Tobacco Sales - Ordinance 316] I'M GOING TO OPEN ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING, AND THIS IS ON CHANGING OUR TOBACCO SALES ORDINANCE FOR THE CITY OF ORONO. COUNCIL WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON A PROPOSED ORDINANCE UPDATES RELATED TO THE SALE OF TOBACCO. PURPOSE OF THIS HEARING IS TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS RELATED TO THE SALE OF TOBACCO. I WILL NOT REPEAT THE GROUND RULES. YOU JUST HEARD THEM FOR FOR THE PRIOR PUBLIC HEARING. BUT AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK ABOUT THE SALE OF TOBACCO, PLEASE COME FORWARD. >> SIMON FORBES 2417 WOODBRIDGE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I'M SIMON FORBES. I'M A JUNIOR DOWN THE ROAD AT ORONO HIGH SCHOOL. I, ALSO, SERVE AS THE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE ON THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE ORONO COALITION. OUR MISSION, WITH THE ORONO COALITION, IS TO SUPPORT THE WELL BEING OF YOUTH AND FAMILIES BY REDUCING RISK FACTORS AND STRENGTHENING PROTECTIVE FACTORS THAT PROMOTE HEALTH DEVELOPMENT AND CONNECTEDNESS. WE BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT TO CELEBRATE THE POSITIVES IN OUR COMMUNITY WHILST ALSO ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS THAT IMPACT OUR HEALTH. ONE OF THOSE CONCERNS IS COMMERCIAL TOBACCO USE. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING THIS IMPORTANT STEP TONIGHT TO CLOSE THE SAMPLING LOOPHOLE IN TOBACCO SHOPS. WE KNOW THAT CLEAN INDOOR AIR SAVES LIVES. MINNESOTA HAS BENEFITED FROM SMOKE FREE INDOOR SPACES FOR NEARLY TWO DECADES. YET SOME SHOPS HAVE CONTINUED TO ALLOW INDOOR SMOKING. I APPLAUD YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THAT THIS PRACTICE HARMS COMMUNITY HEALTH NORMS AND FOR TAKING ACTION TO STOP IT. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP, BUT IT CAN'T BE THE LAST ONE. WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE WAYS TO LESSEN TOBACCO'S IMPACT, ESPECIALLY ON YOUNG PEOPLE WHOSE BRAINS ARE STILL DEVELOPING. EVEN WITH THE INITIATIVES THAT HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED SINCE VAPING FIRST TOOK OFF, TOO MANY TEENS AND FAMILIES ARE STILL FACING THE CHALLENGES OF NICOTINE ADDICTION. THAT'S WHY PREVENTION IS SO IMPORTANT TO STOP THOSE STRUGGLES BEFORE THEY EVEN BEGIN. WE ALSO KNOW THAT FLAVORED PRODUCTS DRIVE YOUTH USAGE. NEARLY EVERY STUDENT WHO VAPES REPORTS DOING SO USING FLAVORED PRODUCTS, AND MANY SAY THEY WOULD NOT HAVE STARTED. ADDRESSING FLAVORED TOBACCO IS A CLEAR PREVENTION STRATEGY THAT CAN PROTECT KIDS BEFORE ADDICTION EVEN BEGINS. OUR SCHOOLS, EDUCATORS, AND WE AS A COALITION ARE WORKING HARD TO SUPPORT STUDENTS, BUT WE SIMPLY CAN'T DO IT ALONE. WE NEED STRONG ACTION FROM LEADERS LIKE YOU. OR NO COALITION LOOKS FORWARD TO SEEING THE STEPS YOU TAKE TO FURTHER PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY FROM THE HARMS OF NICOTINE ADDICTION. PLEASE KNOW THAT WE WILL STAND WITH YOU AND WORK. THANK YOU. >> THANKS VERY MUCH. OTHER COMMENTS, PLEASE? >> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS MOLLY SCHMIKI. I'M WITH THE ASSOCIATION FOR NONSMOKERS, MINNESOTA AS A POLICY AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE MANAGER. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSAL AND UPDATING ORONO'S COMMERCIAL TOBACCO ORDINANCE. WHEN A MUNICIPALITY PROHIBITS INDOOR SAMPLING OF COMMERCIAL TOBACCO PRODUCTS, IT LEVELS THE PLAYING FIELD FOR ALL TOBACCO RETAILERS AND PROTECTS WORKERS IN THE NEIGHBORING BUSINESSES. MANY MINNESOTA CITIES PROHIBIT SAMPLING IN AN EFFORT TO UPHOLD CLEAN AIR CLEAN INDOOR AIR STANDARDS FOR ALL. [00:25:02] ENDING SAMPLING WILL DENORMALIZE COMMERCIAL TOBACCO PRODUCTS WITH YOUNG PEOPLE. IT WILL KEEP ALL ORONO RESIDENTS SAFE FROM THE HARMS OF SECOND HAND SMOKE IN PLACES OF BUSINESS. ANSWER, MY ORGANIZATION STRONGLY SUPPORTS THIS PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY, AND URGES YOU TO CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR WAYS THAT YOUR COMMUNITY CAN ADDRESS THE IMPACT OF COMMERCIAL TOBACCO. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER BEST PRACTICES THAT YOUR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES HAVE PASSED OR ARE CONSIDERING, SUCH AS ENDING THE SALE OF ALL FLAVORED COMMERCIAL TOBACCO PRODUCTS, CAPPING THE NUMBER OF COMMERCIAL TOBACCO RETAIL LICENSES, AND SETTING MINIMUM PRICES FOR PRODUCTS. WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE FUTURE SUPPORT IF ORONO WISHES TO PURSUE ADDITIONAL ORDINANCE CHANGES. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. OTHER COMMENTS? I WOULD JUST NOTE THAT THAT THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL RECEIVED LETTERS FROM, I GUESS, THREE DIFFERENT LETTERS IN SUPPORT OF OUR ORDINANCE, ONE FROM HANNIBA COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH, A LETTER SIGNED BY JACKIE SEWART, PRINCIPAL PLANNING ANALYST WITH HANNIBA COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH, WHO HAD A PLAN TO ATTEND THE MEETING TONIGHT, BUT WAS ABLE TO ATTEND DUE TO A HEALTH ISSUE. WE ALSO GOT A LETTER FROM MY HEALTH FOR TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS FROM JACE SCHROEDER, YOUTH PROGRAMS COORDINATOR, AND A THIRD LETTER FROM ASSOCIATION FOR NONSMOKERS, MINNESOTA, FROM JEANNE WEIGUM, PRESIDENT OF THAT ORGANIZATION. AGAIN, ALL IN SUPPORT OF THE CHANGES THAT WE ARE MAKING TO THE ORDINANCE. I COULD READ THOSE, BUT I THINK EACH MEMBER OF COUNCIL HAS RECEIVED THOSE, SO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ THEM AHEAD OF THE MEETING. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? >> IF YOU DON'T MIND. I HAVE A QUESTION STAFF. I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD JUST REVIEW YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE, BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE LOOKING NOT ONLY TONIGHT AT THIS SPECIFIC ORDINANCE, BUT ALSO AT SOME FURTHER POTENTIAL RECOMMENDATIONS LOOKING AHEAD, AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN THOSE IN GREATER DETAIL. >> I CAN DO THAT. COUNCIL MEMBER BENTON, JUST LOOKING TO CONSIDER THE ORDINANCE UPDATES TONIGHT, AND THEN IF THERE WAS ANY DIRECTION FOR STAFF ON THINGS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT IN THE FUTURE. THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW. IF NOT TONIGHT, ANOTHER NIGHT, BUT THERE'S SOME OTHER WAYS TO STRENGTHEN THE ORDINANCE. >> I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HERE. IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING DIVING INTO THAT TONIGHT, BUT WHETHER IT SOUNDS THERE'S FLAVORED PRODUCTS, OTHER TYPES OF THINGS, AND WE HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT TONIGHT. I'D BE INTERESTED IN EXPLORING THAT FURTHER. UNDERSTANDING THAT TONIGHT IS ABOUT VOTING ON THIS ONE ORDINANCE. >> HENNEPIN COUNTY WOULD BE HAPPY TO GIVE A FULL PRESENTATION ON A FUTURE DATE. >> WE'RE LOOKING AT WAS TWO DIFFERENT THINGS WE DID RECEIVE AT THE STAFF LEVEL, SOME PRESENTATIONS FROM PANEBAN COUNTY AND OTHERS ON WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE. IT'S PART OF THAT THAT IDENTIFIED THAT OUR ORDINANCE HAD SOME SHORTCOMINGS. SO THINGS WERE OUT OF DATE THAT WE NEEDED TO TIGHTEN UP. THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IN THE PURPOSE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING THIS EVENING. BUT, AS CITY CLERK MENTIONED, HAPPY TO TAKE SOME GUIDANCE FROM THE COUNCIL IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN EXPLORING SOME OF THOSE TOPICS FURTHER ADDING SOMETHING TO A FUTURE WORK SESSION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO TAKE A DEEPER DIVE. I CERTAINLY OPEN TO HEARING THAT. >> I THINK YOU CAN TAKE THIS AS A DIRECTIVE TO THAT WE WANT TO EXPLORE FURTHER ACTIONS. AGAIN, I WOULD ASK IF THERE'S ANY OTHER SPEAKERS FROM THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD. SEEING NONE, THE PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED UPDATES TO TOBACCO SALES REGULATIONS IS NOW CLOSED, AND WE'LL GO BACK TO REGULAR BUSINESS. COUNCIL WILL NOW CONSIDER THE RESOLUTION IN FRONT OF US. IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT ORDINANCE 316 RELATED TO THE SALE OF TOBACCO? >> I LIKE A MOTION TO ADOPT ORDINANCE 316 UPDATING THE TOBACCO SALES REGULATIONS. >> SECOND. >> ANY FURTHER COMMENT DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE THAT APPROVE THAT, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE. [OVERLAPPING] >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES. IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT OR TO APPROVE THE PUBLISHING OF A SUMMARY OF WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE NEWSPAPER? >> I'LL MOVE THAT. >> SECOND. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. [OVERLAPPING] >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAME SIGN? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE THE STAFF'S EFFORT IN BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION, [00:30:01] AND APPRECIATE PUBLIC COMMENT AS WELL. SPEAKING OF PUBLIC COMMENTS. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS [Public Comments] CITY COUNCIL ON MATTERS OTHER THAN THE HEARINGS THAT WE JUST CONDUCTED. AGAIN, WE WON'T ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION OR TAKE ACTION ON ITEMS PRESENTED AT THIS TIME, BUT WE CAN REFER ISSUES TO STAFF TO FOLLOW UP OR CONSIDER AT A FUTURE MEETING. SPEAKER SHOULD STATE THEIR NAME AND HOME ADDRESS AT THE PODIUM BEFORE SPEAKING. REALLY, THE RULES THAT THE GROUND RULES THAT WE GAVE FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS EARLIER REALLY APPLY TO PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME AS WELL. IS THERE ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL TONIGHT? >> YES, THAT'S ME. >> JOE GUARD 1386 WEST POINT ROAD, AND I'M JUST PRETTY MUCH HERE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE TONIGHT ON THE SOLAR STUFF WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. I'VE FINALLY RECEIVED THE LAST APPLICATION, AND I CAN SEE WHY YOU WERE DENIED. IT WAS A HOPE AND A PRAYER. THERE ARE NO SPECIFICS IN IT. IT WAS JUST WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS, AND MIKE COST THAT. WE DON'T KNOW MUCH ELSE. I CAN SEE HOW WE CAN FIND A PATH FORWARD AND GET THEM TO ACTUALLY WANT TO LOOK AT OUR PROJECT BETTER BY DOING CERTAIN THINGS LIKE POTENTIALLY INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY, MAYBE LOOKING FOR SOME DONATIONS BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN THEY SEE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, THAT'S GOING TO BE A BIG DEAL. I THINK WE CAN LOOK BEYOND THE PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY. FOR INSTANCE, THE ORONO GOLF COURSE HAS THAT NEW SHELTER, WHICH WOULD BE NICE, AND I LOOK THERE'S OTHER BUILDINGS OUT THERE WOULD BE NICE. WE COULD PUT IN A MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH. ANOTHER BIG ISSUE WAS THERE WERE NO DETAILS IN. WHEN I WORK WITH STAFF, PUT TOGETHER A PROPOSAL THAT INCLUDES SPECIFIC US MADE PANELS, US MADE INVERTERS, US MADE RACKING, ALL THIS STUFF THAT WILL GET THE EYE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE DOING A US MADE PRODUCT HERE. THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF WE CAN DO, AND I REALLY THINK WE HAVE A CHANCE TO ACCOMPLISH OUR GOAL AND GET SOME MONEY OUT OF THE STATE TO HELP US DO WHATEVER WE END UP DOING. THE ONLY IMPEDIMENT I'VE HAD SO FAR, I HATE TO SAY IT THIS WAY, CITY STAFF. IT TOOK A WEEK FOR ADAM TO PUSH IT FOR ME TO GET AND I THINK I HAD TO TALK TO YOU, BOB FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. THEN JOE, I THINK RUTHENBERG, MIGHT BE HIS NAME, THE PARKS GUY. HE GOT ME THE REPORT RIGHT AWAY, THEN HE RESPONDED BECAUSE THE LINKS DIDN'T WORK. THEN I SENT HIM AN EMAIL AND SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT? I LOOK AT THIS. HERE'S MY THOUGHTS, JUST LIKE I KIND OF TOLD YOU NOW, AND I'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK. LET'S GET TOGETHER SO WE CAN START DEVELOPING A PLAN, AND IT'S BEEN SIX DAYS, AND I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM HIM YET. WE GOT TO REMEMBER TIMES LIMITED. WE GOT TILL THE MIDDLE OF NOVEMBER TO DO THIS. IF STAFF'S GOING TO DRAG THEIR FEET, IT'S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN. THERE'S MY UPDATE. I'M STILL POSITIVE. WE CAN DO SOMETHING AND POTENTIALLY GET SOME HELP FOR CITY OF ORONO TO PUT SOME SOLAR, AT LEAST SOMEWHERE. THANKS. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL TONIGHT? SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEMS 2 AND 6, [2. Claims/Bills] THAT WERE PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. FOR THAT, I WILL TURN THIS OVER COUNCIL PERSON RICKS. >> THANK YOU. I JUST HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. THE CLAIMS AND BILLS THAT WERE PAYING, THAT THERE IS A NINE THAN $754, BILL THAT WE'RE PAYING, AND IT SAYS, CHANGE ORDERS FOR NEW RESCUE, AND IT'S UNDER THE FIRE CAPITAL. I WONDERED IF YOU GUYS COULD GIVE US A LITTLE MORE. I'M ASSUMING IT GOES WITH NUMBER 6. >> IT IS NUMBER 6. >> IF WE HAD A BETTER EXPLANATION OF THE CHARGES, BECAUSE A LOT OF THIS I'M ASSUMING IT'S ALREADY DONE, BUT A LOT OF THIS SEEMS STYLIZING THE FIRE TRUCK RATHER THAN THINGS THAT WERE ACTUALLY NEEDED FOR THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. >> GOOD EVENING MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS. YOUR ASSUMPTION IS CORRECT THAT HAS BEEN DONE. THESE CHANGES WERE MADE IN JUNE OF 2024, AND THE TRUCK IS PRETTY MUCH READY FOR DELIVERY. AS WE PREPARED FOR DELIVERY, WE BECAME AWARE THAT THIS BALANCE WAS STILL DUE IN ORDER TO GET DELIVERY AS FAR AS THERE IS DEFINITELY SOME AESTHETIC CHANGES IN THERE BUT I THINK THEY DON'T HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF THE LINE ITEMS, BUT THE MAJOR CHANGES WAS TO ADD A TRANSVERSE COMPARTMENT, WHICH MAKES IT ACCESSIBLE FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE, AND THERE WERE SOME OTHER SAFETY RELATED THINGS. THE STEPS TO GET UP TO THE TRUCK WERE SUPPOSED TO BE A CHROME FINISH THAT ICES [00:35:03] UP PRETTY BADLY AND SO WE CHANGED THOSE TO SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE RUGGED WITH SAFETY IN MIND. THERE WAS DIAMOND PLATE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOSE BED. IN MY EXPERIENCE, SEVERAL TIMES LACERATIONS TO FINGERS, SO WE CHANGE THOSE TO BLACK PLASTIC. I WILL AGREE WITH YOU, A LOT OF THE CHANGES WERE COSMETIC, BUT THERE ALSO WERE SOME PRETTY SERIOUS SAFETY AND OPERATIONAL CHANGES THAT NEEDED TO BE MADE. >> IS THIS A VEHICLE THAT WE PURCHASED AND OWNED OR IS THIS A LEASED VEHICLE? >> IT'S FIVE YEAR LEASE, YES. >> I HAD A HARD TIME WITH THAT WE'RE SPENDING $10,000 ON A LEASE VEHICLE. I CAN UNDERSTAND THE SAFETY ISSUES. MONEY SPENT ON STYLIZING IT, I GUESS I HAD A HARD TIME WITH IT. >> IT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE. THESE CHANGES WERE MADE LAST SPRING OF 2024. >> THANK YOU. >> OF COURSE. >> I MAY HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU AS WELL, IF YOU'RE FINISHED. >> I'M FINISHED. THANK YOU. >> CHECK REGISTER QUESTION. MINE IS RELATED. IT'S ON PAGE 2 OF THE CHECK REGISTER. IT'S THE L1 GRAPHICS. WHEN WAS THIS DONE? BECAUSE COUNCIL MEMBER PERSIAN, MAYBE A MONTH AGO, BROUGHT UP AN ISSUE OF LOGO AND LETTERING EXPENSES, HAVING THOSE EITHER NEED TO COME TO COUNCIL OR NOT BE APPROVED. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS RELATED TO THIS OR IF THIS IS A NEW CHARGE, BUT THIS LOOKS TO BE A LOGOING OR LETTERING EXPENSE OF NEARLY $2,000. I WANTED SOME EXPLANATION FOR THIS. >> CERTAINLY. THAT WAS ANYTIME WE WANT TO GET LOGOING OR WRAPS DONE ON A VEHICLE, IT'S USUALLY ABOUT A THREE MONTH REFLEX TIME WITH THE VENDOR. THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD ORDERED QUITE A WHILE AGO, WELL IN ADVANCE OF THREE MONTHS AND CERTAINLY WELL BEFORE COUNCIL MEMBER PERSIAN'S REQUEST TO HAVE IT GO THROUGH COUNCIL. THERE WAS A WHITE PLATE ON THE AERIAL OF THE LADDER THAT NEEDED TO BE COVERED. IT WAS RUSTING OUT. IT LOOKED REALLY BAD. WE HAD ORDERED THAT LETTERING AND LOGOING TO BE DONE. THIS WAS PRIOR TO THE SHORELINE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR THE CONSOLIDATED FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE HAD ASKED THE VENDOR TO JUST PUT BLACK WRAP ON THAT. THEY THROUGH MISCOMMUNICATION ON THEIR END, THAT DID NOT MAKE IT TO THE TECHNICIANS. THEY DID PUT THE LETTERING UP ON THE LADDER. THE LADDER IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. BEFORE IT RETURNS TO THE CITY, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THAT LETTERING GETS CORRECTED. >> THE LADDER HAD LETTERING PREVIOUSLY, AND THIS IS A REDOING OF THE LETTERING, OR IT DID NOT HAVE LETTERING PREVIOUS TO THIS THREE MONTH AGO ORDER. >> IT DID HAVE LETTERING, I SAID ONO FIRE DEPARTMENT ON IT. IT WAS A WHITE BACKGROUND WITH BLACK ON IT, BUT THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF RUSTING THAT WAS BLEEDING INTO THE WHITE, AND IT LOOKED REALLY UNSIGHTLY. THE LADDER, AS YOU KNOW, IS ONE OF OUR SHOWCASE VEHICLES. IT'S AT ALL THE PARADES. IT'S AT THE MARATHONS, THE RED HOT RUNS, THINGS LIKE THAT. JUST FOUR. IT'S ALSO A MAJOR RECRUITMENT TOOL FOR NEW FIREFIGHTERS. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IT LOOKS GOOD. IT LOOKS PROFESSIONAL. THE RUST WE DEEMED WAS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE IF WE DIDN'T ADDRESS IT WITH A WRAP. THAT'S WHAT WE CHOSE TO DO, AND THERE WAS MISCOMMUNICATION, SO WE'LL GET IT CORRECTED. >> JUST ON THAT TIMELINE, BECAUSE I THINK THIS TIES INTO WHAT DROVE THE DISCUSSION AT THAT MEETING A FEW TIMES AGO. JUST TO MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR. THEY ORDERED THE WRAP MATERIAL WITH THE LOGO ON IT SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. ONCE THE AGREEMENT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A MERGED FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS COMING THROUGH, THEY CALLED THE VENDOR AND SAID, HEY, REMOVE THE LOGO BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NAME OF THE DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO BE YET. THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN SO THAT SEVERAL MONTHS GO BY, THEY'RE READY TO PUT THE WRAP ON. THE WRAP GOES ON. IT STILL HAS THE LOGO. THE PREVIOUSLY DECIDED LOGO ON IT, THEY DIDN'T TAKE IT OFF. NOW IT'S BACK IN. WE'RE ASKING THEM, HEY, THE DEAL WAS NO LOGO, YOU NEED TO FIX THIS AND GET IT BACK TO WHAT WE SPECIFIED. >> WE HAVE NO ADDITIONAL COSTS? >> CORRECT. >> WE'RE IN AGREEMENT THAT ANY MORE AESTHETIC CHANGES RELATED TO THIS LOGOING IS NOT GOING TO BE HAPPENING GOING FORWARD. WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE WITH THIS NOW? >> THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CERTAINLY IS WE'RE NOT BUYING ANYTHING THAT SAYS NO FIRE ON IT. >> THANK YOU. >> OF COURSE. [00:40:01] >> THANKS, SHA. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION ON THAT? IF NOT, I WOULD ENTERTAIN SEPARATE MOTIONS TO APPROVE THE CLAIMS AND BILLS. ITEM NUMBER 2 ON THE AGENDA. >> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CLAIMS AND BILLS. >> I'LL SECOND THEN. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE.[OVERLAPPING] >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT, WE'LL CONSIDER ITEM NUMBER 6. [6. Purchase Capital Equipment - Change Order - Brush/Medical Response Utility Vehicle] >> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE CAPITAL EQUIPMENT TO CHANGE ORDER FOR THE BRUSH MEDICAL RESPONSE UTILITY VEHICLE. >> I'LL SECOND. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? NOT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. [OVERLAPPING] >> THOSE OPPOSED, SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT, WE WILL MOVE TO THE PARKS REPORT, [12. Purchase Capital Equipment - Maintenance Vehicle] PURCHASE OF CAPITAL EQUIPMENT AND MAINTENANCE VEHICLE. THIS IS ITEM NUMBER 12. >> THANK YOU, COUNCIL, MR. MAYOR. I'M BRINGING BEFORE YOU A PROPOSAL TO PURCHASE A UTILITY CART MAINTENANCE VEHICLE THAT IS A MULTI USE VEHICLE THAT WILL BE ABLE TO BE USED IN THE PARKS, TRAILS, SNOW REMOVAL FOR THE GOLF COURSE, PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING PARKS TOUCHES. I'M JUST HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. I DID A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THE BENEFITS OF IT ARE. SOME OTHER BENEFITS OF IT, WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO MULTIPLE PROJECTS, SO STAFF WILL BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING AT THE GOLF COURSE AND ALSO AT ONE OF THE PARKS. I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MY STAFF, SINCE I PRETTY MUCH CAME ON, HAS BEEN BEGGING ME TO BRING IN FRONT OF YOU, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WAS A NEED BEFORE I BROUGHT IT BEFORE YOU, SINCE IT IS A BIG PURCHASE FOR THE DEPARTMENT. I'M HERE TO ANSWER WHATEVER QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. >> NOW YOU ARE CONVINCED IT'S A NEED. >> YES. I DO. I THINK THE BENEFITS, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S GOING TO MAKE UP WAY WHERE PARKS ARE, ACCESS TO THE DIFFERENT AREAS. I KNOW A BIG PROBLEM IN THE WINTER WITH PLOWING THE TRAILS IS THEY'RE TEARING UP A LOT OF GRASS, AND THAT HAS TO BE REPAIRED OR FIXED, AND IT'S UNSIGHTLY AS WELL. I THINK THAT WILL REALLY HELP, AND ALSO JUST GETTING BACK IN A LOT OF THE TRAILS, IF IT'S MUDDY, THE BIGGER VEHICLES ARE TEARING UP THE TRAILS. THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO GET IN THERE AS WELL. A LOT OF STAFF TIME IS TAKEN BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO TOW THE VEHICLES TO GET TO THE PARK AND THEN TOW THEM BACK, AND WE REALLY ONLY HAVE ONE PERSON ON STAFF WHO CAN DRIVE THOSE VEHICLES, AT LEAST ON MY STAFF. >> WE DON'T HAVE A DEDICATED SMALLER VEHICLE AT THIS [OVERLAPPING]. >> WE DO HAVE ONE RIGHT NOW. IT IS SHARED WITH STREETS. PRIMARILY, RIGHT NOW, IT'S USED FOR SPRAYING WEED CONTROL. I WOULD SAY IT'S PULLED LIKE THE SPRAYER IS ON MOST OF THE TIME. IT'S LABORIOUS TO TAKE THAT OFF AND ON, SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT DONE AT A REGULAR, JUST BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH TIME LABOR IT TAKES TO GET THAT ON AND OFF. >> STREETS AND PARKS WOULD BE USING THIS AS WELL OR THIS WOULD ONLY BE FOR PARKS? >> YEAH. ANY EQUIPMENT THAT THE CITY OWNS WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO OTHER STAFF TO USE. IF STREETS NEEDED IT OR ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT NEEDED IT, IT WOULD DEFINITELY BE AVAILABLE FOR THEM TO USE. >> I SUPPORT THE IDEA OF DOING INFRASTRUCTURE AND MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS IN A WAY THAT'S MINDFUL AND SAFE AND ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS, DEFINITELY. I THINK WHERE I STRUGGLE WITH IT JUST A BIT IS I WONDER IF WE'VE LOOKED AT ANY PRE OWN LATE MODEL VEHICLES. THIS IS CONSIDERED TOP OF THE LINE. I DO JUST WONDER ABOUT COST SAVINGS, AND HAVE WE DONE OUR DUE DILIGENCE, LOOKING AT EQUIPMENT SALES. THE MINUTE YOU PURCHASE SOMETHING, THE VALUE GOES DOWN. ALL THIS TALK ABOUT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, I WONDER HOW DEEP OF A DIVE WE'VE DONE HERE. >> OUR SHOP SUPERVISOR BRODY, HE LOOKED INTO IT. HE RECOMMENDED THIS, JUST MAINTENANCE UPKEEP. I KNOW THEY'VE BEEN BURNED IN THE PAST BY GETTING VEHICLES THAT WERE PRE OWNED. USUALLY WHAT HE TELLS ME ALL THE TIME, IS IF SOMEONE'S GETTING RID OF IT, THAT MEANS THEY HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT. I TEND TO TRUST HIS EXPERTISE AND WHAT HE LOOKED INTO FOR OUR NEEDS. BUT I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN AND ALSO THE BENEFITS OF THAT. [00:45:03] >> I'M JUST WONDERING ALSO IF YOU COMPARE WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS ON HERE, MEDINA OR MINNETRISTA. IS THIS A STANDARD VEHICLE FOR THEIR PARKS DEPARTMENTS? >> I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S A STANDARD VEHICLE, BUT THEY WOULD HAVE A SIMILAR VEHICLE THEY'D BE ABLE TO USE FOR TRAIL MAINTENANCE AND GETTING ACCESS TO DIFFERENT PARKS OF THEIR PARK. I'M NOT SURE IF IT WOULD BE THE EXACT SAME ONE, BUT THEY WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS. DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU'RE USING IT FOR, IT HAS BENEFITS MAYBE FOR THE FUTURE IF WE END UP HAVING CROSS COUNTRY SKIING AT THE GOLF COURSE, WHICH HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT, YOU COULD USE THIS TO DO SOME TRAIL MAINTENANCE ON THAT AS WELL. WHAT I LIKED MOST ABOUT IT IS IT'S GOING TO BE A 365 USE. IT'S NOT GOING TO JUST BE USED FOR ONE SEASON. THEY'RE GOING TO BE USING IT PRETTY MUCH ALL YEAR. >> IT BRINGS UP A QUESTION THAT I HAVE. I REALLY LIKE THE FACT THAT WE ARE CLEANING THE DAKOTA TRAIL, WHICH IS A THREE RIVERS TRAIL. COULD HAVE ASKED THIS OF THE REPRESENTATIVE WHO WAS HERE TODAY. BUT DO THEY PAY US FOR THAT SERVICE? >> THEY DO. THERE'S LIKE A STIPEND THAT THEY PAY US EVERY YEAR PER MILE. WE DO MAINTAIN NOT ONLY OUR SECTION, BUT THE SECTION GOING THROUGH MINNETONKA BEACH AND SPRING PARK. BASED ON MILES OF TRAIL, YOU GET A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION. >> I LOVE THE FACT THAT THAT WE DO MAINTAIN THOSE TRAILS IN THE WINTER BECAUSE IT MAKES THEM USEFUL FOR HOWEVER MANY MONTHS WE HAVE WINTER, AND THAT CAN BE MANY MONTHS IN THIS AREA. APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE'RE DOING THAT. I JUST WAS CURIOUS IF WE WERE COMPENSATED FOR DOING THAT. >> HEY GEORGE, I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. DO WE HAVE AN IDEA OF THE LENGTH OF TIME THIS WILL BE FUNCTIONING PIECE OF EQUIPMENT FOR THE CITY. IS THIS LIKE A FIVE YEAR RUN OR A 15 YEAR RUN? >> FOR THIS VEHICLE, I THINK IT CAN BE A 10-15 YEAR USE. THAT'S NORMAL USE FOR THAT, SO IT'S GOING TO HAVE HOPEFULLY MORE, BUT THAT'S THE AVERAGE. IT'S FROM PART OF BENEFITS, YOU'RE GETTING A LITTLE HIGHER END. IT'S GOING TO LAST A LITTLE LONGER AND NOT HAVE AS MUCH MAINTENANCE UPKEEP, WHICH IS ALWAYS RECOMMENDED BY OUR MAINTENANCE STAFF BECAUSE THEY WANT TO PUT MONEY IN AFTER BUYING SOMETHING, WHICH CAN ADD UP A LOT. >> THEN DO WE NEED A TRAILER FOR THIS? >> NO. ANOTHER BENEFIT OF THIS IS THIS CAN GO RIGHT OUT OUT INTO THE ROAD. MY STAFF REALLY LIKES THAT. THEY'RE COMING OUT IN THE MORNING TO PLOW THE FIRE STATION OR THE PARKING LOT OR THE PD. THEY CAN GO RIGHT OUT. THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE TO SET ANYTHING UP, TRAILER IT LIKE BEFORE AND JUST GET RIGHT TO WORK. >> LAST QUESTION, IS THIS A STANDARD MODEL? THIS ISN'T SOME BASE MODEL THAT WE'RE THEN GOING TO HAVE ADD ONS, AN EXTRA, [INAUDIBLE] WHAT I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND. >> THE EXTRA TWO PIECES WERE THE ADD ONS. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THOSE WERE THAT WE HAD ON THERE. >> I MEANT TO THE INTERIOR OF THIS VEHICLE. >> WE WOULDN'T NEED ANYTHING ELSE. IT'S READY TO GO. >> THANKS. >> FURTHER QUESTIONS? I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CONSIDER ITEM 12, PURCHASE OF CAPITAL EQUIPMENT. I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION, ITEM 12, PURCHASE CAPITAL EQUIPMENT, THE MAINTENANCE VEHICLE. >> IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT? >> I'LL SECOND. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? >> CAN I ASK. IS THIS COMING OUT OF THE PARKS, THE MONEY? >> YES. >> THERE'S ENOUGH MONEY. >> THIS WAS CAPITAL FROM LAST YEAR APPLIED FOR THAT, SO IT WILL BE COMING OUT OF THAT FUND. >> ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? NOT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO APPROVE IT. SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JOE. >> THANK YOU. WHILE I'M UP HERE, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A QUICK UPDATE. >> PLEASE. >> A COUPLE OF THINGS. WE WENT OUT TO BIG ISLAND TO CHECK OUT THE INCURSION ONTO THE RIGHT AWAY. WE DID SEE SOME TREES BEING TAKEN DOWN THERE. ALONG WITH ADAM, WE'RE GOING TO SEND SOME LETTERS OUT TO RESIDENTS OUT THERE TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE ABIDING BY NOT GOING INTO OUR RIGHT AWAY AND DOING DAMAGE OR CHANGING. [00:50:01] I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU GUYS AN UPDATE OF THAT. [OVERLAPPING] >> I'VE GOT ONE QUESTION ON THAT. WE COULD SAY, THE END, WHICHEVER YOU PREFER. IT MAYBE IT'S A QUESTION FOR SORIN. IF THERE HAVE BEEN TREES REMOVED THAT ARE NOT LEGALLY ON SOMEBODY'S PROPERTY OR IN RIGHT OF WAY OR PART PLANNED IN THIS CASE, WHAT RECOURSE DOES THE CITY HAVE IN THAT CASE? >> IT WILL DEPEND HOW WE HOLD THE LAND. IF AN EASEMENT ENTITLES US TO USE THE LAND FOR CERTAIN ROADWAY PURPOSES, BUT THEY STILL OWN THE UNDERLYING FEE. IF THAT'S THE CASE, IT'S THEIR PROPERTY. YOU HAVE THIS MIXTURE OF OUR RIGHT AWAY VERSUS THEIR LAND. IF IT IS, IN FACT, PARK LAND, THAT'S A DIFFERENT SCENARIO, THEN WE TYPICALLY OWN THAT IN FEE, AT WHICH POINT IT'S OUR PROPERTY, AND SO SOMEONE HAS COME ONTO OUR PROPERTY AND REMOVE SOMETHING, THAT IN MY OPINION, WHEN WE'VE HAD THAT IN THE PAST, NOT NECESSARILY IN ORONO, BUT WE DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO SEEK RESTORATION OF TREES, CANDIDLY, YOU NEVER GET THEM IN KIND, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WORK THROUGH. IF IN FACT, WE KNOW WHO DID IT. >> THIS IS ON PARK LAND, WHERE THE TREES WERE TAKEN.. >> YES. >> THANKS. >> IT'S WITHIN A PLATE DEDICATED RIGHT OF WAY THAT HAS A LABEL THAT SAYS PARK. [LAUGHTER]. >> THAT SAYS [INAUDIBLE] >> PRETTY CLEAR. >> THERE HAVE BEEN SOME DIALOGUE FROM THE PERSON THAT DID THE REMOVAL, THAT WHEN SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS COMPLAINED ABOUT IT, THEY WANTED TO EXERCISE, HAVING ORONO MAKE THAT LAND ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. ARE THOSE TYPES OF THINGS SOMETHING THAT SOMEBODY CAN USE AS A DETERRENT TO HAVE YOUR NEIGHBORS STOPPED COMPLAINING ABOUT YOU? >> IT'S NOT NORMALLY SOMETHING I'VE SEEN AS VALID, BUT MAYBE. I'M SORRY I DIDN'T I DIDN'T FOLLOW WHAT THAT. >> THE GENTLEMAN THAT HAS BEEN REMOVING THE PROPERTY HAD SOME COMPLAINTS FROM THE NEIGHBORS. THE NEIGHBORS THEN RECEIVED A LETTER FROM HIM SAYING THAT HE WAS GOING TO CONTACT THE CITY OF ORONO, BECAUSE IT IS A PARK AND MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT A DOCK IN AND MAKE IT FULLY ACCESSIBLE TO THE RESIDENTS OF ORONO TO USE SAID PROPERTY. I'M JUST WONDERING, IS IT PARK PROPERTY? IS IT RIGHT OF WAY, IT'S ORONO PROPERTY? I JUST DON'T WANT THAT TO BE LEFT AND HANGING OUT THERE. >> IT'S A CONFUSING PIECE OF PROPERTY. IT IS LAID OUT AS PART OF THE RIGHT OF WAY MATRIX ON A PLATE FROM, 19 OR SOMETHING. THAT SECTION OF THE RIGHT OF WAY IS LABELED PLEASANT VIEW PARK. THEN OTHER SECTIONS OF THE RIGHT OF WAY THAN ARE LABEL ALLEYWAY OR TRAIL. LOOKING IT'S BEEN LISTED ON OUR PARKS INVENTORY AND OUR COMP PLANS AND WHAT HAVE YOU FOR A NUMBER OF DECADES, IT SEEMS. HOWEVER, AS I PUT IN SOME OF MY EMAILS, I CAN'T FIND A RECORD OF WHERE WE'VE EVER ACTUALLY GONE AND DONE SOMETHING TO MAINTAIN IT AS A PARK. IN PARTICULAR, THIS IS NOT IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO OUR EXISTING BIG ISLAND PARK. IT'S ON THE OTHER IT'S ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE ISLAND. THE ONLY WAY TO ACCESS IT, THERE IS A NARROW, I WANT TO SAY, IT'S 20 OR 30 FOOT WIDE RIGHT OF WAY THAT COMES DOWN TO LAKE SHORE, AND THEN THEN CONNECTS TO THIS PLACE WHERE IT WIDENS OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ISLAND. CURRENTLY, THERE ISN'T AND HASN'T BEEN AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, A PUBLIC DOCK OR ANY OTHER WAY TO ACCESS THAT FOR THE PUBLIC. WHEN WE EVEN GO OUT THERE, WE HAVE TO GO ON THE NEIGHBORS DOCK, OR WE HAVE TO TRY TO BEACH THE BOAT RIGHT WHERE WE THINK THAT RIGHT AWAY COMES DOWN. THAT RIGHT AWAY THAT COMES TO THE LAKE IS ALSO ENCUMBERED BY UTILITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHICH IS HOW SOME OF THE UTILITIES GET TO THE LAKE. LONG STORY SHORT, WE'VE LABELED IT A PARK. WE'VE TREATED IT AS A RIGHT OF WAY, IT SEEMS. THEN OVER THE YEARS, IT APPEARS, IF YOU GO LOOK IN THERE THAT THE ABUTTING NEIGHBORS HAVE EITHER DONE THINGS TO COOPERATE WITH ONE ANOTHER, AND IN MANY CASES, OVER THE YEARS, THERE'S BEEN ENCROACHMENTS. SOME PEOPLE HAVE SHEDS THAT I'M PRETTY SURE ARE INSIDE THAT BEEN THERE FOR DECADES, BUT IT HAPPENED. THEN OTHER THAN THAT INSIDE OF THAT RIGHT OF WAY, THERE ARE PATHS AND THINGS LIKE THAT FOR SOME OF THE LANDLOCKED PROPERTIES TO BE ABLE TO COULD POTENTIALLY WALK TO THEIR PROPERTY. [00:55:01] WE HAVEN'T, AGAIN, ACTIVELY MAINTAINED IT AS A PARK. WE HAD SOME REQUESTS A FEW YEARS AGO, AND AS WE LOOKED AT THAT AS A PARK COMMISSION, WE SAID, WELL, TO SPEND SOME PUBLIC DOLLARS ON THIS. WE WOULD WANT TO THEN HAVE IT BE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. WE WOULD WANT TO ADD A DOC AND WE'D WANT TO ADD SOME OF THE THINGS SO PEOPLE COULD ACTUALLY GO THERE AT WHICH POINT, THEN ALL THE NEIGHBORS SAID, WELL, HANG ON. WE DON'T REALLY WANT THAT EITHER. WE'LL CLEAN UP OUR YARD DEBRIS AND OTHER STUFF THAT WE'VE DUMPED IN THE RIGHT OF WAY OURSELVES. WE STEPPED BACK THAT WAS MAYBE TWO YEARS AGO. THE LAST TIME WE WENT THROUGH THAT ITERATION. >> I THINK THIS INDIVIDUAL WHO'S CLEARED IT WAS THE PERSON WHO ASKED IF WE'D COME OUT AND START TAKING CARE OF IT. I JUST WANT TO SEE IF WE CAN SUPERSEDE ANYTHING ELSE HAPPENING IS WHAT I GUESS I'M GETTING AT. I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S ABLE TO PARK IF SOMEBODY'S TRYING TO THREATEN SOMEBODY ELSE, IF IT'S A RIGHT OF WAY. IT'S ORONO PROPERTY. THEY ARE TRESPASSING. THEY HAVE DONE DAMAGE. >> IT'S ORONO PROPERTY, LIKE ADAM SAID, WE DON'T MAINTAIN IT AS A PARK BECAUSE WE CAN'T. IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GET TO FOR US. BUT DEFINITELY NO EQUIPMENT. >> I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANOTHER WAY TO DESIGNATE IT AS SOMETHING ELSE THAT JUST SAYS IT'S ORONO PROPERTY? >> WE NEED TO START BY PULLING THE TITLE WORK TO JUST GET TO THAT. UNDERSTAND HOW IT IS WE RECEIVED IT AND HOW WE CONTROL IT, WHETHER IT'S AN EASEMENT OR BY FEE. ONCE WE DETERMINE THAT, HOW WE CHOOSE TO LABEL IT, I SUSPECT WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO OPERATE IT AND MAINTAIN IT HOW WE SEE FIT, BUT THERE DOES BECOME THE ISSUE OF OWNERSHIP VERSES AN EASEMENT. I THINK IT'S A LOT OF SPECULATION UNTIL WE CAN PULL THE TITLE WORK, BUT THAT'S EASY ENOUGH. >> THEN JUST TO GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE. I KNOW MR. NYGARD BROUGHT UP THE SOLAR. HE HAD EMAILED ME SAYING HE WAS OUT OF TOWN AND HE WANTED TO MEET THIS WEEK, SO I WILL MEET WITH HIM THIS WEEK DISCUSS THAT. >> TAKE ADVANTAGE HE HAS SOME KNOWLEDGE THAT AREA. >> LAST WEEK I MET WITH SOME PEOPLE FROM THE CLEAN ENERGY RESEARCH TEAM WHO OVERSEE THAT. WE HAD A LONG TALK OVER ZOOM, AND THEN I'VE BEEN MEETING WITH SOME SOLAR COMPANIES WHO WOULD BE PUTTING IN. THAT'S WHAT WE'LL GET MORE INTO THE DETAILS, BUT I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU GUYS A LITTLE UPDATE. THAT IS GOING FORWARD. >> GREAT. >> THANK YOU. >> WHILE YOU'RE THERE, I THINK MAYBE STAY UP HERE [Additional Item] FOR THE ITEM THAT COUNCIL MEMBER [INAUDIBLE]. >> GO SIT OVER NEXT. >> [INAUDIBLE] ADD, IF YOU DON'T MIND. >> THANK YOU. I HOPE THIS CAN BE BRIEF, BUT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THE HACKBERRY REVITALIZATION OR REDESIGN REVITALIZATION. THERE'S A GRANT DUE IN EIGHT DAYS, SEPTEMBER 30, IS THAT CORRECT? >> YES. >> WHERE WE LEFT IT AT OUR AUGUST 25TH MEETING WAS THAT COUNCIL HAD GIVEN A NOD ABOUT THE BASICS FOR SPORT FIELDS, PARKING, AND TWO T BALL FIELDS. SINCE THEN, THERE'S BEEN A PARK COMMISSION MEETING WHERE THERE WAS A LACK OF ALIGNMENT, I GUESS, I'LL PUT IT THAT WAY IN TERMS OF HOW WE'VE BEEN PROCEEDING, THE ORDER OF MEETINGS, COUNCIL SEEING THINGS BOTH PRIOR TO PARKS WITH THIS EARLY DESIGN PHASE. MY FEELING ON THIS, AND I GUESS MY RECOMMENDATION, AND I WANTED TO DISCUSS WITH COUNSEL TONIGHT IS THAT THIS IS NOT LIKELY THE BEST TIMING TO BE MOVING FORWARD WITH A GRANT. WE HAVE EIGHT DAYS TO THE GRANT. WE'VE NOT SEEN A RESOLUTION COME TO COUNCIL. WE'RE ON A TIGHT TIMELINE. WE DON'T HAVE A RESOLUTION FROM COUNSEL, WHICH WE DISCUSSED ON AUGUST 25TH, LAST TIME WE MET. I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE'VE GOT OUR I'S DOTTED AND T'S CROSSED, WHERE WE NEED TO BE WITH THIS TO PROCEED. WE'VE MANY OTHER PRESSING ISSUES. I WOULD LIKE TO JUST ENTERTAIN A DISCUSSION, EVEN IF A SHORT ONE TO JUST SAY, WHY DON'T WE GIVE OURSELVES SOME BREATHING ROOM? GET OUR DUCKS IN A ROW AND HAVE FURTHER REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION AND UTILIZE OUR PARK COMMISSION, OUR DESIGN TEAM, AND OUR STAFF AND FUTURE COUNCIL DISCUSSIONS TO REALLY HONE IN ON WHERE WE WANT TO BE TAKING THIS OVER THE NEXT NUMBER OF MONTHS. THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO INTRODUCE THIS. >> I DID PREPARE A PARK GRANT UPDATE FOR TODAY, SO I'D BE HAPPY TO RUN THROUGH THAT. THE FIRST THING I WOULD SAY IS I'M 90% DONE. I'VE GOT TO CHECK SOME SPELLING AND SEND THIS THING OFF. ALSO, UNLIKE PREVIOUS RENDITIONS OF THIS GRANT, RESOLUTION FROM THE COUNCIL IS NOT REQUIRED UNTIL WE GET TO THE AGREEMENT PHASE WHICH I COVER HERE. THESE ARE SLIDES PULLED STRAIGHT FROM THE HENNEPIN COUNTY INFORMATION BRIEFING ABOUT THE GRANTS. [01:00:03] GRANT INITIATIVES AND OPPORTUNITIES, THE ONE WE'RE PURSUING IS THE SPORTS GRANT FOR PLAY AREAS, WHICH COVERS FACILITIES, PLAYGROUNDS, AND PLAY BASIC THAT THEY'RE IN GREEN. NEXT SLIDE ON THEIR GRANT ELIGIBILITY. APPLICANTS MUST BE A LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT. THAT IS WHAT WE ARE, A MUNICIPALITY. IF WE WERE A BASEBALL ASSOCIATION, SPORTS ASSOCIATION, THEY WOULD HAVE TO PARTNER WITH US. WE ARE PARTNERING WITH THEM. PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS ARE ENCOURAGED. THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE BEEN WORKING AT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND I'LL COVER MORE OF THAT IN A SECOND. THE PLAY AREA GRANTS. GRANTS ARE AVAILABLE UP TO $300,000 IN USER SLIDES FROM HENNEPIN COUNTY. IN PARTICULAR, THE ELIGIBLE PROJECTS ARE ATHLETIC AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES. THAT'S THE ONE THAT WE'RE GOING AFTER. >> NOT THE PLAYGROUNDS AND OTHER PLAY SPACES? >> CORRECT. >> CAN WE GO FOR BOTH? >> YOU CAN APPLY FOR UP TO 10 GRANTS, BUT I BELIEVE THEY WILL ONLY IF I REMEMBER, THE INSTRUCTIONS RIGHT ISSUE ONE. WE DON'T HAVE ANY PLAYGROUNDS THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY SEEKING FUNDS FOR, SO WE HAVE NOT APPLIED FOR THAT. WE HAVE APPLIED FOR THAT GRANT IN THE PAST WHEN WE'VE HAD A PLAYGROUND PROJECT, WE WERE TRYING TO FUND. I GUESS I COULD GO BACK TO THE VERY FIRST SLIDE UP IN THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER. THERE ARE ALSO SOME OTHER DIFFERENT GRANTS THAT COME THROUGH THE SAME OVERARCHING PROGRAM. AGAIN, WE'RE GOING AFTER THE PLAY AREA GRANT, WHICH IS THE BIGGER DOLLAR VALUE GRANT. IN THE PAST, WE'VE DONE THE ONE RIGHT BELOW AT THE SPORTS EQUIPMENT GRANT. THOSE ARE CAPPED AT $10,000. WE'VE DONE THOSE IN THE PAST, PARTICULARLY PARTNERING WITH ORONO BASEBALL ASSOCIATION. THAT'S HOW WE REDID BLACK BACKSTOPS AND FENCING AT BEARWOOD PARK A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, ALSO PARTNERED WITH THEM SO THEY COULD BUY SOME MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT. THEY MAINTAIN AS OF THE BASEBALL FIELDS THAT WE HAVE WITHIN OUR PARKS. THEN YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A NEW ONE WE'VE NEVER APPLIED FOR. THERE'S AN ARTS AND MUSIC VERSION OF THE GRANT. WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT ONE IN THE PAST, BUT IT IS AVAILABLE. THEN ALSO WATER SAFETY GRANTS, WHICH WE REALLY HAVE WE DON'T DO LIFEGUARDS, SO WE HAVE NEVER GONE AFTER THAT GRANT, EITHER. THEY USED TO DIVIDE THESE UP. THEY WOULD HAVE THE PLAYFIELDS GRANT, THEY'D HAVE A PLAYGROUND GRANT, AND THEY HAVE AN EQUIPMENT GRANT, THREE DIFFERENT THINGS. THE PLAYGROUND AND THE PLAYFIELDS SEEM TO HAVE BEEN NOW PUT TOGETHER IN ONE GRANT, WHICH PROBABLY MAKES SENSE BECAUSE PLAYGROUNDS ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE, SO THE LARGER DOLLAR CAP. PROBABLY WHY THAT HAPPENED? THE EVALUATION CRITERIA, YOU CAN SEE THERE IN THE TOP 2 SLIDES, THE TOP ONE THERE IS ONE WHERE WE DON'T USUALLY DO WELL AS A CITY, AND ACTUALLY, CONTRARY TO SOME PREVIOUS SPEAKERS THAT WAS ALSO A CRITERIA IN THE SOLAR GRANT, AND THE REASON NAMED BY THE STATE WHY WE WERE NOT BENEFICIARIES OF IT PLASTO AROUND. ALTHOUGH THE WAY THEY HAVE THE GRANTS, THAT ONE THIS YEAR, IT'S DIFFERENT, SO THAT DOESN'T WEIGH AS HEAVILY FOR THE SOLAR GRANT. IT STILL PLAYS A ROLE HERE IN THE YOUTH SPORTS GRANTS. NUMBER OF YOUTH SERVED BY THE PROJECT. WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS ON THAT, FEASIBILITY OF THE PROJECT, THE NEED OF THE PROJECT, SUSTAINABILITY, OF YOUR ABILITY TO MAINTAIN WHATEVER IT IS THAT'S BILLED. WHATEVER IS THE MONEY IS USED FOR TO BUILD. THEN YOU CAN SEE ON THE CONTINUATION SLIDE THERE, SOME OF THE OTHER CRITERIA THAT THEY WILL USE TO JUDGE OUR APPLICATION. THEN DOWN IN THE BOTTOM LEFT IS THE GRANT AWARD PROCESS. WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE FAR RIGHT OF THE TOP ROW. THE RFA REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS CLOSES ON SEPTEMBER 30TH. THAT IS WHAT I'M FINISHING UP THE APPLICATION TO MEET. I DIDN'T THROW THE WHOLE GRANT APPLICATION INTO THE POWERPOINT, BUT THIS IS THE OVERARCHING DESCRIPTION THAT WE HAVE DESCRIBING THE PROJECT, AND FOCUSING IN ON THE GRANT MONEY THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS FOR THOSE YOUTH ATHLETIC SPACES. AS YOU ALL KNOW, AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE EFFORTS TO REVITALIZE HACKBERRY PARK EXTEND BEYOND THAT, BUT THIS GRANT IS ABOUT YOUTH SPORTS, SO THAT IS HOW WE'RE TAILORING OUR GRANT APPLICATION. IN THE BUDGETARY PORTION OF THE GRANT APPLICATION. THIS IS EXCERPTS FROM WHAT I HAVE IN THERE NOW, LOOKING TO ASK FOR GRANT DOLLARS TO COVER CLEARING AND GRUBBING, SITE GRADING, MULTI USE FIELD SPACE, T BALL/SOFT BALL FIELD SPACE, AND THEN PORTION OF THE FENCING FOR THE FIELDS, TOTALING UP TO THE MAX OF 300,000. IT'S UNLIKELY THAT WE WILL GET 300,000 WHEN I'VE APPLIED FOR THESE GRANTS IN THE PAST, AND WE GOT SOMETHING LESS THAN THAT. I THINK IT USED TO BE 250 WHEN WE APPLIED FOR THE BEARWOOD GRANT IN THAT CASE, I THINK WE GOT 175 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. [01:05:01] I WOULDN'T EXPECT THAT WE WOULD GET ALL 300, BUT WE'RE GOING TO ASK FOR IT. >> QUESTION IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE STILL NOT OF ONE MIND AS TO WHAT THIS IS GOING TO EXACTLY LOOK LIKE WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE. IS THAT A PROBLEM FOR THE GRANT PROCESS TO NOT HAVE A EXACT A PLAN FOR WHAT WE'RE HOPING. >> THE GRANT IS NOT REQUIRED THAT WE HAVE DETAILED DESIGN, IN FACT, MOST APPLICANTS WILL NOT BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WE WON'T GO INTO FINAL DESIGN UNTIL WE HAVE SOME FUNDING SECURED. BEFORE WE PULL THE TRIGGER ON PREPARING BID DOCUMENTS. >> AT IT. >> YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S FEASIBLE THAT YOU CAN BUILD, AND I THINK WE HAVE THAT FOR THE SCOPE OF WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR HERE. >> DO YOU SUBMIT A PLAN, OR IS IT JUST ALL WRITTEN? >> IT'S ALL WRITTEN, BUT I AM PLANNING TO SUBMIT A VISUAL AS WELL TO [INAUDIBLE] SO THEY CAN KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND THAT WILL BE MY NEXT TO SLIDE. >> SORRY, I DIDN'T [INAUDIBLE] AHEAD OF YOU THERE. >> THEN PART OF THE GRANT IS THEN TALKING ABOUT WHAT ELSE YOU HAVE GOING ON IN YOUR PROJECT. THAT'S THE BOTTOM PIECE ABOUT OTHER PARTS OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT AND THOSE COSTS. THEN ALSO WE'LL PROBABLY BE ASKING FOR OUR PARTNERS TO FIND. WE'VE ALREADY MET WITH ONE OF THOSE PARTNERS. HASN'T AGREED TO EVERYTHING, BUT HAS INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO WORK WITH US ON FUND, PARTICULARLY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THEIR PARTICULAR SPORT, WHICH IS BASEBALL. >> DO THEY THEN BECOME PART OF THE APPLICATION OR? >> GO TO MY NEXT SLIDE. UPPER RIGHT, LETTERS OF SUPPORT AND PARTNERS. WE'VE ALREADY SECURED SUPPORT IN THE FORM OF A LETTER FROM THE ORONO WESTONKA SOCCER ASSOCIATION, THE ORONO LACROSSE ASSOCIATION, YOUTH CROSS ASSOCIATION HAS REACHED OUT, AND WE HAVE MET AND THE ORONO BASEBALL ASSOCIATION, AND THEY'VE ASSURED ME THEY'LL HAVE THEIR LETTER OF SUPPORT AND SAID THAT IT WILL BE MORE ROBUST THAN THE ONE THEY GAVE US LAST TIME BECAUSE THEY REALLY WANT TO SUPPORT THE PROJECT. I DID REACH OUT TO ORONO SOFTBALL. THEY DID RESPOND. THEY'RE IN THE MIDST OF THEIR PRESIDENTS SWITCHING OUT, SO I'M NOT 100% SURE I'LL GET A LETTER FROM THEM RIGHT AWAY, BUT WE'RE STILL STILL TRYING TO WORK WITH THEM. >> HOW ABOUT FLAG FOOTBALL? >> WE DID TALK TO A REPRESENTATIVE OF FLAG FOOTBALL. THEY'VE CHANGED SOME LEADERSHIP. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FROM THEM, BUT THE FOLKS THAT WE TALKED TO SEEM TO BE VERY SUPPORTIVE. THERE'S SOME OVERLAP BETWEEN ORONO BASEBALL AND FLAG FOOTBALL. >> JUST YOU KNOW AT OUR LAST ORONO FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION MEETING, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AND SUPPORTING IT. >> TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT A DIAGRAM SO WE DID TAKE THE DIAGRAM THAT WE HAD OF LAYOUT THAT AS PRESENTED, AND THEN JUST ADDED THE HIGHLIGHTED AREA THERE AND DASHED GREEN, JUST TRYING TO SHOW THE COUNTY WHAT PART OF OUR PROJECT ARE WE ACTUALLY ASKING THEM TO HELP US WITH, WHICH IS THE ATHLETIC AREA OF THE PARK. THE OTHER PARTS WE WILL BE HANDLING WITH RESOURCING FROM OTHER PLACES. BECAUSE AGAIN, I DIDN'T WANT TO ASK THEM FOR A BUNCH OF PARKING LOT MONEY WHEN REALLY WE CAN GO AFTER THE MAIN POINT OF THEIR GRANT, WHICH IS YOUTH SPORTS. THEN NEXT STEP, I JUST NEED TO COMPLETE THE APPLICATION. AGAIN, I'VE GOT CHECKS AND SPELLING, MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S RIGHT. PUT THE PACKET TOGETHER AND GET IT SUBMITTED INTO THE HENNEPIN COUNTY APPLICANT OR PORTAL. THEY HAVE A ONLINE PORTAL, I HAVE TO JUST HAVE TO DUMP THE STUFF INTO. WE'LL DO THE ATTESTATION LETTER, AND THEN JUST COLLECT THE REMAINING LETTERS OF SUPPORT AND SUBMIT THE PACKET. THEN ONE BIG THING I KNOW THE MAYOR HAS ALREADY DONE A LITTLE BIT ON THE CITY'S BEHALF IS JUST THEN ENGAGING WITH OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER. THAT WAS SOME FEEDBACK FROM OUR LAST ROUND OF TRYING TO GET THIS IS WE NEED TO ACTUALLY BE MORE ENGAGED WITH THE OTHER ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THIS IS SOMETHING WE WANT. THAT'S A PRIORITY. THEN I GO BACKWARDS A LITTLE BIT. THEN AFTER WE SUBMIT, THEN YOU CAN SEE THE BOTTOM PART OF THEIR SLIDE THERE ON THE GRANT PROCESS, THEN THEY'LL EVALUATE THE APPLICATIONS. >> THEN LET US KNOW BY DECEMBER, JANUARY, WHERE WE FALL IN THE PECKING ORDER, IF WE DO GET SELECTED FOR THE GRANT, THEN THAT KICKS OFF A CONTRACT PROCESS WHERE WE WILL HAVE TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE COUNTY ON A CONTRACT. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL HAVE TO BE BROUGHT TO THE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL [01:10:03] BECAUSE YOU WILL HAVE TO APPROVE THE ENTERING CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY. IN THE PAST, THOSE CONTRACTS, IN THAT THEY'RE REALLY LONG, BUT IN ESSENCE, THEY SAY IS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO USE THE MONEY FOR WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THE CONTRACT, AND IT DESCRIBES HOW WE PAY FOR EVERYTHING IN ADVANCE, AND THEN WE SEND IN OUR INVOICES AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO BE REIMBURSED AFTERWARDS, AND HOW THE COUNTY. THAT'S WHERE I AM. I DID THINK WHEN WE WERE BRIEFING IN AUGUST I HADN'T READ THROUGH THE WHOLE PACKET. I THOUGHT MAYBE I WOULD NEED A RESOLUTION. IN THE PAST, YOU DID. AS I WENT THROUGH THEIR INSTRUCTIONS. THIS TIME AROUND, THEY DON'T NEED THAT UP FRONT. AGAIN, WE'LL BE ASKING FOR US TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT IF THE GRANT IS GOOD. ALSO, I JUST WANTED TO SAY AS FAR AS TIMING, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE THE GRANT PROCESS NOW. AGAIN, THE GRANT, WE WON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT IT, WHETHER WE'RE AWARDED UNTIL DECEMBER. THAT GIVES US ALL OF THE SPRING TO WORK OUT THE FUNDING, GET OUR ANY TWEAKS TO OUR DESIGN THAT WE HAVE TO CHANGE BASED ON THE FUNDING IN LINE SO THAT WE WOULD BE READY FOR CONSTRUCTION IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR. ALSO, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THE GRANTS ARE GOOD. WE HAVE TWO YEARS IN WHICH TO COMPLETE THE WORK FOR THE GRANT. THEN WE WILL NOT HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR THIS GRANT UNTIL THIS TIME YEAR, WE'LL BE REAPPLYING. THE SMALL EQUIPMENT GRANT, THEY DO TWICE A YEAR. THERE'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE $10,000 GRANTS IN THE SPRING. THERE ISN'T FOR THE BIGGER GRANT, THOSE ARE ONCE A YEAR APPLICATION CYCLE. THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. >> I APPRECIATE THE UPDATE. I HAVE TO SAY, PART OF I'M A LITTLE FRUSTRATED. I'M JUST GOING TO PUT THAT OUT THERE BECAUSE WE MET ABOUT THIS IN AUGUST, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT A RESOLUTION WOULD BE REQUIRED. WE DID NOT TAKE A FORMAL VOTE. STAFF HAD ASKED FOR A NOD, I THINK IS THE WORD THAT WAS USED ABOUT WANTING TWO T BALL FIELDS, PARKING IN A GENERAL AREA, AS WELL AS SOME MULTI USE FIELD, WHICH WE DID. IT WAS CLEAR FROM THE DISCUSSION IN OUR PARK COMMISSION MEETING, WHICH HAPPENED ON THE SEPTEMBER 9 THAT THE FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS AND WHO WILL BE INVOLVED IN THIS AS WE GET OUT OF THE 5% DESIGN PHASE INTO THE 60% DESIGN PHASE, DO NOT FEEL A PART OF THE PROCESS AND DO NOT FEEL LIKE SOME OF THEIR VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT AND CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT THIS PROCESS HAVE BEEN EITHER INTEGRATED OR FRANKLY LISTENED TO. THAT'S CONCERNING TO ME BECAUSE I WILL SPEAK FOR MYSELF. NOT ON BEHALF OF COUNSEL, I FIND GREAT VALUE IN OUR PARK COMMISSION. I THINK THE WHOLE POINT OF HAVING A DESIGN COMMITTEE IS TO BE ABLE TO BRING IDEAS TO THE TABLE AND HAVE THOSE IDEAS BE HEARD. OUR EXPECTATIONS OF COUNCIL WAS SET IN TERMS OF GIVING A NOD, NOT VOTING ON A FINAL DESIGN. I UNDERSTAND WE'RE 5% IN AND THIS IS NOT WRITTEN IN STONE, BUT ALSO THAT WE WOULD NEED A RESOLUTION. THIS WAS NOT AGENDIZED FOR TONIGHT. THERE WAS NO EXPECTATIONS SET, AT LEAST ON MY PART, THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT A POWERPOINT ABOUT HACKBERRY, WHICH IS WHY I BROUGHT IT UP. TO ME, THIS IS A COMMUNICATION ISSUE THAT I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE HAD. I WOULDN'T HAVE SPENT TIME CONSIDERING ADDING AN AGENDA ITEM IF I'D KNOWN WE WERE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING THIS, BECAUSE THE GRANT IS EIGHT DAYS AWAY, AND WE ALL KNEW THAT. BUT THIS IS NEW INFORMATION, AGAIN, ON A TIGHT TIMELINE, AND I'VE MADE POINTS ABOUT THIS TYPE OF THING IN THE PAST THAT I KNOW WE'RE MARCHING TOWARDS A GRANT, AND I UNDERSTAND AND REALLY SUPPORT THE IDEA WE WANT TO DO AN OVERHAUL, A REDESIGN. BUT THERE WERE VERY LEGITIMATE CONCERNS RAISED BY ME, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE PARKS DESIGN AND OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT PROTECTING AND VALUING THE CHARACTER OF THE PARK THAT NORTHWEST HILL, MAYBE THAT PARKING AREA ISN'T A GOOD PLACE, MAYBE IT'S NOT. WE DON'T HAVE AGREEMENT ON THE HEALTH OF THE TREES. THESE ARE LEGITIMATE CONCERNS. WHAT I WANT TO EXPRESS HERE IS THAT, WE ARE NOT IN ALIGNMENT AS A COUNCIL STAFF AND COMMISSION ABOUT THIS PROJECT, AND THAT WAS REALLY CLEAR TO ME WATCHING THE PARK MEETING. I'M NOT POINTING FINGERS HERE. I'M FLIPPY SAYING THAT A LONGER TIME TO BE ABLE TO GET AN ALIGNMENT, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE MORE FREQUENT MEETINGS, BETTER COMMUNICATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN WE'RE ASKING FOR COUNTY DOLLARS FOR A PROJECT. I DON'T PERSONALLY FEEL THAT THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENED WITH THIS PROJECT, NOT LAYING BLAME OR POINTING FINGERS, BUT TO SAY, WHY IS IT THAT A TALENTED PARK COMMISSION AND WELL MEANING COUNCIL MEMBERS AND A TALENTED STAFF ARE NOT FEELING LIKE THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THIS PROJECT OR THAT WE FEEL THAT WE HAVE [01:15:02] A GOOD LAYER OF TRUST BRINGING INTO A PROJECT, WHICH IS A MAJOR ONE. I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE BECAUSE I'M I'M CERTAINLY NOT OPPOSED TO MOVING IN THE DIRECTION OF A GRANT APPLICATION, THERE ARE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS AND LACK OF AGREEMENT ABOUT PROCESS OR UNDERSTANDING OR BEING IN ALIGNMENT WITH THESE THREE BODIES, THAT I THINK NEED TO BE SERIOUSLY ADDRESSED SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. BECAUSE IF WE'RE 5% IN AND WE HAVE THIS LEVEL OF SOME CONFUSION HERE, WHAT IS IT GOING TO LOOK LIKE AS WE GET 10, 15, 20% IN? THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE MEETINGS, MORE COMMUNICATIONS, AND IF WE'RE NOT IN STEP RIGHT NOW WITH THIS. I QUESTION WHEN THAT IS GOING TO COME, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A ONE TIME SITUATION. THE LAST MEETING REALLY UNDERSCORED THAT FOR ME. I DID NOT ATTEND, BUT I WATCHED IT. I WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE FOR THE COUNCIL AND ALSO FOR STAFF, NOT LAYING BLAME, BUT TO SAY MY GOAL, AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE WORKING AS A TEAM HERE AND THAT WE HAVE A GOOD LEVEL OF TRUST, AND COMMUNICATION IS A HUGE PART OF THAT. >> I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE THE COMMUNICATION ON THIS AND THE PARK COMMISSION HAS HAD A LOT OF VOICE. THE SUBCOMMITTEE HAS BEEN AT EVERY MEETING WE'VE HAD ABOUT THE DESIGN, AND PERSONALLY, I FELT LIKE I DIDN'T HAVE A VOICE AT THOSE MEETINGS, BECAUSE THEY HAD SO MUCH INPUT, BUT I FELT LIKE THEY REALLY GOT TO SPEAK WHAT THEY WERE, AND IT WAS INCORPORATED INTO IT. THEN AT OUR PARK MEETING, I PRESENTED PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING ADAM PRESENTED AT COUNCIL, AND THEN HE THEN REPRESENTED AT OUR SPECIAL MEETING. I FEEL LIKE THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF COMMUNICATION ON THE PROJECT. THE INPUT SECTION OF IT ISN'T OVER. I KEEP TRYING TO STRESS THIS THAT WE'RE TAKING WHAT PEOPLE ARE ASKING, AND WE'RE DEFINITELY OPEN FOR MORE GOING FORWARD. WE'VE HEARD ABOUT TRYING TO SECURE AS MANY TREES AS WE CAN, AND THAT'S A BIG PRIORITY, I THINK WITH THE DESIGNERS. >> THAT'S EXACTLY. I THINK THERE'S DEFINITELY BEEN SOME MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE DESIGN PROCESS AND WHERE WE ARE. THERE'S PARTICULARLY SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS THOUGHT WHEN WE WERE BRIEFING THIS TO YOU ALL OR TO THEM THAT WE WERE AT THE POINT WHERE WE'RE APPROVING A FINAL DESIGN, AND WE'RE NOT. WE'RE JUST AT THE POINT OF WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS THAT WE AGREE UPON TO START BRINGING FORWARD AS WE GO INTO THAT DESIGN? AND SO THAT'S TOOK ALL THAT INPUT IN, AND NOW WE'RE HAVING OUR DESIGN PROFESSIONALS TAKE THAT, PUT IT INTO A PRODUCT WHERE WE TAKE THE CONCEPT AND THE INPUT, AND THEN WE CAN DELIVER A DRAFT, AND THEN THAT DRAFT, WE WILL HAVE DESIGN TEAM MEETINGS AGAIN TO REVIEW THOSE ELEMENTS AND SAY, DID WE HIT ALL THE CONCERNS AND ALL THE PRIORITIES THAT WE HAVE FOR THIS DESIGN? AND THEN IF NOT, THEN WE ADJUST. I KEEP CALLING IT, AND BECAUSE THAT'S JUST WHAT WE CALL IT IN THE ENGINEER WORLD TO 60% DESIGN, THAT'S THE FIRST TIME AFTER CONCEPT WHERE WE KIND OF THEN SIT DOWN AND GO, EVERYTHING'S WE'VE GOT THIS ACTUAL SURVEY WORK DONE. WE'VE ACCOUNTED FOR ALL THE STUFF ON THE EXISTING SITE, AND WE'VE STARTED TO TRY TO PLOT THESE ELEMENTS ONTO THAT IN GENERALLY THIS ORDER, BUT NOT EXACTLY. NOW WE CAN LOOK FOR WHAT ARE THOSE POINTS OF CONFLICT BETWEEN THE VARIOUS PRIORITIES WE HAVE. IS THE EXACT SIGHTING OF THE PARKING LOT AS SHOWN ON THIS FEASIBILITY PLAN, IS THAT TAKING OUT A GOOD HEALTHY TREE THAT WE WANT TO PRESERVE, AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO DECONFLICT THAT? THEN WE GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS. SO WE JUST HAVEN'T GOT THERE YET. BUT WE DO HAVE PLENTY OF INFORMATION AND KNOWING WHAT THE ELEMENTS ARE, AND HOW MUCH SPACE THEY TAKE AND HOW MUCH EFFORT THEY TAKE TO CONSTRUCT TO PUT IN A GRANT APPLICATION SO THAT WE CAN WHILE WE ARE CONTINUING FINALIZING OUR DESIGN, CAN ALSO BE SECURING THE RESOURCES THAT ARE NECESSARY TO CONSTRUCT IT ONCE THESE TWO THINGS COME TOGETHER. >> THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE. THANK YOU FOR THE EXPLANATION. TWO MORE QUESTIONS WITH THE GRANT APPLICATION, IS THIS PARKING STRUCTURE OR THE DESIGN THAT'S CURRENTLY UP THERE IN THAT NORTHEAST CORNER, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT COULD IF DESIGN TEAM DECIDES THAT IT WOULD BE A BETTER OPTION, EXTEND DOWN FURTHER. ARE WE LOCKED IN TO THAT CONFIGURATION? >> NO. WHAT WE'RE KIND OF LOCKED INTO AS FAR AS WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IN THE GRANT IS TWO T BALL FIELDS WORTH OF EFFORT AND THE THE OPEN SPACE IN BETWEEN THEM. [01:20:01] >> VERY GOOD. >> LIKE THAT NORTHERN FIELD, IF THAT MOVED FURTHER TO THE EAST BECAUSE WE MOVED THE PARKING LOT OR WHAT HAVE YOU, THAT'S WE'RE STILL BUILDING A T BALL FIELD IN THE ATHLETIC SPACE IN BETWEEN THERE. THE WORK EFFORT AND THE COST TO DO THAT DON'T CHANGE. >> NOTHING ABOUT PRESERVATION OF THAT NORTHWEST CORNER NEEDS TO BE EVEN ON THE TABLE FOR THIS GRANT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A MULTI USE FIELD IN THE MIDDLE THERE AND TWO T BALL FIELDS. THAT'S IT FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS FUNDING. >> CORRECT. VERY GOOD. >> THANK YOU. >> IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THIS FUNDING IS REALLY A PREDICATE FOR MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS. I MEAN, WE MAY DECIDE TO DO IT WITHOUT FUNDING, BUT OUTSIDE FUNDING, I MEAN, BUT IF WE DON'T GET THE OUTSIDE FUNDING, WE MAY NOT BE MOVING AHEAD. IS THAT FAIR TO SAY. >> I'D ALSO JUST PUT IT NORMS, WE AS THE STAFF, WE'RE OUT THERE APPLYING FOR AND SEARCHING FOR GRANTS ALL THE TIME. NOT ALL THESE IN OUR PARTS. THIS SOLAR THING. WE'RE OUT PUTTING TOGETHER PACKETS TO TRY TO GO SECURE THOSE FUNDING'S FOR THINGS THAT WE KNOW THAT ARE LISTED AS PRIORITIES FOR THE CITY? >> I'M DOING A TREE ONE RIGHT NOW. >> A TREE ONE AS WELL. WE'RE ALWAYS OUT THERE TRYING TO FIND OTHER RESOURCING BECAUSE, DOLLARS ARE TIGHT, AND IF THERE'S A WAY TO GET MONEY FROM THE STATE OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO HELP DO SOME THINGS AND SPEND LESS TAXPAYER DOLLARS, THE TAXPAYER DOLLARS ANYWAY, BUT LOCAL TAX DOLLARS GREAT. WE CAN USE. >> WELL, THEY'RE AVAILABLE FOR SOMEBODY. THE FUNDS ARE, NOT US. >> ARE THERE OTHER GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR THIS TYPE OF PROJECT OUTSIDE HENNEPIN YOUTH? >> THERE ARE SOME GRANTS WITH THE DNR THAT WE'VE USED IN THE PAST. THIS PARTICULAR GRANT IS IDEALLY SUITED FOR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH SPORTS FIELDS, AND I WILL SAY IT'S AN EASIER APPLICATION AND EASIER TO GET THAN SOME OF THOSE OTHER GRANTS. WE'VE GONE AND WE'VE GOTTEN THE DNR GRANT. THAT'S HOW WE DID BIG ISLAND A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. THEN WE GOT ONE, I WAS HOW WE REPURPOSED EAST LONG LAKE ROAD INTO A TRAIL WAS THROUGH A DNR, ROADS TO TRAILS GRANT. THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS OUT THERE THAT WE TRY TO FIND A FIT FOR. BUT USUALLY, IT STARTS WITH A NEED. I KNOW YOU MENTIONED PLAYGROUND, SO WE DON'T HAVE A PLAYGROUND ON THE CIP FOR NEXT YEAR, SO I'M NOT CURRENTLY OUT TRYING TO FIND MONEY FOR A PLAYGROUND, BUT IT'S TIME FOR A PLAYGROUND, YES WE WOULD BE. >> ONE LAST POINT, AND IT'S NOT ABOUT THE PLAN, BUT IT'S ABOUT OUR WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PARK COMMISSION. IF YOU HAVE SUGGESTIONS, I'D LOVE TO HEAR THEM BECAUSE WE HAD ONE WHICH WAS NICE, BUT SHORT LIVED JOINT SESSION BETWEEN COUNCIL AND PARK COMMISSION TOWARDS, IT WAS IN THE SPRINGTIME. MY FEELING IS THAT THERE'S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT HERE IN TERMS OF A WORKING RELATIONSHIP, LINES OF COMMUNICATION. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE. IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE AN ANSWER NOW, BUT I'M PUTTING IT OUT THERE. THIS IS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE THAT MAYBE ANOTHER JOINT SESSION OR SOMETHING TO KIND OF CEMENT SOME OF THIS COMMUNICATION OR UNDERSTAND. IF THERE'S MISCOMMUNICATION, IF THERE'S MISUNDERSTANDING, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ADDRESS THIS? WHAT ARE WE DOING TO CLEAR THIS UP? >> RECOMMENDATION WAS THAT WE THINK MAYBE ESTABLISHING A REGULAR JOINT MEETING. EARLY IN THE YEAR, WE'VE DID SIMILAR THINGS WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND PARKS COMMISSIONS IN THE PAST, AND SO TRYING TO ADD SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO YOUR SCHEDULE. I'VE TALKED TO THE COMMISSIONERS ABOUT THIS. I KNOW THAT'S SOME OF THEIR CONCERNS. I THINK PART OF IT'S GOING TO BE, WHICH IS GOING TO HELP IS I WAS NEW. MOST OF THEM WERE NEW. A LOT OF COUNSEL IS NEW, LEARNING THE PROCESS, LEARNING WHAT THE CYCLE IS, WHEN THEY CAME IN, THEY MISSED A LOT OF THE DID I, THE CIP PLANNING FROM LAST YEAR, THE BUDGET PLANNING CAME IN MIDSTREAM, DID A GREAT JOB GETTING GOING QUICK, BUT I THINK IT'S GOING TO HELP THAT NOW EVERYONE'S COMING INTO A FULL CYCLE. THEY'RE GOING TO BE A PART OF IT, AND I THINK JUST WORKING ON COMMUNICATING WHAT'S GOING ON, I THINK IT WILL HELP HOPEFULLY. BUT WE'RE DEFINITELY OPEN TO HAVING MORE JOINT SESSIONS. >> WELL, I'LL SAY I THINK THIS IS A GREAT PROJECT FOR US TO ESTABLISH WHAT THAT CONNECTION SHOULD BE WITH THE COMMISSION. WHEN I HAS SPOKEN TO A FEW COMMISSION MEMBERS AND OTHER CITIZENS OF THE COMMUNITY, I THINK AS WE EVOLVE FROM THE 5% TO THE 60%, AND WE ALIGN IT WITH THIS APPLICATION FOR A GRANT, IT PROVIDES US A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO GET THE SUBCOMMITTEE OR THE ENTIRE COMMISSION INVOLVED IN REVIEWING THE DESIGN ASPECTS, [01:25:02] COMPARING THEM TO SUGGESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR. PERSONALLY, I SEE THIS IS AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY TO BE DOING WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AS FAR AS HAVING MORE OF A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH WITH THAT COMMISSION AND MAKING SURE THAT THEIR VOICE IS HEARD INSTEAD OF WHAT MAYBE APPEARS TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF A CART BEFORE THE HORSE PROCESS THAT TOOK PLACE A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. >> THAT IS IT. ARE ANY MORE DESIGN MEETINGS AT THIS POINT ON HOLD UNTIL NEWS COMES OF THE GRANT, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S RECEIVED? >> NO, WE WILL BE LOOKING TO I DON'T HAVE ONE ON THE CALENDAR YET, BUT ON THE OVERALL DESIGN PROJECT, WE'D BE LOOKING AT TRYING TO DO SOMETHING IN LATE OCTOBER EARLY NOVEMBER, WHICH IS WHEN WE'VE TASKED THE CONSULTANT TO COME BACK WITH THE 60%. ONCE WE HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK AT, THEN WE WILL CALL ANOTHER DESIGN MEETING TO THEN REVIEW. >> WHO CURRENTLY IS PART OF THE DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE? >> THE DESIGN TEAM FOR HACKBERRY IS MYSELF, JOE, AND RACHEL FROM STAFF. AND THEN FROM THE PARKS COMMISSION, WE HAVE JACOB, JANE, AND GORDY. THREE COMMISSIONERS, THREE STAFF MEMBERS, AND THEN OUR CONSULTANT, OBVIOUSLY, AS PART OF THE TEAM. >> WILL WE GET AN UPDATE THEN AFTER THAT MEETING, THEN THE COUNCIL WOULD BE INFORMED OF AN UPDATE? >> YES, AS WE WOULD GO THROUGH THAT. THERE MAY BE SOME ITERATIONS WE MIGHT WANT TO DO AS A DESIGN TEAM TO GET TO A POINT AT WHICH POINT THEN WE WOULD TALK ABOUT BRINGING IT TO THE PARKS COMMISSION AS A WHOLE, AND THEN TO THE COUNCIL. THE NORMAL KIND OF THE NORMAL WAY OF DOING THIS WOULD BE, HEY, WE HAVE THESE COMMITTEES TO REALLY GET INTO THE NITTY GRIT-TIES AND GRIND OUT A FEW ITERATIONS AND THEN BRING IT TO THE PARKS COMMISSION AS A WHOLE, THEIR FEEDBACK, AND THEN WE BRING IT TO YOU AFTER THEY'VE GIVEN US SOME INPUT. LOT TIMES WE WOULDN'T DO THAT AT 60% DESIGN. WE DO THAT MORE TOWARDS THE END, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE A PART OF THIS, SO WE ADD MORE ITERATIONS. >> I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. THAT'S MY GOAL. WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT THERE WOULD BE A DESIGN TEAM MEETING SOMETIME IN OCTOBER, AND WE'VE ESTABLISHED WHO THAT IS. THAT WOULD THEN BE TAKEN BACK TO PARKS. FEEDBACK GIVEN AND THEN COME TO COUNSEL. THANK YOU. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT? NO ACTION IS NEEDED BY COUNSEL AT THIS TIME. >> ON THAT PARTICULAR ITEM. LET'S MOVE TO WE'VE INCLUDED 13 IN THE CONSENT AGENDA, SO LET'S MOVE TO ITEM 14 UNDER THE PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT, [14. Repair Capital Equipment - E1 Engine Replacement] REPAIR OF A E1 ENGINE FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. >> GOOD EVENING AGAIN. PURPOSE FOR ME BEING HERE TONIGHT IS TO SEEK YOUR APPROVAL TO SPEND APPROXIMATELY $37,000 TO REPLACE THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE IN OUR DUTY CREW ENGINE. FOR CLARITY, I'M JUST GOING TO SAY MOTOR, TALKING ABOUT THE ACTUAL INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, OTHERWISE, THE ENGINE WORD GETS A LITTLE CONFUSING. ENGINE 1 HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING RECURRING RELIABILITY ISSUES OVER THE PAST, PROBABLY FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS. OUR FLEET SERVICE LEAD MECHANIC HIM AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT OUR OPTIONS AND AFTER DISCUSSING OUR OPTIONS, WELL, INITIALLY, HE SAID THAT THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM, AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE. WHEN I ASKED HIM WHAT OUR OPTIONS WERE, HE SAID, DO NOTHING, AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OR WE CAN DO A REBUILD OR REPLACEMENT OF THE MOTOR. AFTER CONFERRING WITH HIM AND ALSO CONFERRING WITH THE LEADERSHIP AT THE LONG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT, LAYING OUT THE OPTIONS, WE COLLABORATIVELY CAME UP WITH THIS AS THE MOST PRACTICAL AND COST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION OF FULL REPLACEMENT OF THE MOTOR AND HAVING CITY STAFF DO THE LABOR. THE FUNDING FOR THAT WOULD COME OUT OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET. WE CERTAINLY DIDN'T BUDGET FOR THIS, OBVIOUSLY IN 2025, BUT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE SOME THINGS AROUND TO MAKE THAT WORK. I'LL JUST SAY ENGINE 1 IS THE WORKFORCE OF THE FLEET OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. FOUR OUT OF FIVE TIMES, SOMEBODY CALLS 911, THAT'S GOING TO BE THE ENGINE THAT'S GOING TO RESPOND TO THAT CALL, SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT IT'S RELIABLE. I'LL STAND FOR QUESTIONS. >> CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE INVESTMENT OF THIS VEHICLE, HOW LONG DO WE PLAN ON KEEPING THIS AROUND AND WHY ARE WE PLANNING TO KEEP THIS AROUND? >> GREAT QUESTION. WE DO HAVE ANOTHER ENGINE ON ORDER THAT'S GOING TO BE HERE IN ABOUT A YEAR. HOWEVER, THE CURRENT ENGINE 1 IS OUR NEWEST A MOST FUNCTIONAL FIRE ENGINE. EVEN WITH THE NEW ENGINE ARRIVING, [01:30:03] THIS IS STILL GOING TO BE A VERY VITAL PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. RIGHT NOW, THE ENGINE 1 IS EIGHT-YEARS-OLD, AND IT STILL HAS PROBABLY 10 YEARS OF SERVICEABLE LIFE IN IT, AS LONG AS WE GET A NEW MOTOR FOR IT. I REALIZE THIS IS A SIZABLE INVESTMENT, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BENEFIT FROM FOR AT LEAST A DECADE IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. >> WE DO OWN THIS VEHICLE. THIS IS AT LEAST, CORRECT? >> I BELIEVE THIS IS ONE OF OUR LEASED TO OWNED VEHICLES. >> THIS IS LEASED AS WELL. >> THIS ONE WAS PURCHASED USED, OBVIOUSLY, FROM A FIRE DEPARTMENT IN UPSTATE NEW YORK, AND CHUCKLED WHEN JOE TALKED ABOUT THE BENEFITS AND THE COST OF BUYING USED. THIS IS THE DOWNSIDE OF THAT, UNFORTUNATELY. >> ALSO, IF I COULD JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LEASE, IT'S REALLY A FINANCING MECHANISM. THIS ISN'T LIKE WHEN YOU MIGHT LEASE A CAR YOU HAVE IT TURN IT OVER. WE LEASE THIS AT THE AT THE END OF THE FIVE YEAR PAYMENT PLAN TO US AND IT IS SOLELY OURS. ALL THE THINGS WE HAVE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR FIRE EQUIPMENT, WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT LEASING. IT'S REALLY A FINANCING MECHANISM TO SPREAD OUT PAYMENTS FOR WHAT THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE IS, AND THEN YOU GET THE TITLE AT THE END. THIS IS IN ESSENCE, IT'S OUR VEHICLE. [INAUDIBLE] >> I JUST WANT TO KNOW THAT I HAVE THE CORRECT MINDSET. >> PROBLEM WITH THE MOTOR, APPARENT AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR OWNERSHIP OF IT. DID WE KNOW WE WERE TAKING OVER A PROBLEM AT THE TIME? >> NO. WHEN WE FIRST LOOKED AT THIS ENGINE, WHEN WE WERE WE WERE THINKING OF BUYING IT, BRODY, THE LEAD FLEET TECHNICIAN ACTUALLY CAME DOWN AND DROVE IT AND AT THAT POINT, WITHOUT TEARING IT APART, HE GAVE IT A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH, AND SO IT WAS CLEARLY UNEXPECTED. WE DIDN'T REALIZE WE WERE INHERITING THIS PROBLEM. >> THERE'S OBVIOUSLY NOTHING IN THAT AGREEMENT THAT WOULD FORESEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS. >> NO. WERE BUYING A USED PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. WE WERE TAKING A CHANCE. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE WHAT IT WRONG, BUT IT'S THE SEALS AND STUFF ON THE PISTONS THAT ARE FAILING, SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THEY DIDN'T TEAR THE HEAD APART TO LOOK AT THE THAT WHEN WE WERE PURCHASING IT. >> HOW LONG WOULD THE VEHICLE BE IN THE SHOP? THEN WHILE IT IS IN THE SHOP, WHAT VEHICLE ARE WE USING FOR RESPONSE? >> GOOD QUESTION. WHEN BRODY, THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM, AND WE ACTUALLY PUT ENGINE 1 ON THE BENCH, AND WE'VE BEEN USING LONG LAKES ENGINE 11 AS A DUTY CREW ENGINE. WE ALSO USE LADDER 1. WE'RE TRYING TO ROTATE THAT AROUND. ONCE IF WE WERE TO GET APPROVAL FOR THIS, THERE IS APPROXIMATELY A 4-6 WEEK LEAD TIME ON THE ACTUAL MOTOR ITSELF. THEN BRODY'S TELLING ME HE WOULD HAVE ABOUT 2-3 WEEKS OF LABOR IN ORDER TO DO THAT REPLACEMENT. WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT TWO MONTHS BEFORE ENGINE 1 IS BACK IN SERVICE. >> WHAT WAS THE ORIGINAL COST OF THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT? >> I BELIEVE IT WAS AROUND 300,000. >> IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. I LOOK IT UP. >> POSED TO BE ABOUT 20% OF [INAUDIBLE] >> YEAH. THE THING WITH THE ENGINE 2, THOUGH, IS AS MENTIONED OTHER THAN THE ENGINE THE PUMP PUMPING APPARATUS. EVERYTHING SITTING ON THE BACK OF THAT ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION ARE ALL STILL REALLY GOOD. BRODY, IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM, HE'S ASSURED ME THAT THIS IS THE FLAW WITH THIS ENGINE. THAT'S WHY IT'S COME REPEATEDLY IN THE SHOP. IS DUE TO I DON'T WANT TO WASTE YOUR TIME, BUT THESE ENGINES ARE BUILT FOR OVER THE ROAD TRUCKING, SO THEY'RE RUNNING AT HIGH RPM FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S NOT HOW FIRE DEPARTMENTS USE THEM, SO THIS ISN'T JUST A ONLY LONG LAKE PROBLEM. THIS IS A AMERICAN FIRE SERVICE PROBLEM WITH THESE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES AS WELL. THE OTHER PART OF THE REPLACEMENT IS THERE'S A WARRANTY THAT WOULD GO ALONG WITH IT. IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN IN THE NEAR FUTURE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE HERE AGAIN ASKING FOR YOUR APPROVAL AGAIN. >> HOW LONG IS A WARRANTY? >> THREE YEARS, I BELIEVE. >> IT DOES. >> WAS THIS PROBLEM EXACERBATED BY WE'RE CONSTANTLY SEEING ENGINE 1 DRIVING AROUND TOWN QUITE A BIT EARLIER, THAT WAS THE PRACTICE FOR A WHILE FOR [01:35:02] OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT TO BE DRIVING THIS AROUND THE COMMUNITY. DID THAT EXACERBATE THIS PROBLEM BY ANY CHANCE? >> I'M TRYING TO THREAD A NEEDLE HERE, MAYOR. OBVIOUSLY, THE MORE MILES THAT YOU PUT ON ANY VEHICLE, THE MORE MAINTENANCE NEEDS IT'S GOING TO HAVE THE PRACTICE OF DRIVING OR BEING MOBILE WAS NECESSARY AT THE TIME, DUE TO FACTORS THAT YOU GUYS ARE ALL AWARE OF. I WOULD SAY THAT IT DIDN'T HELP. I MEAN, WE'RE TRYING TO LIMIT OUR IDLE TIME. WE'RE TRYING TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF MILES AND THAT WE PUT ON OUR VEHICLES, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO GET OUT AND SEE THE CITIZENS. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS. WE WANT TO GET FAMILIAR WITH THE CITY AS WELL. SO WE TRY TO STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN THAT AND WEAR AND TEAR ON THE VEHICLES. >> THIS IS GOING TO BE A BACKUP IN THE FUTURE, THIS ENGINE? >> WELL, I DON'T I GUESS THAT WOULD BE FOR PROBABLY SOMEBODY ELSE TO DECIDE. I DO KNOW IT WILL BE THE SECOND NEWEST VEHICLE THAT THE CONSOLIDATED FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL HAVE. IF THERE'S IT MIGHT BE A RESPONSE VEHICLE FOR THE PAID HOME CALL STAFF. MIGHT BE IF THERE WAS EVER AN EXPANSION OF THE DUTY CREW TO MORE THAN JUST ONE CREW OR ONE ENGINE OR ONE STATION, IT WOULD PROBABLY ALSO BE A DUTY CREW ENGINE. IT HAS A LOT OF LIFE LEFT IN IT. IT'S A REALLY STRONG, OPERATIONALLY DESIGNED TRUCK. IT HAS A LOT OF LIFE IN IT, AND WILL CERTAINLY SERVE THE CITIZENS FOR YEARS TO COME ONCE IT GETS A NEW MOTOR. IF YOU DECIDE TO APPROVE THAT. >> ALSO THE NORMAL CYCLE OF ENGINE OF YOUR FIRST OUT ENGINES OR TEND TO BE YOUR NEWER ONES AND THEN AS YOU PROCURE YOUR REPLACEMENTS FOR THOSE, THEN THE ONES YOU HAVE THEN MOVE ON INTO BEING BACKUPS, AND THEN BEFORE YOU GET RID OF THEM. YES, AT SOME POINT, ALL THESE ENGINES MOVE THROUGH THEIR CYCLES OF BEING THE FIRST ENGINE OUT, THE PRIMARY ENGINE, THEN MOVING TO A BACKUP ENGINE, AND MAYBE EVEN A BACKUP TO THE BACKUP OR A TRAIN OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES. >> BUT, EVEN IF THIS WAS SLATED TO NO LONGER BE USED IN A COUPLE OF YEARS, THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED IN THE MEANTIME TO BE OPERATING APPROPRIATELY. IT ALSO HELPS THAT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT HOLD ITS VALUE IF WE EVER HAVE TO. >> WHAT I WAS THINKING. >> WE JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE JUST LIKE ALL THE PREVIOUS MODELS, AS WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THE CAPITAL NEEDED FOR THIS NEW FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE ARE STILL LOOKING AT TWO PRIMARY ENGINES, ONE AT EACH STATION. THEN THERE'S SOME DEBATE BETWEEN THE CHIEFS, NOT NECESSARILY THE CHIEFS, BUT THE FIREFIGHTERS ABOUT WITHIN WHETHER WE NEED ONE BACKUP OR TWO BACKUPS SITTING BEHIND THOSE LEAD ENGINES. WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO END UP WITH THREE FIRE ENGINES IN THE LADDER TRUCK OR IT'S FOUR FIRE ENGINES IN THE LADDER TRUCK. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT THIS THE NEW CHIEF AND THE NEW. >> OPERATING BOARD. >> OPERATING BOARD WILL HAVE TO BE DECIDING. BUT IT DOES POINT BEING, THIS IS A VERY GOOD FIRE ENGINE THAT HAS A LOT OF USE LEFT FOR FIRE SERVICE. >> NO. >> I CAN CLARIFY IT AT THE COST OF THIS LEASE, SO THIS ENGINE WAS IF IT'S THE PUMP RESCUE VEHICLE, THEN WE HAD ORIGINALLY PRINCIPAL PAYMENT IS 485,000. WE CURRENTLY ON IT, WE CURRENTLY HAVE, JUST IN PRINCIPAL ALONE, WE HAVE 336,000 LEFT FOR PAYMENT WISE. ON THE PRINCIPAL PORTION OF THE LEASE? >> ANYBODY HERE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS? >> I WILL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE REPAIR ON ENGINE E1 FOR AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT. >> I'LL SECOND THAT. >> MOVE AND SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? >> JUST TO CLARIFY THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS DONE IN HOUSE. >> CORRECT. YES. I WAS THAT? >> WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE WORK DONE IN HOUSE. WE'RE NOT JUST TO CLARIFY THAT FOR THE MOTION PURPOSES. >> THERE WERE TWO. >> YES. THANK YOU. NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. >> IF I MAY, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A SECOND TO THANK STEPHEN BOB AND ADAM FOR THEIR WORK ON THE CONSOLIDATION PROCESS. I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN GETTING SOME HEAT AND PRESSURE, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE REALIZE THAT THIS IS USUALLY A MULTI YEAR EFFORT IN ORDER TO PUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS TOGETHER. IN FACT THAT WE'RE SO CLOSE, 10 MONTHS IN IS A TESTAMENT TO YOUR DILIGENCE IN YOUR DEDICATION SCHOOL. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. [01:40:02] >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 15, [15. LA25-000025, 1530 Orchard Beach Place, Variance - Resolution 7613] WHICH IS PART OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORT, AND IT'S ACTION TAKEN TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION TO GRANT A VARIANCE ON 1530 ORCHARD BEACH PLACE, RESOLUTION 7613. >> YES, MR. MAYOR AND COUNSEL, STAFF DOESN'T HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR THIS PARTICULAR ITEM. AS DISCUSSED IN THE PREVIOUS MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 8TH, A RESOLUTION WAS PREPARED FOR YOU WITH FINDINGS OF APPROVAL FOR YOUR VOTE TONIGHT. >> THANK YOU. ANY COMMENTARY OR DOES ANYBODY CARE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION 7613? >> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION VARIANCE FOR THE RESOLUTION 7613. >> I'LL SECOND THAT. >> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? >> I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I DIDN'T VOTE IN APPROVAL OF THIS, BUT I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? NOT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. FINANCE REPORT [16. Adopt 2026 Preliminary Tax Levy - Resolution 7622] CONSIDERING OUR PRELIMINARY TAX LEVY AND OUR PRELIMINARY GENERAL FUND BUDGET. >> YES. GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNSEL. TONIGHT, I HAVE TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA FOR YOUR APPROVAL. I HAVE THE 2026 PRELIMINARY TAX LEVY. ALSO WITH THAT COUNCIL ITEM, A NEED FOR A MOTION TO SET THE TRUTH AND TAXATION HEARING FOR DECEMBER 8TH COUNCIL MEETING. THEN I HAVE THE 2026 PRELIMINARY GENERAL FUND BUDGET FOR APPROVAL. I'LL GIVE A QUICK BRIEFING ON THOSE TWO. IT WILL BE SOMEWHAT OF A RECAP FOR YOU ALL. 2026 PRELIMINARY GENERAL FUND BUDGET AND TAX LEVY. BUDGET PROCESS WISE, WE ARE HALFWAY DONE WITH THE PROCESS. WE STARTED THE PROCESS BACK IN MAY AND WE'LL FINALIZE THE PROCESS IN DECEMBER. WE ARE NOW IN SEPTEMBER, AT THE TIME TO ADOPT THE PRELIMINARY GENERAL FUND BUDGET AND TAX LEVY. ESTIMATED TAX RATE. THE ADJUSTED NET TAX CAPACITY THAT WE ARE USING THAT THE COUNTY RELEASE BACK IN MID AUGUST IS 62,653,121. THAT'S A INCREASE IN ADJUSTED NET TAX CAPACITY OF 6.43%. THAT PUTS AND THEN WITH OUR CURRENT LOCAL TALLY, WE ARE LOOKING AT $10,278,500. THAT'S AN INCREASE OF 647,000 6.72% INCREASE. IT'S PRETTY CLOSE TOGETHER WITH THOSE INCREASES. WE ARE LOOKING AT A CITY TAX CAPACITY RATE OF 16.405% AT THIS MOMENT WITH A PRELIMINARY GENERAL RATE TAX LEVY. GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I HAVE THE LEVY DETAIL. WE ARE LOOKING, AS I HAD STATED IN THE SLIDE PREVIOUSLY, A TAX LEVY OF 10 MILLION TO 78,500. WE DID SWITCH SOME NUMBERS AROUND FROM WHAT WAS PRESENTED AT THE WORK SESSION. THE TAX LEVY IS GOING DOWN 10,000 FROM THE LAST WORK SESSION ON SEPTEMBER 8TH, AND THE GENERAL FUND TAX LEVY IS GOING UP BY THAT OFFSET 10,000. THEN JUST A RECAP ON OUR TAX RATE HISTORY, AVERAGE FOR 10 YEARS, WORTH IS 16.644%. OUR CURRENT ESTIMATED PRELIMINARY TAX RATE IS 0.239% BELOW THE AVERAGE AT 16.405%. THEN TAX RATE COMPARISON, JUST ANOTHER RECAP. WE HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE LOWEST. SINCE I'VE KNOWN ONE OF THE FIVE LOWEST IN 2025, WE WERE THE FOURTH LOWEST TAX RATE IN HENNEPIN COUNTY. IMPACT ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES. WITH THE CURRENT ESTIMATED TAX RATE OF 16.405%, WE ARE LOOKING AT FOR A MEDIUM HOME OF 1.1 MILLION. THEY WOULD BE LOOKING AT A $120 INCREASE IN THEIR CITY PORTION OF PROPERTY TAXES THAT EQUATES TO $10 MORE A MONTH ON THEIR CITY PORTION OF PROPERTY TAXES. [01:45:06] >> THIS GRAPH IS JUST A COMPARISON TO OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES IN THE AREA OF WHAT THAT INCREASE LOOKS LIKE OR WHAT THEIR CITY PORTION OF PROPERTY TAXES IS ON A MONTHLY BASIS. FOR A HOME, MEDIUM HOME IN ORONO OF 1.1 MILLION, THEY'D BE LOOKING AT A MONTHLY CITY TAX OF 100 OR 172, 20 IN 2025 AND THEN ESTIMATED $172 IN 2026. THAT EQUATES TO AROUND 2187 PER YEAR FOR A MEDIUM HOME IN ORONO. MOVING ON TO THE PRELIMINARY GENERAL FUND BUDGET, GENERAL FUND REVENUE AND GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES EQUATE TO EACH OTHER. A GENERAL FUND BUDGET IS A BREAK BALANCE BUDGET, SO EXPENDITURES EQUAL REVENUE. WE ARE LOOKING AT 12.5 MILLION FOR GENERAL FUND REVENUE BUDGET FOR 2026, A DATA INCREASE OF 555,000 OR 4.7%. THEN A BREAKOUT OF THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE BUDGET, OUR LARGEST REVENUE SOURCE, IF YOU GO NEXT SLIDE, IS PROPERTY TAXES FOLLOWED BY PUBLIC SAFETY CHARGES. THEN GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURE WILL EQUATE TO GENERAL FUND REVENUE BUDGET, 12.5 MILLION AS WELL FOR THE BUDGET. SAME INCREASE, $555,000 INCREASING AND 4.7% INCREASE. YOU'LL SEE ON THE GRAPH TO THE RIGHT THAT MAJORITY OF THE EXPENDITURE BUDGET IS MADE OUT OF THE COST OF PEOPLE. BETWEEN PERSONAL SERVICE AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICE, THAT MAKES UP OVER 83% OF THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURE BUDGET. THEN A BREAKOUT BY DEPARTMENT ON THE NEXT SLIDE. MAJORITY OF GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURE IS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY EXPENDITURE, FOLLOWED BY GENERAL GOVERNMENT. GENERAL GOVERNMENT INCLUDES ADMINISTRATION, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, ELECTION, COMMUNICATION, FINANCE AND LEGAL SERVICE, HUMAN SERVICE AND CENTRAL SERVICE AND THEN FOLLOWED BY PUBLIC WORKS AND THEN PARKS AND THEN THE OTHER MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. THEN ON TO WHAT'S IMPACTING THE 2026 BUDGET. THIS WILL BE ALL RECAP FOR YOU ALL AGAIN. INFLATION, WE TYPICALLY LOOK AT MAY OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR TO MAY OF CURRENT YEAR BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THE BUDGET CYCLE BEGINS. THAT'S A 2.4% INCREASE FOR CPI-U. ESTIMATED TAX MARKET VALUE IS INCREASING BY 6.4% IN THE CITY OF ORONO, AND THEN ESTIMATED ADJUSTED NET TAX CAPACITY IS INCREASING BY 6.43%. THEN, FINAL PROPERTY VALUES WILL NOT BE RECEIVED UNTIL YEAR END. WITH THE FINAL BUDGET AND TAX LEVY ADOPTION IN DECEMBER. WE WILL STILL BE USING THE SAME ADJUSTED NET TAX CAPACITY THAT WE'RE USING FOR PRELIMINARY. THEN WAGES AS WELL, A UNION NEGOTIATION IS UNDERWAY, SO THAT WILL BE AT CLOSED SESSION TONIGHT THAT WE'LL DISCUSS THAT MORE WITH. THEN POLICE SERVICE CONTRACT. I DID WANT TO NOTE AGAIN THAT MOUND IS BASED ON CPI-U AND NOT THE WAGE INCREASE. THAT'S IMPACTING SOME OF THAT PROPERTY TAX PORTION AS WELL. THEN PAID MEDICAL LEAVE STARTS JANUARY 1, 2026. THAT'S FILL INTO THE 2026 BUDGET ALREADY. THEN HEALTH INSURANCE. RFP PROCESS IS STILL UNDERWAY. WE SHOULD BE GETTING OUR RESULTS LATER THIS WEEK. THEN WE ARE STILL WAITING ON PEPS RENEWAL, PEP AS PUBLIC EMPLOYEE INSURANCE PLAN. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY ON RIGHT NOW. WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR THEIR RATES TO BE RELEASED TO US. THEN OTHER NOTABLE CHANGES IN THE GENERAL FUND. TOTAL WAGE AND BENEFIT CHANGE. RIGHT NOW WE ARE LOOKING AT A TOTAL DECREASE OF 126,000. THAT'S MADE OUT OF GENERAL FUND WAGE INCREASE OF 541,000 OFFSET BY THE DECREASE IN FIRE PERSONAL WAGES AND BENEFIT OF 668,000 APPROXIMATELY AND THEN TRANSITION TO JPA FIRE DEPARTMENT. [01:50:03] THAT SERVICE CONTRACT IS ANTICIPATED TO INCREASE 390,000 AND THAT'S WHAT'S DRIVING UP THAT PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CATEGORY. THEN TRANSITION OF FACILITIES RELATED EXPENDITURE, APPROXIMATELY INCREASING BY 122,000, THAT'S MADE OUT OF FACILITY STAFF WAGES AND BENEFITS FROM CENTRAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT SWITCHING OVER TO THAT FACILITY INTERNAL SERVICE FUND. THAT'S DECREASING THAT THOSE LINE ITEMS BY 145,000, AND THEN FACILITY RELATED EXPENDITURES TO BE CHARGED AS PROFESSIONAL SERVICE. THEN YOU'LL SEE INCREASING BY 267,000. THAT'S WHAT'S CAUSING THE TRANSITION OF FACILITY RELATED EXPENDITURE TO INCREASE BY 122,050. THEN IP AND FLEET SERVICE CHARGE ARE INCREASING TO CATCH UP TO RELATED EXPENDITURES IN THE GENERAL FUND BY 127,000. THEN ALSO A BIG INCREASE IN GENERAL FUND BUDGET IS ALSO THAT PUBLIC WORKS AND PARKS TREE PLAN. THE TREE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE LINE ITEM IN THOSE DEPARTMENTS ARE INCREASING BY 230,000 TO FOLLOW THE TREE PLAN RECOMMENDATION. A NEXT STEP ON THE NEXT SLIDE. CONCLUDING MY PRESENTATION, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING COUNSEL TO MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE PRELIMINARY TAX LEVY FOR 2026, MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE PRELIMINARY GENERAL FUND BUDGET AND THEN ALSO SETTING THE DATE FOR TRUSON AND TAXATION HEARING FOR DECEMBER E COUNCIL MEETING. THEN ALSO JUST A NOTE THAT WE WILL NEED TO ADOPT IF NOT THE NUMBER PRESENTED IN THE RESOLUTION. WE WILL NEED TO ADOPT A NUMBER BY SEPTEMBER 30 AND FOR IT TO BE SENT TO THE COUNTY. THEN ONCE THE PRELIMINARY LEVY IS SET, THE LEVY AMOUNT CANNOT BE INCREASED, I CAN ONLY BE DECREASED. THEN PRELIMINARY BUDGET AND THE TAX LEVY INFORMATION WILL BE WHATEVER NUMBER IS ADOPTED. THAT WILL BE SENT IN THE TNT NOTICE WITH TAXPAYERS, PROPERTY TAX NOTICES THAT THE COUNTY SENDS IN NOVEMBER. WITH THAT, I CONCLUDE, AND I LEAVE IT UP TO COUNSEL TO MAKE A MOTION. >> QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNSEL. >> YES AND I HAVE ONE. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF UNKNOWNS HERE. WAGES ARE STILL BEING NEGOTIATED. WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH OUR HEALTH BENEFITS. CHARGES PREMIUMS ARE GOING TO BE GOING UP. ARE YOU COMFORTABLE THAT IN SETTING THIS PRELIMINARY LEVY, WE ARE CAPTURING ALL OF THOSE INCREASED COSTS THAT WE MAY HAVE AS A RESULT OF SOME OF THOSE UNKNOWNS. >> YEAH. >> KEEP IN MIND THAT WE'RE SETTING IT, AT A RELATIVELY HIGH LEVEL THAT WE CAN THEN MOVE DOWN, BUT WE CAN'T GO UP [INAUDIBLE]. YES. WAGE WISE WE DID MOVE THAT DOWN SLIGHTLY FROM THE VERY FIRST DRAFT, BUT THAT'S IN ANTICIPATION OF WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE TO DATE OF WHERE WE'RE AT WAGES, AND THEN HEALTH INSURANCE BECAUSE IT'S SUCH AN UNKNOWN. WE DID FACTOR FOR OUR FIRST COUNTER OFFER TO THE UNIONS. BUT WE HAVE SINCE PROPOSED A NEW COUNTER, AND WE DON'T KNOW WHICH DIRECTION THAT WILL MOVE. BUT IF WE HAD ANY SHORTFALL IN BUDGET, WE COULD ALWAYS MAKE THAT UP WITH SURPLUS OR FUTURE BUDGETING AS WELL. THEN STAFF TURNOVER, THAT'S ALWAYS ANTICIPATED. THAT WOULD MAKE UP SOME OF THE DIFFERENCE DEPENDING ON WHICH WAY THAT GOES NEXT YEAR, SINCE IT'S SUCH AN UNKNOWN FACTOR. >> OVERALL, YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH? >> YES. WITH THE CURRENT PRELIMINARY NUMBERS, I AM COMFORTABLE WITH THOSE ITEMS. >> MAGGIE BUDGETS CONSERVATIVELY AS WE DO THE PRELIMINARY LEVY, SO WE HAVE SOME ABILITY TO MOVE SOME THINGS AROUND IF SOMETHING DOESN'T GO THE WAY THAT WE'RE PROJECTING. >> WE DO HAVE THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN COMING UP AS WELL. DEPENDING ON WHERE THOSE NUMBERS LAND, WE COULD PUSH SOME ITEMS BACK OR WHATNOT, IF WE NEED TO MAKE UP THOSE FUNDS ELSEWHERE. [01:55:02] >> OTHER QUESTIONS? >> I DID HAVE ONE THING ON THE, AND I THINK IT WAS CORRECTED IN MAYBE THE RESOLUTION, BUT THERE'S IN THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET BOOK, PAGE TWO, THERE IS A TYPO THAT SAYS THAT THE REVENUE BUDGET TOTALS 112 MILLION OR 90. >> YES. >> MAKE SURE YOU MAKE THAT CORRECTION EVERYWHERE. I THINK YOU CAUGHT IT IN ONE PLACE, BUT MAYBE NOT IN THE BOOK. >> YES. THE BUDGET BOOK IS REALLY JUST A PRELIMINARY BUDGET BOOK. I JUST PROVIDED THAT FOR REFERENCE SO THAT YOU HAD THE OVERALL BUDGET IN FRONT OF YOU. WE DID MAKE THAT EDIT IN THE MEMO PORTION OF THE COUNCIL ITEM. >> [OVERLAPPING] THANK YOU. >> BUT THE BUDGET BOOK, I DID NOT CATCH IN TIME FOR THAT REPUBLISH SHANE, BUT WE WILL, I HAVE THAT ALREADY CORRECTED. GREAT. IT WILL BE REFLECTED IN THE FINAL VERSION OF THE BUDGET BOOK. >> PLATES FOR AN EXTRA DIGIT MAKE BIG DIFFERENCE [LAUGHTER]? >> YEAH. I WAS LIKE [INAUDIBLE]. WOW. THAT'S INTERESTING. >> COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. OTHERWISE, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ADOPTION OF THE 2026 PRELIMINARY TAX LEVY. THAT'S RESOLUTION 7622 IN OUR BOOKS. >> WE MAKE A MOTION? I WILL MAKE THE MOTION THEN TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 7622 FOR THE PRELIMINARY TAX LEVY. >> IS THERE A SECOND FOR THAT? >> SECOND. >> IS THERE A FURTHER DISCUSSION? >> IF YOU COULD ALSO MAKE A MOTION TO SET THE DATE OF THE TRUSON TAXATION HEARING, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. >> OH, OKAY. IS THAT PART OF THAT RESOLUTION, OR IS THAT I MEAN, BECAUSE WE ALSO NEED TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 7623 SEPARATELY. >> YOU CAN DO IT SEPARATELY, BUT THAT WAS PART OF THAT COUNSEL ITEM. >> OKAY. >> JACK, DO YOU WANT TO UPDATE YOUR? >> CERTAINLY. >> OH, YEAH, IT'S PART OF THIS. >> OKAY. >> YEAH, IF YOU WANT TO ENTERTAIN A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO YOUR MOTION OR MAKE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT IN ADDITION TO APPROVING THE TAX LEVY, BUT ALSO SETTING THE TRUTH IN TAXATION MEETING FOR DECEMBER 8 AT 6:00 P.M. >> ALL RIGHT. I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE PRELIMINARY TAX LEVY RESOLUTION 7622 FOR THE YEAR OF 2026 AND ALSO SET THE DATE OF DECEMBER 8 FOR THE TRUTH IN TAXATION. >> OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? >> SECOND. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAME SIDE. MOTION CARRIES. NOW WE WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT THE 2026 PRELIMINARY GENERAL FUND BUDGET. [17. Adopt 2026 Preliminary General Fund Budget - Resolution 7623] THAT'S RESOLUTION 7623. >> A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 7623, ADOPTING 2026 PRELIMINARY GENERAL FUND BUDGET. >> I'LL SECOND. >> OKAY. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THAT MOTION SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAGGIE. WE MOVE ON TO THE ATTORNEY REPORT [INAUDIBLE]. [Attorney Report] >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I DO HAVE A COUPLE ITEMS. ONE, WE HAVE SPENT SIGNIFICANT TIME WORKING WITH LONG LAKE AND INTERNALLY ON THE JPA. I WAS GOING TO GIVE AN UPDATE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO STEAL ANYONE'S THUNDER ON THAT EITHER, SHOULD I GO AHEAD? >> GO AHEAD. >> OKAY. WE DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS AND COUNCIL MEMBER PERSHING AND THE MAYOR, ADAM AND MYSELF, AND OUR COUNTERPARTS WITH LONG LAKE LAST WEEK. WE HAD A VERY LONG SESSION, AND I THINK A VERY POSITIVE NEGOTIATION. I THINK WE ARE LARGELY THERE. WE HAVE TO WORK OUT SOME LANGUAGE, BUT I THINK ALL THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENTS HAVE BEEN PUT FORTH. THERE'S STILL SOME FINESSING AND SOME SANDING ON THE EDGES THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. BUT I THINK WE IN LARGE PART, HAVE AN AGREEMENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BRING FORWARD TO THIS BODY TO NOT ONLY DISCUSS, BUT HOPEFULLY ADOPT. IT IS IN THE LAWYERS HANDS AT THIS POINT. LONG LAKES ATTORNEY IS WORKING ON THE JPA. I HAVE BEEN TASKED WITH WORKING ON THE LEASE AGREEMENT, WHICH IS ALSO A VERY CRITICAL COMPONENT OF LEASE AGREEMENT AS IT RELATES TO THE FIRE STATIONS. WE ARE WORKING ON THAT, TOO. I THINK WE HAVE GOOD CONSENSUS ON THE AGREEMENT. I'M HOPEFUL THAT THE AGREEMENTS IN FINAL FORM AND PREPARED FOR ADOPTION WILL BE BEFORE THIS BODY FOR CONSIDERATION IN OCTOBER, SO THAT IS NEXT MONTH. THE IDEA BEHIND IT WILL BE THAT WE WILL BE FORMING [02:00:02] A NEW FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT WILL BE PART OF THIS JPA AND THE JPA WILL CONSIST OF, INITIALLY, ANYWAY, THE TWO COMMUNITIES OF LONG LAKE AND ORONO. BOTH WITH EQUAL VOTES, AND EQUAL SEAT AT THE TABLE ON THIS. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IT'S AN AGREEMENT THAT'S BEEN A LOT OF TIME WITH A LOT OF CALCULATION AND THOUGHT PUT FORWARD, CONCESSIONS BY BOTH SIDES. I THINK IT REPRESENTS ULTIMATELY A DOCUMENT THAT WILL SERVE THE TWO COMMUNITIES WELL IN PROVIDING THIS VERY IMPORTANT SERVICE. >> DETAILS TO FOLLOW, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS NOW FAIR TO TALK ABOUT AND SAY THAT WE'RE CLOSE ON. THAT WOULD BE MY REPORT ON THAT. A LOT OF HARD WORK HAS GONE INTO IT. IF THERE'S QUESTIONS, I CAN CERTAINLY TAKE THAT. OTHERWISE, JUMPING TO OCTOBER. I HAVE, UNFORTUNATELY, A VERY PACKED AND SOMEWHAT CONFLICT-RIDDEN MONTH IN NOVEMBER. YOUR NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING IS OCTOBER 13TH, AND I WILL BE DOING A PRESENTATION IN ANOTHER COMMUNITY ON PREVAILING WAGES ON THAT ITEM. I HAVE TRIED TO BEG THAT ITEM OFF ONTO A DIFFERENT DATE OR SOMEONE ELSE, BUT I AM UNABLE TO, SO I WILL BE SENDING CRIEN HEINE TO ATTEND THAT MEETING. SHE'S BEEN HERE BEFORE SO I DO HAVE A CONFLICT. THEN ON THE 27TH IS A TBD FOR ME. I ALSO HAVE ANOTHER PRESENTATION THAT I JUST COULD NOT SHAKE ON THAT SO I MAY BE SENDING CRIEN ON THE 27TH ALSO. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO BE HERE FOR THAT MEETING, ESPECIALLY IF THE FIRE AGREEMENT FINDS ITS WAY ON THAT MEETING. THOSE ARE JUST CONFLICT. THE OTHER ITEM WE'VE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ON, AND I DON'T PLAN TO COVER MUCH BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION, BUT ADAM MAGGY AND I HAVE BEEN SPENDING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME ON NEGOTIATING WAGES WITH COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS, AND SO WE WILL GO INTO CLOSED SESSION ON THAT AND COVER THAT IN MORE DETAIL. I'LL LEAVE THE DETAILS TO THE CLOSED SESSION. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO UPDATE, MR. MAYOR. >> QUESTION FOR YOU. WHEN YOU BRING UP OCTOBER 13TH, I THINK IT'S WHAT'S HISTORICALLY BEEN KNOWN AS COLUMBUS DAY, AND NOW KNOWN AS INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' DAY. IS IT OKAY FOR US TO HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING THAT EVENING? >> IT'S ONE OF THOSE OPTIONAL HOLIDAYS, IF YOU WILL AND I DON'T BELIEVE ORONO HAS RECOGNIZED IT IN THE PAST. CERTAINLY, IT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED. YOU CAN CERTAINLY CHOOSE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT ON THAT, BUT IT IS NOT A MANDATORY HOLIDAY. >> IF IT'S MANDATORY HOLIDAY. WE CAN'T DO BUSINESS, EVEN IF WE WANTED TO? >> YEAH. SHOULD JULY 4TH FALL ON ONE OF YOUR MONDAYS. [LAUGHTER] >> MEETING ON TUESDAY. >> YEAH. WITH THAT, I HAVE NO OTHER UPDATES, MR. MAYOR. >> THANK YOU. >> THANKS FOR YOUR WORK ON THE JPA. >> THANK YOU. >> REALLY APPRECIATE IT. CITY ADMINISTRATOR ENGINEER REPORT. [18. No Parking - Maple Lane - Resolution 7624] >> MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION. ITEM NUMBER 18 IS A RESOLUTION TO DECLARE A NO-PARKING ZONE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF MAPLE LANE. THIS IS THE ROAD THAT'S ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF HACKBERRY PARK. DID RECEIVE A PETITION FROM ALL THREE ABUTTING PROPERTY OWNERS ASKING FOR THE DECLARATION OF THAT NO PARKING ZONE. NO PARKING ZONES HAVE TO BE DECLARED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND SO YOU HAVE A RESOLUTION BEFORE YOU TO DECLARE THAT AS A NO-PARKING ZONE. IF YOU APPROVE THAT OR ADOPT THAT RESOLUTION, THEN, THE PUBLIC WORK STAFF WILL GO OUT AND PUT THE APPROPRIATE SIGNPOSTS UP, AND THEN THE ORONO POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL ENFORCE IT. >> A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON THAT. IF WE ADOPT THIS, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE COULD LATER RESCIND IF WE DECIDED WE NEEDED ADDITIONAL PARKING FOR HACKBERRY PARK, WHICH IS ADJACENT TO THAT? >> YES, THE COUNCIL COULD TAKE AWAY A NO-PARKING RESTRICTION. >> IT'S WITHIN OUR DISCRETION. EVEN IF THE CITIZENS THAT LIVE THERE ARE ASKING FOR IT, WE'RE NOT UNDER ANY OBLIGATION TO APPROVE THAT. >> IT'S ALSO JUST IMPORTANT. I ALWAYS EXPLAIN THIS TO RESIDENTS WHEN THEY ASK FOR IT SO JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE. ONE OF THINGS ABOUT THE WAY WE DO NO PARKING IN ORONO IS NO PARKING IS NO PARKING AND SO I ALWAYS EXPLAIN TO THE RESIDENTS THAT ONCE THAT'S NO PARKING, IT'S ENFORCED WHETHER IT'S THEM PARKING THERE OR SOMEBODY FROM OUTSIDE THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARKING THERE. IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, WE PRELIMINARILY, AND WE HAVE PARKING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD, SO IT DOESN'T IMPACT THEM. IT SEEMS TO MAKE SENSE FROM WAY THOSE ROADS OPERATE ANYWAY TO HAVE ONE SIDE, NO PARKING THAT WAY, EVEN IF YOU DO HAVE PARKING ALONG THE ROAD, THEN YOU STILL HAVE AT LEAST ONE, 1.5 LANES CLEAR FOR TRAVEL AS WELL AS EMERGENCY VEHICLES. >> YOU SAID YOU HAD THREE RESIDENTS OR THREE ADDRESSES. [02:05:04] THERE'S THREE SIGNATURES, BUT TWO ADDRESSES ON HERE. >> THERE ARE TWO PARCELS THAT HAVE THEIR ACCESS ONTO MAPLE AND ONE THAT HAS ITS ACCESS ON HACKBERRY BUT A BUTTS. >> YEAH BECAUSE THERE'S THREE RESIDENTS THERE. >> THERE'S THREE PARCELS. >> THE ONE IN THE MIDDLE. >> THREE PARCELS, TWO DRIVEWAYS. >> HOW ABOUT THE OTHER PEOPLE ON MAPLE? >> THAT'S ALL THERE IS. >> SO YOU HAVE 24/25 MAPLE, AND YOU HAVE 96 HACKBERRY. >> YEAH 95. >> AM I MISSING SOMETHING? >> WELL, LOOKING AT THE DRIVE, I SEE THREE PROPERTIES. THEY TOUCH MAPLE LANE, 96 MUST BE HACKBERRY, 24/25 AND 95. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S 95 WILLOW. >> WELL, 95. IT LOOKS LIKE THE ACCESS IS TO WILLOW, THE DRIVEWAY IS. >> NINETY FIVE IS WILLOW, 24/25 IS MAPLE, AND 96 ACTUALLY HAS TWO ACCESSES, ONE ON HACKBERRY AND WILLOW. >> IT IS THESE THREE PROPERTIES THAT SIGNED THE PETITION ASKING FOR THIS AREA TO BE A PARKING LOT. >> ADAM, I HAVE A QUESTION. WHY IS THIS COMING FORWARD NOW? I KNOW THAT PARKING HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR QUITE SOME TIME THERE. WHY IS THIS BEING BROUGHT FORWARD AT THIS TIME? >> BECAUSE THOSE THREE PROPERTIES SUBMITTED A PETITION ASKING THIS CITY TO ESTABLISH NO PARKING. >> SO THEY'VE NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE WITH ALL THE ISSUES WITH PARKING, WITH ALL THE T BALL, ALL THE DOUBLE PARKING. NOBODY'S EVER ON EITHER ELM, MAPLE, OR HACKBERRY, EVER SUBMITTED A PETITION BEFORE? >> NO. FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, I'VE HAD ONE. SOMETIMES TWO OF THE RESIDENTS CALL AND ASK ABOUT IT, TO WHICH I ALWAYS RESPOND FOR OUR PER OUR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT POLICY, I JUST I NEED A PETITION BY AT LEAST 50% OF THE IMPACTED RESIDENTS TO BEGIN THE PROCESS. IN THIS CASE, AND NORMALLY WITH THE WAY OUR PROCESS WOULD WORK, WE'D GET A PETITION WITH AT LEAST 50%, AND THAT WOULD INITIATE A STAFF REVIEW AND THEN I WOULD SEND LETTERS TO 100% OF THE IMPACTED RESIDENTS TO GET RESPONSES. NORMALLY WE'RE LOOKING FOR 70% TO RESPOND IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. WE SKIPPED THAT STEP IN THIS CASE BECAUSE IT WAS A UNANIMOUS PETITION TO START WITH, SO I DIDN'T REACH BACK OUT TO ANYBODY BECAUSE THEY WERE ALL ON THE PETITION ORIGINALLY. >> WHEN THERE ARE GAMES THERE ARE PEOPLE PARKING ON BOTH SIDES OF MAPLE LANE AND/OR HACKBERRY AND OR ELM. IS THAT A DOUBLE PARKING ON ALL THOSE THREE STREETS? >> CURRENTLY, THERE ARE NO RESTRICTIONS, SO, YES, YOU CAN PARK ON EITHER SIDE OF ANY OF THOSE STREETS. >> WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ELM AND HACKBERRY RESIDENTS BRING FORWARD PETITIONS AND PARKING IS RESTRICTED ONLY TO ONE SIDE OF THIS PARK THAT'S GOING TO BE SUFFICIENT FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS OR A YEAR AND A HALF? >> FOR PARK USE? >> YES. >> YES. >> FOR GAMES? >> YES. >> PARKING ONLY ON THE PARK SIDE AND ON WILLOW, WHAT CURRENTLY STANDS THERE WILL BE SUFFICIENT? >> YES. THE WAY THAT WE'VE DONE THE PRELIMINARY DESIGN LAYOUT FOR THE PARK, REMEMBER THE DIAGRAM WE HAD TRYING TO FACILITATE MAKING SURE THAT WE HAD THE ABILITY TO HAVE SOME ON STREET PARKING, THEN THAT COMBINED WITH THE FORMAL PARKING LOT PARKING. THEN SOMETHING TO BE WHERE THAT EQUATION BALANCES WHEN WE GET TO THE FINAL DESIGN, YET TO BE SEEN THE WAY THAT THE FEASIBILITY OR THE PRELIMINARY DESIGN WAS LAID OUT, I THINK WE HAD 26 PARKING SPOTS SHOWN IN THE FORMAL PARKING LOT, AND THEN THE REMAINDER AROUND THE PERIMETER. IF THE PARKING LOT GROWS, THEN WE CAN NOT HAVE AS MANY AROUND THE PERIMETER. BUT WE ARE ABLE TO EASILY ACCOMMODATE ALL THE NECESSARY PARKING FOR TWO SIMULTANEOUS GAMES ON THE PARK SIDE OF THOSE ROADS AND THE PARKING LOT. >> THE SWITCH OVER TIME THAT INVOLVES MORE TRAFFIC THAT TIME, WHERE THERE'S TWO SPORTS, ONE ENDING, ONE BEGINNING OR SIMULTANEOUS. ALL OF THAT CAN BE ACCOMMODATED WITH PARKING ON THE PARK SIDE ONLY FOR THOSE THREES. WHAT ABOUT ENFORCEMENT? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THESE HOMEOWNERS WOULD CALL INTO THE PLEA D, OR ARE THEY PATROLLING NOW THIS ACTIVELY AS A NO PARKING ZONE AND WRITING TICKETS? >> OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT ENFORCES NO PARKING BASED ON COMPLAINT SO IT'S NORMALLY GENERATED BY A RESIDENT OR SOMEBODY ELSE CALLING TO SAY, HEY, THERE'S A VEHICLE THAT'S PARKED IN A NO PARKING ZONE OR OVERNIGHT OR WHATEVER THE RULE IS IS BEING VIOLATED SOMETIMES. THE OTHER WAY THAT HAPPENS SOMETIMES IS OUR PUBLIC WORKS GUYS AS WE'RE OUT DOING SNOWPLOWING, MIGHT CALL IN A COMPLAINT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OF VEHICLES IN THE WAY FOR SNOWPLOWING. BUT NO, WE DON'T HAVE OUR POLICE OUT ACTIVELY PATROLLING FOR NO PARKING. [02:10:09] >> YOU THINK THE IMPETUS THEN IS THE HEAVY USE OF THE FIELD. IT'S NOT THAT PEOPLE ARE PARKING, THEY ARE LEAVING THEIR CARS OVERNIGHT. IT'S THE SPORTS USE PARKING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET. THAT'S THE IMPETUS FOR THIS PETITION. >> I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM THESE, OR AT LEAST THE TWO RESIDENTS THAT I'VE HEARD FROM IN THE PAST IS THEY DON'T LIKE THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT AREN'T THEM OR THEIR GUESTS THAT ARE SOMETIMES PARKING OR IN PARTICULAR PULLING OFF THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND PUTTING RUTS IN THEIR YARD AND THAT THING. >> SAFETY VEHICLES COULD NOT NAVIGATE IN THERE? IF THERE'S PARKING ON BOTH SIDES, IS THAT TRUE RIGHT NOW? >> IF PEOPLE PARK RESPONSIBLY ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD, THERE IS STILL A LANE OPEN UP THE CENTER OF THESE ROADS. THE CHALLENGE IS, AND WE'VE HEARD, AT LEAST ANECDOTALLY THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE NOT PARKING RESPONSIBLY AND THEN THERE COULD BE AN ISSUE. I DID REACH OUT TO WHEN SOME OF THAT WAS COMING UP, JUST TO ASK WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IF THEY'VE EVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH THAT, AND THEY DID NOT INDICATE THAT. THEY'VE HAD A FEW NUISANCE CALLS ABOUT PARKING, BUT THEY HAVE NOT REPORTED AN INCIDENT WHERE THEY COULD NOT GET A PLEA SAD CAR OR AN AMBULANCE OR SOMETHING UP THE ROAD IF THEY NEEDED TO. >> WELL, IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE RE EVALUATED, IF IT'S GRANTED, AND THEN, FOR SOME REASON OR ANOTHER, DURING PARK PLANNING PROCESS OR PARKING LOT DISCUSSIONS THAT WOULD NEED TO BE LOOKED AT DIFFERENTLY. >> WHEN WE HAD THE OPEN HOUSE THERE WERE SOME OF THE OTHER RESIDENTS AROUND THE PARK, WHO AT LEAST SPOKE TO ME ABOUT THAT AS A POSSIBILITY WITH NICE TOLD THEM I GAVE HIM THE PROCESS THAT THESE THREE HAVE FOLLOWED, WHICH IS YOU'D NEED TO SUBMIT A PETITION, AND THEN WE WOULD LOOK AT IT AND BRING IT TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION. I THINK THERE ARE SOME OTHER FOLKS WHO ARE CONSIDERING IT, BUT I HAVEN'T. IT TOOK THESE 32 YEARS TO SEND A PETITION, WHICH IS JUST A FORM LETTER WITH THREE SIGNATURES. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG WOULD TAKE THE OTHERS. >> I PROBABLY TOOK HIM THAT LONG TO GET THE 70%. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? OTHERWISE, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 7624, APPROVE OR DENY AS YOU SEE IT. >> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 7624. >> I'LL SECOND IT. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL OPPOSED, SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO COUNCIL COMMITTEE AND BOARD REPORTS. [19. Council Committee and Board Reports] ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES THAT THEY'D LIKE TO MOVE. TALK AT ALL ABOUT THE FIRE ADVISORY BOARD MEETING? >> WELL, YEAH, I GUESS I'LL SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. AT THE MEETING, THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND SOME OF THE UPCOMING POTENTIAL INVESTMENTS AS NECESSARY IN THAT BUILDING, SO WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. IT WAS PRIMARILY FOCUSED A LITTLE BIT AROUND ROOFTOP UNITS AND SO THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME INFORMATION THAT PROBABLY COMES FORWARD TO THE FULL COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION IN THE NEAR FUTURE. WE ALSO TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IN MEDINA, MADE MENTION OF THE FACT THAT GOING FORWARD, THEY WILL BE STARTING THEIR SERVICES WITH WEST SUBURBAN AND NO LONGER CONTRACTING WITH THE LONG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THAT AREA. IT'S A BIT OF A LOSS BECAUSE, FRANKLY, THEY'RE GREAT TO HAVE AT THE FIRE ADVISORY BOARD MEETINGS, AND THEY'RE JUST GOOD PEOPLE SO THEY'LL CERTAINLY BE MISSED IN THAT, AND HOPEFULLY AT SOME POINT, THAT MIGHT COME BACK TOGETHER. BUT THOSE REALLY AND THEN MINOR TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE JPA, AND THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION GOING ON. I FEEL LIKE TO YOUR POINT, I THINK WE'RE IN THERE HOPEFULLY. >> HOME STRETCH. >> TWO MINUTE WARNING HERE. SO YEAH, SO IT'S GOOD STUFF. OTHER THAN THAT, THAT'S THE UPDATE. >> THANKS. ANYBODY ELSE? HAVE ANY ACTIVITIES TO BOOK YOUR REPORT ON? I DID GO TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, AS MY TURN CAME UP ON THAT AND THAT MEETING LAST MONDAY, I GUESS. THERE WAS ONE VARIANCE THAT WAS CONSIDERED AT THAT ONE THAT'S NOT READY TO COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL YET SO WE'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT. LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, [20. Proclamation of Constitution Week] WHICH IS THE PROCLAMATION OF CONSTITUTION WEEK, [02:15:03] WHICH ACTUALLY OCCURRED LAST WEEK AND SO WE PUT OUT SOME MATERIALS ON THAT. IT'S JUST A PRESENTATION OF THE PROCLAMATION, I GUESS IS ALL WE'RE DOING TODAY. WE'RE NOT REALLY APPROVING IT. BUT IT'S IN YOUR PACKET I DON'T KNOW IF I NEED TO READ IT FOR EVERYBODY. IT'S JUST A PROCLAMATION OF CONSTITUTION WEEK AND WHAT THAT MEANS TO ALL AMERICANS AND SO THAT PROCLAMATION WENT OUT LAST WEEK, REALLY FOR YOUR INFORMATION. I THINK WE ARE TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE AT ITEM 21, [21. Closed Session - Labor Negotiation Discussion] WHICH REQUIRES A CLOSED SESSION TO HEAR AN UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH OUR UNIONS REPRESENTING OUR EMPLOYEES. WITH THAT, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE MEETING. >> MOTION TO CLOSE THE MEETING FOR CLOSED SESSION. >> I'LL SECOND. >> DO I NEED TO SAY ANYMORE? >> NO, MR. MAYOR, YOU'VE COVERED THAT WE ARE CLOSING IT TO DISCUSS THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE FOUR BARGAINING UNITS. >> GOOD. MOVED AND SECOND IT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> THOSE OPPOSE, SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES. WE'LL ASK THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE REMAINING IN ATTENDANCE, IF YOU WOULD EXCUSE YOURSELVES, AND WE ARE AT 8:18. LET'S TAKE A TWO MINUTE BREAK WHILE WE SET UP FOR THE CLOSED SESSION. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.