[Roll Call] [00:00:02] ALL RIGHT. IT IS 6:00. I'M GOING TO GAVEL THIS MEETING TO ATTENTION. EXCUSE ME. NICE CROWD TODAY. PLEASE JOIN YOUR COUNCIL IN RECITING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I. PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU. WE DO HAVE A FULL COUNCIL TONIGHT. SO WE DO DEFINITELY HAVE A QUORUM. FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS TO APPROVE THE AGENDA INCLUDING TONIGHT'S CONSENT [Approval of Agenda] AGENDA. ITEMS WHICH ARE CONSIDERED ROUTINE, WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION WITH NO DISCUSSION UNLESS A COUNCIL MEMBER OR STAFF REQUESTS THE ITEM BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR SEPARATE DISCUSSION AND ACTION. TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS ARE AS FOLLOWS. [Consent Agenda] CITY COUNCIL MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING. CLAIMS AND BILLS. UPCOMING WORK SESSION AND COUNCIL TRAINING SCHEDULE. APPOINTING A PROFESSIONAL AUDITING FIRM. TIME EXTENSION FOR A SOLICITOR. COMPENSATION INCREASE FOR A PUBLIC WORKS MAINTENANCE WORKER. TREE MAINTENANCE CONTRACT. EXTENSION FOR TRIMMING AND REMOVAL AND REPAIRING. BLACKTOP ON IVY PLACE. DOES ANYBODY CARE TO REMOVE ANY OF THOSE ITEMS FOR SEPARATE DISCUSSION OR ADD ANY ITEMS FROM THE FULL DISCUSSIONS TO THE CONSENT AGENDA? MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS WRITTEN. I SECOND IT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES THE CONSENT AGENDA. ITEMS HAVE BEEN APPROVED. NEXT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO ONE OF THE MORE PLEASURABLE EXPERIENCES THAT WE GET TO DO AS COUNCIL, [9. Oath of Office - Police Officer] AND THAT IS TO ADMINISTER THE OATH OF OFFICE TO A NEW POLICE OFFICER. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, WELCOME TO THE CITY OF ORONO POLICE OFFICER SWEARING-IN CEREMONY. TODAY, WE WILL ADMINISTER THE OATH OF OFFICE AND CONDUCT A BADGE CEREMONY FOR OUR NEWEST OFFICER. TODAY'S HONOREE IS POLICE OFFICER KOHLTON BECK. OVERSEEING TODAY'S CEREMONY IS POLICE CHIEF CORREY FARNIOK. AND ORONO MAYOR BOB TUNHEIM WILL ADMINISTER THE OATH OF OFFICE. SINCE THE CITY OF ORONO CREATION IN 1889, WE HAVE HAD DEDICATED MEN AND WOMEN WHO WERE WILLING TO ANSWER THE CALL TO SERVE THEIR FELLOW CITIZENS AND PRESERVE THE PEACE. IN THE EARLY DAYS, THIS FUNCTION WAS PERFORMED BY CONSTABLES. HOWEVER, SINCE 1962 THAT FUNCTION HAS FALLEN TO THE ORONO POLICE DEPARTMENT. TODAY, THE ORONO POLICE DEPARTMENT ALSO SERVES THE COMMUNITIES OF MINNETONKA BEACH, SPRING PARK, AND MOUND. THE DEPARTMENT PRIDES ITSELF ON MAKING THE COMMUNITIES IT SERVES FEEL SAFE NOT JUST THROUGH ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW, BUT BY BUILDING STRONG, LASTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH ITS CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES. TODAY, OUR CEREMONY IS BROKEN INTO TWO PARTS. FIRST, IN THE FIRST PART OF TODAY'S CEREMONY WILL CONSIST OF THE OATH OF OFFICE. SWORN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN AN OATH TO SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, THEIR STATE, AND THE LAWS OF THEIR AGENCY'S JURISDICTION. THE SWEARING OF AN OATH INDICATES THE HIGH LEVEL OF PUBLIC TRUST. THE OFFICERS ASSUME, AND REFLECTS THEIR DEDICATION TO THE SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. IN THE SECOND PART OF THE CEREMONY, OFFICER WILL RECEIVE HIS BADGE. THE LAW ENFORCEMENT BADGE, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT INSIGNIA, SYMBOLIZE THE AUTHORITY ENTRUSTED IN THE INDIVIDUAL. THE POLICE BADGE IS A SYMBOL OF AUTHORITY, RESPECT, INTEGRITY, AND TRUST. IT REPRESENTS THE WILLINGNESS TO SACRIFICE ONE'S OWN SAFETY TO ASSIST OTHERS. IT IS A SYMBOL AND A PROMISE TO UPHOLD THE BEST INTERESTS OF OUR COMMUNITY. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, POLICE CHIEF CORREY FARNIOK WILL NOW SAY A COUPLE WORDS. THANK YOU HE WAS ONE OF OUR FIRST CADETS THAT CAME THROUGH THE PROGRAM, WHICH WAS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS GOING TO SCHOOL IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PART OF THAT IS HE SIGNED A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY AND VICE VERSA WE GAVE HIM A COMMITMENT TO WE'LL TEACH HIM TO BE A POLICE OFFICER THROUGH THE GOALS OF BEING A POLICE OFFICER WHILE HE ATTENDS SCHOOL AND RETURN THAT CONTRACT ONCE HE COMPLETED SCHOOL KOHLTON'S BEEN ON FIELD TRAINING AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE ON FIELD TRAINING FOR A FEW WEEKS, BUT THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE HIM SWORN IN AS ONE OF OUR FIRST CADETS, GRADUATING THE PROGRAM, INITIATING AND GOING FORWARD INTO THAT FULL TIME POLICE OFFICER POSITION SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME KOHLTON UP TO THE FRONT YEAH [00:05:02] JOINING OFFICER BECK AT THE FRONT ARE HIS PARENTS, SERGEANT KENNETH BECK AND CHRISTIE BECK. ALL RIGHT I STATE YOUR NAME. I, KOHLTON BECK DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR UNDER OATH. DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR UNDER OATH THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF POLICE OFFICER AND THE CITY OF ORONO. IN THE CITY OF ORONO OF THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN. OF THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN TO THE BEST OF MY JUDGMENT AND ABILITY OFFICER BECK WILL NOW RECEIVE HIS BADGE FROM HIS FATHER, SERGEANT KENNETH BECK. I WOULD LIKE TO DO A QUICK PHOTO OP HERE IN BETWEEN THE FLAGS WITH THE FAMILY AND OUR NEWEST OFFICER, AND THE CHIEF AND THE MAYOR. IF YOU WANTED TO COME FORWARD [LAUGHTER]. WELL, IF I MUST. YEAH. OKAY ALL RIGHT. SO, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, OFFICER KOHLTON BECK [APPLAUSE]. ALL RIGHT. NOW, THE CHIEF'S GOING TO MAKE HIM SIGN FOR WHAT HE JUST SWORE. AND THIS WILL CONCLUDE OUR CEREMONY. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL BE HOSTING A RECEPTION AT THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER. TO OUR NEWEST OFFICER. CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU MOST OF OUR CROWD THAT IS NOW LEAVING [LAUGHTER]. [10. Agreements - Shoreline Fire Department - Resolutions 7632 and 7633] ALL RIGHT, WELL, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS TO CONSIDER A NUMBER OF RESOLUTIONS TO OFFICIALLY FORM THE SHORELINE FIRE DEPARTMENT. IT'S COME FROM MANY MONTHS OF OF NEGOTIATIONS TO GET TO THIS POINT. AND WE ARE AT THE POINT NOW WHERE WE, WE ARE PREPARED TO TO BRING THIS BEFORE COUNCIL. SO WITH THAT, I WOULD TURN IT OVER TO MR. EDWARDS TO LEAD US IN THE DISCUSSION OF THE ITEMS THAT THAT ARE BEFORE US TONIGHT. SURE THE FIRST RESOLUTION WOULD ADOPT THE NEW JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT THAT FORMS THE SHORELINE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND IT IS A JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITIES OF ORONO AND THE CITY OF LONG LAKE, AND THAT IT WILL ALSO PROVIDE INITIAL SERVICE, AT LEAST IN A CONTRACT FORM, TO THE CITY OF MINNETONKA BEACH. THE ALONG WITH THAT JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT ARE TWO LEASE AGREEMENTS THAT LAY OUT THE CONDITIONS FOR THE USE OF THE TWO EXISTING FIRE STATIONS THAT CURRENTLY SERVE THE DEPARTMENTS. THE THE WILLOW DRIVE OR THE LONG LAKE STATION ON WILLOW AND THE STATION NUMBER TWO OR THE NAVARRE STATION DOWN IN NAVARRE THE SECOND RESOLUTION, 7633 IS APPOINTS MEMBERS OF THE NEWLY FORMED BOARD THAT GOVERNS THE JPA THE WAY THAT THE JPA IS STRUCTURED. THIS NEW FIRE DEPARTMENT IS AN INDEPENDENT GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION. HOWEVER, IT'S GOVERNED BY A BOARD WHICH IS MADE UP OF VOTING DIRECTORS FROM EACH OF THE TWO CITIES, [00:10:03] AS WELL AS SOME NON-VOTING DIRECTORS FROM THE STAFF OF THE TWO CITIES. AND SO THOSE THOSE APPOINTMENTS NO. THAT'S THE HIGH LEVEL. WHAT WE'RE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. READY FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR EXPLANATION ON ANY DETAILS OR ANYTHING ELSE ON IT. ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS [LAUGHTER] FOR QUITE A WHILE, SO YEAH, HOPEFULLY ALL THOSE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED. I DON'T I CAN I CAN JUST SAY THAT I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF CAREFUL CONSIDERATION AND HARD WORK ON MANY PEOPLE'S PART THAT'S GONE INTO THIS, AND I'VE READ IT OVER AND I DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS. I THINK IT'S BEEN VERY THOUGHTFULLY PREPARED, AND I'M PREPARED TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 7632, APPROVING THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT, ESTABLISHING THE SHORELINE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND APPROVING THE LEASE AGREEMENTS. I WOULD AGREE WITH YOUR COMMENTS AND I WOULD SECOND THE MOTION. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE ANOTHER RESOLUTION. RESOLUTION 7633. ANYBODY CARE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT RESOLUTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION OF NUMBER 7633. IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT? SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE AT LEAST OUR HALF OF THE OF THE APPROVAL FOR THE FOR THE NEW FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK PARTICULARLY I WANT TO THANK STEVE PERSIAN FOR MANY, MANY HOURS OF OF THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION ON THIS. AND HE AND I HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF A NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES TO DISCUSS THIS WITH LONG LAKE. AND IT FEELS GOOD TO BE GETTING TO WHERE WE ARE HERE. AND I DO THINK IT'S IT SETS US UP FOR FOR SUCCESS. AND FOR, YOU KNOW, REALLY FIRST AND FOREMOST, SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, THAT'S OUR I VIEW AS OUR NUMBER ONE JOB IS THE SAFETY OF OUR OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS. AND I THINK I THINK THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT FOR THE SHORELINE FIRE DEPARTMENT. MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, IF I COULD ADD. I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT SAID, THE SECOND HALF OF THIS IS TO BRING IT BEFORE LONG LAKE, AND I THINK UNLESS THINGS HAVE CHANGED, I BELIEVE THEY ARE CALLING A SPECIAL MEETING THIS WEEK. THEY ARE ON THIS SHOULD BE RATIFIED AND WE SHOULD BE UP AND GOING PAST THE NEGOTIATION PHASE AND NOW INTO THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE HERE SHORTLY. SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT THAT WILL OCCUR AND I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT IT WILL. AND MR. MATTICK, MAYBE YOU CAN COMMENT ON THE ON THE REMOVAL OF THE LAWSUIT AS A RESULT. SO PART AND PARCEL OF THIS IS, AS WE'RE AWARE, THERE'S LITIGATION BETWEEN THE TWO COMMUNITIES THE JPA AND THESE LEASE AGREEMENTS, WITH THE APPROVAL OF THEM, ASSUMING BOTH COMMUNITIES APPROVE THEM, WHICH I'M FAIRLY CERTAIN THEY WILL. WE'RE HALFWAY THERE. THAT WILL RESULT IN A DISMISSAL OF THE LAWSUIT, A VERY BRIEF DISMISSAL, MEANING THAT EACH PARTY WILL BASICALLY AGREE TO ABSORB ANY AND ALL OF THEIR OWN COSTS AND THAT THE LAWSUIT IS DISMISSED AND WE CAN MOVE ON BEYOND THE LITIGATION AND THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT'S GOING INTO THAT AND GET BACK TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT NEEDS. SO THAT'S, I THINK, THE BEST RESULT FOR THE COMMUNITY MOVING FORWARD. SO THAT THAT SHOULD END IT, ASSUMING THINGS GO AS PLANNED ON THURSDAY, I BELIEVE A DISMISSAL, IF NOT FRIDAY EARLY NEXT WEEK, WILL BE FILED. THAT'S GREAT. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? NO JUST THANK YOU TO YOU AND STEVE. SORRY, AND WE APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORTS YOU GUYS DID TO GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF, SO. THANK YOU. YOU'VE JUST APPOINTED US TO THE BOARD THAT RUNS IT. SO WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT QUITE DONE YET [LAUGHTER]. AND YOU'RE THE ALTERNATE BY THE WAY YES, I REALIZE THAT [LAUGHTER]. SO ANYWAY, SHOULD BE SMOOTH SAILING FROM HERE I'M ASSUMING THOUGH SO. ALL [11. Legislative Update - House District 45A] WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE GOT THAT IN WHILE WE STILL HAD MR. MATTICK HERE. BUT THE NEXT THING ON THE AGENDA IS A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE FROM OUR HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES REPRESENTATIVE ANDREW MYERS WELCOME TO THE TO THE MEETING. THANK YOU EVERYBODY. THANK YOU MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS WAS HAPPY TO GO SECOND. [00:15:04] I GOT A CALL FROM THE MAYOR EARLIER TODAY SAYING THIS WAS THE PRIORITY, AND I WOULD AGREE. SO I'M SURE IT'S GOING TO LIGHTEN YOUR GUYS'S LOAD. SO I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE. YOU KNOW, I'VE SAT IN THOSE POSITIONS BEFORE AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, AND IT CAN BE A VERY THANKLESS JOB. YOU GOT TO DO A LOT OF LISTENING AND LEARNING AND TRYING TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS. AND YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES NOT GOING TO MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE ROLE I'M DOING NOW WITH THE STATE LEGISLATURE. BUT I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU GUYS AN UPDATE ON SOME OF THE STUFF THAT'S IMPACTING THE COMMUNITY SPECIFICALLY. ONE IS WE DID DO AN AMENDMENT TO THE OPEN MEETING LAW TO ALLOW MEMBERS OF THE BODY TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY, AND NOT IN A PUBLIC PLACE FOR SOME OF OUR SMALLER CITIES. I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE BENEFICIAL, GIVING THAT OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A QUORUM. YOU KNOW, ALSO ALONG THOSE LINES FOR YOU KNOW, WE'RE SEEING SOME LOCAL NEWSPAPERS GO OUT OF BUSINESS. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, IT'S MADE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT TO FULFILL THE REQUIREMENTS FOR PUBLIC NOTICES. SO WE ARE ALLOWING THOSE NOTICES TO BE ON THE WEBSITE FOR THE CITY WHEN THERE ISN'T A QUALIFIED PAPER, AGAIN, JUST PROVIDING THOSE OPTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES. THIS PAST SESSION, YOU KNOW, THIS IS MY THIRD YEAR DOWN THERE, SECOND TERM, THERE'S SOME THINGS I'VE SEEN THAT HAVE BEEN VERY CONSISTENT. SOME OF THOSE RELATE TO JUST A TOP DOWN APPROACH THAT WE SEE DOWN AT THE LEGISLATURE AND THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR WHAT YOU GUYS DO HERE, WHAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION DOES. AS I WAS A PLANNING CHAIR, SO I KNOW THE TIME AND EFFORT IT TAKES TO REVIEW THOSE THOSE VARIANCES AND GO OVER THAT. BUT WE'VE KIND OF SEEN THAT TOP DOWN APPROACH OF HAVING A ONE SIZE FITS ALL WITH THAT MISSING MIDDLE LEGISLATION. WE'VE ALSO SEEN THAT WITH SOME OF HAVING THESE MANDATES FOR WHAT IS LOOKING MORE AND MORE LIKE A STATE RUN SCHOOL BOARD. YOU GUYS HAVE A GREAT SCHOOL BOARD, YOU KNOW, MINNETONKA, WHERE MY KIDS GO HAVE A GREAT SCHOOL BOARD THEY'RE MY SCHOOL BOARD, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THEM. I THINK THAT IS WHAT I'M HEARING FROM A LOT OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS WHEN YOU KNOW, I ASKED FOR THAT FEEDBACK. AND SAME WITH THE MISSING MIDDLE. I THINK IT'S GOING TO COME UP AGAIN. I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO BE LOOKING AT MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT LARGER ONE SIZE FITS ALL. AND, YOU KNOW, ORONO IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE TOWN I LIVE IN, IN TONKA BAY. YOU GUYS HAVE A LOT OF SPACE. WE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH SPACE, BUT THESE IMPACTS CAN BE VERY LARGE BECAUSE EVERY ONE OF MY 11 COMMUNITIES HAS A DIFFERENT KIND OF TOUCH, TASTE AND FEEL. AND YOU GUYS, AS THE ELECTED LEADERS, ARE THE ONES THAT SHOULD BE WE'VE GOT A LOT OF MONEY SPENT ON COMPREHENSIVE PLANS, AND WE WANT TO MAKE [LAUGHTER] SURE THAT YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE FOLLOWING THOSE. YOU KNOW, WE DID PASS A BONDING BILL. THIS PAST SESSION, IT WAS ABOUT $700 MILLION. I WASN'T THE BIGGEST FAN OF IT. I DID VOTE IN FAVOR OF IT BECAUSE MOST OF THAT MONEY WENT TO WATER INFRASTRUCTURE. BUT I REALLY TRIED HARD TO ADVOCATE FOR MY INDIVIDUAL CITIES KNOWING WHAT WAS GOING TO PASS. I LOVED THE PRIORITIES OF OF WATER AND SOME OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT IT REALLY DIDN'T HELP A LOT OF MY CITIES. AND SO I'M HOPEFUL. I SIT ON THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT COMMITTEE IS THAT WE CAN GET SOME BONDING DOLLARS TO HELP OUR COMMUNITIES. WE'RE ALL SEEING RISE IN PROPERTY TAXES. I KNOW NOBODY [LAUGHTER] WANTS TO RAISE PEOPLE'S TAXES, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE COST OF MAINTAINING SOME OF THIS INFRASTRUCTURE IS IS VERY COSTLY. YOU KNOW, OVERALL, I THINK PARTNERSHIPS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. AND THAT IS FROM, AGAIN, SCHOOL BOARD LEVEL. CITY COUNCIL LEVEL TO TO THE COUNTY, OUR COMMISSIONERS AS WELL AS AT THE STATE. AND I REALLY TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BRINGING THOSE PEOPLE TOGETHER, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE PRIORITIES I HEAR ARE EDUCATION, CLEAN WATER, AFFORDABILITY, SUPPORTING OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. AND YOU KNOW, THE MORE THAT WE CAN DO TO ADDRESS THOSE THINGS TOGETHER, I THINK IT'S WAY BETTER THAN WHAT I'VE SEEN WHEN SOME OF THESE PEOPLE GO AT IT ALONE. IF YOU GO AT IT ALONE, I JUST THINK THAT THE CHANCE FOR SUCCESS IS SO LOW AND ESPECIALLY DOWN AT THE LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW. WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, 201 ELECTED OFFICIALS. WE'VE GOT 101 DEMOCRATS, 100 REPUBLICANS. AND IN THE HOUSE IT'S TIED. YOU KNOW, I WAS I WAS HONORED TO TO PASS 8 BILLS THIS SESSION BECAUSE I WORK REALLY, REALLY HARD. I SPEND QUITE A BIT OF TIME WALKING UP TO THE 5TH FLOOR WHILE TAKING THE ELEVATOR UP TO THE 5TH FLOOR TO MAKE SURE THAT I HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT ON A LOT OF STUFF I DO, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I HEAR EVERY DAY FROM PEOPLE. THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT US DOING. A FEW OTHER THINGS I KNOW MAYBE DOESN'T IMPACT YOU GUYS OVER HERE AS MUCH, BUT E-BIKES MAYBE I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A BIG THING FOR YOU GUYS, BUT SOUTHLAKE I MEAN, THE SAFETY OF OUR KIDS AS WELL AS HIGHWAY 7. THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT OUT THERE. THERE'S A LOT OF CHANGES GOING ON THERE. I KNOW RECENTLY I WAS INCLUDED ON SEVERAL EMAILS WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO LOOK AT SAFETY WHEN IT COMES TO A GATE THAT WILL IMPACT ORONO LONG LAKE, WAYZATA. [00:20:02] I THINK WE HAD A LOT OF COOKS IN THE KITCHEN, BUT I THINK WE HOPEFULLY I THINK ALL THOSE COOKS WERE ON THE RIGHT DIRECTION. AND WE WE CAME TO A GOOD RESOLUTION IN ADDRESSING THE GATE. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO BE A RESOURCE FOR YOU GUYS. AND I WOULD JUST, YOU KNOW, BE HAPPY TO STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS. ANY QUESTIONS FOR REPRESENTATIVE MYERS? YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS THAT WAS A SEEMED LIKE IT WAS GAINING SOME MOMENTUM AT THE LAST. AND IT GOES TO YOUR, YOUR TOPIC OF TOP DOWN. AND THAT WAS YOU KNOW, TAKING AWAY LOCAL CONTROL OF OF ZONING, BASICALLY. AND I THINK YOU WELL, I KNOW YOU HEARD FROM ME AND HEARD FROM MANY OTHERS IN THIS AREA THAT WE STRONGLY OPPOSE, THAT WE'D PREFER TO KEEP THAT LOCAL LOCAL CONTROL OVER HOW OUR CITY GETS DEVELOPED. AND AND I'M HOPEFUL. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THAT'S COMING BACK AGAIN. SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT AGAINST THAT, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR A COMMUNITY LIKE OURS TO BE TOLD, YOU DON'T HAVE A DECISION AS TO HOW YOUR COMMUNITY GETS DEVELOPED. YEAH AND AND YOU KNOW, SO I SIT ON THE HOUSING COMMITTEE AND I WAS ON IT LAST SESSION AS WELL. AND I ACTUALLY BROUGHT AMENDMENTS FORWARD TO EXEMPT CITIES OF THE FOURTH CLASS. SO IT WAS EVERY ONE OF MY CITIES, I MEAN, I WAS THE ONLY PERSON IN THAT COMMITTEE AT THAT TIME TO VOTE NO. WORK A LOT WITH YOU KNOW, THE LEAGUE YOU KNOW, WORK A LOT WITH MY SENATOR. I MEAN, MY SENATOR, YOU KNOW, HAS 14 CITIES TOO. IT'S A VERY SIMILAR THING. THERE'S THERE'S NOT A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE ALL, YOU KNOW, THAT ALL MY [LAUGHTER] LOCALLY ELECTED OFFICIALS AGREE ON. THIS IS PRETTY DARN CLOSE. SO FOR ONE OF THOSE TOPICS LIKE THAT, IT WAS VERY EASY FOR ME TO KNOW THAT I HAD MY LOCALLY ELECTED PEOPLE BEHIND ME. AND I COULD SAY, YEP, WE'VE GOT TO. WE GOT TO USE MORE OF A CARROT VERSUS A STICK. I AM DOING A KIND OF A ROUND TABLE WITH A LOT OF BUILDERS IN DECEMBER. I WANT TO HEAR FROM THEM BECAUSE I THINK WE ALL WANT TO ADDRESS HOUSING AFFORDABILITY. ABSOLUTELY. AND, YOU KNOW, DOES THAT MEAN THAT WE LOOK AT NORTH AND SOUTH DAKOTA, AT THEIR BUILDING CODES VERSUS WHAT MINNESOTA HAS, AND WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? AND ENSURING THAT WE HAVE SAFE HOMES ARE NOT GOING TO CATCH ON FIRE. BUT THERE'S A COST TO THOSE DIFFERENT YOU KNOW, BUILDING CODES. IS THAT A WAY THAT WE CAN HELP CHISEL IT DOWN? I MEAN, 1000, 2000, 5000. I MEAN, TRYING TO MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, I THINK IS WHAT EVERYBODY WANTS. WHAT I DON'T LIKE TO SEE IS AND WE SEE IT A LOT. HERE'S THE POLICY. IF I'M GOING TO DO A POLICY THAT'S THIS IS, YOU KNOW, FORMATIONAL I'M GOING TO DO IT LIKE THIS, I'M GOING TO DO THIS SECTION ONE YEAR, SEE HOW IT WORKS TAKING AWAY SOME OF THE LOCAL CONTROL BECAUSE IT DOES COME UP A LOT. YEAH SO I'M SO THIS YEAR I OFFERED I HAD BIPARTISAN SUPPORT ON AN AMENDMENT FOR 15 TO 18 YEAR OLDS TO REQUIRE THEM TO WEAR HELMETS. IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WOULD GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF TEETH TO LAW ENFORCEMENT. IT WOULD BE ABLE TO REMIND THE KIDS IT'S THE SAME LAW. IF I WAS ON A MOTORCYCLE WITH MY 15-YEAR-OLD, THEY'D HAVE TO WEAR A HELMET AT THE AT THE END OF THE DAY WHEN THAT WAS GOING TO COME FORWARD. I GOT A LOT OF PHONE CALLS THAT SAID THAT PEOPLE COULDN'T SUPPORT THAT. TO ME, THAT WAS VERY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES DOWN THERE, ALL YOU HAVE IS YOUR WORD. AND TO ME IT WAS SOMETHING AGAIN, THAT WAS A SUPER SMALL THING TO PASS. AND I REALLY WAS LIKE, GREAT, WE'RE GOING TO GET SOMETHING THAT WAY. I THINK WHAT WE'RE HEARING NOW MORE IS AND I'VE HAD TO LEARN ABOUT IT TOO. LIKE E-MOTOS IS A IS A SEPARATE TYPE OF BIKE THAT REALLY ISN'T A PEDAL BIKE. IT'S A BIKE THAT WILL GO 50 MILES AN HOUR. YOU KNOW, THERE WAS SOME TALK ABOUT JUST, YOU KNOW, REQUIRING CERTAIN THINGS FOR, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD CLASS. BECAUSE I ALSO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE FEEDBACK I GET FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT TO SAYS, WELL, HOW DO I TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A 1, 2 OR 3? AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING AND WE'RE, YOU KNOW, ENFORCING THE LAW AND NOT, YOU KNOW TRYING TO PROFILE PEOPLE FOR CERTAIN REASONS. SO, I MEAN, WE ARE WORKING ON IT. I KNOW THE MAYOR OF GREENWOOD TOM FLETCHER IS VERY [LAUGHTER] HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THAT SOMETHING I'M WORKING WITH HIM AND SEVERAL OTHERS. SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. GREAT THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPRESENTATION OF OUR AREA AT THE LEGISLATURE. I KNOW HOW MUCH TIME IT TAKES. AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK. YEAH REACH OUT ANYTIME THANK YOU GUYS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE UTILITY RATE STUDY. [12. Utility Rate Study] YES, MAYOR AND COUNCIL TONIGHT, I HAVE JUSTIN NILSON WITH ABDO TO PRESENT OUR FINAL UTILITY RATE STUDY. [00:25:02] AND THEN AFTERWARDS, STAFF IS LOOKING FOR ANY RECOMMENDATIONS OR SUGGESTIONS OR EVEN DIRECTIONS ON WHERE WE WANT TO TAKE THE UTILITY RATES. WE WOULD WANT TO SET THE RATES AT THE NOVEMBER 11TH COUNCIL MEETING PRIOR TO ADOPTION OF THE OVERALL FEE SCHEDULE TO GIVE AMPLE NOTICE TO RESIDENTS ON WHAT THEIR RATES FOR NEXT YEAR WILL BE. SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PUT OUT NOTICES IN THE NOVEMBER BILLING AND THEN DECEMBER BILLING. SO WITH THAT, I INTRODUCE I GIVE THE FLOOR TO JUSTIN. OKAY, GREAT. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL AGAIN MY NAME IS JUSTIN NILSON. I'M A PARTNER WITH ABDO. I'M JUST GOING TO GO OVER THE RESULTS. YOU KNOW, JUST FOR EVERYBODY ELSE. WE HAVE GONE OVER SOME OF THESE THINGS AGAIN. THERE'S BEEN SOME MODIFICATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE. BUT I WILL JUST KIND OF GO RIGHT INTO THE INTRODUCTION HERE AND GO OVER KIND OF THE RESULTS OF OUR STUDY. SO THE INTRODUCTION AGAIN, THE RATE STUDY KIND OF FOR ALL FUNDS WAS ARRIVED AT TO ENSURE THE CITY KIND OF MEETS ITS PROJECTED TARGET AND HAS A POSITIVE CASH FLOW IN THE FUTURE YEARS OF THE STUDY. AGAIN OUR STUDY GOES 5 YEARS KIND OF 6. AGAIN, WE KIND OF INCLUDE 2025 AS PART OF OUR STUDY SINCE IT'S PARTIAL YEAR AND WE DO THE FOR WE DID ALSO DO THE STUDY ON ALL OF THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS RELATED TO BILLING WATER, SEWER AND STORMWATER. SO JUST A REALLY KEY DISTINCTION. THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BULLETS OF OUR STUDY. YOU KNOW, OUR TARGET RESERVE IS TARGET CASH. RESERVE IS CALCULATED AND PRESENTED AT 100% OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR'S DEBT PAYMENTS, 25% OF THE PROJECTED OPERATIONAL EXPENDITURES IN A FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL AVERAGE. AGAIN, YOU WANT YOUR YOUR RECEIPTS EXCEEDING YOUR EXPENSES. HOWEVER THAT TARGET REALLY IS AGAIN AS WE KNOW ON THAT BULLET THERE ON WHAT WE'RE SHOOTING FOR. SO AGAIN, BACK UP TO THAT FIRST BULLET AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, WE DID GO OVER THESE NUMBERS WITH MANAGEMENT. AGAIN, THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY OUR NUMBERS. THEY'RE THE CITY'S NUMBERS. AND WE YOU KNOW, MASSAGED THEM AS SUCH TO TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION SO THE KEY ASSUMPTIONS ON THE NEXT SLIDE FUTURE ACTIVITY. I REALLY KIND OF WAS ARRIVED AT FOR THE STUDY LOOKING AT THE PRIOR THREE YEARS GL BALANCES, AS WELL AS LOOKING AT THE CURRENT ACTIVITY AND THE 2026 ENTERPRISE FUND BUDGET. SO WE DID MAKE SOME MODIFICATIONS. AGAIN, SOME THINGS IN GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING WITH DEPRECIATION, DEBT PAYMENTS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE SO WE DO DO THE STUDY ON A CASH BASIS. SO AGAIN WE LOOK AT CAPITAL PURCHASES AS A CASH OUTFLOW VERSUS AN ADDITION TO THE ENTERPRISE FUND AS AN ASSET SO THE NEXT BULLET, THE OPERATING EXPENDITURES AND PAYROLL EXPENDITURES INCREASE IN SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 3% AND 5%. AGAIN, NORMAL OPERATING EXPENDITURES WERE OUTLINED AT 3%, KIND OF FOLLOWING ALONG WITH KIND OF A CONSERVATIVE INFLATION AND PAYROLL EXPENDITURES INCREASING AT 4% TO 5%, AGAIN, AS AS INSTRUCTED BY MANAGEMENT. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND IMPROVEMENTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE AGAIN WAS PROVIDED BY THE CITY. WE WENT THROUGH SOME OF THOSE THINGS AGAIN AT A WORK SESSION. SOME OF THOSE THINGS WERE CHANGED. YEARS WERE DIFFERENT. THINGS WERE MOVED, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO THAT WAS ARRIVED ON WITH MUCH MUCH WORK DONE THERE. ANOTHER KEY ASSUMPTION IN OUR OUR MATERIALS, WE REALLY PUT TOGETHER AN AVERAGE BILL. SO TO PUT TOGETHER CHARTS AND COMPARISONS TO OTHER CITIES WE ARRIVED AT THAT AVERAGE BILL AT APPROXIMATELY 4000. WELL, WE DO AT A 4000 GALLONS PER MONTH. SO AGAIN, THAT'S WHAT ALL THE CHARTS AND THINGS ARE, ARE USED AND DISPLAYED IN THE RATE STUDY AGAIN I'VE DONE NUMEROUS RATE STUDIES AND WE'RE KIND OF ALL AROUND THERE RIGHT AROUND THAT 4000 NUMBER. SO THAT'S WHAT WAS USED THERE ARE A DECENT NUMBER OF TRANSFERS THAT THE CITY DOES HAVE TO OTHER FUNDS FOR SOME OTHER CAPITAL RELATED CONTRIBUTIONS OR COSTS AND A SIGNIFICANT, EXPECTATION OF A ONE TIME TRANSFER OF $750,000 FROM OTHER FUNDS BACK TO THE WATER FUND, TO BE APPROVED AT A LATER DATE IN 2025. ALL RIGHT SO GETTING TO THE UTILITY RATE RECOMMENDATIONS. SO STARTING WITH THE WATER FUND, THE SCENARIO PRESENTED PROPOSES AN INCREASE OF THE 25% TO THE 2026 RATES FOR USAGE AND FIXED AND A 3% RATE FOR THE YEARS THEREAFTER, 2027 TO 2030 SO AGAIN, A ONE TIME INCREASE WAS ARRIVED AT JUST BASED ON REALLY WHERE THE ENTERPRISE FUND CASH BALANCE HAS BEEN AT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. IT HAS BEEN DROPPING IN RECEIPTS OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. AND CASH BALANCE IS FAIRLY LIMITED IN THE WATER FUND. [00:30:02] SO A RECOMMENDATION OF AN INCREASE WAS NECESSARY. AND TO JUST DO IT AS A ONE YEAR WAS THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE KIND OF CAME UP WITH TO KIND OF LESSEN THE BLOW AND JUST DO IT ONE TIME. MOVING ON TO THE SEWER FUND. THE SCENARIO PRESENTED PROPOSES A YEARLY 3% INCREASE TO FIXED FIXED BASE RATES THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THE PLAN 2026 TO 2030. I SHOULD GO BACK UP TO THE WATER FUND AS WELL. I FAILED TO MENTION AGAIN, BACK TO THE GOAL OF OUR STUDY ON OUR INTRO SLIDE, LOOKING AT THINGS, HAVING A MEETING OBJECTIVE TARGET CASH RESERVE, AND HAVING A POSITIVE CASH FLOW AT THE END OF THE 2030 STUDY. THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE WATER FUND DO GET US TO THAT, THAT GOAL. SO I THINK THAT THAT'S A REALLY POSITIVE THING ALL RIGHT SO SORRY AGAIN, THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS CONTINUE AND ALLOW US TO MEET OUR GOAL AT THE END OF 2030 WITH A POSITIVE CASH CASH FLOW AND MEETING THE TARGET RESERVE. WE ALSO HAVE A SIMILAR STORY WITH THE STORMWATER FUND. I KNOW I HAVE A MISTAKE IN A DATE THERE, SO CHANGE THAT 27 TO 26. THAT SHOULD BE EVERY YEAR OF THE PLAN. THE SCENARIO PRESENTED DOES HAVE A 3% INCREASE TO THE BASE RATE THROUGH THE LIFE OF THE PLAN, MAINLY ARRIVED AT TO KEEP UP WITH THE INFLATIONARY OF EXPENDITURES. AND AGAIN, THERE ARE SOME CAPITAL RELATED NEEDS THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED AND POTENTIALLY MOVED ON TO THE FUTURE SO AGAIN, WE CONTINUE TO RECOMMEND THAT SO AGAIN, I DO PUT IT ON THE BOTTOM. AGAIN, THE REITERATION IS JUST TO ENSURE THAT THAT'S REALLY WHAT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE BASED ON IS MEETING THOSE TARGETS. WE DO HAVE A BRIEF OUTLINE HERE OF WHAT A BILL WILL LOOK LIKE. AGAIN, LOOKING AT THE THE DIFFERENT TIERS OF THE CITY LOOKING AT A MONTHLY BILL, WHAT A YEARLY INCREASE WOULD BE. AND WITH THAT MONTHLY INCREASE WOULD BE ON THAT 4000 GALLON AGAIN, WE HAVE THAT PROPOSED CHANGE AS A PERCENTAGE BLENDED ON THE TOP. SO AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE WHAT THOSE NUMBERS DO LOOK LIKE. NEXT SLIDE LOOKS AT THE SEWER AND STORMWATER TOGETHER. AGAIN THESE ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE 3% INCREASE AS PRESENTED. AND AGAIN, THOSE ARE JUST FIXED RATES. SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT THOSE THOSE ARE PROJECTED AT. AND IF WE FLIP TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I THINK IT MAKES A LITTLE MORE SENSE HERE TO LOOK AT REALLY WHAT THAT 4000 GALLON SAMPLE USERS BILL LOOKS LIKE. AGAIN, THESE ARE KIND OF WHAT THE UTILITY BILL LOOKS LIKE AND KIND OF WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE. SHOULD OUR RECOMMENDATIONS BE ADOPTED OR SOMETHING THEREABOUTS I'M LOOKING AT A CLIENT SAMPLE BILL WHAT A LOT IS TO ONE MAYBE A LOT TO ANOTHER, NOT A LOT TO ANOTHER THESE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT ARE PROJECTED BASED ON THOSE PERCENTAGES AGAIN AS WE LOOK INTO THE FUTURE YEARS ALL RIGHT. SO THE LAST TWO SLIDES, WE LOOK AT THE WATER AND THE SEWER AS A COMPARISON TO OTHER CITIES. AGAIN THIS IS JUST AN INFORMATIONAL AND SOMETHING TO TO CONSIDER AS PART OF IT. AGAIN, LOOKING AT WHERE THE CITY OF ORONO IS COMPARED TO OTHERS YOU KNOW, AGREED UPON BY MANAGEMENT AS LOGICAL COMPARISONS FOR THE CITY, AND IF WE FLIP TO THE NEXT ONE, WE CAN ALSO SEE THE SEWER COMPARISON AS WELL. STORMWATER IS A MUCH MORE DIFFICULT, MUCH MORE DIFFICULT COMPARISON TO MAKE WITH OTHER CITIES. EVERYBODY BUILDS STORMWATER AND KIND OF A WAY, DIFFERENT WAY. SO PUTTING THAT IN THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WERE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH AS PART OF JUST THE COMPARISON CITIES SO WITH THAT I DO HAVE ALL THE DETAIL OF ANY NUMBERS OR ANYTHING ON THE PRIOR AFTER THE QUESTION SLIDE, IF WE WANT TO GO INTO ANY OF THE DETAILS OR THE NUMBERS THAT WERE ARRIVED THERE, AGAIN, I ELECTED TO KIND OF KEEP THE ACCOUNTANT DETAIL OUT OF IT FOR PRESENTATION PURPOSES I GUESS I HAVE ONE I REALLY HAVE A TOUGH TIME WITH THE 25% INCREASE IN THE WATER BILL. I THINK WE'RE AS YOUR CHART SHOWS, WE'RE ALREADY ONE OF THE ONE OF THE BIGGEST YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS OUR COMPARISON CITIES IN THE AREA IN TERMS OF WHAT WE CHARGE FOR WATER. HAVE YOU RUN NUMBERS THAT WOULD MAYBE MORE, MAYBE EVEN IT OUT MORE? I KNOW IT'S SORT OF SWALLOWING THE, THE HARD INCREASE ONCE AND THEN 3% THEREAFTER. WHAT IF WE DID 10% ACROSS THE BOARD? WOULD WE GET TO THE SAME PLACE, OR WOULD WE BE FARTHER BEHIND BY THE END OF THAT? YEAH, I THINK IT SOMEWHAT DEPENDS ON HOW WET THE NEXT FIVE YEARS ARE GOING TO BE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE USAGE. I MEAN, IT IS A PROJECTION. TO YOUR QUESTION I THINK WHEN WE LOOK ACROSS A FIVE-YEAR PROJECTION, I THINK EVEN IN THE INCREASE OUT FIVE, EIGHT, TEN, PROBABLY CLOSER TO 8% TO 10% PER YEAR, I THINK THAT WOULD GET US TO A SIMILAR PLACE. [00:35:06] AGAIN, I THINK THAT, IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL CONSIDER CAN CONSIDER. I THINK THE ONE TIME INCREASE DEFINITELY PUTS YOU AT A BASELINE POSITION WHERE FIVE YEARS FROM NOW YOU DON'T HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT AS OFTEN OR GO THROUGH THOSE INCREASES YEARLY. AND IT ALSO JUST YOU KNOW, OVERALL WORKS A LITTLE BETTER. PEOPLE FORGET ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT MORE. JUST AS I SUPPOSE, IN THE WORLD, WE JUST GET USED TO THINGS, I SUPPOSE BUT THAT'S MY ANSWER TO THAT. OKAY, SO THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE USING TO TALK ABOUT REPAIRS THAT THE RESERVES HAVE TO PAY FOR ARE THOSE THE ONES PROJECTED, LIKE IN OUR CIP, THAT OF CERTAIN THINGS OR THAT WE HAVE TO REPAIR? ARE WE DOING THE BEST THINGS, REPAIRING THINGS? ARE WE REPLACING THINGS WITH SOMETHING THAT WILL LAST LONGER? DO WE HAVE WE HAD A FULL ANALYSIS ON HOW ALL OF THAT IS TAKEN INTO? I KNOW RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT TROUBLESHOOTING AND TRYING TO REPAIR THINGS. SO, SO FOR THE RATE STUDY WE DID PROVIDE THEM THE OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. SO YES, THAT'S, THAT'S LAYING OUT THE THINGS THAT ARE ANY OF THE UTILITIES OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT WE THINK WE NEED TO DO IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO WE, CAN WE WAIT A LITTLE LONGER ON THOSE AND PUT THOSE OUT IN THE 5 TO 10 INSTEAD OF THE 0 TO 5? SO WE COULD SEE IF WE COULD GET SOME OF THOSE RATES DOWN. IF THE QUESTION IS, ARE WE ARE WE USING BEST PRACTICES AS WE MAINTAIN OUR WATER SYSTEM? YES. I MEAN, WE'RE GOING THROUGH AND TRYING TO BE TRYING TO GO AFTER WATER VALVES AS WE DO, AS WE DO ROAD PROJECTS, THAT WE'RE REPLACING THOSE PIECES OF CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AS WE AS WE WALK THROUGH MIC]. I THINK IF YOU SAW IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, WE HAVE THINGS ON THERE ABOUT WE HAVE TO DO SOME PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE WELLS, PULLING OUR WELLS ONCE EVERY 5 OR 10 YEARS. TO DO MAINTENANCE ON THOSE WE HAVE OUR WATER TOWER, PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE ALL THESE THINGS TRY TO MAKE THIS INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE LAST AS LONG AS IT POSSIBLY CAN TO KEEP SUPPORTING THE SYSTEM I GUESS I'M ASKING, ARE WE ARE WE TRYING TO REPAIR A 200? I'M GOING TO COMPARE IT TO A CAR. ARE WE. ARE WE TRYING TO REPAIR A 200? I GUESS IS WHAT I'M KIND OF LOOKING AT TOO. SO WE. I KNOW IT'S A VAST SYSTEM, SO THAT'S KIND OF AN UNFAIR QUESTION, BUT I'M JUST TRYING USING YOUR ANALOGY. WE ARE WE ARE TRYING TO YES CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN A CAR THAT HAS 250,000 MILES ON IT THAT WE EXPECT TO GET 500,000 MILES OUT OF OKAY THAT'S FAIR. SO YES, OUR PARTICULARLY IN OUR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, IT'S AGING YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE NAVARRE AREA WAS WAS PUT INTO PLACE IN THE LATE 60S, MOST OF THE STUFF UP HERE IN THE NORTH YOU KNOW SOME OF IT WAS DONE IN THE 70S, BUT THEN OTHERS AND THERE'S BEEN LITTLE EXTENSIONS AND THINGS. BUT SO WE ARE, WE ARE WORKING WITH INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S 50 YEARS OLD WITH PIPES. SOME OF THESE TYPES OF PIPES YOU EXPECT 75 YEARS OUT OF. HOWEVER, AS WE WERE TALKING BEFORE, SOME OF THE TYPES OF MATERIALS THAT WERE PUT IN THE GROUND BACK THEN REACT WITH OUR SOILS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WE ARE FINDING THAT SOME OF OUR PIPES, PARTICULARLY THOSE EARLY, EARLY PIPES THAT WERE PUT IN THE GROUND, ARE NOT LASTING THE 75 ISH YEARS YOU WOULD EXPECT OUT OF IT. SO WHEN WE ARE REPLACING THINGS, DOING A FULL REPLACEMENT IS AN EXAMPLE OF PIPES. YEAH LIFE OR MORE. BUT WE, WE CAN'T AFFORD [LAUGHTER] WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT RATE INCREASES OR FIGURING OUT ANOTHER WAY TO FUND TO DO LIKE A COMPLETE REDO OF OUR SYSTEM OF PIPE. AND WE HAVE 80 SOMETHING MILE, 80 PLUS MILES OF PIPE SO WHICH ONES DO WE GO AFTER [00:40:07] BUDGET I HAVE A IT'S NOT A QUESTION AS MUCH AS A COMMENT TO THE MAYOR'S POINT. I TOO WOULD LIKE TO SEE OPTIONS HERE VERSUS A 25% INCREASE AND THEN NOT HAVING THE DISCUSSION, AS IT WERE, FOR THE NEXT 3 OR 4 YEARS. MY OPINION IS THAT IT'S THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION TO BE HAVING. SO I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M IN A I CAN I CAN UNDERSTAND WANTING TO KIND OF TAKE THE HIT AND THEN NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. BUT THIS IS WHAT I'M HEARING ANYWAY. AND WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE WORKING SESSION IS THAT THIS IS PART OF A REALITY OF LIVING IN THIS UNIQUE CITY THAT WE DO WITH SOME OF THESE INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES RELATED TO LIFT STATIONS, RELATED TO THE COMPLEXITIES AND THE AGE OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE. SO I, HAVING GIVEN IT SOME THOUGHT I WOULD. I WOULD RATHER LOOK AT TO THE MAYOR'S POINT. A MORE INCREMENTAL INCREASE AND CONTINUING TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION ONGOING, BECAUSE AS IT'S PART OF BUDGETING, AS WE'RE TALKING TO RESIDENTS THIS IS PART OF THE REALITY OF LIVING IN THE CITY. SO I DON'T KNOW THAT I SUPPORT THE IDEA OF SORT OF HAVING TAKING THE HIT AND THEN JUST NOT DEALING WITH IT. IF THIS IS AN ONGOING REALITY, I THINK IT'S A BETTER REMINDER FOR US AS WE BUDGET TO BE AS MINDFUL AS POSSIBLE ABOUT EXPENDITURES AND ENSURING THAT WHEN WE ARE CHOOSING TO SPEND, IT'S FOR VERY GOOD REASONS. SO THAT'S JUST A STATEMENT. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A QUESTION, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OTHER OPTIONS. ONE QUESTION I DO HAVE IS THAT I'M WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT IT'S BEST PRACTICE OR LEGALLY REQUIRED. IS A HEARING FOR A RATE INCREASE SOMETHING THAT THE CITY HAS DONE HISTORICALLY? IS IT REQUIRED TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR A RATE INCREASE? NO? NO SO WHEN WE SO TYPICALLY WE ADOPT THE FEE SCHEDULE. AND THAT'S WHEN PEOPLE I MEAN, THAT'S WHEN FOLKS CAN COME UP TO TALK ABOUT IT. WHAT WE HAVE HAD DONE BACK IN 2019 OR 2020, WHEN WE HAD DONE THE LAST RATE SIGNIFICANT RATE INCREASE WAS WE HELD A PUBLIC FORUM OR PUBLIC INFO SESSION WHERE WE HAD THE PUBLIC BE ABLE TO JOIN AND STAFF WAS ABLE TO EXPLAIN WHY THE RATE INCREASE SO DRASTICALLY. AND ALSO IT'S EVEN THOUGH IT IS A ONE TIME HIT FOR THE FIVE THIS CURRENT FIVE YEAR THAT THE RATE STUDY IS ON STAFF INTERNALLY WILL DO ANOTHER RATE STUDY AS THAT TIME. THE ENDING OF THIS RATE STUDY COMES ABOUT SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU THAT WE JUST CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT 3% INCREASE. WE WE AS STAFF ALWAYS LOOK AT THE RATE STUDY OR THE RATES EVERY YEAR WITH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT OUR RATES ARE ALLOWING US TO DO THE NECESSARY PROJECTS. THAT IS COMING UP ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AS WELL. SO HOPEFULLY THAT EXPLAINS IT A BIT MORE. SO IF THIS IS ADOPTED OR WHATEVER RATE INCREASE WE CHOOSE TO ADOPT THAT'S WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE NECESSARILY A PUBLIC HEARING, BUT THE PUBLIC WOULD BE ABLE TO COMMENT AND BE ABLE TO BECOME BETTER EDUCATED OR ASK QUESTIONS DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME? YES THAT'S CORRECT. IF I COULD ADD ONE POINT ON THAT. SO AND MAYBE THAT'S TOO QUICK ON THE PUBLIC HEARING ASPECT, YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED STATUTORILY TO HOLD ONE. IN MY OPINION. YOU CAN ALWAYS CHOOSE TO HOLD ONE. YOU CAN ADVERTISE IT AS A PUBLIC HEARING AND FOLLOW PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS IF YOU FEEL THAT WOULD HELP WITH PARTICIPATION. SOMETIMES ALSO WITH YOUR FEE SCHEDULE, IT'S CHANGED A LITTLE BIT, BUT NOW YOU ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR FEE SCHEDULE. IF IT INVOLVES ZONING ORDINANCE ITEMS. JUST BECAUSE A FEE SCHEDULE AND ZONING IS CONSIDERED A ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT. SO SOMETIMES TANGENTIALLY, BECAUSE YOU'RE AMENDING YOUR ZONING SCHEDULE, IF YOU'RE ALSO AMENDING YOUR FEE SCHEDULE AS IT RELATES TO WATER, SEWER, WHATEVER, YOU KIND OF CATCH THAT PUBLIC HEARING AS A TAG ALONG WITH THE ZONING PART, BECAUSE ALL OF YOUR FEES ARE LISTED IN ONE SCHEDULE, BUT YOU ARE FREE TO MAKE THE PROCESS AS ROBUST AS YOU CHOOSE. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHAT'S REQUIRED. THAT'S HELPFUL THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW HOW THE REST OF THE COUNCIL FEELS ABOUT IT. I JUST THINK THAT I KNOW WE'VE ALL HEARD A LOT OF FEEDBACK ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND IT'S A REAL SORE POINT SO. WE HAVE AND, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, IT WAS HELPFUL TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION DURING OUR WORK SESSION PRECEDING THIS MEETING ABOUT HOW WE ARE DIFFERENT THAN A LOT OF THE COMMUNITIES WE'RE BEING COMPARED TO. WE HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF HOMES THAT ARE, THAT ARE THAT RECEIVE WATER SERVICE. [00:45:04] WE HAVE PARTICULARLY LARGE LOTS SO IT'S EXPENSIVE TO GET THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO EACH OF THE HOMES IN OUR THAT, THAT DO HAVE WATER IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THE SAME INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE THAT, THAT THOSE THAT HAVE DENSER COMMUNITIES HAVE AND WE'RE NOT ABLE TO SPREAD IT OUT AS WIDELY AS OTHER COMMUNITIES CAN DO. THAT'S JUST THE HAND THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALT ON WATER, PARTICULARLY. BUT I DO THINK IT IS AN ISSUE FOR A LOT OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE PAYING A LOT FOR OUR WATER. AND TALKING ABOUT A 25% INCREASE, I THINK IS PROBABLY MORE THAN THAN OUR COMMUNITY IS WILLING TO SWALLOW AT THIS POINT. I ALSO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THE ASSUMPTIONS TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THE MOVEMENT OF SOME, SOME FUNDS. $750,000 FROM THE FACILITIES FUND BACK INTO THE WATER FUND. THERE HAD BEEN A TRANSFER A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO OF $1 MILLION FROM THE WATER FUND OVER TO THE FACILITIES FUND IN CONNECTION WITH THE BUILDING OF THE PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY. AND AND I'M, I'M A PRETTY STRONG BELIEVER THAT IF WE'RE DEALING WITH ISSUES WITH THE WATER FUND, THAT THAT THE ENTIRE MILLION SHOULD GO BACK, NOT JUST $750,000. I KNOW THERE'S ARGUMENTS ON BOTH SIDES FOR THAT, BUT I THINK BEFORE ASKING OUR RESIDENTS TO, TO PAY AN INCREASE OF 25% WE SHOULD WE SHOULD BE MOVING ALL OF THOSE MONIES BACK AND TAKING A MORE GRADUATED APPROACH, AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S THERE CAN BE DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON THIS, BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I'M COMING OUT. I AGREE WITH THAT WHAT WAS WELL SAID. OTHER THOUGHTS? AND WE'RE NOT TAKING ACTION TONIGHT. I APPRECIATE YOU COMING TO FIELD QUESTIONS. WE ARE HOPING TO TAKE ACTION, I GUESS, AT OUR NEXT MEETING. SO, CITIZENS, IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE YOU'LL LET US KNOW. BUT YEAH, THAT'S THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE ON THE AGENDA AT OUR NEXT MEETING. SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE WE LOSE THE PRESENTER HERE? ALL RIGHT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SHOWING UP AT OUR MEETING AND FOR GOING MIC]. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. UNUSUALLY, WE ARE NOW AT THE POINT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO ASK FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS. NORMALLY WE WOULD DO THAT MUCH EARLIER IN THE MEETING, BUT BECAUSE OF VARIOUS FACTORS. HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING SO [LAUGHTER] NOW IS THE TIME WHEN WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CERTIFICATION OF DELINQUENT UTILITIES AND ACCOUNTS [13. Certification of Delinquent Utilities and Accounts Receivable - Resolution 7631] RECEIVABLE. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL BEFORE A DECISION IS MADE, RELEVANT COMMENTS OF SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION FROM THE PUBLIC ARE REFLECTED IN THE MEETING RECORD CONSIDERED BY THE COUNCIL IN MAKING A DECISION. SO WHAT WE ARE BEING ASKED TO DO HERE IS TO CERTIFY PAST DUE DELINQUENT UTILITIES, ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE WITH RESPECT TO THOSE UTILITIES AND OTHER AMOUNTS OWED TO THE CITY. AND THEY WILL BE IF WE PASS THIS RESOLUTION, THOSE AMOUNTS WILL BE ADDED WITH AN 8% INTEREST RATE. I UNDERSTAND, TO OUR TAX BILL, PROPERTY TAX, A RESIDENTS PROPERTY TAX BILL FOR NEXT YEAR. SO DID I STATE THAT CORRECTLY? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC REGARDING THAT? CAN WE JUST GET A CLARIFICATION ON HOW DELINQUENT AN ACCOUNT HAS TO BE TO BE PUT ON THIS LIST? YES SO WE SENT OUT THE FIRST NOTICE BACK ON SEPTEMBER 8TH, I BELIEVE, AND THAT HAS TO BE SO WE CUT OFF AS OF JULY 31ST. YEP PRIOR TO US CERTIFYING IT TO THE COUNTY TO BE ON THEIR NEXT YEAR'S PROPERTY TAX BILL. THANK YOU. MAGGIE, DO YOU WHEN YOU CERTIFY HIM AFTER TONIGHT, DO YOU NOTICE AN INCREASE IN SOME OF THOSE GETTING PAID FROM THE AMOUNT THAT THEY CERTIFY TONIGHT? YES SO THERE WILL BE. SO TONIGHT'S LISTING HAS THE PAST DUE BALANCE THAT WE SENT OUT AS OF JULY 31ST BASED ON WHO STILL HAS PAST DUE BALANCE ON OCTOBER 21ST. [00:50:02] SO PRIOR TO US CERTIFYING IT TO COUNTY OR OUR CUTOFF TIME OF NOVEMBER 15TH WE WE TYPICALLY ANTICIPATE A QUITE A FEW MORE PROPERTIES TO PAY OFF THEIR BILL. SO, SO EVEN AS OF TODAY THAT NUMBER PROBABLY HAS CHANGED BY NOW. AND WHEN DOES IT GET FINALIZED AND SENT TO THE COUNTY? AND WHAT'S THE DATE THAT IT ACTUALLY GOES BUT PER STATE STATUTE PROPERTIES ONLY HAVE UNTIL NOVEMBER 15TH TO MAKE THAT PAYMENT TO US. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR OBSERVATIONS? OTHERWISE, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO PASS RESOLUTION 7631 TO CERTIFY DELINQUENT UTILITIES AND ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE. A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 7631 CERTIFICATION OF DELINQUENT UTILITY BILLS AND ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE. I'LL SECOND IT IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES. NOW WE WILL GET TO PUBLIC COMMENTS. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL. [Public Comments] COUNCIL WILL NOT ENGAGE IN ANY DISCUSSION OR TAKE ACTION ON ITEMS, BUT THE COUNCIL MAY REFER ISSUES TO STAFF FOR FOLLOW UP FOR CONSIDERATION OF FUTURE MEETING. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND HOME ADDRESS AT THE PODIUM BEFORE SPEAKING, AND SHOULD BE MINDFUL OF TIME AND LIMIT THEIR REMARKS TO THREE MINUTES TO ALLOW SUFFICIENT OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHERS TO SPEAK. AND WITH THAT, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS TONIGHT? HI GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS RACHEL CHARD. I KNOW I'VE SPENT A NUMBER OF HOURS WITH YOU HERE THIS EVENING. AND YOU HEARD FROM MY FIANCE AT THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING. WE'VE BEEN RESIDENTS AT 235 CRESTVIEW SINCE DECEMBER 2021 AND HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE CITY FOR THE LAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS REGARDING A DRAINAGE ISSUE ON OUR PROPERTY. WE BROUGHT FORTH THE IDEA TO, YOU KNOW, BRING UP THE PAVEMENT OF TWO OF CRESTVIEW AVENUE TO ADDRESS NOT ONLY THE DRAINAGE ISSUE, BUT ALSO THE DETERIORATING ROAD. BUT AS I SAID, THROUGH THIS WORKING SESSION TODAY, IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN CONTINUES TO CHANGE, RIGHT? SO I'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST MANY YEARS THAT OUR ROAD HAS BEEN SLATED FOR 2030, 2032, DOWN TO 2027. AND NOW IT'S BACK TO 2028. SO AT THIS POINT, I DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE ON WHEN CRESTVIEW IS GOING TO BE RECONSTRUCTED AND WHEN THE DRAINAGE AT THE END OF THE TURNAROUND IS GOING TO BE ADDRESSED. SO ULTIMATELY, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS FOR THIS NEW COUNCIL TO REALLY PROVIDE US WITH SOME SUPPORT TO ADDRESS THE DRAINAGE THAT EXISTS AT OUR PROPERTY. WE HAVE A NEIGHBOR TO THE WEST OF US WHO PUT UP A NEW PROPERTY BACK IN 2018, AND THAT'S CREATED A LOT OF RUNOFF ONTO THE CITY RIGHT OF WAY. AND WHEN THAT CITY RIGHT OF WAY STORM OVERFLOWS, IT THEN COMES TO OUR PROPERTY AND THEIRS. SO YOU'LL SEE, I THINK THERE'S A TIMELINE TO KIND OF GO THROUGH ALL THIS. WHEN THAT PROPERTY WAS PUT INTO PLACE, WHEN THE ENCROACHMENT AGREEMENT WAS ESTABLISHED BACK IN 2019, PRIOR TO MY TIME. PRIOR TO YOUR TIME. AND SO THEN ULTIMATELY NOW WE'RE DEALING WITH A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT FLOODING ISSUE ON OUR PROPERTY EVERY SPRING WITH HEAVY RAINFALL AND THEN WINTER RUNOFF AS WELL. SO IT'S I UNDERSTAND IT'S SOMEWHAT OF A PRIVATE ISSUE, RIGHT? IMPACTING ONLY A FEW NEIGHBORS. BUT ULTIMATELY IT IS CITY PROPERTY AND A NEIGHBORING UNIT THAT'S PUTTING WATER ONTO OUR YARD, MAKING IT PRETTY UNUSABLE IN THAT SPACE. SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS REALLY JUST SEND A REQUEST TO COME BACK AT THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING. I'D LOVE TO SHARE SOME PHOTOS WITH YOU, WALK YOU THROUGH THE TIMELINE, EXPLAIN SOME OF THE HISTORY THAT'S EXISTED HERE AND SEE WHAT WE CAN POSSIBLY DO TO TRY TO ALLEVIATE THIS DRAINAGE ISSUE THAT WE DO HAVE. SO THAT'S WHAT I HAVE THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? YES I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL FOR PASSING THE JPA TONIGHT. AND ALSO THANK YOU ALL FOR RUNNING FOR COUNCIL. THANKING BOB AND STEVE FOR ALL OF THEIR TREMENDOUS EFFORTS OVER THESE LAST FEW MONTHS. MY HUSBAND IS HERE WITH ME AND AS YOU KNOW, HE IS A LONG LAKE FIREFIGHTER AND I KNOW THAT THE PASSING OF THIS JPA, WHICH IS ANTICIPATED. ADDITIONALLY, IN LONG LAKE THIS WEEK IS GOING TO BE A TREMENDOUS RELIEF TO THOSE WHO ARE SERVING ON THESE DEPARTMENTS. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO A REALLY, REALLY POSITIVE IMPACT TO PUBLIC SAFETY. [00:55:05] AND I, I ALSO TOO JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE ORONO RESIDENTS FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE ELECTION AND IN MAKING THIS ISSUE DIGESTIBLE AND UNDERSTANDABLE WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR TAXES AREN'T IMPACTED AS WELL. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OTSEGO, BUT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH ALMOST THE EXACT SAME SCENARIO AND ARE EXPERIENCING A 19% INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES. TAXES RELATED ALMOST ENTIRELY TO THE BUILD OF A OF A NEW FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THEIR CITY. SO THERE'S NO WAY TO KNOW NOW IF THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE SITUATION HERE. I'M JUST GRATEFUL THAT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S SITTING ON THE TABLE. AND I WISH THAT I WOULD HAVE BROUGHT CONFETTI POPPERS. CONGRATULATIONS [LAUGHTER]. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? SEEING NONE, WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR ENGINEER REPORT. [14. Replace HVAC Units - Willow Fire Station] SO I TURN IT BACK OVER TO MR. EDWARDS FOR THAT REPORT. MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL ITEM NUMBER 14 ON THE THIS IS A PROJECT THAT WILL BE LED BY THE CITY OF LONG LAKE, REPLACE THEM. THERE ARE FIVE UNITS THAT ARE AT THE END OF THEIR USEFUL LIFE THREE OF THEM HAVE CEASED TO PROVIDE AIR CONDITIONING. THEY STILL PROVIDE SOME HEAT THE CITY OF LONG LAKE HAS HAS ALREADY GONE THROUGH A SIMILAR PROCESS TO APPROVE THE VENDOR AND APPROVE THEIR PART OF THE PROJECT. SO TODAY WHAT YOU WOULD BE APPROVING WOULD BE THE EXPENDITURE OF ORONO FUNDS FOR OUR PORTION OF THE REPLACEMENT OF THOSE AC UNITS ALSO, JUST TO NOTE THAT THE REPLACEMENT OF THESE UNITS USING THE EXISTING CONTRACT AND EXISTING CONTRACT FUNDING FORMULA WAS PART OF THE NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE JPA AND OTHER THAN THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT THERE WAS A I WOULD JUST NOTE THAT AMONG THE MATERIALS THAT WE RECEIVED WERE COPIES OF THE OF THE BIDS, ONE OF WHICH WAS FOR PROBABLY $20,000 LESS. BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT DID NOT INCLUDE THAT IT SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDED ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, MAYBE SOME OTHER FACTORS AS WELL. SO AND IT WAS NOT SOMEONE THAT THAT LONG LAKE HAD BEEN PRIOR HAD BEEN DEALING WITH PRIOR TO THIS SO. CORRECT THE VENDOR THAT THE VENDOR THAT THEY THAT THE CHIEF MADE THE RECOMMENDATION FOR AND THE COUNCIL WORK AT THE STATION OTHER QUESTIONS COMMENTS? AS I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE. IT'S LET'S SEE YEAH CONDITIONED UPON THE CITY OF LONG LAKE APPROVING THE SHORELINE FIRE JPA AND ASSOCIATED LEASES. I'LL SECOND THAT. OKAY IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES THANK YOU. I GUESS I WOULD GO BACK TO MR. EDWARDS TO TO TALK ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY MEASURES THAT WE DISCUSSED [15. Sustainability and Resiliency] AT LENGTH AT A WORK SESSION SEVERAL WEEKS AGO. ITEM NUMBER 15 IS AS YOU JUST BRIEFED TO COVERS THE SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY WORK SESSION, THAT THE SPECIAL WORK SESSION THAT THE COUNCIL AND STAFF HELD ON OCTOBER 8TH WHERE WE REVIEWED THE CURRENT PRACTICES ACROSS THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS OF THE CITY IN THOSE TWO AREAS OF SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY [01:00:01] AND THE SUMMARY, A SUMMARY OF THAT IS PROVIDED IN THE COUNCIL PACKET AS WELL AS WE DID HAVE SPECIAL MINUTES FOR THAT WORK SESSION WHICH WERE APPROVED DURING YOUR MINUTES APPROVAL EARLIER. BUT I ALSO INCLUDED THEM IN HERE. SO THEY'D ALL BE IN ONE PLACE. AND WE ALSO ADDED THE THE WORK SESSION SLIDES THAT WERE PRESENTED INTO THE PACKET. AND THEN ONE OF THE FEEDBACKS THAT WE HEARD DURING THAT WORK SESSION FROM THE COUNCIL WAS A DESIRE TO DO MORE TO EXPAND PUBLIC AWARENESS OF WHAT SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY EFFORTS THE YOU ALSO SEE A DRAFT SUSTAINABILITY COMMUNICATIONS PLAN THAT OUR COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST IS PREPARED LOOKING AT SOME DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES FOCUSED COMMUNICATIONS OVER THE NEXT YEAR NO, I'LL JUST MAKE A COMMENT. I WENT THROUGH THE MONTH BY MONTH PLAN AND THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE JUST TO DATE LOOKS. I THINK IT REALLY IS GOING TO HELP US SHARE THE MESSAGE WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND THE RESIDENTS ABOUT ALL THE EFFORTS THAT DO TAKE PLACE AS IT RELATES TO SUSTAINABILITY IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I THINK IT'S I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO SHARE THAT WITH OUR RESIDENTS AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT THOSE STEPS ARE AND HOW WE'RE WE'RE VERY YOU KNOW, AWARE OF SUSTAINABILITY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. I JUST WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE THAT WE HAD THE SESSION AND THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT AGAIN, BECAUSE THIS MATTERS A GREAT DEAL TO OUR RESIDENTS. AND I THINK WE'RE WE'RE CATCHING UP TO OTHER COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THESE THINGS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS NOW. SO I'M PLEASED THAT WE'RE GETTING THERE AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION. I LIKE THE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN. AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND VOLUNTEERISM WITHIN OUR PARKS COMMUNITY BECAUSE I KNOW THROUGH CONVERSATIONS THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS WHO LIVE IN ORONO WHO VALUE THIS TYPE OF INITIATIVE AND WHO ARE READY TO ASSIST OUR CITY. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THAT CONVERSATION AS WELL. OTHER COMMENTS I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT. YEAH, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT THAT THE, YOU KNOW, COMING OUT OF THAT THAT WORK SESSION THAT THIS COUNCIL IS VERY MUCH COMMITTED TO WHAT WE CAN DO AS A AS A COMMUNITY FOR SUSTAINABILITY, SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY. AND I'M PLEASED THAT THE EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN SO FAR. I LIKE THE COMMUNICATION PLAN. I DO THINK IT'S IT IS INCUMBENT ON US TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS TO WHAT'S BEING DONE AND INVITE PARTICIPATION FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN WHAT WE CAN, WHAT WE CAN COLLECTIVELY DO. BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A. WHILE WE CAN SAY, YES, WE'RE BEHIND SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY. THAT REALLY TAKES THE COMMUNITY TO KIND OF GROUND UP PARTICIPATE IN THAT AND GET BEHIND IT. SO I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE THOUGHTS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS TO HOW WE MIGHT ENGAGE MORE WITH THE COMMUNITY ON HOW WE CAN, HOW WE CAN DO THIS BETTER AND KEEP IMPROVING, BECAUSE THAT'S DEFINITELY A DESIRE OF YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, SO. NO ACTION IS REQUIRED TO BE TAKEN ON THIS CORRECT? OTHER THAN FEEDBACK. YEAH SO THANK YOU AGAIN. GOOD JOB ON THE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN. AND LET'S LET'S KEEP MOVING FORWARD ON THIS. NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS MAYOR COUNCIL REPORT. [Mayor/Council Report] ANY ANYTHING TO REPORT ON? I'LL START WITH YOU AGAIN, MR. PERSIAN. NO THE ONLY THING THAT I DID WANT TO COMMENT ON IS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, I'VE RECEIVED SOME EMAILS FROM DIFFERENT RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY SHARING CONCERNS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 1 OR 1 ITEM OR THE OTHER ITEM. AND I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THE CITY STAFF THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO REACH OUT TO, YOU KNOW, IN THIS TEN MONTHS THAT WE'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL, WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IS TO REALLY TO DIGEST THE COMMENTS THAT ARE SENT OUR WAY AND THEN TO BE ABLE TO TURN IT OVER TO A STAFF. AND I'LL TALK ABOUT LAURA OR ADAM THAT I'VE, THAT I'VE TURNED OVER ITEMS TO. AND I'VE WATCHED THEM WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE RESIDENTS TO TRY AND SOLVE THEIR ISSUES. AND IN SOME CASES THE ANSWER TO THOSE, THE ANSWER TO THOSE ISSUES IS, IS MAYBE NOT EXACTLY WHAT THE CITY RESIDENT IS LOOKING FOR, BUT WHAT I'VE NOTICED IS THAT AS WE REALLY TAKE THE TIME TO GET BACK TO THE RESIDENT ABOUT AN ISSUE AND WORK WITH THEM TO SOLVE IT. I'VE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED WITH HOW OUR CITY STAFF HAS DONE THAT ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS RECENTLY, AND I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING. [01:05:05] DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO MENTION? MEETINGS, AND I JUST WANT TO COMMEND THEM AND DOING A REALLY THOROUGH JOB. STAFF DOES A GREAT JOB WITH PRESENTATIONS, BUT I THINK THE COMMISSION REALLY DOES A NICE JOB OF FIELDING QUESTIONS AMONGST EACH OTHER AND REALLY GOING THROUGH THINGS, AND IT'S A PLEASURE TO WATCH THEM DO THEIR WORK SO. GREAT. NOTHING TO REPORT OTHER THAN TO REMIND IF ANYONE'S AVAILABLE TOMORROW NIGHT 5:00 TO 07:30. THE LONG LAKE WATER ASSOCIATION IS GOING TO BE HERE PRESENTING AND TALKING ABOUT THAT IMPACT AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND ON THAT. SO ENCOURAGE FELLOW MEMBERS TO JOIN AND, AND FELLOW CITIZENS TO BE HERE FOR THAT. GREAT. AND I HAVE NOTHING TO ADD. SO WITH WITH THAT I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING. I'LL SECOND. I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION. OKAY [LAUGHTER]. I'LL SECOND IT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES. WE ARE ADJOURNED. 7:08. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WOW * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.