>> I WILL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. [00:00:04] PLEASE JOIN ME IN RECITING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. >> >> THANK YOU. I WOULD NOTE THAT WE HAVE A FULL COUNCIL TONIGHT. [ Roll Call] WE DEFINITELY HAVE A QUORUM. I WILL ASK COUNCIL TO APPROVE OUR AGENDA, [ Approval of Agenda] INCLUDING THE CONSENT AGENDA. [ Consent Agenda] WHICH TONIGHT HAS A NUMBER OF ITEMS ON IT. CITY COUNCIL MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING, CLAIMS AND BILLS, TOBACCO SALES LICENSES FOR VARIOUS LOCATIONS, DONATION TO THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT. THAT'S RESOLUTION 7653 DISSOLUTION OF THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT. AN AGREEMENT WITH SHORELINE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR FUEL PURCHASING, AN AGREEMENT WITH LONG LAKE ROWING FOR FACILITY USE. AN AGREEMENT FOR PROSECUTION SERVICES, RESOLUTION 7652, AGREEMENTS FOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING CONTRACTS WITH LOCAL 40 AND LOCAL 168, PERSONNEL POLICY AMENDMENTS, RESOLUTION 7647, REAPPOINTING THREE SEASONAL EMPLOYEES, HIRING A POLICE OFFICER, A FINAL PAY REQUEST FOR OUR CITY HALL AND POLICE PARKING LOT PROJECT, CRYSTAL BAY BUSINESS CENTER UTILITY ACCEPTANCE, LA 25-00048-7505 TONKAWA ROAD VARIANCE, RESOLUTION 7654, 2026 EMPLOYEE PAY SCALE AND BENEFIT. THAT'S RESOLUTION 7646. ADOPTING THE 2026 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, ADOPTING THE 2026 FEE SCHEDULE, ORDINANCE 318, ADOPTING 2026 ENTERPRISE FUND BUDGETS, RESOLUTION 7651, ADOPTING 2026 SPECIAL REVENUE FUND BUDGETS, RESOLUTION 7650, AND FINALLY, VOTING LOCATIONS FOR 2026. IT'S QUITE A CONSENT AGENDA. I WILL ASK COUNCIL IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE OR ADD ANYTHING TO THE TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA OR OVERALL AGENDA. >> MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO ADD THE WORK SESSION TO THE AGENDA OR WORK SESSION SCHEDULE. THEN ALSO PULL NUMBER 17 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. >> ANYONE ELSE? >> YES, MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO ADD HACKBERRY PARK TO THE AGENDA. I'D LIKE TO PULL NUMBER 7 FROM CONSENT. >> NUMBER 7 IS AGREEMENT WITH LONG LAKE ROWING ON FACILITY USE, NUMBER 17 IS THE 2026 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. WE'RE ADDING TWO NEW ITEMS, WORK SESSION, SCHEDULE AND AN UPDATE ON HACKBERRY PARK. ANY OTHER CHANGES TO THE AGENDA? IF NOT, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA MINUS NUMBER 17 AND NUMBER 7. >> MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA MINUS I SHOULD SAY AS AMENDED. >> SOUNDS GREAT. >> MOVED IN SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION. NOT ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> AS OPPOSED, SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR PUBLIC HEARING, [ 22. 2026 Budget and Levy Public Hearing] WHICH I BELIEVE I NEED A MOTION TO MOVE INTO THE PUBLIC HEARING ON OUR WELL, I GUESS, FIRST, WE'D LIKE TO ASK MAGGIE TO GO THROUGH THE BUDGET AND LEVY, AND THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING. THANK YOU. >> TONIGHT, THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. TONIGHT, WE HAVE THE 2026 TRUTH AND TAXATION, PUBLIC HEARING AND PRESENTATION FOR THE 2026 GENERAL FUND BUDGET AND TAX LEVY. BY LAW, THE CITY NEEDS TO HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING BETWEEN NOVEMBER 25TH THROUGH DECEMBER 30TH, THIS YEAR TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS PRIOR TO THE ADOPTION OF THE 2026 GENERAL FUND BUDGET AND TAX LEVY. SINCE THIS IS THE ONLY MEETING TO OCCUR BETWEEN THOSE DATES, WE ARE HOLDING THE HEARING WITH THE REQUEST FOR ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET AND LEVY TO FOLLOW. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING IS TO INFORM PROPERTY OWNERS ABOUT THE PROPOSED GENERAL FUND BUDGET AND LEVY AND TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY [00:05:05] FOR RESIDENTS TO ASK QUESTIONS AND TO DISCUSS THE 2026 BUDGET AND TAX LEVY. THIS PAST MARCH PROPERTY OWNERS WOULD HAVE RECEIVED THEIR 2025 PROPERTY TAX VALUATION NOTICE. UNLESS CONTESTED AT THE OPEN BOOK MEETING IN THE SPRING OF 2025. THIS VALUATION WOULD BE FOR THE TAXES PAYABLE IN 2026. THE UPCOMING EVALUATION OR UPCOMING VALUATION THAT PROPERTY OWNERS WILL RECEIVE IN THE SPRING OF 2026 WILL BE FOR TAXES PAYABLE IN 2027. IF FOLKS HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR PROPERTY VALUES AT THAT TIME, THEY CAN ATTEND THE OPEN BOOK MEETING IN APRIL OF 2026 OR 2027 TAXES PAYABLE. IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS, THEY CAN ASSESSORS. I HAVE THEIR INFORMATION UP ABOVE, OR THEY CAN FIND THE INFORMATION ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AS WELL. FIRST OFF, I'LL START WITH A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE PROPERTY TAX PROCESS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. IN THE SPRING, THE COUNTY ASSESSOR DETERMINES THE PROPERTY VALUE IN THE CURRENT YEAR FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR. IN SEPTEMBER, THE CITY SETS THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET AND TAX LEVY. OTHER TAXING DISTRICTS DOES THE SAME AND SET THEIR LEVIES. IN NOVEMBER, PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX NOTICES ARE MAILED BY THE COUNTY. ON THOSE TAX NOTICES ARE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PUBLIC HEARING, EACH JURISDICTION WILL HOLD. IN END OF NOVEMBER TO THE END OF DECEMBER, THE CITY WILL HOLD ITS TRUE AND TAXATION PUBLIC HEARING THIS YEAR, IN DECEMBER, TODAY. THEN BY THE END OF DECEMBER, PROPERTY TAX BUDGET AND LEVY ARE ADOPTED AND FINALIZED FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR. NEXT OFF, I WILL GO INTO DISCUSSING HOW TO CALCULATE THE CITY PORTION OF PROPERTY TAXES OR PROPERTY TAX PAYERS. THE COMPONENTS TO CALCULATING PROPERTY TAXES ARE THE ESTIMATED MARKET VALUE OF THE PROPERTY, THE TAX CLASS RATE OF THE PROPERTY, TAX CAPACITY OF THAT PROPERTY, THE TAX CAPACITY OF THE OVERALL CITY, THE CITY TAX LEVY, AND THE CITY TAX CAPACITY RATE. STARTING OFF, THE CITY DOES HAVE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES. HOWEVER, WITH OVER 90% OF PROPERTIES BEING RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES IN ORONO. THAT'S WHAT WILL BE MY MAIN FOCUS AS I DISCUSSED THE CALCULATION. HOW DOES ONE CALCULATE THE CITY TAX PORTION OF THEIR PROPERTY BILL? THEY START WITH THE HENNEPIN ESTIMATED MARKET VALUE FOR THEIR PROPERTY TIMES IT BY THEIR TAX CLASS RATE. THE TAX CLASS RATE IS THE FIRST 500,000 MULTIPLIED BY 1%, AND THEN ANYTHING OVER 500,000 IS MULTIPLIED BY 1.25%. YOU TIMES THE ESTIMATED MARKET VALUE BY THE TAX CLASS RATE, AND THAT GETS YOU THE PROPERTY'S NET TAX CAPACITY. THEN YOU WOULD ALSO NEED YOUR CITY'S TAX CAPACITY RATE. YOU WOULD TAKE YOUR CITY'S PROPERTY TAX LEVY, DIVIDE THAT BY THE CITY'S TAX CAPACITY, AND I'LL GO INTO THAT DETAIL IN A FEW SLIDES OUT, AND THAT EQUALS YOUR CITY'S TAX CAPACITY RATE. FOR THE CALCULATION UP ABOVE, THAT WOULD BE 16.405%. HENNEPIN COUNTY'S 2026 PROPOSED TAX RATE FOR CITY OF ORONO IS 16.407%. CALCULATION WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BUT ALONG WITH ROUNDING ERROR. THAT'S WHY THE 0.002% MARGIN OF ERROR. I WILL USE THE HENNEPIN COUNTY'S PROPOSED TAX RATE AND FOLLOWING SLIDES. AN EXAMPLE FOR A MEDIUM HOME IN ORONO OF 1.1 MILLION, YOU GET YOUR PROPERTY'S NET TAX CAPACITY AT $12,630, YOU TIMES THAT BY YOUR CITY'S TAX CAPACITY RATE OF 16.407%. THAT GETS YOU A CITY NET TAX OF $272.20 FOR THE YEAR. NOW GOING INTO THE LEVY DETAIL. THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE LEVY IS MADE OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND LEVY PORTION. THAT MAKES UP SOME 2% WITH THE REMAINING LEVY MADE UP BY THE CAPITAL LEVY OF 18% AND DEBT LEVY OF 10%. FOR 2026, THE TOTAL LOCAL CERTIFIED TAX LEVY IS $10,278,500. THAT'S AN INCREASE OF $647,500 FROM 2025 OR 6.72% INCREASE. [00:10:06] THEN WE GO TO ESTIMATED TAX RATE, AND HOW DO WE CALCULATE THAT? YOU TAKE YOUR TOTAL LOCAL CERTIFIED TAX LEVY, WHICH IS THE 10,278,500, AND YOU DIVIDE THAT BY THE ADJUSTED NET TAX CAPACITY OF 62,650,000. THAT GETS YOU 16.405%. WITH MINOR CALCULATION DIFFERENCE AND ROUNDING ERRORS WITH THE COUNTY. THEIR PROPOSED 2026 TAX RATE IS 16.407%. THE TAX RATE WILL CHANGE AS FINAL NUMBERS FOR ADJUSTED NET TAX CAPACITY IS FINALIZED BY THE COUNTY, SO WE SHOULD HAVE FINAL TAX RATE OUT IN JANUARY OF 2026. THEN ON THIS SLIDE, I HAVE THE PAST 10 YEARS OF TAX RATE FOR CITY OF ORONO. THE AVERAGE OF THE PAST 10 YEARS COMES IN AT AROUND 16.644%. THE CURRENT PROPOSED TAX RATE OF 16.407% FALLS BELOW THAT AVERAGE BY 0.237%. THIS SHOWS THAT THE CITY HAS MAINTAINED QUITE A STABLE TAX ITS HISTORY JUST FLUCTUATING AROUND THE ACT. EVEN WITH THE TAX RATE COMING IN SLIGHTLY HIGHER ON THE 2025 TAX RATE, ON WOULD STILL REMAIN ONE OF THE LOWEST TAX RATE CITIES WITHIN HENNEPIN COUNTY. FOR 2026, ORONO IS COMING IN THIRD LOWEST CITY TAX RATE CITY IN HENNEPIN COUNTY AT 16.407%. THE COUNTY AVERAGE, AS YOU SEE IN THE RED, IS 40.542%, SO ORONO IS COMING IN SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER BY MORE THAN HALF OF THE COUNTY AVERAGE FOR 2026. THEN ON THIS SLIDE IS A 2026 LEVY COMPARISON WITH THE SAME NEIGHBORING CITY AS IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDES. AS ORONO IS NOT THE LOWEST LEVY INCREASE. HOWEVER, IT IS ONE OF THE LOWEST TAX RATE. ORONO CAME IN AT THE 13TH LOWEST LEVY INCREASE IN HENNEPIN COUNTY OUT OF 42 CITIES. OUR LEVY IS INCREASING 6.72%, AND THE MEDIAN CITY IN HENNEPIN COUNTY IS INCREASING AT 9.28%. THEN ON THIS SLIDE, I INCLUDED A SAMPLE OF THE TNT NOTICE THAT WAS SENT OUT IN NOVEMBER. LAST MONTH, PROPERTY TAX OWNERS WOULD HAVE RECEIVED A NOTICE THAT LOOKS LIKE THE ABOVE. THIS PARTICULAR ONE IS CLOSE TO THE MEDIUM HOME VALUE IN ORONO OF 1.1 MILLION. THAT'S WHY I INCLUDED THE SPECIFIC ONE ON THERE. OF COURSE, I MARKED OFF THE NAMES AND THE ADDRESS OF WHO IT'S ACTUALLY FOR. BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT THE CITY OF ORONO'S PORTION MAKES UP APPROXIMATELY 17.5% OF THE TAX BILL FOR THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, AND THIS PROPERTY IS IN SCHOOL DISTRICT 278, WHICH IS ORONO SCHOOL DISTRICT. GOING BACKWARDS TO 2025, 2026 DATA ISN'T AVAILABLE YET. THIS IS JUST A PROPERTY TAX DISTRIBUTION BASED ON THE TAXING JURISDICTION. THE STATE AVERAGE PROPERTY TAX DISTRIBUTION IS ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE. THE CITY OF ORONO BASED ON SCHOOL DISTRICT 278 IS ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE. YOU'LL SEE ORONO IS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN THE AVERAGE CITY IN MINNESOTA. THIS IS JUST ANOTHER VIEWPOINT ON HOW PROPERTY TAX IS DISTRIBUTED WITH THE DOLLARS THAT YOU PAY TOWARDS YOUR PROPERTY TAXES. YOU'LL SEE EVERY DOLLAR THAT A PROPERTY OWNER PAYS TOWARDS THEIR PROPERTY TAX, THE CITY ONLY GETS $0.17 OUT OF THAT DOLLAR. THEN ON THIS SLIDE, THIS SHOWS THE IMPACT ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY. I HAD LISTED DIFFERENT VARIATIONS OF WHAT A HOME WOULD SEE BASED ON THEIR MARKET VALUE. FOR A MEDIUM HOME OF $1.1 MILLION IN ORONO, WITH A MEDIAN INCREASE OF 5.06%. THAT PROPERTY WOULD BE LOOKING AT A $121 INCREASE PER [00:15:03] YEAR ON THEIR CITY PORTION OF THEIR PROPERTY TAX OR $10 A MONTH FOR THE CITY PORTION OF THE PROPERTY TAX. THEN THIS IS JUST A DIFFERENT WAY TO ILLUSTRATE WHAT A MEDIUM HOME WOULD BE PAYING FOR THEIR CITY PROPERTY TAX. YOU'LL SEE THAT IF YOU HAVE A $1.1 MILLION HOME IN ORONO, THE PROPERTY OWNER WOULD BE PAYING $173 PER MONTH ON THEIR CITY PORTION OF THEIR PROPERTY TAX. IF THEY CROSSED THE BORDER OVER TO ONE OF THE NEIGHBORING CITIES, THEY WOULD BE PAYING POTENTIALLY A MORE, ESPECIALLY IN MAPLE PLAIN THERE. SWITCHING GEARS TO GENERAL FUND BUDGET, GENERAL FUND PLAYS A BIG ROLE INTO THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY, WHICH IS WHY WE FOCUS ON THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET WITH THIS PUBLIC HEARING VERSUS THE OTHER BUDGETS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET BOOK IN THE COUNCIL PACKET. THE GENERAL FUND SUPPORTS CORE GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES SUCH AS POLICE, FIRE, PARKS, PUBLIC WORKS, AND ADMINISTRATION. GENERAL FUND REVENUE BUDGET SHOWN ABOVE IS AT $12,628,630. THE BIGGEST SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR GENERAL FUND IS PROPERTY TAX, FOLLOWED BY PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICE CHARGE. IF YOU GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, IT HAS A BREAKOUT. PROPERTY TAXES MAKES UP 59% OF THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE BUDGET AND PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICE CHARGE, WHICH WHICH STEMS FROM POLICE SERVICE CONTRACT, MAKES UP 24% OF THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE BUDGET. >> AND THEN MOVING ON TO THE EXPENDITURES. FIRST, I'LL TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET IMPACTS, AND MOVE ON TO SOME OF THE BIG NOTABLE CHANGES IN THE EXPENDITURES BUDGET. FOR THE BUDGET CYCLE, FOR INFLATION-WISE, THE CPI THAT WE USE IS FROM MAY OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR TO MAY OF THE CURRENT YEAR, JUST BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN WE START THE BUDGET CYCLE. ESTIMATED TAXABLE MARKET VALUE INCREASED BY 6.4%. ESTIMATED ADJUSTED NET TAX CAPACITY INCREASED BY 6.4% AS WELL. AND FINAL PROPERTY VALUES WILL NOT BE RECEIVED UNTIL YEAR-END. WITH THE BUDGET, WITH THE BUDGET INFORMATION TONIGHT, IT DOES USE THE ESTIMATED VALUE RECEIVED MID-AUGUST. THEN SOME OF THE OTHER BIG BUDGET IMPACTS ARE WAGES. WE DID A UNION NEGOTIATION THIS YEAR AND LANDED ON 3% INCREASE FOR COLA WITH MARKET ADJUSTMENTS RANGING FROM 2-3%. AND THEN JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT POLICE SERVICE CONTRACT WITH MOUNT IS BASED ON CPIU AND THAT WAGE INCREASE, AND THEN BENEFITS AS WELL, IS A BIG BUDGET IMPACT. PAID FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE STARTS ON JANUARY 1 OF 2026. AND THEN NOTABLE CHANGES ON THE OVERALL GENERAL FUND BUDGET. TOTAL WAGE AND BENEFIT HAD A DECREASE OF 126,000. THAT WOULD BE DUE TO A GENERAL FUND WAGE INCREASE OF $541,000, OFFSET BY A DECREASE IN FIRE PERSONNEL WAGES OF $667,000. TRANSITIONAL FACILITY-RELATED EXPENDITURE HAD AN APPROXIMATE INCREASE OF $122,000. THAT'S DUE TO FACILITY STAFF WAGES, AND BENEFITS FROM CENTRAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT TRANSFERRED OVER FROM GENERAL FUND TO FACILITY SERVICES FUND, WHICH IS A DECREASE OF $145,000 OFFSET DONE BY THE FACILITY-RELATED EXPENDITURES. MOVING THOSE FACILITY-RELATED EXPENDITURES FROM EACH OVER TO FACILITY SERVICES FUND, THEN CHARGING THAT BACK TO EACH DEPARTMENT AS A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE LINE ITEM. SO THAT'S AN INCREASE OF $267,000, WHICH IS WHAT MAKES THAT INCREASE OVERALL OF $122,000. AND THEN IT AND FLEET SERVICE CHARGE INCREASED AS WELL BY $127,000 TO CATCH UP TO RELATED EXPENDITURES. THEN I'LL GO THROUGH BUDGET CHANGES BY DEPARTMENT, OR THE BIG NOTABLE CHANGES OF EACH DEPARTMENT. IN THE ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT, THE EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION POLICY HAD A MINOR CHANGE, AND THAT'S INCLUDED IN TONIGHT'S COUNCIL PACKET AS WELL, ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. ELECTION IS A 2026 ELECTION YEAR FOR THE STATE GOVERNOR AND THEN TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS. COMMUNICATION BUDGET AMOUNT IS NOW BASED ON TWO COSTS, AS EXPENDITURE STARTED TO SHIFT FROM OTHER CENTRAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND TRACK SEPARATELY IN 2025. FINANCE AUDIT SERVICE WAS TRANSITIONED BACK FROM THE CENTRAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, SO YOU'LL SEE THAT TWO LINES DOWN ON THIS SLIDE. AND THEN CENTRAL SERVICE IS ALSO SEEING A DECREASE DUE TO TRANSITIONING FACILITY-RELATED EXPENDITURES TO THE FACILITY SERVICES FUND. POLICE BUDGET HAD AN INCREASE OF 0.5 CADET POSITION, AS WELL AS POLICE SOFTWARE LICENSING, BEING BUDGETED MORE ACCURATELY. AND THEN FIRE, WE HAVE SERVICE TRANSITIONING TO THE SHORELINE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE SERVICE CONTRACT IS AN INCREASE FROM THE CURRENT LONG LAKE CONTRACT OF $489,780. AND THEN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BUDGET INCLUDES THE PREPARATION COSTS FOR THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. WORK WILL CONTINUE INTO THE FUTURE YEARS, SO FUTURE YEAR BUDGETS WILL SEE COSTS FOR THE CREATION DRAFTING, REVIEWING, AND FINALIZATION OF THE TEN-YEAR COMP PLAN. AND THEN PUBLIC WORK STREET, WE HAVE CONTRACT. STREET MAINTENANCE IS INCREASING BASED ON THE PAST THREE YEARS, ACTUALS, AND THEN PUBLIC WORK STREETS AND ALSO PARKS. THEIR BUDGET FOR TREE MAINTENANCE IS INCREASING BY $230,000 OVERALL IN THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET. AND THEN PUBLIC WORKS SPRING PARK INCLUDES TWO FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT WAGE AND INCLUDES THE ADDITION OF PARK MAINTENANCE SERVICE. AND THEN SPECIAL PROJECT CONTINGENCY, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, HAS TRANSFERS TO THE IMPROVEMENT EQUIPMENT EIO FUND AND THE FLEET FUND, AND THE IT SERVICE FUND. ON THIS NEXT SLIDE, I HAVE THE GENERAL FUND BY CATEGORY. THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURE BUDGET IS $12,628,630. A MAJORITY OF THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURE IS MADE OUT OF PERSONAL SERVICES AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. THE COST OF PEOPLE, WHICH MAKES UP A TOTAL OF 83.6%. AND THEN ON THE NEXT SLIDE, I HAVE BY DEPARTMENT. ON HERE, YOU'LL SEE THAT PUBLIC SAFETY MAKES UP A MAJORITY OF THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURE AT 69%, AND THAT'S FOR POLICE, FIRE, AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. AND THEN ON THIS FINAL SLIDE. THIS IS JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE 2026 GENERAL FUND BUDGET. THIS SHOWS THAT REVENUE VERSUS EXPENDITURE REPRESENTS A BALANCED BREAK-EVEN BUDGET. THE BUDGET INCREASE SLIGHTLY FROM PRELIMINARY BUDGET PRESENTED AT THE SEPTEMBER COUNCIL MEETING, JUST BASED ON THE ACTUAL AMOUNT OF THE SHORELINE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET, AND OFFSETTING REVENUE WAS FOUND. HOWEVER, THE LEVY ITSELF DID NOT CHANGE FROM THE ADOPTED PRELIMINARY LEVY. SO WITH THAT, I CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION ON THE BUDGET AND FOR 2026. ANY COMMENTS? >> ANY QUESTIONS, MY COUNCIL. OTHERWISE, I WOULD ENTER A MOTION TO OPEN OUR PUBLIC HEARING TO ALLOW FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE RECORD. >> I MAKE A MOTION TO OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT. >> I SECOND. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. NOW IT'S TIME FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS YOUR COUNCIL IN OUR TRUTH AND TAXATION HEARING. >> GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. MY NAME'S MARIA BEACH. I LIVE AT 1065 WILLOW VIEW DRIVE AND ORONO. I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE THE 2026 LEVY AND BUDGET ARE MOVING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF WHAT MANY OF YOU RAN ON, AND WHAT RESIDENTS THOUGHT THEY WERE VOTING FOR. I APPRECIATE. I WILL TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY. I APPRECIATE BOB AND STEVE. WHEN I DID REACH OUT WITH QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS. YOU'VE HAD REALLY GREAT DIALOGUE. I APPRECIATE THAT. JACQUELINE AND ALYSSA, IF THERE IS A BETTER WAY TO CONNECT WITH YOU, PLEASE LET ME KNOW, OR IF MY EMAILS AREN'T GETTING THROUGH, THAT'D BE HELPFUL. JOHN, WELCOME. SORRY, I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE YET. THE PROMISE FIRST, THE PLAN THAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU. WHEN YOU CAMPAIGNED, YOUR MESSAGE WAS CLEAR. LOWER THE TAX RATE, FLAT WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE. B IS FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE, MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS, AND DO MORE WITH WHAT WE HAVE. TONIGHT, YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO ADOPT A 6.72 LEVY INCREASE, GOING FROM THE 9.6 TO THE 10.2. I UNDERSTAND THE STAFF'S POINT THAT THE RATE IS STABLE AND PROJECTED AROUND 16.4, ONE OF THE LOWEST IN HENNEPIN COUNTY. BUT WHAT ACTUALLY HITS OUR CHECKBOOK IS THE TAX BILL, AS YOU'VE SO POINTED OUT, AT THIS TIME LAST YEAR. WITH RISING VALUES, THE CITY'S OWN NUMBERS SAY THE AVERAGE HOME, ABOUT THE 1.1 MILLION, CAN EXPECT A ROUGHLY $120 INCREASE IN THE CITY'S PORTION OF THE TAX BILL. IT'S NOT LOWERING THE TAX RATE IN ANY MEANINGFUL WAY TO RESIDENTS. IT'S ASKING THEM TO PAY MORE AGAIN WHEN THE PROMISE WAS VERY DIFFERENT.YOU DID THE HARD WORK ON THE FIRE RENEGOTIATION. AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS SOMETHING POSITIVE. YOU FINALIZED A BIG STRUCTURAL MOVE WITH A JPA, THAT IS STARTING JANUARY 1. BUT THAT MAJOR COMPLEX SHIFT AND BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR MEANT SUBSIDIZING THE COSTS OF OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES FOR NOTHING IN RETURN. [00:20:01] I WOULD REMIND YOU THAT THAT'S WHY IT'S SO FRUSTRATING. I APPLAUD YOU FOR BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR. BUT I WOULD ASK THAT WE CONSIDER SOME ALTERNATIVES GOING FORWARD. WHEN STEPPING UP TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR, WHEN [INAUDIBLE] WAS ALSO OFFERED THE SAME THING AND CHOSE NOT TO. WE MOVE FORWARD WITH A JPA WITH LONG LAKE. BUT LONG LAKE STILL CONTRACTS THEIR POLICE WITH IZETA. I THINK THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY, WITH THEIR CONTRACT ENDING IN 2028, TO LOOK TO THEM TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR TO US AS WELL. FOR LONG I THINK 2028. THAT WAS THE LAST TIME I HEARD FOR LONG LAKE, PLEASE LOOK IT UP. IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU REMOVED THE ONLY CITY-WIDE GATHERING, THE HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING, AND STILL HAVEN'T KEPT YOUR PROMISE ON THAT. YOU CANCELED THE ONE AND ONLY CITY EVENT THAT NOBODY HAD ATTENDED WITHOUT ANY NOTICE OF WHAT WAS GOING ON. THANKFULLY, YOU BROUGHT IT BACK FOR ANOTHER DISCUSSION. BUT CITY STAFF THAT ORGANIZED IT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THAT, NOR WAS ANYBODY EVER ATTENDING? IT WASN'T A HIGH-VALUE ITEM ON THE BUDGET. BUT WE WERE TOLD THAT WOULD BE BROUGHT BACK THOUGHTFULLY. IT WAS NOT. TONIGHT, THERE ARE OPTIONS. OBVIOUSLY, A VERY SHORT TIMELINE, AS WE HEARD. NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE TO DECIDE TONIGHT IT WOULD REALLY TAKE CONSIDERATION OF ANYTHING. I GUESS THIS IS AN OPEN DISCUSSION NOW. YOUR CHOICE IS WHAT YOU COULD OFFER FOR STAFF TO WORK ON INTHE NEXT FE W MINUTES, I SUPPOSE, IS TO LOOK AT TIERED OPTIONS AND LAY OUT LEVY SCENARIOS. WHAT WOULD A 0-3% LEVY LOOK LIKE? SOMETHING THAT PROTECTS THE CORE PUBLIC SAFETY AND ESSENTIAL OPERATIONS. WHAT COULD WE CHANGE IN WHICH DEPARTMENTS IN PLAIN LANGUAGE? YOU COULD CAPTURE RENEGOTIATION FOR TAXPAYERS WITH LOOKING AT BUDGETS OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, WITH CONTRACTED SERVICE WITH POLICE, AND YOU CAN PUT COMMUNITY BACK IN THE BUDGET BY KEEPING A PROMISED EVENT OR A REPLACEMENT. RESPECTFULLY, HERE'S MY ASK. DON'T ADOPT THE 6.27 LEVY AS PRESENTED. DIRECT STAFF TONIGHT, I GUESS, OR BEFORE THE FINAL VOTE, OR PROPOSE ANOTHER MEETING FOR TWO MORE SCENARIOS. ALIGN THE BUDGET WITH YOUR CAMPAIGN PROMISES AND HONOR THE SOCIAL CONTRACTS THAT TRUE CITYWIDE COMMUNITY GATHERINGS. YOU HAVE THE LEGAL AUTHORITY TONIGHT TO LOWER THE LEVY. YOU ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LINE UP TONIGHT'S VOTE WITH THE COMMITMENTS YOU MADE WHEN YOU ASKED FOR OUR TRUST AND OUR VOTES. PLEASE USE THIS HEARING FOR MORE THAN A FORMALITY. SHOW RESIDENTS THAT LOWERING THE TAX RATE AND PUTTING COMMUNITY FIRST IS MORE THAN JUST A CAMPAIGN SLOGAN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU, OTHERS? PLEASE. >> STACY KERAS, I'M AT 240 NORTHGATE ROAD ON THE BORDER OF ORONO AND IZETA. I DON'T DO THESE MEETINGS VERY OFTEN, BECAUSE I'M NOT A POLITICAL PERSON, BUT ANYWAY, I ENJOYED WHAT A NEIGHBOR SAID. I AGREE WITH WHAT SHE SAID, EVEN THOUGH I'VE NEVER MET HER. I GOT A BILL FOR 16% PLUS INCREASE. I DO NOT AGREE WITH THE LEVY FROM THE CITY. I'M TRYING TO READ EVERYTHING AND UNDERSTAND THE POLITICS AND HOW THIS ALL DECIDED. WHEN IT GOES UP DOUBLE, YOU JUST KIND OF GO, WHAT? NO ONE EVER CAME TO MY HOUSE TO ASSESS MY HOUSE. HOW DO THEY KNOW WHAT THE VALUE IS? WELL, A GOOD FRIEND, A REAL ESTATE AGENT, SAID, WELL, IT'S WHAT THE MARKET VALUE IS. WELL, YOU DON'T KNOW THAT UNTIL YOU SELL YOUR HOUSE. I GET THE PROPERTY TAX SAYS MY HOUSE IS GOING TO BE VALUED AT THIS, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW UNTIL YOU SELL IT. TO ME, THAT'S JUST VAPOR IN THE AIR, SO WHATEVER THE LEVY SHOULD BE, IT SHOULD DEFINITELY BE LESS THAN SIX AND SOMEWHERE CLOSER TO ZERO. I HAVE A HARD TIME SEEING WHERE, AS A RESIDENT WHO'S PAID TAXES ON THAT HOUSE FOR TEN YEARS. I DON'T SEE WHERE THE VALUE IS. IT TOOK MY NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH I'M THE PRESIDENT OF OUR SEVEN HOUSE ASSOCIATION, A SMALL ASSOCIATION, ALMOST TWO YEARS TO GET SOMEONE OUT TO CLEAR OUT SOME VERY DANGEROUS ASHBUR TREES THAT WERE INFECTED AND DISEASED, AND DEAD. AND THEY COULD HAVE FALLEN OVER FERNDALE, HOW MANY TIMES? WE STARTED WORKING ON THAT JUST A WEEK OR SO AGO. BUT I APPRECIATE YOU HEARING WHAT I SAY, AND I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT SHE SAID. AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE SOME THOUGHTFUL PURPOSE FOR THIS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW, EVERYTHING'S GOTTEN SO EXPENSIVE. I DON'T KNOW HOW ANYBODY CAN LIVE IN THIS NICE CITY. IT'S KIND OF THIS TOUGH SITUATION WE'RE ALL IN. THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME OUT. >> THANK YOU. EVERYONE ELSE? GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE. ALL RIGHT. I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. >> MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. I'LL SECOND IT. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED. SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES MEETING IS PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED AT 6:31. NOW I GUESS I WOULD ENTER IN A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 7648, ADOPTING THE 2026 PROPERTY TAX LEVY AND RESOLUTION 7649, WOULD THOSE BE SEPARATE RESOLUTIONS, COUNCIL, OR WOULD THEY BE VOTED ON TOGETHER? >> THEY CAN CERTAINLY BE VOTED ON TOGETHER. >> OKAY. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> SO 7649 IS ADOPTING THE 2026 GENERAL FUND BUDGET. >> MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 7649-2026 GENERAL FUND BUDGET. >> AND HOW ABOUT THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY? >> DO THAT ONE AS WELL. MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 7648, ADOPTION OF THE 2026 TAX LEVY. >> AND IS THAT ONE MOTION OR IS THAT SEPARATE? ONE MOTION? >> THAT'S ONE. >> OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT ONE MOTION? >> I'LL SECOND IT. >> OKAY, FURTHER DISCUSSION. >> I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS. APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT AND DISCUSSING ON THAT. I MEAN, WE WENT THROUGH THIS BUDGET, I THINK, PRETTY THOROUGHLY, AND LOOKING AT WHAT CAME INTO US WHEN WE TOOK OVER WHEN YOU GUYS TOOK OVER A YEAR AGO, AND TO WHERE WE'RE AT NOW AND WHAT HAS GONE ON. NEVER LIKE TO SEE AN INCREASE. BUT GIVEN IT IS WHAT IT IS TO BE ABLE TO RUN THIS CITY AND DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO. [00:33:38] AND WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB WITH [00:33:40] THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT ON WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE FIRE, AND THAT COMING TOGETHER. I THINK IT IS HUGE. >> YEAH. THE FACT IS NOBODY LIKES TAXES. I MEAN, THAT'S A GIVEN, I THINK. AND I GUESS THE WAY I LOOK AT THIS, BETWEEN THE WAGE INCREASES THAT WE NEEDED TO GIVE THROUGH UNION NEGOTIATIONS, THAT WE'RE NEEDED FOR MARKET ADJUSTMENTS AND FOR COST OF LIVING INCREASES. THAT WAS $541,300 TREE REMOVAL. YOU MENTIONED ASH TREE REMOVAL. WE'VE GOT A VERY BIG TASK AHEAD OF US THERE. WE'VE GOT A FOUR-YEAR PLAN. I THINK THE FIRST YEAR OF THAT, WE'VE BUDGETED $30,000. >> YOU TAKE THE WAGE INCREASES THAT WE WERE THAT WE GOT THROUGH A HALF A YEAR OF NEGOTIATING, IF NOT MORE, AND THE TREE REMOVAL, AND THAT EXCEEDS THE INCREASE IN OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR. I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAD A LOT OF CHOICE WITH RESPECT TO THE LEVY THAT THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US, [00:35:01] AND I THINK WE'VE TRIED TO DO OUR BEST TO HOLD HOLD SPENDING DOWN. I'D LIKE TO THINK WE'VE DONE A PRETTY DECENT JOB ON THAT, BUT WE HAVE SOME THINGS LOOKING AT US THIS YEAR. ALL OF OUR UNION CONTRACTS CAME DUE THIS YEAR OR STARTING NEXT YEAR, AND WE NEED TO DO SOME THINGS TO KEEP OUR WORKFORCE UP TO THE MARKET, AMOUNTS THAT WE NEED TO PAY THEM, AND THEN WE HAVE THE TREE ISSUE THAT 230,000 IS NOT GOING TO TAKE CARE OF ALL OF OUR DEAD ASH TREES. IT'S JUST THE FIRST STEP. THAT WOULD BE MY COMMENT ON IT. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY COMMENTS. >> I GUESS I WOULD MAKE ONE COMMENT WHEN YOU SPOKE ABOUT YOUR TAXES GOING UP 16%. IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE I KNOW I'VE ENCOURAGED SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS TO THAT HAD A BIG INCREASE TO CALL THE COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR? I THINK YOU HAD THE NUMBER UP THERE. I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT BECAUSE NOW'S THE TIME TO DO IT. WE'VE GOT A FEW PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHOSE TAXES WENT UP INCREMENTALLY, AND I ENCOURAGED THEM. IN FACT, I GAVE THEM THE PHONE NUMBER AND TOLD THEM TO CALL THE TAX ASSESSOR AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT IT. >> ANY COMMENTS. >> OTHERWISE, THERE'S MOTIONS ON THE TABLE? THERE'S A MOTION ON THE TABLE TO ADOPT THE LEVY AND THE BUDGET FOR 2026. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, AND APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC COMMENT. WE REALLY DO, AND WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO KEEP YOUR TAXES DOWN. WE MOVED A COUPLE OF THINGS OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, I THINK WE SHOULD HANDLE THOSE NOW. LET'S FIRST TALK ABOUT NUMBER 7. ITEM NUMBER 7 ON THE AGENDA, [7. Agreement - Long Lake Rowing Facility Use] WHICH WAS, IF YOU COULD SCROLL THAT BACK. >> I'M SORRY. >> OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE LONG LAKE ROWING CLUB OR FACILITY USE, AND MS. RICK, I BELIEVE YOU PULLED THAT. >> I DID PULL THAT. >> THAT YOURS. >> I HAD NOT HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. I GUESS I WAS HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS. NUMBER 1 BEING THAT THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN EXHIBIT A THAT SHOWED US WHERE THE ROWING FACILITY WHAT PART OF THE BUILDING THEY'D BE USING? IS THERE AN EXHIBIT A? >> IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A GENTLEMAN FROM THE LONG LAKE ROWING CREW TO HELP ANSWER. >> HONORABLE MAYOR, COUNCIL PEOPLE. MY NAME IS PETE NIN. I LIVE AT 25 15 BOBBLE LINK. OUR YOUNGEST SON IS IN THE ONO SCHOOL SENIOR. I'M REPRESENTING LONG LAKE ROWING CREW. OUR DIRECTOR AMY JOHNSON REACHED OUT TO ADAM. I DON'T KNOW EARLIER A WEEK OR SO AGO. ADAM PUT US IN TOUCH WITH JOE. BASED ON THE CONVERSATION WITH JOE, IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS WHAT I'VE GATHERED, IT'S JUST A NEW ENDEAVOR, IF YOU WILL, FOR THE CITY OF ORONO. I'LL JUST GIVE A BRIEF BACKGROUND, I WANTED TO JUST INTRODUCE MYSELF AND GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW IN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION. THAT'S A QUESTION THAT I HAVE AS WELL REGARDING EXHIBIT A, SO LONG LAKE ROWING CREW IS A NONPROFIT. WE'VE BEEN AROUND SINCE 2014, SO WE'RE JUST COMING ON 12 YEARS. WE HAVEN'T BEEN AROUND LONG. THE OTHER HALF A DOZEN OR SO ROWING CREWS IN MINNESOTA, ALL HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR 100 YEARS OR LONGER AND HAVE BOAT HOUSES. AS YOU MAY KNOW, WE JUST WORK OUT OF BIRCHES, IS WHERE WE STORE AND STORE THE BOATS AND ROW FROM. DURING OUR OFF SEASON, WHICH IS COMING NOW JANUARY THROUGH APRIL, WE HAVE ENJOYED THE USE OF THE LONG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR OUR INDOOR ROWING MACHINES. WE REFER TO THOSE AS ERGS, IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN ON A ROWING MACHINE, AND SO BOTH OUR STUDENT ROWERS AND OUR ADULT ROWERS HAVE SCHEDULED PRACTICES, ROUGHLY 13 HOURS A WEEK PER WEEK DURING THAT INDOOR SEASON. THEN DURING OUR COMPETITIVE OUTDOOR SEASON WHEN WE'RE BOTH ROWING ON THE LAKE AND COMPETING. OCCASIONALLY, PEOPLE SHOW UP FOR PRACTICE. THE THUNDERSTORM COMES THROUGH AND WE SCOOT OVER THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND DO AN INDOOR PRACTICE INSTEAD. [00:40:01] WITH SHORELINE, THE NEW SHORELINE SERVICE, THINGS HAVE CHANGED AT LONG LAKE AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, SO WE NO LONGER HAVE THAT SPACE AVAILABLE FOR THE INDOOR TRAINING THAT WE HAVE DONE. THAT'S WHAT PROMPTED AMY, OUR DIRECTOR TO REACH OUT. AGAIN, I'M GATHERING IT'S A NEW ENDEAVOR OR SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL ARE CONSIDERING. IT'S THE PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING NEXT DOOR. WE DID A WALK THROUGH WITH JOE A COUPLE LAST WEEK, AND IT'S A PRETTY NOMINAL SPACE. PROBABLY FROM HERE TO THE WALL IS ABOUT THE AREA THAT IT TAKES FOR OUR INDOOR ROWING. THAT'S ROUGHLY THE SIZE OF A FIRE TRUCK IN THAT LARGE WAREHOUSE SPACE, AND THERE'S AN ADJACENT WITH A ROLL UP DOOR WHERE WE'D HAVE SOME MATS AND SOME FREE WEIGHTS, SO THAT'S WHAT'S UNDER CONSIDERATION. THAT AGREEMENT WAS PUT TOGETHER, SOMETHING THAT THE CITY MAYBE DOESN'T NORMALLY DO. CERTAINLY THERE'S MERIT TO MAYBE ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION ON SOME OF THE LANGUAGE THAT'S IN THERE, SOME CLARIFICATION. WE IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A PRIORITY FOR LONG LAKE ROWING CREW TO BE INVOLVED WITH THE COMMUNITY. IN THE CASE OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE WOULD PARTICIPATE IN THEIR PARADE AND THEIR FIRECRACKER RUN, WHEN THE LIONS WOULD BE OUT ON THE LAKE. OUR ROWERS, OUR STUDENTS WOULD BE OUT HELPING MOVE TREES AND DO THAT THING PAINTING PARK BENCHES AT THE FENCE, ETC. IN ADDITION TO THE BENEFITS OF JUST A REALLY GREAT SPORT FOR STUDENTS AND ADULTS AND COLLEGIATE SCHOLARSHIPS THAT THE ROWING HAS LED TO. IT'S BEEN IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE A GOOD PART OF THE COMMUNITY. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HELPS IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, BUT I WANT TO AT LEAST PROVIDE THAT BACKGROUND, AND THANK ORONO, THANK EACH OF YOU FOR CONSIDERING THAT WE WOULD POTENTIALLY USE THIS AS AN INDOOR SPACE. PREVIOUSLY, THERE WAS NOT REALLY A RENTAL FEE, IF YOU WILL, WITH THE LONG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT. AGAIN, AS A NONPROFIT. PART OF WHAT I'M CHARGED WITH AS A PRESIDENT, OUR BOARD IS TO BE OBVIOUSLY JUDICIOUS WITH OUR FINANCES, WE PAY OUR COACHES AND THE DIRECTOR A NOMINAL AMOUNT, AND THE REST OF US ARE VOLUNTEERS. WE DON'T HAVE HUGE BUDGET, BUT WE DO HAVE TIME THAT WE LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO COMMUNITY EVENTS. THAT'S WHAT I KNOW. LIKE I SAY, IT'S COME UP RECENTLY IN LIGHT OF THE CHANGES WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE FOUND OURSELVES IN A PLACE TO LOOK THE CHALLENGE WE'VE HAD WITH THE ACTIVITY CENTER AND OTHERS IS OBVIOUSLY THAT THE HOURS THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE AVAILABLE TO ROW ARE THE PRIME HOURS FOR STUDENT ATHLETES AT SCHOOL. ANY QUESTIONS THAT I'D BE HAPPY TO TRY AND ANSWER REGARDING OUR SIDE OF IT, AND THEN IF LIKE I SAID, I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU, JACQUELINE, THAT THERE PROBABLY SOME MERIT TO SOME OF THE DOCUMENTATION AND THE AGREEMENT THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER MAYBE IN SHORT ORDER. >> ARE YOU GUYS ABLE TO PAY THE $360 A MONTH? OR IS THAT A BIG HARDSHIP FOR THE ROWING? >> THAT'S MORE THAN THE ANNUAL DONATION WE MADE WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN ALL CANDIDNESS, BUT WE WOULD JUST BECAUSE WE WOULD NEED TO FURNISH A PLACE FOR OUR ROWERS, SO WE ARE CERTAINLY PREPARED TO DO THAT. IN FAIRNESS TO THE CITY, THERE'S COST TO HEAT AND THE POWER, SO WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE AT ALL FOR THE HOSPITALITY OF RENTING THE SPACE. >> JUST MAYBE TO ANSWER SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS FROM THE STAFF SIDE, WE WERE APPROACHED BY THE ROWING CREW ABOUT TRANSITIONING THEIR INDOOR SPACE FROM THE STATION NUMBER 1 OVER THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO WHAT I'M CALLING THE OLD PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY. YES, I THINK WE DO OWE A EXHIBIT TO THE AGREEMENT I DID PULL UP JUST A FLOOR PLAN OF THE PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY. IT'S THE PREDOMINANTLY THE ONE ROOM THAT IT'S NOT SHOWN ON HERE BECAUSE OLD DIAGRAM, BUT WHERE WE HAVE AN EXTERNAL DOOR THAT THEY CAN GAIN ACCESS TO THE BUILDING TO THE ROOM WHERE THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO FROM THE PARKING LOT. STRAIGHT FROM THE PARKING LOT? >> YES. >> THEN THAT ROOM ALSO HAS A ROLL UP DOOR THAT WOULD ALLOW ACCESS TO [00:45:05] EXPAND IF THEY NEEDED TO LAY OUT MORE OF THE ERGS OR WHATEVER FOR A PARTICULAR EVENT. ALSO THEY'D HAVE ACCESS TO THE COMMON FACILITIES, LIKE THE TOILETS AND THINGS LIKE THAT IN THE BUILDING. >> IN ADDITION TO THAT CIRCLE AREA ON THE DIAGRAM, WE WERE LOOKING AT JUST PLANNED NORTH AND EAST OF THAT WHERE THAT STAIRWAY IS RUNNING DOWN TO THAT RED CIRCLE ON THAT MAIN FLOOR IS WHERE THE ERGS WOULD SET UP. >> AS FAR AS THE AGREEMENT, SO WHAT WE DID IS WE PULLED AN EXISTING AGREEMENT FROM ANOTHER COMMUNITY FOR SOMETHING SIMILAR, AND USE THAT. AS WE DEVELOPED THE COST, WHAT I DID IS, I WENT AND LOOKED AT WHAT SIMILAR SIZE ROOM WOULD COST TO RENT OVER AT THE SCHOOLS RECREATION CENTER, FOUND THE LOWEST ONE OF THOSE, MULTIPLIED BY THAT BY THE NUMBER OF WINTER HOURS, WHICH IS THE PREDOMINANT INDOOR HOURS. THEN JUST DIVIDED THAT BY 12 MONTHS, AND DIDN'T REALLY USE THE SUMMER HOURS. I WAS FROM WHAT THEY PROJECTED, IT WAS SO VARIABLE. THAT'S WITH THOSE NUMBERS. NOT TOO DISSIMILAR, TO BE HONEST FROM HOW WE WOULD CHARGE ANOTHER ATHLETIC GROUP FOR RENTING THE SOCCER FIELD OR THOSE THINGS. THAT'S HOW WE TRIED TO COME UP WITH. >> I GUESS I JUST WAS UNAWARE OF WHAT PLANS WERE FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS SINCE I KNOW THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO BE MOVING OUT AT THE END OF THE MONTH. I WAS CAUGHT BY SURPRISE. I UNDERSTAND YOU GUYS APPROACHED THE CITY, SO I GUESS I WAS SEEKING INFORMATION OF WHAT THE PLANS WERE FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS. A THE OLD PUBLIC WORKS. >> CURRENTLY, THE FACILITY IS BEING USED FOR OVERFLOW STORAGE, SO IT HAS SOME FIRE TRUCKS IN IT. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS USING IT FOR THEIR, IMPOUNDED VEHICLE STORAGE DOWN IN THE OLD MAINTENANCE PARTS, DOWN IN THE SOUTHERN AREA [INAUDIBLE] MOUSE DOWN HERE. THERE'S ALSO SOME CURRENT STORAGE HERE. THE ROTARY CLUB AND THE AMERICAN LEGION USE SOME STORAGE JUST SOME ENDORSEMENT SPACE FOR FLAGS AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS. THAT'S WHAT'S BEING USED FOR CURRENTLY. >> DO WE HAVE ANY PLANS OTHER THAN THE ROWING CLUB? HAVE YOU BEEN TALKING ABOUT WITH FACILITIES. >> WE DID DO A FEASIBILITY STUDY A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO FOR FUTURE USES OF THE BUILDING, ONE OF WHICH WAS A RECREATION FACILITY, SO THAT'S BEEN OUT THERE. NOW, ONCE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CONTRACT OR JPA WAS APPROVED AND WE KNEW THEY WERE MOVING, THEN THAT OPENS UP OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE FACILITY FOR WHAT IT CAN BE LONG-TERM. IN THE MEANTIME THE THOUGHT WAS, IF IT'S A PUBLIC FACILITY, IF WE CAN HELP FACILITATE SOME OF OUR PUBLIC GROUPS, THEN WE TRY TO DO SO. LONG-TERM TALKING ABOUT THE FACILITY. THE FACILITY IS IN NEED OF SIGNIFICANT MAINTENANCE, LONG-TERM, IT NEEDS A NEW ROOF, IT NEEDS NEW MECHANICALS. IT NEEDS A BUNCH OF WORK JUST AS AN IDEA, WHEN WE DID DO THE FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR JUST CONVERTING IT TO A RECREATION FACILITY, THAT CAME IN, I THINK, JUST OVER $3 MILLION WORK JUST TO CHANGE OUT THE MECHANICALS, REPLACE THE ROOF, AND DO SOME JUST INTERIOR REORGANIZING OF SOME THINGS, BUT THAT A ROUGH ORDER OF MAGNITUDE OF WHAT IT MIGHT COST. BUT THAT WAS JUST FOR ONE PARTICULAR USE. WE DID THE TWO OF THIS TO USE FEASIBILITY STUDY. ONE WAS RECREATION. THE OTHER WAS FITS A FIRE STATION. >> THANK YOU. >> WHAT APPEALED TO US IS JUST THAT IT'S A RELATIVELY WELL TIGHT DEFINED SPACE WITH CONTROLLED ACCESS, IF YOU WILL, MEANING RIGHT WHERE OUR ROWERS WOULD COME IN IS WHERE THEY WOULD BE SHORT OF RUNNING OVER TO THE BATHROOM. AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE RAGS WERE MIXED IN ON THE SIDE, WHERE THE TRUCKS WERE. THERE'S ALWAYS CONCERN THAT THEY'D HAVE A CALL IN THE MIDDLE OF PRACTICE SO WE'D STAND UP THE RAGS, AND PARK THEM ON THE SIDE AND PULL THEM OUT. LOGISTICALLY, THIS WORKS WELL IN THAT REGARD IN FAIRNESS TO THE ROWING THE ROWERS, THE TRAFFIC OF THE ROWERS COMING IN AND OUT IS FAIRLY CONFINED TO THAT BAY, THAT DOOR THERE. >> I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR YOU AS THE REPRESENTATIVE, BUT I DO HAVE SOME MORE FIRST STAFF AND JUST DISCUSSION POINTS FOR COUNSEL. THANK YOU. [00:50:01] >> IF THERE'S NO OTHER, I'LL SIT DOWN. >> THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. WE HAVE A LOT OF ROWS, NOT ONLY IN THE ORONO COMMUNITY, BUT THROUGHOUT, SO THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. JUST TO BUILD ON WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS STARTED BY SAYING, "THIS HAS COME A BIT OUT OF NOWHERE", AND I THINK ONE OF SOMETHING I STRUGGLE WITH A BIT IS THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY WITH STAFF TO EVEN DISCUSS THE PURPOSE OF THIS BUILDING, HOW WE MIGHT NEED TO BE UTILIZING IT. WHAT THE PLAN IS GOING FORWARD FOR THIS SPACE. NOW THAT THERE'S BEEN SHIFTING WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT NEEDS. FIRST OFF, MY FIRST REACTION IS, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ENTERING INTO AN AGREEMENT, AND I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A 90-DAY NOTICE BUILT INTO THIS TWO YEAR. BUT NOT HAVING HAD ANY DISCUSSION, I JUST I QUESTION A LITTLE BIT WHETHER OR NOT THIS WOULD BE A NEW MODEL IS ALLOWING A NONPROFIT OR ANYBODY ESSENTIALLY TO COME INTO MUNICIPAL BUILDING AND ESSENTIALLY CHARGE A FEE. ONE OF MY FIRST QUESTIONS IS ALSO ABOUT EQUITY. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE OPENING UP TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OR IS IT THAT WE'VE BEEN APPROACHED? OR WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER THAT HERE? ALSO, JUST THE IDEA. IT WAS UNCLEAR TO ME, THIS IS NOT CURRENTLY BEING UTILIZED, IS THAT CORRECT? BECAUSE THE LANGUAGE IN THE TERMS AGREEMENT INDICATED THAT THIS IS ALREADY BEING USED BY THE ROWING CLUB. >> IT IS NOT YET. >> THANKS FOR CLARIFYING. I JUST DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE HAD OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OR IF THERE ARE OTHERS INTERESTED IN THIS TYPE OF OPPORTUNITY. MY BIGGEST HESITATION IS JUST THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS FACILITY, HOW WE'RE USING IT, HOW WE MIGHT NEED TO USE IT AFTER THAT REHABBING THAT WE DID A FEW YEARS BACK. I'M ALL ABOUT PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY AND FACILITATING THAT USE. I'M JUST A LITTLE APPREHENSIVE ABOUT DOING IT ON THE FLY WHEN WE'VE HAD NO DISCUSSION AS A COUNSEL, AND WE'RE BEING PRESENTED WITH AN AGREEMENT TO START THE FIRST OF THE YEAR. THOSE ARE SOME OF MY THOUGHTS. >> OTHER THOUGHTS? >> WELL, MY UNDERSTANDING, IT JUST CAME TO US IN THE LAST WEEK, SO HARD TO HAVE ANY DISCUSSION IN REGARDS TO THAT. SO AND WE'VE HAD A RELATIONSHIP IN THE PAST WITH THE LONG LAKE ROWING CLUB AS FAR AS BEING A PART OF THAT. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE THE BUILDING AND COLLECT PHENOMENAL RENT ON THAT, BUT IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE USED TO BUILD THAT OUT IN THE FUTURE. BUT WHEN YOU HEAR WHAT THOSE EXPENSES ARE TO WHAT IT TAKES TO TO BUILD OUT THAT BUILDING AND UPDATE IT WITH THE ROOF AND EVERYTHING. BUT I PERSONALLY DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT STARTING. >> I GUESS WHERE I'M AT IS I THINK THAT BEING ABLE TO OFFER THIS SPACE, KNOWING THAT YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY KICKED OUT, IF YOU WILL, FROM SHORELINE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATION, ONE LONG LAKE STATION. FOR US TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS SPACE, AND WHILE IT'S COME TO US A LITTLE BIT ON THE FLY, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THIS SPACE. THEN ALSO, I THINK THAT THERE DOES NEED TO BE FURTHER MAYBE REKINDLE THE WHOLE LOOK AT WHAT THE PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING COULD BE IN THE FUTURE. I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AS WELL. I SUPPORT BEING ABLE TO OFFER THIS TO THE ROWING CLUB. I KNOW WE HAVE IN HERE $360 A MONTH. I DON'T WANT TO MAKE THIS COST BE PROHIBITIVE OF THEM BEING ABLE TO USE THE SPACE, EITHER. I'M NOT SURE HOW THIS WAS DETERMINED. I KNOW ADAM YOU SHARED HOW YOU PUT TOGETHER THE NUMBERS. BUT FOR ME, IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT WE COULD HAVE IT BE SO THAT THE ROWING.CLUB ITSELF ISN'T INCREASING THE EXPENSE ASSOCIATED WITH BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR THE ROWERS THEMSELVES. I'D BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THE CONTRIBUTION WAS TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ON ANNUAL BASIS, AND I DON'T SEE THE NEED TO INCREASE THAT TO THE ROWING CLUB, MAKE IT MORE EXPENSIVE FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO TRAIN. BUT THAT'S HOW IT HITS ME. >> I GUESS MY ONLY CONCERN WOULD BE OUR ULTIMATE USE OF THAT FACILITY AND HEARING THAT AND IF THIS WOULD GET IN THE WAY. I DID NOTICE THE 90 DAY OUT, WHICH IS GOOD. I THINK HEARING THAT IT WOULD COST $3 MILLION REALLY TO GET IT INTO THE SHAPE THAT IT NEEDS TO BE IN FOR LONGER TERM USE. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH A 90 DAY OUT ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS, AND IT'S PROVIDING US A SERVICE TO A LOCAL NONPROFIT THAT NEEDS SPACE. [00:55:06] WE'VE GOT SPACE. I DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH IT AT ALL. ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? >> SIR, DID YOU SAY YOU WERE NOT PAYING FOR THE OTHER SPACE? >> NO, I'D HAVE TO CHECK WITH [NOISE] OUR FINANCE PERSON. WE MADE A CONTRIBUTION TO LONG LAKE. I THINK IT WAS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF $250 A YEAR. THEN, IN ADDITION, WE PARTICIPATED IN THEIR ACTIVITIES, THEIR COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES. THEY WOULD NEED VOLUNTEERS TO HELP OUT WITH THE PARADE AND THE FIRECRACKER RUN AND INVARIABLY, WE HAD BOTH THE JUNIOR, THE STUDENT ROWERS, AND MASTERS, THE ADULT ROWERS AS WELL. THAT WAS A WAY THAT WE COULD OFFSET THE VERSUS OUTLAY OF CASH, HELPING OUT IN THOSE WAYS. AGAIN I CAN APPRECIATE THIS. YOU ALL A LITTLE BIT BLINDSIDED AND THE DOCUMENT REFERENCED THE PLAN, WHICH WE SAW HERE, BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS REALLY PART OF THE ATTACHMENT THERE YET. FULLY UNDERSTANDING IT'S ALL NEW FOR THE CITY AS FAR AS HAVING THE BIG EMPTY SPACE THERE AND WHAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAPPEN THERE. WE'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THAT. IT WOULD SERVE OUR NEEDS WELL, FOR SURE. APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION. >>THANK YOU. >> IF THERE'S SOME DISCOMFORT WITH THE EXACT WORDING OF THE CONTRACT, ONE THING I MIGHT RECOMMEND IS IF THE COUNCIL WOULD MOVE OR GIVE DIRECTION THAT THE FACILITY CAN BE USED BY THE ROWING CLUB BEGINNING IN THE NEW YEAR, WE CAN BRING BACK A REFINED AGREEMENT TO THE COUNCIL IF YOU WOULD LIKE. I DO THINK BASED ON, WE NEED TO HAVE SOME FORMAL AGREEMENT WITH THIS ORGANIZATION. SINCE WE DO NOT YET IF THAT WAS A FULL FUNCTIONING RECREATION CENTER, WE WOULD HAVE POLICIES, PROCEDURES IN LEASING ALL THE [OVERLAPPING] INSURANCE IN PLACE. WE DON'T HAVE THAT. WE DO NEED SOME AGREEMENT TO FORMALIZE THE ALLOWED USE OF THE SPACE. >> I'M AVAILABLE AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO MEET WITH THE APPROPRIATE PERSON SIT DOWN AND JUST LOOK THROUGH THAT. JUST FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, SOME OF THE WORDING THAT WAS IN THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT AMBIGUOUS OR NEEDED TO BE CORRECTED. I'M AVAILABLE TO DO THAT. >> THANK YOU. >> BUT I WAS GOING TO SAY, TOO. ADAM, AND I THINK I DID JUST A QUICK CALCULATION BASED ON WHAT WE WOULD CHARGE THE SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION OR THE YOUTH FOOTBALL FOR USE OF THE HACKBERRY AND ALL THAT. THOSE COSTS ARE RIGHT IN LINE IF IT'S 13 HOURS A WEEK. >> CORRECT. >> OR USE ON THAT. IT KEEPS IT IN AS FAR AS EQUITABLE, AS FAR AS THAT GOES, WHAT WE CHARGE ACROSS THE BOARD. >> UNDERSTANDING, IT'S MORE THAN WHAT YOU WERE DOING BEFORE, BUT [NOISE] SAME THING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WHEN WE'RE THE YOUTH FOOTBALL COMES TO US OR SOFTBALL OR BASEBALL OR WHATEVER, OR SOCCER. >> WE WOULD MAKE IT WORK OUT BECAUSE WE NEED A SPACE. THEN JUST COMMUNICATING KNOWING THAT THREE MONTHS, WE REALLY AREN'T SCHEDULED IN THERE AT ALL SHORT OF THE THUNDERSTORM THAT SHOWS UP..THOSE MONTHS, WE WOULD JUST PAY THE AGREED TO AMOUNT [NOISE] REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT WE USE A SPACE. >> MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, I COULD JUST ADD ON THAT POINT. NO TO SOUNDS LIKE WE'VE COME TO A CONCLUSION ON THAT. BUT THERE ARE HOLDINGS BY THE STATE AUDITOR, SOMETIMES WHEN YOU'RE APPROACHED BY NON PROFITS AND THINGS, AND THEY'VE SAID THAT CITIES BECAUSE YOU'RE DEALING WITH TAX DOLLARS ARE UNABLE TO DONATE SERVICES AND OR MONEY, AND ONE OF THOSE DONATIONS IS IN KIND ALLOWING FREE USAGE OF FACILITIES AND THINGS. YOU CAN SPAR WITH WHAT'S MARKET RATE, BUT IF IT'S IN LINE WITH WHAT OUR OTHER CHARGES ARE. THAT I THINK LAND. >> WOULD WE BE LOOKING THEN FOR A MOTION NOT TO APPROVE THIS WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US, BUT ESSENTIALLY TO DIRECT STAFF THEN TO COME UP WITH A AGREEMENT THAT'S MORE REFLECTIVE OF WHAT WE'VE GOT IN FRONT OF US. BECAUSE THIS ONE IS NOT. THIS SOUNDS LIKE IT'S COME FROM A DIFFERENT CITY. THIS ISN'T REFLECTIVE EXACTLY OF WHAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON HERE? >> NO, I GUESS WHAT I WAS SAYING IS, WE TOOK A EXISTING TEMPLATE FOR AN AGREEMENT AND [01:00:02] THEN CHANGED THE WORDING TO MEET THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION, ALBEIT, DID NOT ATTACH EXHIBIT A WITH THE DIAGRAM OF THE LOCATION, WHICH WE CERTAINLY CAN ADD THE COST PORTION OF IT, AS I EXPLAINED, I JUST TRIED TO TAKE DURING THEIR WINTER MONTH PERIODS, WHICH IS THEIR INTENSIVE USE. I TOOK THE NUMBER OF HOURS, AND I THINK I USE I THINK IT WAS $20 AN HOUR, WHICH WAS THE LOWEST ROOM RATE ACROSS THE STREET, APPLIED THAT. INSTEAD OF CHARGING THAT ALL IN THE SIX MONTHS OR FIVE MONTHS OR WHATEVER THE WINTER WAS, I JUST SAID, WELL, FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT TOTAL IS FOR THE WINTER, DIVIDE BY 12 THAT'S THE MONTHLY RATE. >> CERTAINLY WE COULD WE COULD COME UP WITH OTHER FINANCIAL MECHANISMS THAT WAS JUST WITH SHORT NOTICE. >> THE QUICK [INAUDIBLE] [NOISE]. >> I DIDN'T HAVE ANY PARTICULAR PROBLEMS WITH THE CONTRACT ITSELF. WERE THERE ISSUES THAT YOU SAW AS RECOMMENDED? >> WELL WHAT ALYSSA MENTIONED, OR IT INDICATED THAT CURRENTLY USING YOU'RE CORRECT AS YOU NOTED, WHICH WE HAVEN'T BEEN IN THERE. THAT'S ONE OF A COUPLE THAT I'M AWARE OF THAT I WOULD WANT TO SIT DOWN AND MAKE SURE THE LANGUAGE IS ACCURATE. >>I THINK IT MAY BE APPROPRIATE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE IT WITH AND GIVE STAFF THE ABILITY TO NEGOTIATE FINAL TERMS OR FINAL CONTRACT LANGUAGE. >> SURE. >> WHAT YOU'VE SHOWED TO US IF SOMEBODY CARES TO MAKE THAT MOTION. >> I WOULD MAKE THAT MOTION. >> I WOULD SECOND IT. >> I SECOND THAT. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. SAME SIGN. >> MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU FOR APPROACHING US. >>YOU BET. >> I HOPE IT WORKS OUT. IT'S A GOOD FACILITY FOR TRAINING. >> I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND JOE. >>YES. >> ON WHAT YOU GUYS JUST ABSOLUTELY. >> GREAT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> LET'S GO TO ITEM 17, WHICH IS THE 2026 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. [ 17. Adopt 2026 Capital Improvement Plan] [NOISE] I BELIEVE THAT WAS MISS BENSON THAT PULLED THAT FROM THE [INAUDIBLE]. >> I DID. WE'VE GONE OVER THIS. WE HAD A COUPLE OF WORK SESSIONS, ACTUALLY, IN FACT, TO REVIEW THIS CIP FOR NEXT YEAR. I JUST WANTED TO PULL THIS TO MAKE A COUPLE COMMENTS, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY THAT WE WERE PRESENTED OVER THE COURSE OF A COUPLE WORK SESSIONS, A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WE DID NOT, AS A COUNCIL, HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF TIME TO CONSIDER AND DISCUSS. I'M OKAY APPROVING THE PLAN FOR TONIGHT WITH JUST AN UNDERSTANDING THAT SOME OF THESE ITEMS LOOKING AT PURCHASE IN 2026, I BELIEVE WILL NEED FURTHER DEBATE AND DISCUSSION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. THAT'S REALLY WHAT I WANTED TO PUT OUT THERE TO THE COUNCIL, JUST BECAUSE THERE QUITE A LOT INVOLVED IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND NOT A GOOD DEAL OF TIME TO DISCUSS. >> AS I UNDERSTAND IT, PASSING THIS DOES NOT BIND US TO APPROVING ANY OF THOSE INDIVIDUAL PURCHASES, WE WOULD HAVE TO APPROVE EACH ONE OF THEM AS THEY COME ALONG. >> CORRECT. THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN IS JUST THAT IT IS A PLAN. IT IS USED AS A PROGRAMMING AND BUDGETING TOOL AND TO DRIVE A STAFF EFFORT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THOSE NEEDS ARE WHEN THEY THE CURRENT TIME, THOSE THINGS. BUT THE APPROPRIATION OF DOLLARS TO ACTUALLY EXECUTE THOSE DOES REQUIRE A SEPARATE DISTINCT.COUNCIL ACTION. YES, THAT YOU WILL SEE ANY OF THOSE THINGS COME BEFORE YOU. >> I DO NOTE THAT SOME OF THEM HAVE LEAD TIMES ON THEM. I WOULD HOPE WE WOULD GET THAT BROUGHT TO US IN TIME FOR THOSE LEAD TIMES TO GET THE VARIOUS PIECES OF EQUIPMENT HERE WHEN THEY'RE NEEDED. >> CORRECT. A LOT OF THOSE, YOU WILL SEE WHERE PARTICULARLY WITH EQUIPMENT NOWADAYS, IS SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT LIKE FIRE AND SOME POLICE AND THEN SOME PUBLIC WORKS. >> MULTI YEAR. >> MULTI YEAR. THE WAY WE TRY TO DO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN IS IF YOU LOOK ON THE TIMELINE, YOU'LL SEE IT AN ORDER IN A CERTAIN YEAR, BUT THE EXPENDITURE IS ACTUALLY SEVERAL YEARS LATER, AND THAT'S REFLECTING, HEY, WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION IN 2026 BECAUSE LEAD TIME IS TWO YEARS, SO WE WOULDN'T ACTUALLY SEE IT UNTIL 2028, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS..THAT'S HOW WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE. BUT YES, THOSE THINGS, EVEN THOUGH IT MAY BE IN 2028, IF YOU SAW, HEY, WE THINK WE NEED TO ORDER, MAKE A DECISION IN 26 TO AFFECT THAT, THEN YOU WOULD SEE THOSE IN THIS UPCOMING YEAR. >> DOES COUNCIL HAVE ANY PARTICULAR ITEMS IN THE CIP THAT WE HAVE QUESTIONS ON, I GUESS, JUST AS A HEADS UP. AGAIN, IT IS NOT BINDING, BUT MAYBE SOME GUIDANCE TO STAFF AS TO THINGS THAT WE MAY NOT BE INCLINED TO. [01:05:03] >> ONE OF THE ONES THAT I'VE DISCUSSED THIS WITH STAFF IS THE ROUGH MOWER. THAT I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE LEAD TIME IS ON THAT. I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE A FEW MONTHS OUT, I THINK IN THE NEW YEAR THAT THAT WOULD NEED TO BE ORDERED. I HAVE EXCHANGED EMAILS WITH STAFF ON THIS, AND MY ASK IS THAT THE COUNCIL I ASKED FOR IT, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR ALL OF COUNCIL TO BE GIVEN INFORMATION ON THE FLEET OF VEHICLES, MOWERS, THAT TYPE OF THING THAT ARE USED CURRENTLY AT THE GOLF COURSE, AND THE HISTORY OF THOSE [NOISE] MOWERS BACK FROM 2023. I EXCHANGED EMAILS ON THIS AND ASKED FOR AN ACCOUNTING OF ALL OF THE FLEET THAT IS USED FOR THE COURSE. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ALL OF US TO HAVE AS WE ASSESS THIS $150,000 ROUGH MOWER IN 2026. >> CERTAINLY. >> THAT WAS ONE OF MINE. >> ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? OTHERWISE, I WOULD TAIL A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AS PRESENTED. >> SURE. I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION. MOTION TO APPROVE THE 2026 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. >> I'LL SECOND. >> I'LL SECOND IT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? >> NOW. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED. SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES. NOW WE HAD TWO ITEMS ADDED, ADDING A WORK SESSION SCHEDULE THAT WE TYPICALLY HAVE IN. >> WE DO. LET'S SEE. THIS IS ONE THAT WE AS A COUNCIL DISCUSSED, IT WAS A NUMBER OF MONTHS AGO, I BELIEVE IT WAS THIS SUMMER. SCHEDULING A WORK SESSION AT SOME POINT TO TALK ABOUT CODE. WE ASKED FOR [NOISE] LOOK BACK OF THE LAST DECADE OR SO OF CODE CHANGES IN THE CITY, AND STAFF HAS PRODUCED THAT. I THINK WE ARE ALL COPIED ON THAT. WE DO HAVE SCHEDULED. IT'S IN MARCH, LET'S SEE, MARCH 23. NEXT YEAR, A CODE ENFORCEMENT OVERVIEW. I THINK THE ISSUE I HAVE WITH THIS IS THAT AN HOUR IS NOT A LOT OF TIME. IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CODE ENFORCEMENT VERSUS UNDERSTANDING CODE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE AND LOOKING AT SOME OF THOSE MORE IN DEPTH, I DON'T THINK THAT'S ENOUGH TIME. ONE OF MY ISSUES WITH OUR SCHEDULE NEXT YEAR IS THAT THAT PARTICULAR SESSION MAY EITHER NEED TO BE LONGER OR A DIFFERENT TIME FOUND FOR THESE CODE ISSUES THAT WE'VE ALL RECEIVED FROM STAFF. THE SECOND POINT I WANTED TO BRING UP WAS THE JANUARY 12TH WORK SESSION. ONE HOUR TO DISCUSS OUR GOALS FOR 2026. JUST A NOTE ON THAT [NOISE], I THINK OTHER CITIES ARE LOOKING AT HALF DAY MEETINGS OR RETREATS, ONE HOUR IT'S COMING UP ON US FAST HERE, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S ENOUGH TIME TO DISCUSS COUNCIL GOALS. THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS I WANTED TO PUT OUT. >> ONE RECOMMENDATION, I GUESS I WOULD HAVE ON THE GOALS IS MAYBE LIKE WE'VE DONE IN RECENT SESSIONS WHERE WE STARTED AT 4 O'CLOCK. WE AT LEAST HAVE TWO HOURS ON THAT. WOULD THAT BE SUFFICIENT TIME, DO YOU THINK, OR IS IT SOMETHING WHERE WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT A WEEKDAY DURING THE DAY FOR A HALF DAY SESSION ON EITHER OF THOSE? >> I PERSONALLY THINK THE CODE COULD BE DIFFERENT. I DO THINK FOR COUNCIL GOALS AGAIN, JUST GIVEN THAT WE'VE NOT EVER DONE THAT AS A COUNCIL. I PERSONALLY THINK IT'D BE HELPFUL TO BLOCK OFF MORE TIME ON A DIFFERENT DAY BECAUSE IT GETS LONG AN EXTENDED WORK SESSION BEFORE A REGULAR MEETING. THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT MAYBE STAFF COULD WE COULD LOOK AT FINDING A TIME FOR. >> I GUESS I WOULD JUST THROW A LITTLE BIT BACK TO THE COUNCIL, HOW LONG ON A CALENDAR, DO YOU WANT? I CAN THEN THROW SOME DATES OUT TO EVERYBODY FOR THAT SAME WEEK OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES. ARE YOU THINKING A 3, 4 HOUR TIME PERIOD DURING A WEEKDAY TYPE THING OR? >> ADAM, DO YOU HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF OTHER COUNCILS AND HOW THEY TYPICALLY HANDLE THEIR GOAL SETTING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR? >> IT VARIES. >> SOME LIKE YOU SAY, WE'LL DO A ONE OR TWO DAY RETREAT IF THEY'RE TRYING TO DO MISSION, VISION, GOALS OR PREP FOR THE UPCOMING COMP PLAN, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SOME WILL JUST TAKE AN HOUR AND GO, THESE ARE THE THINGS. THESE ARE THE THINGS FROM WHAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT NOW WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT IN THIS UPCOMING YEAR. WHEN I PUT THAT TITLE THERE, THAT'S WHAT THE INTENT OF PUTTING A PLACEHOLDER THERE WAS, WE'RE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. WHAT ARE SOME KEY THINGS THAT THAT COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO ACHIEVE BASED ON OUR BROADER IDEAS IN 2026? [01:10:02] I INTENDED TO COME TO YOU ALSO AT THAT WITH A BRIEF GIVING YOU A LISTING UP. THESE ARE ALL THINGS CITY'S GOT TO DO ANYWAY THAT WE ALREADY ARE GOING TO BE COMMITTING STAFF TIME TO IN 2026. HOW DO WE WANT TO WORK IN ANY SPECIALTY STUFF OR ANY SPECIAL PROJECTS OR THINGS LIKE THAT IN 2026? >> WE COULD THE DATE OF THAT AGAIN THAT. >> [OVERLAPPING] JANUARY 12. WE HAVE THE 5:00-6:00 PM. THERE IT IS. >> I JUST PULLED THIS IS JUST SO YOU THREW UP ON THE SCREEN, WHAT WAS THE PLANNING DOCUMENT THAT WAS APPROVED AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING. >> I THINK AT THE VERY LEAST IT SHOULD BE HALF DAY. >> I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU, IT WOULD BE KENNY NICE TO ACTUALLY SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT OUR GOALS AS A COUNCIL BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER HAD A CHANCE TO DO THAT. I THINK. >> WE'RE ALL RELATIVELY YEARS. WHAT WOULD YOU THINK ABOUT DOING IT THAT AFTERNOON? COULD END UP BEING A LONG TIME TOGETHER. [LAUGHTER]. >> NOT THAT THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING. >> WHY DON'T WE WORK ON SOME DATES FOR HALF A DAY SESSION FOR THAT AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE IN THE YEAR? >> WHAT I CAN DO WITH THAT GUIDANCE IS I'LL TAKE A HALF DAY. I'LL CALL THAT FOUR HOURS. I WILL DO A DOODLE POLL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO SEE. >> GREAT. >> WHAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE? >> WE CAN MEET BEFORE THE 12TH, RIGHT? >> YES. I'LL THROW A BUNCH OF PERFECT DATES AROUND THAT. THOSE COUPLE OF WEEKS THERE. PROBABLY NOT THE FIRST WEEK OF JANUARY, THAT A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE MISSING PEOPLE, BUT MAYBE THOSE TWO MIDDLE WEEKS OF JANUARY. >> I WOULD SUGGEST WHAT ARE THOSE OPTIONS IN THE 12TH AND IF IT CAN WORK OUT, MIGHT BE A LONG DAY, BUT WE GET DONE. >> THAT'S RIGHT. PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY ALTERED THEIR SCHEDULES TO BE AROUND THAT. >> I WOULD JUST THROW OUT IF WE COULD DO IT IN THE MORNING, THAT'D BE GREAT. >> YEAH. [LAUGHTER] >> WOW, YOU GOT ANYTHING GOING ON IN THE AFTERNOON? [LAUGHTER]. >> WE WANT TO WORK AROUND EVERYBODY'S SCHEDULES. MR. EDWARDS WILL FOLLOW UP ON THAT. >> THEN THE OTHER ONE WAS THE MARCH 23, THE CODE ISSUE. MAYBE THAT WOULD BE ONE WHERE WE COULD JUST EXTEND THAT BY AN HOUR. YEAH. GIVE OURSELVES MORE TIME. REALLY GREAT. >> YES, WE CAN, BUT I THINK I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE. WHAT WE HAVE TENTATIVELY PENCILED IN ON THE 23RD TO TALK ABOUT CODE AND FOR. >> THAT'S RIGHT. >> OUR PROCEDURES AND POLICIES NOT NECESSARILY THE SAME QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ASKED ABOUT. >> MAYBE IT'S A SEPARATE AGAIN, CODE, SEPARATE MEETING. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A HALF A DAY, BUT IT'S YEAH 2 OR 3 HOURS. >> I'M FINE WITH THAT. I WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF OTHER PEOPLE'S SCHEDULES, BUT I DO THINK IT'S A BIGGER ISSUE, THIS OTHER CODE ISSUE THAT WE ASKED FOR THAT INFORMATION ON. IF WE COULD LOOK AT POTENTIALLY ADDING A WORK SESSION FOR A DIFFERENT DAY, THAT I'M FINE WITH THAT. >> I'LL THROW SOMETHING MAYBE FOR FEBRUARY FOR THAT THEN MARCH. >> FEBRUARY OR MARCH. YEAH. IT'S GREAT. OKAY. WE ALSO HAD ANOTHER ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION ITEM ON HACKBERRY PARK. >> YES. IT'D BE GREAT IF WE COULD GET AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE'RE AT WITH HACKBERRY PARK. I KNOW THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED IN THE WEEKLY SCHEDULE THAT YOU HAD TALKED TO COUNCIL MEMBER PERSIAN ON THE HACKBERRY ZINE PARK. I GUESS I'M JUST HOPING YOU GUYS CAN SHARE WITH US. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF E MAILS BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN SOME OF THE PARK COMMISSIONERS AND STUFF, TOO, SO I'M WONDERING WHO'S ON THE DESIGN TEAM, AND ARE YOU GUYS STILL MEETING WITH BOLTON MINK, AND WHERE EXACTLY ARE WE AT? BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WE'VE GOT SOME COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE DEDICATED A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY TO THE PARK DESIGN. I'M JUST HOPING THAT THOSE PEOPLE ARE BEING INCLUDED IN THE MEETINGS AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD. >> YEP. ABSOLUTELY. THE WEEKLY UPDATE, I WAS REFERRING. COUNCILMAN PERSHING ASKED WHERE WE WERE. I PROVIDED HIM, I GUESS THE SAME UPDATE I JUST PROVIDED EVERYBODY HERE IN A SECOND. THEN ALSO ASKED FOR A STATUS ON THE PROPERTY TO THE NORTH OF THE PARK. WE'LL START WITH THAT, PROPERTY TO THE NORTH OF THE PARK. UNDERSTAND THE MEETING THAT I WAS ABSENT FROM. THE COUNCIL ASKED STAFF TO LOOK INTO THAT. I HAVE SENT A LETTER TO THAT PROPERTY, ASKING THEM IF THEY WOULD ENTERTAIN TRANSFERRING OR A OFFER FOR THAT PROPERTY. I HAVE HEARD NOTHING BACK YET. I DID SEND THAT LETTERS NOW MAYBE A WEEK AND A HALF AGO. I HAVEN'T GOT ANYTHING BACK ON THAT. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THAT PROPERTY ON ANY REAL ESTATE SITES, SO I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S UP FOR SALE. PUBLICLY RIGHT NOW. FIRST. SECOND THING IS, YES, WE ARE STILL CLUNKING ALONG ON THE DESIGN. YES, THE DESIGN TEAM REMAINS THE SAME. [01:15:02] WE HAVE TWO PARK COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE ON THAT, THREE MEMBERS OF STAFF, AND OUR CONSULTANT WHO ARE PART OF THAT. WE HAVE NOT MET FOR ABOUT A MONTH YOU SAT IN ON THE LAST MEETING THAT WE HAD BEFORE THAT. WE WE'VE DONE SOME TRADING OF PAPER FOR COMMENTS, WHICH I JUST RECEIVED SOME COMMENTS BACK ON SOME PARKING ALIGNMENTS, JUST ON THURSDAY. I'M LOOKING TO TRY TO CONSOLIDATE ALL THE COMMENTS I GOT FROM THE VARIOUS MEMBERS OF THE DESIGN TEAM SO THAT I CAN GIVE SOMETHING TO THE CONSULTANTS AND TRY TO ADJUST FROM. OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON, WHICH MORE OF THE TECHNICAL STUFF. WE'VE GOT SOIL BORINGS LINED UP FOR EARLY JANUARY. WE'LL HAVE A TECHNICAL ENGINEERING FIRM DO OUR BORINGS. WE NEED THE BORINGS TO LOOK AT THE SOIL CONDITIONS UNDERNEATH WHERE WE BELIEVE THE STORM FEATURES WILL GO THAT DRIVES THE DESIGN OF THOSE FEATURES. WHAT ELSE? THE CONSULTANT DOES HAVE NOW ALL OF THE TOPOGRAPHY AND THE SURVEY DATA, AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO TRY TO GET THAT ALL CONSOLIDATED INTO WORKING DOCUMENTS. TRYING TO MOVE THROUGH THAT. >> HOPEFULLY, I'M HOPING HERE IN PART OF THE NEW YEAR, WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER PLAN SET THAT WE CAN HAVE A DESIGN TEAM HUDDLE AROUND AND YOU KNOW, DO DO THE COMMENTS AGAIN. IT'S A VERY ITERATIVE PROCESS AS WE GO THROUGH, GO THROUGH THAT, AND THEN ALSO HOPEFULLY HAVE A FIRM ENOUGH SET OF DESIGNS THAT WE CAN BRING IN OUR FORMAL PERMITTING PROCESS. WE CAN START SOME OF THOSE PERMITTING PROCESSES, TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS. GETTING THOSE UNDERWAY ONCE WE HAVE GOT A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT ON THE SIGNIFICANT PIECES OF THE SITE PLAN, ANYWAY SO. >> I SAW THAT YOU GUYS SAID, THE TREES MARKED FOR REMOVAL. ARE WE REMOVING THOSE AS A CITY, ARE WE GOING TO BE PAYING FOR SOMEONE TO REMOVE THOSE TREES? >> RIGHT NOW, WE HAVEN'T MADE THAT LEVEL OF DETERMINATION RIGHT NOW. WE'RE JUST TRYING TO DECONFLICT THE ELEMENTS OF THE SITE PLAN WITH THE TREES THAT ARE ON SITE. THEN LOOKING AT WHICH TREES NEED TO GO, WHICH TREES ARE DISEASED, WHICH ELEMENTS OF THE SITE PLAN? IF YOU MOVE THIS ELEMENT OVER A COUPLE FEET, THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE A CERTAIN TREE, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS SO WE'RE JUST GOING THROUGH THAT. ONCE WE GET THROUGH THAT, THEN WE COULD LOOK AT BASED ON THE NUMBER OF TREES, THEIR LOCATION, WHETHER WE NEED TO BRING IN A CONSULTANT OR A PRIVATE FIRM TO DO THAT, WHETHER WE INCLUDED IN THE BID PACKAGE OR WHETHER WE DO THAT WITH IN HOUSE LABOR. >> OKAY. >> WHEN DO WE FIND OUT ON THE GRANTS? >> I KNOW THE MAYOR ASKED ME THAT EARLIER, RIGHT BEFORE THE MEETING. I THINK IT'S HERE IN DECEMBER OR EARLY JANUARY. I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE GRANT PACKET, BUT I THINK MY MEMORY SERVES THAT'S SUPPOSED TO HEAR BACK. >> THE QUESTIONS ON THAT? THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE TWO MEMBERS OF OUR PARKS COMMISSION HERE TO LEAD US THROUGH A DISCUSSION OF SOME GUIDING PRINCIPLES THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON. I'D LIKE TO INVITE THEM TO THE PODIUM, PLEASE. >> MR. MAYOR. >> YES. >> I JUST NOTICED THAT PUBLIC COMMENTS IS TYPICALLY YOU'RE UP IN THE. I JUST WANTED TO I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE ARE FOLKS HERE FOR THAT OR NOT, BUT BEFORE WE THIS MAY BE A LONGER ONE, SO YEAH. >> DO YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO HOW? [23. Park Commission Guiding Principles] >> I THINK YOU SHOULD PROCEED. YES. PLEASE. >> I'M KIM CARSWELL, 261 SIGNET. >> I'M ON THE PARK COMMISSION WITH MOLLY REYNOLDS, 665 HE PARK ROAD. >> WE'RE HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE REFERRED TO THIS A FEW TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR. LOOKING FOR YOUR FEEDBACK. WE WANT THANK YOU FOR THE TIME TO GET US ON THE AGENDA. BRIAN WAS ON OUR TEAM, AND HE'S UNABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE HE'S HAVING A TRUTH IN TAXATION MEETING WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT HE'S ON. BUT WE WERE A TEAM OF THREE. I JUST WANTED TO EXPLAIN WHY WE DID THIS. SITTING AT PARK COMMISSION MEETINGS BEFORE WE WERE ON THE COMMISSION, AND THEN WHEN WE GOT ON THE COMMISSION, THINGS WERE BROUGHT FORWARD, BUT I JUST FELT LIKE THERE WAS NO CONTEXT AND GROUNDING IN PROPOSED, WHAT WAS ASKED FOR, TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS. AS WE GOT ON THE COMMISSION, WE FELT THE SAME THING. WE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR NORTH STAR WAS, WHAT WE SHOULD DO. MOLLY AND I AND BRIAN WORKED ON PUTTING THESE TOGETHER, AND WE WANT TO USE TO PROVIDE THAT CONTEXT TO YOU WHEN WE BRING IDEAS FORWARD AND RECOMMENDATIONS. WE ALSO WANT YOU TO AGREE WITH THEM. WHEN WE BRING THEM FORWARD, YOU'RE NODDING AND USING THE CONTEXT AS SOMETHING YOU ALREADY KNOW. MOLLY HAS DONE A GREAT JOB ON THE SPECIFIC GUIDING PRINCIPLES. SHE'S GOING TO EXPLAIN AND SHARE THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR YOUR INPUT TONIGHT. I'M GOING TO JUST TALK AFTER HER FOR A COUPLE MORE SLIDES, SO THIS WON'T TAKE THAT LONG WHAT OUR WORK IS GOING FORWARD THAT WE PROPOSE BASED ON THAT, SO WE CAN BE ON THE SAME PAGE. BUT WE WANT YOUR INPUT AND AGREEMENT TONIGHT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE TO CODIFY THEM WITH A VOTE OR JUST NOD OR WHATEVER, BUT, [01:20:01] LIKE, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO BRING THEM BACK WHEN WE USE THEM, AND YOU GUYS ARE SAYING, YEAH, THAT'S GREAT. WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER TO MOLLY. >> THAT'S GOOD. THANK YOU. >> TO GET TO THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES, WE STARTED WITH ORONO'S MISSION VISION. JUST I THINK A NOTE WORTH MAKING IS THAT IF AFTER YOUR MEETING GOALS MISSION AND VISION, THERE ARE ANY CHANGES TO THE ORONO'S MISSION VISION, OUR INTENT WOULD BE TO CHANGE WITH YOU AND TO REALIGN, REALIZING THAT THESE STATEMENTS SHOULD EVOLVE AS OUR COMMUNITY EVOLVES. I THINK ANOTHER THING WORTH NOTING ABOUT THE MISSION VISION, AND WE CAN GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE. IS THAT WE INITIALLY WROTE A MISSION ENVISION JUST FOR OUR PARKS, AND WE KEPT GOING BACK TO ORONO'S MISSION ENVISION, AND WE REALIZED THAT SO MUCH OF WHAT THE CITY OF ORONO STANDS FOR RELATES DIRECTLY TO OUR PARKS THAT WE JUST DECIDED THAT WAS ENOUGH. AS I READ THROUGH, THESE TWO STATEMENTS PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE WORDS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED. I'M JUST GOING TO READ THIS TO YOU. ORONO'S MISSION VISION WILL BE OUR NORTH STAR, AS KIM NOTED, WHEN VETTING IDEAS AND BRINGING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR INPUT AND APPROVAL. THE CITY OF ORONO'S MISSION. THE CITY OF ORONO WILL PROVIDE EFFECTIVE GUIDANCE THROUGH PUBLIC POLICY ESTABLISHED FROM CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT, BY EMPOWERING STAFF TO IMPLEMENT BEST PRACTICES TO PREPARE ORONO FOR ANY CHALLENGES OF THE FUTURE, AND BY ENSURING A POSITIVE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, SUPERIOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES AND PROVIDE A SAFE COMMUNITY FOR THE RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, AND CUSTOMERS TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY IN. CITY OF ORONO'S VISION TO BE THE RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY OF CHOICE AND REMAIN WIDELY RECOGNIZED FOR THE PRESERVATION OF NATURAL BEAUTY, QUALITY OF LIFE, AND RECREATIONAL ASSETS. MUCH OF THIS IS ABOUT OUR PARKS. ALL RIGHT. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THE PHRASES THAT WERE HIGHLIGHTED IN BOTH OF THOSE STATEMENTS, WE'VE USED REALLY AS THE PILLARS FOR OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES. I'LL JUST READ THROUGH THIS AND GIVE SOME ADDITIONAL COMMENTARY. EFFECTIVE GUIDANCE, WE CONSIDER OURSELVES THE GUARDIANS OF OUR PARKS. IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT JOB. FIRSTLY, WE WANT TO MAINTAIN ACCESSIBLE AND A HIGH QUALITY OF STANDARDS FOR OUR PARKS AND LAKE ACCESS POINTS. AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS ON OUR STANDARDS IN 2025, AND THAT'S A BIG FOCUS FOR OUR WORK IN 2026. THIS ALSO INCLUDES ADA STANDARDS. IT INCLUDES I HAD TO THIS ACKERMAN ASTM STANDARDS FOR PLAYGROUNDS. JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE WE'RE BEING STRICT ABOUT HOW WE THINK ABOUT KEEPING THINGS STANDARDIZED, I GUESS. INVEST IN, PROTECT, AND TAKE CARE OF WHAT WE HAVE TODAY. OUR RESOURCES ARE UNIQUE TO US. WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR PARKS, WE HAVE TO JUST CONTINUE TO TAKE CARE OF AND HONE IN AND NURTURE WHAT WE HAVE. WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO IN THAT IN 2026 AS WELL. GROUND OUR DECISIONS, USING GOOD JUDGMENT, EMPLOYING ACCURATE DATA, AND ROBUST DISCUSSION. OUR PROMISE TO YOU IS THAT ANY IDEAS THAT WE BRING TO THE COUNCIL WILL INVOLVE ALL OF THIS, THAT WE WILL GET AS MUCH DATA AS WE HAVE ACCESS TO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING AS MUCH INFORMATION SO THAT YOUR DECISIONS ARE VERY CLEAR AND EASY. CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT. OUR PARKS ARE A BIG PART OF WHAT BRINGS OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER. WE'LL ENDEAVOR TO BRING OUR CITIZENS TOGETHER TO FACILITATE CONNECTIONS, WELL BEING, UNDERSTAND DIVERSITY AND PEACE. WE WILL ALWAYS REACH OUT TO OUR CITIZENS TO GET THEIR INPUT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SPEAKING THE VOICE OF OUR COMMUNITY. OUR PARKS REFLECT THE DIVERSITY OF ORONO CITIZENS' NEEDS. WE HAVE A VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LISTENING TO ALL VOICES. [01:25:01] CHALLENGES OF THE FUTURE. THIS IS A BIG ONE. WE CHOSE TO HONE IN ON SUSTAINABILITY BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT OUR PARKS ARE VERY DEPENDENT ON NATURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT. THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT FACE US IN THE FUTURE, BUT WE REALLY FELT THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO BE FOCUSED ON SUSTAINABILITY. HAVE A FUTURE FOCUS TO PLANNING THAT INCORPORATES SUSTAINABILITY AND ALIGNS WITH THE CITY'S SUSTAINABILITY PLANS. THAT'S HARD TO SAY. [LAUGHTER] THAT WE WANT TO BE A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY OF CHOICE, THAT WE'RE GOING TO PLAN FOR THE SHORT AND THE LONG-TERM, THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE OUR CITY'S PLANNING PROCESS AND BE ALIGNED WITH WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THE CITY OF ORONO AS WE MAKE DECISIONS FOR OUR PARKS, AND THAT WE SERVE THE NEEDS OF OUR RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITIES ACTIVE SPORTS. THIS IS A BIG PART OF OUR FAMILIES THAT LIVE IN ORONO TODAY, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE REPRESENTING THEIR NEEDS AND MAKING SURE OUR PARKS ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. WIDELY RECOGNIZED FOR THE PRESERVATION OF NATURAL BEAUTY, QUALITY OF LIFE, AND RECREATIONAL ASSETS, THIS IS THE DNA OF WHAT ORONO IS ALL ABOUT. THIS IS WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE. WE WANT TO BALANCE DECISIONS THAT IMPACT ORONO'S NATURAL FOOTPRINT WHEN CONSIDERING THE ADDITION OF HARDSCAPE AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND THIS STATEMENT. I THINK IT IS A BIT POLARIZING. BUT ONCE YOU [NOISE] PUT PAVEMENT DOWN YOU DON'T GET YOUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT BACK. IT'S NOT STATING THAT WE DON'T AGREE THAT HARDSCAPE SHOULD HAPPEN. IT'S JUST THAT WE WANT TO HAVE A LOT OF DIALOGUE AND MAKE SURE THAT'S THE RIGHT MOVE WHEN WE MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. ANY QUESTIONS? >> I APPRECIATE THAT. >> ANYTHING THAT DOESN'T RESONATE OR WE THINK WE'RE MISSING? I THINK IT'S GREAT. REALLY LIKE THAT. YES. >> SORRY. >> I CAN WAIT TILL THE END. >> SURE? >> YEAH. ABSOLUTELY. >> I NEGLECTED TO SAY THAT WE WORKED ON THIS TEAM, BUT WE TOOK IT TO THE PARK COMMISSION. WE GOT THEIR FEEDBACK, AND THEY VOTED ON IT IN NOVEMBER ON THE FOURTH. WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. I FORGOT. RIGHT. OUR STATEMENT OF PURPOSE, REALLY, IS THAT WE'RE REPRESENTING ALL ORONO CITIZENS. THE PARK COMMISSION ADVISES CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF ON MATTERS RELATED TO CITY PARKS AND TRAILS, INCLUDING NATIONAL NATURAL AREAS, AND RECREATIONAL ASSETS. WE PROBABLY SHOULD ADD LAKE ACCESS POINTS THERE. THIS IS LIKE SUPER HIGH LEVEL, WHAT WE WORK ON SHOULD FIT IN THESE TWO BUCKETS. ADVISE THE COUNCIL ON PARK DEVELOPMENT AND ACQUISITION SO WE CAN ALWAYS LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES. TWO, WHICH IS WAY MORE IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW AS WE THINK GOING IN 26, IS ENSURE THE QUALITY AND CONDITION OF OUR PARKS MEET HIGH STANDARDS. YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, ADAM, PLEASE. THIS IS THE PROPOSED WORK. YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM US IF YOU AGREE WITH IT. FIRST, WE WANT TO ESTABLISH SOME PARK STANDARDS, BY PARK TYPE, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THIS DONE IN OUR MAY PARK MEETING SO WE CAN GET THIS ANNUAL PROCESS IN TIME FOR BUDGET. BUT WE WANT TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY, THOUGH THIS YEAR, WE HAD A REALLY GOOD RUN IN IT. WE ALL DIVVIED UP THE PARKS, SO WE WENT TO ALL THE PARKS, AND JOE WENT TO ALL THE PARKS WITH ALL OF US. BUT WE ALL HAD DIFFERENT CRITICAL EYE. I THINK WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB, BUT IT WAS A GREAT START. JANIE DELANEY DID AN AMAZING JOB DOING A DOCUMENT THAT I THINK WE WILL DEFINITELY LEAN ON AS WE BUILD THESE STANDARDS, BECAUSE SHE WENT TO EVERY PARK. SHE TOOK A LOT OF PICTURES. SHE USED A VERY GOOD FORM. I THINK WE HAVE A GOOD RUNNING START TO ESTABLISH THOSE STANDARDS. THEN WE'LL USE THEM FOR OUR ANNUAL REVIEWS. WE'LL HAVE AN ANNUAL CATALOG OF EACH PARK. WE'LL COME TO YOU AND SAY, HERE'S WHAT WE'VE LOOKED AT. WE THINK THIS PARK IS GREAT, LIKE FRENCH CREEK IS ONE OF MY PARKS. I JUST WANT TO WALK AROUND IT, HAVE IT SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE. A HACKBERRY IS A DIFFERENT THING, BUT WE'LL COME TO YOU KIND OF WITH THAT LEAD TIME OR THAT RUNWAY TO SAY, WE THINK THIS PARK IS GOING TO NEED SOME HELP BEFORE THE NEXT DAY. THEN WE ALL ARE ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT WHY WE'RE BRINGING THINGS TO YOU AND WHY YOU'RE NOT HEARING ABOUT SOME OTHER PARKS. WE WANT TO COMPLETE THAT BY JULY, SO WE'RE HELPING JOE WITH HIS BUDGET. WE WANT TO HAVE A LONG-TERM PLAN FOR EACH PARK, AND WE KNOW THERE ARE SOME MASTER PLANS OUT THERE. I HAVEN'T EVEN EXPLORED WHERE THEY ARE, BUT WE WANT TO HAVE A PLAN FOR EACH PARK TO SAY HERE'S WHAT IT SHOULD BE. IT COULD BE A ONE-PAGER LIKE FOR FRENCH CREEK. IT COULD BE A MUCH BIGGER DOCUMENT FOR HACKBERRY. BUT WE'LL REVIEW THOSE ANNUALLY WITH OUR COMMISSION AND BRING UPDATES TO YOU. WE WANT TO ASSESS NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARKS, AND WE ALSO WANT TO EXECUTE A SURVEY. WE REALLY THINK WE'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM OUR CITIZENS ABOUT PARKS. DO THEY USE THEM? WHY DO THEY USE THEM NOT? [01:30:01] WE'LL DEFINITELY WORK WITH STAFF ON HOW TO EXECUTE THAT IF THERE'S OTHER REASONS TO DO A SURVEY. MAYBE WE PARTNER. I WOULD SAY IF WE WERE STANDING HERE A YEAR FROM NOW AND WE GOT THE FIRST TWO AND THE LAST ONE DONE, I'D BE ECSTATIC. [LAUGHTER] I THINK THE OTHER ONES WILL HIT A LITTLE LATER IN 2026. I THINK THAT'S JUST ONE MORE SLIDE, ADAM, AND REALLY, THIS IS ON THE WEBSITE AS A REFERENCE, SO I'M NOT GOING TO READ IT, BUT THIS IS WHAT'S ON THE WEBSITE ON THE PARK COMMISSION, JUST TO SHOW THAT WE GAVE IT A HUGE NOD IN ALL THIS WORK. THAT'S IT. QUESTIONS, COMMENTS. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS IS A LOT. I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF WORK THAT'S GONE INTO THIS, AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE. I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORT AND CONSIDERATION. TO THE POINT OF SORT OF THIS BALANCE THAT WE HAVE TO STRIKE AS A CITY REGARDING THE USE OF OUR PARKS. I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE CITY OF ORONO VISION, THERE IS ONE WORD MISSING HERE, WHICH IS RURAL. WE TALK ABOUT THE PRESERVATION OF NATURAL BEAUTY AND ITS NATURAL RURAL BEAUTY. THAT WORD IS AN IMPORTANT ONE, I THINK TO INCLUDE HERE. YEAH, BECAUSE IT REALLY SPEAKS TO EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE JUST SAID HERE. MY OTHER COMMENT ALONG THOSE LINES IS THAT I'VE CONSIDERED THIS OVER TIME, THAT WE DO TALK OFTEN ABOUT PARKS THAT ARE USED, THAT ARE MORE MANICURED FOR SOME OF THESE SPORTING TYPES OF THINGS, FOOTBALL OR SOCCER. THEY'RE KEPT IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAN SOME OF THE PARKS LIKE FRENCH CREEK, SEVEN NATIONS, OR OTHERS. I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR OUR CITY, COUNCIL, AND PARK COMMISSION TO CONSIDER EXPANDING OR AMENDING WHAT WE CALL THIS COMMISSION, RATHER THAN PARK COMMISSION, TO SAY PARKS AND OPEN SPACE OR NATURAL RESOURCE COMMISSION. SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES, BECAUSE AS I SEE EVERYTHING THAT IS BEING PRESENTED, AS I KNOW THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE TYPICALLY HAVE ABOUT PARKS, SAYING "PARKS" FOR THIS CITY, IN PARTICULAR, DOES NOT REALLY CAPTURE PART OF THE SPIRIT THAT IS IN THIS DOCUMENT AND IN THE WORK THAT OUR COMMISSION DOES. THAT'S JUST SOMETHING I WANT TO THROW OUT TO EVERYBODY. THIS TEMPLATE IS WELL USED. I BELIEVE CITIES EVEN LIKE MOUND, IT'S CALLED A PARKS AND OPEN SPACE COMMISSION. IT'S QUITE COMMON. THAT'S SOMETHING I WANTED TO PUT OUT THERE. WE TALKED QUITE A BIT ABOUT THE PLANNING BY PARK TYPE. THAT THERE ARE, TO YOUR POINT, VERY DIFFERENT TYPES OF PARKS, AND HOW WE THINK ABOUT THOSE PARKS IS VERY UNIQUE TO THAT PARK TYPE. ABSOLUTELY. I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO [INAUDIBLE] THERE'S SUCH OPPORTUNITY, LET'S SAY, IN OUR PRESERVES, EVEN WITH OUR MAYOR'S MONARCH PLEDGE. THE NATURAL SPACES, WE COULD DO SO MUCH MORE THAN [INAUDIBLE]. YEAH. >> I WOULD SAY THE MONARCH PLEDGE IS IN THE SCOPE. I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THERE AS A DOCUMENT, BUT WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. BECAUSE TO ME, THAT'S LIKE THE LEADING POINT FOR THE WHOLE RESILIENCY PLAN FOR THE CITY, AND THE PARKS ARE GOING TO BE HUGE FOR THAT WHEN IT COMES TO JUST TEMPERATURE AND SHADE AND WATER, AND ALL THAT. THE MONARCH IS JUST GETTING OUR FEET WET TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN DO THAT. I GUESS OUR QUESTION IS, DO YOU AGREE WITH THESE? IF YOU DO, CAN WE CONFIRM THAT IN SOME MANNER, AND THEN WE'RE GREAT. WE'LL SIT DOWN, AND YOU CAN MOVE ON WITH YOUR MEETING. >> I DON'T KNOW IF YOU NEED A MOTION, BUT I THINK I SAW A LOT OF HEAD NODDING, AND MY HEAD WAS NODDING AS WELL. REALLY. >> IT'S TERRIFIC. >> LOVE THE WORK YOU'VE DONE HERE, AND OUR PARKS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF MAYBE EXPANDING IT. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT OPEN SPACES. OPEN SPACES COULD BE PARKING LOTS AS FAR AS THAT'S CONCERNED, BUT MAYBE IT'S PARKS AND NATURAL SPACES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I THINK WOULD [OVERLAPPING]. >> POODLE ON THAT. >> EXPAND IT APPROPRIATELY, BUT YEAH. THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. AS COUNCILPERSON BENSON POINTED OUT, WE HAVE NOT YET HAD OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR ANY OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN WAITING TO DO THE COMMENT FOR US WITH THE TRUTH AND TAXATION HEARING. IT KIND OF THREW ME OFF A LITTLE BIT, SO MY APOLOGIES. THIS IS NOW THE TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. IF ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO BRING TO OUR ATTENTION, NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT. OTHER THAN YOUR TAXES, I GUESS, YOU COULD PROBABLY COMMENT ON THAT AS WELL, IF YOU'D LIKE. THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY. ANYBODY HAVE A COMMENT FOR US? SEEING NONE, WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORT, [ 24. LA25-000051, 4680 North Shore Drive, Variance] [01:35:06] AND THIS WOULD BE ITEM 24, 4680 NORTH SHORE DRIVE, REQUEST FOR VARIANCE. FOR THAT, I WOULD TURN IT OVER TO MATT. THANK>> YOU, MR. MAYOR, ONE MOMENT. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. MATTHEW CUNNING WITH PLANNING AND ZONING. GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH A QUICK PRESENTATION FOR A VARIANCE THAT HAS BEEN APPLIED FOR AT 4680 NORTH SHORE DRIVE. ULTIMATELY, THIS IS A VARIANCE FOR A REAR SETBACK FOR AN OVERSIZE ACCESSORY BUILDING. WE HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC DEFINITION IN OUR CODE WHERE ONCE YOU HIT 1,000 SQUARE FEET, YOU BECOME WHAT IS CONSIDERED AN OVERSIZED ACCESSORY BUILDING. WHAT THIS MEANS IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS IS THAT PRINCIPAL BUILDING SETBACKS ARE APPLICABLE ONCE YOU GET TO THIS SIZE. THE BUILDING THAT'S IN QUESTION HERE IS AN EXISTING A THOUSAND AND EIGHT-SQUARE-FOOT GARAGE. PROPERTY IS ZONED LR1B, A ONE-ACRE ZONE DISTRICT. THIS PROPERTY IS 0.61 ACRES IN SIZE AND IS PRETTY CLOSE TO THE 30% HARD COVER LIMIT. IN TERMS OF PROPOSED CONDITIONS, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A GRAPHIC UP HERE FOR YOU THAT SHOWS THE SIX-FOOT BUMP-OUT THAT IS PROPOSED ON THIS EXISTING GARAGE. I WILL NOTE THAT IT IS THREE STORIES IN HEIGHT, WHICH IS A FAIRLY UNIQUE CONDITION FOR THE COMMUNITY. BUT GIVEN SOME OF THE GRADES AND THE TOPOGRAPHY THAT WE HAVE IN THIS AREA, IT'S PRETTY WELL NESTLED INTO THE EXISTING SLOPE THERE. BUT IN TERMS OF THE SETBACK EVALUATION, 10 FEET WOULD BE APPLICABLE FOR AN ACCESSORY BUILDING OF LESS THAN 1,000 SQUARE FEET, BUT IN THIS CASE, 30 IS APPLICABLE, OR WHERE YOU WOULD SEE THE DASHED LINE ON THE GRAPHIC. ADDITIONALLY, BECAUSE THIS IS A BUMP-OUT ON THE EASTERN PORTION, THOSE SETBACKS AREN'T PROPOSED TO INCREASE IN SIZE PER SE OR GO ANY CLOSER TO THE EXISTING PROPERTY LINES. IN TOTAL, IT'S ABOUT 234-240 SQUARE FEET FOR THE SIZE OF THE BUMP-OUT. I WILL NOTE AS WELL THAT THIS IS JUST FOR THE MAIN LEVEL OR THE GROUND FLOOR LEVEL WHERE THE GARAGE WOULD BE ACCESSED; AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS VIEW, THE ADDITION IS DOWN HERE, AS WELL AS PERHAPS A BALCONY SPACE AS WELL. THIS IS A PART OF A LARGER REMODEL PROJECT OF THIS SPACE TO GET A UTILIZATION, PERHAPS AS A DETACHED LIVING SPACE OR AN OFFICE FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER. IN TERMS OF A SUMMARY, I DO HAVE SOME IMAGES I CAN GO BACK TO AS NEEDED. THIS IS A REAR SETBACK VARIANCE FOR AN OVERSIZED ACCESSORY BUILDING IN TERMS OF THE VARIANCE CRITERIA, IN WHICH STAFF IS TASKED WITH EVALUATING THE PROPOSAL. ULTIMATELY, THIS IS FOUND TO BE AN EXPANSION OF A LEGAL NON-CONFORMING BUILDING. IN TERMS OF THE CHICKEN AND EGG CONVERSATION, WHICH CAME FIRST, THE ZONING OR THE BUILDING? IT'S A LITTLE TOUGH BASED ON THE RECORDS THAT WE HAVE HERE, BUT WE DO HAVE THAT 30-FOOT SETBACK THAT IS APPLICABLE, AND THE ADDITION WOULD BE IN THAT AREA. STAFF DOES RECOGNIZE THAT THE PROPERTY IS UNIQUE. THERE IS SOME SIGNIFICANT TOPOGRAPHY, AND THE EXISTING STRUCTURE IN ITS STATURE IS FAIRLY UNIQUE, GIVEN THE AREA. HENCE, A NUMBER OF THE CRITERIA OF APPROVAL FOR A VARIANCE BEING MET IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE. STAFF WOULD TEND TO EVALUATE THAT THERE IS REASONABLE USE OF THE BUILDING AS A DETACHED GARAGE, AS IT CURRENTLY LIES. IN TERMS OF PUBLIC COMMENTS, NONE HAVE BEEN RECEIVED DURING THE PROCESSING OF THIS APPLICATION. TO RECAP, OUR STAFF RECOMMENDS DENIAL OF THE VARIANCE AS ROUGHLY HALF OF THE CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL WERE MET. THE OTHER HALF WERE NOT. THE PLANNING COMMISSION MET AND DISCUSSED THIS APPLICATION ON NOVEMBER 17, AND A RECOMMENDATION OF DENIAL WAS FORWARDED DURING THAT MEETING. [01:40:02] ULTIMATELY, SEVERAL OF THE PLANNING COMMISSIONERS FELT THAT THE REQUEST WAS REASONABLE AND A LOT OF THE FEATURES ABOUT THE PROPERTY TOPOGRAPHY SUPPORTED THE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY CRITERIA FOR THE REQUEST. ULTIMATELY, WHAT I'M ASKING FOR YOU TONIGHT IS SOME ASSISTANCE IN DRAFTING FINDINGS FOR THIS PARTICULAR VARIANCE IF A PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR THE PROPOSED ADDITION. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. >> COULD YOU GO BACK TWO SLIDES? I BELIEVE YOU HAD A BETTER PICTURE OF THE ONE MORE. I THOUGHT THERE WAS A PICTURE OF THE OF THE BUILDING ITSELF. >> OF THE EXISTING GARAGE. THIS IS FROM NORTH SHORE DRIVE. I DID HAVE A MINOR SNIPPET HERE THAT SHOWS THAT IT'S TUCKED IN A LITTLE WAYS. THIS WOULD BE FROM THE EAST, LOOKING TO THE WEST. >> THANK YOU. >> THIS WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO, IS IT THE LOWER LEVEL OR THE MIDDLE LEVEL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? >> THAT WOULD BE FOR THE LOWER LEVEL IN TERMS OF THE ADDITION OF BUILDING SPACE. ABOUT 234 SQUARE FEET ON THE MAIN LEVEL TO ACCOMMODATE SOME LARGER BOATS AND TRAILERS THAT THE HOMEOWNER OWNS. BUT ADDITIONALLY, TO ADD A BIT OF A BALCONY SPACE ON TOP OF THAT AS WELL, THAT WOULDN'T BE A BUILDING COMPONENT ULTIMATELY. BUT AS A PART OF THE LARGER RENOVATION OF THE BUILDING, AS IT IS. >> AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE HARDSCAPE DOES NOT CHANGE. >> THAT IS CORRECT. WHERE IT'S BEING PROPOSED CURRENTLY IS ALREADY OVER EXISTING DRIVEWAY SPACE. IT BECOMES A BUILDING ELEMENT, OPPOSED TO SURFACE, FOR THAT MATTER. >> WHAT YOU REALLY CAN'T TELL FROM THE PICTURE HERE, I GUESS YOU CAN TELL FROM THE TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP TO THE LEFT, IS JUST HOW STEEP THAT HILL IS BEHIND THERE. I DROVE OVER THERE AND TOOK A LOOK AT IT. IT REALLY IS SORT OF NESTLED INTO THAT HILL. SUCH THAT I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ELSE WOULD PROBABLY SEE IT FROM THE ROAD AS YOU DRIVE BY, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT ANY NEIGHBOR WOULD EVEN SEE THIS ADDITIONAL SPACE. IS THAT CORRECT? >> MORE THAN LIKELY. BUT OF NOTE, THE CLOSEST ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER IS RIGHT HERE IN RELATION TO THAT, WHERE WE WOULD SEE THAT BUMP OUT APPROXIMATELY RIGHT HERE. I WILL SAY THAT THE APPLICANT IS HERE IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO HIM AS WELL. I DID ALSO PROVIDE YOU AN ADDITIONAL LETTER THAT HE HAD PREPARED TODAY, ADDRESSING THE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY CRITERIA AS WELL. THE APPLICANT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL. THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU. >> HI, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THANKS FOR HEARING ME. MY NAME IS RON WITH UNGERMAN CONSTRUCTION. WE ARE A PROPERTY RESTORATION BASED AT 14200 FIRST AVENUE NORTH IN PLYMOUTH. THE OWNER IS OUT OF TOWN, SO I'M HERE REPRESENTING HIM AS WELL. BASICALLY, THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE GARAGE BUMP OUT IS, SO THE OWNER WHO IS ALSO A PROFESSIONAL FISHERMAN CAN PARK AS GARAGES INSIDE THE GARAGE VERSUS HAVING THEM PARKED OUTSIDE THE GARAGE ON THE HILL THAT CAN BE IN PLAIN VIEW OF BASICALLY THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC AS THEY'RE DRIVING AROUND NORTH SHORE DRIVE. HE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO TUCK THEM IN PROPERLY AND STORE THEM OVER THE WINTER. THAT IS THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE LOWER-LEVEL BUMP-OUT. THERE IS A LARGER PROJECT INVOLVED IN WHICH THERE'S TWO UPPER LEVELS ABOVE THE GARAGE, CURRENTLY ARE JUST A SHELL OF A SPACE, AND HE WANTS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT INTO PRIMARILY AN OFFICE ON THE MAIN LEVEL WITH A KITCHENETTE THAT YOU CAN HAVE COMMUNAL SPACE, WE CALL IT, IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT LIVING SPACE, TO YOU COULD. THEN ON THE UPPER LEVEL, A WORKOUT GYM AND A STEAM ROOM, AND A BATHROOM. THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT HE WANTS TO USE IT AS. INITIALLY, THERE WAS TALK ABOUT HAVING IT BECOME A LIVING SPACE FOR HIS PARENTS WHEN THEY COME INTO TOWN FROM FLORIDA TO VISIT. BUT BECAUSE OF THE ADDITIONAL LIVING OR DWELLING UNIT, COULDN'T DO THAT. HE DIDN'T CARE. HE SAID, I'LL JUST TAKE THE OFFICE OUT OF HIS HOUSE AND MOVE IT OVER TO THIS. HIS PLAN IS TO NEVER RENT IT. FINANCIALLY, THEY DO JUST FINE. HE JUST WANTS TO BE ABLE TO PARK HIS BOATS OUT AND HAVE THAT EXISTING STRUCTURE FOR USE. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, IF YOU WERE IN THE YARD [01:45:03] AND THE BACKYARD OF THE PEOPLE DIRECTLY NORTH OF THEM, YOU CAN'T SEE THE STRUCTURE BECAUSE IT'S BELOW THEIR LEVEL TO THE EAST. THEY REALLY CAN'T SEE IT EITHER. >> MATT'S CORRECT THAT FROM THE EAST SIDE LOOKING WEST, YOU COULD SEE IT, BUT CURRENTLY, IF YOU LOOK AT IT RIGHT NOW, IT'S NOT A REAL ATTRACTIVE SPACE. THE GOAL HERE IS TO MAKE IT LOOK A LOT BETTER, BUT STILL KEEP THE NEIGHBORHOOD FEEL. >> DO YOU HAVE A SENSE FOR WHEN THIS WAS BUILT? >> I PERSONALLY DO NOT. I WOULD SAY, PRE-1990S. IT DOES HAVE SPANCRETE ON THE STEALING BETWEEN THE GARAGE AND THE MAIN AND THE FIRST LEVEL. IT'S DEFINITELY NEWER CONSTRUCTION, WE'LL CALL IT THAT WAY. I BELIEVE THAT WHEN IT WAS BUILT IT WAS OBVIOUSLY LEGAL AT THE TIME, PROBABLY HAD 10 FOOT SETBACKS AND IT MET THAT, AND 1,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING CLEARLY MORE THAN 1,000 WAS PROPOSED. NOW IT'S NON-CONFORMING. THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE HARDSHIP HERE IS IT'S LOCATION ON THE PROPERTY. THEN THE FACT IS ALREADY NON CONFORMING. NO MATTER WHAT WE DO TO THE BUILDING, IT'S STILL GOING TO REMAIN NON-CONFORMING. BUT AGAIN, WE'RE GOING EASTWARD AWAY FROM THE NEIGHBOR, SO WE'RE NOT REALLY ENCROACHING ANYTHING MORE ON EITHER THE WEST OR ON THE NORTH SIDE. >> I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THE PROPERTY COMMISSION OR THE PLANNING COMMISSION TALKED ABOUT WAS IT WOULD BE LEGAL TO GO FARTHER SOUTH, THAT SAME AMOUNT OF SPACE, CORRECT? WOULDN'T NEED A VARIANCE FOR THAT. >> IT WOULD. TWO ISSUES. IT NOW BECOMES A NARROWER ACCESS TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO THE GARAGE FOR TWO DIFFERENT BOATS. IT WOULD ALSO JUST FINANCIALLY REQUIRE MAJOR ENGINEERING BECAUSE THE WAY THAT THE BUILDING IS CURRENTLY SET, THE GARAGE IS AROUND THE EAST SIDE. >> YES. >> CHANGES THE PLANS ALTOGETHER. BUT THE BIGGER THING, IT WOULD ALSO INCREASE POTENTIALLY THE GROUND COVER, WHICH THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH ROOM FOR SAY THEY'RE ALREADY AT 29.9% AS IT IS. IT WOULD EXCEED THE 30% THRESHOLD THERE. >> WHERE THE GARAGE DOORS ARE THAT WHOLE AREA UNDERNEATH THAT'S ALL GARAGE?>> CORRECT. >> NOT DEEP ENOUGH FOR THE BOATS TO GO IN. >> IT WILL BE, CORRECT. >> IT WILL BE. >> IF APPROVED, THEN HE'LL BE ABLE TO PARK EVERYTHING INSIDE. [OVERLAPPING] HE'LL HAVE TO PARK THEM OUTSIDE, SHRINK RACK THEM OVER THE WINTER, AND EVERYBODY GETS TO LOOK AT HIM. >> WHAT SORT OF IMPROVEMENTS ARE YOU PLANNING TO DO TO THE EXTERIOR ITSELF? INCLUDING THIS. >> OH, SURE. IT'LL BE ALL NEW SIDING, NEW WINDOWS, BASICALLY DRESS IT UP. THE BONES OF THE STRUCTURE ARE REALLY GOOD, BUT IT'S BEEN NEGLECTED FOR GOD KNOWS HOW MANY YEARS. >> UGLY. [LAUGHTER] I DRIVE BY. IS NOT AN ATTRACTIVE BUILDING? >> NO, IT'S NOT. THE GOAL IS TO MAKE IT LOOK NICER, BUT ALSO STILL FIT THE HOME THAT'S THERE AND NOT BE DRASTIC IN CONTRAST. THE GOALS SO YOU DRIVE BY AND DON'T LOOK AT AN UGLY STRUCTURE, YOU JUST DRIVE BY. GREAT. >> I COULD BE WRONG, BUT I THINK THAT PROPERTY USED TO BE SAGA HILL GROCERY. >> USED TO BE WHAT? >> SAGA HILL GROCERY STORE. >> I DON'T KNOW THAT. >> I THINK THAT'S THAT PROPERTY. >> TAKE THOSE TO SHOW THAT YOU ARE STORY. [OVERLAPPING]. >> JUST THROUGH THAT, THOUGH, I'VE WATCHED THAT CHANGE, THEN SEE WHAT IT'S BECOME THAT PROPERTY, BUT TO YOUR POINT, I WAS BY THERE TODAY TOO. THAT ISN'T UGLY AS FAR AS WHAT YOU LOOK AT AND WHAT YOU SEE. UNDERSTANDING THAT STEEPNESS OF THAT GRADE. >> THAT'S, AGAIN, THE HARDSHIP. THERE'S REALLY NOWHERE ELSE. HE CAN PUT A STRUCTURE THAT LARGE ON HIS PROPERTY THAT DEALS WITH THE TERRAIN THAT'S THERE WITH THE HILLS, AND THEN ALSO JUST THE DIFFERENT SETBACK REQUIREMENTS. THE GOAL WOULD BE TO JUST USE WHAT'S THERE WITH MINIMAL IMPACT TO THE SURROUNDING AREA. NOBODY REALLY WOULD KNOW THE DIFFERENCE ANYWAYS BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU JUST DRIVE BY. >> WOULD YOU MIND WALKING US THROUGH THE LETTER? WE JUST GOT IT. >> [OVERLAPPING] OH, YEAH. I'M SORRY. IT WAS JUST DURING THE INITIAL PLANNING MEETING, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR ITS LENGTH, BUT I WOULD TRY TO ADDRESS ALL THE DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT WERE BROUGHT UP DURING THE PLANNING COMMISSION. I'M CERTAINLY HAPPY TO READ THE ENTIRE LETTER, IF YOU'D LIKE. >> YOU CAN SUMMARIZE IT. >> IN SUMMARY, IT'S BASICALLY JUST DESCRIBING THE HARDSHIP [01:50:02] OF THE BUILDING ITSELF THAT'S CURRENTLY NON-CONFORMING. ANYTHING THAT GETS DONE TO THE BUILDING IS STILL GOING TO BE NON-CONFORMING. WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH THE BUILDING TO DRESS IT UP, ALLOW THE HOMEOWNER BASICALLY PROPER USE OF HIS PROPERTY, WHICH IS TO BE ABLE TO PUT HIS RECREATIONAL VEHICLES INSIDE OF A GARAGE, PROTECT HIM, AND KEEP HIM OUT OF VIEW OF PUBLIC SITE. AGAIN, THE LONG AND SHORT, BUT THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GO FOR IS TO SHOW THE HARDSHIP THAT HE HAS WITH THE PROPERTY AND HIS ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO USE IT AS RECREATIONAL STORAGE USE. THAT EVERY OTHER CITIZEN IN ORONO AT LEAST HAS THE OPPORTUNITY IF AS LONG AS THEY DON'T HAVE A NON-CONFORMING BUILDING ON THEIR PROPERTY. >> AS MORE OF A QUESTION FOR STAFF, IF THE HOME OWNER WANT TO USE THIS AS AN ADJOINING DWELLING PLACE, HOW WOULD THAT PROCESS WORK? >> ULTIMATELY, THE BUILDING, AS IT STANDS, DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR AN ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT. WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PERMIT THAT USE ON THIS PROPERTY. PRIMARILY, IT DOESN'T MEET THE ONE ACRE REQUIREMENT FOR AN ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT. COULD LIST OUT SOME OTHER STANDARDS AS WELL, BUT BROADLY SPEAKING, IT DOESN'T MEET THE FIRST CONDITION FOR THAT. >> NEVER WOULD BECAUSE IT'S NOT AN ACRE. >> EXACTLY. >> ULTIMATELY, WITH THAT BUILDING PERMIT REVIEW, PART OF THAT PROCESS WOULD INVOLVE THE DRAFTING OF A COVENANT THAT ESTABLISHES THAT IT WOULD NOT BE USED FOR RESIDENTIAL USE, AND THAT WOULD BE FILED AGAINST THE PROPERTY. THEN THE USE OF THE PROPERTY CAN BE CONFINED TO THE OFFICE SPACE OR THE LIVING SPACE AS THE OWNER WOULD LIKE WITH THAT CONTENTION THAT IT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE USED AS A DWELLING UNIT. >> ULTIMATELY, IF THE ADDITION WEREN'T A PART OF THE PROJECT WHATSOEVER, THE REMODEL COULD GO ON AS PROPOSED ASIDE OF THE ADDITION, OF COURSE, AS IT'S UTILIZING THE IN KIND REPLACEMENT OF THAT STRUCTURE, THAT REALLY THAT ONLY FEATURE THAT'S CHANGING IS THAT ADDITION. BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, AS LONG AS IT'S ESTABLISHED THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE USED AS A RESIDENTIAL SPACE, IT WOULD BE ALLOWED TO MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THE BUILDING PERMIT PROCESS. >> THE ORIGINAL PLAN THAT WAS SUBMITTED TO THE CITY DID HAVE LIVING SPACE, BUT THEN IT WAS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE HOMEOWNER. CAN'T DO THAT. THEY WERE LIKE, NO PROBLEM. SENT IT TO THE ARCHITECTS. THEY REDESIGNED IT. IT JUST SHOWS WORKING SPACE ON THE MAIN LEVEL INSTEAD OF A SLEEPING ROOM. THEY HAD NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. >> OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? WE'VE GOT. THANK YOU, VERY. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> QUESTIONS FOR STAFF OR WHAT ARE PEOPLE THINKING ABOUT THIS? >> ALSO, IF YOU JUST NEED ANY PARTICULAR VIEWS UP, I CAN ROTATE THROUGH WHAT I HAVE AS WELL. >> I WATCHED THE PLANNING DISCUSSION OF THIS APPLICATION AND ALSO READ STAFF REPORTS, AND I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH BOTH PLANNING AND STAFF ON THIS ONE FOR DENIAL. THERE'S A COUPLE OF REASONS FOR THAT. IT'S AN EXPANSION OF A BUILDING THAT'S ALREADY OVERSIZED AND NON-CONFORMING, WHICH I DON'T THINK IS A GREAT POLICY TO PUT FORWARD FOR A VARIANCE. ALSO, THERE IS REASONABLE USE OF THE PROPERTY. THE BOATS OR OTHER VEHICLES ARE CURRENTLY BEING STORED ON THE PROPERTY, AND THERE IS ACCOMMODATION FOR THAT. A VARIANCE ALSO FOLLOWS THE PROPERTY. IF MY CONCERN IS THAT IF OUR CITY IS IN THE BUSINESS OF ACCOMMODATING SOMEBODY WHOEVER THAT IS, WHO DECIDES TO BUY AN OVERSIZE OR A LARGER BOAT OR VEHICLE OR WHATNOT, THAT THE ARGUMENT CAN THEN BE MADE THAT IN ORDER TO SHIELD IT FROM VIEW, OR WHATNOT. A VARIANT SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO INCREASE A BUILDING. I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THAT, AND I DO FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATION OF BOTH PLANNING AND STAFF ON THIS ONE. OTHER THAN THAT, YEAH, I JUST SAY IT SETS A BIT OF A PRECEDENT AND WHETHER OR NOT IT CAN BE SEEN BY THE NEIGHBORS, AGAIN, APPLYING THAT WAY OF THINKING TO A VARIANCE IN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES, I FEEL LIKE NOT SOMETHING THAT I'D BE COMFORTABLE DOING SETTING THAT PRECEDENT. THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS. >> OTHER THOUGHTS. ANYBODY? [01:55:01] >> I DO APPRECIATE THAT THE BUILDING IS GOING TO BE MUCH BETTER LOOKING SINCE IT ISN'T A VERY ATTRACTIVE BUILDING RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT I HAVE TO AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON THAT I DON'T REALLY SEE THE HARDSHIP HERE. IT ALREADY IS A NON-CONFORMING BUILDING AND JUST ADDING TO IT, I THINK IS SETTING A PRECEDENCE THAT I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO GO DOWN THAT ROAD. >> I JUST LOOK AT THIS, AND SEEING THAT STRUCTURE AS IT IS. FOR ME, LOOKING AT AND UNDERSTANDING VARIANCES WE TAKE THEM ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. YOU LOOK AT THAT. IT DOESN'T IMPACT OUR COVER. WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN AN OVERSIZED STRUCTURE AS IT IS. BUT ADDING THIS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT TO KEEP THE BOATS AND BE ABLE TO PUT THEM OUT OF SIGHT ON THAT, AND IT'S NOT IMPACTING [NOISE] THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I LOOK ON IT AS A VARIANCE. I THINK THAT IS A I'D BE AMENABLE. >> IN THIS CASE, I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON AND RICK, THAT I DON'T SEE THE HARDSHIP HERE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, AND IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO PARK THEIR BOAT INSIDE OR WHATNOT, BUT FOR ME, I'M GIVEN THIS PARTICULAR CASE AND THE RECOMMENDATION BY THE COMMISSION AND THE STAFF. I TEND TO AGREE WITH THEM. >> THAT RENDERS MY VIEW SOMEWHAT MOOT. BUT IN THIS CASE, I TEND TO AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER TINGLER THAT IT'S AN IMPROVEMENT TO UGLY BUILDING THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE CHARACTER OF THE BUILDING MUCH OTHER THAN TO IMPROVE THE OUTSIDE LOOK. IT DOESN'T INCREASE THE HARD COVER. I'M HESITANT TO GO AGAINST STAFF ON VARIANCES, BUT IN THIS CASE, I PROBABLY WOULD BECAUSE I THINK IT'S AN IMPROVEMENT TO A STRUCTURE THAT'S GOING TO BE THERE REGARDLESS AND MIGHT AS WELL MAKE IT USEFUL WITH A MINIMAL CHANGE TO IT THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE HARDCOVER DAY BY DAY. ANYWAY, WE WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? IT SOUNDS LIKE WE KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO VOTE HERE. >> CAN I JUST ASK ANOTHER QUESTION? I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND. YEAH, PLEASE. AS THE FACILITY COMES TO THE EAST, WHAT OPTICALLY, IS IT JUST LITERALLY IT'S BEING PUSHED OUT SIX FEET TO THE EAST? >> CORRECT. IT'S SIX FEET TO THE EAST. >> IS THAT TOP TO BOTTOM? >> JUST THE ONE STORY. HE'S PUTTING A DECK OUT. THAT WAS PRIMARILY JUST REALLY CAN'T USE IT FOR A LOUNGING UP THERE. IT'S ONLY SIX FEET WIDE. IT WAS MORE ABOUT JUST HAVING ACCESS AND MAKING IT LOOK NICE FROM THE INSIDE. THAT WAS THE MAIN PURPOSE OF IT, BUT REALLY NO ADDITIONAL LIVING OUT THERE. >> THERE'S NO WAY TO GO TO THE WEST TO THE BACK OF THE BUILDING. >> NO, THAT WOULD THEN GO INTO MORE ENCROACHMENT OF THE PROPERTY LINE BACK THERE. I JUST REALLY QUICK COMMENT ON SETTING A PRECEDENT. AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW THE CITY OF ORONO, AS FAR AS ALL THE PROPERTIES, BUT I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT THERE'S MANY PROPERTIES THAT HAVE, LIKE, A 1,000 SQUARE FOOT STRUCTURE ALREADY ON IT, EMBEDDED INTO A HILL. THE HARDSHIP HERE, AGAIN, IS JUST ITS LOCATION CURRENTLY AS IT IS. SETTING A PRECEDENT, I THINK, IS, AND AGAIN, I'M FIGHTING FOR THE HOMEOWNER HERE. A BIT OF A STRETCH ONLY BECAUSE I THINK YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO THEN SAY WITH OTHER PEOPLE, IF YOU'RE TRYING TO BUILD 1,000 PLUS SQUARE FOOTAGE, THE ORDINANCE IS THE ORDINANCE, AND YOU GOT TO STICK WITH THE ORDINANCE. THIS ONE IS JUST LANDLOCKED THE WAY THAT IT IS. BUT I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. I DO. >> JUST A QUESTION FOR STAFF. WHEN THE COMMISSION LOOKED AT THIS, AND THERE WAS THE INITIAL VOTE? WHAT WAS THE SOME OF THE COMMENT THAT WAS MADE BY THE COMMISSIONERS THAT ORDERED TO APPROVE THE VARIANCE? >> ULTIMATELY, THEY ESTABLISHED THAT THE REQUEST WAS REASONABLE AND THAT THE TOPOGRAPHICAL CONDITIONS OF THE PROPERTY MADE THE ADDITION MINIMAL IN SCALE, [02:00:06] ALREADY USING EXISTING HARD COVER AS IT IS ON THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY, BUT OVERALL, THAT THE ADDITION IS MINUSCULE AND SHOULD HAVE MINIMAL IMPACTS ON OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS. >> THANK YOU. >> YEAH, THANKS. >> EVERYONE I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION. >> I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT BEFORE WE GET TO THAT. >> SURE. >> I TEND TO LOOK AT THIS AS SOMETHING THAT WHEN VARIANCES COME TO US, WE WORK TO TRY AND ACCOMMODATE THE REQUEST OF THE RESIDENT, AND WE'VE DONE IT. IN THE PAST, WE DID ONE RECENTLY. MY SENSE IS THAT JUST LISTENING A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THIS AND YOU'RE TRYING TO UPDATE THIS BUILDING, AND ALSO WITH WHAT APPEARS TO BE A VERY MINIMAL IMPACT. IT'S GIVEN ME SOME PAUSE BASED ON THE FEEDBACK TO SAY, MAYBE THIS IS A REASONABLE REQUEST BECAUSE OF THE SMALL IMPACT IN THE PARTICULAR LOT. I DIDN'T QUITE COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WAS JUST SIMPLY A SINGLE LEVEL KICK OUT. THAT HELPED A GREAT DEAL. I APPRECIATE THAT. I WAS MORE LOOKING AT I'M NOT A PRINT READER, BUT LOOKING AT THE PRINT THAT IT WAS THREE STORIES HIGH. THAT WAS HELPFUL. I TENDED TO HAVE A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW BASED ON SOME OF THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, UNDERSTANDING WHERE THE COMMISSION WAS AT. >> AT THAT SIX FEET, CAN THEY USE BOTH GARAGE DOORS FOR THE BOATS OR STILL ONLY ON THE, I GUESS, RIGHT HAND SIDE? >> SORRY. >> WITH THE SIX FOOT ADDITION, THEY USE THE GARAGE DOORS ON BOTH SIDES, OR DOES IT STILL ONLY ALLOW THE BOATS TO BE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE? >> THE BOATS WILL ONLY BE ON THE EAST SIDE WHERE THEY ARE. THEY'LL JUST BE THE SAME POINT OF ENTRY THAT THEY ARE JUST SIX FEET FURTHER OUT. >> BUT IT WOULD BE TWO GARAGE DOORS. >> TWO GARAGE DOORS, CORRECT. I'M SORRY. >> WHAT'S THE SQUARE FOOTAGE THEN OF THAT LOWER LEVEL? >> CURRENTLY? >> WELL, WITH THE [OVERLAPPING]. >> I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME. I MEAN, IT'S BASICALLY 500, SOMETHING. THEN ADD THE 240 SQUARE. >> I MEAN, FOR THE MATH WE'RE USING AS WE DEAL WITH THE FOOTPRINT FOR OUR HARDCOVER CONSIDERATIONS. THIS IS 1,008 SQUARE FEET. >> OKAY. >> THE ADDITION. >> 200 SOMETHING. >> IF WE'RE DOING IT TO 39 AND 4 ", IT'S ABOUT 234 SQUARE FEET. GETS YOU TO ABOUT. >> 25%. >> 1,242 SQUARE FEET. THAT'S IN THE 20S FOR PERCENTAGE INCREASE. >> IS THERE ACCESS TO THE OTHER LEVELS AS IT GOES UP THE ELEVATIONS, OR IS IT ALL? >> CURRENTLY, THERE ARE STAIRS THAT GO UP THE NORTH SIDE THAT YOU WOULD ENTER FROM THE NORTH; YOU'D HAVE TO CLIMB UP. >> OKAY. >> THEN THERE'S A HILL ON THE WEST SIDE THAT YOU WOULD THEN TRAIL UP AND GET AROUND. SO THE PROPOSAL IS TO PUT A STAIRCASE INSIDE THE UNIT FOR ACCESS UP AND DOWN. >> CLEARLY, AN UNUSUAL LOT AND AN UNUSUAL BUILDING THAT'S ALREADY THERE. YEAH. THAT'S PART OF MY THINKING ON IT IS IT'S LIKE IT'S MAKING WITH MINIMAL CHANGE. IT'S MAKING THAT A MUCH MORE USABLE, MORE ATTRACTIVE FACILITY THAT DOESN'T BOTHER ANYONE. IN FACT, I SHOULD PLEASE THE NEIGHBORS SO THAT THEY'RE NOT PARKING BOATS OUT IN THEIR YARD IN ALL WINTER. >> EXACTLY. >> WELL, AND PLUS I FIGURED IT BECOMES PRACTICAL WHEN YOU TAKE THAT ASPECT OF IT, RIGHT? YOU'LL LOOK AT PUTTING THE STAIRS ON THE INSIDE, BE ABLE TO ACCESS. RIGHT. THE FLOORS THAT WAY VERSUS YOU CLIMB UP THIS HILL AND COME IN HERE AND STAIRS ON THE OUTSIDE. >> IT'S PRETTY FUNNY RIGHT NOW TO GET UP THERE. >> ARE THOSE UPPER LEVELS EVEN USED? >> NOW, IT'S JUST A SHELL. I MEAN, THE PREVIOUS OWNERS, I'M SURE, USED IT FOR JUST OPEN STORAGE. >> ARE THERE FLOORS IN IT? >> THERE ARE FLOORS. IT'S JUST BASICALLY IMAGINE A FRAMED HOUSE WITHOUT ANY FINISHES ON THE WALLS OR CEILINGS. ALL THE BONES ARE THERE. >> WE THINK THAT WAS BUILT PRE-1990, RIGHT? >> I ASSUME. I THINK YOU HAD MENTIONED SOMETHING WHEN YOU WERE LOOKING AT SATELLITE IMAGES. [02:05:02] >> SATELLITE IMAGES GO BACK FAIRLY FAR PRE 1990, AND IT DOES LOOK LIKE WE HAVE A SURVEY ON FILE THAT SHOWS THE EXACT DIMENSIONS AND LOCATION DATED 1978. >> THERE YOU GO. >> WHEN WOULD OUR CODE HAVE BEEN ADOPTED? I DID A LITTLE BIT OF DIGGING INTO OUR OVERSIZED ACCESSORY STRUCTURES AT THE TIME. IT APPEARS THAT THAT WAS BROUGHT INTO OUR CODE, I BELIEVE, IN 1989. >> OKAY. >> IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, THIS WAS CONFORMING WHEN BUILT? >> QUITE POSSIBLY, BUT I DON'T THINK I HAVE ENOUGH FACTS TO CONFIRM THAT STATEMENT. >> I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING. >> DO WE KNOW WHAT IT WAS ORIGINALLY USED FOR? >> THAT IS UNCLEAR, AS WELL. >> USUALLY, AT LEAST FOR MY PURPOSES, GOING THROUGH THE BUILDING PERMIT RECORD IS TYPICALLY HOW WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT TYPE OF USE IS, BECAUSE THE RECORD IS FAIRLY INCONCLUSIVE ON OUR DIGITAL SIDE, OR AT LEAST WHAT I HAVE AT MY DISPOSAL RIGHT NOW, IT'S UNCLEAR TO ME WHAT THAT INITIAL USE IS. THERE MAY BE SOME BUILDING PERMITS, PAPER RECORDS THAT WE HAVE THAT WOULD INDICATE FURTHER, BUT I HAVE NOT BEEN PRIVY TO THAT INFORMATION. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT?GOOD. THANK YOU. >> OKAY, YOU'RE WELCOME. >> DON'T GO ANYWHERE, THOUGH. [LAUGHTER] A, MAKE CARE TO MAKE A MOTION. FURTHER DISCUSSION. >> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO DENY THE VARIANCES FOR THE SIDE REAR YARD SETBACK FOR LA 25_514680 NORTH SHORE DRIVE. >> IS THERE A SECOND? >> I'LL SECOND IT. >> MR. MAYOR? YES. MAY I INTERRUPT? I'M IN PARTICULAR LOOKING FOR FINDINGS FOR A RESOLUTION. ULTIMATELY, I'LL NEED DIRECTION ON THE FINDINGS I NEED TO PREPARE FOR THIS APPLICATION. FINDINGS, AS IN THIS, DON'T OR APPROVAL OR DENIAL OR THE GENERAL FINDINGS FOR THE CRITERION OF APPROVAL. >> COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON, YOUR MOTION TO DENY. SOMETIMES WE GO THROUGH THIS WHERE WE HAVE NOT INCLUDED A RESOLUTION WITH IT. WRITTEN FINDINGS IN HERE. MONICA, YOUR MOTION IS TO DIRECT STAFF TO PREPARE WRITTEN FINDINGS FOR DENIAL AS OPPOSED TO JUST THE STRAIGHT DENIAL. >> VERY GOOD. SURE. THEN MY MOTION WILL BE TO DIRECT STAFF TO PREPARE A RESOLUTION FOR THE DENIAL OF LA 2551. OKAY. >> ARE YOU OKAY WITH SECONDING THAT? YOU'VE ALREADY SECONDED HERE. >> RIGHT. >> FIRST ITERATION. >> SO EXPLAIN TO ME, WE'RE DENYING THE RESOLUTION. >> A RESOLUTION HASN'T BEEN DRAFTED AT THIS TIME. ORDINARILY, WE WILL COME FORWARD WITH A RESOLUTION IF THERE'S AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN ALL PLANNING COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF ON THE FINDINGS OF THE APPLICATION., WHETHER THAT BE FOR APPROVAL OR DENIAL, WE'LL DRAFT THAT FOR YOU, AS THERE IS A CONSENSUS BETWEEN THOSE FINDINGS AND THOSE WHO HAVE REVIEWED IT. AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THE STAFF HAS A RECOMMENDATION OF DENIAL. THE VOTE WAS SPLIT WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION. IT'S UNCLEAR ABOUT WHAT FINDINGS WE WOULD HAVE FOR THIS PARTICULAR APPLICATION. I'M ASKING FOR DIRECTION. ARE YOU FINDING THAT THE CRITERION OF APPROVAL ARE MET FOR THIS PARTICULAR APPLICATION OR NOT? IF IT'S NOT, WHAT ARE THOSE FINDINGS I CAN PREPARE A RESOLUTION FOR YOU AND VICE VERSA. >> MY MOTION IS TO DIRECT STAFF TO BRING BACK A RESOLUTION OF DENIAL. >> AS I READ THE BACKGROUND MATERIALS, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOT SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE THE APPLICANT NEEDS TO HEAR BACK. >> I BELIEVE YES, NEXT MONTH, I THOUGHT IT WAS EXTENDED. >> YES. I'LL VERIFY THAT DATE. >> COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS, ON THE LAND USE ITEMS. UNLIKE OTHER DECISIONS WHERE WE CAN JUST DECIDE IT UP OR DOWN, WE DO NEED TO HAVE WRITTEN FINDINGS SUPPORTING THE DECISION, AND SINCE THOSE AREN'T IN THE PACKET, WHAT WE'VE TRADITIONALLY DONE IS SOUGHT THE GUIDANCE, BRING IT BACK AS LONG AS WE'RE STILL WITHIN THE TIME FRAME SO THAT YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE ACTUAL WRITTEN FINDINGS IN TERMS OF THE BASIS FOR THE DENIAL AND ADOPT THOSE ACCORDINGLY, BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THOSE FINDINGS REFLECT THE COUNCIL'S INTENTION AND THAT'S WHAT WE TRY AND DO BASED ON THE DISCUSSION AND PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS. DIRECTIONS TO DO THAT. THEN, JUST PROCEDURALLY, ONE OF THE OTHER ITEMS IS THAT, WHILE ON CERTAIN DECISIONS THE COUNCIL MAKES, THERE CAN BE A CHANGE OF MIND. [02:10:01] THERE'S ALWAYS THIS QUESTION OF, ON A LAND USE ITEM, ONCE YOU'VE CHOSEN TO DENY IT, THE ISSUE OF MAYBE RECONSIDERATION OR SOMETHING, AND WE'VE ENCOUNTERED THAT. >> WE DID THAT. YEAH. >> IT'S CLEANER FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE IF THE DIRECTION IS TO PREPARE FINDINGS FOR A DENIAL AS OPPOSED TO HAVING ACTUALLY MADE THE DECISION TO DENY IT. WE BRING BACK A COMPLETE RECORD THAT ALLOWS YOU TO REVIEW THEM, SAY IF YOU AGREE WITH THEM AND ADOPT THEM, OR IF THERE IS A CHANGE OF HEART, WE STILL HAVE WE CAN PIVOT ON THAT. >> OKAY. YEAH. >> FROM THE MATERIALS WE GOT, WE HAVE A NEW EXPIRATION DATE OF MARCH 10TH OF 2026. WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF TIME. >> I WILL SECOND THE MOTION. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THAT MOTION TO DIRECT STAFF TO COME BACK WITH FINDINGS TO SUPPORT A DENIAL. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THAT, SAY AYE. >> AYE. AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, NAY. >> NAY. >> MOTION FAILS. DOES ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENT MOTION ON THE OPPOSITE MOTION, BASICALLY SAYING WE'RE DIRECTING STAFF TO PRESENT FINDINGS SUPPORTING AN APPROVAL OF THIS VARIANCE? IS THAT WHAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE HERE? >> THAT'S CORRECT. >> I'LL MAKE THAT. >> OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND? >> I'LL SECOND THAT. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IN FAVOR OF THAT MOTION TO DIRECT STAFF TO COME BACK WITH FINDINGS SUPPORTING AN APPROVAL OF THE VARIANCE. SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE, AYE. >> THOSE OPPOSED? SAME SIGN? >> NAY, AYE. >> SAME THING.YEAH. MOTION CARRIES BY A THREE-TO-TWO VOTE. THANK YOU FOR A GOOD DISCUSSION THERE. >> THIS IS A TOUGH ONE. >> BUT I THINK AND THANK YOU, STAFF AND THE PLANNING COMMISSIONER. YEAH. >> I MEAN THERE AT ALL. >> PLANNING COMMISSION HAD A VERY THOUGHTFUL THOUGHTS. >> THAT'S HOW I CAME OUT WHERE I DID. >> ALL RIGHT. I THINK THAT IS THE LAST OF OUR RESOLUTIONS. WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR'S ENGINEER REPORT.MR. EDWARDS. [ City Administrator/Engineer Report] >> SORRY. JUST ONE ADMIN POINT FOR THE COUNCIL. I KNOW IT CAME UP. OUR EMAIL SERVICE PROVIDER HAS INSTITUTED SOME NEW SCREENING MECHANISMS. YOU MAY BE RECEIVING EMAILS THAT TALK ABOUT ITEMS THAT ARE FLAGGED AS POTENTIAL SPAM. I JUST WANTED TO LET THAT THOSE EMAILS THEMSELVES ARE LEGITIMATE EMAILS, PLAYING THOSE THINGS OUT. AS YOU LOOK THROUGH THE LIST, THAT IT GIVES YOU THERE ARE LEGITIMATE THINGS BECAUSE IT IS SCREENING OUT THINGS THAT ARE COMING IN AND LOOKING LIKE MASS OR THINGS, WHICH SOMETIMES ARE LEGITIMATE THINGS, LIKE THINGS FROM THE LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES, AND SOME OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT MAY COME. THERE IS A MEANS OF CLICKING ON ONE AND SAYING, YES, I TRUST THIS SENDER, AND THEN YOU'LL REOPEN THAT. THEY STARTED THIS NEW THING THAT OPERATES JUST LIKE MAYBE A JUNK FOLDER YOU HAVE IN OTHER APPLICATIONS. BUT THAT'S WHAT THAT IS. I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU ALL GO. >> THANK YOU. >> OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT MOST EVERYTHING, OR IT WAS IN MY FRIDAY UPDATE; I DON'T HAVE TO ADD AT THIS POINT. >> GREAT. THANK YOU. AGAIN, IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, BUT I ALWAYS ASK OUR ATTORNEY IF THERE'S ANYTHING TO REPORT. >> NO. THANKFULLY, THERE IS NOT, MR. MAYOR. OKAY. WE HAVE VALIDATED. >> MAYOR AND COUNCIL REPORTS. [ Mayor and Council Reports] >> WE'LL START WITH MR [OVERLAPPING] I'VE GOT NOTHING. OKAY. >> I WAS INVITED YESTERDAY, THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS CHRISTMAS PARTY. IT WAS I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY'S FAMILIAR WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS. THEY ARE NON NON-PARTISAN GRASSROOTS GROUP THAT WORKS TO PROTECT AND EXPAND OUR VOTING RIGHTS AND IMPROVE ELECTIONS BY INFORMING VOTERS. THEY BRAND OUR FORUM FOR US. THEY JUST FINISHED THE FORUM FOR WHY IS THAT A SCHOOL BOARD? I'D LIKE TO LET EVERYONE KNOW IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE A PART OF THAT GREAT GROUP. THEY'RE ALWAYS TAKING NEW MEMBERS. IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TALKING TO ALL THE PEOPLE. I HAVE TO SAY THEY PUT A LOT OF HARD WORK INTO WHAT THEY DO. IT'S REALLY FUN TO SEE THE AGES THAT WERE THERE. THERE WERE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS WHO WERE PART OF THE GROUP ALL THE WAY UP TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN RETIRED FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS. IT'S A GREAT GROUP, AND I APPRECIATE THAT THEY INVITED ME TO JOIN THEM. >> I DON'T THINK IT'S ALL WOMEN, DESPITE THEIR NAME, IS THAT CORRECT? >> THAT IS CORRECT. THERE ARE MANY GENTLEMEN. YES. [02:15:01] >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. >> I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING. THANK YOU. >> WE HAVE ANOTHER BOARD MEETING FOR THE SHORELINE FIRE DEPARTMENT THIS WEDNESDAY, AND WE CONTINUE TO MAKE VERY GOOD PROGRESS AT GETTING EVERYTHING PUT INTO PLACE FOR A SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH ON JANUARY 1ST. I WILL JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT THE PROCESS FOR RECEIVING APPLICATIONS FOR A NEW DEPUTY CHIEF THAT'S CLOSED, AND THE CURRENT FIRE CHIEF HIGHLAND IS IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING TOGETHER AN INTERVIEW TEAM AS WELL AS GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF VETTING THE APPLICANTS AND THEN NARROWING THAT DOWN TO HAVE I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME PHONE CALL CONVERSATIONS THEN FACE TO FACE INTERVIEWS, THINGS ARE MOVING ALONG. >> I WOULD JUST ADD TO THAT, A SHOUT-OUT TO OUR STAFF FROM ONO. MOST NOTABLY, MISS GIN AND MR. EDWARDS, FOR ALL THE WORK THEY PUT IN BEHIND THE SCENES ON GETTING US READY TO BE READY ON 1126. WE DID NOT GIVE THEM MUCH TIME. AS IT TURNED OUT [LAUGHTER], TWO MONTHS IS A PRETTY HEAVY LIFT, AND THAT'S IN ADDITION TO ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE ASKED THEM TO DO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS IN THAT REGARD. VERY PROFESSIONALLY DONE, AND I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL BE READY TO GO ON 1126. THANK YOU. I GUESS THE ONLY OTHER THING I WOULD ADD, I ATTENDED A REGIONAL COUNCIL MAYOR'S MEETING TODAY. FULL HOUSE. WE MET WITH KURT SELLERS, WHO'S THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MINNESOTA BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP. WE ALSO HEARD FROM REPRESENTATIVES OF SOME OF OUR BIGGEST COMPANIES IN TOWN. THERE WAS A REPRESENTATIVE FROM TARGET. THERE WAS A REPRESENTATIVE FROM COMCAST, HEALTH PARTNERS, AND ALSO FROM THE MINNEAPOLIS CHAMBER, I THINK IT WAS. ANYWAY, VERY INTERESTING DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT ATTRACTS AND RETAINS BUSINESSES TO OUR METRO AREA. I THINK THE MESSAGE COMING OUT OF THAT FOR THE MAYORS IS THAT WE ALL HAVE A ROLE. I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT, BUT WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF BUSINESS LEADERS LIVING IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO KEEP ATTRACTING THOSE BUSINESS LEADERS TO AN ATTRACTIVE COMMUNITY ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE OVERALL METRO AREA. ANYWAY, THAT WAS A VERY INTERESTING DISCUSSION. THIS WEDNESDAY NIGHT, I'LL BE ATTENDING THE NORTHWEST HENNEPEN GATHERING OF MAYORS, AND WE HAVE A PANEL DISCUSSION AT THAT, THAT WILL BE VERY INTERESTING. I'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO REPORTING ON THAT. AT OUR JANUARY MEETING. THIS IS OUR LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR. I GUESS I WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR PUTTING YOUR TRUST IN US OVER THE PAST YEAR. IT'S BEEN A STEEP LEARNING CURVE FOR ALL OF US. I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE WITH US AS WE WORK OUR WAY THROUGH DOING BUSINESS FOR THE CITY. SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, IT'S A PRIVILEGE. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR PUTTING YOUR FAITH IN US. WITH THAT, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN. >> MOVED. >> SECOND. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES. WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 8:18. THANK YOU ALL. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.