Mar 09, 2026 City Council

[00:00:01]

YEAH. YOU AROUND HERE, BOB? ALL RIGHT, IT IS 6:00, SO I'M GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.

[Roll Call]

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

OKAY. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING. IT'S KIND OF NICE TO HAVE A MEETING WITH THE LIGHTS STILL STILL OUT AFTER AFTER DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME.

TONIGHT WE HAVE EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE FOR THE COUNCIL AND MAYOR.

[Approval of Agenda]

THAT CONSISTS OF 11 ITEMS ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA.

AND THESE ARE ITEMS THAT, THAT ARE CONSIDERED ROUTINE, BUT ANY COUNCIL MEMBER OR STAFF MEMBER MAY PULL ANY OF THE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS OUT FOR SEPARATE DISCUSSION AND ACTION. TONIGHT'S PROPOSED CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS ARE AS FOLLOWS.

[Consent Agenda]

CLAIMS AND BILLS. UPCOMING WORK SESSIONS. COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS.

THAT'S RESOLUTION 7669. A DONATION TO THE SUSAN LAWTON DOG PARK.

THAT'S RESOLUTION 7668. CITY CODE UPDATE. THAT'S A NEW SOLID WASTE ORDINANCE 321.

REPLACING A TRAILER, CAPITAL EQUIPMENT, REPLACING SOUTH WATER, PLANT FILTER VALVES AND ACTUATORS.

AN EASEMENT APPROVAL AT SMITH AVENUE FOR A CUL DE SAC.

AND THEN 1200 WILD HORSE TRAIL AFTER THE FACT.

VARIANCES AND CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. THAT'S RESOLUTION 7670.

AND FINALLY, A VARIANCE RESOLUTION 7671 FOR 2245 FRENCH LAKE ROAD.

ANY COMMENTS? QUESTIONS BY COUNCIL OR STAFF? MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO REMOVE A FEW ITEMS FROM CONSENT.

CERTAINLY. NUMBERS 3, 4, 6, 8 AND 9.

OKAY. ANY OTHERS THAT ANYONE WANTS TO PULL OUT FOR SEPARATE DISCUSSION? I'M GOING TO PULL OFF 7 JUST FOR DISCUSSION. WHICH NUMBER? 7. 7. OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? IF NOT, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT ITEMS1, 2, 5, 10, AND 11 FROM OUR CONSENT AGENDA.

MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS AMENDED.

I'LL SECOND THAT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? NOT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. NOW IT IS TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.

[Public Comments]

HOWEVER, WE MAY REFER ISSUES RAISED TO STAFF FOR FURTHER FOLLOW UP OR CONSIDERATION OF FUTURE MEETING.

WE ASK THAT YOU EXERCISE GOOD DECORUM IN YOUR COMMENTS WITH US AND NOT DO ANY PERSONAL ATTACKS OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.

WITH THAT, I WOULD INVITE ANYBODY TO COME TO THE, TO THE PODIUM TO MAKE COMMENTS.

YES. WELCOME. MY NAME IS MAUREEN BELLOWS AND I LIVE AT 3400 WATERTOWN ROAD AND I HAVE 2 VERY BRIEF ITEMS. THE 1ST IS THE PROLIFERATION OF BOXES, TUBES, POSTS WITH ORANGE TOPS.

ALL OF THIS STUFF THAT SEEMS TO BE COMING INTO THE CITY FROM THE WEST WITH WHAT I GUESS IS THE FIBER OPTICS CABLE.

BUT IT SEEMS TO BE SOME OF THEM ARE PLACED WITH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SENSITIVITY, KIND OF OUT OF THE WAY AND QUIET.

SOME OF THEM ARE JUST SO IN YOUR FACE. THEY'RE UNSIGHTLY.

THEY'RE EVERYWHERE BETWEEN OLD CRYSTAL BAY ROAD AND ORCHARD PARK ROAD.

THE ROAD I TRAVEL ALL THE TIME, GOING TO THE DOG PARK. THERE ARE OVER 40 OF THESE THINGS AND THAT'S LESS THAN 2 MILES.

SO I KNOW IT'S A PUBLIC UTILITY. I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF SAY OVER IT, BUT SINCE THEY ARE CAPABLE OF PLACING THEM SENSITIVELY, IS THERE ANY WAY SOMEBODY COULD ENCOURAGE THAT? 2ND QUESTION I HAVE IS WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT ALL THE TREES WE'RE LOSING TO THE ASH BORER? IS THERE A PLAN FOR REPLACEMENT? I KNOW WE'RE ZEALOUSLY CUTTING THEM DOWN, WHICH IS WHAT WE SHOULD DO.

[00:05:06]

BUT I WONDER IF THERE'S A IF THAT'S A PARKS COMMISSION BECAUSE SOME OF THEM ARE IN PARKS, SOME OF THEM ARE JUST ALONG THE ROADWAYS.

IS THERE A PLAN FOR THAT? YEAH, I GUESS I WOULD JUST ASK LAURA FOR THE SPECIFICS OF SAID PLAN.

I KNOW WE'VE DISCUSSED IT AND WE'VE, WE'VE BUDGETED A LOT OF MONEY FOR THIS YEAR, MOSTLY FOR THE TREE REMOVAL.

BUT I KNOW WE'VE ALSO GOT GRANTS FOR PLACING TREES.

YES. THANK YOU. MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THE CITY HAS BEEN ACTIVELY WORKING ON THE EMERALD ASH TREE REMOVAL THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

AND AS YOU'RE INDICATING, WE HAVE OBTAINED AND WORKING ON TREE PLANS AND GRANTS TO ADDRESS THAT.

AS SUCH BOTH OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT WORK ON THEM, DEPENDING ON WHERE THOSE TREES ARE LOCATED.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT IF A RESIDENT HAS QUESTIONS OR IF THE COUNCIL RECEIVES QUESTIONS TO REACH OUT TO THE STAFF OF EITHER JOE WITH OUR PARK SUPERVISOR OR DJ, WHO'S OUR PUBLIC WORKS SUPERINTENDENT.

THEY CAN BE RESPONSIVE TO WHERE WE ARE ACTIVELY DOING PROJECTS AND THEN ANY REPLACEMENT PLANS FOR THOSE SPECIFIC AREAS THAT ARE BEING REMOVALS ARE HAPPENING AS WELL.

SO HAPPY TO COMMUNICATE TO RESIDENTS OR PEOPLE WHO HAVE QUESTIONS.

FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO STAFF. THANK THANK YOU FOR RAISING THOSE CONCERNS.

ANYBODY ELSE? SEEING NONE, WE WILL MOVE ON TO I GUESS

[3) Upcoming Work Sessions]

COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON, I BELIEVE YOU PULLED THAT. SO I'M GOING TO TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO YOU. THANK YOU. AT OUR LAST MEETING WHEN I HAD TO STEP AWAY FOR A LITTLE BIT.

I BELIEVE THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT ADDING AN ADDITIONAL SESSION, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS DONE ON REVIEWING TREE RELATED ORDINANCES ON MAY 25TH. THE THE ISSUE THAT I HAD INTENDED TO RAISE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING A WORKING SESSION TO DISCUSS OPERATIONS, CAPITAL EXPENDITURES AND OUR PLANS AROUND CONTRACTS WITH OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S COME UP QUITE A FEW TIMES I'VE ASKED STAFF QUESTIONS, OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT, ON WHAT WE'RE CHARGING OTHER CITIES FOR, REPAIRING THEIR FLEET, HOW OUR STAFF IS SPENDING TIME ON CITY OF ORONO ISSUES VERSUS OTHER CITIES.

FLEET RELATED ISSUES AND JUST THE FINANCES AND OPERATION OF THIS DEPARTMENT IN GENERAL.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I WAS INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING.

IF THE REST OF THE COUNCIL HAS A DESIRE TO DELVE A BIT MORE DEEPLY INTO THIS AREA.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT I FEEL I'D LIKE TO GET MY HANDS AROUND BETTER, BUT I THINK WE WOULD NEED TIME TO DO IT AND LOOKING AT THE WORKING SCHEDULE, I WOULD PREFER TO DO IT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER BECAUSE WE HAVE LARGE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES AGAIN THIS YEAR COMING UP FOR THAT DEPARTMENT.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD DO A DIFFERENT TIME OR IF WE'D HAVE TO REARRANGE THINGS. BUT FIRST I WANT TO CHECK IN WITH COUNCIL AND SEE OTHER PEOPLE'S THOUGHTS ON THAT ISSUE.

I WOULD WELCOME AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT IF WE NEED TO DO IT AT A WORK SESSION APART FROM OUR MEETINGS, BECAUSE WE ARE FILLED UP THROUGH WHAT, JULY TO EARLY AUGUST, I GUESS. WOULD WE BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, LIKE ON APRIL 6TH? I KNOW WE'RE SINCE WE CANCELED THE 23RD, I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY'S BACK IN APRIL.

MAYOR I'M HAPPY TO SEND OUT OR LATER THIS WEEK SEND OUT A DOODLE POLL.

IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, THEN FOR SOME TIMES OUTSIDE OF OUR STANDARD WORK SESSION.

IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO DO SOMETHING KIND OF THIS SPRING INTO THE EARLY PART OF THE SUMMER BEFORE BUDGETING AND EVERYTHING TAKES PLACE.

THAT'D BE GREAT. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU GUYS FEEL, BUT I THINK LIKE A 2 HOUR MEETING FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD BE ADVISABLE.

YEAH. AND I GUESS TO THAT EXTENT, I MEAN, IF THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES THAT PEOPLE WANT TO GET ON TO A WORK SESSION, WE CAN MAYBE COMBINE THAT AND HAVE HAVE THAT HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME.

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT PEOPLE WANT. THERE IS, AND I THINK FOR THAT ONE, IT WOULD BE MORE THAN AN HOUR. THAT'S MY IMPRESSION.

ONE OF THE THINGS. SO THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEA, A GOOD SOLUTION.

AND AGAIN, GIVEN THAT ADAM'S NOT HERE, IT'D BE GOOD TO.

YEAH, I'M HAPPY TO WORK TO GET SOMETHING OUT OR WORK WITH ADAM SOMETIME THIS WEEK TO GET A DOODLE POLL OUT.

CAN I JUST CLARIFY MY UNDERSTANDING THAT YOUR REQUEST IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE OPERATIONS OF PUBLIC WORKS IN GENERAL AS A DEPARTMENT OR SERVICES OR JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND SCOPE OR WHAT YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING FOR WITH THE WORK SESSION.

FOR ME, IT IS OPERATIONS. IN OTHER WORDS, WE HAVE CONTRACTS WITH OTHER CITIES THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY SERVICING FLEET SNOWPLOWING,

[00:10:01]

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ENOUGH DETAIL, BUT I'D SAY BOTH.

YEAH. THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD TO THAT IS, IS THE, YOU KNOW, WE DID THIS LAST YEAR WHERE WE KIND OF WENT THROUGH A CAPITAL REPLACEMENT PLAN AND I THINK WE COULD SPEND SOME MORE TIME GOING THROUGH THAT.

YEAH, I AGREE. I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT JUST BECAUSE I KNOW.

FOR THIS YEAR, FOR 2026, THEY HAVE EIGHT ITEMS THAT ARE UP FOR I GUESS REQUESTS FROM AND 2 OF THEM ARE FOR US TO ORDER AND THAT'S FOR 2 VEHICLES.

IT'S $600,000 THAT WE'D HAVE TO PUT ON ORDER.

AND I GUESS LOOKING AT WHAT THE WANTS ARE IN THE FUTURE, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS DUMP TRUCKS WITH PLOWS AND SANDERS, WE'VE GOT ONE COMING UP EVERY YEAR. AND I GUESS I WOULD HAVE TO QUESTION THAT AFTER LOOKING AT THE FLEET, WE HAVE ONE TRUCK THAT'S OLD. AND THEN WITH ABOUT 85,000 MILES, AND THEN 4 OF THEM THAT ARE IN THE 20S, THOUSAND MILES. SO I GUESS I'D NEED TO I'D LOVE MORE CLARIFICATION WHEN WE REPLACE THEM AND IF THEIR VEHICLES AREN'T WORKING AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO GREAT. YEAH. SEND OUT THE DOODLE POLL. THAT SOUNDS THAT SOUNDS GREAT.

ANYTHING ELSE OR ARE WE PREPARED TO TO MOVE THE ADOPTION OF THE REVISED WORK SESSION? YES. I'LL MAKE A MOTION THEN TO APPROVE THE UPCOMING WORK SESSION SCHEDULE.

I'LL SECOND IT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. WE'LL MOVE ON TO COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS.

[4) Commission Appointments - Resolution 7669]

YES. THIS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE ANSWERED BECAUSE ADAM'S NOT HERE, BUT THERE WAS SOME QUESTION WHEN WE HAD OUR COMMISSION INTERVIEW SESSION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT I BELIEVE IT WAS SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO WERE ON PLANNING COMMISSION AS ALTERNATES.

MAYBE YOU WOULD KNOW. I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF THOSE FOLKS WERE REACHED OUT TO AND IF THEY ARE IN FACT INTERESTED IN REAPPOINTMENT BECAUSE I IT'S, IT WAS AN OPEN QUESTION THAT DIDN'T GET ANSWERED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE INTERESTED IN BEING REAPPOINTED AND THEY'VE HAD CONTACT MADE.

I MAKE CONTACT WITH THEM IN THE WINTER TIME ABOUT THERE.

SO NOT NECESSARILY WITH THIS ROUND OF APPLICATIONS, BUT IN THE WINTER I WAS WORKING AND COMMUNICATING.

1 OF THE ALTERNATES IS A SNOWBIRD, SO THEY ARE ONLY AVAILABLE TO SERVE AS AN ALTERNATE IN THE SUMMER MONTHS.

THE OTHER ALTERNATE IS A COMMISSIONER WHO THEN GOT BUSY WITH FAMILY AND WORK AND THINGS AND REQUESTED, I BELIEVE LAST YEAR TO MOVE DOWN TO ALTERNATE.

THEY ARE RESPONSIVE TO REQUESTS WHEN INVITATIONS ARE SENT OUT TO THEM TO ATTEND, SO THEY ARE ACTIVELY IN COMMUNICATION WHEN REACHED OUT TO. AND THEN WE HAD A 3RD PERSON APPLY OR A PERSON APPLY FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION WHO YOU INTERVIEWED.

AND BECAUSE WE HAD A FULL QUORUM, IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT THEY BE PUT AS AN ALTERNATE TO BE REACHED OUT TO AS WELL.

OKAY. VERY GOOD. THAT'S ALL I HAVE THEN. AND WITH THAT, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION 7669 TO APPOINT PARK AND PLANNING COMMISSIONERS. SECOND, IT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE SOLID WASTE ORDINANCE.

[6) City Code Update - Solid Waste - Ordinance 321]

IT IS. AND I PULLED THIS MAINLY BECAUSE WE RECEIVED AN EMAIL TODAY.

AND IT WAS, I THINK THIS IS FOR THE CITY CLERK PERHAPS.

BUT THERE WAS SOME CONCERNS RAISED ABOUT THIS AND I JUST WANT TO CHECK IN WITH LEGAL OR THE CITY CLERK ON THAT EMAIL THAT WE DID GET TODAY AND ENSURE THAT WE'RE KIND OF WHERE WE NEED TO BE WITH THIS ORDINANCE CHANGE. SO I HAVEN'T SEEN THE EMAIL.

I DID SEE THAT I WAS CC'D ON IT, BUT I WAS JUST CHECKING MY BOX.

IT DID NOT COME THROUGH, BUT I HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT HERE.

WE DID DO A REVIEW OF THE CODE AT CHRISTINE'S REQUEST AND HAVE REVIEWED IT REVIEWED FOR OUR POSITION ON LEGAL COMPLIANCE, AND WE FEEL LIKE THE CITY IS IN A GOOD SPOT. OKAY, THAT ANSWERS THAT.

I JUST WANTED TO ENSURE THAT WE WERE WHERE WE NEEDED TO BE WITH THAT. IT'S ALWAYS THOSE EMAILS THAT COME IN THE DAY OF.

ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. WHERE ARE WE?

[00:15:02]

ORDINANCE 321. SOLID WASTE. I'LL SECOND THAT.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? NOT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. SO NEXT ONE IS ITEM 7.

[7) Replace Capital Equipment - Trailer]

THAT WAS ME. AND GIVEN THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING PUBLIC WORKS AND THE FLEET AT A AT A WORK SESSION I THINK WE CAN GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THIS. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY WAS AWARE OF WHAT THE ASKS WERE FOR THIS YEAR AND WHAT WAS GOING ON, SO THAT WE JUST NEED SOME MORE CLARIFICATION.

SO I WOULD MOVE TO PASS THE REPLACEMENT FOR CAPITAL EQUIPMENT OF THE TRAILER.

OKAY. SECOND. AND THIS IS AT A COST OF ABOUT 16,000 VERSUS.

16,160. VERSUS A BUDGET OF 30,000. SO I THINK WE CAME OUT LESS THAN WHAT WE HAD PLANNED TO SPEND ON THAT, WHICH IS ALWAYS GOOD. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I HAVE A QUESTION ACTUALLY FOR STAFF ON THIS ONE.

IT'S A TECHNICAL QUESTION RELATED TO THE SUSPENSION ON THIS.

I NOTICED THAT ON THE QUOTE, THERE WAS AN OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL COST OF MAYBE $1,000.

I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THIS A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

WE'RE LOOKING AT A TORSION SUSPENSION. AND MY UNDERSTANDING THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH IS THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE USED FOR HEAVY DUTY HAULING, AND THAT TYPE OF SUSPENSION IS USUALLY SMOOTHER RIDE, LIGHTER LOAD FOR ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS OR THINGS THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO GET BOUNCED AROUND. THEY'RE ALSO MORE EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR.

SO I'M JUST, I WAS WONDERING WHY WE'RE GOING WITH AN ADDITIONAL COST FOR A TORSION MR. GOMAN. COULD YOU ADDRESS THAT PLEASE? AS OPPOSED TO THE SPRING LEAF OR WHICHEVER OTHER ONE THAT IS, THAT CAN BE WORKED ON EASIER. MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL PART OF THE REASON FOR THE CHANGE IN THE SUSPENSION TYPE IS, AS YOU MENTIONED, IT'S A SMOOTHER RIDE. IT DOES NOT EXCUSE ME? IT DOES NOT PUT SO MUCH STRAIN ON THE TOW VEHICLE AND IT DOES NOT BOUNCE THE EQUIPMENT AROUND.

THAT'S ON THE TRAILER ITSELF. IT SORT OF LEVELS EVERYTHING OUT.

AND AS YOU'VE SEEN, ESPECIALLY WITH THE SPRING THAW AND SOME OF THE ROADWAYS THAT ADDS TO THE POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO EITHER THE TRAILER, THE TOW VEHICLE, OR THE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT'S ON THE TRAILER ITSELF.

SO IS IT TRUE THAT WITH THE TORSION SUSPENSION, YOU CAN HAVE A LOAD THAT IS NOT EQUALLY PLACED? THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM FOR THAT TYPE OF TOW? THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM FOR OKAY, BECAUSE THAT'S THE WHOLE IDEA IS THAT THIS IS THIS IS INTENDED THEN FOR HEAVY USE.

AND CAN YOU REPAIR THESE TYPES OF SUSPENSION OR DO THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED IF THERE'S ISSUES? IT DEPENDS ON WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT. SOME OF IT CAN BE REPAIRED.

SOME OF IT HAS TO BE REPLACED. SO IT DEPENDS ON THE LEVEL OF.

AND HOPEFULLY WITH THIS IT'S A 10 TO 15 YEAR CYCLE, 20 YEAR CYCLE DEPENDING UPON THE USAGE.

SO THEY DON'T GET USED EVERY DAY. WE DO HAVE MULTIPLE TRAILERS.

SO IT DEPENDS ON THE USAGE AND, AND THE CONSISTENCY OF IT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF NOT, DOES ANYONE CARE TO MAKE A MOTION TO I'LL MAKE A MOTION OR DO WE, DO WE MOVE IT AND SECOND.

YEAH. OKAY. THEN IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. OKAY. THEN WE GO ON TO THE SOUTH.

[8) Replace Capital Equipment - South Water Plant Filter Valves & Actuators]

THANK YOU. LET'S SEE HERE. OKAY, SO I THINK I WILL HAVE QUESTIONS ON THIS ONE FROM STAFF.

ACTUALLY, WOULD YOU MIND PRESENTING THIS ITEM JUST SO THAT I AM VERY CLEAR ON THE ON OR I CAN JUST ASK YOU MY QUESTION. I THINK WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS THIS.

WE IN JANUARY OF LAST YEAR WE ENGAGED WITH BOLTON AND MINK FOR DESIGN.

AND WE HAD A PROJECT ESTIMATE AROUND THIS WATER PLANT REPAIR LIKE $727,000.

THEN IN SEPTEMBER, WE GOT AN UPDATE THAT THERE WERE MEETINGS AND STAFF CONSULTATIONS GOING ON WITH CONTRACTORS.

THEN IN NOVEMBER, WE APPROVED THE BASE BID OF 767 76 550 FROM LAKEHEAD CONSTRUCTORS.

WE APPROVED 2 ADDITIONAL ALTERNATES AND IN TERMS OF THAT ADDED WITH BOLTON AND MING'S FEES, IT BROUGHT US TO LIKE $845,000. AND THIS WAS ABOVE WHAT WE'D ESTIMATED.

[00:20:05]

SO I DON'T THAT MY UNDERSTANDING WAS WHEN WE APPROVED THE $845,650.

THAT WAS INCLUSIVE OF A SCOPE OF WORK THAT INCLUDED THESE PARTS.

AND THE QUESTION IS TODAY ON THE BACKGROUND, WE'RE LOOKING AT DURING FINAL REVIEW OF PROJECT COMPONENTS, LABOR AND INSTALLATION WAS INCLUDED FOR THE PROJECT BUDGET, BUT VALVES AND ACTUATORS THEMSELVES WERE IDENTIFIED AS AS TO BE PROVIDED BY THE CITY.

SO IS THAT SOMETHING THAT. WE HAVEN'T I HAVEN'T SEEN THE CONTRACT, BUT IF YOU COULD JUST SPEAK TO THAT.

SO WHAT THESE ARE. AND AS PART OF THE OVERALL.

IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN AND I, AND I'LL TAKE THE BLAME FOR IT BECAUSE I DID THE OVERSIGHT.

THESE ARE COMPONENTS THAT MODULATE THE FILTER ASSEMBLY TO KEEP THE WATER LEVEL UP THEY GOT MISSED.

SO BACK IN JANUARY WHEN WE PRESENTED THIS, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ADDITIONAL ITEM ON THAT COUNCIL ACTION AND WE MISSED IT.

SO IT IS A KEY COMPONENT TO THE THE OPERATION AND THE UPGRADE.

AS TO WHAT WE'RE DOING AT THE PLANT SO UNFORTUNATELY IT IS AN ADDITIONAL 60 ROUND.

FIGURE 68,000. WE DID AS PART OF THE, THAT QUOTE IN THAT PROJECT SUMMARY IT IS CALLED OUT IN THERE. AND THE LABOR IS CALLED OUT IN THERE FOR THE CONTRACTOR TO INSTALL THESE.

BUT WE TO SAVE SOME COSTS VERSUS THE OVERHEAD OF THE ENGINEERING AND PUTTING IT ON THE OVERALL PROJECT, WE WERE ABLE TO ACTUALLY SAVE SOME MONEY BY PURCHASING THOSE DIRECTLY FROM THE VENDOR VERSUS THE, THE UPCHARGES FROM OVER THE CONTRACT. SO, SO JUST TO UNDERSTAND, SO IN THE INITIAL PHASES, OUR STAFF WAS THINKING THAT WE WOULD SAVE ON THESE EXPENDITURES, BUT THEN SOMEWHERE IN THAT PROCESS IT WAS LOST TRACK OF.

CORRECT? YEP. SO WE BY PURCHASING THESE NOW, WE'RE STILL SAVING THE MONEY BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING THROUGH THE ENGINEERING AND WE'RE NOT GOING THROUGH THE THE CONTRACT. SO THEY DON'T HAVE THAT MARKUP WE'RE PURCHASING DIRECTLY FROM THE VENDOR ON THESE.

RIGHT. BUT WE'RE HAVING TO NOW I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE FUNDING SOURCE. WE'RE HAVING TO NOW LOOK AT CONTINGENCY FUNDS FOR THIS WHEN WE WERE ALREADY OVER THE CIP FOR THE PROJECT IN GENERAL. IS THAT RIGHT? CORRECT. OKAY. AND THIS IS COMING OUT OF WATER.

THIS WILL BE COMING OUT OF THE WATER FUND STRICTLY.

YES. OKAY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. OKAY.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? IF NOT, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE 67,888. DOLLAR PURCHASE OF THE WATER PLANT. FILTER VALVES AND ACTUATORS. MOTION TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF FILTER VALVES AND ACTUATORS FROM THE SOUTH.

WATER PLANT FOR THE SOUTH WATER PLANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $67,880 FROM QUALITY FLOW SYSTEMS, INC..

I'LL SECOND THAT. FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. OKAY. NEXT ONE IS ITEM NUMBER 9.

[9) Easement Approval - Smith Avenue Cul-de-sac]

WAS THAT. THIS IS ME AS WELL. I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION ON THIS.

I NOTICED IN THE SUMMARY THAT THE EASEMENT WASN'T SUBMITTED TO THE COUNTY.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT TYPICALLY THE CITY IS DOING OR THE.

OH, IT IS TYPICALLY IT'S SOMETHING WHEN WE OBTAIN AN EASEMENT THAT WE THEM GO THROUGH OUR PROCESS TO GET RECORDED.

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING WHEN THIS WENT THROUGH IN 2020, IT DID NOT GET RECORDED AND THAT WAS DISCOVERED.

AND SO THIS EASEMENT IS NOW BEING PROPOSED TO THEN GO OVER THAT THAT CUL DE SAC SPACE THAT WAS INSTALLED.

WHAT ARE THERE ANY CONSEQUENCES IF SOMETHING'S NOT SUBMITTED TO THE CITY OR THE COUNTY? I SHOULD SAY POTENTIALLY. BUT IN THIS INSTANCE FROM LIKE OUR ZONE, THIS CAME TO OUR ATTENTION BECAUSE A BUILDING PERMIT CAME THROUGH WHERE WE WANTED TO MEASURE SETBACKS FROM A BUILDING PERMIT.

OUR CITY CODE STILL HONORS BOTH RIGHT OF WAY AND TENTATIVE OR POTENTIAL RIGHT OF WAY.

[00:25:01]

VERY GOOD. THEN I WILL GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE EASEMENTS FOR THE SMITH AVENUE CUL DE SAC AND AUTHORIZE $2,000 IN COMPENSATION TO THE PROPERTY OWNER FOR THE EASEMENT. SECOND, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I WOULD PUT A LITTLE COLOR ON THIS WHEN I ASKED ABOUT IT.

IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE WAS SOME LITIGATION THAT WAS INVOLVED WITH THE PRIOR PROPERTY OWNER AT THE TIME, AND IT JUST WAS OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND WHEN THE LITIGATION CONCLUDED SEVERAL YEARS LATER.

TRUE. I BELIEVE THE LITIGATION LASTED OVER 2 YEARS.

SO THERE WAS A REASON FOR THE POTENTIALLY HOLDING THIS EASEMENT WHILE THINGS WERE BEING LITIGATED.

AND THEN IT JUST THREW THAT TIME, EXTENSIVE TIME OF WORKING THROUGH THAT EASEMENT.

IT JUST DIDN'T GET RECORDED. YEAH. THAT'S CORRECT.

AND JUST AS A NOTE, WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING LIKE AN EASEMENT, WHICH IS AN ENCUMBRANCE ON THE PROPERTY FOR IT TO BE VALID, IT NEEDS TO BE RECORDED AT THE COUNTY, SORT OF PUTTING ANYONE ON NOTICE.

AND SO SINCE THE PREVIOUS PROPERTY OWNER SIGNED IT, THERE WAS A SALE.

THE NEW PROPERTY OWNER WAS NOT ON NOTICE, THAT DOCUMENT EXISTED.

THIS IS THAT PROCESS NOW, RIGHT? YEAH. THAT WAS THAT'S THE SORT OF THE MISSING PIECE THAT THERE WAS A SALE OF THAT PROPERTY AND THEY WERE THEN NOT ON NOTICE.

SO FORTUNATELY THAT PROPERTY OWNER HAS BEEN YOU KNOW, AMENABLE TO NEGOTIATING WITH THE CITY AND GETTING THIS DONE.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT, IT WILL PREVENT THAT PROPERTY OWNER FROM BEING ABLE TO HAUL CEMENT RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE LOAD RESTRICTIONS ON.

SO OUR APOLOGIES TO FOR THE DELAY IN THAT, BUT BUT WE, WE ZEALOUSLY GUARD THOSE ROAD RESTRICTIONS BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW WHAT KIND OF SHAPE THE ROADS ARE IN ALREADY AS THE, AS THE AS THE FROST IS IS LEAVING SOME BUMPS AND POTHOLES BEHIND. SO ANYWAY, WITH THAT ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF OF THE EASEMENT AS PRESENTED, SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. SO NEXT WE WILL GO ON TO ITEM NUMBER 12.

[12) Police Chief Resignation and Recruitment ]

SO THE PURPOSE OF THE ACTION IN FRONT OF YOU IS TO ACCEPT CORREY FARNIOK RESIGNATION AND TO INFORM THE COUNCIL OF THE PLANS FOR THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS FOR THE NEXT POLICE CHIEF FOR THE CITY. CORREY FARNIOK HAS INDICATED HIS INTENT TO RETIRE WITH HIS LAST DAY BEING MAY 30TH.

HE HAS BEEN AN EXCELLENT POLICE CHIEF AND HAS A VALUED MEMBER OF STAFF FOR OVER 30 YEARS.

CORREY STARTED OUT AS AN INTERN AND THEN AS A COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICER THROUGH ORONO, THEN MOVED INTO A PART TIME POSITION IN 1996 AND THEN IN 97 BECAME A FULL TIME POLICE OFFICER. THROUGH HIS WORK, HE WAS PROMOTED AS SERGEANT AND THEN AS POLICE CHIEF SINCE 2007.

SO QUITE SOME TIME WITH THE CITY. A PROPOSAL FOR RESOLUTION OF RESIGNATION WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL CLOSER TO HIS RETIREMENT.

BUT IDENTIFIED IN THE MEMO IS ALSO A PROCESS FOR RECRUITMENT.

SO RATHER QUICKLY HOPING TO POST FOR OPENING IN MARCH HERE INTERVIEW FOR THE POSITION IN APRIL AND THEN BRING FORWARD AN APPLICANT AND WITH AN IDEAL STARTING DATE BY THE END OF MAY.

SO IN FRONT OF YOU TONIGHT. COUNCIL ASKED TO MOVE TO ACCEPT THE RESIGNATION FOR EFFECTIVE MAY 30TH, AND TO APPROVE THE JOB DESCRIPTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS FOR ORONO NEXT POLICE CHIEF.

HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. I THINK I'D ALSO LIKE TO INCLUDE IN THIS DISCUSSION THE PROPOSED RECRUITMENT METHODOLOGY HERE INCLUDES 2 ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

AND I'D LIKE TO, TO DECIDE ON THAT TONIGHT TOO, BECAUSE I BELIEVE BEFORE OUR NEXT MEETING, WE WILL HAVE SOME ACTIVITY REQUIRED BY THOSE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

SO JUST WANT TO OPEN THAT UP FOR DISCUSSION, I GUESS AS PART OF THIS PROCESS AS TO, AS TO WHO AMONG US MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THAT.

[00:30:05]

I HAVE A BIG INTEREST IN BEING A PART OF IT. I WOULD HAVE AN INTEREST IN BEING A PART OF THAT TOO.

ANYONE ELSE? I MEAN, YOU'RE ON THE POLICE COMMISSION, BOTH OF YOU.

YEAH. SO, YEAH, I WOULD BE INTERESTED. IT'S YEAH.

OKAY. I WOULD SAY I THINK IT WOULD BE IDEAL TO HAVE AT LEAST 1 MEMBER OF THE POLICE COMMISSION AS PART OF THIS, WHETHER IT'S MYSELF OR COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS. OKAY.

MY 2 CENTS. YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S COVERED. WELL.

YEAH. WHAT DO WE THINK AS A AS A GROUP? PROBABLY THE MAYOR AND ONE OF THE.

YEAH, I THINK IT MAKES COMPLETE SENSE TO HAVE SOMEONE ON THE COMMISSION BE A PART OF THE PROCESS. YEAH. DOESN'T MATTER TO ME IF COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON WOULD LIKE TO DO IT.

OTHERWISE I CAN. IT'S. IF YOU'D LIKE TO DO IT.

I'M NOT GOING TO FIGHT YOU FOR IT, BUT I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO.

YOU'VE BEEN AT IT LONGER THAN I HAVE, SO I THINK THAT'D BE A GOOD THING. ALL RIGHT, VERY GOOD.

ALL RIGHT. SO DO WE NEED TO FORMALIZE THAT OR.

YEAH, I THINK I THINK WE PROBABLY SHOULD. I DON'T KNOW THAT IT HAS TO BE PART OF THE RESOLUTION, BUT I THINK THE DECISION SHOULD BE MADE TONIGHT AS TO WHO IS GOING TO BE SERVING.

YEP. I'VE WRITTEN DOWN THE NOTES FOR COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON AND MAYOR.

TUNHEIM. IT IS ASKED FOR YOU TO MOVE TO ACCEPT HIS RESIGNATION AS PART OF THE MEMO, AND THEN TO APPROVE THE JOB DESCRIPTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS.

SO AS PART OF THAT MOTION, YOU CAN INCLUDE WHO YOU'D LIKE TO EMPLOY AS PART OF YOUR INTERVIEW PANEL.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE THAT THAT MOTION? SURE. I'LL MOVE TO ACCEPT THE RESIGNATION OF CORREY FARNIOK EFFECTIVE MAY 30TH, 2026, AND APPROVAL OF THE JOB DESCRIPTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS FOR THE POLICE CHIEF POSITION. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT? I'LL SECOND THAT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.

HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. AND IT'S WITH EXTREME GRATITUDE FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THAT CHIEF FARNIOK PUT IN ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.

AND WE WILL BE HONORING HIM AT A AT A LATER DATE, CLOSER TO CLOSER TO HIS ACTUAL RETIREMENT DATE.

BUT ANYWAY, MORE TO COME ON THAT. ITEM 13 IS THE CITY OF ORONO ANNUAL REPORT.

[13) 2025 City of Orono Annual Report]

THERE WE GO. YES. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I WILL DO MY BEST TO GIVE THE BEST HIGHLIGHTS I CAN OF THIS ANNUAL REPORT FOR YOU TONIGHT.

SO JUST A LITTLE BIT. THE ANNUAL REPORT IS A COMPREHENSIVE DOCUMENT THAT TALKS ABOUT ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES PROVIDED FROM 2025.

IT HIGHLIGHTS THE MISSION VISION GOALS. THE CITY'S ORGANIZATION, AND THEN IT ALSO GIVES HIGHLIGHTS FROM ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

I WON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THIS, BUT WE DO HIGHLIGHT THE MISSION VISION GOAL RIGHT IN THE BEGINNING. AS WELL AS IN THE, HERE IN THE PRESENTATION AS WELL. WITH OUR ORGANIZATION FOR OUR WORKFORCE GROWTH, WE HAD HIRED 9 FULL TIME EMPLOYEES, 8 PART TIME FIREFIGHTERS, 3 COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICERS AND 17 SEASONAL STAFF, AS WELL AS 3 INTERNAL PROMOTIONS. COMPLETED IN 2025 HR ONBOARDED 51 FIREFIGHTERS FOR THE SHORELINE FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND THEN ALSO AS A HIGHLIGHT FOR OUR ORGANIZATION, WE SUCCESSFULLY NEGOTIATED THE 3 YEAR CONTRACTS FOR ALL FOUR BARGAINING UNITS, WHICH WAS A BIG LIFT FOR STAFF AND COUNCIL AS WELL.

SO BIG. ACHIEVEMENTS THERE THROUGH OUR ORGANIZATION.

FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES. THEY HAD A BIG TURNOVER IN 2025 FOR TEAM GROWTH.

THEY HAD THREE NEW ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE STAFFS THAT WERE HIRED.

AND AND THEY SUCCESSFULLY COORDINATED SPECIAL ELECTION AND THEN MAINTAINING RECORD COMPLIANCE AS WELL.

THEY WORKED VERY HARD THIS IN 2025 ON WASTE AND ORGANICS.

THERE WERE 288 ORGANIC RECYCLING PARTICIPANTS, WHICH IS A 26% INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR COMPARED TO 2024.

SO VERY BUSY WITH OUR ORGANIC AND RECYCLING PROGRAM.

ADDITIONALLY COMMUNICATION EXPAND WERE EXPANDED IN 2025.

THE WEBSITE REFRESH WAS COMPLETED. CIVIC SEND, WHICH IS THE SERVICE WE USE TO DO EMAIL BLASTS HAD AN OPEN RATE OF

[00:35:07]

SERVICE DEPARTMENT WITH OUR FINANCE, JUST A FEW HIGHLIGHTS OUT OF THAT DEPARTMENT.

THEY CONTINUED TO HOLD THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE BOND RATING SINCE 2005, WHICH IS THAT AAA BOND RATING REFLECTING A STRONG TAX BASE, DEBT MANAGEMENT AND FISCAL STRENGTH FOR THE CITY UTILITY AND RISK MANAGEMENT.

THEY'VE REALLY DONE A GREAT JOB. THEY HAD A 99% BILLING ACCURACY AND THEY COMPLETED A 5 YEAR UTILITY RATE STUDY OUT OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.

ALSO JUST AN ADD ON ADDITIONAL DUTY THEY DID IN 2025 WAS THE ESTABLISH A FULL FINANCIAL OPERATIONS FOR THE SHORELINE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE HR WORK THROUGH THE SHORELINE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHICH WAS QUITE A BIG LIFT FOR THEM, AND THEY DID A GREAT JOB BRINGING THAT THROUGH AND SUPPORTING THAT DEPARTMENT.

A VERY TIGHT TIMELINE, I MIGHT ADD. YES. YES, EXACTLY.

FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, I WILL SPEND THE LONGEST.

NO. [LAUGHTER] I'M JUST. FOR THE DEPARTMENT ACTIVITY, WE ISSUED JUST OVER 1600 PERMITS.

28 OF THEM BEING NEW HOUSE PERMITS WITH THE TOTAL VALUATION OF JUST OVER $49 MILLION FOR LAND USE, WE HAD 55 LAND USE APPLICATIONS WITH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT REQUESTS OUT OF THOSE, INCLUDING 4 PRELIMINARY PLATS, 3 FINAL PLATS, AND 46 TOTAL VARIANCE REQUESTS.

SO QUITE A FEW VARIANCES FOR THE CITY. ALSO FOR POLICY AND REGULATORY UPDATES, WE COMPLETED THE RECODIFICATION AND OF THE ZONING AND SUBDIVISION CODE SECTIONS OF THE CITY. WE ADVANCED THE LAKESHORE SETBACK IMPLEMENTATION AND THEN WE DISCUSSED CONSERVATION DESIGN STANDARDS AND SHORELAND REGULATIONS WITH UPDATES WITH THE DNR AND UPDATED OUR NEW FARM AND ANIMAL REGULATIONS JUST FOR OUR NEW POLICY ORDINANCES ADOPTED.

AND THEN GOVERNANCE, WE ONBOARDED 5 NEW PLANNING COMMISSIONERS IN 2025 AS WELL AS COORDINATED WITH OUR NEIGHBORING AGENCIES, LMC, MINNEHAHA CREEK, DNR, HENNEPIN COUNTY MET COUNCIL, AS WELL AS OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.

WE ALSO INITIATED THE RFP FOR THE 2026 COMMUNITY SURVEY.

SO BEGINNING THOSE PROCESSES AND STARTING LOOKING AT PLANNING FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR PARKS AND FACILITIES.

THE PARK SYSTEM, THEY MAINTAINED 260 PLUS ACRES OF PARKS, TRAILS AND OPEN SPACE ACROSS 21 PARKS, WHICH INCLUDES A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PARKS, THE DOG PARK, ATHLETIC FIELDS, THE GOLF COURSE FOR THE GOLF COURSE SUCCESS ORONO ORCHARD GOLF COURSE ACHIEVED A RECORD HIGH YEAR WITH JUST OVER $440,000 IN TOTAL REVENUE.

EXPANDED LEAGUES AND JUNIOR PROGRAMING AND HOSTED 4 WELL-ATTENDED TOURNAMENTS.

SO VERY BUSY YEAR OUT AT THE GOLF COURSE AND THEN HIGHLIGHTING THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, THEY JOINED THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION FOR THE MAYOR'S MONARCH PLEDGE.

THEY REMOVED 42 ASH TREES IMPACTED BY EMERALD ASH BORER WITHIN THE PARK'S AREAS, AND THEN BEGAN IMPLEMENTING THE CITY'S TREE MANAGEMENT PLAN AS WELL.

PUBLIC WORKS MAINTAINED THE 57 MILES OF STREETS IN 2025 AND HAD 250 OR 125,000FT OF PAVEMENT MARKINGS ACROSS THE CITY AND RESPONDED TO 15 SNOW AND ICE EVENTS FOR SANITARY SEWER.

THEY MAINTAINED THE 47 LIFT STATIONS, WHICH SERVES 200, 2253 CUSTOMERS.

AND THEN FOR THE SAFE DRINKING WATER, THEY OPERATED A SYSTEM WITH 4 WELLS,2 WATER TOWERS SERVING 1180 CUSTOMERS ON OUR ON OUR WATER SERVICES. LASTLY, FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES AND FLEET SUPPORT, THEY MAINTAINED OVER 200 VEHICLES DOING MAINTENANCE AND WORK ON OUR FLEET, AND THEY SERVED 540 RESIDENTS DURING CLEANUP DAY AS WELL AS A PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SHORELINE FIRE, BUT THE FIRST PART OF 2025, THERE WAS AN ORONO FIRE WHICH DID HIGHLIGHT THE INCREASED FASTER SERVICE TIMES IMPLEMENTED BY THE ORONO MODEL WHICH WAS A SUCCESS. AND THEN ALSO AS A FIRE DEPARTMENT MOVED TO THE SHORELINE FIRE WHERE STAFF AND COUNCIL WORKED VERY LONG AND VERY DILIGENTLY WITH LONG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BOTH CITIES OF ORONO AND LONG LAKE TO MERGE AND CREATE THE NEW SHORELINE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

[00:40:10]

THEY COMPLETED THE STREETS PROJECT FOR KELLY AVENUE, LYDIARD, CARMEN, WILDHURST AND DAHL ROAD, AND THEY RESURFACED BROWN ROAD NORTH, WHICH IS A MUNICIPAL STATE AID ROAD AS WELL.

THEY COMPLETED A KENOBI POND STORM POND REHABILITATION OF AS PART OF OUR STORMWATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL.

FOR THAT DEPARTMENT. AND THEN LASTLY, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THEY DID A LOT OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH IN 2025, THEY COMPLETED 61 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS.

THINGS LIKE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, COFFEE WITH A COP, FIREARM SAFETY DARE, AND THEN HIGH SCHOOL FORENSICS DAY, WHICH IS ALWAYS WELL RECEIVED AND A SUCCESSFUL EVENT.

ALSO, THEY LAUNCHED A SUCCESSFUL K-9 PROGRAM IN 2025 WHERE ONYX JOINED THE FORCE IN MARCH.

HE AND HIS HANDLER ARE TRAINED IN NARCOTICS, DETECTING, TRACKING, EVIDENCE DETECTION, AND BUILDING SEARCHING.

SO OVERALL, THE CITY HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL 2025.

THIS IS JUST A REALLY QUICK HIGH LEVEL SUMMARY, BUT THE FULL REPORT WAS AVAILABLE IN YOUR PACKET AND I BELIEVE WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IT'S REALLY WELL DONE.

YEAH, IT REALLY TELLS US WHAT WE GOT GOING ON HERE IN THIS CITY, RIGHT.

WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED AND WHAT YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BLOCKING AND TACKLING THAT GOES ON BY COVERED BY STAFF AND ACROSS ALL THE DEPARTMENTS AND THE THINGS THAT COME UP WITH THEIR NEEDS, WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND THEIR EVER CHANGING.

SO YES. SO I THINK WE WE NEED TO ACCEPT THE REPORT AND AUTHORIZE ITS RELEASE TO THE PUBLIC.

IF ANYONE HAS ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS NOW MAY BE THE TIME.

OTHERWISE, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ACCEPT IT AND AUTHORIZE ITS DISTRIBUTION.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE 2025 CITY OF ORONO ANNUAL REPORT AND ALSO APPROVE FOR ITS RELEASE TO THE PUBLIC. I'LL SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.

I GUESS THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD IS THIS TYPICALLY, TYPICALLY THE RELEASE OF THIS REPORT SORT OF KICKS OFF.

OUR REVIEW OF OF MR. EDWARDS AS OUR CITY ADMINISTRATOR.

AND SO I'D LIKE TO MAYBE APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION FIRST, BUT THEN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS THAT WE WANT TO USE FOR THAT.

AND SO I GUESS ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE TABLE? IF NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSITION MOTION CARRIES.

OKAY. SO YEAH, LET'S LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ABOUT THE PROCESS WE WANT TO FOLLOW.

AS, AS YOU KNOW MR. EDWARDS DOES PERFORMANCE REVIEWS FOR ALL THE, THE FOLKS THAT ARE UNDER HIM IN THE AND SO IT'S REALLY ONLY MR. EDWARDS AS THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR THAT WE PERFORM A PERFORMANCE REVIEW FOR AT THIS LEVEL.

SO I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS WE'D LIKE TO USE IF PEOPLE WANT TO FOLLOW WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS TO GET REALLY THREE 60 REVIEW. TALK TO EACH OF THE STAFF MEMBERS THAT REPORT TO HIM AND AND THEN ALSO GET HAVE A CHANCE FOR COUNCIL TO TO EXPRESS THEIR, THEIR OPINIONS ON ON MR. EDWARDS. I'M OPEN TO ANY OTHER PROCESS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO FOLLOW.

BUT I NEED TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION IN THE PUBLIC HERE.

SO SO ANY IDEAS ON HOW WE WANT TO PERFORM THAT? WANT TO JUST FOLLOW WHAT WE, THE PROTOCOL WE DID LAST YEAR? CERTAINLY CAN. YEAH. YEAH, I WOULD SUPPORT THAT.

I THOUGHT IT WAS A VERY GOOD WAY OF DOING IT.

OKAY. SO I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH, WITH STAFF AND AND WE WILL THEN IN EITHER THE, EITHER OF THE APRIL MEETINGS WHATEVER FITS BEST WITH THE WITH THE OTHER THINGS WE'VE GOT GOING ON, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL DO THAT PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL.

OKAY. MAYOR AND COUNCIL REPORT. I GUESS I'LL KICK THIS OFF BY SAYING I'M REALLY PLEASED TO TO

[Mayor and Council Report]

[00:45:08]

THAT REALLY TALKS ABOUT, I THINK THE, THE TITLE OF IT IS IN IS IN OUR MATERIALS HERE.

BEAR WITH ME FOR A SECOND. IT IS. HOW DO WE FIND COMMUNITY IN OUR DIFFERENCES? I ATTENDED ONE OF THESE BRAVER ANGELS EVENTS THAT THEY HAD IN AT WAYZATA CITY HALL IN DECEMBER.

I BELIEVE IT WAS NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER. JUST AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION ABOUT HOW WE, YOU KNOW, IN OUR POLARIZED SOCIETY, HOW WE CAN TALK TO ONE ANOTHER AND NOT VIEW EACH OTHER AS ENEMIES AND.

AND REALIZE ALL THE THINGS WE WE DO HAVE IN COMMON AND THE.

AND THE GOALS THAT WE HAVE IN COMMON. AND THEY JUST HAVE A WONDERFUL WAY OF PRESENTING THAT.

AND I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO DO THAT.

AND I'M EXCITED TO DO IT WITH LONG LAKE. HAVING SAID THAT I DON'T WANT TO PRESUME THAT OUR CITY COUNCIL IS IN FAVOR OF THAT.

SO I WANTED TO BRING IT BEFORE YOU TONIGHT TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY REACTION TO THAT, OR IF WE CAN SAY THAT THIS IS A CITY OF ORONO SPONSORED EVENT.

I THINK LONG LAKE IS GOING TO GO THROUGH THAT SAME PROCESS.

AND SO THAT WE CAN REALLY BUILD THIS AS A, AS A CITY EVENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CITY OF LONG LAKE.

SO I'M OPEN TO DISCUSSION. I'M OPEN TO. ANY FEEDBACK? I DON'T THINK IT TAKES AN OFFICIAL COUNCIL ACTION, BUT I WOULD LIKE YOUR SUPPORT FOR IT TO BE A CITY EVENT.

ANY IDEAS? ANY THOUGHTS? I HAVE ATTENDED A BRAVER ANGELS EVENT.

IT WAS IN WITH EXCELSIOR. EXCELSIOR, I BELIEVE.

OKAY, SHOREWOOD HAD ONE. SHOREWOOD. YEAH. THANK YOU.

AND IT WAS EXCELLENT. I THOUGHT THERE WAS A LOT OF GOOD COMMENTARY.

AND I REALLY ENJOYED SPEAKING TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE, SO TO SPEAK, ON THINGS. SO I THINK IT'S A GREAT EVENT AND I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE ALSO DOING IT BECAUSE THE MORE THAT WE TALK ABOUT OUR COMMONALITIES, I THINK IT REALLY HELPS OUR COMMUNITY. SO. ANYBODY ELSE? OH, I'M FULLY SUPPORTIVE AND I WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO ATTENDING.

SO APRIL 23RD, WE'RE HAVING IT AT THE ORONO ACTIVITY CENTER.

THEIR COMMUNITY ROOM THERE. THE SCHOOL HAS GRACIOUSLY WAIVED THE RENTAL FEE FOR THAT.

SO IT'S NO CHARGE TO THE CITY, NO CHARGE TO ANYBODY TO ATTEND 6:30 TO 8.

PEOPLE WANT TO LINGER AFTERWARDS. I THINK THAT'S OKAY.

BUT WE HAVE TO BE OUT OF THERE BY 9:00. SO SO ANYWAY, I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN GET A GOOD GOOD NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY THERE.

PLEASE TALK IT UP. AND I KNOW THAT MISS CARTER IS IS ON IT FOR FOR PUBLICIZING THE EVENT.

SO ANYWAY, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT. ANY, ANY OTHER REPORTS? STEVE? NO, NOTHING FOR ME. OKAY. I I ATTENDED A MEETING AT THE WATERSHED MINNEHAHA CREEK WATERSHED DISTRICT WITH AS THE LIAISON FOR THE STUBS BAY LID, THE LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AND SEVERAL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS OF THE LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT WERE THERE AS WELL.

AND THE IDEA WAS TO DISCUSS WAYS THAT WE CAN BETTER PARTNER AND WORK TOWARDS THE GOAL OF CLEANER WATER, WHICH IS. AND SO IT WAS VERY, I THINK IT'S VERY HELPFUL.

AND I THINK WE'RE ON THE RIGHT PATH WITH THIS LIAISON POSITION BECAUSE IT SIMPLY ALLOWS FOR BETTER COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION ON THIS ISSUE.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS DISCUSSED WAS CLEARLY, AS A CITY, WE'RE NOT REGULATING PAST THE ORDINARY HIGH WATER LEVEL IN TERMS OF THE LAKE WATER. BUT WE TALKED AT LENGTH ABOUT WHAT WE AS A CITY CAN DO OR ARE DOING TO PREVENT PHOSPHORUS LOADING FROM STORMWATER RUNOFF.

AND THE DIRECTORS ARE MOTIVATED WITHIN THAT STUBBS BAY AREA TO EDUCATE HOMEOWNERS ON BUFFER ZONES, CHEMICAL USE IN THE LAWNS AND THE LIKE IN ORDER TO PREVENT MORE OF THAT EXTERNAL LOADING FOR THE THAT IS CAUSING OR HELPING TO CAUSE THESE ALGAE BLOOMS. SO IT WAS A REALLY GOOD MEETING AND A LOT OF GOOD IDEAS.

ARE THERE SPECIFIC THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE COMMUNICATING WITH WITH OUR RESIDENTS ABOUT THAT? WELL, WE ARE ALREADY OUR COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR WILL ALREADY BE, I BELIEVE, COMMUNICATING ABOUT UPCOMING EVENTS.

AND THERE'S ONE THAT THE LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT IS HOSTING AT A LOCAL GARDEN STORE.

FOR NATIVE PLANTINGS THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED FOR NO COST CAN GO AND LEARN ABOUT HOW TO IMPROVE THEIR YARDS.

AND I JUST BELIEVE THAT IN GENERAL, OUR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE AS A CITY ABOUT WHAT OUR RESIDENTS CAN DO WITHIN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEIR,

[00:50:07]

SO AGAIN, FOCUSING ON THE LAND USAGE AND THE JAMES WHITAKER OF THE MINNEHAHA CREEK WATERSHED DISTRICT IS ALSO REALLY INTERESTED IN WORKING CONTINUALLY WITH OUR CITY ABOUT UPCOMING DEVELOPMENT, UPCOMING PROJECTS, AND WHAT WE CAN DO AS A CITY TO PARTNER WITH THEM WELL IN ADVANCE ON THOSE SORTS OF ISSUES, JUST DEVELOPMENT RELATED.

SO COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON, WAS THE DNR ALSO PRESENT AT THIS? NO, NO, THEY WERE NOT. IT WAS WATERSHED STAFF OR MINNEHAHA CREEK STAFF AND MYSELF AND SEVERAL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS OF STUBBS [INAUDIBLE] I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION JUST IN TERMS OF THE WATER.

I WAS THINKING ABOUT WATERSHED AND THE LAKES. FOR STAFF, WHICH IS DO WE HAVE AN IDEA OF WHEN THE NORTH ARM BECAUSE I'VE GOTTEN EMAILS ABOUT THIS.

THE NORTH ARM PROPOSED REDESIGN FROM HENNEPIN COUNTY IS GOING TO BE COMING BEFORE COUNCIL.

IS THERE ANY SENSE OF THAT? THAT WAS ONE THING I WANTED TO FIGURE OUT.

YEP. SO WE'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH HENNEPIN COUNTY ON THEIR NORTH ARM REDESIGN PROJECT.

THEY'VE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO GET SOME INFORMATION TOGETHER AFTER BEING AFTER GOING TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

THEY ARE LAST I HEARD, THEY'RE WORKING TO SUBMIT HERE SOON.

SO I ANTICIPATE AT THIS POINT IT WOULD BE IN FRONT OF COUNCIL AT ONE OF THE APRIL MEETINGS.

I ALSO, IF YOU ARE RECEIVING INFORMATION FROM THE RESIDENTS AND ASKING QUESTIONS, PLEASE FORWARD THEM TO ME.

I'M HAPPY TO RESPOND TO THOSE RESIDENTS WITH THE MOST UP TO DATE DATES THAT I HAVE.

BUT I A FEW PEOPLE EMAIL ME DIRECTLY AND I RESPOND WITH THE MOST UP TO DATE, BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, I BELIEVE IT'S ANTICIPATED THAT THEY ARE PLANNING TO RESUBMIT OR SOME AMENDMENTS TO ME HERE SOON, HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO. AND IT WOULD BE ON AN APRIL MEETING FOR COUNCIL TO REVIEW.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER.

I DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING THIS EVENING. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.

ALL RIGHT. I GUESS THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD IS WELL, A COUPLE THINGS.

1 IS I WE HAD REGIONAL COUNCIL MAYORS MEETING TODAY AND WE HAD REPRESENTATIVES THERE FROM OUR OUR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOLKS. AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THE, THE SHORT ANSWER COMING OUT OF THEIR THERE IS THEY BELIEVE THAT A, SOME TYPE OF A OF A HOUSING BILL IS GOING TO COME OUT OF COME OUT OF THE LEGISLATURE THIS YEAR.

THAT WILL LIMIT SOMEWHAT LOCAL CONTROL OVER DEVELOPMENT.

AND UP UNTIL THIS YEAR THE THEY'VE BEEN VERY STEADFAST IN FIGHTING.

ANYTHING THEY HAVE SWITCHED THAT TO NOW TRYING TO MAKE IT AS AS NON INTRUSIVE INTO. INTO LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTROL AS POSSIBLE.

SO THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT DISAPPOINTING TO HEAR THAT.

WE'RE LIKELY TO HAVE SOME, SOME NEW RESTRICTIONS ON OUR, AND I'M SURE YOU'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THAT OR.

HOWEVER IT WOULDN'T TAKE EFFECT, I GUESS THE WAY IT'S PROPOSED RIGHT NOW, IT WOULDN'T TAKE EFFECT UNTIL JANUARY 1ST, 2028. SO ANYWAY, STAY TUNED ON THAT. THE LEGISLATURE IS IN THE THROES OF DISCUSSION DISCUSSING IT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THEY MAY HAVE THE VOTES THIS YEAR TO MAKE SOME CHANGES TO BASICALLY I GUESS THE GOAL BEING TO FORCE DENSITY ON ON CITIES AND SO WE WILL NOT BE IMMUNE TO THAT.

SO AGAIN IS WHAT IT IS, BUT I'VE BEEN TALKING TO OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES AND WOULD URGE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS TO DO THE SAME IN TERMS OF TRYING TO KEEP IT AS AS, AS THE LEAST INTRUSIVE AS POSSIBLE.

SO THE OTHER THING IS I PROMISED AT THE LAST MEETING THAT I WOULD GO TO OUR FRENCH CREEK RESERVE AND LOOK AT THE ROAD.

AND I DROVE THERE THIS MORNING AND AND IT I GUESS AS I LOOK AT IT, THE THE WHERE, WHERE IT ENDS. THE ASPHALT ENDS AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE 25FT OF GRAVEL.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF VERY LARGE POTHOLES IN THERE.

YOU CAN SEE WHERE IT'S SOME OF THE GRAVEL IS ERODING OFF OF THE GRAVEL ROADWAY.

[00:55:03]

I THINK IT WOULD LOOK BETTER, CLEANER, LESS CHANCE FOR EROSION.

IF WE, IF WE SIMPLY PAVE THAT ALL THE WAY TO THE END, WHICH IS WHAT IS, WHAT IS ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW, BUT HAPPY TO HAVE A FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT.

WHICH I KNOW THERE'S OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS ON THAT.

SO YEAH, AND MINE ARE LIKE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, I SAID LAST MEETING THAT SENSE OF RURAL ESTHETIC.

AND I THINK THERE ARE WAYS TO MAINTAIN PERVIOUS TYPES OF SCAPE LIKE THIS ONE, LIKE WE DO AT SEVEN NATIONS AS WELL. SO IF THERE'S POTHOLES OR EROSION, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT PRESUMABLY WE MAINTAIN OVER TIME.

THE OTHER QUESTION I WOULD HAVE IS AGAIN, GOING BACK TO WATERSHED, AND I KNOW WE TALKED BRIEFLY ABOUT RUNOFF AND STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, BUT AGAIN, I WITH ASPHALT AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WHERE IT'S LOCATED IS GOING TO BE HELPFUL FOR THAT.

I THINK ADAM MENTIONED A CULVERT OR SOME WATERWAY THAT WAS BETWEEN.

IT'S RIGHT THERE. YEP. SO AGAIN, MY CONCERNS ARE ARE MISSION VISION, RURAL ESTHETIC AND THE NEW ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.

SO THAT'S WHY I WAS SAYING IS THIS A SPOT BECAUSE IT'S A PRESERVE THAT DESERVES A DIFFERENT TYPE OF APPROACH THAN WE WOULD AT OTHER TYPES OF PARKS. YEAH. YEAH. TO ME, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE I LIKE THE GRAVEL THERE.

I JUST THINK THE ESTHETIC OF IT MOVING INTO A NATURE PRESERVE.

LET'S FACE IT, OUR ROADS NEED MAINTENANCE TOO.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE PAVE IT, IT MEANS THAT WE'RE NEVER GOING TO HAVE TO MAINTAIN IT AGAIN.

SO I, I MYSELF REALLY LIKE THE FACT THAT IT'S GRAVEL.

I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THEM. I THINK ADAM MENTIONED HE WANTED THE CAR TO GO PAST THE CULVERT.

IS THAT CORRECT? I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, BUT I, I DO REALLY LIKE HAVING THE THE GRAVEL ENTRANCE TO THAT PRESERVE AREA. SO ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON THIS? JOHN, DID YOU GO VISIT IT? JOHN. I DID GO VISIT IT. AND YOU KNOW, I. AGAIN, LIVING ON A DIRT ROAD, OWNING ON A DIRT ROAD. I HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT PAVED.

I YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IF THERE'S MORE IMPACT THAN THAT, PERSONALLY, I DON'T SEE IT.

BUT THAT'S AGAIN ON THAT. SO PERSONAL OPINION, LOOKING AT THAT FROM A A COMMON SENSE APPROACH, I THINK IT'S VERY GOOD TO DO SO. THAT'S HOW I FEEL ON IT TOO.

GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD AND ASK PAUL. YEAH. IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I'LL SHARE MY OPINION AND I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF GOOD DISCUSSION AROUND THIS. I'VE ALSO HAD EXPERIENCES OF LIVING ON DIRT ROADS.

AND I THINK THAT THEY ARE A, CAN BE MUCH MORE OF A MAINTENANCE NIGHTMARE THAN AN ASPHALT ROAD.

I THINK THAT IF SOMEONE WANTS IN THE CITY OF ORONO TO PUT IN A ROAD THESE DAYS, WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE IT BE ASPHALT AND I.

I DON'T THINK THAT THE ENJOYMENT OF THIS PARK IS GOING TO BE DIMINISHED IF WE HAVE ASPHALT ROADWAY PUT IN, PAID FOR BY SOMEONE ELSE ALL THE WAY TO THAT STATION.

SO I WOULD SUPPORT ASPHALT ROADWAY. AND THE ONE THING I AGREE WITH.

COUNCIL MEMBERS BENSON COMMENT BEFORE IN OUR PREVIOUS DISCUSSION.

YES, STARTING INCREMENTALLY SMALL. I DON'T SEE THIS AS A PLACE, YOU KNOW, THAT IS GOING TO BE THAT IMPACTFUL.

YES. STARTING SMALL, BUT I THINK AS I WAS OUT THERE, LOOKED AT IT AND FROM MY EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE I THINK AND THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOMEONE ELSE TAKE CARE OF IT, THAT MAINTENANCE PART OF IT, BECAUSE I WAS DRIVING ON MY DRIVEWAY TODAY AND I'M GOING, I DO NOT LIKE SPRING.

RIGHT? I MEAN, THAT'S JUST ON THAT, BUT I THINK IDENTIFYING SOME OTHER PLACES TO START ON THOSE SMALL AREAS, I WOULD AGREE WITH. I THINK THIS OPPORTUNITY WE GOT THAT PRESENTS ITSELF.

I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD. YEAH. I DON'T THINK WE WE NEED AN ACTION ON THIS NECESSARILY.

I THINK IT'S ALREADY IN THE CONTRACT THAT WE WE SIGNED.

IS THAT CORRECT OR IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT IS IN THE CONTRACT, IN OUR AGREEMENT WITH US RIGHT NOW, THAT IT WILL BE PAVED. IF YOU WANTED TO DIVERT AND CHANGE DIRECTION, THEN I WOULD ASK FOR FOR ACTION ACTION ON THAT.

YEAH. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT ACTION WOULD PROBABLY FAIL IF WE PUT IT UP FOR AN ACTION AT THIS POINT.

[01:00:04]

RIGHT. OKAY. AND I THINK WE COULD DO THAT WITHOUT HAVING IT IN THE AGENDA.

NO, MY, WHEN I TALKED TO ADAM BRIEFLY ABOUT THIS AFTER OUR LAST MEETING, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION OR ADAM'S RECOMMENDATION WAS TO PAVE IT.

THAT I BELIEVE WAS ADOPTED, BUT WITH FURTHER DISCUSSION, ADAM'S INDICATED THAT IF THERE'S A CHANGE OF HEART NOW OR LATER ON, HE CAN BACK THAT ASPECT OF IT OUT. AS THINGS STAND, THE ACTION WOULD BE TO PAVE IT PER THE PLANS.

GOT IT. IF THERE'S A CHANGE OF HEART, WE HAVE TIME.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND I ONCE AGAIN NEGLECTED TO ASK FOR OUR ATTORNEY'S REPORT.

I HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT. OKAY. WELL, WITH THAT, ANYTHING ELSE THAT NEEDS TO COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL? CAN I JUST ASK A QUESTION OF YOU? SOREN. WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIDS AND THE LIABILITIES ARE WE LEAVING OURSELVES OPEN TO LIABILITIES, GIVEN THAT THE WATER IN LAKE MINNETONKA IS ACTUALLY OWNED BY THE STATE OR TO THE STATE PUBLIC? AND THEN WHEN THE I KNOW THE DNR IS THE ONE WHO GIVES PERMITS FOR WHEN THEY CHEMICALLY TREATED AND STUFF. BUT I GUESS I WAS JUST READING INTO THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE.

I MEAN, LET'S JUST SAY A LIT DISSOLVES. ARE WE STILL UP FOR, ARE WE STILL AT RISK OF LIABILITY AS A CITY BECAUSE WE HAD APPROVED THE LIT AT ONE TIME? SO YOU MEAN IN TERMS OF THE ACTIONS CONDUCTED BY THE LIT? YEAH. SO THE FIRST THING I'D SAY IS PERHAPS THE LIABILITY QUESTIONS ARE HARD.

AND SO I'LL GIVE YOU GENERALIZED ADVICE. ONE, I HAVE NOT SEEN A LID GET SUED YET ON THESE TYPES OF THINGS.

THE, YOU KNOW, IT ASSUMES THAT WHEN THEY MAKE.

KIM I THINK THE BIGGEST CONCERN IS PERHAPS CHEMICAL APPLICATIONS OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

CERTAINLY THEY DO NEED TO, YOU KNOW, APPLY THOSE PURSUANT TO ALL THE RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT SURROUND THAT THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE ANY DIRECT LIABILITY ON THAT.

YOU ARE NOT AUTHORIZING IT AND MAKING THOSE DECISIONS.

THEY'RE STILL EXPECTED TO GO THROUGH THE DNR AS A STATE AGENCY.

THINGS OF THAT NATURE. YOU DO KICK THE MONEY BACK TO THEM.

YOU DID AUTHORIZE THEM TO COME INTO EXISTENCE PURSUANT TO YOUR PREVIOUS RESOLUTION.

SO THE TIE REGARDING LIABILITY IS THIN IN MY OPINION.

WITH THAT SAID AND WE DEAL WITH THIS A LOT. PLAINTIFF'S ATTORNEYS ARE GOING TO SUE THEM ALL.

AND SO WE GET SORTED OUT ON THAT. WITH THAT SAID, YOU ARE INSURED FOR THAT NATURE.

INSURANCE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN YOU AREN'T LIABLE OR THAT YOU WON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH SOME THINGS WITH YOUR DEDUCTIBLES AND COPAYS, BUT IT IS A COVERED EVENT.

AND SO YOU ARE, I THINK IN A PRETTY GOOD POSITION FROM A LIABILITY STANDPOINT.

I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH LIDS NOW FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS.

AND WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT WHEN IT FIRST STARTED OUT, IT WAS THIS SHOULD WE DO IT? AND THEN IT WAS HANDED OVER TO THE LIBS AND THE CITIES OR THE AGENCY AUTHORIZING THEIR EXISTENCE.

PRETTY STANDOFFISH. I THINK NOW THERE'S MORE AND MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT CAN WE PUT INTO THEIR BYLAWS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY STILL HAS A LEVEL OF INVOLVEMENT? THINGS OF THAT NATURE. AND SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WILL DO FOR LIABILITY.

THE MORE INVOLVED YOU BECOME IN IT AS OPPOSED TO JUST THE CREATOR AND THEN LETTING THEM GO.

SO WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT PLAY OUT YET. I STILL THINK THAT YOU YOU HAVE SOME VERY YOU'RE IN A VERY GOOD POSITION IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, YOUR ACTUAL INVOLVEMENT IN DECISION MAKING ON IT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. WELL, I THINK WE REQUIRE THEM TO BE INSURED AS WELL.

CORRECT. SO THERE'S SEVERAL LAYERS OF INSURANCE THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE BUSTED THROUGH, IF YOU WILL, TO GET TO TO THIS. THERE'S JUST NO QUESTION IN MY MIND THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE PRIMARILY LIABLE, IF YOU WILL. THEY'RE THE ONES ENGAGING THE CONTRACTORS, MAKING THE DECISIONS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

OKAY. THANKS. YEP. ANYTHING ELSE? OTHERWISE, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

SO MOVED. OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 7:05.

THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.