10-22-1990 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORONO COUNCIL MEETING HELD OCTOBER 22, 1990 CITY FACILITIES CONTINUED • needed. The question is where we go from there. I believe that this meeting is a first step of many that will involve the public in this issue. I am happy to see such a large turn -out as we have had little input up to this point. We decided to obtain an option on the Highway 12 property to avoid the possibility of the purchase price increasing. That had previously occurred on another parcel on Highway 12. When the owner learned that the City was negotiating for the property, the price immediately escalated. The decision to obtain the option also resulted from a recommendation from the Citizens Committee who spent a great deal of time reviewing sites and possible building structures. I agree with Mr. Ellis that all departments should be located on the same site. I had originally believed that the Public Works facility should be separate. I have since learned that the requirement of sprinkler systems in each building would add a significant cost to the project. I have not seen any attempt on the part of the Council or City to keep this information from the public. I do not know what we need to do to better inform the public. The Council Agenda is always posted. Another reason that we chose to obtain the option is so we could proceed with the process to a ?oint where we would have some concrete information to provide to the public. I would commit taxpayer dollars to this project, but there are other aspects to that. The City has saved a considerable sum of money for this project. Also, the financial rating we have allows us to borrow money at a • lesser rate of interest. The City could opt to use the entire amount saved for a new facility. However, we could lose our bond rating and would have no funds to fall back on. In the alternative, we could use a portion of the savings, in conjunction with a tax increase, which would allow us to keep our financial rating and corresponding benefits. I believe that the issue of a referendum depends on how the project is funded and how the public feels as the project and public meetings continue." • Mayor Grabek stated that he would commit the tax dollars of the Community, which included his own, for this project. He said, "I believe we would all benefit from a new facility in the long run. I am not sure that a I can make a decision regarding the referendum at this time." Gabriel Jabbour, 985 Tonkawa Road, stated that he had received information pertaining to this issue just prior to this meeting. He asked whether this meeting would be taking place if the Council had voted to exercise the option on the Highway 12 property. He also asked whether the proposed two percent increase in property taxes would be to fund the difference between the cost of the facility and the 2.2 million saved by the City. Mayor Grabek replied, "It was not my intention to proceed - 7 -