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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, February 11, 2019 <br />7:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />Page 10 of 11 <br /> <br />HRA ANNUAL MEETING <br /> <br />Seals moved, Crosby seconded, to recess the Orono City Council meeting at 8:02 p.m. VOTE: <br />Ayes 5, Nays 0. <br /> <br />Walsh moved, Seals seconded, to convene the HRA meeting at 8:02 p.m. VOTE: Ayes 5, Nays 0. <br /> <br />Printup moved, Seals seconded, to reconvene the Orono City Council meeting at 8:04 p.m. VOTE: <br />Ayes 5, Nays 0. <br /> <br />MAYOR/COUNCIL REPORT <br /> <br />Johnson stated the City is continuing to look at some public/private partnerships on different things and <br />that the Big Island Committee will be looking at adding some bike trails. In addition, someone with the <br />Orono Hockey Board has approached him about possibly creating a partnership with the City about <br />having an ice rink with additional facilities. That person has been referred to the City Administrator. <br /> <br />Walsh commented it could be a biking or walking trail and could possibly dovetail into the Long Lake <br />Trail that is being developed. <br /> <br />Crosby commented he hopes people are taking advantage of the sledding opportunities at the golf course. <br />Given all the snow and ice, he would encourage everyone to drive safely and be careful if using space <br />heaters. Crosby recommended having fire extinguishers nearby and making sure all vents are clear of <br />snow and ice to help prevent a house fire. <br /> <br />Printup asked what the status is on the ice rinks. Printup commented the new ice rink seems to be more <br />of a challenge than what it was intended to be. <br /> <br />Rief stated it has become a definite challenge trying to upkeep them and the City was not fully prepared <br />to handle it. At first the weather was not cold enough to create ice and now there is too much snow. The <br />parks person is busy plowing roads and all the trails in addition to the other things that were not <br />envisioned. <br /> <br />Walsh commented it has been a learning experience. <br /> <br />Printup stated the City has existing rinks so it is not a new concept and that it is becoming an <br />embarrassment. Printup noted the City has more staff now than they did before but they are not able to <br />maintain the ice rinks for some reason, which is what he is having a hard time accepting. <br /> <br />Crosby stated given the consistency of the snowfalls, that is something that needs to be considered, but <br />the ice rinks are something the City has to put on its priority list. <br /> <br />Printup stated he hears a lot of comments about improving Big Island, which most people cannot access, <br />but yet the City cannot take care of the City’s inland parks. <br /> <br />Rief stated he will visit the ice rinks later this week. <br /> <br />Seals encouraged people to visit the new Orono activity center.