01-22-2018 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, January 8, 2018 7:00 o'clock p.m. PRESENTATION — ORONO SCHOOL LUNCH FUNDING Jackie Brown, Orono School District, thanked the City Council for their generous donation to the Orono School lunch program to help offset the current negative balances. Brown stated negative lunch balances has become an increasingly sensitive issue and that Orono Schools strive to feed everyone regardless of their income or lunch account balance. The school district has families who do not always have enough financial means to provide lunch for their children or who do not qualify for the reduced lunch price and the school district's goal is to continue to be able to feed every student without increasing the school lunch program's debt. Brown stated no child should have to worry about a negative balance so they can focus on the more important goal of education. Brown stated this donation will help replenish the Angel funds without placing any social pressure on the children and will help bring attention to the issue. Mayor Walsh noted there was an article on lunch shaming recently in the Lakeshore Weekly. Walsh stated the members of the City Council want to make sure they help take care of the community and that as leaders of the community they are trying to set an example for others to follow. Walsh noted Council Member Printup has been donating to this cause for the past couple of years and that it was felt this issue should be brought to the City Council. Walsh stated the objective is to bring attention to the problem and to encourage people to be leaders in the community. Mayor Walsh presented a check in the amount of $4,000 to Orono Schools to cover the food service negative balance. MAYOR/COUNCIL REPORT Seals commented she is glad to be back in Orono after getting stuck in Amsterdam and that she hopes everyone had a great Christmas holiday. Printup stated the donation to Orono Schools is a great way to start off the New Year and that the spirit of giving has already started to grow with additional people donating to the cause. Walsh stated this relates to the private/public partnerships that he has been encouraging be formed and that people cannot expect government to do everything. Walsh stated community spirit starts with individual citizens. Dankey stated she is thankful for good health this New Year. Crosby commented they are extremely fortunate to live in Orono and that sometimes people forget that not everyone is well off in Orono. Crosby stated everyone matters, especially the kids in the community. Crosby stated he is glad everyone had a wonderful Christmas and that he is looking forward to great things happening in 2018. Walsh noted there were a couple of articles in the Star Tribune about the City of Minneapolis related to zoning. Walsh stated the one article talks about zoning codes and how high density changes the character of the neighborhood. Walsh stated the City of Orono has held firm with the zoning in the City and that the City Council strives to keep some areas rural. Walsh noted the article states that zoning rules are not written in stone, which is true, and that in his view the citizens should have a say in whether the zoning should change. Walsh stated higher density is an issue a number of cities are facing. Page 2 of 3