07-22-2019 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday,July 22,2019 7:00 o'clock p.m. O'Keefe indicated he is not going to sell this place and that his property taxes will likely be going up by $2,000 to $3,000. Over the next 15 to 30 years, the City will experience a lot of revenue from the increased property taxes in addition to the$35,000 payment. Crosby asked what the lot size is right now. O'Keefe indicated it is about 50 feet wide on the street and 45 feet at the lake. At the time the property was purchased,he did not realize how noncompliant the house was. There is currently a retaining wall that is approximately one foot over the easement line. Paidosh stated the fire pit that is on the property came from a gentleman who lived in the house previously who remodeled the house. That area was where he pretty much burnt all of his lumber. When it was realized what transpired there, it was easier to pave that little area and put a fire pit there. Walsh noted the Council has already agreed on the easement and that it was more of the value issue for the right-of-way. Walsh indicated he was pleasantly surprised to see the number and that the money can be put towards something good in the City. Johnson moved,Crosby seconded,to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 7006,a Resolution Vacating a Portion of Forest Boulevard and a Portion of Bluff Street,and to accept the$35,000 contribution. VOTE: Ayes 4,Nays 0. MAYOR/COUNCIL REPORT Seals stated she spent the weekend down in Rochester with the Orono/West Tonka Soccer Club. If you are a Mound or Orono resident, it was good to see the club bring those two communities together. Seals reported she and Mayor Walsh met with the Mayor of Mound about a joint grant that would be submitted for Orono Westonka Soccer club for an indoor space. Johnson stated he participated in a few conversations concerning Big Island and that there is some question about whose responsibility it is to find a solution to the recent e-coli issue that occurred off of Big Island. Johnson stated in his view there are some real concerns about that,particularly since there are no bathroom facilities available for people other than the boats themselves. To address the situation,the City should encourage the LMCD to have some type of facility out on the water, such as parking a barge in the area that would have restroom facilities. Johnson commented this is not the first time the issue with e-coli has happened and it likely will continue to happen. As a result, it is important to consider some type of plan to deal with it since it does negatively reflect upon Orono and the lake in general. Johnson recommended the City engage their LMCD representative, who in turn could encourage the LMCD to look at different solutions. Seals noted the City has had bathroom facilities out on Big Island in the past and they have been vandalized. Seals stated the LMCD has taken the stance that they own and regulate the water and so they are the entity that should address this issue. Crosby stated the Big Island issue can be taken care of by people being more responsible and perhaps cutting down on the amount of alcohol they drink. Page 9 of 10