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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO EMERGENCY CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br /> Wednesday,March 18,2020 <br /> 3:30 o'clock p.m. <br /> Crosby said when someone in the City does something well such as a City employee, the Police <br /> Department, or the Long Lake Fire Department,he uses the tagline"Orono Proud."He asked the citizens <br /> to make Orono proud by helping out neighbors, being good neighbors, adding that everyone will get <br /> through this. <br /> Rief reviewed the City of Orono COVID-19 Leave Plan. He noted the City will implement a flexible <br /> leave and scheduling policy for the duration of this emergency. The City may need to make modifications <br /> as time goes on because the full extent of the emergency is unknown. It is the City's plan to be flexible, <br /> still meet all City service needs,but also ensure that all employees are taken care of as well. Rief noted <br /> the highlights: employees will be allowed to earn vacation, sick, or compensatory time above the current <br /> allowed limits; if an employee or their direct family member is exposed to COVID-19 and are required to <br /> stay home or sent home for health, welfare, and safety of other employees and residents for a minimum of <br /> 14 days, a doctor's note may be required to allow the employee to return to work; if an employee is <br /> currently ill,they are required to stay home or be sent home; an employee who is currently sick may <br /> return to work after exhibiting no symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat for 24 hours without the aid of <br /> cough suppressants, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or other designated drug as authorized by their doctor; for <br /> employees that do not have enough sick, vacation, or compensatory time available,they will be allowed <br /> to maintain a negative balance up to 80 hours, which may be earned back through future accrual of leave <br /> time; an employee can also choose to take this time unpaid; for Staff working around daycare and dual <br /> working households that need to accommodate school-age dependents' needs during closures, individual <br /> staffing plans may be flexible to ensure 40 hours of work is met and the needs of the dependents are also <br /> able to be met. <br /> Walsh noted the City has great employees and the City Council's commitment is to take care of them. <br /> The City will stay fully staffed whether the City shuts down or not, and everyone will be taken care of. <br /> Seals left the meeting. <br /> Crosby moved,Printup seconded, to adopt the City of Orono COVID-19 Leave Plan. VOTE: Ayes <br /> 4,Nays 0. <br /> Rief stated there is some guidance coming from the Governor that if it is determined an employee <br /> contracted COVID-19 in the line of work,they are entitled to workers' compensation. The City will <br /> follow the guidelines in the workers' compensation policy. There is legislation at the Federal level <br /> relating to unemployment, etc. If the City had to shut down and the Governor ordered there to be no more <br /> work, some of those things might be instituted. As directives come in, the website will be updated. He <br /> plans to update the Council, at a minimum, at the end of every day; if things change overnight, he may <br /> update them in the morning as well. <br /> Walsh and Councilmembers thanked Rief for his help and hard work. <br /> Rief said they are working on figuring out how to have remote meetings for the City Council, including <br /> taking public comment. <br /> Walsh expressed his desire to have the meetings in-person if possible. <br /> Printup stated the remote meetings/having the public call in would only be during an Emergency <br /> Declaration. <br /> Page 7 of 8 <br />