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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br /> Monday,July 27,2020 <br /> 6:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> example of everyone saying they don't like the color green. If someone has different input,the Council is <br /> always glad to hear that. He said no votes will be taken;tonight is to hear the Applicant's vision. <br /> Ms. Benson said she understood and that no one wants to be inside with questionable social-distancing <br /> any more than necessary. Part of the issue is, she does not know what anyone else has written or what <br /> they might say because she is not involved in a formal campaign. Part of the difficulty is that the residents <br /> feel like they are not able to be engaged and hear commentary. She understands there will not be a vote <br /> tonight,but it is a little bit difficult when there's not an organized effort to feel like they understand other <br /> people's perspectives in their own community. It would be helpful if the City Council could say five or <br /> ten people could talk tonight, or whatever an appropriate number would be. <br /> Walsh said he would not have a problem if it started with a couple comments; if someone has something <br /> completely different to say,they come up, and the Council could see how it goes.He wants the Applicant <br /> to go first, and he might want to come back and talk about whatever things he did not feel were talked <br /> about correctly. If the Applicant decides to move forward based on all the conversation and what the City <br /> Council's vision is,then there would be a public hearing where people can come up and talk for ten <br /> minutes if they want to. <br /> Ms. Benson asked if,by "couple," he meant three and they could go from there. <br /> Walsh indicated that would be fine. <br /> Rief stated he believed he responded to between 40-50 emails and he could put them into a spreadsheet to <br /> make sure that,whether residents are within 1,000 feet or not, once the public process is started if the <br /> Applicant chooses to move forward,those people would be included. <br /> Ms. Benson said she would appreciate that and she did see Riefs email regarding the letter. She stated <br /> there's a difference between sending emails and hearing things. <br /> Johnson stated he wanted to make sure the procedure is understood. He said sometimes people come with <br /> a sketch plan of a development that they want to do and are asking for general feedback from the Council <br /> and they are taking no action. The Applicant then has the option to say, "Based on that, I'm going to make <br /> my changes and I'm going to the Planning Commission."The Planning Commission has a process that <br /> would have public notice and people can come and be heard. Then it goes to the City Council and people <br /> again can come and be heard. So,there is a process in place for public input that is still ahead,assuming <br /> the application moves forward. <br /> Ms. Benson said she thought there was an expectation and maybe a misunderstanding that public <br /> commentary was welcome as an Orono resident even for an agenda item, but maybe she was wrong. <br /> Walsh stated that public comments were always for stuff that is not on the agenda. <br /> Ms. Benson clarified the public comments section is for people to make public commentary. <br /> Walsh agreed that public comments are for commentary that is not on the agenda. He said the Applicant <br /> first presents his story before it gets to the people talking about it. <br /> Page 4 of 21 <br />