10-12-2020 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, October 12, 2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. Crosby stated Orono has more lakeshore than any city on the lake, but land doesn't burn for the most part, they just have value in it, so of course they're willing to charge for that. Seals said the majority of calls are medical. Crosby stated it should be based on a use-basis. The Councilmembers agreed. Crosby said it should be based on revenue dollars, also. Rief also expressed that and said he used the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District(LMCD)model and the frustration with it, noting Orono's concern is that they want to be equal to the amount of money they pay in, an equal share of management and control of that component. He stated Medina is under a lot of pressure right now to make some decisions and if they are willing to commit, Rief will bring it back to the Council. Mayor Walsh suggested the City get ready and look at options for moving forward on their own if needed,just in case. Rief said the July to August 2022 timeframe when they are looking at budgets for 2023 is when they would have to start making those decisions. 21. FLAG POLICY Rief noted at the last Council meeting after the flag discussion came up, Council directed Staff to present a policy which he has brought forth tonight. Using the guidelines of the services provided to the public in Orono: Police, Fire and Public Works, and in the event the City felt like they need to honor a resident for their service in the Armed Forces, they could also do that as well. Mayor Walsh said regarding the flags, it would be good to have the flexibility to fly them when they want to. Crosby stated the Blue Line Flag, the Red Line Flag and the Public Works Flag should fly on its own separate flagpole 365 days a year; he noted that the current flagpole for the American Flag is rather short and he proposed using that flagpole for the Blue Line, Red Line and Public Works Flags and they will get a larger,taller American flagpole for the Veterans as it should always be flying higher than the other flags. Both flagpoles will be lit and the location of the Blue Line, Red Line and Public Works Flags will be determined in the future but someplace prominent out front with cameras for security purposes. Regarding the flag discussion, Crosby would like to say for the record,this was never a political thing for him; it was honoring the people who keep them safe and doing it in a kind way to show that the City has their backs and supports them. The night before, he thought about the public works guys going out in the storm to fix the power outage. He personally appreciates all the comments, emails and phone calls; even those from the Page 19 of 24