11-09-2020 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday,November 9,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. and all of the money that has gone out there. He does think it is important to note that the bonding bill passed and is a huge deal,the first time in decades that any state money has gone out there for a regional asset...not just an Orono asset. Walsh said he thinks the state realized it was a regional asset. In the past when there were bathrooms out there,the public would go out, steam ships would go out, but they couldn't drop 30 people off for an hour to walk around without bathrooms. He said the schools would go out to learn about nature and the history of Big Island, but that had to stop,also,without bathroom facilities. Walsh noted this will bring all the trails to ADA compliance for the Veterans and any disabled people, as well as children and adults. He stated it is a very exciting project and has been in the press on Channel 5 with Kevin Dolan,who has committed to come out in the spring to do another view of the project and let the public know. Walsh said people may not realize how much history the island has, going back a couple hundred years. Donors also raised and committed personal funds of$70,000 for the project and there was a matching grant from the DNR. Many public agencies and private people helped make the project happen. Seals asked what the restrictions are on the$300,000 and are there timelines for the money to be spent. Edwards said they do not have the exact rules for the bonding funds yet; in the bonding bill,it fell under the Department of Employment and Economic Development. The department has contacted the City and is putting together a packet of the rules. The funding will be available starting in 2021 and is available specifically for the Big Island Park as was written in to the bonding bill. Details still need to be worked out regarding the funding and noted the money will come via reimbursement—the City will have had to spend the money and show proof with receipts. Seals said she is very supportive of Big Island,but has become slightly cautious in how they spend their money out there. She noted she would rather do a phased approach and see how it goes with one bathroom as they have had it blow up before,which is why she asked about the timelines. She does not think rushing things is a great plan. Edwards said typically bonding bills are a two-year, although they may have a third year. He clarified he is proposing the change order to still include only the original/first bathroom. In the change order, he is asking to put back in the shelter, picnic tables,although they could put a second vault toilet in as a change order(in addition to the current change order). He stated the Big Island Legacy group and the Parks Commission have some aspirations for things they would like to see at the island with the state funding, one of which is the second bathroom, and also an extension to the accessible trail to go north. He noted they have some donations for sitting stones and other things for the area that are being installed. They are also looking at some barrier work on the island with an eye to deterring snowmobile and winter vehicular traffic that goes up in to the park at times. Seals noted in speaking to some residents, it is a bear to manage this island and asked what the City has in place to manage it. As they add more things,there is more maintenance and she is more concerned with taking care of all of the extra things. Seals said she would rather table it and come up with a plan that is phased and she is not sold on the second bathroom or the shelter. She is sold on extending the ADA trail because if she thinks about the Veterans, she can buy into that all day long. She also likes the idea of signage that tells the history of the island. Seals said it is an island in the middle of the lake so it is already limited as to who can access it; it is already a privileged area. She thinks there is not a rush in making a decision on it from her perspective. She noted she is a no tonight on the proposal the way it sits. Page 3 of 15