06-22-2020 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, June 8, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 18 of 21 Printup noted it was a nice recognition of Planning Commissioner Thiesse and said that he did a very good job on the Planning Commission. He seconded what Johnson said about prayers to a lot of people. Crosby stated he supports the Police Officers and believe 99.5% of the officers are good cops. He thinks disparaging all Police Officers because of some evil cops is the wrong thing to do. He thinks it is disgusting that Minneapolis is talking about defunding their Police Department. If they had proper funding for the Police Department, they might not have had these incidents happen. If anything, they need to consider increasing funding, increasing training, and supporting their Police Department. He said the same thing goes across the country like New York City. Violence and rioting are not the answer; two wrongs never make a right no matter how much you would like it to. People can be good to each other and mourn the victims who have been killed in this tragedy. We have to remember the people in the National Guards and military who serve us and have some prayers for their safety. He has been in Orono since 1994 and never thought he would see what happened in Minneapolis, and then have the Mayor and Governor for the most part do nothing but have a stand-down. He commented that is not going to happen here. Orono is here to protect its citizens, properties, businesses, and everyone’s lives, including their Police Officers. Walsh said, on a positive note, his youngest son got engaged. He stated everyone’s heart has to go out to the thousand businesses that were damaged or completely destroyed with half a billion dollars in damage, the second-most in the history of the United States in any city. His heart goes out to the neighborhoods; hopefully, they will come back. He noted Minneapolis cannot get rid of the Police Department because it is part of their charter, even if they take the money away. Crosby stated the neighborhoods have to make choices and he hopes they come back. If they don’t, it will devastate their communities. Walsh moved, Printup seconded, to direct staff to draft a resolution that Orono will not only not defund its Police Department, Orono will make sure its Police Department is fully funded and take care of all of its citizens and businesses. Walsh noted that, as elected officials, the City Council’s first priority is public safety. When you lose the knowledge of your first priority, it’s time to find a different job to do, and hopefully that is what people will do at the ballot box. VOTE: Ayes 5, Nays 0. CITY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT 18. AUTHORIZE BOUNDARY LINE ADJUSTMENT INVOLVING CITY PROPERTY AND 1121 NORTH SHORE DRIVE Rief said there was originally a vacation involved with the right-of-way to the east side of the property. That was dropped but the planners brought forward this portion. The property owner does not have a dock and wants to put one in. Lake Minnetonka Watershed District had a request to do a boundary lot adjustment with the City. Using an aerial map, he said the lots on the left side are underneath the water of Forest Lake. There have been a number of vacations to the south related to the shoreline where there originally was a road; farther south there’s a bit of a curve as if the shoreline looked differently when these were platted. This is one of two properties where the property line does not touch the water and the