10-26-2020 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, October 12, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 3 of 24 and coming together as Americans that everyone wants. He noted they are waiting to see who is going to do it first, and said the Council has the opportunity to do that…to rise above the rhetoric, because the best movements in the country have never come from the top down, rather they’ve come from the bottom up. He wants to make clear that the Police Officers that serve us wear the patch of the City of Orono and their paychecks are from the City of Orono – he said “they are part of us.” He would like everyone to rise above this issue of divisiveness, because at the end of the day when they need protection, first responders are there without qualifiers such as the skin color of the victims or the skin color of anyone who needs help. Mr. Qualls noted he has never seen our Country so divided and to those that voice opposition to this flag, he would like to appeal to their better sense and better heart of compassion and bringing the Country together. Just because the U.S. has a President that supports the Police, doesn’t mean people have to do the exact opposite of a President that they do not support. He said this is a time to bring the Country together and not bring politics into it, noting these men and women are out there not because of their salaries but because they have a drive to serve and he believes the City needs to support them in a big way. Mr. Qualls said this is the perfect time to send the signal, not just to support the flag but everything else that is embodied in the flag is that “we are not perfect, but we strive to get better every single time.” Richie Anderson, 3205 Crystal Bay Road, wants the Council to know they are up there, taking the shots, taking the phone calls and he wants them to know that “we are all behind you, we back you in your decisions” and noted they have tough calls all the time. He stated the guys out in the front taking arrows, especially the Council, get arrows slung at them because they are there and he wants them to know that “we got your back all the time.” 13. ANDREW MYERS HOUSE DISTRICT 33B Andrew Myers, a Minnetonka Beach resident for approximately 10 years, served on many Commissions, and thanked the City Council for stepping up and serving the City. He noted he was a Councilmember, small business owner and is running for Minnesota House in District 33B. He said he is running to try and make a difference, and as Mr. Qualls said, everyone is not perfect here but are striving to do better and from what he has seen, they can all do better. He is proud to say he is endorsed by the Police and Peace Officers Association and stated meeting with them and having open lines of communication is very important to him. He left some information with Mr. Rief for the Councilmembers. PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR/CITY ENGINEER REPORT 14. HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING EVENT REQUEST FOR FUNDS City Engineer Adam Edwards noted a request from the Tree Lighting Committee for public funds to be expended for a Holiday Tree Lighting Event. This year the Committee is looking to expand the offerings to include a reindeer petting zoo and a fireworks display. In particular the fireworks display is rather