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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, January 11, 2021 <br />6:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />Page 10 of 12 <br /> <br />Crosby asked if it is blocking sightlines or anything like that. <br />Printup does not know but asked what the code says. <br />Crosby said if it is not blocking sightlines, just leave it alone. <br />Printup does not know if that is the message that needs to be put out. <br />Walsh stated he was at the work session for the Parks Commission and getting everyone reinvigorated on <br />all the parks and things they would like to do. He knows that Commissioner Hudson is very excited <br />about trying to do new things in Crystal Bay as he is coming from a standpoint where if there is open air <br />sitting there, they should start making use of it before someone else decides what to do there and then <br />there is something there the City does not want. Therefore he brought up equipment for older kids, a <br />bigger basketball court, and all kinds of things because people are using that. Walsh knows there have <br />been some long-term issues at the post office where there is not a lot of parking and the people using the <br />trails are filling up the parking lot and the postal person cannot even get in there, and also saw a woman <br />running across and almost get hit by a car. <br />Printup noted that is why Three Rivers does not like people the crossing the road. <br />Walsh said they have had some of those issues and if they expand the basketball court more people will <br />come and need places to park. He asked how they patrol it from those who are using the trails. He noted <br />Printup brought up the man who lives next door and is perhaps somewhat of a hermit, and at some point <br />may want to get his house also, to expand part of the parking lot. Walsh said this is just food for thought <br />as Commissioner Hudson was thoughtful in talking about some of the things he’d like to do over there. <br />He noted everyone has great thoughts about all the parks with everything else going on. <br />Printup added in regards to the park equipment, he sent Walsh a photo from many years ago (10-12 <br />years), of the brand new equipment. <br />Walsh noted there is not any other “big kids” equipment and there is so much land there, there are plenty <br />of things they could do to use that. <br />Seals asked if they confirmed that Minnetonka Beach was offered a large sum, perhaps $150,000 (don’t <br />quote her), donated to improving their park. The last time she heard, they were not going to accept it, so <br />Orono was going to reach out and see if they could find out who was willing to donate it. <br />Walsh clarified that was related to someone who died and wanted the park named after their late husband. <br />Minnetonka Beach decided they did not want to get into naming parks after people because of a donation <br />and he believes that was the contentious issue. He reported is the Planning Commission is doing a great <br />job, they have learned a lot, and Chair Ressler has learned a lot and now his two years are up and Walsh <br />told Ressler he would like to rotate that position every couple of years to give everyone a chance to learn <br />more about how to Chair meetings. Scott Kirchner said he would love to jump in and try to take on that <br />role and many of the Commissioners agreed as he is young and eventually they will need some upward <br />mobility in people that understand the process. Walsh is sharing those conversations as it comes up at the <br />end of March and they will make the recommendations for the new Chair; Ressler does not know if he <br />wants to continue on as a Planning Commissioner and Walsh told him he would really like to see him