02-08-2021 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, January 5, 2021 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 6 of 11 12. HENNEPIN COUNTY SHERIFF UPDATE – Continued Johnson thinks Lake Minnetonka was exceptionally busy this year with COVID and they had a very successful year on the lake given the amount of activity. He noted during the week it was like a weekend for most of the year. Mayor Walsh thanked the Sheriff again for coming. PUBLIC HEARING DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS/CITY ENGINEER REPORT 13. BIG ISLAND PARK ADA TRAIL PROJECT (19-033) - INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE PLANNING Edwards said they have an opportunity, with the recent allotment of bonding bill money coming to the City, for Big Island to the tune of $300,000. In previous actions, the Council has approved everything that was left on the original project to include the second bathroom, the picnic area, etcetera. After that is done and taken care of, they are projecting about $59,000 to remain from that $300,000. The Parks Commission and the Big Island Legacy group have been looking at ideas. When they put in the bonding application which was on last meeting’s agenda, it allocated all $300,000 so three items in that application were a potential extension of trail, additional interpretive signs, and odds and ends such as a few additional sitting stones. Tonight, Edwards is bringing forward the beginning of additional interpretive signage on the Island. On screen, he showed some examples of existing interpretive signage done last year and noted the interpretive signage currently out there is all inside the Visitor Center. They have created but not yet installed two directional signs with park rules at the dock and where the trailhead from the beach is. He noted the group wanted to look at getting some planning done by a professional; Mr. Rick Carter is here and they found a gentleman who does things for the Arboretum and some other areas around the state on interpretive signage. Tonight, Edwards has an attached proposal from his company to do an interpretive sign concept plan for $10,000 which would be the beginning of some of the other estimates on the rest of the project, assuming 10 signs which would be in the neighborhood of $39,000. Rick Carter, 2780 Shady Road, is a Park Commissioner (although not the Chair) but he is the Chair of the Big Island Legacy and thinks Edwards really shared everything. The project is going amazingly well, he appreciates all of the support, and Edwards has done an amazing job. When they get the last $15,000 – which they will – and max out the match from the DNR they will probably have a project of around $730,000 with only $130,000 from the City. He thanked the City for the $130,000 and noted they are in the home stretch and are talking about a couple of details such as a trail extension, some stones, and what Mr. Carter thinks could be the star of it, the interpretive signage. He said if the Councilmembers have not been there, they can go into the building and look at the panels, most amazingly they have been untouched. He noted they went to the Arboretum and they have really well-done interpretive signs with foundations, steel posts, and really rigorous panels that will survive just about anything. The idea is to put 8-12 panels located around the island on the trails that interpret things have been there in the past. He noted this guy really knows what he is doing and this would just be for the master plan and once that is done it will come back to the Commission and the Board and they will hopefully proceed with the work this summer.