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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 6 of 11 <br /> <br />Seals said in looking back whenever Staff had stepped into a role for another employee, they have always <br />had some kind of interim compensation. What the City quickly realized is that it is written into their <br />union contracts. <br />Walsh clarified it is not for direct reports or department heads. <br />Seals said currently the City Administrator position is compensated at a Grade 19 Step 6 and she <br />proposed that they compensate the interim position at a Grade 19 Step 4; it ends up being about <br />$10,000/year and would be prorated depending on how fast the City can fill that position. Based on what <br />the City has spent historically, she thinks it is a pretty minimal. <br />Walsh said it makes complete sense as someone is stepping into a role, doing additional duties, and they <br />should be compensated for that. They already looked at what the code says and it is completely <br />appropriate to step into this. <br />Seals moved, Johnson seconded, to approve the temporary compensation increase for Ronald Olson <br />while he acts as interim City Administrator from a Grade 16 Step 7 ($114,005) to a Grade 19 Step 4 <br />which is $125,272.94). VOTE: Ayes 5, Nays 0. <br />Walsh asked the Councilmembers for their reports. <br />Johnson congratulated the team but otherwise had nothing to report. <br />Crosby had a wonderful Christmas with family and hopes everyone did. He looks forward to good work <br />ahead of them. <br />Printup echoed congratulations to Walsh, Seals, and Crosby. <br />Seals welcomed everyone back, noting restaurants are back open and she is excited for that. She shared <br />that her team is based around the country and she has one employee who has been traveling all over the <br />south for four months without getting COVID-19; in the end, he contracted COVID-19 by hanging out with <br />his family. She stated some of the things they are doing just does not make sense, for example closing <br />schools. She shakes her head because it is not bounded in logic. She hopes schools open soon and stay <br />open. <br />Johnson added that people are using the trails and it is nice to see that. The Luce Line is not plowed and <br />the difference of activity level is enormous, but it gets cross-country skiers. He noted over by Stubbs Bay <br />they paved it and the amount of snowmobile trailers has increased and people are actually using it. <br />Seals said at Bederwood, and she is not complaining, kids had taken their parents Gaters and had tow-ropes <br />with skis and snowboards. It was very entertaining to see it being used. <br />Johnson said the other activity Orono is providing is the golf course. He said the place was packed and <br />thought about talking to Public Works about plowing the entrance to the golf course because the golf course <br />parking lot does not get plowed. He said everyone was parked along the road which is not good as it is not <br />a wide road; he saw a citizen with their own plow open it up for everyone. <br />Walsh noted there were cars a couple of weeks ago that were stuck in the parking lot and helping each other <br />out.