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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, November 9, 2020 <br />6:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />Page 3 of 15 <br /> <br />and all of the money that has gone out there. He does think it is important to note that the bonding bill <br />passed and is a huge deal, the first time in decades that any state money has gone out there for a regional <br />asset…not just an Orono asset. <br /> <br />Walsh said he thinks the state realized it was a regional asset. In the past when there were bathrooms out <br />there, the public would go out, steam ships would go out, but they couldn’t drop 30 people off for an hour <br />to walk around without bathrooms. He said the schools would go out to learn about nature and the history <br />of Big Island, but that had to stop, also, without bathroom facilities. Walsh noted this will bring all the <br />trails to ADA compliance for the Veterans and any disabled people, as well as children and adults. He <br />stated it is a very exciting project and has been in the press on Channel 5 with Kevin Dolan, who has <br />committed to come out in the spring to do another view of the project and let the public know. Walsh <br />said people may not realize how much history the island has, going back a couple hundred years. Donors <br />also raised and committed personal funds of $70,000 for the project and there was a matching grant from <br />the DNR. Many public agencies and private people helped make the project happen. <br /> <br />Seals asked what the restrictions are on the $300,000 and are there timelines for the money to be spent. <br /> <br />Edwards said they do not have the exact rules for the bonding funds yet; in the bonding bill, it fell under <br />the Department of Employment and Economic Development. The department has contacted the City and <br />is putting together a packet of the rules. The funding will be available starting in 2021 and is available <br />specifically for the Big Island Park as was written in to the bonding bill. Details still need to be worked <br />out regarding the funding and noted the money will come via reimbursement – the City will have had to <br />spend the money and show proof with receipts. <br /> <br />Seals said she is very supportive of Big Island, but has become slightly cautious in how they spend their <br />money out there. She noted she would rather do a phased approach and see how it goes with one <br />bathroom as they have had it blow up before, which is why she asked about the timelines. She does not <br />think rushing things is a great plan. <br /> <br />Edwards said typically bonding bills are a two-year, although they may have a third year. He clarified he <br />is proposing the change order to still include only the original/first bathroom. In the change order, he is <br />asking to put back in the shelter, picnic tables, although they could put a second vault toilet in as a change <br />order (in addition to the current change order). He stated the Big Island Legacy group and the Parks <br />Commission have some aspirations for things they would like to see at the island with the state funding, <br />one of which is the second bathroom, and also an extension to the accessible trail to go north. He noted <br />they have some donations for sitting stones and other things for the area that are being installed. They are <br />also looking at some barrier work on the island with an eye to deterring snowmobile and winter vehicular <br />traffic that goes up in to the park at times. <br /> <br />Seals noted in speaking to some residents, it is a bear to manage this island and asked what the City has in <br />place to manage it. As they add more things, there is more maintenance and she is more concerned with <br />taking care of all of the extra things. Seals said she would rather table it and come up with a plan that is <br />phased and she is not sold on the second bathroom or the shelter. She is sold on extending the ADA trail <br />because if she thinks about the Veterans, she can buy into that all day long. She also likes the idea of <br />signage that tells the history of the island. Seals said it is an island in the middle of the lake so it is <br />already limited as to who can access it; it is already a privileged area. She thinks there is not a rush in <br />making a decision on it from her perspective. She noted she is a no tonight on the proposal the way it <br />sits.