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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, October 26, 2020 <br />6:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br />Page 1 of 7 <br />ROLL CALL <br />The Orono City Council met on the above-mentioned date with the following members present: Mayor <br />Dennis Walsh, City Council Members Richard Crosby, III, Matt Johnson, and Victoria Seals. Council <br />Member Aaron Printup was absent. Representing Staff were City Attorney Soren Mattick, Public Works <br />Director/City Engineer Adam Edwards, Community Development Director Jeremy Barnhart, and City <br />Administrator Dustin Rief. <br />Mayor Walsh called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. <br />APPROVAL OF AGENDA <br />CONSENT AGENDA <br />1. City Council Meeting Minutes of October 12, 2020 <br />2.Council Work Session Minutes of October 12, 2020 <br />3.Claims/Bills <br />4. Gregg Palmer Retirement – Resolution <br />Crosby asked to remove this item from the Consent Agenda so the City Council can discuss the <br />item. <br />5. Pipe Televising System Purchase <br />Crosby moved, Johnson seconded, to approve the Consent Agenda as revised. VOTE: Ayes <br />4, Nays 0. <br />PUBLIC COMMENTS <br />There were no public comments. <br />UPDATE FROM HENNEPIN COUNTY <br />Jan Callison stated it has been a busy year at Hennepin County and gave a summary update on COVID- <br />19, what is being seen in Minneapolis with the unrest, and the 2021 budget. She reported on the number <br />of COVID-19 cases in Hennepin County and specifically Orono, and went over statistics regarding <br />demographics by race and age, and hospitalizations versus recovery at home. Ms. Callison reported on <br />CARES Act Funding and distributing approximately $40,000,000 to small businesses in Hennepin <br />County grants of which Orono businesses received $60,000. They have provided hotels for high-risk <br />homeless individuals, housing assistance, mortgage assistance, and given funding to Hennepin County <br />Medical Center. Ms. Callison noted a challenge in the unrest in Minneapolis and showed some pictures <br />onscreen of the damage done to Hennepin County property in May, including the East Lake Library, a <br />service center and a pharmacy. She noted they are continuing to protect properties by using fences and <br />boarding up first floor windows. She commended the Sheriff’s department for the work they have done. <br />Regarding the 2021 budget, they have approved a max levy with 0% property tax increase; challenges <br />with the budget include not knowing how long the pandemic will last, how they will make sure the <br />homeless cost is brought to a more reasonable level, if there will be federal and state assistance, and <br />3 <br />3