Laserfiche WebLink
MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, June 28,2004 <br />7:00 o’clock p.m. <br />(PUBLIC COMMENTS, Continued) <br />Jabbour noted that the newly appointed board members, who've not ever visited the camp, voted to <br />dissolve the camp and have nut met since handing down their decision. <br />Olson asked how many board members were replaced. <br />Anderson stated that three new members w'ere at that meeting and two of the other five abstained <br />from the vote, though he had not been given a set of the minutes from the meeting as requested. <br />White .stated that he felt that it was clear that money was the motivation. .Someone thinks there is a <br />great deal of money to be made from the sale. White agreed that one option might be to rezone the <br />camp for commercial camp use, while the other might be to zone it for cemetery use. <br />Jabbour noted that no discussions had gone on with the American Indians either. He used an <br />analogy that someone has decided to butcher this milk cow for a one time beefsteak, versus <br />keeping the milk cow indefinitely. <br />Ed Callahan stated that it is obvious to ever>une in the room the City of Orono should and does <br />strongly support the continuation of the vet’s camp on Big island, lie agreed that it would be a <br />got)d idea for the Council to adopt a rc.solution supporting this |K>sition and this as the best use of <br />this piece of real estate. As a symbol of our City, Callahan pointed out that Orono is not alone in <br />believing this to be a good use of Big Island, all of the other lakes communities agree, as do 178 <br />other VFW posts, lie found it interesting to hear what was to be done with the money if the camp <br />wcie sold, and pointed out that vast numbers of vets would be vying for this money if the camp <br />were .sold as well if the camp is not .saved in |K*rpetuity. Callahan maintained that the camp <br />continues to be a unique and vital parcel to the City and community as a whole which present <br />problems and joys. Me urged the ('ouncil to give careful consideration to what w ill become of this <br />parcel if it is not saved for future generations. I le pointed out that soon the City w ould have to deal <br />w ith legislation, commercial interests, and strongly urged the Council to assign a group of liaisons <br />to talk to other communities and gauge their positions, develop a con.sensus around the lake, and <br />prepare to lake action. <br />Olson pointed out that if the veterans or another public entity come up with the money w ithin two <br />years they could proceed. She staled that, legislatively, they will do what they can to achieve the <br />veterans and City’s ends, but urged supporters to go beyond the lakes communities in this <br />endeavor. Olson encouraged the vets to lead and be the voice at the forefront of any action taken, <br />w ith the ('ity’s support as the responsible party for use of this land. <br />Sanscvcrc reiterated the need to obtain letters of support tluoughout the state. <br />Wliitc asked w hat the operational e.xpenses of the camp w ere annually. <br />Kask stated that operational costs of the camp were SI 8.000 annually. <br />Jabbour slated that the issue over expenditures is irrelevant, since the vets currently have a donor in <br />hand who has stcpjied up to cover expenses for the next 10 years. <br />PAGE 6 of 19