06-26-2000 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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f' Long Lake/Orono Consolidation Committee Joint City Council Meeting Monday, June 5,2000 Page 2 lire 3. INTRODUCTION BY FACILITATOR DESYL PETERSON Peterson gave a brief background history regarding the formation of the Consolidation Committee and introduced the members of the Committee. Peterson stated the Consolidation Committee was formed by the Long Lake and Orono City Councils to determine whether a merger would be in the best interests of the two cities, especially in light of the new Highway 12 corridor that is expected to be constructed within the next few years. Peterson stated the Consolidation Committee looked at whether the existing qualities of life would be preserved or enhanced with a merger. Peterson noted the Committee has held two other sets of public hearings; one approximately one year ago shortly after the Committee was formed, and another where an interim report of the Committee's findings was presented to the general public in february of this year. Peterson explained the Committee hired Rusty Fifield as their financial consultant to aid them in their review of the two Cities' financial data, and will be presenting the Committee's findings and recommendations tonight. 4. PRESENTATION BY RUSTY FIFIELD Fifield stated the Consolidation Committee is recommending a merger of the two cities based upon their review of the information. Fifield stated he will be giving a brief overview tonight of what the Committee has discussed and tlieir findings, which is contained in the Plan for Merger and Implementation. Fifield commented the process the Committee went through started with the values the residents of the two cities stated they would like to see preserved, followed by a review of the areas relating to governance, finance, public services, development and land use, facilities, and implementation. The Consolidation Committee determined that a merger would give the two cities an enhanced ability to address development and land use issues in a way that preserves the existing character and variety of residential development, w ill maintain the existing small town and rural qualities, and will support the unique commercial districts of the two cities. A merger will also offer the two cities a unified approach and additional resources to meet redevelopment needs in Long Lake and Navarre, and will eliminate the ability of outside interests to play one city against another. The Consolidation Committee further found that n merger would eliminate the duplication of