03-21-2023 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING March 13, 2023 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 15 of 21 trainings with floodplain and shoreland. So my whole department's been busy participating. in some of those. CITY ADMINISTRATOR/ENGINEER REPORT Edwards updated the City Council, noting on the new public works facility, we've re-initiated our bi- weekly construction meetings with the contractor, architect and engineers. We are tentatively, snow and weather dependent, looking at re re-engaging with earthworks on the site on the fourth of April and right now tentatively have a groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for the 10th of April. Last Council meeting we brought forward a roads proposal and a JPA with two of our neighboring communities. The City of Medina did also approve that JPA, so now we're just waiting on Independence and their decision. And that again was for the repaving of Townline Road over this year. We did go out for bids for our sewer rehabilitation project and we did get bids back, but they were significantly over what our estimates are. And that's for pipelining process lines, existing pipes. Just the cost per foot for an eight-inch pipe has gone up 10 bucks from $40 a foot to $50 a foot. So as the Council action today, we rejected all bids and we'll down-scope that and we have it out for bid right now, actually, for bids in early April, We just reduced the scope, just shortened overall footage of the work that we would do in that project. That revised one, assuming bids come in good this time. primarily focuses on Casco Point and that should finish up most of that sewer rehabilitation work in that segment of our sewer system. Road restrictions started on Friday and all are posted. PUBLIC COMMENTS Molly Reynolds, 665 Orchard Park Road, stated I'd like to share a public letter from the Northwest Hennepin League of Municipalities that was drafted on February 25, 2023: To whom it may concern. This letter is written in response to a discussion about our organization at the Orono City Council work session on February 13, 2023. The name of the organization is in the Northwest Hennepin League of Municipalities. It is not the Northwest Hennepin Mayor’s Association as Mayor Walsh referred to it. The NWHLM is composed of elected representatives from various cities and jurisdictions throughout the area. Members include mayors, city council members, county commissioners, park board commissioners and a Metropolitan Council Member. It is not just for mayors. Some cities have paid for two memberships, however each City has one vote. During the work session, Mayor Walsh stated I am actually a member of that organization. However, Mayor Walsh and Orono’s membership and participation ended in 2017 and were not renewed for 2018 at the request of Mayor Walsh. Neither he nor any other elected officials from City of Orono have attended our meetings since 2017. However, that recently changed January 2023, when a newly-elected Orono Council Member was invited and began attending the meeting. On February 14, which is the day after the Orono City Council work session, Mayor Walsh contacted the NWHLM and stated he would be attending our meetings going forward. As our mission states, our goal is to educate members and network to achieve better results within our cities, value trusted relationships, working together and learning and growing in our respective roles to help make our cities the best possible. Therefore, it is essential that what is being stated publicly about the NWHLM is accurate, Respectfully submitted by the NWHLM executive committee, Mayor Tom McKee, chair; Mayor Julie Maas-Kusske, immediate past chairperson; Mayor Charlie Miner, Vice Chair; Mayor Renee Hafften, secretary, and Mayor Kent Koch, treasurer.