05-22-2023 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING May 8, 2023 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 6 of 12 Benson asked about the bonding for the public works building that included $3 million for the fire department. Olson said in December, 2021, the City sold $16 million in capital improvement bonds with $13 million for the public works facility and $3 million for fire department facilities. That $3 million is still set aside. Benson asked in that case how will the City pay for overages on public works facility. Olson said one option would be to loan money from the utility funds, the water, sewer and stormwater funds, to the construction fund. Part of the rationale for that is the water, sewer and stormwater departments and vehicles and equipment will be housed in that building, he explained. Like all enterprise funds, they operate more as a business than a governmental fund, so it would be proper for interest to be paid back. He said what he would suggest if the City does loan money between the funds, it charges the other fund the going interest rate. This item was added to the consent agenda for approval. FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT 23. FIRE DEPARTMENT NEEDS ASSESSMENT Chief Van Eyll said the purpose of the report was to answer questions and receive input from Council on the draft fire department needs assessment as well as establish a process moving forward for final versions and decisions based off it. He went through the history of the fire department review beginning in 2021 when the City of Orono notified the City of Long Lake that it would not be extending the fire service agreement, to September of 2022 when the City Council passed a resolution of intent to establish the Orono Fire Department, and then in November, 2022 to appoint a new fire chief. He said one of his tasks was to do a needs assessment. The proposed timeline going forward, he said, is to accept written questions from community members from May 9 to 18 and put those in the Council packet for a presentation at the Council meeting May 22. Written comments would be taken again from the public from May 22 to June 7. Then at the June 12 meeting, there would be a final report and presentation and then guidance on moving forward. At the May 22 meeting, citizens would get an opportunity to write personal input to the City Council, filling out some comment cards ahead of time. The mayor would then establish a time limit for that comment period. Staff recommends about an hour. The Mayor could then use those forms to call residents up in an orderly process, Van Eyll said. The written comments and the form would be available on the website until close of business on June 7. Seals said they wanted to make sure there is enough time between when the assessment is shared and taking comments from residents and giving them several formats to comment, including a meeting and virtual formats. There would be the in-person meeting where people can come up and talk, but then there also would be two different virtual rounds that surround those meetings where the Council can take in questions. She asked how staff would sort the questions received through the web site. City Administrator Edwards said the plan would give staff time to go through comments and sort them by topic and type of questions. 22. LONG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT OVERAGE