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 10 of 12 their entire community while upholding democratic values and promoting equality and inclusivity. Engaging with hate groups goes against these very principles and is highly inappropriate and damages the public they swore to serve. He said such engagements also undermine the public trust and perpetuate discrimination and prejudice while contributing to the normalization of hateful ideas. When elected officials are found to be engaging with hate groups, according to Erickson, it is imperative for concerned citizens to hold them accountable. He noted activism can shed a light on these actions and raise awareness about the harm they cause. Other elected officials may also take steps to distance themselves from individuals found to be involved with hate groups, or engaging in hate speech. Erickson stated moving on to the chairman of the Minnesota GOP David Hann’s response to Erickson’s emails regarding the videos Walsh sent, he noted, Hann responded that the Minnesota Republican Party rejects any comparison between mask mandates and the Holocaust because the Holocaust was such a unique and terrible event in human history. Hann added the Republican Party of Minnesota last year at the State convention adopted a very strong statement condemning anti-Semitism and supporting the State of Israel as the ancient homeland of the Jewish people. Hann had said he does not know Mayor Walsh personally, and does not know what his political opinions are. Erickson noted Hann wrote to him that local elected officials are nonpartisan and even though the Mayor may be a Republican, he was not endorsed to be a mayoral candidate by the Republican Party, he has no official position in the party, and does not have authority to speak for the party. Your future is sealed in the party, Erickson said to Walsh, adding he may want to go with an independent party. Janie Delaney 1350 Woodhill Ave., asked why the Council won’t listen to citizens. She said the Park Commission open houses were just another written comment process. What that does, she said, is stifle voices. By letting multiple people and any resident that wants to get up and speak, other residents learn from them and about the issue. She noted they learn about what you're thinking and asked how the Council expects to get people to write in comments. Are you going to use Civic send? Are they going to have to go find it on the website? Will only the people that are signed up for the emails be the ones to get the information? She contended that is not inclusive. She would suggest a full mailing like was done for the Christmas tree lighting, adding that might be a good way to notify every single resident. Jay Nygard, 1386 West Point Rd., identified himself as a long-time Orono resident and former City Council and Planning Commission member. He said he can understand the stresses that can be brought upon a family while serving on the Council. He added it is especially unfortunate that Mr. Crosby is gone because he really wanted to talk to two people tonight, although it seems like Matt Johnson probably should be included given the recent shenanigans going on around here, Nygard said. He said he can understands how stressful all this controversy is for the Mayor’s family because of his actions and Mr. Crosby's actions. He suggested maybe there comes a time when family becomes more important, so he put together letters of resignation, completed on city letterhead, for Walsh for bringing controversy to the residents of Orono and for Crosby related to his Proud Boy affiliation. Mr. Nygard said perhaps it is time they consider moving on because the community has been seriously damaged and it is time to start moving forward and healing. MAYOR/COUNCIL REPORT Benson said she appreciated hearing all the comments tonight. She said when there are direct questions asked she intends to answer them by emailing or getting ahold of people. She doesn’t consider them rhetorical unless it is clear they are. She said she wanted to focus on fire tonight. The previous week she