07-24-2023 City Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING July 24,2023 6:00 o'clock p.m. Edwards said anywhere from July of next year to sometime in 2026.Looking at concerns such as the school would be part of the process if the Council authorizes staff to continue. Benson asked if the City did not have to go out for bids on an architect. Edwards explained the City currently has a service agreement with the architect working on the new public works facility and has the authority to go directly to that firm for service, but any contract and expense would still need to come before the Council. Johnson moved,Veach seconded,to direct staff to engage with Oertel Architects to provide architectural services for a design proposal to remodel the old public works facility as a temporary fire station.VOTE: Ayes 4 Nays 1 (Benson). 12. PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY(21-039)- CHANGE ORDER 1 Edwards said this is the first change order request for the public works facility. Some needed changes were identified in the building process in the amount of$153,836.23. He recommended removing the natural gas generator from the project at this time, saving$490,000 to fund this and possible future change orders. It would be replaced with a diesel generator after construction which would be less expensive, especially since it could be sized to actual electrical load. Additionally,the City's other generators are diesel. Crosby moved,Johnson seconded,to approve the change orders and the removal of the natural gas generator for the new public works facility.VOTE: Ayes 5 Nays 0. 13. NEXT WORK SESSION DRAFT AGENDA Edwards said this would be the standard work session agenda for Aug.14 including the average lakeshore setback process. He recommended using the whole hour. He also proposed adding a Council Committee Report header to the agenda in the future so Council members could report on any meetings of a committee on which they served. The Council agreed that would be a good idea. Veach moved, Crosby seconded,to approve the Work Session draft agenda as proposed.VOTE: Ayes 5,Nays 0 RECESS& RECONVENE Mayor Walsh recessed the meeting at 8:28 p.m. The meeting was reconvened at 8:38 p.m. PUBLIC COMMENTS Evelyn Knapp, 85 Cristofori Circle, said she has been a resident of Orono for 33 years and never felt the need to come to City Council meetings to see what's going on until about four years ago. She said she is very unhappy with the attitude of some of the members of this Council and would like to see community input mean something. She said she is not in favor of starting a new fire department and doesn't feel adequate reasons to do that have been given, and that is not where she wants her tax dollars going. She said the situation is tearing the community apart and urged the Council to make some real compromises Page 7 of 11