08-14-2023 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING July 24, 2023 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 10 of 11 and a supporter of Donald Trump. He said he is not a member of the Proud Boys. He urged those in the gallery, when there’s applause for the carnival, to look in the mirror a little bit. Veach said before reporting on her committees she would like to address Kelly Grady’s concerns. She said she is working on answers for her but it will take time. She said public comment is sometimes not the best forum as the Council can’t engage during public comment. If you want to reach the Council by email, or come meet in person, that's the time to engage, she said. She said she also wanted to give an update on the committees that she’s been working on in her first month on the Council. She said she had met with City Council members from Long Lake as part of the negotiations committee and learned a great deal about the history of the negotiations she had not been privy to. She said unfortunately due to litigation they are unable to continue those meetings and find resolutions, but she felt the meetings had been productive. She said without a foundation of trust it will all be for nothing and people need to realize the process will be slow, which she realizes is frustrating. However, she said she was very energized by the meetings she attended and left feeling like this was something they could get to the bottom of. She is also on the budget committee which met last Friday and she found it great to sit down with the City’s Finance Director and his team. She said her takeaway was that it was a very conservative budget and accounted for some situations. Of course, she said, the hope is that things work out with Long Lake, but the City has to plan like it won't. She thanked the staff and City Council for taking the time to orient her to her new position as a City Council Member and make her feel welcome. Walsh gave an update on the construction of the new public works facility saying all the trusses are in place, the walls are up, and they will start doing the roof next week. Coffee with the Mayor had to move one week to the third Wednesday of the month so the next one will be on Aug. 16. He gave a rundown of high school fall sports starting up including dance team, cross country, and football. New hockey coaches and a new athletic director are in place. He said the Council was about to go into closed session and would then reopen the meeting to adjourn, but he was not aware of any other business to come before the Council at that meeting. 14. CLOSED SESSION Crosby moved, Johnson seconded, to enter into closed session as permitted by the attorney-client privilege (section 13D.05, subdivision 3 (b)) to discuss the threat of litigation by the City of Long Lake regarding the Contract for Fire Protection and will include an update related to the following lawsuits: Theodore Bonnett and Allision Bonnett v. City of Orono; Barbara Schmidt v. City of Orono, MnDNR, MCWD, Orono Schools; Jay Nygard, et Al v. Orono; Kendall Nygard, et al v. Orono; Jay Nygard vs. Orono, Dennis Walsh, Police Chief Correy Farniok, Attorney Soren Mattick, Attorney Jared Shepard; Lake Minnetonka Real Estate II, LLC v. Feldshons and Orono; Brad Erickson v. Walsh, Crosby and Orono. VOTE: Ayes 5, Nays 0. (The City Council was in closed session from 9:19 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.) Walsh moved, Crosby seconded, to reopen the Orono City Council meeting at 10:30 p.m. VOTE: Ayes 5, Nays 0. ADJOURNMENT