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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />December 11, 2023 <br />6:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br />Page 6 of 9 <br />26.ENTERPRISE FUNDS BUDGET 2024 - RESOLUTION 7439 <br />Olson said at the Truth in Taxation meeting a comment was made referring to the Enterprise Funds as <br />slush funds and that bothers him as they work hard at setting rates. The funds do carry healthy fund <br />balances, but some are weather dependent and vary in balance from year to year. He said many of these <br />enterprises like water and sewer have significant and expensive infrastructure. <br />Crosby pointed out the area is more rural so there are longer pipes with fewer households connected. <br />When the pipes need to be replaced it will be important that the City has funds for that as an assessment <br />would devastate some people. <br />Walsh moved, Crosby seconded, to adopt Resolution 7439 the Enterprise Fund Budget 2024. <br />VOTE: Ayes 5, Nays 0. <br />Olson said it has been a mostly enjoyable 26 years working with the City and they will be in good hands <br />with the new finance director. He reported the City is over budget and over last year in Building Permit <br />Revenue. Most of the big developments are nearing completion so he suspects the City is nearing the end <br />of building permit revenue over budget. <br />CITY ATTORNEY REPORT <br />Attorney Mattick had nothing to report. <br />CITY ADMINISTRATOR/ENGINEER REPORT <br />27.APPRECIATION FOR FINANCE DIRECTOR RON OLSON – RESOLUTION 7435 <br />Walsh read the resolution thanking Olson for his 26 years of service to the City of Orono, including as <br />finance director since 2006. <br />Johnson moved, Crosby seconded, to adopt Resolution 7435 of appreciation for Finance Director <br />Ron Olson. VOTE: Ayes 5, Nays 0. <br />COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS <br />There were no Council committee meetings during the last month. <br />PUBLIC COMMENTS <br />Cheryl Kulseth, 725 Stonebay Drive, said six people came up during Truth in Taxation hearing and 11 <br />came up during public comments. She said the Mayor likes to give quotes so she shared quotes from the <br />Mayor from the last meeting concerning what he characterized as the same group of 12 people who don’t <br />like the City Council. She said she agrees that what the Mayor does speaks volumes and how he treats the <br />people who come forward speaks volumes. She does not agree that other cities want to be like Orono <br />right now. She added, it takes courage to come to speak at Orono City Council meetings knowing that <br />what she says won’t likely change anything. She said she would continue to voice her concerns and hope