11-09-2015 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, November 9, 2015 7:00 o'clock p.m. 4. MET COUNCIL SEWER MAIN PROTECT — JEFF SCHWARZ, P.E. (continued) O'Donnell stated they will be posting a preferred route but that there is nothing to keep people from going a different route. O'Donnell stated as it relates to funding for this project, MCES does not assess property owners along the sewer pipe and neither is the burden placed on the local community. The projects are financed from the user fees that are paid throughout the regional system. 5. NAVARRE COMMUNITY FESTIVAL — EVENT RECAP AND VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION Candace Nadler, Navarre Community Initiative, expressed their thanks to the Mayor and City Council for supporting the Navarre Community Festival. Nadler stated the group placed bikes around the area that helped spark conversation and interest in the event. Council Member Levang stated this event came about as a result of a meeting that was held last year discussing grant opportunities through Blue Cross/Blue Shield. During that meeting a small group of volunteers said they would help to plan an event and that event became the Navarre Community Festival. Levang stated Ralph Kempf, Rick Meyers, Candace Nadler and Christine Hardten were the four key people who were on the committee. Council Members Levang and Cornick represented the Council and helped make the event happen. The goal of the festival was to increase pedestrian mobility along the business corridor in Navarre, up to Livingston Tower Park, and then to the Dakota Rail Trail. Levang stated a number of people saw the colorful bikes that were used to help highlight the festival. The Navarre Initiative did partner with another group to obtain the bikes and they had over a dozen bikes placed throughout the area. The group spent many days painting those bikes and moving them around the community. Levang stated based on the number of volunteers and the feedback from the residents, it was a very, very successful day. Nadler thanked Mark and Paula Plewka of South Lake Bicycles for volunteering to tune up the kids' bikes and inspecting them to ensure every bike was working properly. Levang displayed pictures of the bikes. Levang stated on the day of the festival, the bicycles were brought to the Navarre Park. There were also food vendors at the park and across the street. The food was donated by community members and given to the participants for no cost. Some of the other activities held were the bike safety rodeo, vendors and food, a group of j azz musicians, face painting, a bouncy house, and tour of the Navarre Fire Station, and a bike ride on the Dakota Rail Trail, with a preview of the improvements that are going to be made to the Livingston Tower Park. Levang stated during the event, the Navarre Initiative conducted a survey of the participants, which showed that there were approximately 200 participants. Most of the participants indicated they had used the Dakota Rail Trail in the past and many used the trail multiple times a week or daily. A majority of the participants stated they wanted to be involved in the community event and have their children take part in the bike safety rodeo. Concerns raised regarding access to the trail were heavy traffic, the speed of cars, and no sidewalk or space on the roadway. Page 4 of 24