09-10-2007 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, September 10, 2007 7.00 o'clock p.m. (Funding for Gillespie Center, Continued) Smith stated the Gillespie Center is currently undergoing an intensive membership drive and that in their view it is the most prestigious senior community center in the Lake Minnetonka area. Ben Whithart, Executive Director of Senior Community Services and Gillespie Center Board Member, thanked the City Council for their past support of the Gillespie Center. Whithart requested the Council give conceptual approval to the center's growth and endowment plan and set aside the appropriate funding in the City's 2008 budget. At the end of ten years, the cities would no longer be asked for money if the center is able to obtain the necessary funding up front. Whithart stated the Gillespie Center does have a draft agreement prepared for Council review. White noted currently Orono pays approximately $18,000 to Senior Community Services. Whithart stated approximately $9,000 of the money from Orono goes towards direct staffing of the Gillespie Center and the remainder of the money goes toward transportation services, home delivered meals, and senior outreach programs. If Orono joins in the agreement with the neighboring cities, they would not be asking Orono to contribute that $9,000 in addition to the per capita amount. McMillan asked whether the Gillespie Center would be requesting the other $9,000. Whithart stated the $9,000 that is used to fund the home delivered meals and other services would still be requested from the City. Bremer asked if the amount the City would be contributing would be approximately the same as the $18,000. Whithart stated the amount the Gillespie Center is asking from the City of Orono is approximately $30,000, which would allow them to continue their services to the senior citizens of Orono as well as fund their endowment. Murphy stated he has no question in his mind that the activities the Gillespie Center performs is very well meaning and important to a number of people but that he has a couple of questions regarding the proposal. Murphy stated in his opinion the $6.00 per capita formula would appear to be a tax that the City would impose. Murphy noted the response to a questionnaire sent to the Gillespie Center regarding the Meals on Wheel program was that approximately nine Orono residents utilize that service and the response to the congregate dining center was approximately five. Murphy commented it appears that the majority of the people who receive services from the Gillespie Center live in the City of Mound and that he is struggling with the requested $30,000 contribution by the City of Orono given the very limited number of Orono residents who utilize the center. Murphy commented he was surprised over an article that appeared in the local newspaper concerning this proposal that indicated how the cities had been working on this for a number of months and how they were in support of the proposal. Murphy indicated it was his understanding the cities of Spring Park and Mound have not entered into an agreement with the center. • Smith stated they did approach each of the local cities at their council meetings and mailed each council • member a packet of information concerning the center's membership and finances. Smith noted a PAGE 2