08-08-2011 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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III 1:1_ ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, August 8, 2011 7:00 o'clock p.m. • (3. LMCC PRESENTATION, Continued) Franchot stated the $90,000 would have to be spent by some other entity, such as whoever is authorized to take the project forward. Franchot noted the next phase would cost the LMCC $55,000. Franchot suggested the City Council not take a stand on this tonight since the likelihood of it being in next year's budget is not very high. Franchot stated in his view the City Council does not have all the information to make a good call. McMillan stated it was her understanding that that money was already in the 2012 budget. Franchot stated he had the understanding that Mayor McMillan already knew it was taken out of the budget. Sally Koenecke, LMCC, stated they have a contingency of approximately $60,000 in the 2011 budget, which has not yet been spent. The contingency is put in yearly in case projects like this come up. The LMCC did a study approximately five years ago on wireless and found that wireless would be difficult in this area because of the trees and lake and it is at that point that the LMCC started to look at fiber optics. The 2011 contingency was looked at as a possible source of money for this study. McMillan asked if the study is a line item in the budget. Koenecke indicated the contingency fund is a line item but that there is no specified purpose for those • funds. The executive committee at its last meeting did say they were not going to spend that money for fiber optic but that is only a recommendation to the LMCC. McMillan asked what the vote specifically is going to be on August 160'. Koenecke indicated the budget was created and then brought to the executive committee. The executive committee has reviewed it and fine tuned it. The full commission will discuss it at the August 16th meeting. The budget will be discussed and they will talk about how they arrived at where they are and it is possible the budget could be changed at that time. Franchot asked what would happen after the commission meeting on August 16a`. Koenecke indicated every year the budget is taken to the cities. If the Council requests, an LMCC representative will present the budget to the City. Koenecke noted the budget would be approved by the full commission and then taken to the various cities for approval after that. The cities have an opportunity at that time to weigh in on any particular budget item. Franchot asked what percent of the cities have to approve the budget. Koenecke indicated it would be a majority. McMillan asked if it would be helpful if the commission knows how the Orono City Council feels about the fiber optic project. • Page 8 of 21