03-22-1999 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FOR MARCH 22, 1999 • (Presentation by Scott Thomas, continued) Thomas commented he would like to work closely with the City in achieving these goals. Mayor Jabbour remarked that the City has basically supported Mr. Reid in the past, noting that the City has not been requested to support anyone else for this board. Jabbour inquired how Thomas would go about improving the relationship between the participating cities and the watershed board. Thomas stated in his view the board should function as a resource to the cities and to allow the cities to have better input into how the watershed district could be improved and maintained. One of his goals would be to develop and provide each city with a resource plan that would enable the cities to actively maintain their watershed district to a certain standard. Thomas commented that in his opinion there currently is a deficiency in predicting what issues will come up in the future and a failure on the part of the board to request input from the cities on how they would like the watershed district to be maintained. Thomas stated he would like to make it more of a joint effort before the board and the cities by developing an overall comprehensive plan for the watershed district. Sansevere indicated he is in support of Thomas' ideas and goals. Flint stated in his view there is too much emphasis being placed on engineering solutions, which are not resolving the problems. Flint remarked that the City of Orono is taking steps to insure that hardcover is limited along the lakeshore and to keep the area as natural as possible. Thomas stated in his view the board needs to have common sense solutions to the problems with • the watershed district and to provide the communities with accurate and adequate information on how to best maintain the watershed district so they could enact ordinances to maintain and improve the water quality. Flint stated he is impressed with Mr. Thomas, but feels that the City should wait to see if there are any other applicants for this position before drafting a letter supporting a particular individual. Thomas indicated that his interview is on April 13, with the board voting on April 20th. Mayor Jabbour suggested this item be discussed at their Thursday morning work session and to authorize Staff to draft a letter supporting Mr. Thomas but to delay sending it until after the April 12th City Council meeting in the event that another candidate approaches the City requesting their support. CITY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT ( #15) HAMM SEWER REQUEST - 485 ORONO ORCHARD ROAD Bruce Palmer, on behalf of Edward Hamm, was present. Gaffron stated that the City has received an updated letter of request and a site evaluation report indicating that the potential drainfield site northeast of the house is usable; however, there are some minor downsides relating to use of the site. Number one, three large pine trees will have to be removed to make use of the primary site; and number two, a portion of a wooded newer - growth buffer area between the house and the road would have to be removed to make use of the • alternate site. Page 6