02-10-2014 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, February 10, 2014 7:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 29 of 30 (MAYOR/COUNCIL REPORT, Continued) Levang stated there was also another presentation on a narrower roadway that was 34 feet wide and how you could still get three cars side by side. Levang stated in terms of the cost savings overall, both short-term and long-term was pretty impressive, and it is perhaps another thing Orono should think about. Levang noted the City decided to do three newsletters a year. The first newsletter will be coming out in March. Levang indicated she is very pleased that the City is going to be doing three newsletters. Staff also looked at different vendors and a decision on a new vendor will be made in the near future. Levang noted the decision to switch vendors might not amount to much in cost savings since they are now going to go with three newsletters. Levang indicated the newsletter will have a new look and the City will also be offering E-newsletters. McMillan stated she received an e-mail from Dean Ascheman of the Veterans for Veterans Trust Fund. The trust fund was created in 2006 with the money from the sale of the Big Island Veterans Camp and the directors of the trust are members representing the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. McMillan stated Ascheman indicated in his e-mail that the trust fund has just awarded four grants totaling $52,000 to support veterans and the sale of the veteran’s park has been a win/win/win/win situation by allowing the City of Orono to preserve the island in its original state as a community park/nature preserve. Win No. 2 is the state statute involved in the sale resulted in the money involved in the purchase being preserved in an irrevocable trust which is administered by the Veterans for Veterans Trust Fund to serve Minnesota veterans. Win No. 3 is the Veterans to Veterans Trust Fund Board still has the original monies/investment involved and has distributed over $1.2 million of investment returns in grants to projects/organizations serving Minnesota veterans. Win No. 4 is that many Minnesota veterans enjoy a better quality of life because of the actions of a few veterans and City of Orono officials back in the year 2005-2006. McMillan noted the sale of Big Island not only created a park but also created this Trust Fund that has been serving veterans throughout the state. McMillan reported she has been receiving some calls regarding the City’s escrow fee on single-family homes and that the City Council should perhaps discuss the escrow fee at some point in the future. McMillan noted the City originally put the escrow fee in their fee schedule due to some issues but that the Council should perhaps look at that again and see whether the policy needs to be changed slightly. Printup indicated he is in agreement with reviewing the fee schedule and that perhaps the City should also discuss surveys. McMillan noted the Orono Police Department has been working with Carol Arthur of the Domestic Abuse Project and a community forum is scheduled for March 6 at the Gillepsie Center covering relationship abuse. McMillan indicated they are also coordinating with the schools to offer presentations to the students. In addition, the community forum group is also working on another session covering medical marijuana which will be offered on April 3. McMillan reported she received an e-mail from the mayor of Wayzata on the Lake Minnetonka Scenic Byway concept. A meeting has been scheduled for February 24 from 9:30 to 11:0 at the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District to discuss the merits and costs involved with creating a scenic pathway.