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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, April 28, 2014 <br />7:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />    Page 2 of 13   <br />(2a. RICK MEYERS, Continued) <br /> <br />Meyers stated he is here tonight to encourage the City Council to accept the donation and to authorize the <br />project. In addition, Mrs. Englund would like to install a memorial stone in honor of Paul Englund. <br />Meyers indicated he has spoken with Jesse Struve about this project and that he has raised some general <br />concerns about the memorial stone. <br /> <br />Meyers displayed a picture of the memorial stone being considered. <br /> <br />Struve stated he does not necessarily have concerns regarding the donation or the proposed placement of <br />the lilacs. Struve indicated there is a fence mainly along the north side of the park with the exception of <br />one portion and that the lilacs would help fill in that gap that is in front of the parking area. <br /> <br />Struve stated he would request the Park Commission review this project since it will be located in a city <br />park and that there will be some long-term maintenance issues that should also be considered. One <br />question is whether the City would be required to replace the lilacs if they should die or what should <br />happen if future changes are made to the park. Struve stated the donation itself is very nice and <br />welcomed, but that there are some long-term impacts the Park Commission and City Council should look <br />at and provide input on prior to accepting the donation. <br /> <br />Anderson asked if the City has a donor policy in place. Anderson commented it is a wonderful gift and <br />that in her view the City should go ahead with the project, but that perhaps the Park Commission could <br />look at implementing a donor policy at some point in the future if there is not currently one in place. <br /> <br />Struve stated currently Orono does not have such a policy. <br /> <br />Anderson commented many cities currently have such a policy. <br /> <br />Struve indicated Tonka Bay and Shorewood have that type of policy as well as a number of other <br />communities. <br /> <br />McMillan concurred that the donor policies used by other cities should be reviewed by the Park <br />Commission. McMillan asked what the time frame is for the project. <br /> <br />Meyers stated they would like to have the project completed by June 7, which is the date the Navarre <br />Community Initiative had planned to do a replenishing of the plantings. Meyers stated they would like to <br />have a little ceremony with Mrs. Englund to recognize the donation at that time and to show the City’s <br />appreciation. <br /> <br />Struve noted this item will be on the Park Commission’s May agenda. Struve stated even if the project is <br />delayed until the end of May or early June, it is still feasible to have it completed by June 7. <br /> <br />Meyers stated the worst case scenario is that the ceremony does not happen on June 7 but that it would be <br />nice to have the lilacs planted in the spring so they can get established prior to the winter. <br /> <br />McMillan commented lilacs tend to bloom around Memorial Day weekend. <br /> <br />Meyers stated the experts have said that everything is approximately two weeks behind given the weather.