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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, January 28, 2013 7:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 2 of 11 (BIG ISLAND PARK REPORT, Continued) Jabbour noted a number of the signs are lying on the ground at the present time because the concrete was not placed in the ground deep enough and some of the signs have been vandalized. Jabbour stated they will reinstall the signs by placing the metal posts in the ground four to five feet deep. Jabbour stated in his view no other major improvements are required at this time. McMillan congratulated Gabriel Jabbour on his appointment to the DNR Aquatic Invasive Species Committee. Jabbour stated he is very fortunate to be one of the few who got accepted to sit on the committee. Jabbour provided a brief background on the formation of the LMCD. The LMCD was originally established as a regulatory agency and over the years it has taken on some roles that were not envisioned in its original charter. In approximately 1991 or 1992, Orono was granted public access points on Lake Minnetonka, and the statutory language was changed to read that cities may appoint representatives to the LMCD. The AIS Committee of the LMCD has spent approximately 99 percent of the time discussing milfoil and the options available for eradication. Jabbour indicated representatives from the LMA, the DNR, the Corps of Engineers, Three Rivers Park, and the Watershed District, as well as himself, sit on the committee. Every year the Corps of Engineers sends two engineers to the meetings and they provide a considerable amount of information to the committee on aquatic invasive species. Jabbour stated the costs to chemically treat Lake Minnetonka were discussed and it was estimated the cost would be $2.5 million to $3 million per year. The Corps of Engineers have conducted a 5-year study that demonstrated that the majority of the chemicals end up in the deep portions of the lake and do very little to treat milfoil in the shallower parts of the lake. Jabbour presented the City Council with the LMCD’s 2013 Budget and Levy which has been adopted by the LMCD. As part of the budget discussions, the City of Greenwood suggested the LMCD sell the milfoil harvesters and chemically treat the entire lake. Jabbour noted the taxpayers did not pay for the harvesters originally since they were donated. Since the harvesters play a vital role in eradicating milfoil around Big Island, Jabbour indicated he was opposed to the sale of them. Over 150,000 boaters use Big Island every year and the harvesters allow those people access to the island. Jabbour noted the City of Greenwood contributed $6,264 in 2012 while the City of Orono contributed $57,866. Orono will experience an increase of $541 in 2013. The cost to chemical treat each bay would be between $50,000 and $100,000. At the present time the majority of the money is paid for by the shoreland owners but some people are having a difficult time paying the fees necessary each year for chemical treatment and that they would like the public sector to contribute a greater share of the costs. Jabbour stated he would encourage the City Council to think twice about the budget before voting on it. As it relates to dealing with aquatic invasive species, the state’s budget is $4 million, which is intended to cover eradication of milfoil in all the lakes in the state. Jabbour noted the state is currently experiencing an influx of other aquatic invasive species that should also be dealt with. Item #03 - CC Agenda - 02/11/2013 Approval of Council Minutes 01/28/2013 [Page 2 of 11]