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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, January 28, 2013 <br />7:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br />  <br />  Page 3 of 11    <br />   <br />(BIG ISLAND PARK REPORT, Continued) <br /> <br />Jabbour commented he periodically will send e-mails to the City Council in an effort to keep them <br />informed on what is happening with the LMCD and the AIS Committee. Jabbour indicated he welcomes <br />the Council’s input on any issue. <br />Jabbour distributed information to the Council on the dam, ground water depletion, and water levels. <br /> <br />Printup thanked Gabriel Jabbour for his efforts with Big Island and the LMCD. Printup noted there are a <br />number of stakeholders associated with the LMCD, and asked how those entities could all be brought <br />together. <br /> <br />Jabbour indicated the AIS committee attempts to bring all the interested parties together and that one of <br />the main issues is a disagreement over how the aquatic invasive species should be dealt with. <br /> <br />Gaffron noted Staff is recommending that extra mooring posts not be installed at Big Island Nature Park. <br /> <br />Levang moved, Printup seconded, to direct Staff that extra mooring posts at Big Island Nature <br />Park will not be installed for the 2013 boating season or future years unless the Council approves a <br />formal request for post installation and, if approved, the installation and removal costs shall be <br />paid by the requesting party. VOTE: Ayes 5, Nays 0. <br /> <br />PLANNING COMMISSION COMMENTS – JON SCHWINGLER, REPRESENTATIVE <br /> <br />Schwingler stated he had nothing to report but would be available for questions. <br /> <br />PUBLIC COMMENTS <br /> <br />MN State Senator David Osmek introduced himself to the Orono City Council. Osmek noted he was a <br />city councilman in the City of Mound for 11 years and originally was born in Glencoe. <br /> <br />Osmek indicated he decided to run for senate and was elected last November. Current committee <br />assignments include the public safety and transportation committee, the energy and environment <br />committee, and the committee of environment economic development and agriculture. Osmek <br />encouraged the City Council and Staff to contact him with any issues they would like assistance on. <br /> <br />McMillan noted that before Osmek left the Mound City Council, Mound was dealing with the market <br />value exclusion and that she would like the legislature to take a look at that idea. Currently the homes <br />valued under $413,000 are getting breaks while at the same time they are asking the homeowners that <br />own homes above that amount to make up that difference. McMillan commented the state needs to let the <br />cities know what they are going to do on that issue. <br /> <br />Osmek stated they saw that coming when Mound reduced their levy. Basically the state promised the <br />cities that if local taxes were reduced, they would provide additional state aid. The state later reneged on <br />that agreement, which caused a problem for the cities. Osmek stated in his view the state needs to stay <br />away from the property tax system and that he is in agreement some work needs to be done on that issue. <br /> <br />Printup thanked Senator Osmek and encouraged him to get together with Gabriel Jabbour on the AIS <br />issue. <br />Item #03 - CC Agenda - 02/11/2013 <br />Approval of Council Minutes 01/28/2013 <br />[Page 3 of 11]