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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, August 8, 2011 <br />7:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br /> Page 7 of 21 <br /> <br />(3. LMCC PRESENTATION, Continued) <br /> <br />studies were done as a class project at no cost to them. The MBA Program gives priority to <br />municipalities and nonprofits. Jabbour stated for the LMCC to spend $55,000 on a study that they could <br />get for free from the Carlson School of Business is unforgiveable. Jabbour commented this project will <br />never see the light of day and that seven cities have already unanimously voted against it. <br /> <br />Franchot commented it is unfortunate that those cities made their decision before they had all the facts. <br />Franchot noted the LMCC does listen to the cities and that they may decide not to go ahead with the next <br />phase of the project, but it is unfortunate that they did not wait until all the facts were compiled. <br /> <br />Jabbour stated he would like every citizen in Orono to have the best services available, but that Orono <br />should only provide the central services that they are good at providing and leave the private sector to <br />provide those other services. <br /> <br />Franchot asked if the City should get out of the community garden business, the golf business, and the <br />Big Island Park business as well. <br /> <br />Jabbour stated those are services that are culturally acceptable to all cities. <br />Printup asked whether Council Member Franchot would be able to vote against funding this fiber optic <br />plan. <br /> <br />Franchot stated he could vote against it but he does not intend to do so at this point. Franchot noted the <br />money is not currently in the recommended budget, so it may be a moot point. <br /> <br />Printup asked if the City Council were to give direction that the Council is opposed to the project, <br />whether Council Member Franchot would go along with that direction. <br /> <br />Franchot stated he would report that that is where the City Council is at but that he would likely still vote <br />for it. Franchot noted there is nothing in the JPA that says the appointed representatives have to vote a <br />certain way and that the City Council has the option of appointing someone else to the commission. <br /> <br />McMillan stated in her view as the City’s representative, if the majority of the Council is against <br />something, he should do what the Council would like done or step aside. <br /> <br />Franchot indicated he would defer to the City Attorney on that point. <br /> <br />McMillan noted the LMCC, in order to provide their community programming, will need to provide all of <br />the latest technology, such as the tablets and iPads, and that there will need to be money in the budget for <br />that. <br /> <br />Franchot stated the money for the technology enhancements is already in the budget and would go <br />forward. Franchot commented the LMCC is not restricting the service that would be offered to the cities <br />one iota. <br /> <br />McMillan stated in her view the two are competing items and could possibly be a drain on the LMCC's <br />budget if they go down that path. <br /> <br />Item #03 - CC Agenda - 08/22/2011 <br />Approved Council Meeting Minutes 08/08/2011 <br />[Page 7 of 21]