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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br /> Monday,January 8,2018 <br /> 7:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> PRESENTATION—ORONO SCHOOL LUNCH FUNDING <br /> Jackie Brown,Orono School District,thanked the City Council for their generous donation to the Orono <br /> School lunch program to help offset the current negative balances. Brown stated negative lunch balances <br /> has become an increasingly sensitive issue and that Orono Schools strive to feed everyone regardless of <br /> their income or lunch account balance. The school district has families who do not always have enough <br /> financial means to provide lunch for their children or who do not qualify for the reduced lunch price and <br /> the school district's goal is to continue to be able to feed every student without increasing the school <br /> lunch program's debt. Brown stated no child should have to worry about a negative balance so they can <br /> focus on the more important goal of education. Brown stated this donation will help replenish the Angel <br /> funds without placing any social pressure on the children and will help bring attention to the issue. <br /> Mayor Walsh noted there was an article on lunch shaming recently in the Lakeshore Weekly. Walsh <br /> stated the members of the City Council want to make sure they help take care of the community and that <br /> as leaders of the community they are trying to set an example for others to follow. Walsh noted Council <br /> Member Printup has been donating to this cause for the past couple of years and that it ways felt this issue <br /> should be brought to the City Council. Walsh stated the objective is to bring attention to the problem and <br /> to encourage people to be leaders in the community. <br /> Mayor Walsh presented a check in the amount of$4,000 to Orono Schools to cover the food service <br /> negative balance. <br /> MAYOR/COUNCIL REPORT <br /> Seals commented she is glad to be back in Orono after getting stuck in Amsterdam and that she hopes <br /> everyone had a great Christmas holiday. <br /> Printup stated the donation to Orono Schools is a great way to start off the New Year and that the spirit of <br /> giving has already started to grow with additional people donating to the cause. <br /> Walsh stated this relates to the private/public partnerships that he has been encouraging be formed and <br /> that people cannot expect government to do everything. Walsh stated community spirit starts with <br /> individual citizens. <br /> Dankey stated she is thankful for good health this New Year. <br /> Crosby commented they are extremely fortunate to live in Orono and that sometimes people forget that <br /> not everyone is well off in Orono. Crosby stated everyone matters,especially the kids in the community. <br /> Crosby stated he is glad everyone had a wonderful Christmas and that he is looking forward to great <br /> things happening in 2018. <br /> Walsh noted there were a couple of articles in the Star Tribune about the City of Minneapolis related to <br /> zoning. Walsh stated the one article talks about zoning codes and how high density changes the character <br /> of the neighborhood. Walsh stated the City of Orono has held firm with the zoning in the City and that <br /> the City Council strives to keep some areas rural. Walsh noted the article states that zoning rules are not <br /> written in stone, which is true, and that in his view the citizens should have a say in whether the zoning <br /> should change. Walsh stated higher density is an issue a number of cities are facing. <br /> Page 2 of 3 <br />