05-11-2015 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, May 11, 2015 7:00 o'clock p.m. MAYOR/COUNCIL REPORT (continued) Walsh indicated he also talked to some of the Crystal Bay Road residents and that he knows there are some issues with the bump height and the number of bumps. Walsh stated Crystal Bay Road is a pretty active drive-through for people going to the Lafayette Club or people cutting over to County Road 15. Walsh stated there is also an issue with the speed signs since they are 15 miles an hour and the speed bumps are designed for 20 miles. Walsh noted the Public Works Director has indicated there is nothing that shows there should be a 15 mile -per -hour speed limit on that road. Edwards stated he was talking about a couple of local traffic only signs that are not in the City's database showing the City authorized those signs. Edwards stated it is a public road and that he is not sure how he can maintain those signs limiting it to local traffic only. Edwards stated the speed bumps have a range of 15 to 20 miles an hour. Walsh stated the residents would like additional speed humps installed if possible and that he will direct the residents to contact the Public Works Director if they are interested in certain locations for adding speed bumps. Cornick stated over the past week he has received approximately half a dozen calls from residents. All seven phone calls were in favor of the City passing the wellhead ordinance and that he has received no negative feedback. Cornick stated those were the first seven phone calls he has received since being on the Council and that in his view they were generated by the flyer that came out. Cornick noted he also attended the Navarre Initiative meeting and that they are still moving forward with their ideas. Cornick stated it is an excellent committee. Levang stated she would like to read a public statement that she has developed regarding the flyer and that she would like to be very specific about what she sees happening in Orono. Levang read the following: "I find the flyer sent to citizens of Orono, and surrounding communities, to be disrespectful. As an elected official, I accept that my vote will be scrutinized and even challenged. This publication went far beyond the bounds of decency and, instead, discredited citizens, staff, volunteers, and neighbors with its criticism. Our citizens and neighbors did not deserve to be treated so irresponsibly and carelessly with sensationalized headlines and stories seeped in falsehoods. I want to address the issues raised about transparency and the allegation that I voted against videotaping the Planning Commission out of an unwillingness to be transparent. Nothing could be further from the truth. I voted against this proposal because of essential differences in the roles of the Planning Commission and City Council. Planning Commissioners are unpaid volunteers. They are appointed by the City Council and serve as advisors to us. The votes they make are advisory only. Every application they process comes to the City Council for continued study and, ultimately, for a final vote. On the other hand, City Council members are elected officials. We run for office and are elected based on citizen votes. We are paid. Every application we process comes to us with a recommendation by the Planning Commission. Sometimes those recommendations are upheld, at other times they are not. I also take offense at the ungrateful attitude this flyer showed to our Planning Commissioners who work tirelessly as volunteers for the City. Page 20 of 25