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Home My WebLink About01-10-2022 City Council Minutes MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday,January 10,2022 6:00 o'clock p.m. ROLL CALL The Orono City Council met on the above-mentioned date with the following members present: Mayor Dennis Walsh, City Council Members Aaron Printup,Richard Crosby III,and Victoria Seals. City Council Member Matt Johnson was absent. Representing Staff were City Attorney Soren Mattick,City Administrator/Engineer Adam Edwards,Finance Director Ron Olson,Public Works Superintendent D.J. Goman, Community Development Director Jeremy Barnhart, and City Planner Melanie Curtis. Mayor Walsh called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.,followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. APPROVAL OF AGENDA CONSENT AGENDA 1. CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF DECEMBER 6,2021 2. COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES OF DECEMBER 6,2021 3. SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF DECEMBER 13,2021 4. CLAIMS/BILLS 5. APPROVAL OF RENTAL LICENSES 6. AUTHORIZE LEGAL REVIEW FOR ORONO MUNICIPAL CODE 7. APPROVAL OF SEASONAL EMPLOYEE APPOINTMENTS 8. AMEND 2022 ANNUAL APPOINTMENTS—FIRE ADVISORY BOARD— RESOLUTION NO.7244 9. APPROVE PURCHASE OF GPS DATA COLLECTION EQUIPMENT 10. APPROVAL TO ACCEPT DONATION 11. APPROVAL TO ACCEPT DONATION FOR POLICE DEPARTMENT FITNESS AREA 12. APPROVAL TO ACCEPT CHAD STENSRUD RESIGNATION 13. REQUEST TO HIRE FULL-TIME POLICE OFFICER 14. AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE 2022 SQUAD CARS 15. APPROVAL OF POSITION DESCRIPTION AND RECRUITING Crosby moved,Seals seconded,to approve the Consent Agenda as submitted. VOTE: Ayes 4, Nays 0. PUBLIC COMMENTS There were no public comments. Page 1 of 4 MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday,January 10,2022 6:00 o'clock p.m. PRESENTATION 16. LMCD REPRESENTATIVE UPDATE—RICHIE ANDERSON Mr.Anderson,3205 Crystal Bay Road,gave a presentation on behalf of the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District(LMCD).He noted they had a budget approved the previous year and there will not be an Aquatic Invasive Species(AIS) levy of$11,500 taxed to the City this year as it will come out of reserves,which are at approximately$550,000. Mr.Anderson noted the Finance Committee moved to sell the harvesters and accepted a bid so they are now gone. He shared about the Save the Lake Committee and noted the funding($84,000)for two full-time deputies on the lake noting they will take$44,000 out of reserves to fund this.Mr.Anderson commended the businesses in Orono for donating$32,500 for 2022,and that they are at$78,000 of the$84,000 funding needed for 2022.Mr.Anderson also noted there is now an AIS Committee,which he is also a part of. The committee has come up with funding for new projects and will work on Harrison's Bay,and he is working with some people on Brown's Bay. Mr. Anderson closed by expressing his thankfulness to the City Council for sticking with him and supporting him. 17. RECOGNITION OF POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS Police Chief Correy Farniok is present tonight to recognize the outstanding job the police and fire departments did in severe conditions and also the over-and-above work of officers entering a burning home to make sure there were no individuals inside the house. He read a statement noting on December 27, 2021 at 11:42 p.m. officers responded to a call on Westwood Road in the City of Minnetonka Beach. Information was received that an individual had gas and candles and a fire inside the house. Officers arrived in three minutes and the second floor of the house was fully engulfed with two individuals outside the house—it was unclear whether anyone was still in the building. Officer Mike Fournier and Sgt.Tim Sonnek entered the residence to begin looking for possible victims with no one else located. Chief Farniok noted Long Lake Fire Department responded along with surrounding fire departments and worked through the night in bitter cold conditions.The house was severely damaged and he wants to thank the officers that entered the burning building to look for others and to the many surrounding fire departments that responded. Mayor Walsh thanked them and noted the City Council is behind them 100%. Fire Chief Van Eyll thanked the officers and the other fire departments that helped that evening. FINANCE DIRECTOR REPORT Finance Director Olson shared slides on screen noting they are at 114%of building permit revenues and 104%of adjusted 2021 revenues as of December 31,2021. Page 2 of 4 MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday,January 10,2022 6:00 o'clock p.m. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORT 18. LA21-000069-JEFF HOXIE,HOXIE HOMES OB/O WILLIAM&ALENA SWANSON, 4635 TONKAVIEW LANE,VARIANCE AND RIGHT-OF-WAY ENCROACHMENT AGREEMENT William Severson,Applicant,was present with Architect Mike Eckert, 1039 Nebraska Ave West, St. Paul. Staff presented a summary packet of information. City Planner Curtis stated the City Council reviewed the application in December and gave direction to the applicant to pull new additions to the second story away from the property line at least 10 feet. The applicants have redesigned the second story portion of the addition to follow that guidance and it now meets a 10 foot setback from the property line. Mayor Walsh appreciates that the applicant listened,went back,and redesigned to stay back 10 feet and he supports what the applicant has brought tonight. Printup moved,Crosby seconded,to approve the LA21-000069,Tonkaview Lane variance and to direct Staff to draft an encroachment agreement the meeting.VOTE: Ayes 4,Nays 0. CITY ATTORNEY REPORT Attorney Mattick had nothing to report. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORT Barnhart noted the department is working through the Big Island dock license through the LMCD,the Planning Commission will see the park dedication ordinance that the City Council began working through in November, and he shared that the LMCD is working on some potential code changes to their ordinance which Barnhart and Edwards will work on a response from Orono. CITY ADMINISTRATOR/ENGINEER REPORT Edwards said Staff is using the winter period to work on some human resources initiatives such as updating the personnel policy and handbook, improving vendors for payroll management,and looking at a market comparison study for wages in preparation for the collective bargaining agreement negotiations later in the year.He noted the City Clerk Anna Carlson has been working very hard on getting the organics program up and running and the City is getting a grant from Hennepin County to do the organics work. Page 3 of 4 MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday,January 10,2022 6:00 o'clock p.m. MAYOR/COUNCIL REPORT Crosby had a meeting with the Highway Safety Commission for Highway 12 and shared the Jersey barriers have helped tremendously.He congratulated the police and fire for their response to the house fire,noting it is a tragedy and he encouraged the community to rally around the family during this time. Printup noted the previous day was Law Enforcement Appreciation Day and thanked the police and shared that they are loved.He noted even public works shows up during these emergency scenes such as the fire and they are all recognized and appreciated. Seals stated the police chiefs and local mayors got together and she is glad to hear those conversations are happening. She noted the police are doing their job in crimes,break-ins,etc.,and it sometimes gets missed that they are arresting people;however it is like a revolving door as they keep getting out over and over again. Mayor Walsh clarified the police arrest these people, send them to Hennepin County, and the County lets them back out.This is the circle they are in. Seals shared that Chief Farniok has stated some of the offenders have been in-and-out 14-plus times. It is good to see cities stand together and tell them enough is enough. Mayor Walsh stated the people in Hennepin County—Keith Ellison, Mike Freeman, and the City Council down there—need to start doing the right thing about enforcing the laws. He stated elections count and the people can get rid of them. He noted Orono is doing their part and has great police,fire,public works, and the City Council supports them. ADJOURNMENT Crosby moved,Seals seconded,to adjourn the meeting at 6:51 p.m.VOTE: Ayes 4,Nays 0. ATT T: OP i nna Carlson,City Clerk Dennis Walsh,Mayor Page 4 of 4