HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-13-2023 Council Work Session Minutes Orono City Council
Work Session Minutes
I. ,� Monday, February 13, 2023
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5:00 p.m.
PRESENT: Mayor Dennis Walsh, Council Members Victoria Seals, Alisa Benson and Matt
Johnson. Staff members present were City Administrator/Engineer Adam Edwards, Finance
Director Ron Olson, Public Works Superintendent DJ Goman, Community Development Director
Laura Oakden, Golf and Parks Superintendent Josh Lemons, and City Clerk Anna Carlson.
1. Brush and Leaf Disposal
City Administrator Edwards began discussion with an explanation of why the item was in
front of the Council tonight. He pointed out the main reasons for the brush site and
relayed the evolution of the site since 2017.
Mayor Walsh added why the city began the brush site and the changes that have occurred
since the establishment of the site.
Edwards noted that the volume has considerable increased along with costs for chipping
and it has created a reason to reevaluate the site and discuss its future.
Public Works Superintendent Goman explained that the site has seen more volume in
recent years and added that one way to reduce volume could be to limit use. He added
that he is looking for council input about site concerns.
There was discussion about possibly adding charges, reaching out to other cities to see
what they are doing, the usefulness of having a larger storage area for chips, tracking use,
and varying site hours to help facilitate proper use. There was also discussion about
removing the contractor access and to see if that makes a difference over the next year.
Walsh noted it may just need to be managed differently, however, we should continue to
provide the services for residents.
Edwards added that we have asked brush site workers to come in to help mitigate abuse
of the site from contractors and that seems to also help with volume. He noted that staff
has had discussions about the location of the site and have considered other possible
options for site location.
Council Member Johnson noted that whatever changes we end up making, we should
communicate it to the public to make them aware.
2. Added Item —Council Member Benson
Mayor Walsh added and item of concern to the work session agenda. He noted that is has
come to his attention that Council Member Benson has been attending the Northwest
Hennepin County Mayors association since January. He asked why Benson had attended
the meeting.
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Work Session Minutes
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5:00 p.m.
Benson mentioned that she had been invited to the North West Hennepin County
Municipalities Mayors meeting and attended.
There was discussion of who should attend outside associations and/or agency meetings
on behalf of the Council and that proper etiquette during those meetings as
representatives of the City is important to take into account.
3. City Council—Staff Procedures
Edwards presented the staff procedures and processes for staff-council interactions,
procedures for setting the agenda, Council meeting procedures, and meeting minutes
standards to the Council.
Adjourned: 5:58 p.m.
CITY OF ORONO:
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Dennis Walsh, Mayor
Anna Carlson, City Clerk
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