HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-22-2025 CC Minutes - work session Minutes
City Council Work Session
1.1 Monday, September 22, 2025, 5:00 PM
('iktstiost.t City Council Chambers 12780 Kelley Parkway, Orono, MN 55356
ROLL CALL
Council members present: Mayor Bob Tunheim, Alisa Benson, Jacqueline Ricks, Steve Persian, Jon
Schwingler.
Staff present: City Administrator Adam Edwards, Parks and Facilities Superintendent Joe
Ruthenberg, Public Works Superintendent DJ Goman, City Clerk Christine Lusian.
FACILITIES
Edwards presented an overview of fifteen of Orono's key facilities and a draft plan for maintaining
them, which is called the five-year capital improvement plan. Oversight of the city's capital facilities
has been consolidated under the Parks and Facilities Superintendent, and each facility is being added
to a computer-based tracking system to support better decision making and responsible asset
management.
City Hall council chambers and parking lot have had essential maintenance, though future
investment is needed in the roofing, workspaces, and building security. The Crystal Bay post office
needs ventilation and heating system replacement and its outdated lease terms requires review. Fire
stations require investments to roofing, ventilation and heating, as well as internet connection
improvements to maintain communications safety systems. Other facilities include the golf course
and clubhouse, which have had recent maintenance; the north water plant needs significant
improvements; and the south water plant requires internet connection improvements to maintain its
communications safety systems. With no power, solar energy may be a possible solution at Big
Island Welcome Center. The municipal parking lot in Navarre was recently rebuilt, while the salt
shed is in need of replacement. The largest recent addition to the city's capital facility asset portfolio
was the Public Works and Parks maintenance operations facility and it is currently under
consideration for solar grants. Though its size and cost prompted discussion, it was designed to meet
current equipment and operational needs while also accounting for expected future needs, such as
additional snowplows, avoiding those expenses in the future.
The group agreed that discussions should continue as priorities are refined, while a general focus is
on maintaining existing capital facility assets,planning for necessary maintenance and
improvements, while effectively controlling long-term costs.
ADJOURNMENT
Work session ended at 5:59 p.m.
ATTEST: CITY COUNCIL
Chri sian, Clerk Bob Tunheim, Mayor