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Home My WebLink About12-08-2025 - Minutes - City Council - CC Regular Min 12-8-25 W Minutes City Council Regular Meeting Monday,December 8,2025, 6:00 PM City Council Chambers 2780 Kelley Parkway, Orono,MN 55356 ESH0 Mayor Tunheim called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL Orono City Council members present: Mayor Bob Tunheim, City Council Members Alisa Benson, Steve Persian,Jacqueline Ricks,and Jon Schwingler. Members absent:None Staff present were City Attorney Soren Mattick, City Administrator/Engineer Adam Edwards,Finance Director Maggie Jin, and City Planner Matthew Karney. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE APPROVAL OF AGENDA CONSENT AGENDA 1. City Council Minutes 2. Claims/Bills 3. Tobacco Sales Licenses 4. Donation to Orono Fire Department—Resolution 7653 5. Dissolution of Orono Fire Department 6. Agreement—Shoreline Fire Department Fuel Purchasing 7. Agreement—Long Lake Rowing Facility Use This item was removed from the Consent Agenda 8. Agreements—Prosecution Services—Resolution 7652 9. Agreements—Collective Bargaining for LELS Local 40 and Local 168 10. Personnel Policy Amendments—Resolution 7647 11. Reappoint Seasonal Employees 12. Hire Police Officers 13. Final Pay Request—City Hall and Police Parking Lot Project(25-020) 14. Crystal Bay Business Center Utility—Acceptance 15. LA25-00048, 755 Tonkawa Rd,Variance -Resolution 7654 16. 2026 Employee Pay Scale and Benefits -Resolution 7646 17. Adopt 2026 Capital Improvement Plan This item was removed from the Consent Agenda 18. Adopt 2026 Fee Schedule -Ordinance 318 19. Adopt 2026 Enterprise Fund Budgets -Resolution 7651 20. Adopt 2026 Special Revenue Fund Budgets-Resolution 7650 21. Voting Locations for 2026 Benson moved, Schwingler seconded,to approve the Agenda and Consent Agenda as amended. VOTE: Ayes 5,Nays 0. Two discussion items,work sessions, and Hackberry Park,were also added to the agenda. PUBLIC HEARINGS 22. 2026 Budget and Levy Public Hearing Page 1 of 4 (V....0A;N\\ Minutes City Council Regular Meeting IMonday,December 8, 2025, 6:00 PM �c.`/ City Council Chambers 2780 Kelley Parkway, Orono, MN 55356 s Finance Director Jin presented the proposed 2026 budget and levy. Persian moved, Schwingler seconded,to open public comment.VOTE: Ayes 5,Nays 0. Mayor Tunheim opened the public hearing at 6:23 p.m. Maria Veach, 1065 Willow View Drive, spoke against the 6.72 percent levy increase and asked the Council to vote for a lower amount. Stacy Carisch, 240 Northgate Road, said her increase is double, and she is against the levy increase. Benson moved, Ricks seconded to close the public hearing.VOTE: Ayes 5,Nays 0. Mayor Tunheim closed the public hearing at 6:31 p.m. Benson moved,Ricks seconded,to adopt Resolution 7648 adopting the 2026 Tax Levy and Resolution 7649 adopting the 2026 General Fund Budget.VOTE: Ayes 5,Nays 0. 7. Agreement—Long Lake Rowing Facility Use Ricks asked about the portion of the building that would be used and the availability of an exhibit explaining the request. Pete Jaenchen,2515 Bobolink Rd., Long Lake Rowing Crew representative, explained the new activity, the request for space at the public works facility for indoor training, and took questions from the Council. The City Council discussed the request. Schwingler moved,Ricks seconded to approve the use of the facility by the Rowing Crew and direct staff to negotiate final contract language.VOTE: Ayes 5,Nays 0. 17. Adopt 2026 Capital Improvement Plan Benson noted this had been presented at several work sessions,but the City Council had not had a lot of time for discussion,and suggested a few of the items scheduled for 2026 will need further discussion as they come up. Individual purchases still require separate Council action. Benson moved,Persian seconded to approve the 2026 Capital Improvement Plan as presented. VOTE: Ayes 5,Nays 0. 23. Work Session Schedule Benson asked to schedule more time for the City Council to review the City Code and Council goals for 2026. Council consensus was to schedule a special half-day(four-hour) session on goals and add a time in February to look at City Code overall. 24. Hackberry Park Council members asked for an update on Hackberry Park. Page 2 of 4 Minutes City Council Regular Meeting A ,,. Monday,December 8,2025, 6:00 PM yF C. City Council Chambers 2780 Kelley Parkway, Orono, MN 55356 kE5 H OBE PRESENTATIONS 25. Park Commission Guiding Principles Kim Carswell and Mollie Reynolds of the Park Commission presented the guiding principles that their subcommittee of the Park Commission has been writing. The City's Mission and Vision provide the basis for the Park Commission principles. The consensus of the City Council was in support of the Park Commission Guiding Principles. PUBLIC COMMENTS There were no public comments. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORT 26. LA-2025-000051,4680 North Shore Drive,Variance The City Council is requested to review the Staff report,receive a presentation, and discuss and deny the variance for a rear setback for an oversized accessory building for an addition to an existing 1,008 square foot garage. The addition would not increase hardscape as it would be over the existing driveway. Staff noted the property is unique, and this would be an expansion of a legal non-conforming building,but did not find a hardship. The Planning Commission was split on the issue. The Council discussed the item and asked questions of staff and the applicant representative,Ron Ungerman,Ungerman, Inc.,Plymouth,who explained the property owner is a commercial fisherman and needs a deeper garage so boats can be stored inside. The renovations to the existing unfinished upper level would be for a home office and workout space. The City Council discussed the request,noting the building was already non-conforming and expanding to accommodate longer vehicles would set a precedent. Others pointed out that the addition would not impact hardcover and would keep winter storage of boats out of view. Benson moved,Ricks seconded,to direct staff to prepare a resolution for denial of LA-2025-000051 variance.VOTE: Ayes 2,Nays 3 (Persian,Tunheim, and Schwingler). Schwingler moved,Persian seconded to direct staff to prepare a resolution for approval of LA- 2025-000051 variance.VOTE: Ayes 3,Nays 2 (Benson and Ricks). CITY ADMINISTRATOR/ENGINEER REPORT City Administrator Edwards reported on new email protocols. CITY ATTORNEY REPORT None Page 3 of 4 'cLtilltfre ai\ja Minutes City Council Regular Meeting t Monday, December 8,2025, 6:00 PM c,` City Council Chambers 2780 Kelley Parkway, Orono, MN 55356 ktsti ov-� MAYOR/COUNCIL REPORT Mayor and Council provided reports. ADJOURNMENT Benson moved, Schwingler seconded,to adjourn the meeting at 8:18 p.m.to Monday,January 12, 2026, at 6:00 p.m.VOTE: Ayes 5,Nays 0. ATTEST:Ap AC_ _., 0 qa---- Christi i�rk Bob Tunheim, Mayor Minutes approved by Orono City Council January 12, 2026. Meeting videos and transcripts available at oronomn.gov. Page 4 of 4