Okay. Good afternoon and welcome to the Monday, September 29th meeting of the Orno Town Council. Uh roll call shows we have Council Laray, Council Hardison, uh Council Marks, are you online? >> Yes, I am. I'm just attempting to switch my name. Okay. Um, yeah, Council Marks is, uh, operating as Brian McIll for the moment, but she's There she is. She's coming in. And there's Brian in the background. Hey, Brian. >> Needed tech support. Sorry. >> Excellent. Welcome. Um, I imagine it's late wherever you are. So, thank you for being with us. We have councelor Kenny, uh, councelor Matt Powers, Council Baker, and myself. I'm Dan Demerit. So u the first or the second item after we establish who's here is agenda review where we list the items that have been referred to committee. Um we talk about for our own information and for the information of the public. We list those in our agenda. We note that we have one tabled item which was the church of universal fellowship steeple donation request and I'll something acknowledgement on that later on today. And then we go into agenda review and clarification. So I guess the first item we'll throw it to the council. Does anybody have any questions or clarifications about tonight's agenda? It's kind of a long one. We haven't meet met in three weeks because we observe the holiday last week. Okay. I would then turn to item three, which is approval of minutes for September 8th, 2025. Uh can I have a motion on that? >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Any clarifications or comments on the minutes from September 8th? >> I'll just say since I wasn't there, I'll abstain from approving them. >> Okay. Anything else? Okay. We're gonna have to do a roll call. Um, so Council Laray, we're not going to call on you. Councelor Hardway. >> Hard. >> Hardison. My gosh. Sorry. I usually write it down. So, Hardison >> approved. >> Councelor Marks >> approved. >> Council Dearis approved. Councelor Kenny >> approved. >> Council Powers. Council Baker. All right, that is unanimous. Uh six to zero. We'll begin with uh public comment. Whenever we at the start and end of every one of our meetings, we have a public comment period. It's an opportunity for the council to hear feedback from members of the public. We t we ask people um to speak to things during public comment that not on the agenda. Anything that is on the agenda, we would welcome people to join us during those times of the conversation. So, is there anyone who'd like to join us for public comment? Seeing none, uh, we'll move into presentations, discussion items. Item 5 A is discover the main outdoors commercial. Cody, are you going to run that for us? Can we Can I click like for dramatic purposes and give it to you like a Not really. >> All right, here we go. Can you give us some background on kind of where it's running or where it's been seen >> or Clint? I guess >> I can. Yes. Really quickly that we did the discover show with with uh uh that the council knew and approved some tiff funds to do with discover orno talked a lot about our outdoors, the activities you can do here. that ended up being a 15-minute piece, but part of that package was also a 30 secondond commercial that will be aired um uh 2500 times. I think Cody can double check, but I think we paid it includes 25 different commercials. They'll be aired at different times and different segments throughout the next few months. So, this is the final commercial that they came up with and we thought it'd be fun to show it to you here. watching earlier interpretive dance. >> I would love it if you did an interpretive dance. >> Can't get the audio. Send it out after >> Yeah, it was great. Well, segment and the commercial came out better. >> Yeah. Made me want to move there. audio. >> All right. Well, we'll post it on our Facebook page here soon and share it out for the counselors to see. Sorry we couldn't get the audio working for you. >> All right. Well, it's posted on the agenda so people can check it out and we'll But next up is a presentation discussion item for the car and community covered Orno Health Association. >> Yes. So, I'll just say since I uh first raised this with the council, um I it was brought to my uh awareness that the caring community covered and I think they can say a little bit more about this. Um we're having to think uh about um how uh given certain federal cuts to uh food assistance programs and other related issues around the country, they're having to make some tough calls about how exactly they're going to be serving the people who they serve. And uh so they wanted to just raise this to the council and um you know we thought it would also be quite appropriate and important to include oral health association who runs the orno food pantry also in this discussion. So I don't know if whoever would would like to go first maybe I see Marty from the caring community cupboard if you want to come up and talk. >> Yep. And just make sure you uh press the green light make sure that's on. >> Okay. Good afternoon. My name is is Marty Gates. I am representing the >> Excuse me, Dan. There's no audio playing. >> I'll double check it. >> Ah, okay. I saw a reflection of a green light. >> Um, I'm um am a representative of the um of the community cupboard in Oldtown. Um, I'm on the board. I'm volunteer and I'm also accompanied by Linda Bryant who is the founder president of the food pantry. So the reason that I'm here is we find ourselves in um in a difficult situation as Rob just uh just alluded to. Um we have been in operation since 2021. Um we have since that point um served thousands of people. We have had a robust clientele. We've got many registered people from numerous communities um 30 different communities and um including Orno. So that's why that's why I bring we're bringing this to you. We've got u Orno is the second largest um group of communities that we serve. Um we have been getting food donations from um from Hannerford. Um we get their culls on a weekly basis um many times per week. As a matter of fact, we have volunteers that are able to pick up food. We have um food drives. We have um food um monetary donations. We've had a variety of support um mostly from the town of of Oldtown but also some surrounding communities. Um and um we have been uh but our primary uh place that we get food from is Good Sheepardd and Good Sheepardd because of changes in um the in in the government particularly through the USDA um they have they're getting cut back. It's uncertain at this point exactly how much they are were going to end up being cut back. At one point nationwide there was something like 125 million that was being cut back from from the program. But uh the food is the programs are administered by the state of of Maine and u we were told through the food through good sheeperd that we were going to be losing um maybe 30% of our food. So on a weekly basis as it is, we tend to go through a good portion of our um dry goods and canned goods um and pretty much go through all of the food that we have donated from Hannerford. We have to because the food will not will not keep. Um so on a weekly basis we go through enough food that we're in a position where we need to to um use donated dollars to purchase food. So um seeing the handwriting on the wall we had to for the this for this year for the first time we've had to start to restrict the number of communities that we can serve. So um our basis for doing that was mostly communities that already had one or two food pantries. We would um ask those clients to to um seek services there. Um so we are now down to serving um Alton, Argyle, Bradley, um Greenbush, Greenfield, Indian Island, Milford, Orino, Oldtown, and Stillwater. So we're restricting. We also unfortunately had to u tell University of Maine students that since they had the ability to go to the Blackbear exchange that they could see seek services there. Um, we chose not to um to u restrict Orono because of the relationship that Oldtown has always had with with Orono and we thought the first thing that we should do is to um is to reach out. So I reached out to Rob and um we're in a position where we are not in a crisis at the moment but we are looking for creative solutions. So, I'd say that the money that we are going through, um, Linda, you told me >> 3 to 5,000 a month. >> So, 3 to 5,000 um a month right now for the number of people that we are currently serving. Um, so we need um help in terms of money. Um, we need or we could um are looking for help in terms of um grantsmanship. We currently have a facility that we are that was purchased by um by Oldtown and we are um um leasing to own. So we've got $1,000 a month that is going into the purchase of that of that facility. Um so we um we need volunteers, we need um grantsmanship, we need money. Uh basically we um wanted to bring the need to your attention and the solutions are there's many possible solutions. So um happy to answer answer questions. >> Does anyone any member of the council have any questions? >> Council power. >> So I'm just curious what is the percentage of oro? Do you do you have like a percentage of of the total um like how many orno citizens are are are utilizing your food pantry >> in terms of the overall percentage? >> So from from the beginning we've had um 2,392 that are registered in total in Oro that's um um 418 and these are registered um shoppers as we call them. Some of those are families. So there are, you know, sometimes it's a family of one, sometimes it's a family of six. Um, currently the ones that we're serving um that are active um 65 out of a total of of 354. So it's about about a fifth of our total. And Orno is is u is or Oldtown is about um three times that. >> Yeah. So basically about three times um Oldtown's three times higher than Orno. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Any other questions? Rob. Um well if I was going to suggest maybe we get some information from Orno Health Association unless you had some things you want. >> Can I just I did want to say thank you for coming. I really appreciate what you guys are doing up there. I I learned about Orno community orno the community cupboard a year or so couple years ago I guess um I am curious if there's an easy way for anybody now that we have a large viewing audience but uh if somebody wanted to go online and do a monthly giving of whether it's $10 $25 is that is that something that can be done via the website? just just thinking you you like you said there's lots of ways to to go about this and that seems like a community outreach to if people are interested and wanted to do that is that an easy thing or >> Yeah, it's an easy thing. Um you can look on our web page. Um we're happy to receive I'm not sure if we can receive funds directly through the web page but u we're always happy to have um donations and and and many people do. We're also um happy to have um any of you here come see our operation. So, we're happy to have visitors if you'd like to stop by and and see the number of PE. It's really a very impressive organization that that Linda has has organized. Yeah. You know, we have 12 to 15 volunteers every Tuesday when we distribute and we have many other volunteers through the week that are packing, sorting, and gathering the food. >> Yeah, it is an impressive operation. So, appreciate that and I guess encourage people to go online and and and look at how to do that. >> Okay. Yeah. Thank you, uh, Marty for for sharing all of that information. I I part of, uh, what I'm hoping to get out of this conversation is just for us to get a lay of the land of the the various folks who are serving our community um, in this way and how we can best contribute or, you know, what orno council's role is in this. Um, Debbie, are you going to come up and share or um, thanks for coming everybody? >> Think I can keep this straight maybe? >> Yeah. Um, hi, I'm Debbie Averil. I'm president of the Orno Health Association. Uh the Orno Health Association operates the Orno thrift store and also the Orno food cupboard. Um which is a fairly new um activity for us and really spearheaded by our um office manager and thrift store manager, Jen Sonnenberg. Um at the beginning of our operation, we um uh contacted Good Shepard and applied to be a recipient through Good Shepard and we thought we were going to be accepted and then we were turned down because they said there were too many food cupboards in the area. and they mentioned Oldtown, they mentioned uh the university and they mentioned um the Indian island one. Of course, the university one and the Indian island one are limited to the people in those communities. Um and in in the same way that Oldtown is we do not limit um what we do at the um food cupboard to people who live in oro. Um we also we do not receive uh anything from uh anywhere like Hannerford or IG. We purchase things um uh the the health the health association funds um go toward the food cupboard. We allocate funds in our budget every year for the food cupboard. Um, Jen has been successful in getting some uh grants at the very beginning. Um, and uh then we have uh on our web page we have opportunities for people to donate and opportunities for people to go to our Amazon wish list and send things. Um, and uh our other situation is that we operate out of the senior citizen center. Um, we have a householdsiz freezer in the basement. Uh, we uh we use some space on um Wednesdays and Saturdays when the food cupboard is open. We utilize some space in the refrigerator briefly during the day. Um but of course one of the things that not being a part of good sheeperd means is that um we don't have the opportunity to get the kind of more perishable sorts of things. Um you know like uh meat and cheese, bread, milk, that kind of thing. Uh unless we purchase them. Um and we do operate twice a week. Um and we we have seen uh a smaller number of folks than Oldtown. We've been in operation uh not as long. Um but in September uh we saw 173 and the year before it was 107. Um in terms of numbers we saw uh it was 131 from uh Orino 39 from Oldtown and 70 other folks. Um and um we have seen in the last month and I think this is also what Oldtown is seeing particularly as people get letters indicating that their SNAP benefits are going to be decreased. Um we've seen a tremendous uptick in the number of people uh seeking help. Uh we've also been uh extremely fortunate that one of our um Orno Farmers Market folks does provide us with uh a protein item when we ask him. He's very very generous. John Barnstein at Mainly Poultry. And um in addition to that, we receive some vegetables during the growing season from Rogers Farm at the university and also from our own community garden um that DJ Smitherman runs. But that of course that kind of produce only happens in the summer. Um, and so we're really going on uh basically what people donate to us and what the health association can fund. Um, and I think um, Jen is an excellent shopper and she finds incredible amounts of things. Also, in addition to this, you need to remember that we support a backpack program at all levels of Orno schools so that on a Friday afternoon, kids take home a backpack of non-p perishable items and some fruit so that they have food over the weekend. And we're close to 70. Oh, for the backpack program. fact. >> Yeah. >> Split because it's split between the three schools. It just goes home with one sibling. Um so, so far this year, I believe we had 16. It will probably increase over the school year. Um but I think we're starting with 16 families. So, it might be um a family with one child. It could be done with five. >> Right. So, that's sort of where the 70 came from. Um and and also um to to reiterate what Marty said, the numbers that I gave you are bags that went out and that could feed a family of one to there are there is one family I know that we're serving that is eight people. Um, so I think what we're looking at here is a problem that is not unique to Oro and Oldtown. And I think we're going to continue to see um increased need as time goes on here. Um, and when we think about people losing their affordable care health insurance and having to come up with that, I think we're going to find that food insecurity is not getting any better. Um, we have also uh we do also uh interestingly enough and we always have for the last at least five or six years, the Orno Health Association supports Good Sheepard. We send money to Good Sheepardd every year. Now, in the past year, we did decrease a little bit the money that we were sending to Good Sheepardd because we needed the money for our own food covered. Um, so uh and I think Jen has recently uh had some communication and said we'd be happy to apply again. Um but uh as I say we don't have anybody calling a grocery store or anything like that to help us provide and we don't have the infrastructure a building or anything like that but we are certainly seeing need. The other thing that I would say is a great deal I think when I because I do volunteer in the food cupboard and in the thrift shop. The folks who are coming a goodly portion of those folks are from Hasbrook and um uh Longfellow and they're not people who who drive. uh they're walking over from uh our facilities, our our uh places in Orino, and sometimes one of our volunteers is carrying the groceries home for them. Um so we've been very fortunate to work with Rogers Farm. Um, but they also the gleaning that happens at the farmers market and the growing that happens at Rogers Farm is divided among a variety of um food programs. You know, some of it goes to homeless shelters, it goes to lots of other places. So, I think what we're seeing here is a uh a limited resource stream that is trying to cover a lot of different places. It's not the need that isn't there. So, that gives you a little bit of an overview. I I'd be happy to answer questions or have Jen answer them. >> Does anyone have any questions? >> Rob, anything else? >> Just >> um Thank you for that. When did you you are you guys a year in or two years? >> March was a year. Okay. It's great. >> Yeah. >> Appreciate everything you guys doing and obviously a much needed service. So, thank you. >> Yeah, I echo all the the thanks for all the work that all of both of your organizations are doing. Um I'm curious what thoughts are from the council about um what might make sense as far as um how we can contribute to help make sure people are getting what they need in our community. I think um certainly on the spot. I mean, I think that I'd like to see that the town I'd like to think about how the town could promote the donation opportunities for people. Um but I do think it's I think it's a discussion we should schedule and have, you know, with the benefit of staff kind of thinking about a little bit in terms of where we are, what we can do. Um but I'm open to other suggestions. Yeah, I don't I don't have any, I guess, great ideas off the top of my head, but I I would definitely support I mean, this is obviously one of the most basic needs in in our community, roof, food. Um, and hearing these numbers, I think, is is is a little bit eye opening. And I think um because often I think in Orno we feel sort of like, well, there's not that stuff isn't doesn't go on here. And I I know I know it does. and um being cognizant of it, trying to promote it is one thing. And you know, as we look at things that the town does, um I think that's a probably one of the most worthy causes. Um and that's from CheapKate Leo, who doesn't like to spend money. So >> something would like to say more closely related the number. >> Certainly um a lot of folks in the community know about us. Um certainly help. We do get a lot of donations from from personal folks. Nora >> and can someone unmute again or put the light on? >> Yeah. >> Oh yeah. >> She wouldn't mind going to the podium. >> Podium. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. Sorry. Maybe >> um I was just saying that um donations from the community are certainly helpful. Our biggest problem beyond the need is the space. Um our cupboard is very small. It's literally a cupboard. Um and it is tucked on the back stairway and behind the kitchen um at the community center. Um and we can only fit so much stuff in there. So, as we increase our need, um, we're going to need to increase our space. Um, that's sort of the next thing in the back of my mind. Um, is how we do that. And, you know, all the donations in the world are wonderful, but you have to have a place to put them. Um, and that's our big that's for me that's my what keeps me up at night is is the thought of how we do that. Jacob, that actually seems like one area where the town could very easily help. Um, yes, I'm speaking for you, Clint, on this, but we have a lot of We often talk about how much empty space or um space that we have. So, that could be >> I'd love I would love to talk with anybody about it. I I I'm all ears. Clinton and I have had a discussion about it. We have met We have Matt >> Smart. >> Yeah. >> Lots of projects. No, it's good. Yeah. So, I guess per what you raised, Dan, would it would it be sensible for us to schedule in a discussion uh with staff having some benefit of having thought about, you know, what we have available? >> Yeah, we could talk about it when the I mean, anyone can always put something on agenda, but I mean, I like the idea of working it through staff so they're not um so they have the time to be informed. So, I guess Council Marks and I meet with Clint before every council meeting so we could talk about when would be the right time to kind of have that and sequence that conversation and reach back out to people and make sure they're here when we have it. So, does that make sense, Debbie? >> General welfare requests. Yeah, Debbiey's talking about general welfare having insights in general welfare requests through the health association has Should I do this? >> Yeah, come on up. >> A quick shout out's okay from the from the audience. But yeah, >> the health association has always provided funding to any of the churches in the community so that they can also provide things like Hannifford gift cards and things like that to people in in their purview. Um so the health association's kind of been involved in food security for a long time here. Um, and um, I think one of the advantages, not the only advantage because Jen is right upstairs, but one of the advantages of the place where we are now is the fact that Hasbro and Longfellow are so close and so those those elders can get there really easily. So, >> okay. Thank you, Debbie. All right. So Rob, we we'll stay in touch with you and then we'll have the leadership discussion. And Matt, did you >> Yeah, I'm also very interested in um the issues that are involved around that particular building um because there's a lot of um things and and I think that maybe there can be some synergy with that too because the health association um they fund most of this stuff through um not only with donations but of course through the thrift store and so it's important that our thrift store be viable to all sorts of people and be a place that is um that services as many people as possible and is a place that can maybe even increase to some extent and they are absolutely at their limits at the space that they have there for anything for donations for everything. So this is all interconnected to be able to fund food. They need space to be able to have the the ability to fund to get the funds. They need some space. So this is a good time to talk about that. I mean, I'm also thinking about the fact that I mean, you've raised um you clearly are uh meeting some capacity issues and um making sure that we think through seriously what it might look like to uh uh make sure that the organizations like Caring Community Cupboard are adequately supported so that a bunch of oro residents um still are getting what they need. I'm I'm curious um if there is any timeline or deadline or or are there dates coming up where um caring community covered folks are seeing um there might be um you know a new uh increase in need or something. >> Yeah. This point u we don't know exactly what's going to happen with with state and federal funding. There is a state effort right now um LD 145 that could be beneficial for good sheep sheepard um and there may be some changes at the federal level so there's a lot of unknowns right now we are not con contemplating in the near future um you know cutting off people from from oro so no there's not a deadline if we um continue to face pressure our next move might be to to do what we have to do to we also have have families and elderly, you know, in in our greater community. So, >> thank you. >> Well, thank you, Council Lowry, for bringing this to our agenda and thank you for the work that that Oh, Council Mark, sorry. >> Thank you. Um, and thanks to all the presenters. Everyone's already said a lot of those thanks, but thanks again. Um, Dan, can we just be clear that I want to be clear what we're asking staff for? So, I heard two different things. I heard requests around space potentially and access to space that the town might provide for the oro operation, but I also heard in just in general requests for funds. So, I'm assuming staff is being asked to come back to us with a proposal about if council did decide to provide some kind of funding where that could come from in the budget. >> I don't think of those requests being made or only one. >> Yeah, I don't think um I I don't think they're being asked to come back with a detailed proposal yet. I think they're being asked to be prepared for a convers a council conversation. So maybe a discussion item that we have as a council once they've had a chance to work on it as opposed to you know you could cut this out of the budget so you could you know add this to the budget that kind of thing. >> Okay. Thank you. >> That makes sense. Yep. >> Could or should the ask the initial ask be for staff to come back and tell us where this would fit in amongst the the list going on? I think that's going to end up being more and more what we hear from what we ask of what we hear from and what we ask of and what we need to listen to when we work with um staff. So >> fair. >> Yep. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. Thank you everyone for participating. Um we'll move on to item six, which is a public hearing um to consider an automobile graveyard and or junkyard permit for the town of Oro off Taylor Road. Do we have a staff presentation on this first? Clint, can I use the gav? I going to use the gav when we close it, not when we open it. Pat Smith, code enforcement officer. Uh, we have completed all inspections for the town landfill and staff is recommending approval. Okay. Any clarifying questions from members of the council? Okay. All right. And I guess we'll turn it open. Is there any public comment? Okay. Mr. Le Point, right? >> Yes, sir. >> Please join us. Patrick, you got to make way. >> Yeah. Thank you very much. We like those hearings to be right to the point. Dan, can you just introduce yourself for folks, please? And welcome. Thank you for joining us. Um, okay. Mic's on. Great. Was over at the University of Maine. >> Can you introduce yourself first, Dan? >> Oh, I'm Daniel Le Point. My legal address is 201 Kelly Road and my campaign manager that gets a lot of my mail is at 173 Kelly Road or Main. Um, I have a little bit I have a real bone to pick, but you know, sometimes God provides things and and silences us. I had reams of information that I wish to bring and and as a friend of the council to bring forward to you and it was all on one computer and that blessed computer is now in the hands of a forensic specialist. Hopefully I can revive that information. So I neglect to bring this early to your attention. At the University of Maine outside the union is a beautiful statement. Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere. The original um um deal with the junkyards in the town of Orno, there was four junkyards. Sadly, there's only one. And now the only people that have it is the town of Orino. And there is some profit there. Admittedly, maybe not huge. There might be negative, but nevertheless, it some of the junk is sold. And um that's a singular collection site, if you will. Um, I have a little bit of a hard time because the original issue with um, uh, the junkyard that the town took, uh, Le Point's junkyard to task was one on a deadend street obstructing traffic or taking people's eyes off the road and looking at junk cars going by. But on a dead end street, that one stretches the imagination. So here we look outside this town beautiful town hall the town office and the fire station. There's a sign that's flashing all the time. Is that a distraction? We look around the community because there's people with a different ideology that wants to be noticed more than us. From crosswalks to figurines all over the place having meaning. I don't know. But you know maybe I don't agree with it that it is a singular thing within the community. My problem is is focus here. So from four junkyards competition is now one and that's in this in in the governance. There's a um a problem here and we were going to work it out. Paul Tangurn and and uh the town manager, we were going to get together and talk about this. So, I don't want to do anything of any surprise except I want to say where was my notice? It never came. And the problem is that we have an issue here that is before the Supreme Court. This very same one was served on the Supreme Court of the state of Maine. It was also served uh or presented as a friend of the government of Maine and it was the AG also received that. Now in the past I had brought the similar attention with maybe not as good uh legal ease here when Governor Leage was in office and that was in the form of Remonstance. Then the town attorney was Aaron Fry and that had to do with um the very problem that I was going to bring uh to your attention recently. Ponopscott County Commissioners, I also was in front of them. They they embraced this uh also very well because this is a something that needs to be done and it's it's important. I'm not trying to do a double speak, but I wish to have uh a presentation and integrity. I stand without notice. My junkyard wears it. I I look uh I look on the thing and it's just a little s uh sound bite, if you will, or a little paragraph that says town of Arno junkyard. So, I'm going to register opposition to this. And the reason I'm registering opposition is the singularity and that the government now profits. We have reasonable cause to consider that the UN through its agendas has presented itself through the comprehensive plan. We're singular within our uh businesses here. It's pro positive and negative. How many how many places where people have uh beer and beer is being made? A lot of them. Where are all of the uh earth services that were within the town of Oro today almost non-existent? And where is the um idea that you know singularly you go after the need to present issue and obstacles to the businesses within the community from taxes to uh uh difficulty on just this very same thing. You look outside there's a sign flashing all the time. Does that distract uh traffic? the same thing with those signs. Now, the issue, >> Mr. Point, this is Dan Dan, I gotta stop for a second. This is a a public hearing on an automobile graveyard or a junkyard permit for the town off Taylor Road, and I'm not sure >> where >> we're going to confine our comments to to this particular piece of business that's in front of the town council. >> Well, thank you. I appreciate that. And I will accommodate that. So the case that began originally that set the grandfathering that you were the town was supposed to adhere to there's two elements to this. The first it it was in um 94 LU00007 and that was a district court case. Then it became the Supreme Court in Maine and it's part of stat >> Sure. Yeah. Please we've met on this multiple times. But I mean I I have for a moment and I wish to express these two uh issues. >> But does it relate to the I mean as the chair askes what does this have to do with the town's junk permit other than you oppose the junkyard >> very much so and and and part of my statement is this. Now may I condute but we got to move on too. Okay, if you look at the Supreme Court which is part of statute that has obligatory Oro hasn't done and that's uh 698 A to the number two small letter D 059 and that is statute and that is com you have to comply. I have not seen the compliance to that. We'll talk a little more about this. I'm sure you have freedom to do what because in the past time has been modified accordingly and it's been very it's been fair. Okay. So as such now the um uh the sorry for a few moments I I got caught and and so but my issue is is to have opposition in from four junkyards and I can list all of the reasons why they're not there today down to one junkyard and there is No enterprise, there is no competition, there is nothing here and town of Voro is the benefactor of this. Now does it help the people of Voro? Yeah, they have to have a place to bring this stuff and the materials that they dump out there. But the junkyard aspect of this is something that I take in great opposition that it's now singular. So I would ask you please if not for the misfortune electronically for my uh computer to absolutely die and I have it in forensics specialist right now and I should be able to get that I hope tomorrow sir um I'll meet with uh the town manager this on this issue. The second thing that is very very important and this is a big issue or from that legal case came uh like a $75,000 fine or was to facilitate $100 a month on that fine and distribute it to the parties. To my knowledge and belief that has never happened. It's about half paid off and there is a lean out there that that I have problems with. Now again we will discuss this further but I'm bringing this to your attention that's saying that there's no small adversity and there is a serious question here as as to the singularity for the town to have without anybody any other enterprise within the community the junkyard. >> Okay. >> Thank you for listening to me. >> Yep. >> I appreciate that. >> Yep. Appreciate that. I appreciate uh staff's time and attention meeting with meeting with Mr. Le Point. Anyone else like to be heard on this topic either here or online? Okay, we will close the public hearing on um oh, Jessica. >> Oh, that was you. All right. Well, you don't get to go again, but thank you. Um um all right, we'll let me close it now. Closed the public hearing and we'll turn to acknowledgements by council members and we'll start with councilway your side of the table and work our way right. I'll go last. >> Not at this time. >> Councelor Hardison. The only thing I could mention is on the Orno neighbor to neighbor Facebook page, there was mention of the crossing guard at Westwood helping a student on the way to work on the way to school who'd had a little bike accident. And I just it takes a village and I'm think we're lucky to have the crossing guards that we do. >> That's very nice. Council marks a thank you to Cody and our IT folks for making this remote participation possible. Appreciate it every time I need it. Councelor Kenny. Um, >> just want to acknowledge our guests that that presented tonight, Caring Community Cup and Orner Health Association. Really appreciate you guys coming uh to the meeting tonight. >> Council Powers. >> I just want to say go Riots. The uh boys team is undefeated, although they did have a um tie this weekend, but the boys soccer team is going well and thanks for all the people who come out and watch those games, especially it's kind of nice that they can be later now and so there's even more people coming and watching the games. >> Council Baker, >> nothing at this time. >> All right, I got a couple. I want to thank um I saw some we had some con questions about construction down in the basin uh rather the tough end. Well, I guess the bas and the tough end um and the way that he island kind of brings them together and people jumped in the neighbor to neighbor page, but then people were also referring each other to the orno engage tool that the town managers created and that Cody has done a great job of promoting. So, it was great to see citizen oncitizen kind of education on that and and not coming from a member of the council or the staff. So, I was happy to see that and I was happy for the responsiveness um that the town had in regards to those questions. I ran into um I wanted to acknowledge sorry I got um ran into Mike Griffin um and he mentioned that there's a steeple fundraiser this Saturday October 4th uh from 6:00 to 7:00. Stephen is it Kuseno? Is that how you pronounce Steven's name? Yep. His Seest Bon food truck will be there from 6:00 to 7:00. So it's a great opportunity to support the steeple. Um, and me and my family would be there because I'd rather um I' I'd rather contribute that way instead of voting for they're very close. Mike was telling me that they're getting really close to their their fundraising goal. And as people note, it's tabled on our agenda and I'd be very happy to be able to um to participate in the fundraiser as opposed to voting on uh the just for reasons that I've expressed before. But I'm excited about the progress they've made. And finally, I wanted to acknowledge and I maybe I'll leave this for my council I'll leave this for my council chair report after. So that'll close acknowledgements and council um acknowledgements by council members. Item eight is consent agenda. This is where we really start moving. Um the consent agenda is a block of items moved and voted on as a single action with no discussion by the council or members of the public. Uh council members or members of the public can ask us to pull anything off and we'll deal with it as an action item later in the meeting. Is there one of them? Okay. So maybe we're not move quite as fast as I'd hope. But all right, here we go. Leo has one. >> Um, could we remove 25 235 uh the municipal waste hub discussion >> or it's a nomination, but I I had asked wanted to I had sent some questions that I'm uh would like to discuss on that one. >> Okay, you got that >> 2525. >> All right. Is that going to go at the end of action items? I' >> Okay, let's do that for now. Um and then let's go. Anybody else? Council Marks, did you have one? >> Yeah. Can we also remove 25230? >> Yes, we can do that as well. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Anything else coming off? All right. I'll take a motion. >> And Dan, did you say those go at the end of the action items? Is that >> right now? Yeah, I'll put them at the end of the action items. >> Okay. I might or might not still be on by then, but I was going to request earlier if possible, but that's fine. Thank you. >> Well, we'll do it earlier if you want. So, I mean, I appreciate you being here with us from from afar. So, we'll do it that way. Okay. >> Thank you. >> Um, yeah, no problem. >> Let's do her that one at the beginning. >> Second. >> Okay. Well, let's do the resolution first and then we'll do that one. Okay. Because we have a lot of people here for that. Uh, we got moved and seconded. So, we're going to do a vote. Councelor Lway >> in favor. >> Councelor Hardison >> in favor. >> Council Marks >> in favor. >> Council Demarz in favor. Council Kenny >> in favor. Council Powers >> in >> favor. >> Council Baker. >> Yes. >> That's unanimous. And um that closes out the consent agenda. And now we're going to move on to there's a lot of them. And thank you to staff for all the work that goes into those and providing the um you know don't Yep. >> Yep. A lot of work. So thank you to staff for all that work and providing transparency around those items. Order 25237. Can we have an order regarding the resolution celebrating oral festival day? >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Um this kind of speaks for itself. We had uh we've talked about um it was a council goal to bring back festival day and and we did a lot of work with volunteers and members of um staff and counselors. And so we wanted to celebrate and thank our our sponsors. And we also have uh get your camera ready Cody because we got a check presentation coming up. Um so why don't we do the resolution first and then so I guess that's kind of the presentation. Anybody have any questions about it? I was going to read kind of the highlights real quick. Okay. Um I'll skip to the the now therefore be it resolved by the Orno Town Council. The Ornal Town Council officially recognizes and celebrates the successful Orno Festival Day held on September 6, 2025. Be it further resolved, the town of Orno extends its deepest gratitude to all sponsors and partners for their invaluable contributions, which are essential to the success of this cherished community event and charitable contributions of $2,570 to be split evenly between the Black Bear Mutual Aid Fund and the Orno Food Cupboard. The Orno Town Council specifically thanks the following sponsors. Brian and Andrea Hardison, Cassella, Collins Center for the Arts, Seir Bus Line, Damon's Beverage, Gas Horse Supply and Western Wear, Oldtown Portable toilets, Orno Arcade, Orno Health Association, Orno Oldtown Kowanis, Pepsi, Sergeant Corp, SR1 Equipment, Sunny Smoke Shop, Touch of Grace Flower Shop, Tyler Technology, University Credit Union, University of Main Center for Student Involvement, University of Maine Department of Athletics. The town council also extends its sincere appreciation to all OR orno volunteers and especially to Nancy Marx, Linda Doherty, Natalie Wright, Jamie Ballinger, and Deb Debbie Averil for their Tyler's efforts. A special thanks thank you to is also extended to our coordinator Mina Chen Chandra Secar and to the town staff and departments led by assistant town manager Mitch Stone for their exceptional dedication and hard work in making Ornal Festival Day 2025 a resounding success. any so I guess we'll have a time to do a roll call to pat ourselves on the back. Um but then we're gonna hand over a check and thank everybody as a community. You know it's a big thud pound in the back for councilway >> in favor. >> Council Hardison. You going to vote? >> Should I vote? >> Yeah, of course we're going to vote. >> In favor? >> Yeah. Well, I'm on the thing so in favor. >> Yeah, we're not giving you any. In fact, it's the exact opposite. But council marks >> in favor. >> Council Marrison in favor. Councelor Kenny >> in favor. >> Council Powers. >> I Yes. And in favor >> say yes. >> Council Bakers. Yes. >> Favor. >> All right. And that passes. And I'd like to invite up um the BlackBerry Mutual Aid Fund and our friends from the Oral Food Cupboard to come up and get a check presentation. Can we just do two checks? You guys want to come up? >> Thanks. You want to come around? >> Don't all get up at once. I don't want you. >> Yeah. >> Right. Linda, you want to come up? >> Thank you. I appreciate that. >> Can you get Sarah in the background again? >> Yeah, let's move this way. To the right. travel. Everyone ready? >> Amazing. actually that This was a community like >> couple straight might actually We got another couple >> already. >> They're taking the money and running. Or watch them. Thank you very much. Really appreciate all the help. >> All right. Uh we're going to move which one first? We're going to do order 25230 first. Um move that from the consent agenda to the action items. So those looking for it, it's under the consent agenda. Under 25230. Okay. I have a motion is order setting the date of October 20th, 2025 at 5:00 PM for a public hearing to consider amendments to the town of Orono code of ordinance chapter 30 solid waste. >> Moved. >> Second. >> Okay. And seconded. Sarah, do you want to >> um Yeah, >> we have for >> Yeah. I just wanted to say that the reason I asked for this to be pulled is really for me more of a process issue that um this is something we sent to the ordinance review committee and uh just procedurally I would like us as a council to hear something from the ordinance review committee summing up what kind of changes are here. Um just again for the public before we call a public hearing I'd like to hear back what the point was of the changes. I I'm going to say that my understanding when we sent it there was that some of it was just making sure it accurately reflected what we were doing. I think some of it was taking out references to specific companies. But I did notice when I looked at the redlinined version that there is something added in about um trash pickup being available for all rentals with less than four units or maybe up to four units. And I'm not aware if that was a change or just simply what we already had been doing, but it wasn't in ordinance. And I guess I would just like some of that clarified from someone on staff or the ordinance review committee before sending this to a public hearing so that maybe the public knows what what significant changes if any there are in here. >> Yeah. I know, you know, that's hearing lies the point of having a public hearing um to have those discussions and I don't think we're prepared as I know I'm not prepared as a committee member to lead that discussion. >> Well, well, I mean, I I will say um I I agree that I I might well I might be disagreeing with you on your raising it as a process point because that would be the point of the public hearing to my understanding, but I'm open to hearing sort of your differing perspective on that. I will also say your characterization of at least most of the changes in here are right. They're mostly cleaning up language, bringing them into just what we're already doing. Um, as well as removing references to particular companies that we had been in interaction with in the past. Uh, the other bit that you're referring to, I'm not I'm I forget exactly the nature of that. I don't know if Clint is ready to discuss that or not. >> I'd like to check with staff on that one, but if it was my recollection, that is the rule. We do limit it to four units or less and it never said that in any of our ordinances. So, I think the staff said we should be if that is what we've been operating on, it should say that in there. But I would like to double check that with Shel and again that's something we can have answered for the public hearing. >> Okay. I I guess >> can I'll just weigh in Sarah if I could just say I actually do agree with your process suggestion. And I think that's that would be I think probably the intent that it comes to the council and the coun I mean that's what we're doing obviously but it makes sense that we have a have sort of a brief discussion and overview of what the change was and uh with with regards to the four I I don't know what page it's on or anything but I can say that this that was that piece was sort of driven by me and we did a you know staff did a quick check and kind of learned I I was looking to expand it to not count four units, but you get four dispensers. And that's so it doesn't matter if you can fit again if there's if you have six one-bedroom apartments, it's going to create less waste than four three-bedroom apartments. So that that was the angle. And when we looked at the numbers, it was kind of a fail fail fast sort of thing. It didn't it it it didn't make sense. So we didn't change anything. And I'm not familiar. Yeah, we would require Shelley to know that if if it wasn't specifically written in there, but that is how we were operating. So that was the whole premise of the thing. So >> that's my my my understanding on the committee. >> Yeah, we were on the committee. >> Okay. >> Sarah, did you have more that you were going to say? >> Yeah, I did. I I guess I just want to say again that I really do feel strongly that committees don't have the ability to send something to a public hearing. only council does. And I think it's a mistake for council to send something to a public hearing when we haven't had a brief summary of what the basic changes are. I think it can be a discussion item. It can be a twominut summary, but I don't think council should send things to a public hearing when we haven't at least had a mini report back from a committee. I don't want a precedent where committees essentially are sending things straight to public hearing with council just rubber stamping. So perhaps that's something we need to revisit as a council, but um it feels very important to me. Um committees are delegated with certain tasks and only council can send things to a public hearing. So I appreciate that very quick summary is all that I needed and all I would like when committees are bringing something back. Thank you. >> Okay. Any more discussion? Any since this is an action item, any comments from the public? Um, >> I know I'm not a public, but um, in responding to your concern, would it just be I think going forward the difference between what we did tonight and what you would like to see? Would it be something like just not having it on consent agenda? >> Absolutely. and just literally a couple lines from the committee to say >> we looked at this question, we didn't recommend a change or you know maybe something like all we did was you know update um the ordinance with what we were already doing but if there was a significant change to highlight you know there is a section where we made significant changes. Thank you. >> Yeah. Yeah, definitely. And I think I I'm totally in support of that. I think that makes a lot of sense just for the record. >> Okay. So, as we plan these agendas, we can bring them in as action items as opposed to consent agenda items and have brief conversations like this. And then let's be mindful of that in our agenda setting meetings. And we'll try and unless there's any significant push back, we'll try it that way. Okay. All right. We're going to close this action item and >> close >> kind of. But you got something for us if you introduce yourself again. >> Just just procedurally. >> Sure. >> And it it concerns me a little bit. Um what the council person said about the only ones that can bring this forward perhaps is the council or the people from uh working within the governance of Orno. I the people always need to have an opportunity to speak and that's my petition and I would like never to be shut down for the input from the people within the community for whatever reason because you know I mean you're all nice people and everything but I don't see any crystal balls that you can look at and anticipate everything that's going to come before you. So, okay. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, D. >> All right. So, now we have um order What's that? I know. Ready? >> Okay. Order 20. I was getting there, but there's no telling, you know, no way knowing where I was going. Yeah. Order 25230 is before us. Um, councilway >> in favor. >> Council Hardison >> in favor. >> Council Marks >> in favor. >> Council Dear in favor. Councelor Kenny >> in favor. >> Council Power >> in favor. Council Baker in favor. Great. Excellent. So, we're going to have a public hearing. Um, thank you for that. And next up, Leo, you okay if we just move down the order from now on? Thank you. Um, yeah, you're sticking it out. Good. Um, order 25238 is order removing order 25225 from the table. Could I have a motion? >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Any discussion? Okay. Um, all right. We have to vote. Any comments from the public? >> We can I don't know what it is. >> It's the next one. It's right below it on the agenda. >> Oh, >> it's the Zach bike bid on the three water street. >> We're not. So, councilway >> in favor. >> Councelor. >> So, hold on. Can we have >> Oh, sorry. >> Sorry. I I I thought that was from somewhere else. I didn't even catch that was the one below it. So, we are we're removing that. Is there any >> We tabled it a couple weeks ago, right? >> Three weeks ago. Now we're going to bring it back up so we can talk about it. I think Mitch is ready to walk. >> No, we're removing it from the table. Sorry. >> Um, no problem. All right. So, we had two votes for Council Marks >> in favor. >> Council Dear in favor. Council Kenny >> favor. >> Council P >> in favor. >> Council Baker >> in favor. Excellent. Now, that's off the table. Can um I don't need another order now because it's off the table, right? >> I do need to approve. Okay, I need a motion to approve order 25225 >> in favor. So yeah, so move second. >> Seconded and staff presentation looks like from Mitch Stone. >> So I think Clint and I are going to kind of tag team this, but um we've heard back from Mr. Pike and he is no longer interested in the property. So, we wanted to maybe take this opportunity to see if there was a an a way to how we move this forward because he um we put it out to bid twice now and the second time we went through all the biders and no one has accepted it. So, Clint, I guess take it from there. So I guess the only suggestion if you could amend this, you could tonight give the authority under the or under ordinance for the manager to negotiate a negotiated sale subject to further council approval. I would tell you I would go back and speak to the three biders and see if there's any way we can get them back at the table, if there's a way they would buy it. And if they would, um, it is a recommendation of myself and the staff that it's in the best interest of the town just to sell this. It's a good public a good piece of land that somebody could use at whatever value and it has no designated purpose of the town. You've tried to sell it twice. Um, third time negotiated sale if you're interested. But again, it is subject to council approval. I'd have to bring it back to you. >> So, you'd only negotiate with the the >> I'd start with those three and then figure out what to do from if none of those three are interested at all with zero dollars being offered, then I'd have to reassess and I would come back to you. >> Okay. Any questions for >> as a neighbor looking at the bordered up windows across from my house. I'm all in favor of you trying to figure out how to get this off our books and into somebody's hands. So, >> let's give it to Joseph from the university. No. All right. I'm going to acknowledge you during my manager report. So, don't don't leave. I promise you we're not going to give you that. We won't just make you take it. Okay. Anybody have any other comments or questions about it? So, just to be clear, um what Pinch has suggested is that we amend this order to uh or maybe not suggest it. You're you're saying it's something we could do um as uh is amend this to just give the town manager the authority to go back and do some negotiation with these folks. >> Sounds like it. >> Okay. >> What would that language sound like? Would that say order authorizing the town manager to engage in further discussions and come back with a negotiated sale agreement to the council or what exactly would that say? Clint, >> someone want to second council Marx's sounds like a motion to me. Sarah, you got it pretty close. Is the chair >> moved by council marks. Is that okay, Sarah? >> That's fine. >> Second. Did you get it? >> Okay, she'll Yeah, we'll watch it. Okay. Any discussion about seconded? moved and seconded by councelor Baker. Okay, any discussion on the motion. Okay, so let's go with a vote. Anybody want to be heard on it? Okay, go with the vote. We're going to go with councelor Larway >> in favor. >> Council Hardison >> in favor. >> Council Marks >> in favor. >> Council dear in favor. Councelor Kenny >> in favor. >> Council P >> in favor. >> Council Baker >> in favor. >> All right, that's the that's the amendment. Now we have to still have to act on we just the way it you know you signed up for this. Um all right now we're on the under any questions or discussions on the underlying motion. Order 25225 as amended. We're going to vote on it now. Council Lway >> in favor. >> Council Hardison >> in favor. >> Council Marks >> in favor. >> Council Demeritis in favor. Council Kenny >> in favor. >> Council Powers >> in favor. Council Baker >> in favor. >> Excellent. So, that passes unanimously. We're rolling. Um, order. Thank you for that. Order 25239. Could I have a motion? It's an order authorizing the town manager to reassign 17,500 in hazmat wages to safer wages. Got it. Okay. Staff, anything, Clint? >> Yeah, it's a year-end numbers. Uh, we have the finance director here. We did attach a memo. um the when they reconcile for the year end, these are the hazmat funds that needed to be appropriated to offset um the wages for the year. >> Okay. Any clarifying questions? Any comments from the public? >> Council marks is a clarifying question or discussion. >> I guess I'm not I can hold >> Go ahead then. No, go ahead. >> Do you want me to be more detailed? >> Um no, I just want to backtrack a bit so I'm clear. So, we approved during the budget process that a certain amount of payment to safer wages. And I'm not clear why we're needing to reassign hazmat wages to safer wages. What exactly happened? >> You did not approve the use of the hazmat reserves and the 54956. In order to meet all the carry forwards for the year, we needed to use hazmat reserve in that amount that allows us to maintain to use the carry forward available remaining balance of 58511 reallocate the 5,113 and reassign the 17,500 to wages for the safer reserve. So again, what happened is is that at the time, and I had a chance to review this with the finance committee earlier, Sarah, is that carry forwards in June, we didn't have all the information. And now that he's coming to year end with the audits, this is the only way to meet the intent of that original carry forward that you approved in June when we adopted the budget. >> So there's less carry forward money than what we expected and we're looking for sources to make that up. So can you tell me what the hazmat wages were supposed to be going to if they weren't being reallocated to safer wages? >> They weren't. Zach, can I answer? But my understanding they were not allocated. Zack. Yep. >> Zach's coming, Sarah. >> Okay. Thanks. >> So, originally in the past, those wages have been used to offset um the fire chief's wages. Um working back through the budget and meeting with Chief Tom Higgins, um it looked like we had budgeted the full amount. So rather than drawing on those grant funds to offset those wages, it made sense with the shortfall and the carry forward funds to allocate them towards that safer reserve wage that we were building. >> So that the hazmat wages were not being needed for his or the chief's salary this year. So they were available to be used elsewhere is what you're saying. >> Yes. And this can you speak to the same? I know it's an order coming up, but while you're here anyway, can you speak to what the hazmat reserve? Um, has it been a designated reserve for a certain project if we're pulling out of that or is it an undesated fund or >> it's just been designated strictly for hazmat projects. Um, a lot of this is new equipment for the fire department. When I spoke with Chief Higgins, um, we were both in agreement that this would be a good use for those funds. We weren't designated any specific project. Um, this reserve has been built up by fund 90 interest over the past few fiscal years. Um, like I said, wasn't really assigned to anything and this seemed like a good way to make up for that shortfall. >> Okay. Thank you. And Clint, I know you spoke about this in finance committee, but I think maybe it's important if you wanted to answer to that there's a sort of a plan so that we have a different process, I guess, around carry forward amounts next year. >> Sure. Yeah. as as shared with the finance committee, it made sense cuz the carry forwards at year end um was the right time to do it cuz we're closing out the year. What I've realized is we were reconciling those mounts and with the change over in staff, we need to wait and hold back and do them later in the year, especially with carry forwards. I did share with the finance committee, carry forwards are things I'm not usually fond of, uh let things lap to fund balance and then reappropriate or build a budget appropriately afterwards. But again, last year was my first year and I wanted to learn and listen and watch the process as it went through. made sense I thought to try to get all of them done in June when we did them the one time. I've realized why they do them at two times now is because you need more information on some of them. So, uh I don't know if we'll hold back on them all or break them into two as usual. Want to look at that as we move between here and next year. Again, still understanding the use of carry forwards. Kind of a lastdigit approach. I would say you build your budget, live with your budget. If there's a really good compelling reason, we can do it. Some of these seem to be decent in management, but through good capital planning, we could just take unassigned fund balance and move it into reserves as necessary rather than taking all these carry forward steps to carry forward a prior budget to another calendar year. Um, I know that's a tough explanation for people that don't use municipal budgeting on a regular basis, but if the budget comes in under budget, let the money lapse to fund balance, then look at how much money we got in fund balance and figure out what's to do it in the following year. take our time a little bit more unless there's a very compelling reason. I'd like to adhere to the ones we did this year because I understand the process and let's stick to it. I just think as we're looking hindsight being 2020, um there might have been a better approach last June. >> Thank you, Clint. That's very helpful. Dan, I have one more question if no one else does, but other folks could go first if they do. >> I'm looking around. It looks like you've got it. >> Okay. Thanks, Clint. This is also just uh for me to understand our process in general. Um is the hazmat fund somehow I thought that within the fire department budget you already had the ability to move things from line to line if needed. Is this because this is over the dollar amount that you have the ability to do that on or is this because hazmat wages are somehow grant related? I guess I just want to understand what the the procedure is for when you need to bring these things to council and when you don't. Could you clarify that? >> So the hazmat fund is a little unique. Um while it is town money, we build typically the university and the county for the funds that comprise that. It's held in fund 90 and we treat it very similar to a grant while it isn't. Um so with it being in a separate fund from the fire department, that's why that reallocation need to come before council. >> Thank you. So it is not within the fire department budget. Exactly. It's within a grant into the fire department budget and thus we are being asked to approve it. Correct. >> Correct. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Good questions. Anything else on order 25239? Okay, we're going to vote on it then. Councelor Lauraway >> in favor. >> Council Hardison >> in favor. >> Council Marks >> in favor. >> Council Demeritis in favor. Councelor Kenny >> in favor. >> Council Powers >> in favor. >> Council Baker favor. That passed unanimously. Can I get a motion on order 25240? >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. That's an order authorizing the town manager to carry forward $5,133 in unspent capital equipment funds for the purchase of a fire of fire department equipment. Clint, do you have anything for us on this? It's >> the same memo. We just had most of this discussion on the last item. If there's further clarifications, I can. But again, it's just um that one memo summarized all of these. >> Okay. Any questions from any comments from the public? Any discussion from counselors? Okay, now we're going to have a vote. Council Lar >> in favor. >> Councelor Hardison >> in favor. >> Councelor Marks >> in favor. >> Councelor Demerit in favor. Councelor Kenny >> in favor. >> Council Powers >> in favor. >> Council Baker favor. Okay, that passes unanimously. We're going to take an order 25241. Could I have a motion? >> Seconded. >> Moved and seconded. order authorizing the manager to draw $54,956 from the hazmat reserve for the purchase of the fire department equipment and safer wages. Any further presentation other than the memo? Okay. Any questions, clarifying questions, any comments from the public? Okay, come on up, Daniel. Thank you again. I understand this is item 12. This is public petitions. >> No, this is order 25241. Order authorized. Okay. You want to come back up? >> I let you proceed. >> Thank you. >> Yep. >> Thank you. >> Any discussion from council? >> Okay. Uh C, we're going to vote. Council Laray >> in favor. >> Council Hardison >> in favor. >> Council Marks >> in favor. >> Council Demeritz in favor. Councelor Kenny >> in favor. >> Council Powers >> favor. >> Council Bakers >> in favor. >> In favor. That's unanimous. Order 25242, order authorizing the town manager transfer $74,63985 from general government to public works in the FY25 budget year to cover overages. Could I have a motion? >> So moved. Seconded. >> Moved and seconded. Any discussion from staff? >> So similar to the other one, but a separate item. End of year departments that go over budget need to have permission. I can't move from other departments. Public works went over. Um, some of this was staffing and the projections for the budget. This is another reason why carry forward should have been held longer. As we were talking about earlier, when we were meeting in the spring, we felt this was going to come in under budget. There were some other projects that were queued up. A lot of factors were weighing into why this happened this year. And again, part of it being me in the first year and learning how the department runs. So, in order to cover this, general government was under budget by an expense of over $140,000. Public works is over by just short of $75,000. This is a request to transfer general government funds to the Department of Public Works to cover that overage. The town as a whole was still under budget for the year and expenditures um by a significant amount and that's in that attached spreadsheet. You can see them as departmentto department line items. Um we just want to cover this. I am not allowed to do this. This is something that has to be done before the end of the year before the auditors finalize a review. Otherwise, they will have a finding that we were over budget in one department >> or under budget. You mean >> under budget? Yep. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Any clarifying questions? Council Baker has a clarifying question. >> Yeah. Okay. Any public comment? Okay. Any council discussion? Council Baker. Just real quick, I think it's important to note that we had a pretty lengthy discussion about this and finance committee and uh the overages were a lot of things and and um Sarah and everybody uh Leo jump in if I'm incorrect, but yes, it's a lot of over it's several things, but um some of them are rel related to staffing and different um yeah, staffing plan. um just yeah uh just just just different staffing um from the plan and um again we just discussed this at length at at finance committee and and I think uh we're on board with this but jump in both of you if I'm overstating that. >> Yeah, I guess I would I would add that I think I think we are continuing to evolve on how we're tracking and managing things. I think staff's doing a a great job and um I obviously I feel like we maybe asked for a fair amount of detail at times, but uh they're always responsive and um working to not only respond, but also to be managing throughout the year. So um we're we're approving these things before they happen is is something we discussed as well, which I think is a is a good process. >> Okay. C Marks, >> I was just going to say a thank you to staff, too. And I'm, you know, glad that our processes are the way we are because I do think it's important that when it's at a whole department level, that's something, you know, a department is over budget. It's important that that gets reported back to council and appreciate our staff and our policies that are in place and taking care of that so that we all know and we can be informed if that's a continuing problem. But for now, this is a one-time thing where staff has a good plan for how to cover it. And luckily, other departments were well under budget. So, thank you. Okay, this is order 252 242. Any further discussion? We're going to vote on it. Council Laray >> in favor. >> Council Hardison >> in favor. >> Council Marks >> in favor. >> Council Demeritis in favor. Councelor Kenny >> in favor. >> Council Powers >> in favor. >> Council Baker in favor. Excellent. Now we're up to order 24243. Order authorizing the town manager to issue a request for proposals for 98 Ponopscott Street subject to future council acceptance. Could I have a motion? Second >> moved and seconded. Uh staff presentation. >> Mitch can come up as well. But again, this is queuing up council that 98 Ponomcot Street was brought out before. There's been some interest in the property on a few occasions. We've talked about it. Thought it was maybe time to reissue the proposals. Um I will say we debated quite a bit. I looked this over. This is a negotiated sale RFP. This requires us to go out. Um I think some of the questions you could put this out to bid um as well. And if the council wants to change that, that is something we could consider. If you did put it out to bid. Um, this just the only thing that we did in these proposals, we wanted to know what they were going to do with it, how much they were willing to pay and prove that they have the capacity to pay. Those are the requirements with that. In addition, we explained to them this site has some various constrictions on it because of the cleanup regards to being a former public works site. Um, but again, the thoughts were is to put it out this way. The staff would still bring forward a recommendation. you would know all the bid amounts or the proposed price amounts and then have a public discussion of our recommendation um on which one to go forward with. So the choice if you want to make one difference is do you want to put it just to a firm bid which would then limit it to highest bid wins. Whoever offers the best price that's that this left it a little bit of room to look at this to prove that they had the capacity to pay and what they were intending to do with it as an option. But again, from staff's perspective, I would be following our current policies. If we're not recommending the highest bid price, you would have a great staff explanation as to why we felt that was warranted, not just simply award to the second high bidder period. It would have an explanation. My intent will be bringing back the high bid, but again, I don't know what we may get for proposals, so I left a little bit of room just in case. >> Probably. Okay. Any We're gonna have a discussion, but any clarifying questions about that? Okay. Any public comment? Okay. Council discussion. Council Kenny, you look like you were on the on the button. >> I'm on the button. Um, yeah. So again, I think I shared this maybe I was remote that time, but I've I've having purchased property from the from the town, I watched a process where a council sat up here and weighed in on a lot of things that I think a council that are subjective and everyone has their opinions and I and it it all it had to be done again and they basically went with what they've always done at the time which was was highest bid. Um, I think there are a lot of there's a lot of subjectivity there. And I think if if you get into awarding, you know, we you know, there's seven of us. Yeah, seven of us. We all might have different opinions about what we like best and and and again I think if doing anything other than going to the highest bid for and unless you're putting it into the unless we do we plan to put restrictions in the deed when we when we sell it. So we can we can talk with people. Obviously they have to be qualified to buy it and that's going to shake out one way or another. But um when we say tell us what you want to do with it and we like this, we don't like that, we're going to give it we're going to take a little less because we like what this person said. Is that going to be a deed restriction? And if it's not, then I feel like we shouldn't be we shouldn't be playing around with that. And and if it is, that's a that's something that someone buying it would need to understand upfront as well that this these will there will be deed restrictions. So, and again, this comes from real world experience with this very council. I wasn't on it. And I I'm personally I think we're we're safer and better off. It's a it's a C2 zone. We are if we're agreeing to get rid of it, then we're we're going to sell it to the highest bidder. And then and we can still refuse all all bids. You know, if we get too low of a bid, we might say, "No, it's not. We don't want to sell it for that." But I think we we open up a a potential liability and a potential liability if we get into judging trying to judge as a as a group and saying we we like you not you even though you are going to give more money. I think that gets a little a little bit dicey and and it's happened before. So it was the one time that this that I've se I'm aware of that the council that this council didn't go with the highest bidder. Um, and we we tried obviously already once to say, "Hey, we want good ideas." And, you know, nothing really materialized. So, I think where we're at now, what makes sense is here's the land. It's a C2 zone. Here's we're giving a lot of information of what's happened. Highest bidder goes. I think that's the smart way to go. Personally, >> I agree with Leo and I've thought about this a lot. And the reason being is that we don't want like there are times where where you open yourself as Leo has said to subjectivity where you can end up discriminating against people or a group just by um having a bunch of subjective ideals with this. And so I think I agree with Leo. It's actually a way to protect people. If somebody they have a great idea and they're following all of whatever prescriptions we have on on it and they want it, doesn't matter where they're from, doesn't matter what their background is, if they're going to um legally use the property and they're the highest bid, then we should allow them to do that. And so I agree with Leo. >> Okay. Is there any other >> Yeah, Council Marks, go ahead. >> Yeah. Um I don't know. I'm not sure that I do agree with the comments that have been made so far. I certainly don't think that there should be any bias, but I guess I I think our job as a council is to decide what's in the best interest of the community. And sometimes that might be the most money we can get for a piece of property we own. And sometimes it might not. I mean, this property is way down at the end of a road. And I don't actually personally have any specific vision of what this property should be, but gosh, we could be selling a property right smack in the middle of town at some point in time. And I guess I don't believe that what's in the best interest of the community is always the most amount of money we can get for a piece of property. So the amount of stipulations that Clint put in there seemed pretty minimal to me. It said something about being sure that they could pay, which seems important. I believe there's been issues with that and past property issues that the town has, you know, looked to sell. Um, and I don't know what the other one was. Clint, could you read what the other place for wiggle room was? You said something about proving that they had the ability for funding and what was the second one? >> Yeah, we asked for them to that it's not a decision, but they would like to see their schedule for what they intend to do with the project. >> Clint's not on on mic. Clint's not on mic. >> Sorry. Yeah, thank you. Uh so when you put it through that we explained that the submittal requirements is to tell us the project they were going to propose. But again um then we also asked for their qualifications uh and their ability to to pay. Lastly we told them in the price that they have to give us a firm price and that they understand that this is a negotiated sale of real estate and will require a public hearing because we wanted to make that this is all subject to a public hearing. We can't sell it without it. And then we asked for a timeline. That was the only thing. And we only said that it was appreciated. It was not a requirement that they have a timeline, >> but it's appreciated. So somebody could submit and be the high bid without that. And >> well, again, back back to whether that's in it's appreciated. Then it's probably not going to be in a deed. So someone could say, you know, have it this is going to be done six months and it's not if we if we're not putting things in a deed. We're sort of just talking and it's not it's not enforceable, you know, like so it's project tell us what you're doing. The intended use should be enough information. Qualification interest in the background of organization, business or individual making the proposal, price, um, and timeline. Those are the four things. Project, qualifications, price, and timeline. Sarah. Um, and um, you know, I I feel like I to your point, we we did we we did try to do I think what council was anticipated. But, um, I think that I say it failed, but it it didn't produce what we wanted. And I I feel like the the temperature now is, look, that didn't work. We're not going to try that again. It's a lot of work for to to have staff try to do something. You know, we want housing and all of that. So we're we're acquiescing and not doing that. This thing is it's it's in a there's only it's a C2 zone. So there are certain things you can do in C2 and to get in and talk again if we're going to ask for timeline but if it's someone can say anything so that now we're getting into judging things that we can't enforce. So all right people this side you've been heard. All right I'm going to move this way. Good. >> I'll just say I agree with Sarah's comments. Um, I think I mean it it may well be it might even be likely that um the highest bidder is going to be what's in the best interest, but I think giving ourselves even just a little bit of wiggle room to go in another direction if it's if there is something um that seems exciting or viable or in the best interest of the town. I think just giving ourselves that option I think is a positive thing and I'm uh I'm in favor of the proposal the request for proposals as it currently is written. >> Hard just going to say pretty much the same thing. I think we need to know um yeah there are things that can be done and can't be done but we also have residents that live around that property that we'd like to at least we should protect to see what's not only the best interest of the community but what's the best interest of the neighborhood. Again, I'm going to just reiterate because historically what has happened is that when you start not following um objective ideas of what a property should be, what happens is that individuals have come along and maybe they're the wrong color, maybe they're the wrong race, maybe they just look different and they had been historically um by subjective um rules discriminated against even if they did have the best um interest for that property and had the most money to give. And so I I think we do have an issue um where we I'm fine with having some some criteria around it, but it has to be clear and concise as to what that criteria for for this property is so that anybody no matter what who they are, where they come from, if they want to bid on it and they should be able to bid on it and we should give it to the person who's most likely able to follow through with what has been prescribed and if this is a seed property and we already have um zoning around it what can and can't be done unless we decide beforehand what should be done then I think um we open ourselves up to a bunch of subjective ideas that may discriminate against somebody that's just what has happened in the past and so I I I I believe what Leo is saying is probably in our best interest. >> So, is is when you're saying discriminating, are you looking at item number two, the qualifications, um the background of the person? I'd like to think that we're all progressed enough and we have a great legal team to make sure that we're following federal guidelines and not discriminating based on race, color, any type of identity issues, >> right? But it's also it's always an issue. hopefully we wouldn't, but what if it's, you know, our friend who is bidding on the property and has like slightly less than some outside individual who would use it just as well, right? So, there's always biases that can come in. And so, that's why I I struggle with that. I'm not talking about just like those guidelines. I'm talking about relationship guidelines when we're in a very small community and we know a lot of people and we might know everybody who bids on it. If that comes into to play, that's all I'm saying. And so that might presented to us, could it be presented with not identifying who the proposal is from so that we can try and avoid those type of things? >> Small town. >> Yeah. All right. Well, it feels like anybody robbed you. >> Yeah. I just I I I think what you're raising is interesting, uh, Matt, and and, um, worth considering. I'm also thinking about the fact that if we didn't have, um, I mean, I I I I'm not, you know, endlessly familiar with with all of the stuff that um, all the the restrictions and allowances in C2. Um but thinking in the other direction, what if there was a um a a group that is quite discriminatory in some way or or just thinking through the hypotheticals of of how um if we only go with the financial reasoning, how it could go in the other direction where you could be selling it to a group with not very good intentions. Um >> I don't know. I I'm just wondering uh again how how we might keep from that. I I I take your concern seriously. I'm just wondering if uh I can foresee there being uses that we definitely see as not positive for this town at all and not in a a way that is like in a way that we're discriminating but we're allowing for discrimination in some sense. We might be getting really into the weeds here. >> Yeah. I guess can I just comment that there are things that can be done in C2? You might like X, I might like Y, but it it's a C2 usage. So, so that's where if we get into this us parsing what do you like better about the C2- which which project so the discrimination piece I think does come not just from qualification but from from the project too and and I don't know if a church is a approved use or not for C2 and off the top of a head but I mean what if it's a church you don't like and that's that's not a that's that's irrelevant right if it's a church you or I don't like >> if if they're preaching something that I don't like that's that's irre relevant. If it's a use that's okay in C2, we should not be weighing in on well, I don't I don't like that one. So that's what you just said is I think take would take us down a very bad path if it's well, we think this person's this this usage is going to be discriminatory. Well, if it's a C2 use, I mean, that's what zoning does. Well, that's not what we sit up here and administer really. I I don't think I think if it's approved, it's approved. If you don't like it or if I don't like it is is not really relevant to to the conversation. >> Bring it all together, Jacob. No, I think we're kind of beating this dead horse here. Um I I agree with both sides, but I think No, seriously, that's right. No, I mean, I would have I personally would have a really tough time supporting any project that doesn't come in at the highest bid. That being said, this RFP, as it's written, gives us plenty of I mean, we get final say. So, we're going to have a public hearing and if half the rest of the road comes out and they don't like who this is being sold to, then we likely are not going to vote for it. But ultimately, I think we're going to get one, two, I I I think we're kind of overthinking this. I I I I agree that I mean in this one setting I don't think that any of these issues are likely to come up but I think in terms of what precedent it might set what kind of policy we're uh inadvertently going into. It's why I take the concerns that are being raised seriously as a larger discussion about the context of this and future decisions that we might want to make. Um so I I don't know. I I'm still in favor of this as it's currently written. I'm not changing. I'm just gonna I'm gonna share one thing and then maybe think about a path forward to get us out of this discussion, you know, in terms of process what we can do. It's in the it's in the draft comprehensive plan and the draft comprehensive plan, I think it's page 35, talks about, you know, given the unique restrictions and conditions of the site and it reads all that stuff like if you're going to put single family housing there, you might have to put 24 in of soil cover down on top of it because it's been a a VRAP site, a volunteer response action program through the D. So it says given the unique restrictions and conditions of the site that must be adhered to redevelopment would likely require a contract conditional zone outlining the restrictions but also allowing for highintensity development for a higher intensity development than what would otherwise be allowed in the underlying zoning district in order to make redevelopment financially feasible for a private property owner. So that's in the plan. I don't um in terms of our discussion today, I think maybe it makes sense for those proposing to tighten the restriction, maybe to offer an amendment, see where the council goes, and then if that p if it if it's amended, then we move on the underlying one or we can just see if we get where we are. You know what I mean? I mean, there's we have something before us. If you want to change it, I mean, you can certainly free to just vote against it. If you want to change it, I'd entertain I think we could entertain a motion with an amendment. see where that goes and then um see if we there's support for the underlying thing as amended. If not, feels like there's >> I guess I I guess I'd motion that we that we go sticking with past presidents of to the highest bidder. That's that that would be my the opposite of what you're just saying. I'm not looking to tighten the restrictions. I think >> I think y >> to Yeah, that's all. Matt, you Clint, do you want any Well, Matt, will you second that? >> Sound like Yeah, I'll second it. Um, >> and just >> sound like you guys were I'm just trying to Yep. And then Clint, so that's on the table. So, now we're going to discuss that. And Sarah, I'm sorry. I'm not I'm looking left and right. I'm not looking up as much as I should. So, jump in. Clint, do you have anything on what would that be able to give you direction if the council acted on that? >> Yes, it would. >> Okay. Council ready to act on that? So, we're voting to restrict it. So if you don't want to restrict it and want to leave it as is, you're gonna vote no on clarifying question. >> What do you mean restrict it? >> We if we, you know, say it'll go to the highest bidder, we still at the end of the day reserve the right after the public hearing not sell it. >> So when Scott Street turns out and loves it or hates it, we'll have a public hearing and we'll make a dec. >> But in that case, >> but in that case, >> you won't know the options, >> right? But in that case, we can't sell it at all. We have to with we have to reject all bids at that point. Correct. >> That's right. >> Yeah. If I can clarify, I will be drafting a bid. >> Mhm. >> If you get three bids. >> Yeah. >> And they're a million, a half a million, and 10 bucks. >> It's a million dollars. We'll know who bid what. Yes or no? Give them the million. You will not sell it to anybody but the million because that will be the only one I will recommend because when I read our ordinances under a bid, I have to recommend the high bid. Yeah. We're not going to be asking for any other information. The requirements on the property will be they have to acknowledge that it's C2. They're going to have to acknowledge there's a VR wrap. They're going to have to acknowledge. There's going to be an acknowledgement form and that's it. And they're going to check yes, I know. Yes, I know. Yes, I know. That will be the only thing I have to make sure cuz I have to know that this is they know there's a whole lot of strings on this property because there is a VR wrap on it. That's all I will do. And if they have acknowledged it >> and then going to win and then we'll punt it to the planning board >> and if you don't want it. So, if anybody comes in and says, "No, we don't want you to sell it to company X," you can't discuss it >> because the bid was the high bid. There's nothing to discuss. I don't like company X. You're not going to be able to talk about that. >> Yeah. >> Fascinating. >> What you're describing right now is if we were to pass the amendment that's being suggested, not the process that you first brought for. Correct. Okay. >> Yeah. >> Dan, can I also just say I think mention of the comp plan is important because I personally would like to have the leeway as a council when something comes in that's highly aligned with our comp plan goals to be able to choose that whether it's $1 less than the other plan or not. So for me when that comp plan word got mentioned that also ticked something for me where I went oh yeah right we could have a project that aligns highly with a comp plan goal and I want the ability to think about that if the manager brings it back and says we think this is better for this reason aligned with a comp plan. I would want that flexibility. Thank you. >> Sure. >> Can can I ask would those be put in a deed for would they be restricted by the deed Sarah? Is that what you're thinking? I mean, because that's a that that's relevant. >> I'm I'm not as concerned as you are about the deed language, Leo, but I hear that it's important to you. >> So, if somebody It's just a matter of what somebody says. If they says if they say something that sounds better, >> I'm fine if it goes to it. Either way, I'm I'm fine if it's important to you that it goes in the deed, you could add that as an amendment. I think that'd be a fine suggestion. >> I I think that makes it more restrictive and is going to hurt us, but I think all I think all of this does. So, >> all right. So, anything else on the name on the motion on the amendment? Okay. [Music] >> It's the we'd essentially be directing the town manager to move the the project piece away from it. >> And I would clarify, you will be going to ordinance chapter section 2-150 and you will not be doing a negotiated sale by definition. You will be doing a formal bid by definition in ordinances. I have four ways to dispose of property in that rule as your property officer. So, I recommend a negotiated sale. We're going to go to formal bid and I will follow formal bid. And I think I should read it at this point if you don't mind. >> I would love it if you did. >> The property officer shall cause a notice of contemplated disposal of real estate by formal bid to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the town of at least 14 days prior to the deadline. Which notice shall contain a general description of the property, the time, the date, and place the bids are due, terms and conditions of any bids, the property officer shall open any sealed bids at that time, and shall make a report thereof along with a recommendation to the town council. That's what will happen. >> Okay. >> Thank you, Clint. And >> so that's what you vote. If you vote yes, we go that way. If you vote no, we go back to the underlying proposal. Okay. >> And can I just clarify? Clint just told us there are actually four legal ways that we can sell property. Is that what you said, Clint? In this ordinance, there's four legal ways. So, what we're having a discussion about is which of the these two we're going to do, either negotiated sale versus formal bid, but there are four ways we can legally do it as a council. >> Yeah. And the other two would not be relevant in this situation. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Um All right. And do you have the motion before us would be order authorizing town manager to issue a what's the right term Clint? >> A formal bid for proposals for 98 Ponopscott Street subject to future council acceptance. So council, let's vote on this. We ready? >> That's my change. >> That's your change. Y >> that's what it sounds like. >> Yep. >> You're okay with that, too? That works for you. Long as it works for Amanda. We're um All right. So we're going to vote on that now. So, Council Laray, >> not in favor of the amendment. >> Okay. Council Hardison, >> not in favor. >> I'm going to vote. Council Demar is going to be not in favor. Council Marks, >> not in favor. >> Council Kenny, >> there. >> Council Powers >> in favor. >> Council Baker, >> in favor. >> Okay, that's three to four. So, the amendment fails and we're back to the underlying question. Do we have any discussion before I move the the vote on the underlying question? And this would be order authorizing town manager to issue a request for proposals for 98k Scott Street subject to future council acceptance. >> Do we need to put negotiated or any other term in that Clint? Do you think >> it says negotiated sale? If you want to add that to it, it would be the clearest way to make it. >> Yes. >> All right. I'm going to make that motion. Motion. I'll move that we order authorizing town manager to issue a >> request for proposals for negotiated sales >> Yeah. of for 98 Ponobscot Street subject to future council acceptance. Could someone please please please second my Thank you. >> Second. >> Okay. Any discussion on that? Okay. Council Lay. >> This is just for the the amending. Okay. In favor. >> Council Hardison >> in favor. >> Council Marks >> in favor. >> Council Demeritis in favor. Councelor Kenny. >> What? This is on an amendment or this is back to the original >> amendment. Just to make it clear, it's negotiated sale >> in favor. >> Okay. Council Powers. >> Sure. In favor. >> Council Baker. >> In favor. >> You have anything? >> No. >> All right. That the demerit motion prevails unanimously. >> What was it? Seven. >> Now we need a vote. Now we're voting on order 24. 25243. Order off um as amended. Um councelor Lway >> in favor. >> Council Hardison >> in favor. >> Councelor Demer in favor. Council Marks >> in favor. >> Went out of order there. I'm sorry. Councelor Kenny >> in favor. >> Council Powers >> in favor. >> Council Baker >> in favor. >> That's how we govern here in Orno. Joseph, just bring some bring a big gulp and have fun. All right. That was good. That was a good discussion. Thank you. Appreciate staff bringing that forward. Um, okay. Order 25244. for order assigning the order ordinance review committee to review the town of Ordino code of ordinance chapter 34 traffic and vehicles. Um could I have a motion? >> Moved. >> Seconded. >> Moved and seconded. Uh do we have a presentation or discussion from >> requested this at the last meeting? There's a memo attached. This is a project that will take time. So if you are authorizing this, there should be no expectations beyond this being part of your work plan for the next year. This is not a one month and get it done. I've given you copies of what other ones are. Um, this will lead to and again you don't have requirements that I tell you this one if we were state government would have a fiscal note. We are what I would recommend is that you will have costs. We have ordinances that we must enforce. I'm currently reviewing whether we have capacity to enforce the ones we already have. I'm fairly certain the answer is going to be no. We don't. And this would add more enforcement to ordinances we don't have enough staff to enforce. So, I just want to make sure I'm clear that that is my hypothesis and that's why this will take a little bit of time. If you refer this to the ordinance review committee, I did talk to staff and the council leadership. This is an ordinance review. It felt like the best committee to look at this was the ordinance review committee. This was not a financial thing. It was not a community development item, nor was it a nominations, evaluations, and council's procedures item. That's why we recommended the ordinance review committee. >> All right. I have a clarifying question. clarifying question too. >> Yeah. So, this would would have been per the council meeting on September 6th, right? Where or last September 8th meeting. That was that discussion just just for It says October here. Um, all right. That's all I had for CL. Rob, did you have something? And then Sarah does too. >> Yeah, I do. Clint, I guess I'm just a little bit confused. Are you are you speaking about this parking ordinance or were you speaking about the parks and wreck use ordinance in your comments just now? I think Dan just called the parking ordinance and I thought that the suggestion here was just to >> change the ordinance so that it didn't list streets by name in the ordinance and council would approve a list annually. I think you jumped ahead one perhaps in your comments. >> I mean, look, I got my notes in a particular order. I may have had the notes in the wrong order. This is 244. Oops. Hang on. >> Yeah, this one seems more orderly to me. >> Okay. So, yeah, I will say that majority of that was for the last. This one also though is for parking. This is the one. Yeah, I had the the the notes backwards. >> But this in this one, you still have an issue because having public hearings for what streets you do parking on this will require significant amount of time, too. If you take that out and it's a staff recommendation, you could be creating a situation where residents are just asking staff to allow and not allow parking. Parking on streets should be a decision based upon the need and the availability of your streets to allow parking. This should not be I don't want parking on my street. So that's why a lot of yours I feel are in ordinance. So in doing this, this one is going to take some time as well and it's not going to be a simple yep, let's just take them out and staff will bring us the list every year. I do not want to create where your voice matters means well that's how we decide whether we should have parking on streets or not again could you imagine if route two in the downtown was not based upon the need for the amount of parking spaces we have as a community that's why we allow the on street parking and not allow I do not want to create situations where one neighbor wants it one neighbor doesn't this should be based upon the need of the town and whether we do or don't allow parking just like winter parking we ask them to move them because we need to plow the streets it has a higher priority than maybe people wanting to park a car in the streets. So, we ban it in the winter. I just want to make sure that whatever process you put through, this will take the time to determine what will be the process. I would not want to remove a public hearing process from people being able to discuss whether they do or don't want parking on their street. Again, by being an ordinance, every time one is added or removed, you're required to have a public hearing. It gives due notice and time for people to consider. That's the only thing I wanted on that one. >> So, >> so it will take some time, but this should not have any enforcement cost because it's consistent with what we're already doing and you should clean it up. The list is outdated in ordinance without question. >> Yeah. So, >> so is staff recommending for or against this particular order right now? >> I'm recommending for if you understand this is now setting your goals for the year that we're going to start working on a parking ordinance. This is not something you do in an hour. This is something that will take staff time and resources to work with you and develop a plan that meets the needs of the town to change the process for listing these streets. >> All right, Rob, how do you want to this? It feels like this was work we were going to do sooner or later in the ordinance review committee anyway, right? >> Yeah. Yeah, I think this makes sense for the ordinance review. >> You're going to review every ordinance in the >> Right. >> Yeah. But this but it's been you know Shel's been giving us I mean I it felt to me like we're getting our guidance from what Shelly sees is so so this is like like my thing that I just put jumped in. >> This is jumping the line. I think >> it is. >> So it's not like we're going to get there anyway. We might have gotten there in two years. >> Yeah. But I mean I think that fits with the general I think direction that to my understanding council wanted the ordinance review committee to take which is um ongoing review of uh ordinances and sort of consultation with staff with Shelley um at the recommendation and then when issues arise we also send them and yeah have them jump the line. This makes total sense to me. >> All right. Is there any comments from the public? Yeah, please. >> Thank you for sticking with us. >> Yep. My name is Dian B. I live in Ponopscott Street. Um, is that considered our area too where it's a dead end? >> It's not a it's not a full street. It's just a dead end. And like I said, we, you know, I showed a couple of the council people that uh we had a car parked down there on Saturday parking on my neighbor's lawn in my lawn on the opposite side where it said no parking. You know, if her daughter backed out of her door, she would hit that car and I had to go around it. I had to call the police department to have them come up and check out the car who owns it. Don't know if they gave him a ticket or a warning, but is that considered ours too or no? It would again unilateral every street in the town of Orna. We'd have to have that and if there's ever changed it cannot be just simply based upon a request. I do not know the needs or demands of an area. I don't know what's going on in your particular but we have to write an ordinance that is not designed for any one house. It's designed for the town. The reason it's designed the way it is is that a public hearing must happen every time we change it and we hear those for and those against. I would not want to lose that because I would not want to see a situation where the town was lifting a ban or placing a ban if that did not meet the the desires of the neighborhood. That being said, I also think the town should be presenting what's the width of the road. Is there room for on street parking? Why is there an on- street parking problem? What is the ability to allow for on street parking? Cuz some places we don't have enough room. And I can name streets in town where that list on that ordinance bans on street parking because there is not enough room. >> There's not enough room up there. If you go up there, you could see the same thing. >> But it's not about your street. It's about all streets. That's what I'm trying to share with the council. All >> street discussing about my street where I live on. You're lucky if you have one car going up there because it's the road's not that wide. >> And I'm not again all streets. Your street probably needs it as well. I'm not going to make that determination here today. I want to make sure they have a process to set the rules of how to determine whether on street parking should or shouldn't be allowed. It's not about your street. It's not about my street or his street. It's about all streets. And I think a fair process can definitely make sure we meet your needs. I just don't want to go the other route where all of a sudden a council of seven people say, "Yep, we're just going to allow parking on that street now." And it shouldn't have it. Staff should have the opportunity to give them recommendations based upon information presented to us. that should be at a public hearing. So that's where this process is. Staff is saying this will take time to come up with a process to take it out of ordinance and to put in a new process where on street and off streetet parking is not listed street by street in the ordinance. >> So right now Ponopscott Street in the ordinance there's no parking right from east side from North Main Street, northernly to the railroad tracks. Yep. >> And then west side 300 ft northernly from North Main Street. So technically there's no there's parkings allowed at the end of Ponopscott Street right now. Yeah. And you're obviously here to say that's not a good idea. >> It's not a good idea because like I said before when I was in the meeting last time that you know I have a trash truck that has to back up to my my door to get my trash. You got UPS, you got FedEx. Sometimes the fire trucks come down, the ambulances come down. You have people parked on that side of that road. You've had vans. You've had buses. I've had 18 wheelers up there. I can't get out of my driveway. They She can't get out of her driveway. You know, it's like I had a person down there the other day. It said no parking. There's signs that says no parking, just temporary ones. She wanted to go down back to see if the, you know, the leaves were turning. I go, can you read it? Says no parking. >> Yeah, but technically those signs are How long are we going to have those signs up there until the till we change the ordinance? >> Again, we're doing our best to manage within the rule. there is some authority within our ordinances for us to put temporary parking bans out there. So, we're working within this. Again, that's where I want to get at this. I don't think we need to rewrite the ordinance here tonight. I think this is a great recommendation to bring forward and I think there changes we should make. But even in this, it takes 60 to 90 days to add or remove any street from the list for a parking ban or not a parking ban. And I think I want to make sure we all understand. >> We can't just say, "Yep, do it." Unless you say there's an emergency order and then I got to go to the emergency order clause. >> But we follow our current >> when we follow our current process to look at the end of Ponobscot Street. I was originally in agreement that our current ordinance listing streets is wrong. But actually after hearing you Clint, I believe it's probably a good idea. So that can get punted to the uh ordinance review committee. That's fine. But can we got a process? Can we have the end of Ponobscot Street follow said process to determine whether there should be or not? >> That's we got an ordinance that's still in effect if you want to add it. >> That would be my >> So you got to get that on the agenda. >> Yeah. >> And yeah, you got to work with us to get some a public hearing on the agenda, >> right, for Ponopscott Street and then we'll have a conversation about whether and truly not to undermine I mean I'm up there. I see it's tight. I don't know that your street's tighter than my street or anybody else. You know what I mean? I get it. And we'll have to have the conversation and but so we're essentially having two conversations. One, are we going to take a longer term look at how do we assign how do we decide what parking ordinances should be? And second, are we going to do a a spot change for Ponopscott? Because there's, you know, constituents and this is what constituents have concerns and this is where they're supposed to be heard. So, I do think if think we should do if particularly council Baker, if you're willing to work with us to get that on the agenda. >> I guess I I do want to weigh in. I'm I'm really leerary of spot changes. I think uh no disrespect Diane, I appreciate you got an issue, but I also know that I could I've got a place on Myrtle Street and I know I've waited the last three days because cars are all parked there and I got to wait because there's only one lane. So, I'm waiting or they're waiting. So, my sense is this this feels very operational to me and I feel like this the council and our aim to please talks about things like spot changes and and things like that. And I have to believe I don't know the process that went into defining the streets that are on that list now, but I have to assume that public safety, public works, all those departments went into that discussion. So now I guess we're saying I think we're opening a potential floodgate. It's not just going to be Ponobscot Street. It's going to be 30 other streets that people don't want people parking on on their street. and and so I we have to be cognizant of that and and knowing we can just have a a barrage of people that don't want and and we can't you know okay we'll give you a spot. We'll give you a spot. I'm not going to give you a spot. I think that's a that's not a way that council should be functioning. I I think I think we have a process that those streets got on and and yeah, maybe it can be it can be brought into that process. I don't know what it was. I don't know what department I have to assume public safety was a big part of it, but I I don't know. They're usually ticketing their violation, uh, parking, traffic, whatever. Uh, public works obviously has a has a dog in the hunt, and for it, it's operational, I think, and and we have to remember we're not we're not operations, and I think we are drifting a little bit. >> Okay. So, Dan, >> Council Mark, sure. Um yeah, I guess I um I just wanted to say a couple different things. Um I guess the first is it doesn't seem like our process is working very well at present because we've been told from management that the list we have is really out of date and needs to be looked at and dealt with. So it might be true that there was a process when the list got made, but it doesn't sound like the ongoing process has been functioning well at all. So, I'm definitely in favor of this going to the ordinance review committee for the committee to take a look at. Um, as far as the specific problem on Ponobscot Street, I heard perhaps that councelor Baker wants to work on bringing a ordinance change suggestion to us, which any counselor can do. Um, any counselor has a right to put an order on our agenda asking for anything to be considered. So, I think that's one possible possible path forward. But Clint, correct me if I'm wrong. Is it not also true that any member of the public can start a public petition process and get the required number of signatures and also ask for an ordinance change to be considered? Correct. And what would that number of signatures be? Just as we're clear on following our own processes. >> Hey, that one off the top of my head, but >> like 20% of the people that it's in the charter. >> Yeah, it's in the charter. And I thought it was 1% of the number of people that voted in their last gubernatorial >> to get it. Yeah, you'll need a handful to get it on to get it, you know, quite. But yeah, you need But on this item, I think I can work with this resident in a quick conversation this week. She's not >> Yeah, I think we can work and fix it temporarily so we can get going on this. I don't think you have to solve this problem here today. If the direction is is you really want to look at the end of anobscot street and then we'll also look at the bigger process. I think we can get this worked out. I don't think there'll be much council action needed. The ordinance is pretty broad in its discretion with things we can do and we can do something like I said temporary >> understanding we'll get to the permanent decision as we work on the process here. So >> what about that water district turnaround like I was saying that >> that's the one that I brought up to the council leadership the water district and even the land trust has talked about creating a parking area down there. We've started some initial conversations. It's probably going to be a budget item for next year to see about creating a parking area down there for people. >> This is a big area. You can almost like a do a turnaround. You know, >> let me meet with her. I'm pretty sure we can do some things here that can settle this up pretty quick and kick this off to the committee. >> You want Diane to go out and get 3,000 signatures? We don't want to make her do that. >> I really don't think she >> I know you got I >> I'm happy she too. I just want to be clear that there is a way for the public to overrule council when council doesn't move on something. And I think that's important for the public to know. I'm not suggesting it needs to happen here, but you know, as we're talking about process, the process is built that way, right? That it doesn't have to us. >> Um, and I just the last thing I want to say is I may not make it to the very end of the meeting where there's items for future things to talk about. So, I did want to say I'm really grateful the ordinance review committee and the great work you all have been doing. I appreciated you're all speaking up about how it's working and you know the process being to look systemically at all ordinances but also things can jump the queue when staff bring them forward as important and council brings them forward as important and takes a vote. I would like to ask the ordinance review committee to at sometime soon come back to council with your bigger picture schedule of how you're going to get through all ordinances on a five-year schedule as was originally charged for you. So, I don't care when that happens. But I'd like it to be a future item we talk about as a council to ask that committee to bring us back a proposed schedule. And if it isn't five years and it's 10, I still want to know what that proposed schedule is because it's hard for me as a counselor when we bump things up the queue. It's hard for me to know what I'm doing when I have no idea if there is a reasonable plan yet for how to get through every ordinance on a once read every four to five years. So, um, >> yep, makes sense. >> Future item request. Thank you. I am gonna very late. >> All right. I was just kidding about shushing the fact that >> no residents are entitled to bring stuff. I mean I >> I totally I knew that was a joke Dan but I wanted >> mostly for everybody else. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Wasn't my best >> and thank you Sarah. Thank you at the end of Ponopscott. I really appreciate you bringing your concerns forward and hanging into a long meeting. Thanks. >> All right. So now so we've got let's bring it all back. We've got um order 25244 order signing the ordinance review committee to review the town of ordinance code of ordinances chapter 34 traffic and vehicles. Um it's been moved and seconded again with the understanding this would bump it up. We'd have to work with Shelley to bump this up on our schedule if we approve this. Is that and is that the will of the council? Okay. So we're going to vote on it now. Council Laray >> in favor. >> Council Hardison >> in favor. >> Council Marks >> in favor. >> Council Demerit in favor. Councelor Kenny >> favor. >> Council Powers >> in favor. >> Council Baker >> in favor. Excellent. And Clint, we appreciate your willingness to work with um our resident and our neighbor. And um thank you for that. >> All right. Order 25245. Order signing the ordinance review committee to review the town of Oro Code of Ordinances Chapter 26 Parks and Recreations Article 2 public parks and areas of open spaces. Could I have a motion? Can I have a second? moved and seconded. Now, this has been Clint, I don't know. I think we already heard from you a bit on this before. Um, so do you have anything else you want to share other than the >> short of this one? This is a again bigger than the one we just spoke about. This is a huge project. This is a major change. I shared a copy of an ordinance from another much larger community, but they've gone to feedbased systems. How they have to do it, we're going to have to monitor and track. We have to start defining this started with the term sequential use. What type of people are sequentially using? Right now our policy is based upon our parks are open. You use them and share them. No one's preventing anyone else from taking access. But it's a first come first- serve mentality. If you want to move away with it, we can. I just don't want to make this overly simplified. There are many >> domino effect impacts of this decision. >> Yep. Okay. Any clarifying questions? Any comments from the public? I'll I'll share that I think this is seeing none. I'll I'll share that I it feels like this is a lot. Um it feels like we have open parks that we want people to use and there's I I you know they need to be open and available to people and we just don't have the resources in a very productive way to start asking the ornal paddlers to check in with us every Thursday night before they go over and use Brownie Beach. Brownie Beach looks awesome by the way. I don't know who'd put the rocks up, but they are It looks amazing. Um, so I'm again I'm going to vote against it, but that's just why I mean I I want people I want our parks to be as open as possible. I think there are occasionally going to be occasions where people's that open policy leads to some questions and and maybe some conf confusion, but um or even some conflicts about who's using the space and who's not. But until it's they got a real run on the fact that people can't use the parks in an orderly way, just kind of working it out as neighbors. Um I I definitely take Clint at his word of how much this will take in terms of resources, too. >> I agree. >> I agree. >> Okay. Any >> I agree. >> Okay, let's vote on it then. >> Any Okay, all those in favor? Oh, no, wait. No, Sarah's gone. So, we can vote this way. We can vote. So, we're gonna vote. All those in favor and those who agree with me are going to vote no and those who don't agree with me are going to vote yes. Is that right? >> You can say it. >> Yeah, that's just one way I'll say it. All right. So, we'll just kill it if we don't vote. If you vote If you want to kill it, you vote no. Okay. All those in favor? All those opposed. Excellent. That's unanimous. Um 0 to six. Thank you. All right. Order 24 25246. order authorizing the town manager to enter into an agreement with Brightley Software um for asset management work order software for a cost of $27,000 with funds drawn from the capital improvement plan reserve fund. >> Could I have a motion? >> Second. >> Okay, Clint or my apologies for this coming in last but the public works department reached out and has decided they are ready to implement. They're ready to go forward with the conversion to Brightly. I works is what you've been with. This is an asset management software as it's explained and Megan Hass has given a great explanation there. Um all the funding in future majority of the funding in future years will come from existing contract budgets. This is why we freed up some money in there for this year for some asset management budget planning. This will not affect the budget planning for this year. But if you look in our capital plan the there was enough funds through for this CRM as well as for budget presentation software. This is the staff's recommendation. Use those refunds for this. I updated you on this at the last meeting. We're not in the right place to go forward with budget presentation software. Customer relation management software is not ready yet either. We got to show there's the demand that people will use it. But right now, we have a lot of assets. They're not well organized in any good system. It's all being done through spreadsheets. This also will provide a work order system. This is the right way forward. We've added multiple companies to get to this one. This is outside of the spending authority of me and it also would be outside of a normal bid process. We looked at many companies. This is not the cheapest nor is it the most expensive, but it's the one that best fits the needs for ORO. That's why staff's recommending it. If you do turn it down, it's only going to delay the implementation if you want more time. So, I understand if you wanted to, but the staff reached out the end of the week last week and said, "We're ready to go if you could if you are." and I thought they were going to be more a month or two away. So, we were going to hold off execution of an agreement till later. Um, we're getting if you vote before October 1st, we get 90 days free. It's built into the first year's contract. So, we will get the first 90 days plus another year is what's being offered by the vendor. >> Okay. Any clarifying questions before we ask for comment? Public comment. Okay. Any public comment? All right. Any council discussion? Yeah. I just Yep. Um Clint, who who ultimately will own this software? Who who's going to be responsible? And and what is the time commitment for >> anticipated time commitment for? >> Yep. >> Because I know we like you said, we have spreadsheets. Yep. >> And it's like everything. It's it's garbage in, garbage out. If you don't maintain it, if you don't >> do the work >> just in software can be easier. But I've been selling in this software sales for >> the implementation team, the majority of this is going to be roads and equipment and facilities. So public works is going to have the majority of the requirement on this. Megan H is the assistant director has taken the lead. She's agreed to make sure this implementation the data gets entered. Adam, Mike, and Scott and uh who am I missing? and Earl are all agreeing that they're going to work within their systems to create SOPs so that people are ending the data as it goes using the work order systems. This is clean implementation from day one. Not one person in charge, but the entire team in charge. We will be adding police, fire, and other areas to it. But again, that's going to be very minimal work. Everything's going to be led by public works. >> Would you could we establish some sort of report out? I guess maybe just in a year because like you said, we I know we purchased the system before and it and I don't think it ever got implemented. We paid 15 grand for it or something like that. So, I guess I would request that we have a six-month check-in with how's this thing going to work for us and what's it what's it producing for us? >> Six months would be within the implementation timeline. If it's done sooner, I will beat that timeline. But six month, they should be at a 85% completion on the implementation. something to kind of show the bells and whistles because you know there's lots of money gets wasted on on stuff. >> Up to you whether you want that as an amendment or you take my word you'll get a sixmonth check in. Your call >> amendment. I don't want amendment >> either way. No, I I'm happy either way. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> Any more discussion? I did ask for public comment. Did I ask for public comment? Seeing none. Okay. Ready to vote. Council are Oh, let's just All those in favor. Okay. It's unanimous. Thank you. And thanks, Megan. And thank you for bringing a staff request forward quickly. We had we bumped something down. >> Okay, we're going back to in the consent agenda. We moved item 235 at Leo's request to order approving the town manager's nomination of Bell Ryder to the Municipal Waste Hub board of directors. I guess the materials are there. Leo, do you have any specific questions you want us to talk about or >> Yes. Um, first and foremost, thanks to Belle for volunteering to to stay on this. Um, obviously she's former assistant town manager for for those that don't know. Um, but there's just some things mentioned in here and it's 7:15, so I'm going to try to be quick here, but um, one, I don't know what their role is because I've been here for three years. We we hear back like what that when they've done something, we hear back. I don't ever recall as a council having any input on decisions about what what that organization is doing, which I don't know if that's the role of this position that Belle's going going that we're putting her in for. Uh, and if it is there, I think there needs to be more communication with council as far as preempting like what they're doing because they've sold. I I can't keep up with what what's gone on, but they've sold. Um, so there's that. I think there's a communication piece that needs to be understood and understanding what their role is. I don't understand it. U maybe others here do. Um the other thing that was mentioned that I wanted to ask about it in there said that you know this place was supposed to be operational in 2018 and and they said now they're operating as a transfer station two 200 tons a day and my question is are we benefiting from that in any way? We pay we pay a lot for our waste removal and if you know that that's it's where I assume it's ours is going to be going and are we benefiting from what's happening there today and they said they're going to be operational Q3 Q4 which is also coming right up where that's the sort piece um where they're actually recycling and uh doing what we were hoping they were going to be doing for the last seven years. So, any update on that? [Music] >> There's a lot of questions. >> I know that's it. Told you I was going to be quick. >> Um, you're a member. You're a founding member of the original subline underlying organization. There's been counselors and staff that have had many conversations with this community. Um, I am not as knowledgeable as I should be because I have not been a member of an organization that was with them for over a decade and a lot has changed. To answer your question directly, there's, you know, they've changed the name. They've sold and bought and repurposed their plans. Um, I guess if I was to give you my best recommendation on this is that you should have a meeting in the future to talk about what Waste Hub is doing and what their plans are and why we are remaining a member. In the short term, I think it would be a loss for this town to lose a board member and we should nominate a person and I will continue to support Belle as that nomination because she's got that experience and we built a great rapport. That does not mean she should be the representative forever. Um, so I guess that's as my options to you is that I would say support this, elect her and we will get a presentation not right off but at some point here in the near future about what's going on and why we should remain a member and that wouldn't be from Belle. That would come she would be in attendance but that should come from the director of Waist Hub who's a full-time paid employee of that organization. fair and I totally support Belle doing this and appreciate that she's willing to um but I guess again I would in that process like to understand what is do they I don't know how they function we're we're one of the founding members of 114 communities we have a a board position do we direct what I don't know what this what we have direct direction over any of that stuff so it's just kind of enigma that I think is worth us understanding as a council that's all >> okay I think that's pretty fair and um Belle did provide in her email provided some updates, but I think it makes sense to schedule a discussion at some point in the future while still acting on this this evening. All right. Is there any public comment on this? Any more council discussion? All those in favor and of appointing Belle, is it is an appointment? >> Yep. >> Nominating. >> Nomination. Yep. It's unanimous. Thank you. And please thank Belle for her continued service to Orno. That's it. But we're not done yet. Um we have um first we have council committee reports. I assume we'll be able to do those briefly. Okay. Council of powers. >> We're just we're still looking at ways of um evaluating the route to safety. >> Yep. Okay. Finance. >> Uh big ticket items are spending uh thresholds and uh potential bonding options. >> Okay. Sarah's off. Anybody else on nominations want to speak about that? >> Working on the public uh Oh, sorry, Rob. >> Oh, well, you're on it, too. Um, yeah, we're we're just continue to work through the the policies and procedures manual. >> Okay. Um, ordinance review while you're at it, Rob. >> I mean, we've been talking about it a bit. You already know some of the stuff that's now on our charge, but um I think we're also going to we're discussing business licensing. Uh, and uh I'll leave it there. >> Yep. Um, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging committee. Matt, >> no update at the moment. >> Okay. Comprehensive plan committee. The we had uh last week there's two, well really one, but uh two were scheduled, one was held because lack of attendance at the first one, but we had a overview of the orno comp plan draft that's out and on the website and people can take a look at. Um it's really if you want to learn about Orno, it's a great document. Um it's long but there's a lot of great information there and the team's done really well. Um and then council chair update I would share um we had uh the only thing I'd want to share is we did go to Andrea Clint and I had the honor of um meeting with the University of Maine student government last was it last week? >> Um and that was a a good meeting. We had conversations about the the good neighbor work and I want to introduce Joseph Elliott who's here. He's our um he's both going to be on the good neighbor committee and he is our liaison. They're not all this long, I promise. Um but he's our liazison of these meetings and it's great to see in person. I appreciate you being here. You're from Mechanic Falls. You've been you've been a liazison of the school board, right? Yeah. Excellent. Um well, please public comment period. Please engage with us. So you have our contact information. So, whatever we want the information to go back and forth and meetings aren't always this long. Um, yeah. >> What's that? >> Yeah. Got to do the business. >> Um, >> all right. Next up is is town manager report. >> Okay. Sit tight, listen close because I'm going to try to move as quick as I can. >> Do it, Clint. >> Wag Wabanaki interpretive plan update is they were supposed to get it to us by the end of the September. I haven't got it yet. I'm going to be following up soon. They are working on a draft to be in our hands very quickly. Um, we have reinstalled a light at Webster Park. I have had some requests from residents as to why. It was a place where there used to be a light. We did do some spill containment on it so that it would truly only lighten up the park light the parking area. I've had no followup with any residents after we explained what we're doing. That may actually already be in. It's I don't have the right now. Um, finance committee met with us today. We have gone through an RFQ. We looked at the qualifications of an agent to lead us through the workers comp process. We are a self-funded part of a pool with main municipal association's workers comp fund. We are moving towards looking at what our other options could be. We've seen a lot going on. So we entertain two local agents cross and United. After the interviews, the scoring staff is recommending United Insurance. We will be going forward. There's no cost for this. There will presentations be made hopefully to a staff and one finance committee member board. After those are done, we will bring to the council for your review the recommendation of who to go with. All notifications been made. But again, we're recommending we've recommended and will be moving forward tomorrow with United Insurance as the agent that will seek all potential workers comp options out there um for services. 56 Main Street. This could be a huge update, but I'm waiting on benchmark. That is the organization we've chosen to move forward with. They're working on their pricing and their options. The council's going to have to authorize a variety of contracts as well as an amendment. The goal is is benchmark's going to work with us to update that building and stabilize it there, but they can't do that without spending money. So, they're going to give us a preliminary budget that will lead to a budget that will then lead to a final development budget. This is not a bid build process. This is where we're hiring the company that we think can best meet our goals and budget. We've talked a little bit about where we're at financially. We've shared with them where we would like to be. They're going to come back with some ideas for us. Just get ready to start seeing on your agendas some approvals for contract agreements. It's an AI AIA contract. That's how we're going to be doing it. It's very normal within this industry across our country. But again, it is new for Orno. So, I want to just make sure you're aware of it. We will have to have some conversations. The fall is very busy. We have a lot of projects going. So, I want to make sure we keep moving on that. Um, Ponovskot County letter. I attended a meeting last week at the Ponovskot County and they're having some financial shortfalls. They are doing a lot of work towards a shortfall on their re revenues for their jail cap. um they've intentionally underbudgeted the amount of money they would receive which has created a negative balance. They're looking at how to bail themselves out of that negative balance and they're also going to be setting up a strategic group to talk about what their long-term plans are for the next three years, meaning getting out of this financial situation as well as getting towards building a new jail. We will I will follow up with you later on next steps because there was so much information shared I wouldn't know where to begin and it was just on last Thursday. Um roughly $3.5 million shortfall that they may have to pass pass on. That's to all the tax towns inscott county. Um roughly 12% increase out the door just to fix that one item. Uh get you more just um OEDC is working on final stages. We've been talking to them about a potential partnership. It looks like with all the other and I think this will build more structure to the undesated land the town owns to work with them on an agreement where we can build some resources for them and us to use. If they are in agreement, you will see an agenda item in the next month or so on how to move forward on how we review and classify all our undesated lands. And again, there's a list out there. It's public information. We have a lot of property with no stated purpose. It's important to have stated purposes, otherwise we're sitting on land that is not benefiting the town as best as it could. Uh the next one, it's October 21st. I am closing the office from 10:00 to noon. We are going to graduate the second class of the art of human relations, and I want everybody to there to attend. So, we're going to have a 2-hour office closure. So we can have about 40 of us. This is a communications training that staff does over six weeks for two hours per session on how we interact with each other and with the community and something that the staff I think could share with you at some point the benefits of it. Lori Bousard's the consultant that oversees it and like I said we'll be graduating that second class on the 21st. Nope. 21st. I typo. It was set for the 22nd. We had to move it to the 21st. Um comp plan update. You got it. But what you don't know is Isabelle Exley, who has been an amazing person to work with in the first year plus of me being here, has tended her resignation. So, we are working some options. I will tell you, it's my intent to come back to you with a funding plan, and we are going to post for a full-time position for economic development and planning. We're going to use the funds from that plus a little bit more of TIFF funds to hopefully bring it together. It's not working. We have too much work for Mitch and I to resource amongst a part-time planner. So, we're going to look at this option, come back for you for approval once we have it worked out. Um, we just finished today a potential job description we think that meets our needs. Okay. Didn't want that one right now either, just to be genuine. >> This is Austin Town Manager Report, by the way. >> Yeah, it's a long one. >> Uh, mutual aid agreement, Bangor Area Police. We signed a new one. That's all you need to know. If you want a copy of it, we can get you one. It's the same one we've done year to year. No cost, but I like to just share that we do do that sort of cooperation in the region if you ever want to see it. And the Panovskot Street parking, I think we took care of that one. I was going to kind of talk about some updates there, but I think we got a better plan than anything I would have shared. So, I like where we're going rather than where I was going to talk about. >> So, Council Baker's not going to bring something forward until you talk with the resident, right? >> Yeah. And I think I'm going to fix it without you guys seeing it on an agenda item. >> Thank you. >> If I can. >> If you can. Yep. That's it. >> All right. We do not have any public petitions. We do have there's not a public comment, but you don't The public petition is like a formal thing, right? So, >> do you have a petition with signatures to turn in? >> Yeah, it's a petition. Public items is later. Next one up. >> Yep. All right. So, Okay. So, there are no public petitions with signatures. Future agenda items and council requests for supporting. I've got one thing. Um, anybody else? We heard from Sarah before. She checked off about Oro the ordinance review committee schedule, which makes sense. Councelor Baker, uh, councelor Kenny. No, Leo, >> did you just call me or Jacob? >> Um, can um, we'll get an update on the urban trash sprawl on Pine Street parking lot. I know we had talked about that before and uh, it it seemed like a few went away and a not not right this not right now. Uh uh but yeah, they are bringing now. There's a couple new ones, I think. So, um would love to hear if we have a better plan because that's that's also I think where all the snow goes in the winter for the most part. So, >> we'll get something. >> All right. Um my item was we heard from um Chad Eddie in the um in a tough end and uh he's been with us been in front of us before with concerns about traffic in that in that neighborhood and Chad comes with video footage um of it's it's like the Orno Grand Prix down there a little bit and appreciate Chief Merrill's responded back and made patrol aware of Chad's concerns. Um, and I think that, you know, talking with Clint about it, um, outside of this meeting, we've got to get the community development committee, you know, has to get on the the oral stop stuff. And I think it's I was going to ask for, you know, a vote sometime in October to address tough end traffic conditions. And I um I think the appropriate way is to lean into our work at the community development committee which has been sidetracked a little bit by one we had good neighbor stuff that took up a lot of staff time and and some of our time and then we had the ornal festival day too. So I think that I think that's probably the right place to bring Chad's energy and questions in about tough end traffic and I guess I Matt you have as the chair of the committee. >> I agree. >> Okay. So, we're gonna I'm gonna talk with I'm gonna keep Chad I'm gonna keep Chad informed because I it's important to me that we're responsive to him and or anybody. But so, all right, that'll be that. I'm not gonna Next up is public comment. So, we have a final public comment. Dan, you have something that you haven't talked about already today? Yeah, you got up to three minutes. All right. Can you do it in three minutes or less? >> Um, yes. Yep. Um, I I covered a lot of points earlier and I think those just need to be reiterated. >> I just asked you not to talk about stuff you'd already talked about. >> Yeah. Well, I'm I'm not covering that. I'm just mentioning that that's valid. Um okay the the issue um before the end of the year has to be um uh one of compliance. We recently had um the Supreme Court and the AGs and um the US Supreme Court um by Tana Downing and Jessica uh Saxton they had brought forward this issue which you need to know about it also lends itself that um um before year end again I'm going to uh I have to reach back I am going to get together with the town manager here and I I fully believe that once you see the the material you'll understand why I'm re I I present this But before the year end in the past, I've seen uh uh as far as decisions and such, it it can be moved around. It can be accommodated um so that uh uh uh economic harm or notice uh is is uh taken care of and and you have a duty to do that while it hasn't been adhered to. So, um I'm just saying that uh uh the idea of the uniqueness of our town and and what it has to offer. Um there are other elements than just, you know, doing exactly like uh um without input, acting without input from the community. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you, Dan. Appreciate you staying with us tonight. Okay, that any other public comment? Go on. >> I'll be brief. I'll just give a quick introduction. I'm Joseph Elliott. I'm the, like you said, the liaison forms this year or for this fall. Um, I've worked previously with my um or with the school board in my school district as well as the town councils in my area. So, I have a little bit of experience with that. Um, I guess I'm just saying I'll just say uh I'm looking forward to working with you to further relations between the student body of the university and the town because obviously you know the town relies on the university as much as the university relies on the town. You know, it's very important that we have good relations and a good working relationship. So that's all I have to say being here. >> Thank you. >> Clint, >> where you from? >> Oh my. >> Yeah, it's near Auburn. >> Yeah. Yeah, it is. >> Sorry, I just given Clint a hard time because >> he is. Yeah. Thanks. >> It's kind of what I do. I keep track of the agenda somewhat and tease Clint. >> All right. All right. Um, that gets us to executive session. Um, are we going to have any we're not going to have any votes after? Nope. We do have we do have an order after, so we could come back and take action afterwards. Um, so I would take a motion to move into executive session pursuant to 36 RSA. Second move and second. All those in favor, we are gonna take a three minute recess >> post-it notes and you know >> that was unanimous walk and see strength connecting everything and >> thanks everybody. Sorry. [Music] >> Yeah. Okay. >> And it always >> I just randomly >> res council stand right. Uh, well, no, there's No. Yeah, the postit just because I should have just had >> beautiful line. Yeah. Okay. We're going to do Hey, we're going to go back in. We're going to um consider motion order. Okay. Settled. Ready, Clint? Okay, Mitch, we're ready. Okay. The Orno Town Council uh September 29th meeting is back in session. We've exited our executive session. We have in front of us an order 25247. Could I have a motion? >> So moved, seconded. Um, all those in favor of order, this is an order to consider a request for a property tax abatement based on poverty and or disability. Um, all those in favor? All those opposed? It's unanimous. Uh, six to zero. Opposed. And with that, I entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> Move second. All in favor of adjourning. Okay, we're we're journed. Thank you. Have a good night. Yeah.