Orono’s new public works site gets aspen trees

The Orono Garden Club is donating two quaking aspen trees for Orono’s new Public Works building and two apple trees for Orono Orchards Golf Course. Orono city council accepted these donations at its June 10 meeting.

Some of the funding for the public works building, which was open for public viewing from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on June 13, will come from the city’s water, stormwater, and sewer funds. City council approved the transfer of $1,000,000 from each of these funds to the city’s facilities fund.

Finance Director Maggie Jin said these funds could be a loan or simply an interfund transfer.

“These funds do utilize the public works building, as well. Staff is dedicated to these funds. The facility does support these enterprise funds, so that’s where logistically we can say that these enterprise funds should cover a portion of the facility, as well.”

Mayor Dennis Walsh commented during the meeting that council from years past ensured these funds (water, stormwater, and sewer) had adequate reserves to be prepared for future piping replacements in addition to helping out any depreciations in the facilities fund. These reserves will be replenished in the future, he noted.

Jin says using these reserves will not affect current utility rates.

“As we go forward in future budget years, that’s when we’ll see what additional projects will need to be done and that may impact utility rates in the future,” Jin said.

Rates will only be known after the city conducts its next rates study. This study is planned for 2025 and will look at rates for the ensuing five years.