>> ARE YOU ALL SET? WELCOME TO THE FIRST MEETING OF THE NEW YEAR HERE, 2024, JANUARY 8TH.
[00:00:08]
I NOTE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE HERE AND PRESENT, AND WE ALWAYS START WITH A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, SO I INVITE YOU TO STAND UP AND FACE THE FLAG.>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. NEXT IS APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA,
[Approval of Agenda & Consent Agenda]
WHICH INCLUDES THE CONSENT AGENDA.ON ONE VOTE, WE WILL APPROVE THE AGENDA AND THE CONSENT AGENDA AND I WILL GO OVER THE CONSENT AGENDA BEFORE WE VOTE ON IT, IN CASE THERE'S ANYTHING ANYBODY WANTS TAKEN OFF, SO ANYBODY LIKE TO TAKE A STAB AT THE CONSENT AGENDA TONIGHT?
>> I'LL TAKE CARE OF IT THIS EVENING.
I'D MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS 1-11, AS IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
>> ANY OTHER THOUGHTS UP HERE?
>> WHAT WE HAVE IN THE CONSENT AGENDA TONIGHT IS NUMBER 1, CITY COUNCIL MINUTES OF DECEMBER 11, 2023.
NUMBER 2, ANNUAL APPOINTMENTS RESOLUTION 7444.
NUMBER 4, APPROVAL OF LICENSES.
NUMBER 5, APPROVAL TO ACCEPT DONATION.
THANK YOU, KATHERINE. NUMBER 6 IS NUMBER LA23-45.
ELLE ANDERSON AND JAMES AND MELISSA EASLEY VACATION OF THE RIGHT AWAY BETWEEN 1250 AND 1260 SPRUCE PLACE RESOLUTION NUMBER 7445 ENCROACHMENT AGREEMENTS NUMBER 7 IS TRUCK REPLACEMENT WITH RELATED COMPONENTS.
NUMBER 8 IS LURTON PARK PARKING LOT EXPANSION DESIGN 24-26, NINE IS 2024 SANITARY SEWER REHABILITATION DESIGN 24-14, 10 IS THE TACOA FORCE MAIN CHANGE ORDER NUMBER 322-21.
ELEVEN IS OUR RGIS ONLINE UPGRADE PROPOSAL, 24-36.
ANYBODY LIKE TO TAKE ANY OF THOSE OFF FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION TONIGHT? YOU SEE NONE? I HAVE A MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
[12) Presentation by Bolton and Menk, Consulting Engineers]
NEXT IS NUMBER 12.WE HAVE A PRESENTATION TONIGHT BY BOLTON & MENK, OUR CONSULTING ENGINEERS, AND MISS MARTINI. YEAH. GOOD TO SEE YOU.
GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A FEW MOMENTS TONIGHT.
I DON'T ALWAYS HAVE A CHANCE TO COME TO YOUR MEETINGS.
IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE AND WE HAVE A FEW NEW FACES.
SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME OF YEAR TO COME AND RECAP WHERE WE'VE BEEN AND LOOK FORWARD.
ADAM, IF YOU WANT TO SWITCH TO THE FIRST SLIDE.
JUST FOR A LITTLE HISTORY, FOR THOSE OF YOU MAYBE HAVEN'T BEEN AROUND TO KNOW THIS BOLTON & MENK, WE WERE FIRST APPOINTED AS A CITY ENGINEER BACK IN 2012, AND AT THAT TIME, THE CITY ACTUALLY DIDN'T HAVE A CITY ENGINEER OR ON STAFF CITY ENGINEER, AND SO WE WERE APPOINTED AS A CITY ENGINEER WAS SHORTLY AFTER THAT WHEN THE CITY HIRED JESSE STROVE AS THE ON STAFF CITY ENGINEER.
HE WAS HERE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, AND THEN THERE WAS ACTUALLY A PERIOD WHEN JESSE LEFT BEFORE HE HIRED ADAM THAT WE FILLED IN, AND I WAS THE INTERIM CITY ENGINEER THERE FOR A LITTLE BIT.
WHILE YOU WERE FILLING THAT POSITION, I THINK THAT WAS THAT 2014, ADAM? I DON'T REMEMBER THE YEAR VERY WELL.
THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT THE LAKE WAS VERY HIGH, SO THERE'S A LOT OF FLOODING GOING ALONG.
I REMEMBER BALDER PARK ROAD BEING UNDERWATER AND A LOT OF DRAINAGE ISSUES WE WERE GOING AROUND LOOKING AT THAT SUMMER.
SO, WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR A LITTLE WHILE HERE.
YOU WENT OUT FOR RFP'S AGAIN AS PART OF YOUR NORMAL PROCESS TO KIND OF RECONFIRM THAT WE WERE THE APPROPRIATE FIRM TO BE TAKING CARE OF THE CITY.
AND SO IT WAS 2020 OR 2021 WHEN YOU REAPPOINTED US TO FILL THAT ROLE.
JUST SOME OF THE KEY HIGHLIGHTS OR SOME OF THE STAFF THAT YOU WORK WITH.
THERE'S A WHOLE TEAM OF PEOPLE BEHIND THIS, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF SOME OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING FOR THE CITY AND DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT ARE REPRESENTING BOLTON & MENK FOR YOU, THE MUNICIPAL ENGINEERING, KIND OF THE GENERAL THINGS THAT WE DO FOR YOU.
I TAKE CARE OF THAT AS THE LEAD FOR THAT EFFORT, AGAIN, WITH A WHOLE TEAM OF PEOPLE BEHIND ME.
WATER, WASTEWATER ENGINEERING, SETH PETERSON, WATER RESOURCES ENGINEERING.
THERE'S A LOT GOING ON FOR THAT THAT WE SUPPORT IN THE CITY FOR BOB BEAN AS OUR REPRESENTATIVE FOR THAT.
GIS, DAVE MALM ACTUALLY SPENT SOME TIME HERE IN CITY HALL TAKING CARE OF GIS ITEMS FOR THE CITY, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE, A LOT OF THE CITY PARK PLANNING THAT YOU'VE DONE, JOEL HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN SOME OF THOSE EFFORTS FOR YOU.
ALL OF OUR TASK OFFICE HELPS OUT.
[00:05:02]
WE TAKE CARE OF SOME OF YOUR BRIDGE INSPECTIONS.ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL, JIM ARCHER, TRAFFIC TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING.
CHRIS, PROBABLY HAVEN'T SEEN CHRIS IN A WHILE, BUT HE WAS INVOLVED IN SOME OF THE EARLY PLANNING THAT WE DID ON OLD CRYSTAL BAY ROAD OUT HERE IN FRONT OF CITY HALL.
WE HAVE A COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST, NICOLE, AND FUNDING SPECIALIST ALSO.
AGAIN, A BIG TEAM OF PEOPLE THAT ARE SUPPORTING ME AND THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING FOR THE CITY.
THROUGH THE YEARS, WE'VE HAD SOME NOTABLE PROJECTS.
WE'VE DONE IMPROVEMENTS ON WILLOW DRIVE, WATERTOWN ROAD, FOX STREET, SOME OF YOUR STATE AID ROADS THAT WE'VE MADE SOME IMPROVEMENTS ON.
ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IN MY TIME HERE AND NOT ONLY JUST FOR THE WORK THAT I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO FOR ORONO, BUT REALLY JUST IN MY CAREER, THE OLD CRYSTAL BAY ROAD PROJECT OUT HERE BETWEEN CITY HALL AND THE SCHOOL WAS REALLY KIND OF A NEAT PROJECT TO BE A PART OF.
IF YOU CAN REMEMBER BACK AS TO WHAT THAT CORRIDOR WAS LIKE BEFORE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS WERE MADE? THAT YEAH. WELL, THEY HAD THE SAME ROAD NETWORK THERE 50 YEARS AGO WHEN THEY WERE JUST STARTING TO BUILD THE SCHOOLS AND IT HAD NOT CHANGED AN IOTA, SO THAT WAS A REALLY GREAT COLLABORATION WITH YOU GUYS AND US IN THE SCHOOL AND POKING THAT ALL WORK WITH ALL THEIR PARKING LOTS.
YEAH, AND IT REALLY DID TURN OUT WELL.
IT WAS FUN TO SEE JUST THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE TRAFFIC AND GET PEOPLE IN ALL THOSE SCHOOLS.
THAT WAS A REWARDING PROJECT TO BE A PART OF THE EAST LONG LAKE ROAD TRAIL PROJECT.
THAT'S ANOTHER ONE WHICH JUST I THINK IS SUCH A NEAT PROJECT WHEN YOU THINK OF THAT OLD ROAD THAT RAN ALONGSIDE THE LAKE THERE NOW TO HAVE THAT TRAIL IN THERE.
THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU'VE DONE ON BIG ISLAND, WE'VE BEEN A PART OF THAT JUST MORE FROM A WATER SEWER STANDPOINT.
TALKER, WOOD ROAD, WE'VE BEEN DOING SOME FOREST MAIN IMPROVEMENTS.
THAT'S BEEN A PHASED APPROACH OVER THE YEARS WHERE WE'VE HAD SEVERAL PROJECTS.
COUNTY ROAD 19 REPLACING THE WATER MAIN OUT THERE, IMPROVEMENTS AT THE TREATMENT FACILITIES, BEDERWOOD PARK IMPROVEMENTS, SOME OF THE MASTER PLANNING THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
OH, I GOT THE FOREST MAIN ON THERE TWICE.
[LAUGHTER] JUST TO RECAP WHAT WE WERE UP TO HERE JUST THIS LAST SUMMER, FOX STREET WAS ONE OF THE MORE SIGNIFICANT THINGS THAT WE DID FROM A STREET STANDPOINT.
BUT ALSO THE NAVARRE PARKING LOT PROJECT IS BASICALLY DONE NOW.
THERE'LL BE SOME CLEAN UP AND SOME PUNCH LIST ITEMS IN THE SPRING, BUT THAT'S DONE ALONG WITH THE GOLF COURSE PARKING LOT, SOME IMPROVEMENTS THERE.
AGAIN, THAT TONKAWA PROJECT SHOWS UP WITH PART AND WOOD.
THE NEW PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY, WE HAVE A ROLE IN THAT WITH KIND OF THE STUFF OUTSIDE THE BUILDING THAT IS BOLTON & MENK HAS A PART OF THAT.
WE'VE WORKED ON A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PLANS LOOKING AT PLACES TO PUT PICKLEBALL COURTS WITHIN THE CITY.
THE HACKBERRY PARK MASTER PLANNING, CIP PROJECTS, THE MS4 ADMINISTRATION, YOU HAVE A PERMIT TO OPERATE YOUR STORM SEWER SYSTEM IN THE CITY.
WE PROVIDE SOME SUPPORT FOR THAT.
THEN JUST DEVELOPMENT REVIEWS JUST IN GENERAL AROUND THE COMMUNITY.
SO A LOT GOING ON ADAM, AND REALLY THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO DO.
I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE UP A WHOLE LOT OF YOUR TIME, BUT I DID WANT TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO THE NEW FACES.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH YOU.
IT'S BEEN A NICE LONG TIME PERIOD FOR US TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CITY.
AGAIN, A LOT OF FUN PROJECTS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO, CERTAINLY NOT SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AGAIN AND WISH YOU A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM OTHERWISE.
NO, THANK YOU. YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OVER THE YEARS.
I KNOW JUST FROM AN INFORMATIONAL STANDPOINT, JUST FROM THE CITIZENS TOO, BEFORE WE HIRED YOU GUYS, WE HAD A LONG TIME, ANOTHER ENGINEERING FIRM THAT WAS DOING THE BUSINESS AND WE PUT IN PLACE ONE SIDE.
WE GOT ON THAT, WE WANTED TO STRUCTURE THESE THINGS THAT WE WERE ACTUALLY GOING OUT FOR BID EVERY FIVE YEARS AND STAGGERED WITH ALL OUR DIFFERENT SERVICES, WHETHER IT'S LEGAL SERVICES OR PROSECUTING SERVICES, ENGINEERING SERVICES, ALL THE DIFFERENT SERVICES THAT WE DO JUST SO WE COULD MAKE SURE WE HAD THE RIGHT THINGS, THE RIGHT PRICING THAT WAS GOING ON, WHICH WE FOUND THINGS HADN'T BEEN DONE SO LONG AND THE PRICING WAS A LITTLE LOT OF WHACK, AND YOU GUYS CAME IN, BROUGHT GREAT VALUE EXPERTISE.
WE'VE GONE OUT AND I THINK TWICE NOW TO REAFFIRM ALL THAT STUFF, AND YOU GUYS ARE STILL HERE, WHICH SHOWS YOU GUYS ARE DOING THE RIGHT JOB AND YOU GUYS HAVE DONE WELL, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE STUFF THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE CITY.
THANK YOU AS WELL AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.
YOU'VE DONE GREAT, GREAT WORK ON THE PROJECTS.
THE SCHOOL PROJECT IS FANTASTIC.
BIZARRELY ENOUGH, I WAS ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT THAT LAST NIGHT AT DINNER BECAUSE WE WERE COMPARING MINATANKA HIGH SCHOOL AND THE TOUGH WAY THAT THEY HAVE TO COORDINATE TO GET THERE IS REALLY DIFFICULT.
THEN, YOU KNOW, MY SON IN LAW WHO'S A SOUTH LAKE POLICE OFFICER, BROUGHT UP,
[00:10:04]
ORONO IS SO MUCH BETTER NOW AND I'M LIKE, YEAH, HE SAID WE DID THAT, SO IT CAME OUT FANTASTIC.BUT WE DO APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
ANY PUBLIC WORKS REPORT FROM DJ TODAY?
[Public Works Report]
NOPE. OKAY.>> YEAH. IT'S SNOWING. IT'S FINALLY COMING.
SO EVERYBODY BE SAFE AS WELL, AT THE SAME TIME AND DRIVE SLOW.
I TELL MY DAUGHTERS NOW AND IT'S SNOWING, THAT'S FOR SURE. PUBLIC SAFETY.
>> THE AGENDAS, THAT SHOULD HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN FOR LAURA FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
>> WELL, I WAS GOING TO ASK HER TOO IF SHE HAS A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORT AS WELL.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I HAVE THE 2023 BUILDING PERMIT REVENUE INFORMATION TONIGHT.
>> WHILE WE'RE STILL WORKING ON A FORMAL ANNUAL REPORT, I'M SURE YOU'LL SEE LATER, I HAVE THE NUMBERS FOR BUILDING PERMIT REVENUE I CAN PRESENT.
THE BUDGET WAS 565,000 FOR A BUILDING PERMIT.
THAT WAS ESTIMATED OF WHAT WE WERE HOPING TO BRING IN.
WE ENDED THE YEAR WITH 843,000 AND SOME CHANGE DOLLAR WITH BUILDING PERMIT REVENUE.
THAT IS OVER WHAT WE EXCEEDED IN 2022.
FOR DECEMBER, WE BROUGHT IN $52,000 AND SOME CHANGE, WHICH IS, AGAIN, JUST SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN WHAT WE BROUGHT IN IN 2022, WHICH WAS ABOUT 40,000.
SO RELATIVELY EVERY MONTH, WE STAYED ON PAR WITH OUR PROJECTIONS OR SLIGHTLY EXCEEDED, BUT IN THE END, BROUGHT US WELL ABOVE OUR ESTIMATED PERMIT REVENUE.
I THINK THAT WAS A LOT ATTRIBUTED TO FINISHING UP SOME OF OUR DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAD SOME VACANT LOTS STILL IN IT.
A LOT OF THOSE FINISHED UP THIS YEAR, GOT FULLY BUILT OUT THIS YEAR.
SO WE'RE BUSY WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION, WITH THAT SIDE OF THINGS.
BUT YEAH, BUSY SEASON IN THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT.
>> LOTS OF STUFF IN THE PIPELINE.
>> YEAH. WE'RE GETTING LOTS OF CALLS, LOTS OF INQUIRIES ABOUT SOME SUBDIVISIONS, SOME LOT SPLIT, SOME RECONSTRUCTION, LOTS OF REMODELING, HOME EDITION STUFF QUESTIONS, EXPANSIONS, THAT KIND OF THING.
SEEMS TO BE RELATIVELY QUIET, MAYBE ON THE COUNCIL SIDE OF PROJECTS WE'RE BRINGING YOU, BUT VERY BUSY ON THE PHONE CALLS AND INQUIRIES DURING THE WINTER MONTHS.
SO IT'S A LOT OF STAFF TIME WORK, MEETING WITH PEOPLE, PREPPING FOR SPRING PROJECTS.
>> WELL, CONGRATULATIONS, YOU AND YOUR STAFF.
>> BECAUSE WE HAVE A FULL STAFF NOW IN YOUR DEPARTMENT.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT THE WHOLE YEAR, SO WE HAD TO WORK THROUGH THAT.
THAT'S A CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING THROUGH ALL THAT AND DO IT AGAIN.
>> YEAH. [LAUGHTER] IT WAS AWESOME.
[13) Authorization to Hire Paid-On-Call Firefighter]
PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT. CHIEF?>> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I HAVE TWO ITEMS TO PRESENT TONIGHT.
THE FIRST ITEM IS TO GAIN APPROVAL FOR HIRING PAID-ON-CALL FIREFIGHTERS.
THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY SEEKING PAID-ON-CALL FIREFIGHTERS TO COVER OUR STATION 2 CALL AREA.
WE HAVE ONE RECOMMENDED CANDIDATE TONIGHT, CHRIS ADAMS. CHRIS ADAMS HAS EXPERIENCE AS A FIREFIGHTER WITH ANOTHER DEPARTMENT.
HE'S PASSED FIREFIGHTER 1 AND 2 AND EMT.
CHRIS IS EXCITED TO BECOME A CHARTER MEMBER OF THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT AND LOOKS FORWARD TO CREATING THE BEST DEPARTMENT AND RELIEF ASSOCIATION.
I RECOMMEND CHRIS ADAMS WITH 15 YEARS OF SERVING THE CITY OF ORONO FOR A CONDITIONAL JOB OFFER AS A PAID-ON-CALL FIREFIGHTER WITH AN EFFECTIVE START DATE OF JANUARY 9TH, 2024 FOR FIREFIGHTER TRAINING AND OTHER SUCH DUTIES THAT WILL BEGIN JANUARY 9.
HIS STARTING PAY WILL BE $16 AN HOUR, BENEFITS OBVIOUSLY THE RELIEF ASSOCIATION WHICH ARE TO BE DETERMINED YET, AND THEN CONDITIONS, OBVIOUSLY, PASSING THE BACKGROUND CHECK WHICH HE HAS PASSED.
WELL, IT'S IN PROCESS RIGHT NOW.
>> AWESOME. WELL, THAT'S GREAT.
IS MR. ADAMS OR THIS CANDIDATE, THE EXPERIENCE WITH LONG LAKE FIRE. [OVERLAPPING]?
>> OKAY. IS THIS CANDIDATE CURRENTLY EMPLOYED OR A PAID-ON-CALL WITH LONG LAKE?
>> ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
>> I HAVE A QUESTION. I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS HIRE IS IN VIOLATION OF THE COURT INJUNCTION?
>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON, I DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOUR COUNSEL REPRESENTING THE CITY OF ORONO ON THIS MATTER.
HE DID INFORM ME THAT IN HIS VIEW, THE CITY OF ORONO IS ABLE TO HIRE THIS FIREFIGHTER AND THAT IT IS NOT IN VIOLATION OF THE JUDGE'S ORDER.
[00:15:04]
HE DOES NOT VIEW THAT THE ORDER IS A STRICT PROHIBITION ON HIRING FOLKS WHO HAVE VOLUNTARILY APPLIED TO OUR OPEN AD RIGHT NOW, AND THAT HAS BEEN THE PROCESS IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION.SO IT IS MR. REAVERS' OPINION THAT THE CITY IS ABLE TO HIRE THIS INDIVIDUAL.
>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION, KNOWING CHRIS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND HIS QUALITY AS A HUMAN BEING, AND HIS WORK ETHIC AND HIS SKILLS, I'M PROUD TO MAKE THIS RECOMMENDATION.
SO I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL JOB OFFER TO CHRIS ADAMS AS A PAID-ON-CALL FIREFIGHTER AT THE RATE OF $16 AN HOUR WITH HIS START DATE OF JANUARY 9TH, 2024.
>> NOTE THAT PASSES FOUR TO ONE.
>> CHRIS WAS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
HE HAS ANOTHER OBLIGATION, OBVIOUSLY, ONE THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TOO.
THE NEXT ITEM THAT I HAVE FOR YOU IS
[14) Authorization to Hire Part-Time Firefighters]
HIRING PART-TIME FIREFIGHTERS FOR WEEKDAY DAYTIME DUTY CREWS.THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY SEEKING PART-TIME FIREFIGHTERS FOR WEEKDAY DAYTIME DUTY CREWS TO COVER OUR STATION 2 CALL AREA.
WE HAVE THREE TONIGHT FOR US AND ALL THREE ARE HERE; JOHN JACKSON, JASON HUBERT, TOM FOREMAN.
THEY'RE EXPERIENCED FIREFIGHTERS WITH OTHER FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
TOM HAS NINE YEARS EXPERIENCE.
HE IS A FIREFIGHTER 1, 2 ALONG WITH EMT.
JASON HAS FIVE YEARS EXPERIENCE AS FIREFIGHTER 1, 2 AND ALONG WITH EMT.
JOHN JACKSON, FIVE YEARS EXPERIENCE FIREFIGHTER 1, 2 AND ALONG WITH EMR. SO WE'LL LOOK AT GETTING HIM INTO AN EMT CLASS.
THEY ALL ARE EXCITED TO BE CHARTER MEMBERS OF THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND THEY LOOK FORWARD TO CREATING THE BEST FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I RECOMMEND JOHN, JASON, AND TOM FOR CONDITIONAL JOB OFFERS AS PART-TIME FIREFIGHTERS WITH EFFECTIVE START DATES OF JANUARY 9, 2024, FOR FIREFIGHTER TRAINING AND OTHER SUCH DUTIES.
STARTING PAY WILL BE $20 AN HOUR.
POLICE AND FIRE PAIR ARE THE BENEFITS FOR THEM.
CONDITIONS OF THEIR JOB OFFERS ARE PASSING THE PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND PROBATIONARY PERIODS WHICH MOST OF THEM HAVE ALREADY.
>> HEY, AWESOME. ANY QUESTIONS FOR CHIEF?
>> YEAH, I DO. I HAVE THE SAME QUESTIONS AS ON THE LAST AGENDA ITEM.
IS THE EXPERIENCE WITH LONG LAKE FIREFIGHTER FOR ALL THREE CANDIDATES?
>> NONE ARE CURRENTLY EMPLOYED THERE?
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SOMEBODY LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION?
>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL JOB OFFERS TO JOHN JACKSON, JASON HUBERT, AND TOM FOREMAN.
>> [LAUGHTER] YOU'LL GIVE IT TO ME CLOSE ENOUGH. [LAUGHTER]
>> OKAY. AS PART-TIME FIREFIGHTERS AT THE RATE OF $20 PER HOUR WITH THE START DATE OF JANUARY 9TH, 2024.
>> NOTE THAT PASSES FOUR TO ONE.
I LIKE THAT. SINCE YOU GUYS ARE HERE [OVERLAPPING].
>> WE SHOULD RECOGNIZE THESE GENTLEMEN.
>> CHIEF, ANY OTHER REPORTS TO HAVE?
>> I HAVE ONE. WITH THOSE HIRINGS, THAT PUTS US AT 17 TOTAL FIREFIGHTERS.
WE HAVE ONE MORE THAT IS GOING THROUGH THE PIPELINE RIGHT NOW.
SHE IS A HANDOVER PAID-ON-CALL FIREFIGHTER AND WORKS FOR THE LONG LAKE'S DUTY CREW AND SHE WANTS TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT CLOSER.
SHE'S GONE THROUGH ALL OF HER EVALS.
I'VE NOT SEEN ALL THE REPORTS BACK YET, BUT ONCE WE HAVE THOSE, WE'LL BRING HER IN FRONT AND DO THAT.
RECEIVED ANOTHER APPLICATION FOR A PAID-ON-CALL FIREFIGHTER TONIGHT OR THIS AFTERNOON, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
THEN I HAVE 1, 2, 3 OTHERS SITTING ON MY DESK SO WE CAN INTERVIEW THEM ALSO.
TWO OF THEM ARE FOR PART TIME POSITIONS, WHICH WE'RE CURRENTLY AT EIGHT, SO WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AND SEE WHERE WE GO FROM THERE.
THEN ONE COULD BE PAID-ON-CALL FIREFIGHTER FOR US.
HE'S CLOSE. IT PUTS US IN REALLY GOOD SHAPE FOR THE YEAR TO BE ABLE TO COVER CALLS.
>> THEN YOU HAD AN INITIAL MEETING AT LEAST ABOUT THE RELIEF?
>> YEAH. THE PAID-ON-CALL FIREFIGHTERS GOT TOGETHER AND WENT
[00:20:01]
THROUGH THE RELIEF GUIDE BY LAWS.THEY'VE COME BACK WITH A DRAFT OF THOSE, AND SO WE'LL BE SEEING SOMETHING COME UP CLOSE OR SOMETHING TO COME UP FOR THOSE.
THEN WE'LL START POSTING SOME MEETINGS FOR THAT RELIEF BOARD TO START MEETING AND GO THROUGH THE FINALIZATION OF THAT TOO. VERY EXCITED.
>> NOT YET, BUT I EXTREMELY CAN BE.
>> HE HASN'T SEEN THAT GUIDE YET.
THAT'LL BE OVER TO HIM. WE JUST GOT IT TODAY.
>> I'LL SAY WE'LL GET THOSE OVER TO YOU AND BETWEEN ADAM AND EVERYBODY, WE CAN LOOK AT THEM AND THEN PROBABLY HAVE SOME TYPE OF FOLLOW UP AS TO CLEANING THEM UP AND GETTING THEM READY TO GO.
>> WE'LL HAVE TO SEND THEM TO THE STATE AUDITOR TOO AND MAKE SURE THAT DEPARTMENT'S ALL RIGHT WITH THEM TOO BEFORE WE RATIFY, SO AFTER LEGAL REVIEW.
>> THEN DO MOST FIREFIGHTERS EVENTUALLY ACHIEVE THAT EMT OR?
>> WITH THE DEPARTMENT I WAS WITH BEFORE, YOU COULD DO EITHER ONE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING JUST TO DO A LITTLE BIT BETTER BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE THERE QUICKER WITH OUR DAYTIME DUTY CREWS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO HAVE MOST, IF NOT ALL OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS TO BE EMT LEVELS.
>> IT'S GREAT. THIS IS GOING TO HAVE GIVEN UP MY EMT BASE. [OVERLAPPING]
>> VERY MUCH A STEP UP FOR THE CITIZENS OF ORONO FOR SURE.
>> PARTICULARLY, THOSE THAT ARE LIVING IN THE CONFINES OF THE SECOND TERRITORY, TERRITORY 2.
>> THOSE TWO CATEGORIES RIGHT NOW.
>> 70% OF OUR CALLS ARE MEDICAL AND THAT EXPERIENCE LEVEL AND TRAINING LEVEL, IT'S CRITICAL AND FIRST RESPONDING.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE COMING IN WITH THIS EXPERIENCE.
REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE YOU GUYS AND THANKS FOR JOINING.
>> THAT'LL BRING US TO OUR LEGAL UPDATES. SOREN.
[Additional Item]
>> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I DO HAVE TWO ITEMS THAT I'D LIKE TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO.
I BELIEVE ADAM HAS ALREADY EMAILED YOU ON THESE ITEMS. I'LL LEAVE MY REMARKS RATHER BRIEF.
THERE'S POTENTIAL FOR APPEAL AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
BUT I DID WANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT IN THE LAST COUPLE DAYS, THE CITY HAS RECEIVED GOOD NEWS.
>> SOREN, CAN YOU SPEAK IN THE MIC MORE?
>> THE CITY HAS RECEIVED GOOD NEWS IN THE LAST COUPLE DAYS.
THE FIRST ONE IS AS IT RELATES TO A LAWSUIT THAT WAS BROUGHT BY LAKE MINNETONKA REAL ESTATE VERSUS BOTH THE FELDSHONS AND THE CITY OF ORONO.
YOU'LL RECALL THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME LITIGATION SURROUNDING A LITTLE STRIP OF LAND AND WHO HAS THE RIPARIAN RIGHTS TO THAT.
THE COURT, AS OF TODAY, DID DISMISS THE PLAINTIFF'S CLAIM AGAINST THE CITY OF ORONO THAT WAS DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.
WE HAVE NOT SEEN WHAT HAPPENS AT THIS POINT, SO I'M RELUCTANT TO GO ANY FURTHER ON THAT, BUT THE ORDER IS PUBLIC AND THE PLAINTIFF'S CLAIM HAS BEEN DISMISSED IN ITS ENTIRETY AS IT RELATES TO THE CITY OF ORONO.
THAT IS GOOD NEWS FOR THE CITY OF ORONO.
THE SECOND ONE WAS ISSUED ON FRIDAY.
THIS IS A LAWSUIT THAT WAS BROUGHT BY J. NYGARD VERSUS THE CITY OF ORONO.
THE MAYOR, MYSELF, THE POLICE CHIEF, OUR LAW FIRM, AND THE COURT IN THAT MATTER ALSO DISMISSED ALL OF MR. NYGARD'S CLAIMS, SOME WITH PREJUDICE AS IT RELATES TO THE FEDERAL CLAIMS. THIS WAS IN FEDERAL COURT AND SIMPLY DISMISSED.
OTHERS WITHOUT PREJUDICE, THE STATE LAW CLAIMS. THAT LAWSUIT HAS BEEN DISMISSED IN ITS ENTIRETY, ALSO WITH SOME OF THOSE CLAIMS AT THIS POINT BEING BARRED.
BOTH ORDERS ARE RELATIVELY NEW.
THERE'S THE STANDARD ABILITY TO APPEAL, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
BUT THAT IS GOOD NEWS FOR THE CITY.
BOTH THESE CLAIMS WERE DISMISSED IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THE LITIGATION AND THEY'VE BEEN DISMISSED IN THEIR ENTIRETY.
I WILL PROVIDE YOU THAT UPDATE.
AT SOME POINT, IT MAY MAKE SENSE TO HAVE A CLOSED SESSION TO REFRESH OURSELVES ON THE STATUS OF OUTSTANDING LITIGATION.
I WASN'T ABLE TO PUT THAT TOGETHER ON THESE TWO JUST BECAUSE THEY CAME IN ON FRIDAY AND TODAY.
AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, WE MIGHT PUT THAT ON AS AN AGENDA ITEM.
THAT CONCLUDES MY REMARKS ON THOSE.
>> SOREN. YOU HAD SAID THAT SOME OF THEM WERE BARRED?
>> DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE, IT MEANS YOU CAN'T BRING IT AGAIN.
IF YOU'VE SUED SOMEONE FOR A PARTICULAR MATTER AND THE JUDGE DISMISSES THAT CLAIM WITH PREJUDICE, IT MEANS I'M SAYING YOU CAN'T BRING THAT CLAIM AGAIN.
THAT DOESN'T BAR SOMEONE FROM APPEALING IT.
THEY ALWAYS HAVE THAT RIGHT, AND THERE'S CERTAIN TIME RESTRICTIONS ON THAT.
BUT AS IT RELATES TO IF THEY DIDN'T APPEAL IT AND NOTHING FURTHER HAPPENS, THEY ARE BARRED FROM EVER BRINGING THAT SUIT AGAIN.
[00:25:03]
>> ABSOLUTELY. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
>> THAT'S GREAT NEWS. THAT FIRST LAWSUIT, JUST TO REMIND EVERYBODY IS, THAT WAS SOMEBODY THAT WAS TRYING TO PUT A MARINA OF SORTS, ON LAND THAT HE DIDN'T KNOW.
NOT ONLY WAS THAT A SIGNIFICANT RESULT FOR THE CITY OF ORONO, BUT ALL OF LAKE MINNETONKA OR ANYBODY THAT THOUGHT THAT THEY COULD HAVE THEIR DOCK NOT TOUCH THE SHORE AND THEY COULD PUT DOCKS IN FRONT.
>> WE DID THAT ON BEHALF OF EVERYBODY ONLY BECAUSE IT WAS IN ORONO THAT WE TOOK ACTION TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS STOPPED.
>> FROM A POSTURE STANDPOINT, THAT LAWSUIT WAS TROUBLING IN SOME RESPECTS.
NO ONE CONTESTED THAT THE CITY OWNED THE LAND.
WHAT WAS ODD IS THAT SOMEONE WAS APPLYING TO PUT A MARINA NEXT TO LAND THAT THE CITY OWNED BASED ON WHAT THEY PERCEIVED TO BE THEIR PARING RIGHT.
THIS IS A GOOD RESULT FOR THE CITY AND FOR WHAT AT LEAST THE COUNTY AND OTHER SOME OTHER AGENTS VIEW AS PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS.
>> I AGREE. GOOD RESULT ALL AROUND AFTER ALL.
>> STARTING THE NEW YEAR OFF RIGHT HERE.
>> STARTING THE NEW YEAR OFF RIGHT.
>> THAT'LL BRING US TO OUR COMMITTEE COUNCIL REPORTS, NUMBER 15.
[15) Council Committee Reports - HR/Org Committee]
I KNOW WE HAD AN HR ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITTEE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON.IF YOU'D LIKE TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THAT ONE.
>> SURE. I DID A GOOD JOB OF SUMMARIZING HERE THE NEW BUSINESS THAT WE DISCUSSED.
ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IS TO LOOK AT OR ADDING A LEAD MECHANIC BECAUSE WE HAD A HARD TIME LOCATING A PART TIME ONE AND A LEAD POSITION WILL BE ABLE TO DO EVALUATIONS AND THAT TYPE OF THING, WHICH IS HELPFUL.
IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY. IF WE HIRE IN MARCH OR TOWARDS THE BEGINNING OF MARCH, WE HAVE THE BUDGET.
THIS WILL BE WITHIN THE BUDGET TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
HOPEFULLY, THIS CAN COME SOON BECAUSE ONE OF OUR MECHANICS IS GIVING NOTICE OR DID GIVE NOTICE.
>> ACTUALLY RESCINDED THIS NOTICE THE OTHER DAY IN.[BACKGROUND][LAUGHTER]
>> SHE JUST NEVER KNOWS SOMETIMES. DO YOU?
>> MOVING ON TO THE GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT JOB DESCRIPTION CHANGE, JOSH LEMONS WILL BE FREED UP BY THIS CHANGE MAYBE.
HE ESTIMATED 15-20 HOURS A WEEK AND THAT A PERSON WILL BE DESIGNATED TO BE ABLE TO LEAD THE CHARGE AT THE GOLF COURSE AND BE ABLE TO DIRECT THE SEASONAL EMPLOYEES THERE WITH THIS CHANGE AND GIVE OVERSIGHT TO THOSE PEOPLE.
I BELIEVE WE ALREADY HAVE SOMEBODY IN MIND FOR THIS CHANGE.
>> YEAH, CORRECT. IT'S NOT A CHANGE IN PERSONNEL, IT'S A CHANGE IN TITLE.
>> NO. CHANGE IN TITLE AND RESPONSIBILITY.
THEN ALSO THE CLUBHOUSE MANAGER.
THIS INDIVIDUAL IS GOING TO BE LOOKING TO CHANGE TO A FULL TIME, SALARIED POSITION AND GIVES SOME MORE FLEXIBILITY TO LIMIT HOURS IN THE WINTER.
BUT ALSO SHE'S BEEN ENGAGING A LOT WITH THE LEAGUES AND GETTING A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT TO SIGN UP FOR VARIOUS TYPES OF ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS AND WE ARE BUDGETED FOR THIS CHANGE.
CORRECT? THEN IT SERVICE STRUCTURE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN NEEDING I BELIEVE FOR SOME TIME; A MANAGEMENT POSITION IN IT TO BE ABLE TO REALLY OVERSEE THE TECH SIDE AS WELL AS STRATEGIC PLANNING SIDE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HOLD OFF ON THIS ONE UNTIL THE NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR IS ON BOARD TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS FURTHER WITH STAFF.
>> NO, THAT'S JUST SO FAR AS A CONCEPTUAL IDEA.
WE HAVEN'T GONE DOWN ANY PATH.
>> THEN FINALLY THE POLICE RECRUITING GRANT CHIEF ARNIE HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS AND IT'S TOUGH TO RECRUIT POLICE.
THERE'S A NEW PROGRAM DEVELOPING AND HENNEPIN TECH IS PUTTING TOGETHER A PARTNER PROGRAM TO LOOK AT ENTERTAINING CANDIDATES WHO ARE MAYBE STARTING A SECOND CAREER; DIDN'T CHOOSE POLICING AS THEIR PRIMARY CAREER, BUT MAY BE INTERESTED NOW PERHAPS LATER IN LIFE.
THE NUMBERS ARE DOWN AT THIS PROGRAM AT HENNEPIN TECH.
USUALLY, THEY'RE OVER 100 NOW THEY'RE ABOUT 50 OR SO WITHIN THIS PROGRAM AND SO WE ARE LOOKING TO HAVE CHIEF ARNIE GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INVOLVED AND FIND OUT MORE SPECIFICS ABOUT HOW WE AS A CITY CAN DO SOME RECRUITMENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THIS TECH PROGRAM THROUGH HENNEPIN COUNTY.
>> CORRECT. WE WOULD PARTICIPATE IN A GRANT FROM THE STATE SO IT'S ABOUT ABOUT BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT GRANT AND THEN UNDERSTANDING THAT IF WE WERE SUCCESSFUL, [INAUDIBLE] FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF
[00:30:03]
TIME CONTROL OFFICERS WHILE THEY WERE INDIVIDUALS IN SCHOOL.>> SO PART OF THIS WAS JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ON THE MECHANIC PART.
IT WAS SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS AGO WHERE WE DECIDED THAT WE WERE DOING SO MUCH MECHANICAL WORK OUTSIDE AND THAT WE DECIDED THAT WE HAD WE COULD AFFORD OUR OWN PERSON FULL TIME AND WE BROUGHT THOSE SERVICES IN-HOUSE.
THAT MADE US ABLE TO GET TO ALL OF OUR PUBLIC WORKS VEHICLES RIGHT AWAY, WHETHER IT'S THE PLOWS OR ANYTHING ELSE.
IF WE NEEDED TO OUTSOURCE, WE COULD BUT WE COULD TAKE CARE OF ALL THE STUFF IN-HOUSE VERY WELL.
THAT'S GONE SO WELL THAT WE'VE DECIDED NOW TO HIRE BASICALLY A SECOND ONE FOR THE MOST PART AND WE'RE GOING TO BRING IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, ALL THE FLEET THAT THEY HAVE THERE BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN OUTSOURCING ALL THAT TO ANOTHER PEOPLE.
BUT THEY FOUND THAT TO BE ABLE TO GET THEIR OIL CHANGES DONE RIGHT ON THE SPOT AND GET IT DONE, IT HAS BEEN EYE OPENING THAT THEY CAN GET STUFF DONE RIGHT AWAY AND GET THE CARS OUT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE NEED OUR POLICE CARS OUT THERE, WE NEED OUR PUBLIC WORKS CARS OUT THERE.
BUT IT'S JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS THAT WE'RE SPENDING A WHOLE BUNCH OF MONEY OUT.
WE CAN BRING IT IN AND WE CAN BRING THOSE SERVICES IN-HOUSE.
ACTUALLY, IN THE NEW PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY, WE HAVE AN ENTIRE MAINTENANCE BAY, WE HAVE AN ENTIRE CAR WASH THAT'S IN THERE, SO WE CAN BASICALLY TAKE CARE OF ALL OF OUR STUFF IN-HOUSE.
IF WE DO NEED TO OUTSOURCE STUFF BECAUSE WE'RE OVERLOADED, WE CAN OUTSOURCE THE STUFF THAT OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T NEED IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE WE CAN GET TO THE IMMEDIATE STUFF AND GET IT DONE RIGHT NOW AND ALWAYS BE UP AND RUNNING TO GET THOSE THINGS DONE.
SO THAT'S BEEN JUST A GOOD EXAMPLE OF BRINGING SERVICES IN-HOUSE AND HAVING IT WORK A LOT BETTER FOR OUR CITIZENS AND FOR EVERYBODY ELSE.
OTHERWISE, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON DID A GOOD DESCRIPTION OF ALL THE OTHER STUFF THAT WE HAD THERE.
THE ONLY OTHER COUNCIL REPORT WE HAD IS WE MAY NOT BE A COMMITTEE, BUT IT WAS THE FIRE RELIEF ASSOCIATION.
WE DID MEET AND WE DID SELECT A BOARD; SO WE DO HAVE A BOARD FOR THE RELIEF ASSOCIATION NOW.
THEY ARE GOING THROUGH ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL DOCUMENTS DETAILING DUTIES AND THE PENSION AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
SO THAT WILL BE COMING TO THE COUNCIL HERE PROBABLY IN THE NEXT MEETING OR TWO TO GET APPROVED AND FULLY PUT IN PLACE SO EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON. SO-
>> THE BYLAWS. IS THAT WHAT I SAID?
>> I DIDN'T HEAR YOU SAY THAT. [LAUGHTER] IT'S REALLY THE SAME THING THOUGH.
>> THE STRUCTURE AND EVERYTHING LITTLE BY LITTLE IS GETTING PUT IN PLACE AND WE'RE HIRING MORE FABULOUS FIREFIGHTERS.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AGAIN AND WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[Public Comments - (Limit 3 Minutes per Person)]
WE LIMIT TO THREE MINUTES A PERSON; AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.COUNCIL WILL NOT ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION OR TAKE ACTION ON ITEMS PRESENTED AT THIS TIME.
HOWEVER, THE COUNCIL MAY REFER YOUR ISSUES TO STAFF OR FOLLOW UP OR CONSIDERATION AT FUTURE MEETING.
SPEAKERS SHOULD STATE THEIR NAME AND HOME ADDRESS AT THE PODIUM BEFORE SPEAKING AND WE WILL START WITH ORONO RESIDENTS FIRST AND WHEN THOSE ARE CONCLUDED, WE WILL THEN INVITE OUTSIDE RESIDENTS TO COME UP AND SPEAK.
IS THERE ANY ORONO RESIDENTS? I'D LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT.
>> IT'S ME. MY NAME IS FERGUS WEIR AND I'M AT 710 GANDER ROAD.
I'M ALSO AN OWNER IN 765 BRIDGEWATER WHICH IS IN THE STONE BAY DEVELOPMENT JUST TO THE RIGHT HERE.
I NOTICED THAT THEY'RE ABOUT HALF A FOOTBALL FIELD SOUTH OF THE TOWER.
THERE IS A TALL, VERY BRIGHT LIGHT OVER WHAT LOOKS TO BE SOME TYPE OF METAL BARN-LIKE STRUCTURE.
I GUESS MY REQUEST IS LIKE IF YOU'RE LOOKING FROM OUR RAMBLER OUT, YOU DO SEE THE BACK OF THE PUBLIC WORKS AND THOSE LIGHTS.
THERE ARE TWO BUILDINGS THAT ARE QUITE EVIDENT BUT THEY'RE FAINT AND THIS IS MUCH MORE OBVIOUS, WINTER VERSUS SUMMER.
BUT ULTIMATELY, LOOK TO THE RIGHT WHICH IS SOUTH AND WEST AND THERE'S THIS INCREDIBLY BRIGHT LIGHT THAT I DON'T BELIEVE WAS THERE.
>> MEET BE THE GUY WHO WOULD KNOW RIGHT HERE.
>> LONG STORY SHORT, I'D LOVE IT IF WE COULD TURN IT OFF.
BUT ULTIMATELY, IF THERE'S A WAY TO KIND OF BLOCK IT FROM THE STONE BAY COMMUNITY, IT'S QUITE OBVIOUS AND IT DETRACTS FROM THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE MARSH AND THE WOODS.
>> I THINK ADAM IS GOING TO GIVE YOU HIS CARD BECAUSE HE'S OUR CITY ADMINISTRATOR AND HE'LL BE THE ONE THAT WOULD-
>> I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR'S CARD.
>> PASSING THE THE BUCK RIGHT THERE.
>> DJ WOULD BE THE GUY TO TALK TO.
>> I DO BELIEVE WE HAVE SHIELDED THAT.
IF IT'S THE SAME LIGHT I'M THINKING OF, WE SHIELDED IN THE PAST SO IT MAY BE AN ISSUE OF THE SHIELD COMING OFF.
[00:35:04]
EVEN IF YOU SHIELD IT, IT'S STILL VERY OBVIOUS BUT I'LL TALK TO ADAM.
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, POTENTIALLY, WE'VE DONE THIS IN THE PAST, TO PROTECT RESIDENTIAL AREAS FROM LIGHT.
>> OH, YEAH. DJ BE THE GUY TO TALK TO FOR SURE.
IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, YOU CAN FOLLOW UP WITH ADAM.
>> ANYBODY ELSE FROM ORONO TONIGHT? HELLO? [BACKGROUND].
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF COMING TO THE COFFEE LAST MONTH.
THAT WAS GREAT AND I GOT A LOT OF INFORMATION.
I'D CERTAINLY RECOMMEND OTHER RESIDENTS TO COME BECAUSE YOU DO DEEM A LOT OF INFORMATION.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU INFORMED ME OF IS THAT YOU SAW PLYMOUTH AS YOUR MODEL FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND I THOUGHT, WELL, THAT'S INTERESTING.
I LOOKED UP SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT THEY HAVE, VERY SUCCESSFUL, IN FACT, AT THE SEVENTH LARGEST CITY IN MINNESOTA.
SOME OF THEIR AVERAGE SALARIES, THEIR AVERAGE SALARIES FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS IS $84,340 AND THAT'S FULL-TIME.
THEY HAVE 15 FULL-TIME FIREFIGHTERS THAT'S OUTSIDE OF AND I CAN'T BE TOTALLY CORRECT.
I FORGOT MY PICTURE OF THEIR WHOLE ORGANIZATIONAL CHART.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [LAUGHTER] THERE'S THE CHIEF, AND THEN THERE'S THE ASSISTANT CHIEF, AND THEN THERE'S CAPTAINS AND LIEUTENANTS, AND THEN THERE'S 15 FULL-TIME.
PEOPLE THAT YOU HIRED, I KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.
ARE THOSE THE DUTY FIREFIGHTERS, WHAT YOU CALL THEM?
>> THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE.
HERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PART YOU TOLD ME EXPLAIN TO ME WE'RE HAVE PART-TIME DUTY FIGHTERS AND DUTY FIREFIGHTERS AND THAT A LOT OF THEM WOULD NOT BE I ASKED HOW THAT COULD HAPPEN, WHERE YOU COULD GET PEOPLE PART-TIME, 20 HOURS A WEEK COMING IN DURING THE WEEK.
YOU SAID, WELL, THAT COMING FROM ANOTHER COMMUNITY, SUCH AS MINNEAPOLIS, YOUNG FIREFIGHTERS COMING IN WOULD LIKE TO GET THEIR TIME IN AND THEY MAY ALREADY HAVE A PART-TIME JOB, SO THEN THEY CAN COME AND DO ANOTHER PART-TIME JOB.
BUT WHAT THEIR GOAL WAS IS TO LOOK FOR A FULL-TIME JOB.
THEY COULD HAVE BENEFITS AND EVERYTHING AS OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES.
I THOUGHT THAT'S GREAT. I THINK FULL-TIME DUTY FIGHTERS WOULD BE A GREAT THING BECAUSE THEN THEY COULD HAVE FULL-TIME BENEFITS AND WE COULD TREAT THEM EQUALLY WITH THE POLICE THAT COME IN AND THE PEOPLE THAT SERVE US.
BUT I ALSO LOOKED AT POPULATION, WHICH I THINK YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW WAS IN 2000, 81,000 PEOPLE.
I LOOKED AT HOW COULD WE GET THERE? I LOOKED AT THE NEXT COMMUNITIES.
THERE WAS LIKE 11, 12 I COULD HAVE GONE ON, BUT THEY WERE IN HIT UPPING COUNTY AND I COULD NAME THEM.
IT CAME UP WITH, AFTER I PUT ALL THOSE TOGETHER, 61,585 PEOPLE, 1112 COUNTY US COMMUNITIES COMING TOGETHER.
I THOUGHT, WELL, HOW MUCH DISTANCE DOES THAT COVER?
>> WE GOT THREE MINUTES I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN.
>> I CAN'T GO ANY FURTHER. WELL, I CAN COME HERE NEXT [OVERLAPPING].
>> I CAN'T MAKE IT. I'M GONE. BUT I DID WANT TO SAY THAT AREA, IF YOU DON'T MIND IF I GO OVER, 32 SQUARE MILES, LAND IN PLYMOUTH, AND IF I ADDED UP ALL THOSE COMMUNITIES, IT COMES TO 104 SQUARE MILES.
THAT'S LAND, NOT WATER, BECAUSE THERE'S MORE WATER TOO.
SO IT WOULD TAKE A LOT OF DISTANCE TO COVER ALL OF THAT, TO GET ANYONE CLOSE TO THE MODEL THAT PLYMOUTH HAS.
I AGREE PLYMOUTH IS A GREAT MODEL, BUT IT MAY NOT BE WHERE WE SHOULD BE GOING.
>> I DON'T THINK THEY'RE THE MODEL, THEY'RE JUST A GOOD MODEL BECAUSE THEY WENT THROUGH ALL A PAID-ON-CALL, THEN THEY WENT TO PART-TIME DUTY CREW, THEN THEY WENT TO FULL-TIME.
>> BUT THEY ALSO HAD THINGS VERY DIFFERENT THAN OUR [OVERLAPPING].
I THINK THAT WHAT MY POINT IS, IS THAT WE COULD COME UP WITH A BETTER SOLUTION, AND I HOPE THAT YOU TAKE THE TIME AND THAT YOU SINCERELY DO ARBITRATION TO COME UP WITH A WIN WIN FOR THE COMMUNITIES IN THIS AREA.
>> AND THE FIREFIGHTERS, BECAUSE I THINK THEY DESERVE FULL-TIME. THANK YOU.
[00:40:02]
>> THANKS, DAN. GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> ANYBODY ELSE FROM ORONO TONIGHT? PENNY, YOU HAVEN'T BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME. WE'VE BEEN MISSING YOU.
>> PENNY, SITE 2874 CASCO POINT RD AND I HAD TO FOLLOW UP WITH THAT FIRE DEPARTMENT DISCUSSION.
WE'VE GOT 32-300 HOUSES, HOUSEHOLDS.
I MEAN, THERE'S MORE PEOPLE THAN ONE, BUT AND YET WE'RE DOING OUR OWN THING.
YOU TALK ABOUT OUR LOW TAXES, AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR RATE.
NOT THE TAX ITSELF, BUT THE WAY WE'RE GATHERING ALL THESE DEBTS AT 20 MILLION FOR THE, PUBLIC WORKS AND 15 MILLION FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WHAT'S THE COST OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT?
>> WE HAVEN'T SPENT ANYTHING HARDLY.
>> WE HAVEN'T SPENT ANYTHING HARDLY.
WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY AS LONG LAKE.
>> WELL, OUR CHIEF IS WORKING FOR US FOR TWO YEARS AND THREE MONTHS AHEAD OF HAVING A [NOISE] AND THERE'S JUST THINGS THAT JUST, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS I WANT TO REMIND YOU GUYS THAT THERE WAS A REVOLUTION, FOUGHT FOR TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.
SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED BEFORE WE EVEN HAVE A CHANCE TO HAVE PUBLIC REMARKS.
WE ARE GOING TO BE CARRYING THE BURDEN OF WHAT, ALL THESE DECISIONS THAT YOU'RE MAKING.
BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD REAL INPUT.
I KNOW THAT PEOPLE ON CASCO POINT DON'T KNOW THAT NAVARRE IS ACTUALLY ACTIVE BY ORONO AND NOT BY LONG LAKE ON JANUARY 1ST.
YOU'RE HIRING AHEAD TWO YEARS OF WHEN ORONO IS SUPPOSED TO TAKE OVER.
HOW IS THAT EVEN, THE MONEY EVEN PLANNED THESE ARE JUST, IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
I'M A PERSON WHO LIKES THINGS MANAGED WELL, SO THAT I UNDERSTAND THE ECONOMICS AND I'M NOT AN ECONOMIC PERSON, BUT I'M A SAVER, CASH PERSON.
I JUST DON'T LIKE THE WAY THINGS ARE PUSHED AND WE'RE PAYING FOR IT LATER. THAT'S ALL.
>> OKAY, THANKS. ANYBODY ELSE FROM ORONO TONIGHT? IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT'S NOT FROM ORONO THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT?
>> KRISTA BERBIG, [INAUDIBLE] ROAD, LONG LAKE, MINNESOTA.
I'D APPRECIATE IT IF NOBODY WOULD RESPOND TO ME IN MY THREE MINUTES.
CALLS ARE UP. THEY'RE AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH FOR LONG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS AWESOME.
TONIGHT, THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING SEVERAL PROMOTIONS, BRINGING IN TWO NEW RECRUITS.
ALL THAT BEING SAID, THEY CONTINUE TO DO AMAZING WORK AND YOU GUYS CONTINUE TO SIT HERE AND SAY THINGS LIKE, THIS IS GOING TO BE A STEP UP FROM WHAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING RIGHT NOW.
WHEN YOU SAY STUFF LIKE THAT, IT BREAKS MY HEART.
THAT MEANS THAT YOU THINK THAT THE WORK THAT MY HUSBAND'S DOING RIGHT NOW NEEDS TO BE STEPPED UP, AND I REALLY DON'T THINK THAT IT DOES.
WHEN HE RUNS OUT OF MY HOUSE DURING MY FAMILY EVENTS, DURING OUR HOLIDAYS TO GO TO A HEART CALL OR A FIRE, OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
I DON'T THINK HE NEEDS TO STEP UP, I THINK HE ALREADY HAS STEPPED UP.
YOU GO INTO MEDIATION ON JANUARY 30TH.
I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU GO IN IN GOOD FAITH.
MAKING ALL THESE DECISIONS, AND SETTING UP YOUR BYLAWS, IT JUST DOESN'T FEEL LIKE THERE'S ANY WAY YOU POSSIBLY CAN GO IN IN GOOD FAITH.
ON FEBRUARY 1ST, THERE'S AN EVIDENTIARY HEARING THAT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
I ENCOURAGE ANYBODY THAT'S INTERESTED TO COME OR FOLLOW FIGURE OUT FIRE BECAUSE WE WILL BE THERE REPORTING ON WHAT HAPPENS.
WE CONTINUE TO TALK TO PROFESSIONALS; NATIONAL PROFESSIONALS AND LOCAL PROFESSIONALS, AND IT CONTINUES TO BE THE RESPONSE THAT THEY CANNOT JUSTIFY A SECOND DEPARTMENT THIS CLOSE TO AN EXISTING DEPARTMENT.
WHY WOULD YOU TEAR SOMETHING APART AND REBUILD IT LESS THAN TWO MILES AWAY WHEN YOU COULD INVEST IN WHAT YOU THINK NEEDS TO BE STEPPED UP,
[00:45:06]
WHY DON'T YOU INVEST IN WHAT EXISTS ALREADY? IF YOU DIDN'T THINK IT WAS RUN WELL, THEN WHY DID YOU HIRE THEIR CHIEF? WHY DO YOU HAVE THEM OVER HERE? WHY ARE YOU RECRUITING THEIR FIREFIGHTERS IF YOU THINK THEY NEED TO STEP UP? IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.YOU CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS NARRATIVE THAT FALLS APART WHEN YOU DIG INTO THE FACTS. IT'S NOT TRUE.
YOU CONTINUE TO SAY HALF-TRUTHS ABOUT THE WHOLE SITUATION, AND IT'S REALLY A DISGRACE TO THE FIREFIGHTERS THAT HAVE STEPPED UP.
>> IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT?
>> KELLY GREEDY, 271 GREEN HILL LANE, LONG LAKE.
I AM COMING TO TALK ABOUT FIRE AGAIN AND REPORTING ABOUT A MEETING, A COMMENT MAYOR WALSH MADE AT, I BELIEVE IT WAS THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, OR MAYBE IT WAS TWO COUNCIL MEETINGS BEFORE IN 2023 IN DECEMBER.
HE SAID, "WE ARE CHAMPS OF BUDGETING AND THE ENVY OF ALL CITIES AROUND.
EVERYONE SHOULD BE TELLING THEIR CITIES THAT WE SHOULD BE MORE LIKE ORONO." OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE, REPRESENTATIVE ANDREW MYERS, SAID THIS IN A BIG PUBLIC MEETING, THAT IT IS AMAZING WHAT ORONO CAN DO WITH THE BUDGET.
THAT COMES FROM THE STATE REPRESENTATIVE.
THAT IS IN THE MEETING MINUTES FROM THAT MEETING AT TWO HOURS, 48 MINUTES, AND 25 SECONDS.
THAT IS A DIRECT QUOTE FROM YOU, MAYOR WALSH.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO COFFEE WITH ANDREW MYERS, AS DID ALL CITIZENS ON DECEMBER 17TH.
I ASKED HIM VERY SPECIFICALLY, DID HE MAKE THIS STATEMENT? I READ HIM YOUR QUOTE.
HE SAID THAT HE NOT ONLY DID NOT SAY THAT BUT THAT HE IS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE BUDGETARY WORKINGS OF ANY CITY IN HIS JURISDICTION, NOT ORONO.
CHARLIE MINOR HAPPENED TO BE AT THAT MEETING.
HE SAID, "I DON'T KNOW ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN LONG LAKE." I JUST THINK THAT IT WAS INTERESTING TO LEARN THAT HE DID NOT SAY THAT AND THAT HE DOESN'T KNOW THOSE BUDGETARY SPECIFICS OF ANY MUNICIPALITIES.
HE SAID THAT WHAT HE ACTUALLY SAID WAS THAT ORONO HAD ONE OF THE SMALLER BONDING REQUESTS ON THE TABLE.
NOTHING IN REGARD TO YOUR BUDGET, THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT WHAT ORONO IS DOING, AND THAT YOU ARE THE ENVY OF EVERYONE AROUND.
HE SAID IT TO ME AND HE SAID IT TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE AT THAT MEETING, THAT IT JUST IS A FALSE NARRATIVE.
YOU, AGAIN, AT THE PODIUM WITH A CLEAR MISREPRESENTATION OF THE TRUTH, IT'S A LIE.
IT'S FABRICATIONS THAT I BELIEVE ARE SPUN WITH THE INTENT TO FORWARD A SUPERIORITY NARRATIVE TO YOUR NEIGHBORS AND SO THAT THIS COUNCIL CAN CONTINUE TO SPEND RECKLESSLY AND MOVE FORWARD WITH AN UNDETERMINED BUDGET FOR ORONO FIRE WITH A ZERO COMMUNITY INPUT.
THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO SAY ABOUT THE WOMAN WHO SPOKE ABOUT THE PLYMOUTH FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ITS GOOD MODEL.
LONG LAKE RESPONSE TO 311 CALLS WITH THIS, ORONO OF A POPULATION OF ABOUT 8,000.
THE CITY OF PLYMOUTH HAS A POPULATION OF 80,000 PEOPLE AND WITH A VERY SIMILAR DUTY CREW AND PAID-ON-CALL STRUCTURE THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO MIMIC REPRESENTS AROUND 2,300 CALLS PER YEAR.
YOU CANNOT POSSIBLY HOPE TO GET TO THAT [NOISE] LEVEL OF CALL VOLUME IN THE CITY OF ORONO ANYTIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE, AND YET THE BUDGET WILL BE VERY SIMILAR.
CITIZENS OF ORONO SHOULD BE VERY CONCERNED.
>> ANYBODY ELSE THAT'S NOT FROM ORONO THAT WILL HAVE TO COME UP.
>> BRED ERICKSON, 201,150, HORSESHOE TRAIL IN CORCORAN.
I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU GUYS TONIGHT.
THIS IS AN ELECTION YEAR 2024 [NOISE] AND I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU GUYS TONIGHT ABOUT THE BLUE LINE FLAG OUT FRONT OF CITY HALL.
LAST ELECTION CYCLE WHEN WE WERE UNDER THREAT OF BEING BURNED DOWN, THEY WEREN'T GOING TO COME OUT HERE AND BURN DOWN HORSES, WERE THEY? THEY WERE GOING TO COME AND BURN DOWN BUILDINGS OR BUSINESSES.
MY BUSINESS, I REMEMBER IT WELL.
I'LL NEVER FORGET IT, IN FACT.
SO I'M REQUESTING TONIGHT THAT YOU GUYS TAKE THIS MATTER UP AGAIN, AND RECONSIDER YOUR STANCE BECAUSE I'M TELLING YOU WHAT? IT'S ACTUALLY NOT A BLUE LINE FLAG OUT FRONT, IT IS A BLUE LIVES MATTER FLAG.
[00:50:02]
IT WAS CONCEIVED FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF RESPONDING TO THE BLACK LIVES MATTER FLAG.OUR ALLEGIANCE SHOULD BE TO AMERICA AND AMERICANS, NOT ONE-HALF OF THE ELECTORATE.
THE OTHER THING IS THIS FLAG WAS CARRIED AT CHARLOTTESVILLE AND THIS FLAG WAS CARRIED DOWN AT THE J6 RIOT AND WAS DONATED BY THIS GUY.
YOU, MR. MADDOCK SUGGESTED, I BELIEVE IN EMAILS EARLY ON AGAINST HAVING IT FLYING OUT AND THE RAMIFICATIONS THAT COULD COME AS A RESULT OF IT.
I BELIEVE THE CHIEF WAS NOT ON BOARD EITHER FROM THE DISCOVERY I'VE DONE SO FAR.
I THINK YOU GUYS REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM HERE BECAUSE IF STUFF GETS WEIRD AGAIN, WHICH IT'S LIKELY TO BE, I'M SURE YOU WATCH FOX NEWS. YES.
TAKE IT DOWN. THEY ASKED YOU TO TAKE IT DOWN.
YOU SUGGESTED A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AGO THAT EVEN WITH THE THREATS, YOU WON'T TAKE IT DOWN.
WHAT IS IT? YOU'RE GOING TO PUT US AT RISK FOR YOUR EGO.
THAT'S WHY YOU GUYS PUT IT UP THERE.
YOU GUYS WERE RUNNING AROUND DOING STUFF TO, I DON'T KNOW, PLANT YOUR FLAG, POKE THE BEAR.
WHAT WAS IT THAT AARON SAID? TO, I DON'T KNOW, STIR UP THE LEFTISTS AND THE LIBERTARIANS.
THAT'S JUST SCREWED UP POLITICS.
THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ISSUE THIS TIME AROUND.
YOU GUYS NEED TO TAKE IT DOWN.
WHAT CITY DO YOU LOOK AT AND MODEL YOURSELF AFTER TO HANG THAT DESPICABLE FLAG OUT THERE? JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT FOR IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE NOT AGAINST SUPPORTING POLICE.
I WANT TO MAKE THAT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR.
IT DOESN'T MAKE YOU AN ANARCHIST, IT DOESN'T MAKE YOU A SOCIALIST, IT DOESN'T MAKE YOU ANTIFA, IT'S JUST NOT GOOD PRACTICE.
OTHER CITIES, BIG CITIES, REAL CITIES, HAVE BANNED THAT FLAG. TAKE IT DOWN.
>> ANYBODY ELSE? IT'S NOT FROM ORONO.
I WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT.
I SEE NONE. I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND I'LL BRING US TO OUR MAYOR COUNCIL REPORT.
>> COULD I PLEASE MAKE A QUICK COMMENT?
>> REASSURE THE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC THAT WE DO NOT HAVE A BLUE LIVES MATTER FLAG FLYING ON ANY OF OUR FLAGPOLES.
WE HAVE THE THIN BLUE LINE FLAG WHICH HAS REPRESENTED POLICE DEPARTMENT SINCE I THINK THE TURN OF THE LAST CENTURY.
>> [OVERLAPPING] IT'S NOT A THIN BLUE LINE, IT IS A THICK BAND ACROSS A BLACK FLAG.
IT'S DESPICABLE. BRING IT DOWN. [OVERLAPPING]
>> CORRECT. THAT HAS BEEN A KNOWN SYMBOL OF POLICE DEPARTMENTS AS HAS THE RED LINE FOR FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
>> IT'S AN OFFICIAL FLAG. [BACKGROUND]
>> CAN YOU STOP YELLING? YOU'RE RUDE.
>> THERE IS A DIFFERENT FLAG OUT THERE THAT HAS TAKEN THE BLUE LINE FLAG, MERGED IT WITH BLACK COLORED AMERICAN FLAG, WHICH WAS FINE ONE TIME AND WE TOOK THAT DOWN TO REPLACE IT WITH THE ONE THAT HAS BEEN PART OF HISTORY FOR A HUNDRED AND SOMETHING YEARS. [OVERLAPPING].
IT'S MY BUSINESS THAT WILL [OVERLAPPING].
>> CAN YOU PLEASE HOLD IT DOWN? BE RESPECTFUL. YOU HAD YOUR TIME TO TALK, SO BE RESPECTFUL.
>> YOU SHOULD BE RESPECTFUL AND TAKE IT DOWN.
>> YEAH. COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON.
[Mayor/Council Report]
>> WELL, I ATTENDED THE COFFEE WITH THE MAYOR, AND SO I WANT TO CLARIFY A COUPLE THINGS.
I THINK WHAT THE COFFEE WITH THE MAYOR, THE CONVERSATION ABOUT PLYMOUTH WAS A COMMENT THAT I MADE DURING OUR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT OUR PATH FORWARD WITH FIRE.
ONE OF THE DEPARTMENT'S REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DEPARTMENTS I TALKED TO WAS WITH PLYMOUTH.
I'M GLAD YOU ASKED BECAUSE IT NEEDS CLARIFICATION OF YOUR UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE I DIDN'T SAY THAT WAS OUR MODEL.
I JUST SAID THEY'RE A DEPARTMENT THAT STARTED AS ALL OF VOLUNTEER PAID ON CALL, TRANSITION TO DUTY CREWS.
THEN FROM DUTY CREWS THEY WENT TO SOME FULL TIME, SO THEY HAVE, LAST TIME I TALKED TO THEM, A MIX OF DUTY CREWS AND FULL TIME.
IT WAS MISUNDERSTOOD BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT A MODEL PER SE, BUT THERE'S SOMEBODY THAT'S BEEN THROUGH IT AND I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THEIR TRANSITION AS THEY TRANSITION FROM PAID ON CALL TO HAVING SOME DUTY CREWS.
I DIDN'T ALSO CATEGORIZE FIREFIGHTERS AS YOUNG FIREFIGHTERS, I DIDN'T PUT ANY GROUPS.
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I JUST SAID THERE'S VARIOUS FIREFIGHTERS THAT ARE GOING TO COME FROM SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AND EITHER SUPPLEMENT THEIR FULL TIME POSITIONS OR SOMEBODY THAT HAS ANOTHER POSITION.BUT THE DUTY CREW MODEL WORKS BETTER THAN PAID ON CALL BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO SIT IN A CERTAIN RADIUS, YOU HAVE TO LIVE WITHIN A CERTAIN RADIUS.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE DONE.
>> I THOUGHT YOU DIDN'T COMMENT ON WHAT WE SAID DURING OUR COMMENTS.
>> YOU WENT WAY OVER TOO, SO WE'RE DONE WITH PUBLIC COMMENTS.
>> [OVERLAPPING] DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, THIS IS OUR TIME NOW.
>> [OVERLAPPING] I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING, BUT I DO WANT TO COMMENT TO HIS COMMENTS.
>> WELL, YOU CAN TALK TO HIM AFTERWARDS, BUT YOU'VE HAD YOUR TIME.
IF YOU CAN SIT DOWN, I'D APPRECIATE IT.
YOU DON'T GET TO JUST COME UP AND JUST SPEAK.
IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY. NOW CAN YOU PLEASE SIT DOWN?
>> I THINK YOU SHOULD TALK TO ME AFTERWARDS BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS NOT EXACTLY TRUE EITHER. THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING.
>> I'D BE HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU.
>> YEAH, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY. [OVERLAPPING]
>> THAT'S WHY I WAS GLAD YOU BROUGHT IT UP BECAUSE YOUR UNDERSTANDING WAS NOT CONSISTENT WITH WHAT I WAS TRYING TO ARTICULATE.
IF I MADE SOME ERRORS IN THAT ARTICULATION, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CLEAR IT UP.
WE DON'T SPEND MONEY WITHOUT HAVING PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THAT COMMENT WAS MADE AND THEN MY COMMENT ABOUT THAT THIS IS A STEP UP AS IT WAS PHRASED FOR TERRITORY NUMBER 2 IS BECAUSE THIS IS THE INTRODUCTION OF DUTY CREWS WHICH WE ARE ALL IN AGREEMENT.
WE'RE IN AGREEMENT WITH LONG LAKE THAT DUTY CREWS AFFORDS OUR COMMUNITY A BETTER RESPONSE TIME AND RIGHT NOW TERRITORY NUMBER 2 HISTORICALLY HASN'T HAD IT.
TO MAKE THAT LOOK LIKE IT'S SOME JAB AT THE EXISTING DEPARTMENT IS REALLY UNFAIR BECAUSE I HAVE TREMENDOUS RESPECT FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS THAT SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
THEY HAVE A MODEL RIGHT NOW THAT ONLY ALLOWS A CERTAIN RESPONSIVENESS AND WE'RE LOOKING AT, HOW CAN WE GIVE A PLATFORM THAT ALLOWS A BETTER RESPONSIVENESS? THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
LET'S BE CLEAR. I HAVE TREMENDOUS RESPECT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THESE FIREFIGHTERS HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR HOUSE AT A LAST MINUTE NOTICE, AND I'M IMPRESSED WITH HOW QUICKLY THEY CAN RESPOND GIVEN THAT FRAMEWORK.
BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT IT GETS CATEGORIZED FAIRLY, THAT, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO DO WHAT WE BELIEVE IS BEST FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND IMPROVING RESPONSIVENESS AND HOW WE CAN DO IT.
I'M GLAD TO BE A PART OF THAT PROCESS.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANKS MAN.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANT TO SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY LAST WEEK TO LEARN MORE ABOUT AN ISSUE THAT AFFECTS CITY GOVERNMENT AND OTHER BOARDS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND ORONO IS INCLUDED IN THIS.
THE ISSUE PERTAINS TO THE SUBJECT OF CIVILITY AND THE ROLE IT PLAYS IN CITY GOVERNANCE.
IN 2021 THE MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH CAROLINA'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS ADOPTED A STRATEGIC PLAN FOCUSED ON RESTORING CIVILITY IN CITY GOVERNMENT.
THIS IS A NONPARTISAN INITIATIVE THAT EMPHASIZES SEVERAL BASIC AREAS ASSOCIATED WITH LOCAL GOVERNANCE, THAT INCLUDES THOUGHTFUL COMMUNICATION, RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, AND RUNNING EFFECTIVE MEETINGS.
THE INITIATIVE HAS BEEN A SUCCESSFUL ONE, NOT ONLY IN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, BUT ALSO HAS BEEN UTILIZED AND ADOPTED BY OTHER ENTITIES AND BOARDS.
THIS CIVILITY INITIATIVE APPEARS TO BE A COMPREHENSIVE AND REALLY VALUABLE PROGRAM.
IT MIGHT BE OF GREAT BENEFIT TO THE CITY OF ORONO AS WE MOVE INTO THE NEW YEAR.
ONE BASIC COMPONENT OF THE PROGRAM IS A CIVILITY PLEDGE.
THIS PLEDGE AND MUCH MORE OTHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH CAROLINA'S WEBSITE.
I WOULD PROPOSE THAT WE CONSIDER DEDICATING A WORK SESSION THIS YEAR TO THE SUBJECT OF CIVILITY IN OUR CITY GOVERNMENT.
THIS IS A TOPIC THAT'S RELEVANT TO THE TIMES THAT WE LIVE IN.
BY UTILIZING TOOLS LIKE THIS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO CREATE MEANINGFUL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE WAY WE
[01:00:01]
GOVERN AND THIS IN TURN CAN DIRECTLY IMPACT THE PEOPLE WE SERVE.THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SHARE. THANK YOU,.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CROSBY.
>> I'D LIKE TO WISH EVERYBODY A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
I BELIEVE THE CORE OF THIS COUNCIL HAS ALWAYS FULLY SUPPORTED OUR POLICE OFFICERS, OUR FIREFIGHTERS, PUBLIC WORKS, WHICH IS PART OF THAT TEAM.
THE SYMBOLISM OF A FLAG OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE, I THINK IN OUR VIEW IS JUST SHOWING THAT SUPPORT AND THAT WILL CONTINUE.
THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE. THAT'S WHO WE ARE.
AS FAR AS COMMENTS REGARDING THE LONG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT, I SERVED IT PROUDLY FOR TEN YEARS.
I HAVE RESPECT AND LOVE FOR THE LONG LAKE FIREFIGHTERS.
THEIR SKILL SETS ARE FANTASTIC.
I BELIEVE THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT BRINGING PEOPLE ALL TO AN EMT LEVEL.
THAT IS NOT A NEGATIVE THING, THAT'S A POSITIVE THING.
WHEN I JOINED, INITIALLY, WE WERE BROUGHT UP TO AN EMT BASIC LEVEL AND MORE TRAINING IS A GOOD THING.
KNOWING MOST OF THE FIREFIGHTERS AT LONG LAKE, THEY WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.
IT'S THE SAME AS ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AS HAVING MORE TRAINING FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS TO HELP THEM OUT AND GET BETTER AT THEIR SKILLS.
THOSE ARE GOOD THINGS, THAT'S POSITIVE.
KEEPS THEM SAFE, KEEPS THE COMMUNITY SAFE.
I HOPE EVERYBODY HAD A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS OR HANUKKAH HOLIDAY SEASON, BUT I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT YEAR.
WE HAD SOME FAMILY ISSUES AND TOUGH TIMES COMING THROUGH THE END OF 23 WITH HEALTH ISSUES IN THE FAMILY.
THAT WAS EXTREMELY SCARY, BUT WE'RE PRAYING TO GOD THAT SOME OF THAT STUFF IS BEYOND US BUT THOSE THINGS ARE A ONE DAY AT A TIME ISSUE.
BUT I'M THINKING THERE'S A LOT OF UPSIDE TO 24, SO I'M FEELING OPTIMISTIC. THANKS.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER MARIA VEACH.
>> SURE. WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO.
I ALSO WAS AT THE MEETING WITH ANDREW MYERS AND GOT A LOT OF GOOD CONVERSATION WITH HIM.
SAT AND TALKED WITH HIM AFTER THE MEETING AS WELL.
IF YOU WANT TO REACH OUT, I JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS AS A REMINDER.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE COME HERE WANTING THEIR VOICE TO BE HEARD.
THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT AND THE ONLY WAY TO GET ON PUBLIC RECORD.
THAT BEING SAID, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE COMMUNICATIONS, I THINK IN PERSON MEETINGS, LIKE WHAT YOU SAID AFTERWARDS IS SOMETHING THAT I FOUND VERY BENEFICIAL.
IN FACT, WE JUST HAD A REQUEST THIS MORNING ON A COMMUNITY MEMBER LOOKING FOR WAYS TO ENGAGE.
I REACHED OUT SAYING I'D LOVE TO MEET IN PERSON TO DISCUSS OPPORTUNITIES AND WAYS TO ENGAGE.
BECAUSE I COULD SEE WHERE IT COULD BE FRUSTRATING WHEN YOU GET UP AND SPEAK AND FOLLOW THE PROCESS OF YOU SPEAK, WE SPEAK, NO INTERACTION.
THAT'S HOW CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE MET UP.
I CAN SEE THAT. THAT BEING SAID, I'VE TRIED TO MAKE MYSELF AS AVAILABLE AS POSSIBLE AND MAYBE I DON'T SAY IT ENOUGH, SO I'M GOING TO KEEP SAYING IT.
I WILL MEET YOU, I WILL TALK TO YOU.
I KNOW DENNY MAKES HIMSELF VERY AVAILABLE AT COFFEE WITH THE MAYOR AND I WANT TO GO BECAUSE I WANT TO SEE WHAT THAT'S LIKE COMING UP.
BUT I DO THINK BUILDING COMMUNITY STARTS WITH CONVERSATIONS AND JUST A FORMAT OF A CITY COUNCIL ISN'T GREAT FOR THAT.
IT IS YOU SPEAK, WE SPEAK BY FORMAT.
I CAN SEE HOW IT'S FRUSTRATING.
IT IS FOR ME AS WELL. I WOULD JUST SAY REACH OUT.
I HEAR A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING REACH OUT, EMAIL THEM.
I HAVE GOTTEN TWO EMAILS ABOUT PICKLEBALL ZERO ABOUT TRUTH AND TAXATION, ABOUT FIRE DEPARTMENT, ABOUT TALKING ABOUT THAT.
FROM ORONO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND I DID REQUEST IT TO BE FAIR.
I ASKED YOU. I SAID, PLEASE SEND ME A LIST OF ALL YOUR QUESTIONS IN MY EMAIL.
I DID ASK FOR THAT AND I GOT THAT BUT FROM JUST CITIZENS, IF YOU WANT TO.
AGAIN, APPARENTLY IT'S THERE YOU GO.
SORRY. BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH CONVERSATION IS SUPER IMPORTANT.
IF YOU WANT TO LEARN HOW TO ENGAGE, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT TOPIC THAT WE'D LOVE TO HELP WITH.
THEN ON THE PERSONAL SIDE, I'LL BE LEAVING HERE GOING TO THE PINNING CEREMONY AT LONG LAKE.
MY HUSBAND WILL BE PINNED AS A LIEUTENANT TONIGHT, ALONG WITH A LOT OF FRIENDS IN THE DEPARTMENT GETTING PROMOTIONS.
[01:05:03]
IT'S ALWAYS FUN TO SEE PEOPLE GET OFF PROBATION.I REMEMBER THAT DAY VERY WELL AND IT'S AN EXCITING TIME FOR A FAMILY.
I ALSO WANTED TO TAKE THE TIME TO SAY THANK YOU, THE THREE OF YOU BRINGING NEARLY 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE TO ORONO.
WITH CHRIS, ANOTHER 15, THAT'S 35 YEARS OF SERVICE.
I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
>> WELL AGAIN, HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYBODY.
I THINK 2024, TO RICHARD'S POINT, IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT YEAR.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF CELEBRATIONS HERE IN ORONO THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE.
WE'VE GOT A NEW PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING THAT'S GOING TO BE GETTING FINISHED UP HERE IN THE NEXT 60 DAYS, 90 DAYS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO START MOVING INTO LITTLE BY LITTLE.
WE'VE GOT OUR ORONO ORCHARD GOLF COURSE IS GOING TO HAVE ITS 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY THIS SUMMER.
THAT'S GOING TO BE A FABULOUS EVENT.
IT'S BEEN RENAMED BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL NAME.
IT'S NOT JUST THE ORONO GOLF COURSE ANYMORE.
IT'S THE ORONO ORCHARD GOLF COURSE, WHICH IS THE ROAD THAT IT'S ON AS WELL, BECAUSE IT USED TO BE A I THINK AN APPLE ORCHARD.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE INAUGURAL ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT STARTING IN JULY 1ST.
THAT'S GOING TO BE AN EXCITING TIME AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MANY MORE TO COME AS WELL.
AS MARIA SAID, I MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE ALL THE TIME.
I GO OUT TO COFFEE WITH ONE RESIDENTS ON A PRETTY CONTINUAL BASIS, ALMOST EVERY OTHER DAY.
I GOT COFFEE WITH THE MAYOR ON WEDNESDAY MORNING AT 09:00 AM.
WE'VE ALWAYS GOT GOOD ROLES AND COFFEE, ET CETERA.
I DEFINITELY FEEL FREE TO COME BECAUSE THAT WILL BE A BLAST.
NOT A WHOLE LOT GOING ON BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT MEETING SO THAT'S ABOUT ALL I'VE GOT THERE.
I GOT THREE GOOD QUOTES FOR YOU FOR IT TO START WITH THE NEW YEAR OFF.
THE FIRST ONE IS BY ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
IT SAYS, ALWAYS BEAR IN MIND THAT YOUR OWN RESOLUTION TO SUCCEED IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANY OTHER.
SECOND ONE IS BY BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.
IT SAYS, YOU DO NOT FIND THE HAPPY LIFE, YOU MAKE IT.
IT SAYS, I DON'T KNOW WHERE I'M GOING FROM HERE, BUT I PROMISE IT WON'T BE BORING. MOTION TO ADJOURN.
>> HAVE A GREAT EVENING, EVERYBODY.
>> THANKS EVERYONE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.