[00:00:03] >> WELCOME TO THE MONDAY, MAY 13TH, [Roll Call] 2024 CITY COUNCIL MEETING. NOTE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT EXCEPT COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY TONIGHT. WE ALWAYS START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, SO I INVITE YOU TO STAND UP AND FACE THE FLAG. >> >> THANK YOU FOR THAT. NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA, [Approval of Agenda] AND WE DO THAT ALL IN ONE VOTE. I'LL GO OVER ALL THE ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, [Consent Agenda] SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING SOMEBODY WANTS TAKEN OFF FOR THE COUNCIL TO DISCUSS MORE, JUST RAISE YOUR HAND AND LET ME KNOW. WITH THAT, IS THERE ANYBODY ON THE COUNCIL THAT HAS ANY ITEMS THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE TAKEN OFF CONSENT TONIGHT? >> I DO, MR. MAYOR. BEFORE I SPEAK TO THAT, I WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THE AGENDA IF THAT'S OKAY. >> COMMENT ON THE AGENDA. >> I'D LIKE TO MAKE A FEW POINTS BEFORE WE ACCEPT THE AGENDA TONIGHT ON THE ORDERING OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT. I HAVE THREE POINTS TO MAKE ABOUT THIS. THE PURPOSE OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION OF MEETINGS IS TO ALLOW MEMBERS OF COUNCIL TO BECOME INFORMED ABOUT THE VIEWS OF THE PUBLIC, AND WHEN THE COMMENTS ARE ORDERED LAST, WE ARE LESS INFORMED BEFORE VOTING ON AGENDA ITEMS, INCLUDING LAND USE OR ANY OTHER ITEM. FINALLY, I THINK IT'S A GOOD GESTURE THAT COMMUNICATES THAT WE AS A COUNCIL VALUE INPUT OF OUR RESIDENTS, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE BUSINESS BEFORE THE COUNCIL AT THIS TIME. I AM WANTING TO JUST HAVE A MOMENT TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITY OF REORDERING PUBLIC COMMENT TO THE END OF CONSENT OR MOVING IT TOWARDS THE TOP OF THE MEETING. >> WELL, THAT'S NOT AN AGENDA ITEM, SO THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT. >> WELL, I CAN BRING IT UP AT ANY TIME. I CAN INTRODUCE AN ITEM AT ANY TIME DURING THE MEETING, AND I'D JUST LIKE TO INTRODUCE THIS FOR DISCUSSION BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT IT DURING MERE COUNCIL. A FEW OF US DID LAST TIME, BUT IT'S NOT A TIME FOR DISCUSSION DURING MERE COUNCIL. >> WELL, I THINK WE'VE HAD THAT DISCUSSION MANY TIMES, AND UNLESS YOU HAVE A SECOND AND A VOTE, THEN IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA. >> WELL, I WILL MAKE A MOTION THEN TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMENT TO IMMEDIATELY FOLLOW CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS IN MEETINGS. >> IS THERE A SECOND? >> SEEING NO SECOND, THAT DOESN'T PASS. I WILL GO BACK TO WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, WHICH IS THE CONSENT AGENDA. >> SURE. I'D LIKE TO TAKE OFF SIX AND 10, PLEASE. >> NUMBER 6, WHICH IS THE WORKFORCE CULTURAL ASSESSMENT SERVICE CONTRACT, AND NUMBER 10 IS AUTHORIZATION TO HIRE A PAID ON CALL FIREFIGHTER. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT HAS ANY ITEMS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE COUNCIL DISCUSS MORE IN DEPTH? SEEING NONE. WHAT I'VE GOT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA TONIGHT IS NUMBER 1, THE CITY COUNCIL MINUTES. NUMBER 2, THE WORK SESSION SCHEDULE. NUMBER 3, CLAIMS AND BILLS. NUMBER 4, ELECTION RECAP. NUMBER 5, FEE SCHEDULE UPDATES, ORDINANCE 305. NUMBER 6 IS GOING TO BE TAKEN OFF, AND I GUESS WE'LL BRING THAT DOWN TO THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT. NUMBER 7 IS ON-BOARDING SOFTWARE. NUMBER 8 IS IT POSITION DESCRIPTIONS AND RECRUITING. NUMBER 9 IS SEASONAL EMPLOYEE HIRING V2. NUMBER 10, WE'RE TAKING OFF. WE'LL PULL THAT DOWN TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT, WHICH IS AUTHORIZATION TO HIRE A PAID ON CALL FIREFIGHTER. NUMBER 11 IS ACCEPT RESIGNATION AND APPOINT GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT. NUMBER 12 IS REPAIR BLACKTOP AND STORM SEWER ON RUBBER WEBBER HILLS ROAD. NUMBER 13 IS LA 23-62, WHICH IS 3838, CHERRY AVENUE, AFTER THE FACT, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, RESOLUTION NUMBER 7477. NUMBER 14 IS LA 24-6,1359, PARK DRIVE VARIANCES, RESOLUTION 7475. NUMBER 15 IS LA 24-15, WHICH IS 200 BIG ISLAND, VARIANCES RESOLUTION NUMBER 7476, AND 16 IS A POINT FULL TIME PARKS MAINTENANCE WORKER. DO I HAVE A MOTION? >> ACTUALLY, I I'LL MAKE A MOTION. THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS REMOVING SIX AND 10. >> I'LL SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> NOTE THAT PASSES 4:0. WE'LL BRING THAT DOWN TO OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORT, [17. #LA24-000016, 3339 Crystal Bay Rd, Variances] WHICH IS NUMBER 17, LA 24-16, 3339 CRYSTAL BAY ROAD VARIANCES. NOLA. >> GOOD EVENING. THE SUBJECT PROPERTY, 3339 CRYSTAL BAY ROAD IS SUBSTANDARD IN SIZE AND WIDTH, AND THE CURRENT HOME ON THE PROPERTY IS NON-CONFORMING. THE 75 FOOT SETBACK, AS WELL AS THE AVERAGE LAKE SHORE SETBACK CURRENTLY BISECTS THE HOME, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN. THE HARD COVER ON THE PROPERTY ALSO EXCEEDS THE MAXIMUM AT 37.7% CURRENTLY. THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO CONSTRUCT [00:05:02] AN ADDITION TO THE EXISTING HOME THAT'S OUTLINED IN YELLOW. THE ADDITION WILL INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL GARAGE STALL ON THE FIRST FLOOR AND A SCREENED IN PORCH ON THE SECOND FLOOR. THE PROPOSAL WILL ALSO INCLUDE AN EXPANSION OF THE DRIVEWAY TO SERVE THE THIRD STALL, AND THEY WILL ALSO BE REMOVING A SMALL GRAVEL PARKING SPACE RIGHT OFF OF THE ROAD HERE. THE PROPOSED ADDITION INCREASES THE OVERALL HARD COVER ON THE SITE AND IS BEING BUILT WITHIN THE 75 FOOT SETBACK, AS WELL AS IN FRONT OF THE AVERAGE LAKE SHORE SETBACK. THE APPLICANT HAS SINCE REVISED THE PLANS AFTER GOING TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN APRIL. THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL ALSO INCLUDED A FRONT PORCH, WHICH HAS NOW BEEN REMOVED. THE REMOVAL OF THE FRONT PORCH HAS THUS REDUCED THE PROPOSED HARD COVER OF THE SITE. THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL WAS AT 44.39%, AND NOW IT HAS DROPPED DOWN TO 42.12%. THE PLANNING COMMISSION HELD A PUBLIC HEARING ON APRIL 15TH, AND THEY RECOMMENDED DENIAL OF THE APPLICATION WITH A VOTE OF 6:1. THE PLANNING COMMISSION NOTED THAT THE OVERALL HARD COVER WAS INCREASING AND THAT THERE WASN'T ENOUGH PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY TO SUPPORT THE ADDITION OF A THIRD BAY. THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED REDUCING THE SIZE OF THE ADDITION OR REMOVING OTHER HARD COVER ON THE SITE. STAFF DID RECEIVE ONE LETTER FROM THE NEIGHBOR TO THE NORTH, THIS HOME RIGHT HERE, THAT WAS INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET. HIS PRIMARY CONCERNS WERE DRAINAGE AND THE POTENTIAL OF THAT GETTING WORSE WITH THE CONSTRUCTION. STAFF ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE APPLICANT HAS MADE MODIFICATIONS FROM THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL, AND STAFF ALSO RECOGNIZES THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE SUBSTANDARD LOT WITH THE NON-CONFORMING HOME. HOWEVER, STAFF BELIEVES THE HOMEOWNER HAS REASONABLE USE OF THE PROPERTY WITH A TWO BAY GARAGE CURRENTLY, AND THE APPLICATION IS NOT SUPPORTED BY PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY IN STAFF'S OPINION. I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. I BELIEVE THE HOMEOWNER IS ALSO HERE. STAFF RECEIVED SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT PREVIOUS HARDCOVER VARIANCES ALONG CRYSTAL BAY ROAD, SO I HAVE THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU IF YOU ARE INTERESTED. WHAT I'M ASKING FOR TONIGHT IS JUST DIRECTION TO DRAFT A RESOLUTION, WHETHER THAT'S AN APPROVAL OR DENIAL. >> ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? >> CAN WE START OUT WITH REVIEWING THE OTHER HARD COVER VARIANCES, SIMILAR ONES ON THE STREET? >> SURE. I PULLED RECENT HARDCOVER VARIANCES SINCE, I BELIEVE, 2017. THERE'S BEEN A FEW ON THIS ROAD. SOME FOR NEW HOMES AND SOME FOR ADDITIONS. THIS IS JUST A HIGH LEVEL. OBVIOUSLY, EACH OF THESE CASES WAS LOOKED AT SPECIFICALLY. BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S BEEN QUITE A FEW HARDCOVER VARIANCES IN THE PAST FEW YEARS FROM BETWEEN 40S TO LOW 50%. >> IT'S NOT INCONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE'VE DONE ON THE REST OF THE STREET AND STRUCTURAL COVERAGE IS UNDER, SO THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? IS THE APPLICANT HERE TO COME UP AND TALK ABOUT THEIR PROJECT? >> YES. >> YOU CAN STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD TOO, THAT'D BE GREAT. >> JOHN HOFER AND MY WIFE, TERRY HOFER, 339 CRYSTAL BAY ROAD. I SENT ALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND MAYOR WALSH A LETTER, AND ATTACHED THREE LETTERS FROM OUR NEIGHBORS IN APPROVAL. >> DID YOU SEND THOSE TO THE STAFF TOO? I DON'T THINK THE STAFF HAVE THOSE LETTERS IN THEIR RECORDS. >> I MADE SOME COPIES JUST OUT OF CHANCE. >> I'LL ADD THEM TO THE RECORD. THANK YOU. >> LET'S SEE. IN THE PACKET THAT I SAW ONLINE THAT YOU HAD, STAFF HAD MADE AN ERROR WHEN THEY WERE WRITING THEIR LETTER TO DENY STATING THAT WE DID NOT DECREASE THE SIZE OF THE PROPOSED [INAUDIBLE], AND WE HAVE. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT SURVEY UP THERE, AND SO WE DECREASED AT TWO FEET ONE WAY AND ONE FOOT THE OTHER WAY. NOW WE ARE 2.1 FEET FARTHER FROM THE NORTHEAST SETBACK THAN REQUIRED. WE'VE GOT THAT PULLED BACK FARTHER. >> WHERE ARE WE LOOKING THERE? >> THE YELLOW. ORIGINALLY WAS 12 BY 22. >> THAT'S VERY LIGHT YELLOW. >> UP ON TOP AT THE RIGHT. >> AND NOW IT IS 11 BY 20. [00:10:03] WE DID REDUCE THAT. >> THIS IS THE PREVIOUS ONE,12 BY 22, 11 BY 20. >> THE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY IS STAFF KEEPS MAKING AN ERROR, AND I'VE HEARD THE PLANNING COMMISSION MAKE THE SAME ERROR, IS THEY KEEP CALLING OUR GARAGE A TWO BASE STALL. IT IS NOT A TWO BASE STALL. IT IS A ONE AND A HALF BASE STALL. I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE SENT PICTURES ALONG WITH MY LETTER TO YOU SO YOU COULD SEE WHAT WE DEAL WITH EVERY DAY. WE HAVE TWO UNDERSIZED CARS, SMALLER THAN ALMOST ALL THE CARS IN THE PARKING LOT. ONE OF THEM CAN GO IN FORWARD. IT HAS TO BE TWO TO THREE INCHES FROM THAT WALL, AND YOU CAN NEVER MESS. OTHERWISE, YOU'VE GOT A BIG INSURANCE CLAIM. THE OTHER ONE I HAVE TO BACK IN, SAME DISTANCE. THERE'S NO ROOM FOR BIKES, LAWNMOWERS, RAKES, SNOWBOARD. I HAVE NO ROOM FOR ANYTHING. THE ONLY THING I CAN PUT BEHIND MY CAR IS I THINK A PREEN. THAT'S ALL I CAN FIT BEHIND MY CAR. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR ISN'T REALLY A THIRD BAY, IS WE'RE LOOKING TO ADD ADDITIONAL STORAGE, SO THAT OUR LOWER LEVEL IS CURRENTLY SERVING AS OUR OTHER GARAGE. WE'VE GOT A LAWNMOWER IN THERE, WE'VE GOT BIKES IN THERE, WE'VE GOT RAKES, SHOVELS. THINGS THAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY HAVE IN A GARAGE HAVE TO BE ACTUALLY INSIDE OF OUR HOUSE. WHAT WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO DO IS TAKE THOSE OUT OF INSIDE THE HOUSE AND HAVE A GARAGE TYPE OF SITUATION THAT WE CAN PUT THOSE THINGS. >> NOW, YOU CAN APPRECIATE. WE'RE NOT HERE TO DESIGN YOUR HOUSE. WE'RE NOT WORRIED IF IT'S TWO BAYS OR ONE AND A HALF, OR THREE BAYS. WE'RE NOT CONCERNED WITH THAT. IT'S REALLY MORE IS IT FIT IN WITH THE CONSISTENCY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF WHAT WE HAVE DONE, AND WHAT MAKES SENSE. WE WANT PEOPLE'S HOUSES TO BE FUNCTIONAL, BUT WE'RE NOT HERE TO DESIGN YOUR HOUSE FOR YOU. I'M NOT CONCERNED WHETHER IT'S ONE HALF OR TWO, JUST TO MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER ABOUT. >> I'M JUST ARGUING THAT POINT. >> THAT'S WHY I HAD ASKED FOR THE STAFF TO BRING FORWARD MORE EXAMPLES OF THE REST OF THE STREET JUST TO SEE WHAT WE'VE DONE, SO WE KEEP CONSISTENCY AND CHARACTER, AND I'D SAY YES TO SOMEBODY AND NO TO SOMEBODY ELSE, EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE GETTING THE SAME THING. >> I THINK WE'RE UNDER EVERYBODY BY A LOT. ESPECIALLY THE NEWEST, LATEST ONE THAT GOT APPROVED. I THINK, WHAT WAS OUR PERCENTAGE? 33.59, THEY'RE AT 45.7% HARDCOVER, AND THAT'S AN INTERESTING PROPERTY TO COMPARE US TO BECAUSE THAT LOT IS THE EXACT SIZE OF OUR LOT, 1.15 ACRES. IT'S EXACT SAME SIZE. NOW WHAT'S ON THAT HOUSE, ON THAT LOT IS, 5,445 SQUARE FOOT THREE LEVEL STRUCTURE. I'M IN 1,500 SQUARE FEET. THEY HAVE A OVER-SIZED GARAGE AND I MEAN, I'M NOT SURE WHERE THE HARDSHIP IS NEEDING A 5,400 SQUARE FOOT STRUCTURE VERSUS I SHOULD BE ABLE TO LIVE INSIDE OF MY 1,500. I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT'S FAIR. THAT'S JUST MY OBJECTION TO THAT WHOLE ARGUMENT. IF THERE'S QUESTIONS, I CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. >> ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? WELL, THANKS, IF WE NEED YOU, WE'LL BRING YOU BACK UP. >> THANK YOU. >> BRING IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL. ANY THOUGHTS? I THINK WE'VE GOT THE INFORMATION FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD, SO I HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT'S BEEN THERE AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST FOR CONSISTENCY STANDPOINT. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY FURTHER THOUGHTS. >> NO. I MEAN, I SHARE THE OPINION THAT YOU SHOULD BE AFFORDED THE SAME PRIVILEGE AS OTHERS IN THE STREET. YOUR GARAGE AND ITS SIZE IS NOT YOUR HARDSHIP. TO ME, THE HARDSHIP IS THE SIZE OF THE LOT WITH THE ROAD IN THE FRONT, WITH THE 75 FOOT SETBACK. THE STAFF WAS RIGHT IN THEIR LABELING OF WHAT YOU HAVE THERE BECAUSE YOU HAVE A TWO CAR GARAGE AND A SINGLE, BUT LIKE DENNY SAID, IT'S NOT REAL RELEVANT, BUT YOU SHOULD GET THE SAME PRIVILEGE THAT OTHER PEOPLE ON THE STREET HAVE, AND FOR THAT REASON, I'M GOOD. THEY MADE SOME CHANGES TO MAKE IT A LITTLE TIDIER AND THAT LOOKS GOOD TO ME. >> YEAH. AND I THINK WHAT MATT SAID IS PRECISE TOO, IS THE LOT IS YOUR PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY. I MEAN, THAT IS JUST THE LOT ITSELF. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? >> YEAH, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT WITHOUT GETTING INTO THE SPECIFICS BECAUSE WE ARE NOT A PLANNING COMMISSION OR STAFF, [00:15:03] I RELY HEAVILY ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF PLANNING AND STAFF ON THESE TYPES OF APPLICATIONS, AND I'D BE IN AGREEMENT WITH BOTH PLANNING AND STAFF ON THIS FOR DENIAL. >> THE THING THAT WAS MOST NOTABLE TO ME WAS LOOKING AT THE PAST ONES TO BE CONSISTENT. I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THAT TO TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT IS FAIR. I WOULD AGREE. I THINK TO SAY WHAT YOUR HARDSHIP IS, IS FOR SURE THE SIZE OF THE LOT AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN. WE DON'T NEED TO GIVE EVERYONE THE RIGHT TO SIZE OF A GARAGE OR WHERE TO PUT YOUR SHOVELS OR ORGANIZATION. THAT'S NOT OUR JOB. WE ARE NOT HERE TO DESIGN IT AS THAT HAS BEEN WELL LAID OUT AS WELL. I DO THINK THAT THE SIZE OF THE LOT IS A HARDSHIP, AND I THINK THAT YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO BUILD IT TO BE LIVABLE AS YOUR NEIGHBORS HAVE. I THOUGHT IT WAS A VERY NICE TOUCH, AND THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING THE EMAIL. HAVING YOUR NEIGHBORS POINT OUT. IT DOES KEEP THE CHARM, NOT HAVING TO REBUILD, AND TO UTILIZE WHAT YOU HAVE. I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT, SO THANK YOU. >> WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? >> DO WE NEED A MOTION TO DRAFT AN APPROVAL? I'LL MAKE A MOTION ON LA 24-16 FOR STAFF TO DRAFT AN APPROVAL RESOLUTION. >> YOU GOT A MOTION BY JOHNSON. SECOND BY >> I'LL SECOND. >> VEACH. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? >> NO. >> I NOTE THE ONE NO VOTE WAS COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON. OTHERWISE, IT WAS THREE TO ONE. THANK YOU FOR COMING. ANY OTHER THINGS FROM THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORT, LAURA? >> SLIDE NUMBER 2, PLEASE. >> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. TONIGHT, I HAVE A PERMIT SLIDE FOR YOU FOR APRIL. WE HAVE THREE COLORS UP THERE. A YELLOW IS FROM 2022, PURPLES FROM 2023, AND THEN THERE'S A WHITE ON THERE THAT'S 2024. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE CONSISTENT WITH PROBABLY OUR 2020 YEAR PERMITS YEAR TO DATE. APRIL 2023 TO HAVE BEEN A VERY BUSY YEAR LESS, A YEAR AGO TODAY. BUT SEEMS TO BE DOING GOOD. WE'RE BUSY THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT. WE ARE CURRENTLY PREPPING FOR OUR PLANNING COMMISSION PACKET. WE ALSO HAVE BEEN WORKING ON GETTING OUR BUILDING OFFICIAL AND BUILDING INSPECTOR THROUGH ALL OF THE SEPTIC TRAINING AND SEPTIC SCHOOL AND GETTING THEM OUT ON SITE. OUR BUILDING INSPECTOR IS ABOUT TO START HIS INSPECTIONS THAT ARE REQUIRED BEFORE GETTING CERTIFIED AND COORDINATING WITH THAT. THAT'S EXCITING TO START THAT TRANSITION OF BRINGING IT IN-HOUSE AND REORGANIZING [NOISE] OUR ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES FOR ALL THOSE. THEN ALSO, WE HAVE A WATER RESOURCE POLICY WORKSHOP THAT I'LL BE ATTENDING HOSTED BY THEM AT COUNCIL FOR THEIR DRAFT WATER RESOURCE PLAN. I THINK THEY'RE LOOKING TO, THAT THEY'RE STARTING TO DEVELOP. SOME PARTICIPATION IN COORDINATION WITH THEM. OTHER THAN THAT, JUST KICK OFF TO SPRING AND EVERYONE'S HOUSE PROJECTS, AND ALL THEIR IDEAS AND LOTS OF MEETINGS. TALKING TO A LOT OF NEIGHBORS. ALL GOOD THINGS. >> ALL GOOD THANKS. >> HAPPY FOR ANY QUESTIONS. HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. >> ANY QUESTIONS FOR LAURA? >> [INAUDIBLE]. CAN WE CHANGE THE COLOR FROM WHITE MOVING FORWARD? I DON'T KNOW. >> I HAD THIS ONE, TOO, THAT HAS A BLACK BACKGROUND. I DIDN'T. >> BEFORE YOU DO THAT. THANKS. >> 2022 ON THIS ONE, BUT, WE CAN PLAY WITH THE STUDY. >> THANK YOU. >> ASKING YOU SHELL RECEIVE. >> THANK YOU, LAURA. >> THANK YOU. >> THAT'LL TAKE US TO OUR PARKS REPORT WITH JOSH. [18. Lurton Dog Park Parking Lot Project - Award] WE'LL START WITH NUMBER 18, OUR LURTON DOG PARK PARKING LOT PROJECT AWARD. >> IT'S ALWAYS NICE HAVING SUCCESS, BUT SUCCESS BREEDS CHANGES SOMETIMES. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNSEL. THAT TONIGHT WE ARE SEEKING TO AWARD THE LURTON PARK PROJECT FUND OR PROJECT EXPANSION TO SUNRAM CONSTRUCTION. LURTON PARK IS A SUCCESS, AS YOU SAID. IT HAS BEEN SO POPULAR THAT WE NOW HAVE AN ISSUE WITH PARKING. THAT HAS BEEN OBVIOUS FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS. ONE OF THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES WITH THIS PARK IS THAT WE HAVE PARKING ALONG WITSA, BOULEVARD, WHICH CAN BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AT TIMES. RECENTLY, I GUESS, THE PARK COMMISSION HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR A WHILE, SOME TYPE OF EXPANSION OF THE PARKING LOT. THERE ARE SOME DIFFICULTIES WITH THE SITE. WE'RE PRETTY LIMITED ON WHERE WE CAN EXPAND TO. STAFF REACHED OUT TO BOLTON AND MINK TO REVIEW THIS, AND THEY DETERMINED THAT WE COULD INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL 15 STALLS. THAT WOULD BE 14 REGULAR AND ADDITIONAL ADA STALL AS WELL. [00:20:04] SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT IS ADDING THE 14 REGULAR STALLS AND ONE ADDITIONAL ADA. THE LOT WOULD BE RES STRIPED, AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO MOVE THE FENCING AS WELL. THERE'S CURRENTLY A WELL IN PLACE, SO WE'D HAVE TO BUILD A TEMPORARY STRUCTURE OR A STRUCTURE AROUND IT TO PROTECT IT. THE PROJECT WAS SENT TO TWO DIFFERENT CONTRACTORS WITH SUNRAM COMING IN AT 74,730. THIS IS STAFF'S MOTION TO AWARD TO THEM. FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT WOULD COME OUT OF THE LURTON PARK FUND, WHICH IS SEPARATE FROM THE PARKS FUND. AFTER THE PROJECT, WE WOULD HAVE A BALANCE OF $36,950. STAFF RECOMMENDS AWARDING THE CONTRACT TO SUNRAM CONSTRUCTION, AND TO FOCUS ON PRIORITIZE THE SAFETY OF USERS OF THE PARK BY THE CONSTRUCTION. >> THIS IS ANOTHER GREAT EXAMPLE, AND WE HAVE MANY OF THEM OF OUR PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE'VE DONE WITH PARKS. WE GOT THE LURTON FAMILY, WHO DONATED THE LAND AND ALSO DONATED MONEY TO HELP BURN THE GRASS DOWN. IT COMES UP AND LEFT OF THE FUND THAT WE CAN, ORIGINALLY WAS JUST A VERY STATIC PARK, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY WANTED IT TO BE, BUT NO ONE EVER WENT UP THERE, AND SO WE APPROACHED THEM 10 YEARS AGO AND SAID, HERE'S A GREAT IDEA. YOU KNOW, WHY DON'T WE TURN THIS INTO A DOG PARK? HERE'S WHAT IT COST TO FUND IT, I'LL GET USED. PEOPLE WILL KNOW IT. IT'S BEEN A GREAT SUCCESS AS A PARK. THAT'S FOR SURE. BUT IT'S A VERY INDICATIVE OF OUR PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN THE CITY PUTTING EFFORTS INTO IT. WE HAVE PRIVATE MONEY FROM THE LURTON FAMILY. WE'VE HAD MANY BOY SCOUT PROJECTS UP THERE. I THINK WE'VE HAD THE SOCCER CLUB UP THERE THAT'S BEEN LAYING MULCH AND STUFF ALL OVER. WE GET LOTS OF SERVICE PROJECTS OUT THERE, TOO, TO HELP SUPPORT ALL THESE THINGS. WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT PEOPLE IN AND ON TO DO ALL THESE THINGS. I'M A BIG FAN OF MAKING SURE WE GET SOME MORE PARKING UP THERE. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT FOR A WHILE, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD PEOPLE PARKING ON OLD HIGHWAY 12 RIGHT THERE, WHICH IS VERY DANGEROUS. I THINK THIS IS KIND OF A NO BRAINER. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY THOUGHTS? >> WHERE DOES THE FUNDS FROM THE PARK COME FROM? >> THAT WOULD COME THROUGH PARKING PASSES AND I BELIEVE THERE WAS AN ENDOWMENT, IS THAT CORRECT? >> THE LURTON PARK FUND WAS SET UP AS A SEPARATE FUND WHEN THE PARK WAS CREATED AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, FOR START WITH MONEY FROM THE LURTON FAMILY WHEN THAT WAS ACQUIRED. I BELIEVE MOST OF THAT MONEY CAME FROM WHEN THE HIGHWAY 12 BYPASS WENT IN AND THE CONDEMNATION OF A LARGE PORTION OF WHAT WAS A FARM THERE. SINCE THEN, THE FLOW OF REVENUE INTO THAT FUND COMES FROM THE PARK PASSES [NOISE] THAT WE ISSUE EVERY YEAR. THAT'S THE SUSTAINING FUNDING SOURCE FOR THE PARK. >> DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PASSES WE'RE UP TO THIS YEAR, JOHN? >> I'M NOT SURE. >> [OVERLAPPING] WALK AROUND WITH THAT NUMBER. WHAT'S THAT? DON'T WALK AROUND, KNOWING THAT NUMBER? >> NO. >> WELL, I KNOW WE'VE HAD FOUR 500. I REMEMBER WE THOUGHT THAT THERE MIGHT BE 100, MAYBE 200 TOPS, AND IT'S WAY FAR EXCEEDED OUR EXPECTATIONS. I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY IN HERE HAS BEEN THERE BEFORE, BUT WHEN YOU GO IN AND YOU GO TO THE LEFT, THAT'S THE BIG TALK, THE BIG DOG AREA, AND TO THE RIGHT. THERE'S ACTUALLY A LITTLE DOG AREA. IF YOU JUST HAVE LITTLE DOGS WHO DON'T WANT TO GALLIVANT WITH ALL THE BIG DOGS. ACTUALLY, IT'S TWO DIFFERENT LITTLE PARK AREAS, WHICH IS REALLY UNUSUAL. WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME DESIGNING THAT TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER, SO IT WOULDN'T IMPACT THE NEIGHBORS ON THE NORTH SIDE AND STILL GET EVERYBODY PLENTY OF RUNNING ROOM IN THE WOODS AND EVERYTHING ELSE. IT'S BEEN I THINK THEY HAVE THEIR OWN WEBSITE PAGE OR SOMETHING. ALERT AND PEOPLE DO THAT GO UP THERE ALL THE TIME. IT'S BECOME A VERY SOCIAL INTERACTION POINT OF VIEW, AND IT'S NOT JUST OBVIOUSLY ORONO RESIDENTS, IT'S PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THAT COME UP THERE, SO IT'S A GREAT PROJECT, FOR SURE. >> JUST A GREAT EXAMPLE OF ANOTHER SUCCESS STORY. >> IT IS. I'M READY FOR A MOTION, ARE YOU? >> YEP. >> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TOWARD THE LURTON DOG PARK PROJECT TO SUNRAM CONSTRUCTION INC. >> COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON. MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. >> I'LL SECOND THAT. MAYOR WALSH WILL SECOND THAT, AND ALL IN FAVOR SAY, AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? NOTE THAT PASSES FOUR TO ZERO. THAT'LL BRING US TO OUR NEXT FABULOUS PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP HERE. [19. Golf Course Pavilion Project Award] NUMBER 19, OUR GOLF COURSE PAVILION PROJECT AWARD. >> TONIGHT, WE'RE SEEKING TOWARD THE GOLF COURSE PAVILION PROJECT TO MIKE NORTH CONSTRUCTION. THIS IS SOMETHING. OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, THE PARK COMMISSION HAS FOCUSED OR PRIORITIZED A MASTER PLAN FOR THE GOLF COURSE. SEVERAL DIFFERENT AREAS WERE HIGHLIGHTED FOR IMPROVEMENTS. THE DECK AT THE CLUBHOUSE WAS ONE OF THEM, [00:25:02] AND THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED A FIRE PIT, PAVILION AMONG OTHER ITEMS. THE PAVILION STARTED OUT AS AN AREA JUST TO MAYBE PUT UP A FEST TENT, A SITE WHERE WE CAN HOST ACTIVITIES AT THE GOLF COURSE AND GREW OVER TIME WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PICKLEBALL MASTER PLAN AT THE GOLF COURSE. THE PICKLEBALL PLAN WENT AWAY. BUT THE IDEA OF HAVING A PAVILION STUCK AROUND WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT PARTIES INTERESTED IN HAVING THAT. THE PAVILION WOULD BE A GREAT USE TO THE GOLF COURSE, NOT JUST FOR GOLFERS, BUT BRINGING IN DIFFERENT EVENTS, WHETHER THAT'S BIRTHDAY PARTIES, CORPORATE EVENTS. ANOTHER WAY WHERE WE CAN CAPTURE THAT BUSINESS AND KEEP IT AT THE GOLF COURSE FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE USED YEAR ROUND AS WELL. WE USE THE GOLF COURSE FOR THE ANNUAL TREE LIGHTING EVENT, AND WE WOULD CERTAINLY MAKE USE OF A PAVILION. >> ANOTHER GREAT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP ISSUE. >> ONE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY IS THAT WHILE THE PARK COMMISSION HAS LOOKED AT IT OVER THE YEARS, LATE LAST YEAR, THE ON LYONS CONTACTED STAFF WITH THE REQUEST TO BUILD THE PAVILION IN TIME FOR THE 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS, WHICH TAKE PLACE MID JUNE. THIS PAVILION, THE DESIRE IS THAT IT WOULD BE DEDICATED TO THE LEO FESER FAMILY. LEO FESER WAS THE ORIGINAL BUILDER OF THE GOLF COURSE AND THE VERY FIRST SUPERINTENDENT. QUITE FAMOUS IN THE TURF INDUSTRY. THERE'S AN AWARD NAMED AFTER HIM. IT IS A NEAT LITTLE HISTORY THAT WE HAVE RIGHT HERE. AN OPEN HOUSE FOR THIS PROJECT. THIS WAS ADDRESSED WITH THE PARKS COMMISSION. THEY GAVE IT A UNANIMOUS RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE THIS FORWARD. THEN WE HAD AN OPEN HOUSE THAT WAS HELD ON MAY 7TH JUST LAST WEEK. COMMENTS WERE ATTACHED INTO THE AGENDA ITEM. THE SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT IS NOT TOO GREAT. IT IS A 24 BY 40 FOOT WOODEN STRUCTURE. THERE WOULD BE A CONCRETE SLAB THAT IT SITS ON. THE AESTHETICS WOULD BE TIED OR MATCHING THE CLUBHOUSE. THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE IT AN EXACT REPLICA OF WHAT THE CLUBHOUSE IS BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF A PAVILION, POLES, A FLOOR, AND A ROOF. [LAUGHTER] THE COST, WE DID SEND THIS OUT TO THREE DIFFERENT CONTRACTORS AND ONLY RECEIVED ONE ESTIMATE BACK. THAT WAS MIKE NORTH CONSTRUCTION. THE ESTIMATED COST OF THE PROJECT IS 80,222. THE CONTRACTOR IS ALSO WILLING TO USE SOME OF THE LABOR FROM THE LIONS TO DRIVE THAT COST DOWN FARTHER. FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT WOULD BE SHARED. THIS IS A JOINT PROJECT WITH THE LIONS. THE LIONS WOULD TAKE 50% OF THIS PROJECT, LEAVING THE CITY WITH 38,000 OR ALMOST 40,000. WE ALSO HAD A GENEROUS DONATION FROM RICHIE ANDERSON OF NORTH SHORE MARINA FOR $2,500. THIS BRINGS THE CITY'S COST DOWN TO $37,722. >> $37,000. >> I'M SORRY. YES. THANK YOU. >> BASICALLY, THE LIONS ARE GIVING $40,000 PLUS THEIR LABOR. RICHIE ANDERSON, THANK YOU AGAIN, DONATING $2,500, WHICH IS OUR LAST MEETING IS VERY ENTHUSIASTIC, AND WE APPRECIATE THAT. THAT LEAVES THE $37,000 CHANGE FOR THE CITY TO GET THIS FULL PROJECT DONE. >> LATE LAST YEAR, THE GOLF COURSE STARTED ITS OWN ENTERPRISE FUND. WE DO HAVE A BALANCE IN THERE. WE WILL SPLIT THAT 50% COMING FROM THE GOLF ENTERPRISE FUND, AS WELL AS 50 FROM THE PARKS FUND. >> THERE MIGHT BE SOME ADDITIONAL SAVINGS WITH THE USE OF THE [OVERLAPPING]. >> CORRECT. >> GREAT. >> STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION AWARDING THE CONTRACT TO MIKE NORTH CONSTRUCTION, AS THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY, IF THIS WERE ANY OTHER YEAR AND WE DID NOT HAVE THE LIONS, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT PAYING THE FULL COST. SEEMS LIKE A GREAT TIME TO REALLY PIGGYBACK ONTO WHAT THEIR GOALS ARE, AS WELL AS NOW WE'RE SEEING SOME OTHER DONORS COME INTO PLAY WELL. >> YEAH, IT SEEMS LIKE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. I KNOW, OVER TIME, YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY FLATTENED THAT WHOLE AREA UP AND PICNIC BENCHES ARE ALREADY UP THERE. IT'S ALREADY BEING USED BY THE LIONS AND GOLFERS AND ANYBODY ELSE WHO OBVIOUSLY WANTS TO GO UP THERE. CONTRARY TO SOME OF THE PUBLIC STATEMENTS THAT ARE OUT THERE, NO TREES WERE CUT DOWN FOR THIS. IT'S AN OPEN AREA. THERE WAS A TREE THAT WAS NEXT TO THE GREEN THERE THAT WAS CUT DOWN BECAUSE IT WAS SHADING THE GREEN HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS OR EVEN IN THE WAY OF IT. THAT'S JUST PUT THOSE RUMORS TO REST, THEY'RE UNTRUE, BUT THIS IS A GREAT ANOTHER PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, WHERE THE LIONS, IF YOU GO TO THE STATE WEBSITE OF THE LIONS, ONE OF THE MAIN FOCUSES IS THEY BUILD PICNIC BENCH ENCLOSURES FOR SHELTERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY JUST TO HAVE [00:30:03] ANOTHER GREAT ASSET TO ABLE TO USE WHICH ALL THEIR GOLF COURSES HAVE AS WELL. HOPEFULLY WE GET A LOT OF USE AND PARTIES AND GOLFERS WILL BE UP THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE UP THERE ANYWAY. NOW THEY COULD BE AWAY IN THE SHADE AND EVERYTHING ELSE. I THINK IT'S A GREAT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO ON OUR PARKS. THANK YOU TO THE LIONS AND RICHIE ANDERSON FOR BRINGING FORWARD A WHOLE BUNCH OF MONEY FOR THAT PROJECT AS WELL. >> I WILL SAY FROM THE OPEN HOUSE, THERE WAS PRETTY LOW TURNOUT FOR IT. AGAIN, A PAVILION. SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE DID REALLY NOTE WERE, I GUESS, SOME OF THE CONCERNS AROUND THE TIME WHEN THE PAVILION WOULD BE USED, LATE NIGHTS, HOW WOULD IT BE STAFFED? HOW WOULD WE MONITOR WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THIS AREA? AGAIN, THIS IS ALREADY AN ACTIVE SITE, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT STAFF DOES LOOK AT. WE WOULD LOOK AT PUTTING SOME ADDITIONAL CAMERAS ON THIS PAVILION, AS WELL AS OUR STAFF, THEY'RE ALREADY TRAINED FOR THESE TYPES OF EVENTS. WE DO HOST EVENTS WITH OR WITHOUT A PAVILION. WE DO THOSE THINGS. IT MAY REQUIRE SOME ADDITIONAL TRAINING FOR DIFFERENT EVENTS, BUT WE'RE HERE. WE'RE COMPETENT. WE'RE READY TO GO WITH THIS. ANOTHER IDEA WAS THAT WE COULD INSTALL A GATE AT THE ENTRANCE, WHICH I THINK IS FINE SEPARATE MAYBE FROM A PAVILION PROJECT, BUT I THINK A FINE IDEA THAT OUR PARK COMMISSION CAN TALK ABOUT. >> I MEAN, INTO THE GOLF COURSE AS A WHOLE? >> YEAH. >> I WENT TO THE MEETING JUST TO HEAR WHAT THE FEEDBACK WAS, AND THAT WAS I THOUGHT A GREAT IDEA. I DO THINK THERE WAS ONE COMMUNITY MEMBER THAT LIVES RIGHT NEXT TO THE COURSE. AS IT IS A STARTER COURSE FOR MANY PEOPLE, LEARNING DECORUM, GOLF ETIQUETTE, PACE OF PLAY LANGUAGE, A WHOLE VARIETY OF THINGS. THAT'S A GENUINE CONCERN, AND I CAN RELATE TO THAT. I DO THINK TO GET BY AND FOR ME, I WOULD SAY THAT WE NEED A WAY TO POST RULES AND TO ENFORCE RULES TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TALKING TO DIRECT COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON HOW YOU SHOULD CALL THE POLICE IF THAT IS THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION. IS THAT WHAT I THINK I HEARD FROM THE MEETING? YOU SAID, CALL THE POLICE AND WE WOULD ENFORCE THE RULES? >> YEAH. I'VE BEEN MADE AWARE OF DIFFERENT ISSUES AT TIMES, BUT AS FAR AS COURSE LANGUAGE GOES, I DON'T NECESSARILY GET EMAILS ABOUT THAT. I'M SURE IT HAPPENS, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD MAYBE BE HARD FOR ME TO ENFORCE AFTER THE FACT. WE ARE CHANGING SOME THINGS AT THE GOLF COURSE RIGHT NOW WHERE NOW WE HAVE IN PLACE BOTH A STARTER AND A RANGER ON THE GOLF COURSE, WHICH HAS NOT HAPPENED BEFORE. THAT'S GOING TO HELP US TO BE ABLE TO, AGAIN, KEEP UP THE PACE OF PLAY TO WORK ON ETIQUETTE. THE GOLF IQ CAN BE LOW AT TIMES, SO WE WANT EVERYONE TO ENJOY THEIR TIME AT THE GOLF COURSE, BUT ALSO WANT TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE NOT RUINING EXPERIENCE FOR SOMEONE ELSE. THAT INCLUDES THE NEIGHBORHOOD. >> LIKE YOU SAID, TOO, THE JUNIOR LEAGUES HAVE EXPLODED, YOU HAVE GOT TONS AND TONS OF NEW YOUNG GOLFERS, WHICH IS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN GOLF ETIQUETTE, AND EVERYTHING ELSE, WHILE THEY'RE YOUNG AT THE SAME TIME. WE'VE NOW AS THIS HAS GROWN LARGER AND LARGER SINCE COVID, ESPECIALLY, WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OF GETTING IT STAFFED APPROPRIATELY, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY ALWAYS THE MAIN ISSUE, I THINK, HAVING A RANGER AND A STARTER IS GOING TO BE A BIG BOON TO KEEP THINGS IN ORDER EVEN MORE. >> A LOT OF THE CONCERNS AROUND THE PAVILION, I DO BELIEVE ARE ADDRESSED OPERATIONALLY, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO CONTINUE THOSE CONVERSATIONS. I DON'T SEE THIS AS NOW THAT IT'S BUILT, WE'RE JUST GOING TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD. I BELIEVE THAT DISCUSSION WILL CONTINUE TO GO ON, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO RE-ADDRESS ANY ISSUES THAT COME UP IN THE FUTURE. >> I THINK ONE OTHER THING THAT I'D LIKE TO TOUCH ON WAS ADAM AND OUR COMMUNICATIONS MEETING, YOU HAD PUT A SLIDE TOGETHER BECAUSE I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS. I KNOW THIS WAS BROUGHT UP IN 2017, I BELIEVE, WAS THE FIRST TIME WELL BEFORE I HAD STARTED. I WAS WONDERING HOW SOMEONE ON COUNCIL OR SOMEONE WHO WAS INTERESTED IN DIFFERENT PARTS, DIFFERENT PROJECTS, HOW THE PROCESS WORKS, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND SPEAKING TO THAT A LITTLE BIT. >> TO THE PROCESS FOR PARKS PROJECT? >> YES, PLEASE. >> SURE. I'LL TRY TO GIVE THE ABBREVIATED VERSION. >> THANK YOU. >> FOR MOST OF OUR PARKS, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LARGE PROJECT OR AN OVERHAUL OF A PARK, IT USUALLY STARTS OUT AS AN IDEA THAT EITHER COMES FROM OR IS FLOATED INTO OUR PARKS COMMISSION AND THROUGH THEIR DELIBERATIONS AND WHAT HAVE YOU, THEN WE FIGURE OUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S TO DO THAT. THEN WE WILL NORMALLY THEN TRY TO SCHEDULE ONTO OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND OUR PLANNING PROCESS, SOME KIND OF FEASIBILITY STUDY OR MASTER PLANNING ACTIVITY AROUND WHATEVER THAT IDEA IS, [00:35:07] WHICH IS AS JOSH MENTIONED, AN ACTIVITY THAT WE DID AS A CITY BACK IN 2017 FOR THE GOLF COURSE, WHERE WE WENT THROUGH AND LOOKED AT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS, ASPIRATIONS AT THAT PARK. THEN USUALLY AFTER THAT, NOW WE HAVE A PLAN THAT WE CAN USE TO GO OUT FOR GRANTS, DONATIONS, OR JUST SETTING AS THE CASE OF FUNDS TO FUND. ONCE WE THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING IDENTIFIED OR WHATEVER THE PARTICULAR ITEM IS RISES IN IMPORTANCE ON THE LIST, THEN WE NORMALLY WILL TAKE THAT INTO A DESIGN PROCESS WHERE WE WILL DESIGN THE PROJECT, GO OUT FOR BIDS OR QUOTES, DEPENDING ON THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT, AND THEN AFTER THAT, THEN WE BUILD WHATEVER IT IS. ONCE IT'S BUILT, WE MAINTAIN IT. >> I THINK SO. I THINK THE OTHER PART. [OVERLAPPING] >> REALLY ABBREVIATED VERSION OF PROJECT PLANNING, BUT THAT'S [OVERLAPPING]. >> WHICH I UNDERSTAND. SOME PROJECTS ARE QUITE SMALL. SOME ARE GOLF COURSE IS LARGE. HOW DO YOU TRACK THAT OVER THE COURSE OF POSSIBLY A DECADE IS IMPORTANT. I THINK WHAT I LEARNED IS FOLLOWING ALONG ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN WHERE YOU CAN SEE WHERE ANY LIVING IDEA IS A REALLY USEFUL TOOL, AND MAYBE WE COULD TOUCH ON THAT MORE FREQUENTLY TO KNOW THE PICKLEBALL, MAYBE SOME PEOPLE HADN'T HEARD PICKLEBALL IS NO LONGER FEASIBLE THERE. MAYBE THE LAST TIME THEY HEARD. JUST SO WE COULD KNOW WHEN PROJECTS WERE CONTINUING OR PROJECTS HAD ENDED. THEN PEOPLE WERE ALL AWARE. THAT'D BE HELPFUL. THANK YOU. >> I DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS, I GUESS, BECAUSE YOU ANSWERED A FEW OF MINE EARLIER IN THE DAY, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN IS NOT NECESSARILY A GUARANTEE THAT THAT MONEY IS GOING TO BE SPENT. I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION TO MAKE. HERE'S WHAT I WANT TO SAY TO ADD TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE, WHICH ARE GOOD ONES. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE GOAL FOR THE PARK FOR THE GOLF COURSE IS TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE PEOPLE FEEL WELCOME. I THINK PERHAPS ONE OF THE GOALS IS TO MOVE THROUGH ROUNDS MORE QUICKLY. THIS WOULD BE ACTUALLY MAKING IT MORE POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO LINGER. IT SOUNDS LIKE AS OPPOSED TO MOVING THROUGH MORE QUICKLY, OR THE FOCUS IS ON GATHERING PEOPLE HERE FOR SPECIAL EVENTS AND INCREASING THE CAPACITY OF SPECIAL EVENTS, AS WELL AS ALLOWING PEOPLE TO LINGER AFTER ROUNDS. THE CONCERNS I'VE HEARD ARE AROUND PARKING, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF DATA ON LARGE CORPORATE EVENTS. THOSE HAVEN'T BEEN HAPPENING TO MY UNDERSTANDING FOR YEARS NOW THAT WE'RE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE FLOW INTO THE AREA. IF WE TALK ABOUT A POPULAR DOG PARK THAT NOW NEEDS EXTRA PARKING, WHAT WILL THAT LOOK LIKE AT THE GOLF COURSE WITH A LARGE SPECIAL EVENT AND THE PARKING. ANOTHER POINT I WANT TO MAKE ON THIS IS THAT IT IS WONDERFUL WHEN DONATIONS ARE OFFERED. IT IS ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL AND THE LIONS ARE A FANTASTIC ORGANIZATION. HOWEVER, COUPLING A TIMELINE FOR A CITY PROJECT THAT REQUIRES CITY FUNDING WITH THE GENEROUS DONATION IS A BURDEN ON THE CITY THAT WE NEED TO TAKE SERIOUSLY. THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY, WHAT I WANT TO POINT OUT IS THAT, WHETHER IT WAS IN PARKS COMMISSION OR ALSO WHEN THIS CAME TO COUNCIL, THERE WAS NO BUDGET ATTACHED. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE SEEN A SPEND ON THIS, AND FOR THE CITY, IT'S NEARLY $38,000. IT'S NOT INSIGNIFICANT, AND IT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WERE PREPARED FOR OR BUDGETED FOR, OR EVEN DISCUSSED WHEN WE SET THE BUDGET FOR 2024. WITH THAT IN MIND, I THINK MY PERSPECTIVE ON THE PAVILION IS THAT WHILE IT CAN BE A GREAT IDEA. THIS IS A SURPRISE FOR COUNCIL IN TERMS OF A SPEND. IT'S ALSO ONE WHERE THERE ARE SOME POTENTIAL QUESTIONS THAT STILL COULD USE A LITTLE MORE LOOKING. MY THOUGHT PROCESS IS TO DECOUPLE, AND IT'S A WONDERFUL SUGGESTION FOR 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY, AND I DID SET EXPECTATIONS LAST TIME THIS CAME BEFORE COUNCIL TO DECOUPLE THE IDEA OF A PERMANENT INFRASTRUCTURE SPEND THAT IS NEARLY $38,000 FROM THE TIMELINE AND THE PRESSURE OF 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY. THAT WOULD BE MY ONE MAIN POINT BECAUSE IT'S EASY TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT COULD BE A BENEFIT TO THIS CELEBRATION. IT'S ALSO NOT A NECESSITY FOR THE CELEBRATION TO HAPPEN. THAT CAN HAPPEN, AS WE'VE SEEN WITH OTHER TYPES OF LESS PERMANENT AND LESS COSTLY EXPENSE. MY PREFERENCE IS TO UNDERSTAND IF WE'RE GOING TO SPEND MONEY AND HAVE IT MATCHED ESSENTIALLY. MY HOPE WOULD BE THAT ORGANIZATIONS WILLING TO PUT FORWARD THAT SPEND WOULD ALSO BE WILLING TO ALLOW SOME BUFFER TIME FOR THE CITY, [00:40:01] GIVEN THAT THIS IS A TOTALLY NEW EXPENSE. THIS IS A PROJECT THAT I FEEL CAN BE A GOOD ONE, BUT IT'S MY PERSPECTIVE, GIVEN THAT WE DIDN'T BUDGET AND SPEAK ABOUT IT, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I'D WANT TO SEE IMPLEMENTED AND VOTED ON RIGHT NOW. >> JOSH, CAN I ASK A QUESTION ON THAT? WAS IT THAT THE GOLF ENTERPRISE FUND WAS ANOTHER 20,000, SO ROUGHLY 20,000 IS ABOUT THE ASK FROM PARKS? >> ROUGHLY. YES. >> IT'S ABOUT HALF OF THAT. THEN WE COULD POSSIBLY LEVERAGE MORE OF THE ENTERPRISE FUND FROM GOLF IF WE NEEDED TO? >> WE'RE LIMITED ON THAT. >> LIMITED ON THAT. THEN WAS THIS PART OF OUR PARKS BUDGET? DO WE HAVE $20,000 AVAILABLE IN OUR PARKS BUDGET? MAGGIE. >> CURRENTLY, WE DO NOT, BUT WE ARE LEVYING FOR THE PARK FUND THIS YEAR AND IN FUTURE YEARS. WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT WE WILL EVENTUALLY BREAK EVEN ON THAT AND THEN MORE SO OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. >> YOUR OPINION, IT'D BE A SAFE SPEND TO SPEND $20,000? >> FROM THE PARK FUND, WHERE WE WOULD FUND THE REMAINDER OF THE PAVILION. >> THANK YOU. >> MY COMMENT IS SIMPLY THAT IT WASN'T MY PREFERENCE, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT LARGER SPENDS, IS THAT WE TALK ABOUT NOT WANTING SURPRISES. THIS IS A SURPRISE. IT'S NOT A FULLY PAID OR DONATED. IT'S WONDERFUL TO HAVE THE DONATION, BUT IT IS A SIGNIFICANT CITY SPEND THAT WE DON'T HAVE IN PARKS. OTHER THAN THAT, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO COMMENT. >> I THINK YOU WANT TO JUST TALK ABOUT THE PARKING, THOUGH. >> SURE. >> WE ARE LIMITED TO WHAT TYPES OF EVENTS WE CAN HOST BECAUSE WE ARE A NINE HOLE GOLF COURSE. ALREADY, RIGHT THERE, WE HAVE A CAPACITY LIMIT. OUR PARKING LOTS, WHILE SMALL, CAN ACCOMMODATE AN EVENT FOR OUR NINE HOLE GOLF COURSE. IF THIS WERE 18 WITH THE SAME PARKING LOT SIZE, WE WOULD HAVE AN ISSUE. >> WHAT IS THE LARGEST REVENUE GENERATING EVENT THAT ORONO HAS SEEN AT THE GOLF COURSE IN RECENT YEARS? HOW MANY PEOPLE? >> TYPICALLY, THEY REVOLVE AROUND OUR LEAGUES. I FORGET. WE HAD FOUR OUTSIDE EVENTS LAST YEAR. THAT'S HARD TOO. WE DON'T HAVE ANY FOOD OFFERINGS FOR THEM. REALLY, IT'S NOT ALL THAT MUCH DIFFERENT FROM RESERVING TEA TIMES. THIS IS JUST GUARANTEED REVENUE FOR THE COURSE. WE KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE COMING AHEAD OF TIME. IDEALLY, IN THE FUTURE, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE FOOD OPTIONS. WE'D LOVE TO HAVE COMPANIES CATER IN FOR THESE EVENTS. AGAIN, TO CAPTURE THAT BUSINESS AT THE GOLF COURSE. AGAIN, GOING BACK TO PARKING, A CORPORATE EVENT IS NO DIFFERENT FROM A LEAGUE. WE KNOW HOW MANY ROUGHLY ARE COMING FOR LEAGUE PLAY, AND THAT'S CAPACITY FOR OUR PARKING LOT. IT'S NO DIFFERENT FROM AN EVENT, CORPORATE EVENT, BIRTHDAY PARTIES, WHATEVER THAT IS. >> JUST TO BE CLEAR, WE'RE NOT BUILDING THIS FOR CORPORATE EVENTS. WE'RE BUILDING IT AS AN AMENITY FOR THE GOLF COURSE FOR THE GOLF, PRIMARILY. THEY'RE ALREADY USING THE AREA. THEY HAVE PICNIC BENCHES. THIS IS GIVING US COVER AND ANOTHER PLACE TO BE BESIDES THE DECK, IF THEY WANT TO LINGER BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THEY GO UP AND HANG OUT TODAY. I THINK IT'S A GREAT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP. IT'S OBVIOUSLY A VERY BASIC STRUCTURE. WE GOT THE FUNDS. WE HAVE OTHER GREAT DONATIONS FOR IT. I'D BE GLAD TO MAKE A MOTION TO AWARD THE CONTRACT TO MIKE NORTH CONSTRUCTION AND ACCEPT DONATIONS FROM THE ORONO ALLIANCE AND RICHIE ANDERSON OF NORTH SHORE MARINA. >> I'LL SECOND NOW. >> SECOND BY MR. JOHNSON. >> JUST ONE QUESTION. >> I'M GOING TO CLOSE DISCUSSION AT THIS POINT. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? >> NO. >> AYE. >> NOTE THAT PASSES 3-1 WITH THE ONE BEING COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON. ANY OTHER THINGS FOR PARKS? >> NO. THANK YOU FOR PASSING ON. GREG WILL BECOME THE NEW GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT. VERY EXCITED TO HAVE HIM THERE. GREG'S COMING FROM INTERLOCHEN. HE'S COMING WITH A LOT OF SKILL, A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE. WE'RE THRILLED TO HAVE HIM AT OUR ORONO GOLF COURSE. THEN WE HAVE A NEW EMPLOYEE COMING FROM CITY OF OWATONNA, ALSO COMING WITH A LOT OF BACKGROUND, GOOD EXPERIENCE, AND WE'RE REALLY THRILLED TO ADD TO OUR TEAM. >> AWESOME. YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING GOOD OVER THERE. >> WHAT'S THAT? >> YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING GOOD OVER THERE. YOU GOT A FULL STAFF. >> FULL STAFF. WE'RE LOOKING GOOD. THEN REALLY, WE'RE JUST IN THE MIDST OF OUR SPRING TRANSITION. STILL GETTING DOCKS OUT. WE'LL HAVE ALL THE DOCKS, SWIM PLATFORMS, BUOYS OUT BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, AND THEN START TRANSITIONING INTO OUR SUMMER ACTIVITIES. WE'RE LOOKING GOOD. [00:45:04] >> THANKS, JOSH. THAT'LL BRING US TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT. CHIEF VAN EYLL. [10. Authorization to Hire Paid-On-Call Firefighter] WE'LL START WITH NUMBER 6. I'M SORRY. WE'LL START WITH NUMBER 10, THE AUTHORIZATION TO HIRE PAID ON CALL FIREFIGHTER. >> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ACTION IS TO GAIN APPROVAL TO HIRE PAID ON CALL FIREFIGHTERS. THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY SEEKING PAID ON CALL FIREFIGHTERS FOR OUR STATION 2 CALL AREA. SELECTION PROCESS FOR THE POSITION INVOLVED ADVERTISEMENT, APPLICATION, SCREENING INTERVIEWS. INTERVIEWS ARE CONDUCTED BY THE ORONO FIREFIGHTERS. THE APPLICANT MUST SUCCESSFULLY ALSO COMPLETE A PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAM, A PHYSICAL PRE-EMPLOYMENT MEDICAL EXAM, AND A PROBATIONARY PERIOD. ALL APPLICANTS WILL HAVE TO PASS BACKGROUND CHECK PERFORMED BY THE ORONO POLICE DEPARTMENT. OUR RECOMMENDED CANDIDATES ARE OLIVER KENNEDY, WHO'S JUST STARTING HIS CAREER WITH THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND TYLER REMPEL, ALSO JUST STARTING THEIR CAREER. OLIVER AND TYLER ARE EXCITED TO BECOME CHARTER MEMBERS OF THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND THEY LOOK FORWARD TO CREATING THE BEST DEPARTMENT AND RELIEF ASSOCIATION AS POSSIBLE. I RECOMMEND OLIVER KENNEDY AND TYLER REMPEL FOR CONDITIONAL JOB OFFER AS PAID ON CALL FIREFIGHTERS WITH AN EFFECTIVE START DATE OF MAY 14TH, 2024 FOR FIREFIGHTER TRAINING, AND OTHER SUCH DUTIES WILL BEGIN ON MAY 14TH, 2024. STARTING PAY FOR THEM IS $16 AN HOUR, THE BENEFITS OF THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT RELIEF ASSOCIATION, AND CONDITIONAL JOB OFFERS PASSING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL BACKGROUND, PHYSICAL, AND PROBATIONARY PERIOD. >> AWESOME. IF WE PASS THESE TWO, HOW MANY FIREFIGHTERS TOTAL ARE WE NOW GOING INTO OUR JULY 1ST START DATE? >> TOTAL WITH FULL AND PART-TIME, THAT'D BE 22. >> AWESOME. READY TO GO? >> ABSOLUTELY, THEY ARE. >> COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THAT. >> I DID. REGARDING THE 22, HOW MANY OF THOSE WOULD BE PART-TIME VERSUS PAID ON CALL? >> THIS WOULD GET US TO 11 PART-TIME, 10 PAID ON CALL, AND THEN MYSELF. EXCUSE ME. ELEVEN PAID ON CALL, 10 PART-TIME, AND MYSELF. >> ELEVEN PAID ON CALL, INCLUDING THESE TWO? >> INCLUDING THOSE TWO, YES. >> ELEVEN ON CALL, 10 PART-TIME. >> FOR A TOTAL OF 22. >> THESE INDIVIDUALS WILL BE READY TO RESPOND JULY 1? >> THEY WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THEIR FIREFIGHTER TRAINING, BUT THEY CAN BE ON THE SCHEDULE AS PROBATIONARY FIREFIGHTERS. THEY'LL BE SCHEDULED WITH TWO OTHER FIREFIGHTERS IF THEY'RE ON SHIFT THAT HAVE EXPERIENCE, AND THEN THEY'LL RESPOND TO CALLS AFTER HOURS AS A PAID ON CALL FIREFIGHTER, YES. >> HOW LONG DO YOU ESTIMATE THAT THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS WOULD BE ABLE TO RESPOND WITHOUT THE PROBATIONARY PERIOD OR WITHOUT BEING WITH TWO OTHERS? HOW LONG DOES THAT TAKE? >> I'M SORRY. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION. >> WHEN YOU HIRE TWO NEW PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE THE EXPERIENCE AND NEED TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY, DID YOU SAY TWO OTHER INDIVIDUALS? >> IF THEY'RE ON SHIFT, THEY'LL BE ACCOMPANIED BY TWO OTHER INDIVIDUALS IF THEY PULL DUTY CREW SHIFTS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCE. THEN IF THEY DON'T, THEY JUST RESPOND TO CALLS WHEN THE PAID ON CALLS ARE ALSO PAGED OUT. >> THESE TWO NEW HIRES, WHEN WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO RESPOND ON NON-PROBATIONARY? >> IT DEPENDS ON WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO GET THEM IN THE FIREFIGHTER CLASSES. WE'LL TRY AND GET THEM INTO THE MEDICAL CLASSES FIRST. FIREFIGHTER CLASSES TYPICALLY START LIKE AN ACADEMY. TYPICALLY STARTS TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR AND RUNS THROUGH JUNE. >> IT COULD TAKE MORE THAN SIX MONTHS? I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT. I PULLED THIS OFF CONSENT BECAUSE IT'S RELATED TO FIRE. YOU'VE ANSWERED MY QUESTIONS. I APPRECIATE IT. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> THESE HIRES REQUIRE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT AND AUTHORIZING THE HIRE OF MORE STAFFING IS NOT SOMETHING I SUPPORT, BUT YOU'VE ANSWERED MY QUESTION. >> I'M SORRY. WHAT DO YOU MEAN MORE STAFFING? WHEN WE DID THE BUDGET FOR THIS, WE BUDGETED FOR THESE PAID ON CALL NUMBERS. >> I UNDERSTAND. I MEAN, IF WE ARE PUTTING DOLLARS INTO THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT IS WHAT I MEAN. I DON'T MEAN MORE FROM WHAT YOU'VE ACCOUNTED FOR. THANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> NO. >> ANYBODY MAKE A MOTION? >> I'LL MAKE A MOTION. MOTION TO APPROVE THE TWO CONDITIONAL JOB OFFERS TO OLIVER KENNEDY AND TYLER REMPEL AS PAID ON CALL FIREFIGHTERS AT THE RATE OF $16 AN HOUR WITH THE START DATE OF MAY 14TH, 2024. >> COUNCIL MEMBER RICH, YOU HAVE A SECOND? >> I SECOND THAT. >> COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON. ALL IN FAVOR SAY, AYE? >> AYE. >> AYE. OPPOSED? >> NO. >> NOTE THAT PASSES 3:1, WITH THE NO BEING COUNCIL MEMBER VINSON. [00:50:02] THAT'LL BRING US TO NUMBER 20, [20. Purchase of radio equipment for Orono fire facilities] WHICH IS THE PURCHASE OF RADIO EQUIPMENT FOR ORONO FIRE FACILITIES. >> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS TO SEE COUNCIL APPROVAL TO PROCURE RADIOS FOR THE ORONO FIRE FACILITIES. THESE RADIOS WILL BE FIRST USED IN OUR TEMPORARY FACILITIES AND THEN MOVED TO OUR PERMANENT FACILITIES. THE RADIO SYSTEMS HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE UPGRADABLE TO INCLUDE STATION ALERTING WHEN NEEDED IN THE FUTURE. IN THE ORONO NEEDS ASSESSMENT, IN SECTION 7, WE IDENTIFY IMPROVED TECHNOLOGIES AT EACH BUILDING. PART OF THE IMPROVED TECHNOLOGIES ARE TWO APX CONSOLETTES FOR USE FOR OVERHEAD SPEAKERS AND FUTURE STATION ALERTING. THE BASE STATIONS ARE NEEDED TO ALLOW FOR RADIO TRAFFIC THROUGH THE OVERHEAD SPEAKERS. RADIO TRAFFIC WILL ALLOW US TO LISTEN AND RESPOND QUICKER TO CALLS FOR SERVICE WHEN WE ARE AT THE STATIONS. THE ADVANTAGE TO THE APX CONSOLETTES, IS THAT, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE UPGRADED TO INCLUDE STATION ALERTING. THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT AS WE POSSIBLY MOVE TOWARDS STAFFING OUR STATIONS 24/7. THE EXISTING EQUIPMENT AT EACH OF THE FIRE STATIONS IS NOT UPGRADABLE FOR STATION ALERTING, AND MOTOROLA IS DISCONTINUING THEIR SUPPORT IN 2025. COST OF THE PROJECT FOR JUST DOING THE OLD PUBLIC WORKS OR THE TEMPORARY NORTH STATION IS JUST UNDER $23,000, AS YOU SEE, THE 22,982.24. FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT WILL BE FROM THE BONDED MONEY FOR THE FIRE FACILITIES. I DO RECOMMEND THE APPROVAL OF THE APX CONSOLETTES ACCESSORIES FOR THE TEMP NORTH FIRE STATION OR OLD PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING ONLY. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL RETURN TO COUNCIL IN 25 FOR THE ITEMS FOR THE NAVARRE FIRE STATION, AND BE ABLE TO INCLUDE THOSE IN, AND THEN UPGRADE THOSE WHEN WE HAVE THE ABILITY TOO IN 2026 FOR THE NAVARRE FIRE STATION. >> THAT'S EXCITING. WE'RE GETTING ALL THE NEW TECHNOLOGY, ALL THE NEW GEAR, ALL THE NEW TRUCKS. LOTS OF FABULOUS FIREFIGHTERS WITH LOTS OF YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. I THINK YOU HAD MENTIONED YOU WERE TALKING TO SOME OF THE OTHER DAY, AND WE HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF FIREFIGHTERS THAT HAVE 10 PLUS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. THEY ARE READY TO GO, AND IT'S VERY EXCITING. OBVIOUSLY, WE NEED THE TECHNOLOGY. BEST PRACTICES REQUIRES IT WE DO THE SAME THING WITH POLICE. WE'VE ALWAYS GOT THAT CIP BUDGETED OUT THERE FOR ALL THE TECHNOLOGY THAT THEY NEED, AND THAT HAS MORPHED OVER TIME. WHERE NOBODY EVER HAD BODY CAMERAS BEFORE, NOW WE HAVE BODY CAMERAS, AND THAT BRINGS ON ALL NEW TECHNOLOGY OF STUFF YOU NEED TO STORE AND EVERYTHING ELSE. BUT WE'RE ALWAYS PROACTIVELY ON THE FRONT OF THAT, TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGY, EQUIPMENT, VEHICLES, EXCEPT THAT WE NEED FOR THE RESIDENTS OF OUR GREAT CITY OF ORONO ALSO. ANY QUESTIONS FOR CHIEF ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY BUYER? >> MY ONLY QUESTION, CHIEF, IS WHEN WILL THESE BE AVAILABLE FOR USE? >> I DON'T HAVE A DELIVERY DATE JUST YET. I KNOW THAT OUR MOBILES ARE TAKING A LITTLE BIT LONGER. MY GUESS IS, IT WOULD BE SOMETIME IN AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER BEFORE WE SEE THEM. BUT THAT DOESN'T PRECLUDE US FROM BEING OPERATIONAL READY BY JULY 1ST. >> WHAT IS OUR PLAN TO DO UNTIL THEN? >> WE'LL HAVE INDIVIDUAL FIREFIGHTERS CARRY AROUND SOME PORTABLE RADIOS AS THEY NORMALLY DO ANYWAYS WITH THOSE ONES THAT WE CAN MONITOR THOSE FREQUENCIES. >> THANK YOU. >> I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE 24/7 STAFFING. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT IS NEW? IS THAT A NEW ADDITION TO WHAT WE'VE TYPICALLY TALKED ABOUT IN TERMS OF DUTY CREWS DURING THE DAY? >> NO. THE LONG TERM VISION AND THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT HAD ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING 24/7 STAFFING AND STAFFING STATIONS WITH FIREFIGHTERS, SUCH AS DUTY CREW FIREFIGHTERS ON A PART TIME BASIS. >> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE BUDGETING, FOR THIS MODEL, 24/7 MODEL, IS THAT REFLECTED IN THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT. THE 24/7 STAFFING MODEL? >> I DON'T THINK WE DID 24/7 WITH THE PART TIME FIREFIGHTERS, NO. >> DO WE HAVE ANY FINANCIALS ON THE NEW. >> THIS WOULD BE LONG-TERM, LIKE 3-5 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD. I MEAN, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY BRING THESE, BUT NO. >> WE'RE NOT LOOKING ANYTIME IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR FOR ANY 24/7 STAFFING. >> UNLESS THE NEED ARISES THAT WE HAVE TO. >> WHAT WOULD THAT BE? >> IT COULD BE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS. >> BUT I THINK THE WHOLE POINT OF THE MENTION OF THAT IN THIS PARTICULAR APPROVAL PACKET, WAS THAT, THE ITEM THAT WE'RE PURCHASING HAS THAT CAPABILITY ALREADY BUILT INTO IT, SHOULD WE WISH TO EXPAND IN THE FUTURE, NOT THAT WE'RE DOING THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT RATHER WE'RE TRYING TO LEAN FORWARD INTO EQUIPMENT THAT IS FOR FUNCTIONAL AND EXPAND IN THE FUTURE. >> I UNDERSTAND THAT. ARE WE GOING TO HAVE ANY OTHER UPDATE ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TONIGHT OR NO? >> YES. >> THEN I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. >> NO, I THINK IT'S PERFECT THAT IN THE NEEDS ANALYSIS, WE LOOK FORWARD IN TERMS OF WHAT THE POSSIBILITIES COULD BE, BECAUSE, OBVIOUSLY, THE MODEL THAT WE KNOW THAT [00:55:02] HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN ACROSS THE UNITED STATES IS THE PAID ON CALL, WHICH IS HAVING PROBLEMS BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN. THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE THAT WE HAVE TIME PROBLEMS GETTING PLACES AND EVERYTHING ELSE. THE WAY THAT GETS ADJUSTED, AND WE'VE SEEN A NUMBER OF FIRE DEPARTMENTS AROUND THE TWIN CITIES GO FROM PAID-ON-CALL TO PAID-ON-CALL DUTY CREW MODEL, LIKE WE'RE GOING TO, AND SOME OF THEM HAVE MORPHED OVER TIME TO SAYING THAT THEN THEY NEED FULL DUTY CREW, AND THEN TO FULL 24/7 AS THESE CITIES GOT BIGGER. DOESN'T MEAN WE WILL DO IT, BUT YOU WANT TO PLAN FOR THE POSSIBILITIES OF WHAT YOU MAY NEED IN THE FUTURE, WHICH IS WHAT LONG-TERM GOVERNANCE IS ALL ABOUT. IT IS PUTTING THE JUST-IN CASES IN POSITION, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, WE OWE IT TO OUR RESIDENTS TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GET THERE IN TIME FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED TO DO. GOOD. THANK YOU FOR LONG-TERM PLANNING, LONG-TERM GOVERNANCE THAT WE ARE CONSTANTLY WORKING ON. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE CHIEF? >> NO QUESTION. >> ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? >> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE QUOTE NUMBER 26115-84 FROM MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, THE TEMP NORTH FIRE STATION, OLD PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING, NOT THE EQUIPMENT FOR THE NAVARRE STATION. >> COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON. >> I'LL MAKE A SECOND. >> COUNCIL MEMBER RICH SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR OF SAY AYE? >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? >> NO. >> ALL THAT PASSES, 3:1, WITH THE ONE BEING COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON. CHIEF, PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT. [Public Safety Report] >> SEE IF I CAN GET OUR SLIDE SHOW TO WORK. WE'RE ON THE OTHER SIDE. YOU'VE SEEN THIS SLIDE BEFORE. THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE A CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE. THE STAND UP STATUS. THE ONLY THINGS THAT HAVE REALLY CHANGED ON THIS PARTICULAR SHEET ARE THE ADDITION OF THE TWO PAID-ON-CALL FIREFIGHTERS THAT YOU SEE IN THIS AREA. WE ADDED THOSE TWO, SO THAT ADDS UP TO 22. WE ALSO WILL GO THROUGH OUR MISSION, VISION, AND VALUE STATEMENTS TONIGHT. THOSE ARE THE TWO MAIN CHANGES ON THIS SCREEN FROM A FEW WEEKS AGO TO NOW. THEN, TONIGHT, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CALL 911. CURRENTLY IN A PAID-ON-CALL OR VOLUNTEER STAFFING MODEL, WHEN YOU CALL 911, WE ARE DISPATCHED OUT BY HENNEPIN COUNTY DISPATCH. THEY TAKE THE CALL. THEY FIGURE OUT WHO IS NEEDED TO RESPOND TO THAT CALL. THEY'LL PAGE UP THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THEY'LL LET THE POLICE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, AND IF THE AMBULANCE IS NEEDED, THEY'LL ALSO DO THE AMBULANCE. WHAT HAPPENS ON THE PAID-ON-CALL VOLUNTEER SIDE IS, ALL OF THESE PEOPLE IN THIS AREA ARE ALL PAID-ON-CALL OR VOLUNTEERS. YOU WILL SEE SOME OF THEM TURN RED BASICALLY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO RESPOND. OF COURSE, EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT OUR PAID-ON-CALL OR VOLUNTEER MODEL ARE NOT REQUIRED TO RESPOND TO EVERY SINGLE CALL. THEY RESPOND TO THE CALLS THAT THEY'RE AVAILABLE TO RESPOND TO. THEN THEY REPORT TO THE STATION. AS THEY REPORT TO THE STATION, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE AMBULANCE ARE ALL RESPONDING TO THE SCENE. ONCE THE FIREFIGHTERS ARE AT THE STATION, THEY ASSEMBLE, THEY GET IN A FIRE TRUCK OR A MEDICAL TRUCK OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, AND THEY GO AHEAD AND START RESPONDING. AS WE RUN THIS LITTLE THING, SO YOU COULD CALL FOR AN EMERGENCY. THE ONES AT THE X, OBVIOUSLY, ARE THE ONES THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO RESPOND TO THAT CALL, AND THE ONES THAT DO, OBVIOUSLY, YOU GO TO THE STATION FIRST. THEY ASSEMBLE, THEY GET AN ENTIRE CREW. EVERYBODY IS PAGED OUT IN THIS MODEL. SOME OF THEM GET ON A TRUCK. OTHERS ARE AT THE STATION TO DO DUTIES AS YOU DO THIS, AND THEN THEY RESPOND TO THE SCENE. TYPICALLY, IN SERVICE TIMES OR ROUTE TIME IS AVERAGED ANYWHERE FROM 5 TO 8 MINUTES DEPENDING ON HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE CLOSER TO THE STATION OR HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE FARTHER AWAY FROM THE STATION. IN TODAY'S WORLD, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS IN THE PAID-ON-CALL OUR VOLUNTEER STAFFING MODEL. AS WE LOOK AT THE STAFFING MODELS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING, WE HAVE A DUTY CAREER OR CAREER STAFFING MODEL FROM 6:00 IN THE MORNING TILL 10:00 AT NIGHT, WITH TWO FULLY TRAINED FIREFIGHTERS. WE HAVE A DRIVER, FAO ENGINEER WHO IS ALSO AN EMT. WE HAVE A FIREFIGHTER WHO'S AN EMT, AND SOMETIMES WE WILL HAVE A THIRD, WHICH WOULD BE A PROBATIONARY FIREFIGHTER THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO GET USED TO RESPONDING, FOLLOWING INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICES AND EQUIPMENTS AND STANDARDS. AS YOU RUN THIS, THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE ABLE TO RESPOND DIRECTLY FROM WHERE THEY'RE STATIONED AT THE FIRE STATION OR IF THEY'RE ON IN AND AROUND THE AREA, DOING SOME DUTIES, THEY RESPOND DIRECTLY TO THAT SCENE. THE 911 CALL COMES THROUGH. >> PARDON MY INTERRUPTION. COULD YOU JUST CLARIFY WHEN YOU SAY TWO FULLY TRAINED FIREFIGHTERS. [01:00:02] IS THAT THE DRIVER AND THE FIREFIGHTER OR IS THAT IN ADDITION TO THE DRIVER AND THE FIREFIGHTER? >> THE TWO FULLY TRAINED FIREFIGHTERS ARE THE DRIVER AND THE FIREFIGHTER. >> VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. >> EXACTLY. OUR GOAL FOR IN-SERVICE TIME IS ROUGHLY 60 SECONDS, THAT MATCHES WHAT NFPA STANDARDS ARE FOR THAT. AS YOU SAW THE GRAPHIC GO THROUGH, THE POLICE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL TYPICALLY ARRIVE IN THIS MODEL AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, AND THE AMBULANCE ARRIVED SHORTLY THEREAFTER. IF AT ANY POINT IN TIME THIS NEEDS TO BE UPGRADED TO NEEDING MORE INDIVIDUALS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THAT DRIVER AND FIREFIGHTER HAVE THE ABILITY TO UPGRADE THAT TO AN ALL-CALL-FOR-US, AND WE WOULD PAGE EVERYBODY ELSE OUT IF NEEDED. BUT ABOUT 90-95% OF OUR CALLS CAN BE HANDLED BY TWO INDIVIDUALS. THEN AS WE LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDES, THE HYBRID STAFFING MODEL, WHICH HAPPENS BETWEEN 10 AT NIGHT AND SIX IN THE MORNING, WE'LL HAVE A DUTY OFFICER ON CALL. THEY'LL BE PAID TO BE IN THE AREA AVAILABLE FOR CALLS. THIS DUTY OFFICER HAS THE ABILITY ALSO TO RESPOND DIRECTLY TO THE SCENE AND PASS OUT THOSE MAJOR INCIDENTS IF THEY DO NEED SOME OTHER HELP, THEY CAN DO THAT. THIS IS A LITTLE MORE EFFICIENT USE OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS, SO WE'RE NOT TAXING THEM BY WAKING THEM UP AT TWO IN THE MORNING FOR CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM OR A LIFT ASSIST OR ANY OF THOSE THINGS. THE DUTY OFFICER WOULD HANDLE THAT CALL. THEN IF WE NEEDED MORE HANDS OR MORE BODIES, WE'LL SHOW YOU THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO DO THAT. AS YOU CALL 911 HERE ON THIS PARTICULAR ONE IN THE EVENINGS FROM 10-6, THE POLICE ARRIVE, THE DUTY OFFICER ARRIVES, THE DUTY OFFICER GOES THROUGH. IS THIS A LOW PRIORITY, IMMEDIATE PRIORITY? DO WE NEED SOME MORE HELP? IS ABLE TO TAKE A LOOK AND THEN PAGE OUT IF THERE IS MORE HELP NEEDED, WHAT IS NEEDED? ON THIS ONE, IT WAS JUST A COUPLE OF PEOPLE TO BRING SOME FLOOR DRY BECAUSE WE HAD SOME EXTRA FLOOR DRY OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES THAT WE NEEDED A FIRE TRUCK TO COME TO AND THEY'RE ABLE TO RESPOND. WELL, THE REST OF THEM ARE STILL BE ABLE TO GO ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS, GET THEIR EIGHT HOURS OF SLEEP AND BE WELL RESTED FOR THE NEXT CALL. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE AT LEAST A PICTORIAL OF WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE IN OUR MODEL GOING FORWARD AS OF JULY 1ST. QUESTIONS ON THAT? >> I HAVE QUESTIONS AS THEY RELATE TO THE ANXG OF THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT, WHERE THERE WERE EMERGENCY RESPONSING STAFFING CHARTS LAID OUT. IN THIS, ONE OF THEM WAS AN AUTO CRASH. CAN YOU WALK THROUGH SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT WOULD REQUIRE 13 TOTAL RESPONDERS NEEDED. I ASKED THIS BECAUSE WITH PAID ON CALL, IF WE HAVE, I THINK STARTING JULY 1ST, THERE WILL BE NINE PAID ON CALL AND ARNO ABLE TO RESPOND, NOT COUNTING THE TWO THAT ARE PROBATIONARY. WE HAVE NINE PAID ON CALL. JULY 1SY, IS THAT RIGHT? >> AS OF RIGHT NOW, AFTER TONIGHT, WE HAVE 11 PAD ON CALL FIREFIGHTERS THAT WE FIRED. >> THAT CAN ALL RESPOND. THEY CAN RESPOND AND THEY CAN DO WHAT'S NEEDED TO BE FULLY TRAINED. >> THEY CAN DO THINGS. WELL, THEY WON'T BE FULLY TRAINED, NO, THEY STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THEIR FIREFIGHTER 1, THEIR FIREFIGHTER 2, THEIR ET, BUT THERE ARE THINGS THAT THEY CAN DO ON SCENE THAT WE CAN HAVE THEM DO AND WE CAN ASSIST THEM WITH. >> WHAT WOULD THAT BE? >> THEY COULD DIRECT TRAFFIC IF WE NEED THAT FOR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IF THEY'RE STARTING TO GO THROUGH THEIR MEDICAL STUFF, THEY CAN DO SOME MEDICAL TRAINING AND THEY CAN CARRY THE BAGS, THEY CAN DO A LOT OF THAT TYPE OF STUFF. >> MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WHEN A CALL GOES OUT FOR PAID ON CALL, USUALLY ABOUT A THIRD RESPOND. WITH 11 PEOPLE WHO ARE ABLE TO RESPOND, MAYBE YOU GET 3-4 OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS. I'M WANTING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WOULD LOOK IF THERE WERE A CAR CRASH INCIDENT WITH OUR DEPARTMENT VERSUS THE NEED TO CALL IN OTHERS OR GIVEN THAT 13 TOTAL RESPONDERS ARE NEEDED FOR AN AUTO CRASH. >> I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT SPECIFICALLY, BUT BASICALLY, WE HAVE THE 11 THAT WOULD BE PAGED OUT, AND YOU CAN GET ANYWHERE FROM A THIRD TO HALF OF THOSE. IF WE NEED MORE ASSISTANCE, WE'LL PAGE OUT OUR PART TIME PEOPLE. SOME OF OUR PART TIME PEOPLE LIVE WITHIN THE 15 MINUTES PAID ON CALL REQUIREMENTS. >> HOW MANY LIVE 15 MINUTES AWAY. >> THREE OR FOUR THAT DO CURRENTLY. WE WOULD HAVE THEM. THEN THE REST WOULD BE COMING FROM WHEREVER THEY LIVE AND TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND. >> WITH THE PART TIME, IS IT TYPICAL THAT PART TIME, WHO ARE NOT ON DUTY CREW SHIFTS ARE PAGED OUT FOR CALLS IF THEY'RE LIVING 15, 20, 30 MINUTES AWAY? >> WE DO. YOU HAVE CALLBACKS SO THAT YOU PAGE PEOPLE BACK FOR, YES. [01:05:01] >> IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WOULD LOOK WITH AN AUTO CRASH BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I CONSIDER LOOKING AT 13 TOTAL RESPONDERS NEEDED, AND WE'RE NOT UNLESS THAT WOULD BECOME A MUTUAL AID SITUATION, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'D WANT TO UNDERSTAND BETTER AND HAVE REALLY GETTING WALKED THROUGH THAT, ALSO WHAT FACILITY THEY WOULD BE COMING OUT OF OR GOING TO, DEPENDING ON WHERE IT WAS. >> ARE YOU SAYING THERE'S 13 FIREFIGHTERS REQUIRED? >> I'M REFERRING TO ANXG, WHICH IS IN THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT. IT'S THE ANXG, WHICH LAYS OUT DIFFERENT SCENARIOS, ONE OF WHICH IS, FIRE RESPONSE STAFFING, ONE OF WHICH IS AUTO CRASH. AUTO CRASH, THE TOTAL RESPONDERS NEEDED FOR THIS FROM THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT IS 13. >> CAN YOU LIST OUT THOSE, I DON'T RECALL RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, WHICH YOUR POSITION IS, OR CAN I HAVE THAT? >> SURE. IT'S AN INCIDENT COMMANDER, ONE INCIDENT COMMANDER, ONE ENGINE PUMP OPERATOR, ANOTHER ENGINE PUMP OFFICER, TWO FIREFIGHTERS ON ATTACK LINE, ONE BACKUP ENGINE PUMP OPERATOR, ONE BACKUP ENGINE PUMP OFFICER, TWO EXTRICATION, ONE RESCUE OPERATOR, ONE RESCUE OFFICER, TWO PATIENT CARE. FOR A TOTAL OF 13. >> FOR THAT MAJOR TYPE OF A CRASH, WE MIGHT NEED AUTO AID OR MUTUAL AID FOR THAT, OR WE WOULD HAVE TO WAIT FOR SOME OF OUR PAID ON CALL PART TIME PEOPLE TO RESPOND. THE OTHER THING IS, WE WOULD PROBABLY DO DOUBLE UP SOME ROLES ON THAT SO THE INCIDENT COMMANDER COULD ALSO BE THE FAST TACKING IC OFFICER THAT'S IN THE TRUCK. YOU HAVE A PUMP OPERATOR THAT ALSO DOUBLES AS ONE OF THE FIREFIGHTERS, ONES THE PUMPS AND GEAR FOR THAT TYPE OF STUFF TO DO EXTRICATION. WE'D ALSO HAVE SOME OF THE ASSISTANCE OF THE POLICE THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO DO SOME OF THE MEDICAL STUFF AND HOLD TWO SPINE, OUR PARAMEDIC AND OUR EMT WOULD SHOW UP FROM NORTH TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE SOME OF THOSE ROLES, TOO. >> AGAIN, I'M NOT THE EXPERT HERE. I SEE THAT, AND I THINK IF IT'S JULY 1 AND THE FIRST CALL THAT ONO FIRE GETS IS AN AUTO CRASH, NEEDING 13 PEOPLE, I WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT LOOKS AND WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENS TO BE ABLE TO AND AGAIN, FOR RESIDENTS TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHO'S GOING TO COME AND HOW QUICKLY THEY'RE GOING TO GET THERE. >> ALSO, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW AND THE CHIEF MENTIONED AUTOAID AND MUTUAL AID. THOSE LARGE INCIDENTS, WE LIKE TODAY ARE DEPENDENT UPON OUR NEIGHBORING AGENCIES AS AN EXAMPLE. DURING YESTERDAY'S TRAGIC HOUSE FIRE DOWN ON WILLOW DRIVE, THERE WERE NINE RESPONDING AGENCIES TO THAT THAT CAME IN THROUGH MUTUAL AND AUTOAID TO SUPPORT THAT ENDEAVOR. THOSE SAME DYNAMICS EXIST ON JULY 1ST WITH THE ONO FIRE DEPARTMENT AS THEY DO CURRENTLY WITH THE LONG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR THE MAPLE PLAIN FIRE DEPARTMENT OR THE VISTA FIRE DEPARTMENT. ALL THOSE AGENCIES PARTNERING AND WORKING TOGETHER ON THOSE LARGE INCIDENCES IS HOW THESE PAID ON CALL FIRE DEPARTMENTS WORK? >> I UNDERSTAND THAT. I I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE GOING FROM A TOTAL OF MAYBE 40, 42 PAID ON CALL OR PEOPLE AT THE READY WITH LONG LAKE 22. >> TWENTY TWO. >> WELL THAT'S [INAUDIBLE] BECAUSE WE'RE ONLY TAKING A THIRD OF THE ONO TERRITORY, TOO, YOU'RE MIXING UP NUMBERS WHEN YOU SAY, IF WE NEEDED 40, THEY'RE 40 COVERING ALL OF ONO WHILE ONE THIRD WE'RE TAKING OVER. >> I'M NOT HERE TO ARGUE. I'M HERE TO ASK QUESTION. >> WELL, I KNOW, BUT YOU'RE PUTTING OUT FALSE NUMBERS. >> IF I MAY PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT THAT WAS HELPFUL FOR ME ALONG THE WAY IS NEIGHBORING DEPARTMENTS FROM THE 2020 INFORMATION THAT WE WERE GIVEN DURING FIRE ADVISORY BOARD MEETINGS LIKE THE DEPARTMENT OF MAPLE PLAIN HAD 24 MEMBERS. WIZ HAD 24 MEMBERS. OUR CALL AREA WOULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER THAN THAT AS IT STANDS TO START. I DO FEEL IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT MODEL. WE HAVE LEVERS THAT WE HAVE A POLICE FORCE THAT WE CAN USE DIFFERENTLY TO MAYBE DIRECT TRAFFIC TO FREE PEOPLE UP. THOSE ARE GREAT QUESTIONS THAT I DO THINK WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK INTO AND SHOULD HAVE THE ANSWERS FOR. IF THERE'S CERTAIN SCENARIOS THAT HOW OFTEN THAT HAPPENS, IS IT BEST TO PREPARE FOR WHAT THE 70% OF CALLS ARE. THAT BEING SAID, I THINK A LOT OF THEM ARE. IT DEPENDS ON WHO SHOWS UP TO THE CALL RIGHT NOW. EVEN WITH OUR CURRENT TRAINING MODEL, LIKE LAST NIGHT AT THE FIRE, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO RESPOND. I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE BEAUTY OF THESE TRAIN MEMBERS THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO ADJUST BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, YOU MIGHT SAY I NEED 13 PEOPLE AND ONLY TEN RESPOND. THEN YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND, HEY, AS A CAPTAIN, I'M GOING TO CALL FOR MORE HELP. I'M GOING TO DO THIS AS A LIEUTENANT, AND THAT'S WHY WE EMPOWER PEOPLE TO. >> I THINK YOU'VE BROUGHT UP BEFORE, TOO, MARIA, [01:10:03] THAT RIGHT NOW WITH LONG LAKE FIRE AS AN EXAMPLE, THEY'VE GOT 11 DEDICATED FIREFIGHTERS FOR STATION 2, WHICH IS NAVARRE. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE DOUBLE THAT. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE ALL THE TIME VERSUS ONLY VOLUNTEER ALL THE TIME. IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT MODEL, A VERY DIFFERENT TIME FRAME IF THEY CAN ACTUALLY GET TO WHAT'S GOING ON. IT'S ONLY A POSITIVE FOR ANYBODY LIVING OUT IN THAT NAVARRE AREA, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A MUCH BETTER RESPONSE TIME, THAT IS FOR SURE. >> I HAVE TWO OTHER QUESTIONS. REGARDING PART TIME DUTY CREW PEOPLE THEY'VE COME FROM OTHER PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTING CAREERS ARE THEY'RE WORKING AS PART TIME IN OTHER COMMUNITIES RIGHT NOW? >> SOME ARE. >> SOME ARE. ARE THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE BEEN USED TO WORKING IN SEEING A HIGHER VOLUME THAN OUR CDC'S VOLUME OF CALLS? WE GET, LAST YEAR WAS MAYBE I THINK AT AVERAGE ABOUT A CALL A DAY, LAST YEAR, 365 CALLS. I WONDER WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT PEOPLE WHO MAY BE WORKING IN HIGHER TRAFFIC AREAS WHO ARE GETTING MORE CALLS, IS THERE ANY CONCERN THAT FOLKS WHO ARE HIRING ON AS PART TIME DUTY CREW IN A CITY THAT GETS AN AVERAGE OF A CALL A DAY ON A MULTIPLE HOUR SHIFT ARE GOING TO FEEL THAT THEY'RE SEEING THE TYPES OF WORK THAT THEY WERE HIRED ON TO HAVE THE CALLS? IN OTHER WORDS, IS THAT A CONCERN OR A FACTOR AT ALL? >> WE'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR WITH THE CALL VOLUME TO EACH ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS AND THEY'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR THAT THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO BE ON A FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT IS STARTING SOMETHING FROM NEW AND BE INVOLVED WITH THAT. >> MY ONLY OTHER QUESTION IS, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL GIVEN THE NEW STAFFING MODEL ABOUT HIRING MORE PEOPLE PART TIME VERSUS USING PAID ON CALL, THAT WE SEE NUMBERS ON THAT, IF THAT'S SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGING THE BUDGET. BECAUSE IF WE'RE LOOKING AT INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF PART TIME DUTY CREW, LIKELY THAT'S AFFECTING THE BUDGET. >> WE DID RUN THOSE NUMBERS, AND IN DOING ADJUSTMENT TO THE HOURS, THERE'S ALSO AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE HOURS FOR THE PAID ON CALL FIREFIGHTERS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT RESPONDING TO THE MAJORITY OF THE CALLS. THEIR CALL VOLUME HAS DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY. EIGHTY FIVE PERCENT OF OUR CALLS HAPPEN FROM 6:00 IN THE MORNING UNTIL 10:00 IN THE EVENING AND ONLY 15% OF OUR CALLS HAPPEN FROM 10:00 AT NIGHT TO 6:00 IN THE MORNING. THEN WE'VE ALSO AUGMENTED THAT WITH THE ON CALL DUTY OFFICER WHO'S GOING TO BE HANDLING A BULK OF CALLS THAT HAPPENED DURING THAT TIME. WE WERE ABLE TO KIND OF NET ALMOST TO ZERO, BASICALLY THE SWITCH FROM THE EIGHT HOURS, FOUR-PERSON DUTY CREW TO THE 16 HOURS TWO-PERSON DUTY CREW SEVEN-DAYS-A-WEEK. >> IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN SEE AT THE NEXT UPDATE? I JUST I WOULD LIKE TO SEE NUMBERS AND NOT JUST FOR WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING NOW, BUT HOW THAT'S GOING TO LOOK A COUPLE OF YEARS OUT. >> WE CAN DO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING NOW. YES, ABSOLUTELY. ONCE WE GET INTO THE BUDGET CYCLE FOR NEXT YEAR AND WE CAN SHOW THOSE NUMBERS THEN TOO. >> COULD WE HAVE SOME NUMBERS AT THE NEXT UPDATE? THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. >> YEAH. JUST THE IMPACTS TO THE 2024 BUDGET, ABSOLUTELY. >> YES. BECAUSE WHAT THIS IS CHANGING INTO IN TERMS OF A 24/7 MODEL, IT LIKELY MAY BE HAPPENING SOONER. >> I DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING SOONER. THAT'S JUST PART OF THE UPGRADABLE PIECE TO THOSE COUNCIL ADDS SO THAT WE ARE FUTURE PROOFING THIS FIRE DEPARTMENT, SO THAT IN THREE YEARS, I DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK FOR ANOTHER $30,000 FOR THE COUNCIL ADDS ON TOP OF JUST SOMETHING ELSE. >> I'M TALKING ABOUT THIS STUFF. >> WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT SO THAT THIS IS SET FOR THE FUTURE AND FOR THE NEXT 10-15 YEARS, WE ARE A GO. >> UNDERSTOOD. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE MODELING AROUND THE PAID ON CALL OR PART TIME STAFFING HOURS, IF THAT'S CHANGED, WHERE WE ARE AT THE BUDGET. THAT'S WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN SEEING. >> YES, WE CAN SHOW YOU THOSE NUMBERS. >> PERFECT. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >> I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ISN'T BEING TALKED ABOUT RIGHT NOW IS WITH THE DOING ALL CALLS, LET'S JUST SAY CASCO, RIGHT NOW SOMETHING MEDICAL HAPPENS IN CASCO. IT'S AN ALL CALL WITH LONG LAKE FIRE. >> IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY SWITCHED ALL OF THEIR CALL TO ALL CALLS. YES. >> WE DON'T KNOW IF 20 ARE GOING TO SHOW UP WHEN TWO COULD HAVE DONE THE JOB. THAT'S THE OTHER PIECE OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, SO YOU CAN'T JUST TALK ABOUT THE BAD SIDE. BUT WHAT WE HAVE IS [01:15:01] A QUICKER RESPONSIVE TEAM IN TERRITORY NUMBER 2 THAN WE CURRENTLY HAVE. THAT'S WHAT OUR PLAN DOES. IT PUTS THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF FIREFIGHTERS' TIME TOWARDS THE SCALE OF THE VENT. DUTY CREW IS GOING TO GO TO A CAR CRASH. JUST BECAUSE IT'S A CAR CRASH, DOESN'T MEAN IT NEEDS 11 OR WHATEVER YOUR NUMBER WAS. IT COULD JUST NEED TWO BECAUSE IT DOESN'T REQUIRE ANYTHING MORE THAN THAT. A CAR FIRE, CAR EXPLOSION, WELL, THAT BECOMES A REGIONAL PROBLEM WHERE YOU NEED A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM NOT ONLY YOUR DEPARTMENT, BUT SURROUNDING ONES JUST LIKE THE FIRE WAS THE OTHER NIGHT. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS. THIS MODEL ALLOWS US TO BE MORE EFFICIENT, WHERE RIGHT NOW THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE THAT. >> ON TOP OF HAVING SYNERGIES WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY WILL BE WORKING TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THE SAME BUILDING, WHICH IS A BIG DEAL. >> I THINK WITH ANY OF THIS EMERGENCY SERVICES, THERE HAS TO BE SOME FLEXIBILITY AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD INTO IT WITH THE VARIETY OF TYPES OF FIREFIGHTERS WE HAVE SERVICING US. I THINK YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. I THINK I'M EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE PREPARATIONS THAT WE'VE CREATED TO BE READY FOR JULY 1ST. I'M REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE AMOUNT OF FIREFIGHTERS THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE GOING TO BE THERE FOR US ON DAY 1, SERVING OUR COMMUNITY. IN TERRITORY NUMBER 2, HOW MANY CALLS DO WE AVERAGE A WEEK CURRENTLY IN TERRITORY NUMBER 2? DO YOU KNOW? >> I THINK THERE WAS SOMETHING LIKE MAYBE 200 IN A YEAR AT THE MOST AND SOME OF THOSE WERE ALL CALLS FOR UP IN STATION 1'S TERRITORY 2. YOU'RE TALKING MAYBE A TOTAL OF FOUR A WEEK. >> THEN DO WE HAVE ANY CHANCE THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME INCREASED SUPPORT OUT OF AMBULATORY IN THE REGION? >> YEAH. WE'VE SPOKEN WITH NORTH MEMORIAL AND IF WE NEED SOME EXTRA SUPPORT DOWN ON THAT AREA, WE WOULD HAVE TO NEGOTIATE THAT WITH THEM BUT THEY'D BE UP FOR HELPING WITH THAT. >> WE TAKE THESE TWO LETTER CALLS, 70% OF THEM ARE MEDICAL. WE HAVE A REACTION TEAM DURING THE DAY THAT'S OUT THE DOOR IN A MINUTE RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS NOT HAPPENING AND SO OUT OF TERRITORY NUMBER 2, STATIONED IN THE TERRITORY. THIS IS A REALLY SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT TO WHAT WE'RE DOING AND I APPRECIATE THE INTEREST IN ASKING ALL THE QUESTIONS. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MOTIVATION FOR THAT IS TO FIND WAYS TO HELP SUPPORT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, NOT TO BLOW HOLES IN IT. IF YOU PREPARE YOUR INFORMATION IN SUCH A WAY THAT TRIES TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE YOU MISSED SOMETHING OR YOU'RE HIDING SOMETHING, IT LOSES ITS EFFECTIVENESS AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE WORKING AGAINST INSTEAD OF FOR. I THINK IT'S GREAT. I THINK WE ALL NEED TO PUT AS MANY EYES ON THIS AS POSSIBLE TO BE AS THOROUGH AS WE CAN AND SUPPORTIVE AS WE CAN BY MAKING SURE WE'RE GIVING THE RESOURCES THE SUPPORT AND THE FUNDING TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE SUCCESSFUL. I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS AND TO THE WHOLE STAFF OF ALL WHAT WE'RE DOING AND I THINK WE'RE ON THE RIGHT PATH. THANKS FOR THAT. >> I'VE GOT ONE MORE SLIDE, IF NOBODY ELSE HAS ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS. [LAUGHTER] >> GO AHEAD. >> I APPRECIATE ALL THE SCRUTINY, I REALLY DO. I THINK IT'S GREAT BECAUSE THE MORE EYES WE GET ON THIS, THE BETTER IT'S GOING TO BE FOR ALL OF US. OUR NEXT SLIDE, I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ON THE FIRST ONE IS THE MISSION, VISION, VALUES. OUR TEAM PUT THIS TOGETHER STARTING BACK IN FEBRUARY, RAN THROUGH A COUPLE OF ITERATIONS AND THEN THIS IS WHAT THE TEAM KIND OF WENT FOR, FOR OUR MISSION STATEMENT. THE MISSION OF THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT IS TO EXPEDIENTLY AND PROFESSIONALLY SERVE THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY WITH PRIDE, DEDICATION AND EXCELLENCE, NEVER FAILING TO DELIVER QUALITY, EMERGENCY LIFE SAFETY SERVICES. OUR VISION IS GOING FORWARD THE NEXT 3-5 YEARS OUT. ORONO FIRE WILL BECOME THE REGION'S TOP PUBLIC SAFETY ORGANIZATION THROUGH OUR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE IN ALL AREAS. THEN I'D LIKE TO BRING UP MY DEPUTY CHIEF OF TRAINING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE VALUES AND THE ACRONYM BE NICE IF SHEA WOULD LIKE TO COME UP. >> THANKS. >> I'LL TRADE IT WITH YOU. >> HI, SHEA. >> WELL, THANK YOU, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SHARE WITH YOU, OUR VALUES, WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THEM. WE WORKED REALLY COLLABORATIVELY AS A TEAM AND THESE WORDS ARE NOT JUST WORDS TO US. THEY'RE TRULY WHAT WE'RE USING TO [01:20:03] MAKE OUR DECISIONS IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH OUR MISSION AND TO REALIZE OUR VISION AS A FIRE DEPARTMENT. SO OUR FIRST ONE IS BEST. IT'S WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR BEST IN EVERYTHING THAT WE ATTEMPT. WHETHER THAT IS OBVIOUSLY OUR SERVICE TO CITIZENS AND VISITORS OF THE CITY OF ORONO, WHETHER THAT'S PUBLIC EDUCATION. TRAINING, BEST STANDARDS, BEST EQUIPMENT. WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO BE THE BEST BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT THE CITIZENS OF ORONO DESERVE AND THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM. SECONDLY, KNOWLEDGEABLE. I'M IN CHARGE OF TRAINING. I HAVE A NEVER GOOD ENOUGH TYPE ATTITUDE WHEN IT COMES TO TRAINING. WE'RE CONSTANTLY GOING TO LOOK TO IMPROVE. WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FROM OUR FIREFIGHTERS FIRST DAY TO THE DAY THAT THEY RETIRE, AND WE'RE NEVER GOING TO STOP CHASING THAT STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE THAT CHIEF VAN EYLL SPOKE ABOUT AS WE STARTED. WE'RE GOING TO BE INNOVATIVE. WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE AFRAID OF NEW THINGS OR NEW IDEAS, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE ROLE MODELS FOR CHANGE AND INNOVATION IN OUR COMMUNITY. SERVICE. THIS IS WHAT WE DO. WE'RE GOING TO PUT SERVICE OVER SELF, PRIORITIZING OUR CITIZENS, OUR RESIDENTS, AND OUR COMMUNITY. WE'RE GOING TO BE INCLUSIVE. WE WILL WORK WITH OUR NEIGHBORS AND PARTNERS WITHOUT HESITATION. WHETHER THAT BE NORTH MEMORIAL, WHETHER THAT BE OUR NEIGHBORING FIRE DEPARTMENTS, WHETHER THAT BE OUR FRIENDS OVER THERE IN BLUE. WE'RE GOING TO FOSTER POSITIVE PARTNERSHIPS, AND WE'RE GOING TO REPRESENT THE CITY OF ORONO WITH THE UTMOST CARE AND RESPECT AND BE GOOD STEWARDS OF YOUR INVESTMENT IN YOUR FIRE DEPARTMENT. LAST, INTEGRITY, WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT, NOT WHAT IS EASY, NOT WHAT IS POPULAR, NOT WHAT IS CONVENIENT, WE'RE GOING TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THE CITIZENS. LIKE I SAID, I'M REALLY PROUD OF THESE BECAUSE THESE CAME FROM THE HEARTS OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT. I THINK SOMETIMES THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT IS VIEWED AS THIS NAMELESS, FACELESS COMMODITY, BUT IT'S COMPRISED OF DEDICATED MEN AND WOMEN, HUSBANDS, FATHERS, WIVES, DAUGHTERS WHO SACRIFICED TIME FROM THEIR FAMILY TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY AND I THINK THAT THAT'S A REMARKABLE THING. >> THAT'S AWESOME. THANK YOU. >> CAN I ASK YOU TO SPEAK OF YOUR EXPERIENCE BEFORE HERE ONE MORE TIME. >> MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE? >> THANKS. WHERE YOU COME FROM. >> SURE. I STARTED WITH THE MINNESOTA FIRE DEPARTMENT AS A WHAT I WOULD CALL A PAGER FIRE FIGHTER, WHAT YOU GUYS ARE SEEING AS A VOLUNTEER OR PAY ON CALL FIREFIGHTER. I WAS PROMOTED TO TRAIN CAPTAIN AT MINNESOTA THEN I BECAME A CAREER FULL TIME FIREFIGHTER WITH THE CITY OF RICHFIELD. SPENT ABOUT 10 YEARS AS A FULL TIME FIREFIGHTER THERE AND WAS PROMOTED TO ASSISTANT CHIEF. ALSO WAS ON EDEN PRAIRIE AND EDINA FIRE DEPARTMENT, CONCURRENTLY, WHICH DESPITE POPULAR OPINION, IT'S REALLY EASY TO BE ON MULTIPLE FIRE DEPARTMENTS WHEN YOU LOVE THE JOB AND YOU LOVE TAKING CARE OF YOUR NEIGHBORS. >> TWO MORE QUESTIONS. WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT THIS FAR? >> I'M REALLY PROUD OF OUR MEN AND WOMEN. WE HAVE REMARKABLE HUMAN BEINGS WHO TRULY PUT SERVICE BEFORE THEMSELVES. THEY ARE EAGER TO COME TO TRAINING. THEY'RE EAGER TO LEARN. THEY'RE EAGER TO SERVE. WE ARE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO JULY 1ST, BECAUSE WE ARE PREPARED, WE ARE READY. WE HAVE EXPERIENCE NUMBERING IN THE HUNDREDS OF YEARS FROM OVER 20 DIFFERENT FIRE DEPARTMENTS. WE HAVE WHAT IS THE BEST PRACTICES NOT ONLY OF THE REGION, BUT OF THE ENTIRE NATION, AND WE'RE CULMINATING THAT ALL INTO THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE CITY OF ORONO AND THE VISITORS OF ORONO ARE GETTING EXPERIENCED, PREPARED, EAGER, DETERMINED, DEDICATED FIREFIGHTERS WHO KNOW WHAT WORKS IN THE FIRE SERVICE AND KNOWS WHAT DOES NOT WORK. I LIKE TO THINK OF US AS WE'RE AN ALLSTAR TEAM. WE'RE AN ALL STAR TEAM OF FIREFIGHTERS AND WE'RE EXCITED TO SHOWCASE THAT ON JULY 1ST. >> NOW THAT I'VE ASKED THE EASY ONES, WHAT'S THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY YOU HAVE BETWEEN NOW AND JULY 1ST? >> I THINK, AS BEING IN CHARGE OF TRAINING, I WILL ALWAYS ASK FOR MORE TIME. I'M ALWAYS GOING TO WANT US TO BE BETTER AND TO HAVE ONE MORE REPUTATION, ONE MORE TRAINING NIGHT. BUT IF THE TONES DROPPED AT 8:00 O'CLOCK TONIGHT FOR A HOUSE FIRE, WE'RE READY. [01:25:03] BUT WE CAN ALWAYS BE MORE READY WITH MORE TIME. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> AMAZING. >> THANK YOU. >> YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BECAUSE OF ME. >> I HAVE MORE FOR JAMES. >> VERY GOOD. >> THAT'S ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, SHEA. APPRECIATE IT. >> THANK YOU. >> JAMES, MY QUESTIONS. JUST TO BE MORE CLEAR. I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF TALK AROUND COSTS. I KNOW WE SAID NEXT MEETING, THAT'S GREAT, BUT I WOULD LOVE JUST SOMETHING TO TAKE AWAY NOW, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT WITH YOU. >> SURE. >> AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD COST. I KNOW WE APPROACHED IT IN THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT. WHAT IS THE TAKEAWAY NOW? WHAT AVERAGE COST TO A HOUSEHOLD? >> IN THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT, THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD COST OR COST PER HOUSEHOLD WITHOUT CIP WAS $511. IT WAS AVERAGED OVER A 10-YEAR TIME SPAN FOR THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT. IN 2024, THE COST HOUSEHOLD IS HIGHER, IT'S $673. SOME OF THAT IS DUE TO THE DOUBLE UP OF BOTH LONG LAKE AND ORONO STARTED UP AND SERVING AT THE SAME TIME. THAT'S OPERATIONS AND CIP. IT'S BOTH. JUST LIKE WE DID IN THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT. >> THAT DOES INCLUDE THE CIP CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT? >> CORRECT. >> ALL OF OUR EQUIPMENT PURCHASES IS PART OF THAT. >> CORRECT. >> DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA BREAKDOWN, KNOWING THAT WE WERE GOING TO NEED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ANYWAYS? WHAT PART IS THE OPERATIONAL CHANGE, EVEN THOUGH I THINK I WANT TO SAY THAT THE COST ASSOCIATED IS ALSO HARD TO COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES, KNOWING WE HAD A HEAVY RELIANCE ON VOLUNTEERS. WE'RE SHIFTING THAT. WE KNOW THAT COSTS MORE. IS THERE A BREAKDOWN OF HOW MUCH OF THAT WAS EQUIPMENT? >> WITHOUT CAPITAL INCLUDED IN THAT PRICE, THE AVERAGE PRICE PER HOUSEHOLD IS ROUGHLY $450 FROM WHAT I COULD CALCULATE. MAGGIE HAD GIVEN US SOME INFORMATION LAST MEETING CONCERNING WHAT THE OPERATING COSTS WERE, AND THEN YOU TAKE THAT DIVIDED BY THE HOUSEHOLDS, AND IT COMES TO 449-450 PER HOUSEHOLD IS THE AVERAGE. I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT MINNESOTA HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN THE UPPER 40S COMPARED TO THE 50 OTHER STATES. IN 2019, WE WERE 48TH, IN 2021, WE WERE 47TH SPENDING ROUGHLY ABOUT $260-$270 PER HOUSEHOLD. THAT WAS THE AVERAGE IN MINNESOTA. >> WHEN YOU SAY 47TH AND 49TH, THAT'S WAY LOW IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT OUR CITIZENS. >> AS YOU LOOK AT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM HERE IN MINNESOTA, YOU LOOK AT OUR PARKS, YOU LOOK AT OUR PD, ANYWHERE, THE PD IS ROUGHLY RIGHT AROUND 10TH OR 11TH, TYPICALLY. SCHOOLS ARE IN THE 20S, 21, 22, AND THEN PARKS IS 16 OR 17, RIGHT IN THE MID TEENS FOR WHAT WE SPEND PER HOUSEHOLD FOR THOSE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS OR ENTITIES. >> DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA WITH THIS INVESTMENT INTO THIS NEW OPERATING STYLE, ALL THE NEW EQUIPMENT PURCHASES, WHERE WE WOULD RANK, ROUGHLY? >> I DON'T RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE REPORT, BUT AT 673 WITH THE CAPITAL, OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S HIGH FROM THAT STANDPOINT BECAUSE WE ARE DOUBLING UP THOSE SERVICES FOR THE OPERATING SIDE OF IT. THE AVERAGE IN 2021 FOR ALL 50 STATES WAS 484, SO WE'RE A LITTLE BIT ABOVE THAT TO BEGIN WITH, AND I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO COME BELOW THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE OUR CAPITAL EQUIPMENT AFTER I THINK IT WAS A FIVE YEAR LEASE PROGRAM, AND THAT'LL START DROPPING OFF SO YOU'LL SEE US BACK DOWN. >> PERFECT. I'M SORRY, ADAM OR MAGGIE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD JUST GIVE A QUICK GENERAL OVERVIEW. OPERATIONAL BUDGETS ARE SET WHEN? >> WE BEGIN DOING THE OPERATIONAL BUDGET. >> SORRY. >> YOU HEAR ME? >> THANK YOU. >> SORRY. OPERATIONAL BUDGETS FOR THE CITY. WE BEGIN THAT PROCESS IN JUNE OF THE PRECEDING YEAR. THIS JUNE, HERE IN ANOTHER MONTH, WE'LL BEGIN PLANNING THE 2025 OPERATING BUDGETS FOR THE CITY. >> GREAT. AND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGETS? >> IT'S THE SAME CYCLE. USUALLY, THOUGH WE GET TO THE CAPITAL STUFF LATER IN THE FALL. PERFECT. >> THAT IS MORE THAN A YEAR, TYPICALLY, A 10-YEAR. WE PLAN FOR THAT? >> YES. WE'RE LOOKING AT 10-YEAR OVERALL PLAN ON OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. WHETHER THAT BE STREETS, FIRE EQUIPMENT, POLICE EQUIPMENT, ANY OF THAT KIND OF STUFF. YES. >> GREAT. THANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR THE CHIEF? JAMES, THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. >> GOOD JOB. >> GOOD JOB. SHEA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. THAT'LL BRING US TO OUR ATTORNEY REPORT. [Attorney Report] SOREN, ANYTHING FROM YOU TONIGHT? >> MR. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, I DID WANT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON JUST SOME ATTENDANCE ITEMS. [01:30:03] YOUR NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR MAY 28TH, THE DAY FOLLOWING MEMORIAL DAY. I AM DOUBLE BOOKED THAT NIGHT. I'LL BE IN PLYMOUTH IS MY NORMAL TIME FOR THAT TUESDAY, SO I WILL BE SENT. >> THAT MONDAY'S MEMORIAL DAY, SO TUESDAY IS OUR MEETING. EVERYBODY MAKE NOT TUESDAY INSTEAD OF MONDAY. >> I'LL BE IN PLYMOUTH ON THAT TUESDAY. WE'LL BE SENDING SOMEONE FROM OFFICE TO COVER. THEN YOUR FOLLOWING MEETING ON JUNE 10TH, MY MOTHER TURNS 80, AND SHE HAS REQUESTED THAT THE KIDS GO ON A CRUISE WITH HER. >> WHERE ARE YOU GOING? WE HAVE TO KNOW. >> I'M GOING TO GO ON A VIKING CRUISE, OF COURSE. >> I WANT TO KNOW DESTINATION. >> I WILL BE GONE ON THAT MEETING, TOO, SO I WILL AFTER TONIGHT SEE YOU ON JUNE 24. >> BUT NOTHING ELSE. >> NO, THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. >> THAT'LL BRING US TO OUR CITY ADMINISTRATIVE ENGINEER REPORT, ADAM. [21. Navarre Garage Additions (24-034) - Award] I GUESS WE'LL START WITH NUMBER 21, OUR NAVARRE GARAGE EDITIONS 24-34 AWARD. >> MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE GONE THROUGH A NUMBER OF ITERATIONS FOR HOW TO HOUSE SOME EQUIPMENT IN THE NAVARRE AREA. MOST RECENTLY, WE PUT TOGETHER A DESIGN AND THEN WENT OUT AND SOLICITED QUOTES TO DO AN EXPANSION ON THE EXISTING GARAGE AT THE NAVARRE WATER PLANT. WE NEEDED TO MAKE THE BUILDING LONGER TO FIT LONGER VEHICLES. WE GOT THAT DESIGN COMPLETE AND WENT OUT AND SOLICITED QUOTES. WE SOLICITED FOUR QUOTES, GOT BACK TWO. THE LOW QUOTE WAS FROM DEERING PEARSON GROUP DPG FOR $169,513.46 FUNDING FOR THE PROJECTS.THIS IS BEING FUNDED BY THE FACILITIES FUND, WHICH INCLUDES THE $3 MILLION THAT WAS BONDED FOR FIRE FACILITIES. THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO ACCEPT THE QUOTE FROM DPG AND BEGIN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THAT ADDITION. >> LET'S SAY THAT'S CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, THAT ADDITION OR THAT BUILDING HOUSES PUBLIC WORKS AND PARK STUFF? >> CORRECT. >> I KNOW WHEN WE WERE IN THERE BEFORE LOOKING AT IT, THE PARKS BECAUSE WE'VE DONE A LOT MORE IN PARKS THAN WE'VE EVER DONE OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS AND THEY HAVE A FULLY STAFFED PARKS. COMMISSION, AS WELL AS THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE A LOT OF STUFF THAT NEEDED TO BE PUT IN ALL THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF ONO, AND THAT PLACE WAS PACKED. THIS IS GOING TO HELP IN A YEAR AND A HALF WHEN WE DO GET THE KEYS FOR STATION 2 IN NAVARRE, AND WE TRANSITION OVER THERE, THIS EXTRA SPACE IS GOING TO BE VERY HELPFUL FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS PUBLIC WORKS TO BE ABLE TO HOUSE ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO HOUSE AS WELL. IT COMES PERFECT TIMING. CHIEF, SINCE YOU'RE HERE, WHY DON'T YOU TELL US ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO BE STORED OR WHAT'S GOING TO BE COMING OUT OF THAT BUILDING? >> YEAH. THE PLAN IS TO HAVE THE USED ENGINE, THE 2017 ROSENBAUER ENGINE, THAT'LL BE STORED DOWN THERE IN THE EVENINGS. THEN ALSO THE TANKER WILL BE STORED DOWN THERE IN THE EVENINGS, TOO. THEN THE DUTY CREW WILL TAKE THE ENGINE STARTING IN THE MORNING AND UTILIZE THAT FOR THEIR DAILY ROUTINE. >> I'VE HEARD A LOT OF RUMORS THAT THE LADDER TRUCK IS GOING TO BE IN THERE AND IT'S NOT BIG ENOUGH, BUT WE KNOW THAT'S NOT TRUE. I JUST WANT TO DISPEL THAT RUMOR THAT THE LADDER TRUCK IS NOT HANGING OUT IN THE NAVARRE AREA. >> IT WON'T BE STATIONED DOWN THERE UNTIL 2026 WHEN WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE NAVARRE STATION. >> I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. I SEEM TO RECALL THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE EYE WASH STATIONS HERE, IS THAT CORRECT? >> YEAH, WE WILL HAVE AN EYE WASH STATION IN THE FACILITY. >> BECAUSE THE AGENDA ITEM SAYS THAT IT WILL BE FOR USE FOR ONO FIRE STORAGE OR EQUIPMENT FOR ONO FIRE STORAGE. IT DOES NOT. THIS IS GOING TO BE USED AS A STATION, ESSENTIALLY WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE EMERGENCY ACCESS TO EYE WASH OR ROUTINE ACCESS OR NOT. IT'S ONLY IF NEEDED. I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND IS THIS FUNCTIONING LIKE A NAVARRE STATION OR IS IT FUNCTIONING AS A STORAGE STATION? >> IT IS NOT A FULLY FUNCTIONING FIRE STATION. WE DON'T HAVE OFFICE SPACE IN THERE. >> OKAY. >> WE DON'T HAVE THOSE THINGS. BUT FOR THE VEHICLE STORAGE PORTION OF A FIRE STATION, YES, SO THERE WILL BE THE FIRE VEHICLES IN THERE. THEY'LL ALSO BE SOME CREW EQUIPMENT STORED IN THERE SO THAT FOLKS CAN RESPOND OUT OF THERE. THAT INCLUDES THINGS LIKE AN EYE WASH STATION, WHICH, YOU ONLY USE THE EYE WASH STATION IF YOU NEED TO. IT'S THERE FOR EMERGENCIES. >> THIS WILL BE USED TO STORE AN ENGINE OR USED ENGINE AND A TANKER IN THE EVENING. WHEN A CALL HAPPENS IN THAT CAD ZONE, WHICH REMINDS ME AS I THINK OF IT, THAT IS NOT CURRENTLY ON THE WEBSITE. I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THAT LAST TIME, SO IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE THAT CAD ZONE INCLUDED ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WEBSITE. [01:35:03] THE PLAN IS TO HAVE THE STORING EQUIPMENT. WHEN A CALL GOES OFF AND IT SOUNDS FOR, SAY, THE CASCO AREA, WHERE ARE THE FIREFIGHTERS RESPONDING OUT OF? THEY'RE NOT RESPONDING OUT OF THAT NAVARRE STATION, IS THAT. >> IF IT'S IF IT'S DURING THE DUTY CREW DAY, I THINK THE CHIEF HAD TALKED ABOUT THE DUTY CREW MAY GO AND PULL THAT FIRE TRUCK AND BE OUT AND ABOUT SOMEWHERE IN THE AREA AND CALL COMES IN, THEN THEY DIVERT TO GO TO THAT CALL. IN THE AFTER HOURS PERIOD FROM 10:00 P.M. TO 6:00 A.M. THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, IF THE PAID ON CALL FIREFIGHTERS NEED TO RESPOND, THAT IS WHERE THEY CAN GO TO PICK UP THEIR GEAR AND THE TRUCK TO THEN RESPOND TO WHEREVER THE INCIDENT IS. >> DUTY CREW IS GOING TO BE MOBILE DRIVING AROUND THE CITY, WAITING FOR A CALL. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE STATIONED IN THE OLD PUBLIC WORKS. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE STATIONED SOMEWHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE DRIVING AROUND MOBILE, IS THAT CORRECT? >> NO, THEY WON'T NECESSARILY BE DRIVING AROUND MOBILE, BUT THEY MAY BE SOMEWHERE ELSE. THERE ARE OTHER DUTIES FOR THEM TO DO DURING THE DAY. THEY MAY BE OFF ON INSPECTION. THEY MAY BE AT THE SCHOOL DOING A DEMONSTRATION OF SOMETHING GOING ON. THEY MAY BE UP AT THE OLD PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING, DOING SOME ADMINISTRATIVE OR MAINTENANCE TASKS UP HERE. BUT YES. THEY'RE NOT PATROLLING, SAY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS PATROLS THAT ARE ACTIVELY OUT PATROLLING, BUT THEY WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR EQUIPMENT AND CAN RESPOND FROM WHEREVER THEY ARE. >> IF A CALL SOUNDS ON CASCO POINT AND THE DUTY CREW IS IN A VEHICLE AT CITY HALL, WHAT WILL THAT RESPONSE TIME BE? >> FASTER THAN IT IS NOW. THE RESPONSE TIME IS THE DRIVE TIME FROM WHEREVER THEY ARE TO THE INCIDENCE. >> IF THEY WERE AT CITY HALL, WHAT IS THE DRIVE TIME FOR THAT DUTY CREW TO CASCO POINT? >> IT'S APPROXIMATELY SIX OR SEVEN MINUTES DOWN TO STATION 2. I CAN'T TELL YOU EXACTLY. IF YOU WANT EXACT NUMBERS, I CAN GET AN ADDRESS AND WE CAN DRIVE IT AND WE CAN FIGURE THAT OUT. >> THIS IS A PRACTICALITY, BECAUSE I NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A NAVARRE, GARAGE FACILITY. THAT'S NOT A FACILITY WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE WAITING FOR A CALL THAT WERE TO GO OFF. >> THEY COULD BE DOING MAINTENANCE DOWN IN THAT FACILITY. IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT THEIR ROUTINE IS FOR THAT DAY, WHICH IS NO DIFFERENT THAN LONG LAKE FIRE RESPONDING FROM STATION 1 AND WAITING FOR THEIR PAID-ON-CALL VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS TO GET TO STATION 1 TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND. >> THAT IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE IF PAID-ON-CALL WHO LIVE NEAR NAVARRE STATION RIGHT NOW ARE PAID, THEY CAN GET TO THAT STATION AND GET OUT, PROBABLY FOLLOWING POLICE WHO USUALLY ARRIVE FIRST. BUT IN THIS SCENARIO, WE HAVE DUTY CREW WHO MAY BE IF THEY'RE DOING AN INSPECTION OR SOMETHING IN THIS AREA OF TOWN, NOT NEAR THAT CAD ZONE TWO, AND THE CALL SOUNDS, THE DRIVE TIME IS NOT ONE MINUTE. IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER. THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS STATION OR THIS GARAGE IS NOT FUNCTIONING AS A PLACE THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE STAFFING AND WAITING FOR CALLS TO COME. IT'S GOING TO THE RESPONSE TIME WILL DEPEND ON WHERE THE DUTY CREW HAPPENS TO BE. THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND. >> WHERE DOES THE DUTY CREW COME FROM NOW? >> I DON'T KNOW. WHERE DOES THE DUTY CREW COME FROM NOW? >> THERE IS NO DUTY CREW. >> NOT A DUTY CREW. BUT WHEN A CALL SOUNDS YOU COULD SPEAK TO THIS [OVERLAPPING]. >> THEY COME FROM THEIR HOUSE. THEN THEY GO FROM THEIR HOUSE TO THE STATION. SORRY. I JUST WANT TO GO OFF OF WHEN CHIEF HYLAND WAS HERE, HE DIDN'T PROVIDE WHAT THEIR PAID ON-CALL MODEL WAS. THAT IS WHERE PEOPLE GO FROM THEIR HOUSE TO THE STATION. THEN WAIT AT THE STATION FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO RIDE IN THE TRUCK WITH THEM AND THEN REPORT. HERE IT'S DIRECTLY TO. YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO GET AN APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON. THAT'S WHERE IN SERVICE TIMES IS PROBABLY YOUR BEST. YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO HAVE A HEART ATTACK RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, 10 DAYS IN A ROW TO GIVE YOU A GREAT BASELINE OF WHAT WAS YOUR RESPONSE TIME. ONE DAY, IT MIGHT BE ON THE FAR END OF A CALL AREA, THE NEXT ON YOUR CLOSE END. IT MIGHT BE A GREAT TURNOUT. IT MIGHT BE A POOR TURNOUT. BUT WHEN THEY SHOWED THE DUTY CREW RESPONSE TIMES IMPROVING WHEN THEY WERE DOING SINCE AUGUST, THEY WENT DOWN TO ABOUT ROUGHLY 2.5 MINUTES, I WANT TO SAY, WITH JUST VOLUNTEER DUTY CREW. WHEN YOU SAY IN SERVICE TIME IS A DIRECT COMPARABLE. YOU WILL BE IN YOUR TRUCK. CORRECT. RIGHT NOW, AS CHIEF HYLAND SAID, OFTEN, THEY ARE RESPONDING FROM STATION 1 FOR STATION 2 CALL AREAS BECAUSE OF WHEN THEY WERE STAFFING DUTY CREWS, AND I DON'T WANT TO MISSPEAK. IF ANYBODY REMEMBERS IT DIFFERENTLY OR CHIEF HYLAND CAN PLEASE EMAIL ME IF THAT'S DIFFERENTLY, BUT OFTEN, THAT MIGHT BE THE BEST SERVICE YOU GET. AN IN SERVICE TIME IS ONE OF THE EASIEST COMPARABLES WHEN YOU'RE [01:40:03] REFERENCING SERVICE TIMES WITH DIFFERENT MODELS FROM DIFFERENT TERRITORIES. WHAT JAMES IS SAYING IS THAT THEY WILL BE EQUIPPED AND READY TO GO WITHIN A MINUTE. THAT IS THE GOAL. WHERE AS IT STANDS NOW, THE GOAL FOR THE DUTY CREW MODEL THAT LONG LAKE HAS BEEN TESTING, THE GOAL WAS 2 MINUTES. AS OF DECEMBER, 2 MINUTES AND 30 SECONDS WAS THEIR LAST FROM THE PRESENTATION THAT CHIEF HYLAND GAVE US. >> AND THE PAIN ON-CALL IS LIKE 5-8 MINUTES BECAUSE THEY GOT TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY THERE. THEY GOT TO THERE AND THEN THEY GET THEIR STUFF, THEN THEY GOT TO WAIT FOR SOMEBODY TO LEAVE VERSUS THE 1 MINUTE THEY'RE NOT AT THEIR HOUSE IN 1 MINUTE THEY HAVE LEFT, AND THEY'RE GOING TO THE SCENE WITHIN A MINUTE. >> BECAUSE YOU MIGHT HIT LIKE YOU'RE COMING FROM YOUR HOUSE, YOU DON'T HAVE LIGHTS. WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING THERE, YOU MIGHT HIT TWO STOP LIGHTS, FIVE STOP LIGHTS, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LIVE. THAT IN SERVICE TIME IS JUST THE SECOND THE TRUCK LEAVES. IF WE HAVE PEOPLE EQUIPPED AND READY TO USE THE TRUCK RIGHT AWAY, THAT MIGHT BE JUST TO TRY TO MAKE IT AN EASY COMPARISON. I'M NOT TRYING TO [OVERLAPPING]. >> OH, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. I DON'T I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT. I REALLY WANTED TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THIS GARAGE WAS BEING UTILIZED FOR AND WHAT IT WASN'T. THE EXPECTATION IS THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT DOING ANY TURNOUT FROM THIS. IT'S AN EYE WASH STATION IN CASE OF EMERGENCY ONLY, AND IT'S FOR TRUCK STORAGE. >> JUST TO CLARIFY, EYE WASH STATION IS JUST A PIECE OF SAFETY EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE IN ANY OF THE GARAGES. EYE WASH STATION IS SOMETHING THAT'S THERE IF YOU SPLASH CHEMICALS IN YOUR EYES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT YOU CAN WASH. IT HAS NOTHING PARTICULARLY TO DO WITH THE FIRE STATION, OTHER THAN IT IS IT'S A MAINTENANCE STORAGE AREA, SO WE HAVE TO HAVE THOSE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS. THERE ARE, I THINK, LIKE SIX EYE WASH STATIONS IN THE NEW PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY. YOU DEAL WITH CHEMICALS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU NEED TO HAVE THOSE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS. >> THE ONLY TIME I'VE EVER DISCUSSED EYE WASH STATIONS WITH AGENDA ITEMS IS IN REFERENCE TO FIRE, WHICH IS WHY I ASK. >> WE WILL HAVE ONE BECAUSE THERE ARE VEHICLES STORED THERE WITH CHEMICALS AND FUELS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. >> VERY GOOD. WE'RE BUILDING A TEMPORARY STRUCTURE THAT WILL HOUSE FIRE EQUIPMENT NOW, AND THEN IN THE FUTURE, WE'LL REVERT BACK TO GENERAL STORAGE. >> IT IS A PERMANENT STRUCTURE, BUT YES. >> WE'RE ADDING IN ADDITION TO A PERMANENT STRUCTURE THAT WILL ADD MORE STORAGE CAPACITY. IS THE NEW PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING NOT ABLE TO HANDLE THAT TYPE OF WHATEVER MAY NEED TO BE STORED IN BECAUSE THAT'S A LARGE FACILITY. I'M JUST WONDERING IF THIS EXTRA FACILITY IS NEEDED IN THE FUTURE FOR STORAGE. >> WELL, WHAT WE HAVE BEEN USING THAT SITE FOR AND WHAT WE WILL USE IT FOR IN THE PURPOSES OR IN THE FUTURE, IS THAT WE TEND TO STAGE SEASONAL AND EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT THERE. IN THE WINTERTIME, WE'RE STORING SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE USE TO CLEAN THE SIDEWALKS AND THE TRAILS THAT ARE DOWN IN THE NAVARRE AREA SO THAT THE CREWS CAN MORE READILY ACCESS THAT EQUIPMENT. WE DON'T HAVE TO TRANSPORT IT ALL THE WAY FROM THE NORTH TO THE SOUTH TO USE IT. IN THE SUMMERTIME, WE'RE STORING SOME OF OUR SUMMER TYPE EQUIPMENT THERE. WE MIGHT HAVE OUR SWEEPER STORED DOWN THERE RATHER THAN LOADING IT BACK AND FORTH UP AND DOWN THE ROAD. THAT'S HOW THAT'S USED, AS WELL AS WE STORE EMERGENCY BACKUP GENERATORS IN THAT FACILITY CURRENTLY, SO THAT WHEN WE HAVE A POWER OUTAGE IN THE NAVARRE AREA, WE CAN GRAB THOSE GENERATORS AND GET THEM TO THOSE CRITICAL LIFT STATIONS OR WATER FACILITIES FASTER. THE REASON TO HAVE THAT THERE IS AS A LOCALLY ACCESSIBLE STORAGE FACILITY. >> AS WE'VE GOTTEN BIGGER OVER TIME BECAUSE WE HAVE A PARKS DEPARTMENT THAT'S BIGGER. WE HAVE A MORE TECHNOLOGY WITH OUR STREET SWEEPERS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, AND IT MAKES IT FOR BETTER SAFETY FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS AS WELL AS OUR PEOPLE WHO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN ORONO AS OUR STAFF THAT WE STAGE THINGS AT DIFFERENT PLACES AROUND ORONO, NOT JUST AT THE WATER TOWER OVER IN NAVARRE. >> WOULD WE NEED THIS EXTRA STORAGE, GIVEN THAT WE'VE BUILT A PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY, IF NOT FOR NEEDING STORAGE FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT? IS THIS SOMETHING WE WERE LOOKING AT EXPANDING REGARDLESS? >> WE WERE NOT LOOKING AT EXPANDING THIS PARTICULAR STORAGE AREA. >> I HAVE ONLY ONE LAST QUESTION. THIS IS COMING OUT OF THE $3 MILLION BONDING? >> CORRECT. THAT'S OUR PROPOSAL. >> IF THAT MONEY CAN YOU JUST, OR MAYBE THIS IS A QUESTION FOR MAGGIE. THAT BONDING MONEY WAS SPECIFICALLY TIED TO CITY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS? >> CORRECT? >> THE BONDING IN 2021, HAS TO BE USED FOR CITY INFRASTRUCTURE? >> FACILITIES. >> FACILITIES. IF IT WEREN'T BEING USED FOR AN EXPANSION OF NAVARRE GARAGE, WOULD THAT MEAN THAT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO SPEND IT IN OTHER AREAS OR WOULD IT BE ABLE TO BE USED ON ANY OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE CITY. >> THE WAY THAT THAT BOND IS WRITTEN, [01:45:01] IT COULD BE USED FOR FACILITIES WITHIN THE CITY. YOU CAN'T TAKE MONEY THAT WAS BONDED FOR FACILITIES AND SAY, DECIDE TO GO BUY A TRUCK WITHOUT GOING THROUGH A FORMAL PROCESS TO REALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS. THERE'S LATITUDE, BUT IT'S WITHIN THAT CATEGORY OF FACILITIES. >> THANKS. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF. I MAKE A MOTION. >> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE QUOTE FROM DPG FOR $162,513.46 TO CONSTRUCT IN ADDITION TO THE NAVARRE WATER PLANT GARAGE. >> MOTION BY JOHNSON. >> I'LL MAKE A SECOND. >> SECOND BY RICH. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? >> NO. >> THAT PASSES THREE TO ONE WITH THE ONE NO VOTE BEING BENSON. THAT'LL BRING US TO OUR CORRESPONDENCE WITH LONG LAKE CITY COUNCIL. [22. Correspondence with the Long Lake City Council] >> MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. THIS TUESDAY MORNING, I BELIEVE WE RECEIVED SOME CORRESPONDENCE FROM LONG LAKE FROM THEIR CITY COUNCIL. I FORWARDED THAT LETTER TO YOU ALL, SO YOU WOULD BE AWARE OF IT. THEN IN THE MEANTIME SORRY IT WAS LAST TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY. IN THE MEANTIME, STAFF PROVIDED A PREPARED A DRAFT RESPONSE LETTER, WHICH IS IN YOUR PACKET FOR CONSIDERATION. AS THE LETTER WOULD COME FROM THE CITY COUNCIL, WE LOOKED TO YOU TO REVIEW THAT LETTER AND APPROVE THAT LETTER SO THAT THE MAYOR COULD THEN SIGN IT. WE COULD SEND IT TO YOU. >> AWESOME. THANK YOU. IT LOOKED LIKE YOU DEFINITELY SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON IT. I GUESS IT DEFINITELY ADDRESSED ALL THE ITEMS AND ALL THE MISNOMERS THAT ARE GOING ON OUT THERE ABOUT OUR PREPARATION AND BEING READY AND THAT WE HAVE OUR OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT AT THIS POINT. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY HAS ANY PARTICULAR SPECIFICS ON THE LETTER ITSELF THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK UP ABOUT IT. >> I HAVE A COUPLE. REGARDING IT'S ON THE SECOND PAGE. IT'S THE LAST SENTENCE OF THE TOP PARAGRAPH REGARDING ORONO REMAINS WILLING TO PROVIDE FIRE RESPONSE, MARK CAREER DUTY CREWS TO THE ENTIRE CALL AREA AT NO COST, THE CITY OF LONG LAKE DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD. WHAT EXACTLY DOES THAT MEAN? >> WHERE'S THAT AGAIN? >> SECOND PAGE TOP. >> NOT LONG LAKE LETTER, OUR LETTER. >> THE INTENT TO THAT IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO AS OF JULY 1ST, HAVE A TWO PERSON CAREER DUTY CREW AVAILABLE IN THE NAVARRE AREA, AND WE'VE OFFERED IN THE PAST THAT THERE'S NO REASON THAT WE WOULD HAVE FOR THAT DUTY CREW NOT TO RESPOND TO THE ENTIRETY OF THE ORONO COMMUNITY AND THE REST OF THE LONG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT AREA IN THIS TRANSITION PERIOD FROM JULY 1ST OF THIS YEAR THROUGH 1ST JANUARY OF 2026. WE WOULD NOT EXPECT TO CHARGE THEM OR ANYTHING. IT'S JUST IT IS AN ASSET FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES THAT CAN BE USED SHOULD THEY BE WILLING TO ACCEPT THAT OFFER? >> IT REMINDED ME SIMILAR TO HOW THEY PAID FOR THE PROBATIONARY DUTY CREW MODEL THAT THEY HAVE BEEN TESTING. THAT WAS 100% PAID FOR BY LONG LAKE AND THEIR PUBLIC SAFETY GRANT. THAT WOULD KIND OF BE THE SAME THING. THEY WERE WANTING TO TEST THAT ANYWAYS. THEY WERE WILLING TO PAY FOR IT IN FULL. >> IT WAS JUST A NICE OFFER. A NICE OFFER IF THEY WANT TO TAKE US UP ON MORE ASSISTANCE FOR OUR RESIDENTS. >> I HAVE THE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WILLOW STATION. THERE'S REFERENCES TO IN THE SECOND PARAGRAPH, SECOND PAGE, SECOND TO LAST SENTENCE, WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO WORKING OUT A LONG TERM SHARED USE AGREEMENT FOR THE CO-OWNED WILLOW DRIVE STATION, AND IT'S REFERENCE AGAIN, ONE OF THE FINAL PARAGRAPHS. I WONDER GIVEN THE LITIGATION IF THAT ISN'T PREMATURE LANGUAGE ABOUT SHARING A WILLOW STATION. >> WELL, I PUT THAT IN THERE BECAUSE WE CONTRACT ENDS IN 2026. BETWEEN NOW AND 2026, BOTH OF OUR COMMUNITIES NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO TRANSITION TO THE NEW NORMAL. THAT INCLUDES THE DISPOSITION OF ORONO OWNED AS WELL AS PARTNER OWNED EQUIPMENT. THERE'S A BUNCH OF EQUIPMENT IN THE CURRENT LONG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT WE OWN AS A CITY SOMEWHERE IN THE ORDER OF 70-85% OF WITH LONG LAKE AND MEDINA OWNING THE BALANCE. THERE ARE SOME PIECES OF EQUIPMENT WE OWN 100% OF. WHEN IT COMES TO THE WILLOW DRIVE STATION, IN PARTICULAR, WE ARE 50/50 PARTNERS WITH THE CITY OF LONG LAKE AND THAT. WHAT THE INTENT OF THAT PHRASE IN THIS LETTER WAS, WE SHOULD NOT WAIT UNTIL DECEMBER 31ST OF 2025 TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH ALL THIS STUFF. [01:50:04] WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT THAT NOW BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO SHARE A FACILITY IN 2026, WE NEED TO BE WORKING ON WHAT THAT SHARED USE AGREEMENT WOULD LOOK LIKE. THE BASIS OF IT WAS, LET'S KEEP TALKING AND FIGURE THIS OUT. >> IS THE WORD CAREER FIREFIGHTER ONE THAT WE'VE USED PREVIOUSLY. I DON'T BELIEVE I'VE SEEN THIS PART-TIME CAREER FIREFIGHTER. >> THAT WAS A SUGGESTION FROM OUR COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE ON SOME VERBIAGE TO HELP BETTER EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE BECAUSE A LOT OF FOLKS DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT PAID ON CALL MEANS. THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER IS, ALTHOUGH THERE'S SOME NUANCES THERE. WE STARTED TRYING TO USE TWO DIFFERENT DESCRIPTIONS OF EACH FIREFIGHTER TO DENOTE THE DIFFERENCE. >> CAREER PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE WHO DO [OVERLAPPING]. >> THIS IS THEIR FIRST TIME PROFESSION. THIS IS THEIR FIRST JOB. THE FIRST PRIORITY OF A JOB. >> BECAUSE ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE HIRING ARE ALSO WORKING IN ANOTHER PLACE, PART TIME DUTY. >> I DON'T THINK ALL BUT SOME OF THEM. >> WE DO HAVE A MAJORITY OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE THEIR FIRST JOB OR THEY'RE AUGMENTING THEIR EXISTING JOB WITH ANOTHER FIRE DEPARTMENT WITH US IN FILLING THOSE SHIFT HOURS. >> I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD ON THIS DRAFT, OTHER THAN IT LOOKS LIKE GIVEN THE NUMBERS HERE, THE AMOUNT OF INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED NOW HAS CHANGED FROM WHATEVER IT'S MENTIONING HERE IN THE LETTER? I THINK THE NUMBERS FOR TOTAL 22 NOW, I DON'T THINK IT REFLECTS THAT IN THE LETTER. MY MAIN ISSUE WITH THE LETTER IS IT'S NOT RESPONDING TO THE OPTIONS PUT FORTH BY LONG LAKE REGARDING THOSE TWO OFFERS. THAT WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE IS TO BE LOOKING AT ONE OF THE OFFERS FROM LONG LAKE RATHER THAN GOING THIS ROUTE, BUT I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD ON THE LETTER ITSELF. >> WHICH ONE DO YOU PREFER? >> I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO THAT RIGHT NOW. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LETTER. >> WE GOT TO IT THAT WAY. WELL, NICE TO GET DIRECTION. >> WELL, IF OTHERS ARE WILLING TO ENTERTAIN THAT AND HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT [OVERLAPPING]. WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO IS TAKE EXTRA TIME TO GO THROUGH MACHINATIONS BECAUSE IT DOESN'T APPEAR FROM ALL THE DECISIONS WE'VE BEEN MAKING THUS FAR THAT WE'RE WILLING TO RE-ENGAGE IN A CONTRACT WITH LONG LAKE. >> I'M 100% WANTING TO DO THAT, SO I THINK THAT'S A WORTHWHILE ACTIVITY. I WOULD LOVE TO EXPLORE WHAT OPTION YOU ARE. >> I MEAN, WE'RE NOT GOING TO REWRITE A CONTRACT HERE, BUT IF WE'RE OPEN TO RENEGOTIATE A CONTRACT WITH LONG LAKE, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD BE APPROVED IN SUPPORT OF. >> YEAH. I THINK WHAT THIS LETTER SHOULD START IS AN ENGAGEMENT OF THAT. IN WHICH CASE, THAT'S WHERE I'D DEFER TO YOU ON WHICH OPTION DID YOU LIKE BETTER? >> WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO REWRITE THE LETTER, BUT I'D SAY, HOWEVER, STAFF WOULD DO THAT, BUT MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE CITY OF ORONO RENEGOTIATE A CONTRACT FOR SERVICE WITH THE CITY OF LONG LAKE. >> I THINK WHAT WAS INTERESTING TO ME, I THINK I FOUND A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE AGREED ON IN OUR LETTER, ACTUALLY, WITH THEIR LETTER. I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY POSITIVE BOTH CITIES ARE WILLING TO CONTINUE CONVERSATIONS, AS SHOWN BY THE COMMITMENT TO STAFF TO ENGAGE AND TO CONTINUE TO MEET. I THINK LONG LAKE HAS BEEN EXPLORING OPTIONS WITH WAYZATA AND SHOWING THAT WE'RE WILLING TO PROVIDE A SERVICE AT NO COST DURING THE TRANSITION SHOULD BE HELPFUL AND RECONCILING SOME TRUST ISSUES, WHICH I THINK ADMITTEDLY, WE CAN ALL AGREE. THEY'RE VERY PREVALENT. I THINK IT HIGHLIGHTS OUR WISH TO KEEP THE DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE, NOT BY SHIFTING OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT, BUT CONTINUING ON WITH MANY OF THE THINGS THAT THEY LIKED IN THEIR OPTIONS. IT REALLY SHOWS THE EMPHASIS ON A NEW HYBRID MODEL, WHICH I THINK THEY'VE BEEN SEEN IN THEIR TEMPORARY DUTY CREWS OR VOLUNTEER DUTY CREW PROGRAM. THEY'VE BEEN SEEING IMPROVEMENTS, AND I THINK THEY WOULD FULLY SUPPORT THAT FROM THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE BEEN HEARING, THAT THEY LIKE THE DIRECTION OF OPERATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION THAT WAY. I THINK IT HIGHLIGHTS THE STAFF, WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER, WHICH I THINK IS A BIG PART IN RE-ESTABLISHING A CONTRACT. I THINK IT'S THE FIRST STEP OF MANY THAT WOULD LEAD US MAYBE TO A FIRST STEP THAT COULD LEAD US TO A VARIETY OF OPTIONS DOWN THE ROAD. I KNOW I JUST TALKED TO TODD, AND TODD SAID HE WAS WILLING FOR ME TO SAY OUR DISCUSSION, BUT I HAD TALKED ABOUT IN THE LAST SINCE I STARTED GOING TO THE FUTURE FIRE SERVICE MEETINGS, WHAT IS THE FIRST STEP? BECAUSE, QUITE HONESTLY, RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE HAVE IS A TRUST ISSUE ON BOTH SIDES AND SOMEONE HAS TO BE WILLING TO TAKE A STEP. [01:55:03] I ASKED TODD FROM HIS EXPERIENCE WITH FIRE DISTRICTS, JPA MODELS, DIFFERENT SORTS OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES, WHAT IS NECESSARY AND HE TALKED ABOUT A ROBUST STAFF BEING THE FIRST STEP. I THINK THAT OUTLINES A FIRST STEP, I ACTUALLY DO THINK THAT THIS IS ANSWERING THAT. I THINK IT TALKS ABOUT SHARING EQUIPMENT. WE CAN HIGHLIGHT MORE. I THOUGHT THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT MORE THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE TO THIS POINT, WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR CIP BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR, SHOWING THAT THAT IS AT NO COST TO THEM. MAYBE GOING FORWARD, ANY INVESTMENTS IN EQUIPMENT, HOW WE WOULD DO THAT WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO BE MORE OUTLINED. BUT MAYBE EVEN SAYING FOR THE FIRST YEAR FOR THE FIRST FIND A TERM THAT WOULD SAY, YOU'RE NOT. AGAIN, I APPRECIATED THE GESTURE OF FREE SERVICE. DURING THE TRANSITION. IT SHOWS A GRATITUDE FOR THE YEARS OF PARTNERSHIP. I THOUGHT WE COULD BE MORE SPECIFIC, MAYBE ABOUT THE LENGTH OF A CONTRACT. THAT BEING SAID, I THINK THE PURPOSE OF THIS LETTER IS JUST TO RE-ENGAGE IN CONVERSATION. I THINK WE HAVE MORE IN COMMON THAN WE DON'T, I THINK LONG TERM PLANNING SHOULD BE OUR GOAL. THIS STARTS A CONVERSATION FOR LONG TERM PLANNING. WHY THIS MIGHT NOT BE OUR FINAL DESTINATION. THIS OUTLINES A POSITIVE FIRST STEP. I APPRECIATE IT, ADAM, I THINK YOU DID A VERY NICE JOB SPEAKING TO THE DIRECTION WE ARE HEADING IS WHERE WE'RE HEADING, BUT ABSOLUTELY WE WANT PARTNERS ALONG THE WAY, AND ABSOLUTELY, THIS WOULD ALLOW FOR DIFFERENT WAYS TO PARTNER WITH AN OPENNESS TO LOOK AT A MODEL DIFFERENT. >> YOU SAID YOU TALKED TO TODD, TODD, WHO? >> I'M SORRY, TODD'S HERE IN THE TODD NEWCOMER. >> NEWCOMER. THERE YOU GO. >> BUT I JUST MET AND I SAID, HEY, TODD, I THINK I SAID, CAN YOU SQUEEZE ME IN BECAUSE WE'VE HAD REALLY GOOD CONVERSATIONS IN THE PAST. I SAID, I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY. IT'S NICE TO BE APPROACHED THIS WAY, BECAUSE A LOT OF THIS HAS BEEN DONE IN MEDIATION, WHICH MAYBE YOU DON'T KNOW IS NOT BETWEEN WE AT COUNSEL ARE NOT PRIVY TO WHAT HAPPENED IN MEDIATION. ALL WE HEAR FROM BOTH SIDES IS THAT THEY'VE EXPLORED EVERY OPTION. IT IS IN MY BEST JUDGMENT TO SAY, WHEN YOU EXPLORE EVERY OPTION, THAT PROBABLY MEANS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A OR OPTION B, OR OPTION X OR OPTION Z. WHY HAVEN'T WE GOT THERE? MAYBE WE JUST NEED THE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND THAT'S WHERE I THINK THIS LETTER IS. I GUESS. >> WELL, I THINK OPTION A SEEMS LIKE A BIGGER STRETCH FOR THE CITY OF ORONO, GIVEN THAT IT'S NEW AND THAT'S NOT A PLACE THAT WE'VE BEEN YET, EVEN THOUGH IT'S VERY SUCCESSFUL AS A LETTER MENTIONED IN OTHER AREAS, INCLUDING EXCELSIOR FIRE. TO ME, OPTION B SEEMS AN EASIER PATH FOR THE TIME BEING GIVEN THAT WE'VE ALREADY COME FROM THIS PLACE, AND OUR CITY HAS HAD A GREAT DEGREE OF CONTROL OVER CAPITAL EXPENDITURES WITH LONG LAKE FIRE. WE'VE EXERCISED THAT VOTE IN THE PAST, I WOULD TOTALLY AGREE THAT ADDRESSING CAPITAL EXPENDITURES IS VERY IMPORTANT. MANY OF THESE DECISIONS HAVE PREDATED SOME OF US WHO SIT ON COUNCIL NOW WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO BE A PART OF THOSE AND WHO ARE NOT CURRENTLY ABLE TO BE A PART OF MEDIATION TALKS. AGAIN, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT A TRIED AND TRUE DEPARTMENT THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS NOT HAD COMPLAINTS OR SAFETY ISSUES WITH OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS. UNDERSTANDING THAT IT NEEDS MORE CAPITAL GOING FORWARD, MY CRITIQUE OF THE LETTER WOULD THAT IT WOULD BE MORE SPECIFIC IN TERMS OF RENEGOTIATING A CONTRACT FOR CURRENT SERVICES AND POOLING MONEY FOR CAPITAL. THAT'S MY INPUT. >> I THINK OPTION B, WITH FAIRNESS HAS SOME CONCERNS IN IT THAT I DO THINK WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE WOULD ADDRESS CAPITAL IS VERY DIFFERENT. I THINK GOING TO A FUNDING FORMULA OF A THIRD, A THIRD, A THIRD, KNOWING THAT WE HAVE LAKESHORE PROPERTIES, AND AS THEY SHOWED, THE IMPACT THAT WAYZATA HAD BROUGHT OUR BUDGET DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY. IF I WAS WAYZATA, I WOULD HAVE LOOKED AT THAT SAYING, WOW, THAT'S A BIG COST. I THINK US COMPROMISING ON A FUNDING BUDGET, KNOWING THAT WE WILL BE PAYING MORE AND BEING OKAY WITH IT, WE HAVE HIGHER PROPERTY VALUES. EVEN ACCEPTING THIS FORMULA WOULD SHOW, HEY, WE'RE MAKING SOME CONCESSIONS THAT WAY. I DO THINK WE'VE MADE A LOT OF THE EQUIPMENT PURCHASES, AND WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT. IN THE PAST, THAT 80%, I DON'T WANT TO SOMEWHERE 75-85% EQUIPMENT PURCHASES, AND WE HAVE NOTICED WHAT HAPPENS. WE NEED EQUIPMENT WHEN WE NEED EQUIPMENT, AND THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE SAID ABOUT. LET'S MAKE THE INVESTMENTS AND HAVE THE PERSON THAT CAN DO THAT RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY SHAME IN THAT. I DON'T KNOW. THIS IS BENEFITING EVERYBODY AND FINDING OUT A WAY WE CAN DO THAT WITHOUT NECESSARILY [02:00:02] AN EQUAL VOTE WHEN IT'S A 50% VOTE WHEN IT'S AN 80%/20% SPEND. >> I DO WONDER IN TERMS OF THE FINANCES, WHICH OF THESE OPTIONS, WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING IN TERMS OF THE SPENDS AND NEEDS TO FINANCE AN INDEPENDENT DEPARTMENT IF THAT IS GOING TO COME OUT MORE OR LESS OF A BURDEN TO OUR COMMUNITY FINANCIALLY THAN AN OPTION B. >> I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT. JAMES, MAY BE SORRY YOU HAVE THIS AS WELL, BUT THE COST BREAKDOWN IF WE PARTNER WOULD GO DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY. I THINK YOU HAVE THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT WITH YOU, BUT I DIDN'T PREPARE THAT. BUT I THINK AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO FAR IN THE WEEDS. I THINK WE PUT STAFF IN THE ROOM AND SAY THIS IS A GENERAL DIRECTION WITH THIS LETTER OF WHERE WE'RE GOING AND IF THERE WAS SOMETHING WE SHOULD ADD ON THE EXACT FUNDING FORMULA, WE COULD. BUT JUST A GENERAL START. IN FAVOR OF THAT? >> MY INPUT IS TO LOOK AT RENEGOTIATING A CONTRACT AND POOLING CAPITAL EXPENDITURES GOING FORWARD. HOWEVER, THAT WORKS OUT BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT IS A SAFE OPTION. IT IS A STAFFING. IT IS EASIER TO STAFF. IT'S LESS OF A FINANCIAL BURDEN ON RESIDENTS. THAT'S MY INPUT. >> SURE. >> WELL, OBVIOUSLY, A LOT OF THINGS HAVE HAPPENED SINCE A LOT OF DECISIONS HAD TO GET MADE OVER THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS. THAT IS THEN INCREMENTALLY, HAD ORONO HAVE TO THEN MAKE STEPS TO CREATE THEIR OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHICH WE HAVE DONE NOW. THAT'S A DONE THING THAT WASN'T DONE LAST YEAR, BUT IT IS DONE NOW. THAT'S MADE US GO IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION. I THINK THIS LETTER IS A GOOD START TO HOPEFULLY MAYBE WANT TO RE-ENGAGE THEM, BUT I DON'T THINK EXTENDING THE CURRENT CONTRACT MAKES ANY SENSE AT THIS POINT. WE'RE READY TO GO JULY 1ST, BUT I THINK WE CAN DEFINITELY HAVE GOOD CONVERSATIONS GOING FORWARD, WHETHER IT'S WITH TODD OR ANYBODY ELSE ON THE WALT LAKE CITY COUNCIL. IF THEY CHOOSE TO GET TOGETHER, WE SEE WE HAVE MEDIATION COMING UP AGAIN HERE IN WHAT WAS IT JUNE? WE HAVE THAT AGAIN COMING UP, SO THAT WE HAVE MORE TO TALK ABOUT THERE. BUT I THINK IN THE MEANTIME, I THINK IT'S GOOD TO GET THIS LETTER OUT TO THEM. I THINK IT ADDRESSES A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAD TALKED ABOUT, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS MOVING FORWARD ALSO. >> WOULD YOU BE IN FAVOR OF THIS LETTER AS IT STANDS, KNOWING THAT WE'VE LEFT SOMETHING SHORT? >> I THINK I'VE MADE MYSELF PRETTY CLEAR THAT MY ADVICE OR MY DIRECTION WOULD BE TO RE-ENGAGE WITH A CONTRACT WITH LONG LAKE FOR FIRE SERVICES. IF SITTING DOWN AND HAVING MORE DISCUSSIONS IS GOING TO BE POSSIBLE, THAT'S FINE. THE GOAL FROM MY PERSPECTIVE IS TO REDUCE COSTS TO OUR TAXPAYERS BY POOLING CAPITAL RESOURCES AND NOT BURDENING THE STAFFING REQUIRED FOR TWO INDEPENDENT FIRE DEPARTMENTS. THAT'S ALL I WANT TO SAY. >> ARE YOU OKAY WITH THE OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT SHIFT? >> AGAIN, I THINK THOSE ARE THINGS THAT NEED TO COME AFTER THERE'S AN UNDERSTANDING THAT IN THE SHORT TERM, WE DO NOT HAVE TO BE UNDER THIS TIME PRESSURE, STAFFING PRESSURE, TRAINING PRESSURE WHEN THERE'S A CONTRACT THAT WE CAN RENEGOTIATE, OR I SHOULDN'T EVEN SEE RENEGOTIATE. WE DON'T NEED TO START JULY 1 BECAUSE WE ARE ABLE TO BE SERVICED BY THE LONG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT. I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE DIRECTION TO GIVE, OTHER THAN IT IS MY OPINION THAT SAFETY WISE, AND FINANCIALLY, IT'S A BETTER DECISION FROM MY PERSPECTIVE TO CONTINUE WITH THE CONTRACT. >> WELL, I THINK WE NEED A RESPONSE LETTER. I THINK THIS IS A VERY GOOD ONE. HOPE IT WILL GET THEIR ATTENTION THAT WE ARE STARTING JULY 1ST. I DON'T THINK THAT NEEDLE IS MOVING. WE ARE READY TO GO, WE'RE FULLY FUNCTIONAL. WE HAVE A FABULOUS FIRE CHIEF. WE'VE SEAN BACK THERE. YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER. WE'RE FULLY FUNCTIONAL. >> MATT, YOU WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF THIS CONTRACT? RE-NEGOTIATING? >> MY TAKE ON THIS IS, I WAS GLAD TO SEE THEIR LETTER. I DON'T KNOW IF IT CAME FROM THE COUNCIL OR JUST THE MAYOR, BUT YES. I I'M COMPLETELY WILLING. I THINK THE WHOLE TIME WE'VE UNDERSTOOD THAT, KEEPING THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER AND THE FIREFIGHTERS TOGETHER WAS THE GOAL AND HOW THAT LOOKS LIKE, WE'RE STILL WORKING THAT OUT. WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE. WE OWN 100% OF FIRE STATION NUMBER 2. WE'RE TAKING OVER TERRITORY NUMBER 2, AND WE'RE BEING FORCED TO SPEND MONEY ON A TEMPORARY FACILITY OVER THERE JUST DEFIES ALL LOGIC. IT'S 100% OUR BUILDING, AND WE'RE SERVICING THAT TERRITORY. [02:05:02] THAT'S A CONVERSATION WITH THEM BEING LONG LAKE, ABOUT LET'S INSTEAD OF, MAYBE OUR ADVERSARIAL POSITIONS IS, WHAT CAN WE DO TO WORK TOGETHER? THAT WORKING TOGETHER, IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS TWO CITIES TO ENSURE THE CHANGE, BUT IT MIGHT LEAD TOWARDS SOME COLLABORATION AND SOME TRUST OPPORTUNITIES. THAT THE TWO CITIES CAN START FINDING SOME COMMON GROUND AND FINDING A BETTER PATH FORWARD THAN WE'VE FOUND SO FAR. >> DOES THIS LETTER DO ENOUGH? >> I THINK IT'S A GREAT START. I THANK YOU FOR DOING IT. IT TOUCHED ON A LOT OF THINGS. THE LETTER SOMEWHAT MADE IT APPEAR THAT WE WOULDN'T BE CAPABLE TO START JULY 1ST. WE WILL BE. THAT PIECE, I DON'T THINK IT'S A HUGE PUSH. IT'S A DEADLINE THAT WE'VE COMMITTED TO, AND THIS IS WHAT COMMITTING TO A DEADLINE LOOKS LIKE. THERE'S A LOT OF BUILD UP TO IT, AND IT TAKES A LOT OF RESOURCES, BUT WE'RE DOING THAT JOB. SO YEAH, I'M IN FAVOR OF THIS LETTER, AS IT'S WRITTEN, SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE SOME CONSENSUS ON THAT, WHICH IS GOOD BECAUSE THAT'S IMPORTANT. MAYBE THIS WILL LEAD TO THE NEXT THING THAT TRIGGERS SOMETHING THAT BENEFITS BOTH CITIES. >> MY ONLY OTHER THOUGHT ON OPERATION IS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE. THE IDEA OF A OPERATIONAL SYSTEM WHERE YOU HAVE A JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT IS NOT SOMETHING NEW. IT'S BEEN DONE BEFORE IT'S BEING DONE SUCCESSFULLY. IT'S NOT THAT THE ONLY OPTION HERE IS FOR THE CITY OF ORONO TO HAVE OPERATIONAL AND TOTAL CONTROL OVER THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY TO SHARE IN THAT OPERATIONAL ROLE. I JUST WANT TO POINT THAT OUT. >> AGAIN, THIS IS WHY I'M SAYING, THIS IS MAYBE A FIRST STEP. A FIRST STEP IN GETTING THERE. IT BRINGS CONVERSATION, IT KEEPS PEOPLE TOGETHER AND OFFERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD TRUST, WHICH I THINK IS GOING TO HAVE TO HAPPEN BEFORE YOU CAN SEEK OUT ANY STEP FURTHER. >> YES. I DO BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT TO ENGAGE, DEFINITELY. I ALSO THINK THAT AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, THIS DIRECTION HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, THAT AGAIN, PREDATED MY TIME, I DON'T BELIEVE WAS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO HAVE A DIFFERENT OPERATIONAL STRUCTURE AND A SUCCESSFUL DEPARTMENT. IT'S NOT NECESSARY TO CREATE A NEW FIRE DEPARTMENT IN ORDER TO HAVE SHARED SERVICES AND SHARED OPERATIONAL CONTROL. OTHER THAN THAT, I DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS. ADAM, THANK YOU. >> ONE MORE. I HAVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. WOULD YOU SUPPORT THE LETTER? SUPPORT COMING TOGETHER, FINDING SOMETHING? >> ABSOLUTELY, NO. WE'VE ALWAYS SAID WE'RE ALWAYS WILLING TO TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING, AND I'M ALSO WILLING TO DO THAT, AND THAT HAS DEFINITELY NOT CHANGED. I THINK THIS LETTER IS A GOOD FIRST STEP. I THINK THAT'S THE GOAL FOR THE CITY. I THINK WE'RE PUTTING A WHOLE MODEL IN THAT IS OBVIOUSLY A CHANGE THAT MAYBE LONG COULD EMBRACE AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD AS WELL, WITH OUR FABULOUS CHIEF. THIS IS THE FIRST START. >> DO WE NEED A MOTION? >> A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LETTER TO BE SIGNED. YES. >> SORRY, LAST THING. WOULD WE ALL SIGN IT? I THINK THAT SAYS SOMETHING DIFFERENT THEN. >> YEAH, I WILL. >> IS THAT STANDARD FOR A COUNCIL TO SIGN A LETTER? >> I'VE NEVER SIGNED A LETTER LIKE THAT. [OVERLAPPING] >> I DON'T KNOW. >> I THINK TO BE CONSISTENT, I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER JUST TO HAVE THE MAYOR SIGN IT BECAUSE IF ALL OF A SUDDEN ANOTHER ONE CAME UP AND YOU'D SAY, WELL, WHY DON'T YOU HAVE ALL THE PEOPLE SIGN IT AND THEN ALL THE PEOPLE WON'T, THEN YOU HAVE THAT PROBLEM. >> BUT WE CAN ALL VOTE ON IT? >> I THINK THAT'S A VOTING ISSUE. >> I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE RESPONSE LETTER AND SEND IT OVER? >> I'LL SECOND. >> BY JOHNSON. A SECOND BY MARIA. >> MARIA. >> BEFORE WE VOTE, AGAIN, I THINK I'VE MADE MY POSITION CLEAR ON THIS. I'M ALWAYS A FAN OF TALKING ABOUT THINGS, AND THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT, ALTHOUGH I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT TALKING, IT'S ABOUT ACTION. THE ACTIONS OF OUR CITY THUS FAR HAVE INDICATED THAT WE ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF A JPA SITUATION OR OF EXTENDING THE CONTRACT. THAT IS WHERE I THINK THIS LETTER, WHILE IT DISCUSSES THE IDEA OF PARTNERSHIP, IT'S NOT A CONCRETE SITUATION. THAT SAID, I'VE NOT BEEN IN NEGOTIATIONS SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S BEEN PROPOSED. OTHER THAN THAT, WE CAN BE DONE. >> I WILL JUST SAY THAT ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO EMBRACE CHANGE IS TO ALLOW FOR IT. BEING OPEN TO THAT? >> ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED. THAT PASSES 4-0. THAT WILL BRING US TO OUR COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS. [02:10:04] >> MR. MAYOR. >> SORRY, ADAM. I WANT TO GIVE YOU UPDATE AS WELL. >> WELL, WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 6. >> I'M SORRY. I FORGOT THAT WE TOOK THAT OFF TO BRING IT DOWN THERE. [6. Workplace Culture Assessment Service Contract] WE'VE ITEM NUMBER 6 BACK UP TO THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT WAS TAKEN OFF. WE HAVE THE WORKPLACE CULTURE ASSESSMENT SERVICE CONTRACT. COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON WANTED THAT OFF. >> ADAM, WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE HR COMMITTEE. I REALIZED THAT DURING THAT CONVERSATION, I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAD AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT COSTS WOULD BE IF WE DO A PHASE 2 FOLLOWING THE PHASE 1 OF THE INITIAL EVALUATION OF THE ISSUES. >> WE WON'T KNOW THAT UNTIL PHASE 1 IS COMPLETE BECAUSE PHASE 1 IS WHAT WOULD DETERMINE THE SCOPE OF WHAT PHASE 2 WOULD BE. >> OKAY. >> WE WOULDN'T GET A COST FOR THAT UNTIL WE GET A REPORT. WHICH, IF ANY, PARTS OF THE PHASE 2 WE WANT TO DO. >> IT'S STILL TO COME. OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK I FULLY SUPPORT IT. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I NEED. >> DO WE HAVE A MOTION? >> SURE. >> MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE WORKPLACE CULTURE ASSESSMENT, SERVICE CONTRACT. >> WITH SAND CREEK ALLONE HEALTH. >> I'LL MAKE A SECOND. >> SECOND BY VEACH. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> THAT PASSES 4-0. WE GOT NUMBER 6 DONE. THAT'LL BRING US TO OUR COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS. [23. Review Council Committee Reports] I THINK WE HAVE TWO. WE HAVE THE HR COMMITTEE. I'LL TALK ON THAT ONE THIS TIME. WE HAD A NUMBER OF THINGS. WE HAD SOME ORGANIZATIONAL INITIATIVES. OUR IT DEPARTMENT HAS HAD A WHOLE LOT MORE IT NEED OVER THE YEARS WITH POLICE AND ALL THE BODY CAM FOOTAGE AND ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED, AS WELL AS JUST ALL THE ISSUES YOU NEED WITH TECHNOLOGY. WHAT WE ARE DOING IS WE'RE GOING TO CREATE AN IT MANAGER AND AN IT TECHNICIAN. WELL, RIGHT NOW, WE JUST HAVE ESSENTIALLY AN IT MANAGER SO WE NEED AN EXTRA PERSON, ESSENTIALLY, TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE ALL THE TECHNOLOGY THAT IS GOING ON, AND A LOT OF IT IS REALLY DRIVEN BY POLICE WITH ALL THE STUFF THAT THEY HAVE OVER THERE RIGHT NOW. WE'RE DOING THAT SO WE CAN BE STAFFED CORRECTLY FOR THAT. WE'VE GOT LOOKING AT A COMMUNICATIONS POSITION. WE'RE LOOKING AT GETTING A JOB DESCRIPTION PUT TOGETHER. I KNOW ADAM HAD BEEN DOING A NUMBER OF HIS CITY ADMINISTRATOR MEETINGS WHERE PEOPLE WERE SURPRISED THAT WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A COMMUNICATIONS PERSON. RIGHT NOW IT'S BEING DOLED OUT AND PIECEMEALED TO ALL THE DIFFERENT MANAGERS AROUND ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, AND NOBODY'S AN IT EXPERT TO DO WEBSITES OR ANYTHING ELSE SO NOBODY'S REALLY IN CHARGE. MAGGIE DOES AS GOOD JOB AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THAT KIND OF GO THROUGH HER DEPARTMENT. BUT WE'RE LOOKING TO GET A COMMUNICATION COORDINATOR ONE PERSON THAT CAN KIND OF HOUSE ALL THAT STUFF AND CHASE DOWN ALL THE COMMUNICATION THINGS THAT WE HAVE WITH THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS SO THEY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, AND THEY CAN HAVE A CHART AND CHECK IT OFF AND KNOW THAT WAS ONE PERSON TO GO TO WHERE WE REALLY DON'T HAVE THAT RIGHT NOW. WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT FOR GETTING ON THAT EARLY, MAYBE THIS YEAR STILL AND THEN WE'RE OBVIOUSLY GOING TO START TALKING ABOUT THAT FOR 2025 DURING THE BUDGET SEASON OF 2024. WE'RE LOOKING AT A NATURAL SERVICES PLANNING MANAGER, AND WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT ASSESSING THE NEED AND THE SCOPE OF THAT WITHIN THE CITY, BECAUSE WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE A LOT OF LAKES. WE HAVE TREE INVENTORIES, WE HAVE ALL SORTS OF STUFF GOING ON SO WE'RE TRYING TO BE COGNIZANT OF ALL THOSE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON TO HAVE SOMEBODY LIKE THAT, BUT NOTHING NEW ON THAT. WE DID GET A POLICE RECRUITING GRANT THAT WE GOT INTERVIEWS AWARDED FOR KIDS THAT WANT TO GET THEIR CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, WE'VE GOT THREE INTERVIEWS OF PEOPLE THAT WANT TO DO THAT AND CONTINUE THAT, SO WE'VE GOT GRANTS TO HELP THEM THROUGH WITH THAT PROCESS. TRYING TO BUILD A BENCH WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL, WHICH IS GREAT. WE ARE IMPLEMENTING A NEW POLICE SCHEDULING SYSTEM AND INTEGRATION WITH OUR CITY PAYROLL SYSTEM BEING WITH POLICE. WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT SCHEDULING ISSUES IN TERMS OF PUTTING IN PEOPLE'S HOURS, AND THEY'D HAVE TO PUT IT IN MULTIPLE PLACES, AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND BRING THAT ALL TOGETHER, SO WHEN THEY PUT IN THEIR HOURS IN THE MACHINE OF WHEN THEY'RE WORKING IT'LL ALL DIAL WRITE DOWN INTO SPREADSHEETS, THEY WILL HAVE TO ENTER AT ONCE AND GET ALL THE PAY TAKEN CARE OF, WHICH IS MAKE EVERYBODY PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT HAPPIER IN TERMS OF TIME FRAMES THAT THEY'RE DOING. THEN WE'RE ALSO REVIEWING ALL OF OUR ONBOARDING AND TRACKING SYSTEMS TO HELP THAT PROCESS AS WELL IN TERMS OF WHEN SOMEBODY COMES ON, THEY HAVE TO GET THEIR HEALTH FORMS. THEY HAVE TO GET THEIR CHECKING ACCOUNT OF DIRECT DEPOSITS, AND ALL THE DIFFERENT FORMS THAT WE HAVE THAT GO WITH THAT, TO BE ABLE TO TRACK THAT ONLINE WITH THAT PERSON TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S DONE SO WHEN THEY START ALL THEIR APPROPRIATE DOCUMENTS ARE TAKEN CARE OF. WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THE SAND CREEK THING THAT WE JUST APPROVED. WE'VE GOT A FEW DIFFERENT POTENTIAL ITEMS IN THE FUTURE, [02:15:01] BUT THAT I GUESS WE'LL TALK WHEN WE GET TO IT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER ITEMS, COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON, THAT YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT WE DID AS WELL, BUT THAT'S ABOUT ALL MY NOTES I GOT. >> NO. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD. >> WELL, I KNOW WE HAD A COMMUNICATIONS MEETING AS WELL. COUNCILMEMBER VEACH IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT? >> YOU SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT, BUT I CAN TALK ABOUT A HANDFUL OF THINGS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS INTERESTED IN WAYS TO ENGAGE WITH THE CITY, HOW TO BE A PART OF THE PROCESS. WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO BETTER ENHANCE THE TOOLS WE OFFER, ALLOWING NEW PEOPLE TO EXPLORE THE PROCESS AND THE AVENUES TO LEARN ABOUT CITY PROCEDURES. SO WHAT YOU SEE IN THE PACKET HERE IS SOME THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON. I'M PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. I THINK IT IS REALLY CLEAR. SOMETHING NICE TO FOLLOW ALONG. I'LL WAIT FOR ADAM TO PULL IT UP MAYBE. BUT ESSENTIALLY ON THE FRONT PAGE IS JUST A WELCOME. YOU SEE IT THERE WITH THE AGENDA QR CODE, WHERE TO FIND AGENDAS, WHERE TO FIND MINUTES, JUST SO YOU KNOW HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG. KNOWING THAT THIS IS SOME PEOPLE'S FIRST TIME COMING, IT CAN BE INTIMIDATING WE'VE HEARD. IT'S KIND OF A GOOD ENTRY WAY TO FOLLOW ALONG TO FIND PURPOSE, AND THEN MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHERE TO GO AFTER A MEETING TO FOLLOW UP ON THE BACK WAS AWESOME, JUST A ONE STOP SHOT FOR PEOPLE THAT LIKE THE WRITTEN, PRINTED VERSION OF WHAT'S AVAILABLE ONLINE, JUST CITY STAFF, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE MAYOR AND WAYS TO ENGAGE. THEN ON THE INSIDE, WE JUST OUTLINED MEETING PROCEDURES, WHICH I GUESS I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT TONIGHT, BUT WE TALKED ABOUT THE ORDER OF MEETING PROCEDURES AND WHY WE OUTLINED IT AS SUCH, HOW AND WHY MEETINGS ARE MADE. THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE AN AVENUE FOR THE CITY TO CONDUCT OFFICIAL BUSINESS. THAT IS WHAT IT IS. IT'S A BUSINESS MEETING. IT STARTS WITH THE CALL TO ORDER, THE APPROVAL AGENDA, THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHERE WE VOTE. I GUESS I DON'T NEED TO READ IT LINE BY LINE. THAT'S OVER THE TOP, BUT IT GOES THROUGH WHY WE PUT IT IN THE ORDER. NOT THAT WE CAN'T EVER SWITCH IT UP, BUT THE POINT OF A MEETING IS TO CONDUCT CITY BUSINESS. WE TALK ABOUT LATER THEN HOW PARTICIPATION FROM THE PUBLIC COMES INTO PLAY DURING A MEETING, ASK ABOUT MEETING DECORUM AND THEN WAYS TO ENGAGE. WE KIND OF OUTLINE DIFFERENT WAYS WHERE PUBLIC COMMENT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU SAID, AND I'D LOVE TO GIVE YOU MORE TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT IF YOU'D LIKE. BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT. >> PUBLIC COMMENT. >> I'M SORRY. >> GREAT. >> ARE YOU ASKING ME A QUESTION? I THOUGHT THIS WAS A COUNCIL OR A COMMITTEE REPORT. [OVERLAPPING] >> I'M SORRY, I WAS GOING BACK TO REFERENCING WHAT YOU ASKED. >> I HAVE QUESTIONS ON THIS, BUT I'LL SAVE THEM TILL THE END. >> SOUNDS GOOD. IT WAS JUST ABOUT DIFFERENT WAYS TO ADDRESS AND TO GET INFORMATION SUBMITTED AND MAKE SURE THAT WAS VERY OPEN. I GUESS WE CAN STOP HERE OR SHOULD I KEEP GOING? >> IT WAS JUST AN UPDATE AS WE'RE JUST GETTING THIS ORGANIZED, GET COMMENTS FROM EVERYBODY ONCE ADAM SENDS IT OUT FOR PEOPLE TO LOOK AT. >> I APPRECIATE THAT. >> WERE YOU FINISHED? >> I CAN KEEP GOING ON THE UPDATE IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE UP OR TALK ABOUT IT NOW. >> I DO HAVE QUESTIONS ON THIS IN PARTICULAR. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GO TO MORE UPDATE. I LIKE THE IDEA THAT WE HAVE SETTING EXPECTATIONS ABOUT HOW MEETINGS HAPPEN, WHETHER IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING OR JUST REGULAR PUBLIC COMMENT AND ALSO MAKING THE WEBSITE AND INFORMATION ACCESSIBLE. MY COMMENTS ABOUT THE CONTENT IN PARTICULAR MEETING DECORUM IS THAT, AND THESE HAVE BECOME LEGAL ISSUES. AS A COUNCIL, WE CAN ENCOURAGE THAT CITIZENS SPEAK POLITELY OR WHATNOT, BUT WE CANNOT ENFORCE A REQUIREMENT TO DO THAT. ALSO, REGARDING RULES OF CIVILITY, THOSE PERTAIN TO COUNSEL, BUT DO NOT APPLY TO COMMENTS MADE BY OTHER PEOPLE WHO CHOOSE TO SAY SOMETHING AT THE PODIUM. WE GET INTO AND I'VE READ ABOUT THIS AND TAKEN SOME TRAINING RECENTLY, AND THIS IS A LEGAL ISSUE THAT I THINK OUR ATTORNEY, WHETHER IT'S WHAT PEOPLE CAN SAY, HOW THEY CAN SAY IT AND/OR THE IDEA OF DISRUPTION, AND WHAT CONSTITUTES IT NEEDS TO BE RUN PAST COUNCIL. BECAUSE TALKING ABOUT PARTICIPANTS ARE EXPECTED TO TREAT EACH OTHER WITH RESPECT AND COURTESY AND ATTENDEES SHOULD LISTEN ATTENTIVELY. WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO IS SET AN EXPECTATION THAT COUNCIL OR THAT WE CANNOT LEGALLY ENFORCE. >> YOU STARTED OUT WITH SAYING THAT I DON'T THINK YOU SAID IT WAS YOUR LEGAL OPINION, [02:20:04] BUT YOU FELT THAT THE LAW STATED WHAT? >> THAT A COUNSEL CAN ENCOURAGE THAT CITIZENS SPEAK POLITELY, BUT CANNOT ENFORCE A REQUIREMENT TO DO SO DURING COMMENT. THE SAME FOR, I THINK, ON THE OTHER PAGE, WE HAD SOMETHING HERE ABOUT NO PERSONAL ATTACKS. I DON'T BELIEVE, AND YOU WOULD NEED TO SPEAK TO THIS THAT WE HAVE A CAPACITY OR ANY COUNCIL HAS A CAPACITY TO INFORM THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT THEY CAN AND CAN'T SAY DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, EVEN IF IT IS A CRITICISM OF A COUNCIL MEMBER. >> WELL, AS A LIMITED PUBLIC FORUM. I DO BELIEVE A COUNCIL HAS THE ABILITY TO SAY HERE SOME OF THE GROUND RULES WITH WHICH WE BELIEVE PEOPLE SHOULD ADDRESS. SEEKING COURTESY, SEEKING CERTAIN DECORUM, IF YOU WILL. WHEN YOU SAY ENFORCEMENT, DO I THINK THAT IF SOMEONE CHOOSES TO USE PROFANITY OR CRITICIZE THE COUNCIL THAT THAT'S GROUNDS TO REMOVE THEM PHYSICALLY? NO, I DO NOT. >> I'M GOING TO JUST TO INTERRUPT. I WAS GOING TO BRING THIS BACK TO THE ITEM THAT WE'RE ON. THIS IS A COMPLETELY SEPARATE ITEM THAT WE CAN GET TO EITHER AT A WORK SESSION, BUT IT'S NOT AN ITEM FOR DISCUSSION, AND CHANGING. IT WAS JUST MORE OF AN UPDATE AS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GETTING READY TO SEND OUT TO COUNSEL. EVERYBODY CAN GET THEIR COMMENTS IN. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GIVEN TO ANYBODY RIGHT NOW. >> I BELIEVE THIS WAS A TIME TO GIVE FEEDBACK, BUT IT'S NOT WHICH IS FINE. >> THIS IS JUST HER COMMITTEE REPORT. IS ALL THIS IS. >> THAT'S FINE. THEN I'LL HOLD THE REST OF MY COMMENTS. >> SURE. WE WERE STARTING TO START THAT CONVERSATION AND MAKE SURE EVERYBODY WAS LEVEL SET ON THAT. THEN WE WOULD HAVE THE PAMPHLET HANDED OUT, THEN HAVE THE COMMENT OR WHATEVER WAS DECIDED POSTED DURING PUBLIC COMMENT JUST WITH REMINDERS THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE CLOCK. THEN JUST A REMINDER OF THE ROLE OF THE MAYOR IS TO AND IT RUN THE MEETING TO MAKE SURE MEETINGS ARE HELD TO THE THREE MINUTE TIMES OR WHATEVER RULES WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE FOLLOW AGENDA. THOSE ARE ALL THE RULES OF A MAYOR. WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT HOW THIS WILL BE VERY HELPFUL ONCE WE HAVE A COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR TO HELP US INITIATE SUCH PROJECTS LIKE THIS, WAYS TO ENGAGE PEOPLE, BUT A HUGE THANKS TO CHRISTINE AND ADAM, WHO ARE TRYING TO HELP FIND MORE WAYS TO CONNECT AND COMMUNICATE. IN THE MEANTIME, WHEN WE FIND SOMEONE. WE TALKED SOME ABOUT PROCESS AND GETTING MORE INFORMATION OUT ABOUT THAT AND TALKED ABOUT WHERE TO FIND INFORMATION. WE'VE REFERENCED THAT BEFORE EARLIER TONIGHT LOOKING ON THE CIP, TO FIND PARK PLANNING OR FIRE DEPARTMENT PLANNING IS A REALLY GREAT RESOURCE. THEN ALL OF THIS BRINGS US BACK KIND OF TO NEEDING A DEPARTMENT PERSON, SO WE CAN EXPLORE ALL OF THIS. WE LOOKED INTO SUBCONTRACTING, BUT THAT ROLE IS COST PROHIBITIVE AND NOT A LONG TERM SOLUTION. THE ROLE COULD VASTLY HELP COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN DEPARTMENT LEADS BETWEEN COUNCIL MEMBERS AND BETWEEN COMMUNITY. AFTER CALLING OTHER CITIES, WE FOUND, LIKE DENNY HAD SAID, MANY STAFF, NOT ONE BUT TWO PEOPLE IN THIS ROLE AND CONSIDERED A VITAL ASPECT OF CITY BUSINESS. IT WOULD ALSO HELP US NAVIGATE THE NEW DESIGN OF THE WEBSITE COMING UP AND WOULD LIKELY BE THE EASIEST WAY FOR MEMBERS TO ENGAGE AND GET THE PROPER ATTENTION. >> IS THERE A PLAN TO REDESIGN THE WEBSITE AGAIN? >> THAT'S WHAT HE TALKED ABOUT AT OUR LAST MEETING THAT IT'S UP FOR CONTRACT EVERY. >> I BELIEVE IT'S NEXT YEAR. >> NEXT YEAR. I WILL ADD THAT I DID MENTION BECAUSE YOU'VE MENTIONED A FEW THINGS ABOUT A COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR. I WILL MENTION THAT MY ONE PIECE OF FEEDBACK IN THE HR COMMITTEE, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT A COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR IS THAT THIS IS NOT A POSITION THAT'S WAS BUDGETED FOR IN 2024 AND THAT RATHER THAN A JOB DESCRIPTION, MY INPUT WAS, WE NEED TO NEED A NEEDS ANALYSIS ABOUT WHY THAT POSITION IN PARTICULAR IS IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S TO COME OR BEING PROPOSED TO COME IN 2024, THAT I WOULD WANT TO SEE MORE ANALYSIS RATHER THAN JUST A JOB DESCRIPTION. >> [OVERLAPPING] THAT WASN'T GOING TO BE? >> YES. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANKS. >> WELL, THAT'LL BRING US TO OUR PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION, WHICH IS LIMITED TO [OVERLAPPING]. >> MR. MARI ONE THING I DID ALSO HAVE ON THE AGENDA IS JUST TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE DID HAVE A LEGAL COMMITTEE MEETING TODAY. >> OH, THAT'S TRUE. WE DID. >> I KNEW IT WAS COMING UP, SO I DID PUT IT ON THE COUNCIL ITEM. WE DID HAVE ONE TO DISCUSS UPCOMING MEDIATION. >> NOTHING TO TALK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT'S PRIVILEGED. >> WAS THIS SOMETHING THAT WAS SCHEDULED OR? >> IT WAS SCHEDULED FOR TODAY. YES. [02:25:02] >> COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON, LITIGATION COUNSEL REQUESTED A QUICK MEETING TO DISCUSS MEDIATION, WHICH IS AND I'M NOT PREPARED NOR WOULD I DISCUSS THE CONTENT OF THAT DISCUSSION AT AN OPEN MEETING, BUT IT WAS REQUESTED BY LITIGATION COUNSEL. >> UNDERSTOOD. MY FEEDBACK ON THAT, AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE IS THAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR A LEGAL COMMITTEE WHEN WE HAVE A COUNCIL WHO HAS GIVEN DIRECTION ABOUT OUR LEGAL STRATEGY. THANK YOU. >> I'LL BRING US TO OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS. [Public Comments] THIS IS LIMITED TO 3 MINUTES A PERSON. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL. THE COUNCIL WILL NOT ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION OR TAKE ACTION ON ITEMS PRESENTED AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER, THE COUNCIL MAY REFER ISSUES TO STAFF OR FOLLOW UP OR CONSIDERATION IN A FUTURE MEETING. SPEAKERS SHOULD STATE THEIR NAME AND HOME ADDRESS AND CITY AT THE PODIUM BEFORE SPEAKING. THE COUNCIL WILL FIRST OPEN THE PODIUM TO ORONO RESIDENTS BEFORE OPENING THE PODIUM TO ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL. I KNOW I WILL SAY THAT SOMEBODY ASKED ME BEFORE IF I'M FROM ORONO, AND I WANT TO SPEAK, CAN I WAIT TILL THE END? THE ANSWER IS YES, WE'RE JUST RESERVING THE BEGINNING FOR ORONO RESIDENTS. ONCE THOSE PEOPLE ARE DONE THAT WANT TO COME UP FIRST, IT'S OPEN FOR EVERYBODY ELSE. WE'LL START WITH ANY ORONO RESIDENTS WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP. YOU CAN STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. COME ON UP. >> I'M PAUL RAYMOND. MY WIFE AND I LIVE ON CRYSTAL BAY ROAD. I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. I LIVE NEXT DOOR TO THE HAFERS PROGRAM YOU APPROVED EARLIER. I WAS CURIOUS WHY WHEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION MAKES ALL KINDS OF NIST TO A PROJECT, YOU WITHOUT ANY HESITATION, WOULD GO OVER IT AND SAY, OH, THAT'S OKAY. I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY THAT WOULD BE. I MEAN, IT MUST BE FRUSTRATING TO BE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION. WHEN THEY SAY THAT A PROJECT SHOULDN'T BE DONE, AND YOU JUST OVERRIDE IT. IT DIDN'T TAKE 2 SECONDS. I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY THAT WOULD BE. THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS THE PLANNING COMMISSION MADE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS IN OUR PROJECT. I INITIALLY DID SUPPORT THE PROJECT NEXT DOOR TO MY HOUSE, ALTHOUGH I HAD SOME CONCERNS. MY QUESTION I KNOW NOW IS, ARE MY CONCERNS STILL GOING TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION THAT I HAD NOW THAT YOU'VE APPROVED THIS PROGRAM? >> I GUESS I'D HAVE TO REFER YOU TO ADAM AND LAURA. THEY'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF ALL OF THOSE QUESTIONS FOR YOU. >> THEN THE OTHER THING IS, WHO IS THE COUNCILMAN FOR MY AREA? >> THERE IS NO AREA. >> THERE'S NO AREA. I APPRECIATE THAT. SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT I HAD ON THIS PROJECT, WOULD SOMEBODY BE ABLE FROM THE COUNCIL BE ABLE TO COME OUT SO I COULD SHOW PRECISELY WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. >> GIVE ME A CALL. >> THAT WOULD BE GREAT. I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. I JUST WANTED TO SAY I APPLAUD YOU FOR SUPPORTING YOUR PLANNING COMMISSION ON THAT PROJECT. YOU WERE THE ONLY ONE WHO DID, AND I APPLAUD YOU FOR THAT. I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WHY YOU HAVE A PLANNING COMMISSION. I'LL CALL YOU AND I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT. AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, I INITIALLY SUPPORTED THEIR HOME EXPANSION, BUT I HAD SOME CONCERNS, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE ARE STILL ADDRESSED. THE ONLY OTHER THING I WANT TO SAY IS MY HOME DOES MEET YOUR SETBACK REQUIREMENTS AND HARD COVER REQUIREMENTS, AND I'M AN OUTLIER, BUT I'M THE LAST ONE. I JUST WAS SHOCKED THAT IT JUST WITHOUT A INSTANT. IT WAS ALL KINDS OF CONCERNS, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EITHER THE PLANNING COMMISSION OR YOU COME OUT TO ADDRESS MY CONCERNS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANKS. ANYBODY ELSE FROM ORONO TONIGHT THAT I'D LIKE TO COME UP? >> HONORABLE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS MARK ROLL. I LIVE AT 801 TACOA ROAD. I LIVED IN CALIFORNIA AND CAME UP HERE 19 YEARS AGO TO BUY MY DREAM HOUSE. I WASN'T EVEN SURE WHAT CITY IT WAS IN. I KNEW AT LAKE IT WAS IN. I STARTED EXPLOING AROUND THE CITY A LITTLE BIT TO SEE WHERE I WAS LIVING. FIRST THING I DID WAS OPEN A POST OFFICE BOX AT THE CRYSTAL BAY POST OFFICE, [02:30:04] AND I DROVE IN THERE, AND I NOTICED THAT THE PARKING LOT WAS VERY POCKMARKED A LOT OF POTHOLES, AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT BECAUSE I FIGURED THAT OVER CITY, AND I THEN FOUND OUT THAT WAS THE FORMER CITY HALL. I COULDN'T TAKE CARE OF DRIVEWAYS AND STREETS, AND I NOTICED IT WAS SOMEWHAT OF A PROBLEM A LITTLE MORE LIKE A THIRD WORLD QUALITY THAN THE CITY I MOVED INTO. I'M VERY HAPPY TO NOTE IN THE LAST 5, 6, 7 YEARS THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. ALSO, I DECIDED THAT WITH RETIREMENT, IT WAS ABOUT TIME I LEARNED HOW TO GOLF, AND I DIDN'T WANT TO SLOW PEOPLE DOWN AT A SERIOUS COURSE, SO I CHECKED OUT THE PUBLIC GOLF COURSE. IT WAS IN BAD SHAPE. A LOT OF DRAINAGE PROBLEMS, TERRIBLE GRASS MAINTENANCE. I ENDED UP JOINING LAFAYETTE FOR SEVERAL YEARS. I WENT BACK THIS SATURDAY. IT WAS FANTASTIC. THE GREENS WERE IN PERFECT CONDITION. FAIRWAYS ARE IN GREAT CONDITION, FRIENDLY STAFF AT THE CLUB. BUT NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED. THE PLACE IS CROWDED, SO I WAS REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR AND SLOW. I WAS REALLY HAPPY. >> I SHOULD HAVE CAME SUNDAY. >> YEAH. >> DIFFERENT STORY. >> YEAH. I WAS REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT YOUR PARKS COMMISSIONER GUY IS GOING TO GET A RANGER OUT THERE. YOU MIGHT ALSO CONSIDER RESTRICTING ON WEEKENDS TO USING THE GOLF CARDS BECAUSE IT'S A TOUGH COURSE TO WALK GOING UP HILL, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK. I THANK YOU FOR THE WORK ON THAT. MY CLOSING THOUGHT IS ON FIRE DEPARTMENT. SUNDAY, WE WERE OUT FOR A WALK AND NOTICE THAT UGLY BLACK PLUMA SMOKE COMING UP FROM THAT HORRIBLE HOUSE FIRE. I WAS QUICKLY REMINDED THAT THAT'S ONE OF MY BIG FEARS IS HAVING MY DREAM HOUSE BURNT DOWN. I'M VERY HAPPY THAT ONO IS GOING TO HAVE A PROFESSIONAL, DEDICATED FIRE DEPARTMENT. I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR DOING THAT WORK, AND I DON'T MIND PAYING A FEW EXTRA BUCKS AND PROPERTY TAX FOR THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE FROM ONO? >> ANNIE SIKIE 2874 CASCO ROAD. THREE THINGS. I'VE CALLED THIS INTO THE CITY AND I'VE TOLD THE PATROLMAN THAT THE STOP SIGN FOR BOWS POINT AS IT ENTERS THAT, IS IT NORTH SHORE? IT IS TURNED. IT'S IN THE LINE OF NORTH SHORE, BUT IT'S CROOKED. IT'S AND IF IT'S FOUR NORTH SHORE, IT SHOULD BE ON THIS SIDE, NOT ON THAT SIDE. THAT SIGN, I THINK, BELONGS ON BOWS POINT, IT'S TURNED. THAT'S A SAFETY THING FOR THE INTERSECTION. THAT'S THE FIRST THING. SECOND THING IS I AM WORRIED ABOUT THE ADDITION THAT'S HAPPENING. IT'S 36 BY 14'8. THAT ADDITION IS 169,000. IT'S OVER $300 A SQUARE FOOT. YOU'VE GOT FOR REAL USE IN CASE OF A FIRE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE BACKING IN YOUR VEHICLE AND THE ACCESS TO IT WHERE THE GATE IS, WHERE THE DRIVEWAY IS, YOU'RE GOING TO AND YOU'RE GOING UPHILL AND IT'S A CURVE. IT BETTER BE A SMALLER VEHICLE. TURNING RADIUS. SOMEBODY'S GOT TO CHECK THE TURNING RADIUS ON WHATEVER VEHICLE YOU'RE CHECKING BECAUSE YOU'RE PUTTING IT IN BACKWARDS. TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS IT EXTERIOR, IN CASE OF FIRE. THEN THE THIRD COMMENT IS, I'M SO GLAD. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN BENSON AND COUNCILMAN BEACH FOR FINALLY, TALKING ABOUT A DIFFERENT MANAGEMENT MODEL. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR QUESTIONS, COUNCILMAN BENSON. I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THEM, AND I TOTALLY LIKE THE DETAIL THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR BECAUSE THAT'S BEEN A QUESTION THAT I'VE HAD ALL ALONG. THANK YOU FOR ASKING THOSE THINGS. THANK YOU FOR GETTING WORKING WITH LONG LAKE. IT'S BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN NERVOUS ABOUT JULY FIRS STAGING IT. FIRST OF ALL, IF IF IT'S A PROFESSIONAL STATION, IT SHOULD BE READY TO GO. YOU SHOULDN'T NEED A TEST AREA. I FEEL LIKE CASCO POINT, WHERE I LIVE IS A TEST AREA. WE NOW HAVE INSTEAD OF 42 PEOPLE AVAILABLE, WE HAVE 22. BUT REALLY, THAT'S NINE. BECAUSE IF IT'S A THIRD PLUS PEOPLE THAT ARE PERMANENT, AND YOU REALLY CAN'T COUNT THE TWO GUYS THAT ARE STILL IN TRAINING. THEY'RE NOT REALLY THERE'S A REASON YOU NEED 18 MONTHS OF TRAINING. THEN SO I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THAT JULY FIRS DATE. [02:35:01] SINCE WE STILL HAVE THAT CONTRACT, I WOULD JUST ASSUME IF YOU WANT TO DO THOSE OPERATIONS AND THOSE TEST THINGS, DO THEM WITH THE EXISTING CONTRACT. STAGE IT OUT, BUT DON'T MAKE IT A STATEMENT. OUR INSURANCE RATES WILL BECAUSE IT'S UNTESTED. >> PENNY, THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. >> YEAH. ADAM, WOULD YOU MIND FOLLOWING UP ON THAT STOP SIGN, ADDING THAT TO THE LIST. THANK YOU. >> ANYBODY ELSE TONIGHT THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP? >> HUNTER 2160 WEBER HILLS ROAD. I JUST WANTED TO THANK WITH ALL MY HEART AND APPRECIATE THE JOB THAT THE LONG LAKE AND I MEANT LONG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT DID YESTERDAY ON A HOUSE FIRE. IT SEEMS TO THE RESPONSE TIME SEEMED GREAT. THE COORDINATION BETWEEN THE FIVE COMPANIES THAT WERE THERE SEEMED GOOD. MY IMPRESSION IS THAT THEY KNOCKED THAT THING DOWN IN ABOUT 45 MINUTES. IT WAS A ROARING FIRE BECAUSE THE PEOPLE OF SHEVLIN AND WEBER HILLS ROAD FROM WHERE I AM WERE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE JOB THEY WERE DOING TO KEEP THAT FIRE TOTALLY UNDER CONTROL. BUT IT WAS TO SEE THEM IN ACTION AND SEE WHAT THE PROPERTY LOOKS LIKE TODAY SHOWS A REAL PROFESSIONALISM, AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR EFFORTS. >> THANK YOU, ANYBODY ELSE FROM MORROW TONIGHT? >> JOHN MASSES 1735 FOX STREET. I JUST BUILT A NEW HOUSE AND MOVED IN ON MAY 1ST. IF I UNDERSTAND, IF WE LIVE IN ORONO, WE GET MEDIACOM TO PROVIDE INTERNET SERVICE. WE SENT THEM A LETTER ON MARCH 27, ASKING FOR INTERNET SERVICE, AND THEY SENT US A RESPONSE BACK AND SAID THEY'D BE THERE THE NEXT DAY, MARCH 28TH. WELL, IT'S NOW MAY, WHATEVER DAY IT IS, AND WE STILL DON'T HAVE ANY INTERNET SERVICE. THEY PROMISED AT LEAST EIGHT TIMES THAT IT WILL BE DONE TOMORROW, AND EVIDENTLY, THEY FEEL THEY HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO ANYONE TO GET ANYTHING DONE. I GOT ONE LETTER BACK FROM THEM THAT SAID, GOOD NEWS THAT'S ALREADY BEEN PUT IN TO YOUR HOUSE. THAT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF APRIL. NOBODY CAME, NOTHING WAS DONE. ANOTHER TIME, I CALLED AND WE SAID, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE INTERNET AND THEY SAID, AT MEDIACOM WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING WE NEED TO DO, BUT THE PEOPLE AT THE CITY OF ORONO HAVEN'T DONE THEIR PART SO THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT'S HOLDING BACK INSTALLATION OF YOUR INTERNET. I CAME OVER TO THE CITY HERE, A, AND THEY SAID, NO, PEOPLE AT ORONO HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT INTERNET SERVICE WHATSOEVER. NEXT TIME THEY TOLD US IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND ANYONE THAT CAN GIVE ANY SERVICE DIRECTION ON THIS PROCESS AT ALL. I GOT FINALLY THEY TOLD ME WE FOUND SOMEBODY HIGHER UP IN THE ORGANIZATION, AND THEY'LL TALK TO YOU, TALK TO THIS WONDERFUL GENTLEMAN. AS WE PUT OUT THE QUESTIONS, HE SAID, WELL, I CAN'T HELP YOU. I LIVE IN IOWA. I'VE NEVER BEEN TO MINNESOTA. IT'S A FIASCO OVER THERE. THEY HAVE NO INTENTION OF DOING ANYTHING. I DON'T KNOW WHY WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEM IF THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO PROVIDE ANY SERVICE. SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE. THANKS. >> I REFER YOU OVER TO ADAM. ADAM, WE HAVE A CONTACT AT MEDIACOM THAT WE DEAL WITH, RIGHT? >> WE HAVE A GOVERNMENT CONTACT. >> WE HAVE A GOVERNMENT CONTACT THAT HE CAN GET YOU IN TOUCH WITH. [BACKGROUND] IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE FROM ORONO THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT? >> MR. MAYOR, CAN I JUST REAL QUICK ADJUST MEDIACOM? MEDIACOM DOESN'T HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF ORONO. [02:40:02] MEDIACOM, THEY HAVE WHAT'S CALLED A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH ORONO, WHICH IS JUST AN AGREEMENT THAT ALLOWS THEM TO PUT THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN OUR RIGHT OF WAYS. THERE'S NO AGREEMENT WITH US AND THERE'S ALSO IT'S NOT A LIMITING AGREEMENT. IF ANOTHER PROVIDER WANTED TO COME IN AND ESTABLISH A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WHICH JUST GOVERNS HOW THAT HAPPENS, THEY COULD. IT'S NOT EXCLUSIVE. NOBODY HAS DONE THAT. >> THEY ARE THE ONLY ONE WE HAVE. >> THEY'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO HAVE COME INTO OUR CITY, YES. OTHER THAN THESE OTHER OPTIONS NOW WITH YOUR WIRELESS AND YOUR CELLULAR TYPE SERVICES, WHICH DON'T NEED A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH US. >> DIDN'T LOOK LIKE THERE'S ANY MORE FROM ORONO. I'LL JUST OPEN IT UP TO THE REST OF THE GROUP WHO WANT TO COME UP. >> RICHIE ANDERSON. I LIVE AT 3205 CRYSTAL BAY ROAD. MR. CROW PAYS TAXES, BUT I THINK I'M THE TOP TEN AND ORONO PAID TAXES. I LIKE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ALSO. MR. SHEA WAS TALKING ABOUT HIS GROUP OF FIREFIGHTERS, AND HE PRESENTED THE SPIRIT OF THE NEW ORONO FIREFIGHTERS. I SAID, I'M VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE GAME PLAN THAT THE GROUP CAME THAT ADOPTED. IN CLOSING, HE TALKED ABOUT PRIDE, THE PRIDE OUR GROUP TAKES IN THE OFD, PRESERVE ORONO PRIDE. WE GOT YOU BACK. I JUST WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT. FIRED UP CONVERSATION I HAD WITH A YOUNG KID THAT'S A FIREFIGHTER, THE OTHER DAY. LIFELONG ORONO RESIDENT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ORONO PRIDE. HE MIGHT HAVE A TATTOO ON HIS REAR END, BUT I'M NOT SURE. LIFETIME RESIDENT, GRADUATED FROM ORONO, WIFE IS AN ORONO RESIDENT ALL HER LIFE, GRADUATED FROM ORONO. HE JOINS, SHE SUPPORTS, AND THE KIDS SHARE THEIR DAD. PRESERVE ORONO PRIDE, WAY OF LIFE, SCHOOL, PUBLIC WORKS, AND POLICE. THESE YOUNG KIDS ARE GETTING OUT THERE, AND I HAPPENED TO MENTION YOU'RE PUTTING YOUR LIFE IN DANGER, YOU MIGHT NOT COME HOME SOMEDAY. I DIDN'T REALIZE THE THOUGHT THAT GOES THROUGH A WIFE AND A MOTHER OF A COUPLE OF KIDS. THE NAY SAY OF ALL THIS STUFF, THESE KIDS HAVE TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE THEIR BACK AND I'M PROUD TO BE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAS THEIR BACK. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FIREFIGHTERS. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A FIRE STATION. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FIREFIGHTERS THAT HAVE COMMITTED TO DO THIS JOB IN ORONO, BECAUSE THEY TAKE PRIDE IN ORONO. THEY LIKE ORONO'S WAY OF LIFE. THEY LIKE WHAT WE ARE. THEY COMMIT TO THE PROGRAM. ELEVEN FIREFIGHTERS, WE'LL HAVE WHATEVER WE NEED BECAUSE THESE ORONO KIDS ARE WILLING TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY GREW UP IN. THEY LIKE THE WAY OF LIFE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT? >> NEWCOMER OLD LONG LAKE ROAD. COUPLE OF THINGS. ONE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK AND IS MORE OF A REQUEST. I KNOW THAT WE DON'T ENGAGE BACK AND FORTH DURING THIS. YOU HAVE A COFFEE WITH THE MAYOR COMING UP NEXT MONTH. MY REQUEST WOULD BE SO WE CAN HAVE MORE OF AN ENGAGEMENT AROUND SOME OF THE FIRE BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND A LOT OF THE TERMINOLOGY THAT GOES ON WITH THIS. BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ACTUALLY RETIRED FIREFIGHTERS WHO LIVE IN THIS AREA WHO DO KNOW THAT TERMINOLOGY AND WOULD LIKE TO ENGAGE IN A CONVERSATION. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF YOU WOULD INVITE THE FIRE CHIEF AND THE CURRENT TRAINING OFFICER TO COFFEE WITH THE MAYOR SO WE CAN HAVE MORE OF AN ENGAGEMENT AROUND SOME OF THOSE TACTICAL OPTIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, HMC MVAS WITH ENTRAPMENT AND WHETHER POLICE WILL WORK WITH THAT OR NOT WITH THAT. THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO THAT. POLICE AREN'T EQUIPPED WITH TURNOUTS. NEITHER IS HENNEPIN COUNTY EMS. THEY SHOULDN'T BE ON SCENE OF A MVA. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT. ANOTHER ONE THAT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT, AND I KNOW THE CHIEF MAY HAVE RELAYED THIS TO YOU. EVERYBODY IN THIS COUNTRY RIGHT NOW WHO SUPPORTS A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT IS STRUGGLING TO GET MEMBERS. EVERYONE. YOU GUYS ARE STRUGGLING, LONG LAKE STRUGGLING. THIS ENTIRE AREA, ESPECIALLY MINNESOTA, WITH A HUGE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT CONTINGENCY IS STRUGGLING. THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT MAKE FIREFIGHTERS QUIT; TOO MUCH TRAINING, TOO MANY REQUIREMENTS, TOO MUCH TIME, TOO MUCH ENERGY INTO A VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENT, AND THE OTHER ONE IS THE INABILITY TO GO ON CALLS. [02:45:01] IF THEY DON'T GET THE CALLS, THEY DO ALL THE TRAINING, AND THEY DON'T GO ON CALLS, THEY TEND TO QUIT. THEY'RE NOT VALUED. ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT CAUSES THEM TO QUIT? WELL, LACK OF CALLS. BUT JUST AS THE CHIEF SAID TONIGHT, NAVARRE AREA ONLY HAS ROUGHLY WHAT 100 CALLS A YEAR. NINETY PERCENT OF THOSE CALLS ARE GOING TO BE HANDLED BY THE TWO PERSON CREW THAT'S ON THERE. SO WE'RE DOWN TO 40 CALLS A YEAR FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE VOLUNTEERS OUT THERE THAT THEY MAY GET TO BECAUSE THE ON DUTY CREWS ARE GOING TO HANDLE THAT. ONE OF THE DOWNFALLS, AND IT'S BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT THROUGHOUT LITERATURE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, DUTY CREW IMPLEMENTATION, WHICH YOU GUYS ARE DOING, AND I COMPLIMENT YOU ON IS THE DOWNFALL TO PEOPLE VOLUNTEERING. THEY NO LONGER CAN GO ON CALLS BECAUSE IT'S BEING HANDLED BY THE DUTY CREW, AND NAVARRE MAYBE EVEN IN THE FUTURE, HARDER TO STAFF. YOU GO FULL PAID FULL TIME. JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER AND THINK ABOUT. >> THANKS, TODD. ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TODAY? >> KELLY GRADY, 271 GREEN HILL LANE. AT THE APRIL 8TH COFFEE WITH THE MAYOR, MAYOR WALSH RESPONDED TO A CITIZEN AND A FORMER FIREFIGHTER WHO WAS URGING MAYOR WALSH AND COUNCILMEMBER VEACH WHO WAS ALSO IN ATTENDANCE, TO MOVE TOWARDS A SHARED SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR THE CITY OF LONG LAKE. MR. WELCH SAID, WE ARE ALL FOR SHARED SERVICES. WE HAVEN'T STOPPED TALKING ABOUT IT. IF YOU GO BACK TO CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD OVER THE YEARS, LONG LAKE IS STUCK. IF THEY DON'T HAVE SOME CONTROL, THEY AREN'T INTERESTED. I CAN'T CHANGE THAT. WE ARE GOING TO DO A SHARED SERVICES AGREEMENT, BUT SOMEBODY HAS TO COME AND SAY THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AND NOT HAVE ABSOLUTE CONTROL. TO BE CLEAR, LONG LAKE IS NOT PROPOSING A FIRE DEPARTMENT WHERE ANY CITY HAS A CONTROL, INCLUDING LONG LAKE. THEY ARE PROPOSING THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTS TO A FIRE BOARD. I THINK THAT WHAT MR. WELCH IS SAYING IS THAT ORONO IS INTERESTED IN A CONTRACT FOR SERVICES AGREEMENT THAT IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY ORONO, AND THAT IS NOT A SHARED SERVICES AGREEMENT. WHAT I READ IN YOUR LETTER, YOUR DRAFT LETTER, AND WHAT I HEARD HERE TONIGHT, AND WHAT I HAVE HEARD REPEATEDLY FROM THIS COUNCIL IS THANKS BUT NO THANKS AND A LOT OF CIRCULAR TALK. WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONSIDER OUR NEW PARTNERSHIP IDEAS, AKA, ORONO OWNED AND OPERATED. I AGREE WITH ALISA THAT THE LETTER NEEDS TO BE MORE SPECIFIC AND DOESN'T COME EVEN CLOSE TO ADEQUATELY REPRESENTING THE SENTIMENT I HEARD FROM COUNCILMEMBER VEACH HERE TONIGHT ABOUT HER IDEAL SCENARIO TO CONTINUE TO NEGOTIATE WITH LONG LAKE. THERE ARE FOUR THINGS I KNOW TO BE TRUE AND SOMETHING I HEARD HERE TONIGHT IS ORONO WAS UNDERSTAFFED. I HEARD ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RELATIVE TO THE CALL AREA, AND WHAT WE HEARD AT THE EVIDENTIARY HEARING IS FROM THE EXPERT WITNESSES THAT IF LONG LAKE HAD ONE HOUSE FIRE, THEY NEED MORE FIREFIGHTERS. THEY NEED THE NUMBER OF FIREFIGHTERS THEY HAVE TODAY BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO PUT 15 FIREFIGHTERS ON THAT FIRE GROUND. IF ONLY A THIRD OF THEM ARE SHOWING UP, THEY STILL NEED 45, AND THIS MARKET DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE ABLE TO PRODUCE THOSE FIREFIGHTERS. I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT A 20 YEAR VETERAN HERE TONIGHT AND THE CHIEF OF ORONO FIRE CANNOT ADEQUATELY EXPLAIN A PRETTY EASY QUESTION TO ALISA ABOUT HOW A CAR ACCIDENT WILL BE DEPLOYED WITHOUT THE HELP OF A SLIDE SHOW. ORONO IS UNDER EQUIPPED. WHILE ORONO AND THE CITY OF ORONO TOUTS APPEAR OPERATIONAL READINESS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, BEHIND CLOSED DOORS WE ALL KNOW THAT CHIEF ANILE AND THE CITY IS ASKING NEIGHBORING DEPARTMENTS TO BORROW EQUIPMENT. ORONO HAS NO BUILDING. ONLY TONIGHT, DID YOU APPROVE THE BUDGET FOR THE NAVARRE AREA. IT'S TROUBLING TO ME THAT YOU CANNOT ANSWER A PRETTY SIMPLE QUESTION THAT ALISA POSED ABOUT WHERE THE DUTY CREW WILL BE STATIONED. IT FEELS SAFE TO ASSUME THAT IT WILL BE THE OLD PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING, AND IT'S NOTABLE THAT THE DRIVE TIME FROM HERE TO THERE IS 12 MINUTES, NOT 6-7. ORONO HAS NO DETAILED BUDGET. THIS IS MY BIGGEST UMBRAGE. I HEARD AT THE COFFEE WITH THE MAYOR THAT THAT WON'T BE PRESENTED UNTIL JULY, AND THAT IS AFTER YOU ALL HAVE TAKEN OVER SERVICES. HOW IS THAT ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITIZENS WHO ARE MEANT TO PAY FOR THESE SERVICES WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR OVER A YEAR. WE ARE 49 DAYS AWAY FROM JULY 1. I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED. >> IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT? SEEING NONE. I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND I'LL BRING IT BACK UP TO THE COUNCIL FOR MAYOR COUNCIL REPORT. COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON. [Mayor/Council Report] >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE PUBLIC COMMENT REINSTATED TO THE BEGINNING OF MEETINGS. I THINK THIS STEP WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO DEMONSTRATE THIS COUNCIL'S GOODWILL TOWARD THE COMMUNITY. COUNCIL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING THE CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT WITHIN THE CITY BECAUSE EVERY DECISION MADE IN THE CITY STARTS HERE, AND IF WE'RE GOING TO SAY THAT RESIDENTS COME FIRST, THEN WE SHOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO SHOW IT. ALSO, HAVING PUBLIC COMMENTS TOWARD THE BEGINNING OF MEETING IS A WAY FOR COUNCIL TO BE AS INFORMED AS POSSIBLE BEFORE WE VOTE. IT'S A GOOD IDEA ALSO TO HAVE BETTER COMMUNICATION ON OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES WITH THE PUBLIC. WE'VE DISCUSSED MEETING GUIDELINES FOR THOSE WHO ATTEND COUNCIL MEETINGS. [02:50:02] HOWEVER, WRITTEN COMMUNICATION IS ONLY AS EFFECTIVE AS COUNCIL'S WILLINGNESS TO DEMONSTRATE BY OUR ACTIONS THAT THESE EXPECTATIONS FIRST AND FOREMOST APPLY TO US. IN FACT, WE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE BOUND BY THE RULES OF DECORUM. THE PUBLIC IS NOT. REGARDLESS, WHEN OUR WORDS AND ACTIONS CONFLICT WITH EACH OTHER, IT'S APPARENT TO THOSE WE SERVE. ON THIS NOTE, COUNCIL IS MAKING MAJOR DECISIONS FOR THE CITY ON HOW TO PROVIDE SAFE, EFFECTIVE, FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE FIRE SERVICE. OUR STRUGGLES ULTIMATELY ARE NOT ABOUT THE DETAILS THAT WE DISCUSSED IN MANY MEETINGS LIKE WE DID TONIGHT. THE PROBLEMS WE ARE ENCOUNTERING AS A CITY ARE NOT ABOUT FIREFIGHTERS, BUILDINGS, AND EQUIPMENT. THE ROOT CAUSE CAN BE TRACED TO THE MISSION STATEMENT OF THE CITY OF ORONO. OUR MISSION IS THE HEADWATER FROM WHICH ALL DECISIONS SHOULD FLOW. ANY MISSION OF AN ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHICH WE HEARD ABOUT TONIGHT IS SECONDARY TO THAT OF OUR CITY AND CAN ONLY BE CARRIED OUT IF WE AS A CITY ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR PRIMARY CITY MISSION. I DO NOT DOUBT THAT THE MISSION AND VALUES OF THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT ARE WELL CONSIDERED. IT IS STILL DEPENDENT ON THAT OF THE CITY AS A WHOLE. THE CITY OF ORONO'S MISSION STATEMENT STARTS WITH THIS. THE CITY OF ORONO WILL PROVIDE EFFECTIVE GUIDANCE THROUGH PUBLIC POLICY ESTABLISHED FROM CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT. I'M GOING TO PAUSE HERE BECAUSE THESE TEN WORDS POINT OUT EXACTLY WHERE WE'VE LOST OUR WAY. PROVIDE EFFECTIVE GUIDANCE THROUGH PUBLIC POLICY ESTABLISHED FROM CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT. THE MISSION CONTINUES ON TO ADDRESS EMPOWERING STAFF AND PROVIDING A SAFE COMMUNITY FOR RESIDENTS. WE HAVE NOT ESTABLISHED OUR POLICIES ON FIRE SERVICE WITH CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT. OUR RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN KEPT FROM THE TABLE, BUT IT IS THEIR TAX DOLLARS THAT ARE USED TO FUND ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT STRATEGIC CHANGES IN OUR CITY'S HISTORY. THE PLAN TO BUILD, STAFF, AND FUND A FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT A VISIBLE PROCESS THAT ENGAGED THE COMMUNITY FROM THE OUTSET. STEPS WERE TAKEN INCREMENTALLY OVER TIME ONE BY ONE. A RESOLUTION WAS PASSED A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO TO CREATE AN ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE TIME THAT THIS RESOLUTION WAS DISCUSSED, AT THE TIME IT WAS DISCUSSED SIMPLY AS A PIECE OF PAPERWORK, BUT A RESOLUTION IS NOT JUST PAPERWORK, IT MEANS SOMETHING. THIS RESOLUTION WAS CREATED WITHOUT CLEAR ATTEMPTS TO EDUCATE OR INVOLVE THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE AFFECTED BY IT. THE ARGUMENT WAS MADE AND CONTINUES TO BE MADE THAT ORONO PAYING 85% OF LONG LAKE FIRE BUDGET IS OUTSIZED GIVEN THAT CALLS IN ORONO ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT 73% OF TOTAL LONG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLS. IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE OVERPAYING. ALSO, THE ARGUMENT WAS MADE THAT ORONO DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH CONTROL OVER SPENDING AND SETTING THE BUDGET. WE DID HAVE A GREAT DEGREE OF CONTROL OVER THE BUDGET BEING APPROVED OR DENIED AS THE LARGEST MEMBER CITY. I'M NOT GOING TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES IN DETAIL BECAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED AND DEBATED AT LENGTH. MY POINT IN BRINGING THEM UP IS THAT ORONO COUNCIL HAS VOICED CONCERNS MANY TIMES ABOUT FUNDING SOMETHING THAT WE AS A CITY, WE DID NOT FEEL WE HAD ENOUGH SAY IN. THAT IS PRECISELY WHAT ORONO RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN SINGING TO US. IT'S A TWO WAY STREET. WHAT WE EXPECT AS CITY LEADERS IN THIS CASE OF LONG LAKE IS ALSO WHAT'S EXPECTED OF US BY THE PEOPLE WE SERVE, THE RESIDENTS OF ORONO. IT'S NOT COMPLICATED, AND IT DOES MAKE SENSE. I CANNOT SUPPORT AN ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THE ANNUAL REPORTS FROM LONG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT DEMONSTRATE THAT OUR CITIZENS HAVE BEEN SAFE AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE UNDER THE SERVICES OF LONG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT. ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHANGES TO THE CONTRACT OR CHANGES TO THE STRUCTURE OF OVERSIGHT? THERE ARE, AND THESE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. THE MOST RECENT LETTER FROM LONG LAKE FIRE DEMONSTRATES A WILLINGNESS TO LOOK AT HOW OUR CITIES CAN BE BETTER SERVED BY PARTNERING GOING FORWARD. PERSONNEL ARE A PRECIOUS AND LIMITED RESOURCE, EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES ARE VERY EXPENSIVE, AND WE ARE BURDENING OUR RESIDENTS WITH 100% OF ALL FIRE DEPARTMENT COSTS, A FAR GREATER AMOUNT THAN PAYING 85% OF WHAT WE PAY LONG LAKE. WHEN THIS NUMBER IS PROJECTED OUT, IT IS HARD TO JUSTIFY, GIVEN THAT WE'VE AVERAGED ONE CALL PER YEAR, AND OUR CITY IS NOT RAPIDLY GROWING. THE STATEMENT THAT WE'RE BUILDING AN ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT TO BETTER SERVE OUR RESIDENTS MAY LOOK GOOD ON PAPER, BUT DOES NOT ALIGN WITH OUR MISSION STATEMENT BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT CONSULTED OUR PUBLIC IN A COMPREHENSIVE AND MEANINGFUL WAY FROM THE OUTSET. THIS REMAINS THE CASE, NO MATTER WHAT WE DO AT THIS POINT IN TIME. THE PROCESS HAS BEEN BUILT ON A FOUNDATION THAT LACKS ACCOUNTABILITY FROM COUNCIL. [02:55:05] THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH STAFF, INCLUDING ANY FIREFIGHTERS THE CITY HAS HIRED. I SUPPORT OUR MISSION TO INVOLVE CITIZENS IN DECISION MAKING, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO CRITICAL AND COSTLY EMERGENCY SERVICES. I DO NOT AGREE TO SPENDING ON AN ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THE PROCESS HAS STRAYED FAR FROM OUR MISSION AT THE OUTSET. WITH REGARD TO INVOLVING CITIZENS IN SETTING POLICY, THE QUESTION IS, WHEN DO WE DO THIS AS A CITY? ARE CITIZENS AN ACTIVE PART OF OUR PLANNING? ARE THEY PART OF OUR PROCESS, AND IF SO, HOW? WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SAY IT AND TO SHOW IT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. >> COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON. >> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO MY MOM AND MY WIFE AND ALL YOU MOTHERS OUT THERE. A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WAS JUST HEARD I WOULD SAY, YEAH, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE DID IS INCREMENTALLY START WORKING TOWARDS THIS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME THAT ABSOLUTELY INCLUDE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT'S COMING FROM, BUT THE OTHER THING IS THIS IDEA THAT 85% OF A BUDGET THAT'S A BIGGER BUDGET THAN YOUR OWN IS MORE MONEY. PAYING 85%, WE'RE ALSO PAYING FOR OTHER PEOPLE'S STUFF, AND WE KNOW THAT. THAT'S JUST TO ADDRESS THOSE COUPLE OF COMMENTS. BUT TURNING TO SOME OF THE PUBLIC QUESTIONS, LOOKS LIKE RAYMOND LEFT. HE WAS ASKING ABOUT THE PLANNING COMMISSION. WHAT HAPPENS AT THE CITY COUNCIL IS THAT WE REVIEW THE PLANNING COMMISSION. WE RECEIVED AS PART OF OUR INFORMATION, HIS CONCERNS ABOUT THE HIS WATER CONCERNS OF THE PROPERTY NEXT DOOR BECAUSE HE WAS ASKING WHY DID THE PLANNING COMMISSION GO AGAINST THAT AND THE CITY COUNCIL DIDN'T. A COUPLE OF THINGS. HE MADE SOME CHANGES. THE APPLICANT MADE CHANGES, MADE IT SLIGHTLY SMALLER. BUT WHY WE DID IT AND WHY IT WAS FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD IS BECAUSE WE'VE DONE IT FOR OTHERS ON THE STREET. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONSISTENT, AND SO THAT'S ADDRESSING HIM. THANK YOU, MR. ROLL FOR YOUR COMMENTS. THE GOLF COURSE OVER THERE HAS COME A LONG WAY. THEN WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CASCO, I FIND IT REALLY INTERESTING, LOOKS LIKE SHE LEFT TOO. BUT CASCO OF ALL PLACES IS THE ONE THAT SHOULD BE MOST ENCOURAGED ABOUT THIS NEW CHANGE. I THINK WE'RE PUTTING MORE FIREFIGHTERS IN THE AREA THAN WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST, THIS IDEA THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DISPELLED THAT OUR INSURANCE RATES ARE GOING UP. WE'VE ALREADY COMMENTED ON THAT SEVERAL TIMES. IF WE QUIT STAYING THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT TRUE, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE LONG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR DEALING WITH THAT LARGE FIRE IN ORONO. I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF THEIR EQUIPMENT WAS DAMAGED. I'M CERTAINLY WILLING AS A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL IF THEY NEED USE OF ANY OF OUR EQUIPMENT BECAUSE ONE OF THEIRS, I UNDERSTAND GOT BURNED UP. I'M OPEN. WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF VEHICLES. WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM IF THEY NEED SOME SUPPORT WHILE THEY GET THAT FIGURED OUT. BUT I WANT TO THANK THEM. THERE WAS A FIREFIGHTER INJURED, AND WE NEVER WANT TO HEAR THAT. BEST OF LUCK TO HIM AND HIS RECOVERY. THEN TODD WAS THERE AND HE MADE A COMMENT THAT THE DUTY CREW, THE DOWNFALL TO THE PAY OUT ON CALL, WHICH IS ONE WAY TO SAY IT, BUT THE OTHER WAY TO SAY IT IS BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ENOUGH PAID ON CALL PEOPLE, IT'S REQUIRED DUTY CREWS. I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE CAME FIRST, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT'S NOT THE DUTY CREWS THAT GOT RID OF THE PAID ON CALLS. IT'S BECAUSE THE PAID ON CALL MODEL WASN'T WORKING, AND THERE WAS A REQUIREMENT TO BRING IN DUTY CREWS TO SUPPLEMENT BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ENOUGH VOLUNTEERS. I JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE THAT. OPPOSING SIDE OF THAT COMMENT. BUT THAT'S ALL I HAVE. [03:00:01] >> MEMBER VEACH. >> WELL, I GET A LOT TO SAY, BUT I THINK I'M JUST GOING TO WRAP IT UP WITH A FEW POINTS HERE. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE FIRST RESPONDERS YESTERDAY. ON MOTHER'S DAY, HAVING MY HUSBAND LEAVE, GET TOGETHER WITH MY MOTHER IN LAW. RICHIE, SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT. MY HUSBAND LEFT WIFE AND KIDS, AND WE COULD WE WERE CLOSE ENOUGH TO SEE IT FROM WHERE WE WERE AS WELL. SURE PUTS THINGS INTO PERSPECTIVE ABOUT HOW TO SURROUND YOURSELF WITH GOOD PEOPLE AND THE MEANING OF BEING TOGETHER WITH PEOPLE. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE THAT WENT, AND I THOUGHT THEY DID A GREAT JOB, PRESERVE THE AREA, AND THERE WAS NO CASUALTIES, SO THAT'S AWESOME. I WANTED TO SAY THANKS TO SHEA TONIGHT, A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON. I'VE SAID IT TO JAMES, NOT TO LEAVE YOU OUT, BUT A, WHAT YOU'RE DOING, WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING TOGETHER, LEADING TRAINING, STARTING CULTURE, ASKING THE HARD QUESTIONS, BEING OKAY, HEARING THE HARD ANSWERS. IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT, AND I VALUE IT. IT'S NOT LOST ON ME LIKE TODD SAID. THAT THE EASIEST WAY TO LOSE A GOOD TEAM MEMBER IS PROBABLY TO NOT ENGAGE THEM. I THINK YOU HAVE JAMES WHO IS WILLING AND GOING TO ENGAGE. YOU HAVE ADAM AS A GREAT BOSS AS WELL, WHO I THINK WILL MAKE SURE YOU'RE MOTIVATED, AND IT MIGHT NOT LOOK LIKE WHAT YOU'RE USED TO BUT I THINK THAT'S EXCITING. I HOPE IT IS. SAY, PLEASE PASS ON THE THANKS TO YOUR TEAM, KNOWING WE'RE ASKING FOR A LOT OF CHANGE TO GO WITH SOMETHING EXCITING. I WANT TO SAY THANKS TO RICHIE FOR THE DONATION AT THE GOLF COURSE. I THINK IT'S SUPER NEAT TO SEE COMMUNITY GROUPS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, STAFF, EVERYONE WORKING TOGETHER. I THOUGHT IT WAS A REALLY GREAT PRESENTATION YOU PUT TOGETHER, JOSH. THANK YOU FOR THAT. I WANTED TO SAY HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO MY MOM AND MY MOTHER IN LAW SINCE WE LEFT A LITTLE ABRUPTLY. SORRY ABOUT THAT. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY. REMIND EVERYONE THAT TOMORROW THERE IS VOTING IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW, VOTING IS OPEN. FIND OUT WHERE YOUR POLLING LOCATIONS ARE. THERE'S INFORMATION ONLINE. THEN LAST, I JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT I BRING TO CHANGE. AS I ACKNOWLEDGE, THERE'S A LOT OF CHANGE GOING ON. I THINK MY COMMITMENT TO ADDRESSING CHANGE TO LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS, LEANING INTO CHANGE IS SOMETHING THAT I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO. I'VE REALLY THOROUGHLY ENJOYED MY CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE, GETTING TO KNOW THEM ALONG THE WAY, KNOWING THAT WHAT WE'RE ASKING AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR 10, 15 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD. NOBODY KNOWS WHAT TO EXPECT AND SURROUNDING YOURSELF WITH GOOD PEOPLE IS THE BEST WAY TO FIND GREAT ANSWERS. THERE YOU GO. >> WELL, I ALSO LIKE YOU HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY. I SPENT MOST OF IT IN A CAR AND ON A PLANE. MY WIFE HAS DECIDED THAT NEXT THIS COMING SUNDAY IS A DO OVER BECAUSE WE DIDN'T GET TO DO ALL THE MOTHER'S DAY STUFF BECAUSE WE WERE DOWN IN DAYTONA BEACH FOR FOUR DAYS BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER WAS IN THE NATIONAL GYMNASTICS COMPETITION, DECIDED WHO WAS THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY. SHE TOOK A 10TH ON VAULT SO SHE WAS VERY EXCITED. WE GOT TO SPEND THE WEEK DOWN THERE TO SEE A WHOLE BUNCH OF HER GOLFER TEAMMATES THAT ARE GOING TO BE BEING AT THE GOLFERS STARTING IN JUNE, SO THAT WAS FUN TO SEE THEM AND THEIR PARENTS AND GO OUT TO DINNER WITH THEM AND EVERYTHING. IT WAS NICE AND WARM, BUT IT WAS JUST WARM UP HERE AS IT WAS IN DAYTONA BEACH. MY ONE DAUGHTER WAS VERY ANGRY BECAUSE THEY HAD MORE SUN IN ORONO ONE DAY THAN THERE WAS ON THE BEACH BECAUSE IT WAS CLOUDY FOR MOST OF THE DAYS. DON'T FORGET JUNE 13TH IS THE PUBLIC WORKS OPEN HOUSE. IT'S JUST COMING UP IN A FEW WEEKS FROM 3:00 TO 6:00 P.M. COME AND SEE THIS FABULOUS FACILITY THAT NOT ONLY HOUSES OUR PUBLIC WORKS. IT HOUSES OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT, OUR FLEET MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT. IT'S AN AMAZING FACILITY. IT'S GOING TO TAKE US IN TO THE NEXT CENTURY. WE'VE GOT EXTRA LAND TO BUILD EXTRA ROOM IF WE EVER NEED IT. WE'VE PLANED ACCORDINGLY FOR THE LONG TERM GOVERNANCE OF ORONO. SPEAKING OF LONG TERM GOVERNANCE, EIGHT YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS ELECTED MAYOR, PART OF WHAT EVERYBODY WANTED IS WE SAID WE CAN DO BETTER AND WE CAN DO BETTER WHEN WE HAD NO MONEY IN THE ROADS BUDGET. NOW WE HAVE A MILLION DOLLARS AND THE ROADS ARE TAKEN CARE OF. THANK YOU, MARK FOR BRINGING THAT UP. OUR SEWER AND WATER FUNDS WERE RUNNING OUT OF MONEY AND WE SAID WE CAN DO BETTER LONG TERM GOVERNANCE OF THAT, AND WE CAN GET RESERVES FOR REPLACEMENT BUILT IN. NOW THOSE ARE FULLY FUNDED. OUR POLICE, WE MADE SURE WE HAD ALL THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT WE NEEDED FOR ALL THE TECHNOLOGY, ALL THEIR POLICE VEHICLES, SO THEY CAN MAKE SURE THEY TAKE CARE OF US. THEY ARE A MODEL FOR WHAT WE ARE DOING FOR FIRE, AND THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM WILL BE AMAZING. [03:05:02] IT ALREADY IS AMAZING. PARKS. WE HAD NO PARKS BUDGET. WE HAD NO PARK STAFF. WE HAD NOBODY DOING THE GRASS. WE HAD BIG ISLAND WAS CLOSED. ALL OF OUR PARKS ARE OPERATIONAL. THEY LOOK ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS. THANKS, JOSH. THEY TAKE CARE, AND WE HAVE A DEDICATED PARKS COMMISSION, AND WE HAVE A PARKS BUDGET. TECHNOLOGY. ALL WE HAD WAS PAPER AROUND HERE. NO INTERNET SERVICE. NOW WE HAVE FIBER. ALL THE FILE CABINETS OF PAPER ARE GONE. EVERYTHING'S ON 3D TECHNOLOGY. WE HAVE STREAMING SERVICES. THE OLD COUNCIL BEFORE I WAS MAYOR DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO STREAM STUFF. THEY SAID, IF YOU WERE INTERESTED, YOU NEED TO COME HERE AND SEE IT YOURSELF. THAT WAS THEIR MOTTO. AND WE SAID, NO, WE'RE GOING TO PUBLICIZE EVERYTHING. COUNSEL, PLANNING, PARKS, WE DID EXACTLY WHAT WE SAID. WE'RE STAFFING APPROPRIATELY. WE HAVE ENOUGH STAFF, AND WE'RE CONSTANTLY, MOVING AND MANAGING AND USING BEST PRACTICES FOR THE AMOUNT OF STAFF. IN THE HR COMMITTEE WE'RE LOOKING AT CAN WE ORGANIZE THIS BETTER WITH THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHARGE OF HAVING SLICES OF PIECES FOR ALL THE COMMUNICATIONS, OR DO WE NEED ONE PERSON WHO REALLY CAN PUT THAT TOGETHER? INCREMENTALLY OVER THE YEARS, WE HAVE USED ALL OF OUR ABILITY TO DO THAT LITTLE BY LITTLE OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS BECAUSE WE SAID WE CAN DO BETTER, AND WE SHOWED THEM THAT WE COULD DO BETTER. WE'VE LED THE WAY AND SHOWED ALL THE OTHER CITIES THAT YOU CAN DO IT AND YOU CAN KEEP YOUR TAX RATE THE SAME. BASICALLY, IN THE BOTTOM LINE IS ORONO IS BETTER TODAY THAN THEY WERE EIGHT YEARS AGO. WE'RE ORONO STRONG AND WE'RE ORONO PROUD. DON'T FORGET TO VOTE TOMORROW. SPEAKING OF MOTHER'S DAY, WE'VE GOT A MOTHER'S DAY QUOTE TO END THE NIGHT WITH FROM F. SCOTT FITZGERALD. IT SAYS YOU ARE THE FINEST, LOVELIEST, TENDEREST, AND MOST BEAUTIFUL PERSON I HAVE KNOWN, AND EVEN THAT IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT. MOTION TO ADJOURN. >> SO MOVED. >> ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.