[Roll Call] [00:00:02] >> [NOISE] HI. WELCOME TO THE MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2024, ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING. I KNOW ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE HERE AND PRESENT. WE ALWAYS START WITH A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, SO I INVITE YOU TO JOIN US AND STAY AND FACE THE FLAG. >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT. NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS [Approval of Agenda] THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AND THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH WE WILL APPROVE ON ONE VOTE. I WILL GO OVER THE CONSENT AGENDA BEFORE WE VOTE ON IT, SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE TAKEN OFF AND HAVE THE COUNCIL DISCUSS MORE, JUST RAISE YOUR HAND AND LET ME KNOW. WITH THAT SAID, SOMEBODY LIKE TO TAKE A STAB AT THE CONSENT AGENDA TONIGHT? >> I'LL TAKE CARE OF IT THIS EVENING. I'D MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT ITEMS NUMBER 1 THROUGH 13 AS IS. >> ANYTHING ON THE COUNCIL? >> YEAH. I'D LIKE TO PULL NUMBER 4, 5, AND 10, PLEASE. >> NUMBER 4, NUMBER 5, AND NUMBER 10. [Consent Agenda] WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IN THE CONSENT AGENDA IS NUMBER 1, THE CITY COUNCIL MINUTES, NUMBER 2, CLAIMS AND BILLS, NUMBER 3, ADOPT 2025 LONG LAKE FIRE OPERATING BUDGET, NUMBER 6 SPECIAL DETAIL COMPENSATION FOR POLICE OFFICERS, NUMBER 7, COMPENSATION INCREASE FOR PUBLIC WORKS FLEET MECHANIC, NUMBER 8, PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE REPAINT STRIPING, NUMBER 9, PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE CRACK CEILING, NUMBER 11, FINAL PAY REQUEST PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY PROJECT 21-39, NUMBER 12 IS FINAL PAY REQUEST NAVARA PARKING LOT AND UPPER GOLF COURSE, PARKING LOT PROJECT 21-40 AND NUMBER 13, AWARD CONTRACT PARK LANE, STORMWATER IMPROVEMENT 24-44. NUMBER 4, 5 AND 10, WE WILL TAKE UP RIGHT AFTER OUR PRESENTATION BY OUR PROSECUTING ATTORNEY. IS THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT ANYBODY LIKE TO HAVE TAKEN OFF TONIGHT AND SPOKEN MORE ABOUT AT THE COUNCIL? I'VE SEEN NONE. I'VE GOT A MOTION WITH THREE ITEMS TO TAKE OFF. DO I HAVE A SECOND? >> I'LL SECOND. >> MR. JOHNSON. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? NO. THAT PASSES 4-0. THAT'LL BRING US TO OUR PRESENTATION BY MR. STEVE TALON, [Additional Item] OUR CURRENT PROSECUTING ATTORNEY. STEVE. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. IT'S GOING TO BE A FEW PARTS TO THIS. I USUALLY TRY TO COME ONCE A YEAR OR SO AND TELL YOU WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON WITH THE PROSECUTION. IT'S BEEN GOING ON PRETTY MUCH THE WAY IT HAS BEEN. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S BUSY. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THE NUMBERS ARE UP A LITTLE BIT. WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF TRIALS. THEY'VE GONE PRETTY WELL. AT LEAST AS OF ABOUT A WEEK AGO, WHEN I ASKED THE CHIEF IF THEY HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH ME, HE SAID, NO, SO I'LL TAKE THAT AS A GOOD SIGN. ONE THING BOTH THE CHIEF AND I HAVE NOTICED IS THAT WHEN POLICE ARE UNHAPPY, THEY TEND TO SPEAK UP, AND HE SAID, NOBODY'S SPEAKING UP. SECONDLY, MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN BEING CONSIDERED FOR SOME TIME, IS THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN THINKING ABOUT, AND APPARENTLY IS NOW READY TO ACT ON GOING TO ONE PROSECUTOR FOR THE CITIES THAT ORONO PROVIDES POLICE CITY SERVICES FOR. NOW, I KNOW THE MOUND PROSECUTOR HAS ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, SO THAT'S AT LEAST IMMINENT. I'M NOT SURE WHERE THE OTHER CITIES ARE IF THEY'RE INVOLVED OR NOT. MY UNDERSTANDING FROM TALKING TO THE CHIEF SOME TIME AGO, AND MR EDWARDS WAS THAT IT DIDN'T EXACTLY PAN OUT THE WAY PEOPLE HAD HOPED THAT THERE WAS SOME RESISTANCE FROM THE OTHER CITIES, AT LEAST THE SMALL ONES. MAYBE MR EDWARDS CAN EXPLAIN THAT. I WANTED TO COME TO SAY, BECAUSE WHEN I SPOKE WITH THE MOUND CITY MANAGER SOME TIME AGO, HE INDICATED TO ME THAT CAMEL KNUDSEN HAD BEEN INVITED TO PROVIDE A PRESENTATION, AND THAT WAS DONE BY ALENA SCHWARTZ, WHO, BY THE WAY, IS AN EXCELLENT PROSECUTOR AND IF SHE ENDS UP BEING YOUR PROSECUTOR, YOU'LL BE VERY LUCKY BECAUSE SHE'S AS GOOD AS ANYONE. I DON'T KNOW, AND I'VE TRIED CALLING THE MOUND CITY MANAGER THREE TIMES IN THE LAST FIVE DAYS, AND HE HASN'T CALLED ME BACK. I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER. IF THEY'VE MADE A DECISION ALREADY, I KNOW, HE TOLD ME THAT HE DIDN'T THINK THEY HAD TO GO OUT FOR BIDS. I ASKED TO BE CONSIDERED IF THEY WERE GOING TO. BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD BACK. I DON'T KNOW. I ASKED STORN BEFORE THE MEETING. HE DOESN'T KNOW EITHER. IT'S A LITTLE BIT UP IN THE AIR. [00:05:03] THE MAIN THING THAT I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IN TERMS OF FIRST, IN TERMS OF MYSELF, I'VE PRETTY MUCH DECIDED I'M GOING TO BE RETIRING EARLY 2026. EVEN IF YOU KEEP ME FOR NEXT YEAR, YOU'LL NEED SOMEONE ELSE FOR THE YEAR AFTER. MAYBE IT'D BE SOMEONE IN MY FIRM, MAYBE NOT. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO STAY TILL THE END OF NEXT YEAR, BUT THAT'S NOT MY DECISION TO MAKE. THE OTHER THING IS THE QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT THE CITY WOULD BE BETTER SERVED BY HAVING ONE FIRM DO BOTH PROSECUTION AND CIVIL WORK. THERE'S CERTAINLY NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. I'VE BEEN IN FIRMS WHERE THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE. THE OLD FEVER LEFLER FIRM, WE HAD A LOT OF CIVIL CLIENTS, WE HAD A LOT OF PROSECUTION CLIENTS. THAT FIRM FELL APART, HOLMES & GRAVEN. WE HAD PLYMOUTH AT LEAST, AND WE DID BOTH, AND THAT FIRM FELL APART. >> YOU BETTER BE CAREFUL [LAUGHTER] >> BUT KENNEDY & GRAVEN, NOW PROVIDES CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES FOR A LOT OF CITIES, INCLUDING MOUND, I BELIEVE. THE HONEST TRUTH IS, AND I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 39 YEARS NOW, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A TIME WHEN IT WAS A PROBLEM TO HAVE THE CIVIL AND THE CRIMINAL IN SEPARATE FIRMS. THERE'S NO REASON NOT TO. IT JUST DOESN'T PROVIDE ANY REAL BENEFIT. I'VE PROBABLY TALKED TO SOREN LESS THAN HALF A DOZEN TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR, MAYBE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO RESOLVE THINGS. I DON'T SEE THAT THERE'S ANY PARTICULAR ADVANTAGE. I KNOW THE CHIEF OF POLICE DISAGREES. YOU'LL HAVE TO DECIDE WHO YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO. BUT THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SAY. THE OTHER THING IS, THE FIRM I'M WITH NOW, WE PROSECUTES FOR NINE CITIES, INCLUDING EDEN PRAIRIE. THERE ARE CIVIL LAWYERS THERE. I KNOW YOU'RE NOT LOOKING TO CHANGE FIRMS, BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAVE ONE, MAYBE WANT TO CONSIDER OPENING THAT UP. I DON'T KNOW. I'VE ALWAYS TAKEN THE POSITION THAT THERE'S NO REASON TO CHANGE UNLESS YOU'RE UNHAPPY. I DON'T THINK YOU'RE UNHAPPY WITH SOREN & CAMPBELL KNUTSON THEY'RE EXCELLENT LAWYERS. I DID GET AN E-MAIL FROM MR EDWARDS, AND HE TOLD ME ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE STAFF CONSIDERED WHEN THEY WERE LOOKING TO GO TO ONE FIRM INSTEAD OF SEPARATE FIRMS WAS THE DEPTH OF COVERAGE. I WILL TELL YOU, THE FIRM I'M AT NOW, WE HAVE TWO FULL TIME PROSECUTORS, ONE PART TIME PROSECUTOR, AND TWO FORMER PROSECUTORS THAT HAVE ABOUT 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE BETWEEN THEM. THERE'S PLENTY OF DEPTH. I'VE BEEN DOING ORONO FOR EIGHT YEARS. WE'VE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WHERE WE COULDN'T COVER THE CALENDAR. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, MR. ADAMS, PUT IN HIS EMAIL THAT THAT WAS IMPORTANT. I KNOW CAMPBELL KNUTSON HAS A VERY GOOD SYSTEM. OUR SYSTEM WORKS JUST FINE. I WISH I HAD THEIR SYSTEM, BUT IT JUST REQUIRES MORE WORK ON THE PART OF THE LAWYERS AND THE LEGAL STAFF TO GET THE INFORMATION THAT'S NEEDED. WE CERTAINLY HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THE SAME INFORMATION. GIVEN THAT YOU'VE BEEN PAYING ME A FLAT RATE, IT PROBABLY DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH EXTRA WORK I PUT INTO IT. YOU'RE NOT GETTING BILLED FOR IT. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I KNOW SOME OF THIS IS PREMATURE. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE QUESTION HASN'T COME TO THE COUNCIL YET. BUT I WAS CONCERNED THAT DECISIONS MIGHT HAVE BEEN MADE BEFORE I HAD A CHANCE TO AT LEAST PUT IN MY PITCH ABOUT HAVING BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS FOR AS LONG AS I HAVE. I JUST DON'T SEE ANY TANGIBLE BENEFIT TO HAVING ONE FIRM RATHER THAN TWO. THEY'RE DIFFERENT PEOPLE. SORRY, I'M USED TO PROSECUTE. HASN'T FOR A LONG TIME, I BELIEVE. ALENA SCHWARTZ, AS I SAID, IN THEIR FIRM, WHO I THINK WOULD PROBABLY BE YOUR PROSECUTOR, IS AN EXCELLENT LAWYER. I WISH I COULD TELL YOU I'M GOOD AND SHE'S BAD, BUT IT WOULDN'T BE TRUE. IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER THEM. LIKE I SAID, IT MAY BE PREMATURE, BUT AT LEAST I WANT IT TO BE IN YOUR HEAD SO YOU CAN THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS. >> YEAH, AND STEVE, I APPRECIATE COMING IN. DEFINITELY, I THINK IT IS PREMATURE BECAUSE WE REALLY HAVEN'T GOTTEN PRESENTED AS A WHOLE. [00:10:02] I KNOW WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT. I KNOW IT'S GOT TO BE EIGHT YEARS AGO. WE TOOK A LOT OF CARE AND TIME WHEN WE DID REPLACE OUR LEAD PROSECUTOR FOR THE CITY TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHO THE PROSECUTORS WERE. OBVIOUSLY, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, YOU ROSE TO THE TOP AS WE CHOSE YOU, AND I THINK YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB, AND I THINK LOOKING BACK, WE MADE A VERY GOOD DECISION MOVING FORWARD. I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE FOR SURE, EVEN IN A YEAR AND A HALF. GOOD LUCK ON YOUR RETIREMENT, AS WELL. BUT IT IS DEFINITELY PREMATURE. WE HAVEN'T BEEN PRESENTED ANYTHING. I JUST KNOW IT'S JUST BEEN A DISCUSSION, JUST ACTUALLY OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS AT THIS POINT. BUT I LIKE GETTING YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON IT FOR SURE. THAT JUST IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND ALL THE QUESTIONS TO ASK AND THE WHYS AND THAT STUFF, TOO. SURE. >> AS THE PROCESS MOVES FORWARD, IF THE COUNCIL THINKS IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, OBVIOUSLY, I'D BE HAPPY TO COME BACK EITHER TO A WORK SESSION OR TO A REGULAR SESSION. TELL YOU WHAT I THINK, IT'S HARD TO SEPARATE MY PERSONAL INTERESTS FROM THE INTERESTS OF THE CITY, BUT I'VE TRIED TO KEEP THEM THE SAME. LIKE I SAID, IF I COULD TELL YOU WHAT A TERRIBLE JOB CAMPBELL KNUTSON WOULD DO AS PROSECUTOR. I WOULD FIND A WAY TO SAY IT. BUT YOU'LL BE HAPPY IF YOU HIRE THEM, AND ALINA IS YOUR PERSON, YOU'LL BE VERY HAPPY WITH HER. AS I HOPE YOU'VE BEEN HAPPY WITH ME. >> ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STEVE? >> NO. THANK YOU. >> APPRECIATE COMING HERE, STEVE. >> GREAT STEVE. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THAT'LL BRING US BACK UP TO SOME OF THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. WE HAVE NUMBER 4, [4. Amend Fund Balance Policy - Resolution 7509] AMEND FUND POLICY BALANCE RESOLUTION 70-509. MAG, IS IT YOU OR IS THAT CAN BE ADAM? >> THAT WILL BE ME. >> OKAY. >> I CAN GO AHEAD. TONIGHT, THE STAFF IS BRINGING FORWARD A FUND BALANCE AMENDMENT. THE GFOA RECOMMENDS AT LEAST TWO MONTHS OF GENERAL FUND BALANCE RESERVE AND THE OFFICE OF THE STATE AUDITORS RECOMMENDS AT LEAST A FIVE-MONTHS GENERAL FUND BALANCE RESERVE OR 35-50% OF GENERAL FUND BALANCE RESERVE. TONIGHT STAFF IS RECOMMENDING A POLICY AMENDMENT TO REDUCE THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE RESERVE POLICY TO THE 40% THRESHOLD. WE DID LOOK AT OTHER CITIES AROUND THE AREA. A NUMBER OF OTHER CITIES ARE AT 40%, SO TONIGHT PER COUNCIL DIRECTIVE, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THE FUND BALANCE POLICY TO BE AMENDED TO REDUCE THE MINIMUM UNASSIGNED GENERAL FUND BALANCE TO 40% OF THE FUNDS ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET. ANY QUESTION WITH THIS? >> I KNOW COUNSELOR BENSON HAD PULLED THAT OUTSIDE. >> I DO. THANKS. I DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS BECAUSE YOU ANSWERED THEM WHEN I EMAILED YOU EARLIER TODAY, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SEPARATE THIS FROM THE CONSENT BECAUSE WE WERE BRIEFED ON THIS RECENTLY AT A WORK SESSION AND DISCUSSED THIS MATTER, AND I LISTENED TO EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID, AND WE REALLY HAVEN'T DISCUSSED IT SINCE. SINCE THAT TIME, AND IN DOING A LITTLE BIT MORE LOOKING INTO THIS, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I FEEL THAT I WANT TO SUPPORT AND THERE'S A FEW REASONS FOR THAT. BECAUSE WE'RE SITTING AT ABOUT 36% OF OUR RESERVES RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS NOT IDEAL. IT'S NOT REAL HEALTHY, AND THIS IS THE LOWEST WE'VE BEEN HISTORICALLY IN TERMS OF THOSE RESERVES. THE QUESTION I ASKED OF MAGGIE EARLIER THIS MORNING WAS ESSENTIALLY WHAT THE LAST 10 YEARS OF RESERVES HAS LOOKED LIKE WITH THIS FUND BALANCE. STARTING IN 2014, IT WAS SITTING AT ABOUT 51%, 2015, IT WAS 54.9. IN 2016, IT WAS 55.1%, 2017, IT WAS 54.1, 2018, 50.6, 2019, 46.9. 2020, 48.8, 2021, 46.3, 2022, 47.5, AND THEN 2023, 35.7. MY RESERVATION HERE IS SIMPLY THAT WE CAN PASS A RESOLUTION TO LOWER THE BAR, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S REALLY IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CITY LONG TERM, EVEN IF OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE THAT. AND THE REASON IS IS BECAUSE WE COULD KEEP MORE RESERVES BY SPENDING LESS, [00:15:01] AND THAT WOULD BE MY PHILOSOPHY AROUND FISCAL MANAGEMENT RATHER THAN REDUCING THE AMOUNT, THE MINIMUM THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE IN THIS GENERAL FUND. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I SUPPORT BECAUSE WE'D ESSENTIALLY NEED WHAT WAS IT, 1.8 MILLION NEXT YEAR TO GET BACK UP TO THAT RESERVE OF 45% FROM WHERE WE ARE NOW AT 36, AND OUR BUDGET FOR 2025 INCLUDES A LOT OF EXPENSES. I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF IT, WHICH IS WHY I WANTED TO PULL IT AND MAKE MY POINTS. >> I'M GOING TO SEE IF I HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THAT I WANTED TO ADD IN THERE. I JUST THINK IT'S ESSENTIALLY LIKE LOWERING THE BAR, AND I THINK IT'S NOT NECESSARY TO DO. I THINK WE COULD KEEP THESE RESERVES UP. WE DON'T NEED TO PASS A RESOLUTION TO LOWER THAT IF WE'RE ABLE TO LOOK AT REDUCING SPENDING. THOSE ARE JUST MY POINTS, AND THAT'S MY POSITION AND WHY I PULLED IT OFF CONSENT. >> ALL RIGHT, WELL, WITH THE HISTORY ON THIS, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME, IS WHEN WE HAD RESERVES AND BEFORE MAGGIE AND WHEN RYAN WAS HERE AND ALL THAT STUFF AS WELL. WHEN IT WAS ABOVE THE 50%, AND WHICH WE KNEW WAS A ABOVE THE AVERAGE, THAT WE WOULD TAKE ALL THOSE EXTRA DOLLARS AND WE'D PUT THEM IN THE GENERAL BUDGET. BEST PRACTICES, AS WE'RE REFINING OUR BUDGET, WHICH WE'VE BEEN DOING OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS UNDER MY LEADERSHIP, MAKING SURE WHERE THE DOLLARS ARE BEST SPENT AND BEST PUT. WHEN WE'RE TAKING ZERO ROAD'S BUDGET UP TO $1,000,000 AND ZERO PARK BUDGETS, AND ALL THE THINGS LIKE THAT, OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS. YOU LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT FUNDS AND BALANCES YOU HAVE, OF WHAT IS BEST PRACTICES, WHAT'S NORMAL, WHAT'S LOW, WHAT'S HIGH, AND YOU FIND THE RIGHT MEDIUM THAT MAKES SENSE TO PUT YOUR BUDGET IN PLACE EFFECTIVELY. BY DOING THIS, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE'RE STILL WAY ABOVE THE AVERAGE OF WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS NEEDED, AND SO IT'S A NON ISSUE FROM THAT STANDPOINT. IN TERMS OF SPENDING LESS, I'D LOVE TO SEE AN ISSUE OF WHERE YOU'D LIKE TO SPEND LESS. I'D LOVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT. BECAUSE SPENDING LESS IS AN EASY THING TO SAY, BUT IT'D BE GOOD TO SEE THEN WHERE WOULD YOU THINK OF SPENDING LESS YOU'D LIKE TO DO THAT. IT'D BE GOOD CONVERSATION TO HAVE SOMETIMES. >> WE CAN, AND I'M PREPARED TO DO THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE 2025 BUDGET IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE MY POINTS ON THE RESERVE AND WHY I DON'T SUPPORT IT. >> YEAH, NO, I APPRECIATE IT. I KNOW YOU DON'T SUPPORT PUTTING OUR BUDGET IN THE BEST PLACE TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS FUNDED CORRECTLY WHEN WE DO HAVE RESERVES. IT'S LIKE I SAID, IT'S EASY THING TO JUST TALK ABOUT SPENDING LESS. BUT SPENDING LESS MEANS LESS ROADS, LESS WATER AND SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE, LESS PARKS, LESS STAFF. IF YOU'VE GOT GOOD IDEAS, I'D LOVE TO HEAR THEM BECAUSE IT'LL BE A GREAT CONVERSATION TO HAVE. WITH THAT, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT FIND IT HERE. >> I CAN MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 75/9 AMEND FUND BALANCE POLICY. >> COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON? >> I'LL SECOND IT. >> COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY HAS SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. OPPOSED? >> NO. >> I NOTE THAT PASSES FOUR TO ONE. >> THANKS, MAGGIE. >> THANK YOU MAGGIE FOR YOUR JOB. GREAT JOB. THAT'LL BRING US TO NUMBER 5 AND HIRING PART TIME FIREFIGHTERS. [5. Hire Part-Time Firefighters] I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON PULLED THAT OFF, SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT HIRING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE STAFFED FOR OUR RESIDENTS. >> I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I JUST WANTED TO SEPARATE IT OFF CONSENT. ALSO, TO MAKE A NOTE, AS PART OF THIS AGENDA ITEM, THERE'S ALSO A RESIGNATION OF ONE PERSONNEL AS PART OF THIS VOTE, WHICH I ASSUME WE HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THESE TWO THINGS ARE LUMPED TOGETHER, BUT I DO NEED TO PULL IT OFF CONSENT. I DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS. I JUST WANT MAKE MY POINT, WHICH IS THAT I DON'T SUPPORT HIRING MORE EMPLOYEES TO STAFF THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE OUR CITY'S ABLE TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE SERVICE AT A REASONABLE AND LOWER COST WITH LONG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT UNDER THE CURRENT CONTRACT. I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS. >> WELL, THAT'S AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO HIRE PEOPLE BECAUSE WE CAN GET STUFF AT A LOWER COST. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, YOU YET TO ACTUALLY TO DEFINE WHAT A LOWER COST IS. WHAT I'M HEARING, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A FIRE DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW, AND WHAT YOU'RE TELLING THE CITY AND THE RESIDENTS IS THAT YOU DO NOT WANT TO HIRE AND APPROPRIATELY STAFF A FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT WE HAVE IN OPERATION. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, UNLESS YOU'RE SAYING SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND. BECAUSE I CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU DON'T LIKE THAT LONG LAKE DOESN'T HAVE OUR BUSINESS, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A DIFFERENT CITY. WHEN WE HAVE A FIRE DEPARTMENT AND YOU CHOOSE NOT TO STAFF IT CORRECTLY, THAT WOULD PUT OUR RESIDENTS AT RISK. [00:20:03] THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING BY SAYING YOU DON'T SUPPORT STAFFING OUR OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT. DO YOU HAVE ANY RESPONSE TO THAT? THIS IS THE DISCUSSION TIME? >> I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD. I THINK I'VE MADE MY POSITION ON THIS PRETTY CLEAR. I DON'T. >> NO. I UNDERSTAND YOUR POSITION, BUT BY DOING THAT, I'M SAYING THAT YOU ARE PUTTING OUR RESIDENTS AT RISK IF THAT WAS WHAT WOULD ACTUALLY GO THROUGH. YOU THINK THAT THAT IS NOT THE CASE BY UNDERSTAFFING US, THAT THAT IS AN OKAY THING FOR A BUSINESS UNIT THAT WE HAVE A SERVICING OUR RESIDENTS THAT ARE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS FOR THE CITY OF ORONO? >> I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING TO ME, AND AS I SAID, I'VE MADE MY POINTS. >> WHAT SO, YOU DISAGREE OR YOU AGREE? OR YOU JUST DON'T WANT TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND WHAT YOU AGREE WITH AND WHAT YOU DON'T AGREE WITH. WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT BY NOT AGREEING TO STAFF SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE, AS A FIRE DEPARTMENT IN OPERATION, SERVING OUR RESIDENTS TO PROTECT THEM BY YOU SAYING I DON'T SUPPORT HIRING PEOPLE TO ADEQUATELY STAFF US, WOULD PUT OUR RESIDENTS AT RISK. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE OKAY WITH PUTTING OUR RESIDENTS AT RISK. >> MAYOR WALSH, I'VE ALREADY MADE MY POINT, AND I WOULD REMIND YOU THAT I'VE SPOKEN AT THE DAY AS PREVIOUSLY ABOUT THE MANNER IN WHICH YOU SPEAK TO PEOPLE. I'VE ALREADY MADE MY POINTS. I HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO ADD. THANK YOU. >> I'LL GO AHEAD AND IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT, MAKE A MOTION. ALL RIGHT. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE CONDITIONAL JOB OFFER TO SAM AND DOUG AS PART TIME FIREFIGHTERS AT THE RATE OF $20 PER HOUR WITH THE START DATE OF SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2024, AND ACCEPT THE RESIGNATION OF FIREFIGHTER JACKSON. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE. >> TO ALL YOUR REACH, DO I HAVE A SECOND? >> I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION. >> JIMMY TAKE IT. >> I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION. I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADD THE GRATITUDE AND THANKS TO SAM AND DOUG FOR GETTING INVOLVED WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND SERVING OUR COMMUNITY. I THINK IT'S TERRIFIC. I LIKE TO THANK THE GENTLEMAN LEAVING FOR HIS SERVICE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SERVING ONA AND KEEPING US SAFE WE APPRECIATE IT. >> YEAH, I THINK IT GOES UNSAID THAT KNOWING THAT WE DO HAVE A FIRST RESPONDER UNIT IN OUR CITY THAT IS ACTIVELY SERVING OUR RESIDENTS THAT WE ARE COMMITTED, AND WE HAVE BEEN, AND IT SHOWS NOW THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE ADEQUATELY STAFFED, ADEQUATELY FUNDED, AND CAN TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED WITH ALL THE APPARATUS AND EQUIPMENT THAT WE NEED. BY SAYING, YES, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SHOWING THAT WE'RE DOING FOR YOU. THAT'S OUR JOB IS TO MAKE SURE ORONO RESIDENTS ARE PROTECTED ADEQUATELY, AND THAT WILL NEVER BE DIFFERENT. WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR OTHER CITIES, AND WE DON'T EXPECT OTHER CITIES TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR US, BUT WE WILL BE MAKING DECISIONS FOR OUR CITY. WITH THAT SAID, ON FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? >> NO. >> NO, THAT COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON WAS THE LONE NO. OKAY, THAT'LL BRING US TO NUMBER 10, [10. Grant - Hackberry Park Athletic Fields - Resolution 7510] WHICH IS THE GRANT FOR HACKBERRY PARK ATHLETIC FIELDS, RESOLUTION 7510. GET TO NUMBER 10 ON HERE. >> RIGHT HERE. >> [OVERLAPPING] [LAUGHTER] I JUST I'M DOING THE LONG WAY NOW IN SINCE I'M MAYOR. >> HI. >> OH. >> GOOD TO SEE YOU. >> IS YOUR FIRST PRESENTATION. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> ALL RIGHT. WELL, WELCOME. >> THANK YOU. >> I'LL HELP TAILOR OUT WITH THE PRESENTATION. THE ACTION YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD GO WITH A GRANT PROPOSAL TO HELP THE COUNTY FOR HENDON COUNTY SPORTS GRANT, TO SEEKING FUNDS TO HELP IMPLEMENT THE HACKBERRY REFORMING EQUIPMENT PROJECT. >> NOW, WITH THAT, JUST TO CLARIFY, WHATEVER GRANT OR WE GET ISN'T SPECIFICALLY TIED TO A SPECIFIC PLAN IN GENERAL. WE'VE ALWAYS GOT TIME TO MANAGE THAT PLAN AND EVERYTHING ELSE MOVING FORWARD. >> YES. WELL, THE DETAILS OF THE PLAN. ONCE WE GET SUFFICIENT FUNDING FOR THE PROJECT, THEN WE WOULD ENTER INTO DETAILED DESIGN [INAUDIBLE]. WE WOULD HAVE TO STAY WITHIN THE SPIRIT OF WHAT WE REQUESTED IN THE GRANT MONEY. IN THIS GRANT, FOR INSTANCE, WE ARE SEEKING FUNDING FROM THE COUNTY TO ASSIST US IN DOING SOME MASK GRADING AND THEN REBUILDING ONE OF THE EXISTING BALL FIELDS THERE AND THEN ADDING SPORTS FIELD A SOCCER FIELD. >> THE DESIGN THAT COULD MOVE AROUND. >> CORRECT [OVERLAPPING] ON THE GROUND AND EVERYTHING COULD MOVE AND CHANGE AS WE DO TO THE DETAILED DESIGN, BUT WE COULDN'T VARY FROM THE THE OVERALL SCOPE. >> RATING, ALL THAT STUFF. BECAUSE I KNOW I TALKED TO A NATIONAL NIGHT OUT. I ONLY BRING IT UP BECAUSE I HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION WITH JIM DILLMAN, I THINK, [00:25:03] TWO WEEKS BEFORE HE PASSED AWAY FROM CANCER, AND SAID THAT WE WOULD DEFINITELY REVISIT. IF WE GOT THE GRANTS MOVING FORWARD, THAT THAT WAS THE CASE, AND THEN WE WOULD DEFINITELY MEET WITH ALL THE RESIDENTS TO REVISIT JUST THE PLAN IN GENERAL, NOT THE GRADING PART OF IT, BUT JUST THE PLAN IN GENERAL, WHAT WOULD MAKE SENSE AGAIN JUST TO GET EVERYBODY REFRESHED IN GENERAL AND ON THE SAME PAGE AGAIN, SO WITH THAT. >> I DON'T NEED ANY MORE, I HAD THE ANSWERS. I WASN'T LOOKING FOR MORE ANSWERS, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE NEW. YEAH, I WASN'T EXPECTING THE PRESENTATION IN THIS PREDATES YOUR TENURE HERE, SO I REALLY DIDN'T HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU. MAGGIE ACTUALLY ANSWERED THOSE THAT I DID HAVE ABOUT IT WAS MOSTLY ABOUT THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT. THIS IS ONE OF THESE AREAS WHERE MY OPINION AT THIS TIME WITH THIS GRANT ASK, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING, WE'RE ASKING HENDON COUNTY SPORTS FOR $300,000 FOR THIS PROJECT. IT'S MY ASSESSMENT THAT THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT TIME FOR OUR CITY TO BE ASKING FOR GRANT MONEY FOR THIS PROJECT. THAT IS BASED ON THE FACT THAT THIS PROJECT IS LIKELY TO COME IN, I THINK THE NEWEST FIGURE IS ABOUT $888,000, SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE. IT WAS SCHEDULED TO BE ABOUT 700K TO ABOUT 1 MILLION, AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 800,000 OR SO. WE, AS A CITY, HAVE JUST MADE A RESOLUTION TO REDUCE OUR GENERAL FUND AND OVERAGE. I FEEL LIKE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FISCAL MANAGEMENT, ASKING FOR GRANT MONEY FOR SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE NOT SUFFICIENTLY BUILT UP OR ALREADY RESERVED MONEY FOR, OR PROMISE NOT JUST PROMISES, BUT ACTUALLY HAVE MONEY IN THE BANK TOWARDS, NOT THE MOST RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO. THE OTHER ASPECT OF IT BESIDES FINANCIAL BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WAYS TO POTENTIALLY CONSERVE MONEY GOING INTO 2025. THE OTHER ISSUES, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE, BUT WE WROTE ABOUT IN THE GRANT HERE IS TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE PROCESS. AGAIN, THIS PREDATES YOUR TIME, BUT THE PROCESS AROUND HOW INFORMATION WAS GATHERED FOR THE GRANT, AND LOOKING BACK, I DON'T SEE, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S BEEN ANY ROUGH FORMAL PRESENTATIONS INVOLVING STATISTICS, DATA AROUND, NOT JUST THAT WE'VE TALKED ANECDOTALLY TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. BUT THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN PRESENTED WITH DATA AND STATISTICS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. COUNCIL HASN'T BEEN, AND I DON'T RECALL. I'VE LOOKED AT ALL THE PARKS NOTES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND I DON'T SEE ANY FORMAL PRESENTATIONS WITH DATA ATTACHED AS OPPOSED TO ANECDOTAL IDEAS ABOUT WELL, THIS ORGANIZATION WANTS FIELD TIME AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF. I ALSO KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME ISSUES WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AGAIN, YOU WOULDN'T KNOW THIS BECAUSE YOU'RE NEW HERE, BUT RESIDENTS HAVING SOME REAL STRONG INPUT, AS WELL AS THE T-BALL OR BASEBALL ASSOCIATION HAVING SOME REAL INPUT ON THIS. COUNCILS ALL RECEIVED EMAILS INDICATING THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME REAL CONFUSION AND LACK OF COHESION AROUND THE VISION FOR THIS CITY PARK. MY PREFERENCE AT THIS TIME, AND MY FEELING ON THIS IS THAT FOR DIFFERENT REASONS, BOTH FINANCIALLY AND ALSO IN THE SPIRIT OF WHAT A GRANT IS IN A SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY, IN THE SPIRIT OF DOING THINGS IN A REALLY COLLABORATIVE WAY WHERE THE PROCESS IS VERY PREDICTABLE AND DATA SHOWN ALONG THE WAY. I DON'T FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME TO BE ASKING FOR THE MONEY. THAT'S JUST WHAT I WANTED TO POINT OUT. >> SURE. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I CLARIFIED FOR THE COUNCIL THAT THERE ARE SUFFICIENT FUNDS AVAILABLE SHOULD THE GRANT BE RECEIVED BY THE CITY. WE DO HAVE OVER FOURTH OF THE $400,000 IN THE PARK FUND THAT WOULD BE USED FOR PORTIONS OF THE OFFSET. ALSO, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE ON THIS OVERALL SCHEME OF THIS PROJECT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD ATTEMPT TO ACHIEVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS A WHOLE IS TO ADDRESS SOME STORM-WATER MANAGEMENT PROPORTIONS WHICH OUR STORM-WATER FUND HAS MORE THAN SUFFICIENT FUNDS IN IT TO PAY FOR THAT PORTION OF THE PROJECT. A BIG PART OF THAT SITE, AND ITS ISSUE HAS BEEN DRAINAGE AND TIED WITH THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD THERE. ONE OF THE THINGS AS WE DID THE MASTER PLAN AND THE STUDY AND TALKED TO ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS WAS LOOKING AT HOW WE WOULD ADDRESS THAT. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE IS FUNDING THERE. OBVIOUSLY, ANY OF THESE THINGS, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE DO PARKS PROJECTS, IF WE GOT A GRANT THAT'S LESS THAN $300,000 AND THEN WE HAVE TO RE-EVALUATE, PROJECTS LIKE THIS ARE SCALABLE. IF WE HAD LESS FUNDING, WE WOULD DOWNSCALE THE PROJECT A LITTLE BIT AND JUST GET THOSE MOST CRITICAL ITEMS DONE THAT WE WOULD NEED TO AND THEN LOOK FOR FOLLOW ON PROJECTS TO EVENTUALLY GET, [00:30:02] WHERE THE VISION SAYS, WE SHOULD BE. >> IF THE GRANT WAS GIVEN, THEN WE HAVE ESSENTIALLY TWO YEAR TIME PERIOD TO DO THIS WORK. >> CORRECT. >> WHICH IS WHY IT'D BE IRRESPONSIBLE ACTUALLY NOT TO GO GET THIS BECAUSE WE KNOW WE HAVE WATER PROBLEMS. IT'S BEEN LONG TERM WATER PROBLEMS. WE KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO WORK INTO THIS. ACTUALLY IS TIME TO GO GET THAT VERSUS JUST WAITING AND DOING NOTHING, WHICH WOULD BE ACTUALLY THE IRRESPONSIBLE PART OF THIS. >> [OVERLAPPING] BECAUSE I KNOW WE GOT THE FEEDBACK ABOUT PARK WASN'T USABLE BECAUSE OF THE WATER DRAINAGE ISSUES OVER THERE, AND YOU CAN GO BY THE PARK AND SEE THAT IT'S DUE FOR SOME ATTENTION. I WOULD SAY THIS IS THE RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO IS START CREATING A PLAN THAT SERVICES THE COMMUNITY, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF BENEFICIARIES OF THIS PARK, AS LISTED IN THAT GRANT OF ALL THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM IT. I'M IN SUPPORT OF IT. >> IF I CAN JUST INTERVENE FOR ONE MOMENT. THIS WOULD BE COMING OUT MAJORITY FROM THE PARKS FUND, WHICH IS A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, WHICH IS RESTRICTED CERTAIN USE. THIS PROJECT WOULD BE ONE OF THE EXPENDITURES THAT WE CAN SPEND THE MONEY ON. TO CLARIFY ON THE FUND BALANCE, OUR FUND BALANCE CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW IS AT 497,000, AND THAT'S WHAT ONLY HALF OF THIS YEAR'S LEVY RECEIVED AT THE END OF THE YEAR. WE SHOULD BE GETTING ANOTHER $100,000. PUTTING US AT ALMOST 600,000 IN THE PARK FUND. THEN WITH NEXT YEAR'S LEVY, WE WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH TO COVER OUR PORTION OF THE PROJECT. WE WOULD BE SITTING AT ONCE WE RECEIVE NEXT YEAR'S LEVY, WE WOULD BE SITTING AT AROUND 800,000 ALMOST. >> RIGHT. >> THANKS FOR CLARIFYING, MAGGIE. MY CONCERN IS, THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING FINANCIAL. IT'S ALSO AROUND THE PROCESS. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE GRANT, IT TALKS ABOUT IT BEING IMPERATIVE TO ALLOW THE CITY TO MEET ITS GOALS OF PROVIDING MORE ATHLETIC FIELDS FOR THE YOUTH OF ONO AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. I JUST THINK, AGAIN, BASED ON THE INFORMATION I HAVE FROM THE LAST TIME WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, THE PROCESS AND THE WAY IT UNFOLDED WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND CONVERSATIONS, NEIGHBORHOOD CONVERSATIONS, BASEBALL CONVERSATIONS, WAS NOT CLEAR. THAT WAS VERY CLEAR TO ME IN THE E MAILS. WE, AS A COUNSEL, HAVE NOT SEEN A COHESIVE PRESENTATION FROM STAKEHOLDERS. IT'S BEEN A LOT OF ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE AROUND THIS PARK. THAT'S MY CONCERN IS THAT THERE'S NOT NECESSARILY A GOOD UNDERSTANDING FROM DIFFERENT GROUPS, INCLUDING THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BASEBALL ASSOCIATION AND OTHER SPORTING ASSOCIATIONS ABOUT THIS PLAN. THAT'S ALL I WANT TO SAY WE CAN. >> WELL, THIS IS THE PROBLEM, THOUGH. IS THAT THIS IS THE PART OF THE PROCESS AND THERE'S MORE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INVOLVEMENT TO COME. WHAT YOU JUST HEARD IS THAT LET'S UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH MONEY IS AVAILABLE TO US FROM A GRANT SIDE, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT AMENITIES CAN WE OFFER HERE. THEN THE OTHER SIDE IS YOU MADE IT SOUND LIKE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY SET ASIDE, BUT WE DO. I AGREE WITH YOU THAT THERE'S MORE OPPORTUNITY TO GET SOME MORE INPUT AS WE FINALIZE IT BUT THIS IS HOW THE PROCESS GOES. WE ALREADY KNOW THERE'S A NEED. WE ALREADY KNOW THERE'S FLOODING ISSUES ON THERE. WE ALREADY KNOW THERE'S PARKING ISSUES THERE. THOSE ARE NOT ANECDOTICAL THINGS. I MEAN, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE ALL KNOW FOR SURE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE WITH THE PARK. WHEN YOU FRAME IT IN SUCH A WAY, THAT FIRST, IT'S IRRESPONSIBLE AND THEN YOU MAKE IT SOUND LIKE THERE'S NO PLAN AND THERE'S BEEN NO INPUT. THERE HAS BEEN INPUT. BUT SHOULD THERE BE MORE? IS THERE A PLAN TO BE MORE? THE ANSWER IS YES TO BOTH OF THOSE QUESTIONS. >> YEAH, I HEAR YOU. I THINK, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, I HAVE NOT SEEN OR THE COUNCIL HAS NOT SEEN DATA COME BEFORE US. WE'VE SEEN OR HEARD OR SEEN MEETINGS WHERE PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE SPORTS ASSOCIATION OR LACROSSE NEEDS IT, FOOTBALL, NEEDS IT, THIS KIND OF THING. BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN REPORTING ON THOSE THINGS. WE'VE SEEN A MASTER PLAN DRAWING BASED ON THE ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE ABOUT WHAT SPORTING ASSOCIATIONS NEED IT. WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT DATA. SO THAT'S ALL I WANT TO SAY. IT'S NOT ANECDOTAL. I UNDERSTAND THERE'S FLOODING. I UNDERSTAND THAT WE AS A CITY COULD CHOOSE TO ADDRESS THAT SEPARATE FROM THE SPORTS FIELD OR WHATEVER THE MASTER, WHATEVER THE PLAN THAT'S CALLED FOR HACKBERRY. WE'RE NOT DOING THAT, WHICH IS FINE. BUT ALL I'M SAYING IS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE [00:35:02] ALL THE SPORTING ASSOCIATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ENGAGED WITH FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, SEE ACTUALLY REPORTING ON IT AS OPPOSED TO TALKING ABOUT THE NEED. I'D LIKE TO SEE IT. >> DOCUMENT. I THINK MATT MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT AND I MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE MORE CONVERSATION, BUT WE HAVE TALKED TO ALL THOSE ASSOCIATIONS, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU THOUGHT IT WAS OKAY TO SAY IT WAS IRRESPONSIBLE AND THAT WE HAD NO MONEY. I MEAN, YOU'RE SAYING THINGS UP HERE THAT ARE NOT TRUE. >> I'M ASKING. MAYOR WAS. >> A LITTLE BIT LONGER BUT. >> I DON'T I DON'T NEED YOU TO LECTURE ME. THAT'S NOT WHAT WE DO AS COUNCIL PEOPLE. >> OH, I'VE ALREADY THINK ABOUT THINGS THAT YOU SAID. >> I THANKED MAGGIE FOR CLARIFYING THE FINANCIAL PIECE AND I'M MAKING A SEPARATE PIECE, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON, I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS. I DIDN'T MEAN TO IMPLY THAT EVIDENCE AROUND DRAINAGE IS ANECDOTAL. I'VE WALKED THE PARK WITH OUR FORMER PARK AND FACILITIES SUPERINTENDENT AND WITH ADAM AND WITH RESIDENTS, SO I'M VERY AWARE OF THE DRAINAGE ISSUES. I'M LOOKING AT IT DIFFERENTLY BASED ON THE HISTORY OF THE ENGAGEMENT PIECE AND THE DATA AROUND THE USAGE FOR THE SPORTS ASSOCIATION. >> GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION. >> YES. >> WELL, NO, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS. I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THIS FOR I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG. THIS PARK IS IN DESPERATE NEED OF SOME ATTENTION. THE NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND IT, THE CHILDREN AROUND IT, THEY DESERVE A GOOD PARK TO GO PLAY AT. WE HAVE THE FUNDS AVAILABLE WITH THE APPLICATION OF THE GRANT. IT DOESN'T MEAN THIS IS A FINAL PLAN OR ANYTHING SO THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE INPUT DOWN THE ROAD. BUT IT'S NOT PROPER TO STATE THAT THERE'S NO MONEY AVAILABLE OR WE HAVEN'T DONE IT, OR WE HAVEN'T STUDIED FOR 10 YEARS ON IT, BECAUSE WE GET THINGS DONE HERE. IT'S HOW WE GOT BEERWOOD DONE, IT'S HOW WE GOT THE GOLF COURSE DONE, THE PAVILION DONE AND EVERYTHING ELSE. THAT'S WHY BIG ISLAND, THANK YOU. THAT'S WHY ALL THESE PARKS LOOK 10 TIMES BETTER THAN THEY DID EIGHT YEARS AGO. THIS ONE NEEDS ATTENTION. MATT, YOU HAD SOME GREAT POINTS REGARDING DRAINAGE AND SO FORTH, AND THOSE ARE SOME MAJOR THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED THERE. BUT THOSE ARE JUST MY POINTS BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT. THESE ARE PARKS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. OUR VISION AS A COUNCIL IS THAT KIDS PLAY IN OUR PARKS AND GET OUTSIDE AND GET ACTIVE. I UNDERSTAND THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENCES OF OPINION. THEY DON'T LIKE IT WHEN KIDS ARE RIDING THEIR BIKES IN THE PARKS. THAT BOTHERS THEM, OR THEY WANT TO LET THE PARKS GO WILD SO NOBODY CAN USE THEM. WELL, AGAIN, IT'S OUR VISION AS A COUNCIL THAT CHILDREN ARE ACTIVE OUTSIDE AND GET TO USE THESE PARKS AND ENJOY THEM ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE YOUNG. IT'S THE BEST WAY TO GO. GO AHEAD. >> THANK YOU. YOU'VE MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE GRANT APPLICATION AND RESOLUTION 7510. >> SECOND END. >> COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE,. >> AYE AYE. >> OPPOSED? >> NO. >> THAT PASSES FOUR TO ONE. BENSON WAS THE ONE NO. THAT'LL BRING US TO OUR FINANCE REPORT. >> MR. MATT, IF I COULD, JUST SINCE I HAVE TAYLOR HERE IF HE COULD GIVE IT PARKS DATE. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> HEY, TAYLOR. >> HE HAS NOT HAD A CHANCE TO. PARKS UPDATE. HERE WE GO. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL. IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU GUYS AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS. JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU GUYS A QUICK UPDATE ON MY FIRST MONTH OF WORK AND WE'RE MOVING HERE IN THE NEXT COMING MONTHS, JUST GETTING A CHANCE TO MEET AND ENGAGE WITH MY TEAM, FIGURE OUT THEIR SKILL SETS AND GOING TO HELP THEM IMPROVE AND GROW IN THEIR CAREER PATHS AS WELL AS ALL PREPARATION, FIGURING OUT ALL THE FACILITIES, ALL THE NOOKS AND CRANNIES, NOT ONLY OF THE FACILITIES, BUT OF THE CITY OF ORONO. IT'S BEEN A GREAT FIRST MONTH AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE AHEAD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU TO HAVE YOU. TO HAVE A BOARD. >> YOU WALKED IN WITH SOME NICE LOOKING GREENS, TOO. >> WELL, ABSOLUTELY,. >> OF COURSE. IT'S A NICE PLACE TO BE IN. >> THANK YOU. >> YEAH. >> THANK YOU. WELL, THAT'LL BRING US THEN TO OUR FINANCE REPORT WITH MAGGIE AND WE'LL START WITH NUMBER 15, [Finance Report] WHICH IS ADOPT THE 2025 PRELIMINARY GENERAL FUND BUDGET RESOLUTION 7508. >> OKAY. >> TONIGHT, WE HAVE THE 2025 PRELIMINARY GENERAL FUND BUDGET UP FOR ADOPTION. CURRENTLY, OUR GENERAL FUND REVENUE BUDGET AND OUR EXPENDITURE BUDGET ARE BOTH AT 11,000,990 STREET THOUSAND. THAT'S AN INCREASE FROM 2024 BUDGET OF 3.96%. STARTING OFF WITH GENERAL FUND REVENUE, I CAN GIVE A QUICK RECAP. PROPERTY TAXES MAKES UP MAJORITY OF THE BUDGET AT 58% OF THE REVENUE BUDGET, [00:40:03] THAT'S AN INCREASE OF 6.13% FOR PROPERTY TAXES. REMAINDER OF THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE IS MADE UP OF NON TAX SOURCES WITH THE SECOND LARGEST COMING FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY CHARGE OF 24% INCREASE OR 24% OF THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE. THE PUBLIC SAFETY CHARGE COMES FROM OUR SERVICE CONTRACTS WITH NEIGHBORING CITIES AND THE REMAINDER OF THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE IS MADE OUT OF LICENSE PERMITS, INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUE, GENERAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE CHARGES, FINE FORFEITURE, AND THEN INTEREST AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS CHARGES. THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURE, TOTAL SAME AS THE REVENUE AT 11.93 MILLION, SAME INCREASE, 3.96%. THE BIGGEST EXPENDITURE THAT THE CITY HAS IS THE PERSONNEL SERVICE BUDGET, THAT'S INCREASE OF 8.29% FROM THE 2024 BUDGET FOR PERSONNEL SERVICE. MAJORITY OF THIS INCREASE IS COMING FROM THE 3% COLAR THAT THE UNION CONTRACTS HAVE, AND THEN NON UNION WAGE INCREASE ARE INCLUDED IN THAT AMOUNT AS WELL. THEN WE ARE ALSO ANTICIPATING A POTENTIAL 10% INCREASE IN HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM WITH THAT PERSONNEL BUDGET. LET'S SEE. THE LARGEST DECREASE FOR EXPENDITURE IS COMING FROM PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. ASSESSING SERVICE IS NO LONGER GOING TO BE CHARGED TO CITIES UNDER 30,000 POPULATION, IT WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE HENDON COUNTY TAX PORTION OF PROPERTY TAXES. THEN LONG LAKE FIRE SERVICE ALSO HAD DECREASE DUE TO NO LONGER SERVICING THAT NAVARRO AREA. PROFESSIONAL SERVICE IS THE LARGEST DECREASE THAT WE SEE TO THE EXPENDITURE BUDGET. OTHER AREAS THAT WE ARE SEEING CHANGES FOR THE EXPENDITURE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR IS ADMINISTRATION AND ELECTIONS. WE HAD SWITCHED OR REALLOCATED THOSE EXPENDITURES SINCE NEXT YEAR IS NOT AN ELECTION YEAR. WE HAVE PUT THAT INTO MORE STAFF TIME FOR SCANNING DOCUMENTS IN. COMMUNICATIONS, WE ADDED A PERSONNEL FOR NEXT YEAR, AND THEN ASSESSING SERVICE, I HAD MENTIONED THAT, WE ARE NO LONGER INCLUDING THAT. IN THE CITY PORTION OF PROPERTY TAX LEVY, THAT WILL BE IN THE COUNTY'S PORTION OF PROPERTY TAX LEVY. THEN CENTRAL SERVICE AND PARKS, THERE IS A REALLOCATION FOR STAFF DUE TO SOME REALLOCATION OF DUTIES, OVERSIGHT OF FACILITIES IS NOW WITH THE PARKS AND FACILITY SUPERINTENDENT, WHERE THAT WAS A PARKS AND GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT PRIOR. THEN FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE ARE SEEING A FULL YEAR OF SERVICE IN THE NAVARRO AREA, SO TRANSITIONING THAT FROM LONG LAKE TO ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT. TONIGHT'S 2025 PRELIMINARY GENERAL FUND BUDGET, WE CANNOT INCREASE THAT AMOUNT AFTER TONIGHT. WE CAN DECREASE IT WITH THE FINAL BUDGET ADOPTION IN DECEMBER. BUT OTHERWISE, STAFF IS REQUESTING THAT THE PRELIMINARY GENERAL FUND BUDGET IS ADOPTED TONIGHT IN TIME FOR THE SEPTEMBER LINE TO THE COUNTY. ANY QUESTIONS WITH THAT? >> THANK YOU, MAGGIE. IT'S GOOD TO NOTE ALSO THAT WITHIN THE BUDGET, WE HAVE KEPT OUR TAX RATE FLAT. GOING TO THE 2025 FOR THE 2025 BUDGET, AND WE'VE BEEN PROMISED THAT BACK EIGHT YEARS AGO, WE KEEP OUR TAX RATE FLAT AND WE HAVE, BY FUNDING EVERYTHING AND REALLOCATING OUR RESOURCES APPROPRIATELY TO MAKE EVERYTHING BEING FUNDED 100% IN OUR CITY. I APPRECIATE THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR MAGGIE IN THE BUDGET OR THE LEVY. >> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW NUMBER 14, NOT THE LEVY. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. >> FIFTEEN, THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET. >> FOURTEEN IS THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY. >> I PRINTED THE WRONG AGENDA. WELL, YEAH. ON THE GENERAL FUND, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE OF POINTS BEFORE WE TAKE OUR VOTE. >> THANK YOU. >> THIS 2025 BUDGET INCLUDES EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT, [00:45:05] WHICH I'VE DISCUSSED BEFORE, THAT I DON'T SUPPORT. THE REASON FOR THAT IS I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT A BUDGET THAT REFLECTS SPENDING THAT I THINK IS UNNECESSARILY BURDENSOME ON OUR RESIDENTS. BUDGETING OVER $1,000,000, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DOING IN 2025 FOR THESE OPERATING EXPENSES FOR THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT. WHEN THIS AMOUNT NEXT YEAR IS ONLY GOING TO COVER ABOUT A THIRD OF OUR CITY, ISN'T SOMETHING I CAN SUPPORT. WE'RE BUDGETING 558,000 FOR OPERATION FOR THE LONG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF OUR CITY IN 2025. IT DOESN'T SEEM LOGICAL TO ME, IT'S NOT SOMETHING I CAN SUPPORT BECAUSE IT IS A LOT OF MONEY AND IT IS AFFECTING OUR BOTTOM LINE. WE'VE VOTED TONIGHT TO REDUCE THE RESERVES. THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE CAN GET FIRE SERVICE AT A NOT JUST LOWER COST, BUT SAFE AND EFFECTIVE BY PARTNERING WITH OTHER CITIES. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HASN'T BEEN TALKED ABOUT IN NOT JUST OUR CITY, BUT OTHERS AS WELL. WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PASSING A BUDGET WITH THESE TYPES OF NUMBERS IN IT, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO STUDY THIS ISSUE, TO MAYBE PUT SOME MONEY TOWARDS A STUDY OF THIS ISSUE RATHER THAN PLOWING AHEAD AND FUNDING SOMETHING AT THESE COSTS. MATRIX DID A STUDY FROM MEDINA IN 2020 AND THE STUDY COST MEDINA $17,000 AFTER THEY GOT A GRANT OF $25,000, THE REPORT ITSELF WAS $42,000, AND BASED ON THAT ASSESSMENT, MEDINA USED IT TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT FIRE SERVICE. ESSENTIALLY, THE IDEA BEHIND THAT WAS IT MAKES SENSE TO PARTNER WITH OTHER PEOPLE BECAUSE FIRE IS EXPENSIVE. I'M SUMMARIZING. IT WAS A VERY LONG REPORT. IT WAS PROFESSIONALLY DONE, AND IT COST THE CITY OF MEDINA $17,000. IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO STUDY THIS AND ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND, NOT JUST FOR 2025, BUT BEYOND THAT WHAT THIS IS GOING TO COST, I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS BUDGET NEXT YEAR WITH THESE NUMBERS FOR AN ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT. THAT IS WHAT I WANT TO SAY. I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, AND THANK YOU, MAGGIE. >> I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT YOU SAY IT'S UNNECESSARY TO FUND OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT. YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS NOW, BEEN THROUGH ALL THE FUNDING, BEEN THROUGH ALL THE CONVERSATIONS. WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS FOR SIX YEARS. WE'VE HAD OUR FIRE CHIEF PUT TOGETHER COMPLETE DOCUMENT THAT SHOWED EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED TO DO. SAYING THAT WE HAVEN'T NOT STUDYING IT IS FACETIOUS AT BEST. >> I SHOULD CLARIFY THAT. >> I'M TALKING. YOU WERE DONE. SO YOU STICK TO OUR WORDS. >> WELL, JUST A MOMENT. IF YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE STATEMENTS LIKE THAT, THEN I WILL HAVE SOMETHING. >> ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT TILL I'M DONE THEN. VERY GOOD. >> WE DO HAVE $1,000,000 BUILT INTO OUR BUDGET THAT WE DO HAVE FOR ORONO FOR THE NAVARRO AREA. IT'S AN APPROPRIATE BUDGET FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING THAT WE HAD TO FUND FOR ALL OF OUR MACHINERY, OUR VEHICLES, AND ALL THE STUFF THAT WE NEED TO OUTFIT OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS A FIRE CHIEF. WHEN WE TAKE OVER THE OTHER TWO THIRDS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO NEED ANOTHER FIRE CHIEF. WE'RE NOT GOING TO NEED TO DUPLICATE ALL THE FIRE EQUIPMENT BECAUSE WE'LL ALREADY HAVE IT. BETWEEN A MILLION AND THE 558, WE SHOULD BE TO JUST ROLL RIGHT IN AND WE'LL HAVE ALL OF ORONO UNDER OUR BELT, THE SAME TAX RATE. IT WILL BE A MARVELOUS THING BECAUSE WE'LL ALREADY HAVE IT AND WE'LL EVEN KEEP THE SAME TAX RATE MOVING INTO THE NEXT BUDGET SEASON A YEAR FROM NOW. TO SAY THAT WE NEED TO STUDY THE ISSUE AND WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT IT IS FACETIOUS. WE'VE BEEN HAVING SO MANY CONVERSATIONS, BEEN DOCUMENTED IN THE PAPER. BACK IN 2018, WHEN WE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH, LIKE, THE CONTRACT WAS UP. WE HAD TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS, WHICH IS WHAT WE DID AND AND NOW WE'VE GOTTEN TO THE POINT. WE HAVE OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT SO IT'S NOW OUR OBLIGATION. AS A SITTING CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THE CITY OF ORONO, IT IS YOUR OBLIGATION TO PROTECT THE ORONO RESIDENTS WITH ALL THE FIRST RESPONDERS THAT WE HAVE, WHETHER IT'S POLICE, FIRE, PUBLIC WORKS. THAT'S WHAT WE ARE DOING. WE ARE FUNDED CORRECTLY, MOVING INTO NEXT BUDGET SEASON, AND IT'LL ALL FALL IN PLACE JUST PERFECTLY. >> IF YOU'RE FINISHED, I'D LIKE TO. >> I FINISH BUT I WILL LET YOU GO NOW AND I MAY HAVE MORE. >> VERY GOOD. I SHOULD CLARIFY. >> THAT THE CITY OF ORONO PRODUCED A NEEDS ASSESSMENT IN HOUSE, COMPLETED BY CHIEF [INAUDIBLE] AFTER THE DECISION WAS MADE TO CREATE AND FUND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. SO THAT IS TRUE THAT THAT ASSESSMENT HAPPENED. [00:50:01] IT HAPPENED AFTER THE DECISION WAS MADE, NOT BEFORE. IT WAS ALSO NOT A THIRD PARTY INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT LIKE MATRIX PROVIDED TO THE CITY OF ORONO, SO I DO WANT TO CLARIFY THAT. AND THE ONLY OTHER THING I WANT TO ADD IS THAT THIS AGENDA ITEM INCLUDES INFORMATION. EXCUSE ME, I SHOULD BE SPEAKING INTO THIS. I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT HERE THAT UNDER THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES IN THIS AGENDA ITEM. AND AS WELL SAID, BY WORKING COOPERATIVELY WITH THESE NEIGHBORING CITIES, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ABLE TO PROVIDE ENHANCED SERVICE AT A LOWER COST BY ELIMINATING OVERHEAD AND DUPLICATION OF SERVICE. SO THAT'S THAT'S A PHILOSOPHY THAT'S BEEN APPLIED TO POLICING, AND MY POINT IS SIMPLY THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE TO CONSIDER IN THIS CASE, AS WELL. >> APPLICANT. LET ME TALK. >> LET ME KEEP GOING BECAUSE I HAVEN'T FINISHED YET. >> ALL RIGHT, GO AHEAD. >> AND I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT. AND THAT JUST SHOWS HOW GREAT OUR RELATIONSHIPS ACTUALLY ARE WITH OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES. WE HAVE GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH MOUND, WE HAVE FABULOUS RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE SPRING PARK FC. WE EVEN DO THEIR PUBLIC WORKS OVER THERE. WE HAVE GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH MINITAKA BEACH WITH ALL OUR SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. I THINK THE ONLY COMMUNITY THAT'S UNHAPPY IS JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE LOSING A CONTRACT FOR FIRE SERVICES THAT'S COMING UP. BUT I WILL MAKE NOTE, IF YOU GO BACK TO 2020, WHEN WE HAD FIVE CITIES SERVICING US, WE HAD WAYZATA, WE HAD LONG LAKE, WE HAD EXCELSIOR, WE HAD MAPLE PLAIN, WE HAD MOUND, ALL SERVICING OR NOT. AND THOSE PEOPLE LOST THE CONTRACTS BACK 20 SOMETHING YEARS AGO, AND THERE WEREN'T HAPPY ABOUT IT EITHER. BUT IT WAS STILL WARNER'S CHOICE TO BRING THAT AND CONSOLIDATE THE MAJORITY OF IT TO LONG LAKE BACK IN 2000. AND IN 2007, EXCELSIOR STILL HAD THE WHOLE NAVARRO AREA UNTIL 2007. AND SO THAT CONTRACT NOW PART OF THAT IS UP. AND LIKE WE HAVE DONE WITH OUR FLEET MANAGEMENT SERVICES, AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE FUNDED THEM CORRECTLY, BROUGHT THEM IN HOUSE. IN FACT, MOUND GOT RID OF THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENT, SO WE BROUGHT THAT IN HOUSE. AND WE HAVE GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH EVERYBODY. SO THERE'S NO RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE NEEDED TO BE MENDED, THAT IS FOR SURE BECAUSE WE GET ALONG GREAT, AND WE TAKE CARE OF EVERYBODY WELL. SO ARNOLD, HOW WILL WE GO? >> YEAH. SO TALK ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS. A PARTNERSHIP IS NOT A 7-9% RUNNING THE ORGANIZATION. THAT'S NOT THE PARTNERSHIP. IT'S TYPICALLY THE 85- 90% THAT RUNS THE ORGANIZATION. ORONO MADE A DECISION THAT WE WEREN'T GOING TO RENEW THE CONTRACT. SO TO SAY THAT THERE WAS NO NEGOTIATIONS GOING ON, PEOPLE WERE IN NEGOTIATIONS FOR YEARS. WE'VE HAD A PLAN, WE DECIDED WE'RE NOT GOING TO RENEW THE CONTRACT BECAUSE IT WAS A HORRIBLE DEAL FOR THE CITY OF ORONO. THEN YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF, HOW MUCH MONEY SHOULD THE CITIZENS OF ORONO HAVE TO THROW AT THE CITY OF LONG LAKE TO APPEASE THEM? HOW MUCH IS IT? YOU ASK YOURSELF THAT QUESTION. BECAUSE FOR SOME REASON, WE HAVE AN ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE A FIRE CHIEF, THE TWO GENTLEMEN IN THE BACK ROW WITH ORONO FIRE SHIRTS REPRESENTING THIS DEPARTMENT. SO WHEN THE VOTES ARE NO, THE VOTES ARE NO FOR ORONO AND NOW, NOT THE PAST. THIS ORGANIZATION EXISTS NOW NOW, RIGHT NOW. SO THE QUESTION IS, DO WE TAKE CARE OF THE CITIZENS OF ORONO, WHICH IS OUR SACRED OBLIGATION, OR DO WE GET MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE CITY OF LONG LAKE BECAUSE THEIR BUDGET IS GOING TO GO FROM 7-10% TO 100, BUT ORONO IS GOING TO GO 85-90 TO 100. WHICH ONE CAN'T AFFORD. YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW MATH TO FIGURE THIS OUT. THERE'S NOT A BUSINESS IN THE WORLD THAT THE SEVEN TO TEN RUNS THE ORGANIZATION. WE HAVE A FIRE DEPARTMENT, I WAS ON LONG LAKE FIRE FOR TEN YEARS, I RETIRED FROM THERE. I LOVE LONG LAKE FIRE, IT IS IN ME, I SWEATED WITH THESE PEOPLE. BUT YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS FOR THE PEOPLE OF ORONO. THE QUESTION IS, HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU GONE TO THE CITY OF LONG LAKE SAYING, HEY, LONG LAKE, WHY HAVEN'T YOU MADE A DEAL WITH ORONO? WHY HAVEN'T YOU TOLD THEM TAKE OVER THE ADMINISTRATION OF THIS DEPARTMENT AND KEEP EVERYBODY TOGETHER. DOESN'T THAT MAKE SENSE WHEN IT'S 90% OF ORONO'S MONEY ON THE TABLE? OR DOES UNDERCUTTING OUR OWN FIREFIGHTERS IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY MAKE SENSE? [00:55:05] NO, IT DOES NOT. TAKING CARE OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, SUPPORTING THEM WITH THE PROPER EQUIPMENT THAT THEY NEED TO DO THEIR JOB AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE THEIR BACK, JUST LIKE WE DO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. THAT'S WHAT YOU DO. WHEN YOU GET UP HERE, YOU TAKE THE OATH, YOU SUPPORT THE CITIZENS OF ORONO, NOT LONG LAKE. I HOPE LONG LAKE COMES TO HAVE A GOOD DECISION FOR THEMSELVES, I WISH THEM NOTHING BUT THE BEST. BUT WHEN THEY SAID, NO, WE NEED AN EQUAL SEAT AT THE TABLE, BUT HERE'S OUR SEVEN TO 10 CENTS, WE SAID, NO. IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT. WHEN THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO MAKE A DEAL, WE CAN'T MAKE THEM MAKE A DEAL. SO WE MADE THE DECISION TO GO OUR WAY WITH OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE. SO SUPPORTING OUR RESIDENTS AND SUPPORTING THEIR SAFETY IS WHAT THIS JOB IS ALL ABOUT. IT'S JOB NUMBER ONE. >> THANK YOU, COUNCIL CROSBY, YOU RAISE A GOOD POINT ABSOLUTELY THAT PART OF THIS IS A FINANCIAL DECISION. AND THAT'S SIMPLY MY POINT IS THAT IN ORDER TO UNDERTAKE SOMETHING LIKE I THINK THE PRUDENT THING TO DO IS TO STUDY IT AND TO HAVE AN INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT OF IT. FINANCIALLY, I THINK LIKELY IN THE BUSINESS WORLD, THAT'S ALSO WHAT WOULD BE HAPPENING WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT TAKING ON SOMETHING COMPLETELY NEW THAT'S LIKELY TO INCREASE COSTS. SO THAT WAS MY POINT. I AGREE THERE ARE FINANCIALS INVOLVED. THAT'S WHY I'M LOOKING OUT FOR THE CITIZENS AND THINKING THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO SPEND EXTRA MONEY TO RESEARCH THAT AHEAD OF TIME, OR EVEN NOW MIGHT BE PRUDENT. >> WELL, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF THESE STUDIES OVER THE YEARS, AND WE CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND WE'RE GOING OUR OWN WAY. AND HERE'S THE ONE THING, AS A CITY COUNCIL PERSON SITTING RIGHT HERE TODAY, WHAT IS YOUR CONTROL OVER THE LONG LAKE FIRE COST? ZERO. WHEN ANOTHER CITY IS MAKING THEIR BUDGET AND COMING UP WITH THIS AS THE COST FIGURE, THERE'S NO CONTROL. BUT WHEN YOU RUN THE BUSINESS, YOU HAVE THE CONTROL. ANOTHER GOOD REASON WHY WE'RE TAKING IT INSIDE. IT'S OUR MONEY ON THE TABLE, WE GET TO CONTROL THE COST, WE MAKE SURE OUR PEOPLE ARE PROPERLY EQUIPPED, AND WE TAKE CARE OF OUR BUDGET, WHICH WE'VE DONE EVERY YEAR WITHOUT RAISING THE TAX RATE. >> I DIDN'T KNOW WE'D MADE OTHER STUDIES. YOU MENTIONED THAT WE'VE STUDIED IT ELSEWHERE AT OTHER TIMES, AND I WAS NOT AWARE OF THAT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE IF THAT'S THE CASE, BECAUSE THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT IS THE ONLY STUDY I'M AWARE OF. IF THERE'S BEEN OTHER STUDIES THAT WE'VE DONE ON IT, THEN THAT'S NOT SOMETHING I'M AWARE OF. >> WELL, IT'S ALSO INTERESTING THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHEN YOU DO SOMETHING TO INCREASE COSTS, LONG LAKE ADMITTED A LONG TIME AGO THEY'VE UNDERFUNDED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE'VE ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THE MODEL NEEDS TO CHANGE. EVERYBODY'S ALWAYS BEEN SAYING THAT THE VOLUNTEER MODEL IS NOT SUSTAINABLE FOREVER ALL THE TIME FOR EVERYTHING. WE ALSO FOUND OUT THE FIRE EQUIPMENT AND ALL THE ENGINES, WE'RE ALL OUT OF COMPLIANCE AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. SO INSTEAD OF SPENDING THE MONEY WITH LONG LAKE, WE DECIDED WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THE MONEY WITH OURSELVES. SO IT WAS NOT INCREASING OUR BUDGET, IT WAS WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE IT REGARDLESS, WE'RE EITHER INCREASING IT FOR OURSELVES OR WE'RE GIVING THE MONEY TO LONG LAKE TO DO IT. I THINK IT'S MORE PRUDENT FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO ACTUALLY SPEND THE MONEY AND CONTROL IT IN HOUSE AT ORONO INSTEAD OF GIVING THE MONEY TO LONG LAKE. AND SO THAT WAS A VERY GOOD FIDUCIARY DECISION THAT WE MADE AND LONG LAKE IS THE ONE THAT HAS NOT COME TO THE TABLE WHEN THEY CAN TURN DOWN 20 YEARS OF FREE SERVICE. THAT ONE IS NOT EVEN EXPLAINABLE BY ANYBODY. >> IF IT'S ALL RIGHT, I'LL MAKE A MOTION. >> OKAY. >> I THINK WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS IS THE MAXIMUM TO SPEND, SO ALL OF THAT IT CAN STILL GO DOWN. >> THIS JUST CANNOT GO UP. >> IT CANNOT GO UP. SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT CONVERSATION GOT OFF, BUT WE'RE JUST MAKING A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 7508 ADOPTING THE 2025 PRELIMINARY GENERAL FUND BUDGET. >> COUNCIL MARIA, I HAVE A SECOND. >> SECOND. >> MATT, GOT YOU THERE. >> COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? >> NO. >> NOTE THAT PASSES FOUR TO ONE WITH BENSON BEING THE LONE DISSENTING VOTE. THAT'LL TAKE US TO OUR NUMBER 16, ADOPT A 2025 PRELIMINARY TAX LEVY RESOLUTION 7507. >> SO ALONG WITH THE 2025 GENERAL FUND BUDGET, WE HAVE THE 2025 PRELIMINARY TAX LEVY. SO COUNCIL'S DIRECTIVE WAS TO MAINTAIN A STABLE TAX LEVY RATE, WHICH WE HAVE DONE. SO WE ARE ANTICIPATING FOR 2025 TO BE STABLE AT THE 16.349%, AND I'LL JUST GO THROUGH WHAT MAKES UP THAT TAX LEVY PERCENTAGE. [01:00:02] SO THE FIRST PART, THE BIGGEST PART WOULD BE THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET, THE OPERATING LEVY, AND THEN THAT'S AT 6.904%. THAT IS A, LET'S SEE IF I HAVE TO INCREASE IN HERE, 5.48% INCREASE. AND THEN NEXT, WE HAVE THE FACILITIES FUND, THE FIRE CAPITAL FUND, THE PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT FUND, PARKS FUND, AND DEBT SERVICE FUND, MAKING THE REST OF THE LEVY UP. THE TOTAL TAX LEVY IS ANTICIPATED TO BE 9.631 MILLION, SO THAT'S A 16.349%. SO WE'RE KEEPING THE SAME TAX RATE AS WE HAVE FOR 2024. THAT NUMBER MAY CHANGE AS WE GET FINAL NUMBERS IN, I BELIEVE, JANUARY FROM THE COUNTY, BUT TYPICALLY, THAT DOESN'T FLUCTUATE TOO GREATLY FROM THAT NUMBER. SO TONIGHT, STAFF IS ASKING FOR COUNSEL TO ADOPT THE 2025 PRELIMINARY TAX LEVY AND TAX RATE. >> WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT THING THAT YOU'VE SAID A NUMBER OF TIMES THAT WE'RE COMMITTED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE KEEPING OUR TAX RATE FLAT, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THE ULTIMATE DEFINING COMPARISON OF HOW CITIES ARE MANAGING THEIR MONEY. BECAUSE YOU CAN TAKE SOMEBODY IN LONG LAKE AS AN EXAMPLE, TAKE THAT SAME HOUSE VAL AND BRING IT TO ORONO, BUT THAT PERSON IN LONG LAKE IS GOING TO BE SPENDING TWICE AS MUCH MONEY AND GIVING THAT TO THE CITY FOR LESS SERVICES. AND SO THAT SHOWS YOU HOW WELL AND EFFICIENT WE ARE WITH SPENDING OUR DOLLARS. AND WE HAVE KEPT THAT LOW RATE SINCE THE DAY I HAS BEEN SWORN IN AS MAYOR, AND I SAID I WILL CONTINUE THAT, AND I WILL CONTINUE THAT FORWARD NEXT YEAR AND THE YEAR AND THE YEAR AND THE YEAR AFTER THAT, AS WELL. SO THANK YOU, MAGGIE, FOR ACHIEVING THAT. WE GOT EVERYTHING FUNDED, OUR ROADS, OUR SEWER, OUR WATER, OUR PARKS, AND IF EVERYTHING'S IN THERE, SO IT'S A GREAT DAY TO BE AN ORONO RESIDENT THAT'S FOR SURE. BRING IN THE RESOLUTION. >> I'D MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 7507, ADOPTING THE 2025 PRELIMINARY TAX LEVY. >> I'LL SECOND. >> MEMBER VEACH, COUNCIL MEMBER CRASMY, THE SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> YOU DIDN'T ASK FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. >> OKAY, FURTHER DISCUSSION. >> YEAH. I JUST WANT TO MAKE THE SAME POINT THAT I SAID EARLIER ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS THAT THIS LEVY IS INCLUDING COSTS THAT I DON'T SUPPORT GIVEN THAT THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES FOR FIRE SERVICE THAT WILL BURDEN OUR CITIZENS LESS FINANCIALLY AND PROVIDE EFFECTIVE AND SAFE SERVICE. SO THAT'S ALL I WANT TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE. >> I GUESS I TAKE IT AS ALREADY IN OUR RESIDENCY. >> WHY DO YOU INCLUDE AND IT WILL PROVIDE WHAT DID YOU SAY AT THE END THERE? EFFECTIVE? >> BECAUSE PART OF THE ISSUE IS, I AM NOT VOTING DOWN THIS EXPENDITURE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE FIRE SERVICE THAT WE CAN USE. WE HAVE AND HAVE HAD SAFE EFFECTIVE FIRE SERVICE. >> CAN YOU STAND UP ALL THOSE THAT ARE PROVIDING FIRE SERVICE? >> AND SO THE OTHER POINT HERE IS [APPLAUSE], I THINK IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT THIS DISCUSSION HAS BECOME ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT FIREFIGHTERS ARE APPRECIATED AND SUPPORTED BECAUSE THEY ARE, REGARDLESS OF THE COMMUNITY. THIS IS A DECISION ABOUT POLICY WITH THE FIRE PEOPLE AT THIS TABLE, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE DEDICATED MEN AND WOMEN WHO CHOOSE TO SERVE. THESE ARE POLICY DISCUSSIONS. AND I WISH THEY WOULD STAY THAT WAY BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN PERSONNEL GET BROUGHT INTO THIS OR WHEN ASSERTIONS ARE MADE OR IMPLICATIONS ARE MADE, THAT BECAUSE OF MY VOTE, I DON'T A SUPPORT FIREFIGHTERS, WHICH I DO OR B, UNDERSTAND THAT MY ROLE AS A CITY OFFICIAL IS TO PROVIDE AND ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY FOR OUR RESIDENTS, I VERY MUCH UNDERSTAND THOSE THINGS. AND THAT IS WHY I AM NOT SUPPORTING INITIATIVE, SUCH AS THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT WHICH BY THE WAY, HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO CHOOSE TO SERVE HERE. I WANT TO MAKE THAT WHAT I THINK. >> I WAS JUST CLARIFYING SOMEBODY WAS PROVIDING THE SERVICE. >> I'M NOT FINISHED. THIS IS A POLICY DECISION THAT I'M NOT SUPPORTIVE OF BECAUSE IT WAS NOT RESEARCHED INDEPENDENTLY. WE WERE NOT GIVEN OPTIONS BY A THIRD PARTY WHO HAS KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE TO UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIAL RAMIFICATIONS, THE SAFETY RAMIFICATIONS, THE LONG TERM RAMIFICATIONS, WHEN OTHER CITIES ARE COMBINING SERVICES. THAT DID NOT HAPPEN. THIS IS A POLICY DECISION WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ELECTED TO SERVE THAT I DO NOT SUPPORT. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO, [01:05:01] AND IT NEVER DID WITH ANYONE WHO CHOOSES TO HIRE ON WITH THIS DEPARTMENT. WHAT I'M NOT GOING TO DO IS TO GET INVOLVED IN THE WEEDS ANY MORE THAN WE ALREADY HAVE, BECAUSE I BELIEVE MY POSITION ON THIS HAS BEEN REAL CLEAR. >> SO YOU DON'T WANT TO HELP THE FIRE DEPARTMENT YOU JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO TALK? >> SO GIVE ME A CHANCE HERE BECAUSE WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS TRY TO FIND A PATH FORWARD BECAUSE EVERY DECISION THAT WE MAKE THAT HAS FIRE IN IT GETS HIJACKED INTO WHAT APPEARS TO ME OF YOU MAKING NEGATIVE COMMENTS ABOUT OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND THEN IT GOES INTO THE REST OF THE COUNCIL FEELING LIKE WE NEED TO DEFEND OUR DEPARTMENT BUT HEAR ME OUT, IS THAT I THINK THE WAY WE CAN MOVE FORWARD MORE EFFICIENTLY FOR EVERYBODY'S SAKE, IS THAT YOU IT'S CLEAR, AND YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO NOT AGREE WITH ORONO HAVING ITS OWN DEPARTMENT. THAT'S FINE. I RESPECT IT. I COMPLETELY DISAGREE, I'VE DONE THIS FOR SIX YEARS, I'VE WORKED ON FIRE FOR SIX YEARS, AND BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE, I DISAGREE. BUT WE CAN DISAGREE. BUT EVEN IF YOU REFER TO THE LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES, AND THEIR DIRECTIVE TO YOU AS A COUNCIL MEMBER IS THAT EVEN IF YOU DISAGREE WITH THE VOTE, ONCE CONSENSUS AND THE VOTE HAS BEEN MADE, YOU SUPPORT THE COUNCIL'S INITIATIVES TO MAKE THAT SUCCESSFUL. I THINK SITTING FROM MY SIDE, AND I'VE HEARD THIS ALL TOO MANY TIMES, IS I RESPECT THAT YOU DON'T WANT US TO HAVE OUR OWN DEPARTMENT. THAT'S FINE. BUT EVERY TIME YOU VOTE AGAINST A RESOURCE THAT SUPPORTS THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING IT FOR US, SHOWS THAT YOU DON'T SUPPORT OUR EXISTING DEPARTMENT. YOU MIGHT NOT DISAGREE, YOU COMPLETELY DISAGREE WITH THE DECISION, BUT I THINK WHERE YOU COULD HELP THE CIVILITY, THE EFFICIENCY OF OUR MEETINGS IS TO PUT ON THE RECORD. THAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU THAT YOU DISAGREE WITH US HAVING OUR OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT YOU SUPPORT THE RESOURCES IT TAKES FOR THAT DEPARTMENT TO BE SUCCESSFUL. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FIRE RIGHT HERE, BUT WE NEED TO DO THAT FOR POLICE AND EVERY DEPARTMENT AND ENGINEERING. MAYBE THAT WE CAN ALL DO A BETTER JOB BY JUST WE ACKNOWLEDGE YOU DON'T WANT US TO HAVE OUR OWN DEPARTMENT. WE DO. THAT DECISION HAS BEEN MADE. WE HAVE A INCREDIBLE GROUP. THE LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM AND EXPERIENCE THAT WE HAVE SERVING TERRITORY NUMBER TWO, IS WE SHOULD BE PROUD. I MEAN, WE GOT MORE TO LEARN, WE'RE GOING TO GET BETTER. WE'RE COMMITTED TO BEING BETTER. WE ARE COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES TO BE SUCCESSFUL. I THINK IT WOULD DO YOU WELL, WITH YOUR REPUTATION WITHIN THOSE DEPARTMENTS TO JUST SAY, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A DEPARTMENT, BUT GUESS WHAT? I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M GOING TO DO WHAT THE LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITY SAYS AND SAY, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE DECISION TO MAKE SURE THAT'S SUCCESSFUL. WE CAN GIVE YOU THE SPACE TO DISAGREE. IT'S HEALTHY. IT'S GOOD THAT YOU DO, THE PEOPLE DISAGREE. WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE THAT. BUT LET'S JUST TRY TO TONE IT DOWN HERE AND JUST SAY, I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR THIS BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A FIRE DEPARTMENT IT'S FINE, BUT YOU CAN STILL VOTE FOR IT. YOU CAN STILL PROVIDE THE RESOURCES TO MAKE IT BE SUCCESSFUL AND STILL NOT LOSE WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU, WHICH IS, YOU DON'T WANT US TO HAVE OUR OWN DEPARTMENT, OR AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT YOUR REPUTATION TO BE. I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU KNOW I THINK IT'S REALLY STICKY WICKET TO TELL SOMEBODY ELSE WHERE THEIR POSITION IS. MY POSITION IS WHAT I SAY IT IS, AND IT'S THE WAY I VOTE. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE LEAGUE OF CITIES RECOMMENDS EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST SAID. I THINK IN EVERY OTHER CASE IN THE CITY, I HAVE VOTED TO SUPPORT OTHER INITIATIVES. FUND THEM. THIS ONE IS UNIQUE BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT ORIGINATED, AND BECAUSE OF WHAT I SEE OCCURRING BECAUSE OF THIS POLICY. IT'S NOT SOMETHING I CAN SUPPORT. I'VE TRIED TO DO IT CIVILLY. I'VE TRIED TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR TO THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE THAT THEY ARE VERY VALUABLE, IMPORTANT, BUT DOES NOT MEAN THAT I'M GOING TO SUPPORT OUR CITIZENS FUNDING IT. [OVERLAPPING] ALSO, BECAUSE, AS I SAID, THIS HAS BEEN A CHOICE, A POLICY CHOICE, I WILL REMAIN A POLICY CHOICE. IT MAY NOT BE EASY, [01:10:01] BUT IT IS WHAT I BELIEVE IS BEST FOR THE RESIDENTS BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT I SEE, AND I'VE NOT BEEN IN IT FOR 6 YEARS. IF I HAD, I WOULD HAVE ADVOCATED FOR STUDY. I WASN'T HERE THEN. I'M HERE NOW, AND THIS IS MY VOTE. I THINK I TRY TO DO THAT CIVILLY. I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD TRY TO DO THAT CIVILLY. I RESPECT YOUR VOTE AND ASK FOR THE SAME. I WANT TO MENTION ONE THING. I DON'T THINK YOU NEED A STUDY TO SAY THAT A COMMUNITY NEEDS TO HAVE FIRE SERVICE, OR THEY NEED TO HAVE FIREFIGHTERS AVAILABLE. IT COMES TO PRACTICALITY. WHEN THE BUDGET IS SO HIGH ON ONE END OF THE TABLE, WHICH IS YOUR CITY PAYING FOR IT, YOUR CITY SHOULD RUN IT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE AWARE, BUT BACK IN 2006, 2007, WHEN THE NAVARRO STATION WAS RUN BY EXCELSIOR FIRE. THERE WAS TALK BACK THEN ABOUT ON TAKING OVER LONG LAKE FIRE BECAUSE THEY FELT IT WAS INCOMPETENT AT THE TIME. NOW, THEY ALSO UNDERSTOOD THAT IT WAS THEIR DOLLARS ONO THE TABLE. THIS IS A CONTRACT THAT PROBABLY BACK IN THE DAY SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN WRITTEN THE WAY IT WAS. BECAUSE HAVING ONE ORGANIZATION PAY 80-90% AND HAVING THE ZERO FINAL SAY IN THE CONTROL OF THAT ORGANIZATION IS CRAZY. MATT, I THINK YOU MADE EXCELLENT POINTS BECAUSE YOU CAN DISAGREE WITH THE IDEA OF THE CITY OF ONO HAVING ITS OWN DEPARTMENT, BUT IT CLEARLY DOES. THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DECIDED. IT'S STARTED. IT'S HERE. BUT TO NOT SUPPORT IT FINANCIALLY, NOT SUPPORT IT IN SPIRIT. DOES NOT SUPPORT THE FIREFIGHTERS. AS A FORMER FIREFIGHTER, YOU COULD SIT THERE AND TELL ME THAT YOU SUPPORT ME ALL YOU WANT. BUT WHEN YOU'RE NOT VOTING FOR EQUIPMENT THAT CAN SAVE MY LIFE OR YOU'RE NOT VOTING FOR MY FELLOW FIREFIGHTER TO BE PROMOTED, THERE'S ZERO SUPPORT THERE. THOSE ARE EMPTY WORDS. GETTING BEHIND THE DEPARTMENT THAT YOUR CITY HAS IS IMPORTANT. IT WOULD BE THE SAME THING WITH THE POLICE. I COULD TELL THE POLICE OFFICERS, WE SUPPORT YOU ALL DAY. BUT IF WE TRULY DON'T CARE, AND WE DON'T EQUIP THEM PROPERLY, OR WE DON'T HEAR WHAT THEIR NEEDS AND CONCERNS ARE, OR IF THE CHIEF COMES TO US AND HE SAYS, THESE ARE THE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT WE REALLY NEED, AND HE EXPLAINS WHY, AND WE DON'T PROVIDE IT, THEN OUR WORDS ARE HOLLOW. OUR FIRST JOB AS PUBLIC OFFICIALS IS PUBLIC SAFETY. BUT WE CAN'T, EVERY TIME WE GET INTO SOMETHING TRYING TO CONVINCE SOMEBODY TO LOOK AT IT A DIFFERENT WAY. I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND A PROCESS THAT HELPS US BE MORE EFFICIENT IN THE FUTURE, WHERE WE CAN RESPECT THAT YOU DON'T WANT US TO HAVE OUR OWN DEPARTMENT, BUT YOU KEEP SUPPORTING THE IN THIS CASE, FIREFIGHTERS, BECAUSE WE GOT SOMETHING COMING UP NEXT. YOU CANNOT AGREE THAT WE HAVE IT. BUT BECAUSE WE DO, LET'S GIVE THEM THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL. SOME DAYS SOMEBODY MIGHT SEE IT A DIFFERENT WAY AND STRUCTURE IT A DIFFERENT WAY. BUT THIS COUNCIL, WE'VE DECIDED THAT THAT'S HAPPENING. LET JUST BE UNIFIED IN THE FACT THAT WE ALWAYS WANT OUR REPUTATION AS AN ENTITY OF GOVERNMENT TO BE THAT WE SUPPORT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY. I MEAN, OF ALL THINGS. THAT'S WHAT WE GOT TO BE UNIFIED ON. WHETHER IT'S FIRE OR POLICE. LET'S GET BEHIND MAKING SURE THEY HAVE THOSE RESOURCES. I THINK THAT WOULD HELP ALL OF US KEEP MOVING AND BE MORE EFFICIENT IN THIS. BUT I THINK WE ARE AT A MOTION IN A SECOND. IS THAT WHAT WE GOT? [OVERLAPPING] I THOUGHT I GOT IT THERE A WHILE AGO. IN A SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? NO. NOT THAT PASSES 41 WITH BENSON IS THE LONE DISSENT. OKAY, ANY OTHER FINANCE REPORT, MAGGIE. NOPE, SO. WE INTRO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR THE NEXT COUPLE WORK SESSIONS. AWESOME. THANK YOU. WELL, THAT'LL BRING US TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT, [Public Safety Report] WHICH IS NUMBER 17, OUR FIRE VEHICLE PURCHASE, OUR BRUSH MEDICAL UTILITY. CHIEF. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ITEM IS TO ORDER A NEW BRUSH UTILITY OR BRUSH MEDICAL RESPONSE UTILITY VEHICLE. IN THE FIRE AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT, [01:15:01] WE IDENTIFIED WITH A TWO STATION RESPONSE THAT WE WOULD NEED TWO OF THESE VEHICLES, ONE THAT IS COMING LATER THIS YEAR, AND THIS WOULD BE PRETTY MUCH A CARBON COPY OF THAT FIRST ONE AND SHOULD BE HERE. IF WE ORDER IT, IF WE GIVE THE APPROVAL TO ORDER THE CHASSIS WILL COME IN IN JUNE AND WE SHOULD SEE IT BY OCTOBER. THE BRUSH MEDICAL RESPONSE UTILITY IS A MULTI PURPOSE VEHICLE BASED ON A PICKUP TRUCK CHASSIS. THE VEHICLE AND CHASSIS PURCHASE IS $254,311. SET UP AN OUTFITTING FOR THIS VEHICLE IS 151,720 FOR A GRAND TOTAL OF 406,031. THE FUNDING SOURCE WOULD BE THE FIRE CAPITAL FUND, AND IT SHOULD BE LEASED OR SHALL BE LEASED FOR A PERIOD OF 5-7 YEARS. AS STAFF, WE RECOMMEND THE APPROVAL TO ORDER THE BRUSH MEDICAL RESPONSE UTILITY FROM FIRE SAFETY USA AND CET ALONG WITH THE SETUP AND OUTFITTING COSTS. I REMEMBER. THIS IS UNDER OUR FIRE NEEDS ANALYSIS FOR AS WE BRING IN THE OTHER TWO THIRDS OF ONO. THIS IS ONE OF THE VEHICLES THAT WE WILL NEED THEN FOR THAT. CORRECT. YES. AS WE BRING ALL THAT IN HOUSE? YES, CORRECT. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ORDER PURCHASE OF THE BRUSH MEDICAL RESPONSE UTILITY FROM FIRE SAFETY USA AND CET ALONG WITH THE SETUP AND OUTFITTING. I'LL SECOND THAT. MOTION BY EACH, SECOND BY CROSBY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR OF SAY AYE. AYE AYE. OPPOSED? NO. NOT THAT PASSES 41. BENSON IS THE LONE DESCEND. ANY OTHER THINGS FROM YOU TODAY, CHIEF. I DO HAVE ONE OTHER THING TO GO THROUGH. WE'LL GO THROUGH ANOTHER POWERPOINT THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST AS WE LOOK AT THIS. OUR INCIDENCE HERE THE INCIDENTS FROM AUGUST 24 TO AUGUST 31, FOR THAT WEEK. THEY INCLUDE OUR ON SCENE TIMES AND THE CREWS THAT WERE THERE AND SOME NOTES THAT WENT WITH IT. WE DID HAVE SOME STORM CALLS, AND THAT'S WHERE DISPATCH WAS OVERWHELMED, AND A COUPLE OF TIMES, THEY DIDN'T PICK UP THAT WE WERE ON SCENE. THAT DOES HAPPEN. THEN OUR INCIDENTS FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEK OR FOLLOWING A COUPLE OF WEEKS HERE FROM SEPTEMBER 1ST TO THE 18TH. AS YOU CAN SEE, SOME OF THEM ARE FIRE ALARMS THAT WERE CANCELED EN ROUTE. WE DID CONTINUE TO GIVE SOME OF OUR LESS EXPERIENCED DRIVERS SOME OPPORTUNITY TO DRIVE TO THE CALLS AND THAT TYPE OF STUFF. THEN WE HAD SOME OTHER ONES THAT WERE SLOWED. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 0911. WE WERE DOWN IN THE NAVARRO AREA OF ONO. WE DID PUT UP A FLAG IN THE MORNING WITH THE LADDER TRUCK, AND WE RECEIVED A LOT OF POSITIVE RESPONSES AND SOME HONKS AND WAVES AND STUFF. THE MIDDLE PHOTO THAT'S THE PROMOTION OF OUR OFFICERS OF SWEARING IN ONE OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS. WE DO HAVE ONE MORE OR WE'LL HAVE THREE NOW, MORE FIREFIGHTERS TO SWEAR IN. ONE FOR SURE, NATE, WHO WAS ON SHIFT THIS AFTERNOON, AND THEN TWO THAT WE JUST APPROVED TONIGHT. WE'LL GET A GOOD TIME TO DO THOSE. AWESOME. THEN THE OTHER NIGHT, SHA AND I WERE ON DUTY TOGETHER, AND WE WENT DOWN TO ONO PARK, AND WE HAD SOME FUN WITH THE KIDS DOWN AT ONO PARK. THE ONES SEE THE FIRE TRUCKS ALL THE TIME, THEY LIVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, SO IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO BE ABLE TO INTERACT WITH THEM AND THEY HAD A GOOD TIME BEING IN THE TRUCK AND STUFF. THOSE ARE THE FUN THINGS OF OUR JOBS, AS WE TELL EVERYBODY WHEN WE GET TO DO THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. THE LAST SLIDE, EVERYBODY HAS SEEN. THIS IS AN UPDATED VERSION OF IT, SHOWING THE AMOUNT OF PERSONNEL THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND THE TRUCKS THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED ON ORDER. THE TANKER, WE SHOULD SEE HERE. IT'S GOING TO BE DISPLAYED AT STATE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION UP AT DULUTH OVER MEA, AND THEN WE'LL GET IT AFTER THAT. FIRE SAFETY USA HAS MADE THE PLEDGE TO COVER THE RENTAL SINCE THAT ONE IS LID ON THEIR DIME. THEY'LL COVER THE RENTAL THROUGH THE END OF OCTOBER FOR US FROM LENO LAKES. THEN THE OTHER VEHICLES THAT WE HAVE ON ORDER RIGHT NOW. THAT FIRST BRUSH MEDICAL RESPONSE VEHICLE WE SHOULD SEE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, AND THEN THE ONE THAT WE JUST ORDERED, AND THEN THE ENGINE THAT'S BEEN ON ORDER FOR A WHILE SHOULD BE IN NOVEMBER OF NEXT YEAR, ALSO FOR USE UP HERE. I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE. SAND FOR QUESTIONS. YOU HAVE TO DRAW THE LADDER TRUCK ON THE ONE SIDE, TOO. [LAUGHTER] NO, THE [INAUDIBLE] HERE. IT'S GOOD. IT'S OVER ON THE RIGHT. OVER ON THE RIGHT SIDE. YEAH. SORRY. OKAY. IT IS SERVICING. I FUR YOU'RE YOU'RE COMPARING THE TIME FRAME, SO I FIGURE IT SHOULD BE IN BOTH PICTURE. [OVERLAPPING] THE HOMECOMING PARADE. HOMECOMING PARADE? YES. THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS. THE HOMECOMING PARADES COMING UP, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR FIRE PREVENTION OPEN HOUSE ON SATURDAY FROM 9-11. WE'VE SENT THAT OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SO THAT'LL BE OUR FIRST EVER. TAYLOR'S DOING A FABULOUS JOB. SHE'S PUTTING TOGETHER SOME FUN ACTIVITIES FOR THE KIDS, SO CAN'T WAIT FOR EVERYBODY TO BE THERE. THAT'S GOING TO BE OUR SECOND HOMECOMING PARADE. [01:20:02] SECOND HOMECOMING PARADE, FIRST FIRE PREVENTION OPEN HOUSE. [OVERLAPPING] NUMBERS ARE ADDING UP ALREADY. THEY ARE. THEN CHIEF, I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO TELL YOU THIS, BUT I RAN INTO ONE OF OUR PD OFFICERS AND WHEN I ASKED HIM HOW WHO WAS GOING WITH THE ONO FIRE DEPARTMENT. HE SAID, ACTUALLY, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, THEY ACTUALLY WAVED ME OFF ON A LIFT ASSIST CAUSE THEY BEAT US. [LAUGHTER] BEAT US THERE. THAT IS OUR GOAL. IS HOW DO WE, AS A PUBLIC SAFETY ENTITY, NOT JUST POLICE AND FIRE, BUT COLLECTIVELY WHAT CAN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DO TO BETTER SUPPORT THE PD? THEY'RE DOING WHAT WE NEED THEM TO DO. THEN WHEN WE HAVE THESE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE CAN JUMP IN THERE AND BEAT THEM TO IT AND CALL THEM OFF? I MEAN, CONGRATULATIONS. I MEAN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE. CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT. I JUST PASSED A ALONG. THANK YOU. I WILL PASS IT ALONG TO THE TROOPS? THEY DO FANTASTIC JOB, SO. OKAY, GOOD. MAKE MOTION. SECURITY APPROVED THE VEHICLE. THAT WAS REPORT. THAT'S RIGHT. THAT WAS JUST THE REPORT. >> THANKS. ATTORNEY REPORT. SOREN. >> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I DO NOT HAVE ANY REPORT FOR YOU TONIGHT. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, SOREN. I'LL BRING US TO OUR CITY ADMINISTRATOR ENGINEER REPORT, [City Administrator/Engineer Report] 18 HOUR WORK SESSION SCHEDULE. >> MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. WHEN PREPARING THIS ITEM, I ACCIDENTALLY CLICKED THE WRONG BUTTON. I INTENDED TO PUT THIS RECOMMENDED FOR CONSENT. THERE ARE NO CHANGES FROM THE LAST ONE THAT YOU HAD. >> STILL APPROVE IT. >> ONE THING I WOULD SAY IS, I MAY HAVE, SINCE SINCE WE DID PUT THIS IN, WE HAVE HAD ONE PARK COMMISSIONER APPLICATION RECEIVED. ONE CHANGE THAT YOU MAY SEE IN YOUR FUTURE FOR WORK SESSIONS IS TO DO AN INTERVIEW FOR A POTENTIAL PARKS COMMISSIONER. >> WE DID I SEE THE ADVERTISING FOR IT? WAS THAT IN THE NEWSLETTER? >> FACEBOOK. >> THAT'S WHERE IT. >> BUT OTHERWISE, THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO THIS, AND I WOULD RECOMMEND JUST APPROVAL OF THE DRAFT AGENDA AS IS. >> VANS ANY QUESTIONS? >> WHILE WE HAVE THE ENGINEER HERE, I GUESS. DURING THAT WORK SESSION, WE SPENT SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT THE BRUSH SITE. NOT A DUMP SITE. BUT DO WE HAVE THINGS ON OUR WEBSITE HELPING PEOPLE, DIRECTING THEM TO WHAT TO DO WITH TREES AND WHAT ROLE THE CITY'S PLAYING? >> WE HAVE SOME STUFF ON THE WEBSITE ABOUT, THE BRUSH SITE AND BRUSH SITE HOURS AND WHAT THEY TAKE, THAT SORT OF. >> WELL, I'M WONDERING IF WE SHOULDN'T HAVE SOMETHING ABOUT THE DISEASE TREES. >> I CAN DOUBLE CHECK. I THINK IN THE PAST, WE HAVE FORWARDED PEOPLE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE OR THE DNR FOR THEIR WEBSITES. WELL, MAYBE WE CAN HAVE A LINK UP FRONT. IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A CONVERSATION THAT'S COMING UP WAY MORE, TALKING ABOUT DISEASE TREES AND MAYBE BRINGING SOME PROMINENCE TO OUR WEBSITE WOULD BE A GOOD PUBLIC SERVICE. >> SURE. >> I MAKE A MOTION FOR THIS ONE. >> I MAKE MOTION TO APPROVE THE DRAFT WORK SESSION SCHEDULE. >> COSO JOHNSON. SECOND? >> I SECOND. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> THAT PASSES 50. ANY OTHER THING FROM CITY ADMINISTRATOR? >> I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A QUICK UPDATE TO THE COUNCIL ON SOME THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN WE'VE BEEN GETTING FEEDBACK ON OR CONCERNS WITH AT THE CITY STAFF. THERE HAS BEEN SOME AS I'LL CALL IT MISINFORMATION OUT ON PUBLIC MEDIA ABOUT POLITICAL SIGNS. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I PUT IT OUT THERE PUBLICLY. YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE. WE HAVE THE LINKS TO THE VARIOUS RULES THAT ARE APPLIED. I KNOW ANY OF YOU THAT ARE ACTUALLY RUNNING CURRENTLY GOT A PACKET FROM OUR CITY CLERK EXPLAINING, AS DID ANYBODY WHO PUT IN A SUBMISSION, EXPLAINING HOW THE SIGN RULES WORK. THERE'S BEEN SOME STUFF OUT THERE THAT THE GENERAL SIDE ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF ORONO STILL APPLY TO POLITICAL SIGNS. IN GENERAL, THEY DO NOT. THERE IS A BLANKET EXCEPTION WITH RESPECT TO SIZE AND QUANTITY OF POLITICAL SIGNS DURING THE PERIOD DURING THE ELECTION PERIOD. THAT ISN'T NECESSARILY AN ORONO THING, ALTHOUGH IT IS IN OUR ORDINANCE, IT ACTUALLY COMES FROM STATE STATUTE THAT REGULATES HOW THOSE ARE, AND IN FACT, YOU KNOW, LOOSENS ANY REGULATIONS THERE MIGHT BE OTHERWISE ABOUT SIGNS FOR POLITICAL SIGNS. [01:25:02] THERE ARE STILL RULES ABOUT LOCATION, WHERE THEY CAN BE. THEY CAN'T BE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY, THEY CAN'T BE WITHIN 100 FEET OF A POLLING PLACE, AND THEY HAVE TO BE IN PLACES WHERE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE GIVEN PERMISSION. BUT THERE ARE NOT RULES THE CITY CAN GO OUT AND TRY TO ENFORCE WITH RESPECT TO SIZE QUANTITY. I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT AND THERE'S MORE INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE, IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT. I KNOW THAT TOOK UP A LOT OF STAFF TIME AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS WEEK AS SOME FOLKS WERE DIRECTING OTHER FOLKS TO CALL US AT CITY HALL AND COMPLAIN ABOUT THESE VIOLATIONS THAT AREN'T REALLY VIOLATIONS. >> HOW DOES COUNTY ARE COUNTY ROADS AFFECTED BECAUSE CERTAIN ROADS MAY HAVE SIGNS? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU JUST DIRECT PEOPLE TO THE COUNTY IF THEY HAVE CONCERNS IN? >> WELL, IF THEY'RE IN ACTUALLY IN THE COUNTY RIGHT OF WAY, THEN THEY CAN BE REMOVED. THE CHALLENGE ALWAYS WITH POLITICAL SIGNS AS FAR AS LOCATION, AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE RIGHT OF WAY IS WHERE DOES THE RIGHT OF WAY STOP AND WHERE DOES IT AND WHEN IT COMES TO CITY, PARTICULARLY CITY RIGHT OF WAYS, WE'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE. IN SOME OF OUR RIGHT ALWAYS, THE PROPERTY OWNER OWNS TO THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. SOME PLACES OUR RIGHT AWAY GOES UP, YOU KNOW, RIGHT TO THE EDGE OF WHERE OUR PAVEMENT IS, IN SOME PLACES, IT'S A FULL 66 FOOT RIGHT AWAY. GENERALLY, A STAFF, WE WON'T GO OUT AND TRY TO ENFORCE AND FIGURE OUT IF SOMEBODY A PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNER ALLOWED ASSIGN TO BE 6 " INTO THE RIGHT OF WAY OR WHAT HAVE YOU, IF IT LOOKS LIKE THE PROPERTY OWNER THAT ABUTS THAT RIGHT AWAY GAVE PERMISSION FOR THAT SIGN TO BE THERE, WE WILL NOT MESS WITH IT UNLESS IT PROVIDES UNLESS IT HAS A SAFETY IMPACT TO IT. IT'S BLOCKING A SITE TRIANGLE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. >> HAS STAFF HAD TO REMOVE ANY SIGNAGE? >> WE HAVE NOT THIS YEAR THAT. WE'VE BEEN ASKED, LIKE I SAID, MULTIPLE TIMES TO LOOK AT THAT. STATUTE THAT DICTATES HOW THESE THINGS WORK. >> HAS THE COUNTY DONE IT MUCH THAT YOU KNOW OF? >> NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF. IN THE PAST WHEN THOSE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED, THEY NORMALLY LOOK TO US TO ACTUALLY THERE WAS A SIGN IN PLACE COME TO THE CITY TO ASK US TO CSOS. >> I DID RESPOND TO ONE CONSTITUENT WHO WAS MISSING SIGNS, SO IT SOUNDED LIKE HE DID THE PROPER THING AND REPORTED IT TO POLICE AND SO FORTH, AND TOOK THE PROPER STEPS. BUT PLEASE EVERYBODY JUST RESPECT EACH OTHER AND LEAVE THE OPPOSING OPINION OUT THERE AND JUST LIKE YOU WANT YOUR OPINION UPHELD, PLEASE UPHELD, TOO. >> A ENGINEER REPORT? >> NO. AS FAR AS ENGINEERING GOES, WE HAD A NUMBER OF ITEMS, PROJECTS THAT WE CLOSED OUT, WHICH WERE ON THE AGENDA EARLIER. THAT IS ALWAYS GOOD NEWS. WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING DESIGN ON THE 2025 CITY STREETS. I KNOW WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF INQUIRIES ON THAT FROM RESIDENTS, AND WE WILL BE HAVING SOME OPEN HOUSES. NORMALLY, WE NEED THOSE IN THE DECEMBER, JANUARY TIME FRAME A WE GET PLERY DESIGN BACK FROM OUR CONSULTS. >> AWESOME. I WANT TO BRING TO OUR COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS. [Council Committee Reports] I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON HAD HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE. IF COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON HAS SOME STUFF YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE. >> YES. WE WERE AT THE SAME MEETING LAST WEEK, WHICH WAS THAT THERE WAS A REQUEST I WAS LAST YEAR, ADAM, IS THAT CORRECT? LAST YEAR FROM NON UNION STAFF FOR A COMPENSATION REVIEW. RECENTLY, A MARKET WAGE STUDY WAS COMPLETED, AND USED DATA COMPILED FROM THE LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES, WHICH DID CONFIRM THAT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TWO NON UNION POSITIONS, OUR COMPENSATION IS BEHIND COMPARABLE POSITIONS IN THE METRO AREA FOR THESE NON UNION POSITIONS. ADJUSTMENTS TO THIS HAVE BEEN MADE AND ARE INCLUDED AS PART OF THIS 2025 BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. THE HR COMMITTEE IS SUPPORTIVE OF THOSE OR WAS. SO THIS WOULD LIKELY BE COMING. >> THIS WILL BE COMING TO THE COUNCIL IN A IN ONE OF THE NEXT COUPLE MEETINGS. >> WHICH IS A GOOD PROACTIVE THING THAT WE DO AS A CITY. IS MAKING SURE WE'RE KEEPING UP WITH WAGES. WE'RE NOT AN OUTLIER LOW OR HIGH, BUT WE'RE MAKING SURE EVERYBODY IS ADEQUATELY PAID ADEQUATELY. AS WE SHOWED BY MAGGIE THROUGH OUR LEVY, THINK 70 YEAR 70 AND 80% OF OUR COSTS IN THE CITY ARE PEOPLE COSTS. WITH UNIONS AND EVERYTHING ELSE AND INFLATION, WE'VE SEEN THOSE GO UP ANYWHERE 2-5 TO 6% A YEAR. THINGS WE WORK ON IN A CITY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP GOOD PEOPLE AND WE PAY THEM APPROPRIATELY. I GUESS THAT WAS REALLY JUST NO FORMAL ACTION REQUIRED ON THAT ONE. WHAT THAT BRINGS US TO IS PUBLIC COMMENTS. [Public Comments] [01:30:02] IT'S A LIMITED 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 AT A FUTURE MEETING. SPEAKERS SHOULD STATE THEIR NAME AND HOME ADDRESS AND CITY AT THE PODIUM BEFORE SPEAKING. THE COUNCIL WILL OPEN FIRST TO THE PODIUM TO ORONO RESIDENTS BEFORE OPENING THE PODIUM TO ANY OTHER MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL. ADAM IS OUR TIMEKEEPER, AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THE TIME UP THERE ON THE BOARD AS WELL. SO SO ANYBODY FROM ORONO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT? >> NO. JAMIE DEANE, 1315 WOOD HILL AVENUE. I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT, I KNOW YOU CAN'T ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HACKBERRY PLAN. I WAS AT ALL THE LISTENING SESSIONS, AND FOR TAYLOR'S SAKE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT LAST MASTER PLAN. ADAM, IS THAT THE PLAN THAT YOU SUBMIT? THAT THE ONE THAT'S THE DOCUMENT THAT'S LINKED TO TONIGHT'S PACKET, IS THAT THE ONE YOU SUBMIT FOR GRANT? >> THAT'S WHAT WE USE FOR THE COST JUSTIFICATION FOR THE GRANT. >> WELL, SO YOU GO BACK TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD? I WOULD SUGGEST YOU GO BACK TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH A NEW PLAN. I THINK I KNOW THEY SUBMITTED ONE THAT WAS KIND OF A HAND DRAWN THING. I THINK IT SHOULD GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND HAVE THEM BECAUSE I'M STILL IN CONTACT WITH A LOT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD THERE. THAT'S ONE THING. NUMBER TWO, ASH TREES ON CITY PROPERTY AND ROADWAYS. I KNOW JOSH HAD STARTED A TREE PROGRAM. MAYBE WE COULD GET SOME NEWS OUT ABOUT WHAT THAT'S GOING TO BE LIKE, ESPECIALLY THE ONES ON CITY PROPERTY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. >> NOVEMBER 25, THAT'S ON THE WORK SESSION. >> PARDON ME. >> NOVEMBER 25 WORK SESSION. >> THEN, IS COFFEE WITH THE MAYOR BACK ON? >> YES, I WAS 911, AND I HAD AN ENGAGEMENT FOR CELEBRATION, SO THAT'S WHY THAT, YOU DID NOT DO THAT 911. >> YOU GUYS DON'T NEED TO SIT UP HERE AND REPEAT YOURSELVES OVER AND OVER AGAIN. YOU SAY THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER TO ALISA. I KNOW THAT NOT EVERYBODY AGREES, BUT IT JUST KEEPS ONE SAYS IT, AND THEN THE OTHER ONE REPEATS, AND THEN YOU REPEAT, AND THEN YOU REPEAT. IT'S NOT VERY COMFORTABLE FOR THE AUDIENCE, YOU GUYS. LET'S WORK ON THAT. CAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE. THAT SUPPORT ALISA. THAT'S WHY SHE'S BRINGING IT UP. I DON'T THINK IT'S SOME PERSONAL ISSUE FOR HER. YOU KNOW, THERE'S STILL MONEY BEING SPENT. I THINK YOU JUST GOT TO KEEP AGREE TO DISAGREE. SHE NEEDS TO SAY WHAT THAT, BECAUSE SHE'S REPRESENTING A LOT OF THE PEOPLE IN ORONO. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANKS. >> THANKS, JEN. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE FROM ORONO THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT? IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP IN GENERAL? >> KELLY GRADY 271 GREEN HILL LANE, LONG LAKE. ON SEPTEMBER 17, 2024, LONG LAKE COUNCIL MEMBER MIKE FELDMAN PRESENTED A DUE DILIGENCE STUDY AT THE LONG LAKE CITY COUNCIL MEETING. THE STUDY AIMED TO ADDRESS NEGATIVE COMMENTS FROM THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL BY ANALYZING THE SERVICE PERFORMANCE AND COST EFFECTIVENESS OF LONG LAKE FIRE AND ORONO FIRE IN RESPONSE TO ORONO'S SUGGESTION THAT LONG LAKE BECOME A CONTRACT CITY FOR FIRE SERVICE. ORONO RESIDENTS DESERVE HONESTY FROM THE OFFICIALS WHO REPRESENT THEM. AS SUCH, I'M GOING TO ADDRESS THE FOUR FALSE CLAIMS THAT COME FROM MAYOR WALSH AND SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL, EXCLUDING MISS BENSON. FALSE CLAIM NUMBER 1, IN ORONO HAPPENINGS, IN JULY 2023, NEWSLETTER, ORONO MAYOR WELSH STATED THAT THEY WILL PUT A FOUR PERSON DUTY CREW AT THE NAVAR STATION DURING DAYTIME HOURS AND WILL CUT RESPONSE TIMES DOWN TO FIVE MINUTES OR LESS. ORONO FIRE HAS TWO PERSON DUTY CREW STAFFED BY SOMETIMES ONE FIREFIGHTER AND SOMETIMES ONE PROBATIONARY FIREFIGHTER, WHICH IS NOT GENERALLY THE STANDARD. ORONO FIRE DOES NOT HAVE A PROPER FIRE STATION IN NAVARRO. INSTEAD, THEY HAVE A SHED WITH LOCKERS AND A SPACE TO PARK FIRE TRUCKS. IT SEEMS THAT OFD IS CURRENTLY OPERATING OUT OF THE OLD PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING NEAR HERE ON KELLY PARKWAY, WHICH IS 11 TO 12 MINUTES DRIVE FROM THE NAVARRO CASCO POINT AREA. COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON HAS BEEN SEEKING INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE FIREFIGHTERS ARE RESPONDING FROM, BUT CHIEF VANILE EITHER AVOIDS THE QUESTION OR SUGGESTS THAT DUTY CREWS ARE DRIVING AROUND THE AREA DURING THEIR DUTY CREW SHIFTS. IN FELDMAN'S DUE DILIGENCE PRESENTATION, [01:35:01] HE WAS ABLE TO PROVE THAT A SUB FIVE MINUTE RESPONSE TIME IS TABLE WITH THE OFD MODEL. FALSE CLAIM NUMBER 2. IN A DECLARATION TO THE COURT UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY, DENNY WALSH TESTIMATE DIED THAT THERE IS AN EXAMINATION OF NEEDS THAT HAS A NEED SERVICE FOR THE CURRENT SERVICE PROVIDING LLFD, AND THAT THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE NAVARRO TERRITORY DURING WERE WOEFULLY INADEQUATE. FELDMAN WAS ABLE TO ESTABLISH THAT THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE AT STATION TWO CALL AREA INCLUDED MANY CALLS THAT WERE OUTSIDE OF THE STATION TWO CALL AREA. ADDITIONALLY, THAT IT INCLUDED A METHODOLOGY THAT DOES NOT ADHERE TO THE STANDARDS SET BY THE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION OR UTILIZE ANY OTHER RELIABLE METHODOLOGY OR TRUSTWORTHY DATA. FALSE CLAIM NUMBER 3, IS RELATED TO THE BUDGET, AND THAT MAYOR WALSH SAID THAT HE DEMONSTRATED AN ABILITY TO BETTER MANAGE THE BUDGET. FELDMAN STATED THAT MANAGING A BUDGET AND AT A BUSINESS WOULD TYPICALLY INVOLVE SPENDING LESS MONEY TO RECEIVE BETTER SERVICE. HOWEVER, HIS DATA CONCLUDED THAT ORONO IS SPENDING MORE MONEY TO RECEIVE WORSE SERVICE, WHICH DEMONSTRATES POOR BUSINESS ACUMEN AND MANAGEMENT. FALSE CLAIM NUMBER 3 IS THAT MAYOR WALSH SAYS THAT ORONO FIRE IS PROVIDING THE BEST SERVICE EVER. NOT ONLY ARE THESE CLAIMS COMPLETELY UNSUBSTANTIATED, BUT ORONO FIRE ALSO HAS HAD 230 PLUS MINUTE CALLS IN ONE IN JULY AND ONE IN AUGUST. >> ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT. >> HELLO, MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS SHAY ZUKOWSKI. I LIVE AT 6809 LINDALE AVENUE, AND FULL DISCLOSURE, I'M THE DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF FOR THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT. I JUST WANTED TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. I DID WANT TO SHARE A STORY. TWO WEEKS AGO, WE HAD A CEREMONY HERE WHERE WE PROMOTED TWO OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS, AND WE BROUGHT ON A NEW FIREFIGHTER. THAT NEW FIREFIGHTER. THEY ALL BROUGHT THEIR FAMILY, BECAUSE THAT'S A BENCHMARK MOMENT IN ANY FIREFIGHTER'S LIFE, AND IT'S A FAMILY. AS ANYBODY WHO'S BEEN IN THE FIRE SERVICE KNOWS, IT TAKES A FAMILY TO SUPPORT THEIR FIREFIGHTERS. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL TAKING THE TIME TO ALLOW US TO DO THAT. THE STORY I WANTED TO SHARE WAS UNFORTUNATE. OUR NEWEST FIREFIGHTER HAD A LITTLE GIRL WITH HIM, HIS DAUGHTER, IS ABOUT FOUR-YEARS-OLD. ON THE WAY OUT, I WAS EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT SHE THOUGHT ABOUT THE WHOLE THING. I SAID, HEY, ARE YOU PROUD OF YOUR DAD? WHAT SHE SAID WAS, WHY DOES THAT LADY NOT WANT MY DAD TO BE A FIREFIGHTER? I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE VERY CLEAR. AS YOU STATED, IN YOUR DISTINCTION BETWEEN, I SUPPORT THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND WHAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE, AT LEAST TO A FOUR-YEAR-OLD TO NOT BE TRUE. I WOULD JUST URGE YOU TO EITHER BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEAR OR A LITTLE BIT MORE PURPOSEFUL IN YOUR SUPPORT OF THE MEN AND WOMEN, BECAUSE VOTING NO TO ALL OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS, ALL OF OUR EQUIPMENT THAT LITTLE GIRL IS GOING TO RELY ON TO MAKE SURE HER DAD COMES HOME. THAT'S A DIFFICULT DISTINCTION FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE TO MAKE. I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH THAT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT? >> BRAD ERICKSON, YOU KNOW WHERE I LIVE. I STILL HAVE A BUSINESS DOWN HERE RIGHT ON MAIN STREET IN ORONO, YOU KNOW, RIGHT BETWEEN ORONO AND LONG LAKE. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS YOU GUYS GOT TO REMEMBER IS THAT YOU WERE THE AGGRESSORS. YOU GUYS WENT IN. IN FACT, THE STAR TRIBUNE CALLED YOU A POACHER TODAY IN THE PAPER, DIDN'T THEY? YOU WENT IN AND POACHED. I THINK IT WAS 10 OR MORE FIRE FIGHTERS BEFORE THE JUDGE HAD TO STEP IN. MAYBE THEY JUST DON'T WANT YOU MARCHING INTO THEIR FRONT DOOR AND TAKE AS FAR AS BUSINESS MODELS GO, EINSTEIN. THAT'S WHAT THEY CALL A HOSTILE TAKEOVER. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S GOT A PROBLEM WITH YOU STARTING YOUR OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT FROM SCRATCH, BUT THEN DO THAT. DON'T POACH THEIR CHIEF. DON'T POACH A DOZEN FIREFIGHTERS, AND THEN SAY, WE WANT PEACE AND CIVILITY AND UNITY. YOU GUYS ARE FULL OF SHIT. THAT'S WHAT IT BOILS DOWN TO. YOU WENT IN THERE AND STOMPED ALL OVER THOSE GUYS, DIDN'T YOU? NOW THEY NEED TO COME AND DO THE RIGHT THING, AND APPROACH AND KISS THE RING. I DON'T THINK SO. YOU GOT A SHIP JUMPER. RIGHT HERE. [01:40:04] HE IS A FUCKING SHIP JUMPER, AND HE BROUGHT ALL THOSE PEOPLE WITH. THAT WAS PART OF YOUR PLAN, WASN'T IT? TO DISRUPT THE FIRE SERVICE IN THIS COMMUNITY TO ATTAIN YOUR OWN GOALS. WELL, GUESS WHAT? THEY'RE GOING TO VOTE. THEY'RE GOING TO VOTE YOU OUT. YOU'RE ALREADY GONE WHEREVER THE HELL YOU'RE GOING. GOOD LUCK. YOU NEED TO PAY THAT MAN IN MOUNT. YOU NEED TO PAY THAT MAN. BECAUSE THAT IS CRIMINAL, WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO AN OLD CEMENT GUY. CRIMINAL. PAY THAT MAN. DON'T SMILE AT ME. I PAY MY BILLS. YOU ASK ANYBODY THAT DID BUSINESS WITH ME DOWN THERE OR DOES BUSINESS WITH ME. I PAY MY BILLS. I DON'T CARE. PAY YOUR GODDAMN BILLS. BE A MAN. YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP. WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU OUT ON JANUARY 6TH, STUMPING FOR TRUMP. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO THIS TIME? CAN I GO WITH? WHY DIDN'T I GET THE MEMO? I WAS PINNED DOWN THERE, TOO, I MIGHT HAVE ENJOYED A VACATION. YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY OUT. THE REASON THIS ROOM'S SO EMPTY TONIGHT, EVERYBODY'S AT THE MEET AND GREET WITH BOB. GOOD LUCK TO YOU. >> IS ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT? SEEING NONE, I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND BRING IT TO THE MAYOR COUNCIL REPORT. COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY. [Mayor/Council Report] >> INTERESTING. I THINK WHAT I WANT TO DO IS ADDRESS OUR FIREFIGHTERS OUT THERE. I APPRECIATE OUR ASSISTANT CHIEF SPEAKING TONIGHT. THIS COUNCIL DOES HAVE YOUR BACK. I KNOW FROM SERVING IN THE COMMUNITY, AND I LOVE IT, BECAUSE YOU SEE SMIRKS FROM SOME PEOPLE, WHICH IS FUNNY BECAUSE I DID IT FOR 10 YEARS. BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU GUYS DO AND THE YOUNG WOMEN THAT ARE ON OUR DEPARTMENT ALSO, AND WHAT THEY DO. GET UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. THEY GO OUT. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO SOMETIMES, BUT THEY DO IT TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND THEY DO IT WITH DIGNITY AND DISTINCTION. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS FEEL SUPPORTED. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE THE EQUIPMENT THAT IS NECESSARY. THAT'S WHY WE HIRED A GREAT FIRE CHIEF LIKE JAMES VAN ISLE. >> WHERE'S THE FIRE DEPARTMENT? [INAUDIBLE] WE GOT NO FIRE HOUSE. >> I'M SPEAKING, PLEASE. >> YES, GO AHEAD. >> HE CAN HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY NEED. HE CAN HOLD HIS PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S REQUIRED FOR THEM TO DO THE JOB AND GET HOME SAFE TO THEIR FAMILIES. THAT CAN'T BE. >> FUCK YOU, ASS HOLE. >> VERY NICE. THAT CAN'T BE UNDERWEIGHTED. WE GOT ANOTHER GENTLEMAN BACK HERE. DJ GOODMAN WHO SERVED ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR A GOOD LONG TIME. IT'S OVER 20 YEARS, I THINK, AND DONE WONDERFUL WORK FOR THE CITY. BOTH CITIES OF LONG LAKE AND ORONO. IT'S IN OUR PUBLIC WORKS AREA AND DOES A FANTASTIC JOB. I JUST WANT TO LET THESE PEOPLE KNOW THAT THIS COUNCIL CARES. WE HAVE YOUR BACK. SAME AS OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE YOUR BACK. WE'VE SUPPORTED YOU 100% BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING AS A CITY THAT WE PROVIDE YOU IS PUBLIC SAFETY. IF WE'RE NOT VOTING FOR THAT OR SUPPORTING THAT, WE'RE NOT SUPPORTING OUR CITIZENS THE WAY WE SHOULD, AND THAT'S OUR JOB. THAT'S IT. >> THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON. >> THANK YOU. I HAVE TWO ITEMS FOR TONIGHT. FIRST, I WANT TO CORRECT THE PUBLIC RECORD IN RESPONSE TO REMARKS MADE ABOUT ME BY COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY AT THE LAST MEETING ON SEPTEMBER NINTH. I'VE SAID BEFORE THAT I WILL USE MY COUNCIL REPORT TO CORRECT THE RECORD ANYTIME FALSE STATEMENTS ARE MADE ABOUT ME BY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS. IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT TIME MUST BE SPENT ON THIS, BUT IT'S ALSO NECESSARY BECAUSE THE RECORD OF THE CITY IS PERMANENT, AND I WILL NOT ALLOW UNCORRECTED FALSEHOODS RELATED TO ME BECOME PART OF OUR CITY'S HISTORY. ALSO, AS I SAID IN MY REPORT LAST MEETING, ACTIONS OF ELECTED OFFICIALS DIRECTLY IMPACT ORONO'S LIABILITY. [01:45:04] COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY CHOSE TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT ME PUBLICLY THAT ISN'T TRUE. WIDE LATITUDE IS GIVEN TO WHAT WE SAY DURING OUR COUNCIL REPORTS, JUST LIKE I'M DOING NOW, BUT THE PRIVILEGE DOES NOT EXTEND TO SAYING THINGS THAT AREN'T TRUE, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S DONE IN A WAY THAT DAMAGES ANOTHER PERSON STANDING IN THE COMMUNITY. ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO SPEAK THE TRUTH BECAUSE FALSEHOODS, ESPECIALLY FROM PUBLIC OFFICIALS BREAK TRUST AND INCREASE RISK FOR OUR CITY. LAST WEEK, I EMAILED COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY AND CCD STAFF, WHO WERE PRESENT AT THE SEPTEMBER NINTH MEETING AND EXPLAINED THAT THE STATEMENT HE MADE ABOUT ME WAS FALSE. I REQUESTED THAT HE RETRACT THE STATEMENT PUBLICLY AT TONIGHT'S MEETING AND ALSO EXPLAINED THAT IF HE DID NOT, I WOULD ADDRESS THE MATTER DURING MY REMARKS, WHICH IS WHAT I'M DOING. THE FOLLOWING IS WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY SAID IN REFERENCE TO ME AT THE LAST MEETING. "HER EXACT WORDS WHEN SHE RAN FOR OFFICE, SHE WANTS TO MAKE ORONO, MORE LIKE MINNEAPOLIS OR ST. LOUIS PARK." WELL, I'VE NEVER SAID THAT. COMBINED WITH THE VARIOUS OTHER THINGS COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY SAID THAT FOLLOWED THIS FALSE STATEMENT, I QUESTION WHETHER IT WAS AN ATTEMPT TO DAMAGE MY STANDING IN THIS COMMUNITY. I'VE ASKED COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY TO RETRACT HIS FALSE STATEMENT, AND HE HAS IT, WHICH IS HIS CHOICE. I HAVE COPIES OF THE EMAIL I SENT TO COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY FOR THE COUNCIL AND ALSO ONE FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR BECAUSE I WANT IT TO BE REFLECTED IN OUR PUBLIC RECORD AND AVAILABLE, IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT. THERE IS ONE HERE FOR ADAM AS WELL. SECOND ITEM I WANT TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT RELATES TO THE LONG LAKE CITY COUNCIL MEETING FROM LAST WEEK, SEPTEMBER 17TH, I WATCHED THE PORTION OF THE MEETING WHEN COUNCIL MEMBER FELDMAN GAVE A REPORT ADDRESSING RESPONSE TIMES, STAFFING AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT. I NOTIFIED AT THAT TIME, OUR CITY ADMINISTRATOR, BECAUSE I EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT I HEARD IN THE REPORT. GIVEN THE LEVEL OF DETAIL IN THAT PRESENTATION, I THINK OUR CITY SHOULD BE PREPARED TO ADDRESS IT. BECAUSE IN THE ABSENCE OF OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION ABOUT WHAT THE CITY OF LONG LAKE HAS ESTABLISHED, THE PUBLIC WILL COME TO THEIR OWN CONCLUSIONS. THE REPORT HAS ALREADY BEEN WIDELY CIRCULATED ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, AND I UNDERSTAND WE'RE IN A LAWSUIT. BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE MOTIVATED TO EXPLAIN THE DATA IN OUR NEEDS ASSESSMENT BECAUSE WE PUBLISHED IT. THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT NEEDS ASSESSMENT MUST BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND CREDIBLE CRITIQUE BECAUSE WHILE THIS ANALYSIS WAS COMPLETED BY A COUNCIL MEMBER IN LONG LAKE. OUR FINDINGS COULD ALSO BE CHALLENGED BY OTHERS, WHETHER IT'S RESIDENTS, BUSINESS OWNERS OR OTHER CITIES SEEKING SERVICE PROVIDED BY THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE FUTURE. IGNORING GLARING ISSUES IS NOT THE WAY TO BUILD TRUST. FIRE SERVICE IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, AND WE NEED TO DELIVER WHAT WE PROMISE. IF WE CAN'T, WE NEED TO EXPLAIN WHY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TONIGHT. >> COUNCIL MEMBER VEACH. >> I AM READY. THANK YOU. WELL, TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE NEXT COMING WEEKS, OBVIOUSLY, THIS WEEK IS HOMECOMING FOR ORONO, SO IT'S A GREAT WEEK TO GET OUT AND WATCH SPORTS. THE GIRLS AND BOYS TEAMS BOTH HAVE PRETTY MUCH EVENTS ALL DAY. YOU NAME THE SPORT. YOU CAN PROBABLY FIND IT THIS WEEK. IT'S A GREAT TIME TO WEAR RED AND BLUE AROUND THE CITY, AND BRINGS OUT A LOT OF COMMUNITY SPIRIT. I SAW A RECENT POSTS FROM THE ORONO POLICE EXPLORERS PROGRAM. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS A REALLY NEAT PROGRAM. WHEN I WAS DRIVING AROUND ON NATIONAL NIGHT OUT WITH COREY'S TEAM, ACTUALLY, ONE OF OUR CURRENT OFFICERS WAS A GRADUATE OF THIS PROGRAM FROM ORONO, AND IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR AGES 14-20 TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A POLICE OFFICER. I WOULD SUGGEST LOOKING INTO THAT IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'RE INTO OR KNOW SOMEONE OF THE AGE OF 14-20. AGAIN, IT WAS MENTIONED TONIGHT, THE CITY COMMISSION POSITIONS THAT ARE NOW OPEN. ON THE ORONO'S FACEBOOK SITE. GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP. IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO HOW TO APPLY, GET MORE INFORMATION. IT'S A GREAT WAY, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LOOKING TO DO GOOD IN THE COMMUNITY. THOSE ARE TWO REALLY GREAT POSITIONS AVAILABLE SO YOU CAN DO SOME GOOD. ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT'S HOSTING THEIR OPEN HOUSE THIS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 9-11. I DON'T THINK WE'VE CREATED A NAME OF TRUCK THING, BUT I'M GOING TO KEEP PUSHING FOR IT BECAUSE I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY FUN, SO KEEP IT IN MIND. THEN LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO BRING UP THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS HAS THEIR CANDIDATE FORUM NEXT WEEK, 10-1 AT 7:00 PM. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOKING TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT'S A REALLY GREAT WAY TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THEM. [01:50:01] COME JOIN US, WATCH US LIVE, OR FIND OUT ABOUT IT LATER. BUT THERE YOU ARE. THERE'S THE UPDATES. >> COUNSELMAN JOHNSON. >> NOT TOO MUCH FOR ME. I JUST WANT TO THANK, STAFF AND OUR BUDGET COMMITTEE FOR WORKING ON THAT BUDGET. I JUST WHEN YOU REALLY EVALUATE OUR CAPABILITY TO KEEP IT AS LEVEL AS WE HAVE GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF INFLATION. WE HEARD IT THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HEALTH INSURANCE, GOING UP 10% AND WAGES 8.9%. IT'S A REAL CHALLENGE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE HIGH LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE DO AS A CITY, AND WE CAN BE PROUD OF WHAT WE DO OFFER OUR RESIDENTS. EITHER THAT BE ALL OF OUR PARKS OR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, OUR PUBLIC UTILITIES, AND OUR BRUSH SITE, WHICH I DEFINITELY THOSE ASH TREES. WE DID TALK ABOUT THE ASH TREES A BIT AT THE WORK SESSION, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO KEEP GETTING MORE PREPARED FOR AS IT COMES. BUT JUST THANKS EVERYONE FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN DOING THAT, GETTING OUR BUDGET GOING, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >> WELL, HOMECOMING IS THIS WEEK FOR ORONO. I GOT MY ORONO FOOTBALL SHIRT ON. I KNOW, MARIE DID MENTION THE HOMECOMING AND ALL THE FESTIVITY. SHE ALSO FORGOT TO SAY THAT SHE'S GOING TO BE IN THE PARADE AS THE ORONO DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI OF THE YEAR. CONGRATULATIONS FOR THAT. [APPLAUSE] IT'S A FABULOUS DISTINGUISHMENT AND AWARD, SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT. A LONG TIME COMING. A LOT OF HARD WORK WENT INTO GETTING THAT. THAT'S FOR SURE. AGAIN, JAMES HAD SAID, THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO BE IN THE PARADE, SO I WILL BE WITH JAMES IN THE FIRE IN THE PARADE AND WAVING AT EVERYBODY LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR, SO YEAR NUMBER 2 ALREADY. MY DAUGHTER WILL BE IN THE CROSS COUNTRY GROUP, SO WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF WALSHS OUT THERE AS WELL. JANE HAD MENTIONED THE OCTOBER 9TH IS WEDNESDAY FOR MAYOR'S COFFEE AT 9:00 AM, SO BE THERE. IF YOU WANT TO COME AND ASK QUESTIONS, HAVING A GOOD TIME AND GET WHATEVER ANSWERS NEEDS TO BE HAPPENING. BUT BEYOND THAT, I WILL LEAVE WITH ONE GOOD THOUGHT FOR HOMECOMING. IT SAYS, THIS IS BY TIM MCGRAW. SOMEDAY, YOU'LL BE LOOKING BACK ON YOUR LIFE AT THE MEMORIES. THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS. WITH THAT, MOTION TO ADJOURN. >> SO MOVED. >> ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> CLEAR NOW. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.