04-03-2003 Council Work Session - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO NAVARRE TOWN MEETING Thursday, March 13,2003 7:00 o ’clock p.m. neighbors. He encouraged people to volunteer, to get involved, as this is what makes this community great. Murphy encouraged residents to provide the creative element of this partnership. Sansevere pointed out that the City has one opening on its Park Commission if residents were interested in getting involved now. With regard to the Navarre Fire Station, Moorse gave a brief history of its evolution. In the past, Orono had been served by four different Fire Departments; Mound, Long Lake, Maple Plain, and Wayzata. In recent years, the costs associated with these four partnerships have been on the rise and long term plans related to facilities and equipment would have cost the City a great deal, llie City began to look into different options which might save money over the long term. Recently, the City came to a 20 year fire service agreement with Long Lake covering a large portion of Orono. While Moorse pointed out that this agreement set the City up well in the area covered by the Long Lake Fire Department, negotiations with other fire service cities did not fair the same. The City then decided to look into consolidating additional areas of the City covered under the Long Lake contract, including areas covered by Maple Plain and Mound. In terms of response time, putting in a Navane \'oluiiteer fire station run by Long Lake seemed to be the most cost effective option. Moorse indicated that, over the next few years, Navarre would be recruiting and training volunteers, with the help of the Excelsior Fire Department. While Mound would continue to provide service through 2003, Moorse explained that Excelsior would cover the area from 2004- 2006 while the station becomes operational and staffed. Dan Crear asked where the station would go. Moorse indicated that the Navarre neighborhood station would reside where the old landscaping business was located east of the Hennepin County Highway Department facility, and west of the old drive-in theatre property. Murphy introduced and thanked Mark DuCharme, Excelsior Fire Chief, for his commitment to assist Orono as it builds the new station, and recruits and trains volunteer firefighters to staff the station. Murphy explained that the City has owned this parcel for quite awhile; theretbre. taxes wouldn ’t be going up because of the fire station. He reiterated that the construction of the neighborhood siition proved to be the most cost effective way to deliver fire service to the community. He encouraged business owners to allow their daylime staff to operate as volunteer fir; fighters. Although Mc'und has provided the City with years of good service, Murphy staled that Otono is committed to transferring fire service to Long Lake. He indicated that many attempts had been made to come to an understanding w ith Mound, however, these didn’t work out and the two parted ways on liiis issue. Rick Rice asked, why all of a sudden, how it could be cheaper to build our own lire stat ion than it was to share with Mound. Murphy slated that, while the short term costs arc higher, the long term costs are lower and benefits are greater. Nygard pointed out that, although Orono paid a high percentage for service to Mound, it had no say- over expenditures. PAGE 7 of 10