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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br /> Monday,February 13,2023 <br /> 6:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> Walsh said nothing seems to be slowing down. As we get closer to spring and warmer weather it's just <br /> going to get more active.He noted the City had maintained its Triple A bond rating which is the highest <br /> you can get. <br /> Olson said that was right. Moody's did reaffirm that. <br /> CITY ATTORNEY REPORT <br /> Attorney Mattick had nothing to report. <br /> CITY ADMINISTRATOR/ENGINEER REPORT <br /> Walsh reminded the audience these items are not public hearings. <br /> 19. ORONO FIREFIGHTERS RELIEF ASSOCIATION <br /> Edwards said Item 19 would require Council action and staff is looking for guidance from the Council on <br /> the establishment of the Orono Firefighters Relief Association.He noted in the fall of last year the <br /> Council passed a resolution stating the intent to establish a fire department. One piece of establishing a <br /> fire department is to have a Relief Association, a place for pensions for firefighters. The creation of a <br /> Relief Association does require special legislation at the State. Therefore, if we're going to pursue the <br /> establishment of a Relief Association,we need to be engaging with the Legislature. If we want this to <br /> happen this year,the language can be written and it can go through the appropriate committees and <br /> eventually be decided by the Legislature. The Fire Chief James Van Eyll,who can't be here because he's <br /> at a training event, did prepare background on some of the things that we have done so far.At a staff level <br /> reached out and talked to the State level staff both for the State Auditor's Office and also the legislative <br /> writer for The Pensions Committee to find out how this process works. And we think we have a decent <br /> understanding of that. There are a number of steps that have to happen as we go through that process, in <br /> particular engagement with our State level representatives,both in the House and the Senate. He said <br /> there are two parts to the Council action being requested. One is direction to the staff to make those <br /> interactions,those engagements with our counterparts at the state. But also there does have to be <br /> engagement at the elected official level.And so staff has a recommendation that we would appoint our <br /> fire negotiating committee,Councilmembers Seals and Johnson,to fulfill some of those duties as we try <br /> to negotiate both with our friends in Long Lake,as well as our State elected officials. <br /> Walsh added,just a little more history;we did make those motions to create the Orono Fire Department <br /> and to hire our Fire Chief, James Van Eyll.And we did the direct staff to set up the legislation to start <br /> being able to bring the pension funds over from Long Lake to Orono,which basically we need to do when <br /> we're hiring the firefighters so they can come over. That's pretty standard practice when there's new fire <br /> departments or changing fire departments,that wheels have already been created.This is a little more <br /> specific because we didn't give a motion to do it before, but this motion is now to do it right. With the <br /> specific elected officials,the State and the local level, it's just a process that we have to go through,just <br /> take some time.We've just started the process and we're kind of in the middle of it right now. And then <br /> our appointed negotiating committees with Matt and Victoria would help staff manage that process and <br /> Page 10 of 16 <br />