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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 /> actual presentation and can be answered ahead of time as much as possible. This is a really good step of
<br /> getting that full body of work out to everybody. Who knows how it will shake out?
<br /> Benson said to her number four on item 20,the other deliverables, is kind of the crux of the issue. What it
<br /> says is that the study will include cost comparisons of the various negotiating offers that have been
<br /> proposed since negotiations began with Long Lake.And that's just the issue,that we find ourselves in the
<br /> position of moving forward in every way,both administratively and with procurement of equipment,
<br /> without having done a most basic needs analysis and assessment of the financials.And to me,this feels
<br /> akin to deciding to move to a new home without deciding whether or not you can afford it or if it's a good
<br /> choice. I fully agree that having a needs assessment is an important thing to do.I think this would have
<br /> been appropriate a year ago, or more,when these discussions first started,because it's unfortunate,from
<br /> my perspective,that with everything at stake with our City,with fire service,with safety of our residents,
<br /> with the firefighters, and with the finances involved here,that this type of work hasn't been done until
<br /> now. So I'm in agreement with the needs assessment. I think it's coming at a time where we are running
<br /> up against deadlines.And again,my hope is that the focus is on this number four other deliverables,
<br /> Seals asked if the Council is okay with the timeline, or finds it too long or too short?
<br /> Benson said she doesn't think she is okay with the timeline. The notion,given that we're in contract until
<br /> the end of 2025, given the fact that we've just passed the decision here to move forward with the State
<br /> legislature,things are starting to bottleneck here. The time to pull back and look at a needs assessment
<br /> financially, for the safety of our citizens,we're in that critical time here. We've talked about in past
<br /> meetings that when Long Lake did give a response,we were quite clear, as a Council,that was the time to
<br /> open it up to the public;that was the time to really engage with our citizens. Those are the individuals that
<br /> put us here, and those are the individuals that we answer to. So it was quite clear to me in meetings past
<br /> that the time to open it up to the public was when Long Lake gave a counter-offer,which they did. So the
<br /> needs assessment as it stands,I think is a great thing to do. My preference would be that the focus in large
<br /> part is on that financial assessment,especially with our Director of Finance, on option A versus option B.
<br /> Or however you want to put it,going it alone building our own depar tinent from the ground up,versus
<br /> staying in contract with Long Lake partnership. However we do it because logically to me, and what I've
<br /> heard from residents and constituents I've talked to, is that it's not clear that we do have an option. It
<br /> starts to feel as if we've moved down the road so far that we're not able to look at safety and finances from
<br /> an objective point of view, and to take our time doing it,because this is obviously a critical issue, and one
<br /> that I don't feel in any way comfortable rushing. So to answer your question, which is a good one,I think
<br /> I have no argument with a timeline. But I'd like it to not put us in danger again of being in a place where
<br /> we're stuck.
<br /> Seals said the Council has asked staff for a very thorough cost comparison, making sure that they really
<br /> look at whether this is worthwhile. James is an expert for us in what does fire service need to look like for
<br /> the City of Orono?What does a good fire service look like?What should we be paying?How should we
<br /> be staffed?What would duty crews look like?The goal is that that's what they bring to us. So I think
<br /> regardless of whether it should have been last year, last week,the question in front of us is, and I believe
<br /> this is what you're asking is,are we comfortable with this timeline and these deliverables?And I would
<br /> say yes and I can make a motion if that's what you're looking for.
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