02-27-2023 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING January 9, 2023 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 7 of 12 answered. In meantime we have to go ahead and make sure we have adequate service for our city regardless of what Long Lake decides to do. We hope they are our partner. We have been very clear we hope going forward we have a relationship with them and keep the fire fighters together. I’m still very optimistic that Long Lake is going to come back to us realizing that very same thing but it’s in their court. Mr. Pierson said the city is spending money now on this equipment, $500,000 to 600,000, and have a fire chief hired at $120,000 a year for three years. He’s not going to be fire chief for three years but we’re going to pay him. I’m not saying that’s right or wrong but I think we as a community have the right to at least have the council present to us what is going on. Crosby said if the ladder truck had stayed on the CIP Orono’s cost would be about $1.8 million. Instead of spending $1.8 million the city is getting a good value on a used piece of equipment we are getting to refurbish that has really been a need going back 15 years. I was on the department for ten of those years. We should have had this years ago. This truck was a good value without waiting for the build. We are the budget. This isn’t costing us much more money. Orono is the budget for Long Lake Fire. That’s primarily where the money is. Mr. Pierson said he is not arguing the need but arguing the process. To me you need to let the community know and have them be involved in the decision. Ms. Brantingham said she appreciates the council wants to have all the details sewed up but when Long Lake had its meeting, they acknowledged they didn’t have all the information yet but explained what they were wrestling with and asked for citizen input. You have to come out to your citizens and say here’s what we’re wrestling with. And that's going to take a little extra effort so you can have credibility as a council. And I do appreciate your explanations. It was very, was helpful. But I don't necessarily feel that I'd like to spend every other Monday night just in case I might learn something at council meeting. I'd like you to reach out a little bit on your own when you already have information. The community is in an uproar about this thing. Please reach out and do a council presentation about where you are at. You don’t have to have everything finalized. I would urge you to do more sooner rather than later. Seals said one of the things James (Van Eyll) is here for is to do a needs assessment. Is he going to be working? Yes, he’s working. He's going to be very, very busy figuring out things like, what do we need to have the most efficient, best service for you? What does that look like? And really just starting from scratch and looking under all the rocks, all the things that will be brought back to here, but that's not something you do overnight. It takes time. Johnson said the time is coming when there will be a lot more information to share. We’re just short of that. We’re doing an assessment. Long Lake has got to make a decision, whatever it is. When those two things come together there will be a lot to talk about. Ms. Brantingham said I would just urge you to do more sooner than later. Okay, then. I'll be finished with that. And I do thank you once again for clarifying. I also think on the video that people might see of this meeting to hear this conversation will be helpful. And that's how we're going to get the information out. But further efforts are required. Kim Carswell, 261 Cygnet Place, said she feels like every time she comes to a meeting this is on the agenda so maybe it would behoove the city to have a separate meeting where people can just hear the