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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br /> February 27,2023 <br /> 6:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> communication with a list of things I'd like to hear about. I did send an email to Mayor Walsh and to all <br /> members of the Council.But I'm just here tonight to quickly say that again,I request that the City of <br /> Orono hold a public hearing to provide citizens with detailed information as to how and why the decision <br /> to withdraw from the current fire services contract with Long Lake was made, as well as detailed <br /> information regarding all the options currently under consideration for providing fire service to Orono <br /> residents.I request that detailed information as to expenses already accrued by Orono be provided, as well <br /> as estimates of expenses likely to accrue related to all the fire service options currently under <br /> consideration by Council.And I just wanted to deliver this in a hard copy so that you all know what I've <br /> asked for and are clear about what I hope that we will get in a public hearing for the citizens of Orono. <br /> Kevin Reilly, 3405 High Lane, Orono, said I have lived here for over 33 years. I speak to address my <br /> concern about the behavior I have observed at every Council meeting that I've attended over the past few <br /> months.I believe this behavior adversely affects the ability of the Council to function in the best interest <br /> of the citizens of Orono.At every meeting that I have attended,Mr.Erickson stands up during the three- <br /> minute public address period to express his complaints directed at certain Council members while <br /> sometimes using inappropriate language. The response that I have witnessed from those Council members <br /> has been to raise up an open newspaper blocking the view of Mr.Erickson or to tell Mr.Erickson that he <br /> is making a fool of himself.And on several occasions, as again tonight, one Council member has walked <br /> out of the Council meeting before adjournment,presumably to avoid Mr. Erickson's remarks. I believe <br /> this repeated and continuing conflict is disrespectful to the citizens of Orono and that it interferes with the <br /> proper functioning of the Orono City Council meeting. The time has come where the issue that is creating <br /> this conflict needs to be addressed and hopefully resolved outside the regular business of the Orono City <br /> Council. Please find a way to resolve this conflict as soon as possible and avoid the public displays of <br /> rancor and hostility. <br /> Jahn Dyvik 1780 Martha Lane, Long Lake and also a Long Lake Council member. It's been exactly one <br /> month since our counteroffer for the fire department and with no formal response,I wanted to give a <br /> refresher for everybody. Our counteroffer consisted of two options. Option A was to return to the <br /> negotiating table where we were last summer to work towards the fire department being owned and <br /> operated under an independent fire board. Councilmember Seals supported that at that time. <br /> Councilmember Johnson was a little bit more hesitant,but said at that time with Council support, he <br /> would support that. So that's our first option is to continue those discussions with the partnership of the <br /> fire department being operated under an independent fire board. If that's not an option for Orono,then we <br /> had Option B as a counteroffer to your offer. Your offer was roughly$1.6 million,taking Long Lake's <br /> half of Station 1 and owning that and then also paying for the $1.5 million of deferred maintenance. Our <br /> counter to that was $2 million, and Long Lake taking Orono's half of Station 1 and then Long Lake <br /> paying for the$1.5 million dollars of deferred maintenance.And then we would lease that back to Orono <br /> at about three and a half dollars per square foot which would match then the fire service costs to Long <br /> Lake and would give Orono full ownership of the fire chief,the firefighters,the rolling stock,the capital <br /> equipment,all the donated equipment, oversight of the relief fund which includes the pension for the <br /> firefighters and full control of the budgets and operations and capital improvement planning. Then Long <br /> Lake would maintain ownership of Station 1 which would give us an asset that perhaps we could use in a <br /> future fire district if that ever materialized. The benefits to Orono would be having a fully-functioning and <br /> highly-trained fire department from day one with no transition and would save significant cost. It's <br /> Page 13 of 22 <br />