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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br /> MARCH 21,2023 <br /> 6:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> CITY ADMINISTRATOR/ENGINEER REPORT <br /> City Administrator Edwards had nothing to report. <br /> PUBLIC COMMENTS <br /> Walsh opened public comments but said before public comments,he wanted to pick up from the end of <br /> the last City Council meeting with credibility issues concerning Councilmember Benson and Brad <br /> Erickson who he called her biggest financial supporter.He said some new information had come to light <br /> in the form of an affidavit where Erickson allegedly admitted lying to police. So I'm going to finish with a <br /> quote from Thomas Jefferson. "He who permits himself to tell a lie once finds it much easier to do it a <br /> second and third time so at length,it becomes habitual.He tells lies without attending to it,and truths <br /> without the world's believing him. The falsehood of the tongue leads to that of the heart and in time <br /> depraves all its good dispositions". <br /> Kim Carswell 261 Cygnet Place, said I just have a statement to make. Wouldn't it be impressive to <br /> observe a collaborative Council meeting without verbal tongue beatings?Wouldn't it be terrific for the <br /> Council to pay attention to others without dismay,avoiding the bored facial expressions that we see <br /> today?Wouldn't it be fantastic to see the Mayor speak to all with a respectful tone,without consistently <br /> feeling the need to pick up an old bone?Wouldn't it be great for the meetings to end on a positive note <br /> without the rancor and negativity that fill all the quotes?Wouldn't it be wonderful to see more kindness <br /> and respect for our Mayor,to the others that people elect?I'd like to put that in the minutes please. <br /> James Elder, 195 South Brown Road, Orono, said he was pleased that Mayor Walsh, at his public coffee <br /> meeting the previous week,stated there would be an open discussion regarding the Orono Fire <br /> Department,including questions and answers, at a future Council meeting after disclosure by staff of cost <br /> estimates and needs assessment.However,he said he believes it is necessary to devote time to a public <br /> hearing in a larger venue to accommodate the hundreds of Orono citizens very interested and affected by <br /> this matter.The expenditure of many millions of tax dollars on a redundant Fire Department building <br /> warrants a full and accurate discussion.By one estimate, a$4 million capital expenditure,which many <br /> estimate is low,increases the property tax on a$1 million residence by approximately$850. <br /> Transparency,accuracy, and communication are universally acclaimed principles of good governance. <br /> They are called for here. <br /> Todd Newcomer, 1070 Old Long Lake Road, said there have been many questions asked about how much <br /> the City is going to spend on the proposed Fire Department.Because of his background in fire service,he <br /> said he has been getting many phone calls with questions and one that keeps coming up is in regard to <br /> apparatus and how they're utilized,their life expectancy, and how they are purchased. The department <br /> that I worked for has basically a 10-year life expectancy on fire engines because they have over 60,000 <br /> calls a year. Smaller communities such that we live in can extend those life periods out to approximately <br /> 15 to 20 years.He said fire engines and fire trucks are two separate things with separate uses and so <br /> trucks,which are not utilized as frequently,have a longer life expectancy and can last upwards of 20 <br /> Page 4 of 8 <br />