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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />May 8, 2023 <br />6:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />Page 7 of 12 <br /> <br />Benson asked if Van Eyll could express in general what needs to be fixed about our current system of fire <br />service delivery. <br /> <br />Van Eyll said the biggest thing that really needs to be fixed is that Orono doesn't have a sustainable model <br />for the future. Whether it's capital, whether it's our firefighters, the paid on-call model, response times, <br />there's just kind of a list of things that need to be fixed, he said. He thinks the City is in a better position to <br />be able to lead that change. The paid on-call model has been one of those models that is going by the <br />wayside. <br /> <br />Benson asked where data was collected from and how many outside individuals and municipalities were <br />interviewed. <br /> <br />Van Eyll said most of the data was from Long Lake Fire. He also talked to Minnetonka, Chanhassen, and <br />Plymouth which have their own departments and Excelsior which has a combined model. <br /> <br />Johnson said these are all good questions but what is in front of the Council now is approving the process <br />to present information and get feedback so we can be prepared to ask questions. He urged Council <br />members to ask their questions in advance so staff can be prepared. <br /> <br />Benson said that is what she is trying to do. She said she would like to see more information gathered and <br />would like to know who the Chief talked to. <br /> <br />Edwards said staff can add an appendix to the report. <br /> <br />Benson asked the Chief if he saw a benefit to having a public open forum and is a public forum planned? <br /> <br />Walsh said it is not the purview of fire chief to figure out if a public forum is needed. <br /> <br />Seals said her hope would be that would happen on May 22 when the public can come forward to ask <br />questions. That is an open forum. She said she would also expect residents to reach out in between and <br />ask questions directly. What they are doing that she hasn't seen in other cities, according to Seals, is <br />giving a longer period of time for this information to sit out there and for people to give feedback. She <br />said she is comfortable with the plan because it's giving a multiple avenues. She said she hopes the room <br />is full May 22. <br /> <br />Van Eyll said he felt this process is better because it gives people a chance to get their questions out rather <br />than hitting them with a presentation one night and making a decision from there. <br /> <br />Benson said her preference is an open forum even if it means pushing out things a little further than that <br />June 12 meeting. She said she thinks that would go a long way to instilling goodwill and a sense of <br />understanding within the community as clear, consistent communication with the public is one of the key <br />tenants of fire service and certainly changing fire service. <br /> <br />Walsh moved, Seals seconded, to approve the Fire Department Needs Assessment Public Input Plan <br />as presented. VOTE: Ayes 3, Nays 1 (Benson).