05-08-2023 Council Work Session Packet

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Orono Fire Needs Assessment 56 | Page 7.1 Recommendations for 2023 The recommendations below should be started in 2023 due to an immediate need or the item has a longer lead time. We will break them out into each category. 7.1.1 Personnel 1. Orono Firefighters Relief Association - The City of Orono will need to start a relief association regardless of what the City of Long Lake does with the fire department. Staff has already initiated the process of standing up a relief organization. The final portions of the process however will not occur until the new organization has firefighters on the roster and is functional. The Fire Chief has contacted the Secretary of State for a template/sample of the Articles of Incorporation for a MN Nonprofit Corporation. The Fire Chief has requested a template/sample set of bylaws for a relief association from the State Auditor’s Office. These will have to be filed along with the Articles of Incorporation once a relief association board is elected. The City of Orono will have to have special legislation written and passed to facilitate the move the firefighter’s pensions from Long Lake to Orono Relief Association. The Orono Council and Mayor have discussed the relief association with the Long Lake Firefighters and promised to keep them whole in the process of transition from Long Lake to Orono Relief Association. Staff recommends that the relief association be set up as a defined contribution fund. This allows the firefighters to obtain all of the funds once they are vested and not have to worry about the city council approving a benefit level. It is similar to a 401K, whereas each firefighter has their own fund 2. Firefighter Tech\Admin - The City of Orono and the Orono Fire Department should hire a full-time administrative assistant. The Fire Chief should create a position profile and job duties for this individual in 2023. This new position will need to respond to calls for emergency service during the day. This position should be in place before hiring of any firefighters. The posting should occur at the end of the year and the start date should be January of 2024. 3. Fire Inspector - The City of Orono and the Orono Fire Department should hire a full-time fire inspector. The Fire Chief should create a position profile and job duties for this individual in 2023. This new position will need to respond to calls for emergency service during the day and should be part of the Hennepin County Fire Investigation Team. This is a position, once established, could be used by our surrounding cities for fire inspections on a contract basis. This position could be in place before the hiring of firefighters. The posting should occur at the end of the year and the start date should be January of 2024.