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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br /> Monday,June 13,2022 <br /> 6:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> Attorney Mattick had nothing to report. <br /> CITY ADMINISTRATOR/ENGINEER REPORT <br /> Edwards updated the City Council,noting they had a pre-construction conference for roads this year and <br /> road projects are set to begin on July 5 with an expected completion date of September 5. The vast <br /> majority of roads are mill-and-overlay which are fairly quick with minor disruptions to residents. <br /> Edwards also acknowledged Mr. Barnhart for seven years of service as the Community Development <br /> Director. <br /> MAYOR/COUNCIL REPORT <br /> Seals noted it has been on the docket to look at a Fire Consultant/Chief and some work has been done. <br /> After discussing with the Mayor,he thought it would be good to punt it over to the Re-organization <br /> Committee. <br /> Edwards asked for direction at this point as anything that needs approval will come back to the City <br /> Council. <br /> The City Council shared their support for the direction to direct the Re-organization Committee to look at <br /> • it. <br /> Seals stated they are coming up on budget season and the Council tries to jam much of that into work <br /> sessions and do not get through all of it. The Mayor thought it would be a good idea to create a budget <br /> committee to allow more time to dive into those line items before City Council approval. <br /> Edwards would bring to the City Council's next meeting an amendment to the standing committee list <br /> and formal approval would be at that meeting. <br /> The City Council shared their support for the suggestion. <br /> Seals said the City Council received a letter earlier in the day from the City of Long Lake in response to <br /> the City of Orono's letter.Being married to a fireman she received the letter earlier in the weekend and <br /> has thought about it a lot,talked to other firemen,talked to the Mayor of Long Lake,and she does not <br /> think the negotiations need to stop.After talking to Long Lake Mayor Miner today she thinks there is <br /> misalignment in communication and an opportunity to sit down with Long Lake staff to look at what the <br /> two cities can agree upon. Seals thinks they all owe it to themselves and residents to chill out for a <br /> moment and have a sit down and that both cities can do better regarding communication. She thinks there <br /> is some middle ground that they just have not found yet and this is not in the best interest of the <br /> firefighters, either,as they do not know where they are going.The majority of the firemen and firewomen <br /> are Orono residents which puts them in an odd situation.There is a reason Station 1 is built in Orono and <br /> much of this is short-sighted for the City to act and not try to sit down with Long Lake,pause for a <br /> second, and try to figure it out. She does not think any of the fire people think Orono or Long Lake are <br /> great right now. <br /> Crosby stated the thing to understand is that this is a business decision. There has been a lot of rhetoric <br /> thinking it is about their performance or the way the fire department has done something and that is not <br /> Page 5 of 6 <br />