07-24-2023 City Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING July 24,2023 6:00 o'clock p.m. with the City of Long Lake during mediation to get a new contract and keep the fire department as it is. She said Chief James Van Eyll said he was going to do all these amazing things with the fire department but asked why he didn't do them when he was the Fire Chief for Long Lake.Because of the financial impact on the citizens of Orono,she said,the public should have a chance to vote. Jay Nygard, 1386 Rest Point Road,said Walsh has stated his lawyers have said he shouldn't speak to anyone who is in a lawsuit with him. Walsh hasn't paid any lawyers,according to Nygard. The taxpayers are paying for his lawyers,so it's really not his lawyers,he said,it's our lawyers that are telling him not to talk to us.Nygard said Walsh created a company in competition with his while he was on the City Council and then used the City to sue him and try to run him out of town. He is suing Walsh for this and then is forced to pay for his private legal expenses.He also said a$3.5 million temporary fire station in a high traffic area makes no sense and seven lawsuits are costing the City a great deal of money. He said he plans to file a motion with the court to separate resident Walsh from the City of Orono so he has to pay his own legal fees. Nancy Brantingham,3185 County Road 6, said she would just like to add her assent to what Ms.Knapp said and that she appreciates her bringing up once again the Council's failure to take proper input from citizens on the fire department. Ritchie Anderson, 3205 Crystal Bay Road,said he wanted to compliment the Park Commission and Park staff for revitalizing the Crystal Bay Post Office area with a new apparatus that is really beautiful.As the City's LMCD Representative,he pointed out the LMCD is looking at creating a new fee structure for docks. The member cities have been asked to weigh in on the proposal and he urged the City of Orono to comment before the next LMCD meeting Aug. 9 so they can vote on it. Regarding the fire station issue, he said he agrees with the two women who spoke about the fire station,but that horse has left the stable. He said the City is at the point now where it is leaving Long Lake Fire in 2025 and will need somewhere to put the fire trucks.He asked if they should be put in a parking lot and said he can't believe there was a no vote on that action because a place has to be found for them. Helen Landgraver,2570 Thoroughbred Lane, said she could not agree more with the two women who spoke earlier. She said two meetings ago,the Council put out public comment cards. Councilmember Benson took the time to compile the results of those comment cards and they were overwhelmingly in favor of not having a separate fire department. She said she would like to know how Walsh considers that propaganda,adding taxes are being raised 20.7 percent in one year and the Council has decided to dump another$3.5 million into a temporary fire station. She said she asked specifically to be provided some compelling reason why a separate fire department is needed and that still has not been provided. This horse has not left the stable,she said, stating it is still a very open matter. Chelsea Wetrick, Independence, said that though Walsh asked people to stay off social media he spends a lot of time on it himself. She contended Walsh and Crosby will barely look at her or look at Councilmember Benson when she is speaking. She said they can't look at anyone who is saying something they don't agree with and said it is because of ego and the need to be in charge of everything. Page 8 of 11