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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br /> August 14,2023 <br /> 6:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> Benson asked about the$46,000 bill for overage from Long Lake Fire last year. <br /> Olson said it was unexpected and the bill was received in April but was related to the 2022 budget. The <br /> reason for the overage was increased calls. <br /> CITY ADMINISTRATOR/ENGINEER REPORT <br /> 18. NEXT WORK SESSION DRAFT AGENDA <br /> This item was added to the Consent Agenda <br /> PUBLIC COMMENTS <br /> Nancy Brantingham, 3185 County Road 6, said the Mayor has made it clear he doesn't feel he needs any <br /> more input on the fire department. She asked why the Fire Department Advisory Board report is after <br /> public comments on the agenda and stated that the Council has lost a lot of trust in the community around <br /> the fire department issue. She said she found the placement of the advisory board report a puzzling choice <br /> when the Council could be working to help people understand how and why the community got to this <br /> point. <br /> Janie Delaney, 1315 Woodhill Avenue, said the League of Minnesota Cities has recommended that cities <br /> review policies and ordinances on managing natural and native landscaping and asked if there has been <br /> any discussion about that. She also asked if Orono has considered joining the GreenStep City program <br /> that includes 29 basic steps for cities to follow for conservation,climate change plantings and green <br /> buildings, adding she would like to see the City consider that. <br /> Kelly Grady,271 Greenhill Lane,said she has spoken to the Council previously about the fire department <br /> and that moving public comments around on the agenda comes off as shifty and doesn't really allow the <br /> public to participate in an open dialogue with the Council if everything is being discussed before after <br /> public comments. She said there is a still a fundamental lack of understanding about what fire service <br /> problems are trying to be solved with a new fire department and she would like the Council to elaborate. <br /> In 2023, according to Grady,the Long Lake Fire Department responded to 311 calls in Orono,which has <br /> a population of roughly 8,000 people.By comparison,the City of Plymouth,which has a population of <br /> 80,000 people,has a similar Duty Crew and paid on call structure that the Orono Council just pushed <br /> through.Plymouth has about 2,300 calls per year so she wondered how Orono can justify a need of a <br /> similarly structured and sized department for the call volume that's coming through. She pointed out that <br /> in September of 2022 the Orono City Council approved roughly a$543,000 or$544,000 budget for <br /> operating costs, but a$0 capital improvements budget for 2023 fire service. She said she would like to <br /> understand how the City is going to manage and create a department that will be run very similarly to the <br /> way that it is run now and not increase taxes. She called for a detailed budget for the new department, <br /> saying that what has been presented so far is not complete. She added the City is under an injunction <br /> against attempting to recruit Long Lake fire fighters and yet this seems to still be happening. <br /> Chelsea Wetrick, Independence, said she would like to remind Crosby he works for the people,not <br /> himself. She said it is untrue that he is attacked on a constant basis or that he appreciates opposing <br /> Page 3 of 6 <br />