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Date: April 28, 2025 Item: 14 <br />Presenter: Adam Edwards, City Administrator / Engineer <br />Section: City Administrator/Engineer Report <br /> <br />Title: Orono Fire Department Reduction in Force <br /> <br /> <br />1.Purpose: <br />The purpose of this items is to reduce the number of Paid on Call (Volunteer) Orono Firefighters <br />2.Background: <br />At the April 14th Council meeting, the City Council approved a Amendment to the Contract and <br />Agreement for Fire Protection Services, dated 2002. The amendment was subsequently approved <br />by the other partner cities on the 15th of April. The amendment aspires to limit Orono's ability to <br />employ Paid on Call Fire Fighters per Exhibit C of the agreement. <br /> <br />The impacted Orono City Employees are: <br />Fire Fighter Name Serving <br />Since <br />JB Seals 10/09/23 <br />Jeff Krahl 10/09/23 <br />Ryan Kanive 10/09/23 <br />Mike Johnsrud 10/09/23 <br />Ben Veach 10/09/23 <br />Justin Hinker 10/09/23 <br />Chris Adams 01/08/24 <br />Oliver Kennedy 05/13/24 <br /> <br />3.Cost: <br />The estimated monetary cost of eliminating the Orono Paid on Call positions is $170,000, if <br />completed by May 1st of 2025, and $250,000 if completed after May 1st 2025. This cost is due to <br />the subsequent relief association dissolution, which will occur following the elimination of all Paid <br />on Call positions. Per State Statute 424B.22, all members will be automatically fully vested and <br />need to be paid their earned retirement. See Exhibit A for cost breakdown. <br />4.Process: <br />The power to terminate city employees rests with the City Council. Upon the direction of the City <br />Council, city staff will issue the necessary layoff notices, and complete the other personnel action <br />to remove the terminated employees from the city. A resolution directing the termination is at <br />Exhibit B. A Sample Layoff Letter is at Exhibit C. <br />5.Staff Recommendation: <br />I recommend that the City Council consider timing the termination of its firefighters to coincide <br />with an orderly transition to the goals in Exhibit C of the fire contract amendment. Based on <br />progress to date this will likely occur in the May-June time frame. <br />AGENDA ITEM <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />137