The Burning Issue
The Long Lake Fire Department (LLFD) was founded in 1915. Today the department is comprised of 42 highly trained, cohesive and responsive paid on call firefighters that proudly serve the cities of Long Lake, Orono, Minnetonka Beach, and southern Medina.
In 2022 the City of Long Lake and the City of Orono began to explore options for future of fire service. Since then, the community has been presented with fire service options that would dismantle the high-functioning, well-respected public safety asset - the Long Lake Fire Department - that has proudly served this community for 108+ years and watched the two cities try and fail to negotiate a continued fire service agreement.
In April 2021 Orono officially notified Long Lake that it is terminating the contract for fire protection services that has been in effect since 2002. On June 12, 2023, the Orono Council voted to move forward with the development of their own fire department, which included plans to take over Station 2 - one of the two shared LLFD fire stations in July 2024 - 18 months before the end of the shared-services contract in December 2025.
One June 23, 2023, Long Lake filed a lawsuit against Orono, citing a breach of contract. The included a list of what they believe are “hostile actions” and an attempt to undermine the existing Long Lake Fire Department which ultimately jeopardizes public safety.
What’s next?
Just 15 days after the City of Long Lake and the City of Orono sat before a judge regarding the lawsuit filed by the Long Lake concerning Orono Fire’s interference with the current operations of the Long Lake Fire Department, the judge overseeing the dispute granted Long Lake’s motion for temporary injunctive relief.
Basically, the judge said what we have been saying all along…FIGURE OUT FIRE! And the cities will be doing just that...in court ordered mediation.
Our Mission
We believe most people either don’t know what is happening or don’t understand what is happening. That is understandable, given the complexity of the issue.
The Figure Out Fire crew’s mission is to provide a one-stop-shop for citizens of all four cities in the Long Lake Fire Department call area to educate themselves on the issues and take action to support the existing Firefighters.
To serve as an informational resource for all things related to the contract negotiations and future fire options that are being presented to the community.
To provide a place where Firefighters can openly express their thoughts and opinions as citizens.
Provide citizens with various ways to show their support for the Long Lake Firefighters.
Timeline of Recent Events
December 2022
Orono hires Chief James VanEyll
LLFD begins search for new Fire Chief
January 2023
Long Lake City Council sends a counteroffer to Orono City Council on 1/27/2023, which remains unanswered as of today
February 2023
Orono approached the state Legislature in an attempt to move the present Relief Association funding and years of service from Long Lake to Orono, without agreement from Long Lake
March 2023
Chief Mike Heiland joins LLFD on March 27, 2023
April 2023
City of Long Lake hired a special counsel attorney, and sent letter of notice on 4/25/23 to the City of Orono regarding 4 breaches of contract
City of Orono rejects loan of new command vehicle to LLFD, despite having agreed to loan at the time of purchase in 2022
May 2023
City of Long Lake approves the purchase of needed equipment for LLFD using Long Lake funds after Orono’s refusal to share purchases
City of Long Lake’s special counsel attorney sends 2nd letter of legal notice to the City of Orono on contractual obligations of Station 2 in Navarre
PROPOSED FIRE SERVICE OPTIONS
Long Lake’s Current Position & Counter Offer to Orono
The City of Long Lake has hoped that Orono would be willing to partner with them in a new Joint Powers Agreement that would put the Long Lake Fire Department under an independent Fire Board rather than under any one City.
Negotiating teams worked toward this solution from June 2022 to Sept 2022, when Orono stopped negotiations and offered a buyout instead.
It is Long Lake’s primary interest to pursue a partnership, and they ask that Orono consider resuming these discussions.
Details of Counteroffer
Long Lake goes from 50% owner to 100% owner of Station 1
Long Lake assumes $1.5M in deferred maintenance on Station 1
Long Lake retains ownership of the 1928 Studebaker and other LLFD memorabilia (photos, posters, etc.)
Long Lake retains the rights to the name “Long Lake Fire Department”
This means Orono will rename the fire department
The effective date for the fire service and building lease is Jan 1, 2026
This would fulfill the obligations of the current fire services contract among Long Lake, Orono, and Medina and allow for adequate formal notice of the transfer to be provided to both Medina and Minnetonka Beach.
Station 1 will be renamed Long Lake Station
Fire service to Long Lake will operate from Long Lake Station
Orono will not condemn the Long Lake Station property
Long Lake will have an advisory role by way of the Fire Advisory Board
Long Lake has the option to exit the agreement with a 36-month notice
This applies to both fire service and station lease
This allows the opportunity for Long Lake to join the fire district in the future
Long Lake will continue to host Future Fire Services meetings at Long Lake Station (Orono is welcome to participate)
Orono’s Fire Needs Assessment Options
Option/COA 1 taken from Orono’s Needs Assessment: Orono Assumes Control of Existing LLFD
Description. In this option, Orono assumes operational and administrative control of the existing LLFD, including staff equipment and facilities. This includes continuing the current two-station organization and POC staffing if this includes continuing to invest in capital and facilities at the same rate.
Cost. The cost distribution model remains the same as the current Fire contract. That model is based on 70% tax capacity and 30% call hours. The estimated annual cost to the city of Orono is $895,000 per year, plus negotiation expenses paid to Long Lake to transfer their portion of assets to Orono. The average cost per Orono household is $280 with partners. This option's estimated cost is based on the 2023 LLFD operating budget.
Option/COA 2 taken from Orono’s Needs Assessment: Taxable Fire District/Joint Powers Agreement
Description. This option looks at Orono joining a future Fire District or JPA Department. It uses a conceptual district from a Future Fire Services Meeting Presentation. That Orono Fire Needs Assessment conceptual district includes the cities of Corcoran, Greenfield, Independence, Long Lake, Loretto, Maple Plain, Medina, Minnetonka Beach, Orono, Wayzata, and Woodland. It also includes the current fire departments of Long Lake, Loretto/Hamel, Maple Plain and Wayzata. This option uses an Ad Valorum (property Value) tax formula to distribute costs.
Cost. To estimate the cost for this option the current operating budgets of the subject departments were combined. In addition, it was assumed the capital needs of all the departments were about the same as LLFDs so a sustainable capital need was calculated. The costs were then distributed based on the subject communities’ tax capacities. Based on these calculations the annual cost to Orono would be $1,881,000. The average cost to Orono households would be $588 per year. Moving to a Duty Crews staffing structure would likely raise that cost to $2,320,000 or an average of $725 per Orono household.
Option/COA 3 taken from Orono’s Needs Assessment: Orono Municipal Fire Department with POC Firefighters
Description. This option looks at Orono forming a fire department with a full-time chief and Paid On-call (Volunteer) firefighters. This option would use a 1/3 Tax Value + 1/3 Population + 1/3 Call hour formula to distribute costs to any municipalities contracting with the Orono Fire Department for service. This option's facilities and equipment plan is sustainable and achieves NFPA standards within the first ten years.
Cost. Costs for this option were calculated using current operating expenses for LLFD but adding a capital improvement plan that achieves NFPA standards within ten years and then provides sustainable funding for the future. This option would cost Orono $1,009,000 per year if in partnership(contracts) with the current municipalities covered by LLFD. This amounts to an average of $315 per Orono household. If the department did not serve contract partners, the cost would be $1,399,000 per year.
Option/COA 4 taken from Orono’s Needs Assessment: Orono Municipal Fire Department with Duty Crews and FTEs
(This is the Orono Staff recommended option)
Description. This option looks at Orono forming a fire department with a full-time chief, daytime duty crew, and Paid On-call (Volunteer) firefighters. This COA would use a 1/3 Tax Value + 1/3 Population + 1/3 Call hour formula to distribute costs to any municipalities contracting with the Orono Fire Department for service. This option includes establishing a suburban response standard for the department. This option's facilities and equipment plan is sustainable and achieves NFPA standards within the first ten years.
Cost. The Capital cost calculation for this option is the same as option three above. The operating costs were adjusted to include daytime duty crews. The estimated annual cost for this COA is $1,178,000 per year if in partnership (contracts) with the current municipalities covered by LLFD. This amounts to a yearly average of $368 per Orono household. If the department did not serve contract partners, the cost would be $1,634,000 annually.