Questions about the options being presented

There is a fundamental lack of understanding about what fire service problem(s) we are trying to solve. Can you elaborate on the problems?
Does either city have a large enough call volume to necessitate its own department?
How are fire departments across the country structuring similarly sized departments?
Why does either city feel that they are better served by its own fire department?
The Long Lake firefighters have expressed that their #1 priority is to keep this group of firefighters together regardless of ownership. Can you explain how their collective opinion is being incorporated into your proposed plans?
It is the opinion of the Long Lake firefighters that deconstructing LLFD adds no benefit to the public. Do you agree? If not, why?
What are the fire service options for Long Lake, Medina, and Minnetonka Beach if they don’t continue a partnership with Orono?
Has either city sought council from other local Fire Chiefs and departments? If so, what was their opinion? If not, why not?
Has either city sought any advice from an independent unbiased consultant or service?
Has an oversight board – comprised of city officials from each service area as well as fire service professionals been considered to make decisions and recommendations?
Would you be opposed to a third-party analysis of the fire service for our area to provide a recommendation?
Is it realistic to establish a JPA by the end of the service agreement in 2025?
Have other surrounding cities expressed an interest in a JPA model?
Is the long-standing feud between Long Lake and Orono a driving force behind the inability to come to an agreement?
What are the exact line items that need Orono has an issue with in Long Lake’s most recent counterproposal?
It seems that building ownership for Station 1 is a key sticking point for both cities. Why?
Would you agree to mediation to come to an agreement on the future of fire service? If not, why not?
An 85-page in-depth, fire needs assessment is overwhelming to the average citizen, would Orono be willing to consolidate the information in an easy-to-read and understand informational handout?
Is it a priority for either city to maintain the existing group of personnel?
Has either city surveyed the existing personnel to determine if they can serve on a duty crew?

Burning Question

What is lacking in the current fire service that needs to be fixed?

Questions about the existing department

Do you feel that the Long Lake Fire Department has provided exemplary fire service consistently to all call areas including Orono?
Can you clarify what, if any control each city currently has over the Long Lake Fire Department?
How much does each city currently pay for fire service annually?
When other paid-on-call fire departments are struggling to get volunteers, LLFD is currently 84% staffed. What ramifications do you think this instability has had on their ability to recruit?
How many firefighters suffer from health and wellness issues due to nighttime calls? (Note: In 2022 there were 31 total calls between 11 pm – 6 am.)
What is lacking in the current fire service that needs to be fixed?
Have you received complaints regarding the existing fire department or the level of service it has been providing?
How will you ensure the existing volunteers will maintain the benefits they earned while serving? (i.e., maintain their positions, years of service, and pensions)
Have you discussed how the creation of duty crews may impact the current firefighter’s ability to continue to serve?

Burning Question

How will you ensure the existing firefighters will continue to serve together, maintain their years of service and pensions?

Questions about dollars & cents

Can you explain if and how much property taxes will increase for residents of either city if the departments split?
Will you perform a third party analysis to determine the of the costs for each option being presented?
Is building a new fire department the most pressing issue to spend your taxpayers’ dollars on?
What is the cost for these full-time firefighters (wages, benefits, etc.) and how does it compare to the POC model
Which city/cities are responsible for approving money spent for capital investments in updating LLFD equipment and maintaining the facilities?
Does the oversight and financial responsibility differ between the two current LLFD stations?
Have you performed an independent audit of the costs to rehab station 1 and station 2?
What are the costs associated with those improvements and how do they compare to building a new station?

Burning Question

Will you perform a third party analysis to determine the costs for each option being presented?

Questions about the options being presented

There is a fundamental lack of understanding about what fire service problem(s) we are trying to solve. Can you elaborate on the problems?

Does either city have a large enough call volume to necessitate its own department?

How are fire departments across the country structuring similarly sized departments?

Why does either city feel that they are better served by its own fire department?

The Long Lake firefighters have expressed that their #1 priority is to keep this group of firefighters together regardless of ownership. Can you explain how their collective opinion is being incorporated into your proposed plans?

It is the opinion of the Long Lake firefighters that deconstructing LLFD adds no benefit to the public. Do you agree? If not, why?

What are the fire service options for Long Lake, Medina, and Minnetonka Beach if they don’t continue a partnership with Orono?

Has either city sought council from other local Fire Chiefs and departments? If so, what was their opinion? If not, why not?

Has either city sought any advice from an independent unbiased consultant or service?

Has an oversight board – comprised of city officials from each service area as well as fire service professionals been considered to make decisions and recommendations?

Would you be opposed to a third-party analysis of the fire service for our area to provide a recommendation?

Is it realistic to establish a JPA by the end of the service agreement in 2025?

Have other surrounding cities expressed an interest in a JPA model?

Is the long-standing feud between Long Lake and Orono a driving force behind the inability to come to an agreement?

What are the exact line items that need Orono has an issue with in Long Lake’s most recent counterproposal?

It seems that building ownership for Station 1 is a key sticking point for both cities. Why?

Would you agree to mediation to come to an agreement on the future of fire service? If not, why not?

An 85-page in-depth, fire needs assessment is overwhelming to the average citizen, would Orono be willing to consolidate the information in an easy-to-read and understand informational handout?

Is it a priority for either city to maintain the existing group of personnel?

Has either city surveyed the existing personnel to determine if they can serve on a duty crew?

What is lacking in the current fire service that needs to be fixed?

What is lacking in the current fire service that needs to be fixed? What is lacking in the current fire service that needs to be fixed?

Questions about the existing department

Do you feel that the Long Lake Fire Department has provided exemplary fire service consistently to all call areas including Orono?

Can you clarify what, if any control each city currently has over the Long Lake Fire Department?

How much does each city currently pay for fire service annually?

When other paid-on-call fire departments are struggling to get volunteers, LLFD is currently 84% staffed. What ramifications do you think this instability has had on their ability to recruit?

How many firefighters suffer from health and wellness issues due to nighttime calls? (Note: In 2022 there were 31 total calls between 11 pm – 6 am.)

What is lacking in the current fire service that needs to be fixed?

Have you received complaints regarding the existing fire department or the level of service it has been providing?

How will you ensure the existing volunteers will maintain the benefits they earned while serving? (i.e., maintain their positions, years of service, and pensions)

Have you discussed how the creation of duty crews may impact the current firefighter’s ability to continue to serve?

How will you ensure the existing firefighters will continue to serve together, maintain their years of service and pensions?

How will you ensure the existing firefighters will continue to serve together, maintain their years of service and pensions? How will you ensure the existing firefighters will continue to serve together, maintain their years of service and pensions?

Questions about dollars & cents

Can you explain if and how much property taxes will increase for residents of either city if the departments split?

Will you perform a third party analysis to determine the of the costs for each option being presented?

Is building a new fire department the most pressing issue to spend your taxpayers’ dollars on?

What is the cost for these full-time firefighters (wages, benefits, etc.) and how does it compare to the POC model

Which city/cities are responsible for approving money spent for capital investments in updating LLFD equipment and maintaining the facilities?

Does the oversight and financial responsibility differ between the two current LLFD stations?

Have you performed an independent audit of the costs to rehab station 1 and station 2?

What are the costs associated with those improvements and how do they compare to building a new station?

Will you perform a third party analysis to determine the costs for each option being presented?

Will you perform a third party analysis to determine the costs for each option being presented? Will you perform a third party analysis to determine the costs for each option being presented?

What is lacking in the current fire service that needs to be fixed?

How will you ensure the existing firefighters will continue to serve together, maintain their years of service and pensions?

Will you perform a third party analysis to determine the costs for each option being presented?