Orono to improve plumbing at temporary fire station

The Orono city council voted June 17 to improve plumbing at its temporary fire station, Navarre Garage, and to hire a new part-time firefighter, Stephanie Erven.

The plumbing improvements include standard plumbing, floor drain installation, and concrete work. These additions are intended to allow for a laundry facility to be installed at Navarre Garage.

Erven has three years of firefighting experience and has completed firefighter I and II and EMT training.

Council member Alisa Benson voted against these motions. She clarified that she does not support spending city funds on a temporary fire station, that Orono is able to receive fire and EMS services from Long Lake already, and that Orono citizens have not had a say in the creation of the Orono Fire Department (OFD).

The OFD is unique in several ways. It was created despite the existing Long Lake Fire Department (LLFD) that served Orono and other cities for decades. Orono legally adjusted the area it receives fire service from the LLFD last June, but was sued by Long Lake for breaching its contract by hiring LLFD firefighters and purchasing a ladder truck it only learned about through Long Lake.

The creation of the OFD occurred amidst a nationwide trend of consolidation. Many fire departments across the country are or have been facing staffing shortages. To help ensure enough firefighters are available to answer calls, some fire departments have joined forces with other neighboring departments.

Both the OFD and the LLFD have implemented “duty crews,” where groups of two paid on-call firefighters alternate shifts at the station while other volunteers can respond from home.

Joining a larger fire district was one of the potential courses of action (COA) that were outlined in the Orono Fire Needs Assessment presented last June. The city ultimately went with a municipal fire department with duty crews with listed advantages of “local oversight, a sustainable capital plan and improved synergy with the police and other Orono departments.”

This action is not entirely consistent with the city’s 2024 Comprehensive Plan, which was adopted by city council on June 10, 2019.

Comprehensive plans are often made alongside community leaders or ordinary citizens to ensure community issues and goals are addressed.

Orono’s Comprehensive Plan states in Section 4D that “Orono intends to continue contracting for fire services from Long Lake. Land use type or density in areas not provided with municipal water will not be increased beyond the capability of rural water-hauling fire tactics.”

The plan also states that, “Orono expects to contribute its fair share of fire department expenses. Both fire protection contracts are written with the respective municipality and not directly with the fire department. Orono will expect to contribute its fair share of the costs of equipping and operating each fire department in comparison to Orono’s relative service requirements.”

OFD Chief James Van Eyll noted last June that Orono accounted for roughly 85 percent of the LLFD budget and accounted for 72 percent of the department’s calls. The formula is based on property value (70 percent) and call hours (30 percent).

Long Lake offered to restructure this contract in a letter sent on May 8, by using a formula that Van Eyll used in the selected course of action taken by Orono. This formula divides costs evenly into thirds of population, calls, and property value. Using this formula would decrease Orono’s portion of the LLFD budget to 75 percent.

Orono Mayor Dennis Walsh responded to this letter on May 13, declining Long Lake’s presented options and moving forward with the OFD, citing benefits of integration with Orono’s existing departments, the OFD’s new organization service model, and the OFD’s future “safe, efficient and cost-effective services.”