Orono's Apparent Conflicts of Interest

1) #MayorDennisWalsh will not survey the Orono citizens, nor will he listen to repeated requests for budget information regarding two of Orono’s largest projects ie: “The Taj Mahal Maintenance Shed” and the Duplicate Fire Department. Clearly, he appears to have his own agenda, and isn’t this in direct conflict with his duties as Orono Mayor to act on behalf of the citizens?

2) #OronoCityCouncil decided to hand over public right of way land including public Lake Minnetonka access to one of their own - Orono City Council member #MattJohnson . Clearly it appears that Orono City Council members #VictoriaSeals #RichardCrosby and Orono #MayorDennyWalsh have their own agendas, and isn’t this in direct conflict with their duties as council members to act on behalf of the citizens?

3) Orono City Council decided to hand over public right of way land including public Lake Minnetonka access to another one of their own - Orono Planning Commissioner #BobErickson who is also reportedly one of the Mayor’s best friends. Clearly it appears that Orono City Council members #RichardCrosbyII, Matt Johnson and Mayor Dennis Walsh have their own agendas, and isn’t this in direct conflict of their duties as council members to act on behalf of the citizens?

4) Isn’t it apparently a conflict of interest to hire a Fire Chief without a department, and ask him to determine the new department’s wish list for himself (“Needs Assessment”)? Isn’t is also a conflict of interest to have City Council member #VictoriaSeals working on the development, equipment purchases, pension, etc. for the same fire department because she may benefit financially from these negotiations? Isn't it another conflict of interest that Ms. Seals is lobbying her husband and apparently other Firefighters to to work for said Fire Department? Won’t she directly benefit from those negotiations yet another conflict of interest?

There are apparently millions of dollars flowing from taxpayers and into the unknown. There are also irreplaceable public assets flowing to private individuals that are taken away from the citizens of Orono. Someone needs to mind the store, and it doesn’t look like Orono City Council can keep their apparently sticky fingers out of the public’s assets.

Tell Orono City Council they cannot raise our taxes again for a Fire Department we don’t need, and to return our public land back to whom it belongs - the citizens of Orono. Please attend City Council meetings to make your voices heard!

If you want to do something about the above situation, please write to: Julie Blaha https://www.osa.state.mn.us/about/contact-us/report-a-concern/