Barbara Schmidt 7/15/24 Barbara Schmidt 7/15/24

Special Notice to Orono Citizens! Ethics Matter

Here is another example of block voting by three Orono City Council member to push through spending more taxpayer funds on the Orono Fire Department the residents clearly do not want.

Barbara Schmidt 7/14/24 Barbara Schmidt 7/14/24

5/28/24 Orono City Council Stands in Front of the Officers and Explorers

Monday, May 28, 2024, the Orono City Council meeting, a ceremony was held for two new police officers and a recognition of the group of Orono Police Explorers. This is the photo that was posted of the event.

To our new officers and Explorers - please note that the Orono citizens hold you front and center in appreciation for your work. This photo unfortunately showcases three city council members hamming it up in front of the good work you do. This photo should not be about a campaign opportunity, but rather showcase Police officers and the Explorers.

Barbara Schmidt 7/14/24 Barbara Schmidt 7/14/24

Walsh, Crosby and Veach Break Open Meeting Law, Again?

During the "For Profit" Pavilion ground breaking, Mayor Walsh and Orono Council members #richardcrosby and #mariaveach decided to hold a quorum without notifying the Citizens of Orono.

This appears to be yet again another violation of Open Meeting Law https://mn.gov/admin/data-practices/meetings/rules/

This law is in place to protect the Citizens so that they can know what is happening and participate in the governance of their community.

Barbara Schmidt 6/26/24 Barbara Schmidt 6/26/24

Orono Mayor Walsh “It’s all about the money.”

Mayor Walsh says Orono Golf Pavilion is all about Revenue to the City

So now your Lions Clubs International Donations are about making revenue for the wealthiest per capita City in Minnesota? Orono?

Tell the Orono Lions to do the right thing - Give $40k to the needy and not to the For Profit Golf Course that doesn't need it.

#togetherwearebetter @friendsoforono

Barbara Schmidt 6/26/24 Barbara Schmidt 6/26/24

Isn't the New Public Works Building just Too Big?

What is too big for a city of around 8000 people? Why did Mayor Walsh build a Public Works Building with an extra 25,000 square feet when our small down has been losing population for the last three years?

Why weren't we informed that he bonded this project at $13 million; bid it at $16 million and now has cost overruns somewhere around $22 million or more? The sad fact is he refuses to give Citizens a detailed budget in full and keeps piecemealing the details so he can keep going.

Barbara Schmidt 6/26/24 Barbara Schmidt 6/26/24

Orono’s “Taj Mahal” Public Works Open House

So here's the truth about the Taj Mahal and a budget overrun of nearly double: https://www.facebook.com/reel/297723062767698

This ridiculously large and frankly warehouse style building now sits as the monument to the Walsh regime. Unattractive? Too large for a City of around 3200 homes losing population for the last three years? No one wants to buy services from Orono now until there's a new administration City of Orono, Minnesota Government

Barbara Schmidt 6/26/24 Barbara Schmidt 6/26/24

Isn't Mayor Walsh Greenwashing Orono? #callhimonit

What is Greenwashing?

That’s when a person or entity releases and/or promotes environmentally friendly messaging to help them look like they are helping and/or care about the environment. In reality they are not helping, and in fact, may be harming the environment.

Isn't it interesting that Mayor Walsh chose Earth Day, Week and Month to start his own apparent greenwashing campaign for himself and the City of Orono?

Barbara Schmidt 6/26/24 Barbara Schmidt 6/26/24

Orono and Mayor Walsh mixed Social Media Messaging

Is Mayor Walsh employing Confusion? Control? Why is he reposting Orono City business posts with his own comments? Why not do that on the Orono City Facebook page? Or the Orono Fire page? As a public official is he misusing social media?

Is this further Citizen Suppression that Mayor Walsh seems to have a track record of implementing?

Remember when he changed Citizen comments from 5 minutes to 3 minutes? (contrary to #matthewjohnson's recent comments this move was due to Citizen unrest)

And then placed the Citizen comments at the very end of the meeting?

And in spite, he often schedules a 5 minute recess before the comment period so citizens have to wait that much longer?

Barbara Schmidt 6/24/24 Barbara Schmidt 6/24/24

Read #denniswalshformayor latest post:

1) Orono is clearly not proud #dennywalshformayor

2) July 1st is the day that Citizens may be in danger with an unproven and slapped together Orono fire service in Navarre

3) Only four people in Orono made this "long term decision" for their own short term gain: