Say No to Christmas Fireworks in Orono
Barbara Schmidt Barbara Schmidt

Say No to Christmas Fireworks in Orono

Orono City Council does it again. Sets off thousands of dollars of Fireworks on the wrong holiday for their own enjoyment. Citizens are voicing their concerns here: https://www.friendsoforono.org/oronosunrest

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Long Lake Files Motion and supports "threatened" Firefighter in Hennepin County Court 10/13/23
Barbara Schmidt Barbara Schmidt

Long Lake Files Motion and supports "threatened" Firefighter in Hennepin County Court 10/13/23

The City of Long Lake files a motion for order to show cause and a supporting memorandum of law today in Hennepin County District Court. A hearing scheduled for matter will be held November 8th regarding the recruitment and hiring of Long Lake Firefighters.

Of special note is Long Lake's support for a Firefighter who has been threatened and apparently bullied on social media by the Orono Mayor Dennis Walsh.

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Why doesn't Maria Veach Recuse herself from all Fire Related Matters?
Barbara Schmidt Barbara Schmidt

Why doesn't Maria Veach Recuse herself from all Fire Related Matters?

What is a conflict of interest?

A conflict of interest is a situation in which a person or organization has two or more competing interests. When a conflict of interest occurs, the person or team can't perform their duties appropriately because it could mean betraying their interests to one of the parties within the situation. When such a situation arises, it's often a legal requirement for the primary party to remove themselves.

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Why is Mayor Walsh Paving over T-Ball?
Barbara Schmidt Barbara Schmidt

Why is Mayor Walsh Paving over T-Ball?

It's almost Hackberry Park's 50th Anniversary and look what's happening. The City of Orono wants to pave over one of the T-ball fields for a parking lot. How about parking on the Willow side and two T-ball fields so that next year can be a celebration and not a sad event with more hardcover?

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Orono Council member Richard Crosby in his own words
Barbara Schmidt Barbara Schmidt

Orono Council member Richard Crosby in his own words

Orono Council member #RichardCrosby (RC): How does he come up with these statements?

RC: “I believe that the two people that are in the negotiating positions, which are Matt (Johnson) and Maria (Veach), should be the people attending this meeting. Without a doubt.”

Really Mr. Crosby? Well we have a lot more than doubt about this whole arrangement because Maria Veach’s husband is a fire firefighter and she has a clear Conflict of Interest on any fire related committee or meeting.

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Stop Orono Grant Funding for Parks We Don't Want
Barbara Schmidt Barbara Schmidt

Stop Orono Grant Funding for Parks We Don't Want

Orono City Council and Park Commission are trying to railroad through a Park Plan without Citizen input for grant applications. Once these applications are funded, the Park must include those features to which the grant applies i.e. Softball Field and yet another Soccer field.

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Let's see all the Hackberry Park Concepts - Orono Citizens Paid for them
Barbara Schmidt Barbara Schmidt

Let's see all the Hackberry Park Concepts - Orono Citizens Paid for them

Why is Brian Roath initiating Hackberry Park Concept before showing Citizens the Options?

Monday, August 7, 2023 Roath does it again. “This is one of the concepts that Bolton & Menk brought to us. This is the one that we chose to start running with.” That’s right, a few individuals - namely Park Commissioner Brian Roath and Park Commissioner Gordy Stofer with Mayor Walsh watching from the back row decided the Hackberry Park park concept for you.

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Is Trust in Orono City Council at an all time low?
Barbara Schmidt Barbara Schmidt

Is Trust in Orono City Council at an all time low?

Apparently, the trust in Orono City Council continues to plummet. With another preselected City Council member, #mariaveach, there seems to be little balance and open discussion. Most of Orono’s city business appears to be done in subcommittee meetings out of the public eye. Ms. Veach was appointed to three subcommittees in apparent Conflict of Interest because she and her husband who is a Firefighter may benefit from her work.

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Council member Richard F. Crosby II - Hiding the Facts?
Barbara Schmidt Barbara Schmidt

Council member Richard F. Crosby II - Hiding the Facts?

How does Mr. Crosby come up with these statements?

He said during the 7/24/23 Work Session “we haven't increased the overall tax budget, taxes has gone up simply because property values have...” This just isn’t the whole truth. Orono property values have gone up but the Orono tax levy is 100% under the control of the Orono City Council.

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Orono Taxes are Going Up AGAIN!
Barbara Schmidt Barbara Schmidt

Orono Taxes are Going Up AGAIN!

Orono Residents! Your #Taxes are about to go up AGAIN!

Mayor Walsh likes to spin the tax story to the fact that he hasn’t raised the tax rate, but your home values are going up every single year so your taxes are going up along with that trend.

#spendydenny could lower your tax rate like sister cities Deephaven, Shorewood and Minnetrista but no, he needs more funding for his multi million dollar boondoggles.

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Where's the Budget? Another omission by Orono Mayor Walsh
Barbara Schmidt Barbara Schmidt

Where's the Budget? Another omission by Orono Mayor Walsh

Finally the Orono citizens get some info in the city newsletter about this radical idea to change the city’s fire service. Mayor Walsh claims that the fire contract ended, but in reality he decided to not extend it or work with Long Lake to negotiate a revised one. That's a big difference as far as intention goes.

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Happy Mother’s Day!
Barbara Schmidt Barbara Schmidt

Happy Mother’s Day!

All along the Luce Line Trail there are patches of blooming Bloodroot. This little white single flower is nested with lobed leaves. The flower only lasts a day or two so if you see these it's a lucky sighting.

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