Barbara Schmidt 8/6/23 Barbara Schmidt 8/6/23

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.

Barbara Schmidt 8/2/23 Barbara Schmidt 8/2/23

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.

Barbara Schmidt 7/28/23 Barbara Schmidt 7/28/23

Who is directing Orono City Staff behind the scenes?

Did #MayorWalsh just do it again?

Is he directing staff behind the scenes against Orono City Ordinance? It appears someone told City Staff to engage Oertel Architects without City Council direction to bid on remodeling the old Public Works Building for a Temporary Fire Station?

This also appears to be without Citizen Input and little City Council discussion if any. Now these actions are up for budget approval?

Barbara Schmidt 7/28/23 Barbara Schmidt 7/28/23

Ben Franklin wonders where the City of Orono Reserves are?

Citizens of Orono and beyond, please ask Orono Mayor Walsh and City Staff where Orono financial reserves are right now, and into the next few years.

In the past, Orono had cash reserves on hand for several departments for emergencies and unplanned expenses. Are all those reserves gone now?

Barbara Schmidt 7/23/23 Barbara Schmidt 7/23/23

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.

Barbara Schmidt 7/23/23 Barbara Schmidt 7/23/23

When is the Hemorrhaging of Orono Taxpayer Funds Going to Stop?

Do the Citizens of Orono think spending all those millions and millions of taxpayer dollars is smart? After all, what #mayorwalsh is proposing is building a second fire department a mile away from the existing one.

Barbara Schmidt 7/15/23 Barbara Schmidt 7/15/23

The Orono 7: Civil and Federal Lawsuits Pending

The Orono 7. Is the City of Orono gambling away our future? There are seven active lawsuits right now against the City of Orono, et al, and four of them made it over the hurdle of dismissal already.

Barbara Schmidt 7/14/23 Barbara Schmidt 7/14/23

Isn't Council member Veach FOR the Duplicate Fire Department?

Is #mariaveach for the “Pop-up, Duplicate Fire Department”? Let’s go point by point in our latest blog post.

Barbara Schmidt 7/8/23 Barbara Schmidt 7/8/23

Your Taxes Have been Going Up and Here's How

As home values go up so do your taxes, and the staggering truth is that we are all paying more - a lot more. Instead of lowering our tax rate like sister cities Minnetrista, Shorewood and Deephaven, Mayor Walsh is leaving it the same, and taking more and more from you.

Barbara Schmidt 7/7/23 Barbara Schmidt 7/7/23

Orono Council Meets After Closed Meeting Without the Public Present

Orono’s newly appointed council member #MariaVeach gets schooled by Orono Council member Matt Johnson to not share information. Whether she knows it or not, she is already being controlled and silenced by her fellow council allies.

Barbara Schmidt 7/7/23 Barbara Schmidt 7/7/23

Is this happening at Orono City Hall?

During the last City Council meeting, a Citizen called out a communication style that they felt the Orono City Council and specifically the Mayor was using with residents. This isn’t the first time a resident has brought up gaslighting as an Orono City Council communication style. Considering some of the major issues that are pending, we wondered if any of these points appeared to be exemplified?

Barbara Schmidt 7/4/23 Barbara Schmidt 7/4/23

Happy Independence Day!

Barbara Schmidt 7/2/23 Barbara Schmidt 7/2/23

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.

Barbara Schmidt 6/28/23 Barbara Schmidt 6/28/23

Apparently Council member Johnson is not Walking His Talk

Often, Orono Council member #MattJohnson engages in crosstalk during the mayor/council report. He uses this time to tear down fellow council members rather than giving his own report.

Why does he do that? Why does he feel obligated to bully people and defend the mayor? Does it have to do with the fact that Mayor Walsh paid for Matt Johnson's entire city council campaign?

Barbara Schmidt 6/28/23 Barbara Schmidt 6/28/23

Orange Boundary Marks the Duplicate “Pop Up” Fire Service

If you live within the area marked within the orange boundary on the map you may be in for a big surprise. #MayorWalsh is going to try to serve this area with a startup and very much unproven Duplicate Orono Fire Department.

Barbara Schmidt 6/27/23 Barbara Schmidt 6/27/23

New Orono City Council member Does Not Recuse Herself

It appears that new Orono council member Ms. Veach is not afraid to create a possible conflict of interest with her husband being a Long Lake firefighter. She did not recuse herself prior to a closed legal session discussing the lawsuit between Long Lake and Orono which directly impacts the fire department that her family is involved with.

Barbara Schmidt 6/26/23 Barbara Schmidt 6/26/23

Tell Mayor Walsh to stop promoting the Fictitious Duplicate Fire Service

Is the Orono Fire Department for real?

Not according to the State Fire MarshalNot according to the Minnesota State Legislature

Not according to sister cities around us

Not according to the pension funding

Not according to the Long Lake Fire Fighters

Not according to 722 citizens that signed the petition https://www.change.org/p/figure-out-fire-keep-long-lake-firefighters-serving-together

Barbara Schmidt 6/25/23 Barbara Schmidt 6/25/23

Stop Mayor Walsh's Runaway Spending: Ask for Fiscal Conservancy Now

Ask Mayor Walsh where the funds are coming to buy $1million of fire equipment for the duplicate fire service.

Funny how there is no mention of where this money will be coming from and what it will affect the taxpayer?

Barbara Schmidt 6/22/23 Barbara Schmidt 6/22/23

Ask #MayorWalsh to Listen to the Majority of Citizens

Do you think it's ok to Silence the Majority of voters?

Well ,that's exactly what #mayorwalsh did in the 6/12/23 City Council meeting. Watch the moment here at about minute 30 https://youtu.be/GOWZIc2PfeA

Barbara Schmidt 6/21/23 Barbara Schmidt 6/21/23

Orono Citizens' Voices Need to be Heard

'The survival of democracy depends upon the trust of the people and that necessitates a government with integrity and competence, one that is truly "of the people, by the people and for the people."'

- Former Governor Arne Carlson Star Tribune June 19, 2023