Orono Mayor Dennis Walsh

Orono Mayor Appears to Flip Flop on Citizen Input: Two Faces: Orono’s Denny Walsh

Two Faces: Orono’s Denny Walsh

Back in 2015, then council member Denny Walsh stated “the public expects that they have input and it there is an agenda item this may be the only time that they have a chance to say anything they want about it”.

Now that he is mayor, he can do anything he wants even going against his own ideas about the importance of allowing the public to speak.

Why the 180? How can Council member Dennis Walsh advocate - even fight for - the very Citizen input he now shuts down in public meetings?

Let’s rewind the tape for Mr. Walsh shall we? Did he actually lobby to put in a sentence on the public agenda that allows Citizens to speak on any agenda item in 2015? Yes, and he was leading the charge.

Fast forward to 2024 and Mayor Walsh is blocking Citizens from speaking during City Council meetings. Why? Perhaps he doesn’t like what they are going to say? As our city leader, why can’t he set a good example and uphold what he felt 9 years ago was good policy for the Orono citizens?

Citizens need to attend city council meetings and demand our right to speak and comment on agenda items. Point out to Mayor Walsh that he once upheld our right to comment on items before the city council.

#togetherwearebetter @friendsoforono

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Mayor Dennis Walsh 5/9/23 Speaking with residents at Hackberry Park.

Let’s go point by point through this discussion with Mayor Walsh at the Hackberry Listening Session held Tuesday May 9, 2023:

When has Orono City Council including Mayor Walsh told us exactly why we NEED to spend multi millions on a new Fire Department? Everyone, including former Long Lake Fire Chief Mr. Van Eyll, says there have been no complaints? Is this new Fire Department a Want or a need? Go-it-alone Fire Service makes no fiscal sense and national data points to the opposite solution - collaboration with other cities.

Who is Your biggest client Mayor Walsh? The Citizens of Orono. Why aren’t you asking us what we want and treating us with respect? We've asked for citizen survey that we are due according to our CIP. This is the way forward.

Who broke the relationship with Long Lake Mr. Walsh? You, Victoria Seals, and Matt Johnson must garner at least 50% of the burden. Mr. Walsh said in the 5/9/23 Coffee with the Mayor meeting that he will not meet with Long Lake until June or July. This will indeed help continue apparent outrage in our two communities.

Why would anyone want to speak to Mr. Walsh when he treats citizens just like he did in this video and at the Coffee with Mayor meeting on 5/9/23? (see recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/RpMy-Jq9yio?feature=share )This seemingly angry tone, combative and accusatory manner, means that the Orono City Council is not building relationships with citizens nor their sister cities. Instead, citizens will gather together within neighborhoods, across communities to share their voices together.

Mr. Walsh says Orono has more resources than Long Lake? Just a reminder that those are the citizens’ resources and the taxpayers’ funding. The taxpayers do not want to spend millions more to take Orono further into debt. We already have more debt than this city has ever seen.

Saying that Long Lake and Station 2 don’t do “jack s—” is disparaging the firefighters. And honestly, many citizens feel that the City of Orono has placed the firefighters in a very uncomfortable position. They should not be stuck in the middle, nor should their hard work be called out like this.

No, Mr. Walsh has not had 15 public meetings open to citizen comments and we’ve received very little information to make an informed opinion about our mystery multimillion dollar expenditures. To date, the Orono City Council has not given citizens clear and concise information, nor a budget, nor an overall plan regarding Fire Service. The Orono City Council has not met with citizens in an open format, nor met with residents and the Firefighters together. How many times did Orono City Council cover Fire issues during the Mayor Council Report or on Consent Agendas to quell comments before voting? Several at least.

Just keep in mind that Mayor Walsh says he’s been planning this Duplicate Fire Service for at least 3 years. That’s how long the Orono Council and City Staff have been keeping taxpayers in the dark.

It’s time to meet each other and share opinions about how we can work together. If you’d like to hear the City of Long Lake’s perspective, join us Thursday, May 18, 2023 at Calvin Presbyterian Church at 177 Glendale Drive in Long Lake. Everyone is welcome and there will be an open forum of information.

For more information about Fire Service, please see the City of Long Lake’s website https://www.longlakemn.gov

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