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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—AUGUST 17, 2015 2 stations. He stated that he understood the history of Fire Station 1 but he has to recommend that this station be closed as it is no longer necessary. Eric Nordeen, Assistant Fire Chief of the Lake Johanna Fire Department, reported that the new staffing model has also improved hiring and employee retention. He believed that the 24-hour duty crew and faster response times have assisted in saving several townhomes in the community already. Mayor Grant questioned how many cities were serviced by the LJFD and where the fire stations were located. Chief Boehlke indicated that three cities were serviced by the LJFD and the other stations were located in Shoreview(2) and North Oaks. Mayor Grant inquired if the longevity of the department would allow for Arden Hills to continue to be protected by the Lake Johanna Fire Department. Chief Boehlke commented that the Fire Department had a 20-year agreement with the City of Arden Hills. He discussed the numerous staffing benefits of the LJFD. Further discussion ensued regarding the future of the Lake Johanna Fire Department. Councilmember Woodburn commented that another option for the City of Arden Hills would be to affiliate with another city for fire protection. He believed that the City's expense per capita was fair when compared to neighboring cities. He was in favor of reviewing a more "apples-to- apples" comparison of fire service related expenses per capita. Mayor Grant requested that the conversation return to the future of Fire Station 1. Chief Boehlke explained that Fire Station 1 was built in 1943 when the department covered the territory all the way to Larpenteur Avenue. He reported that currently Fire Station 1 was in a poor location and did not serve the City of Arden Hills well. In addition, the building was aging and in need of numerous repairs. Councilmember McClung recommended that if Fire Station 1 were to close, and if the land was sold, the proceeds from the sale could be put into a fund to buy down the capital costs for future equipment expenses. Mayor Grant did not believe it made much sense to keep the station open given the expense to heat and maintain the building. Councilmember Woodburn questioned what would happen to the furniture and equipment within Fire Station 1. Chief Boehlke indicated that an equipment inventory would be taken and some of the equipment would be kept. The remainder would be phased out and sold. He understood that this was a big decision and explained that the Council had time to discuss everything before making a decision.