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Information regarding the potential transition to a fire district <br />9/14/2023 <br />Notes <br />Question 31 :If the three cities were to adopt a 'Termination Resolution" to end the "Contract" with the Fire; <br />:Department, giving the 1 year of prior notice required, would the Fire Department still need to : <br />:vote to dissolve? <br />............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ <br />Answer :Yes. I assume the Fire District will be the operating entity, taking the place of the :Opinion from attorney Erich Hartmann <br />:existing nonprofit corporation (see my April 5 memo at 1). If so, then we need to <br />:dissolve the Lake Johanna Fire Department, a Minnesota nonprofit corporation (the <br />: "Corporation"). Dissolution of the Corporation is governed by Minn. Stat. §§ 317A.701 <br />:to 317A.791. The dissolution procedure outlined in my April 5, 2023 memo is a <br />:summary of the statutory requirements. <br />Question 32 ::What would the Firefighters be voting on? Voting for dissolution or against <br />:dissolution? How is this initiated? <br />................................ :...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................... <br />Answer :The active members of the Corporation will need to vote for dissolution. The process is :Opinion from attorney Erich Hartmann <br />:outlined in my April 5 memo in 2.e. I am attaching an updated version of that memo <br />:with additional citations. <br />Question 33 ::Who authorizes the Chief/CEO to Terminate City Contracts? The Fire Department <br />:members? Or Board of Directors? <br />...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... p .................................................................................................... <br />Answer :I have not reviewed the City Contracts, but the business and affairs of the Corporation are :Opinion from attorney Erich Hartmann <br />managed/controlled by the Board of Directors. (Minn. Stat. § 317A.201.) That is a <br />:Board decision. <br />Question 34 :Are there any Fire Department Bylaw changes that should be made to make <br />:dissolution or transition to a Fire District an easier path? <br />...............................:............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. <br />Answer :If you are able to mail notice to all active members and achieve a quorum of one third of :Opinion from attorney Erich Hartmann <br />:the active members at a special meeting, I do not see any issues at this time with the <br />:Corporation's Bylaws. <br />:As a minor issue, the references in the Relief Association Bylaws to the "Lake Johanna <br />::Fire Department" should be updated in the future. <br />Question 35 :If "City A" decides not to participate in the Fire District but "City B" and "City C" <br />:decide to proceed with the Fire District, how does that "separation" work? <br />........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ <br />Answer :I do not have the City Contracts. I need to examine those to determine how the assets <br />:and liabilities are allocated upon termination. I assume the most likely scenario of City A <br />not participating is a scenario where City A obtains fire protection services from another <br />:entity. <br />:Otherwise, non -participation by City A in the Fire District would frustrate your plans to <br />:streamline and simplify the governance, revenue, administration, and —most <br />:importantly —delivery of fire protection services for your partner communities. <br />:If fire protection is provided for City A, you will have to maintain the Corporation simply <br />:to provide operations for City A. That is because a fire district is only authorized to <br />provide fire protection services in the jurisdiction of each city forming the district. (See <br />:Minn. Stat. § 144F.01. Subd. 2.) <br />:Thus, by far the simplest and most logical arrangement is one where every city you serve <br />:is part of the Fire District. <br />Opinion from attorney Erich Hartmann <br />Question 36 <br />.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... <br />Answer <br />