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Mounds View City Council May 27, 2025 <br />Regular Meeting Page 2 <br /> <br />Mayor Lindstrom reported he received an email from former Mayor Linke’s wife and he <br />understood he still had family that lives in the area. He sent his condolences to the entire Linke <br />family and thanked them for their tremendous dedication to the City of Mounds View. <br /> <br />B. SBM Fire Department Yearly Updates <br /> <br />Fire Chief Dan Retka provided the Council with a presentation from the SBM Fire Department. <br />He reported six new recruits recently graduated from the academy and in total the department has <br />added 32 fire fighters over the last two years, after losing 10. He explained the chiefs in the county <br />voted to part ways with Century College and would be taking back the fire training academy with <br />Anoka County. He explained mutual aid calls continue to rise and he was working to improve the <br />relationship between SBM and the Lake Johanna Fire Department. He stated the Lino Lakes Fire <br />Department was having issues with staffing and over the last few months a staffing study was <br />completed and Lino Lakes decided to hire a full-time fire chief and police chief. He stated this was <br />a positive decision for this community and would greatly enhance their police and fire services. <br />He discussed how the fire department was working to engage with the public from elementary <br />aged children to senior citizens. He indicated the fire department has certified just under 1,000 <br />people in CPR this year. He commented further on the fire safety work that was being done with <br />the apartment complexes in Blaine, Spring Lake Park and Mounds View. He reported the bike <br />helmet events have been struggling since COVID. He explained the Senior Fair was very well <br />received this year. He thanked the Council for their time and asked if there were any comments or <br />questions. <br /> <br />Council Member Meehlhause asked how things were going with the Centennial Fire Department. <br />Fire Chief Retka reported SBM has an administrative contract with the Centennial Fire Department <br />and he hoped this contract would continue into the future. <br /> <br />Council Member Meehlhause requested an update on the new fire station land. Fire Chief Retka <br />explained the city of Blaine has land set aside as a preferred location for the new fire station that <br />was on the corner of Lexington Avenue and Main Street. <br /> <br />Council Member Meehlhause inquired if the fire department had any new apparatus on order. Fire <br />Chief Retka reported the fire department had two new pieces of equipment on order, one being a <br />new engine and the other being a rescue vehicle. He reported the new engines were taking three <br />years to build. <br /> <br />Council Member Clark thanked the SBM Fire Department for being on hand at the recent Easter <br />egg hunt. <br /> <br />Mayor Lindstrom asked how the closing of the federal fire academy would impact the fire <br />department. Fire Chief Retka stated this was a huge hit for the fire service because the federal fire <br />academy was the foremost education provider for firefighters. He reported more local and state <br />educational options were becoming available. <br /> <br />Mayor Lindstrom inquired if there was anything the SBM Fire Department required from the City <br />of Mounds View at this time. Fire Chief Retka asked for the City’s continued support of the fire