PELICAN RAPIDS CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES July 8, 2025

Call to Order
Mayor Roll Call of Members Mayor Frazier called the regular City Council meeting to order at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 08, 2025 in Council Chambers, City Hall.
Roll Call of Members
Clerk-Treasurer Danielle Harthun conducted a roll call verifying the presence of Council Members Steve Strand, Shelley Gummeringer, Curt Markgraf, Don Perrin - absent and Mayor Brent E. Frazier. 
Staff present: Administrator Lance Roisum, Clerk-Treasurer Danielle Harthun, EDA Director Jordan Grossman, Police Chief Todd Quaintance, Street and Parks Superintendent Brian Olson, Liquor Store Manager Maggie Johnson
General Attendance: Griffin Peck, Jess Grondahl, Bill Anderson, Tom Pace, Tyler Ahlf and Kim Peterson from the Pelican Press
Welcoming Remarks
Mayor Frazier welcomed everyone present and those joining via Zoom. He noted the meeting would be broadcast on the Pelican Rapids YouTube channel and on channel 14 on Wednesday evening.
Announcements
Mayor Frazier announced upcoming events and meetings.
Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor Frazier led those present in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
Citizen's Comments
There were no citizen comments.
Additions / Deletions to Agenda
Addition to item number 9 CEDA Update
Music in the Park Update
Strand made a motion to approve the agenda with the addition. Gummeringer seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.  
Approval of Consent Agenda
Mayor Frazier read the items on the consent agenda:
Approval of Council Minutes – June 24, 2025
Approval of Accounts Payable Listings
Approval of Police and Library Reports
Approval of cigarette and malt liquor licenses for Orton's Pelican Rapids Cenex
Approval to certify to taxes, and an unpaid Fire Department invoice for 604 Old Fergus Road.
Strand made a motion to approve the consent agenda. Markgraf seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
Maplewood State Park Manager – Bill Anderson 
Bill Anderson, the new Maplewood State Park Manager, introduced himself and shared his 20 years of experience with state parks, a bureaucratic stint in Saint Paul, and experience running a restaurant. Excited about managing Maplewood, he highlighted the new bike trail and potential for bike rentals both at the park and in Pelican Rapids. He outlined plans for a visitor center tentatively named Maplewood Hardwood Hills Welcome Center. Mayor Frazier asked about park occupancy, and Anderson confirmed it was always full, noting plans to use the Horse Campground during deer fly season when it's usually empty.  
MnDOT Tree Planting Plan – Tom Pace 
Tom Pace from the MnDOT Region 4 office outlined the tree planting plan for Pelican Rapids, stating that it would commence in October as a separate contract from the Highway 59 road project. The selection includes Sugar Maples and Kentucky Coffeetrees for residential areas and slender, slow-growing trees for downtown, all chosen for their red and orange autumn hues to enhance downtown's scenic appeal. Involving the planting of 113 trees, each 5 to 6 feet tall with a 1.5 to 2-inch diameter, this initiative benefits from a one-year warranty funded by MnDOT, with long-term maintenance shifting to the city by spring 2028. Parks Superintendent Brian Olson was concerned about maintaining the high number of trees with limited resources. Pace reassured that the trees would receive special soil, fertilizer, and mulch to establish properly. Lance Roisum questioned the timing of installing downtown electrical outlets, to which Pace advised doing so post-tree planting to prevent potential damage.  
Pelican Valley Health Center – Tyler Ahlf 
Tyler Ahlf, Executive Director for Pelican Valley Senior Living, presented two proposals to the Council: a permanent parking easement and a temporary construction easement. Ahlf explained that they are close to receiving approval for the permit to begin Phase 1 of their construction project, which involves remodeling the old hospital building to create 8 resident rooms. He presented a plan showing the proposed construction site and parking lot. The permanent parking easement would involve Pelican Valley constructing and installing a 24-stall parking lot, which they would be responsible for snow removal. The city would be responsible for ongoing maintenance like crack sealing and striping. Ahlf requested the ability to reserve 8 stalls for Pelican Valley residents, families, or staff members. For the temporary construction easement, Ahlf explained it would be for less than a year and would be used for storage of equipment and job trailers during the construction phase. The Council discussed concerns about snow removal and access during construction. Ahlf assured that the installation shouldn't significantly impact normal operations.  
Strand moved to approve the temporary construction easement. Gummeringer seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.  
The Council decided to postpone the decision on the permanent parking easement to allow more time for review.  
CEDA Update – Jordan Grossman  
Art Grant Introduction 
Jordan Grossman, the Economic Development Director, announced that Pelican Rapids was awarded a grant from Springboard for the Arts and West Central Initiative to bring arts downtown. The grant allows local artists to receive up to $1,500 for art initiatives in the downtown area as an economic development stimulator.  
Banners - Grossman reported that Kate Martinez had worked with local students to create 42 banners that, due to a miscommunication about size, the originally produced banners didn't fit the light posts. Grossman requested $1,500 for new, correctly sized banners, with plans to give the original banners to the students whose art was selected.  
Pool Building - Grossman mentioned that local artist Micah Kvidt proposed taking underwater pictures of kids in the new pool to be displayed in the pool building, pending Council approval.  
Outdoor Recreation Grant 
Grossman reported that the application for the outdoor recreation grant program was not selected this year, citing high competition and Pelican Rapids' previous awards from the program as potential factors.  
Work Plan Update 
Grossman presented an update on various tasks Council had asked her to work on, highlighting completed and ongoing projects.  
Music in the Park Update 
Grossman provided an update on the Music in the Park events, mentioning that two events had been held in the Fire Hall due to rain. She announced that Escobar's Taqueria would be stepping in as the alcohol vendor for future Music in the Park events.  
Strand moved to accept the CEDA update and approve $1,500 for new downtown banners. Markgraf seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.  
Liquor Store Solar – Griffin Peck from West Central Initiative 
Griffin Peck from West Central Initiative and Jessica Grondahl from Holsen Solar presented a proposal for installing solar panels on the Liquor Store roof. The proposed system would be a 32.96 kW AC system, consisting of 103 panels rated for extreme weather conditions. Jess Grondahl explained the technical aspects of the installation, including the warranties on the panels and inverters, and the monitoring capabilities of the system. She addressed concerns about hail damage, wind ratings, and the impact on the existing roof structure. Griffin Peck presented the financial analysis, explaining that the total cost of the project would be $78,229, but with available incentives, including a rebate from Otter Tail Power and federal tax credits, the net cost to the city would be $5,260. Peck emphasized that the project would be cash flow positive after 1 year and 5 months of operation. The Council discussed concerns about the aesthetics of the panels, potential maintenance issues, and the long-term benefits. Following deliberation, the Council decided to move forward with the project.  
Gummeringer moved to approve the solar panel installation project for the Liquor Store. Markgraf seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.  
SW Lots 
Lance Roisum and Jordan Grossman discussed the acquisition of three parcels of land that were reconveyed to the county. The Planning Commission recommended buying two parcels (76000270056000 and 76000270058000) at market value for a total of $18,600, to be used for plotting seven lots. They suggested acquiring the third parcel (760002700057000) for under market value to continue its use as storm water retention. Grossman proposed EDA would purchase the lots with EDA funds, and any revenue from sales would stay with the EDA.  
Strand moved to approve the purchase of the parcels as recommended. Markgraf seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.  
Rental Inspection Service Agreement 
Lance Roisum presented the rental inspection service agreement, noting it was a continuation of previous agreements with slight updates.  
Strand moved to approve the rental inspection service agreement. Markgraf seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.  
The Council also discussed increasing the penalty fee for landlords who don't complete inspections by the deadline from $100 to $500, plus $10 for each additional week.  
Markgraf moved to increase the penalty fee to $500 plus $10 for each additional week, and to issue a citation immediately on January 1st for non-compliance. Strand seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.  
PeopleService PFAS Services 
Lance Roisum explained that this agreement is related to the PFAS source identification grant received from the Minnesota Department of Health. PeopleService will assist with various sampling and testing procedures, including influent sampling, biosolid sampling, and executing action items from the PFAS Pollutant Management Plan.  
Markgraf moved to approve the PeopleService PFAS service agreement. Gummeringer seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.  
Houston Engineering Pay Request for $24,295.75 
Lance Roisum presented a pay request for the Rock Rapids project near 111 Midway. He noted that the city will submit a reimbursement request to the DNR for this amount.  
Strand moved to approve the Houston Engineering pay request. Gummeringer seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.  
Feldt Plumbing and Excavating Pay Request Number 2 (Final) 
Lance Roisum presented the final pay request for the storm water project on 2nd Avenue SE near Pelican Pete's Towing. He explained that the project was completed last year with some final work done this spring.  
Strand moved to approve the Feldt Plumbing and Excavating final pay request. Markgraf seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.  
Park and Streets Report – Brian Olson 
Brian Olson began his report by asking the Council to decide whether to keep the newly paved Great Northern Road or have it milled up. Olson recommended keeping the road, noting that it held up well despite some concerns about potential damage but only one spot seemed to be an issue so far and they are working on trying to better drain the water in that area.  
Strand moved to keep the newly paved Great Northern Road. Markgraf seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.  
Olson then reported on various maintenance activities in the streets and parks. He highlighted the success of the new pool, providing attendance figures for swimming lessons, daily passes, and seasonal passes. Olson requested approval to hire Sarah Lindberg as a Water Safety Instructor (WSI) at a rate of $20 per hour to teach swimming lessons.  
Markgraf moved to hire Sarah Lindberg as a WSI at $20 per hour and accepted Brian Olson's report. Strand seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.  
Administrator Report 
Administrator Roisum reported that since the last City Council meeting, he attended a Department Head meeting, met weekly with the Ordinance Committee, and participated in the weekly 59/108 construction and public meetings. He worked with SEH and Elsner’s on monitoring wells at the lagoons and attended an Otter Tail County Workforce Convening meeting. Additionally, he collaborated with Otter Tail County on the reconveyance of the SW property and attended a Planning Commission meeting. Roisum met with Otter Tail Power about potential rebates for equipment at the pool, Wastewater Treatment Plant, and Water Plant. He worked with Jack Rosenthal of Boundary PRO on the preliminary plat for the SW property and on the easement for the parcel on 3rd Street SW. Furthermore, he partnered with LCSC Technology to convert to Office 365, met Greg Stang from PeopleService about the lagoon work needed, and drafted a response to the MPCA’s Letter of Warning. Finally, he met with MPCA about the PFAS Source Identification Grant and with Apex Engineering regarding the Capital Improvement Plan.  
Mayor's Report 
Mayor Frazier reported that since the last City Council meeting, he submitted weekly columns to the Pelican Press, visited area businesses and non-profits, attended the City Ordinance Meetings at City Hall on June 25 and July 2 with Administrator Roisum, Clerk Harthun, Police Chief Quaintance, and Parks and Streets Superintendent Olson. He also attended the 59/108 Staff Meetings at City Hall on June 26 and July 3, facilitated the 59/108 Public Meetings at the Library on June 26 and July 3, produced the 59/108 videos with EDA Director Grossman on July 1 and 8, conducted the June 27 “Conversations with the Mayor” session at the Library, attended a 2025 Otter Tail County Emergency Management Summit Design Team Meeting at City Hall on June 27, attended the “Rebel Shed Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Open House” on June 30, attended the Community Clean-up event on June 30, and met on July 8 with Administrator Roisum to plan the agenda for that afternoon’s meeting.