County motor vehicle center reopens to the public

By Tom Hintgen

Otter Tail County Correspondent

County Physical Plant Manager Terry Hoff happily told county commissioners Tuesday morning, Sept. 12, that residents of Otter Tail County are extremely pleased with renovations to the county motor vehicle center and to the county land and resource department at the Government Services Center in Fergus Falls.

The same holds true for remodeling of the county probation and child support offices at the county courthouse just south of downtown Fergus Falls.

Hoff has also expressed appreciation to county employees who had to make the needed adjustments while remodeling was ongoing. The motor vehicle center and land and resource offices were temporarily located in the old Daily Journal building near Pebble Lake Road on the south side of Fergus Falls.

“These enhancements allow us to better serve the residents of Otter Tail County,” Hoff said. 

Hoff’s report was among several items of business discussed by the five-person county board on Sept. 12.

County Land and Resource Management Director Chris LeClair reviewed with county board members the Otter Tail County Management District Memorandum of Agreement. At issue are Subsurface Sewage Treatment System (SSTS) compliance inspections.

It was a decision of the county board to keep a provision stating that compliance inspections of existing SSTS must be conducted by a contractor that is licensed by the

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency as an inspection business.

County Public Health Director Jody Lien addressed county board members about the Cannabis Public Use Ordinance. 

Otter Tail County has been proactive in efforts to protect public health by supporting regulations that will, in the county’s words, “mitigate threats to the public by limiting cannabis to usage only on private property not generally accessible by the public.”

A cannabis public hearing will be held at the county board meeting starting at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 10, at the County Government Services Center.

In other county business on Sept. 12, the five-member county board heard from County Deputy Administrator Lynne Penke Valdes about a resolution for establishment of a Probation Assessment Advisory Committee.

County Auditor-Treasurer Wayne Stein addressed resolutions about off-site gambling and tax forfeited property. His final comments pertained to bridge and capital expenditure reimbursement.

Otter Tail County Engineer Krysten Foster addressed wetland delineation between Dent and Vergas, reviewed services with Houston Engineering for Highway 6 west of Parkers Prairie and discussed a speed zone study request for portions of Highway 53 northeast of Perham.