By Robert Williams

Editor

Robert Emerson was appointed as the new Director of the Veteran Services Office in Fergus Falls and sworn in by Auditor/Treasurer Wayne Stein at the Otter Tail County Board of Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, July 9.

James Olson, who served in the role for the past 4.5 years, will be departing the office, according to Deputy Administrator Lynne Penke Valdes. 

Emerson is a 2005 Fergus Falls graduate and began his career in Otter Tail County a decade later. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2005-2010, based in North Carolina, with tours in Afghanistan and Africa.

He earned a degree in Natural Resources and Law Enforcement at the University of Minnesota-Crookston, prior to beginning his career with the county.

“He is well-known here in Otter Tail for his client service and as part of this transition and onboarding has already begun providing veterans here in Otter Tail County with the support they have earned and deserved,” said Valdes.

Board Chair Kurt Mortenson thanked Emerson for his service to the country and county.

He was welcomed by Commissioner Wayne Johnson after being sworn into his position.

Community Development

The Community Housing and Development department request to add a Housing Assistance Coordinator was approved. There is currently one full-time employee doing the work and a second is needed to support work the Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) is doing, according to Assistant HR Director, Stephanie Retzlaff.

The position will be funded for the rest of the year by the HRA special benefit levy with most of the funds previously allocated for an independent contract that is no longer used. The position will be budgeted for 2025. The programs that would be supported by the position may also provide administrative reimbursement.

Elections

Valerie Nelson was appointed to the OTC Absentee Ballot Board for processing ballots during the State Primary Election and General Election.

Highway

A speed zone study was approved for County Highway 145 between CSAH 72 (Beach Bums Bar & Eatery) and CSAH 1.

“The interesting fact about this segment of the road is by Zorbaz, south of CSAH 72, it is a 30 miles-per-hour zone that changes to 35 mph north of CSAH 72,” said County Engineer Krysten Foster. “I don’t know that the speed study will change anything one way or another, however, the area north of CSAH 72 intersection is a little more built up now. Some of the seasonal cabins have turned to year-round residences. That route experiences quite a bit of pedestrian and bicycle activity, which is a part that is analyzed when MnDOT comes out to do the speed study for us.”

The highway department received a request to reduce the speed limit along County Highway 145. Foster also reported there is no particular study on this route in recent history.

The topic was initially discussed through the Economic Growth and Community Investment Committee on October 10, 2023 with the intent of requesting the speed study during the summer season.

The commissioners authorized Foster to approve Houston Engineering, Inc. cost amendment in the amount of $181,096 to accelerate CSAH 6 grade raise at Nelson Lake.

The request helps hurry the timeline of the project to complete the work this fall with permitting and the offtake ditch above the ordinary high-water level to prevent road flooding in the future.

Additional studies are needed for downstream impacts, according to Foster, and moving forward will save the project from taking until 2026 and hopefully, reopen the road before this winter.

The commissioners approved a Crossing Surface Installation Agreement between Otter Tail County and BNSF RailwayCompany to replace the existing concrete crossing surface at County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 77 with a new concrete crossing surface in Bluffton.

When BNSF identifies a crossing that needs repair in Otter Tail County, the county and rail authority historically cost share in these improvements at 50 percent for each party. Crossings may be replaced based on public complaints or rail operations needs, at the discretion of the rail authority. 

The next proposed cooperative project with BNSF is the replacement of the CSAH 77 crossing at Bluffton. The highway department contributes traffic control devices and approach paving materials to keep project costs as economical as possible.