Three people expressed interest in open position

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

Ottertail staple Jerry Martin has been appointed to fill a vacant seat on the Ottertail City Council. Martin was one of three people to write a letter of interest to fill the open seat and received two of the four votes cast for the position. He was officially sworn in to the position during last week’s regularly scheduled meeting.

The seat became available after current mayor Ron Grobeck was re-elected as mayor, but also won a seat on the city council through write-in votes. 

In his letter to the city council, Martin said he has over 40 years of public service in a number of different capacities like Lions Club, eight years as a city councilman in a town of 50,000 people and served on planning commissions, board of equalization, human rights commissions, zoning commissions and liquor licensing board. He has been a resident of Ottertail for 13 years and has enjoyed living in the community.

When asked by city councilman Mike Windey why he wanted to join the city council, Martin said “I thought about it off and on for the past 13 years. I had eight years of experience already and I thought maybe I could help.”

In addition to Martin, former city councilwoman Jan Hill, who lost a bid to unseat Ron Grobeck as mayor in November, as well as Candace Rastedt wrote a letter of interest to the city council to fill the open spot. Hill had served on the city council for the past four years, before seeking the position of mayor. 

Both Hill and Rastedt received one vote to be appointed to the city council. 

Martin will fill the open spot for two years until November 2026 when the position will be put on the ballot as part of a special election. 

In other news

• Discussed potential grants that could be available to install things like solar energy at an expansion for the fire hall and community center. The plans are very preliminary, but a grant could pay for a vast majority of installing solar panels at the community center or fire hall. 

• Heard an update on the Ottertail Daycare and Family Center project from Tyler Rupe who stated the group needs a purchase agreement in place with the city for the property, before moving forward with additional planning and testing of the location. The city and group focused on bringing the Ottertail Family and Recreation Center has not come to a finalized price to sell the lot but the city has discussed selling the lots for a minimal price. The facility could be located on city-owned property near the former Smokin’ Iron track.

• Accepted a donation of $250 from the Estate of Martha Anderson for the Ottertail Fire Department.