Plan to include daycare option for nearly 50 children

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

A new daycare center could soon become a reality in the City of Ottertail.

During its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, March 17, which was moved ahead a few days due to a scheduling conflict, the Ottertail City Council heard from Tyler Rupe about a purchase agreement for three lots in the Arvilla housing development and another lot in the Maple area that could be home to new daycare pods.

Over the past several months the city and Rupe, who has been the representative speaking with the council from the 3 Little Otters non-profit group, have been finalizing a purchase agreement for the lots. Included in the plans for the daycare pods was a new community center that would feature a full length basketball court.

While the funding for the daycare pods are in place, Rupe said there are still several meetings that will need to take place, and potentially more fundraising, depending on what plan has been selected for the community center. 

“The daycare is funded,” he said. “The additional money is getting all thrown at the community center.”

In order to help to get the daycare portion of the project going, and potentially help alleviate some of the variances required for the project, city clerk/treasurer Amanda Thorson suggested the city council sell just the lots designated for daycare sites  and sell the community center lots at a later date. She said doing so would allow the developers to keep the lots for the daycare pods as residential, instead of having to rezone them as commercial. It could also allow them to start constructing the new daycare pods sooner in order to realize the benefits of several incentive programs that would make constructing the facility more affordable. 

As part of the daycare plan, a pair of duplexes will be constructed in the Arvilla development to house approximately 50 kids. Recently, Otter Tail County was awarded a $240,000 Child Care Economic Development Grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (MN DEED). The funding will be a sub-grant to support the construction and start-up equipment costs of four child care sites in the City of Ottertail. Much of the funding for the project has came from grants and private donations. 

Rupe said he would be in favor of splitting up the purchase agreement to have one focused on the childcare area, and a second one for the community center that can be signed at a later date, in order to keep the project moving forward.

“We can refocus on the community center side as that most likely won’t be built until 2026,” he said. 

Ottertail Mayor Ron Grobeck said as long as the community center portion of the project was included in the overall design concept and plan, he would be in favor of splitting up the purchase agreement.

“As long as we can guarantee there will be a funded community center I am on board. If we can’t make that guarantee I am not on board,” he said.

Rupe assured Grobeck that the community center will be constructed as part of the overall plan and the city council agreed to amend the purchase agreement to split into a portion for the daycare and the community center.

A finalized purchase agreement will be signed at an upcoming city council meeting. 

In other news

• Recognized city clerk/treasurer Amanda Thorson, who earned the designation of Minnesota Certified Municipal Clerk. The designation recognizes her professional competency in the execution of her duties for the City of Ottertail. She received the award during the annual 2025 Minnesota Municipal Clerks and Finance Officers Association. 

• Heard the monthly fire department report from Ottertail Fire Chief Joe Ahlfs who reported the department has responded to six medical calls and one alarm call at the Ottertail Operations Center.

• Approved closing the Ottertail City Hall on Good Friday. The staff members will use vacation as it will not be a paid holiday.

• Discussed a vacation home rental ordinance. Thorson said the ordinance is similar to one approved by Otter Tail County that details what is expected about vacation home rentals within the city limits. Vacation home owners will need to get a lodging license from Otter Tail County or the health department. Owners will need to verify how many people can sleep in the vacation home and the septic system. A public hearing will be held in April for a second reading of the new ordinance.

• Approved purchasing a $100,000  from First National Bank from donation funds received on behalf of the Ottertail Business and Community Association and West Central Initiative. 

• Approved hiring Lot Pros to complete mastic crack repair work on Shores Road at a cost of $3,100.