Donation to help a number of causes in City of Ottertail

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

Christmas came a little early for the City of Ottertail after local entrepreneurs and Ottertail residents Kenny and Kim Nelson donated $300,000 to the city for a number of local causes.

During its regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, Dec. 18, the Ottertail City Council acknowledged four large donations from the Nelsons that will benefit everything from the Ottertail Business and Community Association to the fire department. 

As part of the donations, the Nelsons donated $50,000 to the Ottertail Business and Community Association, $100,000 to the Ottertail Community and Wellness Center, $100,000 to support the City of Ottertail, as well as $50,000 to benefit the Ottertail Fire Department. 

“Very much gratitude and thankfulness to Mr. And Mrs. Nelson to the generosity they give the city,” said city clerk/treasurer Amanda Thorson. “It has been tremendous and they do more and more every year I feel like.”

In addition to the donation, the Ottertail City Council approved a 5.6 percent tax levy for 2026. The increase will make the tax levy $823,111 and comes after the city approved at 15 percent preliminary tax levy in September. 

The Ottertail City Council credited the work of the staff for lowering that number to just a 5.6 percent increase for next year.

“Budget-wise I think we are looking really good, I can’t complain at all,” said councilman Michael Windey.

In other news

• Acknowledged the following donations: $5,000 from the Ottertail Rod and Gun Club for the Veterans Memorial Park at the Otter Statue, $5,500 from the Ottertail Rod and Gun Club for the Ottertail Fire and Rescue and $500 from Jeffrey Leinen from the fire hall expansion fund.

• Heard the Ottertail Fire Department has responded to 175 calls for the year, which includes 146 medical calls and 49 fire related calls. 

• Approved calling for a public hearing during the January city council meeting concerning proposed improvements on China Street and Ottertail Avenue. The city council has discussed a variety of improvements for the deteriorating road that includes replacing what is already in place with new pavement at a cost of $125,000 to widening the road to 16 feet and adding new pavement at a cost of $237,000.

• Heard the city would need about $45 million in annual sales in the City of Ottertail to cover the $225,000 bond for a fire hall and community center expansion. In addition to the sales tax the city would need to still bond or generate additional funding for the project. Thorson said based on the information received from the state her recommendation would be to bond of the project over the course of the next 20-30 years. The council expressed a desire to no longer seek a half cent sales tax and will bond for the project if it were to move forward.

• Approved an update to the farm animal ordinance to allow up to six chickens within the city limits in the City of Ottertail. The council held a public hearing about the proposed changed but not one attended the hearing.