By Tom Hintgen

Otter Tail County Correspondent

The county board of commissioners, on April 28, renewed a WellPath medical contract term for the county jail in Fergus Falls that was set to expire on July 31, 2026. This will allow for an additional one-year period from Aug. 1, 2026, to July 31, 2027.

“The goals of WellPath, on behalf of local detention clients, are to improve patient care and clinical quality, reduce cost, mitigate risk of malpractice and litigation and increase operational efficiencies in county jails,” said Otter Tail County Sheriff Barry Fitzgibbons to county board members. 

WellPath, based in Tennessee and operating in several states, was first approved in 2024 after a recommendation from County Sheriff Fitzgibbons.

County board members were previously informed that a nurse works at the county jail all day on Fridays. Mental health care was needed at the county jail following the closure of the Regional Treatment Center in Fergus Falls.

“The county sheriff department and WellPath both appreciate the relationship we have established over past years and look forward to continued success,” Fitzgibbons said.

Says a WellPath spokesperson, “With our dedicated doctors, nurses, mental health providers and other clinical staff, we work in more than 350 detention facilities all around the country. We provide our local government partners with a staffed managed care model that implements comprehensive and accredited medical and behavioral healthcare.” 

The county board, also with the recommendation of Fitzgibbons, approved an agreement with Arizona-based Axon Enterprises.

Axon serves county sheriff departments throughout the United States with body cameras, Taser weapons and software designed to enhance officer safety and streamline evidence management. Their technologies include intelligence platforms, helping sheriff offices improve community trust, coordinate reporting practices and accelerating justice.

More county

board business

County commissioners, on April 28, issued proclamations for May 8 as Child Care Provider Appreciation Day, May as Foster Care Month, May as Mental Health Month and Small Business Week.

All five county board members expressed appreciation to those in Otter Tail County who serve as child care providers, foster care providers, mental health workers and those who own and operate small businesses throughout the county.

The appreciation was expressed by County Board Chairman Bob Lahman of Parkers Prairie and Commissioners Wayne Johnson of Pelican Rapids, Dan  Bucholz of Perham, Kurt Mortenson of rural Underwood and Sean Sullivan of Fergus Falls.

County employees were commended from the state of Minnesota for high standards of performance in meeting the state Department of Human Services (DHS) financial reporting requirements for calendar year 2025. 

“All key quarterly fiscal reports for programs your county participates in were submitted to our Financial Operations Division on or before the report deadlines in perfect order,” said DHS Commissioner Shireen Gandhi. 

Otter Tail County, with approval of the county board, will purchase 6,192 recycling carts for the northeast quadrant of the county for $405,323. This equates to $65 for each unit. County taxpayers will pay 25 percent with 75 percent coming from the state of Minnesota. 

In 2023, Otter Tail County received a grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to implement single-sort recycling for high population areas in the southeast quadrant of the county. Carts will also be made available to residents in the northwestern and southwestern sections of the county.

County Emergency Manager Patrick Waletzko informed county board members about the hazard mitigation project assistance grant agreement. The contract is between Otter Tail County and the City of Battle Lake. The goal is to eliminate or reduce the long-term risk to human life and property resulting from severe storms all four seasons of the year.