Hammers Construction awarded the lowest bid

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

There is good news and then there is what the Ottertail City Council received last week concerning the low bid for the Ottertail Fire Hall Expansion. 

During its regularly scheduled meeting last week the Ottertail City Council approved a low bid of $1,873,827 from Hammers Construction Company for an expansive fire hall expansion. The bid for the construction portion of the project was lower than anticipated, as it was the only bid the city received under $2 million. Meanwhile, the highest of the seven bids the city received came in at $2,554,400. 

“That is unbelievable this late in the year too,” said a representative from Ehlers who will be assisting with the sale of the bond to fund the fire hall expansion. 

The total principal on the bond the city will receive will be $2.4 million as the approved earlier this year to bond up to $3.1 million when the exact costs of the project were unknown. 

As part of the expansion project, there will be a 40×70’ truck expansion, in addition to a 42×46’ rescue bay expansion that will include a firefighters area to house lockers and the rescue squads. The expansion will be located to the west of the current fire hall and may result in the need to construct a lift station for the facility, as well as fit under the ever-changing guidelines for FEMA and OSHA.

The current plan has two empty slots being planned into the facility, just like had been planned with the current fire hall when it was built in 1992. Local representatives also visited other fire halls in the region to get their input to see what works, what doesn’t and what they would change if they could build a new fire hall again.

In order to pay for the project, the city council sought a bond to cover what was estimated to be a $3 million expansion project. A residential homestead property valued at approximately $350,000 would see an estimated annual property tax increase of about $150 per year for the life of the bond.

In other news

• Held a public hearing for a tax abatement for Ben Bethke at 427 East 2nd St. and Larry Bethke at 450 2nd St. The council later approved the tax abatement requests as part of the big build program in Ottertail that offers tax abatements for new housing projects. 

• Held a public hearing in regards to a public nuisance affecting public health and safety for a pair of properties located at 108 Lake Ave. S and 110 Lake Ave. S. The city received correspondence from a family member associated with the property at 110 S. Lake Ave. who requested more time to help clean up the property. The council also heard from a property owner in the area who expressed a desire to have the properties cleaned up sooner-rather-than later. The council agreed to give the property owners until one or two days before the next council meeting in September to clean up the properties, or the council could proceed with the abatement process. 

• Acknowledged the following donations: $1,000 from Jon and Nancy Tofte for the Ottertail Fire and Rescue Expansion and $3,900 from the Otter Supper Club for the Ottertail Fire and Rescue Expansion.

• Approved a resolution to increase the benefit level for firefighters. The firefighters would be paid $2,800 per year of service when they retire from the department. The department made a presentation to the council and stated it would like to keep its firefighter relief fund 110 percent solvent and adjust the retirement amount every two years if necessary. 

• Heard from Ottertail Fire Chief Joe Ahlfs that the fire department has raised over $80,000 for the fire hall expansion project. The department has also responded to 13 medical calls and one fire alarm in which they were canceled before heading out of the fire hall. 

• Approved a resolution to decrease the sale price of property that is associated with the bid build project in Ottertail from $5,000 to $3,000 for developers. By lowering the cost of the purchase price, the city can save between $1,500-2,000 in fees associated with the sale of the lots. Residents who own and occupy the property associated with the big build housing project can purchase the lots for $1.

• Heard an update from a concern raised by owners of the Williams Company Store of trash being dumped in the alley near their dumpsters. Ottertail Mayor Ron Grobeck and city clerk/treasurer Amanda Thorson met with the owners of the Williams Company Store, and the city will move its dumpsters past the sidewalk and closer to the community center to attempt to cut down with trash being dumped in the alley.