Savings created by a camera and taser combination package

By Robert Williams

Editor

Otter Tail County Sheriff Barry Fitzgibbons introduced a 10-year agreement with Axon Enterprise, Inc., of Scottsdale, Ariz., to maintain dash cameras, body cameras and taser devices as one package for the price of $3,126, 368. 

“To get on a contract for 10 years we will save a considerable amount of money, as well as, through the package we’re requesting we’ll get upgrades and training through our training system.

The average savings per year is $95,093, accumulating to nearly $1 million at the end of the contract.

Members of the Sheriffs’ Office utilized the new virtual reality training and reported positive reviews.

“It’s not just for our licensed officers; there is a jail module we’ll be able to use for the jail division and also part of the packages are different scenario packages that we could let other departments get involved with,” Fitzgibbons said.

He noted there was de-escalation training, along with applicable sessions for probation or child protection.

“There are multiple facets with that training system,” he said.

Board Chair Kurt Mortenson cited numerous benefits to the county including: being a public safety component; relative to prosecution and as an evidentiary standpoint; along with the financial benefit of bringing all three services under one contract.

The contract was agreed unanimously.

Fee schedule

County Administrator Nicole Hansen reviewed changes to the countywide fee schedule.

On an annual basis, Otter Tail County will review, update, approve and publish a list of fees established by each Division and Department that comprises Otter Tail County.

Some of the more relative fees include an increase to driver’s licenses and I.D. cards:

• Driver’s License – Class D $38 to $46

• Driver’s License – Class D Instruction Permit $21.50 to $29.50

• Driver’s License – Class A $57 to $65

• Driver’s License – Class B $49 to $57

• Driver’s License – Provisional $24.50 to $32.50

• Duplicate Driver’s License or ID Card $23 to $26

• Identification Card – Under Age 65 $27.50 to $35.50

• Identification Card – Age 65 & Older $24 to $32

All of the proposed changes can be found in the Nov. 19 County Commissioners Supporting documents online and the 2025 document will be available at ottertailcounty.gov/board/board-of-commissioners/

Fish and Wildlife

The commissioners certified recently secured options for the Fish and Wildlife Service to purchase conservation easements from the following landowners:

• A wetland easement with James and Joan Burkett of Dayton, Minnesota. This wetland easement protects 5 wetland basins. It is located in Section 19 of Aastad Township.

• A wetland easement with Darlys Hess of Fergus Falls, Minnesota. This wetland easement protects 1 wetland basin. It is located in Section 12 of Buse Township.

• A habitat easement with Gaylan and Mary Rockswold of Minneapolis, Minnesota. This habitat easement allows haying after July 15 each year. The habitat easement covers approximately 72 acres in Section 10 of Leaf Mountain Township.

• A habitat easement with Timothy Hartman of Vining, Minnesota. This habitat easement that allows haying after July 15th and grazing throughout the year. The habitat easement covers approximately 240 acres in Sections 26 and 27 of Leaf Mountain Township.

• A habitat easement with Hvezda Excavating (Kyle Hvezda) of Alexandria, Minnesota. This habitat easement that allows haying after July 15 and grazing throughout the year. The habitat easement covers approximately 18 acres in Section 2 of Effington Township.

• A habitat easement with the Krog Family revocable Living Trust (Harry and Lori Krog) of Fergus Falls, Minnesota. This habitat easement that allows haying after July th each year. The habitat easement covers approximately 32 acres in Section 12 of Fergus Falls Township.

• A habitat easement with Susan Leitch of Fergus Falls, Minnesota and Wayne Duenow of Fergus Falls, Minnesota. This habitat easement that allows haying after July 15. The habitat easement covers approximately 75 acres in Section 33 of Friberg Township.

• A habitat easement with Gregory and Deann Melkert of Erhard, Minnesota. This habitat easement that allows haying after July 15. The habitat easement covers approximately 5 acres in Section 33 of Erhards Grove Township.

• A habitat easement with Oscaraade Acres, Thomas Haugrud of Stillwater, Minnesota. This habitat easement that allows haying after July 15. The habitat easement covers approximately 33 acres in Section 12 of Norwegian Grove Township.

• A habitat easement with Otter Tail Crossing, LLC (Mike Vaughan) of Monkton, Maryland. This habitat easement that allows haying after July 15 and grazing throughout the year. The habitateasement covers approximately 357 acres in Section 19 and 30 of Elmo Township.

• A habitat easement with Otter Tail Crossing, LLC. (Mike Vaughan) of Monkton, Maryland. This habitat easement that allows haying after July 15 th each year. The habitat easement covers approximately 64 acres in Section 25 of Folden Township and Section 30 of Elmo Township.

• The easements cover the properties as shown on the enclosed photos and platbook maps. The landowners will retain primary responsibility for weed control, recreational use, access, and will continue to be responsible for the payment of property taxes.

Solid waste

Assistant Solid Waste Director Scott Bjerke recommended increasing the Solid Waste Parcel fee from $16/point to $17/point. This would result in the per household annual cost to increase from $80 to $85. It is paid for through the County property tax statement and would take effect in 2025.

“Doing this and asking for a parcel fee increase is basically being fiscally responsible and trying to look ahead and stay ahead of what potentially could be coming,” Bjerke said.

The department’s budget for 2025 is based on an increase from $16 to $17 per point. The budget includes $2.4 Million/year average capital improvement costs over the next five years. Projects include equipment replacement, landfill closures, and facility buildings

at multiple locations.

Increased costs of operation including labor and environmental regulations also need to be covered.

An increase from $16 to $17 for point will result in approximately $260,000 in revenue generation per year. Bjerke also provided a history of the fee schedule. In 2000, the fee was $7.50.

Examples of need for the increased fees were provided, including capital investments:

• Final Cover at Henning Demolition Landfill in 2025/2026

• Replace Scale Deck at Fergus Falls Transfer Station

• Future building improvements at transfer stations

There are significant changes to many parts of the solid waste regulations in Minnesota that are not considered as part of the current budget. The largest example, according to Bjerke, in what he called moving targets: the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s multiple unfunded mandates that are being planned, including:

• Construction and Demolition Landfill Rule Revisions

• groundwater and air quality testing for PFAs (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)

• Restrictions on use of post closure funds

A public hearing was held with no comments made.

Bjerke will return with the fee change as a resolution for the board to approve at a later date.

Henning compactor

The Solid Waste Department is planning to start construction of a new transfer station building at its Henning facility in 2025. The County received a grant ($250,000) from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to purchase and install a compactor.

The compactor will be purchased by the County and installed by vendor, DMH Companies, after construction of the new transfer station building. This particular model was selected because it utilizes a hopper and gravity to minimize loading efforts. Estimated lead time on the compactor is three months. The Board of Commissioners approved the purchase of a Marathon 800XS transfer compactor from DMH Companies using a Sourcewell collective bargaining rate of $458,802.82.

Recycling

In 2022, Otter Tail County received an Environmental Assistance (EA) grant from the MPCA for planning to initiate a curbside single sort recycling plan. 

This project has led to the development of an Implementation Plan whereby recyclables are collected every other week in the most densely populated areas of Otter Tail County. These areas would include all towns with a population of 500 or greater; and 59 lakes. 

Each quadrant of the County would have a different effective date one year apart starting January 1, 2026 in the southeast quadrant and January 1, 2029 in the southwest quadrant. 

This would expand curbside collection to approximately 12,500 households.

A public hearing will be held on December 17 at 10 a.m.

Perham garage

The commissioners authorized a professional services agreement amendment in the amount of $20,000 for materials testing for the North Central Garage project in Perham with American Engineering Testing. This agreement was originally approved on July 25, 2023. Testing was intended to be an additional service to be negotiated during the construction phase for this project.