Committee hears Heritage Preservation Commission goals
Mar. 31—The Fergus Falls Committee of the Whole looked at the Heritage Preservation Commission's 2021 goals Wednesday before handling a large agenda of recommendations from staff for Monday's City Council meeting.
The Heritage Preservation Commission met Feb. 3 to identify their top-nine priorities. Leading the list was finalizing historical designations of the 1919 Victor Lundeen Company building and 1921 Northern Pacific Railroad Depot. Committee member Chris Schuelke and Community Development manager Klara Beck proposed the addition of the two landmarks in 2021 and a public meeting for April 19.
Committee member R.C. Drews brought up the need for improvements and accessibility at Broken Down Dam on the Otter Tail River. Drews pointed out that while steps down to the site are presently in place there are no hand railings. In a separate proposal, Drews showed pictures of discarded junk and graffiti at the historic site which he suggested reflects poorly on the city.
"There is a lot of opportunity at the Broken Down Dam site," Drews said.
City Administrator Andrew Bremseth announced the city acting as a responsible government unit for the Hoot Lake Solar project has reached an orderly annexation agreement with Aurdal Township. The annexation area covers 79.06 acres and a population of zero. Otter Tail Power, owns all of the annexed land. In exchange for lost tax reimbursement the city will pay the township $10,000 as a lump sum. Bremseth said that sum will be reimbursed to the city by Otter Tail Power. The agreement also stipulates the city must handle maintenance on Main Street from the city limit line to Broken Down Dam Road and Birchwood Estates Road.
The city previously reached an annexation agreement with Buse Township.
The Hoot Lake Solar Farm when completed is expected to supply 49.9 megawatts of power and provide electricity to approximately 10,000 Otter Tail Power customers.
The construction start has been dependent on annexation of the project area into city limits, followed by a conditional-use permit. Though Otter Tail Power originally hoped it could begin construction this year, it's more likely to be spring 2022. The coal-fired Hoot Lake Power Plant will operate through May 31.
Otter Tail Power estimates the cost of the project at approximately $60 million.
Fergus Falls Public Works (FFPW) Director Len Taylor offered a recommendation that the council enter into the 2021 lifeguard services contract with the Fergus Falls Area YMCA. The $25,000 contract would fund lifeguarding services at Pebble Beach from June 13 to Aug. 21.
Taylor also requested the committee approve an inter-fund loan from the FFPW equipment fund to the Pebble Lake Golf Course to replace a skid-steer loader.
The course superintendent has identified a Bobcat Toolcat as the best replacement. The cost of the Toolcat, which would be amortized over six years, is $71,488.10.
City finance director, Bill Sonmor requested that the committee ask the council to amend the 2021 tax increment financing (TIF) fee schedule as compensation to the city for costs tied to establishing TIF districts. Sonmor proposed the administration fee be raised from $1,500 to $2,000 and the plan escrow move from $10,000 to $15,000.
City engineer Brian Yavarow took the floor to first offer a vacation petition for Highland Avenue and a public hearing date for April 19. He also recommended the acquisition of 1.3 acres on Pioneer Road in the amount of $30,000 in order to facilitate future commercial development in northwest Fergus Falls. Yavarow's final two recommendations involved Public Improvement 6077 (the annual sidewalk/driveway projects) and Public Improvement 5955 (a preliminary engineering report on the Whitford/Bancroft project along with a preliminary project hearing for April 19).
The final item on the agenda was a recommendation from Beck to allow city staff and city attorney Rolf Nycklemoe to negotiate a lease with United Prairie Foundation for city-owned property on Western Avenue. United Prairie focuses on native prairie planting. At their 30-acre Enderlin, North Dakota, site United Prairie grows native plants in greenhouses which it then sells. Beck said the group would like to expand into Fergus Falls and that a city-owned property is available. Beck said that if the expansion takes place it could eventually bring up to six jobs to the city.
Ben Underhill of the East Otter Tail County Soil and Water Conservation District updated the Committee of the Whole on the Otter Tail Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS).
