By Robert Williams

Editor

The Otter Tail County Board of Commissioners signed a 2026 proclamation noting October as Manufacturing Month. The manufacturing industry is a critically important part of Minnesota’s and Otter Tail County’s diverse economy.

“It continues to be a very large part of the economy, almost $250 million in wages are paid in Otter Tail County alone, in the manufacturing industry,” said Community Development Director Amy Baldwin. “It is the largest sector payroll in the county from an industry perspective.”

Manufacturing contributed $60.9 billion to Minnesota’s economy in 2025, representing 11 percent of the state’s gross domestic product; and Workers took home $248.9 million in wages from Otter Tail County manufacturing jobs in 2025.

Manufacturing in Otter Tail County pays an average annual wage of $65,052, which is 22 percent higher than the state’s overall average private sector wage; and manufacturing provides more than 3,800 highly skilled, well-paying jobs, which significantly contribute to Otter Tail County’s high standard of living and economic vitality.

There are roughly 87 manufacturing companies in Otter Tail County. The county is partnering with Elevate on tours to some of those businesses.

“We have a wide range of areas from a geographic perspective and type of manufacturers that are opening their doors and hosting tours that are being coordinated with Elevate under their Nosey Neighbor brand of visits,” said Baldwin. “So, you can go everywhere from New York Mills to Vergas to Parkers Prairie, Fergus Falls and Battle Lake and see that diversity of manufacturing.”

Baldwin did state that the Lund Boats tour in New York Mills is already full.

Registration is required to attend a tour. Visit https://my.elevateotc.org/ for more information. Otter Tail County will also release more information on their social media channels in the near future.

Budget and Levy

Deputy Administrator Liz Mickelson announced the preliminary budget and levy to the commissioners. The preliminary net levy is $61,301,809, a 4.56 percent increase over 2026. Excluding the lake improvement districts and other special taxing districts, the amount that relates directly to county operations is $58,764,516, a 4.8 percent increase over 2026. 

Commissioners passed it unanimously, after a brief discussion.

A Proposed Levy and Budget Truth in Taxation Public Hearing for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 1, in the Otter Tail Lake Room at the Government Services Center in Fergus Falls

Driver Services

Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution seeking a revenue sharing fund from the state to sustain deputy registrar offices.

Highway

A contract was awarded to CC Steel, LLC of Fargo to repair and/or line centerline culverts in 14 locations along CSAH 60 between CSAH 4 and US Highway 10 (Vergas to Luce). This work is being done in preparation for a federal resurfacing project in 2027, and will be funded with local option transportation sales tax funding. Bids were opened on September 18, with two bids submitted. The low bidder was CC Steel LLC with a bid of $262,275, 29.9 percent under estimate.

The construction will take place this fall, with a completion date of on or before December 11.

Human Resources

The negotiating team reached a tentative agreement with the AFSCME – Highway Maintenance union group for a 3-year contract. The duration of the agreement is January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2028.

MICA

Nathan Jesson, Executive Director of the Minnesota Inter-County Association (MICA) met with commissioners to discuss analytics and data provided by the association including lower net tax capacity share and estimated market value growth higher than the state average.

“This is just a one-year snapshot, of course, these values can go up and down a little bit, but what you’ve got here is relatively consistent growth, especially if you compare it to those statewide numbers.”

Otter Tail County has above average ag property growth, which is also one of the most volatile from year-to-year. 

Jesson also presented a net property taxes paid comparison between 2014 and 2026, citing 2014 as the last time there was a statewide effort to address rising property taxes.

Trending was similar, although taxes paid in OTC were lower, 32 percent of the levy paid by residential property owners in the county in 2014 to 48 percent in Minnesota. In 2026, the numbers were 40 percent paid in OTC to nearly 50 percent statewide.

“When we’re experiencing times of high levies, actually the last two to three years, more often those issues are being accelerated by this shift to residential property,”  he said. “That’s not to say the cost drivers wouldn’t have been different 12 years ago but they’re being felt more acutely by residential property owners than they would have been a dozen years ago.”

Transportation Legislative Liaison Amber Backhaus handles Transportation and Bonding issues on behalf of MICA at the state legislature. She discussed the latest bonding bill and upcoming grant opportunities.

She also highlighted issues expected in the legislature, regardless of who is elected, especially, the general fund, and potential budget limitations on transportation funds.

The affordability of license tab fees is another pressing issue.

Other topics discussed were Health and Human Services funding, including SNAP, environmental issues, the state budget picture and setting priorities for the upcoming legislative session.

“It’s going to be an important year at the capitol,” said Jesson.

The 17 counties in MICA are Anoka, Benson, Blue Earth, Carver, Chisago, Crow Wing, Dakota, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Rice, St. Louis, Scott, Sherburne, Stearns, Washington, Winona and Wright.

MnDOT

Commissioners agreed to send a letter of support to MnDOT for Federal PROTECT funding to continue the installation of snow fencing allowing Interstate 94 between Alexandria and Moorhead. A previous grant was awarded to begin the construction and the follow-up grant is st to complete the project.

The construction materials are the same as those used on U.S. Highway 10 between Hawley and Moorhead.

A resolution was also passed authorizing appropriate signatures providing local bridge replacement program grant funds to replace Bridge L91554 along County Highway 143 over the Leaf River southwest of Bluffton.

Open house

Otter Tail County commissioners met with residents at a community open house in Richville. County staff shared updates on recycling, roads, elections and local resources. Residents then asked questions and shared concerns.

Scott Bjerke and Chris McConn of the Solid Waste Department updated residents on single-sort recycling in the northeast part of the county. Richville has fewer than 500 people, so the city is not currently included in the single-sort recycling program. However, McConn said residents can call their garbage hauler to ask about service in Richville.

County Engineer Jodi Teich reviewed this year’s finished road projects and shared plans for next year. Teich said county maintenance crews will do some crack sealing and weed and brush spraying themselves in 2027.

Teich also brought a county map. She asked residents to place sticky notes on roads they think need work. The county will keep gathering public input as staff updates the road improvement plan.

Elections staff Liz Mickelson and Karmen Tossett shared voting options and timelines for absentee and early voting. They said the county will offer election judge training again. Residents can find the latest election information on the county website.

Community Development Director Amy Baldwin shared resources for child care, housing and businesses.

After the presentations, residents asked commissioners about issues affecting their towns and personal lives. Emergency medical services, or EMS, was a main topic. Many residents said they support the county’s Sprint EMS pilot program.

Commissioners encouraged residents to attend a public meeting on the Emergency Medical Service Subordinate Service District. The meeting is on Monday, Oct. 5, in Pelican Rapids.

District 1 Commissioner Dan Bucholz thanked residents for coming and said he appreciated holding open houses across the county.

“Bring your ideas to the meetings at Pelican Rapids,” Bucholz said. “We need your input so that when someone calls 911, they get the same ambulance service as anyone does in the county.”

For more information on county programs, services and events, visit www.ottertailcounty.gov.

Planning commission

The county entered into a contract for services with the Pomme de Terre River Association (PDTRA) for the Pomme de Terre Watershed-based implementation funding. The county receives $20,000 every two years to use for low income grants for people to replace non-compliant septic systems.

• The board accepted the withdrawal of an application for a conditional use permit (CUP) from Scott and Michelle Zajac. The CUP, if approved, would have allowed a portion of an existing attached garage and the area between the attached and detached garages to be used for the boarding and exercising of dogs in the Zajac’s care at their Franklin Lake residence. 

Michelle Zajac submitted a written request on September 9, to withdraw the application for the proposed dog boarding business. In her letter, Zajac stated that, after considering the concerns and feedback expressed by neighbors, she and her husband, Scott, decided that withdrawing the application was in the best interest of maintaining positive relationships within the Lake Franklin community. She expressed appreciation to the Zoning Commission, neighbors, and others involved in the process for their time, consideration, and input, and respectfully requested that the application be withdrawn and the appropriate records updated.

• A CUP application from May for a retaining wall issued to KJ Carpenter of Perham was denied.

The Planning Commission held a public hearing on May 13, regarding the CUP. The original survey, dated December 23, 2025, showed the proposed retaining wall would be located eight-feet from the existing structures. A subsequent survey dated August 6, 2026, showed the retaining wall was installed between 10.1 and 16.4 feet from the existing structures. The survey also indicated that approximately 20 feet of the retaining wall extends two to three-feet across the property line onto the adjacent parcel.

Construction also caused erosion and hillside destabilization.

An “after the fact” CUP was needed, according to the county legal team, to allow the wall to stay in its current location.

Commissioners agreed to deny the CUP application request and to require the applicant, Kerry Anderson, to obtain the services of a professional engineer and submit a professional engineer-prepared corrective restoration plan and winter stabilization plan satisfactory to the Planning Commission. The plans are to be submitted by the November meeting cutoff, with materials due to the County by Oct. 21.