Trail plans, sewer and lift station construction, to be examined

By Robert Williams

Editor

A contract for Project Engineer Services with Ulteig Engineers, Inc. regarding the Heartland Trail plan to connect to Wannigan Regional Park was approved at the meeting of the Frazee City Council Monday, March 13.

The contract is part of the PartnerSHIP 4 Health (PSHIP) grant of $5,000 to the city to create the trail plan. Per that agreement, a full plan for the trail needs to be completed by the end of September.

The trail committee held their first meeting earlier on Monday.

According to city engineer Kris Carlson, the group outlined a couple potential routes for the trail with another meeting scheduled for April, prior to an open house Tuesday, May 23, from 6-8 p.m., at the Frazee Event Center.

Vergas also received a PSHIP grant for $15,000 to connect the Heart of the Lakes Trail to Vergas and subsequently to the Heartland Trail through Frazee. Both town will host open houses. Topics to be discussed at the Frazee open house are:

1. Plans for one or more trail connections between the City of Frazee and Wannigan Park (including a potential spur from the Heartland Trail).

2. Plans for a trail connection from the City of Vergas to the Heartland Trail at Frazee.

3. Plans for a trail connection from the City of Vergas to the Heart of the Lakes Trail (from Pelican Rapids to Maplewood State Park to Perham).

For more information, please contact Patrick Hollister at (218) 329-1809.

Sewer line

Ulteig will also be performing a feasibility study on the potential removal of the gravity sewer line that spans the Otter Tail River, along with making improvements on the city’s main sanitary lift station.

The study will report back to the council on whether the proposed improvement is necessary, cost-effective, and feasible with an estimated cost of the improvement.

The study coincides with the aforementioned trail plan as the sewer line removal was brought up by the Wannigan Park committee regarding future river traffic. The study should be completed by the end of March.

The sewer pipe has been in place since 1964 and Carlson noted it would behoove the city to move the pipe under the riverbed assuming the city could get funds to do so.

“It’s a great solution at this time,” said Carlson.

A second study will be done on the lift station (1988 construction). Carlson cited multiple reasons for its replacement, including the elevation changes to the piping, its age, and the fact it was designed for higher flows from the former turkey plant.

The oversized pumps would be replaced with pumps suitable to the current capacity and a 30-year projected city load. Benefits include efficiency from replacing a 60-year-old pipe and a 35-year-old lift station, along with new tools and technology for city employees to properly manage the system.

The water pipe under the bridge was also discussed. That replacement is part of the future East Main Avenue project that has been held up by the lack of state bonding bills. The project was initially scheduled to start this summer but funds from the Public Facilities Authority have yet to be made available without passed legislation. It is not planned for 2024. The pipe will eventually be removed and a new pipe will be placed under the river channel.

Fire hall lighting

The council approved a fire hall lighting project to remove and replace existing lamps, install LED lamps, replace four exit lights and two emergency exit lights.

Cost of the project is $3,370 for parts and labor minus a rebate of $2334.40 for a total cost of $1,035.60. The change will reduce energy use and has a combined energy savings of just under $100 per month, according to city administrator Stephanie Poegel.