Council making headway with nuisance properties

File photo
Nathan Matejka is stepping down from Fire Chief to Assistant Fire Chief under newly-elected Chief Adam Walker in 2024. Matejka joined the department in 2004 and was named Chief at the beginning of 2022.

By Robert Williams

Editor

Adam Walker has been elected by the fire department to become the new fire chief, according to current Fire Chief Nathan Matejka.

Walker was the assistant fire chief to Matejka and has been with the department since May of 2017.

Photo by Robert Williams
Adam Walker, right, was elected to become the new Fire Chief beginning in 2024. He replaces Nathan Matejka, who stepped down to become the Assistant Fire Chief. Former Chief (2016-19) Albert Doll, left, was elected and will serve as the Deputy Fire Chief.

“For this coming year, I chose to step down from being Chief,” Matejka said. “I told him I would be No. 2 and I’ll do my best to help him out.”

Joining Walker and Matejka at the head of the department is former Chief Albert Doll, who will take on the title of deputy fire chief. Doll was the chief of the department from 2016-19.

“We’ve got a pretty loaded set of white helmets sitting up there,” said Matejka.

The city council approved the department’s election results unanimously.

The department responded to nine fire calls in November, one non-structure fire, one structure fire, three false alarms, two medical assists and two mutual aid calls.

The new utility truck has arrived and will have a new utility box installed. The new grass truck is scheduled to arrive shortly. Both purchases were approved earlier and the department hopes to have both trucks prepped and ready for use by the end of January.

Also at the end of January, the department will be holding its annual township meeting. Frazee Fire services Burlington, Height O’ Land, Silver Leaf and Evergreen Townships, aside from the city. At the annual meeting, the department provides a meal and holds a presentation that explains the state of the department, any large investments made or that are in the  planning stage. City Administrator Stephanie Poegel will also speak on behalf of the city.

Police-Rescue

Chief of Police Tyler Trieglaff reported on the city’s continuing efforts to clean up local properties that are in violation of city codes and ordinances. Trieglaff also submitted an updated copy of the city’s violation log that lists 36 addresses in the city currently in violation, that includes nine new properties with inoperable vehicles.

All prior violations were given 30 days to comply and invited to the December 27 Council meeting. Fines will be issued to those not in compliance going forward.

Trieglaff also discussed how the city of Detroit Lakes handles code violations and DL uses a complaint basis rather than Frazee, which uses the police force to observe and report violations. Administrative fines are very different between the two towns, $200 in DL versus only $40 in Frazee. However, Frazee fines can add up daily.

“Each day can be a violation, so that can tally up and we want to work with people,” Trieglaff said. “We want to give them that timeframe and we have been.”

One address singled out was a recent cleanup done at 401 South Lake Street. Frazee Police had to work with both a realtor and the bank to get the property cleaned up. 

“It will be fine until spring and they can move forward with selling it,” said Trieglaff.

“We’ve heard some real, positive comments about that,” said councilmember Jim Rader.

Trieglaff also reported his report will return in the Jan. 9 issue of the Forum with end of the year data.

The Frazee Police Department passed a recent compliance review by the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST Board), an occupational regulatory agency charged with the vital responsibility of maintaining selection, education and licensing standards for over 400 Minnesota law enforcement agencies that employ over 10,500 peace officers across our state.

While the POST Board performs many functions, a significant portion of its responsibility is dedicated to conducting compliance reviews of Minnesota law enforcement agencies to ensure they are meeting legislatively mandated training and department policies on Use of Force/Firearms training, Emergency Vehicle Operation and Pursuit Driving training; and mandated department policies.

On Friday, Dec. 8, a POST Board Standards Coordinator conducted a review at the Frazee Police Department. 

“Ensuring all law enforcement agencies around the state are in compliance plays a pivotal role in maintaining the high level of professionalism we have enjoyed in Minnesota for many years and that professionalism translates into quality law enforcement services for the citizens of Minnesota,” Executive Director Erik Miselt said. “Please take a moment to recognize your police department for this important accomplishment.”

Public Works

Public Works Supervisor Larry Stephenson discussed the water plant. For November, the plant pumped 3,671,000 gallons of water with 70 pounds of fluoride added, which leaves the city fluoride concentration of 0.6mg/liter.

“Raw water comes into the plant at 0.2, so we don’t add a lot of that,” Stephenson said. “That’s just above the minimum that’s allowed by the Department of Health.”

Chlorine levels vary from proximity to the plant from 1.6mg/liter. The farther out in the system the chlorine levels begin to fall off to 0.8 levels. 

“As long as you have a residual there, that’s all that the Department of Health requires,” said Stephenson.

The water plant has treated and filtered 141 million gallons of water since being built. The lifetime of a plant is in the billions of gallons.

Liquor Store

Manager Amanda Young reported on the Merry Christmas party, held the first weekend of December, along with numerous events around town. According to Young, it was the best day of the year for the liquor store other than the Friday and Saturday of Turkey Days.

“It was packed in there and good to see,” she said.

The liquor store currently has a part-time opening after Young received the resignation of Jamie Lemon, effective Dec. 9.

Event Center

The Event Center is nearly fully booked March through September, according to manager Jolene Tappe.

“Maybe three Saturdays are open,” she said.

Council meeting 2024 schedule

City council meetings are being rescheduled for the New Year. Rather than hold meetings at both the fire hall and the event center, the two meetings per month will now be held at the event center and on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month beginning at 5 p.m.