Big Build Initiative, housing highlighted in annual report

By Robert Williams

Editor

K9 officer Mojo, a 10-year-old Dutch Shepherd, received a standing ovation and his handler Patrol Sgt. Zach Eifert received a plaque celebrating Mojo’s retirement.

Mojo and his handler, Eifert, was born in Missouri in 2013 and met Eifert at North Star Canine. Eifert and Mojo completed 16 hours of training per month and over 1,300 training sessions and 1,800 hours of training.

Eifert introduced Mojo to county duty in 2015 and he was credited with 509 deployments resulting in 221 arrests, according to Sheriff Barry Fitzgibbons. During these deployments, Mojo located: 27 pounds of methamphetamine; 41.5 pounds of marijuana; 2 pounds of hash oil; 1.5 pounds of cocaine and has assisted with locating countless other items—drug paraphernalia, illegally-held firearms, stolen property, fentanyl, psilocybin mushrooms and $47,000 in forfeited cash.

“Furthermore, canine Mojo has been responsible for resolving tense situations involving barricaded subjects, locating missing persons and ensuring officer safety,” Fitzgibbons said. “Throughout his career, he has won multiple awards.”

Mojo’s ownership is being transferred to the Eifert family after completing his successful career.

Eifert thanked the community for supporting Mojo and gave specific recognition to chief Pete Nielsen and officer Brock Ackerman of the West Fargo Police Department for volunteering countless hours of training.

“Thank you to K9 Mojo for his 63 dog years of dedicated service, his leadership and for being such a good boy,” Fitzgibbons said.

Eifert thanked his fellow officers, the department and administration, the board and the community as a whole for the support.

Community Development

Community Development Director Amy Baldwin submitted her annual report. In the house portion of her report, Baldwin highlighted the county’s Big Build initiative, which accounted for 410 new and 81 rehabbed homes in 2023.

• Baldwin also discussed county projects the department led or was a partner in which included: Battle Lake Hidden Meadows single-family homes— ompleted construction and sold three new affordable single-family homes to eligible homebuyers.

• New York Mills South Point apartments – Construction underway on 60-unit market rate rental apartment building supported previously by tax abatement and public infrastructure grant. This project was noteworthy as potentially adding 10 percent to the town’s population and impactful for workforce needs in NY Mills.

• Pelican Rapids County Highway Garage redevelopment, including a 9-lot subdivision and planning for infrastructure installation. 

• North Fields of Dalton affordable senior rental homes which are in pre-development work. Dalton is being used as a pilot example that works, according to Baldwin, along with preliminary planning with other communities for senior housing, including Vergas, Ottertail and New York Mills.

Solid waste dept. 

The county board accepted the resignation of Scott Hofland, of Perham, owner of Scott Hofland Construction Inc., and a contract employee of the county’s solid waste department for the past 36 years in the northeast (NEOT) and Henning landfills. Hofland is retiring and selling his business to Curt Osterfeld, of Perham, owner of North Central INC.

Hofland explained the transition to the board in his written resignation letter.

“I have worked with Curt Osterfeld since he started NCI in 2008. Curt has a solid understanding of my business and the work we do at the landfills,” said Hofland. 

NCI has helped me with several projects at the landfills, moves my equipment when needed, and provides backup equipment when needed.

“Bryan Maijala (an employee of NCI) has helped me and backed me up at the landfills for the last 4 years, typically when I take vacation. Bryan has a good handle on the day-to-day requirements at the landfill. Upon approval and sale to NCI, I will be available for consultation to NCI for a period of 30 months. 

“I feel that NCI will provide the county with the best value and smooth transition as operations at the landfill move forward,” he continued. “I would like to thank the Solid Waste Department for the working relationship we have had for the past 36 years. I hope you feel as I do and approve of this planned out succession.”

The board approved the assumed renewal of the contract with Hofland and in the future the transfer of the contract to Osterfeld and NCI at the completion of the successful sale from Hofland to Osterfeld.

Land and Resource

The board approved the final plat for Rose Wood, consisting of 3 Single Family Non-Riparian Lots and 2 Non-Residential Non-Riparian Lots attached to a Riparian Lot, 2 Blocks. The proposal is located at 48631 370th Ave, Frazee – Section 22 of Hobart Township, Rose Lake.

The other was Folkedahl Acres off County Highway 1 in Richville.

Land & Resource Director Chris LeClair gave the board statistics from his annual report.

The Planning Commission reviewed 24 applications in 2023, 22 were approved, 2 withdrawn. Preliminary plats were the majority of the applications (10), which is around the average number per year, according to LeClair.

LeClair noted an uptick in variance requests and approval percentage with the Board of Adjustments.

The biggest category over the past few years is expansion of non-conforming structures.

“We have a lot of these in Otter Tail County,” said LeClair. “And I don’t see that trend going away anytime soon.”

He noted that the county was developed prior to rules in the 1930’s and 40’s and a lot of small cabins on lake lots that are too close to the lake which are requested to be torn down and rebuilt make up a lot of those requests.

Human Resources

The board approved adding an Engineering Supervisor, a new position. The position is being added to allow for more flexibility in hiring for a need in the department, which is a plan to hire either an Assistant Engineer or an Engineering Supervisor, depending on the qualifications of the successful candidate.