More businesses coming to downtown building in 2025

By Robert Williams

Editor

The Frazee City Council finalized a tax abatement to cover expenses at Town Lake Beach, along with roofing and HVAC work at the Event Center and Liquor store during the council’s meeting Wednesday, Oct. 23.

Jason Murray of David Drown Associates, Inc., explained the abatement process where the city’s property tax from 18 properties in Frazee are pledged to cover the annual principal portion of the abatement bond. A public meeting was held to discuss the issuance of $201,000 in general obligation tax abatements. The principal portion of the bond is approximately $13,400 per year per property.

“We generally use residential properties so that we don’t conflict with any economic development or business-related items, and we generally take neighborhoods rather than sporadically as we have to track these abatements on an annual basis,” said Murray.

The bond documents are larger in total as the East Main Project is included. The total costs were discussed at the Sept. 25 meeting. The East Main project is likely to cost $302,000 of the half-million in abatements with 35 percent special assessed, according to the project engineer. Later in the meeting, a second resolution was approved for the issuance and sale of a $503,000 General Obligation Improvement and Tax Abatement note.

There were no comments made by the public during the meeting.

According to statute, if the benefits to the city of the proposed abatement at least equal the costs to the city of the proposed abatement, the city may grant an abatement of all or a portion of the taxes imposed by the city on an affected parcel of property to pay for, among other things, to finance construction and improvements to public facilities within the city.

The city has identified parcels which abatement properties will be benefited by the project and from which the city proposes to abate a portion of the city’s share of taxes to help finance the project, subject to all the terms and conditions of this Resolution and the Act.

The city intends to pay for the project through the issuance of approximately $201,000

General Obligation Tax Abatement Bonds, issued pursuant to the act, which Bonds are expected to be paid primarily through the collection of abatement revenues.

Bids were discussed later in the meeting on 10-inches of insulation to be blown into the Liquor Store and Event Center. A bid of $17,500 from Lakes Area Insulation in Detroit Lakes was approved contingent on a final confirmation of bid specifics.

Economic Development

Frazee Economic Development Consultant Karen Pifher reported that there are currently two businesses preparing to move into the downtown retail building in 2025.

“It’s going to be full by spring,” said Pifher. “I feel confident.”

One retail bay remains open in the building and Pifher stated there are parties currently interested in that, as well.

Pifher also praised the efforts of Frazee Community Club President Tom Watson for his efforts. The club has raised over $6,000 for a city-wide marketing promotion, including video, print materials, social media and advertising campaigns.

The club’s donations for a downtown mural also sits at approximately $6,000. The total of the fundraiser was $10,000 and a second push for donations will be made in hopes of reaching that number. There is a grant proposal for matching funds for the mural donations.

A third fundraiser is planned to complete a billboard that highlights all of the restaurants in Frazee. The billboard will be located on U.S. Highway 10, and also around the region as a rotating half-billboard. The Frazee Community Club and Economic Development Authority will be contributing funds to keep the overall cost of the billboard affordable for contributing restaurants, roughly $75 each.

“We’re trying our best to get more business in Frazee to help out our restaurants, specifically through the winter,” said Pifher.

The club also has 20 events planned for Frazee in 2025 and is also accepting more events and volunteer hosts that can be included in the 2025 flier.

“It’s a great way to involve people who maybe haven’t been involved before in taking a leadership role by doing one thing in just one day,” said Pifher.

Open forum

Baseball and Summer Recreation Director Andy Mekalson and Softball Summer Rec Director Tavia Bachmann spoke during the council’s open forum. The duo thanked the city council for its financial support of the programs.

Bachmann presented the program’s highlights. There were 222 student participants in the program participating in varied levels from T-Ball to 18u consisting of 13 total teams. The program hosted two large tournaments, including a 10-team, 12U softball tournament in July. 

“We thank you so much for your help in funding this; it is driven by a lot of volunteers but there is also a lot of cost behind it,” said Bachmann. “It’s amazing to see the parents and kids at these events. We had anywhere from five to eight regular season games throughout the week down at the fields.”

Bachmann also noted the program has pushed people visiting the Frazee community, from the new businesses and restaurants downtown to the troll art exhibit at Wannigan Regional park. 

The Summer Rec program runs from the last week of May to mid-July. Volunteers are needed.

Donations

The council approved a pair of donations to the Frazee Rescue Squad: $1,000 from Ameriprise Financial and $500 from West Central EMS.

Fire department

Calls For Service, September Fire Calls – 9;  Year to Date – 65 total calls

Structure Fire September Mutual Aid Calls – 3

Grass Fire – Menahga Barn Fire

Unauthorized Fire (Burning Ban) – Hawley, Terracon Fire 

Hazmat (Gas Line) – Lake Park, Hay Barn Fire

Grant updates

BNSF Grant – Submitted, August 2024 (Wild Land Water Packs)

DNR Grant – Submitted, June 2024. (10 new pagers) **Denied**

ARMER Grant – Submitted, June 2024. (12 new radios, up $40,000) – Awarded!

New Radio Purchase – ARMER Grant Awarded for $40,000

Rescue

September 2024

Total Calls – 25 (In city – 6/outside city – 19)

Responded – 24

• 5 days had multiple calls.

• 1 Mutual aid call on the eastside of Detroit Lakes.

• Standby at 3 football games.

• Completed Life Link III Training with Frazee Fire Department.

This included utilizing a new pre-planned landing location.

“We’re looking forward to future joint-training, along with establishing how we can better support the Firefighters on their calls,” Rescue Squad President Matt Johnson said.

Attended a United Way event in Detroit Lakes. Also worked with them for advertising and promotion that will be coming up over the  next few months

Currently working with the Becker County Sheriff’s Office and MidState Wireless to test and evaluate a potentially new pager system.

Received a $500 grant from West Central EMS that had been submitted for reimbursement of  communication equipment.

Members are being issued ID cards for when responding to calls and attending public events.

Police department

The Frazee Police Department will be adding an outfitted 2015 Chevrolet Silverado squad car to replace the chief’s former vehicle. A radio needs to be installed and decals added.

Use of force and firearms training will be held and officers continue to enforce city ordinances heading into the winter season.

Chief of Police Tyler Trieglaff offered his department’s budget to pay for increased surveillance at Town Lake beach. The future plan involves fiber optic cabling to the new beach house and another extension to Lions Park. The council approved the new monitoring system bid through Arvig of $11,580.

Public works

The city’s water main and hydrant leg flushing is completed for this year. The city’s sewer main flushing and manhole inspections are 90 percent completed, according to Utilities Superintendent Larry Stephenson.

“We’ve added around 50 tons of salt/sand to our winter salt/and supply, should be enough for the winter supply depending on winter driving conditions, going to start getting our plowing equipment ready for the season with oil changes lube and filters, repair some hydraulic hose leaks and hope for no major problems,” Stephenson said.

Eagle Lake

The finalization of the sale of Eagle Lake Park from the City of Frazee and the Eagle Lake Park Association, Inc., remains in stasis. The original purchase agreement was extended to the end of 2024 in late July and there is currently a public comment period that must expire before the sale can be completed.

A Becker County judge will need to sign off on the sale once the comment period expires.

East Main project

“Things are rolling along,” City Engineer Chris Thorson said.

In the past week, the concrete, curb and driveways have been placed completing the concrete work. Paving is set to begin immediately, along with a dormant seeding of exposed black dirt.

Some soft spots have been located between the intersection of 4th and 5th Streets SE. The contractor has elected not to pave the final lift of asphalt in that area and see what it looks like in the spring.

“This was an area that held water during the rainy season so we have saturated subsoils and that is causing things to mush around more than we would like,” said Thorson. “Given time, the water does percolate out.”

The area will be monitored over the winter to determine if it is ready for paving or corrections in the spring. There is a base level of pavement installed.

Delinquent bills

The council passed a resolution to adopt assessments for delinquent city service bills that are unpaid in 2023-24 to be assessed to property owners’ taxes in 2025. There are five properties with delinquencies totaling $10,092.59.

Council comments

Council member Mark Kemper used the comment period to discuss negative comments and rumors he has received including a tall tale that there will be no Turkey Days in 2025 and the city council and mayor are well aware of it and do not plan to do anything about it. Another comment he received was that certain council members do nothing.

“Basically, this negativity ruins a community,” said Kemper. “We have open forums every meeting. If you have a problem with things and how they’re run please come to the open forum, express your opinion, don’t start a rumor. Get the answers because negative rumors do nothing for this community.”