Seim selected for one-year agreement on selling lots

By Robert Williams

Editor

The Frazee Economic Development Authority (EDA) elected to use a local realtor in Jena (Rader) Seim, accepting her proposal for completing the sale of open lots in the Red Willow Heights subdivision.

Seim works for The Brandenburg Crew of eXp Realty, based in Fargo. Her hire provided both an opportunity for Seim to work near home and expand the footprint of Brandenburg.

“A lot of them live in the Fargo-Moorhead area and they were wanting to expand to the lakes area, and that’s the area I know and love, so they took me on and I’ve really been enjoying it,” she told the Forum in November. 

Seim was featured in the Nov. 12 edition of the Forum and made the proposal with Sales Manager and fellow Realtor Bryan Domholt.

Others making proposals were: Lauri Askelson, Dakota Plains Realty Realtor; Realtor Austin Bachmann, Counselor Realty and Realtor Paula Okeson, Counselor Realty.

The realtors discussed fees, commissions, proposals for selling the lots, working with the EDA process and their connections to Frazee and willingness to not just sell the lots, but sell Frazee as a community.

After 45 minutes of discussion, the EDA voted. Prior to the vote, Bachmann recused himself from taking over the listings and preferred to work as a secondary assistant.

“I would prefer not to have the listings,” he said. “I will gladly help you guys work out with anything, if need be. I’m not against listing them. I think you guys have great candidates and they all will do a wonderful job and that was the main reason I wanted to submit…was to make sure you guys have an option.”

EDA Consultant Karen Pifher noted that all the candidates were great and there was not a bad option, but her emphasis was supporting a local realtor in Seim over the other two candidates Okeson and Askelson.

“I think supporting our local businesses is important,” she said.

Her sentiments and accompanying votes were repeated by EDA members Ashley Renollet, Andrea Froeber, Heather Peterson and Vice Chair John Olson.

Peterson made the motion to award Seim and Domholt a one-year agreement that was approved unanimously.

Downtown Infill 

The EDA approved a $4,800 architectural contract to sign off on the improvements planned for the downtown retail building. 

A building code analysis will be done on the interior layout plans developed by Theisen Design Studios. Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc., (SEH) will: 

• Review original building construction designs; 

• Review interior tenant fit out plans for the two tenant spaces;

• Prepare building code analysis based on fit out plans;

• Develop a building code and egress plan based on fit out plans;

• Provide standard accessibility details for relevant building elements including, but not limited to restrooms, doors, signage and service counters;

• Prepare written responses to the local Authorities Having Jurisdiction’s comments during the permitting process.

SEH anticipates a 4-week turnaround time.

EDA will not begin issuing requests for proposals for construction.