Frazee Rescue receives $40k for radio upgrades

By Robert Williams

Editor

The Frazee City Council held public hearings and passed changes to City Ordinances 178 and 179 at the final meeting of the year on Monday, Dec. 23.

Ordinance 178 is to amend the code regarding public utility water system addition. Changes include the removal of a $100 charge for the iron removal plant to any person connecting to the municipal water system.

Existing buildings where water is supplied by a private water system or private well within the city as of Dec. 31, 2024, that are currently not connected to the municipal water system and have private water supply systems and are within 100-feet of a municipal water supply system must connect at the property owner’s expense within one year.

Existing buildings on lands annexed into the city after Dec. 31, 2024, that have a private well within the city as of Dec. 31, 2024, that are currently not connected to the municipal system and are within 100-feet must connect at the property owner’s expense within one year.

All owners of buildings with a private water supply system located in the city must apply for a permit to connect to the municipal system by Jan. 1, 2026.

Ordinance 179 is updating regulations regarding dangerous dogs.

Key changes include an exemption process for police dogs, an abused dog, or a dog that was involved in the midst of defending an owner or property during a crime. 

If a dog is deemed dangerous, an assessment must be done by a licensed veterinarian or other animal professional.

If a dog is deemed dangerous, it will be immediately impounded by the Chief of Police, or police officers, and held for a period of no fewer than 10 days.

Police Chief Tyler Trieglaff stated he has communicated with Marshmallow Foundation in Detroit Lakes as a dedicated place to hold any impounded dog. The dog owner will be held responsible for the boarding during impound.

Once a dog is deemed dangerous, it is no longer allowed in town.

According to the ordinance, a dog is deemed dangerous if the dog:

• When unprovoked, inflicts bites on a human or domestic animal on public or private property;

• When unprovoked, chases or approaches a person, including a person on a bicycle, upon the streets, sidewalks, or any public of private property, other than the dog owner’s property, in an apparent attitude of attack, or

• Has a known propensity, tendency, or disposition to attack unprovoked, causing injury or otherwise threatening the safety of humans or domestic animals.

Heartland Trail

Bid advertising began Friday, Dec. 20, with the opening of bids scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025 and awarding on January 21, according to City Administrator Stephanie Poegel. Construction is set to be completed in 2025.

Liquor Store

Manager Amanda Young reported that the liquor store is changing the hours of operation to close at 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday instead of staying open until 10 p.m., due to there not being enough business from 9-10 p.m. to justify staying open right now. The change will begin January 1. There may be exceptions to stay open until 10 p.m., on individual evenings if business dictates.

The liquor store will be open normal hours New Year’s Eve and closed New Year’s Day for inventory.

Police

November 21 through December 18 there were seven new ordinance violations. Parking issues are now included. All parking issues have been cleaned up to date. Zero vehicle violations. Working on vacant properties with the City Administrator, City Attorney and Building Inspector.

Two motor vehicle crashes in town. One due to icy roads and one was a fender bender.

Zero landlord violations.

The body camera audit was completed and the department is in compliance. The system audit is required by the state and completed every two years.

Police Chief Tyler Trieglaff met with Event Center Manager Jolene Tappe and Liquor Store Manager Amanda Young to discuss a camera system at both entities. 

The liquor store currently has a camera system approximately eight years old. It is a standalone system that is not user-friendly, according to Trieglaff.

Quotes received are an Arvig system of 30 cameras for $21,580 or a 24-camera system for $9,120 (provider not named). Both buildings would be on the same system with computer and phone access. A system upgrade is in the preliminary discussion stage and will be discussed with city admin and in committee prior to further action.

Property purchase

The Frazee Community Development Corporation (FCDC) has agreed to purchase a home on North River Drive to help facilitate the future development of the road to Wannigan Regional Park. A written agreement between FCDC and the city including the acquisition cost committing the city to the purchase of the property from FCDC upon the approval of the state bonding bill that will include the North River Drive project. FCDC wishes to recoup the closing costs for the purchase and the sale, along with any holding costs and the purchase price. The purchase amount is $30,000.

Rescue

SJE Rhombus of Detroit Lakes donated $50 to the Frazee Rescue Squad.

The Rescue Squad also was awarded a $40,000 Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER) grant. The funding is to support the purchase and upgrade of radio equipment for local, Tribal, and state agencies participating in the ARMER radio system.

The squad responded to 12 of 15 total calls in November, eight calls inside city limits. 

Rescue has also been working with the fire department to get baseline vitals on all firefighters and develop a form to track vitals during rehab sessions.

Beginning Jan. 1, a new method of tracking calls will be used to come up with strategies to decrease the amount of calls not responded to and document actions taken when it is not feasible to complete a patient care report prior to the transfer of care to the transporting ambulance service.

Streets

The council unanimously approved an agreement with PartnerSHIP 4 Health (P4H) to collaborate on a complete streets concept plan. The health board of P4H was awarded a Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) grant to support local communities and improve health.

The grant of up to $7,000 to complete the plan will be provided by the fiscal host of the grant Clay County Public Health. According to City Engineer Chris Thorson, the study will concentrate some utility work, street lighting and additional sidewalks in town.

“We’ll work on that as we go,” Thorson said.

A matching engineering services agreement was passed for the concept plan to be completed by Sept. 30, 2025, which would include one public input meeting.