Kiehl submits resignation from city office

By Robert Williams

Editor

West Central Initiative (WCI) Energy and Adaptation Planner Griffin Peck presented a solar analysis of the Frazee Public Works, Event Center and Liquor Store buildings to the City Council on Wednesday, April 23.

Peck has provided analysis to eight other communities in the region to see if solar makes sense for one or more public buildings.

Buildings are examined for roof shape, how much solar that can be accommodated and total amount of energy consumption of the building. This typically sets the limits for solar, according to Peck.

The Public Works building was the most likely candidate for a solar array at a total cost of $132,500. The WCI program is loaded with incentives, along with tax credits to cut into the installation cost:

• Otter Tail Power POP Rebate: $60,000

• IRS 30 percent ITC Base Credit: $39,750

• IRS Made in America Credit: $12,250

• Total incentives: $113,000

• Balance after incentives: $19,500

WCI has also received funding from philanthropic partners that will be distributed as a WCI Gap grant. The amount of that grant is unknown as it is dependent on how many cities participate.

The project would be cash flow positive in 3.5 years with an annual energy savings of $5,500 and a lifetime savings (30 years) of $167,318.

Exporting energy to the grid could also be a revenue source.

“A lot more of your solo will be exported to the grid where you would get 8.3 cents per kilowatt hour, so when you factor that in you are getting more money back in annual energy savings than what you’re normally paying for the electricity.”

Peck called the Public Works project the best candidate for cash flow.

“Essentially, you’d be looking at $5,500 in annual energy savings,” said Peck.

WCI also provides a 0 percent financing option and paying back any outstanding costs with relative savings from a solar install.

“What we would essentially do is look at your utility bill and compare it to the year before and then the difference is what you would pay,” said Peck.

WCI has a total of $250,000 to grant out but may withhold some for a future project.

Council member Jim Rader made the motion to accept requests for proposals on the Pubic Works building.

According to Peck, all nine cities he has presented to have agreed to receive RFPs on a one-building project. Peck noted the RFPs will come in the form of estimates from installers.

Fire

The fire department has 21 active firefighters, including the newest to the crew Jacob Wheeler. There are two more applicants in the pipeline.

“It’s good to see applications coming in,” said Fire Chief Adam Walker.

The department has responded to 17 calls this year, nine in April, including three grass fires.

The council approved changes to the department’s bylaws that include mandatory Firefighter 1 certification, set forth by the National Fire Protection Association, to be ready to serve the community. To be eligible for promotion a member must pass Firefighter 2 certification, including operations, leadership and tactical decision-making. Also, a completion of Hazardous Material Operations is mandatory.

Another highlights change is any member who does not make a minimum of 20 percent of calls within a calendar year shall lose one year of eligibility in the Frazee Firefighters Relief Association and may be subject to dismissal. That is up from 10 percent of calls.

Rescue

The Frazee Rescue Department received two donations, $1,500 from Silverleaf Township and $50 from Gary Somerville.

Rescue responded to 14 calls with two days having multiple calls in March, the slowest month of the year so far after 29 calls in January and 22 in February. Total calls for the year are 65 with a 95 percent response rate to 92 of those calls.

The department participated in Read Across America 2025 on Monday, March 3. This annual event promotes reading for children and is held on a school day closest to March 2 each year. 

The council approved the resignations of Suzann Bristlin and Tyler Trieglaff from the Rescue Squad.

Police

Six new ordinance violations, with five dog at-large issues. Two city admin citations and one state citation were issued. Five vehicle violations noted. Five city administrative citations mailed on March 20. Four motor vehicle crashes in town. 

Zero landlord violations 

The Bike Rodeo for Saturday, May 3 is in the final planning stages. 

Chief Trieglaff also reported a comparison of all calls between Frazee, Lake Park, Callaway and Audubon totaling 250 calls for the month of March.

Frazee had the highest number of calls with 129, Lake Park had 57, Audubon 47 and Callaway 17.

Public Works

Public Works Supervisor Larry Stephenson reported staff are gearing up at the waste water treatment plant for the annual discharge in May. Wells are being monitored and preparing to repair the transfer valve by the end of May.

“Repairing this will make this process much easier for the rest of the discharge season,” Stephenson said.

May is expected to be an extremely busy time with city wide clean up, along with crack sealing on streets, and the upcoming mowing season.

Lift station improvements that were scheduled for this year have been bumped to 2026.

Admin

Deputy Clerk Nancy Kiehl submitted her formal notification of resignation effective May 1. Kiehl’s planned departure created an impromptu conversation between Mayor Mike Sharp and Stephenson. 

“We appreciate her dedication to the city these past six years,” said Sharp. 

“As far as a team member with the city I feel like we probably lost a very good employee,” Stephenson said. “It’s sad to me when those kinds of things happen. Over the years I worked with her she was very thorough, exact, nothing was hardly ever mistaken. It saddens me.”

“She did an excellent job,” said Sharp. “I’d review the bills and there was no chance I was ever going to find an error.”