Decisions coming on pickleball and parking lot projects

By Robert Williams

Editor

The Frazee-Vergas School Board recognized teacher awards and retiring staff members, along with continuing discussions on an abatement bond for parking lot projects on Monday, May 12

The board opened Monday’s meeting by recognizing the Teachers of the Year: Jill Ollmann, Elementary and Brad Morgan, High School, along with Paraeducators of the Year: Sarah Wallin-Prellwitz, Elementary and Sheli Sharp, High School.

Four staff members have announced their retirements at the end of the school year, including: Theresa Fett – School Counselor, Cheryl Neyens – Food Service Manager, Bardie Skjonsberg – School Psychologist, and Stacey Foss – Executive Assistant.

Superintendent Terry Karger took up most of the meeting leading a conversation about an abatement bond for parking lot projects.

The board passed a resolution in April with the intent to move forward with a bond.

“We are stating to the public that we are going to do some projects,” Karger said.

One of those projects is working with the Frazee Area Community Club (FACC) on future pickleball courts on school property. The district has created a draft contract that will be reviewed by the board and Karen Pifher of Creative Community Consulting, who represents the FACC, according to President Tom Watson.

“Together, we need to come up with language in this contract that we’re comfortable with so we can get this ball rolling,” said Karger.

Future plans include melding together the junior varsity baseball parking lot and the pickleball courts to save costs.

The JV lot is proposed under a five to eight-year, abatement bond of approximately $365,000 to create the courts and the parking lot. Cost analysis on the parking lot is $250,000.

A second project to consider under the abatement bond includes a softball parking lot where people already park near diamond 1. The work would also address a drainage problem in the area, according to Karger.

“It was never developed to be a paved road going up to that parking lot we have paved up there,” said Karger.

All the roads in the district would be paved when the city completes the North River Drive paving project. That project relies on state bonding funds.

A third project under the bond would be to complete striping and resealing of all the district’s parking lots. 

Karger likened it to how the school’s roofs were upgraded in doing it at the same time to save money, while depleting Long-Term Facilities Maintenance (LTFM) funds. 

“The ability to do all our parking lots, to get them resealed, cracks filled, restriped and get it all done is something we can do, as well,” Karger said.

If done now, LTFM funds will build back up again by the time the lots need to be resurfaced again in four to five years.

If the board selects both of the first two projects, completing all of the lots would cost roughly $40,000 more.

According to Karger, if all three projects are selected, the cost to taxpayers is an increase of 15 cents.

“Really, the impact on our taxpayers isn’t there,” he said.

A fourth option includes the parking lot by the high school kitchen, one that Karger says is in the worst condition. 

“We know it’s in terrible condition,” he said. 

That location is also an area for planned expansion that would potentially include a new gymnasium and theatre. 

“However, I think it’s a good time to ask ourselves should we address it now and at eight or 10 years in the future, when the public is ready to make a move for the theatre and a gymnasium and a music suite…I don’t know if that parking lot is going to last much longer,” said Karger.

Completing the full suite of projects over an eight-year abatement period would cost taxpayers $1.67 per month. Board member Simon George presented an estimate for the owners of a $250,000 home, over eight years, would pay a total of $160.

The board is meeting again on May 22 to continue discussions on both the parking lot agreement with the FACC and which parking lots to address.

Staffing

The school board approved the following

• Hiring a Special Education Teacher Jessica Kopischke

• Hiring an Elementary Teacher Jaden Karger

• Hiring an Elementary Teacher Trisha Jorud, her projected assignment is Early Childhood Education

• Hiring a Counselor Martin Thorp, with a projected assignment at the High School

• Hiring a Latch Key Supervisor Lacey Kiehl

• Hiring Summer Custodial Cleaners and Grounds Worker Deb Berg, Melanie Erickson, Carey Alger, Vanessa Jager, Abby Nagel, Carla Wendt and Aaron Paulson.

• Hiring 2 Summer Food Service Workers Rock Brown and Todd Dormanen

Summer Recreation Coaches for 2025

Baseball

• Tyler Aho | 12U (Grade 5)

• Jason Bauer | 16U

• Aaron Behrmann | 12U (Grade 5)

• Bob Hatch | 12U (Grade 6)

• Andy Mekalson | 14U, 16U

• Jon Olson Jr. | 14U, 16U

• Chris Peluso | 12U (Grade 5), 10U

• Pat Starbeck | Pee Wee, 12U (Grade 6)

• Tyler Wacker | 10U

Softball

• Tavia Bachmann | 14U, 18U

• Kim Brill | 14U

• Molly Fairbanks | T-Ball White

• Taylor Greenwood | 14U, 18U

• Mackenzie Hamm | 12U

• Kaitee Hoekstra | T-Ball Green

• Trescha Mitchell | 10U

• Kari Shipman | 14U, 18U

• Alexis Tappe | 14U

• TBD | Ponytail, 10U

• Resignation of a Paraeducator Valerie Turnbull, effective May 7, 2025.

• Resignation of the Prom Advisor Heather Perrine, effective immediately.

• Approval of Continuing Contracts for Licensed Staff – Amber Lorentz, Paige Callahan, Caitlin Breitenfeldt, Joe Mollberg, Kimberly Antonsen, Aaron Paulson, Kari Shipman and Roger Thorp.

• Renewed Service Agreement with Stellher Human Services, Inc. for the 2025-2026 School Year

• Background: The service agreement is for 2.0 FTE Mental Health Therapy Service.

Enrollment

The District received the Enrollment Options Applications for enrollment out of the District to: Detroit Lakes (1), Menahga (1); and into District: none (0).

Elementary enrollment: End of 2024 421; Sept 2024 441; May 2025 441 + 26 in Pre-K

High School enrollment: End of 2024 370; May 2025 408 

Hornet Pride

The School Board accepted the following donations:

• Lisa Schultz donated $500 for the Arts, Music and Theater.

• The Weight Room Activity Account received a donation from Brandon/Angela Olson family for $250.

• A $100 donation for a Field Trip to Spanky’s from Josh Hanson for Mrs. Larson’s 2nd grade class.

• The Day of Caring received donations from Dakota Paper for large black garbage bags, $300 from Vergas United Methodist Church and $50 from Karen Cates.

Summer Rec

The Summer Recreation Program received several donations totaling $21,590:

AgCountry Farm Credit Services: $200

Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC: $50

Ames and Peterson Orthodontics: $200

Back Woods, LLC: $100

Beaudry Oil & Propane: $100

Bell Bank: $100

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate All Seasons: $100

Brunswick Boat Group/Lund Boats: $150

BTD Manufacturing, Inc.: $250

Caulfield Studios, Inc.: $250

China Buffet DL, Inc.: $100

City of Frazee: $10,000

D&D Appliance Inc.: $30

Detroit Paint & Glass: $250

Eastman Fence & Sons, LLC: $100

Fair Hills Resort: $750

First National Bank: $50

Foltz Trucking, Inc.: $100

Franklin Fence: $1,000

Frazee Auto Body & Glass: $35

Frazee Golf Course: $100

Furey Funeral Home: $100

Gemstone Masonry Operating Company, Inc.: $500

Glacier Salt, Inc.: $50

Gobbler Grub and Pub: $100

Grand Central, Inc. DBA Central Market: $100

Great North Properties, LLC: $100

GROW Frazee-Vergas: $300

Haga Kommer, Ltd: $250

Horace Mann | Valley Educators Insurance Services, Inc.: $100

J.C. Electric, Inc.: $100

K & K Tubing: $150

K.L.N. Enterprises: $350

Lakeridge Dental: $50

Lamb-Weston/RDO Frozen: $100

Liberty Health: $100

MIDCO: $1,500

Mike’s Lock & Key Service: $50

Nyhus Family Sales: $250

O’Reilly Auto Parts: $25

K Lumber Hardware, LLC: $200

OK Tire Store: $100

Perham Family Dentistry: $250

R. D. Offutt Farms Co.: $200

Spanky’s Stone Hearth: $100

Stowman Law Firm, P.A.: $100

Team Industries: $500

The UPS Store-Detroit Lakes: $50

Tomlinson Schultz: $100

United Community Bank: $1,000

Venom Products, LLC: $200

Vergas State Bank: $100

Warner Garage Door, Inc.: $100

Widseth, Smith, Nolting, & Association, Inc.: $200

Yak-Shack Beauty Salon: $100