Fire calls 13 in a month, community hall rental rates adjusted

By Matthew Johnson

Reporter

The Wolf Lake City Council addressed the possibility of pasturing goats on the community sledding hill during the Tuesday, May 13, regular monthly meeting.

City Clerk Becky Lake explained that a gentleman had stopped into the city office with the idea. Lake said he was not offering to pasture goats on the hill but suggested that others might be interested in doing it. The city does not mow the hill, some areas are becoming overgrown with rough patches and small trees have even taken root. Goats may be able to clear up these areas and make the hill more smooth, but discussion turned to responsibility and liability.

“I would say if they want to fence them in and be responsible for them; if they get out of the fence and somebody hits them on the road, I don’t think the city’s responsible,” said Wolf Lake Mayor Michelle Suhsen.

Councilor Vernette Gilbertson said she saw an example of it on TV where someone pastured their goats in various places including lawns, ditches, etc., responsibility and methodically moving them from place to place to place.

“I’d say, ‘Why not,’” said Gilbertson adding that as long as the individual or individuals with the goats would temporarily fence them in and take full responsibility for them.

Consensus was to consider it if an individual or individuals with goats approach the city with the offer to pasture them on the sledding hill.

Firefighters respond to 

13 fire calls since April 

council meeting

Wolf Lake Fire Chief Brock Anderson reported that the Wolf Lake Fire Department has responded to 13 calls for service since the council’s last regular meeting in April.

Chief Anderson said this included seven mutual aid calls, five landing zone calls with three of those over the most recent weekend before the meeting and two of them coming just 45 minutes apart, plus a fire call in the local fire district. These calls, he said, represent 46 percent of the 28 total calls the department has responded to so far this year.

“If you see the firemen, thank them,” said Anderson. “I mean, we’re all in the busiest times of our lives and we’ve had pretty good turnouts considering we’re all farmers and construction guys.”

The council passed a motion to accept a $6,700 bid from Howard’s Driveway to repair the department’s asphalt drive outside the fire hall. He said the cost will be covered by the fire fund. 

The Becker County Fire Chiefs meeting is taking place at the fire hall in Wolf Lake at the end of July with the fire relief association paying for the meal, said Anderson.

Council adjusts 

community hall 

rental rates

The council passed a motion adjusting rental rates at the Wolf Lake Community Hall, which is undergoing an interior facelift and seats an estimated 150 people for private parties/receptions of all kinds including weddings, birthdays and graduation open houses.

The new rates are $250 a day Sunday through Thursday, $500 a day on Friday and Saturday and $800 for four hours on Friday plus all day Saturday. Hall rentals also include a $200 deposit.

For more information or to rent the hall call the city at (218) 538-6528.

In other news

• Briefly discussed the ongoing efforts to sell the liquor store.

• Discussed ideas to save the city money including requesting a reduction in the monthly rental fee to use the rescue squad facility for city office/meeting space and a reduction of some of the unnecessary street lighting.

• Passed a motion approving a permit for the Wolf Lake Snowmobile Club raffle scheduled Saturday, January 24, 2026.

• Regular monthly meetings of the Wolf Lake City Council are usually held at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month at the city hall/rescue facility.