Goodbye DL Pavilion Celebration on October 11

By Robert Williams

Editor

District 1 Commissioner Erica Jepson reported on the latest meeting of the Housing Subcommittee regarding the future upgrades of the Maple Avenue Apartments in Frazee during the Becker County Commissioners’ board meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 16, in Detroit Lakes.

County Economic Development Specialist Cody Piper will be looking for new sources of funding for the Spring 2026 project.

On Sept. 9, Jepson and Piper reported that a portion of the project was “forgotten in the estimate” of an accepted bid and short nearly $70,000 causing the requests for proposals (RFPs) to be reissued after the accepted bid was withdrawn. The Housing Subcommittee recommended not issuing those RFPs until next spring.

“The other bids that came in were quite a bit higher than we thought it would be,” Jepson said. “While we have the funding for it, but it would deplete it. We’re hoping we can find some grants and with it going out in the spring we can get some local contractors.”

The last RFP session was responded to by metro area contractors only, according to Jepson.

“I talked to some local contractors and they said they were a year out,” said District 5 Commissioner Barry Nelson.

The rehabilitation project includes new siding, new doors and windows, as well as new decks.

Economic Development

The commissioners approved a resolution to set the economic development authority (EDA) tax levy of $245,000, which is the same as 2025, according to Auditor-Treasurer Mary Hendrickson. The county EDA may levy up to .0185 percent of taxable market value for the purpose of carrying out its duties.

Elections

Detroit Lakes Area League of Women Voters Vice President Bonnie Graham spoke during the open forum to congratulate commissioners and staff on running free elections in 2024.

Graham provided a post-election review from the League of Women Voters Minnesota, which was completed in 43 of 87 counties comparing hand-counted paper ballots compared to machine totals.

“Hand counts matched the machine tabulation with only a few discrepancies in a couple counties, not this county,” said Graham. 

Nelson passed the thank you on to township and election officials and judges.

“Because they’re the ones that make this whole thing work so smooth,” he said.

Pavilion

Goodbye Pavilion Event – Saturday, Oct. 11

The Becker County Museum will host the Pavilion Celebration, a once-in-a-lifetime event honoring the 110-year history of the Detroit Lakes Pavilion and looking ahead to the exciting future of a new facility and reimagined park.

The day will be filled with community spirit, history, and entertainment for all ages.

Festivities begin with VFW Bingo at 11 a.m. and conclude with an evening performance by 32 Below. Throughout the day, guests will enjoy:

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. VFW Bingo

2:30 p.m. Welcome from the Mayor and the Color Guard

3 p.m. Polka and Pie with Cathy Erickson and MaryJo

Pie is a freewill donation

3-5p.m. Pavilion History Display

City of Detroit Lakes Pavilion Park update

Family Day Activities

Community Art Project

4 p.m. VFW Taco Bar opens

Lewy Ronken as Buddy Holly

4:45 p.m. The 60’s Duo

6 p.m. Romyn and Rick

7:15 p.m. Dan Brekke

32 Below

Cost is $20 for adults starting at 5 p.m.

This is the final planned public event held in the historic Pavilion, bringing together generations to honor tradition and welcome an exciting future for the community.

The new Detroit Lakes Pavilion is an estimated $17.3 million project to replace the historic 1915 building, which will include the Pavilion, City Park improvements, a bathhouse, playground and splash pad, and is being funded by a local sales tax approved by voters in November 2024.

Trails

Houston Engineering Transportation Planners Sam Trebilcock and Kyle Ten Napel gave the board a review of the Heartland Trail long-term plan and response from public engagement on the next portion to be completed connecting the Dunton Locks bike path to Bucks Mill.

“I feel like this has been a really good project for the area,” said Treblicock. “The engagement has been really good.”

Ten Napel discussed the final two alternatives that were selected, each consisting of a north, middle and southern concept.

The north section leaving Dunton Locks was between U.S. Highway 59 and County Highway 22 with 59 having multiple edges as far as lower cost and easier access. Highway 22 was a longer route and would be more expensive.

Continuing on 59 or utilizing County Highway 17 present somewhat parallel routes to which Ten Napel noted easements and switchbacks to take advantage of right-of-ways could be used between the two as a solid option.

The southern concept has three options to reach Bucks Mill, including the preferred route of South Melissa Drive and Mill Pond Drive. Power Line Trail and continuing on Highway 59 are the other two options.

One more meeting will be held with the steering committee by late September and a finalized report with recommended alternative concepts and cost estimates are expected by Sept. 30.

Violence

Chairman David Meyer called a moment of silence to recognize the assassination of Charlie Kirk during Tuesday’s meeting. Both Commissioners Nelson and Erica Jepson addressed the issue. 

“I think it goes all the way up from top to bottom,” said Nelson. “Leadership has to stop this violence or this antagonistic point of view. I think we mentioned it earlier when we were talking about the assassination of Melissa Hortman and her husband and dog and that person had a long list. This is just not how the United States is. We can disagree; we can argue. Different views, on whatever topic it is, should be accepted and being able to work with those same people. On the next issue, you could agree.”

Jepson brought up Braver Angels, a non-profit organization leading the nation’s largest cross-partisan, volunteer-led movement to bridge the partisan divide and strengthen our democratic republic.

Jepson quoted a portion of the non-profit’s statement on the Kirk incident.

“Together, we can define for this country what courageous citizenship means—modeling a constructive civic response that rebuilds trust and puts us on a path toward solving problems together. Now is the time. Our country depends on it.”