By Robert Williams

Editor

Requests for proposals for the Maple Avenue apartments in Frazee are out with a planned bid opening of Friday, March 6, according to Board Chair Erica Jepson at the latest meeting of the Becker County Board of Commissioners Tuesday, Feb. 3.

A contractor for the Maple Avenue Apartments improvement project in Frazee was approved in 2025, but a portion of the project was “forgotten in the estimate,” according to Jepson and Economic Development Specialist Cody Piper in a September project update last year.

“The whole project was within their estimate but not in the dollar amount,” said Jepson. “They estimated they were $60-$70,000 short.”

The approved contractor then withdrew their bid. The other contractors who sent in bids on the county’s requests for proposals had already been notified they were not awarded the bid. Hence, the county was back at square one and had to do this reissue of the RFP for new estimates.

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

The original bid approval occurred in mid-August and hopes were to complete the work before the end of 2025.

“It’s really sad about those bids on Maple Avenue because we’ve been trying for so long,” said Commissioner Richard Vareberg last September. “That’s very disappointing.”

“And it’s so needed,” said Jepson.

Maple Avenue Apartments have a dozen units that are income restricted. The housing project is county-owned and managed by Midwest Minnesota Community Development Corporation (MMCDC). The County EDA first approved roof and siding improvements for the complex in 2023. The roof work was first scheduled for the fall of 2023, while the siding work was initially scheduled for spring 2024. 

Eagle Lake

Commissioner Phil Hansen reported that he has connected representatives from the Eagle Lake Association, current owners of Eagle Lake Park, with Dave Schotzko, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Parks and Trails Area 1A Supervisor based in Bemidji for further discussions.

Leaders of the association have previously stated their interest in turning the area over to the DNR or the county.

County Administrator Carrie Smith reported she held conversations with the DNR regarding the property.

“One of their questions is: there is that park there,” said Smith. “The DNR isn’t in the business of managing parks. The conversation then went (to) a partnership, similar to Becker County looking at managing specifically the park piece of that and probably other additional things.”

Appointments

The Becker County lay member’s three-year term on the Lakeland Mental Health Center (LMHC) Board, is ending at the LMHC annual meeting on Monday, Feb. 2. Peter Jacobson is currently in this position and is eligible for reappointment.

The Becker County Board of Commissioners reappointed Jacobson, who will serve another three-year term.

Dental

The Apple Tree Dental outreach site in Detroit Lakes handled 1,653 appointments in 2025, according to a report by Jepson. The site provides care two times per week and via mobile programs through Head Start. A dental resident student will be available from March 16 to April 16 to help expand services. Federal and state grants are being used to run the Detroit Lakes site and expand the Hawley location.

Joint Powers

A resolution was passed approving a State of Minnesota joint powers agreement with Becker County, on behalf of its County Attorney and Sheriff, and the State of Minnesota, Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to use systems and tools available over the State’s criminal justice data communications network for which the county is eligible. 

The Joint Powers Agreements further provide the County with the ability to add, modify and delete connectivity, systems and tools over the five-year life of the agreement and obligates the county to pay the costs for the network connection.

Watershed

The board passed a resolution to amend the implementation agreement to include the White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, White Earth Nation to the Crow Wing River Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan (CWMP).

Becker County agreed to join the other Local Government Units LGUs in implementing the Crow Wing River CWMP on December 17, 2024, and at that time the White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, White Earth Nation (WEN) was undecided in its position of joining the other LGUs in adopting and implementing the Crow Wing River CWMP. WEN has now requested to join the other LGUs in adopting and implementing the Crow Wing River CWMP.