By Robert Williams

Editor

Council member Mark Kemper spiced up a somewhat uneventful Aug. 26 meeting of the Frazee City Council Wednesday by making an official announcement that the pickleball courts are completed and ready for play.

Committee members encourage players to check out the new courts and play while the finishing touches are still in the works. A ribbon cutting is planned for October to allow for a board recognizing donors, other signage, benches and wind tarps to be installed.

Kemper is a member of the Pickleball Committee, along with fundraising leaders Shelly Blauert and Madison Olson, who broke ground on the project back in late April. At the groundbreaking, major donors were recognized, including Arvig, Midco, Tom Barry, Sue Lysaker, the City of Frazee and the Frazee-Vergas School District.

Along with raising the funds, committee members are excited at the speed of construction and the project, as a whole, being way ahead of schedule.

“Yesterday, we had a group message between a few of our board members and they just sent a screenshot from last year when this was just a dream,” said Olson. “We’re so excited and we really can believe how quickly it came together. In just about a year, we’ve just about got them constructed. We’re over the moon!”

According to Olson the capital campaign is currently $30,000 shy of the three-year goal of $282,000.

“We are not quite there yet,” Olson said. “We still don’t have the benches, wind tarps and the donor boards, so we still need to get funding for all of those after the $282,000,” she said.

Donations can be sent through frazeecommunityclub.com and pledges can also be made for those who cannot commit to a large donation all at once. A pledge can be made for any amount and paid over the next two years.

Follow Frazee Pickleball on Facebook and Instagram for more information.

Court construction was completed by ICS, a facility planning, design, and construction services firm that has partnered with the school district on past projects.

The parking lot had been completed at the site by the time of the groundbreaking ceremony. The lot was funded and created to serve both the junior varsity baseball field and the pickleball courts to save costs. According to Superintendent Terry Karger, the lot was proposed under a five to eight-year abatement bond of approximately $365,000 to create the courts and the parking lot. Initial cost analysis on the parking lot was $250,000.

The pickleball courts have added another important amenity to Frazee and the North River Drive area, joining Wannigan Regional Park, the new and updated school ballparks and the new track and football field. All helped secure $1,850,000 in state bonding funds for the North River Drive project in May when the legislature passed the state infrastructure bonding bill.

The paving of North River Drive will provide access to Wannigan Park, along with water and sewer infrastructure upgrades.

Prior to that, the land around the fields and pickleball will become actual city property. The city council passed a resolution to hold a public meeting on an annexation petition that includes the pickleball courts Wednesday, Sept. 23, at 5:30 p.m.

Burlington Township was previously notified of the coming changes. The land area is behind the elementary school and includes the varsity fields up to the junior varsity baseball field and the pickleball courts, according to Burlington Township Supervisor Tyler Trieglaff.

Annexation will also allow the city to annex city-owned property that lies outside of the school’s, according to City Administrator Stephanie Poegel.

Abatement

The city will begin abatement proceedings with the legal department on a Cherry Avenue residence. The property at 703 Cherry Avenue is past a 30-day nuisance notice and the owner has not responded to the city. According to Police Chief Tyler Trieglaff, the property has gotten worse in that 30-day window.

Donations

Height of Land Township donated $2,000 to the Frazee Rescue Department.

Electricity

Council Member Andrea Froeber cited a recent flyer from Otter Tail Power Company announcing a $15 residential bill increase per month.

FCDC

Mayor Mike Sharp reported on a personnel committee meeting discussion regarding the contract between the City and Frazee Community Development Corporation (FCDC) regarding work done for Wannigan Regional Park.

The committee wanted the council to discuss the amount of time admin staff are spending related to the park and its activities.

“Certainly, Wannigan Park is a priority, but there are a lot of expectations of staff and a limited amount of time,” Sharp said. “As a council, do we want to expect some sort of expectation on how much time should be allocated toward Wannigan Park.”

Currently, the city does bill any time spent on the park to FCDC. Sharp noted that as a secondary concern compared to the amount of time in a work week being used.

Council agreed to try to limit the amount to 10 percent of admin time, while being flexible when necessary over the next six months and reassess at the end of the year city admin review and/or at the six-month mark.

Sharp asked if the city wants to continue being reimbursed for admin time from FCDC.

“Recognizing that FCDC is out there working hard to fundraise for the development of the park and the park is already having good implications for our city but it’s only going to increase,” Sharp said. “It’s going to be an amenity, an asset for our community.”

Council elected to get more feedback from FCDC on the issue before moving ahead with any decision. 

IT

Council approved renewing an annual contract with Lakes Country Service Cooperative for IT services. Cost is $10,763.88 annually paid in 12 equal installments.

Retirement

Mayor Mike Sharp commended Paul Thon for his years of service and efforts in the community. Thon announced his retirement from the Frazee Fire Department on Wednesday, Aug. 19.

“I enjoyed serving the community and working with my fellow firefighters who have always supported me,” Thon said in his resignation letter. “We are fortunate to have a department with such a distinguished rating. Over the years, we were able to obtain quality equipment and I was able to work with a great group of firefighters.”

Thon served two decades with the department and was the Fire Chief from 2007-2014.