PELICAN RAPIDS CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES April 14, 2026

PELICAN RAPIDS CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES  April 14, 2026

Call to Order

Mayor Frazier called the regular City Council meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 in Council Chambers, City Hall.

Roll Call of Members

Clerk-Treasurer Danielle Harthun conducted a roll call verifying the presence of Council Members Steve Strand, Shelley Gummeringer, Curt Markgraf, Don Perrin and Mayor Brent E. Frazier.

Staff present: Administrator Lance Roisum, Clerk-Treasurer Danielle Harthun, Street & Parks Superintendent 

General Attendance: Matt Strand, Chris Thysell, Jeff McCrakken, Matt Hainer, Kennon Moen, Pamela Westby, Peter Lundin, Jordan Grossman via Zoom, Kim Peterson from the Pelican Press

Welcoming Remarks

Mayor Frazier welcomed everyone present and those joining via Zoom. He noted the meeting would be broadcast on the Pelican Rapids YouTube channel and on channel 14 on Wednesday evening. 

Announcements

Mayor Frazier announced upcoming events and meetings.

Pledge of Allegiance

Mayor Frazier led those present in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Citizen's Comments

Three citizens addressed the council during this segment:

Matt Hainer, 18261 470th Street, questioned if the Pelican Rapids City Council collaborates with ICE. Kennon Moen, 24612 Labrador Beach Road, referenced last week's letter on immigrant support and urged the council to embody the pledge of "liberty and justice for all" by signing the letter, signaling support for the community vision. Matt Strand, a downtown property owner, asked about snow removal on Broadway after Mr. Nygaard’s accident.

Additions / Deletions to Agenda

Strand moved to approve the agenda as presented. Markgraf seconded. Motion carried.

Approval of Consent Agenda

Mayor Frazier read the items on the consent agenda for approval.

a) Approval of Council Minutes – March 31, 2026

b) Approval of Accounts Payable Listings

c) Staff Reports including Library, Police and Financial

d) Intent to Certify Taxes

   • Parcel No. R76000990479006, $557.49 for Unpaid Utility Bills

     • Parcel No. R76000990374000, $379.05 for Unpaid Utility Bills

     • Parcel No. R17000990986000, $240.00 for Unpaid Fire Call 

Perrin moved to approve the consent agenda. Gummeringer seconded. Motion carried.

Chapter 7 Parking Revisions

Lance Roisum presented a continuation of previous parking discussions, proposing to add no parking on the east side of Southeast 2½ Street between Trunk Highway 108 East and Southeast First Avenue. He explained this was a narrow street with increased parking due to construction at Pelican Valley, and noted safety concerns with children walking in the area when the pool opens. Brian Olson mentioned that once striped, police would enforce the 30-foot rule from stop signs. Steve Strand expressed reluctance about no parking restrictions, and Curt Markgraf agreed the street was tight with pedestrian safety concerns.

Markgraf moved to approve Chapter 7 parking revision. Gummeringer seconded. Motion carried.

Building Code Enforcement

Roisum highlighted the council's 2018 repeal of Minnesota Building Code Enforcement. Reinstatement cannot be reversed for cities over 2,500 people. Markgraf opposed reinstatement, citing past issues with inspectors imposing personal interpretation of building code. Inspector discretion was a concern. Fraizer saw benefits in protecting buyers, but Markgraf advised home inspections instead. Perrin noted inspectors should spotlight issues during sales. Gummeringer queried liability without enforcement, and Roisum confirmed none. Audience member Kennon Moen pondered problem detection without inspectors. Markgraf noted ongoing state inspection of plumbing and electrical. Jordan Grossman, remotely, clarified that such enforcement is typical, potentially boosting local housing quality and marketability to support expansion goals. She advocated for researching everything before deciding to reinstate Building Code enforcement.

Markgraf moved to continue without building inspection. Strand seconded. Opposed Fraizer. Motion passed.

MnDOT Resolution 2026-07

Motion to adopt RESOLUTION 2026-07 FOR SP 5617-31 (PELICAN RAPIDS) by Strand, seconded by Perrin. (A complete text of this resolution is part of permanent public record in the City Clerk’s office.) Motion passed and resolution declared duly adopted.

Streets and Parks Report

Superintendent Olson reported on recent snow plowing operations, preparation of summer maintenance equipment, and the start of the semiannual curb-to-curb sweeping. He announced spring hydrant flushing scheduled for May 3 from 7 am to 3 pm, noting improved water quality since fixes at the water plant. They are doing some bathhouse maintenance before the campground opens. Olson mentioned a possible collaboration with the school for students to help with park cleanup.

Strand moved to approve the streets and parks report. Markgraf seconded. Motion carried.

Swimming Lesson Rate Discussion

Brian Olson recommended increasing swimming lesson rates from $25 to $40, citing the water safety instructor's (WSI) suggestion and comparison with area towns. He provided rates for surrounding communities: which spanned from $40 to $800. He noted scholarship funds were available for those needing assistance. The lessons consist of half-hour sessions for two-week periods (8 days total), Monday through Thursday, with Fridays for makeup due to weather.

Summer Staff Hires

Brian asked Council to hire Sarah Lindberg as a WSI at a rate of $24.00 per hour and returning lifeguards Zoelle Jacobson, Addison Tweeton, Cory Opahl, Grace Backstrom, Kalyn Erickson, and Easton Munick. New lifeguard hires include Morgan Korf, Jack Welch, Malia Tweeton, Vanessa Sullivan, Benjamin Metzger, and Parker Lipp, all of whom will be paid $17.85 per hour. New hires were contingent on passing lifeguard training, which the city pays for. He indicated they were still seeking 3-4 additional lifeguards to maintain adequate staffing.

He would also like to hire Logan Olson and Carter Johnson for summer park staff at $17.85

Strand moved to approve summer staff hires and increase swimming lesson rate to $40. Markgraf seconded. Motion carried.

Brian Olson also addressed exterior lighting needs for city buildings, reporting that LED lights installed in 2016-17 were failing. The library had 3 of 6 lights working, public works building had 3 of 7 working, and the fire hall had only 2 of 14 lights functioning. An electrician confirmed the LED lights were beyond repair, with replacement costs totaling $7,011.90 for all three buildings. He noted that LED replacements don't qualify for utility rebates and acknowledged ongoing issues with LED reliability.

Markgraf moved to replace the lights. Gummeringer seconded. Motion carried.

Houston Engineering Invoice

Lance Roisum explained the invoice related to follow-up engineering work on the Pelican River Stream Improvements for $1,984.25, which would be submitted for DNR reimbursement.

Perrin moved to approve the Houston Engineering invoice. Strand seconded. Motion carried.

Administrator Report

Administrator Roisum reported that since the last city council meeting he had attended an Ordinance Committee meeting, Library Board meeting, and a Department Head meeting. He had worked with Aaron Meyer of Minnesota Rural Water and reviewed Part 1 of the Wellhead Protection Plan, sending the approval letter to MDH. He worked on the new Special Vehicle Ordinance, Special Event Ordinance, and Chapter 7 of the City Ordinance. He and PeopleService met with SEH to discuss hatch placement for the digesters at the WWTP and worked with PeopleService on issues with the lift station upgrade. Additionally, he worked with the Library Director and met with Library employees to address Library issues. He worked with MnDOT Aeronautics, submitting reimbursement requests for the Airport A/D building upgrades project and the fuel system upgrade project.

Mayor's Report

Mayor Frazier reported that since the last City Council Meeting, he submitted weekly columns to the Pelican Press, visited with area businesses and non-profits, attended the Local Board of Appeal & Equalization Meeting on April 9 at City Hall, met on April 13th with Administrator Roisum to plan the agenda for the Council Meeting, and attended the Otter Tail County Commissioners Open House on April 13 at the Pelican Rapids Library.

Adjourn

Perrin moved to adjourn the meeting at 6:45 p.m. Strand seconded. Motion carried.

The meeting was adjourned.

Danielle Harthun, 

Clerk-Treasurer

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