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Otter Tail County approves $5 electrical stipend for in‑house master electrician, accepts grant and approves routine appointments
Summary
At its Jan. 6 meeting the Otter Tail County Board approved a Teamsters MOU to pay a $5‑per‑hour stipend to a maintenance employee with a master electrician license, authorized signatures on a 2024 emergency management grant, and approved a slate of routine actions including board reappointments and an auditor‑treasurer appointment.
The Otter Tail County Board on Jan. 6 voted to authorize a memorandum of understanding with the Teamsters facilities maintenance unit to pay a $5‑an‑hour stipend to a maintenance worker‑2 employee who holds a master electrician license and performs electrical work the county would otherwise contract out.
“As outlined in the MOU, the $5 an hour stipend will be provided for work that would typically need to be contracted out,” said Stephanie Retzlaff, the county’s human‑resources director, who presented the memorandum. The board approved the agreement by voice vote after a motion and second.
The board also authorized signatures on a 2024 Emergency Management Performance Grant from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, which Emergency Management staff said will reimburse certain calendar‑year‑2024 expenditures. “This will reimburse us for certain expenditures and projects that we did in the emergency management program during calendar year 2024,” Patrick, an emergency‑management representative, told the board. Staff noted the grant amount has declined in recent years compared with prior levels (historically about $38,000).
Administrative items approved during the meeting included reappointments to the Community Extension Committee (Tammy Nordick and James Minton), the reappointment of two members to the Otter Tail County Community Development Agency board, and routine annual resolutions designating county depositories, delegating investment authority, and allowing specified staff to make electronic funds transfers.
The board appointed Liz Mickelson to serve as the county auditor‑treasurer, effective immediately; Mickelson took the public oath in the meeting. County administrator Nicole Hansen said the change follows the March 2025 retirement of the previous auditor‑treasurer and a recent internal reorganization.
The board also voted on two property‑tax‑penalty abatement requests. Staff recommended abating a $61.41 penalty for a homeowner at 1214 Foothill Court after a review of payment history and personal circumstances; the board approved that abatement. A second abatement request for $41.44 (listed for Lavonne Matson, County Highway 53) was tabled so staff could obtain dates and supporting documentation before the board takes final action.
The meeting closed its public business by scheduling an upcoming closed session for potential litigation matters under Minnesota Statute 13D.05, subdivision 3(b).
