Otter Tail/Autotel Power presents final street‑lighting phases for Fergus Falls; city to consider contract

Representatives from Otter Tail/Autotel Power briefed the Committee of the Whole on Oct. 29 about the proposed final municipal lighting conversion for the Washington Corridor and a new lighting plan for the DeLagoon campground area.

The company representative characterized the work as the last municipal replacement phase and described a tariff model in which the utility installs, owns and operates the fixtures and bills the city a flat monthly tariff rather than requiring an upfront capital outlay. For the Washington Corridor phase the proposal calls for 44 lights (28 aluminum‑alloy poles and 16 decorative poles) and an estimated additional annual tariff of about $26,000 for that final phase; the DeLagoon proposal would add 27 wood‑pole LED fixtures with an estimated $13,000 annual cost. The representative said there is no upfront cost to the city under the proposed tariff and that the contract is an MPUC‑approved standard agreement.

Council members raised concerns about fixture glare and visual harshness on some installations (notably near Lake Alice) and asked whether lenses or diffusers could soften LED glare; the presenter explained that modern LED cobra‑head fixtures are intentionally directional to limit light pollution and that shielding and head-angle adjustments can mitigate unwanted backlight. City staff noted the decorative poles in select downtown and park areas will remain city‑owned while the utility would take ownership of the majority of fixtures under the tariff agreement.

Staff said the project will be taken to the tax‑levy committee for budget consideration and could return to the council (tentatively Nov. 17) for action; the presenter said lead times on decorative and aluminum fixtures are long and ordering early helps meet construction timelines for 2026–2027 work.

The presentation was informational; council did not take a final vote on the contracts at the committee meeting.