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Pelican Rapids council approves EDA slate, $25,000 transfer for facade grants and DNR grant resolution
Summary
Economic development director Jordan Grossman presented EDA updates on Feb. 24; the council approved an officer slate, continued a school banner project, authorized a $25,000 transfer to refill downtown matching grant funds (to reach $50,000) and adopted Resolution 2026-02 supporting a Minnesota DNR outdoor recreation grant application.
Pelican Rapids — The Pelican Rapids City Council on Feb. 24 approved a package of Economic Development Authority (EDA) updates presented by Jordan Grossman, economic development director, including designating Ryan as EDA president, naming Brent as vice president, continuing a school banner project funded through a West Central Initiative grant, transferring funds to support downtown façade matching grants, and adopting a resolution to support a Minnesota DNR outdoor recreation grant application.
Grossman, participating by Zoom, outlined four items for the council. She said the EDA wants to keep "the president of the EDA...Ryan" and name Brent as vice president; she noted a treasurer position will be addressed later. On school banners, Grossman said Kate Martinez (the subgrantee) will work with Brian to ensure banner design and installation proceed on schedule.
On downtown façade grants, Grossman described a planned application to the Ottertale County community growth partnership matching program. "We would like to apply next month to the ... matching grant program. So we have to have $25,000 which will refill the bucket of money that we have available for our one-to-one matching grants for these façade improvements downtown," Grossman said. She explained the EDA expects to match up to $5,000 per business, that about $10,000 remained from 2025 and that transferring $25,000 from 2025 EDA funds into 2026 would bring the total available to $50,000.
Grossman also asked the council to adopt Resolution 2026-02 as part of an application for a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources outdoor recreation grant. The council moved, seconded and approved the EDA updates and the resolution by voice vote.
Why it matters: The transfer would expand funding available to local businesses for façade improvements, potentially supporting multiple downtown projects. The DNR grant application, if successful, could fund outdoor recreation projects in Pelican Rapids; the resolution adopted at the meeting is part of that application.
Next steps: The EDA will proceed with the grant application to Ottertale County and the Minnesota DNR application; the council did not record conditions beyond approving the EDA requests at the meeting.
