Otter Tail County Commissioners Host Pelican Rapids Open House April 13

A 5.79% property tax levy approved by the Otter Tail County Board last December will be among the live topics when the five-member board and county department staff hold a two-hour open house at the Pelican Rapids Public Library the evening of April 13, giving residents a rare chance to put pointed questions directly to the people who set those numbers.

The event runs from 7 to 9 p.m. at 25 W. Mill Ave. and is designed to be informal: short presentations by county staff, followed by open floor time for one-on-one conversation with commissioners and department heads. Light refreshments will be provided. The county's announcement invites residents to "pull up a chair" and get honest answers.

The levy is where many residents will want to start. The county's approved 2026 budget totals $127.05 million, with the gross debt levy climbing from roughly $56.07 million to about $59 million, a 5.24% rise in the debt portion alone. It follows a 5.55% levy increase in 2025. Residents who saw their spring tax statements climb can ask assessor staff how their specific parcel value was calculated and what a formal appeal involves.

Road maintenance is the second pressure point. The county's 2026 construction season includes two bridge replacements: one on County Highway 143 over Leaf River southwest of Bluffton, and one on County State Aid Highway 76 over Bluff Creek, which closed in 2025. A grade raise is planned on CSAH 6 over Nelson Lake to address flooding that routinely overbothers that stretch during heavy rainfall. Federal safety funding is also paying for shoulder reconstruction, rumble strips, and edge-line repainting on additional county routes. Highway department staff at the open house can provide residents with specific timelines for their section of road.

Human services round out the tier of decisions most likely to affect daily life. The county's Department of Human Services coordinates mental health case management and crisis response for residents of all ages, with mobile mental health services reachable at 1-800-223-4512. The open house is a practical moment to ask commissioners and staff directly about current capacity, wait times, and how those programs will be funded through the next budget cycle.

Chair Wayne D. Johnson (District 2), Vice Chair Bob Lahman (District 4), and commissioners Dan Bucholz (District 1), Kurt Mortenson (District 3), and Sean Sullivan (District 5) are expected in the room alongside staff from the highway, public health, planning, and land records departments.

Issues raised at open houses do not substitute for items that must move through formal board processes, but they frequently shape what staff prioritizes and what lands on future meeting agendas. Residents who arrive with a specific parcel number, county road designation, or service name give commissioners and staff the grounding they need to commit to a follow-up timeline rather than offer a general response.

The April 13 open house is free and open to all Otter Tail County residents.