Lake Bronson approves 20-year Otter Tail franchise agreement

By Anna Jauhola
The Lake Bronson City Council approved a renewed franchise contract with Otter Tail Power Co. during its regular meeting on Wednesday, March 25.
Carl Hunt, operations manager with Otter Tail Power Co. in Crookston, Minn., addressed the council. The franchise agreement is a 20-year contract, he said, adding there are a couple of updates to the contract and a change for the power station location.
“Section 10 states that the city could impose a franchise fee for occupying municipal right-of-way, serving as a pass-through assessment or tax on utility customers,” Hunt said. “The franchise fee would be executed and imposed by a separate ordinance adopted by you guys at city council.”
The city could use the fee to fund projects like street lighting or a community pool. The fee could be imposed at any time over the 20-year contract.
Hunt also said Section 6 of the agreement states Otter Tail will “hold the city harmless from and in all liability on an account of injury to persons or damaged property” relating to the agreement when it’s located on public ways and grounds. Otter Tail would also defend the city if a lawsuit should ever arise.
As for the power station on the north end of town, right along Highway 59, Hunt said Otter Tail is in the process of moving that. It will instead be across the tracks to the north on County Road 15, on the west side of the road.
“That’ll be done this summer,” he said. “I guess it’s bad concrete pushing the station. Also, we’ve noticed some poles that need to be fixed in town, so we are going to address that this year.”

To read the whole story, see the April 1, 2026, edition of the Kittson County Enterprise