PHOTO: From left, District 3 Commissioner Kurt Mortenson, U.S. Rep. Michelle Fischbach, R-Minn, District 2 Commissioner Wayne Johnson, Otter Tail County Administrator Nicole Hansen, and County Engineer Jodi Teich. (OTC)
Fergus Falls, MN – On Wednesday, U.S. Representative Michelle Fischbach met with Otter Tail County Commissioners Kurt Mortenson and Wayne Johnson and County Highway Engineer Jodi Teich, and Administrator Nicole Hansen at the Government Services Center in Fergus Falls.
They discussed rural transportation infrastructure and emergency medical services. The commissioners thanked Fischbach for supporting the County Highway 128 project and shared concerns about current emergency medical service needs in the county’s rural areas.
Johnson chairs the Association of Minnesota Counties Transportation & Infrastructure Policy Committee. He stressed how much the county’s economy depends on safe roads.
“Our roads are how Otter Tail County gets things done,” Johnson said. “Farmers use them to get crops to market. Businesses use them to move goods. People in rural areas count on them to get to work every day. And our visitors use them to reach our lakes and towns. Good roads are not a luxury here. They hold up our whole economy.”
Fischbach requested $4 million in federal Community Project Funding for the County Highway 128 project in fiscal year 2027. Community Project Funding lets members of Congress request funding for specific projects in their home districts. The project covers County Highway 128 between Trunk Highway 78 and County State Aid Highway 55, just south of the city of Ottertail.
“We appreciate Congresswoman Fischbach’s support of the Highway 128 project and her work to help fund it,” said District 3 Commissioner, Kurt Mortenson. “This funding is critical to getting this project done for the people who drive this road every day.”
Learn more about the project at ottertailcounty.gov/project/ch-128-improvements.
Commissioners also expressed concerns about the stability of emergency medical services in the region. Ringdahl Ambulance’s recent notice to the state that it will not renew its license raises legitimate concerns about the potential loss of ambulance coverage in the Pelican Rapids service area and the impact on timely access to emergency medical care.
“We thank Congresswoman Fischbach for listening to our concerns about emergency medical services,” Commissioner Johnson said. “When someone calls 911, they need to know if an ambulance will show up. Our residents deserve that confidence, no matter where they live in the county.”
Story courtesy of Otter Tail County.
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