Perham Council Accepts More Than Two and a Half Million in Donations

The Perham City Council has approved resolutions accepting more than 2.55 million in donations at a council meeting this week. The largest gift came from Ken and Kim Nelson of KLN Family Brands, who pledged 2.5 million to the Perham Lakeside Golf Club. The resolution designates funds for several projects at the city owned course, including a new cart shed not to exceed 425,000, a new maintenance building not to exceed 1.1 million, and other improvements agreed upon by the city and the private manager PBC LLC. The resolution also stipulates that Foltz Construction of Perham will build the two new buildings.

Smaller donations approved at the same meeting include 516 to the Perham Auditorium, provided by West Central Initiative on behalf of the Friends of the Perham Auditorium to purchase wheels for a piano and to buy garbage bags. The council also accepted 497 from the Perham Area Community Pickleball Fund for the courts on the north side of town, although the resolution did not specify an intended use. The Nelsons also donated 50,000 to the Perham Fire Department, with no spending restrictions stated in the resolution.

Council members approved a request from the fire department to purchase mapping software at a one time expense of about 4,000. City leaders say the mapping software will provide updated access information and allow crews to pinpoint where a fire alarm was triggered in a business or manufacturing plant, which could speed response and improve safety for local employers and residents.

On municipal services, the council approved a new recycling contract with Steve's Sanitation with a base price unchanged from the current agreement. Otter Tail County is rolling out a single sort recycling program, and as more sections of the county are included the city may end its existing recycling service contract. The council agreed to skip its Committee of the Whole meeting in December. The next regular council meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 12, at 5:15 p.m. at Perham City Hall.

The scale and stipulations of these donations will shape capital work at a city owned recreational asset, provide modest direct support for arts and emergency services, and may influence local contracting and construction activity as projects move from planning to execution.