Fergus Falls committee approves police fiscal-hosting for TZD grant, WorkSteps contract and ICAC joint powers recommitment

Mayor Kelso opened the meeting’s first agenda item regarding police grants and contracts; staff asked the Committee of the Whole to recommend that the full council authorize the Fergus Falls Police Department to serve as fiscal host for a Toward Zero Deaths traffic enforcement grant and to approve related contracts and a joint powers agreement with the Minnesota ICAC Task Force.

Lieutenant Weston Miller described the grant mechanics and what the department would request in the formula, noting the funds would support overtime traffic enforcement focused on DWI, speed and distracted driving. “So we're just asking, to seek approval, to be the fiscal host for that grant,” Miller told the committee, adding the initial request in staff calculations was roughly $60,000 and that he expected the realistic request will be closer to $40,000.

The council also approved a contract with WorkSteps, a vendor that administers pre-employment physical agility tests at a regional testing site in Alexandria; staff said the per-test charge is about $185 and there is no recurring subscription fee. Supporters said a third-party testing vendor can strengthen the department’s equal-opportunity and ADA-compliance documentation for hiring decisions. “That way if something does go awry in the hiring process, at least we have a third party that's providing us documentation,” Miller said.

A police representative identified as Andy spoke in favor of recommitting to the joint powers agreement with the Minnesota ICAC Task Force, describing the agreement’s role in investigations, training, resource-sharing and reimbursement for investigative equipment. The committee approved the items and moved them to the consent agenda; all three items were adopted by voice vote without recorded roll-call tallies.

What’s next: These items will appear on the council consent agenda for final action and implementation steps by police staff if approved at the council meeting.