The Crookston City Council on Monday night passed a resolution approving $176,043.45 in CARES Act Small Business Grants to 19 Crookston businesses and organizations. In total, $723,339.47 was given out in grants with $500,000 from the City of Crookston’s CARES Act funds and an additional $250,000 from Polk County’s CARES Act allotment.
Councilman Steve Erickson said he’s heard from a few businesses and hopes all the businesses and organizations receiving funds can continue to operate in Crookston. “I think the committee did a great job with it and I’ve had a couple of businesses call to say this is going to help a lot with different things,” said Erickson. “It was a great thing for the City of Crookston, and I hope that everybody who got checks from it can use them wisely and keep rolling in Crookston.”
Councilman Tom Vedbraaten also said it was important to help Crookston’s businesses. “That was a great deal,” said Vedbraaten. “I’m glad we could do it, help the businesses out as much as we could. Some probably asked for more than they got but we did the best we could to hand it out.”
The Council also passed the consent agenda which included approving a conditional use permit for the operation of a child care on the former site of the Crookston School District’s alternative learning center at 202 4th Street East. Vedbraaten said it’s important the city does everything possible to help with the creation of new child care opportunities. “It seems like some of the family day cares have been closing,” said Vedbraaten. “You know, they get older too and want to quit and do other things. You hope somebody else we’ll pick it up and here is an opportunity to do that. Whatever we can do to make it work.”
