Crookston City Council immediately followed up its Special Meeting Monday evening with a Budget Workshop. Many departments were covered in Monday’s workshop. City Administrator Jeff Shoobridge reminded the Council and all attending in person or online that these workshops have no finality attached to them. “This is a preliminary budget; we are not setting anything in stone at this point,” said Shoobridge. “The state dictates that we must by September 30 issue a “not to exceed” levy rate.” After that point, the Council will start to cut where they can to get the budget numbers down where possible and appropriate.
Among the departments covered were Finance, Building Official, Legal, City Hall, Parks and Recreation, Airport, and Police. The most notable departments that sparked discussion were City Hall, Police, and Parks and Recreation.
The City Administrator is asking for $75,000 to upgrade security at City Hall. The Police Department is asking for funds to buy classroom and break room chairs, which they have removed from the budget plan in previous years, to cut back on the budget. The Police Department is also set to increase its monthly fee to Scruffy Tails Humane Society. They need to replace a retaining wall behind the Police Department, add a vehicle to its fleet, and purchase new interviewing/recording equipment.
Parks and Recreation was a hot topic, largely impart to Crookston’s Public Swimming pool. The pool is closed at this time, as it has been off and on in previous years due to repairs. The age, upkeep, attendance, and more were discussed by Council, citizens, and Parks and Recreation Director Jake Solberg. “A big topic item was the pool. We’ve had another issue at the building; our fire system went out,” said Solberg. “I’ve been in contact with our fire system company out of Fargo; I’m waiting to hear back from them on a quote.”
Support for the pool was apparent as Crookston citizens showed up to listen and get a chance to state their hopes for the pool. Solberg says the condition of the pool itself is not the issue. “The pool has been running well, it truly has, and I think our numbers are up a little bit as we have been open a little more consistently.”
The future of the pool is at stake, and the Council did talk about this in depth and will continue to. “It’s a tough thing,” says Solberg. “Our revenues do not even come close to our expenditures, we’re roughly $300,000.00 in expense for that building with all your utilities, chemicals, staffing and being open all year round, it’s something to defiantly look at but for now the Council has instructed to keep as is.”
Solberg is waiting for a quote on the fire system fix, and if it can be afforded, that will be the next decision. “The future could look brighter, whether that’s closing the pool and looking at something new for the community or keeping the pool open.”
The City Council will hold its regular meeting on Monday, September 23, at 5:30 p.m.; immediately following will be a Budget Workshop.
