The Crookston City Council met on Monday to discuss approving an impound shelter services agreement with Scruffy Tails and the departure of a city employee.
DEVIER RESIGNATION
Interim City Administrator Darin Selzler informed the council that Marketing Coordinator Keenan Devier has resigned, effective Friday, October 2, to move on to a new adventure. Devier has served as the city’s marketing coordinator since April 2024, and Selzler thanked him for everything he has done for the city and for helping make a huge impact on its marketing. “I think he just did a really good job marketing the city, promoting the events that we had throughout the years,” said Selzler. “He helped bring some more awareness to the city through newsletters and again, just promoting to a higher level the things that we had going on, so he did a great job. We appreciate it. He’ll be missed, and we wish him the best in the next venture of his life.”
Following Devier’s departure, Selzler will meet with city staff to decide on the next steps for the marketing coordinator position. “We’re gonna have to just reevaluate that, see what we want to do, and come back to that and make a decision.”
SCRUFFY TAILS AGREEMENT
The main agenda item was a resolution approving the 2026 agreement for impound shelter services between the City of Crookston and the Humane Society of Polk County, Inc., also known as Scruffy Tails Humane Society. The agreement will maintain the existing financial terms of the prior agreement and includes an additional provision regarding feral cats that was not contained in the previous agreement. The provision states that if a spayed or neutered feral cat is impounded, the humane society staff or board members may release the animal in a safe and humane manner. The agreement further provides that if a feral cat requires spaying or neutering, the city will incur no cost for the procedure.
Councilmember Joseph Shostell questioned some of the wording in the agreement, including a section on the care of animals in the impound kennels. “I just noticed that there were some words in there that I would change,” said Shostell. “For example, it says provide care, food, and shelter for animals in custody within the impound kennels. I would just add a few words such as provide appropriate care as recommended. So little things like that, not enough to diminish what they do, but just I think clear language is important, especially going into the future.”
Shostell was the sole no vote, with council members Clayton Briggs, Wendy Ault, Don Cavalier, Derek Brekken, Dylane Klatt, and Morgan Hibma voting yes, and Henry Fischer was absent. Selzler was glad that no major changes were needed to the agreement, as the city and Scruffy Tails have had a long partnership regarding impounded animals. “We’ve had an agreement with them forever. They’ve been a great partner to work with,” Selzler explained. “Again, this was just adding one addendum to that, including allowing them to spay or neuter cats with no charge of the city, and then responsibly releasing those. So we just updated the contract to that language and continue to look forward to working with them.”
CONSENT AGENDA
The council voted unanimously to approve the consent agenda. Items on the consent agenda include the approval of proposed minutes from the September 21 council meeting and the September 28 special council meeting, approval of city bills and disbursements in the amount of $644,522.02, a resolution regarding a special event permit for the UMC Homecoming celebrations, and a resolution authorizing the execution of the 2027 Office of Traffic Safety Grant agreement.
The next Crookston City Council meeting will be held on Monday, October 19, at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall.
