The Crookston City Council met Monday night at City Hall in the Council Chambers.
There was one presentation for the evening from Rani A. Bhattacharyya, Community Economics Extension Educator for the University of Minnesota Crookston. The Crookston Economic Development Authority asked Bhattacharyya to conduct studies that concluded with reports on Retail Trade Analysis and a Local Option Sales Tax for the City of Crookston. The Crookston EDA paid for the studies, which will be used to market and bring new business facilities to Crookston.
Some of the takeaways from the Retail Trade Analysis Report were that Crookston is underperforming in expected sales, and that Polk County has seen a decline in the number of businesses since 2011, from 616 to 573. Some takeaways from the Local Options Sales Tax Report were that 39.6% of sales in Crookston are derived from non-resident spending and what it would look like if a .50% sales tax was implemented and a 1.0% sales tax. Bhattacharyya’s reports also showed that Eating & Drinking stores are the most significant contributor to taxable sales in Crookston; however, between 2021 and 2022, there was a -9.3 % decrease in those sales. Overall, the studies can be useful for identifying opportunities to provide new or expanded goods and services in Crookston.
The consent agenda for Monday’s Council meeting included approval of minutes from the City Council meeting on January 21 and the Roles and Responsibilities workshop on January 27, 2025. Also on the consent agenda were resolutions to approve City of Crookston Bills and Disbursements for $302,513.99, approve the Confidence Learning Center application for Lawful Gambling Premise at the Crookston Eagles, the approval of the City Council Committee Composition for 2025 (updated) and approval to apply for a MN Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Federal Recreational Trail Grant Program to match the Active Transportation Infrastructure Grant. Funds from this grant would cover some of the expenses of the Fairfax Trail Extension Project. The application is due February 28, 2025. The consent agenda was approved unanimously by the council.
The first item on the regular agenda was a resolution regarding a conditional use permit concerning parcel 82.03775.01, real property address 410 Ingersoll Avenue, to allow a daycare/licensed childcare facility. Emily Ricard has a lease agreement with the property owner and wants to run her daycare out of the property at 410 Ingersoll Avenue, so she has more space and the possibility of adding additional children to her daycare program. The property is in a Heavy Industrial zone, so per recommendation from the Crookston Planning Commission, Ricard was asking that she be allowed a conditional use permit to run her daycare from the property. “The conditional use for that daycare, for Emily Ricard passed,” said Crookston Building Official Greg Hefta. “There were no questions as far as the Council, but I think that the Planning Commission reviewed the requirements for that daycare, and they felt it was a good use of the building and fully met the zoning requirements per Planning Commission recommendations, so it was good to go.” The City Council approved the conditional use permit unanimously.
The second item on Monday evening’s regular agenda was a closed session to discuss the City Administrator’s Performance. The meeting re-opened for Council Reports. Council member Clayton Briggs and Mayor Stainbrook thanked Chuck and the City Crew for a job well done cleaning up snow last week. With no other reports, Mayor Stainbrook adjourned the meeting.
