The Crookston City Council met in the City Hall Council Chambers on Monday night.
Council received presentations and public information announcements from local organizations in regard to grant requests to be considered to be awarded in 2024 with a total amount of $271,375, which is nearly $150,000 more than what was requested last year. The preliminary budget allocated $125,000 for these grants.
GOLDEN LINK SENIOR CENTER GRANT REQUEST
The Golden Link Senior Center requested the amount of $110,376 for capital improvements to their aging building. Improvements include converting electrical fuses into a breaker panel system and all lighting into LED lighting. “We still have carpeting on the floor in parts of the building,” said the President of Directors for the Golden Link Senior Center Tammy Parkin. “That carpeting is so old that we need to replace that and put something else in, so we can mop and scrub every day.” Parkin added that the ceiling at the facility should be replaced due to insulation on the ceiling, which can cause safety concerns.
BENEDICTINE LIVING COMMUNITY GRANT REQUEST
The Benedictine Living Community requested the amount of $75,000 to help fund the elevator project in the summit building, which has seen costs increase over the last year. The Summit building was built in 1950 and uses the same elevators installed then. The facility also has an assisted elevator between the assisted living portion and the Villa nursing home. “That building was built in the 70s, and it ties those two buildings together,” said Foundation Development Director Cassie Rudie. “This is essential for our residents to get through and from, and parts are obsolete.”
Rudie explained to the board the cost increases when they started the project in 2022. “The electrical portion of the project is more intensive than they thought,” said Rudie. “We tried to fund everything when this project started, but once they started ordering parts, there was another increase when they started.”
DCDP GRANT REQUEST
The Downtown Crookston Development Partnership requested the amount of $40,000 from the city to improve signage and capital assets. “The $40,000 is an addition to the $12,000 in donations we are hoping to get raised throughout the year. $50,000 is our total budget,” said Board member of the DCDP Jeff Evers. “We want to fund the Tuesday Tunes, which provides live bands, and we requested $5,000 for that. Also, the Chalk it Up festival, which is a food festival that’s another $5,000 request.”
Other capital asset items that Evers presented included waste receptacles and to create bench seating downtown.
SCRUFFY TAILS HUMANE SOCIETY GRANT REQUEST
Scruffy Tails Humane Society requested the amount of $20,000 from the city to be allocated toward capital improvements to the impound portion of the building’s basement. “The downstairs needs a lot of renovations because it’s a very old building,” said Scruffy Tails Director Ana Gustafson. “This hasn’t been repaired or remodeled in any way since it was built. Due to the animals we bring in from the city, it is very much needed.”
Gustafson also explained to the board that the Humane Society has housed more animals than last year, and the renovations would create more kennel space.
TRI-VALLEY OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL AND CROOKSTON AQUATIC BOOSTER GRANT REQUESTS
The Tri-Valley Opportunity Council will use the amount of $15,000 to help fund more full-time operating buses. Operating one full-time bus annually costs approximately $74,000—the Minnesota Department of Transportation funds 85% of the bus operations.
Crookston Aquatic Boosters requested $6,000 for Ox Cart days funding. This has been a recurring amount granted to the Crookston Aquatic Boosters yearly.
REGULAR AGENDA
The council approved the resolution regarding the Cash Farm Lease agreement with the Regents of the University of Minnesota. This is farmland the city owns near the airport, which the UMC uses for feedstock and crop production.
The council also approved the resolution amending the 2024-2025 Housing Incentive Program. This was previously passed in the last council meeting, but an adjustment was made for the homeowners who participate in the program. The city has removed the wording regarding abatement to be taken upfront for down payment assistance or over a two-year period of time.
The consent agenda included the approval of minutes from the October 9 council meeting. It also had the approval of bills and disbursements for $495,300.79.
To watch the full meeting, click here.
