The Crookston City Council met on Monday evening, starting with a special meeting to appoint Wendy Ault to fill the vacant Ward 5 City Council seat. 
Ault took the oath of office as the first item at the regular City Council meeting.
AMENDED ALCOHOL ORDINANCE APPROVED
With a full council, the council approved the second and final reading of amending the Alcohol Ordinance. The first change to the ordinance was to change the 10-day notice prior to the occurrence to an event for raffles, silent auctions, and fundraising and to notify as soon as reasonably possible prior to the event.
They added a license for 3.2 malt liquor off-sale because Wal-Mart is currently selling it.
They added to the issuance of licenses that 3.2 off-sale is not subject to the restriction that an off-sale license holder must also hold an on-sale license.
RED RIVER VALLEY SHOWS GROUNDS REDEVELOPMENT GRANT
The council approved submitting a preliminary grant application to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development for support of the Red River Valley Shows Grounds Redevelopment grant. “I have been working off and on with the Red River Valley Winter Shows board, and they want to continue their mission, but the building isn’t really working for them, so I went through the history of the building, and it looks like since 2008 different people have tried to find ways to make it work, but because of the asbestos it is too cost prohibitive and now the building is starting to decline, and the back barn is falling down,” said Crookston Economic Director Kari Kirschbaum. “We had an entity come to us and say they are interested in that property. We have had a couple of different ones in my two years of being here saying they would like to go there, but the cost has been crazy.”
Kirschbaum said she started working with DEED to see if they could come up with some money to develop the property and it looks like there is a pathway to funding for that type of project. “There is another entity looking at it, and we started to coordinate, and they got excited about it and went to their board and would like to pursue it. I have made a commitment to move forward with that, so I am finishing up the grant and will put the package together,” said Kirschbaum.
The package would be $3.3 million with 50 percent from DEED and 50 percent from the City of Crookston and the entity that is purchasing. “I believe the facility would look beautiful there, and they would only take a portion of it, and we will have other acreage to develop back there, roads put in, water, sewer, some storm and also the two lots behind McDonald’s are included in the project and also the driving range is part of the project,” said Kirschbaum. “I think people should be optimistic, not just about that property but with other things happening too.”
HVAC SYSTEM PURCHASE FOR THE VALLEY TECH PARK
The council approved the purchase of a heating and cooling system for the Valley Technology Park. Two bids were received, and Adams Heating and Cooling was the lowest bidder at $28,771.40.
ELECTION JUDGES APPROVED
The election judges approved are – Kathy Altringer, Beth Benoit, Paulette Melbye, Marlys Mjoen, Ray Dusek, Joel Kulenkamp, Kari Kujava, Judy Meyer, Darcy Pester, Carol Weber, Bob Altringer, Jacalyn Coauette, Rebecca Rude, Laureen Anderson, Lavonne Froemke, Mark Ecklund, Debbie Domier, Dennis Jacobs, Earl Hill, Chris Reynolds, Karen Hanson, Charles Reynolds, Paige Abrahamson, Pamela Stainbrook, Nancy Bruggeman, Geri Ovsak, Juli Tubby, Laurie Coauette, Teri Brault, Tom Skjei, Holly Eckstein, and Ashley Rystad.
FEE SCHEDULE UPDATE FOR 2024
The Council unanimously approved the updated fee schedule for 2024 with several changes to account for the cost of certain inspections at homes, apartments, the campground.
The City has an adopted fee schedule with respect to administrative charges, permit fees, rental registration fees, license fees, franchise fees, rental fees, and ordinance violation fees.
Changes to the fees include the fire department –
Engine Type 1 (4 crew members) – $300
Water Tender Type 3 (2 crew members) $150
Junk Compliance Fee – $40 (verified), $100 failure to meet the deadline of a corrective plan
Rental License Fee – $50 per unit per address, 18-30 units $850, 31-50 units $1,000, 51 and over units $1,500.
Campground Campsites 1-9 and 15-19 are $35 per day
Campground Campsites 10-14 are $40 per day
Campground Tents are $20 per day.
The updated fee schedule is available by CLICKING HERE.
MISCELLANEOUS
The council approved Otter Tail Power Company’s request for a variance on their 1590 Carroll Street property to install a solar panel array.
They also approved a Tobacco store conditional use permit at 1504 University Avenue. Morgan Hibma was the only no vote, with the others voting yes to approve it.
The Council also approved the State of Minnesota Airport fund grant agreement for the Crookston Municipal Airport Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS). The grant will help relocate the system.
The council unanimously approved partial payment estimate number two to Spruce Valley Corporation for 2024 street improvements at $600,626.89.
You can watch the City Council meeting by clicking the video below.
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