The Crookston City Council met on Monday at 5:30 p.m. inside the City Hall Council Chambers.
CONSENT AGENDA
The Council’s Consent Agenda will include the approval of the City Council minutes from their meeting on February 27 and the City of Crookston Bills and Disbursements of $590,491.42. It also included a resolution to appoint designated individuals to the Crookston Housing Economic & Development Authority, approve a $543.71 donation for the Crookston Police Department from Greater NW EMS, and call for bids regarding the Duperon FlexRake Barscreen for Lift Station 4 on April 4. The board approved the agenda unanimously.
REGULAR AGENDA
The council approved the application for an Innovative Business Development Infrastructure for the Ag Innovation Campus in the south part of Crookston. The Campus had committed a grant of $460,000 toward the local match requirement and requested for the city to repay the grant to extend the road for the Campus. “What we asked the Council to do tonight was to allow an application to be submitted for state funding for monies to bring utilities in, to add an extension to the Ag Innovation Campus,” City Administrator Charles “Corky” Reynolds explained. “We’ve gotten some preliminary estimates and bids to do that, and we just don’t have sufficient funding to do that on our own, so we’re asking the state to give us additional money, and we needed the council’s approval to allow us to make that application.”
Lift Station 3 Ventilation System Improvements
The council unanimously approved a resolution to accept a bid to repair the Lift Station 3 Ventilation System, as it needed an upgrade to its exhaust fans, louver, and electric unit heaters to improve the conditions for the workers.
“It wasn’t an environment that was contusive for our workers to be down in that station, so we acquired some louvers, fans, various apparatus, and motors to get that air quality to the point where it is safe and proper for our city workers to be down working on the pumps when necessary,” said Reynolds.
The city sent advertisements for a bid on February 15 and received a bid from All American Plumbing and Heating for $62,835.60.
REPORTS AND STAFF RECOMMENDATION
City Administrator “Corky” Reynolds had met with the Airport Commission multiple times to approve several leases. He also met with members of the Downtown Committee to discuss some sustainability issues.
Parks & Recs Director Jake Solberg reported the park’s employees had been moving snow around the Crookston Sports Center and parks. They were also preparing for summer activities and planning swimming lessons to begin in April at the Community Pool. They were also adding a new water heater to the pool next week. Highland School was currently utilizing the pool for the first three weeks of the month from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. They had also installed the new compressor at the Sports Center, which was making ice at full power again, and had installed a new camera system as well. They also held the Squirt A District and 15U A Olympic Regional Girls Hockey Tournaments that invited 11 teams to the city to play hockey and enjoy a spaghetti dinner at the Crookston Inn.
Public Works Director Brandon Carlson reported the city crews had passed through town on Saturday night and were planning to do so again on Wednesday and potentially Thursday night but would have to scrap them first.
Fire Chief Shane Heldstab reported the Department was still holding Hydrant Heros, but they had not quite seen the number of volunteers they had hoped. They were also going to hold a retirement party on March 29 for firefighter Bob Magsam at the Fire Station, and they had begun the hiring process for his replacement.
CROOKSTON WAYS & MENAS COMMITTEE
The Crookston Ways & Means Committee will meet afterward to approve the new and reappointed members of the City’s Charter Commission Members. The new members included Leah Winjum, Mike LaFrance, Mike Normandin, and Blake Carlson. They reappointed members Gary Willhite, Nick Nicholas, and Garret Killin (who is fulfilling the unexpired term of Jeremy Olson). All of the new members’ terms will last four years until the end of 2026. Their meetings will take place in May.
Labor Negotiations Closed Meeting
The committee then held a closed session to discuss Labor Negotiations.
The City Council will next meet on Monday, March 27, at 5:30 p.m. in the Crookston Hall Council Chambers.
