CROOKSTON CITY COUNCIL APPROVES GRANT TO PROTECT CITY’S SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER AND GEOTECHNICAL ANALYSIS FOR CITY LAGOONS BANK STABILITY

The Crookston City Council met on Monday at 5:30 p.m. inside the City Hall Council Chambers.

CONSENT AGENDA

The Consent Agenda consisted of approving the City Council minutes from their meeting on January 9 and the City of Crookston Bills and Disbursements of $268,798.63. It included approving the Economic Development Authority & Housing Authority meeting agenda for their meeting immediately following the City Council meeting. The Consent Agenda also included a resolution designating the Crookston Times as the Official Newspaper for the year 2023, a dance permit for the University of Minnesota Crookston on the premises of the Crookston Eagles Club, and approve of more 2023 Gas Fitting and Cement Licenses. The council approved the agenda unanimously.

REGULAR AGENDA

The Regular agenda included a resolution calling for a Public Hearing modifying that the Economic Development Authority & Housing Authority restated enabling resolution. Crookston City Administrator Charles “Corky” Reynolds reported the EDA had asked for the council to begin the process of the Authority returning committee of the five citizens of Crookston as Commissioners of CHEDA with two city council members for enabling resolutions. This would require a Public Hearing at a future meeting at their next meeting on February 13, so they brought forward a notice of a Public Hearing for the council to approve, which it did unanimously.

Minnesota Redevelopment Grant application

The council then included a resolution approving an application for the Minnesota Redevelopment Grant. Reynolds explained that the Economic Development Authority & Housing Authority had submitted a Redevelopment Grant on February 1 to restore and repurpose various industrial buildings in the community. They currently do not have any particular buildings in mind at the time, but the grant will be ready for future projects.

Minnesota Department of Health Grant

The council then passed a resolution regarding the acceptance of a Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Grant relating to protecting the source of drinking water. Reynolds explained that the city’s Water Department had applied for a grant of $10,000 to continue testing and monitoring the drinking water for the city. “That’s a $10,000 grant. It will allow our Water Department to continue its testing and monitoring and pay for whatever items are involved in that matter,” City Administrator “Corky” Reynolds explained. “We do have great drinking water. At one point, we were voted to have the best drinking water in the State of Minnesota by the State Fair Committee, and this will allow us to continue providing that type of water.” Reynolds explained that the grant had to be used by the end of December 2023, which he assured would happen.

Halstad Telecommunications Agreement

The council then passed a resolution to approve funding for a Halstad Telecommunications Agreement. Reynolds explained that the city’s agreement for internet and network services with them had expired, and they needed to renew it. Halstad had then presented them a proposal for a yearly payment of $38,700 for $193,500. However, the city’s IT Department had proposed an immediate lump sum regarding an upfront payment for a discount, which Halstad agreed to for a yearly payment of $34,884 for a total of $174,080. IT Director Chad Palm also reported that the agreement also increased the city’s bandwidth internet services to provide faster internet services.

Geotechnical Analysis for City Lagoons Bank Stability

The final item on the agenda will be a resolution to approve Geotechnical Analysis for Bank Stability for the City Lagoons. Reynolds explained that the city is interested in procuring professional engineering services for geotechnical analysis and review of the Red Lake riverbank stability in conjunction with the city’s wastewater lagoon to prevent any wastewater from spilling into the river. “American Crystal Sugar Company was engaging in some analysis in their banks with the river coming through and sloughing off the banks. Our wastewater pond is adjacent to American Crystal, and we have also observed sloughing along the bank of the river near our wastewater pond. We were able to engage the same company as American Crystal to perform the same kind of analysis on our lagoon and the riverbank near our lagoon.” Reynolds explained they would use $9,000 of the city’s reserve fund from Wastewater to HDR Engineering Inc. for their services. The council approved all motions unanimously.

REPORTS AND STAFF RECOMMENDATION

City Administrator “Corky” Reynolds reported they had met to discuss the city’s TAP Grant, which was requesting $1 million for trails and tracks around the community to connect major buildings and areas around the city, had been submitted, and Community Director Kari Kirschbaum would present the project in McIntosh on February 16.

Crookston Police Chief Darin Selzler reported the department had made two conditional job offers to fill four vacancies they had and were back rowing a third candidate and hoped to make another conditional job offer as well and hoped to be fully staffed by August. They will also hold an awards banquet this Wednesday, January 25, at 6:00 p.m. for the first time since the pandemic to boost officer morale and show their appreciation to the officers. They were also working with RiverView Health to help them with various trainings over the next 30-60 days.

IT Director Chad Palm reported he was working with the Police Department to add cameras and surveillance systems to the department’s new garage and planned to begin working on them tomorrow.

Building Inspector Greg Hefta came forward with the construction and permit numbers for 2022. He reported they had given six permits for six housing units for $1.6 million. They had used $3.8 million for commercial construction. Hefta reported that they had spent about $9.75 million on the construction process for the town for the year, which was nearly double the amount they had in 2020, and a little bit more than the amount they used in 2019.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY & HOUSING AUTHORITY SPECIAL MEETING

Following the meeting, the Economic Development Authority & Housing Authority met for a special meeting to swear in board members Tim Menard and Henry Fischer. Pictures of their ceremony can be seen below-

Councilmembers Tim Menard and Henry Fischer being sworn into Economic Development Authority & Housing Authority.

CHEDA Payables

The board then began approving the Crookston Housing & EDA Payables. Dylane Klatt reported their monthly Payable Checks came to $30,788.24, with their EFTs at $2,170, for a total of $32,958.24. The board approved the payables unanimously.

Oak Court Roof and Smoke Detector Bids

The board then began discussing the acceptance of a roof and smoke detector bid for Oak Court Apartments. Director Kari Kirschbaum came forward with a request to grant a bid of $310,500 to replace the roof at Oak Court Apartments. Housing Supervisor Theresa Tahran then reported they had received a $155,600 bid from RBB Electric to replace the Apartment’s smoke detectors. “You have to replace certain things every so many years, and the smoke detectors were due,” Kari Kirschbaum explained. “Also, the roof has been repaired over and over again, so it was due to be replaced. It’s just ongoing maintenance as it’s an old building.” To help with these costs, Kirschbaum reported they were asking for early start dates, with early payments being completed and repaid in May. The board approved both motions unanimously.

UMC Extension Produce Downtown Redevelopment Survey

The final item the board discussed was to approve engaging with the University of Minnesota Extension to produce a Downtown Redevelopment Survey. Kirschbaum reported she was requesting $3,300 to contract the University to partner with them to conduct an updated survey for downtown Crookston and help revamp the area with projects requested for their B3 grants. The board approved the motion unanimously.

WAYS & MEANS COMMITTEE MEETING

Following that meeting, the Crookston Ways & Means Committee met to hear Mayor Dale Stainbrook’s Recommendations to Appoint Candidates to the city’s Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, Library Board, Park and Recreations Board, and Planning Commission. Stainbrook explained that each member he had listed was still eligible to serve another term on their boards and had found nearly all of them agreed to return for another term. The committee approved the appointments unanimously. The full list of appointments can be seen below-

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The next City Council meeting will take place on Monday, February 13, at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers.