The Crookston City Council met on Monday night in the City Hall city council chambers.
COUNCIL APPOINTS NICK NICHOLAS TO THE DEVELOPMENT POLICY AND REVIEW COMMITTEE
The meeting began with the council appointing Nick Nicholas to the Development Policy and Review Committee. Nicholas is also on the Crookston Housing and Economic Development Authority board (CHEDA) and will replace former committee member Ryan Palm. The Development Policy and Review Committee is responsible for managing and making recommendations concerning the Intermediary Relending Program (IRP) when receiving applications from local entities and businesses looking to receive IRP funds.
The Development Policy and Review Committee includes the following members: Nick Nicholas, Corky Reynolds, Dylane Klatt, Kristie Jerde, Bill Anderson, Jason Carlson, Ann Oliver, and the Finance Director for the City of Crookston (who is to be determined).
COUNCIL MEMBERS APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF FENCING AND STORAGE UNITS FOR RAY ECKLUND PARK
The meeting continued with the council approving the resolution regarding purchasing additional equipment for the Ray Ecklund Complex through the city’s reserved funds. “The city is proposing to have fencing placed on various diamonds,” said City Administrator Corky Reynolds, “They are also proposing to build a storage structure into and underneath the new stadium seating. This will provide storage for the various levels of baseball. Each level will have its storage compartment.”
When preparing the 2024 budget, the council allocated $60,000 from the reserved funds for this equipment. However, the amount of money that was allocated will not be enough to cover all of the expenses. “The city tonight approved the request from the Parks and Recreation Department,” said Reynolds, “To take $20,000 from a specifically designated fund designated for the Ray Ecklund Compex and place it into the present year budget, so the city will have $80,000 total.” The Crookston Baseball Association will provide the equipment to begin operations on fencing, electricity for new scoreboards, and storage facilities.
The final item on the agenda was the resolution regarding the engagement of Advance Engineering and Environmental Services, LLC (AE2S), out of Grand Forks, to ultimately provide the engineering services for the City of Crookston.
The city selected four department heads, which included Karie Kirschbaum (EDA Director), Brandon Carlson (Utilities Director), Chuck Getsman (Public Works Director), and Corky Reynolds (City Administrator), and made a committee to review six Requests For Proposals (RFPs) that the city received in regards to entities interested in the undertaking of the engineering duties for the city.
COUNCIL APPOINTS OUTSIDE ENTITY TO UNDERTAKE CITY ENGINEERING SERVICES
Widseth Civil Engineering has performed the engineering duties for Crookston for approximately 50 years. After a lengthy discussion, council members ultimately approved the appointment of Advance Engineering and Environmental Services, LLC (AE2S) as the city’s engineering firm. “We got six quality proposals,” said Reynolds, “One of which is the present city engineer firm Widseth. We were charged as the committee to make a recommendation to the council. Each committee member reviewed each of the proposals, and each member scored the proposals using a rating sheet and then interviewed each of the firms.”
Reynolds explained that AE2S possesses a separate department within its firm that does financial analysis and identifies grant opportunities, which will ultimately lessen the spike or trajectory of levy increases, which the council is trying to accomplish. “There was discussion about Widseth’s commitment to this community for 50 years,” said Reynolds, “That’s a valid point. But I think in the end, the overall expertise, knowledge, and experience of AE2S (for the city of Crookston) was the driving component compelling the council to vote to accept the committee’s recommendation to appoint AE2S.”
The consent agenda included the approval of meeting minutes from the March 25 city council meeting. It also included the approval of bills and disbursements in the amount of $612,820.44. It also included the resolution regarding the approval of the license renewals for Cement Mason.
The Crookston City Council will meet again on Monday, April 22, at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall council chambers.
To watch the entire city council meeting, click here.
