The Crookston City Council met on Monday night inside the City Hall Council Chambers in City Hall.
PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION ANNOUNCEMENTS
National Assisted Living Week Proclamation
The council began the meeting with a mayoral proclamation of September 11 to the 17 as National Assisted Living Week. Mayor Dale Stainbrook explained that assisted living residents are still active members of the community, with their past experiences being a vital part of Crookston’s history and that assisted living is a critical long-term care option for older adults and individuals with disabilities. He proclaimed this year’s theme for the week is “Joyful Moments” to highlight the incredible care provided by caregivers and special memories created in the assisted living facilities and encouraged the community to organize activities and events to celebrate. He then invited Cindy Meyer and Valorie O’Connell of Summit Assistant Living forward to grant them a plaque making the week official. Pictures of them with Mayor Stainbrook can be found below-
Highway 2 Corridor Study Presentation
The council received a presentation from Molly Stewart of SRF Consulting and Matt Upgren of the Minnesota Department of Transportation about the Highway 2 Corridor Study that had the open house and meeting with Ways and Means during the summer. They gave a recap of the study saying the priorities were to implement enhancements to bicycle and pedestrian safety and how they had come up with alternative road layouts. She explained that the alternatives were shown at an open house in May, and Alternative A was overwhelmingly supported. Each road on Broadway and Main Street would be one-way roads with two lanes, expand the sidewalks to create a bicycle path, and make it easier to cross the road as the crosswalks would be shorter with the expanded sidewalks, yet wide enough to let trucks and cars pass safely. They were also looking to improve various uncontrolled intersections with pedestrian crossing signs and infrastructure (like flashing lights or beacons) that would be determined in the future. They also noted there was a strong desire by the community for a school speed zone to be added near the Lutheran Church to make it safer for the children. She said that the planning-level cost would be a total of $8.17 million, with the Minnesota Department of Transportation covering $5.6 million and the city would cover $2.57 million. Construction would potentially begin in 2027.
Stewart said they were looking to finalize the study document and complete it by the end of the month, start designing the project in 2023 and begin construction in 2027. When asked what would happen with large trucks that unload in the streets and take up about two lanes and what would happen if the streets were limited to just those two lanes, Public Works Director Brandon Carlson explained that he had spoken with the businesses and they agreed to park along the curb rather than taking up both lanes on the street.
Stewart presented the layout to show the community the changes to the roads and sidewalks, where they would add the pedestrian crossing enhancements, and how vehicles would traverse the roads and intersections. MnDOT Project Director Matt Upgren requested a motion of support for the study’s Alternative A and for MnDOT to move forward with the preferred Alternative, which the council did unanimously. With the study approved by the City Council, both MnDOT and the City Public Works Department will soon begin the planning and design phases of the study. “Next steps will be MnDOT moving this into the design phase. That means getting a consultant on board, coordination with the city on the next steps as we look at dialing in the design, pulling funds together for the projects and other things,” said MnDOT Project Director Matt Upgren. “We’ll look at our funding and see how the design comes together, and we’ll put a projected city timeframe together, but it’s most likely looking like it’s going to come together in 2027,” said Public Works Director Brandon Carlson. Pictures of their presentation can be seen below-
Crookston Sports Center Systems Analysis Announcement
The council heard from Terry Steiner of Wired Electric Inc. who explained that he was hired by the Parks & Recs Department to assess the Sports Center’s building control system and had found multiple issues. “We found several issues that needed to be addressed, or we did not believe that the system was being controlled as originally intended by the designer,” said Steiner. “So we provided updates and proposals in how we can get that in line with what the original engineer’s concept in how the building should be controlled.” Steiner explained the building’s HVAC systems had incomplete programming and did not fully implement the sequence of operations, and several sensors were not functioning correctly and not accurately depicting the actual sequences. While the software was fine, it didn’t operate properly, thanks to their programming. Steiner gave multiple recommendations for fixing things, such as replacing the failed sensors, revising the graphics and user interface, and updating all software and security patches to their most recent, current versions.
Steiner proposed they would upgrade and replace the program sequence to meet the original sequence of operations and replace any broken sensors and control devices needed for the price of $44,220 and recommended that the city find an independent commissioner company of the facility’s control system once they completed their work to check it and see if it all worked. Steiner recommended Martin’s Electric LLC, but the council noted that the same company made the current system that didn’t work. Mayor Stainbrook recommended that the council leave it to the Department of Parks and Recreations and the other department heads on if they would accept Steiner’s proposal and what company they would pick to be its commissioner to check it, which the council agreed to.
CONSENT AGENDA
The Council’s Consent Agenda consisted of them approving the City Council Minutes from their meeting on August 22 and the City of Crookston’s Bills and Disbursements in the amount of $374,874.33. The council also approved the Crookston Housing & Economic Development Authority’s (CHEDA) agendas for their meetings on September 13 and 26. The council also approved a 2022 Tobacco License for CannaRHx, LLC DBA Canna Corners and a partial Payment Estimate No. 2 to R.J. Zavoral & Sons, Inc. for 2022 Street Improvements for $552,122.34.
WARD BOUNDARIES PUBLIC HEARING
The council then opened a Public Hearing to the public to hear their concerns about any of the amendments being done to the city’s ward boundaries being changed after the Biermaier’s property in Ward 5 was detached from the city. But when no one came forward, the council closed the hearing.
REGULAR AGENDA
After the Public Hearing, the Council’s Regular Agenda included a 2nd and final reading of an ordinance of the City’s City Code Chapter 11 by changing section 11.01, “Ward Boundaries.” The board approved the ordinance to redefine the Ward unanimously.
2022 Street Improvements
The council then included a resolution to approve a change in order No. 1 for the 2022 Street Improvements with R.J. Zavoral & Sons, Inc., who added concrete steps on the sidewalk at houses 230 & 232 on 1st Avenue North to help the sidewalk grades stay withing ADA requirements. So, the board had to authorize a net increase to their original contract for $5,800. The board approved the motion unanimously.
Alcoholic Beverages Ordinance
The agenda also included an amendment to City Code Section 111, entitled “Alcoholic Beverages,” and changing Subdivision 111.86, entitled “Sports or Convention facilities licenses.” Normally the Crookston Sports Center is not allowed to sell alcohol for sports competitions, but the University of Minnesota Crookston made a proposal for one of their seasons. “The University of Minnesota Crookston has reached out to the city to ask if it could sell alcoholic beverages in the arena,” Interim City Administrator “Corky” Reynolds explained. “After discussion and review of our ordinances, we proposed an ordinance that would allow the University, during hockey games and curling events, to contract with a local liquor licensee to sell alcoholic beverages during those events.” With this being the first reading, the second and final reading of the ordinance will happen at the council’s meeting on October 10. The council also motioned to schedule a City Council Public Hearing for the ordinance at their meeting on Monday, September 26. The council approved both motions unanimously.
Lost Revenue Funds Calculation From the American Rescue Plan Act Proposal
The council agenda then included a resolution about American Rescue Plan Act Funds to approve using some of the $848,467.30 that had been allocated to them to begin undertaking and implementing the funds. “The Park and Recs Department came tonight and asked that there be an amendment to the use of those funds to purchase some items necessary for the Crookston Sports Arena,” said Reynolds. The request was for a Mobile Paint System, Electric Edger EZ III, 2- Gree Vireo 12HP 230V Heating/Cooling Units, and 2-Viper AS5170T 20” Floor Scrubbers.” Reynolds explained that the funds needed to be expended before December 31. The board approved the motion unanimously.
Red Barn Property
The next item was a resolution to approve the purchase of the property where the Red Barn is located on the Central Square in Downtown Crookston that the city had been renting for a decade for $978 per year, and they would purchase the property for $29,000, which the Planning Commission approved on August 16. Interim City Administrator Reynolds explained that the city had the money to complete the purchase, and the council approved the resolution unanimously.
Old Armory Building Discussion
The council held a discussion regarding the Old Armory Building, with Reynolds saying that they had received many complaints about the building, with its structure, the roof, and with the windows, and discussed if the building should be declared hazardous. Building Inspector Greg Hefta approached the council to show pictures of the building and what he found when he expected the building. He noted that there were a few shingles on the building were missing, a few windows were boarded up, gaps in parts of it that allowed rodents and pigeons to enter the building, and notable damage on the building’s front. Hefta explained that he had his most significant concerns with the building’s roof and gaps for the rodents. Hefta said there were unsafe components of a building and came forward to push a hazardous condition with the building and other future actions they should do with it. The owner, Eric Rudnik, said he used the building to store construction materials and planned to make repairs to the building in the future and that the boards on the windows were there before he had purchased the building. “Tonight, what was brought forward for discussion by the council was what should be done with it,” said Reynolds. “The possibility of a resolution ordering that it be repaired was discussed, and as the City Administrator was directed to create that resolution, and in it, identify the conditions that needed to be corrected and then Rudnik was given two months to complete those repairs to bring it up to City Code, and its determination would be done by our City Official Greg Hefta.” Administrator Reynolds reported that he will create a resolution to consider the building hazardous for the next meeting on September 26. The council agreed that they would make a motion to give Rudnik two months to get the building up to Hefta’s satisfaction.
REPORTS AND STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Crookston Police Chief Darin Selzler said the department was having their trading records for candidate background checks being audited by the US Auditors board. They had also met with Linda Morgan of the Crookston High School to discuss the Halloween Party potentially happening at the end of October now with COVID worries dying down.
Crookston Fire Chief Tim Froeber reported that they had gone into the schools to check their fire systems and that families had created a memorial outside of the Fire Station in honor of 9/11.
IT Director Chad Palmer came forward to introduce their new Information Technician, Zach Governale, who had helped with some new lighting systems in the Council Chambers.
Public Works Director Brandon Carlson explained that the street improvements were at the grass stages, and they would begin sodding hopefully this week. They also were working on more of the city’s downtown sidewalks to repair some of the damaged sidewalks.
The next City Council meeting will take place on Monday, September 19, at 5:30 p.m., inside the City Hall Council Chambers for a special council meeting.
