The Crookston City Council met on Monday evening and hired a finance Director, approved applying for a grant to help with the demolition of the old Tri-Valley building, and several other development items.
HIRING A FINANCE DIRECTOR
The council unanimously approved the hiring of Jon Roscoe as the City of Crookston Finance Director. Roscoe, a Bemidji State graduate, comes from Miller McDonald, a Certified Public Accountant firm in Bemidji. Roscoe comes to Crookston with a wealth of knowledge and experience and has conducted audits of city budgets for many years. “John has over 20 years of experience working with Minnesota municipalities on the audit side,” said Interim City Administrator Darin Selzler. “So he’s got extensive experience with Minnesota statutes and how government practices work and how they need to be in line with Minnesota statutes.”
Selzler added that they are happy to have Roscoe join the team. “We’ve been running vacant again in that position for a while. We’re super excited to have a candidate with this extensive experience and education that John does,” said Selzler. “So it’s going to be a great asset to the city of Crookston.”
Roscoe will start the job on January 12.
HOUSTON ENGINEERING TO ADD MORE INDUSTRIAL PARK GRANT ADMINISTRATION
The council unanimously approved the contract with Houston Engineering for the USDA grant award administration for the industrial park. The total compensation will not exceed $23,000 and will be reimbursed by the grant.
The Crookston Industrial Park infrastructure project represents an approximately $7 million public investment aimed at supporting long-term industrial growth, private investment, and job creation. The project is funded in part through a federal USEDA grant and is being coordinated alongside state grant programs, including the DEED Business Development Public Infrastructure (BDPI) program.
Also included is a $1.6 million MRSI for Phase I of the Railroad; another MRSI for Phase II is being written by Minnesota Northern Railroad and Farmers Union, with an estimated investment of approximately $1.2 million, for which Houston Engineering is also the lead engineering firm. Given the scale of the project, the complexity of federal and state compliance requirements, and the City’s recent history of grant administration challenges, Crookston Housing and Economic Development Director Karie Kirschbaum said it is essential that this work be managed by professionals with direct experience in USEDA and DEED grant compliance, reporting systems, and audits. “They will be handling the reporting, working with our finance department, with the EDA department, and with engineers,” said Crookston Housing and Economic Development Director Kari Kirschbaum. “They will just keep everything so we don’t miss anything and get the most bang for our buck for the community.”
TRI-VALLEY BUILDING DEMOLITION GRANT APPLICATION
The council unanimously approved submitting a grant application to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development’s Redevelopment Grant Program, requesting up to $650,000 for demolition and site preparation of the former Tri-Valley building. The grant would require a 50 percent match from the city.
The City of Crookston acquired the former Tri-Valley building with the understanding that the structure had reached the end of its useful life and would need to be removed. The building presents documented public safety concerns, including visibility obstructions and pedestrian hazards. Its location within the 2027 MnDOT Highway 2 Corridor Project footprint makes it a priority target for coordinated demolition and redevelopment planning.
After discussing the potential cost to the city and ensuring the city has the necessary funds to cover it if the application is approved, the council voted unanimously to move forward with the application. “There’s a possibility that we would not redevelop the part up by Broadway. However, the area near the library is very developable, and I think it would be fantastic. Can you imagine a nice three-story building and you’re looking at the river?” said Kirschbaum. “There’s going to be that 50% match, which is not fun for us to even talk about. However, it is 50% of something. And every council person I’ve talked to in the three years I’ve been here has wanted the building down, and so has the community.”
APPROVAL OF SUPPORT FOR MINNESOTA RAIL SERVICE IMPROVEMENT GRANT AND MOU
The council unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding and letter of support for Farmers Union Enterprises, the new owners of the Ag Innovation Center in the Industrial Park, and Minnesota Northern Railroad’s Minnesota Rail Service Improvement (MRSI) grant application. They plan on applying for MRSI Phase II funding to extend the existing railroad spur to serve their facility. The MRSI program requires confirmation of local support and site control for the project area. “Minnesota Northern received the first grant where they put the railroad spur in, and it’s getting put in on the east side of the industrial park, and now we’re looking to expand that to go across to what used to be the old Ag Innovation Campus Road. Now it’s Farmers Union, and they’re developing that business and growing that business over there, so no money wasted on that,” said Kirschbaum. “There will also be a component in the second phase that will be for public use, and we’ll be developing the railroad yard there. And there are a lot of people interested.”
GREATER MINNESOTA SMALL CITIES HOUSING AID GRANT
The council unanimously approved applying for the second round of the Greater Minnesota Small Cities Housing Aid grant program. This program provides funding to cities in Greater Minnesota with populations under 10,000 to support housing development and affordability initiatives. The maximum award for Round 2 is $75,000 per applicant. The City of Crookston was previously awarded $100,000 in Round 1 of this program. “We’re trying to build twin homes because everybody knows we need housing and newer housing for families and people to get into,” said Kirschbaum. “This is going to be for purchase. It will not be rentals. It will be for 115 of % state’s median income, which is about $135,000 a year per household. and it’s a beautiful area.”
MISC ITEMS
The council approved gas fitting licenses for Economy Plumbing, Grove Mechanical, Lunseth Plumbing and Heating, Proulx Refrigeration, Vilandre Heating and Air, Adams Heating and Cooling, Great Plains Natural Gas, Wilcox Plumbing and Heating, CHS Inc. and McFarlane Inc.
They approved cement mason licenses for the City of Crookston, Tony L. Anderson Construction, and Craig Plante Construction.
The council approved a memorandum of understanding with the City of Crookston and the Law Enforcement Labor Services that Juneteenth will be a paid holiday.
Tanner Holten will continue as the City of Crookston attorney for 2026. The council approved a $2,045.65 donation from the Crookston Baseball Association to buy a new cover/tarp for Jim Karn Baseball Field. The Crookston Watch is the official newspaper for 2026, Bakertilly will be the auditing firm, and the depositories of public funds will be United Valley Bank, Old National Bank, the Minnesota Municipal Money Market (4M fund), and Ehlers – Personal Advisor Solutions.
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