The Crookston City Council met in the City Hall council chambers on Monday night.
2024 STREET IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS PUBLIC HEARING
The council chambers were at full capacity during the beginning of the meeting due to the Public Hearings regarding the 2024 street improvement projects within the city. Only a handful of citizens spoke during the hearings.
Each citizen spoke about their concerns regarding the preliminary assessments that the city’s engineer has prepared. These estimates have been sent each home. Crookston resident Brian Follette expressed his opinions about his skyrocketing assessments, “We’re going to be assessed $15,000 for about 50 feet of frontage,” said Follette, “They’re also wanting to remove sidewalks when we only have sidewalks on one side, and the street doesn’t need to make much larger. I think it would be okay just to park on one side of the street, which is how it is in front of our house currently.”
Follette approached the board, speaking regarding the street improvement project of Houston Avenue being reconstructed from Hunter Street to South Ash Street. Along with the street improvements, Follette explained that the increased taxes heading into this year could potentially cause more financial hardship for Crookston residents in conjunction with the projects in question. “When you get hit with huge property taxes, to begin with,” said Follette. “And now this assessment, all of a sudden, it becomes a huge increase to what we will be paying. It’s a hard pill to swallow.”
The board moved onto the public hearing regarding the Euclid Avenue reconstruction from Guthrie Street to McKinley Boulevard, where Crookston resident Mary Schmidt (like many others) explained that her projected proposal skyrocketed. “Our estimated amount was $15,000, and they never did the work,” said Schmidt. “We thought that was high, and this year, the work they want to do will cost us $43,322.” Schmidt also explained to the council that not only is this a financial burden as of now, but the opportunity to sell lots in the future could be in jeopardy.
The total estimated street improvement project costs include-
-Houston Avenue Reconstruction from Hunter Street to South Ash Street in the amount of $637,110
-Euclid Avenue reconstruction from Guthrie Street to McKinley Boulevard in the amount of $537,350
-Agricultural Road Extension approximately 1,100 feet to the south of the existing road in the amount of $3,951,650
-North Broadway bituminous mill and overlay from Sixth Avenue Northwest to Fisher Avenue in the amount of $340,325
-Third Avenue Southwest Bituminous reclaim/milling and Paving from Old Trunk Highway 75 to Bruce Street in the amount of $302,572
City Administrator Corky Reynolds was pleased to see Crookston residents attend the meeting and thought the hearings showed productive and conducive conversation. “I thought it went very well,” said Reynolds. “The people who came had good points; they were very expressive, and they were respectful, as was the council. The council was interested in what they were saying and why they were saying it. This will all be considered.”
A special city council meeting was called for and scheduled for Tuesday, February 20, at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall council chambers to determine which projects will follow through with the city engineer. Following this process, the projects will be entered for bids.
MAIN AGENDA
The council reviewed the resolution to approve the State of Minnesota Joint Powers Agreement with the city of Crookston on behalf of the City Attorney and Police Department. This was regarding the renewal of a preexisting agreement that allows law enforcement and prosecutors within the city to obtain data required for local prosecution. The council ultimately approved this resolution.
The final item in question was the resolution regarding the Intermediary Relending Program (IRP) loan request of L&C Stahlecker & Sons, LLC, doing business as the Crookston Inn and Convention Center.
The Development and Policy Committee recently reviewed the IRP loan application from the Crookston Inn, in which the Crookston Inn was looking to receive a $250,000 loan. The committee decided not to take action on the application. “What was approved tonight was an authorization to provide up to $250,000,” said Reynolds. “To corporations that will own and operate the Crookston Inn. This will be consummated to the other players because this is a participation loan.”
The city will act as one party in a loan pool that has generated the funding. The United Valley Bank, out of Grand Forks, has also obtained a loan commitment from the Northwest Regional Development Commission and the Crookston EDA. “All five entities have come together to create a pool,” said Reynolds. “Sufficient for purchase and operational capital. So if all the components come together on terms that are agreeable to each and all, there will be that sufficient pool of loan money.” The council unanimously approved this decision.
The consent agenda included the approval of minutes from the January 22 meeting. It also included the approval of bills and disbursements in the amount of $479,521.69.
The Crookston City Council will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, February 20, at 5:30 in the City Hall council chambers.
To watch the full council meeting, click here.
