The Crookston City Council had its final meeting of 2024 on Monday and approved the 2025 levy, the 2025 budget, an IRP loan, and much more.
The meeting started with a presentation, and Council Member Wendy Ault was honored for her service at her last meeting. (Pictured below)
Crookston City Council’s Wendy Ault and Mayor Dale Stainbrook
2025 BUDGET AND LEVY APPROVED AFTER DISCUSSION
The 2025 Levy and 2025 budget were both approved. The approved levy was a 27.4 percent increase, totaling $4,486,171 in tax revenue for the City of Crookston. “The reason it is 27.4 percent is because the property values, as a whole, came down for 2025,” said City Administrator Jeff Shoobridge. “It lays the foundation for us to move forward in a financially responsible way.”
The budget is balanced, although it significantly reduces capital expenditures and does not contribute to the reserves as budgeted. “This budget is an operating budget only,” said Shoobridge. “We are committed to starting early in 2025 and moving forward with the 2026 budget so we can get into the details and have a zero-based budget. I will be asking the department heads to build from the ground up and not just add two percent to last year so we will be reassessing all the services so we can provide really good services to the residents and try to maintain the costs while rebuilding the city’s reserves.”
One of the budget’s talking points was the $25,000 for pool repairs and $20,000 for pool maintenance, for a total of $45,000 in pool repairs/maintenance. The council discussed what would happen if the pool reached the $45,000 repair bill. The council said if they have a big repair cost that is well over $45,000, they would likely have to close down the pool for the rest of the year.
Mayor Dale Stainbrook mentioned that keeping the pool open costs five points to the levy, and they need to be cognizant of the costs. Councilmember Dylane Klatt said they have to start looking at making budget cuts in the future. Councilwoman Morgan Hibma said the council can’t be mad at previous councils for kicking the can down the road.
The council approved the levy for 2025 by a 5-2 vote, with Tim Menard, Clayton Briggs, Wendy Ault, Dylane Klatt, and Don Cavalier voting to approve the levy and Morgan Hibma and Henry Fischer voting against the 22.2 percent levy increase. Kristie Jerde did not attend the meeting.
The Council approved the 2025 budget by a 6-1 vote, with Hibma voting no and Klatt saying he will vote for it this year but might have to reconsider next year if the pool is still causing the levy to go up as much as it is in 2025.
COUNCIL APPROVES $1,198,000 SMALL CITIES DEVELOPMENT GRANT
On September 10, 2024, the City of Crookston was awarded $1,198,000 from the Small Cities Development Grant (SCDG) from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). The Northwest Community Action Agency (NWCAA) has agreed to administer the grant for the city. The SCDG will fund the Rehabilitation of 16 owner-occupied properties, 13 commercial properties, and 10 rental units (in mixed-use properties) and activity administration. Activities will be geared to correct and address lead-based paint hazards, code violations, energy efficiency, health and safety issues, structural repairs, and repairs to the building envelope, such as new windows, doors, siding, roof repairs, facades, etc. “We have almost $1.2 million that will most be invested in Ward 4, and if there isn’t enough there, in the Woods Addition, it will go down into a couple of other places,” said Crookston Development Coordinator Kari Kirschbaum. “We have a significant amount of applicants right now, and I am excited to help them.” Kirschbaum added there are other programs currently running to help storefronts in downtown Crookston. “We have a lot of meetings about downtown and the Highway 2 corridor is coming, and we have storefront grants going on,” said Kirshbaum. “Everybody loves the downtown and want to see it restored to its glory, whatever that looks like in this decade, so this will go a long way towards that. This will also go a long way towards fixing up apartments downtown, and it is forgivable after some time.”
2025 FEE SCHEDULE APPROVED
The Crookston City Council unanimously approved the 2025 Fee Schedule. One of the big changes to the Fee Schedule is at the Crookston Community Pool, where Crookston residents will pay the same to use the pool, but in 2025, people from outside of Crookston will have to pay a few bucks extra to use the pool. “The Crookston residents pay for the pool through the tax base,” said Crookston City Administrator Jeff Shoobridge. “As a result, we are changing to a resident/non-resident fee schedule on that. It will be a two-dollar difference, and it will be a little more equitable for those supporting the pool.” (See resident vs non-resident at the bottom of the story)
5-YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN APPROVED
The City of Crookston 5-year capital improvement plan was unanimously approved by the Crookston City Council. “It will help us plan our future a little better by setting it to a matrix,” said Shoobridge. “We want to attract businesses to our industrial park, so we got a grant from the State of Minnesota to help us fund some infrastructure improvements in the industrial park so we can start bringing in some businesses, industrial entities to the City with the rail spur that the railroad is putting in.” Another huge future project in Crookston will be the Highway 2 corridor project, with the City of Crookston setting aside $5 million for the project, with the State of Minnesota Department of Transportation covering most of the project. “We are looking at between $5-6 million as the cities share of the State Highway 2 project, and what that will accomplish is a lot of the tertiary roads connecting Broadway and Main (for example, 2nd Street from Bremer to Erickson Embroidery),” said City Administrator Shoobridge. “We have to foot the bill for that, and the rest of it really is moving forward with infrastructure projects. I have between $9-12 million in the next five years to replace critical roads, cast-iron piping and replace it with plastic.”
2025 WATER RATES INCREASED
The City Council unanimously approved the 2025 Water Rate increase. “We have historically been at or near the lowest water rates in the state, and that is great when you are deferring the maintenance,” said City Administrator Jeff Shoobridge. “In the next five years, we have $21 million in infrastructure costs and what the raise in rates will allow us to do is to help us fund the bonds we will have to take out to replace our aging water and sewer lines so we can continue to offer service to our residents moving forward.”
DESIGNATION OF 2025 POLLING LOCATIONS
The council designated the 2025 Election Precinct polling location (Wards 1, 2, and 6 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and Wards 3, 4, and 5 at the First Presbyterian Church),
SURPLUS PROPERTY SALE APPROVED
The council declared a 2010 Hurco Hydro Vac Trailer as surplus property and will sell it through the State of Minnesota online auction website MINNBID.ORG.
POLICE AND FIRE EMERGENCY RADIOS
The City Council approved the purchase of radios and equipment for the Police and Fire Department. The City received a one-time Public Safety Aid funding in the amount of $320,851.00 from the Minnesota State Legislature, and the two departments received two quotes and they will go with Stone’s Mobile Radio. The Police Department quote is $157,150.30 and the Fire Department estimated quote of $115,400.32 for a total of $272,550.62.
SCRUFFY TAILS HUMANE SOCIETY CONTRACT
The council approved amending its current contract with Scruffy Tails Humane Society.
The City of Crookston agrees to pay $500 monthly for five kennels for impound use. The city will pay $18 per day for each individual animal impounded or sheltered, including weekends and holidays. After five Crookston Police Department business days of impoundment or sheltering, any animal that hasn’t been claimed by the owner or euthanized shall become the property of the Humane Society.
The City will pay up to $150 for a qualified veterinarian’s evaluation of any animals deemed to be in immediate need of medical care.
The Humane Society will provide a monthly statement/invoice of all charges incurred and deemed payable by the City per the agreement, including the monthly lease.
A qualified veterinarian will need to evaluate and potentially examine each animal that appears to need immediate emergency medical care and treatment.
FIREFIGHTER CONTRACT FOR 2025-2027 APPROVED
The Crookston Firefighters Union has agreed to a three-year contract with the City of Crookston. The base salary will increase by three percent each year. The graph is below-
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | |
| Firefighter I | $55,644.46 | $57,313.79 | $59,033.21 |
| Firefighter II | $61,379.29 | $63,239.21 | $65,136.39 |
| Firefighter III | $67,208.80 | $69,225.06 | $71,301.81 |
| Firefighter IIII | $70,286.76 | $72,395.36 | $74,567.2 |
IRP LOAN APPROVED FOR VERTICAL MALT
The IRP Committee met multiple times and forwarded a recommendation to approve a $100,000 loan to Adam Wagner of Vertical Malt. The loan funds will be used to refinance existing debt, with a focus on securing more favorable terms to improve cash flow and support business growth. The council unanimously approved the loan.
MISCELLANEOUS
The consent agenda included approving the Truth-in-Taxation and City Council meeting minutes from December 9 and approving bills and disbursements for $396,528.10.
The council accepted a $5,169 donation from Fit and Fin for the Crookston Community Pool and a $200 donation from the Iris Eisert estate for the Crookston Fire Department.
2025 POOL FEES –
– Crookston Residents
• Ages 4 & under: $2.00
• Ages 5-18: $5.00
• Ages 19 & older : $6.00
• Family of Five: $20.00- additional family members $2.00
• One person Swim Pass- 1 Month $40.00
• One person Swim Pass- 3 Months $ 110.00
• One person Swim Pass- 6 Month $200.00
• One person Swim Pass- 1 year $360.00
• Family up to 5 membership: Additional family Members $10.00
• Family up to 5 memberships: 1 Month $75.00
• Family up to 5 memberships: 3 Months $200.00
• Family up to 5 memberships: 6 Months $360.00
• Family up to 5 memberships: One Year $650.00
Non-Residential Prices Cost
• Ages 4 & under: $4.00
• Ages 5-18: $7.00
• Ages 19 & older : $8.00
• Family of Five: $25.00- additional family members $2.00
• One person Swim Pass- 1 Month $45.00
• One person Swim Pass- 3 Months $ 120.00
• One person Swim Pass- 6 Month $220.00
• One person Swim Pass- 1 year $400.00
• Family up to 5 membership: Additional family Members $10.00
• Family up to 5 memberships: 1 Month $80.00
• Family up to 5 memberships: 3 Months $220.00
• Family up to 5 memberships: 6 Months $400.00
• Family up to 5 memberships: One Year $720.00
Pool Rental
• plus deposit ($100.00 deposit refundable if clean and undamaged)$65.00 per hour 20 & under swimmers
• $80.00 per hour 21 & over swimmers
Swim Lesson
• $80.00 per session- per person
Private Lessons
• $40.00 per lesson
