The Crookston City Council met on Monday night following the Truth in Taxation presentation and public hearing in the City Hall council chambers.
The council first approved the resolution regarding Baker Tilly performing the City Administrator search for the city of Crookston. They then approved the resolution regarding the public purchase expenditure policy. “Minnesota statutes case law talks about when public money can be expended,” said City Administrator Corky Reynolds, “It has to be for public purposes. Public purposes means you have to spend it for items that generally benefit the public; you can’t spend public money for private industries or private entities that serve a private purpose.” Reynolds also explained that the city had an outdated policy regarding this issue, and this renewal needed to be accepted so guidelines and criteria could be set in the city ordinance.
The council also approved the resolution regarding fire services outside Crookston city limits for the American Crystal Sugar Company. The final item on the agenda was the resolution regarding a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program application for the property located at 429 Riverside Avenue.
“The city is applying for a FEMA grant to help the city acquire some property,” said Reynolds, “This is an individual property on Riverside Avenue that was significantly damaged by a high water event in 2022.” The owner of this property has indicated that the city uses grant funding to purchase the property so the home be removed and ultimately become of the public domain.
The consent agenda included the resolution regarding approving tobacco and liquor licenses to local businesses within Crookston that have applied, paid the fees, and met the criteria. It also included the approval of city council meeting minutes from November 27. The final item on the consent agenda was the approval of bills and disbursements in the amount of $477,905.36.
The next scheduled city council meeting will occur on Wednesday, December 20, when the final levy is projected to be set. The final levy is not required to be set until Thursday, December 28.
