The Crookston Development Policy and Review Committee met on Tuesday at Crookston City Hall to discuss and review the most recent applicant (Crookston Inn/Scobey’s Pub and Grub) in the city’s Intermediary Relending Program (IRP).
The city’s IRP program offers an application process to local businesses or businesses that are looking to begin operations in the city of Crookston. “The city has funds that can be loaned to businesses,” said City Administrator Corky Reynolds, “Which are here and wish to be retained and to new businesses. Today, a loan application was presented to the city by the Crookston Inn.”
The Crookston Inn was forced to close operations in January 2024 and is looking for funding for the IRP program. The application showed that the business is applying for the program maximum in the amount of $250,000. “Laurie and Craig Stahlecker presented us with an application which is probably two inches thick,” said Reynolds. “Reporting documentation which asks for a loan from the committee. The committee spent at least an hour reviewing the documentation.”
After reviewing the documentation, the committee ultimately decided not to make a recommendation up to this point. The committee instructed City Administrator Reynolds to gather additional information for further consideration. “Consideration during the meeting, which was brought up, was what the value to the city of Crookston is,” said Reynolds. “This isn’t necessarily a dollar value, but as well as an experience value. That’s the situation this committee finds itself in.”
Reynolds explained that the committee expressed that the Crookston Inn has a value that cannot be measured in simply dollars and cents. “With the committee, this is a difficult issue,” said Reynolds. “There will be additional information gathered, and I will be contacting committee members to tell them what I found.”
