On Monday night, Chancellor Mary Holz-Clause, Vice Chancellor John Hoffman, Associate Professor Tim Dudley, and Assistant Professor Anthony Schroeder gave a tour of the new Collaborative Research Lab in the Sargeant Student Center at the University of Minnesota Crookston to members of City Council and staff prior to the City Council Meeting. (Tour pictured to right) 
To open the City Council meeting, Crookston Police Chief Paul Biermaier, the Mayor and the rest of City Council welcomed the Crookston Police Department’s newest officer with a swearing-in ceremony. Officer Ryan Brekken recently completed his probation and training period and was officially sworn in, which Biermaier said gave the police department a full complement of officers of 19.
Following the swearing in, Mayor Wayne Melbye read a proclamation that September is Suicide Prevention Month. Following the proclamation, the council proceeded to the consent agenda, after removing the resolution to approve water and wastewater development rates, the consent agenda was passed. The council quickly passed the second reading and final passage of the ordinance establishing the Office of Finance Director and combining the Finance Director and City Clerk.
The second item on the agenda was a resolution for approving change order #1 for the Airport Fuel project. Councilman Bobby Baird questioned why the resolution was just coming before the council when the change order was completed in April. Crookston City Administrator Shannon Stassen and Melbye explained that due to the timing of the project, the change order needed to be completed on the damaged work to proceed with the project. They also referenced that the airport commission was given permission to oversee the project and that commission had approved the change order and the city is approving the payment of $10,000. The resolution went to vote and was passed 6-1, with Baird being the only no vote.
The final item on the agenda was the resolution to continue with the Crookston Housing and Economic Development Authority recommendation authorizing staff to complete a TIF Development Agreement with Jeff Evers on the Fournet project. After some discussion, including clarification that Evers would be responsible for the fees up to $8,500 for the establishment of the TIF district, the resolution passed unanimously.
The City Council concluded the meeting with a discussion about the resolution to approve water and wastewater development rates. After clarification that the resolution was intended to ease stipulations relating to the council being able to set the rates for a development for up to five years, the resolution passed.
We will have news from the Ways and Means meeting on Wednesday’s news.
L to R – Chief Biermaier (back), Investigator Dave Grabowski, Officer Ryan Brekken, City Administrator Shannon Stassen, City Finance Director Angie Weasner, Mayor Wayne Melbye, Lieutenant Darin Selzer, Officer Don Rasicot, Councilman Steve Erickson, Councilman Jake Fee
