Mayor Guy Martin, Councilmembers Don Cavalier, Steve Erickson, Cindy Gjerswold and Tom Vedbraaten took their Oaths of Office Monday to open the City Council meeting. Following the approval of the night’s agenda, Vedbraaten removed the proposed council minutes from the December 26 meeting and the resolution to approve City of Crookston bills and disbursements in the amount of $203,909.71 from the consent agenda. Councilmen Bobby Baird then removed the resolution to appoint Stephen Larson from Reynolds, Harbott, Knutson & Larson, P.L.L.P. as interim City Attorney for 2019.
On the proposed council minutes from the December 26 meeting, Vedbraaten questioned why a more accurate description of the discussion was not present. He specifically referenced needing to look in the media for information about the discussion of transferring funds to the Northwest Multi-County HRA for the Small Cities Development Grant. Councilman Bobby Baird agreed with Vedbraaten saying he had heard comments about the radio and newspaper having more than the meeting minutes. “I’ve had a lot of people say I’ve heard this on KROX or this was written up in the Crookston Times, and they don’t see it in the minutes asking how the media is getting it better than what we are,” said Baird. “It doesn’t have to be word for word, but we want more focus on a lot of the items we address and payments.” The council passed a motion to table the minutes until the next meeting Monday, January 14, to have a more accurate summary, on a 7-1 vote, with Councilman Dale Stainbrook voting no.
For the bills and disbursements, Vedbraaten questioned why the transfer of funds for the additional projects requested on the Small Cities Grant was going to the Northwest Multi-County HRA. He referenced the discussion at the previous meeting, where it was stated CHEDA was not believed to have the experience necessary to qualify them to manage the transferred funds relating to the grant. Vedbraaten had spoken with CHEDA director Craig Hoiseth, who told Vedbraaten that CHEDA was qualified to handle the money. There is a 15 percent administrative fee from the Multi-County HRA, that would total $3,000 of the transferred $20,000 for the grant and Hoiseth stated that while the CHEDA Board of Directors would make the decision, he would guess they’d vote to have no administrative fee. He did, however, add that while CHEDA could manage the transferred funds, he’d prefer to see this grant project completed with the Multi-County HRA and work with them on the grant in the future. The bills and disbursements passed with a 6-2 vote, with Cavalier and Baird voting against the resolution. “It’s City money and I feel it should be spent in town, nothing against Multi-County Housing, but our dollar should stay in town,” said Baird. “But if Craig can work with Multi-County Housing and work out something, I’m for that too. If [CHEDA] were going to do it for nothing or even a $1,000 that’s money that’s staying too.”
City Administrator Shannon Stassen felt it was important to stay with the Multi-County HRA as the established administrator of the current grant program. “This particular grant which was put together and written in part by Multi-County administered $635,000 for our downtown, and this is just an extension of that,” said Stassen. “What they’ve done for us with this grant and the multiple grants through the years have brought millions of dollars to this community with their expertise and a great partnership.”
The final item removed from the consent agenda was Stephen Larson being named the interim City Attorney for 2019. Baird said he removed the item because he was not happy with how things were handled with Dean and Ramon Adams and questioned why the City was not bidding out the job. The City Attorney will be bid out explained Finance Director Angel Weasner, but the City will need an interim attorney until that process of replacing long-time City Attorney Chuck Fitzgerald can be completed. “We are appointing in the interim until we finish our RFP, request for proposals, for legal services,” said Weasner. “It’s a five-page document that needs to be completed by a participating attorney’s office to review qualifications, abilities, experience, and rates.” The packet will be sent out Wednesday, January 9 to Crookston Law Firms, published on the city webpage and in the newspaper and a new City Attorney is expected to be announced in March.
Councilman Jake Fee asked if the city needed to hire a local attorney and an attorney specializing in city law, while Vedbraaten asked if the City Attorney shouldn’t be present at more or most council meetings. Stassen said the position is currently written for one local attorney for city law but splitting the position could be possible and that he assumes the next attorney would be at more meetings. The designation of Larson as attorney passed 6 to 2 with Baird and Briggs voting no. “It’s a great law firm, I was just really disappointed the way things went with the closing of the property with Dean and Roman Adams, and the council didn’t know about a lot of the issues,” said Baird. “Stephen admitted it was their fault and it should have been addressed right away and instead of spending taxpayer money.” On the process to hire a new attorney Baird added, “This is just interim, kind of like the mayor deal with Wayne, and it will be the same with Stephen until the paperwork is submitted in March for the City Attorney position.”
The rest of the consent agenda, consisting of resolutions to, accept a donation from William Anderson to the Crookston Fire Department; designate the Crookston Daily Times as the official newspaper for 2019; designate depositories for public fund for 2019; and appoint CPA firm of Brady Martz & Associates, PC as the City Auditing Firm for 2019; passed unanimously.
Also unanimously passing was the second reading and final passage of the ordinance amending City Code Chapter 11, entitled “Land Use Regulation” by changing the zoning map.
On Wednesday, January 9 City Administrator Shannon Stassen gave a plaque of appreciation from the City of Crookston to former appointed Mayor Wayne Melbye for his years of service from 2003-2018.
