The Crookston Ways and Means Committee (City Council) held a special meeting Monday night to discuss the potential dissolution of the Crookston Housing & Economic Development Authority (CHEDA). The meeting lasted roughly 90 minutes and members of the committee were given the opportunity to speak on the matter.
Some concerns from the committee and public include CHEDA not having what it takes to be successful anymore, that the idea of a change won’t be more cost-efficient, and that not everyone holds the beliefs of CHEDA. However, some committee members also believe CHEDA, hasn’t been given the opportunity to say everything they need to, and the committee had different opinions. A consensus was eventually met on how to proceed forward.
City Administrator Amy Finch said overall the meeting went well and she was happy a consensus was met so that they can keep moving forward. “We tried to put together some options for the City Council to consider and we were asking the council tonight to have a consensus on what they thought was the best one” said Finch. “The purpose of the meeting tonight and why it was a Special Ways & Means meeting was so that it took the pressure off the committee to feel they needed to make a final vote.”
No voting can take place in a Special Ways & Means meeting and this will give the committee more time to discuss the matter now that the options were presented. The committee has slowed down on pursuing a quick dissolution after strong pushback from CHEDA board members and the public after the last meeting.
The four options that were given as to how to proceed in the future are listed down below.
OPTION 1
Rescind and dissolve CHEDA and establish housing & redevelopment authority (HRA) and create community development.
OPTION 2
Exercising of CHEDA powers only with prior approval by City Council and exercise the “Removal for Cause” of individual CHEDA board members, potentially replaced with members of the Council. Eliminate funding to CHEDA for Economic Development and create Community Development department.
OPTION 3
Exercising of CHEDA powers only with prior approval by City Council and immediately replace board members with seven members of the council by amending the enabling resolution. Eliminate funding to CHEDA for Economic Development and create Community Development department.
OPTION 4
Exercising of CHEDA powers only with prior approval by City Council and replace board members with members of the Council over time as terms expire, through voluntary resignations, or removal for cause. Eliminate funding to CHEDA for Economic Development and create Community Development department.
FINAL SELECTION
Option 3 was eventually selected by the committee, but this doesn’t mean they have to go in that direction. This will just allow option 3 to be put before the City Council to be voted on. Finch gave a little insight as to what that will look like and what steps will be taken now. “On the next city council meeting which takes place on June 28th, there will be an agenda item saying that anyone from CHEDA can address the council. From there we will see a resolution set in place for a public hearing that will relate to option 3 to amend the enabling resolution, to require City Council approval, and to exercise CHEDA powers and immediately replace CHEDA board members with members of the council” said Finch.
Finch said why she believes option 3 is the best, and why the general consensus favored this option over the others. “option 3 changes the makeup of the CHEDA board, to be made up of seven council members, and now that’s no longer the case, you are only required by state statute to have 2.”
The biggest concern with coming to an agreement was the timetable. Not everyone agreed on a timetable for future events to take place. Eventually, the committee came to an agreement. With the decision made, a public hearing will soon take place on July 12th after, the next City Council meeting on June 28th, and Finch hopes that after the public hearing, the resolution can be voted on and an agreement can be reached. “My expectation would be that we would hear input, that they would vote on the resolution to at least approve of the set date and time of the public hearing” said Finch. That’s what my expected timeline would be but you never know based on community input and input from the council. That may change the trajectory of what direction we head.”
Many committee members didn’t think CHEDA and the City Council would meet again, and CHEDA has the right not to say anything or show up if they choose so, but until a final vote passes on an option, there is no telling for sure how things will shape up.
There are two sides to every story, and there are a lot of differentiating opinions on the topic. But one thing that was clear and evident on Monday night, is that everyone wants to move forward, and change is needed. What that change will look like and what the next steps are, is still to be determined.
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