Month: June 2020

The Crookston Ways & Means Committee will meet Monday night following the Crookston City Council Meeting. The committee will discuss several topics beginning with a request from the new owners of North Acres and Carmen Terrace mobile home parks to have city garbage collection.  The parks had previously been contracted out as a commercial property. The new owner will be available by teleconference for questions from the committee.

Next on the agenda is the renewal of the cash farm lease for 111 acres at $90 per acre with the University of Minnesota Crookston with an automatic renewal in 2023 with both party’s consent. The City of Crookston also received a quote for $36,983 for resurfacing tennis courts and the committee will be asked to approve moving forward.

The City of Crookston has also received some interest in the vacant lot at 110 Lincoln, which the council had previously taken ownership of and had a derelict home removed last fall.  The committee will be asked to approve putting the parcel up for public bid.  The final item on the agenda for discussion is reviewing the 2021 budget process and calendar.

The Crookston City Council will meet Monday at 7:00 p.m. in the council chambers at city hall.  All items for the meeting are on the consent agenda including approving the June 8 meeting minutes, and city bills and disbursements totaling $253,351.89.

There is a resolution to pay the final partial payment estimate of $26.840.80 to Davidson Construction for 2018 street improvements, a resolution to declare surplus property to be sold and set a bid opening for July 7 for impounded vehicles and surplus equipment.

There are also resolutions to purchase a water softener for the Crookston Pool, to terminate an agreement for administrative services for the Crookston Visitor’s Bureau with the Crookston Chamber, to amend the City of Crookston’s COVID-19 preparedness plan, and to approve an amendment to the Crookston Airport Master Plan grant to make it a multi-year grant.

The RiverView Care Center was able to complete a whirlpool bathtub project this year with funds from several areas including the United Way of Crookston.  United Way Executive Director Lori Wagner said the project was a year in the making and United Way was just one group that supported the project through their grant program. “We partnered with the RiverView Care Center this year,” said Wagner. “They were able to complete a whirlpool bath project that was a year in the making. They planned it quite a bit in advance and with the help of United Way were able to complete it. They did have some funds also with RiverView Auxiliary, RiverView Foundation, a private donor, and the United Way.”

The RiverView Care Center’s goal is to provide an individualized, safe bathing experience for each of their residents while striving to meet the resident’s preferences for how they would like to bathe, when, and frequency. The new tub also shortens the distance to transport residents to the whirlpool room.  Wagner added that the tub comes with a lift which is important for staff to be able to safely help residents in and out of the bath. “It gives the staff the ability to be more efficient completing more than one bath at the same time,” said Wagner. “Two whirlpool baths are great for the residence and their choice on bathing times. They can’t all have baths at the same time. They also have lifts that are also accompanying this whirlpool tub for safe resident handling. I know when I worked at the Villa the lifts also really help the people who work there. It’s really hard on the employees when you don’t have a lift that is also safe for the residents getting in and out of the tub.”

A bath is not only a way to maintain hygiene but for patients with dementia is can be a time to experience calm, warmth, and relaxation.  The RiverView Care Center staff looks forward to making that experience a reality and expects the whirlpool bathtub to touch the lives of residents for years to come.

The Crookston School Board will meet Monday, June 22 at 5 p.m. in the choir/orchestra room at Crookston High School.  The consent agenda includes approving minutes from the May 26 regular meeting and June 3 special meeting, approving current bills, and approving a local literacy plan for 2020-2021.

Also, on the consent agenda are the following personnel items: approve employment agreement with Rick Niemala, transportation, building & grounds director; and approve letters of assignment with Mike Delorme, bus mechanic, and Nancy Nottestad, payroll accountant/fiscal services.

The main agenda includes approving membership with the Minnesota Rural Education Association for 2020-2021, approving housing incentive abate for the City of Crookston for 2020-2021, approving the preliminary 2020-2021 budget, and approving a $.05 increase in school lunch prices for elementary, high school, and adult prices.

The board will also hear reports from Denice Oliver, Washington School Principal, Chris Trostad, Highland School Principal, Eric Bubna, High School Principal, and Superintendent Jeremy Olson.

The Red Lake County Sheriff’s Office recapped their calls over the past week.  The report is below. 

On the afternoon of June 11, Cordwyn Crane (36) of Red Lake Falls was cited for misdemeanor driving after revocation while operating an ATV in the city of Red Lake Falls.

On the evening of June 13, a Red Lake County deputy stopped a vehicle on Highway 59, near Brooks, for unsafe driving conduct. It was discovered that the driver, Jarvis Paul-Anthony Kuznia (35) of Thief River Falls was intoxicated. Kuznia was placed under arrest and he was taken to the jail in Crookston, where he was booked for gross misdemeanor DWI. He was released from custody the following day and he will be summonsed to appear in Court in Red Lake Falls at a later date.

Just after midnight on June 14, the Red Lake County Sheriff’s Office received a report about an intoxicated male, threatening members of his family with a loaded gun. Red Lake County deputies responded to a Red Lake Falls residence to investigate. The investigation revealed that Evan James Chaput (26) of Thief River Falls had threatened members of his family with a handgun, which placed them in fear of immediate harm. The firearm was seized and Mr. Chaput was arrested and brought to the jail in Crookston. He was booked for misdemeanor assault. Chaput appeared in Court in Crookston on June 16. He was released from custody, with certain conditions, including no contact with the victims, surrendering his permit to carry and suspension of that privilege, and that he cannot possess a firearm. His next court appearance is scheduled for July 15 in Red Lake Falls.

On the afternoon of June 15, a Red Lake Falls resident reported property damage to their vehicle, which was parked outside of their residence. This incident occurred sometime that afternoon, and it was clearly intentional. That report is still under investigation.

On June 16, Audra Denise Armstrong (35) of Fridley, MN was cited with misdemeanor theft for defrauding an innkeeper. It is alleged that Armstrong stayed at the Oklee Inn back in May of 2020 and she left without paying her bill.

The Red Lake County Sheriff’s Office recapped their calls over the past week.  The report is below. 

On the afternoon of June 11, Cordwyn Crane (36) of Red Lake Falls was cited for misdemeanor driving after revocation while operating an ATV in the city of Red Lake Falls.

On the evening of June 13, a Red Lake County deputy stopped a vehicle on Highway 59, near Brooks, for unsafe driving conduct. It was discovered that the driver, Jarvis Paul-Anthony Kuznia (35) of Thief River Falls was intoxicated. Kuznia was placed under arrest and he was taken to the jail in Crookston, where he was booked for gross misdemeanor DWI. He was released from custody the following day and he will be summonsed to appear in Court in Red Lake Falls at a later date.

Just after midnight on June 14, the Red Lake County Sheriff’s Office received a report about an intoxicated male, threatening members of his family with a loaded gun. Red Lake County deputies responded to a Red Lake Falls residence to investigate. The investigation revealed that Evan James Chaput (26) of Thief River Falls had threatened members of his family with a handgun, which placed them in fear of immediate harm. The firearm was seized and Mr. Chaput was arrested and brought to the jail in Crookston. He was booked for misdemeanor assault. Chaput appeared in Court in Crookston on June 16. He was released from custody, with certain conditions, including no contact with the victims, surrendering his permit to carry and suspension of that privilege, and that he cannot possess a firearm. His next court appearance is scheduled for July 15 in Red Lake Falls.

On the afternoon of June 15, a Red Lake Falls resident reported property damage to their vehicle, which was parked outside of their residence. This incident occurred sometime that afternoon, and it was clearly intentional. That report is still under investigation.

On June 16, Audra Denise Armstrong (35) of Fridley, MN was cited with misdemeanor theft for defrauding an innkeeper. It is alleged that Armstrong stayed at the Oklee Inn back in May of 2020 and she left without paying her bill.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation announced today the completion of the box culvert project on Highway 220 north of East Grand Forks. The road was previously closed from County Road 21 to County Road 23.

Led by the Red Lake Watershed, crews installed a box culvert through Highway 220, one mile north of Polk County Highway 21. This project will improve agricultural drainage in the watershed as well as prevent flooding along the project area. 

The Minnesota Department of Transportation announced today the completion of the box culvert project on Highway 220 north of East Grand Forks. The road was previously closed from County Road 21 to County Road 23.

Led by the Red Lake Watershed, crews installed a box culvert through Highway 220, one mile north of Polk County Highway 21. This project will improve agricultural drainage in the watershed as well as prevent flooding along the project area.