Month: July 2022

An aerial mosquito control application is scheduled for Wednesday, July 27, between 7:00 and 11:00 p.m., weather permitting, in Red Lake Falls.

Should the spray be rescheduled, it would take place the following evening.

These applications have been approved by the FAA and the appropriate state departments. Specially trained and licensed pilots are assisting in controlling mosquitoes in this area. The mosquito control product is one specifically designed for use in residential areas. It is safe to use and will not harm people, pets, or gardens. However, as an added safety measure, you may remain indoors while the application is taking place.

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Crookston Public Schools Superintendent Dave Kuehn recently gave an announcement about the School Breakfasts & Lunches Program that is being offered this summer. What he has to say can be seen below:

As we continue to plan for the start of another successful year in the Crookston School District, we are disappointed to share that the United States Department of Agriculture did not renew the Free Breakfast & Lunch Program that has been in place for the past two years for all school districts in the state of Minnesota. Even though this information was made public last spring, we want to ensure that our families are well aware of this change and that breakfast and lunch for students/families this year may come at a cost.

One way to possibly eliminate or reduce the cost of your child’s breakfast/lunch is to complete an Education Benefits Application (Free & Reduced Meals application). We encourage ALL families to fill out the Educational Benefits Application available through our district – link to application. ALL families that fill out the Educational Benefits application will receive a $25 credit to their breakfast/lunch account, regardless of whether you qualify. Our goal is for 100% of our families to fill out an application for Educational Benefits, regardless of their income status, to help our families and help our school.

Did you know that our school district receives additional state funding beyond the school meal program funding, based on our Free & Reduced Lunch Percentage? Compensatory Aid from the State provides our district with a valuable revenue stream based on the percentage of students who qualify for free and reduced meals. Filling out the application is a “Win, Win, Win” opportunity for everyone – a “Win” for a family that qualifies for free or reduced rates, including a $25 credit; a “Win” for families who do not qualify where they receive a $25 credit to their lunch account; and a “Win” for the school district due to an increase in state revenues that we receive.

**Very Important: Some of you may already be qualified and do not need to fill out this application. To check your meal price status, you can go to your account on the Titan Family Portal https://family.titank12.com or email Anna Ogaard Brekken at annaogaard@isd593.org.

To apply, please complete the Application for Educational Benefits (link was shared above). A new application must be submitted each year. ALL FINANCIAL INFORMATION YOU PROVIDE IS CONFIDENTIAL UNDER THE PENALTY OF LAW. Return your completed Application for Educational Benefits to: Crookston High School, Attn: Anna Ogaard-Brekken, 402 Fisher Avenue, Crookston, MN 56716. Parents/Guardians can also drop off their completed applications at any of our school offices at any time, or the completed application can be dropped off at the “Welcome Back to School Day” on August 18. We need to get this information (qualifying applications) to the state by Tuesday, September 20. Please provide the information requested about children’s racial identity and ethnicity, which helps to make sure we are fully serving our community. This information is not required for approval of school meal benefits. 

Please help us achieve our 100% Goal!! If you have any questions or need assistance with the application process, please feel free to contact Anna Ogaard-Brekken, Food Service Director, at annaogaard@isd593.org or via phone at 218-281-5313 ext. 2110 or Dave Kuehn, Superintendent at davekuehn@isd593.org or via phone at 218-281-5313 ext. 2102.

Thank you in advance for your assistance on completing this application process.

The post CROOKSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS ENCOURAGE FAMILIES TO FILL OUT EDUCATION BENEFITS APPLICATION TO RECEIVE $25 CREDIT ON THEIR PROGRAM ACCOUNT appeared first on KROX.

The Northwest Regional Corrections Center in Crookston reported the following arrests.

Landin James Huseby, 18, of Grand Forks, for DUI

Shawn Adam Hedlund, 44, of McIntosh, for 3rd-Degree DUI

Seth Alan Ricord, 40, of Crookston, for DUI

Terrance Richard Conlon, 42, of Grand Forks, for 1st-Degree DUI

The post ARREST/FIRE REPORT- JULY 26, 2022 appeared first on KROX.

Soon after the conclusion of the City Council meeting, the Ways & Means Committee met with Crookston Finance Director Ryan Lindtwed and Public Works Department Director Brandon Carlson to discuss the preliminary budget for the Public Works Department for 2023.

PUBLIC WORKS BUDGET DISCUSSION

Carlson explained he tried to make the revenues level out to make it, so they break even for the year, which will help the city make money with other departments. Some of these items included purchasing more mosquito traps and putting in the purchases for two new mosquito sprayers, basing his purchases on talks with the Public Works Department in Grand Forks. He then went into dike and flood improvements saying he wished to use $100,000 to build a new levee by the Fire Hall to protect 30 feet along South Main Street in place of their current one that protects 26 ½ feet and wanted to add a new power head run for the levee pumps. He also mentioned that the Garbage Department had lost $17-18,000 in funds in 2021-22 and projects they will lose more for 2023. In response, he proposed that they would need to raise garbage bills from $5 to $6.50. He also proposed that they purchase a new garbage truck but expressed his concern that not enough people use the garbage service with them instead going to the transfer station, making it so the Garbage Department would not become a substantial income source for the city. For the Streetlight Department, Carlson said they had been losing substantial funds over the past few years and predicted they would lose $60,000 this year due to material prices. For the Building Repairs and Maintenance Department, he explained that they had an extra $10,000 and wanted to use them to replace the furnace in the Street Shop building.

CENTRAL GARAGE DEPARTMENT BUDGET DISCUSSION

Carlson then went into the Central Garage, where he mentioned that the charges for the equipment amounts they had were at an average of $260,000 with a 30% increase. One of the items he wished to add was a belly scrapper to their snowplow trucks for $35,000. The other item was a two-compartment garbage truck to get both garbage and recycling simultaneously for $300,000. Carlson then went into capital improvements. He started with the Street Improvement funds, saying that in last year’s assessments for the road reconstruction, only 11% was assessed for its competition and that they had about seven to eight hundred thousand dollars in revenue every year from state aid and gas tax. He explained that if they wished to be serious about maintaining the roads and infrastructure to where they wanted it to be, the assessments would have to increase substantially. Carlson proposed to raise the assessment rate to about $200 per foot, as an average assessment is around 50%. “Last year, we accessed $40 per foot of frontage. That only covered about 11% of the road reconstruction costs in 2021,” Carlson explained. “What we’re looking at doing is to maintain our roads. We need to replace about 3,500 feet to be replaced in 2023.” Carlson explained that if they were to replace every road surface every 40 years, they’d have to replace 6,600 feet of roadway every year.

WASTEWATER SYSTEM BUDGET DISCUSSION

Carlson then went into the Wastewater System’s budget, where he said that American Crystal will no longer do their lab sampling for it due to it being too much clerical work for them, which freed up $7,000 in expenses for them. Carlson also explained that they are trying to make new additions to the City pumps and levees, mainly lift station #3, to make it safer for the workers and improve the wastewater system with a backup system in case the pumps fail. “Part of this proposed budget was to replace lift station #3’s exchange system to get those system’s cases that make an unsafe environment from inside the lift station and pump them outside,” Carlson explained. “As far as the lift station pumps go, we need some impeller work on one of our lift stations, and then we need some of our bypass pumps to be repaired or replaced to where if our pumps do fail, we have a backup system, so it doesn’t back up houses while we get the main pumps repaired.” He also said that the fourth station pump needed a set of propellors and other repairs. His final item was that the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources had requested the Wastewater Department to purchase some equipment for additional well monitoring locations for each of their well sites.

The next budgets the Committee will listen to are for the Crookston Airport, the Valley Tech Park, and other City Administration General Fund recipients.

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The Crookston City Council met on Monday night in the Crookston City Hall Council Chambers in the lower level of Crookston City Hall.

CHEDA SPECIAL MEETING

Before the meeting began, the Crookston Housing & Economic Development Authority (CHEDA) met for a Special Meeting inside the City Hall Council Chambers.

After the Call to Order, the board began the approval of the payables. The first item was the CHEDA Checks for $38,555.68 and EFT bills totaling $2,148.74 for a total of $40,703.74. The other item was the end-of-month payroll and bills for August 1, for $63,637.29. The board approved all payments unanimously.

The next CHEDA meeting will take place on Tuesday, August 9, at noon at the Valley Technology Park.

PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION

After the Call to Order for the meeting, the council heard a presentation from Crookston Area Community Funds Board Chairperson Shirley Iverson on Disaster Funds. She gave each council member a bulletin explaining that the community has used over $2 million to help with many projects around the community, such as building sheds and picnic areas in parks, many of the assets at the Crookston Sports Center, and Splash Park. She explained that the community had many spendable funds to donate to the various projects in Crookston. “You can always give a donation to the Crookston Area Community Fund, both for an active spendable fund to support the Sports Center, Parks and Recs, the Disaster funds, and downtown Crookston development,” Iverson explained. “You can also give a donation for an endowment, which grows for the community, and then all of the interest profits are spendable each year for grants.” She mentioned that the Crookston Disaster Relief Community funds had received $11,500 in donations after the spring flooding that leaked into parts of the city and used them to help pay for over $1 million in household damages. She explained that the community and the council can designate their funds to a specific account and wished to remind the council about them and the funds they give to projects around the community. If you wish to donate funds to the Crookston Area Community Funds, you can send them to PO Box 543, Crookston, MN, 56716, or contact Shirley at shirley.iverson@gmail.com.

CONSENT AGENDA

The Council’s Consent Agenda consisted of them approving the City Council Minutes from their meeting on July 11 and the approval of the City of Crookston Bills and Disbursements in the amount of $303,472.66. It also included appointing the Election Judges for Primary and General Elections for 2022. The final item on the Consent Agenda was a resolution to approve partial payments estimate No. 1 to R.J. Zavoral & Sons, Inc. on street improvements totaling $438,270.30 with a 5% retainage to make a total final of $416,356,78. The council approved the agenda unanimously. The list of judges can be seen down below.

Kathy Altringer, Marsha Odom, Carol Dufault, Ray Dusek, Joel Kulenkamp, Judy Meyer, Darcy Pester, Linda Cournia, Randy Beattie, Rebecca Rude, Lavonne Froemke, Debbie Domier, Gene Ovsak, Earl Hill, Karen Hanson, Geri Ovasak, Ashley Rystad, Beth Benoit, Paulette Melbye, Marlys Mjoen, Jan Kelly Kari Kujava, Jerome Knutson, Carol Weber, Bob Altringer, Jacalyn Coautte, Laureen Anderson, Mark Ecklund, Tom Skjei, Juli Tubby, Dennis Jacobs, Patti Benjamin, and Ryan Lindtwed.

REGULAR AGENDA

The only item on the Regular Agenda was a resolution to approve the Impound and Sheltering Services of Impounded Animals. Interim City Administrator Charles “Corky” Reynolds explained that the city, through the Police Department, impounds shelters and cares for animals held to the Authority of Minnesota Statutes, but the city has never owned nor operated an animal impound shelter for the care and shelter of animals that the Police Department impounded. So, the Humane Society of Polk County Inc. Scruffy Tails Humane Society reviewed a proposed agreement for the impounding and sheltering services involving animals held to the authority of Minnesota Statutes and Crookston Ordinances. Police Chief Darin Selzler explained that the city would agree to pay $350 per month for five kennels for impound use and pay $18 each day for each animal impounded. The people would pay an initial impound fee of $15 with a $20 add-on for every day the city would have to hold the animals along with any other required veterinary care costs and other necessary fees. “It’s the same services we’ve always provided through the Humane Society, which is doing business with Scruffy Tails. It’s the service that we use for any impounded animals, cats or dogs, throughout the city,” Chief Selzler explained. “We’ve been working with them for many years and off a contract that’s been around since 2008. This is just a new contract with updated prices more applicable to today’s economy and inflation. So, nothing changes, it’s the same services that we’ve always provided, but our fees are going to be going up a little bit since we’ve been working off an old contract.” Chief Selzler expressed his hope that this would potentially help people come in and recover the animals that the police impound. As sadly, he reported that only 45% of the animals they find and impound are picked up by their owners. The board approved the motion unanimously.

REPORTS AND STAFF RECOMMENDATION

The council then heard from Police Chief Darin Selzler reminded everyone that Night To Unite was on Tuesday, August 2, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., and encouraged many of the Council members and department members to come out. He is also working with the Ox Cart Days Committee about what events they needed to be covered with police security.

Fire Chief Tim Froeber then came forward, thanking Shirley for all the help they’d provided during the spring floods. He also mentioned that on Thursday, July 28, the fire department will install a new fire siren by the Holiday Gas Station and test it on Friday.

Public Works Director Brandon Carlson reported that street improvements are still coming along, but they have pushed the blacktop paving dates back until the second week of August. The Street Crews had been busy cleaning up the mess from the storm on Friday night and believe they should be finished by the end of the week.

Parks and Recreation Director Jake Solberg reported that they are continuing to maintain the fields and parks and that the Sub State Tournament went well. He also said that the pool had a high Ph level on Saturday and high chlorine on Monday morning, which he had to come in and fix and get the pool opened by 9:30 a.m. He also explained that starting every weekend, there will be someone on call for the pool if anyone has any problems so they can fix any problems that arise. When asked about some of the pool issues, he explained that he purchased a new monitor that monitors the pool’s chemical levels and currently is not sure why there have problems with it but is working with the contractor they got it from for answers. They will finish summer programs on August 4 and open fall programs by September.

Ward 2 Council member Steve Erickson revealed that he will not be running for the 2022 Primary and General Elections this summer and is open for a new candidate.

The next City Council meeting will take place on Monday, August 8, at 7:00 p.m. inside the City Hall Council Chambers.

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The Crookston School Board met on Monday night inside the Crookston High School Choir/Orchestra room. Below are all the items that were on the Consent Agenda.

CONSENT AGENDA

• Approve meeting minutes from June 27 and July 7 meetings
• Approval of Current Bills
• Accepting resignation letter from Sandy Seregin, Paraprofessional at Highland
• Accepting resignation letter from Darin Zimmerman, Assistant Varsity Baseball Coach
• Accepting resignation letter from Denise Affeldt, ELL Instructor
• Accepting resignation letter from Andrea Weisse, Administrative Assistant at Crookston High School
• Approve employment with Autumn Hanson, Visual Arts Instructor at Crookston High School
• Approve employment with Marcelo Campoverde, Spanish Instructor at Crookston High School
• Approve Staff Handbooks at Highland Elementary School
• Approve contracts of Matt Torgerson as Crookston High School Principal, and Greg Garmen as Crookston High School Assistant Principal.
• Designate Official Financial Institutions

1. Payroll Account: United Valley Bank, Crookston, MN
2. Financial Account: Bremer Bank, Crookston, MN
3. Lock Box Account: (direct wire of state funds): Bremer Bank, Crookston, MN

• Designate Investment authority to

1. Dave Kuehn (Superintendent)
2. Laura Lyczewski (Business Manager)
3. Nancy Nottestad (Fiscal Services Director)

• Designate Official Signatories as

1. Frank Fee (School Board Chairperson)
2. Adrianne Winger (School Board Clerk)
3. Tim Dufault (School Board Treasurer)
4. Dave Kuehn (Superintendent)
5. Laura Lyczewski (Business Manager)
6. Nancy Nottestad (Fiscal Services Director)

• Designate Personnel Dave Kuehn (Superintendent), and Laura Lyczewski (Business Manager) to lease, purchase, and contract for budgeted goods and services.

The board approved all Consent Agenda Items unanimously.

REGULAR AGENDA

The Regular Agenda initially featured just one item, Approving the ten-year Long-Term Facilities Maintenance Plan. Crookston Public Schools Superintendent Dave Kuehn explained what the plan looks like. “This is an annual thing that the state wants you to map out,” said Superintendent Kuehn. “It’s just to keep you looking at your facilities and on top of things as far as spending money that we receive from the State goes. We have money from the State specifically for our facilities so it’s important to have a plan in place and to be looking at it every year.”

The board approved the ten-year Long-Term Facilities Maintenance Plan unanimously, and once this upcoming school year comes to a close, they will review the plan again and update it once again for the 2023-2024 School Year.

One item from the Consent Agenda was removed and placed under the Regular Agenda for discussion. That was the approval of Student Handbooks for the 2022-2023 School Year at Crookston High School, Highland Elementary School, and Washington Elementary School. “I just wanted to make sure there were a few clarifications in the student handbooks,” said School Board member Mike Theis. “One of those was regarding the parents coming in and having lunch with the students, and I wanted to make sure we are open to that. The other one was making sure we have the Board of Education’s contact information in all the handbooks as well as the Superintendent’s number if anyone has any questions. Transparency is vital to me, so I wanted to make sure we discussed those things before approving the handbooks.”

School Board member Patty Dillabough also wanted some clarification on the dress code, and after she and Theis received clarification, the board approved the 2022-2023 Student Handbooks unanimously.

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS

The board also heard administrative reports from Crookston High School Principal Matt Torgerson, Highland Elementary School Principal Chris Trostad, and Washington School Principal Denice Oliver.

All three left a packet with the board to review and noted they are in the calm before the storm and didn’t have anything else to report. Oliver did make one note saying that next Wednesday, Washington School will be doing an early childhood screening as they prepare for the upcoming school year.

The board also heard a report from Superintendent Kuehn who said they are having staffing issues and problems recruiting people to work in the district. He is hopeful they will eventually fill the positions before the start of the school year. Kuehn also provided an update on the upcoming referendum for the new Track & Athletic Field Complex. “I really encourage people in the community to be informed on this referendum and know the needs and benefits of why the district is looking at this project,” said Superintendent Kuehn. “This facility could be used for much more than just athletic needs. We could use it for classes, and throughout the community with different events. That isn’t happening much now with the current setup, so I think it’s important for people to know why we are pursuing this option and why it could be beneficial.”

The vote is set to take place on August 9, and Crookston Public Schools will have one more public meeting on August 3. The next regular School Board Meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 22, at 5:00 p.m. inside the Crookston High School Choir/Orchestra room.

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