Month: February 2023

The Northwest Regional Corrections reported the following arrests.

Robert Clyde Strandell, 63, of Fisher, for DUI and Refusing to Submit to a Chemical Test

Jeramiah Bejamin Sampson Webb, 23, no address provided, for 5th-Degree Assault, Gross Misdemeanor

Deanthony Maurice Gonzalez, 32, of Red Lake, for 3rd-Degree DUI

The Crookston Fire Department (CFD) responded to the following calls on 2/13/2023 –

At 7:00 p.m., the CFD responded to the 2900 block of University Ave for a report of a smoke alarm activation. Upon arrival, the CFD investigated and found that dust had gotten into the alarm and caused the activation. There was no danger present. The CFD reset the alarm and cleared the scene.

At 7:30 p.m., the CFD responded to Leonard Ave in Crookston to assist with the removal of a cat from a tree. The CFD was able to safely get the cat out of the tree and then cleared the scene.

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Following the City Council meeting, the Crookston Ways & Means Committee met to discuss six street assessments. The assessments included street reconstruction on Houston Avenue, from Hunter Street to South Ash Street, Alexander Street, from 4th Avenue North, Euclid Avenue from Guthrie Street to McKinley Boulevard, Guthrie Street from Euclid Avenue to 5th Avenue South and 5th Avenue South to the DAC bus garage approach, and an Alley off Elm Street between Summit Avenue and Central Avenue. The total preliminary cost of all the projects came to $2,061,263.

Finance Director Ryan Lindtwed and Public Works Director Brandon Carlson approached the board to share the funding for these road projects. They were currently holding about $670,000 in their reserves which they could use to fund the roads. “Currently, our reconstruction assessment was $40 off the front edge per foot, our two-inch overlay is $15 per foot, and our full overlay is $20 a foot. It was $675 last year to reconstruct a road per foot. It cost us $115 a foot to do a two-inch overlay and $245 a foot to do a full overlay,” Carlson explained. “We’re trying to find a way to close that gap, as only about 11% of street improvements were funded by assessments last year, so the resolution for the street improvements stated in 2019 that the policy would be looked at and adjusted if need be.”
Carlson had spoken to other communities, such as Grand Forks, about how much they used for street assessments and found that 30% was the most common, but much of the committee found that an increase from the current 11% was too much for the city.
“Right now, if we wanted to keep the 11% assessment for this year’s estimated cost on the projects, we’d have to up the foot assessment to $45 a foot to maintain that 11%. If we go up to 20%, it has to go up to $82 a foot, and if we go to 30%, it’s $123 a foot,” said Carlson. At a 30% assessment, with our other LGA funds, state aid funds, and funds from the water and sewer department, we would have to pull $300,000 from City reserves.”
Carlson stated he also chose a 30% assessment as if they improve State Aid roads, any reimbursement from the state goes into the 227-reserve fund, which was about $300,000 per year, which would get the project to sustain itself.

However, the committee favored the 20% assessment, with them putting a base on the water bill, which would increase the water bills of the homeowners on the road by $7 a month on the water bill. This would cause everyone to use the road in rental homes and homeowners to pay for the roads, increasing the value of their property. The committee then began discussing if the funding for the assessments continue to be done by a specific dollar amount per linear or front foot or if it should be changed to a percentage of the construction cost.
“What happens if you set a dollar amount is that the dollar amount doesn’t change. As time goes on with increased cost, the dollar is less absorbing of the cost, and the city has to pick up what it doesn’t cover. If you go to a percentage, that percentage covers any increases in costs of roadway construction as those costs go up in the future. We won’t have to come back every year,” City Administrator Charles “Corky” Reynolds explained. “There was that discussion, and even more deeply, was what amount should the city pay, and what amount should the landowner pay for a road that runs in front of or adjacent to their property? The council decided that we needed more information and asked us to prepare some potential scenarios.”

The committee asked Carlson to look at creating multiple scenarios from 20% to 40% paid by the homeowner or still at the current rate of 11% and how it would impact the tax levy at the end of the year and bring it in to discuss it at their next meeting on February 27.

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The Crookston City Council met for a regular meeting on Monday at 5:30 p.m. inside the City Hall Council Chambers.

REGULAR AGENDA

The council discussed a proposed project consisting of acquiring and reviewing the available stormwater system data throughout the north side of Crookston by the Crookston Sports Center (CSC) as it is susceptible to flooding and causing emergency road closures, making it impossible for emergency vehicles to reach that area, which is a risk to the CSC area. The study will acquire and review the available stormwater system data in that area to find where the water moves and how they would make it safe for future housing. WiDSETH had offered to engage and provide the designated necessary professional engineering and consulting services to the city with respect to the plan and will work with the city’s Public Works Department at the cost of $529,000. Public Works Director Brandon Carlson approached the council to share their plan to make the city property a part of a 100-year rain event.
“They’re going to model that entire section within that roadway, split into four quarters. We’re trying to get the city’s portion to a 100-year rain event. That means one rain every hundred years will amount to five inches an hour. That’s what most of our residential streets are designed to be. The agricultural land will be the other three sections will be designed to stay as Ag drainage, so the acceptable standard is for the Ag land to be underwater for up to 48 hours,” said Carlson. “We’re looking to get most of the water to go east to County Ditch 99. We’ve talked in previous meetings about getting them to improve County Ditch 99 from Fisher Avenue to the Township Roads. They’re going to figure out how much water is coming out of the storm system. We’ll see how much water the current storm system can handle if it can take any more, and if it can’t, we’ll try to size a pond to store the water during the rainfall and give it time to drain once the rest of the system is drained.”
The study will begin over the next two weeks and continue into the spring. The council approved the study unanimously.

Stormwater Study at Ag Innovation Campus

The council then discussed a proposed project consisting of acquiring and reviewing the available stormwater system data throughout the Ag Innovation Vicinity real estate to necessitate the runoff of stormwater to the south and west of the development. The work concerning the Ag Innovation Study will involve calculating the change in runoff as the parcel’s development occurs and the potential alternative routes for the stormwater discharge needing to be determined. The city is looking to enter a $17,000 contract with WiDSETH to provide consulting, professional, and engineering services concerning the Ag Innovation Vicinity Stormwater Study to help protect the land from flooding. The council approved the study unanimously.

Crookston Regional Airport T-Hangar contract

The council then discussed a resolution to authorize a contract with Short Elliot Hendrickson, Inc. (SEH) to design a 10-unit T-Hangar at the Crookston Regional Airport. City Administrator Charles “Corky” Reynolds explained that there had been an increase in the demand and need from at least 20 people for hanger space at the Crookston Regional Airport. Short Elliot Hendrickson, Inc. (SEH) offered to provide the designated necessary professional services to the city to help design the hanger.
“We have a substantial number of people that would like to have hangers at the airport. There’s an overabundance of users not in good supply of hangers. This is something that SEH does. They design T-Hangars and help us with our funding mechanisms,” Administrator Reynolds explained. “The council passed a resolution allowing us to enter into this contract for that design, and then once it’s designed, we get it out for bids, get them, and they’re acceptable, and we can move forward with this construction. It’ll allow more users to come in and out and more people to house their airplanes at the airport, which is good for the airport and Crookston.”
The city will have some matching obligations, with its cost ranging from $88,000 to $150,000. The council approved the contract unanimously.

Ag Innovation Campus area road construction

The council then discussed some plans and specifications to be prepared for the road construction in the Ag Innovation Campus area. The road plans and specifications for the road’s construction running through the area have been completed and were brought before the council to see the specifics to be published for the road’s construction bids. “Once there’s a published notice that we’re calling for bids, the request will be published in a newspaper,” Reynolds explained. “That publication will tell construction companies where to come, how long the bids will be open and due so that construction can begin in the spring as early as possible.”

WiDSETH campground bathhouse mechanical redesign

The council then discussed a resolution of a proposed project to redesign a bathhouse in Central Park. The redesign will have different designs with specifications for foundations and superstructure systems of the structure that had already been blueprinted, with WiDSETH offering to design and place the plumbing, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems inside the bathhouse and provide the designated necessary professional Engineering and Consulting services regarding the lighting, power distribution, fire alarm, and security with a sum not exceeding $30,000. The council would then hear from WiDSETH for an official motion on its creation at the next council meeting on February 27. The council approved the resolution unanimously.

Sale of Real Property to Heidi Christianson

The council then began discussing the sale of real property by the city to Heidi Christianson. The city had developed lots in 1996 and deeded one of them to Christianson in the redeveloped properties in the northeast part of Crookston. When the deed was given, the City Council did not pass a resolution authorizing the deed to be given to her. The property is now being sold for the third time, and a real estate attorney found that the deed was not passed by the City Council authorizing giving the buyer the deed. The council passed a resolution validating the transfer to Heidi Christianson, who has now conveyed to other people and saying the council authorized the transaction, which will address the objection of the title to the property transfer. The council approved the action unanimously.

IRP and mortgage satisfaction on the property owned by Melsa Resolution

The council then discussed a resolution to approve an intermediary re-lending program (IRP) and Mortgage Satisfaction for property owned by Melsa Hospitality Group. The Melsas have repaid the city for their mortgage of $50,000 in full, and now the city will execute a Satisfaction of the Mortgage to the intermediary re-lending program Repayment Agreement and Mortgage. The council approved the motion unanimously.

Rehabilitation Loan Program and Mortgage Satisfaction on property owned by Amiots

The council then began a discussion on a property that was previously owned by Edward R. and Patricia L. Amiot, who had entered into a Housing Rehabilitation Funding Agreement on May 1, 2018, for $15,938 as a loan for rehabilitation work on their existing business property for improvements to the conditions relating to health, safety, basic business ventures, and energy efficiency. The city wishes to repay the loan with a mortgage on the property, which had to be paid before April 1, 2023. The council approved the motion unanimously.

REPORTS AND STAFF RECOMMENDATION

City Administrator “Corky” Reynolds reported they had met with the Crookston Fire Department to discuss ongoing payment negotiations. He had also met with the Crookston School District with Community Development Director Kari Kirschbaum to discuss the purchase of Washington Elementary School to become a childcare center. He was also going to McIntosh on Thursday, February 16, to request a grant of $1 million to create multi-use pathways to create connections around the city.

Crookston Police Chief Darin Selzler reported that they had four vacancies at the Police Department, with one new member starting, who had worked for the Grand Forks Police Department. They have made a final offer to another officer and are in the backgrounding stage of another. These would fill three of the four vacancies, with the last spot having four applications. He hoped they will complete training and have them all on patrol routes by the middle of June. They also had a water leak in their basement two weeks ago, but there was no water damage, and no property was damaged.

Crookston Fire Chief Shane Heldstab reported that he had worked with several city members and met with all Polk County Chiefs to gain new contact numbers to help with communications for the year. They also had several people have helped clear snow away from the majority of fire hydrants around the city. They had also begun receiving spring river reports, but so far, there have not been any major concerns, but they would focus on any high water concerns.

IT Director Chad Palm reported they had been working across the city’s departments, such as the door system for the Crookston Police Department, recovery of the Crookston Fire Department’s Facebook account, and replacing the cameras at the Crookston Sports Center.

Community Development Director Kari Kirschbaum reported that the Oak Court Apartments held a Super Bowl Sunday event yesterday, and they were starting to paint some of the hallways. She also noted that the childcare Open House at Washington Elementary School had been moved to Monday, February 20. Kirschbaum then introduced the city’s new Administrative Assistant and Project Coordinator, Kayme Denault, to help Kirschbaum with the city’s childcare project and other projects.

CONSENT AGENDA

The Consent Agenda included the approval of the City Council minutes from their meeting on January 23 and the approval of the City of Crookston Bills and Disbursements of $218,181.03. It also included approving the Crookston Housing & Economic Development Authority (CHEDA) meeting agendas for their meetings on Tuesday, February 21, and 27. The Consent Agenda included a resolution to appoint Candidates to Boards and Commissions, approving more 2023 Gas Fitting and Cement Licenses, and a $500 donation from Brost Chevrolet for Crookston Parks and Creations Youth Sports. The agenda will include approving the Non-Bargaining Salaries and revised AFSCME Local No 1353 from 2023-25, the revised 2023 Fee Schedule, a $238 donation from Crookston Valley Cooperative Inc. and Proseed for the Crookston Fire Department, and a resolution approving a $36,035.87 partial Payment Estimate No. 3 (Final) 2021 Federal Funded Street Improvements. The board approved the agenda unanimously.

PUBLIC HEARINGS

The City Council then held a Public Hearing on modifying the restarted the restated Crookston Housing & Economic Development Authority (CHEDA) enabling resolution. When no one came forward, the council closed the hearing.

The next City Council meeting will take place on Monday, February 27, at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers.

The post CROOKSTON CITY COUNCIL APPROVES STORMWATER STUDIES FOR CROOKSTON SPORTS CENTER AND AG INNOVATION CAMPUS AREAS appeared first on KROX.

On Saturday, February 11, at 9:51 a.m., Crookston Police officers responded to the Crookston Care & Share, where a victim reported that 23-year-old resident Jeramiah B. Webb was acting “out of control,” trying to fight with people and calling people names. The victim said Webb had shoved him into the doorframe of the Center’s entrance which injured his arm.

Webb has been charged with felony assault and was taken to the Northwest Regional Corrections Center. 

A video with details of the incident can be seen below-

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