Month: September 2025

The Crookston City Council held a special meeting on Tuesday evening at the Crookston City Hall Council chambers and unanimously approved the 2026 preliminary levy at an 8% increase.

The meeting only took two minutes with unanimous approval from the council. The preliminary levy is set at 8% and now the council is tasked with trying to whittle it down to a lower number by late December. “Next steps are just kind of go back to the drawing board, take a step back. We’ll reevaluate budgets and capital improvements,” said Interim City Administrator Darin Selzler. “Like we mentioned yesterday at the budget workshop, you know, I think we’re sitting pretty good. We’re pretty proud of where we were able to accomplish and set the preliminary levy.”

The council and department heads will look at possible cuts to get the final levy lower than the 8% number they are starting with. “Like everything, the goal is now to go back, try to make some additional cuts or something that we can do to lower the levy,” said Selzler. “I’m confident we can do that and gives us a little bit of time here instead of rushing through like we did the last month. And like I said, just take a step back and kind of start over, go back to the drawing board and work on things again.”

The Truth in Taxation meeting is set for December 1 and the official final levy will be decided in late December.

To see how the council got to the 8% number, click the link below to view the story from Monday’s meeting.

The City of Crookston is announcing an upcoming infrastructure improvement project scheduled to begin on Monday, October 6, 2025, in the neighborhood near Lift Station 5, located at the corner of Memorial Drive and Locken Boulevard.

This project will replace and upsize the existing force main, improving the lift station’s overall efficiency and helping reduce the risk of localized sewer backups into residential homes during heavy stormwater events.

Construction Information:

• Start Date: October 6, 2025 (weather permitting)
• Duration: Approximately one week
• Traffic Impacts: Locken Boulevard will remain open to local traffic only during construction. While some minor disruptions may occur, overall impacts are expected to be limited.

This project is essential in strengthening the wastewater infrastructure and protecting nearby homes.

Residents with questions or concerns are encouraged to contact:
Chuck Getsman
(218) 281-1232
Cgetsman@crookston.mn.us

The Minnesota Department of Transportation paused work on Monday in a first-ever statewide safety stand down to honor the tragic loss of two construction contractors on Minnesota roads last week and to focus on improving safety in work zones.

Not only is the safety stand down a deliberate pause in work to reflect on the recent lives lost, but it is also a time for staff to recommit to the safety of every person who works with or for our agencies. This included discussions, listening and sharing personal experiences to help our agency learn from each other to help improve safety for all of us.

“Every crash is more than a statistic — it’s a family changed forever. Work zones are places where Minnesotans are on the job, not just cones and signs on the road,” said State Patrol Colonel Christina Bogojevic. “We need every driver to slow down, pay attention and treat those areas with extra care. The safety of our workers and of everyone traveling on our roads depends on it.”  

“Tragic incidents like this are a sobering reminder that contact with objects or equipment remains the leading cause of workplace fatalities in Minnesota. On average, eight workers lose their lives each year due to these types of incidents,“ said Commissioner Nicole Blissenbach, Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. “These are not just statistics—they are people who didn’t make it home to their loved ones at the end of the workday. Preventing these tragedies starts with proper training and strong safety protocols. Employees exposed to traffic or mobile earth-moving equipment must wear high-visibility garments, and that equipment must be outfitted with functioning backup alarms or guided by trained signal persons. These safeguards are not optional—they are essential to saving lives.”

“Construction is, by its nature, a high-risk industry. While the specific details of these recent incidents have not been made public, we know from experience that the causes of serious injuries and fatalities often follow familiar patterns,” said Associated General Contractors CEO Tim Worke. “As we reflect upon these tragedies, we must re-examine where and how we can improve safety culture and make certain that everyone working in the construction industry returns safely to their families each day.”

“The Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council stands with our partners in mourning the loss of two construction workers in recent days and in calling for renewed vigilance in every highway work zone,” said Dan McConnell, President of the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council. “Every worker deserves to come home safely at the end of the day. We honor the memory of Pierre Mack, a member of LIUNA Local 563, and Adam Smith, a member of IUOE 139, by strengthening our shared commitment to safety – on the job site, in project oversight, and on the roadways we all travel.”

While these incidents occurred within a work zone, motorists should do their part to keep workers safe. Drivers should always be prepared to encounter traffic changes when approaching work zones including lane closures, lane shifts, uneven road surfaces, slow-moving heavy equipment and slow or stopped traffic. To keep everyone safe, drivers must: 

• Obey posted speed limits. The fine for speeding in a work zone is $300.
• Drive undistracted. Avoid using cell phones, mobile devices, adjusting the radio – even eating –while in work zones.
• Move over. Give workers room to safely complete their work.
• Know before you go. Get real-time information about traffic and road conditions at www.511mn.org or get the free 511mn smartphone app at Google Play or the App Store.
• Be patient. Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.
• Do the zipper merge.
• Avoid making unnecessary lane changes.
• Never enter a road blocked with barriers or cones.

Minnesota Housing has approved financing for over $53 million in repairs and updates to 32 public housing buildings statewide, including Crookston’s Oak Court Apartments.
The resulting work will help preserve more than 3,200 apartments across the state, including 22 projects in Greater Minnesota and 10 in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.  

The Publicly Owned Housing Program (POHP) provides loans to rehabilitate public housing serving people with low incomes. Program funding comes from a mix of state appropriations and General Obligation Bonds. More than $32 million in funding is from 2023 state appropriations; an additional $21 million is funded through 2025 General Obligation Bonds. 

Selected projects are prioritized to address properties with the most immediate need for repairs. Loans will address internal and external repairs, including electric panel, plumbing, roof, and foundation updates. “Oak Court Apartments will receive $177,400 for repairs and upgrades. “We had applied earlier this spring, and we had applied to do some ADA-compliant doors, closures, cabinets, and countertops, emergency lights. and exit lighting,” said Crookston Housing Director Theresa Tahran. “We put in some soft costs too. So the total requested funding was $189,220. And they recommended that we get $177,450. They did not fund the emergency lighting and exit lighting.”
Tahran added that they are currently doing half of the cabinets and will finish the other half with the latest grant and getting a grant like this helps them. “It really helps us with our Oak Court projects. It doesn’t make us utilize our capital funds, but we use them as leverage,” said Tahran. “And we leveraged $24,850 this round, so 14% out of our capital funds.”

Sixty-five percent of households that will benefit from repairs had incomes under $20,000 per year.

“This investment is about protecting the homes of families and individuals in McGregor while preserving affordable housing in our community,” said Teresa L. Smude, executive director of the Aitkin County HRA. “Replacing aging roofs is critical to keeping these homes secure, livable and affordable well into the future.”

Minnesota Housing has awarded over $150 million in POHP funding to 163 rehabilitation projects since the program began in 2012. One-third of that funding was awarded this year due to increased investment from the legislature. Recipients applied via a competitive request for proposals process. The board of directors approved the loans at their August 28, 2025, meeting. Read more about the Public Owned Housing Program. 

The following public housing buildings will be repaired and upgraded using POHP funding: 

• Oak Court Apartments, Crookston
• Ravoux Hi-Rise, St. Paul
• Hamline Hi-Rise, St. Paul 
• Cedar High 1611, 1627, 620, Minneapolis
• Snelling Manors, Minneapolis
• Dow Towers, Hopkins
• Hamilton House, St. Louis Park
• John Carroll, South St. Paul
• Nan McKay Hi-Rise, South St. Paul
• Empire Apartments, St. Cloud 
• 411 NW 7th Street, Grand Rapids
• Aspen Arms, Cloquet
• Hilltop Homes, Eveleth
• McGregor Scattered Sites, McGregor
• North Point Apartments, Duluth
• Seventh Avenue Apartments, Hibbing
• Northland Apartments, Bemidji
• Glenhaven Manor, Glenwood
• GrandView Apartments, Morris
• Lakeland Apartments, Perham
• River View Heights, Moorhead
• Jackson Scattered Site, Jackson
• Lakeview Apartments, Willmar
• Nokomis Apartments, Pipestone
• Park Tower Apartments, Hutchinson 
• Friendship Village, Fairmont
• Park Apartments, St. James
• Maple Grove Apartments – A Building, Wabasha
• Ross Park Apartments, Sleepy Eye
• Twin Towers, Austin