The Crookston City Council met on Monday evening and voted 5 to 3 to accept a $3.3 million grant for the Industrial Park, and had a public hearing where four people spoke. The meeting recap is below.
$3.3 MILLION GRANT FOR THE INDUSTRIAL PARK ACCEPTED
The first item on the agenda was a presentation by Taylor Wyum, Project Coordinator Community Development for Crookston, on bonding for the industrial park infrastructure. CHEDA and the City are looking at bonding for the Industrial Park Infrastructure project to help pay for the project. “This grant will give us some funding that will help the city in being able to make that project happen. The city will have to bond for the remaining portion of the project, hopefully less if we get some other funds into the community,” said Wyum, who added there are businesses that are interested in locating in the Industrial Park once the infrastructure is in. “Back when this grant was written and submitted in 2024, there were a handful of businesses that offered letters of interest or letters of commitment for the project. They’re interested in locating here, and we’ve talked to some of them recently, and they’re still interested, so we’re feeling positive.”
The council approved accepting the $3.3 million matching grant from the United States Economic Development Administration’s Public Works Economic Adjustment Assistance program. The vote was 5 to 3 in favor. Voting for the grant was Morgan Hibma, Joseph Shostell, Henry Fischer, Clayton Briggs, and Don Cavalier. Voting no were Derek Brekken, Dylane Klatt, and Wendy Ault.
The grant will help fund infrastructure improvements at the industrial park for roads, water, wastewater, holding ponds among other items. Total cost of the project is an estimated $7.1 million. Wyum said there has been some interest, especially with the rail spur coming in, “I would say with the rail spur coming in and commencing construction, that’s really gotten interest kind of extra perked, so people are excited and ready and are wondering when can you get this built so we can build our stuff.”
Wyum said they will let the Federal Government know they are accepting the grant. “Now that it’s been passed, we’ll go ahead and let the federal government know that we’re accepting the grant,” said Wyum. “We will apply for state funds from Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development’s Business Development Public Infrastructure Grant, and once we hear back on those funds, we’ll bring a bonding package to the council and ask them to approve that and move forward with the project.”
PUBLIC HEARING ON AMENDING AN ORDINANCE
A public hearing was held regarding the city amending the City of Crookston zoning ordinance by allowing a slaughterhouse in the Heavy Industrial Zone. Four members of the public, including two neighbors spoke about the possible change to the ordinance. The requested change comes from B & E Meats looking to add the processing of beef and pork at its business.
The first person to speak was Charles Eickhoff of Eickhoff Columbarium, across the street from B & E Meats. “There just appears to be and really is a dismantling of the procedural integrity and the processes that rightfully should occur when something like this is being considered. And for all those various reasons, I don’t believe that the city council is being given a square look at this, and I don’t think that due process was given to the property owners in neighboring places there at B&E,” said Eickhoff. “And so we’re really trying to look out for ourselves and what could be some very long-term consequences, because once you maybe permit some of these uses, it can open Pandora’s box. And for me personally, I’m a young guy, relatively, getting older every day, but I plan to be around that building for the next 70 years, and so this really has some long-term implications. I want to be excited about continuing to do business and invest in the city of Crookston, and seeing these types of actions and missteps makes me less excited.”
Robin Benson of RBB Electric, who owns the lot next to B & E Meats supported the change to allow slaughterhouses in the Industrial Park. “I think I’ve always had a concern that communities can limit themselves by not allowing more infrastructure to occur, and whether it’s being able to add to the basis of what a building does, and how each and every increase that every business can do really can help all of us all the way around, whether it’s adding more jobs, you’re building new houses, you’re visiting more. It’s just really that I feel that this is the cross-pollination from one business to all the rest of us,” said Benson.
“I don’t have any concerns. We’ve talked a great deal with Brent about this. We are doing some of the electrical work, but we’re proud and happy and very excited for what he’s got planned going forward.”
The city council will make a decision at the next city council meeting on Monday, November 3.
OTHER AGENDA ITEMS
The council approved a partnership between the Northwest Regional Sustainable Development Partnership, Crookston Park and Rec, University of Minnesota Crookston, and the West Polk Soil and Water Conservation District to jointly apply for the 2025 Minnesota DNR Community Tree Planting Grant. They are looking at replacing the Ash trees that have been affected by the Emerald Ash Borer.
The council approved a contract with Xigent for a virtualization platform and server upgrades in the Information Technology department. The purchase will help the city save money in the long run.
They also approved allowing the city to reimburse itself from a bond related to any future expenditure paid by the city prior to the issuance of a bond. “So the IRS has regulations that we have to declare intent to reimburse ourselves from bonds,” said Interim City Administrator Darin Selzler. “So for example, if we had expenditures into a project prior to a bond being issued, this would put us in compliance with the IRS so we could pay ourselves back or pay the city back for those expenses that we incurred prior to the bond. We could pay ourselves back with that bond once it’s issued.”
The council approved the City Council meeting minutes from October 6, 8, and 13, a resolution to approve bills and disbursements for $422,779.62. The council approved payment one to Gustafson and Goudge, Inc. for the 2025 hangar construction and site preparation for the Crookston Municipal Airport, and payment two to R.J. Zavoral & Sons, Inc. for the 2024 taxi lane construction for the airport.
NEXT MEETING
The special Crookston City Council for Wednesday was cancelled. The next scheduled City Council Meeting is Monday, November 3 at 5:30 p.m.