Times Newsroom Blog

The CHEDA Board of Directors, in a special meeting Monday afternoon, approved a "contribution agreement" that will have CHEDA putting money forth toward the purchase price of the 100-acre Colborn property on the southern edge of town. Owner Dave Colborn and the city have come to an agreement with a $590,000 purchase price. The city wants to get the land ready for future industrial development, since the current industrial park is low on available land.

The agreement approved today still includes some blank spaces that will be filled in after Thursday, when Crookston Jobs, Inc.'s shareholders will meet to discuss a potential contribution to the purchase price. Crookston Jobs, a non-profit, was sort of a precursor to the local economic development authority and has a history of getting involved in industrial-related initiatives in the community.

If Crookston Jobs decides to put no money forth, the City of Crookston and CHEDA will split the $590,000 cost equally, City Administrator Aaron Parrish said at today's meeting. The contributions of the two entities could be decreased, he said, if Crookston Jobs puts up some money. It's possible the three entities would split the cost three ways.

Recruiting Johanneck's successor

The CHEDA board also endorsed a plan to recruit a successor to Dan Johanneck, the current CHEDA executive director who's resigned to become business manager at the Mount St. Benedict. The board OK'ed a recruitment plan that is similar to the one that landed Johanneck in 2008. The salary range will remain as it was in 2008, too, from $50,000 to $70,000. Johanneck said he recently surveyed people holding positions similar to his in the region, and he found that the salary range was still fairly representative of the position's pay in the region.

As for a timeline, Parrish, who will be the CHEDA interim director when Johanneck leaves, said he'd like to be interviewing candidates by May and June with the hope of having someone hired and on the job by July or August.

Today's meeting ended with an informal reception for Johanneck, who thanked everyone for their support. "I feel very fortunate for the experience this position has given me and for the things that I will take away from it," he said. "I am very appreciative."

Johanneck also stressed that he and his family are staying in Crookston, and he hopes for a long time. "Crookston as a whole is just a great community," he said.