As City of Crookston officials hope the legislature this spring allocates a nice chunk of money for Crookston's final flood control project, in Jerome's Addition, preparations in advance of the start of construction in the neighborhood on the multi-phase project are ramping up.
The city Ways & Means Committee Tuesday night recommended full council approval of the "voluntary" nature of the home buyouts in the path of project components changing to "involuntary." That was the recommendation of Community Development Director Mike MacDonald.
When the buyouts are on a voluntary basis, homeowners who know their houses are in the way of the project initiate the buyout process with the city. This has happened with several properties so far, MacDonald said, but now it's time to accelerate things.
The bonding bill, expected to approach $1 billion, includes money for the DNR's Flood Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which allocates money for flood control needs across the state. If the bill gives $50 million to the DNR program, as previous versions have in recent weeks, Crookston is in line to get a decent amount to get the Jerome's project started. That means the project, with the first phase of construction to take place on the north side of East Robert Street, needs to be ready to go, MacDonald said, because legislators have said they want to invest in projects that will positively impact the economy now, not later. In other words, they want their money spent, not set aside and waiting to provide jobs and improved infrastructure.
There are eight properties yet to acquire on Bridge Street and six more on South Washington near the bend in the Red Lake River. "We will be saying to the property owner that we must acquire their property for this public protection project," MacDonald stated in a memo to the committee. An approved council resolution must be approved in order for that to happen, he added.
The process can take a while, he said, so the council is expected to OK the resolution at their second March meeting.
