March 2022

Dan Juhl of Hybrid Energy LLC spoke to the Crookston City Council at their March 14 meeting about a proposal for renewable energy for the city that would lead to $25,000 a year for 20 years geared toward rural and economic development with no requirements and no tax abatements - "purely a give." The community based energy source would use solar and wind energy that would transfer through transmission lines to a local substation that could then be distributed to farms, schools, small businesses and homes.

Crookston Housing & Economic Development Authority Director Robert Barnes told the board at their March 15 meeting that he has made contact with former coffee shop owner Jerry Snow of Chickadee Coffee and conversations about Chickadee's outstanding loans will continue with possible interference (if needed) from City Attorney/Interim City Administrator Corky Reynolds, who was recently appointed as CHEDA's new attorney. Barnes also brought up the equipment that remains inside the former coffee shop on University Avenue and asked the board to consider the three options he had re searched which included: (1) hosting a live auction that would cost them money; (2) accepting an offer for $2,000 from a consignment shop that would move everything out; or (3) doing an online auction and if items don't sell they'd be responsible for disposing of anything left.