The Grand Rapids City Council held their scheduled meeting on Monday, July 8, at City Hall, beginning with some positive happenings around the community.
Councilor Molly MacGregor commented on the recent government academy that was completed last month, saying the League of Minnesota Cities took notice and other area governments may consider implementing something similar.
Councilor Dale Adams commended some of the revenue-producing changes new Pokegama Golf Director Tom Beaudry implemented in his first year at the public course.
“It’s been phenomenal,” Adams said, of the changes that included new carts and cart policies, the range ball dispenser, amongst other things that are positively impacting the experience.
Mayor Tasha Connelly said the Fourth of July fireworks was a success, saying the show “went off without a hitch.”
She said she also went on a ride-along recently with GRPD Officer Justin Edmundson and K9 “Murph.” Connelly described the ride-along as “remarkable” as she experienced a day in the life of a local police officer, and encouraged other councilors to continue doing the same.
Connelly also says she has received a lot of feedback about the cleanliness and beauty of the city, from flowers to trails, she says people have taken notice.
The Grand Rapids City Council adopted a resolution accepting a donated Fire Suppression Solution unity from the Itasca Mason Blue Lodge #208.
Chief Andy Morgan says the device’s intention is a fire suppression tool GRPD did not previously have.
The Itasca Mason Blue Lodge says they are donating one unit to every sheriff’s deputy and are raising funds to equip each GRPD squad with one of the units.
The council adopted a resolution providing for issuance and sale of General Obligation Refunding Bonds, Series 2024A, in the proposed aggregate principal amount of $8.3 million related to the ice arena and previous temporary bonds. User agreements to the ice arena with private entities required a public hearing as a formality, however there was no public input during the hearing.
The bonds will refund the temporary bonds that were issued in 2022 in order to begin improvements to Yanmar Arena. The sales tax collected to date and anticipated future revenues will be used to satisfy the bonds.
The council also adopted a resolution providing for issuance and sale of General Obligation Equipment Certificates, Series 2024B, in the proposed aggregate principal amount of $1,055,000. The equipment purchases are expected to outlive the terms of the payoff.
The city currently has a AA- credit rating.
In other business at Monday’s council meeting:
Approve the verified claims for the period June 18-July 1, in the amount of $1,293,434.31.Accepted the resignation of Elias Blocker from the Grand Rapids Area Library BoardApproved an agreement with Jesse & Ryan Dermody for Tall Timber Days performance.Accepted the Fire Relief Association schedule form for lump-sum pension reporting Year 2024, 2023 Financial Statements and authorized the budgeted $5,000 contribution to the Fire Relief Association.Adopted a resolution to authorize an operating transfer from the Debt Service Fund 2019A GO & Abatement Bonds to the Capital Project Fund- Permanent Improvement Revolving Fund (PIR).Adopted a resolution to authorize an operating transfer from the Enterprise Fund Storm Water Utility Fund to the Capital Project Fund-Municipal State Aid Maintenance Fund.Hired staff for Public Works for the 2024 Spring/Summer Maintenance SeasonApproved a request by the police department to apply for a DWI officer grant through the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS).Consider approving updated Section 314- Pursuit Policy policies for the Grand Rapids Police Department to comply with MN POST Boards mandated policiesApproved the purchase of Axon Respond.Entered into Advertising Agreements with businesses at Yanmar Arena.
To view the meeting in its entirety, the Grand Rapids City Council meeting can be found online at watchictv.org/
ICTV is a nonprofit that connects, informs and empowers the community through diverse media. With program topics as wide ranging as government meetings, traffic updates, human interest stories and education, ICTV tells the story of our community.
ICTV is funded by the Grand Rapids Area Cable Commission, the Blandin Foundation, Itasca County, our members, donors and service income.
The next scheduled meeting is Monday, July 22, at 5 p.m., at Grand Rapids City Hall.
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