Latest news with #ReidHuttunen
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
East Grand Forks sets local cannabis business registration, renewal fees
Apr. 2—EAST GRAND FORKS — The East Grand Forks approved the city's local cannabis business fees during its meeting Tuesday night. Even though cannabis has been legal in the state since 2023, the process of setting up registration, rules and the establishment Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management has been slow. The OCM only recently published its registration fee schedule for what it will charge the 13 different types of cannabis businesses allowed in Minnesota. With that, the city can then set its local fee schedule. "We're getting a lot of questions on when we're going to open our registration process after these fees are formally set," East Grand Forks City Administrator Reid Huttunen told the Herald. "There's still no defined timeline for when the state is going to start issuing those." The City Council set the fees at the maximum allowed for cities. Most businesses will pay between $250 and $500 for an initial registration fee. Microbusinesses, growing up to 5,000 square feet of plant canopy indoors, do not have an initial registration fee and low-potency hemp edible retailers pay $125 per location. Most businesses also pay a $1,000 renewal fee, but those with lower costs for an initial license will have local renewal fees between $125 and $500. The OCM sent its proposed rules to an administrative law judge for approval last week. If the judge accepts those rules, a first batch of social equity applicants who passed a review in fall 2024 would be among the first non-tribal businesses to operate. Licenses could begin to be issued as soon as the end of April. A moratorium on cannabis businesses within city limits expired at the end of 2024. However, the city hasn't been notified by the OCM about any new business license holders coming into the city. While the city has gotten more information in the past six months from the OCM about local rules the city has expressed frustration with the lack of communication and the lack of local control. "They never officially sent (the local government guide). It just was all of a sudden on their website," Huttunen told the Herald in November 2024. "I had been doing periodic check-ins to see what was going on so I could have my group planning meetings with our staff and then one day, 'by the way, here's your local government guide.' " In other news, the council: * Approved buying a playground for the Griggs Park Trailhead. The cost of construction is around $82,600 to be funded with a mix of donations, funds from the American Crystal Sugar pollution fine and Altru Partnership Funds. * Approved a special event permit for the East Grand Forks High School prom. The approval allows for the closure of the restaurant row parking lot on May 3 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
East Grand Forks to request proposals for arena improvements once again
Mar. 19—EAST GRAND FORKS — The East Grand Forks City Council agreed to issue a new request for qualifications for the arena facility improvements during its meeting Tuesday night. The city is soliciting requests for the "construction manager at risk," who will lead design and building as general contractor for the project. The city previously solicited requests in 2021 for improvements and rehabilitation of the Civic Center and VFW Memorial Arenas and selected Construction Engineers, who served as a consultant during the sales tax vote. However, a construction manager contract was never signed. In the four years since, Minnesota law has changed regarding construction manager at risk projects, meaning that the city has to restart the bidding process. "I am disappointed that this is the process that we have to follow, but I also understand why this is the process we have to follow," City Administrator Reid Huttunen told the Herald. "We had a very extensive RFQ the first time and a very extensive interview process." A contract was not signed because the city at the time wanted to wait for the outcome of the sales tax vote, according to a staff report. East Grand Forks had originally asked the Legislature for permission to hold a sales tax vote back in 2020, but local-option sales taxes had a moratorium placed on them following the onset of the pandemic. The Legislature gave the go-ahead for a vote in 2023. Residents approved raising the city's sales tax by 1% by passing both questions, one for the Civic Center Arena and another for the VFW Memorial Arena. Both questions passed with nearly 60% approval. The tax is set to be implemented in July. Both facilities need at least $5.1 million in repairs and the city is proposing $14.7 million in both repairs and improvements. Some of the improvements include ADA accessibility, replacement of the VFW Memorial Arena ice system and additional baseball fields at the Civic Center Arena. The responses are due by April 9. The city will review and then score the proposals received throughout April with a final decision on a construction manager for the project will be chosen in early May, according to the current timeline. In other news, the council: * Held a closed meeting to discuss real estate transactions of the land the JR Simplot owns on the southeast corner of the intersection of U.S. Highway 2 and Highway 220. The land, which is largely vacant, has been a priority for the city to develop into a commercial project. * Accepted a $15,000 donation from the Bass Pro Shops and Cabelas for the support of the LaFave Park project. The city has been working to update the park and boat ramp and these funds will be used for the dock at the park. * Approved resolutions amending the size of homes North Star Neighbors Community Land Trust can build and which properties it buys. The land trust will be building homes in the Pinehurst Court area.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
East Grand Forks approves game plan for arena improvements
Feb. 19—EAST GRAND FORKS — The East Grand Forks City Council formally approved its plans for the use of sales tax funds during its meeting Tuesday night. Following the approval of a 1%, 20-year sales tax by East Grand Forks residents in November. The council previously approved the ordinance that would actually implement the sales tax, but as part of the process of giving the Minnesota Department of Revenue information to begin collection of the tax, a formal decision has to be made by the City Council on the projects and use of sales tax. "One of the documents the Department of Revenue asked for was minutes from the council that you had formally approved the project," City Administrator Reid Huttunen said. "Going back through all of the resolutions you've passed in the prior couple of years all speak to this project, but hadn't formally put this plan as presented at previous work sessions in front of you for approval." Discussions for the improvements of the VFW Memorial and Civic Center arenas have been around since 2018 . However, between delays from the pandemic, and the Legislature putting a moratorium on local sales taxes, the city wasn't given the approval to have a vote until 2023 for a vote in 2024. The facilities need several million dollars in improvements to maintain current operation levels. The council did review the proposed improvements during a work session in September, but this formality ensures that the city continues on the path for the tax being in force in July. According to 2023 estimates, the tax will generate around $22 million over the course of the next two decades. Council members also reported back on their experiences at the latest legislative action day of the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities. Council members Dale Helms and Brian Larson, along with Mayor Mark Olstad, Economic Development Director Maggie Brockling and Huttunen went to St. Paul last week to visit with legislators on priorities for cities not in the seven-county metro area. "That was my first time going and it was quite an experience," Helms said. "I learned a few things, but I have to say I didn't come back with real hope on a lot of stuff because the state is pretty much, I think, a mess." The start of the 94th legislative session has few, if any, historical comparisons in modern history. Even though the session began on Jan. 14, the House of Representatives only convened officially for the first time two weeks ago following court cases of what constitutes a quorum and candidate residency. The Minnesota Senate too was tied for a period of time and only recently returned to full membership with the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party continuing its one-seat majority. The state's budget will also be tight this year with a projected deficit being discussed. However, there could be movement on expanding eligibility for the border-cities enterprise zone program which gives the city resources to be competitive with North Dakota. "Moorhead has taken the lead on introducing that bill, but we'll be right there along with them to support that," Huttunen said. "I think there is some positive traction to it this year." In other news, the council: * Approved to continue leasing space out of the East Grand Forks Parks and Recreation Workshop to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Driver, and Vehicle Services for conducting driver's license road tests. The lease will last another two years until 2027 for $1,300 a year. * Approved special event permits for the Grand Forks 10, a race occurring in August, and for the Scheels Boundary Battle Catfish Tournament to occur in June.
