East Grand Forks council approves columbarium purchase, hires recreation coordinator and authorizes several administrative actions

The East Grand Forks City Council on March 4, 2025, approved a series of administrative and operational actions including the purchase and placement of a columbarium, the hiring of a recreation coordinator, steps to recruit a Parks and Recreation Specialist, and authorization to develop a memorandum of understanding on fire engine ownership with contracted townships.

The council voted to approve an agreement with Cold Spring for the purchase and placement of a columbarium at a total cost of $71,906. The motion to approve was moved by Council Vice President Tim Riopelle and seconded by Council Member Tammy Schumacher; the council recorded an affirmative roll-call vote and the motion passed.

The council adopted Resolution No. 25-03-20 to hire John Wychick as recreation coordinator at a salary of $29.60 per hour. The motion was moved by a council member identified in the record as Pakshevinski and seconded by Peterson; the roll-call vote was recorded as affirmative and the resolution passed.

Council members authorized city staff to begin the hiring process for a Parks and Recreation Specialist; the motion was moved by Dale Helms and seconded as recorded, and it passed on a roll-call vote.

The council authorized staff to develop and prepare a memorandum of understanding between East Grand Forks and townships contracted for fire services to establish ownership and a replacement plan for three fire engines. The motion, moved by Donald Casney and seconded by Helms, passed on a roll-call vote.

The council approved a facility use agreement with the East Grand Forks Blue Line Club for use of the VFW Memorial Arena from June 2 to June 20 for a total rental rate of $12,500; the motion was moved by Reapelle and seconded by Schumacher and passed on a roll-call vote.

Council approved the payment of recommended bills and payroll, authorizing the city administrator and clerk/treasurer to issue payments; that motion was moved by Helms and seconded by Riopelle and passed on a roll-call vote.

Separately, the council approved minutes from the Feb. 18 council meeting and the Feb. 25 work session (motion moved by Helms, seconded by Peterson) and adopted consent agenda items 3 through 6 with a single motion (moved by Reapelle, seconded by Helms). Where recorded, roll-call votes were affirmative and motions passed.

City staff noted the columbarium contract presented to the council had been adjusted the prior week with terms more favorable to the city, and staff invited council members to ask questions; council members asked no substantive follow-up during the meeting. The items authorized on March 4 were administrative and staffing actions or agreements; no further legislative readings were scheduled for these items during the meeting.

Votes at a glance

- Columbarium purchase and placement agreement with Cold Spring — motion moved by Tim Riopelle, seconded by Tammy Schumacher; outcome: approved; total cost: $71,906. - Resolution No. 25-03-20 hiring John Wychick as recreation coordinator — mover: Pakshevinski; second: Peterson; outcome: approved; salary: $29.60 per hour. - Start hiring process for Parks and Recreation Specialist — mover: Dale Helms; outcome: approved. - Authorize staff to prepare MOU for ownership/replacement of 3 fire engines with contracted townships — mover: Donald Casney; second: Dale Helms; outcome: approved. - Facility use agreement: East Grand Forks Blue Line Club, VFW Memorial Arena, June 2–20 — mover: Reapelle; second: Tammy Schumacher; outcome: approved; rental: $12,500. - Authorization to issue payment of recommended bills and payroll — mover: Dale Helms; second: Tim Riopelle; outcome: approved.

No item on the agenda required further readings or conditions during the meeting; where staff were directed (for example, to draft an MOU) those were develop-and-return tasks with no policy decisions taken at the meeting.