The East Grand Forks City Council on Jan. 7, 2025 completed its organizational business, electing council officers, adopting a series of routine resolutions and unanimous roll-call items, holding a first reading of a new sales-and-use tax ordinance for local improvement projects, approving a forgivable loan and conditional hire for a new police officer, and updating the city sick-time policy.

The council elected Brian Larson council president by unanimous written ballot and elected Tim Riopelle vice president on a written ballot that the clerk recorded as 6 votes for Riopelle and one blank. The body then adopted several organizational resolutions by roll call: Resolution No. 25-01-01 setting the date and time of regular council meetings; Resolution No. 25-01-02 designating the official newspaper; Resolution No. 25-01-03 naming the city's financial depositories; and Resolution No. 23-01-04 authorizing specified staff for ACH origination and online banking. Minutes for the Dec. 17, 2024 regular meeting and consent agenda items 6'9 were approved by roll call.

On new business the council held a first reading of Ordinance 44, Fourth Series, amending City Code Chapter 33 (Finance and Taxation) by adding sections 33.15'2 through 33.24 to authorize a local sales-and-use tax for local improvement projects and by adopting penalty provisions referenced in City Code Chapter 1 and section 10.99; the item was introduced and passed its first reading on a roll-call vote. The council also adopted Resolution No. 25-01-09 approving a forgivable loan agreement and promissory note and approved hiring Emily Barth as a police officer at a salary of $29.60 per hour, contingent upon meeting all conditions specified in the personnel and hiring procedures. The council approved an updated Sick Time Policy to comply with the Earned Sick and Safe Time Law and authorized payment of recommended bills and payroll in the claims portion of the agenda.

Votes at a glance
- Election of council president: Brian Larson elected (written ballot) — unanimous.
- Election of council vice president: Tim Riopelle elected (written ballot) — 6 votes for Riopelle, 1 blank.
- Resolution 25-01-01 (meeting times): adopted by roll call; recorded votes in meeting roll calls were affirmative.
- Resolution 25-01-02 (official newspaper): adopted by roll call; recorded votes in meeting roll calls were affirmative.
- Resolution 25-01-03 (financial depositories): adopted by roll call; recorded votes in meeting roll calls were affirmative.
- Resolution 23-01-04 (ACH/online banking authorizations): adopted by roll call; recorded votes in meeting roll calls were affirmative.
- Minutes (Dec. 17, 2024): approved by roll call.
- Ordinance 44 (first reading): introduced and passed first reading by roll call vote; further readings or final adoption were not specified at the meeting.
- Resolution 25-01-09 (forgivable loan/promissory note) and hire of Emily Barth as police officer at $29.60/hr: adopted by roll call; hire is contingent upon completion of listed conditions.
- Sick Time Policy update (compliance with Earned Sick and Safe Time Law): adopted by roll call.
- Claims (payment of recommended bills and payroll): authorized by roll call.

No substantive debate on the ordinance or the policy changes was recorded in the transcript; the items were introduced, moved and passed by roll call with no extended discussion recorded on the public record. The ordinance was presented as a first reading; the transcript does not state any additional readings or a timeline for enactment. The resolution approving the forgivable loan also authorized the hiring of a named candidate contingent on meeting hiring conditions; the transcript lists the hourly rate but does not detail the loan recipient, loan amount, or the specific contingencies beyond "contingent upon all conditions being met."