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Cook City Council awards demolition contract, approves budgets and cannabis registrations; tables outside utility-rate study
Summary
At its March 25 meeting the Cook City Council approved a $33,392 demolition contract for the Dickson property, accepted several departmental budgets, authorized two local LPHE cannabis retailer registrations, approved infrastructure contracts, and tabled a $31,000 Ehlers utility-rate study while directing staff to seek lower-cost options.
The Cook City Council on March 25 approved several operational and budgetary items and took actions affecting municipal infrastructure and local businesses.
The council voted to award a $33,392 contract to Viita's Construction for demolition of the Dickson property after discussion about inconsistencies in the earlier bid record; Mayor Daniel Manick directed the clerk to notify the awarded bidder by certified mail. Councilor Jess Scofield made the motion to accept Viita's bid and the motion carried.
Councilors approved both the 2026 Ambulance Budget and the 2026 Fire Department Budget following advisory-board recommendations. The council also voted to allow Goodwill Township to enter the Cook Fire Protection Service Agreement, as recommended by the Fire Advisory Association. Motions to approve those budgets and the intergovernmental agreement carried.
On infrastructure contracting, the council accepted J&R WasteWater Inc.'s $14,800 bid to perform the city's annual sanitary-sewer cleaning; Maintenance Supervisor Tim Lilya recommended the vendor based on prior work. The council also authorized Mayor Daniel Manick and Clerk/Treasurer Dawn Kehoe as the city's authorized signers at North Star Credit Union.
On finance, the Finance Committee recommended buying three certificates of deposit at Park State Bank (three CDs totaling $1,250,000 split across 3-, 6-, and 9-month terms). Separately, Ehlers submitted a $31,000 proposal for a utility-rate study; after discussion Councilor Jess Scofield moved to table the Ehlers proposal, asking Maintenance Supervisor Tim Lilya to contact Minnesota Rural Water to explore lower-cost alternatives. The motion to table carried.
The council approved two Low-Potency Hemp Edible (LPHE) retail registrations following notices from the State Office of Cannabis Management: one for Zup's and one for Last Chance Liquors, and removed incorrect Cannabis Renewal fee language from the city's fee schedule. Clerk/Treasurer Dawn Kehoe said she will verify whether Lucky Seven and Short Stop have submitted LPHE applications.
Other formal actions included authorizing the city’s bank signers, appointing Mo Fontana as a township representative to the Cook Public Library Board, and approving a temporary gambling permit for the Friends of the Park Wings-n-Things event on Aug. 8, 2026.
The meeting adjourned at 8:27 p.m. The council left the proposed utility-rate study tabled pending further research and directed staff to return with alternatives or additional information at a future meeting.
