Grimmus takes oath of office as Worthington's police chief
Nate Grimmius took the oath of office as Worthington's director of public safety during Monday's Worthington City Council meeting.
Grimmius began his law enforcement career as a patrol officer with Worthington in 2004 and takes over for the now-retired Troy Appel.
"Words cannot express how appreciative I am of the support that I've received over the last couple of months," Grimmus said Monday. "The amount of support that I've received from the community has been overwhelming. I recognize the responsibility that comes with this position, and I do not take it lightly. I remain committed to leading with integrity, professionalism, accountability and transparency while continuing to build trust with the community."
Also Monday, council members approved a purchase agreement for the acquisition of the former Wells Fargo building at 1010 Second Ave.
Terms include an acquisition price of $800,000, earnest money of $40,000, inspection and due diligence until Dec. 3 and a closing date of no later than Dec. 11. There's also a deed restriction that the property shall not be used as a “financial services business” for five years, and the City of Worthington has exclusive dealings throughout the inspection period.
Also approved Monday was a city long-term financial management plan to be prepared by Ehlers Public Finance Advisors. The plan will consist of an adjusting 10-year operating budget and capital improvement plan. The plan will help direct city staff and council members in maintaining financial health, and assist the city in evaluating the financial impact of capital improvements, investments in facilities and staffing over the next five to 10 years.
The work by Ehlers will be billed on a time and expense basis for a fee not to exceed $30,000.
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Additionally, council members on Monday approved a Minnesota Department of Transportation grant agreement in the amount of $37,500 to fund part of the associated cost of a zoning update for the airport.
The city is required to maintain airport zoning requirements in order to protect airport operations. These requirements primarily cover clearance zones and height restrictions based on proximity.
This year, the Worthington Planning Commission granted a variance to JBS to construct new buildings at the industrial wastewater treatment plant, located in Zone A. While the variance allows the project to move forward, it did raise the question of whether it is necessary to maintain the safety zones based on an extension of a runway that is unlikely to occur. City staff consulted with Bolton and Menk -- the city’s airport consultant — and elected to pursue changes to the airport zoning.
To assist with the cost, the city applied for and was awarded a State Airport Fund grant. The total project cost is not to exceed $51,000, which includes the MnDOT grant of $37,500 and a city share of $13,500.
Also Monday, the council approved a residential property tax abatement program application submitted by Marco Ramos on behalf of Ramos Construction. This is for tax abatement for the construction of a single-family home located on the north side of Cecilee Street.
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