The East Grand Forks Police Department will have to wait a little longer before it can upgrade its computers in its squad cars.
The City Council held off on approving a $18,100 purchase of laptops for the cars Tuesday because at least one of its members thinks there might be less expensive options that could serve the department just as well.
At the council's meeting, Police Chief Mike Hedlund said city staff hadn't been able to thoroughly research other alternatives since the subject was first broached last week, but the department could be directed by the council to continue down that route.
"Our current ones are functioning. It's not like we're driving around without computers right now," Hedlund said.
Hedlund had come to the council's April 26 work session with three bids for laptops, the lowest submitted by Bizco of Lincoln, Neb.
ADVERTISEMENT
The $18,100 would be for five Panasonic Toughbook models, but council member Marc DeMers had suggested at the work session other, less expensive laptops could fit the department's needs.
The city had included $20,000 for the computer upgrades in this year's budget. The topic will be revisited at a council work session later this month.
Other news
• The council also approved the purchase and installation of a columbarium at the city-owned Resurrection Cemetery.
Buying and installing the columbarium, which is used to house urns, will cost nearly $20,000. It will provide the city with three more years of storage for cremains, Parks and Recreation Superintendent Dave Aker told the council.
• Prior to Tuesday's council meeting, the city's Economic Development Authority Board met and approved granting a $150,000 city loan to Up North Pizza Pub.
The pub is slated to occupy most of the first floor of Minnesota Heights, an apartment building on Fourth Street Northwest and DeMers Avenue. In a loan application to the city, the owners estimated outfitting the space for the restaurant will cost about $570,000.
Up North will serve pizza, sandwiches, salads and soups along with craft beer, wines and cocktails. Its loan application indicated it will employ between six and 10 people.
ADVERTISEMENT
• The EDA board also reduced interest rates on loans made to two local businesses for making improvements to their properties.
Interest rates will be reduced from 4 percent to 1 percent for Stennes Granite Co. and Northland Custom Woodworking Inc., which will save the companies thousands of dollars on their remaining loans.
Stennes Granite will save $1,172 while paying off the remainder of its $85,000 loan. Northland Custom Woodworking will save $2,564 on its $83,700 loan.
"It's not a huge amount of money, but it's important that businesses know that we want to work with them," Economic Development Director Paul Gorte said of the reductions.
Both companies received Minnesota Investment Fund (MIF) loans through the city. The state awards MIF funding to cities and other entities that in turn lend it to businesses for expansion efforts.
