Jun. 19—EAST GRAND FORKS — The East Grand Forks City Council approved several contracts for civic services and gave the final ordinance approval to allow a deer bow hunt this fall during its Tuesday meeting.

The final approval of the ordinance, which changes the city’s weapons code, was the last major step in the process the city needed to do before a hunt occurs in November. Previous to the change, the city was not allowed to hold a hunt because of the way the ordinance governing hunts and weapons use was structured. The change allows for City Council discretion for holding a hunt with checks on safety, such as the ability to use a bow, being done by East Grand Forks police.

The second ordinance reading and approval for changes in the city’s weapons code will now allow for a bow hunt to occur this November.

The hunt will occur in some of the most remote parts of the Greenway, mostly on the south side of the city.

The goal is the reduce the city’s deer population, which has been the subject of many complaints

from residents due to the damage the deer cause.

The contracts approved by the council will extend the city’s refuse and recycling contract with Countrywide Sanitation for another five years and provide building inspection services in a two-year contract with True Check.

The refuse and recycling contract was discussed last week during the council’s work session. Countrywide has been the city’s refuse and recycling hauler for about a decade and the current contract was set to expire at the end of June. The extension will last until June 2029.

Rates charged to the city will increase between 0.48% and 71.29% depending on the service. The contract includes incremental changes throughout the five years with the first rate increase going into effect in July 2025. Residents may not these exact changes if any as Countrywide doesn’t bill them directly; the company bills the city which then in turn bills the residents and the calculation is not a one-for-one.

The rate increases, especially for recycling fees, stem from the economics of the current recycling market and the costs of shipping to processing facilities,

Countrywide President Rachel Gornowicz said last week.

The council’s approval of the building inspector contract with True Check comes after

Widseth ended its contract in May as it was unable to provide the service any longer.

True Check is based in Newfolden, Minnesota, and will receive $115 an hour for the certified building inspector services.

The inspector verifies plans and specifications for projects and also verifies building code compliance. The contract with True Check also means that the city doesn’t have to adjust its administration and fee schedule for building permits like some of the other companies it had looked at.

In other news, the council:

* Received the city’s financial audit report for 2023. Brady Martz and Associates undertook the independent audit and found no misstatements in the city’s financials.

* Approved an agreement with BNSF for the right-of-ways and reconstruction of the Central Avenue crossing. The reconstruction is part of the

larger quiet zone project currently being undertaken by the city.