Government

At their precinct caucus on Tuesday, February 7 at 7:00 p.m.,  Minnesotans have the opportunity to help launch the electoral season by getting involved in their party’s organizational and nominating process and helping create the party platform.  In Northfield, the Republican Party caucuses will meet at the Northfield High School, and the Democratic Farmer-Labor Party at the Northfield Middle School. To find your precinct go to: http://caucusfinder.sos.state.mn.us/

Precinct caucuses are open to the public. Anyone eligible to vote in the 2012 general election, who lives in their precinct and is in general agreement with the principles of the political party, may participate in their caucus.

Civil War enthusiast and amateur historian Jim Stark will discuss the origins of the American Civil War in his presentation, “Why the Civil War was Fought: The Antebellum Period,”Thursday, Feb. 16, at 6 p.m. at the newly renovated Northfield Historical Society. The event, sponsored by KYMN Radio and the Northfield News, is the first of a series of discussions about the Civil War during the war’s ongoing sesquicentennial.

The City of Northfield and the Streetscape Task Force will host a Public Open House and Input Gathering Session on Monday, January 30th, 5 to 7 p.m., in the Riverview Conference Room of the Archer House, 212 Division Street.

This is the second in a series of three open house events for the public. The first session focused on the seven Gateway Corridor Areas identified for study. These Areas were the western portion of Highway 19, the eastern portion of Highway 19, the southern portion of Highway 3, the northern portion of Highway 3, Highway 246 at the south of town, Highway 23 at the northwest of town, and County Road 78 at the west of town. Initial concept drawings can be viewed and downloaded from the City’s website.

Every ten years the City of Northfield must develop new wards and precincts.  On Thursday, January 12th, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the First United Church of Christ, 300 Union Street N, Northfield City Clerk Deb Little will explain this process.  A question and answer session will follow her presentation.  The event is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Northfield and Cannon Falls (LWVNCF).

Data from the 2010 census will guide the city as it redraws local boundaries.  This redistricting is done to ensure that each area has approximately an equal number of residents.  Deadline for the city's redistricting is April 3 if the Minnesota Legislature meets their February 21 deadline for legislative redistricting.  This is seen as unlikely and will most certainly be decided by the courts.

Mayor Mary Rossing and the City Council are seeking applicants to fill volunteer positions on City advisory boards, commissions, and committees.

At the end of th December, the terms of several members of the City's boards, commissions and committees will expire. There will be openings for members on the Arts & Culture Commission, Charter Commission, Economic Development Authority (EDA), Environmental Quality Commission, Heritage Preservation Commission, Human Rights Commission, Library Board, Mayor's Taskforce on Youth Alcohol and Drug Use, Park and Recreation Advisory Board, Planning Commission/Soning Board of Appeals, and the retal Housing/Building Code Board of Appeals.

Mayor Mary Rossing and the City Council are seeking applicants to fill volunteer positions on city advisory boards, commissions and committees.  Over 100 citizens members annually providing valuable assistance to the Council through their participation in advisory groups providing regulatory, governance and oversight activities in a wide variety of fields. The City Council is committed to appointing citizens who reflect and represent diverse segments of the community.

There will be an informational meeting on the 2012 City of Northfield budget and tax levy on Monday, November 14, 7:00 p.m. Then, on December 14, 7:00 p.m. the city council will hold a public hearing on the budget and levy. Both meetings will be held in the City Hall Council Chambers. The city council will take formal action on these two important decisions in December.

There are no major increases or decreases in services in the proposed budget, with the exception of street repairs. Despite a reduction of $1.6 million in the state Local Government Aid during the past few years, the city has kept services level by cost-cutting and redesign of service delivery.

The city is undergoing a revision of the current transit service from solely a Dial-a-Ride, to a combination of Route Deviation, Work Shuttle and Dial-a-Ride services. When approved by the city council, the new program will begin in 2012. In order to acquaint the public with the plan, to answer questions and take input from citizens, there will be an open house on Wednesday, November 9, 2011, 6:30-8:00 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers. Adoption of the new plan is scheduled for the November 15 Northfield City Council meeting.

In a route deviation service, a route and specific stops are established similar to a big-city bus route. However, the bus will deviate a few blocks from the route to pick up or drop off riders who are unable to walk that distance due to problems with mobility (bags of groceries won't count!). The bus will then return to the route where it left off and continue to the next stop on the route.

Both ballot questions passed in Northfield, each with approximately 60% of the vote. You can find live election results for Northfield on Northfield Patch, and statewide results on MPR News.

There are two questions on the ballot for Northfield voters in this Tuesday’s election. Note that the polling locations originally listed in this story were inaccurate. The information has been updated.

The Ballot Questions

Question 1 asks the community to approve an operating levy for $1,604 per pupil for ten (10) years beginning in the 2012-13 school year. This levy would replace the current operating levy of $1,270 per pupil two years before it is set to expire.  An operating levy is a funding option provided by the State to allow school districts to request authority from the community to locally provide the necessary revenue to operate their schools. (Source: Northfield Public Schools)

Question 2 asks the community to renew the current Capital Projects Levy of $750,000 for an additional 10 years when it expires in 2013-14. Passage of ballot question #2 for the Capital Projects Levy is contingent on the successful passage of ballot question #1 for the Operating Levy. If the Operating Levy does not pass, the Capital Projects Levy will not pass even if it has enough votes. A Capital Projects Levy is a funding option provided by the State to allow school districts to maintain and update facilities and to replace instructional technology and textbooks. Funds raised by a Capital Project Levy can only be used for facilities, technology and textbooks. (Source: Northfield Public Schools)

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