3 counties/3 stolen vehicles – suspect apprehended
Three counties and 3 stolen vehicles later, an Inver Grove Heights man is in jail. Rice County Sheriff’s deputies were alerted to a stolen vehicle from Dakota County yesterday morning and gave chase. An hour later, Goodhue county deputies apprehended 20 year old Jordan Allen Brown after he crashed the 3rd vehicle he’d stolen in a field. His escapade included carjacking a woman in the parking lot of Greg’s Meats in Hampton and stealing another vehicle in Nerstrand. Goodhue county deputies chased Brown who crashed the 3rd vehicle in a field off 20th Avenue and 410th street. He’s being held in Dakota county pending formal charges. His first court appearance is scheduled for tomorrow.
Mayor suggests “Lessons Learned” report
As Northfield and Dundas councils converged over the E. Cannon River Trail, a project that has been years in the making, Mayor Graham commented on the time it takes for these projects saying it’s a matter of doing it right. He says they should have a project “lessons learned” report after each of these major undertakings. He says it’s easy to say you’re for it but elected officials have a fiscal responsibility to their constituents. Graham said, “We just want to make sure it’s done right, the questions are answered, that staff is doing their job and they do it well, that Council is doing their job by asking the questions, doing our due diligence and not just saying oh that sounds like a good idea, let’s hurry up, let’s just get it done at any cost”. An issue regarding the closing on the wetland credits was solved at the meeting when Streets and Parks manager, Jasper Kruggel, received an email giving Northfield an extension on the closing date from May 1st to May 17th. Northfield council will vote on the trail and award the bid next Tuesday. The new Northfield City Administrator, Ben Martig, starts on Monday.
A hearing on Weitz Center expansion has neighbors crying foul
Last week the Planning Commission held a public hearing regarding Carleton College’s proposed expansion of the Weitz Center for a concert space. City Planner Scott Tempel said they are currently working under a Conditional Use Permit from 2005. Tempel said that there is no approval needed from the Planning Commission or the City Council. Carleton Director of Facilities and Capital Planning Steve Spehn was asked about input from the neighborhood meetings and said the size of the building was an issue so they kept the large spaces to the interior. He said it was confirmation that they needed to keep those larger scale spaces to the interior and not facing the park or the neighborhood. Commission Chair Shulte said the neighbors really had an issue with parking in particular along 4th street and the park. Tempel said the City is prepared to look at the issue and consider speed hump, signs and/or additional crossings. Several community members spoke with concerns of cutting down trees in the park, site noise, lights shining into homes and Gerry Hurlbutt, President of the Northfield Eastside Neighborhood Assoc. commented that working from a 2005 CUP does not allow for a real public process. While there’s nothing the Commission or the City can do, Chair Schulte spoke to the issues raised and asked Spehn to take them further into consideration. view the meeting HERE. 
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