Fire Facility “at a milestone”
The new Northfield City Council discussed the Fire Facility. The NAFRS Joint Powers Board is asks the parties, Northfield, Dundas and Rural (which are 7 area townships), for a resolution to agree to the estimated $3.5 million upgrade to the current facility and Northfield agree to be the bonding agent. They also have some pre-construction costs. Martig said, “we’re basically at a milestone where they want to know there’s support to continue to work on the project. There’s been a lot of work done and there’s a lot more to be completed”. Mayor Pownell commented this morning, “I think it’s just a great opportunity for us as a community and actually as a whole fire district to really come around
this really important project and find the common ground so we can move forward”. She and Councilors Zweifel and Peterson White had concerns over the aesthetics of the building and the landscaping as it’s a gateway to Northfield. Pownell said last night, “at some point this summer landscaping along the building was very unkempt and it got cleaned up. And I think we send a really powerful message to future firefighters, right, this is a place of honor and one way you do that is to take care of the facility, saying it matters, it’s important. What that facility looks like is important, landscaping is important”. There are 2 new members to the NAFRS joint Powers Board, Jessica Peterson White and Anne Haddad, a development consultant. They’re replacing Bernie Street and Gary Bollinger whose terms expired. Newly elected councilor Brad Ness was all in and comfortable with Administrator Martig at the helm. Nakasian doesn’t want the facility at it’s current location citing flooding. This will come back to Council at the end of the month. All the entities must approve for it to move forward.
Faribault community united in grief seeks to prevent more tragedy
Two families and countless other family, friends and the Faribault community as a whole were devastated by 2 separate murder/suicides within 2 weeks of each other last month. Hope Center Executive Director, Erica Staab-Absher, said, “especially when you’re in this close knit community, everybody knows somebody that’s affected. And so, it’s not just the actual incident but it’s those ripple effects as well”. She says it’s important to know there are resources out there, to continue to talk about them and to each other. Notice if a person seems down, name it. She said, “I think we just sort of tip toe around sometimes and we’re not really sure, because what if we’re wrong?” She said she’d rather check in with someone and be wrong than to have missed a problem. Another thing is to check in with yourself. If you’re feeling depressed it’s okay to say you need a little help, check in a professional. Being self-aware “is critical”. Hope Center offers free services to victims and children of violence. The Faribault Chamber of Commerce employees just went back to work yesterday after the murder of one of their own, Barbara Larson. Hope Center was there with them to support them, a critical role they also play in the community. Staab-Absher says even if you don’t know what to say, just to be there. She says the one thing that’s come from these tragedies is that people are talking and she’s looking forward to more of these conversations around prevention. For more information go to hopecentermn.org
House District 20B Rep David Bly joins us
The legislature was full of pomp and circumstance yesterday as the newly renovated Capital just opened. House District 20B representative David Bly said the new space is just beautiful, with the paintings also being revived. Today, Bly will be on 3 committees, Education policy, Ag policy and Ag finance. Bly will join us on KYMN each Wednesday morning at 8:45 during the legislative session.
Click below to listen to the 1-4-17 NEWS podcast:
Listen for news updates on-air at 6, 7, 8, Noon, 3 and 5
