In 2015 the Northfield Council started the process of creating a Strategic Plan holding a couple of work sessions and engaging a consultant. That’s as far as it went. This week Council further discussed the issue wherein, “the purpose is to kind of create a shared goal, really a clear work plan of the higher level of strategic priorities that we have as a community. Then building the tool list underneath those goals”, said Administrator Ben Martig. He believes it’s a “best practice” and helps their budgeting and planning. Two years ago, with a 4-3 split vote, they really couldn’t agree on much. With former
councilor now voted in as Mayor, Rhonda Pownell believes, “this is an opportunity to really do our due diligence and get one put together and really to have the council as a whole vote on it and get behind it”. They’ll hire a facilitator, Craig Rapp based in Chicago, at a cost of $9,650. They also plan on engaging the City’s boards and commissions, in particular the EDA and Planning Commission. That will be an additional cost. There would likely be an online survey for the public to comment. Staff hopes to start the process in April and by the end of May have a good idea of what they want and where they’re going. What’s certain is they will start their Council meetings at 6pm instead of 7pm. In a 5 to 1 vote, they approved the change to begin March 7th. You can view the Strategic Plan work session HERE as well as the entire meeting.
District to “trial” a Flex Day
The Northfield School District will be holding a Flexible Learning day this month. Superintendent Dr. Matt Hillmann said that on February 28th all Juniors will be taking their ACT’s and the Seniors will be working an “idea generator day” for their Senior Capstone project. So they decided to give a Flex Day. 9th and 10th graders will not be required to come to school but they could. They will use one of the open spaces, the media center or the cafeteria. Lunch will be served. But there won’t be an official 9th and 10th grade schedule. Teachers will be working with Schoology. Several other schools districts have used Flexible Learning Days. This will be Northfield’s trial. They will then survey students, parents and staff about how it went and how they might be able to use these days in the future.
Bly votes no on Sunday liquor
House District 20B representative David Bly voted yes on Sunday Liquor sales last time around, but this year he voted no. He said, “I do have reservations about it and, you know, I think about the smaller shops, the mom & pop shops that probably will suffer from this”. However, there’s support from the consumers. Bly commented, “it’s affected across our economy all kinds of shops here and there, the notion that convenience is more important than maintaining the small community stores and things that maybe can’t compete on that same level”. The vote was bipartisan. There’s talk that some of the taxes from Sunday sales should go to recovery programs. It’s yet to pass the Senate but this is the closest it’s ever come in the decades long discussion.
UFF DA – NHS Waffle dinner canceled again
Uff Da! Foiled again! Due to the dire weather forecast the Northfield High School Belgian waffle dinner scheduled for tomorrow has been put to rest. Coordinator Nancy Kmoch said there will be no snow date, and asks that folks who previously bought tickets for the event would kindly consider donating those funds to the band program. If you prefer a refund, contact the student who sold you the ticket(s), and you request will be honored.
