Charged with 11 counts of criminal sexual conduct with a child, a Northfield man pled guilty yesterday in Rice County court to 1 count of 3rd degree criminal sexual conduct and 1 count of electronic solicitation of a minor in a case involving a 14 year old boy. 27 year old Alexander Christian Gaya, met the boy through an app called Grindr. Neither disclosed their real age until the 2nd time they met. The victim’s mother discovered text messages and posed as her son. Rice County Deputies were called in after the victim’s mother went to Rice County Social Services in late August to say she believed her son had been sexually assaulted. Investigators met with the parents and, later, with Gaya, who told them
that he thinks the age of consent laws are not justifiable. Gaya will be sentenced February 27th. Under law he must register as a Sex Offender.
NAFRS Board looks to change cost allocation
When Northfield Area Fire and Rescue Services Joint Powers was formed, September 1st 2014, they created a cost allocation formula for the three entities, Northfield, Rural and Dundas. NAFRS is governed by an eight member board five (5) representing Northfield, two (2) from Rural Fire who are representing the townships, and one (l) from Dundas. Last week they further discussed changing the allocation formula. Chair Glen Castore said that it will still include population, number of fire calls and market value. However, the market value will be based on structures only, not land. Castore said there is a proposed resolution before the Board that still needs some “clarifications”, which they will work on at their January 4th meeting. (open to the public, meetings are held at 8am at the Northfield Police Station conference room). They’ll vote in February. If it passes, the changes would go into effect in 2019. The change really affects Rural and Northfield. Currently Rural pays 22.8{b5761be34e80a16b6d0e4dabc1869c131a263f96a745c82bebdd3b8a4330bfa9}. Castore said under the proposed change would drop Rural’s allocation to about 19.5{b5761be34e80a16b6d0e4dabc1869c131a263f96a745c82bebdd3b8a4330bfa9}. Northfield is right around 72{b5761be34e80a16b6d0e4dabc1869c131a263f96a745c82bebdd3b8a4330bfa9} currently, if approved, their allocation will go to just over 75{b5761be34e80a16b6d0e4dabc1869c131a263f96a745c82bebdd3b8a4330bfa9} in 2019. Dundas’ allocation would remain mostly unchanged. About 80{b5761be34e80a16b6d0e4dabc1869c131a263f96a745c82bebdd3b8a4330bfa9} of fire calls are in Northfield.
HRA looks to Southbridge for housing development
Affordable housing was an issue that continued to bubble to the surface as the Northfield Council worked on their Strategic Plan. Northfield Housing and Redevelopment Coordinator Janine Atchison said the Northfield Council’s Strategic Plan lined up with what they were already working on, plans to develop new housing. The HRA owns some property in Southbridge over by the soccer fields. They’re looking at development there. She said it’s in the “beginning stages” of development of townhomes and single family homes. Additionally they’re looking at a couple of sites for single level or patio home style housing for seniors.
