By Teri Knight, News Director
We’re in the middle of Election season, an unusual year to be sure. Northfield City Clerk Deb Little has been at the helm. She talked with Jeff Johnson yesterday morning saying absentee/early voting has been unprecedented, adding, “I just ask people be patient, be kind to your election staff. They are doing an amazing job, working hard. You just need to leave a little extra time because we have lines most days”. Little has fielded a lot of questions. First, voter preregistration ends October 13th. You can do this at mnvotes.org or, Little says, “there are paper copies at City Hall or at the Library that you can just pick up, fill those out and drop them off at City Hall in our absentee voting room, 2nd floor Training Room. We’re happy to take them and deliver them to the county, either Dakota or Rice, depending on where you live in Northfield”. Absentee and mail-in voting is the
same thing. Little says there are many organizations including nonprofits and political parties sending out applications for absentee ballots. She said, “it’s perfectly safe to use those. But I get concerns that they’re pre-filled out. Those agencies are able to get information from the Secretary of State’s office, any public data on voters and that’s how 
they have your name and address”. As for the mail-in ballot you requested but are concerned about mailing it in, Little said, “we’re asking people, if you’ve already asked for a ballot by mail and you’ve received it, fill that ballot out, vote it. If you don’t want to mail it back, bring it to us, drop it off at City Hall. We will be taking those ballots through Monday, October 26th”. They are then hand delivered to Rice or Dakota County, depending on where you live in Northfield. You cannot bring your absentee ballot into the polling place on Election Day. However, you CAN deliver your mail-in ballot to the County Seat by 3pm on November 3rd. There is same-day registration as well. You need proof of who you are. That information is on mnvotes.org and on the City’s website HERE and in our Election Guide. You can vote or drop off your mail-in ballot from 8am to 4:15pm Monday through Friday in the 2nd floor training room at City Hall through October 26th. There is more to her interview HERE. She is in the process of creating an FAQ for residents as well. We will add that to our Election Guide as soon as we receive it.
2018 street project 14% over budget
In 2018, Division Street at 7th St. got a makeover. And then another one as the plants were too tall blocking views and the driveways hard to navigate with people driving over the curb and had to be reworked. This week the Northfield Council had to vote to approve final payment and close the project. It was moved from the consent agenda as there was a 14% overrun or about $200,000. City Engineer Dave Bennett said they normally plan 10% of the cost of a project for contingencies and rarely use all of that. He told council they’re hoping to get State Aid dollars to cover it but they needed a budget amendment to pay the contractor. The dollars 
come from the Capital Reserve Fund. Bennett explained, “the money that has been in there has been from projects that have really been under budget. So that’s really how that fund balance in the Capital Reserve fund has been built”. There is $769,000 in that fund. The budget amendment may not be used IF the funding comes through, that would mean another discussion on what to do with those funds. The Council will hold a work session next Tuesday on Franchise fee funding which is an avenue they’re considering for funding street projects.
Rowan awarded for Leadership
Dakota Electric Association recently awarded Greenvale Township Supervisor, Tony Rowan, the Outstanding Township Leader of the Year award. Dakota Electric Directors Bill Middlecamp and Margaret Schreiner presented the award at their virtual association meeting. Rowan, a life-long township resident, is relatively new to township service, having served for just 2-1/2 years. He’s jumped in being proactive in addressing noxious weed issues, securing funding, working to eliminate them and been a key communicator on the issue. He has inventoried aging infrastructure in need of repairs and has spearheaded bringing together property owners to provide easements for bridge repair. “Thanks to his initiative,” Linus Langer, Township Clerk, said, “we are going to be able to take care of culverts in a timely and cost-effective manner.” Rowan wins Township Award
