By Rich Larson, News Director
Last week during the quarterly Northfield Area Fire and Rescue Service meeting the board discussed the need for a succession plan should NAFRS
Chief Gerry Franek decide to retire, which led to a reportedly “spirited” conversation about the possibility of making the job of Chief a full-time position.
City Councilor Brad Ness, who is the chair of the NAFRS Board, said he had originally requested that a succession plan be put together. Chief Franek has led the department for two decades, and he has hinted that his retirement will come sooner than later. Ness said it is important that a plan be laid out, so the board is not surprised by the process to find a new chief when that time comes.
Currently, the NAFRS Chief position is considered part time, and there are members of the board who believe the idea of a full-time chief should be explored. The board has received a proposal from Barbara Strandell of What Works, Inc. Strandell is a consultant who works with municipal fire departments in helping to reform or reshape the organization.
Ness expressed skepticism over the need for a consultant in this decision, referring to her a “expensive.” Franek, meanwhile, said that while he also believes a succession plan should be put together, he’s not sure about the idea of making wholesale change to his position.
“Right now, I think our format is working quite well. I don’t have any complaints, that I know of from the Board Chair, or the board itself, about our response or what we do. So I don’t know what the gains would be to go forward with a full-time position. But in the end, that will be the board’s decision to make.”
The discussion was tabled and will be taken up at the next quarterly meeting on July 15.
First Rice County jury trial concluded
Rice County has successfully undertaken and concluded its first jury trial since March of 2020.
A statement issued yesterday by the Rice County Attorney’s Office said that 30 year old Matthew Christopher Kurtenbach was convicted of Felony Receiving Stolen Property. Kurtenbach was arrested last August when found to be in possession of a Ford Explorer that had been reported stolen from an automobile dealership Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
The trial was the first case to come before a Rice County jury since last fall, and the first to be tried to completion in nearly 15 months. The case was tried in Courtroom 5, which is a space in the County Government Services building that was converted last year to be used as a fully functioning courtroom, capable of hosting all necessary participants of a trial, including a full jury, while maintaining CDC recommended physical spacing.
In March of 2020, all in-person hearings were suspended due to the statewide government shutdown. That order was reinforced last November when State Supreme Court Chief Justice Lori Gildea issued an order suspending all in-person trials until March 15 of this year, which was extended by the three Rice County district judges until May 1.
In the statement, County Attorney John Fossum said the new courtroom space is a necessary tool ven as the pandemic restrictions begin to end.
“Having the space available and a completed jury trial will allow for case to move forward to trial or resolution. Not being able to have trials has created a significant backlog of cases awaiting resolution.”
Rice County currently has nearly 250 cases to schedule for jury trial.
Fire Engine club to present ‘Pumpers in the Park’
Bridge square will be filled on Saturday night with retired fire trucks as the Minnesota Fire Engine Club will present Pumpers in the Park. 
Len Schrader, a member of the club’s board of directors who lives in Farmington, said he expects there will be at least ten pumper trucks that will be on display and flowing water. Schrader said some of the trucks on display have some historical significance to the Twin Cities.
“This year we have four of the 1966 Pirsch Pumpers that were in service in Minneapolis. We’ll have Engine 1, Engine 4, Engine 8, and Engine 19. They’re all 1966 Pirsch built apparatus.”
The club will display the power of the trucks with a water stream display. Schrader said they will pull 2500 gallons of water per minute out of the Cannon River and into the air. After sunset, he said, LED lights are used to create what he said looks like a prolonged fireworks show.
He said the club will also have a static display of vintage fire apparatus, including a pair of ladder trucks, that the public will be able to see up close.
The members of the club held this event in 2019, with the intent of making it an annual event in Northfield. However, with the interruption of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was canceled last year, but he hopes that this will be a Memorial Day tradition moving forward.
Schrader also said the club is hoping to find some corporate help to subsidize the cost of the diesel fuel that runs the fire engines. Anyone interested in contributing should contact the club through their website by clicking here.
Pumpers in the Park will be at Sesquicentennial Park on Saturday. Festivities officially get underway at 6 pm.
