By Rich Larson, News Director
The Northfield Public Works department has closed Division Street between Woodley and Sumner streets to through
traffic today until 7 p.m. so utilities crew can make needed repairs to the sewer.
A detour has been posted using Jefferson Parkway and State Highway 3, re-directing traffic around the closure area.
The City of Northfield is urging motorists to always drive with caution, please slow down in work zones, and never enter a road blocked with barriers or cones.
Dunn says new jail vote was timely
Last month the Rice County Board of Commissioners voted to build a new county jail. While the vote brought a close to a thorough, fifteen-month debate, it began the lengthy and complicated process of making the new facility a reality.
The new building will house both the county jail and a new Rice County Law Enforcement Center. In 2019, the state Department of Corrections deemed the current jail which was designed in 1970 and opened in 1975 was no longer an adequate facility and would be downgraded to a 90-day lockup facility if the county did not act. At the same time, the population of Rice County has grown by 20,000 people since the current LEC was built, and Sheriff Troy Dunn has spoken many times about the building not having enough room to house office space for his deputies and all things necessary for 21st century law enforcement. For example, Sheriff Dunn said, a new media specialist, hired to catalogue the video taken from body worn cameras, will be officing in a converted closet.
The Sheriff said the process of building the new facility will take some time. The county must acquire green space land upon which to build. He said they are in negotiations for land on both the north side and west side of Faribault. Once they know where they are going to build, the county engineers will work with the architectural firm of Klein McCarthy to finalize the design.
He said the new jail will not increase much in capacity. The current jail is licensed to house 71 people, while the new jail will be built for 76-78. But, he said, the jail will offer more space for inmates with mental health issues, more space classified for medium and maximum security, and less minimum security, dormitory style housing. There will also be expanded space for recreation and programming which were the two reasons the DOC deemed the current building inadequate.
The Sheriff said the DOC has been very patient with county in this process, granting several extensions, which will expire in July of 2022. He also believes the decision was made just in the nick of time.
“This is our third extension, and I have a feeling this will probably be it. I got the feeling from the Assistant Commissioner that this will be the last one. Had we not moved forward I think we would be classified as a 90-day facility now, and then we’re having to take people to other jails after 90 days.”
The process of acquiring land, finalizing the design and ordering building will continue through the end of 2021. The county hopes to break ground on the new building next spring.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Rice County Sheriff Troy Dunn can be heard here
NAFRS to increase pension amount
The leadership of the Northfield Area Fire and Rescue Squad appeared before the City Council on Tuesday night with a request to increase the
pension benefit compensation for its firefighters.
Currently, NAFRS firefighters are given a one-time pension payment when they retire, of $10,000 for every year serve the community, with that benefit being fully vested after twenty years. Assistant Chief Tom Nelson, who also sits on the Northfield Fire Relief Association board which manages the pension fund, told the council they are looking to increase the number to $13,000.
Nelson said the pension is funded by investments and state aid, and over the last twenty years, those investments have shown very good returns. The investments have done so well, in fact, that an agreed to make-good contribution from the city has not been necessary since 2008.
Currently, Nelson said, the pension is overfunded at 230%. There are potentially three long-serving, fully vested firefighters ready for retirement in the next year or two. Nelson said even with those retirements accounted for and the pension increase, the fund would still be at 150% of what is necessary.
The pension is seen to be the main monetary benefit for the firefighters, as their per-call benefit is somewhat negligible. Councilor Brad Ness, who also chairs the NAFRS board, said during the last NAFRS board meeting, the stipend for NAFRS officers was increased because it was found to be less than minimum wage. Mayor Rhonda Pownell said the firefighters sacrifice quite a bit to serve the community for very little immediate return.
“We have volunteer firefighters that give up their time, that interrupt their time with their families, they come in the middle of the night, they come on holidays, to be there for community members in sometimes not the greatest circumstances. And so, we’re really appreciative of all of our firefighters. They receive about $4000 annually for that service that they give back to the community.”
The motion to approve the increase passed unanimously. It must also be approved by the Dundas City Council.
