by Rich Larson, News Director
Little progress was made over the weekend at the State Capitol as Republicans and Democrats continued to hash out the details of the next state
budget. The legislature enters the second week of a special session today trying to find compromises over a list of issues as they face a June 30th deadline for all the work to be done in order to avoid a state shutdown.
The House did pass two compromise bills on Saturday. The Agriculture and Broadband Budget bill passed on Saturday afternoon, and the Higher Education Budget bill passed on Saturday night. Both bills had been worked out in the interim between the end of the regular legislative session and the special session. However, as the House was ready to take the bills up on Thursday, Republican members staged a filibuster in protest of the bills because they were not included in the negotiations. Representative Todd Lippert said their protests amounted to a wasted day.
“They filibustered from 10 in the morning until midnight, wanting to make a statement that they didn’t get some of the things they wanted. And my reaction to that is ‘Well, of course.’ We’re in a divided government, the only divided government in the nation. [The DFL] didn’t get a lot of things we wanted either. We’re not going to get paid family medical leave, earned safe & sick time, increased taxes on those making $1 million and large corporations sheltering their profits overseas. That’s just what happens when you have to compromise.”
Despite his frustrations, Lippert said there were things in both bills that he liked. The higher education bill includes what he called a significant increase in the State Grant Program, giving 3000 more students access to lowered college tuition. The Agriculture Bill included an extension of the Farmer Lender Mediation Act, which Lippert authored, and more money for the Farm to School program which helps farmers growing food for local communities sell directly to school districts and early learning centers,
As the work on the rest of the budget continues, Lippert said that things “might get a little noisy,” but every legislator is committed to putting in the necessary work to make sure that the budget is passed, and the state will not be forced to shut down next week.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Representative Todd Lippert can be heard here.
School board adopts Land Acknowledgement policy.
The Northfield School Board adopted a District Land Acknowledgement Policy last week. Northfield Schools Superintendent Dr. Matt Hillmann said the policy not only ratifies a land acknowledgement statement, but it also specifies when the statement will be read and where it will be posted.
The City of Northfield, St. Olaf College and Carleton College have all recently adopted statements that recognize the indigenous people of the area and the injustices done to them and their culture as western settlers arrived here. Dr. Hillmann said the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee of the District Youth Council had asked the Board to adopt the statement earlier in this past school year. Hillmann said the students did all the research and wrote the statement. The Board’s policy committee asked them for revisal of the statement, and as Hillmann put it “really made them work over the course of a couple of meetings.”
The statement as accepted by the board last week reads:
“The Northfield School District recognizes that we reside on the homeland of the Wahpekute tribe of the Dakota Nation. We acknowledge the wrongdoings previous and ongoing and strive to strengthen and repair our relations with indigenous peoples.”
Hillmann said the board also decided that the statement will be read at the School Board organizational meeting in January, at the Board meeting closest to Indigenous Peoples Day, and at Northfield High School and Area learning Center Graduation Ceremonies. It will be published on the school website, and it will be posted in the District Offices and the nature areas of each elementary school.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Dr. Matt Hillmann can be heard here
NPD partners with NCCC, Riverland College
The Northfield Police Department has announced a collaboration with the Northfield Community College Collaborative and Riverland Community College to begin a new law enforcement education program.
Northfield Chief of Police Mark Elliott said that Minnesota requires that all police officers hold at least an associate degree in law enforcement. Elliott said obtaining that degree can be a difficult thing for many people looking to get into law enforcement, especially those from underprivileged areas or households. As police departments look to recruit a more diverse force, he said it is necessary to make some adjustments.
To that end, the program with NCCC and Riverland will be a three-year program, and it will also be made available online, which he hopes will make it easier for many to complete.
“When we talk about equity, as we’re doing right now, and we talk about diversifying our ranks in law enforcement, we know that obtaining that college degree can be a barrier. So, [this allows] students to continue to work, or care for family members. And it allows them to live in their community and they don’t have to move to another location to take these classes.”
He said this is an exciting opportunity to bring a first-of-its kind law enforcement program to Northfield, and he expects that the Northfield PD will be heavily involved. While the classes will be taught by Riverland faculty, Northfield Police Officers will supplement the training as guest speakers and presenters to discuss the practical application of the curriculum.
The program will begin this fall.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Northfield Police Chief Mark Elliott can be heard here
