by Rich Larson
Northfield Hospital and Clinics announced yesterday that they are now scheduling Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for eligible individuals
based on CDC guidelines, which mean people 65 and older; people 18 and older with specific medical conditions; and healthcare and front-line essential workers.
NH+C has established a waitlist on which eligible people can register. They will be contacted via phone call or text message to schedule an appointment. As was their policy last spring during the first wave of vaccinations, they ask that people not call the clinic to schedule an appointment until they have been contacted first.
According to a statement issued by NH+C, the CDC recommends booster shots for people 65 and older, residents of long-term care facilities who are 18 and older, and people 50–64 years old with specific underlying medical conditions including cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes and more.
Additionally, they have specified a long list of occupations who should receive boosters as well. That list includes people who work as first responders, educators and school staff who work with children, food and agricultural workers and grocery store workers, among others.
The statement said that only those who have received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine are eligible for a booster shot, as Pfizer is the only vaccine that so far has been approved for a third dose. It also said those who have received two doses of the Moderna vaccine, or the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine are “well-protected against hospitalization and death from COVID-19.”
For more information on the CDC guidelines, visit cdc.gov.
To register for the NH+C waitlist visit northfieldhospital.org/covid-19-vaccine
School board sets preliminary tax levy lower than in 2021
During their meeting on Monday night, the Northfield School Board approved the school district’s preliminary tax levy for 2022 at just over $20 million, and down 1.5% from last year. Northfield Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Matt Hillmann, said the smaller number is due largely to declining student enrollment.
Hillmann said the state has very tight parameters on things for which a school district can levy tax dollars, and nearly all of it is based on student count. While they will not have the final enrollment numbers for at least another week, the district believes that there are fewer students this year than last year.
The tax levy is the overall taxation of the district. After that number is decided, the amount of a person’s share of that tax is decided based on the valuation of their property. Hillmann cautioned that, just because the levy is down, does not necessarily mean one’s taxes will drop.
“If I’m the owner of a $250,000 home and that’s my valuation, and that was my same valuation last year, your school taxes should go down just a little more. About $128, roughly. Now, we all know, no one’s house ever stay at the same valuation, though.”
He also stressed that this is only the preliminary number. Just as with the city and county taxes, a preliminary levy is not necessarily the final tax amount, but only the maximum amount the district can draw. The final number could possibly be less. The district expects to have the final enrollment numbers next week.
Dundas Council sets preliminary levy
And as it is deep into budgeting season for cities, school districts and every other type of municipal entity, the Dundas City Council has been hard at
work over the last month working to determine their budget for 2022.
Dundas City Administrator Jenelle Teppen said, during their meeting on September 13, the Council set the preliminary tax levy at 12.5%. That increase she said is based on three things. The renewed Dundas Economic Development Authority has levied just under $38,000 for 2022, the city is adding a third position in the public works department, and what she called “various capital improvement projects around town.”
The EDA meanwhile, met on Monday night. Aside from confirming their budget numbers for 2022, the members considered the draft of a survey that will be sent to Dundas businesses. The EDA is looking for input from business owners about where they see opportunities for growth in Dundas in the next few years, and how the EDA might help facilitate that growth.
Finally, the Council approved a new member of the Dundas Park and Recreation Advisory Board on Monday night. Teppen said the Park and Rec Department is looking at further development of Tower Park. Currently, the park is home to the city’s outdoor ice rink, but the rest of the area is undeveloped. The Park Department is therefore developing a survey of its own, asking residents about the types of amenities they would like to see in the park.
Teppen said it is important to remember that the preliminary levy is only the maximum amount of money the city will assess for the year, and that generally the number tends to drop somewhat during budget discussions.
The council will vote on the final budget December 13.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Dundas City Administrator Jenelle Teppen can be heard here
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
