by Rich Larson
The Northfield Police Department provided an update on the search for Daryl Budenski, yesterday. Unfortunately, the update is that there is
no news on his whereabouts.
Mr. Budenski, commonly known to his friends as “Dice,” was reported missing on Sunday, October 3rd, and Northfield Chief of Police Mark Elliott said he has not been seen since Friday, October 1st. While there have been leads, Elliott said, the police have very little to work with in terms of putting a search together.
“We don’t have an area to search. If we knew that somebody had seen him walking toward [a certain area] … we would certainly be out there doing that. But we have no idea. We don’t know if he got into a car with someone, either willingly or unwillingly, if he walked off, if he got disoriented, we really don’t have any idea.”
Because Budenski has been classified as an “Endangered Missing Person” due to the suspicion that he might be suffering from early signs of dementia, the police department has been able to enlist the help of the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Chief Elliott said that gives them access to more resources and helps them spread the word to every law enforcement agency in the state.
Late last week, the chief said they received a call reporting a found wallet and hat near the Jefferson Parkway /Highway 246 roundabout. Minnesota search and rescue dogs were brought in, and a drone search was conducted. Nothing, however, was found.
Chief Elliott said if anyone has any information, please contact the Northfield Police Department at 507-645-4477. Any tips are appreciated, he said, even if they might seem negligible. And he asked the public to keep an eye out. Friends and family have also put up a Facebook page asking for help under the heading ’Search for Daryl Budenski.’
Our full conversation with Chief of Police mark Elliott can be heard here
Martig suggests budget options to the council
During the work session on Tuesday night, City Administrator Ben Martig offered four options to the City Council to reduce the proposed tax levy for 2022.
Last month the council set the preliminary tax levy for 2022 to not exceed 15%. During that meeting, after the preliminary levy had been set, nearly every member of the council expressed a strong desire to reduce the number. Martig’s presentation offered four options on how to do that.
The budget for next year is about 80% set, he said. There are increases that the council has already approved, including an increase in the city debt load by 2.8%, an increase in wages and benefits by 4%, and staff positions set into the budget at an additional 2.2%. There are several other staff requests that have been made including a new civil engineer, two new positions in the Economic Development Department, a new patrol officer position for the police department, and a full-time horticulturist. The variance in the levy is mostly based on which of those requests, if any, are granted.
Martig’s options ranged from a 14.2% increase with all staffing requests folded into the budget to a 10% baseline with no new staffing added. He then offered a suggestion to further augment those options by using about $500,000 of the $2.2 million the city will receive from the federal American Rescue Plan Act. Using those funds further dropped the increases to an 8% baseline and about 11% with all staffing requests met.
Martig said the numbers utilizing the ARPA funds were new information to the council last night, but on the whole, they seemed to like some of the suggestions.
“They weren’t ready to give formal feedback to some of that, but I think there was definitely some receptivity to finding ways to use some of those dollars for eligible expenses on those ARP funds to try to bring that number down and also meet some of the goals of that funding.”
As the property tax statements are set to be mailed out in late November, Martig said he is hopeful the council will be able to offer some guidance and even vote on a proposed budget at the regular meeting on November 2nd. The final vote on the 2022 budget is set for December 7th.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with City Administrator Ben Martig can be heard here
Rob and Karen Anderson close Northfield Pharmacy, retire
And after 35 years in business on the corner of 6th and Water Streets, Northfield Pharmacy announced on Tuesday that the business would close. Yesterday was the store’s last day of business.
In a letter to customers and supporters, pharmacist Rob Anderson and his wife Karen said making the decision to close has been one of the most difficult they have had to make and was not one that was made lightly.
The letter went on to say that they have transferred all of their pharmacy records to Walgreens, and beginning today, Northfield Pharmacy customers can have their prescriptions filled at any Walgreens location, including the Northfield store located at 401 5th Street West.
In the letter Anderson said, “Walgreen’s offered us the best opportunity to exit our pharmacy business and because of their dedication to patient care and continued personal attention to your health conditions, potential drug interactions, and medication allergies, we feel you will benefit from the many convenient services Walgreens offers.”
Though a small, somewhat under the radar store, Northfield Pharmacy had a fiercely loyal customer base, that appreciated the way the Andersons did business. John Thomas, a longtime customer of Northfield Pharmacy, likened the pharmacy to Jacobson’s Department Store as another now lost Northfield institution.
“Northfield Pharmacy was basically a pillar in the community,” he said. “It was a place you could always go to get outstanding service. Rob and his staff were always there, you were greeted by name, always with a smile, and you could always be assured that you would get exactly what you needed.”
Reports say the Anderson’s will retire and intend to stay in Northfield.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
