Cheryl Hall, the Director of Special Services for the Northfield Public School District, has been named the 2022 Special Education Administrator of the Year by the Minnesota Administrators for Special Education, or MASE.
Hall has served as Northfield’s Director of Special Services since 2015 Before then, she held a split position running special services departments for both the Northfield and Faribault Public School districts. Since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, she has also served as the district’s Covid-19 Coordinator as well.
Hall began her career in both general and special education teaching roles with Minneapolis Public Schools. She has been a Special Education Substitute Teacher, Special Education Evaluation Specialist, and a Due Process Handbook Editor.
A statement released by MASE credited Hall for helping to develop the next generation of Special Ed teachers, by encouraging paraprofessionals in the Northfield School district to pursue their teaching license. She has helped with the placement of no less than 11 new special education teachers. As the Covid-19 coordinator, she worked with the district’s incident command team, administrators, families, and the school board to develop a strong safe learning plan that allowed Northfield to navigate the first full school year of the pandemic.
“Cheryl Hall’s commitment to public service is unrivaled,” wrote Northfield Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matt Hillmann. “As an experienced administrator, Cheryl has given her all to Northfield staff, students, and families for the better part of two decades…showing exemplary leadership and dedication.”
Hall will be honored with the award during the MASE Spring Conference, which begins today.
City making changes to Rental, Nuisance Codes
On Tuesday night, the Northfield City Council heard a presentation on proposed changes to the city’s Residential Rental Licensing and
Nuisance codes.
City Administrator Ben Martig said over the years, the Rental Codes have been found to be vague and often difficult to interpret, so in late 2019, the city began the process of rewriting aspects of the code having to do with licensure procedures, improving standards and clarity. Martig said the city conducted several listening sessions with both landlords and tenants to ensure a deep understanding of what the code has been lacking and where the changes were necessary.
City attorney Alissa Harrington, who conducted the project, said the process revealed a need for clear communication of expectations, and information specifically about what is expected and what is not expected.
Code enforcement has now been grouped into one area and divided licensees into three categories. The top tier is for responsible landlords, who have met high standards and are issued three-year licenses. The second tier is for those who have had minor issues. Along with a two-year license, they are given an action plan to prevent their problems from becoming major crises. A third tier has been created for landlords with major or multiple issues requiring a stepped mitigation plan to make sure their property is brought into compliance.
Abatement procedures have been tiered as well. Harrington said City Staff will be empowered to handle issues that carry a cost of less than $10,000. Using examples like yard clean up, or vehicle storage, she said the city can handle these problems without consulting the City Council. Problems with large cleanups or junk houses, or anything that requires a solution costing more than $10,000 will be handled by the City Council. Emergency abatements – problems like a building collapse, snow removal, or a public property issue – can be handled by either city staff or the Council. Each abatement situation will also have a clearly defined appeals process as well.
Martig said the changes, while maybe not the most exciting policy issues, have been put together deliberately over an extended period of time.
“Our rental code really has a goal to ensure we have quality housing; that we have clear standards and procedures. Not super exciting policy things from a code standpoint but [this has been] a major undertaking that I think has taken – I think it’s two years that we’ve been working on this.”
The Housing and Redevelopment Authority will review the changes as well before they are introduced for a vote at the City Council meeting next week.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Northfield City Administrator Ben Martig can be heard here
State of the City will be a lively presentation
After two years of Covid enforced video presentations, Mayor Rhonda Pownell is preparing to give her 2022 State of the City address before a
live audience, and the Northfield Community is invited.
Last year, with some time to do advanced planning, the city’s communications staff was able to turn what had traditionally been a standard speech into a full-on group presentation featuring various city department heads, allowing the mayor to paint a much more in-depth picture of her vision for the city.
This year, many elements of that presentation concept will remain.
Mayor Pownell will celebrate what Northfield has accomplished this past year and what is being worked on this upcoming year, while incorporating live music, guest speakers, and video presentations of annual awards such as the Mayor for a Day Essay Contest, the Board & Commission Member Excellence Award, the Human Rights Award and the Employee Excellence Award.
Those who attend the State of the City Address must be fully vaccinated and boosted if eligible or must have received a negative COVID-19 test result no more than 24 hours before the event. ASL and Spanish interpreters will be available.
A recording of the event will be available in English and Spanish on Northfield Public Broadcasting channels 180 and 187 and on the city’s YouTube Channel throughout the year.
Mayor Pownell’s State of the City Address will be Monday, March 21st at the Kracum Performance Hall at Carleton College’s Weitz Center for Creativity. The event is free to attend and will begin at 6:30.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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