During their meeting on Tuesday night, the Northfield City Council finalized their receipt of funds from the American Rescue Plan and
authorized the use of about half of those funds.
The American Rescue Plan, or ARPA, was passed in the early months of the Biden Administration as one more funding source for the country’s economic recovery from Covid-19. The City of Northfield received about $1.1 million in ARPA funds and will receive a second payment of the same size this summer.
During the meeting Tuesday night, the council passed two resolutions. The first elected to receive the “Standard Allowance” from the fund, rather than detailing the amount of revenue the city had lost due to Covid and applying for that specific amount. The second resolution allocated funds for specific use, most of which had been worked out last year during the budgeting process.
Of the money the city has already received:
- $10,178 went to KN95 mask procurement and public distribution
- $180,000 was allocated to pay for a city Economic Development Coordinator for two years
- $70,000 was allocated to elevate the city’s Spanish Language interpreter position to full-time
- $696,404 was spent on safety and security upgrades to City Hall
- $175,000 went to upgrading the city’s operating software
The use of the remaining dollars, which total close to $1 million, is still being decided. The mayor has appointed a task force to identify the greatest needs within the city and then make recommendations to the council.
This is the second time the city has gone through this process. The 2020 CARES Act allocated approximately $1.5 million to Northfield which was distributed for city use, to private businesses and to non-profit organizations as well. City Administrator Ben Martig, said unlike the funds received then, the ARPA funds do not have to be distributed quite so quickly.
“We have about four years to allocate those funds, so we do have some time. [The task force] is being thoughtful with the remaining funds and how to allocate those dollars as we go forward. There’s less urgency than we had during the CARES Act, when we basically had a twelve-month period.”
The mayor’s task force is looking at both private and public uses for the remaining funds.
HCI helping to amplify the voice of local youth
This year is the 30th Anniversary of the Healthy Community Initiative. The organization was started by a group of concerned citizens in 1992
as a means to ensure that Northfield is a community where youth can thrive. Over the course of three decades, HCI has supported dozens of different programs working toward a supportive environment for the youth of our city, in several different ways.
Among them is the Youth on Boards program, which allows for high school students to serve on the various city boards and commissions as well as several non-profit boards. HCI Youth Coordinator Meleah Follen works with teenagers and high school students to place them on the various boards and committees. She said over the last year they have had 122 youth members placed on 33 different boards, commissions and committees, creating an opportunity that is truly unique.
“Our city has embraced this idea that we’re going to be a stronger community when we have everyone at the table, when we have all the voices at the table, and that includes youth. And so it is a unique program within the country, and we have had a lot of different cities reach out to us and say, ‘How can we replicate this?’”
Brecken Modory is a Northfield High School senior who has served on the Northfield Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention for three years. He said that he has never felt like he is the “youth” member of the organization, and that his voice carries the same weight as anyone else, which has empowered him to work diligently on substance abuse prevention programs that he is very passionate about.
Amelia Arnold, also a Northfield High School senior, is a member of the District Youth Council. The Council works very closely with the Northfield School Board to communicate issues that are important to Northfield’s young people. Arnold said the experience has been a rewarding one, and she hopes to take the things she has learned from serving on the board with her into the future.
Follen said there are many graduating seniors in the program this year, and she is encouraging any young people interested to apply for one of the opening positions. With space on every city board and commission, as well as the non-profit organizations with whom they have partnered, there is something for any interest. She said the application process will begin next week. For more information visit healthycommunityinitiative.org.
Annual city shade tree sale is underway
The City of Northfield is now accepting orders for the annual shade tree sale. The city has 175 trees available in 15 species. Most trees will be
between 3 to 10 feet tall and one-half to one inch in trunk diameter. Prices range from $25.95 to $169 per tree. Orders will be taken on a first-come-first-served basis.
Planting of the trees is scheduled for May 21st. Buyers will pick up a stake to place in their yard to indicate where the tree should be planted. A volunteer group is organizing and coordinating volunteers to help plant the trees. Tree care instructions will be provided to buyers to help their trees thrive.
Those who do not have appropriate space on their property but would like to donate a tree, may choose to donate one to a city park.
The city will accept orders for shade trees through April 26th, or until the inventory is depleted.
For more information, visit the City of Northfield website.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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