Prior to the regular City Council Meeting on Tuesday Night, the Council met in a closed meeting to conduct City Administrator Ben Martig’s annual job performance review. As has been the case with his previous reviews, Martig received high praise from the Council.
In fact, a statement released by the city said, “the City Council couldn’t be much happier with Ben Martig’s performance over the past year.”
Mayor Rhonda Pownell stated during the open council meeting that Martig has executed his responsibilities at a high level, and the city deeply appreciates his work.
“Northfield’s elected officials are extremely satisfied with their city administrator’s leadership in the last year,” she said. “Ben earned high praise for his work to keep Northfield safe and stable during the on-going pandemic and for implementing solid results for the Council’s myriad priority projects and plans – including the strategic plan. The City Council has expressed, through this review process, a desire for him to continue with this good work as their city administrator for the upcoming year.”
For his part, Martig, who has been City Administrator since May 2, 2016, was characteristically humble in accepting the review.
“When you’re surrounded by great people, and great elected and appointed officials, and quality staff, and an authentic and unique community it makes work much easier. I’m blessed to be in Northfield.”
A resolution was passed by the council unanimously to increase Martig’s salary for 2022 by 5.8%.
Funding for Special Education could help Northfield, all districts
As the Northfield School District prepares to announce the programming and areas that will be removed from the
budget over the next two years, one of the refrains most often heard throughout the process, and indeed throughout the state, is the lack of state and federal funding for the Special Education Services that are mandated for every school district in Minnesota.
Under the IDEA Act, the federal government requires every school district to offer special education services to students who need them free of charge. The Act also requires the federal government to fund 40% of programs nationwide, but the full amount has never been allocated. Those funds are to be distributed through the State Department of Education, and, again, the state government has failed to pick up the slack as well. The result is the Northfield School District pays $5 million out of its general fund for what has come to be known as the Special Education Cross Subsidy.
Coincidentally, the amount of money being trimmed from the district budget over the next two years is $4.5 million.
Director of Special Services for Northfield, Chery Hall, said the Northfield School District is at about the state average with 15-16% of its students requiring some form of Special Education assistance. The needs of each student can range, she said, from a simple accommodation for a physical issue to something much more complex and demanding. For the past seven years, Northfield has joined in the Cannon Valley Special Education Cooperative with four other school districts. Based in Faribault, this collaborative group has been able to pool their resources to care for and educate the Special Education students with the highest needs.
Hall, who was recently named the 2022 Minnesota Special Education Administrator of the Year, said there is no doubt that Special Education is of vital importance to any school district and she, like Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matt Hillmann sees Special Ed as a moral imperative.
“That comes from a close place in my heart because I grew up with a brother who had intellectual and developmental disabilities. So, knowing where we came from historically to where we are now, from sending individuals like my brother to a State Hospital and warehousing, to living in the community in an inclusive environment is so, so important.”
The Northfield School Board will discuss the budget prioritization measures at their next regular meeting on Monday night.
Memorial Park readies for State Tournament
Despite the weather conditions, baseball season has begun around Minnesota. The Minnesota Twins, the University of
Minnesota, the MIAC and the state high school league have all started to play baseball, and soon the state’s Townball Leagues will begin as well.
This season promises to be a special one for the City of Dundas and the Dundas Dukes organization. While the team itself might be in a transitional period coming off of a down 2021 season, Memorial Park will be one of the sites along with Bell Field in Faribault and Jack Ruhr Park in Miesville, to host the 2022 State Baseball Tournament at the end of August.
Dundas last hosted the State Tournament in 2003, and Dukes Co-Manager Mike Ludwig, who also oversees the facilities at Memorial Park and heads up the non-profit group charged with the care of the ballpark, said expectations have been raised quite a bit in the nearly 20 years that have passed.
“Other communities that have hosted the tournament have made significant investments into their ballparks,” he said, “and the results have been remarkable.”
Ludwig said the Dukes organization made the decision 6-8 years ago, that Memorial Park should be that type of facility. Since then, the ballpark has undergone a dramatic facelift. Stadium seating has been installed, the sound system and the press box have been replaced. Most notably, Ludwig said Memorial Park now offers the finest playing surface in the State of Minnesota. All of this was done with both a purpose and a goal.
“Essentially, we want it to be a park that can host a state tournament not only at one time, but continually, and always be in that condition. We have systematically, piece-by-piece continued to enhance what was already a great park and a great facility, each year.”
Ludwig said there are still preparations to be made for the tournament. The first base dugout needs to be upgraded, as do the bullpens, and there is work to be done on the perimeter fencing as well. He said this will require a “small army of volunteers” to get everything done and said anyone who is interested in helping out will be welcome.
The Minnesota State Baseball Association Tournament will be held over three weekends beginning August 19-21 and running through Labor Day. The Dundas Dukes home opener is May 6.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Mike Ludwig of the Dundas Dukes can be heard here
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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