Last night at the Northfield City Council meeting, Northfield Hospital + Clinics presented the results of the
organization’s annual audit. As has now consistently become the case, the audit was found to be clean with no financial concerns. It did, however, illustrate the kind of pressure and challenges being faced right now by the American healthcare system.
The presenter from Clifton Larson Allen showed a series of slides that demonstrated the financial stability of Northfield Hospital + Clinics, even if things aren’t quite as stable as they have been in the past.
The daily cash-on-hand situation sits at an average of $253,000. Though that is off by 12% from 2021, the CLA presenter said it is still a very healthy number and shows the growth of cash expenditures in the time of Covid-19. At the same time, the debt has dropped by 5% since last year, leaving the auditor to comment that, “from a Balance Sheet standpoint, the organization is very strong.”
NH+C President and CEO Steve Underdahl said he was pleased to have another “uneventful” audit. Asked about the major challenges his organization is facing, Underdahl said labor is a problem with every healthcare system and facility in the country.
“We try to encourage young people interested in health care careers as much as possible, which is not the case with everyone in the industry,” he said. “This is noble work at every level, and that will always appeal to a certain segment of the population. But honestly, it’s a mess.”
Underdahl noted that a competing, major health care system that he declined to identify is currently sitting with 4000 open positions. However, he said, NH+C is strong, and is at high enough staffing levels to continue to offer care and service that will meet his, and the community’s, high expectations.
YouthBuild Program offering valuable skills to Area Learning Center Student
Students at the Northfield Area Learning Center are receiving hands on training toward a career in the construction industry, while earning credits toward their high school diploma at the same time, through an innovative new program.
Daryl Kehler, the Area Learning Center Director, said the YouthBuild program is something that has been in place in the Rochester School District, but is new to Rice County this year. The Workforce Development Board of Southern Minnesota received a grant and approached the Northfield School District about putting something in place and, while not even through the first year, Kehler said he, and the school district are very happy with the results thus far.
The program puts 8-10 students into a classroom for four days a week with a classroom teacher, Eric Swann McDonald, and on Wednesdays they work with local contractor Daryl Kiesow to receive practical training. Through the Workforce grant, the students were given tool belts, work boots and a full array of tools that are theirs to keep.
In the first part of the year, the students received the safety training and certifications necessary to operate power tools and to function properly on a job site. In the second part of the year, they are learning construction skills as they construct raised flower beds that will be used by the ALC Garden Club. Once those are finished, the students, who range from 9th to 12th grade, will build a shed that will be used for storage of larger tools. That equipment will be put to use over the summer and into the fall as the students construct a garage at the ALC that will become a woodshop for future classes.
Kehler said the class is multi-gendered, and all the students are keenly interested in the process.
“We do have both girls and boys in there, and there are some who are very much interested in making construction their career, at some point. And so, they’re very much interested in the class, and engaged.”
Kehler said the class will have a “busy spring.” They are about half done with the flower boxes and will then build the shed before the end of the year.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Area Learning Center Director Daryl Kehler can be heard here
Anderson named 2022 Heywood Award recipient
On Monday night, the Defeat of Jesse James Days Committee announced that Jerry Anderson is the 39th recipient of the Joseph Lee Heywood Distinguished Service Award.
The award honors a Northfield citizen who exemplifies a commitment to public service. A statement released by the committee said Anderson’s work over forty-plus years in the community makes him plenty worthy of the honor.
Among his many endeavors, Anderson, a former Northfield mayor, was chairman of the Epic Enterprises Board of Directors for more than 15 years. He was a volunteer firefighter for 19 years and served with the Northfield Relief Fire Association for more than 35 years. He led the efforts to raise private funds to revitalize the Northfield outdoor pool and was on the board of directors for the Northfield Senior Center in the 1990’s as they were raising money to build the building that is now the home of FiftyNorth.
Defeat of Jesse James Days General Chair Galen Malecha said Anderson is a good example of the type of person the award looks to honor.
“We are thrilled to celebrate Jerry’s contributions to our community during this year’s DJJD festivities,” he said. “This award is given to a Northfield citizen who exemplifies a commitment to public service. We are fortunate that Northfield has such a wealth of people that hold those attributes, and we are excited to recognize Jerry’s contribution as this year’s recipient.”
The Joseph Lee Heywood Distinguished Service Award banquet will be held on Wednesday, September 7th. For more information, visit djjd.org.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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