Last night at the Northfield City Council meeting, the council accepted the resignation of City Councilor Suzie Nakasian, and
began the process of seating an appointee to fill the Ward I seat for the duration of the term.
The deadline to file for City Council candidacy was May 31st. Kathleen Holmes, who currently serves as the President of the Friends of Downtown Northfield board, is the sole candidate for the seat in the November election. City Administrator Ben Martig said she has been contacted to see if she would be interested in the appointment, however she has indicated that she would not be able to serve on the Council until 2023.
The council voted on a process that will solicit applicants for the position by July 8th. Interviews for the position would take place on July 12th, and the appointed Councilor would be sworn in prior to the July 19th work session.
Martig said during the meeting that the city would ask for a pledge from the appointee that they would not use the position as a springboard to mount a write-in campaign for the seat in November. Councilor Brad Ness wondered about both the justification and legality of such a pledge. Martig acknowledged that the pledge would most likely not be legally binding, but it was something done when Councilor Noah Cashman resigned in 2008. Councilor Ness asked Martig to consult with City Attorney Chris Hood about the question.
Those wishing to apply for the position can contact City Clerk Lynette Peterson. Councilor Nakasian’s resignation will become effective on June 30th.
Shane Baier named new Northfield High School Principal
The Northfield School District announced that Shane Baier will be the next Northfield High School principal. Baier
will succeed Dr. Joel Leer, who has accepted a position as an assistant professor of educational leadership at Minnesota State University, Mankato.
Northfield Superintendent of Public Schools Dr. Matt Hillmann called the hiring of Baier a “big win” for the Northfield school district. In a statement, he called Baier a highly regarded experienced leader. Hillmann praised Baier’s commitment to relationships, equity, and academic excellence for every student, and said that he believes Baier “has the right skill set to grow Northfield High School’s standing as one of the best in Minnesota.”
Baier has served as principal at Mankato East High School, Spearfish, South Dakota Middle School, Mountain Home Idaho Junior High School, and was most recently principal at Washington Elementary School in Mankato. He has an undergraduate and master’s degrees from South Dakota State University and an education specialist degree from Minnesota State Mankato.
There was a large group of candidates for the position. Hillmann said the hiring process involved more than 40 members of the district staff, students, parents and community members. Each candidate met with one team made up of parents and community members, another team of high school staff members, and a third team of high school students. The process concluded that Baier was an exceptional choice for the position.
Hillmann said several of the candidates were happy with their current positions but were interested in the Northfield High School principal job, because of the Northfield community.
“When we have a position like the high school principalship open, we learn a lot about what people think of our community. We had a number of great candidates who were interested in the position because it was in Northfield. The Northfield High School principalship does not come up very often, and I think that when you have high quality people wanting to come and join your team, it speaks well of the community.”
Hillmann praised Leer for his work at the high school. He said being a high school principal is a challenging job, and to be in that position for 16 years, as Leer was, just shows how capable he is.
Baier will officially start on July 1.
Dew Days returns ‘in full force’ to Farmington
The Farmington Ambassador Coronation ceremony was held last night as a kickoff to Dew Days. Organizers Holly Bernatz and
Holly Shearer said, after a Covid imposed hiatus that canceled the celebration in 2020 and only allowed for a one-day event last year, Dew Days is back in full force in 2022 to celebrate Farmington’s 150th anniversary.
The celebration, named for the 1979 declaration by Pepsi Cola that Farmington drinks more Mountain Dew per capita than any other city in America, will run through Sunday with the number of events ramping up as the weekend approaches.
Tonight, The Capri Big Band will perform in Rambling River Park. Thirsty Thursday will be tomorrow night, giving attendees the opportunity to sample spirits from more than 22 different liquor vendors.
Multiple events are set for Friday, including Waterball with the Farmington Fire Department, Bed Races, and Beer, Brats, and Bingo in the hub of the festival, which is referred to as The Big Tent. Marschall Line will run a coach bus shuttle from the Big Tent to their facility for the Big Rig Open House they will be hosting, featuring semitrucks, rock climbing jeeps, tractors, old school busses, antique fire engines and more.
Saturday will be the busiest day of the festival. Events on the calendar include a waffle breakfast, a fishing derby, a bean bag tournament, a car cruise, an Emergency Services display and demonstration, live music for the kids by Koo Koo Kanga Roo, live music for the grownups by Northfield’s own Chad Johnson, and the enduring Dew Days tradition they call Kiss the Pig.
“For about six weeks there are cans set out at local businesses. And everybody can contribute to who they want to kiss the pig. All of those funds come together on Saturday morning, and they figure out who raised the most money. And that person then gets to kiss a live pig. His name is Emmett.”
The celebration will wrap up on Sunday with a breakfast, free yoga, a non-denominational church service and, finally, the Grand Parade.
For more information about all of the scheduled events, visit farmingtondewdays.com.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Holly Bernatz and Holly Shearer of Dew Days can be heard here
Rich Larson is the KYMN news director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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