The Northfield Police Department reported last night that a 14-year-old Northfield girl was transported by helicopter to the
Hennepin County Medical Center after being struck by a car.
At approximately 5:51 yesterday, Northfield police were dispatched to a report of a Person Injury crash involving a car and a bicyclist on Jefferson Parkway at the intersection with Afton Street. The bicyclist received serious injuries and was treated at the scene by first responders from Northfield Area Fire and Rescue Service, Northfield Police Department, and Northfield Ambulance.
The bicyclist was airlifted to Hennepin County Medical Center where she is listed in critical condition.
The statement reported that the driver of the car was an 18-year-old male from Northfield and was not injured. He was cooperative with officers and troopers investigating the crash.
Neither the name of the victim, the name of the driver, or any further information was made available by the Police Department.
The Minnesota State Patrol sn handling the reconstruction of the crash and is assisting with the investigation.
School board ‘pumps the brakes’ on high school improvements
The Northfield School Board met in a work session on Monday night to further discuss the needs of the high school facility and
the options they have to address those needs.
The discussion has been an up and down one, with little consensus on the board. A report given to the board by a facilities task force this past spring made several recommendations, from fixing infrastructure issues like the HVAC system and improving lighting, to modernizing classrooms, to adding a field house and improved space for the music department. All told, the recommended improvements could cost as much as $87 million dollars. Any improvements, even just one section of the recommendations, would require community approved bonding and a referendum on the ballot this November.
Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Matt Hillmann, said the board has decided to, as he put it, “pump the brakes,” on making any improvements this year. Therefore, there will not be a referendum asking for money to make improvements to the high school facility this fall.
Hillmann said it became apparent on Monday night that there wasn’t enough time left to build a consensus on what a referendum should include, so instead the board will take the necessary time it needs to do more research and further some key conversations.
The decision was made to contract with the Minneapolis market research firm Morris Leatherman and ask the community more directly about the general opinion of the high school facility, the direction the school board has been taking, and perhaps most importantly, what is the community willing to pay, if anything, to make the necessary improvements to the building.
The board also intends to conduct a series of focus groups looking at the technical education programs, and what the citizens of the district expect in terms of preparing students for the workforce.
Finally, Hillmann said the district will use this time to engage in further conversations with other governmental agencies and some potential private partners regarding improved athletic facilities.
“They understand that we do need to have a look at our athletic facilities, and there are some other governmental agencies that have expressed an interest as well as some potential business partners who have expressed an interest in potentially coming together in partnership for a different vision of athletic facilities in Northfield.”
He said those conversations will include the topic of a new indoor ice arena.
Finally, Hillmann said the board will likely place a referendum on the ballot looking to renew and expand the capital projects levy from $750,000 to $1.25 million in an effort to redirect the salaries of specific district employees and offer some needed relief to the general fund.
NAFRS budget increase could be a 2.5% increase to Northfield tax levy
On Monday night, the Northfield City Council approved its share of the Northfield Area Fire and Rescue Service budget for 2023. 
As has been well publicized the NAFRS budget will increase in 2023 by about 50%, going from $800,000 in 2022 to most likely $1.2 million next year. City Administrator Ben Martig, while presenting an overview of the budget to the members of the council in attendance, said the major reasons for the increase include a change in the fire chief position to a full-time role, increased pay to fire fighters and the command team, and getting caught up on training which had fallen by the wayside during the Covid-19 pandemic. The department has put a renewed effort into code enforcement and fire prevention which is another reason for the increase. And finally inflationary concerns are contributing factors as well.
The city’s contribution to the increased budget would be just under 72% of the full budget amount, or $881,487. Martig said if the city were to fund its full contribution through the tax levy, it alone would account for a 2.45% tax levy increase
There is a chance the budget might not see a full 50% increase should the organization decide to stay with a part time chief, which would then require a more modest 25% increase. However, Martig said, all indications are that the full-time model will be the direction the department will take.
With three members of the council absent, the budget contribution was approved by a 4-0 unanimous vote.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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