As numbers continue to show record low unemployment rates and a slowly increasing number in workforce participation, staffing 
issues are continuing to dog different areas of the local government.
Dr. Matt Hillmann, the Superintendent of the Northfield Public School District, said the district is fortunate to have all of its licensed positions filled. However, there are multiple vacant educational support positions that the district would like to fill.
There are currently at least ten Educational Assistant jobs that are open. Hillmann said the position is to provide classroom support to the teachers and work with specific students. He also said they would like to hire more people in the Kid Ventures department, which is the school age childcare program. Kid Ventures is very popular, Hillmann said, but unfortunately the district has had to cap the number of kids they can take because they do not have enough employees to meet the proper state mandated ratios.
Similarly, the Northfield Police Department is almost at full staff right now, with one open patrol officer position. Northfield Chief of Police Mark Elliott said they will close the application process for that position next week. Where the NPD needs help is in their Reserve Division. Elliott said the number of reserves they have right now is about half of what they had in 2019. Quite often, he said, people join the reserves to gain experience in law enforcement and are then able to apply for full time jobs with a department. Elliott pointed out that the number of people applying for police positions is way down from a few years ago, so reservists can be very attractive prospects to departments with jobs to fill.
While the typical reservist might be on the younger side, Elliott said there is no age requirement to join the reserve corps.
“In fact, we have a couple that are close to my age. They just really enjoy the work they enjoy working with our officers and with that group, and they really enjoy giving back to their community too. They find it a very rewarding way to give back.”
Meanwhile, Hillmann said the school district is finding creative ways to fill their vacant positions as well.
“We combine a few educational assistant positions into a full-time teaching position, so we’re going to post a position for a high school special education teacher that would really try to provide that instruction and services that we would typically have provided with multiple educational assistants. It will be different, and we’ll have to serve those students differently, but it’s a way that we’re trying to look at this differently.”
For more information on how to join the Northfield Police Reserves, visit the Police Department page on the City Website.
For information on employment with the school district, visit northfieldschools.org
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Northfield Chief of Police Mark Elliott can be heard here
Mobile Home Fund gets a boost
The Community Action Center announced last week that Allina Health has agreed to match donations designated to the newly created 
Mobile Home Fund up to $10,000.
The CAC, Healthy Community Initiative and the Northfield Racial and Ethnic Equity Coalition (NREEC), created the fund this past July for mobile home repairs, rehabilitation costs, and lot rent assistance across Rice County.
The funds are intended to prevent eviction and will be accessed by tenants and participants through CAC as well as the HCI/Growing Up Healthy Mobile Home Rehabilitation Initiative Coordinator. All donations go toward mobile home repairs and rent assistance.
A statement issued by CAC said, “The contributions to the Mobile Home Fund will be doubled, thanks to the generous support of Allina Health.” The statement went on to say that the fund has become especially important, and help is needed now more than ever.
Over the last few months, residents of the Viking Terrace Manufactured Home Park have reported several disturbing measures being taken by the park’s new ownership, Lakeshore Management. Despite the involvement of the Attorney General, and the relaxation of many initial demands, residents are nervous that the company will increase the lot rents in the park until most current residents cannot afford them.
For more information about making a donation, visit communityactioncenter.org
Hispanic heritage Festival draws 3000 attendees
Organizers of the Northfield Hispanic Heritage Festival said, by any measure, the celebration on Saturday was a great success. 
On a beautiful 80° afternoon, some 3000 people visited Central Park to partake in the city’s fifth Hispanic Heritage Festival. Those who attended were greeted by dozens of vendors selling jewelry, clothing, bags, and artwork.
The Northfield non-profit community was represented by Northfield Shares, Clean River Partners, Community Action Center, Growing Up Healthy, and the Northfield Arts Guild. The City of Northfield had a booth at the festival as did the Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce. And the Army National Guard set up a climbing wall for those feeling adventurous.
As promised, the entertainment was colorful, joyous and of a very high quality. Music was provided by Mariachi Alma de Mexico and Los Chicos B Orquestra. Accordionist Aldo Tributo gave an especially entertaining performance and was joined on stage at one point by a local Hispanic folk dance troupe in full traditional costume that had several attendees dancing themselves.
The real star of the afternoon might have been the food. Vendors offering pupusas, empanadas, tacos, tamales, and several different sweet treats, including a churro roll that might have been able to feed a family of four, made for difficult choices to anyone that was looking to eat in moderation. Imminent Brewing was on hand as well, offering their very popular Vaya Con Dios mango-guava sour beer as a fine adult compliment to the day.
The Northfield Hispanic Heritage Festival, which is now held annually on the first Saturday of National Hispanic Heritage Month, is just the beginning of four weeks of festivities. Later this month, the Northfield Public Library and the Friends of Way Park will host a public showing of the Disney Pixar movie Encanto. And at the beginning of October, the library will feature an exhibit of local photographer Xavier Tavera’s work celebrating the diversity of the Northfield Latinx Community.
For more information on local Hispanic Heritage Month events, visit the Northfield Public Library website at mynpl.org.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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