On Tuesday night during the Northfield City Council meeting, the council considered the 2023 mill & overlay project,
which will focus on the southwestern section of Northfield in the Roosevelt Drive and Heritage Drive areas.
The plans call for construction of sidewalks on some streets. In other sections of the project, two way protected bikeways would be constructed in the interest of safety and better city connectivity, that would involve construction of a raised curb on one side of the street. However, the plans were met with vocal opposition from some of the local residents.
Ten residents of the area, in fact, spoke against the planned projects raising concerns about safety, parking, snow removal, and garbage can placement. One resident voiced concern that if a sidewalk is built on his property, he will not have enough space to fit his 22-foot pickup truck in his driveway.
The concerns about the protected bikeway were shared by councilor Brad Ness, who offered an amendment to the plan that would have eliminated the two-way bikeway concept in favor of another type of bikeway or trail already being used by the city.
City Administrator Ben Martig spoke to ease the concerns of the residents, and of Councilor Ness, saying the city staff understands that the new design is a change for people and would require some education for both drivers and bicyclists. He also said the city would prefer to build separate sidewalk-style paths for bicycles, but the idea is cost prohibitive.
“But as our consultant said, the way that Northfields designed it would be [too] expensive for us to do that across the Community. It would take us forever to get it completed, or we’d probably go bankrupt in the process in the short term of doing that.”
Mayor Rhonda Pownell, who has been a strong supporter of the bikeways, called the plans a “great opportunity” for the entire city. Referencing Northfield’s two bicycle fatalities in 2022, she said the City Council is determined to make the city safer for everyone.
“When you’re looking at street projects, trails, sidewalks, it’s not just the individual homeowners or just that individual neighborhood. It’s the connectivity throughout the whole community, and so they looked at the whole community. Where are the gaps and how can we fill those gaps so that people can get around our community safely?”
The council passed the mill & overlay plan by a 5-2 vote.
Northfield has new representation in St. Paul
When the Minnesota State Legislature convened for the new 2023 session on Tuesday, Northfield was represented by a 
Dr. Bill Lieske (R-Lonsdale) was officially sworn in for his first term in the Minnesota Senate representing the newly drawn Senate District 58, which incorporates parts of Dakota, Goodhue, Rice, and Scott Counties, including Northfield. He lives in Lonsdale with his wife and two children, where he runs a chiropractic clinic, and is a graduate of Northwestern Health Sciences University.
“I am honored and humbled that the good folks of Dakota, Goodhue, Rice, and Scott Counties have chosen me to serve as their voice in the Minnesota Senate,” Lieske said. “It is an incredible responsibility, and I will work my hardest each and every day to live up to their expectations.”
Senator Lieske will serve as a member of the Health and Human Services Committee and the Labor Committee.
Pursell lives in Northfield with her husband Michael and their two sons. She is a Rchester native who holds degrees in English and Environmental Studies and a Graduate Certificate in Environmental Studies from the University of Minnesota, Duluth.
She will serve on the Elections Finance and Policy Committee, the Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee, the Education Finance Committee, and in her first term she has already been named Vice-Chair of the Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee. And, she said, she is very pleased to be on all four committees.
“So as vice chair of the AG Committee, I’m really excited to get to work with the Commissioner of Agriculture and make sure that the folks in Greater Minnesota, farmers especially, feel support right now. With the Elections Committee, we have the second anniversary of the attack on our [Nation’s] Capital on January 6th, coming up this Friday, so I’ve been thinking a lot about election worker protection and just safeguarding our democracy. And making sure our schools get funded through the Ed Finance Committee and getting to work for the environment too. Those are my four committee assignments and I’m just raring to go.”
For information on how to contact Senator Lieske or Representative Pursell, visit their respective pages on the Minnesota Senate and Minnesota House of Representatives websites.
Plans for MLK Day taking shape
The Northfield Human Rights Commission invites the community to an event celebrating and honoring the legacy of Dr. 
Martin Luther King, Jr.
A statement issued by the HRC said the commssion is pleased to be hosting the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration on Monday, January 16 at 7 p.m. at Emmaus Church, in Northfield. The theme of the event is “Welcoming and Inclusive Communities.” It will feature keynote speaker Professor Daniel Williams, musical performances, and an open microphone for audience members to share a brief memory or vision inspired by Dr. King.
Dr. Williams is an associate professor at Carleton College and St. Catherine University, who is currently working on an oral history of race, homeownership, and community in the Twin Cities Metro Area. He has recently supported human rights and housing issues in Northfield.
The event will also announce the recipient of the Northfeld Human Rights Award. The award is given to a local individual, group or organization that has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to the advancement of human rights in the Northfield area, either through volunteer or professional efforts.
The MLK Day event will be in English and Spanish. More details on the event can be found online at the Northfield city website.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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