When the Northfield City Council meets tomorrow night, they will address the first major requirement of the city’s budgeting process by setting the preliminary levy and adopting the preliminary budget for 2024. Once set, the preliminary levy is the maximum amount the city will be allowed to increase property taxes for the year.
City Administrator Ben Martig said right now, the Council is considering a $15.6 million preliminary tax levy, which equates to about $1.6 million in new tax dollars, or an 11.5% increase. He said there are several reasons for the increase including debt obligations from previous years’ construction projects, inflation, which has impacted construction projects particularly hard, and labor costs. Martig said the city is slowly bringing the size of the city staff back to where the levels were twenty years ago, but there are also built in labor costs that are just a function of settled contracts.
“We have fixed labor contracts, but there are some built-in increases. We have some health insurance increases and some just wage adjustments. Fortunately, even though we’ve seen some wage inflation out there, we’ve done a good job of keeping up over recent years, with our wages where I think we’re not way behind compared to other cities. And that’s good news, because that means we don’t have as dramatic increases. But those add up.”
At 11.5%, this would be the 4th double digit increase to the levy in the last five years, and with the potential of a new ice arena project, 2025 looms with a potential increase of nearly 20%. Martig said the city is looking for ways to mitigate the increases to residential taxpayers by increasing the commercial industrial tax base, referencing the $700 million data center being constructed by Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram among others, in the city of Rosemount. Northfield, he said, has 800 acres of land currently undergoing an Alternative Urban Area-Wide Review funded by Xcel Energy, that would be able to accommodate that same kind of development. The AUAR, he said, is a comprehensive environmental review that, when turned in next month, will make developing the area much easier. A $700 million development in that area, he said, could decrease the residential property tax rate by as much as 30%, and because of that, increasing the commercial industrial tax base has been written into the city’s strategic plan.
“We have to get our budget done, and that’s today. But we also need to keep our eye on the ball for the long term, to keep those costs down. If we can find the right type of industry that really matches our community, we really would benefit as a community to be healthier economically by having some tax base growth.”
Martig said there has been interest in developing the area from both local businesses and from companies that are not in Northfield, and the city intends to aggressively pursue all angles to benefit the entire community.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Northfield City Administrator Ben Martig can be heard here
Plenty of opportunity for young people with Civil Air Patrol
The Stanton Composite Air Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol, based at Stanton Airfield, will host an open house tomorrow night, inviting people to come learn about the Civil Air Patrol, the important role they serve, and how to get involved.
The Civil Air Patrol is the United States Air Force auxiliary, charged with conducting about 90% of the inland emergency search and rescue missions for the Air Force. Lieutenant Amber Chavie said their three main functions are Emergency Services, Aerospace Education and Cadet Programs.
Cadets are welcome to join between the ages of 12-18. Chavie said there are many different opportunities for cadets to learn through the Civil Air Patrol in areas of flying, gliders, and powered aircraft, like drones, but leadership is the most important skill cadets learn.
She said it takes hold immediately, as the new cadets go through Encampment, which is the Air Patrol’s version of basic training.
“You see, the cadets come into the into encampment kind of timid and scared, but you see them leave with a lot of confidence and an ‘I can do this’ attitude. And so, from a mom’s perspective, that’s a really cool thing to see kids have. And it’s a really cool thing to be a part of.”
Cadet Chief Sergeant Robert Schmitz, who is a high school junior this year, and also happens to be Lieutenant Chavie’s son, credits the Air Patrol with his own personal growth. He described himself when he joined two years ago as a quiet kid who would not speak up and sat in the back of the classroom. Today, he is a much more confident young man who serves as the cadet Executive Officer.
Schmitz said the Civil Air Patrol Chain of Command is modeled after that of the Air Force, which means there are roles and opportunities for anyone who cares to join.
“We have two different types of staff positions. We have our flight staff who run the meetings and are in charge, and then we have the support staff, which is all the behind-the-scenes stuff, which is what I manage as the Executive Officer for Stanton. So, there’s a position for everyone. If you don’t want to work with people quite as much, there’s a position for that. But if you want to manage 10-15 people, there’s a job for that too.”
Lieutenant Chavie said there will be several different stations to observe and learn during the open house, and the Squadron plans to highlight every aspect of what they do.
The open house is scheduled from 6-8pm tomorrow night at Stanton Airfield. For more information visit stanton.cap.gov
Rotary’s busy year continues with Turkey Trot
Registration is now open for the 2023 Northfield Rotary Thanksgiving Turkey Trot.
Now in its 23rd year, the 5K run/walk is an important fundraiser for the Northfield Rotary Club. Money raised will support Rotary’s ongoing work with its youth exchange program and polio eradication. It also contributes to local and international service projects the club initiates.
The Turkey Trot is a chip-timed event that will begin at Carleton College Weitz Center at 9am on Thanksgiving Day. The course winds through the northeast section of town, north to south along Spring Creek Road and then along Woodley Street, Seventh Street, Winona Street and Third Street.
The cost of the race is $30. Those who register online by Friday, Nov. 3, are guaranteed an official long-sleeve Turkey Trot T-shirt. Runners and walkers can sign up after that online or in-person at the Weitz Center on the day of the race, beginning at 8am.
Runners and walkers are encouraged to bring their dogs to the event. Kids in strollers are welcome to ride along with their parents.
For more information on the Turkey Trot, and to register, visit northfieldrotary.org.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
