Prior to their meeting this morning, the Rice County Board of Commissioners held an open public forum. The forum is a newly approved procedure scheduled for the second Tuesday of each month in an effort to provide Rice County citizens with more opportunities to communicate with the county government.
These forums are opportunities for members of the public to speak on a topic that may or may not be on that meeting’s agenda but is relevant to the county’s work and within its authority. Each speaker will be allotted three minutes to address the board. To ensure a complete record of the meetings, speakers will be asked to fill out a card with their name, the issue they plan to address and whether they are a county resident. Online participants will be asked to provide that information verbally.
Rice County Commissioner Galen Malecha said there is only one condition under which people may speak.
“Citizens can come to the meeting and talk to us about anything pertaining to Rice County government. Even if it’s not on the agenda. If they want to talk about the landfill or if they want to talk about transportation or social service, public health, the Sheriff’s Department, et cetera. They can come and talk about anything, as long as it pertains to Rice County government.”
The newly established open forum schedule is in addition to expanded opportunities being provided for public comment on agenda items during County Board and Committee of the Whole meetings.
The board adopted the Rules of Public Participation in June as part of an effort to create additional opportunities for it to hear from constituents. The policy creates time for attendees, both in person and participating online, to address the board on items on the session’s agenda during Committees of the Whole and County Board meetings.
The policy also includes rules of decorum intended to ensure members of the public can be heard in a fair and impartial manner and that meetings are conducted in a way that’s open to all viewpoints, yet free from abusive, distracting or intimidating behavior.
The forums are scheduled to last for 30 minutes, however, the board chair, at their discretion, may extend the comment period.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Rice County Commissioner Galen Malecha can be heard here
Northfield School District offering a bus tour to new Owatonna High School
The Northfield School Board is gearing up an educational campaign to help those who live within the district better understand the issues facing the Northfield High School facility.
The School Board is currently considering putting a referendum on the November 2024 election ballot that would ask the community to pass a bonding resolution that would address many, if not all, of the deficiencies at the high school.
A statement issued by the school district listed several of the problems, including many critical building systems, like heating and cooling, that are nearing the end of their reliable service lives. Many of the windows in the original section of the building, which was constructed in 1964, are single paned, and are not insulated. Many of the exterior walls are poorly insulated. The statement said these deficiencies increase utility costs and make classrooms uncomfortable in both hot and cold temperatures.
Another problem, according to the statement, is the antiquated educational spaces. The district would like the high school to have safe, inviting, and open spaces that incorporate natural light in order to create a more positive learning environment.
Finally, the district has a need for more indoor athletic facility space to meet the educational and physical fitness expectations of families and the community. Right now, there is more demand for space than available at reasonable times of the day.
Among the components of the educational campaign will be tours of the high school so people can see, and feel, the facility problems first-hand. Tours have been scheduled for November 18th, December 9th, January 20th, and February 3rd, from 10am-12pm. These events will begin with a brief presentation in the auditorium followed by a guided tour of the high school facility.
The district has also scheduled a bus trip to tour the new Owatonna High School, which opened in September. The bus will board at 12:15pm on Saturday, December 9th.
The first tours of the high school are scheduled for this Saturday. All Northfield residents are encouraged to attend. For more information, visit the Northfield School District website at northfieldschools.org.
Council will discuss status of Downtown Redevelopment project tonight
And the Northfield City Council will meet for a work session tonight in the Council Chambers at City Hall.
There are two items on the agenda tonight, both of which are expected to take some time to discuss. The council will receive an update on the 5th & Washington Street and 5th & Water Street projects and where things stand now that the Lander Group is no longer participating. Secondly, there will be more discussion regarding the 2024 budget, with reviews of the Capital Improvement and Capital Equipment plans.
As always, the City Council and the Northfield City Staff are eager to hear the opinions of the public on any matter, whether the subject is on the Council agenda or not. The meeting tonight is a work session, so the Council will not hear from the public. However, those who do wish to make a point, air an opinion or ask a question can email their councilor directly or make use of the eComment function which can be found in the “Agendas” section of the city website.
The meeting will begin tonight at 6pm.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
