On Monday night the Steering Committee for Northfield’s next Comprehensive Plan convened for their first meeting to discuss their ideas for how the community should grow over the next twenty years, and their goals for Northfield’s Future.
A Comprehensive Plan, according to the city’s website, is “a guidebook for the city looking 20 years into the future. It starts by defining a shared vision with the community then developing steps toward achieving that vision.” All major decisions made by the City Council, City Staff, and the city’s boards and commissions must comply with the Comprehensive Plan.
The plan looks at every facet of city life including population demographics, employment, land use, mobility (which, Consultant Beth Elliott called the “new, fancy word for transportation”), sustainability, housing, education, business development and much more.
The 20-or-so members of the Steering Committee create a diverse group. The membership reflects different races and ethnicities, backgrounds, and livelihoods. The group is a good mix of men and women and offers a wide age group including some older members of the community and at least two students at Northfield High School. Elliott said it is important to have the most diverse group possible, because the Comprehensive Plan must work for every Northfield citizen. It is vital to have a vast array of perspectives to funnel ideas down to the most important community values.
The members of the Committee then were told to “represent themselves,” and speak for the values and ideas they see as important.
While the Northfield Planning Commission will do the most work on the Comprehensive Plan and will ultimately make the final recommendation to the city, the Steering Committee, Elliott said, will be the main advising body to the Planning Commission throughout the process.
This was the first of four meetings for the Committee. Northfield Director of Community Development Jake Reilly said he believes the next meeting will be in March, although the members expressed interest in keeping the conversation going through online group chats.
The final recommendation on the Comprehensive Plan is due to the city by the end of 2024.
‘Credible’ resources encouraged for vaccination decision
Despite the unseasonably warm weather, the virus season has returned to Southern Minnesota. Northfield Hospital + Clinics President and CEO Steve Underdahl said the hospital has had some busy days in the Emergency Room lately, driven by people with influenza, RSV, and Covid-19.
While it has been warmer than normal and there has not been much snow on the ground, it has also been cold enough to keep people indoors. Viruses tend to spread more when people stay inside, and kids are back in school. Underdahl said in the cold weather months, it is important to remember the courtesies that were practiced during the Covid-19 pandemic. Wash your hands more often. Stand a little farther apart from each other in lines. Some people still choose to wear masks. It’s also important to remember that the reason for these measures is basic courtesy.
“If you’re sick, then stay home. I think this is really challenging for school kids and for people with jobs, because we say that out of one side of our mouth and then on the next side it’s, ‘Are you sure you can’t come in?’ We try not to do that in the hospital, but right now, as an example, one of the things that we’re running into is not just sick people, but also sick staff. So be aware if you’re sick and do your best not to make the people around you sick.”
This, then, Underdahl said, is an excellent time to get vaccinated.
In recent years, of course, the concept of vaccinations has come under scrutiny for both legitimate and ridiculous reasons. Many people are choosing to not have their children vaccinated against rubella, mumps, measles, polio, and other viruses that, until recently, had become standards of prevention. Underdahl referenced a recent news story that showed the percentage of unvaccinated children starting kindergarten has doubled from just a few years ago. While he said he understands the line of thinking, Underdahl also believes this is a trend that could be especially detrimental. It is important he said to get information from credible sources when making the decision on vaccinations for kids.
“There’s this Medical Freedom movement that has come out of the Covid years. I understand where it comes from, but I think the consequences for us as a society are fairly substantial. So, I always encourage people to talk to your doctor, look at credible medical sites, and don’t get your information about getting your kids vaccinated from Facebook.”
Flu shots and Covid-19 vaccinations are widely available at local clinics, pharmacies and even grocery stores. For more information, visit the Northfield Hospital + Clinics website at northfieldhospital.org.
Spauldings give back through Hideaway Christmas Dinner tradition
On Monday, The Hideaway Coffeehouse and Wine Bar will serve a free Christmas dinner to the community.
For more than ten years now, Joan and Jim Spaulding have marshaled an army of volunteers that includes their six grown children, along with assorted nephews, cousins, significant others and even some of the Hideaways regular customers to serve dinner to members of the community who find themselves alone on Christmas.
Joan said the tradition started when they realized there are quite a few people in Northfield who are alone on Christmas, and they were in a unique position to address that.
“So many people on Christmas are by themselves, and we come from a very large family. so we always had people. And 11 years ago, we were sitting around going, ‘You know, on Christmas Day, we hang around and play games. But there are so many people who don’t have people to hang around with on Christmas. And we have a great venue with The Hideaway to be able to do something like this. So, it’s really for anybody who is by themself.”
Over the years, as the Northfield Community has become more aware of the Spauldings’ generosity, the event has grown in size and scope. Joan said, in fact, the number of people they serve has more than doubled.
The menu will have all of the traditional holiday fare and Joan said that opens up opportunities for collaboration and a chance to share the feeling of giving with some other local businesses and private donors.
“So, we’ve got turkey and ham and cranberries and mashed potatoes, and gravy and corn. Brick Oven is donating dinner rolls and Great Harvest is donating bread for people to take home with them. And then we have a bunch of Christmas cookies that people bring in, which are wonderful.”
The Spauldings have been honored over the years for their commitment to the community, but Joan said it really is the family’s honor to be able to serve. She said this is not about feeding those who are in need, although people without are certainly welcome. It really is more about enhancing the community.
The Hideaway Coffeehouse and Wine Bar will be offering free Christmas dinner on Monday from 1-5pm. No reservations are needed.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Joan Spaulding of The Hideaway can be heard here
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
