Public Service needed and appreciated
As the new year is upon us, Northfield Mayor Rhonda Pownell is appealing to citizens to get involved in your community. “One of the things that I wanted to do is just to highlight and say thank you, highlight two of our great new appointees that are coming on and give you an opportunity to just have a conversation with them about why they’re serving, why it’s important, what they’re excited about. But then just to remind people this is a wonderful opportunity to be able to give back to your community.” The city has 15 boards and commissions ranging from the Library Board to Parks and Rec, Housing and Redevelopment to Arts and Culture, Environmental Quality to the Planning Commission.
She brought in 2 recent appointees to the HRA, Mike Thorsteinson and Galen Malecha to the KYMN studios last week to talk about their public service commitment. Thorsteinson has been involved in various boards and organizations in Northfield over the years and says he’s seeing a growing reluctance for community service. “I spent 14 years on the Northfield School Board and I believe that public service is essential for all of us, especially in these times it just seems a little more challenging to get people out to be willing to serve.” Malecha has not only served in his current capacity of County Commissioner, but has also been a Northfield City councilor and volunteered in numerous non-profits in the area, including his current run of 6 years as DJJD General Chair. He says…have your voice heard: “This is an opportunity for people to step up and say ‘hey, I want to be heard, I want to volunteer, I want to take part, I want to be part of the process.” There are many public service and volunteer opportunities available in Northfield. Check the city’s website for available civic opportunities. Northfield Shares and the CAC are other good resources to use for volunteer opportunities or just talk to others in the community about what they are doing.
School Board Meets
The Northfield School Board meets tonight for the first time in 2024. The evening will start with an organizational meeting at 6:00. That meeting will include electing officers, setting meeting dates, and setting Board member stipends, among other things. After that, the regular meeting begins. Highlights on the agenda include annual reports from both Prairie Creek Community School & Arcadia Charter School and an update on a potential 2024 Bond Referendum. The meetings begin at 6:00pm in the Northfield District Office Boardroom.
Food Waste: Small changes produce large impacts
Join the Rice County Food Waste Reduction Challenge. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 40% of the food processed in the United States ends up as waste, whether it takes place during harvest, processing or in the home. The average family of four loses approximately $1,500 annually from food that is wasted, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Small changes in how we shop, plan our meals and store food can make a large impact on the amount of food and money that is wasted in our households.
Starting Jan. 21, learn how to reduce food waste in your household and compete with others in Rice County. During this five-week challenge, test out different food-saving methods and find out what works best for you. Keep an eye out for event and prize announcements. Two meetings in Rice County will provide more information about the challenge and an opportunity for participants to ask questions. The meeting in Northfield is at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13 at the Northfield Public Library, 210 Washington St. There is no fee to attend the meetings or participate in the challenge. Anyone unable to make the meeting can join online. More information on reducing food waste and Challenge prizes can be found on the Rice County Solid Waste Facility website at ricecountymn.gov.
