During their regular meeting on Tuesday night, the Northfield City Council considered and approved extensions with the two law firms that primarily handle the city’s legal work.
Tom Weidner of Eckberg Lammers PC made a presentation to the Council about the services his firm offers as prosecuting attorneys. While Rice County Attorney Brian Mortenson’s office prosecutes all the felonies charged in Northfield, Eckberg Lammers prosecutes the misdemeanors. By definition, misdemeanor offenses are not considered to be as egregious as a felony, but misdemeanors do include violations like DWI and domestic abuse. Weidner said his firm takes those responsibilities very seriously. Northfield Chief of Police Mark Elliott praised Eckberg Lammers PC for what he called their “victim centric” approach to the cases they prosecute. He added that the firm takes an approach toward defendant reform that his department also greatly appreciates. Finally, Elliott said the training Northfield Police officers receive from Eckberg Lammers regarding documentation, court appearance, and police responsibilities within the court system are the best he has experienced.
On the civil side, attorney Chris Hood represented his firm, Flaherty & Hood, and detailed the extensive list of services they provide to the city, from the drafting of city ordinances and advising in policy development, to all real estate matters, to Charter questions, to the simple day-to-day advice the City staff would require from legal counsel. City Administrator Ben Martig spoke of Flaherty & Hood’s strong reputation. He said the firm specializes in working with cities outside of the seven-county Twin Cities Metropolitan area and has a very sophisticated approach to the work they do. He said that fits the sophisticated issues the City of Northfield faces, and the two are a good match.
Both Eckberg Lammers PC and Flaherty & Hood have been with the City of Northfield for ten years. Mayor Rhonda Pownell said there is great benefit to working with firms that have an institutional knowledge of Northfield that comes from a sustained and enduring relationship. Martig echoed the mayor’s point.
“I think there was interest in continuing the continuity. I didn’t even realize either that Eckberg Lammers is also doing work with Faribault and Dundas. They’re leaders and they’re integrated within the county in coordinating criminal justice services. We’ve been happy with their work, so the Council decided to continue with that relationship.”
The Council unanimously approved agreements with both firms for five-year extensions.
Many, many people involved in Rock & Roll Revival
This year is a Rock & Roll Revival year at Northfield High School.
The every-other-year extravaganza, a musical review that puts Northfield High School students on stage to show off their singing, playing, dancing and performing skills, has been an NHS tradition for nearly thirty years, and something that is eagerly anticipated by performers and audience members alike.
Northfield High School math teacher Ray Coudret is the Rock & Roll Revival director, and he said 105 students will be singing in the show this year, 18 more will play in the band, there will be 12 different brass musicians, and 10 separate string musicians. Adding in 10-15 backstage techs, and there will be more than 150 students involved in this year’s show.
Coudret said the show would not be possible without the help of some very talented volunteers. Working alongside the director are Craig Wasner, who works with the band, Sam Dwyer is the vocal coach, Shari Setchell does the choreography, and Tonya Legvold, who does the costuming. Rice County’s busiest sound production engineer, Roger Fette, does the sound design for the production, and while Fette does not volunteer his time, Coudret said he works for “pennies on the dollar.” He added that parents will put in some 400 volunteer hours leading up to the show as well.
Coudret said he and Setchell put the set list together, often selected from the dozens of emails he has received from parents, students, and Northfield music enthusiasts. They then hold auditions and set the cast, working to pair the right kids with the right songs. Rehearsals begin in early January and that’s where the real work comes in.
“The kids work their butts off. We’ve been practicing for a month and a half now. We have a month left. Every day after school there are fifty kids in three different locations working on this thing. It’s huge.”
This year’s set design is based on the old comedy show Laugh-In, and he said the performers will work some comedy in the style of Laugh-In into the show.
Coudret admits he is biased, but he enthusiastically encouraged anyone who has never seen Rock & Roll Revival to come to one of the performances this year.
“If you’ve never seen it, you can’t possibly understand what it is. Once you see it, you’re like, ‘Ohh.’ Because it’s not just a high school play. High school plays are very good, but it’s not that. It’s a full-on rock concert. At any given moment on stage there is something cool happening.”
Rock & Roll Revival will be in the Middle School Auditorium for six performances March 8-10, and March 14-16. Tickets are $20. They will go on sale at the High School auditorium box office on February 17. Online sales will begin February 19.
United Way will offer microgrants in grant cycle interim
The Rice County Area United Way is now accepting grant applications for 2024.
Executive Director Elizabeth Child said grants are awarded annually to 501(c)(3) organizations in the Rice County area that are working to improve lives through education, health and financial stability.
This year, nonprofits may apply for one-year or two-year grants. Child said that is something the Rice County United Way has been considering the two-year grant cycle for some time, in order to make the grants more sustainable.
“For the past few years, we’ve been looking for ways to make our grants more sustainable. And we’ve settled on the idea of longer-term grants. This year, we are launching two-year grants which will make the grants more sustainable for nonprofits. It will free up their time next year. They won’t have to write a grant again.”
Following this grant cycle, the next Rice County Area United Way grants will be offered in 2026, with the exception of the microgrants they offer for urgent needs or innovation.
Child said the organization will offer flexible funding for general operations, as well as grants tied to specific programs. All grantees are asked to show measurable outcomes, whether applying for organization or program grants.
All local nonprofit organizations are encouraged to apply. An online application is available at ricecountyunitedway.org/grant-application.
Applications will be accepted through March 15th at 5pm.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
