On Tuesday night during their regular meeting, the Northfield City Council passed a resolution by a 6-1 vote, approving a new ice arena funding partnership and a contract with the architect selected to design the building, essentially guaranteeing that after decades of conversation, Northfield will build a new ice arena.
The partnership is an agreement between the City of Northfield, the City of Dundas, the Northfield School District and the Northfield Hockey Association, each agreeing to pay a portion of the estimated $21 million project.
Each member of the Council made a statement before the vote was taken, and with the exception of councilor Brad Ness, each spoke about how difficult the decision on how to vote had been for them to make.
Councilor Davin Sokup put it succinctly when he said, “Nobody thinks we don’t need a new ice arena.” The current building, built in 1980, is substandard by almost every notable metric. It is not ADA compliant because there are no accessible entrances, nor are there handrails on the stairways. It does not meet the standards of the Minnesota State High School League, because there are no shower facilities in the locker rooms. There are holes in the ceiling. The building needs a new roof, and the ice making equipment will soon have to be replaced because it uses chemicals that were banned in 1990.
Still, it was clearly a difficult decision, even an agonizing one, for many members of the council because, according to Councilor Sokup, it could mean a 15% increase to the tax levy in 2025, and possibly a 17% increase in 2026.
There are other concerns as well. Councilor Kathleen Holmes said she would vote in favor, but she is nervous about how this will affect the school district’s referendum to renovate the high school. Councilor Jessica Peterson White noted the increase on commercial property taxes. Councilor Jami Reister said she would support the project despite the fact that it could make things harder for some families.
City Engineer David Bennett outlined a plan before the vote was taken to delay some of the city’s projects in order to make room for the arena construction in the budget and mitigate some of the effect on the tax levy. Among those projects, the Bridge Square renovation would be pushed out to 2027. There was also a brief discussion about delaying the Jefferson Parkway mill & overlay project scheduled for 2026.
In the end, only Councilor George Zuccolotto voted against the new building. Making a rare and impassioned statement, he said that he believes in athletics, and he understands the importance of hockey, but he could not justify the tax increase on low- and fixed-income families.
“In good conscience,” he said, “I have to vote with the people in the margins.”
The vote means the partnership will now be more formalized. City Administrator Ben Martig said there is some due diligence work to be done, while the design of the new building is finalized. If all goes without delay, the city could break ground on the new building in 2025.
Police Chief finalists come from St. Louis Park PD, State Patrol
Lieutenant Mikael Garland of the St. Louis Park Police Department and District Commander Jeffrey Schroepfer of the Minnesota State Patrol have been selected as finalists to become the next Northfield Chief of Police.
Garland is currently a lieutenant with the St. Louis Park Police Department and has served for more than 25 years in law enforcement. Schroepfer (SHROPE-fur) is currently a district commander with the Minnesota State Patrol and has served for more than 26 years in law enforcement. The City of Northfield has announced an open house next Tuesday evening for the public to meet the two finalists and hear about their philosophies as law enforcement professionals.
In April, Northfield Chief of Police Chief Mark Elliott announced that he will retire on September 27th. After the city posted the position nine people applied for the job. Eight of the applicants were interviewed by telephone. Of those eight, four were interviewed at City Hall by four interview panels representing the community, the administration and elected officials, the city management staff and members of the police department. Garland and Schroepfer, then, emerged as the finalists.
The open house on Tuesday is open to the public, and the full Northfield community is invited to meet the pair at The Grand Event Center. After a brief social period, each candidate will make a presentation and answer a standard set of questions prepared in advance of the event. The final hour is set aside for community members to meet with the candidates and provide feedback on comment cards.
A statement issued by the Northfield Communications Office said City Administrator Ben Martig will make a conditional offer of employment to the selected candidate after the meet and greet. The selected candidate must then pass a background check, reference checks, a psychological examination and a physical examination. Martig will then recommend appointment of the new police chief to the City Council for their consideration at a Council meeting later this summer.
The open house is scheduled from 6-8pm next Tuesday night at the Grand Event Center.
Heritage Drive closed through the weekend
As the summer progresses, so do the city’s road construction projects. Heritage Drive will be closed near the Hidden Valley Road intersection to complete pedestrian intersection improvements beginning today and running through Monday.
Detour signs will be posted directing traffic to use Jefferson Road and Hidden Valley Road.
A statement released by the City of Northfield said the city is committed to being forward-thinking by enhancing the quality of city streets for all Northfield residents, and it urged motorists to always drive with caution, slow down in work zones, and never enter a road blocked with barriers or cones.
KYMN Daily News 6/19/24
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
