The Defeat of Jesse James Days 2024 celebration will begin in just about three weeks, and Northfield Chief of Police Mark Elliott said his department has been preparing for the event for months, just as they do every year.
DJJD is the third largest public celebration in Minnesota, trailing only the Minnesota State Fair and the Minneapolis Aquatennial. Members of the DJJD organizing committee estimate that the celebration brings 200,000 visitors to Northfield annually. Elliott said the crowds demand quite a bit of attention in several different areas. Police officers are working on plans for traffic control and pedestrian management. He said the entertainment tent, as a pop-up alcohol selling establishment, demands quite a bit of attention. And, because of the times in which we live, the department is planning for what he called “The Unthinkable.”
“And we plan for what generally we talk about as “the unthinkable,” but we know that it is thinkable because it happens in other communities, and we’ve seen it happen around the nation. We’ve had threat incidents happen, so we’re planning for that, preparing for that, trying to mitigate any possibility of that as well as having response capabilities available.”
The Northfield Police Reserves will, as always, be an important component in the NPD’s plans. While the numbers have dwindled since the Covid-19 pandemic, the current number of reservists is about 12, where there were about 30 in 2019, Elliott said the reservists work tirelessly to support public safety during DJJD. Reservists are available to give directions and assist the public in any number of tasks. Elliott said they will help with the occasional lost child. And while they do not have the power to place someone under arrest, he said they do patrol the areas on foot looking for suspicious activity and are able to summon an officer quickly. Elliott expressed the full department’s gratitude for the people who take on the role.
“They play a really important role. We don’t have enough officers to be everywhere, but our volunteer reserves are out there, making a difference and being available. Most of them put in dozens of hours during that week, some long days. And again, they’re volunteers. So, we’re really thankful for them.”
The Defeat of Jesse James Days celebration begins on Wednesday, September 4th and will run through Sunday September 8th.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Northfield Chief of Police Mark Elliott can be heard here
Hillmann says MDE approval should give the public confidence in referendum plan
By Logan Wells
This week, the Northfield School District received a positive review from the Minnesota Department of Education for the district’s High School Bond Referendum. School districts in Minnesota must submit a Review and Comment document to the Department of Education detailing information about any bond referendums. From there, the Education Department reviews the proposal, which is roughly 200 pages long, analyzing the school district, the community, and proposed project. If the Education Department believes there are issues with the Bond Referendum, there is a process to address them; however, with MDE’s positive review, the school district can proceed. Northfield Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matt Hillmann said MDE’s approval is a stamp of validation on the project.
“And the point of this is that the Minnesota Department of Education then has the statewide lens of looking at each of these projects to have some level of validation, if you will, to ensure that what they call the educational and economic advisability of the proposal. What it means is that the public can have confidence that MDE has looked at this, they’ve given us a positive review and comment on the projects that we have proposed, and of course, then it’s up to the voters to decide.”
The Northfield Public Schools continues to host events for the public to educate about the bond referendum. So far, the school district has hosted 61 different information events, including presentations, tours, and tables at community events. Tonight, there will be a tour of the Northfield High School which includes a presentation and Q&A session that starts at 4pm, those who are interested in attending should meet in the high school’s media center. If your unable to attend tonight’s tour, there are several more opportunities to learn more, including seven more tours of the high school. To find a list of those dates and learn more about the referendum go to northfieldschools.org/reimagine
Council will meet with Department Heads tonight during work session
And the Northfield City Council will meet tonight in the training room at the Northfield Police Station for their annual all-city work session as the budgeting process for 2025 continues.
Most, if not all, of the city department heads will be at the meeting presenting their needs for the coming year, be it staffing, or equipment, or funding for a specific program. The City Council will be able to ask questions and get all the information they need to put the budget together, and perhaps more importantly, decide on the tax levy for 2025.
Prior to the work session, the Council will hold a special meeting to consider a resolution that would issue $10.3 million in General Obligation Street, Abatement, Utility and Equipment Bonds. They will then adjourn and reconvene for the work session.
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. And in fact, because it is held in the Police training room, it will not be live streamed, either. 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.
KYMN Daily News 8/20/24
Contact Rich Larson at rich@kymnradio.net
