By Logan Wells, News Director | Logan@kymnradio.net
Last Monday, the Northfield School Board heard an update on the district’s budget reduction process. The budget reduction committee, consisting of 65 people, including community members, students, and staff members, have participated in three, 2.5 hour long meetings. Here is Northfield Schools Superintendent Dr. Matt Hillmann at the board meeting:
“People really are genuinely engaged in these meetings, trying to find ideas that will help. It is actually quite heartwarming as difficult as the discussions are, people are coming forward in a very genuine way, wanting to help. And I think that is really representative of what this process has been over the past 20 years and how northfielders just show up and try to help solve the problems that are ahead of us so. Is those proposed reductions?” – Northfield Schools Superintendent Dr. Matt Hillmann at the 2/24/2025 School Board Meeting
The committee identified priorities to give to the district’s administration, which will then make the specific budget cuts. Hillmann stated once the budget recommendations were ready, they would present them to the board and staff and then release them to the public.
Hillmann stated that he anticipated budget recommendations to be published before the Tuesday, March 11, public input meeting. The public input and presentation meeting takes place from 6:00-8:30 p.m. in the NHS auditorium.
“We will share those with the Community ahead of the March 11th Community meeting, where people will have a chance to hear a presentation about the proposed reductions. They’ll have some breakout rooms where they’ll be with board members and administrators, so that they are able to share their perspectives. Will come back to the auditorium in a public style, public comment event. People will have 3 minutes a piece if they would like to speak in front of the entire assembly and of course, then the board will hear the recommendations formally at the April 14th meeting and will ask that you approve the reductions at the April 28th meeting.” – Northfield Schools Superintendent Dr. Matt Hillmann at the 2/24/2025 School Board Meeting
Because of the format and style of the public input meeting, the event will not be recorded. Later that week, KYMN will have a news special with Hillmann, Director of Finance Val Mertesdorf, and Board Member Ben Miller discussing the budget reductions. The program will also be available as a podcast afterwards as well. If you have questions that you would like to ask at the show, send them to Logan@kymnradio.net
