By Logan Wells, News Director | Logan@kymnradio.net
The Northfield City Council meets tonight for a regular meeting. First on the agenda is a Public Hearing to certify 2025 Delinquent Utility Bills. The council will then move on to three items for discussion.
Police Drone Program:
First up will be a discussion of the Police Department to create a Drone Policy and Program. According to the staff report, the police drones would be use to “assist in search and rescue missions, aid in evidence collection, and provide situational awareness during critical incidents, while maintaining transparency and protecting individual privacy rights.”
The proposed policy explicitly prohibits the use of drones for general surveillance, facial recognition, or monitoring of First Amendment activities unless authorized by a search warrant.
Listen to the News:
Current Faribault Police and the Rice County and Dakota County Sheriff’s Offices use drones in their departments. The police chief will share more information at tonight’s meeting. The item is for information only. Public comment on the program will be taken at the December 2nd meeting and that is also when the City Council will be asked to vote on the policy.
Review Capital Improvement Plan and Capital Equipment Plan (2026-2030)
Items.
Next on the agenda includes the review of the final drafts of the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and Capital Equipment Plan (CEP). The two plans determine the city’s major construction projects and purchases. The meeting is the last time the plans will be reviewed before their final vote and approval in December. The Council approval would, in effect, appropriate funding commitments for 2026 and clarify intentions to continue exploring the years 2027-2030 early in 2026 (January or February). Here’s Northfield Mayor Erica Zwiefel discussing the council’s last review of the plan:
“So 2027 is a little more planned out, but when you get out to say 2030, right now that’s kind of being used as a placeholder, where there may actually be projects that are planned for 2030, but it also feels like projects we’re not quite sure what to do with, we put on year five. So I’ve expressed interest in dealing with that in a different way, perhaps a parking lot or an additional column.” – Erica Zweifel, Northfield Mayor, on KYMN In the Morning
She cited Bridge Square as an example of a project in the CIP that was not planned for a specific year, but was instead delayed until additional funding opportunities arose.
The public is welcome to attend in person or watch online. To watch online, go to northfieldmn.gov and click the “Agenda & Minutes” button in the middle of the home page. From there, find tonight’s meeting date to watch, as well as a copy of the agenda and other meeting documents.
The Council has also scheduled a Special Meeting for next Tuesday; normally, the Council would have the week off.
Tonight’s meeting starts at 6pm in the Council Chambers of the Northfield City Hall.
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