By Charlie Mahler
The purchase agreement for acquisition of the Allina Northfield Clinic by city-owned Northfield Hospital + Clinics is expected to headline tonight’s Northfield City Council meeting.
Also on the regular agenda for the meeting in Council Chambers, is a design update for the Northfield Skateboard Park project and consideration of a Carleton College conditional use permit for transportation facility updates north of 1st Street East.
The City Council meeting is scheduled to immediately follow a 6 p.m. Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) meeting in the chambers.
On the agenda for the HRA meeting is a motion to affirm that tax increment financing (TIF) plans for the 38-unit Harvest Hills subdivision, located southwest of Northfield Middle School, conforms to the city’s strategic and comprehensive plans.
The city hospital’s acquisition of Allina Health’s local clinic has steadily progressed to city council consideration since its announcement last December. Northfield Hospital + Clinics President and CEO Zander Abbott addressed the council in March about the $5.5-million purchase, which would be paid for by hospital funds, not those of the city.
Agenda documents note that the 12-year right of first refusal between Allina and the hospital, should NH + C change its ownership structure as a municipal hospital, would survive the proposed Allina / Sutter Health merger announced subsequent to local hospital and clinic acquisition talks.
Launch of the clinic under NH + C ownership has been targeted for September of this year.
Also included in tonight’s City Council schedule is a 13-item consent agenda with items that include:
- An ad hoc investment Policy and Cash Management Advisory Working Group,
- Consideration of Mayoral Board and Commission Youth appointments,
- And a hemp-retailer application for Kwik Trip, Inc.
Charlie Mahler is a senior reporter for KYMN News. Contact him at charlie@kymnradio.net
