Eight years ago, our local government was struggling to maintain a level of civility. The collaboration on the council was minimal and there was no long range strategic thinking or planning. That’s really changed. I’m grateful for the change because without that fundamental level of functioning, moving forward policy is time consuming and ineffective.
Before my term, Northfield had never completed a multi year strategic plan. We sought input from community members, city staff, and each council member, which gave the City Council an opportunity to speak with one voice rather than individually on a policy roadmap that spanned multiple years. Additionally, these plans allowed other entities an opportunity to see where they could partner with the city to accomplish the policy agenda.
Accomplishments
Because we have a functional, collaborative city government, we (council, staff, boards and commissions, community members) were able to accomplish the following initiatives:
- Strategic Plan
- Two multi-year policy roadmaps
- Unanimously approved by City Councils in 2017 and 2021
- Support for businesses
- Façade and riverfront improvement grants
- Business retention and expansion (BR&E) initiative
- Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD)
- Riverwalk Market Fair – entrepreneurial incubator
- Many business starts and expansions
- Expanding the tax base
- Completed the Northwest Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR)
- Industrial business expansions – All Flex, Aurora, Cardinal Glass
- $258 million invested in the community based on the value of the buildings since 2016: $212.5 million in commercial/industrial and $45.6 million in tax exempt
- 882 homes and rental units are in the pipeline or have been built since 2016; more than 150 are affordable/workforce units
- Improving the vibrancy of downtown
- Allocated federal CARES and ARPA Funding for critical community needs
- $1 million to support local businesses
- $1.3 million for housing, nutrition, care, and health support
- Regional transportation hub in development (a 20-year effort)
- Mill Towns State Trail (a 30 year effort)
- A collaborative effort with Waterford, Faribault, Minnesota DNR, Friends of the Mill Towns State Trail and Northfield Rotary
- Over 2/3 of the funding is coming from the state
- 6.5 miles of trail in process
- Parks 10 year Capital Improvement Plan with input from over 900 residents
- $13.7million in grants and bonding dollars for city initiatives