Local Video
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| An open book: A look ahead at 2010 |
By: Staff Writers
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Posted: Saturday, January 2, 2010 1:43 am
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It’s that time of year when we pull out our crystal ball and predict what we think will happen locally in the year ahead.
And lest you think we’re prognosticating without a net, rest assured that what follows is based on history, but with an eye to the future.
Show us the money
At their final meeting of the year nearly two weeks ago, city officials collectively exhaled a sigh of relief after passing a balanced budget that cut spending and minimally increased taxes.
The feeling was short-lived, however, as they envisioned what 2010 will likely hold: more funding cuts from the state, the first of three major building projects in as many years and an economy that, even if improved, will threaten existing revenue streams and make it more difficult to implement new ones.
The state has cut funding to counties and cities for essential public services, known as Local Government Aid, in recent years and top lawmakers and Gov. Tim Pawlenty have given cities like Northfield and Dundas no reason to believe that further cuts aren’t on the way to erase a projected state budget deficit of $1.2 billion. But a Wednesday decision by a Ramsey County District Court Judge that Pawlenty improperly used his authority to unallot promised state aid could open the door to other suits challenging the governor’s executive power and force the governor to work more collaboratively with the Legislature in balancing the budget.
What that means for Minnesota cities and states is still unknown, but will shake out in the coming weeks. The state Legislature reconvenes in February.
Expect to hear more debate over a proposed streetlight fee, floated by Northfield officials to reduce dependence on LGA by charging property owners to keep streets lit at night.
In 2010, the Northfield City Council will have major decisions to make on the construction of a new police headquarters at a yet-to-be-determined site.
If the council moves as scheduled, 2010 will bring decisions on how to pay for the new police building as well as two future projects: construction of a new fire hall and a library expansion. The council is also scheduled to approve the new police department design by the end of December.
The city could run into opposition on the streetlight fee, referendums to finance the building projects or both if taxpayers’ finances don’t improve soon.
Northfield’s unemployment rate has yet to eclipse state or Rice County joblessness rates, and current trends don’t suggest that it will in 2010.
Residents will have a chance to do their part in 2010 when the U.S. Census Bureau seeks household information by mail and staffers on the ground.
The federal government will adjust funding and congressional representation based on the decennial count, and Minnesota appears to be on the cusp of losing one of its eight members of the U.S. House, all of whom are up for re-election this year.
Pushing the boundaries
Out with the old, in with the new is the theme of the reconstruction of 25 Bridge Square, a project that will appear before the Heritage Preservation Committee once more for final approval late in January.
But the Bridge Square project isn’t the only business-related construction project moving forward.
A KFC will open early this year on Hwy. 3, and Pharmaceutical Solution’s $7 million addition behind the Cannon Valley Veterinary Clinic is nearly complete. Perkins Trucking may also begin a large expansion, if it can obtain 3 acres of land from the city.
The Northfield Economic Development Authority will also be busy this year. The board is currently embroiled in the master planning process for one, maybe two, business parks and has hired a consultant to help market the city to businesses looking to locate in Northfield.
The city is expected to make a decision on the proposed Bridgewater Township annexation early this year, and the master planning process should conclude midway through 2010.
Expect an increased level of small business activity locally this year, as more laid off professionals choose self-employment over the job hunt.
Finally, a new liquor store, shelved by the city council last January, may find new legs if a planned MGM Liquor Warehouse opens in Dundas this spring.
Getting educated
Expect state aid to public schools to be in the news again this year given the projected $1.2 billion state budget deficit.
Last year, Gov. Pawlenty deferred almost 28 percent of Minnesota’s public schools’ funding to this year, but with the state’s budget crisis continuing, local school officials fear Pawlenty may again resort to withholding promised dollars.
Northfield Public Schools have so far dodged the withholding bullet. School officials credit its savings plan with helping keep it from having to borrow money to stay afloat like other Minnesota districts. But ARTech, Northfield’s charter school, may not be so fortunate. Director Simon Tyler late last year said that without the guaranteed income of property taxes borrowing is much more challenging. As a relatively new school, which in early 2009 had budget challenges of its own, the issue is compounded, said Tyler.
Even without the funding issue looming, the school district will have a full plate in 2010.
Superintendent Chris Richardson said he expects a recommendation on the fate of its elementary Spanish immersion program, Companeros, to come before the School Board in February.
In November, school leaders presented the community with several options regarding the program’s future, including one that would offer Spanish language instruction to all students and others that would boost Spanish reading and writing skills.
Feedback offered at the community meetings will be incorporated into a final recommendation. Depending on the changes approved, modifications to Companeros would begin in the fall of 2010 or 2011.
And if that wasn’t enough for the School Board, it will begin considering new attendance areas for its three elementary schools this winter.
An 11-classroom expansion of Sibley Elementary, set to open in fall 2010, will allow the school to house more students. But to make that happen, attendance lines for each of the elementary schools will need to be redrawn. Expect that decision in March or early April, Richardson said.
As it has for several years now, the district will continue to work on its students’ and schools’ progress in hitting federal No Child Left Behind benchmarks, legislation which requires all children to perform at grade level by 2014. Greenvale Park Elementary missed the mark for a second straight year in 2008-09 which brought sanctions to the school and district, including shifting federal dollars meant to help disadvantaged students to teacher training.
While the school and the district have already implemented stricter measures designed to help meet the benchmarks, expect to see continued focus on reaching students falling behind.
All local education news won’t be focused on the public schools.
With Carleton College President Robert Oden’s expected retirement looming, expect to see the college’s next — its 11th — president named this spring. The college, which last month issued a call for nominations, plans to install a new leader on or about July 1.
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