Bill Morris « Locally Grown Northfield

Survey of Northfield residents: what did we get for $12,500?

By Griff Wigley, on May 2, 2011, 12:07 am

Last week’s Council packet (page 0-135) has the results of the 2011 Northfield community survey conducted by Bill Morris of Decision Resources, Inc.

Councilor Betsey Buckheit published her opinion about the survey in a new blog post yesterday. She was not impressed.

Nfld News: Analysis of residents’ opinions show overall satisfaction with city
Nfld Patch: Community Survey Investigator: Northfield is ‘Extremely Robust’
KYMN: Northfielders like “small town feel” survey says

A Bikeable Community Workshop in Faribault indicates what Northfield should be doing (13)
- Griff Wigley: Yep, I think ‘region’ means Northfield, Dundas, and surrounding townships for purposes of a bike advisory committee. There probably should be someone from Rice County involved as well. I’m concerned about ‘too...
- Ross Currier: Sean makes good points about institutional memory, continuity of implementation, and the importance of transportation to the community. Bruce shares a broad vision of transportation, one that includes both non-motorized and motorized...
- Sean Hayford Oleary: Northfield, Dundas, and surrounding townships, I assume? I don’t doubt the possibility of an unofficial group having a positive effect. I do have two concerns, however. First, it seems that the Grassroots Transit...
- Bruce Anderson: That would work for me. By “around the region”, do you mean Northfield and surrounding townships, or a broader region? My vote would be for Northfield and surrounding townships only to focus on our specific issues and...
- Griff Wigley: Bruce/Sean, I think Councilor Suzy Nakasian’s sense is that there’s not much of an appetite on the Council right now to create another board, commission or task force for anything. So her inclination is to go with a grass...
How to make bicycling in downtown Northfield safer and more popular? Sharrows might work (70)
- Paul Zorn: William et al., Agreed, the ideal provision for biking is a lane that’s (i) reserved for bikes; and (ii) physically separated, even by a narrow concrete berm, from motorized traffic. Amsterdam and, IMO, especially Copenhagen are...
- Sean Hayford Oleary: Nancy: An even better option would be a cycle track, parellel one-way bike trails adjacent to the sidewalk. This would be highly practical for young kids accessing Bridgewater, and might actually be cheaper to install than...
- Nancy Johnson: If you designated the sidewalk on one side of Jefferson Parkway for cyclists, and the other side for pedestrians, it would be less safe for Bridgewater students who walk to school. If the north side was for cyclists, children from...
- William Siemers: Paul…I like the link you provided: “Cyclists Should Never Be Fined”. The best idea in the article was that the ideal thoroughfare is two sidewalks next to a street, one for pedestrians and one for wheeled...
- Griff Wigley: Paul, my apologies for the delay in replying. I’m going to use your comment for a new blog post. Soon!
Photos: May snow downtown (2)
- Bright Spencer: Thanks for those super photos, Angela. I really miss my former digs and this brought me back home for a moment.
- Angela Lauterbach: How about some photos? I’ve got some for you! [img]http://locallygrownnorthf ield.org/wp-content/uploads/20 13/05/IMG_20130502_085009.jpg[ /img] [img]http://locallygrownnorthf ield.org/wp-content/uploads...
Snow globe repairman Dick Heibel featured in Strib video (10)
- Amanda: I am also looking to get in touch with Mr. Heibel. I will be around his Minnesota town in July and was hoping he could repair my grandmother’s Disney snowglobe while I’m there. It has some cloudy chunks floating in the water. I...
- Griff Wigley: Just an FYI to those inquiring: Dick Heibel doesn’t check this blog, he does not have email that I know of, and his web page is no longer working. You’ll have to phone him. I’m not sure if this number is current but...
- Mary-Lynn Wigodsky: Hello Mr. Heibel, I would love to have my small snow globe repaired. It has a small figurine that is broken in just two places. The base looks solid. We had it in our home growing up in the 50′s -but it may be older than...
A school calendar conversation with the Northfield community: back to square one (7)
- Griff Wigley: Vote now on the seven school calendar concepts. Details on the calendar conversation blog here.
- Griff Wigley: Northfield Schools Calendar Conversation Apr. 30 mtg results: benefits, concerns, votes
- Griff Wigley: The video of last night’s school calendar panel discussion is now up; blog comment thread now open thru Apr 30.
- Griff Wigley: I’m putting on my consulting hat again this week and inviting y’all to this panel discussion video conference/live chat/blog discussion thread on the school calendar scheduled for this Wed, April 24, 8 pm.
- Griff Wigley: Also in yesterday’s Northfield News, reporter Ashley Klemer (@AshleyKlemer) has an article titled Northfield Public Schools holds second school calendar meeting. You can comment on my Calendar Conversation blog post about the article...
Time to get engaged: help develop a parking management plan for downtown Northfield (8)
- Griff Wigley: The Draft Report on the Downtown Parking Conversation is now up. blog comment thread now open thru May 3.
- Griff Wigley: In yesterday’s Northfield News, reporter Kaitlyn Walsh (@NFNKaitlyn) has an article titled Downtown Northfield parking conversation nears its end. You can comment on my Downtown Parking blog post about the article here.
- Griff Wigley: Do you live downtown? Do you live near downtown? Then you’re invited to a meeting to discuss parking issues, Mar. 28, 8 pm at the library. Details here.
Photo album: April snow downtown (1)
- Curt Benson: Nice photos.
Locally Grown Northfield is for sale (16)
- Griff Wigley: Thanks, Bill. There are some things in the works that might make my announcement of a sale premature. Stay tuned!
- Bill Ostrem: Griff, Northfield has benefited greatly from the quality of LGN and the discussion it fosters. I hope it will continue to thrive after it is sold!
- Kathie Galotti: Kiffi, Agreed.
- kiffi summa: One only has to see how LG has been dormant in recent days/weeks to see how much energy it has to absorb to keep ‘alive’ , and how much of that energy has to be primed by its moderator. But it is sad to see how this forum...
- Griff Wigley: Thank you, Bill. It’s not over yet and I have no idea what’ll happen next.
Cannon River Outfitters vs. Cannon River Outfitters (2)
- Griff Wigley: Thanks for digging that up, Curt. Very strange.
- Curt Benson: The Minnesota Secretary of State website says the name was registered by Gehring in December, 2012: http://mblsportal.sos.state.mn .us/Business/SearchDetails?fil ingGuid=475f479d-c443-e211-bc4 3-001ec94ffe7f
Guess who makes ‘Mom’s Best Naturals’ cereal? duh (5)
- Gary Val Tenuta: Just found out Mom’s Best Cereals contain GMOs. Big discussion about it on the Mom’s Best Cereal Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/MomsBe stFanPage?ref=ts&fref=ts
Teresa Jensen will soon be in control of all Northfield’s information. Can we hurry up and find her a decent house? (7)
- Griff Wigley: Arlen, I actually didn’t mention or link to a realtor in my blog post or comments. I just linked to the MLS listing for the two houses I spotted on Nevada.
- Arlen Malecha: Griff – As a Realtor I am glad to see you helping promote homes for sale within the Northfield community. However, I think it is prudent to advance the local realty websites such as www.coldwellbankernorthfield.c om vs the one...
- Jesse Steed: Hello Teresa, I’m a Realtor with Edina Realty based in Northfield. If there’s anything I can do to help, please let me know. My office number is 507-645-1179.
Northfield Park & Rec Advisory Board approves ‘man boob’ swimsuit policy (7)
- Griff Wigley: Good to know, Andy, especially if you’re mountain biking.
- Andy Palmer: As someone with moobs, I’m more than happy to cover them.
The pros and cons of forming a regional bicycle council (7)
- Griff Wigley: I wonder how this could have been avoided.
- Griff Wigley: In today’s Strib: Wooddale Avenue’s pioneering bike lanes in Edina look doomed The street that has baffled Edinans since it was re-striped last fall may get an easier-to-understand painting fix this spring. Wooddale...
- Griff Wigley: Kiffi, I don’t know that it would be practical to try to launch a Northfield Bike Task Force, a Dundas Bike Task Force, a Rice County Bike Task Force, a Bridgewater Township Bike Task Force, etc. Maybe at some point those...
- Griff Wigley: David, I don’t think the primary purpose of a regional bike council would be to secure taxpayer money for bike projects/infrastructure. It would be to study, recommend, plan, guide, educate, collaborate, etc.
Corey Butler resigns from Northfield Patch. What will the impact be? (12)
- Griff Wigley: Mary, the trend among hyperlocal online news entities seems to be heading towards the non-profit membership model where you get extra benefits (see, MinnPost members, Texas Tribune members). I’m not sure Northfield is big...
- Mary Schier: Patch (AOL) is under intense pressure from shareholders to make a profit this year. It’s had a hiring freeze for some time and with fewer people, it has been going to more regional coverage. This works OK (not great, but OK) in...
- kiffi summa: Agreed …I’m about to unsubscribe. There’s also a tinge of sensationalism, instead of serious news updates; for example: what’s with the story of the death of a 26 year old Lonsdale woman ‘above the...
- Griff Wigley: I agree, Jane. And they seem to be over-reaching to make the connection to Northfield on some stories, eg: Northfield State Sen. Dave Thompson Mulling Run for Governor. Next up: Dundas State Sen. Kevin Dahle?
- Jane McWilliams: My observation is that there is no local reporting . . . just as I feared!
Homeschooling and unschooling in the Northfield area (9)
- Donna Volkmann: I see this forum is pretty old from 2008. Does anyone know if there are any homeschool co-ops in Northfield for social interaction? I see there are many in the cities but can’t seem to find any in Northfield. Also, do you...
Southwest Neighborhood files discrimination lawsuit against the City of Northfield for misspelt street signs (7)
- Griff Wigley: Nfld News: Northfield orders new street signs to fix misspellings “Nineth” Street in Northfield will soon be back to Ninth Street. City staff recently ordered new sign blades from the city’s vendor to fix the...
Change the Open Meeting Law to allow our public officials to discuss some issues online without fear (54)
- Griff Wigley: Today’s Nfld News: Proposed bill would take Northfield public meetings discussion online Minnesota Newspaper Association attorney Mark Anfinson said it’s “entirely sensible” to update existing law to reflect the advantages that...
What might it look like to ‘take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this’? (91)
- kiffi summa: another tragedy: in a middle school outside Detroit, amidst 800 students,a popular, non-bullied 14year old shoots himself in the head, fatally, with a 40 caliber Glock pistol…. School had no metal detectors; staff said he was...

Locally Grown Northfield

Survey of Northfield residents: what did we get for $12,500?

Northfield Schools Calendar Conversation

Northfield Downtown Parking Management project

Nfld League of Women Voters blog

School Board member Rob Hardy

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