Category: <span>City</span>

Published March 19, 2009 by

Public leadership, transparency and the world of social media

levy-articlePaul Levy “They all get the idea that if we’re transparent about what we’re bad at as well as what we’re good at, we’ll get better.”  That’s a quote by Paul Levy, President and CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, speaking about his staff. Levy maintains a leadership blog called Running a hospital where he regularly shares “thoughts about hospitals, medicine, and health care issues.” You can also follow Levy on Twitter.

I’ve been thinking about Northfield area public leadership, transparency, and social media tools this week for four reasons. (continued)

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Blogosphere City Featured K-12

citizen engagement leadership Paul Levy Social media transparency

Published March 19, 2009 by

Podcast: Dean Kjerland on Northfield’s new Riverwalk Arts Quarter

Dean Kjerland, Griff Wigley, Ross CurrierRiverwalk Arts Quarter mapOur podcast/radio show guest yesterday: ArtOnWater’s Dean Kjerland, discussing the latest developments with the Riverwalk Arts Quarter which was funded last fall by the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF). Dean blogged about the Riverwalk Arts Quarter on Northfield.org last September. Update 3/20: The Riverwalk Arts Quarter website is now up, and there is a Riverwalk Arts Quarter Facebook group, too.


Click play to listen. 30 minutes. You can also download the MP3 or subscribe to the podcast feed, or subscribe directly with iTunes.

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Dean Kjerland Riverwalk Arts Quarter SMIF Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation

Published March 15, 2009 by

City Administrator Joel Walinski’s “Friday memo”, March 13

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Published March 13, 2009 by

Ron Griffith, R.I.P.

ron-griffith-loves-downtown-northfieldWord came yesterday that Ron Griffith, former Planning Commission member and co-founder of Just Food Co-op, died peacefully at home in the company of his family. Ron had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year. A memorial service is planned for Saturday, March 28; the details will be determined later. Ron’s family is requesting that people donate to the Ron Griffith Young Leaders Fund (blogged here earlier) in lieu of flowers.

Councillor Betsey Buckheit paid tribute to Ron on her blog, and the notice in the Northfield News provides some brief biographical information about this wonderful man, whom I felt very fortunate to know. (continued)

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City Civic Orgs Featured People Podcasts

Published March 10, 2009 by

The ‘Welcome to Dundas’ sign

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Archibald Mill Dundas

Published March 9, 2009 by

City Administrator’s “Friday Memo” of March 6

Joel-WalinskiThe Friday Memo, written by NEW, OFFICIAL Northfield City Administrator Joel Walinski and many of the department directors, managers, and supervisors, summarizes many of the staff activities for the week. Although it’s directed to the mayor and city council, it’s helpful for citizens to see what’s going, too. This week’s highlights include:

  • Interesting details on the City’s negotiations with MnDOT regarding the value of property currently owned by MnDOT on The Crossings project and some deed restrictions on same by the MPCA
  • The State’s obnoxious handling of a joint Neighborhood Stabilization Program grant application by Northfield, Lonsdale, and Faribault in which grant monies were allocations only to Faribault
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Published March 4, 2009 by

City announces shade tree program

Get yer shade trees here! Limited time offer! In 2009, the City of Northfield will offer a Shade Tree Replacement Program. This program is intended to both offer replacement trees…

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City Environment

Published March 3, 2009 by

Council approves Joel Walinski as city administrator

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Joel Walinski

Published February 28, 2009 by

City Administrator’s “Friday Memo” of Feb. 27

NOTE – PUBLIC HEARING MARCH 2: There is a public hearing at Monday’s City Council meeting “to consider public input regarding amendments to the Northfield Ordinance Code, Section 74-97 to include the annexed area west of the Northfield Hospital into the Rural Service District. Public comment relating to the proposed ordinance amendment is welcome, and may be given in writing prior to the hearing or orally at the hearing.” You can read the relevant section of the ordinance code online here.

Here is the regular agenda and meeting packet for Monday’s City Council meeting.

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming. Joel-WalinskiThe Friday Memo, written by interim Northfield City Administrator Joel Walinski and many of the department directors, managers, and supervisors, summarizes many of the staff activities for the week. Although it’s directed to the mayor and city council, it’s helpful for citizens to see what’s going, too.

Read MoreCity Administrator’s “Friday Memo” of Feb. 27

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