City Council Meeting Date: January 20, 2026
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Jeff Schroepfer, Chief of Police
Title
Consideration of a Capital Membership Agreement with the City of Lakeville for Use of the FiRST Center Public Safety Training Facility.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council is asked to consider a motion approving the attached FiRST Center Capital Membership Agreement between the City of Northfield and the City of Lakeville and authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute the agreement.
Summary Report:
The City Council is asked to approve a Capital Membership Agreement between the City of Northfield and the City of Lakeville for participation in the Lakeville FiRST Center, a regional public safety training facility located at 7777 - 214th Street, Lakeville, Minnesota.
The FiRST Center is a purpose-built training facility designed for use by law enforcement and other public safety first responders. The facility was constructed in part with funding from a State of Minnesota Department of Public Safety grant and is intended to support high-quality training for agencies serving the south metro area and surrounding communities.
Under this agreement, the Northfield Police Department will participate as a Capital Member for a ten (10) year term. Capital Membership provides priority scheduling and access to a wide range of training spaces, including firearms ranges, classrooms, defensive tactics space, virtual reality training areas, and reality-based training environments. The agreement also allows department personnel to access the facility outside of normal business hours, subject to designated agency oversight and facility rules.
The agreement requires a one-time, nonrefundable initiation fee of $10,000 and an annual membership fee based on the number of sworn peace officer positions authorized by the City. Annual membership fees are subject to scheduled increases over the term of the agreement, as outlined in the contract.
This agreement supports the Northfield Police Department’s ongoing training needs by providing consistent access to modern, specialized training facilities that are not available locally.
City staff recommends approval of this agreement.
Alternative Options:
An alternative option would be to not enter into the FiRST Center Capital Membership Agreement. Staff does not recommend this option, as it would significantly limit access to advanced and specialized training opportunities for officers and would require the City to seek comparable training facilities on an ad hoc basis, likely at increased cost and with reduced availability.
Financial Impacts:
The agreement includes a one-time initiation fee of $10,000 and ongoing annual membership fees calculated at $1,100 per authorized sworn officer (currently 26), subject to annual increases as specified in the agreement. These costs are anticipated to be included within the Police Department’s annual training budget and long-term financial planning.
Tentative Timelines:
Following Council approval and execution, the agreement will be effective upon completion of the FiRST Center, around July 2026, and will remain in effect for a ten-year term.