City Council Meeting Date: November 26, 2024
To: City Council
From: Ben Martig, City Administrator
Title
Consider Approval of Mayoral Board and Commission Appointments.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council approves the following board/commission appointments.
Summary Report:
The City Council is being asked to approve the following board, commission, and committee appointments as nominated by Mayor Pownell. The City’s boards and commissions, and their appointed members, serve in an advisory role to the City Council who determine all matters of policy. Each board and commission and their individual members should be working collaboratively to accomplish the policy agenda as articulated by the elected leaders through all Council approved plans, the strategic plan, and the 2045 comprehensive plan.
Starting in summer of 2021 for 2022 appointments, the current board and commission timeline was shifted up to earlier in the year, allowing time for newly appointed members to go through onboarding with staff prior to starting their terms and to keep from finalizing appointments during the busy holiday season.
The new timeline has been incorporated into the City Council and Board and Commission Member Guide, which was drafted by staff and reviewed by the City Council and a Board and Commission Governance Review Committee, consisting of current board and commission members. This was concluded with adoption back in August of this year and this process was discussed during that time. There was a second round of edits to the ordinances that were going to be completed for individual board sections of code but has been delayed. Those sections is where the final codification of the process was and is intended to be clarified through codified policy of the City code. With other work underway that work will continue into 2025 and be completed then. The timeline was also approved by the City Council and Hospital Board and incorporated into the Hospital Playbook, aligning Hospital Board appointments with all other City board and commission appointments, apart from the Charter Commission which follows a separate approval process.
This timeline does allow any outgoing Mayor to make appointments prior to the end of their term, but all Mayor’s will have four years to make appointments. This will allow the outgoing Mayor, who likely has a better understanding of the current members and needs of all boards and commissions to complete the majority of the appointments and gives the new Mayor time to focus on other areas while they get acclimated to their new role.
As part of the process, the Administration office reviews all current member terms starting in June and identifies who is up for reappointment and who may not be eligible for another term at this time. Staff liaisons and members whose terms are expiring are notified and agenda items are placed on all board/commission agendas providing transparency on who is up for reappointment and how many vacancies will be expected for each board and commission.
Throughout the summer and early fall, applications are accepted, and staff actively recruits at events, such as Pride in the Park and Crazy Days, to identify a broad spectrum of members of the community to become part of the City’s boards and commissions. Concurrently, staff liaisons and directors meet with the me to offer this input on their respective board(s)/commissions(s) and the needs they see going forward. The Mayor meets with all City Council members and board/commission chairs to also gain additional feedback. The Mayor also met with available applicants for approximately 30 minutes each. These meetings allow for a chance to get to know new applicants as well as provided a check-in time for those that are re-applying for a position.
An extra level of scrutiny and feedback was requested over the last seven months since this is an election year. As has been stated during the 2024 comprehensive plan process, Northfield’s overarching vision has remained the same since the 1960s.
The current board and commission timeline is attached (attachment 1). This is not an officially approved Council policy but is an internal policy used by the Administration department. It was initially approved in 2018 and updated in 2021 and 2023 to align the Hospital Board appointments. Applications for those being recommended for appointment are also attached (attachment 2).
Proposed appointments in the attachment are as follows:
Arts and Culture Commission
• Martha Anderson reappointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
• Leah Rich reappointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
• Kate Woodstrup reappointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
• Amanda Wigley appointed for a partial term ending December 31, 2026.
Economic Development Authority
• Donald Stager appointed for a six-year term ending December 31, 2030.
• Chad Beumer appointed for a six-year term ending December 31, 2030.
Environmental Quality Commission
• Robert (Rob) Hanson appointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
• Janet Petri reappointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
• Davin Sokup appointed as a non-voting Council ex-officio one-year term ending December 31, 2025.
Heritage Preservation Commission
• Sarah Beimers appointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
• Aaron Street appointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
• Robert Stangler reappointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
Hospital Board
• Sarah Carlsen reappointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
• Jami Reister reappointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
• Jessica Peterson White appointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
Housing and Redevelopment Authority
• James Crow reappointed for a five-year term ending December 31, 2029.
• Davin Sokup appointed for a partial term ending December 31, 2027.
Human Rights Commission
• Jess Toft appointed for a partial term ending December 31, 2025.
• Emy Farley appointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
• Adam Gebler appointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
Library Board
• Sherry Mooney appointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
• Kate Carlson reappointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
• Judith Schotzko appointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
• Joe Hargis appointed for a partial term ending December 31, 2026.
Northfield Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention
• Robert Aby appointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
• Michelle Dumonceaux reappointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
• Alyssa Sell appointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
• Kelli Podracky appointed as a non-voting ex-officio one-year term ending December 31, 2025.
• Ivan Cortes Roque appointed as a non-voting ex-officio one-year term ending December 31, 2025.
Park and Recreation Advisory Board
• Zachary Bohar appointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
• Russell Bauer appointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
• Kathleen Holmes appointed for a partial term ending December 31, 2026.
• Kelby Rose appointed as a non-voting ex-officio one-year term ending December 31, 2025.
Planning Commission
• Steven Schmidt appointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
• Kathleen Holmes appointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
• Philip Holleran appointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
• Chad Beumer appointed as a non-voting Council ex-officio one-year term ending December 31, 2025.
Northfield Area Fire and Rescue Services Board
• Arlen Malecha appointed for a three-year term ending December 31, 2027.
Convention and Visitors Bureau Board
• Brad Ness reappointed for a one-year term ending December 31, 2025.
• Melissa Bernhard reappointed for a one-year term ending December 31, 2025.
City/Hospital Governance Committee
• Jessica Peterson White appointed for a one-year term ending December 31, 2025.
• Kathleen Holmes appointed for a one-year term ending December 31, 2025.
Mill Towns Trail Joint Powers Board
• Davin Sokup reappointed for a one-year term ending December 31, 2025.
• Chad Beumer appointed for a one-year term ending December 31, 2025.
Northfield Transportation Committee
• Foster Transburg, Northfield Township Supervisor
• Mike Slavik, Dakota County Supervisor
• Kathy Kopseng, Bridgewater Township Supervisor
Rice Steele 911 Center Board
• Brad Ness reappointed for a one-year term ending December 31, 2025.
There are a number of assignments for the City Council that are being reserved for appointment by the incoming Mayor. These are not Board and Commission appointments. Therefore, they were not intended to be included in ones assigned by the outgoing Mayor in election years when there are changes. Those include the following:
• Council City Employment Committee - City Council members eligible only (3)
• Council Finance Committee - City Council member eligible only (3)
• Age Friendly Steering Committee - City Council member eligible only (1)
• Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Community - City Council member eligible only (1)
• Friends of Downtown Northfield/Non-Voting Liaison: City Council member eligible only (1)
• Hiawathaland Transit: City Council member eligible only (1)
• Mayor Youth Council: No guidance but specifically but presumes intent of one or more members of the City Council at each meeting.
• Northfield Promise: City Council Member eligible only (1)
• Rice County Community Justice Council: City Council member eligible only (1)
• NCRC Future Planning Team: City Council member eligible only (2)
• Northfield Area Fire and Rescue Services Board: (1)
Alternative Options:
N/A
Financial Impacts:
N/A
Tentative Timelines:
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