Northfield HRA Special Meeting - January 13, 2026: Election of Officers and Onboarding Presentation

The Housing & Redevelopment Authority (HRA) of Northfield, Minnesota, held a special meeting on January 13, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 7:08 PM in the Council Chambers, prior to the City Council Work Session. The meeting focused on electing officers for the year and conducting an onboarding presentation for board members, covering the HRA's statutory role, strategic plan, tools, properties, budget, accomplishments, and future priorities. All votes were unanimous (6-0).

Election of Officers

• Council Member Davin Sokup was elected as Chair (nominated by Council Member Kathleen Holmes).
• Council Member Chad Beumer was elected as Vice Chair (nominated by Mayor Erica Zweifel).

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Agenda: Motion by Board Member Brad Ness, seconded by Board Member Kathleen Holmes. Approved 6-0.
• Approval of Minutes: Motion by Vice Chair Chad Beumer, seconded by Board Member Kathleen Holmes. Approved minutes from the October 2, 2025 HRA meeting.

Discussion Items

• Item 26-029: 2026 Board and Commission Onboarding - Youth on Boards: Community Development Director Scott Wopata introduced the item, and board members and staff introduced themselves.
• Item 26-030: HRA Onboarding Presentation & Discussion: Housing Coordinator Melissa Hanson presented a comprehensive overview, including the legal basis for HRAs (Minnesota Statutes), the City's Strategic Plan, HRA tools (e.g., tax increment financing, housing bonds), properties owned by the HRA, the 2026 budget, 2025 accomplishments, headwinds/tailwinds, and staff emerging priorities. Hanson and Wopata answered questions from board members, who then identified housing-related items they would like the HRA to address.
• Staff Updates: Community Development Director Scott Wopata presented emerging considerations, including competing interests, reality checks, emerging priorities, and general observations. Board members commented on the information.

Key Outcomes

• Election of officers: Davin Sokup as Chair and Chad Beumer as Vice Chair, both effective immediately.
• Unanimous approval of the agenda and the October 2, 2025 minutes.
• Board members identified housing priorities for the HRA to focus on, though specific items were not detailed in the minutes.
• Meeting adjourned at 7:08 PM by a motion from Board Member Brad Ness, seconded by Board Member Jessica Peterson White, approved 6-0.