Northfield City Council Meeting - May 5, 2026

The Northfield City Council met on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Erica Zweifel and adjourned at 8:07 p.m. All seven council members were present. Key actions included approval of the consent agenda, acceptance of a $125,000 tree donation, and approval of the Harvest Hills 2nd Addition Preliminary Plat after a failed motion to postpone.

Presentations

• 26-223 Northfield Hospital and Clinics 2025 Audit: Korey Boelter, CPA with Clifton Larson Allen, presented the 2025 audit findings. Eric Guth (CFO) and Zander Abbott (CEO) of Northfield Hospital and Clinics were also present to answer questions.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the April 21, 2026 City Council meeting minutes.
• Approved disbursements totaling $3,154,076.11 (Enactment No. M2026-065).
• Adopted Resolution 2026-047 setting the 2027 City Council meeting schedule.
• Approved a Conditional Use Permit (Resolution 2026-048) for Black Bear Wellness MN to operate a cannabis retail establishment at 680 Professional Dr.
• Approved a miscellaneous/concessions license for Northfield Senior Citizens, Inc. (DBA FiftyNorth Popcorn Wagon) (Enactment No. M2026-066).
• Approved Contract Amendment #2 for professional services for the 2026 Mill and Overlay and Mill Towns State Trail Improvements project (Enactment No. M2026-067).
• Approved permanent and temporary easements for the 2026 Mill and Overlay and Mill Towns State Trail Improvements project (Enactment No. M2026-068).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Open Public Comment: Krissa Anderson addressed the Council expressing concerns regarding the Harvest Hills 2nd Addition Preliminary Plat.
• Regular Agenda Public Comment (Harvest Hills):
  • Jason Hill asked the Council to require an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project.
  • Beth Dahle requested a two-week delay in approval of the preliminary plat.
  • Bruce Hamilton expressed concerns about increased traffic volume from the addition.
  • Arlys Kreis expressed concerns about the number of additional cars and traffic.

Discussion Items

• 26-231 City Administrator Performance Evaluation: Mayor Zweifel reported summary conclusions from the May 4, 2026 closed meeting (held under Minn. Stat. §13D.05, subd. 3). The Council expressed appreciation for City Administrator Ben Martig's service and dedication and noted his progress on personal and professional growth goals. A full performance evaluation is expected later in 2026.
• Res. 2026-049 Tree Donation: Public Works Director David Bennett reported a $125,000 donation from Karl Reichert on behalf of the Loren Dean and Betty Ann Reichert Charitable Fund for tree planting in parks and public rights-of-way. The resolution was approved unanimously (7-0).
• Res. 2026-050 Harvest Hills 2nd Addition Preliminary Plat: Community Development Director Scott Wopata presented the project including public input, stormwater, traffic, and pedestrian safety. City Attorney Chris Hood added information on decision criteria. After discussion, a motion to postpone the decision to the May 19, 2026 meeting failed 2-5 (Beumer and Dahlen in favor; Ness, Holmes, Sokup, Peterson White, and Mayor Zweifel opposed). The Council then approved the preliminary plat by a 7-0 vote.
• Administrator's Update: Ben Martig provided a legislative update.

Key Outcomes

• Approved Consent Agenda items and resolutions as listed.
• Approved Resolution 2026-049 accepting the $125,000 tree donation (unanimous).
• Approved Resolution 2026-050 for the Harvest Hills 2nd Addition Preliminary Plat (7-0).
• Failed Motion to postpone the Harvest Hills preliminary plat to May 19, 2026 (2-5).
• Adjourned at 8:07 p.m.