Mary Rossing, Mayor of Northfield

Building a quality community together

[city hall]As Mayor or Northfield, I believe I can provide vision and leadership while helping the community find creative solutions to the many challenges we face.

Here are some of my goals:

Community

I believe the citizens of Northfield are ready to move ahead in a positive manner. I will work to:

• Promote pride in our community
• Rebuild an effective working relationship between the mayor, city council, and city staff
• Foster good working relationships with surrounding townships and entire school district so that we can tackle resource issues together
• Encourage newcomers to get involved and become stakeholders
• Clarify and communicate the roles of boards and commissions and their relationship to the council
• Hire a new City Administrator who will succeed in this town
• Establish an advisory panel of former mayors, councilors and civic leaders that can add historical perspective on government and community issues.
• Support adopting and implementing the new comprehensive plan

Projects

I believe that we can build a quality community while being fiscally responsible. I will help us to:

• Prioritize facilities needs and establish long-term plan that we can afford
• Encourage partnerships with local organizations for sharing of space and facilities
• Commit to and implement a comprehensive transportation plan
• Expand the Parks Plan into a Parks and Recreation Plan that includes downtown, and then include prioritized projects in Capital Improvement Plan

Conservation

I believe that conservation, alternative transportation and creative energy solutions must be a part of all future planning as we work to become a model community. I will work to:

• Position Northfield as a state and national clean energy leader.
  
• Implement a transportation plan that includes bicycle lanes and paths whenever possible
  
• Partner with schools and businesses to encourage more non-motorized transportation, safe walking routes, car-pooling and more extensive use of transit systems
  
• Ensure creative and green approaches to all city projects
  
• Expand and promote transit services

Business and Economic Development

I believe that it is important for us to aggressively promote business development in a thoughtful way while emphasizing sustainability. I believe that we can:

• Develop and promote an innovative conceptual plan for future business development
  • Partner with the EDA, Northfield Hospital, St. Olaf and Carleton Colleges to envision and promote the Commercial Campus concept—an innovative approach to development.
    
  • Ensure that Commercial Campus be powered by renewable energy, be developed using best environmental practices, and attract green businesses
    
  • Partner with St. Olaf and Carleton alumni associations to encourage alumni to relocate their innovative businesses to Commercial Campus
    
  • Arrange van-pooling and bike trails to Commercial Campus
    
  • Ensure that our transportation plan can support new development