Dahl announces run for Northfield mayor

On May 16, Northfield native Ruth Dahl announced that she was running for mayor in Northfield.

Dahl said in a news release that she is most concerned about the current administration’s out of control spending: “I feel it is time to step up and help the city to return to a stable economic position.”

“We need to open City Hall doors to the citizens and help developers to create business and housing,” said Dahl. “We also need to work to create shovel-ready opportunities for businesses and industry to come to Northfield creating a better property tax base for our future.”

Dahl said that Northfielders cannot afford to keep seeing property taxes rising to double digit numbers to support the appetite of the current council spending.

“I believe we need to scale back our public projects. We simply cannot afford starting several large projects in a short time,” she said.

Dahl, who was born and raised in Northfield, served on the Northfield School Board for 17 years. With extensive years of management experience, Dahl has also served on the Board of Dentistry for the state of Minnesota for the past eight years.

Other city issues Dahl would like to fix include over spending on consultant fees, bike lanes and schools, all of which affect property taxpayers.

“We currently have a liquor store which has lost money each year for many years and the current council is considering building a new store one block away from the current store for $5 million plus,” she said. “It simply does not make sense.

Additionally, she said bike lanes are overdone. “While we all want safe biking in Northfield, spending over $5 million on the project right next to my home. I have long said we should leave our beautiful downtown alone. If we need some street repair that should be carefully considered. Consider the fact that tens of thousands of people come to Northfield each year to enjoy our historic downtown.”