About Betsey

I arrived in Northfield on the Defeat of Jesse James Days weekend in 1989. My husband had a one year position teaching at Carleton College so we didn’t think we’d still be in town for the next DJJD celebration. Fortunately, we were wrong and have been here ever since. Before Northfield, I lived in Syracuse, New York but since my father was an Army officer, I’m not really from anywhere. I’m very happy to have landed in Northfield and put down roots here. My husband still teaches at Carleton and we have a middle school aged daughter.

I was elected to represent Northfield’s Ward 2 on the City Council in November 2008, but I wear other hats, too.  I am a lawyer, currently not practicing law, but staying involved in volunteer positions and homeschooling my daughter. Right now, I am the Council liaison to the Planning Commission, Library Board and Heritage Preservation Commission plus I serve on the Northfield Soccer Association Board.  Before my election, I was a member of the Northfield Charter Commission and the Non-Motorized Transportation Task Force. My first community service was as a member of the Northfield Library Board, followed by 5 years on the Planning Commission. I’ve also been a Humphrey Institute Public Policy Fellow and a participant in the Blandin Community Leadership Program.

The Planning Commission is where I became interested in the political side of Northfield government. As Planning Commission chair, I attended Council meetings to follow up on Planning Commission actions. After observing the Council for a few years, I began to think that Northfield city government could do better. In particular, Council debate and decision making needed to be more closely linked to the long-term vision and policies of the City rather than each issue being considered independently. I like the word “sustainable” — sustainable economic development, sustainable land use, and especially sustaining the people who give their time and ideas on city boards and participating in the process in other ways.

When not attending meetings, I ski around the Carleton Arb, cheer on my daughter’s soccer team, beat my husband at Scrabble, do paper engineering and acquire new hobbies…