On March 6, SGA’s Local Impact Board hosted Northfield Mayor Erica Zweifel to discuss her plans for the city with students.
Zweifel, a prominent Northfield figure, was elected to office this past November. She has worked at St. Olaf and Carleton College and currently serves as the Assistant Director of Community Impact at Carleton’s Center for Community and Civic Engagement.
Central to her presentation were the themes of climate and community. Zweifel’s background is in environmental science, including a Bachelor of Science in botany, which played a significant role in shaping her approach. Early in her presentation, Zweifel encouraged students to get more involved with the Northfield community, recommending several local board meetings to attend, including those of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority, the Environmental Quality Commission, the Northfield Transportation Advisory Committee and the Planning Commission.
During the presentation, Zweifel outlined her strategic plan for Northfield, which covers the period from 2025 to 2028 and focuses on six key areas: fiscal responsibility, expanding the tax base, improving transportation, housing, accessibility, and enhancing climate resilience. She also highlighted her commitment to being a “climate mayor,” a title given to U.S. mayors who are part of a network dedicated to addressing climate change. Zweifel noted that recent changes in the federal government are redefining the role of a climate mayor.
Zweifel is collaborating with U.S. Representative Angie Craig and her team to support the success of her strategic plan. Together, they are focusing on securing grants and prioritizing long-term fiscal planning.
Zweifel also addressed the larger impact of the federal administration changes on her work, explaining that funding for several projects aimed at improving Northfield’s community development has been frozen, leaving these initiatives uncertain for the time being.
Following Zweifel’s talk, Zoë Larson-Harris ’26 said that she had been inspired to attend the event because of a promotional email that was sent by St. Olaf’s Environmental Coalition club. Her main takeaway from the event was the amount of community service people can be involved in in a town like Northfield.
Larson-Harris also highlighted Zweifel’s character.
“[Zweifel] is really approachable and understands what students need, she worked at both Carleton and St. Olaf,” she said.
Sawyer Eastman ’28, a member of the Local Impact Board, said that she had been looking for ways to get more involved with the Northfield community and found opportunities through Zweifel’s presentation. Eastman’s main takeaway was how committed Zweifel is to helping Northfield thrive, despite the changes in federal and state government.
More information about Zweifel and her plans for the city can be found at northfieldmn.gov.
