NDDC Downtown Forum to host Mayor Lansing January 3, 2006

Northfield Mayor Lee Lansing will kick off 2006 with a public address and
question-and-answer session at the Northfield Downtown Development Corp.'s
monthly Downtown Forum.

The 90-minute event will take place Tuesday, Jan. 3, at 8 a.m. at the
Archer House's lower-level conference room. Coffee and treats will be
served, and the public is urged to attend.

Mayor Lansing will offer brief remarks about the state of the city before
opening the floor to questions. Unlike the usual NDDC Downtown Forum
format, no particular topic will be stressed. Instead, the NDDC board
wants to offer citizens the opportunity to question the mayor on anything
they choose.

"We planned this open format for January because we would like to expand
the base of people who come to our monthly forums," said NDDC Executive
Director Ross Currier. "The NDDC serves downtown, but we believe the
health of downtown concerns everyone in Northfield. Our forums are not
only for business owners, politicians or people who work downtown."

For background on issues that the NDDC has promoted in recent months,
visit the organization's weblog at www.nddc.org. The NDDC is a
volunteer-based organization that serves as a voice for downtown. Its
12-member board includes a former mayor, business and property owners, and
representatives from Carleton College, St. Olaf College and the Northfield
Chamber of Commerce.

For more information, call 663-0319.