Rep. David Dill
With a little less than two months before the start of the Minnesota Legislature convenes, Rep. David Dill met with the International Falls City Council Monday.
Dill, reelected earlier this month to the House District 3A position he has held since 2002, told the council no agenda item for that meeting had drawn him to attend.
“I am here to help,” the Crane Lake DFLer who represents Koochiching County and beyond told the council.
House Republican leadership Tuesday announced the chairs and committee structure for the 89th legislative biennium scheduled to convene Jan. 6, 2015.
“Our committee structure reflects our priorities: growing good-paying jobs, protecting our seniors’ quality of life, giving our students a world-class education and prioritizing roads and bridges,” House Speaker-designate Kurt Daudt, R-Crow, said in a statement.
The recommendation of 26 committees and divisions is fewer than the 30 groups during the last biennium when the DFL held the House majority.
Dill told the council he would no longer serve as the chair of the Environment & Natural Resources Policy & Finance Committee. Instead, Rep. Denny McNamara, R-Hastings, has been recommended.
Meanwhile, Dill said his priority this session for Koochiching County and the region is to continue to work on wetland regulations that inhibit development in northern Minnesota, where much of the presettlement wetlands have been retained. That contrasts with other areas of Minnesota where wetlands have been filled in to allow for business and housing development as well as agriculture.
Koochiching County is made up of 90 percent wetlands, while Hennepin County is made up of 0.05 percent — less than half of 1 percent, he said of the disparity.
He told the council he will continue to work with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and stakeholders to alleviate the rules that hinder development where it is most needed in the state.
The state’s wetlands rules are “what I view as the most impossible set of circumstances to do real large and even small economic development,” he said.
He described a situation in which many area residents can’t leave their decks for yard activities without being on a wetland.
Water quality, however, will not be sacrificed to alleviate the wetland issues, he assured the council.
Meanwhile, the House Public Information Services explained in a story this week that committees act as filters, deciding which of the thousands of bills in the two-year biennium get heard, approved and then moved through the process.
Traditionally, committee membership is named by mid-December.
Under House Rules, 30 days before a new session convenes, the speaker-designate submits to the leader of the minority caucus the committee structure, along with the number of minority caucus members to be appointed to each committee
The minority caucus members make their assignment requests through the minority leader, who submits the names to the speaker-designate at least 15 days before convening a new session. However, again according to House Rules, “a committee of the House must not have exclusive membership from one profession, occupation or vocation.”
While members can express their committee preference, the decision of who serves where is left to the speaker.
Once session begins, the House website will be updated with information, including membership, staff, schedules, agendas, minutes and access to audio and/or video coverage of the meetings.
Children work on crafts at last year’s pre-parade party at the Elks Lodge No. 1599. This year’s event beings at 5 p.m. Nov. 28 and runs until 6:30 p.m.
Sylvia Johnston serves cookies at last year’s event.
Temperatures are dropping and more snow is covering the ground just in time for the kick off the holiday season next week in Borderland.
Prior to the Nov. 28 “’Twas the Lights Before Christmas” parade, members of Elks Lodge No. 1599 will host a pre-parade party for all ages. The party begins at 5 p.m. and runs until 6:30 p.m. — just in time for people to secure their spots for the parade.
According to Elks member Barb Strand, for the past six years the lodge has offered free visits with Santa Claus, cookies and crafts for children. This year, she said, members of the International Falls Figure Skating Club will help with crafting activities.
In addition, sloppy Joes and hot dogs will be available for purchase, but Strand encouraged hungry party goers to arrive early because the food goes fast.
“We have drawings for a boys bike donated by our past exalted rulers and a girls bike donated by the Lady Elks,” she said.
The notion behind the annual event is to give community members a fun, exciting start to the holiday season. It also gets children even more excited for the parade, she said.
“We encourage (everyone) to come and join us,” she said.
