In This Issue:
- Walz Continues Naming Commissioners
- Legislative Committee Chairs, Memberships Announced
- DEED Announces Contamination Cleanup Awards
- EVENT: 2020 Census Call Date Changed to January 24
Walz Continues Naming Commissioners
Governor-elect Tim Walz and Lt. Governor-elect Peggy Flanagan announced 14 additional commissioner and agency head appointments this week. The heads of the following state agencies were named January 3 and 4: DEED – Steve Grove; Public Safety – John Harrington; Labor and Industry – Nancy Leppink; Commerce – Steve Kelley; Revenue – Cynthia Bauerly; Iron Range Resources – Mark Phillips; Veterans Affairs – Larry Herke; Agriculture – Thom Peterson; Natural Resources - Sarah Strommen; Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Laura Bishop; Health - Jan Malcolm; Human Services - Tony Lourey; Bureau of Mediation Services - Janet Johnson; and Human Rights - Rebecca Lucero.
Previously announced commissioner and agency head appointments included: Metropolitan Council - Nora Slawik; Minnesota Housing Finance Agency - Jennifer Ho; Transportation - Margaret Anderson Kelliher; Education - Mary Cathryn Ricker; Office of Higher Education - Dennis Olson; Corrections - Paul Schnell; Administration - Alice Roberts-Davis; and Minnesota Management and Budget - Myron Frans.
Walz, Flanagan and the state’s constitutional officers will be sworn in next Monday. All 201 legislators will be sworn in Tuesday, when the House and Senate convene for the 2019 legislative session.
Legislative Committee Chairs, Memberships Announced
The House and Senate have announced committee assignments for the 2019 legislative session. The Senate committee structure and memberships include only a handful of changes, while the House has a brand-new committee structure with all new chairs and new committee assignments due to the new DFL majority.
Details for the Senate’s 21 committees can be found here, including chairs and individual committee memberships. The Senate standing committee schedule is posted here.
The House will be divided into 34 committees, subcommittees and divisions. The House committee details can be found here and the committee schedule here.
The full list of all 2019 legislators including office numbers and phone numbers, can be found here. The full election directory for the 2019-2020 legislature can be found here. The election directory shows the partisan and gender breakdown for the legislature, including:
- 59 Republican members
- 75 DFL members
- 48 members are women
- 86 members are men
- 13 Republican women
- 35 DFL women
- 46 Republican men
- 40 DFL men
DEED Announces Contamination Cleanup Awards
10 sites in the metro region will receive state funds for contamination cleanup, DEED announced January 2. The sites will benefit from a state appropriation for cleaning up polluted sites that will be redeveloped into other uses. The grant covers up to 75 percent of the costs to investigate and cleanup approved polluted sites.
The 10 awarded metro sites are in Bloomington, South Saint Paul, Roseville, St. Paul (3) and Minneapolis (4).
The program assists development authorities in contamination investigations and the development of Response Action Plans (RAPs) or in the cleanup of contamination prescribed in a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)-approved RAP on a site that will be redeveloped. In both cases, grants are awarded to those sites where there is a planned redevelopment intention.
Metro Cities will continue to advocate for continued contamination cleanup funds as well as legislative appropriations for the state’s Redevelopment Grant Program and Demolition Loan Program in the 2019 legislative session.
Contact Charlie Vander Aarde at 651-215-4001 or [email protected] with any questions.
EVENT: 2020 Census Call Date Changed to January 24
The monthly Third Thursday 2020 Census planning conference call is being rescheduled to Thursday, January 24, and will be held from noon to 1 p.m. The Third Thursday conference calls are dedicated to answering your questions about forming and managing a Complete Count Committee (CCC) for the 2020 Census.
On this month's call, Andrew Virden, director of census operations and engagement for the Minnesota State Demographic Center (SDC), will discuss on-line and off-line event planning to help you prepare for your own One Year Out launch event, scheduled for Monday, April 1, 2019 (one year out from Census Day). Andrew will also discuss how to keep the SDC updated about your event so the SDC can share the information with statewide media as the One Year Out launch nears.
If you have any questions before the call or would like to register (encouraged, but not required), email or call Andrew Virden at [email protected] or 651-201-2507.
Date: Thursday, January 24
Time: Noon to 1 pm
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