Dear Neighbor,
Congratulations to Albany Area Schools for receiving a $3,005 state agricultural project grant.
The grant was issued by the Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council to will support Albany’s “Growing Dreams in Horticulture” project. The MAELC indicates the funding “will help supply lab materials for their brand-new greenhouse allowing the program to provide a hands-on approach to course offerings such as horticulture, biology, plant science and floriculture.”
It’s good to see one of our area schools receiving this support. Career and tech education is regaining the importance it deserves, and this grant will help Albany and its ag instructor, Amy Zimmermann, continue to help lead the resurgence.
MAELC reports that, since its creation in 1997, it has awarded more than $16.1 million in various forms to support agricultural education and programs in Minnesota.
In other news, today the non-partisan Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) released a special review detailing more than $29 million in improper payments made by the Minnesota Department of Human Services. These payments were made over a five-year period to two tribes for addiction treatment services.
The audit found that DHS repeatedly engaged in practices that effectively caused double-billing to the federal government (once for an in-person visit, and multiple additional reimbursements when patients self-administer medication at home).
The special review blamed “troubling dysfunction” at DHS, noting the overpayments continued over several years and did not stop until an outside inquiry brought them to light. The ongoing mismanagement and waste of tax dollars at DHS needs to end. We could start by having DHS cover the $29 million in overpayments within their own $18 billion budget.
Regardless, an agency-wide overhaul focusing on reorganization, consolidation, and accountability should be a top priority as we prepare for the 2020 session.
I will pass along more as this situation develops. Until next time, please be extra careful this harvest season and be on the lookout for large machinery on our roadways.
Sincerely,
Paul