Greetings ~
Resignations from the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority (MSFA):
Yesterday, both Ted Mondale, CEO and Executive Director of the MSFA, and Michele Kelm-Helgen, Chair of the MSFA, resigned from their positions over the U.S. Bank Stadium taxpayer funded suite controversy that I mentioned in last week’s update.
The legislature is continuing to work to prevent similar unethical behavior from occurring in the future by reforming the board. This week in the Government Operations and Elections Policy Committee, which I chair, we heard a bill (House 778) authored by Rep. Sarah Anderson (R-Plymouth) that would change the makeup of the MSFA from being 3 appointees by the Governor and 2 by the Mayor of Minneapolis to 1 by the Governor, the Speaker of the House, the Mayor of Minneapolis, the House Majority Leader, the Senate Majority Leader, the House Minority Leader, and the Senate Minority Leader.
The bill was then referred to the State Government Finance Committee, which I also sit on, to be debated further. The bill passed that committee and will continue to go through the legislative process. I am working to make sure the People’s Stadium stays in the hands of the people.
Constituent Meetings:
This was a busy week in St. Paul. I had the chance to meet with a lot of constituents who came to visit with me regarding issues important to them: Stearns Electric Association members, auto dealers, St. Cloud State University students, and Farm Bureau members.
Ditch Mowing:
Late last fall, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), under the direction of Governor Dayton, issued a statement detailing a new policy requiring a permit for landowners to obtain in order to mow ditches.
This is a large overreach of MnDOT’s authority and it is being addressed. A bill to remedy this issue is currently moving through the committee process in the legislature and I expect it to come before the House of Representatives for a vote of the entire body later in session.
Fun Fact of the Week:
This weekend’s warm weather has me thinking of baseball. The Minnesota Twins Home Opener is Monday, April 3rd; only 46 days away!
If you know of anyone who would like to receive future email updates, forward this email to them and have them sign up here. Also, if you ever have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding any issue related to state government, please feel free to contact me at either 651-296-7808 or rep.tim.odriscoll@house.mn.
Sincerely,
