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Articles on
Interest |
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No more Blandin Santa Claus
Help needed on meth prevention, economy
By ROY MILLER Editor
Don't look for the Grand Rapids-based Blandin Foundation
to play Santa Claus in a big way in the lakes area
anymore. An agreement struck last December indicates that
the big chunk of money Blandin gave to get the YMCA
expansion off the ground here may be the last big gift
from the foundation for this area. But that won't mean
that the foundation that seeks to help Minnesota's rural
communities doesn't care about central Minnesota. Blandin
people will continue to be champions for all the outstate
regions of the state. And, with that in mind, the new
Blandin president, Jim Hoolihan, came to Brainerd this
week to meet with a handful of community leaders rounded
up by the Brainerd Lakes Chambers of Commerce at Central
Lakes College. It mainly was a get-acquainted visit.
Hoolihan explained that the Blandin board wanted him to
"get out of the castle and listen" around the state. Some
people argue that the Blandin effort has moved too far
afield from the Grand Rapids castle. A group of Grand
Rapids citizens said the foundation that was launched as
the trust of Charles Blandin, longtime owner of the
Blandin Paper Co., had become too interested in areas
outside of Itasca County. They argued that Mr. Blandin
wanted the foundation to focus on the Grand Rapids area.
In December, the foundation reached an agreement with a
Ramsey County district court judge and the attorney
general's office to settle the dispute. From now on 55
percent of the Blandin grants each year must be in Grand
Rapids and Itasca County. Still, Hoolihan is traveling
around the state this summer asking what communities want
from the Blandin Foundation. "Wanna buy a golf course?"
joked Peter Herlofsky, Crow Wing County administrator,
referring to the Pine Meadows Golf Course issue. "We could
call it Pokegama South," joked architect Brooke Silvernail
with a reference to the Grand Rapids public golf course.
"Or maybe Blandin Bunkers," said Lisa Paxton, chamber CEO.
That likely won't happen but it did eject a little levity
into the hour-long conversation. The foundation has about
$400 million in assets. It tries to donate $18 to $19
million each year. Besides awarding grants, the foundation
focuses on its community leadership program, public policy
engagement and the state's forest-based industry. In the
past, where Blandin might have kicked in with seed money
for a YMCA in the outstate area, it's clear now that the
focus will be on economic development. What will happen in
Grand Rapids? Well, consider the $20 million the
foundation is contributing toward a $63 million Grand
Rapids hospital project. As they say, everything comes
down to location, location, location. Enough of the envy
stuff. What did the Brainerd leaders suggest they need
from the foundation? Help on methamphetamines and economic
development. Surprisingly, they go hand in hand, if you
believe the reasoning of Lucy Nesheim, a member of the
Brainerd City Council. To her, the area's resources that
could be going to providing help in economic development
and other community needs are being tapped by the meth
battle when you figure in the outlay consumed by
everything from law enforcement to social services. "This
money that is being drained away by the meth problem could
be used for other capital needs," Nesheim said. Based on
the sad fact that meth has become a major statewide issue,
the group seemed to point Hoolihan toward the need for a
statewide conference. He seemed receptive. He also proved
to be a good listener when the talk turned to economic
development in the lakes area. A group formed in the wake
of the Potlatch closure is looking for funding to
implement its effort to promote the creation of
good-paying jobs in the area. Again, Hoolihan seemed
receptive. He was listening and taking notes. Kathy
Gaalswyk, director of the Initiative Foundation in Little
Falls, reported that the state demographer's office has
issued a new projection showing that foundation's
14-county area will grow by 40 percent in the next 25
years. "Help us grow wisely," Gaalswyk said, noting the
difficult balancing act of economy vs. environment. If
this week's session is any indication, the Blandin
Foundation will still be willing to provide that wise
advice. It will be there to help outstate communities help
themselves. ROY MILLER, editor, can be reached at
roy.miller@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5855. |
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| About District 3 – Brainerd / St.
Cloud |
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District 3 is located in central Minnesota, which includes
all parts of 13 counties: (Aitkin, Benton, Cass, Crow
Wing, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Sherburne,
Stearns, Todd, Wadena, Wright). More than 525,000 people
reside within the 11,823 square mile district. The region
is a popular tourist area with many lakes and recreational
facilities. The southern half is primarily farm county.
The northern section is predominantly mixed forest and
farm county.
Mn/DOT’s
workforce within District 3 consists of 437 employees.
There are 20 highway maintenance truck stations with 106
snowplow trucks strategically located throughout the
district.
Transportation facts about the area include:
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20
public airports
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382
active miles of railway
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11
public transit systems
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418
bridges
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1,633 center line miles under DOT jurisdiction (3,984
lane miles)
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701
Adopt-A-Highway groups keep 98% of the highway
right-of-way clean
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The
fastest growing rural DOT district
The
area is home to St. Cloud State University, two private
colleges, and five community / technical colleges.
Recreation and entertainment includes five state parks,
campgrounds, hunting and fishing, hiking, cross country
skiing, snowmobiling, waterskiing and golf. Other
entertainment includes the Brainerd International Raceway,
casino gambling and entertainment, amusement centers, and
many resorts with outdoor recreation. |
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Transportation |
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June 11th, 2002
Prepare to stop
Fewer funds and rising costs put brakes on transportation
ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Department of
Transportation today announced that it will likely defer
or drop 163 projects across the state due to projected
funding shortfalls. The projects, valued at $1.6 billion,
had been scheduled to begin between 2003 and 2012.
Department officials said deferral was the only option
because funding remains relatively flat while the cost of
construction and land continues to escalate. In fact,
inflation rates for highway projects have risen 40 percent
since the mid-1990s.
"Transportation investments have lagged for 15 years
and no new funding again in 2002 means project estimates,
schedules and commitments must change. It is our
obligation to clarify for the public, elected officials
and local governments what we can and cannot accomplish
with the dollars we have," said Transportation
Commissioner Elwyn Tinklenberg.
Particularly hard hit are projects slated for the Twin
Cities metro area and in the Rochester-Owatonna area.
These projects include a three-year delay for the $100
million "Unweave the Weave" project to separate the I-35E
and I-694 commons area in Maplewood. Changes also include
an average two-year delay for reconstruction and
improvements on Highway 52 north of Rochester to St. Paul
and Highway 14 between Rochester and Waseca. A one-year
delay is planned on widening parts of Highway 371 between
Little Falls and Brainerd, a heavily traveled tourism
route.
Tinklenberg said that Mn/DOT is doing the best it can
with current resources. "Although the department will work
with the area transportation partners before finalizing
the list of projects, the overall spending plan cannot
change until transportation receives additional permanent
funding", he said.
Transportation Priorities
Mn/DOT officials said deferrals are based on criteria that
put safety and structural needs ahead of the system
improvements and expansion projects. "We emphasized
investments that preserve and manage the system - those
projects needed to take care of existing highways and
bridges - ahead of expanding or replacing the system.
Prioritizing our investments resulted in delaying several
of our major construction projects designed to add lanes
on rural highways and increase capacity on Twin Cities
freeways," said Tinklenberg.
The projects ultimately included the department's
updated transportation plan are based on level of need,
closeness to completion and local support. Mn/DOT traffic
engineers anticipate that congestion in urban areas and on
key commuter routs throughout the state will continue to
increase, resulting in reduced travel speeds and longer
commute times. Specific examples of these impact include:
- Travel speeds on I-94 between the Twin Cities and
St. Cloud will eventually decrease to 55 mph.
- Travel speeds on Highway 10 through Elk River will
decrease by 9 mph.
- Travel speeds on Highway 169 between Rogers and
Zimmerman will decrease by 12 mph.
Cost of Deferral
The projects identified are being delayed on an average of
three years. Delays in construction will cost the state
$360 million in inflation. On top of that, there will be
an increased cost to purchase land for new and expanded
right of way.
Tinklenberg said that Mn/DOT has streamlined agency
operations and management, but improved efficiency alone
cannot increase revenue enough to keep up with increased
demand on the transportation system.
"Mn/DOT can't make up for 15 years of inadequate
funding. Minnesotans need to understand that there is a
serious transportation funding crisis that has a domino
effect on local public works like road construction,
sidewalks and storm sewer upgrades," he said.
"It is unfortunate that people living adjacent to the
corridors most directly affected by these changes will
have continued uncertainty in planning their lives.
Business owners and residents have been very patient in
waiting for their projects to start - they will be
extremely disappointed that the 2002 Legislature, like its
predecessors, did not provide additional transportation
funding," said Tinklenberg.
Tinklenberg noted that had the Governor's 2000 Moving
Minnesota funding proposal been approved, it would have
provided $3.4 billion in state funding, enabling $1.6
billion in federal funding for total of $5 billion in
additional transportation funds over a 10-year period. In
addition to funding roads and bridges, the Moving
Minnesota plan would have expanded Greater Minnesota
transit services |
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