More than 20 members of the Senate Capital Investment Committee made stops in Carlton County last week to visit sites with projects that will vie for state funding during the 2008 Legislative Session.
"This is the third of five tours of Greater Minnesota that we are taking prior to the 2008 session," said Sen. Keith Langseth, DFL-Glyndon. "If past tours are any indication, the information we gather will be very important once the legislative session starts and tough decisions need to be made about which projects will be funded."
Last Tuesday, Oct. 9, senators and staff traveled to the Minnesota Sex Offender Program facility in Moose Lake, where administrators are looking for significant expansion dollars.
"They are asking for approximately $90 million for a 950-bed facility," said Sen. Tony Lourey, DFL-Kerrick. "And the city of Moose Lake is asking for $2.5 million for infrastructure to handle the facility's request."
Also during the four-day tour, senators visited the Fond du Lac Tribal Community Center near Sawyer to hear about the Big Lake Sanitary Area District facility they hope to build with some funding.
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"This is a big deal for us," said Nancy Schuldt, water projects coordinator for the Fond du Lac Reservation. "We've been working on this sanitary district cooperatively with many agencies, some of which include Carlton County, Western Lake Superior Sanitary District and Perch Lake Township since 2001. I think that collaboration makes us a bit unique and I'm excited to take it to the next level."
Sen. Lourey agreed that the project is a great one for area residents.
"I hope it's able to get state backing."
The entire proposed water treatment facility would cost approximately $9 million.
Other communities and sites on the Minnesota tour included Lindstorm, Cambridge, Duluth, Two Harbors, Silver Bay, Illgen City, Ely, Soudan, Tower, Aurora, Grand Rapids, Eveleth, Virginia, Chisholm and Hibbing, among others.
Pine Journal Editor Lisa Baumann can be contacted at: lbaumann@pinejournal.com .
