Update: Mankato Free Press gives local efforts a “Thumbs up”

To the group of local leaders who are pressing the Minnesota Department of Transportation to come up with a better plan to schedule improvements on Highway 14. Rep. Terry Morrow of St. Peter wrote a letter to the transportation commissioner stating “enough is enough” and he and other local leaders succeeded in getting an audience with a deputy commissioner to talk about the situation.

The Highway 14 Partnership has been pushing the state for decades to expand Highway 14 to four lanes. There is no provision for completing the project between now and 2030. The meeting this week resulted in a  strategy to try and break the more than $300 million project into more manageable phases.

That push is no guarantee, but maybe it will get the wheels rolling on a better solution to fixing the dangerous roadway.

http://tinyurl.com/22uuy4h 

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Mankato Free Press: August 25
The latest traffic fatality on Highway 14 between North Mankato and New Ulm prompted a letter from state Rep. Terry Morrow to Minnesota Department of Transportation head Tom Sorel that began with a blunt salutation: “Commissioner Sorel, enough is enough.”

The letter prompted a closed-door meeting Thursday in North Mankato with Sorel’s top deputy, a trio of state lawmakers, aides to Congressman Tim Walz and Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken, and representatives of local governments along the stretch of two-lane highway.

“It was a real frank meeting,” said North Mankato Mayor Gary Zellmer, the president of the Highway 14 Partnership — which has been pushing for decades for the expansion of the highway to four lanes to New Ulm. “Probably the frankest we’ve ever had with MnDOT and all the partners there.” (more…)

A bipartisan group of seven state legislators has asked Gov. Tim Pawlenty and two oversight agencies to delay a controversial plan to move the park ranger station at Fort Ridgely State Park into a historic commissary building.

The proposal has caused widespread opposition among local residents, who contend it would expand parking lot areas at the site of two 1862 battles between Indians and soldiers and would obscure views for battlefield visitors.

This year, the state Legislature passed a public works bill that included money for the project.

But a park advocacy group, Friends of Fort Ridgely, complained it hadn’t been consulted first and, along with many area residents, opposed the effort.

The state park, which includes the remains of the 19th century fort, is six miles south of Fairfax.

Since the Legislature’s action, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Minnesota Historical Society and local interests have been meeting. Still, the DNR and the historical society have not backed off their plan, which they say would upgrade an aging station and would make operations there more efficient.

In a letter, the lawmakers are asking the DNR and the historical society to stop working on the project until the Legislature reconvenes in January.

The DNR has contended the appropriated money must be used for the project, but the lawmakers question that and said delaying the project would allow the Legislature to take a better look at it.

“Serious procedural concerns exist about the lack of public input at the front end of this process, giving our constituents the impression that the project was a ‘done deal’ before the public was consulted,'’ the letter said.A DNR parks spokesman reached late Thursday said he couldn’t speak for the agency.

“From a field perspective, we are doing our best to move forward to what the legislative mandate is and to stay engaged in dialogue with the friends group,'’ said Craig Mitchell, the DNR’s regional manager for parks and trails.

The letter was signed by Sens. Gary Kubly, DFL-Granite Falls; Kathy Sheran, DFL-Mankato; Dennis Frederickson, R-New Ulm, and Reps. Terry Morrow, DFL-St. Peter; Lyle Koenen, DFL-Clara City; Dean Urdahl, R-Grove City; and Paul Torkelson, R-Nelson Township.

“I’m optimistic that there will be a reasonable delay on this project so that local stakeholders and others can have meaningful input into Fort Ridgely’s future,'’ Morrow said.

http://tinyurl.com/37pa9yv 

MANKATO — Greater Mankato Growth will host a forum on Unemployment Insurance for Employers from 10-11 a.m. Monday in the Sakatah Room of the Greater Mankato Business Development Center (formerly Technology Plus), 1961 Premier Drive.

Employers interested in attending the session are asked to RSVP via email at info@greatermankato.com or by calling 385-6640.

The session was initiated by state Rep. Terry Morrow of St. Peter, who having heard from a number of employers in the area, asked GMG to hold the session.

Lee Nelson, the director of the unemployment insurance division at Department of Economic Development, will be available for questions.

More information on the Unemployment Insurance session is available in the Public Affairs section of GMG’s website.

http://mankatofreepress.com/local/x1757949130/Employer-questions-to-be-answered-Monday

ST. PAUL - Seven southern Democrat and Republican legislators signed a letter regarding the Fort Ridgely capital investment project that was delivered this week to Gov. Pawlenty, Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Commissioner Mark Holsten and Minnesota Historical Society (MHS) Director Nina Archabal.

Representatives Terry Morrow (D-St. Peter,) Lyle Koenen (D-Clara City,) Dean Urdahl (R-Grove City) and Paul Torkelson (R-St. James) plus senators Dennis Frederickson (R-New Ulm,) Kathy Sheran (D-Mankato and Gary Kubly (D-Granite Falls) signed the letter that requested the project detailed in the 2010 Capital Investment bill not move forward at this time….

http://nujournal.com/page/content.detail/id/515029.html?nav=5009

The following organizations have endorsed Terry’s 2010 re-election bid for Minnesota House District 23A:

In the 2010 legislative session, Representative Terry Morrow (23A) successfully passed legislation directing the Minnesota Department of Transportation to develop a revised Greater Minnesota Transit Plan.  This summer, MnDOT has moved forward on this project.

You can find more information at:

www.dot.state.mn.us/transit/transitplan

Terry Morrow has been named the 2010 “Legislator of Distinction: Transportation Policy” by the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities.

Each year at its summer conference, CGMC honors legislators and city officials who made significant efforts during the previous legislative session to advance issues important to greater Minnesota.

http://www.greatermncities.org/