This session, the Nicollet Conservation Club and Terry worked closely and diligently to reverse legislative actions regarding the Legacy Act and the constitutional language concerning game, fish, and wildlife habitat.  Fred Froehlich spearheaded these efforts and reported to the NCC in the most recent newsletter:

Now, back to this last session at the Capitol, as you know the big fight was over 3 words ” Enhance, Protect and Restore” that the House had stiffed us with in Conference committee the previous year. Because of all the efforts of wildlife groups and especially your individual efforts in contacting your legislators, we prevailed and the language was repealed. I want to give credit to the following legislators from this area  who supported us and worked very hard to make this happen. In the House, Rep. Terry Morrow(DFL) your efforts did not go unnoticed by this organization,we know you logged countless hours building support for us. In the Senate, Sen. Kathy Sheran(DFL) and Sen. Dennis Frederickson(R), again thank you, you all helped immensely. Sen. Frederickson, hope you thoroughly enjoy your retirement and now can find time to share a blind in the field with us. I have to salute Sen. Satveer Chaudhary(DFL) Fridley also, Sen. Chaudhary is Environment and Natural resources, chair. He is a true friend and supporter of every one of us that picks up a rod or gun in Minnesota. If you see these folks on the street, Thank them, without their support we wouldn’t have succeeded.

The Mankato Free Press follows up on its coverage of the still-unopened nursing home at the St. Peter Regional Treatment Center:

When pushed by The Free Press and State Rep. Terry Morrow, DFL-St. Peter, state officials would only say they are assessing what needs to be done and who will pay for it. Morrow has pledged to make department officials accountable to legislative committees for the foul-ups.

 http://mankatofreepress.com/editorials/x657355459/Our-View-Questions-pile-up-over-empty-facility

Representative Terry Morrow has called upon the Department of Human Services and the Department of Administration to answer questions regarding the still-unoccupied nursing home at the Regional Treatment Center.

Excerpts from Mankato Free Press coverage, July 3, 2010

“An $8.8 million facility to house aging convicts and sex offenders at the St. Peter Regional Treatment Center remains unoccupied a year after construction was completed and nearly eight months after state officials hailed it as “a great structure” at a ribbon-cutting ceremony.”

“Morrow said it wasn’t until June that he realized building deficiencies were keeping the facility from being used — and only then because of reports from area residents who are familiar with what’s going on at the treatment center.

“I found out when a good number of folks individually stopped me in the last couple of weeks around town and talked about was happening,” said Morrow, who was elected to the House in 2006. “I never heard from the department that there were any kinds of problems.”

Awaiting answers

Morrow responded with a letter to Human Services Commissioner Cal Ludeman on June 24 to “express my deep concern regarding the forensic nursing home located in St. Peter” and asking “who is responsible for these failures.” He requested a response by June 28.

Human Services forwarded the letter to Administration, and Morrow began to get answers Thursday afternoon — about the same time answers to the list of Free Press questions arrived.

The response was the same: that the parties involved were still working to determine how the fixes will be done, and that completion dates and costs can’t be estimated yet.

Who’s responsible for the additional cost is still being sorted out as well, Morrow was told.

Morrow said he has questions that go beyond the violations themselves, including the months-long delays between when the contractor finished construction and turned the building over to Human Services (July 14, 2009) and when the fire and health inspections were conducted (April 29,  2010).”

Morrow said he’s already taking steps to allow the Legislature to verify that and has informed the chairman of the House Health and Human Services Policy and Oversight Committee of the problems.

I’m going to ask DHS to report to the Legislature who was responsible. I’m going to ask the department to report that no tax dollars were lost because of these mistakes.

$8.8 million RTC state nursing home unusable

http://mankatofreepress.com/bigstory/x383292768/-8-8-million-RTC-state-nursing-home-unusable 

This week’s meeting at the Fort Ridgely chalet marked a significant improvement: the Friends of Fort Ridgely have been invited to the table to talk with the Department of Natural Resources, the Minnesota Historical Society, and the Nicollet County Historical Society.  The productive discussion included an apology for not involving the Friends and the public sooner in the planning process.  Now, the Friends will be a significant part of the planning for the park’s future and for preserving the site’s historic importance.  Terry Morrow has been involved throughout this situation, working to find a solution that respects the Friends’ and the public’s commitment and that protects the entire site.

Submitted Photo to Mankato Free Press
“New Fight at Fort Ridgely,” Mankato Free Press, 24 June 2010
 http://mankatofreepress.com/local/x1703938712/New-fight-at-Fort-Ridgely-involves-park-reconfiguration

Terry Morrow, Kathy Brynaert, and Kathy Sheran met today with Greater Mankato Growth and Southern Minnesota Advocates to talk about the legislative session and the bonding bill
http://keyc.com/node/38694 

After over a decade of delay, the Mankato MnDOT building is moving forward and will open soon.  Terry Morrow and Kathy Brynaert successfully carried this bill in 2008:

Pioneer Press, June 18, 2010
FORT RIDGELY STATE PARK — John LaBatte has ancestors on both sides of the 1862 battles at Fort Ridgely, where a couple hundred soldiers and frontier settlers repelled two Indian attacks on a plateau high above the Minnesota River.

So when LaBatte looks over that battlefield and talks of the ground on which Indians, settlers and soldiers died or were wounded, it’s deeply personal. Especially now, as the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Minnesota Historical Society push proposed changes at Fort Ridgely State Park that he and others contend would desecrate the site….

The dispute flared last month, when word leaked about the proposal, which received about $800,000 through a state bonding bill approved by the Legislature last winter. Frederickson and Rep. Terry Morrow, DFL-St. Peter, said legislators were unaware of plan details or the existence of local opposition.

They contend the DNR, which runs the park, and the historical society, which operates the fort site, did a poor job of involving the local community early in the proposal.

That’s a fair criticism, Mitchell said. “We could have and should have done a better job of communicating with the public,'’ he said….

At this point, the DNR said it is pushing ahead. But the department emphasized it is keeping options “in play.'’ A meeting involving the two state organizations, the friends group, legislators and others is scheduled for Monday night.

“The thing we’re trying to impress on folks is that all of the decisions haven’t been made here,'’ Mitchell said.

“We’re certainly looking at the project a little bit differently,'’ added Tom Ellig, manager of community outreach and partnerships for the historical society. “But we still think the reasons we started with this initiative are valid reasons to continue to look at it.'’

Morrow, however, said he thinks the process needs to slow down. “It needs to truly set up an opportunity to hear alternative ideas and respond to these objections,'’ he said….

http://www.twincities.com/ci_15313677?nclick_check=1