I was delighted to once again host the Senate Bonding Committee in December as they visited our area to see firsthand the critical infrastructure projects that will shape the future of a couple of Greater Minnesota communities. This is the second time this year the committee has visited projects in our district.
The unique issues confronting rural communities don’t always get the awareness or engagement they deserve from leaders in St. Paul, so I am grateful the committee took the time to come down and let our community leaders share their visions and challenges.
Belle Plaine Public Safety Center
The city of Belle Plaine plans to construct a new 32,000 square foot public safety facility for the police department and ambulance service, including a 4,200 square foot addition to the existing fire station.
Belle Plaine’s first responders have done a great job, but their current inadequate facilities are not sustainable or suitable for the community’s needs. The current police and ambulance facility was built in 1975. It has undergone multiple renovations but can no longer adequately or safely support police and ambulance operations.
Police staffing has doubled from 7 to 14 officers since 2006 while call volume has more than doubled, creating capacity issues. Current evidence storage is wholly inadequate, as we saw firsthand during our visit. The facility lacks proper spaces for handling evidence, tactical equipment storage, and public/staff separation, as well as suspect holding areas. The existing building has structural and water mitigation issues, and the ambulance service lacks any overnight facilities for its 24-hour EMT staff. The fire station lacks proper decontamination, ventilation, accessibility, locker rooms, and storage.
Building this new facility will enable Belle Plaine first responders to continue providing the fast, efficient expert care that residents deserve.
Le Sueur Community Rec Center
The city of Le Sueur is planning an exciting redevelopment of its 50-year-old community center and adjacent baseball field. This project aims to expand recreational opportunities, improve accessibility, and address deficiencies with the current facilities – all in support of the community’s comprehensive plan.
The existing community center serves as a regional hub for ice hockey, drawing users from surrounding communities. Unfortunately, it also suffers from a number of critical issues, including accessibility challenges, an outdated and inefficient cooling system for the ice arena, and a lack of modern recreational spaces. The undersized basketball gym, non-regulation-sized pool, and inflexible layout further limit programming and accessibility.
In 2022, Le Sueur launched a community-driven Recreation Facilities Master Plan to address the community center’s future. There were meetings with athletic associations to gather needs and feedback, a large community survey gauging support and desires, and a large Community Task Force. The results of this engagement showed a strong demand to reinvigorate the current facility into a true “Center for the Community” supporting health, wellness, and recreation for all ages and abilities.
After significant public infrastructure and education investments in recent years, residents of Le Sueur view improving the outdated, inadequate Community Center as the critical next step for the community and the region.
It is not unusual for bonding bills to be loaded up with wasteful projects and questionable spending, like nonprofits with little oversight or accountability. With limited resources, I am optimistic the committee will avoid the waste of the past and instead focus on funding key infrastructure that will make a big difference in small communities like these.