Greetings District 10!
Wishing everyone a safe and successful hunting season!
Make a plan for deer season. As you prepare, check out the Minnesota Department of Natural Resource’s online make a plan tool. All you need to use the tool is your deer permit area number and you’ll step through a comprehensive list of information to consider before heading to deer camp.
More details: Make a plan for deer season
Deer Registration Required: Mandatory Deer Harvest Registration
Minnesota CWD Sampling Zones: CWD Mandatory Sampling
What the Governor has forgotten
Successful and effective state government relies on productive working relationships between its Governor and Legislators. Previous Governors, regardless of political party, recognized this fact and built those relationships. Though our current Governor and Legislature do disagree on policies and bill language, voters expect a working relationship. Governor Walz continues to show an unwillingness to work with the Legislature—and that is unfortunate.
Last week, Governor Walz visited a proposed local jobs and projects site in the Brainerd Lakes area. His objective: “to hear from Minnesotans and visit projects that [he] is considering including in his bonding proposal for the 2022 legislative session.” Traditionally, previous Governors notify local elected officials and invite them to join the scheduled event—a protocol which demonstrates partnership between elected officials who all serve the State. In this case, Walz did not notify any Republican legislators about his visit. It was unfortunate to not be included in the local tour, or even aware of the scheduled event.
I am honored to represent Senate District 10 and all its interests at the Capitol—the Senator role is extremely important. Sadly, the Governor continues to show zero interest in working with the Legislature. The upcoming 2022 Legislative Session will be an important bonding year—following nearly two years of hardship, bonding projects selected are vital to business owners and constituents. It’s important to listen, learn about, and discuss potential local projects as well as the Governor’s overall bonding proposal—but the Governor and Legislature should provide equal input, since the Legislature represents the voice of the affected people. The Governor needs to begin working with the Legislature…let’s lead together for the State. It’s what our constituents deserve.
Childcare in Crow Wing County
Crow Wing County is committed to addressing the shortage of quality childcare with a new funding opportunity. The county has allocated $500,000 towards childcare assistance grants available to existing childcare providers and new start-up childcare businesses.
The application is open starting Monday, November 1 through Monday, December 6. Applications are submitted through an online google form and must be completed by Monday, December 6, 2021 at 4:00pm. Online application: BLAEDC website at www.growbrainerdlakes.org or information here: Childcare Application Funds
Thank you for the events & meetings…I enjoy connecting with the community!
Last week I was invited to tour North Memorial’s ambulance base in Brainerd…the experience was incredibly educational. I observed the many services provided and discussed the challenges of rural Emergency Medical Services (EMS)—in outstate regions, paramedics receive specialized critical transport training so they can handle customers with complex medical conditions. Thank you, North Memorial, for your great work and to ALL our EMS workers!
I was honored to attend the Mississippi Headwaters Board (MHB) Conference last week and present former Senator Bob Lessard an award for his work on the establishment of the MHB. In 1979 Senator Bob Lessard fought a plan by President Jimmy Carter to federally manage the upper Mississippi. Lessard instead assembled an alternative multi-county group that he said could manage the water much better and cheaper…Senator Bob Lessard won, and local management was created. A joint powers board of Clearwater, Hubbard, Beltrami, Cass, Itasca, Aitkin, Crow Wing and Morrison counties…to enhance and protect the natural, cultural, historic, scientific, and recreational values of the Mississippi headwaters region. It achieves its goals of river protection through cooperative land use planning in the eight counties, in conjunction with the Chippewa National Forest and the Leech Lake Indian Reservation.
This week I was busy in St. Paul meeting with Church Ambassadors, Animal Humane Society, Explore Minnesota Tourism, Minnesota State Arts Board, Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation District and Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.
If you’re looking to hear more from the Capitol, please like me on Facebook.
As always please feel free to contact my office with any questions you might have. My office can be reached by phone at (651) 296-4913 or at sen.carrie.ruud@senate.mn.
Talk to you soon!
Carrie Ruud