Last spring, city golf courses opened March 7. This year we still have a lot of snow on April 20.
Thanks to Blaine and City Manager Clark Arneson for hosting the April Operating Committee.
We welcomed Dayton City Administrator Tina Goodroad to her first meeting. We learned Ramsey Mayor Sarah Strommen is resigning because of relocation to Plymouth. We also announced Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures (a.k.a. Grand Casino) is joining NMMA as a Community Partner. At a future meeting, we’ll get you introduced to their far-reaching business enterprises, including hotels in the Twin Cities and services.
New Hope City Manager Kirk McDonald distributed dividend checks to cities that purchased Hirshfield’s field marking paint last year through our North American Joint Purchasing Program. New this year is a third choice in paint quality levels. Call me to get connected, and you’ll get a dividend check next year.
Legislative update—Six support letters have been completed as of today, touching fiscal disparities, New Hope’s regional 50-meter pool, the North Metro Law Enforcement Training Facility in Maple Grove, landfill clean up in Andover, and transportation projects including Hwy 169/101st Ave and completion of 610/94. We initiated new letters of support for Brockton and elections items.
The constitutional amendment for transportation (SF 3837) was discussed. It was decided to move the item through the regular review process for inclusion in the next legislative work plan.
One of our themes this year is reviewing the scope of NMMA work. This week, the group did a pulse check on a list of policies and programs we cover. There was one item all agreed could be pulled off the list—invasive water species. Otherwise, we left with a better understanding of our positions, mostly in agreement and sometimes with variations, on finances, governance, transportation, economic development, environment, regional assets, elections, and programs like Community Partners and NAJPP.
Next Meetings May 16
The Operating Committee has an extra meeting this year to work on the budget. It’s Wednesday, May 16, 11:30 a.m. in Ramsey.
The Board also meets Wednesday, May 16, 5:30 p.m., in Maple Grove. Come with your questions about public engagement and technology. We’ll have Nick Mastronaldi, CEO of Polco, a new civic engagement online tool. His background includes being an Air Force officer, Econ professor, presidential policy analyst, and Amazon data scientist. Come hungry. City Administrator Heidi Nelson says we’re having Portillos.
Feedback? Questions? Call me any time. Jill