Putting Green gets

$132,000 grant

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

ST. PAUL -- Take that, Minnesota Taxpayers League!

The $132,000 grant, which was recommended by the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources, to Putting Green, Inc., was approved by the Minnesota Legislature Monday.

It was one of a number of LCMR recommendations included in the $1.3 billion environment, agriculture, economic development and natural resources finance bill, Sen. Dennis Frederickson, R-New Ulm, said.

The finance bill now is on its way to the governor for his signature.

Also included was a LCMR grant of $622,000 for the Blue Earth River Basin Initiative's "third crop" proposal for cleaning up the river watershed that is said to be responsible for half of the Minnesota River's pollution.

"The bill also has in it $150,000 from the LCMR for improvements at the Fort Ridgely Historical Site. The money is going to the Minnesota Historical Society for replacing informative kiosks, improving trails and changing trail layout," Frederickson said.

He said the grant is not connected in any way with the planned renovation of the fort's golf course.

"That's being done by the DNR (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources), and I've been told several times in the last two or three months that they're about ready to let that contract for the design, but I don't know if they let it or not. But they were moving ahead with it, and they were on the verge of it," Frederickson said.

The Putting Green grant gained considerable notoriety several weeks ago when the project was the subject of a rather sarcastic "wastewatcher" alert from the Minnesota Taxpayer's League.

"So how much will this educational cornucopia cost?" the league's legislative director David Strom asked. "A mere $1.7 million! But trust those guys at Putting Green, Inc., they have been very conservative in their estimates, they say. They just need a few hundred thousand in taxpayer dollars to get off the ground. Promise."

"I think it's obvious that Mr. Strom doesn't understand the project," Frederickson said, in regard to Strom's blast. "I would maintain it is a very serious environmental learning project."

However, so influential was Strom's "wastewatcher" alert about the Putting Green, Inc., that its grants and a number of others, including the Blue Earth project, were "zeroed out" of the finance bill by a Senate subcommittee. Frederickson led the fight to get those zeroed-out projects amended into the Senate version and retained in conference committee.

In action Tuesday, the first day of the special session, Frederickson expected a criminal and judiciary bill to pass. The bill includes a provision allowing "double bunking" in cells in state facilities and county-run jails.

"It also calls for the state adding a $25 surcharge to criminal and misdemeanor fines. So, if you're arrested for speeding, you'd pay $25 on top of the fine. It also adds a $3 fee to parking tickets. I'm not happy about it, but it appears it's going to pass.

Frederickson predicted the Legislature's work would come down to passing a tax bill and the health and human services bill on Thursday, ending the special session.

"I would predict that we'll deal with the tax bill first, and that's going to be a battle. But the health and human services bill will be last because it's going to be tougher than the tax bill."

The big battle with the tax bill will be over cuts in Local Government Aid, Frederickson explained.

"The governor's proposal is out, and the House proposal, although better than the governor's, is still not the answer. There's a bunch of us looking for fairness in treating cities in Greater Minnesota regarding LGA cuts."

Frederickson wouldn't speculate on what it would take to appease those fighting to soften the blow on rural communities.

"There are a lot of issues in the health and human services bill that will take a lot of hammering out, such as medical aid to illegal immigrants and welfare issues in general, so that's going to be a long one," Frederickson said.

"But, no matter, I plan to back in New Ulm with my family on Friday!"