The new, citizen-led organization being formed to promote the natural resource and economic health of the Minnesota River basin will meet again Nov. 12 and select its governing action board members.
The Minnesota River Congress has filed with the Minnesota Secretary of State for not-for-profit corporate status. This establishes the Congress as a recognized organization with governing structure and bylaws.
The fifth meeting of the full Congress, which is open to the public, is scheduled to begin with a networking fair at 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12 at Turner Hall in New Ulm. A meal will be served at 6 p.m., followed by two brief presentations: Wild River Academy report on the Paddle Forward excursion this past summer and fall down the entire 318-mile length of the Minnesota River; Minnesota Agricultural Water Resources Center overview of the Discovery Farms water quality research projects.
The Congress business meeting is scheduled to begin at 7:15 p.m. and will adjourn at 9 p.m. It will include a discussion of proposed legislation (Senate File 2204) creating a Minnesota River Commission. The commission would coordinate water quality work among the 13 watersheds in the basin. The current bill cites the Minnesota River Congress as serving as the citizen advisory committee and also having access to commission voting membership.
The governing action board will be composed of representatives from each of the basin’s 13 separate watersheds, various sectors such as business and agriculture, and state agencies. It will set policy, goals, and objectives for the Congress. It will name a management committee to handle operations such as finance and communications.
Register by sending your name and address, and $15 registration fee (includes meal) to Minnesota River Congress, PO Box 488 New Ulm, MN 56073. Online registration is available at: https://payableform.appspot.com/forms/avm4p. To reserve a table for the networking fair, send $30 to the above address, or register online at https://payableform.appspot.com/forms/4q7bz.
