Minnesota Mississippi River Parkway Commission Executive Committee July 16, 2018 State Office Building, St. Paul MN MINUTES - Draft

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1 Minnesota Mississippi River Parkway Commission Executive Committee July 16, 2018 State Office Building, St. Paul MN MINUTES - Draft Members Present Cordelia Pierson Vice Chair Sen. David Senjem Anne Lewis Secretary-Treasurer Andrea Kajer Historical Society Appointee Member Absent Rep. Sheldon Johnson Technical Advisors & Staff Present Carol Zoff DOT Greg Hubinger - LCC Chris Miller - Staff Meeting called to order by Vice-Chair Pierson. Draft agenda was reviewed and additions were made Little Falls route change request and certificate of appreciation for Sheldon Johnson. Motion by Andrea Kajer and seconded by Anne Lewis to approve the agenda as amended. Motion carried. Commission Membership Acting Chair Designation: In Rep. Johnson s recent absence, Vice Chair Pierson has facilitated meetings and Sen. Senjem has acted as official approval authority for the Commission. There was discussion about continuing this approach and thanks were expressed to Cordelia Pierson and Sen. Senjem. Motion by Andrea Kajer and seconded by Anne Lewis to continue with the temporary leadership plan as described. Motion carried. Regional Meetings/Elections: Metro, Bluffs and At-Large Commissioner positions are scheduled for election in fall of Regional meetings will be planned for Metro and Bluffs, and the MN-MRPC will consider the At-Large position at an upcoming quarterly meeting, likely November. Regional Vacancy Grand Rapids to Brainerd: There is a mid-term vacancy due to resignation of Lauren Larson from the Grand Rapids to Brainerd Regional Commissioner position. An application has been received from an interested candidate and discussion followed on process and whether an appointment could be made to fill the remainder of the term or if there should be a mid-term election. Committee members recommended proceeding with a one week call for applications noting that there is an active candidate and then a one week election period. National MRPC Updates Drive the Great River Road Month: September is annual Drive the Great River Road Month, celebrated in all ten states. Minnesota will feature Plan Your Trip and new GRR signage for this year s campaign. Anne Lewis is working on a news release and will report at the August 16 quarterly meeting. A suggestion was made to recognize MnDOT s support of Plan Your Trip and signage at the August 16 meeting. Thanks were also noted to the DNR for providing signage matching funds. All agreed and staff will follow up Annual Meeting: The meeting will be held October in West Memphis, Arkansas. Agenda and cost details should be available soon and a call for interest will be sent to members. The committee recommended continuing recent criteria to select MN attendees available budget, active committee/board participation and first time attendance. MRPC/MRCTI 2020 Fall Meeting - Bemidji, MN: The ten state MRPC Board of Directors met via conference call on July 13. Carol Zoff served as proxy for Minnesota. The Board approved September as dates for the 2020 Annual Meeting to align with dates the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative will be meeting in Bemidji. The National MRPC Office was also authorized to work with Visit Bemidji to secure meeting facilities and lodging arrangements. Anne Lewis noted that she will be attending the MRCTI s September 2018 meeting in Moline, IL.

2 MN-MRPC FY 19 Budget A draft FY 19 activity/project budget was distributed and discussed. Actual spending for FY 18 was reviewed. Committee members approved the line item amounts as proposed for review by the full Commission. Revisions will be made throughout the year as actual costs are known. Unfunded projects were discussed. The committee agreed on their importance, recommended they stay on the list and that funding be sought for implementation. A website friendly to mobile devices is important and Shavlik Foundation was mentioned as a possible grant source. Suggestions for Ambassador Development included sending a letter to CVBs/Chambers along the route inviting them to become ambassadors; and working with Explore Minnesota to develop the program. Letter of Support Outreach Process Questions for consideration and background materials in the meeting packet were referenced. The committee discussed whether the Commission should conduct broad outreach inviting requests for letters of support, for which sources of funding, and if so, to whom? Specific funding sources recently applied for by GRR partners include Transportation Alternatives, State Bonding, and Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR). Many other funding sources also exist and the MN- MRPC s quarterly meeting schedule does not always allow for action that meets local timelines. The MN GRR Investment Inventory is an appendix to the CMP providing a list of projects already identified. The committee recommendation was to distribute an annual letter to MN-MRPC stakeholders inviting letter of support requests, explaining the Commission process and timelines, providing a list of quarterly meeting dates, and including deadlines for letter of support requests. The letter should also describe how the Commission will partner with projects including general promotion, feature at GRR Day at the Capitol and other events/presentations, and listing in the Plan Your Trip online tool. The letter should go to all contacts on the MN GRR Investment Inventory as well as stakeholder lists. There was also discussion about posting details on the Plan Your Project homepage, posting on Facebook, and possible future presentations to groups such as the League of Minnesota Cities and Association of Minnesota Counties. Legislative Proposals 2019 MN-MRPC Amendments: Amendments to the MN-MRPC statute were discussed and a draft from 2017 was reviewed. The committee recommended moving forward with an updated version of these amendments during the 2019 session, including Commission sunset date and four-year staggered terms for regional members in MN Statute ; as well as removal of the MN-MRPC from the list of organizations not fulfilling a transportation purpose in MN Statute MN-MRPC CMP Implementation Project: Process and history of requesting additional funds were discussed. The House and Senate will be requesting additional funds in 2019 to cover cost increases. The MN-MRPC has requested additional funds in the past but not recently. The committee recommended requesting additional funding for the MN-MRPC in the 2019 legislative session to implement current unfunded projects website update, Ambassador Development program, and development and printing of new MN GRR map. Estimates should be developed by the end of 2018 and be ready for the start of the 2019 session. GRR Day at the Capitol: The committee recommended that plans move forward for the 2019 session but in a format focusing on committee presentations and individual visits rather than an open house style event or large scale presentation. Member Agency Proposals and Timelines: State agencies have timelines in place for legislative proposals and this information might be of interest/help to the MN-MRPC. The committee recommended that timelines be requested from agency members to share with the Commission as reference.

3 Plan Your Trip Interactive Mapping Tool Carol Zoff provided an update. Face to face beta testing with MN-MRPC members is taking place in July and revisions are being made as feedback is received. CVBs and Interpretive Centers will be asked to test the tool online using a prepared questionnaire. Full launch is planned for Drive the Great River Road Month in September and improvements/additions will continue to be made in the future including follow up with the 500+ individual resources included on the site. Other Little Falls GRR Route Change Request: An was received from MnDOT District 3 regarding a requested change to the Great River Road route in Little Falls. A left turn will no longer be allowed on Hwy 27 near downtown and a route change is being proposed to address this. Details will be shared with the MN-MRPC at an upcoming meeting. Commission approval is a required step in the change process. Certificate of Appreciation for Rep. Johnson: The committee discussed Rep. Johnson s outstanding contributions to the Commission and recommended a letter/certificate recognizing his service. Relay of Voices: Anne Lewis reported that there will likely be a MOU with the ten state MRPC to define the partnership for this event that will occur along the Great River Road in Products will likely include GRR talking points for use during the event. Victoria Bradford, the project leader, has reported positive and productive meetings with Minnesota host communities. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 2:55 p.m.

4 1 MINNESOTA STATUTES MISSISSIPPI RIVER PARKWAY COMMISSION. Subdivision 1. Policy. It is declared to be the policy of the state and to be in the best public interest for the promotion of public safety, recreation, travel, trade, and the general welfare of the people to cooperate with the federal government and with the interstate Mississippi River Parkway Planning Commission. To carry out such policy and to aid in the promotion and securement of a scenic parkway and highway for the state of Minnesota and to aid in securing the location of federal parks within Minnesota a Mississippi River Parkway Commission is created. Such commission shall also work toward the planning, construction, maintenance, and improvement of the Great River Road or Mississippi River Parkway which is to follow generally the course of the Mississippi River and extend from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. Subd. 2. Members. (a) The commission shall be composed of 15 members of whom: (1) one shall be appointed by the commissioner of transportation; (2) one shall be appointed by the commissioner of natural resources; (3) one shall be appointed by the director of Explore Minnesota Tourism; (4) one shall be appointed by the commissioner of agriculture; (5) one shall be appointed by the director of the Minnesota Historical Society; (6) two shall be members of the senate to be appointed by the Committee on Committees; (7) two shall be members of the house of representatives to be appointed by the speaker; (8) one shall be the secretary appointed pursuant to subdivision 3; and (9) five shall be citizen members appointed by five citizen committees established by the members appointed under clauses (1) to (8), with each citizen committee established within and representing each of the following geographic segments along the Mississippi River: (i) Lake Itasca to but not including the city of Grand Rapids; (ii) Grand Rapids to but not including the city of Brainerd; (iii) Brainerd to but not including the city of Elk River; (iv) Elk River to but not including the city of Hastings; and (v) Hastings to the Iowa border. Each citizen committee member shall be a resident of the geographic segment that the committee and member represents. (b) The members of the commission shall serve for a term expiring at the close of each regular session of the legislature and until their successors are appointed. Successor members shall be appointed by the same appointing authorities. Members may be reappointed. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority. The commissioner of transportation, the commissioner of natural resources, and the director of the Minnesota Historical Society shall be ex officio members, and shall be in addition to the 15 members heretofore provided for. Immediately upon making the appointments to the commission the appointing authorities shall so notify the Mississippi River Parkway Commission, hereinafter called the National Commission, giving the names and addresses of the members so appointed. Copyright 2018 by the Revisor of Statutes, State of Minnesota. All Rights Reserved.

5 MINNESOTA STATUTES Subd. 3. Chair, vice-chair, and secretary. The commission may hold meetings and hearings at such time and places as it may designate to accomplish the purposes set forth in this section. It shall select a chair, a vice-chair, and such other officers from its membership as it deems necessary. The commission shall appoint a secretary who shall also serve as a commission member. Subd. 3a. Gifts, grants, and endowments. The commission may accept gifts of money, property, or services; may apply for and accept grants from the United States, the state, a subdivision of the state, or a person for any of its purposes; may enter into an agreement required in connection with it; and may hold, use, and dispose of the money, property, or services in accordance with the terms of the gift, grant, or agreement relating to it. The commission may also make grants, gifts, and bequests of money, property, or services and enter into contracts to carry out the same. The gift acceptance procedures of sections 16A.013 to 16A.016 do not apply to this section. Subd. 4. Compensation, supplies, staff. Compensation of legislative members of the commission is as provided in section Compensation of the remaining members is as provided in section The commission may purchase supplies, employ part-time or full-time employees, and do all things reasonably necessary and convenient in carrying out the purposes of this section. Subd. 5. Staff from other agencies. The commissioner of transportation shall designate one employee of the Department of Transportation who is an engineer or who has engineering experience and the commissioner of natural resources shall appoint one staff member who shall advise with and assist the commission in carrying out its functions and duties. Subd. 6. National Commission. The commission shall be an affiliate of the National Commission and as a member of the National Commission may pay an annual fee for its equal share of the planning program of the National Commission. Subd. 7. Program review. The commission may review the programs of the various interstate compacts, studies, planning groups and commissions involved in water and land use activities along the Mississippi River in Minnesota. Subd. 8. Expiration. The commission expires on June 30, History: 1963 c 875 s 1; 1969 c 1129 art 3 s 1; 1971 c 653 s 1-5; 1973 c 35 s 34; 1976 c 166 s 7; 1983 c 260 s 44; 1985 c 285 s 9; 1986 c 444; 1987 c 312 art 1 s 26 subd 2; 1987 c 384 art 3 s 2; 1987 c 404 s 148; 1993 c 337 s 11; 1996 c 407 s 46; 1997 c 7 art 2 s 24; 1997 c 192 s 27; 2001 c 161 s 27,28; 1Sp2003 c 4 s 1; 1Sp2003 c 23 s 11; 2005 c 10 art 1 s 27; 1Sp2005 c 1 art 4 s 33,34; 2007 c 148 art 2 s 46; 1Sp2011 c 10 art 3 s 32; 2013 c 142 art 3 s 31; 2015 c 77 art 2 s 51 Copyright 2018 by the Revisor of Statutes, State of Minnesota. All Rights Reserved.

6 2017 proposed amendments (introduced but not passed) A bill for an act relating to Mississippi River Parkway Commission; modifying commission member terms; modifying the commission expiration date; amending Minnesota Statutes 2016, section , subdivisions 2, 8; amending Minnesota Statutes 2016, section , subdivision 3. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section , subdivision 2 is amended to read: Subd. 2.Members. (a) The commission shall be composed of 15 members of whom: (1) one shall be appointed by the commissioner of transportation; (2) one shall be appointed by the commissioner of natural resources; (3) one shall be appointed by the director of Explore Minnesota Tourism; (4) one shall be appointed by the commissioner of agriculture; (5) one shall be appointed by the director of the Minnesota Historical Society; (6) two shall be members of the senate to be appointed by the Committee on Committees; (7) two shall be members of the house of representatives to be appointed by the speaker; (8) one shall be the secretary appointed pursuant to subdivision 3; and (9) five shall be citizen members appointed to staggered four year terms by five citizen committees established by the members appointed under clauses (1) to (8), with each citizen committee established within and representing each of the following geographic segments along the Mississippi River: (i) Lake Itasca to but not including the city of Grand Rapids; (ii) Grand Rapids to but not including the city of Brainerd; (iii) Brainerd to but not including the city of Elk River; (iv) Elk River to but not including the city of Hastings; and (v) Hastings to the Iowa border. Each citizen committee member shall be a resident of the geographic segment that the committee and member represents. (b) The members of the commission appointed in Subd 2 (a) (1) to (8) shall serve for a term expiring at the close of each regular session of the legislature and until their successors are appointed. (c) Successor members shall be appointed by the same appointing authorities. Members may be reappointed. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority. The commissioner of transportation, the commissioner of natural resources, and the director of the Minnesota Historical Society shall be ex officio members, and shall be in addition to the 15 members heretofore provided for. Immediately upon making the appointments to the commission the appointing authorities shall so notify the Mississippi River Parkway Commission, hereinafter called the National Commission, giving the names and addresses of the members so appointed. Section 2. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section , subdivision 8 is amended to read: Subd. 8.Expiration. The commission expires on June 30, Section 3. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section , subdivision 3 is amended to read:

7 Subd. 3.Trunk highway fund appropriations. The commissioner may expend trunk highway funds only for trunk highway purposes. Payment of expenses related to Bureau of Criminal Apprehension laboratory, Explore Minnesota Tourism kiosks, Minnesota Safety Council, driver education programs, Emergency Medical Services Board, Mississippi River Parkway Commission, payments to MN.IT Services in excess of actual costs incurred for trunk highway purposes, and personnel costs incurred on behalf of the Governor's Office do not further a highway purpose and do not aid in the construction, improvement, or maintenance of the highway system. Sec. 4. [Mississippi River Parkway Commission citizen members.] Citizens currently appointed to the Mississippi River Parkway Commission established under section , Subdivision 2 serve terms as follows: (i) Lake Itasca to but not including the city of Grand Rapids, for a term ending December 31, 2022; (ii) Grand Rapids to but not including the city of Brainerd, for a term ending December 31, 2022; (iii) Brainerd to but not including the city of Elk River for a term ending December 31, 2022; (iv) Elk River to but not including the city of Hastings, for a term ending December 31, 2020; and (v) Hastings to the Iowa border, for a term ending December 31, 2020.

8 MN MRPC Funding Needs in Addition to Regular Operating Budget - FY20-21 Additional General Fund Request One Time of Ongoing/Added to Base Fiscal Year Purpose $20,000 One-time FY20 Development of new Minnesota Great River Road website to improve function on mobile devices, better feature local communities, highlight the new Plan Your Trip mapping and regional travel guides hosted at MnDOT, and improve administrative updating capacity. $34,000 One-time FY20-21 Design and printing of new GRR map in FY ,000 pieces, shipped in two annual shipments to 53 MN distribution locations. Existing design does not include a drivable map, which is often requested. Reprints of the existing map have not been able to keep up with demand. $28,000 One-time FY20-21 Launch of an Ambassador Development/Training program. See below for objective. Launch funds to be used for materials, training meetings, and travel. Design, development and first round of meetings in FY 20, expanded second round of meetings in FY21. $15,000 Ongoing Beginning FY20 In part to allow additional staff resources to be devoted to the cultivation of the Ambassador program (one of the Corridor Management Plan initial implementation projects). To also allow for greater MN-MRPC membership participation in Ambassador program. The objective of the Ambassador Program is to provide resources, materials and training for MN-MRPC member facility managers, local road and attraction managers, and local businesses and residents to improve corridor management, better serve tourists and encourage economic development. $82,000 Total One Time Funds Also to implement Education and Engagement recommendations of the MN-MRPC Business Plan section of the Corridor Management Plan through partner/stakeholder outreach for letters of support, project involvement, regional meetings, updating Investment Inventory, etc. $15,000 per yr/ $30,000 for biennium Total Ongoing Funds

9 MINNESOTA S GREAT RIVER ROAD AT A GLANCE 565 miles of roadways including city and county roads, state highways and interstates integrated and linked, to and by the Mississippi River 20 Minnesota counties, with intrinsic resources in an additional 4 counties 43 incorporated communities 3 tribal communities 11 state parks and one National Park: Mississippi National River and Recreation Area 2 state forests and one National Forest: Chippewa National Forest Designated National Scenic Byway Overseen by the legislatively guided (MN Statute ) Mississippi River Parkway Commission, with representatives of river communities, Minnesota Historical Society, MN DOT, MN DNR, MN Dept. Agriculture, Explore Minnesota Tourism, Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, the Minnesota House of Representatives and Senate. Designated and managed by MN DOT under Minnesota Statute Part of the 10 state Mississippi River Parkway Commission established in 1938

10 Minnesota Mississippi River Parkway Commission The MN-MRPC is defined by Minnesota statute. But its real definition is found in its steadfast stewardship of public access to the Mississippi River, since the MRPC was established in 10 states in This modest state commission coordinates and links together key Minnesota travel infrastructure, information and Mississippi River communities with one goal: Ensure safe and scenic public access via roadways, bike paths, hiking trails, interpretive centers, and water trails to the Mississippi River. MN-MRPC has been doing this job since 1963, leveraging the resources of MnDOT, DNR, Explore Minnesota Tourism, MN Dept. of Agriculture, Minnesota Historical Society; and the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area as a technical advisor and partner. MN-MRPC leverages an annual budget of about $63,000 and the work of citizen commissioners for initiatives such as production of 28,000 Minnesota Great River Road maps for 53 distribution partners and a web site that saw over 200,000 visits from January to October Of the MN-MRPC s 53 distribution locations, 70 percent are non-metro river communities and, of the 19 partner chambers of commerce and convention and visitor bureaus, 74 percent are in greater Minnesota. Travel & Tourism Impact in Minnesota Mississippi River Communities (with data from 2018 Tourism & Economy Fact Sheet, Explore Minnesota Tourism) Nearly $11 billion in gross leisure & hospitality sales in Minnesota s 21 Mississippi River counties in 2016 (73% of the state total) Over $713 million in sales tax from leisure & hospitality sales in 2016 in Mississippi River counties (74% of the state total) 188,000 jobs in private sector of Minnesota leisure & hospitality industry in 2016 in Mississippi River counties (71% of the state total) Brainerd, St. Cloud, Red Wing, Minneapolis, St. Paul and others involved in substantial riverfront development investment for their cities futures. 12 Mississippi River Parkway Commission-designated Interpretive Centers attract thousands of travelers and residents along the Mississippi River annually. MN-MRPC has a history of successful grant projects including the recent Federal Highway Administration and National Park Service $700,000+ project managed in partnership with MnDOT. This project included installing Mississippi River Trail wayshowing signage, community kiosks, print maps, and a year Corridor Management Plan to guide the Commission and local communities.

11 Since 1992, MN-MRPC has supported over $4 million in federal grants to Great River Road projects, ensuring local community input into overlooks, rest areas, interpretation, maps, marketing, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, wayshowing, and historic preservation. Bicycling a growing, substantial Minnesota tourism segment is part of the Great River Road via the Mississippi River Trail (MRT). Increased Mississippi River on-water tourism ranges from kayak sharing in the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area to potential international riverboat tourism, adding tourism dollars to multiple communities. 10-State Great River Road Network Leverages State Efforts MN-MRPC is part of the 10-state Mississippi River Parkway Commission that leverages resources for the full length of the Mississippi River and Great River Road. The Great River Road a network of existing roads was launched in 1938 and is now a 3,000 mile, 10- state route. The current 10-state MRPC Pilot (Chair) Emeritus and Pilot Pro Tem are citizen-members of the MN-MRPC. The 10-state MRPC produces Great River Road and Mississippi River marketing information to be distributed at multiple locations in all 10 states; manages a Great River Road website providing exposure, promotion and connections especially important to small communities along the river. There were over 196,000 website visits in 2017, over 20,000 e-newsletter subscribers, and over 8,000 downloads of the Great River Road travel app. The MRPC also promotes Mississippi River travel internationally Year of the Great River Road for the Mississippi River Connections Collaborative will leverage federal agency, 10-state MRPC and MRT marketing and programming to focus nationally on Great River Road exploration in all ten Mississippi River states, including Minnesota as the Headwaters State. November 2018