The Impact 20/20 Leadership Council and Northwest Minnesota Foundation staff made their annual trip to the State Capitol on March 11, 2020 to discuss our region’s needs and priorities. The team split up and met with local legislators and department heads. This visit occurred just as everyone was learning about and adapting to the rapid spread of COVID-19.
Impact 20/20 was established in 2008 with the purpose to be a catalyst for economic prosperity and well-being in Northwest Minnesota. This group is comprised of 24 leaders that serve in a variety of capacities throughout Northwest Minnesota. The Leadership Council meets throughout the year to track progress of these issues that impact our region, and to keep these needs in the forefront of our representatives’ minds as they serve at the state level.
Meetings were held with the following representatives: Rep. Paul Marquart, Rep. Gene Pelowski, Rep. John Persell, Rep. Steve Green, House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler, Rep. Dan Fabian, Sen. Jeremy Miller, Brian Paro (legislative Director for Sen. Paul Gazelka), DEED Commissioner Steve Grove and Special Projects Manager Brandon Toner, Rep. Steve Green, and Rep. Deb Kiel. For the representatives that weren’t able to schedule a meeting, the team left behind a printed copy of the Impact 20/20 Economic Priorities booklet that summarizes Impact 20/20 priority areas for the 2020 legislative session. A copy of that piece can be found on our website under “Latest News”.
The priority issues that the teams were able to discuss with legislators include:
- Child Care
- Affordable Housing
- Workforce
- Education
- Economic Development/Support for Small Businesses
“This is a great opportunity to share issues and solutions to help our rural economy thrive,” says Nate Dorr vice president for advocacy at Northwest Minnesota Foundation. “These are already hot topics for our state lawmakers and leadership, so it was reassuring to hear them talk about their work.”
We encourage our readers to reach out to their local representative’s and advocate for these critical needs facing our communities. The best way to find contact information for your legislators is to visit the Who Represents Me? website here and type in your zip code. You can learn more about Impact 20/20 by visiting www.impact2020.org.
