Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Sanitary District Board Reform topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee moves bill to rebalance North Koochiching sanitary district board to general orders
Summary
The Senate Committee on State and Local Government voted to advance Senate File 563, a bill sponsored by Sen. Jen (Hochschild) to change the composition of the North Koochiching Area Sanitary District board, after testimony from the district executive director and no substantive opposition from committee members.
A Senate committee on Jan. 20 advanced Senate File 563 to general orders after testimony from the North Koochiching Area Sanitary District executive director calling for a change to the district's governing board.
Senate File 563, presented by Sen. Hochschild, would change the number and allocation of seats on the North Koochiching Area Sanitary District board that oversees sewer services in parts of Koochiching County. The committee's motion that the bill "does pass the committee and move to general orders" was made by Sen. Gustafson and adopted by voice vote.
Callie Briggs, executive director of the North Koochiching Area Sanitary District (referred to in testimony as "North Couch" or "North Cooch"), told the committee the district's original statute provided a nine-member board representing International Falls, South International Falls, East Koochiching, Rainy River (Rainier in testimony), and a papermakers seat that no longer exists. Briggs said population shifts and consolidation left the district with an eight-member board dominated by representatives from International Falls.
Briggs said East Koochiching has expanded sewer hookups and that the district's current composition gives International Falls six representatives while East Koochiching and the city of Rainier each have one. She said the district is requesting a legislative change to create a more balanced seven-member board: three representatives from International Falls, two from East Koochiching, one from Rainier and one at-large member chosen by the appointed board members.
Committee members asked no substantive questions about the policy change during the hearing. Sen. Hochschild and the chair described the bill as a governance change; Sen. Hochschild asked it be sent to general orders so the body could decide next steps.
The committee vote was a voice vote recorded as "aye" and the bill was moved to general orders. The record does not include a roll-call tally or individual recorded votes.
The bill was described by witnesses and the sponsor as intended to rebalance representation to reflect changes in sewer service connections and local governance. The transcript shows the testimony and motion took place near the beginning of the Jan. 20 committee meeting and that Briggs answered questions about the district's history and why the member allocation was proposed.
Next steps will be the normal legislative process for a Senate file placed on general orders; the committee did not set a date for further action during the hearing.
