County board approves amendment to create Tom Rookovina mineral‑royalty scholarship endowment

The St. Louis County Board voted to direct county administration and the auditor to establish an endowment for the Tom Rookovina mineral‑royalty scholarships, moving roughly $2.2 million in corpus funds into a protected account and authorizing an evergreen agreement; supporters said the change locks in the scholarship’s future, while critics warned it ties up flexible funds amid budget pressures.