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After the Pledge of Allegiance, Anthony Nordan offered our invocation, and we then recited The Four Way Test. Everyone was encouraged to sell Lucky Duck Derby tickets (first prize $1,000; second prize $350; third prize $150). Those assembled were also requested to give serious consideration to participating in this Rotary year's compressed version of Rotary Minute Plus Insurance as explained to them in a letter they should have received over the prior weekend. (Please bring your commitment to Rotary tomorrow or drop off at my office or mail to me at that address, 220 W. Washington Ave., Suite 103, Fergus Falls, MN 56537, so it is received by June 28th if at all possible.) We were also reminded that we will be back at Bethel Church this week. It took a while for the presiding officer to remember to have Rotarians introduce their guests, but when he did so, Lois Josefson introduced Representative Jordan Rasmusson while Anthony Nordan introduced his intern for the summer, Camon Landry (it might be a good idea to ask the latter to give us a program while here about himself and the training he and all Salvation Army officers go through). The only brag recalled at this point was Keith Olson to say he was leaving early to drive to Montana for a friend's birthday party - a quick trip as he was planning to be back by Friday. Lois Josefson introduced Senator Bill Ingebrigsten, who is retiring from the legislature after serving in it for 16 years. Prior to that he was Sheriff of Douglas County, following in his father's footsteps who had served in the same capacity in Kittson County. Since joining the Senate in 2007, the GOP have been in the majority for eight years, with an equal number of years in the minority. (Prior to that, the DFL controlled the chamber for 46 years.) The Senator reported the legislature passed a good veterans' bill this year, as well as a good agriculture bill that included $8.1 million in drought relief, $1.5 million for avian influenza and $3 million for an agricultural emergency fund. Legislation was also passed to spend $2.73 billion of the surplus to get unemployment back up and running -- one-half of which is coming from the federal government. After all was said, done and not done, there is still about seven of the projected nine-billion-dollar surplus left for the parties to fight about in the next legislative session ifno extra session is called. In the question-and-answer period, Anthony Nordan thanked both Jordan and Bill for their support of the opium grants the State has made and Mark Bring specifically thanked our retiring legislator for all his work in the past. The Senator agreed with a comment Lois shared about his father's attitude that some of the best work done while he was in the legislature was in keeping some bills from becoming law. |
