STATE OF MINNESOTA THIRTY-SEVENTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-FIFTH SESSION
HIGHER EDUCATION AND WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT POLICY AND
FINANCE DIVISION
MEETING JOINTLY WITH
HOUSING POLICY AND FINANCE AND PUBLIC HEALTH FINANCE DIVISION
MINUTES
Representative Tom Rukavina, Chair of the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division, called the meeting to order at 6:35 P.M. on Thursday, June 28, 2007, at the Mountain Iron Community Center, Mountain Iron, Minnesota.
The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.
Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division:
Members present:
Rukavina, Tom, Chair,
Clark, Karen
Dettmer, Bob
Hortman, Melissa
Mahoney, Tim
Moe, Frank
Severson, Dan
Slocum, Linda
Members excused:
Poppe, Jeanne, Vice-Chair
Atkins, Joe
Bly, David
Brynaert, Kathy
Eastlund, Rob
Gunther, Bob
Haws, Larry
McFarlane, Carol
Murphy, Mary
Nornes, Bud
Norton, Kim
Ruth, Connie
Welti, Andy
Housing Policy and Finance and Public Health Finance Division:
Members present:
Clark, Karen, Chair
Huntley, Thomas
Laine, Carolyn
McNamara, Denny
Moe, Frank
Solberg, Loren
Minutes
Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division and
Housing Policy and Finance and Public Health Finance Division
June 28, 2007
Page Two
Members excused:
Kranz, Scott,Vice Chair
Anderson, Bruce
Benson, John
Carlson, Lyndon
Eastlund, Rob
Madore, Shelley
McFarlane, Carol
Morgan, Will
Peterson, Neil
Swails, Marsha
Tschumper, Ken
Other House members in attendance:
Anzelc, Tom
Sertich, Tony
Other Senate members in attendance:
Bakk, Thomas
Lynch, Ann
Tomassoni, David
Chair Rukavina welcomed everyone and thanked them for attending.
Chair Rukavina had all legislators and staff present introduce themselves.
Chair Rukavina invited persons from the audience to come forward and give their testimony regarding mesothelioma.
Joe Begich, Former Member, House of Representatives, introduced himself and provided testimony.
Questions and discussion followed.
Paul Przybylski, Hibbing, introduced himself and provided testimony.
Questions and discussion followed.
Davied Trach, Eveleth, introduced himself and provided testimony.
Questions and discussion followed.
Joe Scholar, Virginia, introduced himself and provided testimony.
Questions and discussion followed
Ben Verbick, Britt, introduced himself and provided testimony.
Questions and discussion followed.
Mary Stodola, Hoyt Lakes, introduced herself and provided testimony.
Questions and discussion followed.
Minutes
Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division and
Housing Policy and Finance and Public Health Finance Division
June 28, 2007
Page Three
Val Ferrian, Embarrass, introduced himself and provided testimony.
Questions and discussion followed.
Emil Korpala introduced himself and provided testimony.
Questions and discussion followed.
Marie Vaida, McKinley, introduced herself and provided testimony.
Questions and discussion followed.
Shirley McKibbon, Virginia, introduced herself and provided testimony.
Questions and discussion followed.
Walter Petrusic, Pengilly, introduced himself and provided testimony.
Questions and discussion followed.
Bill Judnick, Virginia, introduced himself and provided testimony.
Questions and discussion followed.
Al Hupila introduced himself and provided testimony.
Questions and discussion followed.
Ed Walberg, Eveleth, introduced himself and provided testimony.
Questions and discussion followed.
Duane Rudolph, Eveleth, introduced himself and provided testimony.
Questions and discussion followed.
Robert Bassing, Buhl, introduced himself and provided testimony.
Questions and discussion followed.
Vernon Laine, Eveleth, introduced himself and provided testimony.
Questions and discussion followed.
Chair Rukavina recognized St. Louis County Commissioners Mike Forsman and Keith Nelson.
Mike Forsman, Commissioner, St. Louis County, and Keith Nelson, Commissioner, St. Louis County, introduced themselves and provided testimony.
Chair Rukavina introduced Peter Makowski from Congressman Oberstar's Eveleth office.
Peter Makowski, Assistant to Congressman Oberstar, introduced himself and provided testimony from Congressman Oberstar and himself.
Questions and discussion followed.
Chair Clark provided comments regarding mesothelioma and the Department of Health study.
Questions and discussion followed.
Minutes
Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division and
Housing Policy and Finance and Public Health Finance Division
June 28, 2007
Page Four
Diane Mandernach, Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Health, introduced herself and provided testimony regarding the mesothelioma study. Commissioner Mandernach apologized to everyone in the audience for withholding the study and delaying the release date.
Questions and discussion followed.
Chair Rukavina said he was in discussions with Robert Bruininks, President, University of Minnesota, to ask that the University of Minnesota and the NRRI work together, along with the Department of Health, to do a study of mesothelioma on the Iron Range. Chair Rukavina indicated he wanted the University of Minnesota to be the lead agency for the study.
Questions and discussion followed.
Dr. John Finnegan, Professor and Dean, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, introduced himself and provided testimony regarding the study.
Questions and discussion followed.
Dr. Jeffrey Mandel, Associate Professor, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, introduced himself and provided testimony regarding the study.
Questions and discussion followed.
Craig Pagel, Iron Mining Association, introduced himself and provided testimony regarding the Association's participation in the study.
Discussion and questions followed.
Chair Rukavina thanked everyone for attending the meeting.
Chair Rukavina requested that Dr. Finnegan call a meeting to pull all of the stakeholders together regarding the University of Minnesota study.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:20 P.M.
Representative Tom Rukavina, Chair
Representative Karen Clark, Chair
Susan Scott, Committee Legislative Assistant