Dear Neighbor,
The 2016 session is less than two weeks from starting and I continue meeting with local folks to receive feedback on the issues. Another District 10B residents can weigh in is through a survey I am conducting. You can find it online at this link and your participation would be greatly appreciated.
As for other news, the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board recently met and made a number of important decisions that impact the cities of Aitkin and Crosby, as well as the Crosby-Ironton and Aitkin school districts.
Both the Aitkin and Crosby-Ironton schools will be included in the Applied Learning Institute program which the other range school districts have participated in for some time. The ALI program is done in partnership with the range junior colleges technical training programs.
This is great opportunity for our high school students to be exposed to a whole range of vocational career opportunities. Over the years, our high school shops and curriculum offerings have not kept pace with the rapid advances in the technical career fields. The ALI program starts on the path to correcting that.”
A total of $500,000 is being made available to assist the Aitkin, Crosby-Ironton and the Cook County school districts in upgrading their shop facilities. But even more important as part of ALI program they will be able to access the additional instructional and curriculum development assistance necessary to bring the classes online.
Local infrastructure grants awarded by the IRRRB also are of importance to the region. The city of Aitkin will receive $99,000 in direct aid for water, sewer, road and site work for the construction of a new 1,245 square-foot dental clinic. This $738,842 project will provide new development, increase in tax base, and add long-term jobs in the community of Aitkin.
The city of Crosby will receive $250,000 in aid for a sewer, water and road reconstruction across 10 city blocks in a northeast section of the town. This grant supports a Crosby housing rehabilitation and public infrastructure project totaling $2.5 million in partnership with funding from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and the Minnesota Public Facilities Authority.
Have a good weekend and stay tuned for more news soon, including some of my thoughts on an update of the state's economy.
Sincerely,
Dale