By Rich Larson, News Director
State Senator Rich Draheim said he fully expects the Senate to wrap up business today and end the legislative special session that has now completed its second week.
During the regular session this year, the legislature was unable to come to an agreement on a state budget for the next biennium, which begins on Thursday, and have been in session since June 14th trying to find compromises and avoid a state government shutdown. The Democrat led House of Representatives and the Republican led Senate have been finding those compromises, albeit at a snail’s pace. But it does appear that there are now only some details to be worked out, if the legislators can avoid any more partisan bickering.
With the Judiciary and Public Safety bill agreed to in principle, a controversial bill for the police reform measures it contains and for the measures it does not, the last big sticking point is the cessation of the state’s Covid-19 State of Emergency. Going back to last summer and the several special sessions that were called after the adjournment of the 2020 regular session, Republicans have been trying to end the emergency and remove the special powers it grants to Governor Tim Walz. Over the weekend, Governor Walz announced that he would end the emergency on August 1st. In reaction, Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka added an amendment to the State Government Omnibus bill stating that the emergency would end on July 1st. That bill now goes before the House of Representatives, who will doubtless strip the amendment from the bill, and require a conference committee to hash out the details.
Regardless of the politics being played by both parties, Senator Rich Draheim, said yesterday, that there is no reason why things cannot be finished today.
“For me, everything should be wrapped up tomorrow, but there are games being played on both sides of the aisle. We’re waiting for them to send us a bill before we’ll send them a bill, that’s what’s going on with taxes and E-12, so there’s posturing that goes on every year from both parties. Hopefully we can just push through it and get done with these last handful of bills.”
The Housing Bill – something Senator Draheim has focused on over the course of the session – is part of the Government Omnibus Bill that needs hashing out. The other bills that still need to be passed are the Judiciary and Public Safety Bill, the E-12 Education Bill and the Tax Bill. Most everything has been agreed to in principle and should reach Governor Walz’s desk by tomorrow morning. Assuming an agreement is made regarding the Gazelka Emergency Powers amendment, and there are no surprises regarding the Public Safety Bill, the special session should be able to adjourn well before tomorrow night’s midnight deadline.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Senator Rich Draheim can be heard here
New Northfield Shares Executive Director looks to ‘grow generosity’
Six months after she started her employment, the new Executive Director of Northfield Shares, Dr. Sarah Nathan, has finally relocated to Northfield. Having accepted the position in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, she and her husband thought it best for their daughter to spend the first part of the year where they were and make the move to Northfield after the end of the school year.
Dr. Nathan is a Fargo native who is well acquainted with the MIAC, having done her undergraduate work at Concordia College in Moorhead. After receiving her PhD from the Lilly School of Philanthropy at Indiana University, she stayed on for another fifteen years to teach and work with non-profits in the Indianapolis area, eventually rising to the position of Associate Director. While in Indiana she served on the board of the Johnson County Foundation and found the idea of a small local area foundation to her liking. Running a foundation like Northfield Shares, she said, was the only thing that could have taken her away from her work in Higher Education.
Nathan said she is well suited for the non-profit sector. Calling herself a “natural joiner,” she said she volunteers as a leader for her daughter’s girl scout troop and believes strongly in the concept of volunteering. In fact, that was one of the things that attracted her to Northfield Shares. She said it is rare to find a foundation that includes volunteerism as a pillar of its organization the way Northfield Shares does. She thinks the Volunteer Hub on the Northfield Shares website, which serves as a clearing house for volunteering opportunities in and around the Northfield area, is something that sets Northfield Shares apart and gives it a unique quality.
Nathan said her focus as Executive Director will be to help families and individuals find the best way to make a difference through both volunteering and giving. The organization is adept at helping families to establish funds, and she believes that is a strength the foundation should build on.
“Americans are incredibly generous. Northfielders are incredibly generous. But I believe very strongly that there is so much more potential to grow that generosity. So, I’m here to do that work.”
As the area foundation, Northfield Shares seeks to work with all the area non-profits, and Dr. Nathan said she is very excited to be joining in and helping so many local organizations in their mission-based work.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Dr. Sarah Nathan can be heard here
