State Representative David Bly, District 25B

I am now just finishing my first quarter teaching again at the ALC and I am finding it a challenge to keep up with all the demands of teaching at the same time I try to meet the demands of being a legislator.  I still find both jobs interesting and invigorating.  I have two interim initiatives that have been taking up my time.  I am chairing a work group that is looking at better ways to look at and encourage quality in Alternative Schools.  The current system of tests often punish Alternative Schools for problems they do not create and completely ignore the many good things great programs offer.  

The second initiative is a Progressive Health Care Reform Caucus I formed along with Rep. Shelley Madore.  I am hoping to explore some real solutions to the rising costs of Health Care.  Politicians have been talking about the problem as long as I can remember but have made little progress.  I will say more about my findings and Bills we will introduce in the coming session in a later posting.  

In addition to that I attended a conference of State Legislators from across the country on Higher Education and Workforce Development.  Lots of good data was shared examining struggles various states have in preparing the workforce for the future. Minnesota is doing better than many states but on several counts that’s not saying a lot.  In future blogs I will share more information about that as well.

You may have read in the Northfield News about the recent visit of the House Capital Investment Committee to Northfield and Dundas.  The committee is making a pass through South and Southwest Minnesota to see first hand many of the proposed bonding projects.  They were interested in seeing what Northfield’s needs were for a refurbished Safety Center.  City Administrator Al Roder and other Safety Center staff stressed the importance of seeing Northfield as a Regional service provider for Northern Rice County and Southern Dakota County.

They also talked about the potential of a new center meeting some of the space needs of County, State and National Guard service vehicles as well as the Northfield Fire Department.  A tour of the garage showed trucks packed in so tightly you could barely find room to walk between them. 

In Dundas the Committee  visited the Mill Towns Trail Head and saw a presentation about progress on the trail.  The Mill Towns trail will eventually hook up with trails that now run from Cannon Falls to Red Wing and another from Mankato to Faribault.  The finished trail will allow bike enthusiasts to travel from Mankato to Red Wing.  One citizen explained he couldn't wait for the connection from Northfield to Faribault to be completed because his only means of transportation is by bike and he finds the current highway connection very hazardous.

I hope to see you soon as I make my way to various community events. I can’t make them all but I try to make as many as I can.  I have recently spoken to the local Sertoma Club and to the Belle Plaine Lion’s Club.