May 30, 2003 -- NEWS RELEASE -- State Representative Al Juhnke
rep.al.juhnke@house.mn
281 State Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155
651/296-6206
3951 Horizon Hills Circle, Willmar, MN 56201
320/235-4442
BONDING BILL INCLUDES RIDGEWATER PROJECT
A bonding bill passed by the Legislature on the final day of the special session includes funding to renovate science laboratories at Ridgewater College's campuses in Willmar and Hutchinson, according to Rep. Al Juhnke.
The projects had been passed by the 2002 Legislature, but were vetoed by then-Gov. Jesse Ventura.
"I hope and believe the new governor will sign this bill with all the projects on board," Juhnke, of Willmar, said. "Ridgewater College badly needs to update its science labs to help it compete for
students in its nursing and liberal arts programs. This is not only an important tool for learning, but also for recruiting students."
The bill provides $2.88 million to renovate, refurnish, and reequip existing chemistry, physics, and biology laboratories and to convert a classroom into a geology laboratory on the Willmar campus. At the Hutchinson campus, the funding will pay for converting obsolete general laboratory space into new labs specifically for chemistry, physics, and biology.
The provision is part of a package of $237 million in projects. Most of the projects in the bill were ones that had been vetoed by Gov. Ventura last year, but a number of new ones were also included.
Other significant projects for West-Central Minnesota were:
* $8.6 million to renovate the Social Sciences building at the University of Minnesota-Morris.
* $70,000 to construct an "environmentally friendly swine farrowing demonstration facility" at the U of M's West Central Research & Outreach Center in Morris.
*$1.4 million for the Lazarus Creek floodwater retention project in Lac Qui Parle County.
* $9.2 million to renovate the Southwest State University Library.
