Vice President Jerry Faletti called the meeting to order at 12:15 pm. Todd Nicholson, led the singing of My Country Tis of Thee, accompanied by Bob Jones. Jason Bradshaw gave the inspirational minute about spring. Michael-jon Pease introduced visiting Rotarians and guests. The greeter was Dave Dominick and the scribe was Lynne Beck.
 
Michael-jon Pease collected Happy Dollars, including from Jerry Faletti who gave $3 for the guests who came to hear our speaker today and from Carley Stuber who announced that Beth Burns, the new President of the Friends of the Saint Paul Library, is joining the club. There is a new member challenge; the Rotarian who brings in the most new members by April 15 will receive two tickets to Minnesota Opera’s production of La Boheme.   
 
 
Jerry announced that Rotary Night at the Wild is on April 4. Jodi will email the link where you can go directly to the Wild ticket office to purchase tickets. He also said this Thursday’s Fellowship Breakfast speaker is Beth Burns. She has spent nearly 30 years working with some of the Twin Cities’ most vibrant cultural institutions. A Saint Paul resident for the past 23 years, Beth will share information about her background and her hopes for the future of Saint Paul’s libraries.
 
Next week’s speaker is Dan Stoltz, president of Spire Credit Union. Through his leadership, he has been able to extend his company’s brand through the use of a pickup truck. The 1952 pickup will be on display at the hotel entrance over the noon hour.
 
John Overland said that Rotation Day is April 4. The two locations are the Ramsey County Historical Society and the Minnesota Opera. You can register for either site on the Rotary website.
 
Al Zdrazil gave an update on the D5960 GSE team. The members of the group from Northern Australia and East Timor will be in our district April 23-28. He is looking for members to host the young professionals and to help plan details of the visit.
 
Linda Mulhern talked about Camp RYLA that will take place April 21-25 at Camp St. Croix. She is looking for a volunteer to help with data entry and adult counselors. She also encouraged members of the club to attend the barbeque on Sunday night.
 
Al Zdrazil introduced the speaker, Victoria Reinhardt, District 7 Ramsey County Commissioner (White Bear Lake, Maplewood, North St. Paul, and the Hillcrest neighborhood of St. Paul).  She has a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Metro State University and a Phd in Public Administration from Hamline University. She is a leader in women’s issues such as domestic violence and has a long history of environmental activism.
 
Commissioner Reinhardt spoke about her background and about the vision of the Ramsey County Council. She was married at 18 and a mother at 19. After suffering from an abusive relationship for almost 14 years, she left her husband and got counseling for herself and her two sons from a Wilder program for victims of domestic abuse. She went back to school to earn degrees in Business Administration and Public Administration, became involved in waste reduction and recycling, ran for Ramsey County Commissioner, and won! 
 
Ramsey County’s vision is that we are a vibrant community where all are valued and thrive. Victoria talked about:
  • Juvenile crime prevention project which helps keep children from becoming criminals.
  • Newport plant where waste is a resource. Ramsey County has a 75% recycling goal (composting, reducing and recycling, toxicology reduction, etc.)
  • Riverfront development along the Kellogg Street bluffs is 65% completed and will be shovel ready by August. This mixed-use site will bring in approximately $150M in private development.  
  • Transportation: pedestrians first, redoing roads, Gateway lines to Woodbury, etc.
 
To achieve all these goals, Ramsey County is working closely with Hennepin and Washington counties. 
 
Vice President Jerry Faletti led Rotary members in the Four Way Test and the meeting was adjourned at 1:05 pm. 

Lynne Beck

Scribe