by Dennis Dalman
A statewide spotlight shined on St. Joseph and Waite Park, which were co-host cities July 24-26 for the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities 2024 summer conference.
About 120 legislators, mayors and state government officials attended the conference. They held listening/discussion sessions and took tours of the two cities. After a dinner at Rolling Ridge in St. Joseph, the visitors attended a concert (music of Johnny Cash, Garth Brooks) at The Ledge (Waite Park’s outdoor amphitheater). Trobec’s Bus of St. Joseph provided bus transportation as visitors went from place to place in the two cities.
One of their tours took place in downtown St. Joseph where they visited many businesses, restaurants and specialty shops. They learned first-hand how St. Joseph and business owners through recent years had completely revitalized the downtown area with dynamic new developments.
St. Joseph Mayor Rick Schultz is president of the CGMC. It is a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy organization representing more than 100 cities outside the Twin Cities area. The Coalition educates legislators about issues important to Greater Minnesota. At last week’s conference, there was an extended bipartisan discussion of housing challenges, as well as many other issues that impact outstate Minnesota.
St. Joseph Mayor Rick Schultz was honored twice at the July 25 awards ceremony at the Park Event Center, Waite Park. He was given the Jack Murray Award for Distinguished Rural Leadership. The citation states: “During his time as a Board member and leader of the (CGMC) organization, Mayor Schultz has often challenged the organization to think differently and often more broadly about our mission and the issues we tackle. During his term as president, the CGMC has jumped into the EMS (emergency medical services) discussion with both feet. Mayor Schultz’s good humor, easy-going attitude, and thoughtfulness have immensely benefitted the CGMC.”
Schultz was also given the President’s Award, a kind of farewell honor since Schultz will soon retire from the CGMC. The citation states: “During his time as president, Mayor Schultz served as a skilled spokesperson and showed his dedication to CGMC communities through various letters and interviews. Despite his busy schedule as mayor, he has been relentless in his advocacy for rural Minnesota communities. His earnest attitude and intuition have enabled him to be a champion for Greater Minnesota.”
Many awards were given to state representatives and senators, including a Legislator of Distinction Award to Rep. Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring). The citation states: “As Minority Leader in the House, Rep. Demuth was a strong vocal advocate of the need for emergency EMS funding and worked closely with the CGMC to pass a bill providing urgent EMS aid to communities statewide.”
On July 26, after the conference concluded, Mayor Schultz was interviewed by the Newsleaders.
It’s the first time the annual conference took place in either St. Joseph or Waite Park. That is why the two cities partnered together last year in submitting a request to hold the conference here – to increase the chance of being accepted. There was a whopping total of 2,000 sponsors for the event, Schultz noted.
Schultz said he was astonished by the intricate, logistical feat of such massive, successful planning – much of it done by people in the two cities: Waite Park Mayor Rick Miller, Waite Park City Administrator Shauna Johnson, Waite Park Public Works Director Bill Schluenz; Mary Bruno (marketer) of St. Joseph and St. Joseph City Administrator David Murphy.
“It was a miraculous job of planning,” Schultz said. “It was a really good conference.”
Schultz gave opening remarks at the event, gave a speech in the middle of it and made comments at the conference closing.
Everyone seemed to have an enjoyable time, he said, especially during the tours of the cities. In St. Joseph, about 35 attendees enjoyed the downtown walk, and on July 25, they made the rounds in St. Joseph for a relaxing “Happy Hour,” finishing at LaPlayette.
“They absolutely loved their tours of St. Joseph (and Waite Park),” Schultz said of the conference attendees. “And it was perfect weather, too.”
Leaders enjoy the end of their day in St. Joseph by relaxing at LaPlayette. From left to right are Anne Finn, intergovernmental relations director for the League of Minnesota Cities (and former student at the College of St. Benedict); Shelly Carlson, mayor of Moorhead (and the new president of the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities; Luke Fischer, executive director of the League of Minnesota Cities (and former student at St. John’s University); St. Joseph Mayor Rick Schultz; and St. Joseph City Administrator David Murphy.
