Thank you for the memories

Inspired by strong leadership from Mahtomedi resident Steve Wolgamot, many residents joined together to advocate trail completion. They organized dozens of meetings and successfully lobbied for needed funds at the Capitol. Hopefully, the remaining trail work is completed within a couple years. Learn more: lakelinks.net. I know Steve, who died in August, will be watching and cheering from above.

The White Bear Area Neighborhood Concerned Citizens Group (WBANCCG) is another great example of neighbors banding together for needed changes. I’m sure you recall a few years ago (2019) when all news outlets reported that Water Gremlin was emitting toxic chemicals (trichloroethylene/TCE). Area activists organized meetings, gathered information and successfully lobbied at legislature. Special shout out to Sherry Hastings, Kelly Tapkan, Sheri Smith, Leigh Thiel and Catherine Sullivan for pioneering the watchdog group. It was an honor to be one of the legislators sponsoring their legislative requests. The result: we became the first state to ban TCE.  Kudos as the group actively continues its mission: wbanccg.org.

Education has always been my top priority at the Senate. After all, students are our future! I previously chaired the Education Committee, and have sponsored many successful proposals ranging from early education opportunities, all day kindergarten to vocational programs and college course access while in high school. It was particularly satisfying for me to work with H2O for Life, headquartered locally, https://www.h2oforlifeschools.org/ . The group plus several local students, teachers and parents successfully advocated my proposal to provide funding for an area water conservation program and curriculum.  

It’s been an honor advocating several proposals to help students at Century College. Great career training available there! I’m also pleased to have authored legislation creating our state’s legislative water commission, inspired in part by issues being addressed for White Bear Lake. This bipartisan group is preparing plans now for upcoming session.

I have always appreciated the thoughtful community engagement by many other groups, particularly interfaith groups, veterans and public safety, health care, environment, social justice, labor and business working together, the White Bear Area Chamber and more.  Thanks to Mike Bromelkamp for organizing the Breakfast Buddies group.  I also thank the White Bear Press for its important, valuable service to the community.  It’s very unfortunate that many communities no longer have any local paper.

After 50 years of public service (starting when I was elected to local school board at age 21), I look forward to my next chapter. Time sure marches on! I will still be involved in some ways in public policy. I will do more with family (which also includes five grandchildren), hobbies and travel. 

Thanks again for the memories! Peace be with you.

Sen. Chuck Wiger represents District 43 in the Minnesota Senate.