CMAL Meeting Schedule

Saturday, May 12, 2007
9:30 - 10:00 Registration
10:00 - 10:30 Brunch
10:30 - 11:30 Speaker, Q and A
11:30 - 12:30 Annual Meeting

$10.00

Woodlake Lutheran Church
76th and Oliver
Richfield, MN
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Ted Ulrich, Professor of Comparative Religions, University of St. Thomas

The following information is taken from the Minnesota Department of Human Rights web page and is used with permission. See their website for additional information.

By some estimates, more than 40,000 Somali have settled in Minnesota in the past few years, leaving behind possessions, relatives, and a country ravaged by civil war for a new life in a radically different culture.  But there's one thing they could not leave behind: their Islamic faith. "We think, act and live within the framework of Islam," explains Adan Mursal, Chairman of Somali American Friendship Association, who counsels refugees and assists those who face discrimination.  "We are guided by our religion.  It is not something we can abandon."

To be Muslim, followers must show their faith and devotion to allah by obeying the "five pillars of Islam."  They must:

• Pronounce the "declaration of faith" (Allah is the only God, and Mohammed is his messenger):
• Pray five times each day;
• Make at least one pilgrimage to Mecca;
• Donate money - pay alms - to the poor;
• Fast each day during the month of Ramadan.

To be Muslim, prayer is something that one has to do.  It is not something there is a choice about.  The five prayers must be done at fixed times each day - approximately noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, early evening and at about 6 a.m.

As Minnesota's Somali population grows, it is not uncommon for Islamic values to collide with the practices of American employers, especially when the employer is unfamiliar with Islam.  And this obligation to pray has proved a particular challenge for both Somali workers and their bosses.  Although a prayer may take only five minutes, some employers have objected to granting the time.  This is especially true in assembly-line situations, in which other employees may be idled if one worker is unavailable.  But some employers are able to be flexible, finding alternative assignments to minimize down time.  An employee might be allowed to give up 30 minutes of a lunch break, for example, in exchange for two 15-minute prayer breaks.

Another Islamic practice that has caused controversy and need for accommodation in the workplace is its requirement for a particular dress code.  Islamic women are expected to practice modesty through certain traditional forms of clothing.  A head scarf is common, as is a Direh, or long, billowing dress.  Dietary requirements are yet another issue that may require accommodation.  Pork is strictly prohibited and the Islamic prohibitions against alcohol have proven troublesome for Somali cab drivers.

While cases of potential religious discrimination have increasingly made headlines and lawsuits have become more common, most Somalis would prefer to reach an understanding with their employers and with their neighbors.  Understanding is a two-way street, however, and will happen only if those of us in the majority culture are open to learning from and about the minorities who are putting down roots in our midst.

Saturday, May 13, 2006
9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
9:30 Registration
10:00 - 10:30 Brunch
10:30 - 11:30 Keynote Speaker
11:30 - 12-30 Annual Meeting

$15.00

Wanda Kirkpatrick, Director of the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity (ODEO), Metropolitan Council, will show us, neighborhood by neighborhood in the metro area, that, beyond percentages, "Demographics Are People." Where are they living, what are they doing, why did they come, what changes/challenges are taking place in their lives and in the neighborhoods where they have settled? Can those changes be evaluated?

Did you know:

• That Minnesota's foreign-born population has more than doubled since 1990?
• That census figures show that in 2000, 5% of Minnesota's population was foreign-born, ranking us 25th among the states in that regard?
• That Minnesota ranks first nationally in the share of foreign-born residents who are political refugees, largely Somalis, Bosnians Hmong people?

Jordan New Life Lutheran Church
1922 25th Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN  55411

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Saturday, March 18, 2006
9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

9:30 a.m. coffee
10-11:30 a.m. Program, Q and A

• David Gaither, Chief of Staff to Governor Pawlenty
• Bishop Peter Rogness, Saint Paul Synod, ELCA
• Karen Ellingson, Immigration Attorney working with Hispanic clients

How many undocumented immigrants are there in Minnesota--85,000?  one-third that number?  What do they cost the state in terms of support services?  What, if anything, do they contribute to the overall good?  Do "sanctuary laws" contribute to public safety or should cities be stripped of the right to implement these laws?  These are examples of some of the questions swirling around the issue of immigrants in Minnesota from the governor on down to the man in the street.

Immigration itself is a hot topic these days.  In December, the U. S. House passed a border-enforcement bill, sponsored by Rep. Sensenbrenner (R. Wi).  It has been described by some as "punitive." In the Senate, the McCain-Kennedy bill calls for comprehensive immigration reform.  It has the support of the U. S. Catholic bishops.

Here at home, Governor Tim Pawlenty has spoken out on the topic of illegal immigrants in Minnesota and will introduce legislation to deal with the problems they cause.  Opinions about the seriousness of this problem in Minnesota vary and facts are hard to come by, but a few aspects of this topic will be addressed on March 18th by our knowledgeable and concerned panel of speakers.  It is an opportunity for citizens to increase the depth of their understanding of a topic sure to be in the limelight this legislative session.

Martin Luther King Center
270 Kent Street North
St. Paul, MN

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Saturday, January 21, 2006
9:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.

9:30 a.m. coffee
10-11:30 a.m. Program, Q and A

Ann Beckman, Metropolitan Council Regional Growth Strategy Manager

According to Peter Bell, Chair, Metropolitan Council, "By the year 2030, our region is expected to grow to 3.6 million people, an increase of nearly 1 million from our 2000 population.  It is essential that we make the most effective use of our enormously expensive highways, transit system, sewers, parks and other public investments."

How best to do that will be worked out between the Metropolitan Council and local communities in the seven-county region as local communities revise and update their local comprehensive plan.  On September 12, 2005, the Council issued a "system statement" to every community in the region.  The statement is a customized document that informs each community how it is affected by the Council's updated system plans for transportation/aviation, water resources (including wastewater treatment) and regional parks.

Under state law, communities must update their local comprehensive plans to be consistent with the Council's system plans.  This gives each community the opportunity to engage citizens in creating a long-range vision for the community.  The updates are due to the Metropolitan Council by December 2008.

What happens when a community has serious disagreements with the Met Council's plans for that community's development?  What power does the Council have to force adherence?  Ann Beckman, Regional Growth Strategy Manager, Metropolitan Council, will explain the Met Council's "system statement," how the Council is prepared to help communities meet their assigned goals and why this process is essential to the continued economic vitality and quality-of-life of the region.  She will also answer questions.

Richfield City Hall
6700 Portland Avenue South
Richfield, MN  55423-2560

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Mike Christenson, Minneapolis CPED Director of Economic Policy

Patrick Seeb, CEO, St. Paul Riverfront Corporation

Saturday, October 15, 2005
9:30 a.m - 11:30 p.m.

9:30 a.m. coffee
10-11:30 a.m. Program, Q and A

Martin Luther King Center
270 Kent Street North
St. Paul, MN

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Saturday, September 24, 2005
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.

Martin Luther King Center
270 Kent Street North
Saint Paul, MN

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Randy Anhorn, Principal Environmental Scientist, Metropolitan Council

Saturday, May 7, 2005
9:30 a.m - 12:30 p.m.

Woodlake Lutheran Church
7525 Oliver Avenue South
Richfield, MN  55423-3614

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Brunch Reservation Cost:  $12
Contact:  Margaret Severe, (612) 869-0559

Reservation Form

Metropolitan Council Environmental Services

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Board of Water and Soil Resources

Minnesota Lakes Association

Minnesota Shoreland Management Resource Guide

North American Lake Management Society

Dr. David Laird, Jr., President, Minnesota's Private Colleges Council

Meeting the challenge by 2017 when the Minnesota workforce growth and the replacement of retiring seniors will create a demand for college-educated workers that exceeds the number of graduates by 13,000 per year.

Bill Gate's speech to the National Governors Association/Achieve Summit on High Schools

Saturday, March 19, 2005
9:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Unity Church
732 Holly Avenue
St. Paul, MN

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November:  NorthStar line
January:  Homeland Security in the Metro

Saturday, January 22, 2005
9:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Richfield City Hall
6700 Portland Avenue South
Richfield, MN

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Vickie Grunseth, appointed Chair of the Metropolitan Airports Commission by Governor Pawlenty in January, 2003, will be the speaker at CMAL's winter meeting, January 15, 2004.

The Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) owns and operates Minneapolis-St. Paul International airport and six reliever airports throughout the Twin Cities area, which includes Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott and Washington counties.  Thirteen Commissioners appointed by the Governor govern MAC. Eight Commissioners are appointed from designated districts within the Metropolitan Area and four are appointed from out-state.  The Governor appoints the Chairperson of the Commission for a four-year term.  The Mayors of Saint Paul and Minneapolis also have seats on MAC with the option to appoint a surrogate to serve in their place

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We have asked Dr. Bell  to address the following points:

• His vision for the Council during his term
• Obstacles to hinder reaching that vision
• Where the Council gets its money
• Where the Council gets its authority to obtain compliance
• The Met Council's role regarding transportation in the region

In the July-August bi-monthly update of the Metropolitan Council, "Directions," Dr. Bell wrote a column in which he suggested there will be some changes in direction.  First and foremost, however, he states that his vision includes a "Met Council version of the Hippocratic Oath: 'Do No Harm.'"  One area of focus, he states, will be a multi-modal approach to congestion, an approach that involves roads and transit.  A second area of focus will be customer service, with local units of government among the key customers. He envisions a change in the distribution plan for allocating dollars to communities under the Livable Communities program.  For example, in April the Council voted to target more of those dollars to outer-ring suburbs and rural growth centers.  Finally, Mr. Bell wrote that the Council will refocus its efforts on core services that the Legislature has specifically directed the Council to undertake--Metro Transit, Metro Mobility and wastewater treatment, for example.  At the same time, he goes on to say, "we will ferret out functions that may exceed the bounds of our core mission."

One example of such straying from the core mission might be Blueprint 2030, which the Council is taking a look at.  Should the Blueprint be a flexible framework around which the systems plans can be developed, rather than a more rigid blueprint which dictates how things will be done?

Mr. Bell states this reassessment reflects "the new Council's heightened level of respect for local control and autonomy."  The seven-county metropolitan region consists of 189 municipalities.  Might this respect for local control result in the tail wagging the dog?

This is an important time for the State as a whole and for the wholesome development of the metropolitan region in particular.  For everyone interested in regional issues, the meeting with Dr. Bell on October 2nd is an invaluable opportunity to listen, learn and ask questions.  League of Women Voters meetings are open to the public--come and bring a friend.

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Thursday, March 20, 2003
Bunker Hills Activity Center

Gene Ranieri
Executive Director of the Association of Minnesota Municipalities (AMM)

Dr. Lyle Wray
Executive Director of the Citizens League

Meeting Notes

"Project 2030 – Vision for the Elderly"
Larhae Knatterud
Planning Director, Aging Initiatives

"Housing and Health Care Services: The Present Reality"
Kelli Jo Greiner
Information Spec., Senior Linkage Line

One of the topics CMAL delegates indicated they wanted to learn more about was the availability of housing and services for seniors in the metro area.  Two experts from the Minnesota Board on Aging will be the speakers at this meeting to address this topic.  Project 2030 is named for the year in which boomers will begin to turn age 85.

CMAL's 1989 study of housing/health care for the aging, and its publication entitled "Choices for the Elderly", resulted in our current position.  This position "supports local planning for the housing and service needs for the elderly and disabled in the community and the preparation of a local 'Blueprint for Action'."  Project 2030, a statewide rather than local action plan, is an important vehicle in planning how the needs of seniors will be met without becoming a local drain on businesses, government, communities and families.

According to the Star Tribune, data from the 2000 census and projections from the State Demographic Center indicate that the state population will grow older faster than originally estimated.  The number of people over 85 is expected to grow from the 86,000 to 163,000 in 2030.  At the same time there will be fewer family members and fewer healthcare workers to care for the frail elderly.

Ms Knatterud will discuss the ramifications of this likely scenario and suggest adjustments that might be possible to ease looming problems.  Ms. Greiner will assess the current situation for elderly seniors, and will offer resources and access to information that will help solve problems being encountered today.

In addition, the staff at the Wilder Humboldt Apartments will conduct a tour of the 508-516 campus following the program.

The CMAL Board anticipates that there will be many questions for the speakers and has planned time for questions and answers.  League meetings are open to the public, but space is somewhat limited and a reservation is necessary.

Mary Vik, LWV St. Paul
CMAL Program Chair