>> HEY, EVERYONE, THIS IS ANDREW
KORSBERG HERE. WE CAN WAIT ONE
LAST-MINUTE FOR PEOPLE TO CHECK
IN TO THE MEETING. ONE LAST
REMINDER TO MUTE YOUR MICROPHONE
IF YOU ARE NOT TALKING. AND THEN
IF THERE ANY PEOPLE FROM THE
PUBLIC ATTENDING THE MEETING,
GREAT, WELCOME. WE WILL HAVE A
TIME AT THE END OF THE AGENDA
FOR ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS. BUT
JUST REMINDING PEOPLE TO MUTE
THEIR MICS AND WE WILL GET
STARTED IN A MINUTE OR TWO.
HI, EVERYONE. I THINK I WILL
START OFF. GRATIA WOULD NORMALLY
BE RUNNING THE MEETING. BUT SHE
IS NOT FEELING THE BEST. SO IF
YOU DON'T MIND GIVING ME A
LITTLE GRACE TO SCRAMBLE TO WORK
THROUGH THIS MEETING. LAURA
PREUS IS ALSO ON HERE FROM DNR,
SO WE WILL BE JOINING TO TAKE
OVER THE MEETING. WE WILL HAVE A
COUPLE OF OPENING REMARKS FROM
THE CHAIRS AND THEN WE WILL WALK
THROUGH THE RECOMMENDATIONS
DOCUMENT. AND WE WILL PROBABLY
HAVE A BREAK AFTER THAT, BECAUSE
I REALIZE WE HAVE NOT SCHEDULED
A BREAK IN HERE AND THEN WE WILL
HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT
IMPLEMENTATION STEPS AND IDEAS
FOR OFFICE. FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT
STEPS AND A CHANCE FOR SOME
PUBLIC INPUT. SO WITH THAT, DOES
ONE OF OUR CHAIRS OR BOTH LIKE
TO SAY SOMETHING?
>> I CAN GO, JOHN, AND THEN YOU
CAN TAKE THE TIME, IF THAT'S
OKAY. WELCOME, EVERYBODY. THIS
IS RANDOLPH. THANKS FOR JOINING
US ON THIS FINE WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON. NORMALLY I WOULD LIKE
TO SHARE MY VIDEO, BUT MY FOURTH
GRADER IS ABOUT 20 MINUTES INTO
A 40-PERSON ZOOM MEETING WITH
THE CLASS. SO IF I TURN ON MY
VIDEO, EVERYTHING WOULD SOUND --
SO I WILL KEEP IT ON AUDIO ONLY.
I WILL BE QUICK. I JUST WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS BEFORE WE
JUMP INTO THIS. I THINK I JUST
WANT TO MENTION THAT ALONG WITH
THINGS, TO MENTION FOR WHAT IT
IS WORTH, AND IT MIGHT NOT BE
WORTH MUCH. I AM EXTREMELY HAPPY
AND OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THIS
PROCESS THAT WE HAVE ALL -- OF
THIS JOURNEY WE HAVE ALL BEEN ON
FOR THE PAST TEN OR SO MONTHS.
THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS HURDLES
AROUND THE WAY. JUST IN TERMS OF
COLLABORATION, I DON'T THINK
FOLKS APPRECIATE HOW MUCH EASIER
IT IS TO MEANINGFULLY
COLLABORATE WHEN YOU'RE SITTING
ACROSS THE TABLE PHYSICALLY FROM
SOMEONE. AND FOR US TO GET TO
THE POINT OF WHERE WE ARE AND TO
HAVE THE LEVEL OF COLLABORATION
THAT WE HAVE HAD OVER THE PAST
TEN MONTHS, VIA WEBEX, I THINK
IT IS HUGE. A LOT OF THANKS GOES
TO OUR TEAM HERE AT DNR AND EMT
TO MAKE THIS A GOOD EXPERIENCE.
BUT I THINK THAT EVERYONE HERE
ON THE TASK FORCE IS REALLY DUG
IN AND GONE ALL OUT IN
COLLABORATING WITH ONE ANOTHER.
I THINK THROUGH ALL OF THESE UPS
AND DOWNS OVER THE LAST YEAR
WITH COVID AND THE KILLING OF
GEORGE FLOYD AND EVERYTHING THAT
HAS HAPPENED IN OUR AREA, I
CAN'T HELP BUT THINK THAT EVEN
THOUGH -- EVEN THROUGH ALL OF
THIS THAT BECAUSE OF THE
PANDEMIC, NOT DESPITE OF IT,
THERE IS STILL NO BETTER TIME TO
BE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS
THAT WE ARE HAVING RIGHT NOW.
THESE TOPICS ARE ON THE TOP OF
FOLKS MINDS. MORE PEOPLE ARE
GETTING OUTDOORS NOW. MORE
PEOPLE ARE INTERNALIZING THE
IMPORTANCE OF OUTDOOR RECREATION
TO THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF
THEMSELVES. AND YET, THERE STILL
REMAINS SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS FOR
OUR FELLOW MINNESOTANS WITH
BENEFITS. SO THESE CONVERSATIONS
WE ARE HAVING RIGHT NOW AMONGST
THIS GROUP ARE INCREDIBLY
TIMELY. AND I AM REALLY GLAD
THAT WE ARE HAVING IT. FURTHER,
I AM REALLY OPTIMISTIC, BECAUSE
I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
READ THROUGH EVERY ITERATION ON
THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF DRAFTS
OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS. AND IT
IS REALLY -- IT IS REALLY CLEAR
THAT WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY IN
A SHORT FEW MONTHS. I WANT TO
THANK EVERYONE FOR THAT. AND
PARTICULARLY I WANT TO THINK THE
EXTRACURRICULAR WORK THAT OUR
SYNTHESIS TEAM HAS PUT INTO THIS
EFFORT TO TAKE US FROM A MYRIAD
OF RECOMMENDATIONS DOWN TO
SOMETHING THAT LOOKS MANAGEABLE
AND ACHIEVABLE. SO I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR THAT. FINALLY I AM
ADDITIONALLY PLEASED, BECAUSE I
SEE A TON WITH THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS, I SEE A TON OF
OVERLAP BETWEEN THE
RECOMMENDATIONS THEMSELVES AND
DNRS STRATEGIC PLAN PERTAINS TO
DI AND INCREASED ACCESS. ANY
OVERLAP WE CAN HAVE IS ONLY
BETTER TO INCREASE THE ACTION
ABILITY OF SOME OF THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS. SO I'M REALLY
PLEASED THAT WE HAVE THAT THEY
ARE TOO. I THINK I SEEM TO SAY
THIS EVERY TIME I HAVE A CHANCE
TO TALK, BUT I THINK TODAY'S
CONVERSATION PARTICULARLY AROUND
IMPLEMENTATION IS PROBABLY OUR
MOST IMPORTANT CONVERSATION YET.
THIS IS WHEN IT REALLY BECOMES
CLEAR WHAT IS ACTIONABLE AND
WHAT IS ASPIRATIONAL. WE TALK
ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION. THIS IS
WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD.
I THINK RIGHT NOW WE CURRENTLY
HAVE A GOOD MIX OF ITEMS. SOME
ARE ACTIONABLE. SOME ARE
SHOVEL-READY. THERE ARE ITEMS ON
HERE THAT WE COULD GET TO WORK
TOMORROW MOVING FORWARD. I THINK
THERE ARE OTHER ITEMS ON THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE
ASPIRATIONAL. THEY MAY HAVE BEEN
ACTIONABLE IN JANUARY, BUT NOW
WITH OUR CURRENT PUBLIC FISCAL
SITUATION, THEY MIGHT NOT BE AS
ACTIONABLE. THEY MAY BE MORE
ASPIRATIONAL. THEY MAY BE MORE
NOT "IF BUT WHEN" ITEMS. AND I
THINK AS WE TALK ABOUT
IMPLEMENTATION, ONE PART OF THAT
WILL BE A NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW
DO WE BUILD A BRIDGE BETWEEN
THESE TWO TYPES? HOW DO WE BUILD
A BRIDGE BETWEEN THE ACTIONABLE
AND THE ASPIRATIONAL, SO THAT WE
CAN ACHIEVE ALL IN THE FUTURE?
WITH THAT SAID, I HAVE TAKEN
ENOUGH TIME. I REALLY APPRECIATE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO OBSERVE THESE
CONVERSATIONS, AND WITH THAT I
CAN TURN IT OVER TO JOHN IF HE
HAS SOME ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS.
>> SURE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
YOUR COMMENTS. I DON'T REALLY
HAVE A WHOLE LOT THAT I WANT TO
ADD. OF COURSE I WANT TO BE SURE
THAT I THINK EVERYBODY FOR ALL
THE GREAT WORK. THERE HAS BEEN A
LOT OF WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO
IT AND A LOT OF TIME ALL OF YOU
HAVE SPENT INTO THIS. AND I
FIRST OF ALL WANT YOU TO KNOW
HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE IT. WHEN
WE FIRST STARTED THIS PROJECT,
WE BASICALLY WERE FACED WITH
SOME DIRECTION TO CREATE AN
OFFICE OF OUTDOOR RECREATION,
BUT WE REALLY NEED TO GET FROM
SOME PILLARS OF FOUNDATION FOR
WHAT THIS ALL LOOKS LIKE, WHAT
AN OFFICE LOOKS LIKE, WHAT A
MISSION LOOKS LIKE, AND YOU HAVE
DONE SUCH TREMENDOUS WORK IN
LAYING THAT OUT. I WANT YOU TO
KNOW HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE IT,
BECAUSE WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO DO THIS WITHOUT YOUR
INPUT. I GUESS ONE OF THE
COMMENTS THAT I WANT TO MAKE IS
SORT OF A LITTLE BIT REINFORCING
WHAT ANDREW SAID, AND THAT IS
THE IMPLEMENTATION IS CLEARLY
THE MOST IMPORTANT. AND LATER ON
IN THE DISCUSSION TODAY, WE ARE
GOING TO TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS
AND OFFICE IDEAS. THAT'S WHERE
WE REALLY NEED TO FLESH THIS OUT
A LITTLE BIT MORE, BECAUSE I
NOTICE IN SOME OF THE LAST
RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT CREATING
AN OFFICE OF OUTDOOR RECREATION,
THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT MORE
BEYOND THAT. SO IT'S A QUESTION
IN MY MIND, HOW IS THAT IT'S
GOING TO COME TO EXISTENCE? HOW
ARE WE GOING TO FUND IT? IT SAYS
FUND APPROPRIATELY, BUT WHO? ARE
WE GOING TO GO THROUGH
LEGISLATION? IS IT SOMETHING
THAT THE AGENCIES ARE ASKED TO
TAKE THE LEAD FOR? ALL AGENCIES
HAVE HAD TO PUT IN THEIR
REQUESTS ALREADY TO THE
LEGISLATURE IN TERMS OF THEIR
PRIORITIES, AND THIS IS COMING A
LITTLE BIT AFTER THAT. SO IS
THIS AN ADDENDUM? OR IS THIS
SOMETHING THAT THE GROUP IS
GOING TO TAKE A STEP IN? IS THIS
REALLY OF PUBLIC/PRIVATE, AND
WHAT EXACTLY DOES THAT LOOK
LIKE? OR IS THIS TRULY GOING TO
BE SORT OF A NONPROFIT TYPE OF
ENTITY? IT REALLY GETS DOWN TO
GREAT THOUGHTS, GREAT IDEAS, BUT
HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THIS
DONE? AND THAT'S -- AS ANDREW
SAID, A LOT OF THESE IDEAS ARE
ASPIRATIONAL, BUT I THINK THEY
CAN BE IMPLEMENTED OVER TIME
ONCE WE HAVE THAT STRUCTURE IN
PLACE. SO REALLY LOOKING FORWARD
TO HEARING THAT DISCUSSION LATER
ON TODAY, THOSE THAT WERE
INVOLVED IN THIS AND THOSE THAT
ARE NOT AS DIRECTLY INVOLVED. WE
WANT TO HEAR FROM EVERYBODY ON
THIS. BECAUSE I THINK THAT -- IT
IS TO EVERYBODY'S BENEFIT THAT
WE GET THIS PART RIGHT ABOUT HOW
IT IS GOING TO GET DONE. BECAUSE
WITHOUT THAT A LOT OF THE
EFFORTS THAT HAVE GONE INTO THIS
WILL JUST NOT BE ABLE TO BE
REALIZED. SO LOOK FORWARD TO THE
DISCUSSION ON THAT. THANKS A LOT
FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP. THANK YOU,
DNR, FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE WILL GO
BACK TO THE AGENDA AND GET THE
MEETING GOING.
>> THANKS, JOHN AND RANDOLPH. I
THINK THAT'S A GOOD TRANSITION
INTO THE NEXT STEP OF THE
AGENDA, WHICH IS TO WALK THROUGH
THE RECOMMENDATIONS DOCUMENT. SO
I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYONE CAN SEE
MY SCREEN VERY WELL OR NOT, I'M
GOING TO TRY TO SORT OF SHARE.
HERE'S THE RECOMMENDATIONS
DOCUMENT JUST FOR REFERENCE. SO
THE SYNTHESIS TEAM MADE UP OF A
FEW PEOPLE ON THE TASK FORCE AS
WELL AS A FEW OF US HERE AT DNR
TOOK THE GOOD WORK THAT Y'ALL
HAD DONE IN CONTINUING TO REVISE
AND EVOLVE THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I KNOW THERE WAS TONS OF REALLY
AMAZING STUFF, AND WE TRIED TO
DISTILL IT DOWN HERE INTO A
FORMAL RECOMMENDATION DOCUMENT.
SO AS WE GO THROUGH, Y'ALL
SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED THIS IN
YOUR EMAIL, THIS IS A WORKING
DOCUMENT STILL, SO THERE IS --
THIS IS -- THERE IS A FAIR
AMOUNT THAT CAN BE TWEAKED AND
CHANGED AS WE MOVE ALONG WITH
THIS. BUT THIS WAS SORT OF THE
DRAFT THAT WE ARE GOING ON FOR
THE MEETING TODAY. THERE IS SORT
OF, THERE ARE FOUR MAJOR
CATEGORIES OF THE
RECOMMENDATION. I WAS GOING TO
SAY, I THINK THAT EVERYONE HAS
RECEIVED -- GRATIA'S EMAIL TO
EVERYONE. WE HAVE DELIVER
EQUITY, UNITE. UNIFIED
COMMUNICATION, AND CREATE AND
FUND THE COMMUNICATION. I DON'T
WANT TO READ THROUGH THE WHOLE
THING, BUT THERE IS SOME VALUE
IN EVERYONE HEARING THE
INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH UNDER
EACH OF THESE TOPICS AND THE
GOAL FOR THE CONVERSATION TODAY
IS TO KIND OF FROM -- BY EACH OF
THESE CATEGORIES TO HEAR BACK
FROM EVERYONE ON HOW THIS IS
LOOKING. WE DON'T NECESSARILY
HAVE A GROUP EDITING SESSION, I
DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT WE ARE
LOOKING FOR, BUT WE WANT TO HAVE
THAT THOROUGH CONVERSATION ABOUT
IT AND THEN WE CAN ALONG WITH
THE SYNTHESIS TEAM TAKE ANY
INPUT FROM HERE AND THEN KEEP
EVOLVING THE DOCUMENT. ONE THING
TO NOTE IS THAT THERE WERE SOME
COMMENTS FROM A NUMBER OF
PEOPLE, SO THANKS FOR THOSE. IF
IT WAS FEASIBLE TO MAKE TWEAKS
BASED ON THOSE COMMENTS, GRATIA
DID THAT. THOUGH THERE WERE A
NUMBER OF THEM WHERE THEY WERE
SORT OF CONVERSATIONAL THINGS
THAT WERE GREAT POINTS. SO IF
YOU HAVE SOME OF THOSE THAT YOU
REMEMBER WHEN THEY COME UP IN
EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES, PLEASE
SPEAK UP. SO I JUST WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT. SO JUST HERE TO
START WITH THE DELIVER EQUITY,
DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSIVITY. I
WILL READ THE FIRST TWO
PARAGRAPHS, BECAUSE I THINK THAT
THERE IS AN ACTIVE VISUAL AND
AUDITORY LEARNING ASPECT TO
HEARING IT OUT LOUD AND THEN WE
CAN BEGIN OUR CONVERSATION. I
WILL NOT READ THE WHOLE
DOCUMENT, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT
THAT WOULD BE PAINFUL FOR
EVERYONE. BUT I DO WANT TO LET
EVERYONE HEAR THIS OUT LOUD
BEFORE WE HAVE A CONVERSATION.
DELIVER EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND
INCLUSIVITY. THE IMPORTANCE OF
EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND
INCLUSIVITY WERE PROMINENT IN
TASK FORCE DISCUSSIONS. THERE IS
A RISE IN RECOGNITION OF
HISTORIC INEQUITIES, AND ACCESS,
SERVICE, AND SUPPORT. RESULTING
IN BARRIERS FOR AMERICAN
INDIANS, AFRICAN-AMERICANS,
LATINX, ASIAN-AMERICANS, AND
OTHER COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND
OUTDOOR SPACES AND RECREATION.
THESE SAME POPULATIONS ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAJORITY OF
THE POPULATION GROWTH IN
MINNESOTA IN OUR REGION.
PARTICIPATION IN THE OUTDOORS
HAS BEEN ON THE DECLINE FOR MANY
YEARS. OUTDOOR AGENCIES,
BUSINESSES, AND LOCAL
MUNICIPALITIES NEED TO STRIVE
AND PARTNER FOR PROPORTIONAL
REPRESENTATIVES AND SERVICES AND
SUPPORTS FOR THE USE POPULATIONS
TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF THE
OUTDOOR RECREATION IN OUR STATE.
USE, SERVICES, SUPPORT, AND
ACCESS BARRIERS AND OUTDOOR
SPACES AND RECREATION IMPEDE
BLACK, AND INDIGENOUS, AND IN
PEOPLE OF COLOR BIPOC, GAY,
LESBIAN, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER,
AND LGBTQ COMMUNITIES, WOMEN,
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AND
PEOPLE WITH LOW OR NO INCOME IS
A SERIOUS CONCERN THAT MINNESOTA
NEEDS TO ADDRESS. THE ONE
ACHIEVING THEME FROM THE
TASK FORCE IS TO BUILD A CULTURE
OF OUTDOOR SO THAT MINNESOTA IS
KNOWN AS THE PLACE WHERE
EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO ENJOY
MINNESOTA'S NATURAL RESOURCES.
IN ADDITION, THERE IS A HUGE
POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH AND OUTDOOR
RECREATION FROM UNTAPPED USERS
IN BIPOC AND THE CONSERVATION
COMMUNITY. THERE IS A GROWING
FAMILIARITY WITH DIVERSITY,
EQUITY, AND INCLUSION EFFORTS
ADDING JUSTICE TO CREATE A NEW
ACRONYM JEDI IS SOMETHING OUR
GROUP STARTED TO DISCUSS AND
REQUIRES MORE EXPLANATION. WE
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IN THE ISOLATED
AND PRIVILEGED OUTDOOR SPACES
AND RECREATION ACTIVISM RACISM,
SEXISM, AND HOMOPHOBIA HAVE BEEN
PRESENT WITH LIMITED RECOURSE
AND RESPITE FOR THOSE THAT
EXPERIENCE THESE TYPES OF
INJUSTICE AND HARASSMENT.
MULTIPLE STORIES OF USERS BEING
HARASSED BY OTHER USERS OR
ERRONEOUS CALLS TO
LAW ENFORCEMENT, LAW ENFORCEMENT
USING DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES,
AND INDUSTRY BUSINESS IS NOT
SUPPORTING USERS OF COLOR OR
WOMEN EQUITABLY HAS BEEN
DOCUMENTED IN NATIONAL AND
REGIONAL NEWS IN SECTORS
REPORTS. IN THE TASK FORCE
CONVERSATION IT WAS ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT NOT ENOUGH WORK HAS BEEN
DONE TO SUPPORT THESE
POPULATIONS OUTDOOR GROUPS,
CLUBS, AND AS CUSTOMERS OR
ADDRESS BARRIERS YOU NEED TO
LIVED EXPERIENCES AND OUTDOOR
SPACES AND RECREATION, WHICH
LIMITS THEIR PARTICIPATION. AND
THEN BELOW ARE SORT OF THE
THREE -- A NUMBER OF HEADINGS OF
THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I WON'T
READ EACH ONE, BECAUSE THAT IS
MORE SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU GUYS
HAVE HEARD BEFORE. SO WITH THAT,
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY SORT OF
THOUGHTS OR THINGS TO ADD TO THE
CONVERSATION REACTIONS? SORRY,
SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY SCREEN,
I APOLOGIZE.
>> ANDREW, THIS IS LAURA HERE.
AS PEOPLE ARE REFLECTING, PART
OF THIS IS JUST AN OPPORTUNITY
TO SEE IF THE WAY THIS HAS BEEN
CONSOLIDATED AND BROUGHT
TOGETHER IS FEELING LIKE IT
RESONATES WITH THE SERIES OF
CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE HAD SO
FAR. AND SO, JUST INTERESTED TO
HEAR ANY THOUGHTS AS ANDREW
NOTED THAT THIS IS EVOLVING. IT
BECOMES FINALIZED AT THE LAST
TASK FORCE MEETING. SO IT IS
PROGRESSING TOWARDS COMPLETION,
BUT STILL IN A DYNAMIC PHASE
HERE. SO THANKS, ANDREW, FOR
WORKING THROUGH THAT. ANY
REACTIONS?
>> HEY, ALL, THIS IS J.R. WITH
POLARIS. JUST AN OVERALL
REACTION IS THIS ALONG WITH
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS IT SEEMS
ROLL UP INTO AT LEAST IN PART
INTO THE LAST RECOMMENDATION OF
THE OUTDOOR OFFICE. YOU KNOW, I
THINK IF YOU LOOK AT NOT ONLY
THE ROLE THAT AGENCIES LIKE
EXPLORE MINNESOTA AND DNR, BUT
NONPROFITS, STAKEHOLDERS,
EDUCATORS, THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY
LIKE THE POLARISS OF THE WORLD
AND OTHERS WHO CALL MINNESOTA
HOME, WE ALL HAVE A ROLE IN
BRINGING THESE THINGS TO LIFE.
SO THE VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS TO
MAKE THESE THINGS OUR REALITY
WILL BE A CRITICAL PART OF THIS
CONVERSATION AS WE GO FORWARD.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE A
COUPLE OF THOUGHTS IN THAT
REGARD, THANKS.
>> THANK YOU, J.R.
>> HI, THIS IS PERRY MAY. I JUST
WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT THAT
THIS CATEGORY THAT WE HAVE HERE
IS PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT
TO IMPLEMENT. IT WILL TAKE A
CULTURAL SHIFT IN THINKING AND
IMPLEMENTATION. SO IF I HAD TO
SAY YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE
LOW-HANGING FRUIT, THIS ONE IS
HIGH ON THE TREE. I AM NOT
ARGUING. IT IS AN IMPORTANT
TOPIC AND NEEDS TO BE MOVING
FORWARD. BUT THIS ONE WILL TAKE
SOME TIME FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
>> HI, FOLKS, THIS IS SARAH
MILLIGAN-TOFFLER, CAN YOU HEAR
ME?
>> YES, SARAH.
>> HI, JUST BUILDING ON THE TWO
COMMENTS THEY ARE, LANGUAGE
DOES -- TO ANSWER YOUR SPECIFIC
QUESTION, IT DOES A GOOD JOB OF
SUMMARIZING THE MANY
CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD ABOUT
THIS AND JUST HOW IMPORTANT IT
IS IN TERMS OF ESTABLISHING AN
OFFICE OF OUTDOOR RECREATION
THAT WE EXPLICITLY CENTER
EQUITY. YES, IT IS GOING TO BE A
LONG WORK. THIS IS NOT GOING TO
HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, BUT I THINK
THAT IF WE DON'T TO DO THAT AT
THE OUTSET, THE OPPORTUNITY TO
ADJUST FROM THAT, YOU KNOW, IS
REAL BECAUSE IT IS HARD AND YOU
KNOW, IT IS LONG TERM WORK. SO I
JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR
ENGAGING IN THE CONVERSATION AND
I THINK THAT THIS DOES A
GOOD JOB OF RECOGNIZING THE
LEADERSHIP THAT ALREADY EXISTS,
AND IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, AND
THE NEED TO DO BETTER AT YOU
KNOW, MAKING MINNESOTA'S
OUTDOORS TRULY ACCESSIBLE TO
ALL. SO JUST WANT TO THANK THE
GROUP FOR THAT.
>> HEY, ANDREW, IT IS HANSI, I
JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY AND
FOLLOW UP ON THE LAST THREE
COMMENTS AS WELL. IT WILL BE
HARD AND IT IS FRUIT TO THAT IS
HIGH UP ON THE TREE, BUT WHAT
BETTER TO HAVE A POINT OF PLACE
LIKE THE OFFICE OF OUTDOOR
RECREATION TO TAKE THAT ON AND
HAVE A PLACE THAT WILL ACTUALLY
OWN IT AND MAKE IT ACTUALLY
HAPPEN?
>> THANK YOU, SARAH, THANKS,
HANSI.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I
THINK THAT I STRUGGLED WITH A
LITTLE BIT WAS JUST THAT FIRST
LINE OF DELIVER EQUITY,
DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSIVITY, AND
I WAS NOT SURE IF IT WAS DELIVER
A PART OF IT, OR JUST THOSE
THREE WORDS IN THE WAY THAT THEY
WERE. DELIBERATING THE EQUITABLE
OUTCOME, PROGRAM, OR A LOT IN
THE WAY THAT I THINK ABOUT
EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND
INCLUSIVITY IS THINKING ABOUT
YOU KNOW, PRONOUNS, OUTCOMES,
AND HOW WE ARE INCLUSIVE, BUT ON
THE DOCUMENT, IT SAYS BELOW ARE
THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADVANCE
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND
INCLUSIVITY. SO I KNOW WE ARE
NOT SUPPOSED TO BE -- BUT I
WOULD THROW OUT TO OUR GROUP
EITHER REPLACING DELIVER WITH
EITHER LEAD WITH OR ADVANCE, I
DON'T KNOW WHY DELIVER JUST
SOUNDS, I WOULD JUST THROW IT
OUT THERE, IN GENERAL -- I AM
SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT OUR GROUP HAS
THAT. IT'S JUST THAT ONE WORD
FOR SOME REASON JUST WAS NOT
DOING IT FOR ME.
>> YEAH, THANKS, ASHA. THAT IS
GOOD INPUT. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY
THOUGHTS TO ADD ON THAT? I
MARKED IT IN OUR NOTES THAT WE
ARE TAKING NOTES OF THE MEETING.
WE ARE GETTING IT RECORDED. WE
ARE GETTING THE TRANSCRIPTION OF
THE MEETING, SO WE ARE NOT GOING
TO LOSE ANYTHING ANYONE SAYS.
BUT I JUST ADDED IT HERE IF
ANYONE HAS SOMETHING TO ADD.
>> ANDREW, THIS IS MARK
NORQUIST, AND I THINK THAT
EVERYONE'S COMMENTS AS ALWAYS
ARE GOOD. AND COMING FROM
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES. AS I
THINK ABOUT DEI OR JEDI, AS A
FOCUS HERE I THINK THAT A LOT OF
GOOD POINTS HAVE BEEN MADE AND I
THINK THAT IT IS EXACTLY
SOMETHING THAT THIS TASK FORCE
SHOULD FOCUS ON. BUT I THINK
THAT TO SOME OF THE OTHER POINTS
MADE, THIS OBVIOUSLY IS SUCH A
BIGGER, BROADER SOCIAL ISSUE
THAT HAS CHALLENGES, I THINK
THAT WE NEED TO KEEP IN CONTEXT
OF IT AS ONE OF SEVERAL
PRIORITIES. AND I WOULD ACTUALLY
LOOK AT IT, MAYBE THE LANGUAGE
SHOULD BE ADJUSTED TO THIS. I
DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD MAKE THAT
RECOMMENDATION, BUT THE WAY I
SEE IT IS SOME OF THESE OTHER
PRIORITIES, IF YOU WILL, SUCH AS
UNITED TO MINNESOTA'S OUTDOOR
RECREATION COMMUNITY AND UNIFIED
COMMUNICATIONS ARE THE
ACHIEVABLE TACTICS, IF YOU WILL,
THAT TO THIS OFFICE UTILIZE TO
FOCUS ON DEI, SO THAT'S WHERE
EACH OF THESE PRIORITIES, THEY
ARE NOT ALL EQUAL, AND THEY ARE
VERY DIFFERENT. AND SO MAYBE
THERE IS SOMETHING AROUND THAT
WHERE WE CAN SAY, THE GOAL
AROUND DELIVERING EQUITY,
DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSIVITY, AND
OR THE WAY WE DO THAT IS BY
UNITING THE OUTDOOR RECREATION
COMMUNITY AND UNIFYING
COMMUNICATIONS PROMOTIONS THAT
FOCUS ON THAT ISSUE. SO I SEE
THOSE AS A MEANS TO AN END. SO I
GUESS THAT THAT IS ONE OF THE
THOUGHTS THAT IS IN MY MIND
RIGHT NOW.
>> THANKS, MARK.
>> THIS IS SARAH AGAIN. I'M
WONDERING IF I COULD RESPOND
QUICKLY TO MARK'S COMMENT? YOU
KNOW, I THINK THAT THIS IS THE
QUESTION AROUND HOW IT IS
STRUCTURED IS KIND OF A GOOD ONE
AND WHAT IS A GOAL, AND RELATE
TO ASHA'S POINT, I MEAN MAY BE,
WHEN I THINK ABOUT DIVERSITY,
EQUITY, AND INCLUSION, IT IS NOT
A GOAL, IT IS A WAY OF DOING
THIS AND HOW WE CENTER ALL OF
OUR WORK WITH THAT PLAN. AND SO
MAYBE THERE IS A WAY TO
STRUCTURE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS,
BUT THAT IS A WRAP AROUND
EVERYTHING WE DO. THAT WE ARE
GOING TO BE CONSIDERING ALL OF
THE WORK THROUGH THE LENS OF --
THAT DOES NOT IMPROVE EQUITY AS
ADJUSTMENT. DOES IT IMPROVE
INCLUSIVITY? SO JUST A THOUGHT,
EQUITY NEEDS TO KIND OF RUN
THROUGH EVERYTHING. IT IS NOT A
SEPARATE INITIATIVE OFF ON ITS
OWN.
>> THIS IS HANSI AGAIN. I THINK
THAT'S A REALLY GREAT POINT,
BOTH MARK AND SARAH, THE OTHER
POINT IS ON CONSERVATION
STEWARDSHIP AND HOW IMPORTANT
THAT IS LOOKING THROUGH THE
RECOMMENDATIONS THIS IS A LITTLE
BIT OF AN ASIDE, BUT I THINK
THAT IT IS THE SAME SORT OF IDEA
OF RAPPING IN A LENS VERSUS
HAVING IT AS A PRIORITY. SO
MAYBE IF WE DO THAT WITH EQUITY
AND INCLUSION, WE CAN UNDERSTAND
HOW CONSERVATION DOES THAT AS
WELL. SO HOW IT IS STRUCTURED
OVER ALL MIGHT BE A CONVERSATION
TO ONE THAT WE ARE HAVING RIGHT
NOW THAT WILL BE WORTH TALKING
ABOUT.
>> THIS IS MARK, HANSI, SARAH,
COMPLETELY AGREE. I THINK THOSE
ARE WONDERFUL POINTS AND IT IS
IN THE FRAMING OF HOW THIS IS
STATED. YES, THE ESSENCE IS
HERE, BUT IT IS JUST HOW IT IS
POSITIONED AND WHETHER IT IS A
FILTER OR A LENS, WHAT HAVE YOU,
I THINK THAT IS A GREAT WAY TO
LOOK AT IT.
>> ASHA, DO YOU WANT TO COMMENT
ON YOUR NOTE?
>> YEAH, SURE, I JUST THINK THAT
SARAH KIND OF KICKED IT OFF WHEN
SHE FIRST STARTED SPEAKING WAS
JUST LIKE IF WE DON'T HAVE IT
LISTED, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY
GOING TO BE A PRIORITY. IN A LOT
OF OUTDOOR RECREATION SPACES OR
ENVIRONMENTAL SPACES, FOLKS WANT
TO DO THINGS THAT ARE EQUITABLE,
BUT IT CAN GET LOST OR PUSHED
ASIDE REALLY EASILY, ESPECIALLY
WHEN PEOPLE AND/OR ORGANIZATIONS
DON'T INHERENTLY LIKE LEAD WITH
THAT ANYWAYS. SO I WOULD BE
HESITANT TO TAKE IT OUT AS WELL
AS PRIORITIES, BECAUSE I THINK
THAT WE HAVE OUR WORK CUT OUT
FOR US IF IT IS IN THERE, RIGHT?
SO I WOULD PUSH TO KEEP IT IN.
BOTH TO HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE, BUT
ALSO TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE
PUBLIC THAT IF WE ARE NOT SAYING
THAT EQUITY IS FRONT OF MIND,
THEN I THINK WE WILL GET A LOT
OF PUSHBACK OR WE COULD AND
PROBABLY SHOULD.
>> I THINK JUST TO SORT OF GO
ALONG WITH WHAT ASHA SAID A
LITTLE BIT, THAT A LOT OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU CAN ORDER
THEM IN A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT
WAYS, BUT THEY ALL KIND OF CROSS
AND COMINGLE WITH EACH OTHER. SO
WHETHER IT IS FOUR DIFFERENT
VENN DIAGRAMS ALL INTERSECTING
IS WHAT THE VISUAL
REPRESENTATION OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS. SO YEAH,
ANYWAY. DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE
ANY MORE COMMENTS? MARK, I SEE
THAT YOU ARE UNMUTED, DO YOU
WANT TO SAY ANYTHING?
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, IS
THERE AN OVERARCHING VISION
STATEMENT? I FEEL LIKE MAYBE WE
ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS WHERE
DOES EVERYTHING SIT AND WHY IS
IT THEY ARE AND WHAT IS IT
POINTING TOWARDS? HAVING THIS
DISCUSSION AROUND WHAT IS DEI IN
TERMS OF WHERE IT FITS, AND I
THINK THE QUESTION IS WHAT IS
THE FOCUS? DO WE HAVE A CLEAR
VISION MISSION STATEMENT
RELATIVE TO THIS?
>> YEAH, SO HERE IS THE
INTRODUCTION. AND I KNOW THAT IN
THE PAST, WAS IT THE LAST
MEETING? WAS IT AARON HAD TALKED
ABOUT THAT? AND I THINK THAT IT
CAPTURED HERE WORD OF SOME OF
THE KEY THEMES THAT THE GROUP
HAD TALKED ABOUT, AND IN THE
INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPHS, MAYBE
THERE ARE SOME WAYS TO REVISE
THIS TO BETTER CAPTURE THAT. I
DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HAS
ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD. I AM
FORGETTING SOME OF THE DETAILS
HERE WITH THIS. IS ANYONE FROM
THE SYNTHESIS GROUP ON THE --
I'M TRYING TO LOOK AT PEOPLE ON
THE CALL. MAYBE WANT TO ADD A
LITTLE BIT TO THAT? I DON'T
THINK, BECAUSE THAT WAS A BIG
PART OF WHAT AARON'S POINT WAS,
BUT I DON'T THINK HE IS ON THE
CALL.
>> I DON'T THINK THAT I AM
SEEING EITHER.
>> OKAY. WELL, LET'S -- IN THE
INTEREST OF TIME, LET'S KEEP
GOING FOR THE NEXT ONE, BECAUSE
MAYBE WE CAN KIND OF RESOLVE
THAT AS WE MOVE ALONG. IS THAT
OKAY WITH THE GROUP? OKAY GOOD I
AM SEEING A COUPLE OF NODS.
THANKS. THE NEXT GROUP IS UNITE
MINNESOTA'S OUTDOOR RECREATION
COMMUNITY. UNIFYING MINNESOTA
STRUCTURED AND DISCONNECTED
OUTDOOR COMMUNITY WAS A MAJOR
THEME AND TASK FORCE
DISCUSSIONS. TO DO THIS, THE
TASK FORCE RECOMMENDS PROMOTING
MORE SHARED DIALOGUE ON
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES AND
IDENTIFYING NEW WAYS TO PROMOTE
A BIGGER OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE
TOGETHER IN MINNESOTA. THERE ARE
MANY VARIED GROUPS IN WAYS THAT
PEOPLE ENJOY THE OUTDOORS AND
MINNESOTA. THESE GROUPS ARE NOT
ALWAYS WELL CONNECTED TO EACH
OTHER AND COORDINATED IN THEIR
WORK FOR THE OUTDOORS. THESE
OUTDOOR INTERESTS ARE ACTUALLY
MUCH MORE ALIGNED THAN MANY
REALIZE ACROSS THE OUTDOOR
RECREATION COMMUNITY IN
MINNESOTA. BRINGING THESE GROUPS
AND INTEREST TOGETHER FOR A
UNIFIED OUTDOOR RECREATION
SECTOR IN MINNESOTA THROUGHOUT
IMPROVED PUBLIC TO PRIVATE,
PUBLIC TO PRIVATE, AND PRIVATE
TO PRIVATE COLLABORATION IS
URGENTLY NEEDED. BELOW ARE THE
RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADVANCE THESE
GOALS. IMPROVED COORDINATION AND
COMMUNICATION, PARTNERSHIP
CREATION AND GROWTH, AND IN
CONSERVATION, STEWARDSHIP, AND
NATURAL RESOURCES ADVOCACY.
>> HI, ANDREW, THIS IS SARAH.
ONE QUESTION AS I AM HEARING YOU
READING THAT, WHICH I REALLY
APPRECIATE YOU DOING, I AM
WONDERING IF TRIBAL SHOULD BE
LISTED IN THERE. AND IF THAT WAS
DISCUSSED, BECAUSE THAT SEEMS TO
BE A MISSING GROUP.
>> YOU MEAN LIKE BETWEEN THE
IMPROVED PUBLIC TO PUBLIC --
LIKE IN THAT? YEAH, THAT IS --
SURE, I MEAN I GUESS INITIALLY,
I MIGHT READ THIS AND THINK THAT
THE TRIBAL GOVERNMENT WOULD BE A
PUBLIC ENTITY, BUT I SEE HOW IT
IS ACTUALLY AN AUTONOMOUS PUBLIC
ENTITY.
>> YEAH, THEY ARE SOVEREIGN. AND
YOU KNOW, AND I THINK
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW IN MANY
CIRCLES EVEN THOUGH IT MIGHT BE
ENCOMPASSED, PEOPLE WOULD NOT
THINK ABOUT IT IF IT WAS NOT
CALLED OUT, I JUST THINK THAT IT
MIGHT BE IMPORTANT.
>> YEAH, THANKS, WE CAN ADD THAT
IN, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER SORT OF
COMMENTS ON THIS OR REACTIONS TO
HOW THIS IS LAID OUT? YOU KNOW,
WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF
THE BULLET POINTS HERE AS BEST
WE COULD FROM THE
RECOMMENDATIONS YOU GUYS HAVE
SUBMITTED BEFORE WITH MAYBE A
FEW LITTLE WORD CHANGES HERE AND
THERE FOR LANGUAGE. BUT
OTHERWISE TRYING TO CAPTURE THE
INTENT OF THE CONVERSATIONS. ANY
THOUGHTS? DOES THE GROUP WANT ME
TO GO ON TO THE NEXT ONE? I
DON'T WANT TO MISS ANYTHING. I'M
SORRY IF I AM MAKING PEOPLE
DIZZY BY MY SCROLLING. OKAY, I
WILL GO ON UNLESS SOMEONE
INTERRUPTS ME. SO THE THIRD ONE
IS UNIFIED COMMUNICATION
PROMOTION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS.
CREATING MORE UNITY IN
MINNESOTA'S OUTDOOR RECREATION
COMMUNITY MUST INCLUDE BETTER
COMMUNICATION, ESPECIALLY BY
DISTINGUISHING AND HONORING A
COHESIVE, MODERN, AND WIDELY
HEARD VOICES AND IDENTIFYING NEW
WAYS TO PROMOTE A MORE EXPANSIVE
OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE. DOING SO
WILL GROW PARTICIPATION IN
STEWARDSHIP OF MINNESOTA'S
OUTDOORS. IN ADDITION, OUTDOOR
RECREATION IS A BIG INDUSTRY IN
MINNESOTA WITH SIGNIFICANT
ECONOMIC IMPACT ACROSS THE
STATE. FINDING WAYS TO BETTER
EXPAND THE IMPORTANCE IN THE
ROLE OF OUTDOOR RECREATION IN
MINNESOTA WILL BENEFIT NOT ONLY
THE ECONOMY, BUT THE HEALTH AND
WELLNESS OF MINNESOTANS. BELOW
ARE RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADVANCE
THESE GOALS. AND THEN THE TWO
MAJOR CATEGORIES OF PROMOTION
AND MEDIUMS AND MESSAGING. ANY
INITIAL THOUGHTS ON THIS?
COMMENTS, RUMINATIONS? IS
EVERYONE EXCITED TO GET TO
CREATING AN OFFICE CONVERSATION
WHICH I THINK IS MORE -- THERE
IS MORE TO TALK ABOUT? WHEN YOU
GUYS HAD THE LAST GROUP MEETING
WHERE YOU SYNTHESIZED YOU KNOW
DOWN, WAS ANYTHING IN THIS -- IS
THERE ANYTHING IMPORTANT THAT
WAS LEFT OUT OUT OF THIS ONE OR
THE LAST ONE THAT YOU ARE SEEING
FOR THOSE THAT ARE ON THOSE
GROUPS? SMALL GROUPS? OR DOES --
DO YOU FEEL THAT IT CAPTURES THE
UNITE AND UNIFIED COMMUNICATION?
I'M NOT HEARING ANYTHING, I
GUESS I WILL GO ON TO THE LAST
ONE.
>> ANDREW, YES, THIS IS A LAURA.
I WANTED TO MAKE A CONNECTION TO
AN EARLIER COMMENT FROM SOME OF
THE PARTICIPANTS ABOUT SORT OF
HOW EACH OF THESE BIG
RECOMMENDATION AREAS CAN
CONTRIBUTE TO EACH OTHER, AND
THAT UNDER THE SECTION ONE OF
THE RECOMMENDATIONS SHOWS
WELCOMING A COMMUNITY, WELCOMING
CULTURE. AND THERE IT IS IN THAT
SECOND BULLET. WELCOMING
EVERYONE OUTDOORS. SO I FEEL
THAT THIS CONNECTS TO THE
EARLIER CONVERSATION NOTING THAT
THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION AREA
REALLY WAS A WAY OF BEING THAT
HAPPENED THROUGH THESE KINDS OF
THINGS. SO I'M NOT ASKING FOR
ANY CHANGES, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT
THAT I SEE THAT PEOPLE ARE
REALLY EMPHASIZING THE
INTEGRATED NATURE OF THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS
>> YEAH, THANKS, LAURA. THAT WAS
REALLY I THINK AN UMBRELLA
OVERARCHING PERSPECTIVE.
>> HEY, ANDREW, IT IS HANSI, I
THINK THAT A LOT OF US ARE NOT
TALKING, BECAUSE WE ARE RUNNING
THIS THROUGH OUR BRAINS AT THE
SAME TIME AS ALSO LISTENING TO
WHAT IS GOING ON. BUT FROM ONE
SMALL GROUP I WAS INVOLVED AND
WHICH WAS THE CONSERVATION AND
STEWARDSHIP GROUP, I FEEL LIKE
WE HAVE DONE A DECENT JOB OF
ADDRESSING CONSERVATION AND
STEWARDSHIP, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE
CAN MAKE IT STRONGER OVERALL
JUST IN HOW IT IS MENTIONED.
WHAT I THINK MORE ABOUT IT AS
MAY BE JUST HOW WE VALUE THE
NATURAL RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE
IN THE STATE AND THAT THAT COMES
ACROSS MORE STRONGLY IN THE
RECOMMENDATIONS AS A WHOLE. I
SAY THAT MAINLY BECAUSE I FEEL
LIKE IF WHAT WE ARE LOOKING TO
DO HERE IS TO START TO PROMOTE
AND GET BEHIND AND UNIFIED
BEHIND ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT
IDEAS OF GOING OUTSIDE AND WHO
IS GOING OUTSIDE, AND INCREASING
THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE
GOING OUTSIDE, WE SHOULD
PROBABLY HAVE A STRONG MESSAGE
OF BEING STEWARDS OF THE
RESOURCES WE ARE GOING TO USE.
IF ANYTHING, JUST POLITICALLY,
BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE WHO WILL
LOOK AT THIS DOWN THE ROAD AND
START TO TALK ABOUT AN OFFICE OF
OUTDOOR RECREATION, I DON'T
THINK THAT WE ARE STRONG ENOUGH
ON THAT. IF SO I DON'T KNOW IF
SOMEONE WANTS TO WEIGH IN ON
THAT OR NOT?
>> YEAH, HANSI, IT IS MARK. I
WILL ADD TO THAT. I HAD SHARED
FEEDBACK. I KNOW YOU HAD TOO
WITH GRATIA ON THAT FRONT.
INCLUDING I THINK THE SECTION
UNDER THE -- I BELIEVE IT IS
UNDER THE UNITE MINNESOTA'S
OUTDOOR COMMUNITY CONSERVATION
STEWARDSHIP AND NATURAL
RESOURCES ADVOCACY. I FEEL LIKE
WE SHOULD BE IF UP. AND IT GOES
TO WHAT YOU JUST INDICATED, WHEN
WE TALK ABOUT INCREASING ACCESS
AND WE TALK ABOUT INCREASING
ENGAGEMENT AND GETTING MORE
PEOPLE OUTSIDE, WHICH IS EXACTLY
WHAT WE NEED TO DO, WE SHOULD BE
BALANCING THAT WITH STEWARDSHIP.
BECAUSE THAT IS OBVIOUSLY
PUTTING ADDITIONAL STRESS ON THE
NATURAL RESOURCES, AND THEY ARE
ALL KINDS OF STORIES THAT HAVE
COME OUT THIS YEAR DURING THE
PANDEMIC AS A RESULT OF
INCREASED PARTICIPATION IN HOW
THERE HAVE BEEN ISSUES THAT HAVE
BEEN CREATED. MANY OF US WHO ARE
VERY ACTIVE IN THE CONSERVATION
STEWARDSHIP WORLD I THINK WOULD
SEE THAT AS AN IMPERATIVE WITHIN
THERE. AND I THINK THAT IT IS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT
IS INEXPLICABLY LINKED TO THE
PARTICIPATION MESSAGE SO THAT
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR
OPPORTUNITY AND RESPONSIBILITY
TO TAKE CARE OF THESE NATURAL
RESOURCES WHEN THEY ARE ENGAGING
IN WHATEVER SORT OF RECREATION
ACROSS THE STATE.
>> MARK, THIS IS SARAH. IF I CAN
BUILD ON THAT POINT, WHICH I
THINK IS A REALLY GOOD ONE. I
THINK THAT THERE IS AN
OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR US TO TRY
TO ARTICULATE SOMETHING THAT I
THINK HELPS OUR WHOLE MOVEMENT
HOLISTICALLY ABOUT THE HEALTH OF
PEOPLE IN THE PLANET AND HOW
INEXTRICABLY LINKED THEY ARE,
AND YOU CAN'T CARE FOR THE
PLANET WITHOUT CARING FOR PEOPLE
AND VICE VERSA, SO I THINK THAT
THERE IS A BIGGER MESSAGE THERE,
BECAUSE THE WAY THAT WE THINK
ABOUT ACCESS AND CONSERVATION AS
TWO DIFFERENT THINGS, AND I
THINK THAT THERE IS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO EXPRESS
MAY BE A DIFFERENT WORLDVIEW ON
THAT. AND TO REALLY -- AND UNDER
THAT ARE CONSERVATION AND EQUITY
AND ACCESS PIECES WITH OUR
SISTERS HOLDING HANDS. IT MAKES
SENSE UNDER A BIGGER UMBRELLA.
JUST A THOUGHT TO BUILD ON WHAT
YOU WERE SAYING.
>> YEAH, SARAH, THIS IS HANSI
AGAIN. WHEN I FIRST SAW THE
RECOMMENDATIONS, I THOUGHT HOW
CLOSE IT WAS TO WHAT I LEARNED
IN SCHOOL AROUND THE IDEA OF
WHAT A SUSTAINABLE MODEL IS
BETWEEN SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND
ENVIRONMENTAL, THOSE THREE
TENANTS ARE WHAT CREATE
SUSTAINABILITY. AND WE ARE
ALMOST THERE. WE HAVE FOUR
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT DON'T FIT
INTO THAT MODEL, BUT THEY ARE
VERY CLOSE. SO IT IS SIMILAR TO
WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, I THINK.
>> SO WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT
THE UMBRELLA, WHAT -- HOW WOULD
YOU -- COULD YOU ELABORATE A
LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT?
>> YEAH -- UNLESS SARAH, YOU GO
AHEAD.
>> YOU GO AHEAD. BECAUSE I WAS
JUST GOING TO SAY, I AM PUTTING
STUFF OUT THERE. I DON'T HAVE IT
ALL THE WAY THOUGHT THROUGH.
HANSI, MAYBE YOU HAVE SOME
IDEAS.
>> JUST TO ME THINKING BACK TO
WHAT IT IS WE ARE TRYING TO DO
OVER ALL REGARDLESS OF WHETHER
THE OFFICE AS A PART OF IT OR
NOT, BUT WHAT WE ARE DOING IS
SAYING, HEY, WE HAVE THIS
AMAZING OPPORTUNITY AS A STATE
AS FAR AS OUR NATURAL RESOURCES
AND OUR OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL
ACTIVITIES ARE CONCERNED, BUT
HOW ARE WE GOING TO PROMOTE
THESE AND MAKE THEM MORE
POPULAR, FOR LACK OF A BETTER
WORD AND DO IT SUSTAINABLY? AND
IF WE DO IT IN A SUSTAINABLE
WAY, WHAT ARE THE MAIN AREAS
THAT WE REALLY NEED TO -- YOU
KNOW, ADDRESS AND INVEST IN TO
MAKE SURE THAT IT IS
SUSTAINABLE. SO I THINK ECONOMY
COMES OUT IN THE IDEA THAT WE
ARE LOOKING AT THE OUTDOOR
RECREATION OFFICE.
ENVIRONMENTALISM, COULD BE
CONSERVATION OR STEWARDSHIP, AND
HOW ARE WE TYING THAT INTO LIKE
MARK SAID, SORT OF THE CYCLE OF
IT ALL. AND OBVIOUSLY SOCIAL AND
THE FACT THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT
MORE DIVERSITY IN TRYING TO GET
MORE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE
OUTSIDE. SO WE HAVE TOUCHED ON
ALL OF THEM, BUT WE HAVE NOT
NECESSARILY CREATED A NARRATIVE
AROUND THAT AND THAT OPENING
STATEMENT OR IN HOW OUR
RECOMMENDATIONS LOOK. AND MAYBE
IN DOING THAT WE MIGHT HAVE MORE
A POLITICAL NARRATIVE WHEN WE
ARE TRYING TO PUSH THIS FORWARD
IN THE FUTURE.
>> GOT IT. SO BEEFING UP THAT
INTRODUCTION SORT OF AND THAT
VISION AND THE
INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF AN
UMBRELLA IDEA. OKAY.
>> YEP.
>> YEP, THAT'S WHAT I MEANT TOO.
>> GREAT. YES, THANKS. THAT'S
GREAT. SOMETIMES TO HEAR IT
AGAIN IN A DIFFERENT WAY HELPS
ME UNDERSTAND, THANKS. ARE THERE
ANY MORE THOUGHTS ON EITHER THE
UNITE THE OUTDOOR COMMUNITY,
OR -- AND I AM MOVING THIS
AROUND TOO MUCH. OR THE UNIFIED
COMMUNICATION? SPECIFICALLY? OR
WOULD YOU GUYS LIKE ME TO GO ON
TO THE LAST ONE? HEARING NOTHING
I GUESS I WILL GO TO THE LAST
ONE. WE CAN GO BACK-AND-FORTH.
IF THIS TRIGGERS THOUGHTS ABOUT
THE OTHER ONE, THAT'S ALL GREAT.
A FOURTH RECOMMENDATION CATEGORY
IS TO CREATE AND FUND
MINNESOTA'S OFFICE OF OUTDOOR
RECREATION. THE TASK FORCE
VISION IS FOR MINNESOTA OFFICE
OF OUTDOOR RECREATION THAT
CHAMPIONS AND INCLUSION OUTDOOR
RECREATION CULTURE AND CREATES A
BARRIER FREE PATHWAYS FOR
MINNESOTANS TO BENEFIT FROM
MINNESOTA'S OUTDOORS. DRIVEN BY
OUR ONLY IN MINNESOTA
DIFFERENCE, THE OFFICE OF
OUTDOOR RECREATION SHOULD FUEL
INCREASED OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL RESIDENTS,
VISITORS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
FOR ALL BUSINESSES, AND
STEWARDSHIP OF OUR STATE'S
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. THE
TASK FORCE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT
THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO ACHIEVE
THE ABOVE RECOMMENDATIONS AND
OFFICE OF OUTDOOR RECREATION IS
A GOOD ONE OPTION TO CATALYZE
ACTION. BELOW ARE
RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADVANCE THAT
VISION. AND THEN THERE ARE SOME
BULLETS UNDER OFFICE CREATION,
THE OFFICE PURPOSE AND GOALS,
AND BEYOND THAT. GO AHEAD.
>> THIS IS SARAH. ONE QUICK
THING AGAIN AS SORT OF LANGUAGE
RELATED, BUT COULD YOU READ
AGAIN THE SECTION WHERE IT SAYS
THE ECONOMIC --
>> YEAH, SURE. I APOLOGIZE, I
STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE.
>> SOCIETY THAT IS TOUCHED BY
THE OUTDOOR --
>> YES. I WILL REREAD THE WHOLE
THING. I APOLOGIZE I STOPPED IN
THE MIDDLE, BECAUSE IT REALLY
TIED INTO WHAT YOU AND HANSI
WERE JUST SAYING. THE TASK FORCE
VISION IS FOR MINNESOTA OFFICE
OF OUTDOOR RECREATION THAT
CHAMPIONS AND INCLUSIVE OUTDOOR
RECREATION CULTURE AND CREATES A
BARRIER-FREE PATHWAYS FOR ALL
MINNESOTANS TO BENEFIT FROM
MINNESOTA'S OUTDOORS. DRIVEN BY
OUR ONLY A MINNESOTA DIFFERENCE,
THE OUTDOOR OF OFFICE RECREATION
SHOULD FUEL INCREASED OUTDOOR
LIFESTYLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL
RESIDENTS, VISITORS, ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT FOR ALL BUSINESSES,
AND STEWARDSHIP OF OUR STATE'S
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. THE
TASK FORCE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT
THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO ACHIEVE
THE ABOVE RECOMMENDATIONS AND AN
OFFICE OF OUTDOOR RECREATION IS
ONE GOOD OPTION TO CATALYZE
ACTION. BELOW ARE THE
RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADVANCE THIS
VISION. IS THAT -- WAS THAT --
>> THANKS FOR THAT. YES, I THINK
THAT TO THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE
IS THAT WE SHOULD BE
ACKNOWLEDGING CULTURAL
CONNECTIONS TO THE OUTDOORS? FOR
MANY PEOPLE, AND CERTAINLY FOR
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES, THERE IS
A CULTURAL PIECE BEYOND THE
RECREATIONAL AND BUSINESS.
>> YEAH, THANKS, THAT IS A GOOD
SUGGESTION. WE CAN DEFINITELY
INCORPORATE THAT.
>> MAYBE I WILL JUST ASK A
QUESTION. I FORGET WHO SAID
THIS, BUT WONDERING IF THE
OFFICE IS KIND OF THE CENTRAL
RECOMMENDATION WITH THE CORE
PILLARS UNDERNEATH THE OFFICE OF
INCLUSIVE, OUTDOORS -- INCLUSIVE
AND EQUITABLE OUTDOORS UNIFIED
MOVEMENT, AND CONSERVATION, I
DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS KIND OF
WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING, BUT IT
FEELS LIKE THAT'S KIND OF WHAT
THAT IS RECOMMENDING, BUT IT IS
POSITIONED AS AN EQUAL
RECOMMENDATION TO THE OTHER
THREE. I DON'T KNOW HOW PEOPLE
FEEL ABOUT THAT.
>> YEAH, SARAH, I THINK YOU HAVE
GOT IT. THAT'S A REALLY VALID
POINT IN TERMS OF JUST THE WAY
THE DOCUMENT IS STRUCTURED. AT
THIS POINT MAYBE IT IS NOT THE
RIGHT TIME TO RESTRUCTURE
THINGS, BUT I THINK PUTTING FOUR
PILLARS ON EQUAL FOOTING WHEN
THEY ARE SUCH DIFFERENT TYPES OF
THINGS, I ALWAYS DO HAVE A
CHALLENGE WITH TRYING TO PARSE
THAT OUT IN MY MIND. AND IT DOES
FEEL LIKE THIS LAST ONE IS THE
ULTIMATE FOCUS, AND IT IS A
QUESTION OF WHAT WE HAVE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT HERE TODAY WHERE
THE GOALS AND PRIORITIES OF
WHICH DIVISION AND HOW DO WE
MAKE THAT HAPPEN? SO I THINK
THAT'S WHERE MAYBE IT IS THIS
OFFICE IS RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE
THAT TO THE NEXT LEVEL. MAYBE IT
IS THE TASK FORCE, I DON'T KNOW.
>> YEAH, MARK, THIS IS HANSI
AGAIN, THAT'S THE MAIN QUESTION,
WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS, THEY ARE GREAT
RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT THE ONE
THING THEY LACK IS WHO IS GOING
TO TAKE THEM ON? WHO IS GOING TO
MAKE THEM HAPPEN. SO IF THE
OFFICES WE ARE ASSUMING ARE
GOING TO TAKE ON THE
RESPONSIBILITY IS, MAYBE IT
SHOULD BE SOMEHOW SET OUT FIRST
AND HE IS OTHER THINGS FALL OFF
OF IT, OR ARE WE ASSUMING THAT
THE MINNESOTA DNR AND EXPLORE
MINNESOTA AND ALL OF THESE
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND NONFOR
PROFITS ARE GOING TO TAKE THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS AND GO WITH
THEM, AND MAYBE WE NEED TO
OUTLINE THAT AS WELL.
>> HEY, HANSI, THIS IS AARON
HAUTALA, AND IN MY POINT OF
VIEW, IT WAS THE RECOMMENDATION
THAT A LOT OF THEM ARE GOING TO
THE DEPARTMENT OF OUTDOOR
RECREATION AND THE WAY IT IS
KIND OF ORDERED CURRENTLY IS TO
EXPOSE AND ELIMINATE THESE
NEEDS, THESE HUGE NEEDS AND
HOLDS THAT WE HAVE TWO MAKE ANY
GROUND IN FULFILLING OR
SUCCEEDING, IT IS THE OUTDOOR
OFFICE HAS TO BE CREATED. AND
THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THERE
WOULD NOT BE ANY COLLABORATION
WITH DNR, EXPLORE MINNESOTA,
DEET, OR PROBABLY THE WHOLE
STATE, BUT IT IS INTENDED THAT
THOSE THREE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE
THE PILLARS OF WHAT THE OUTDOOR
RECREATION OFFICE WOULD BE
DOING. ALONG WITH THE OTHER
PLAYERS IN THE STATE.
>> YES, THIS IS MATT HERE AS
WELL. I THINK THAT THERE ARE A
COUPLE OF THINGS GOING ON.
NUMBER ONE, THE DOCUMENT WE ARE
LOOKING AT NOW IS PROBABLY THE
MOST UP-TO-DATE SUMMARY OF ALL
OF THE WORK OF THE ENTIRE
TASK FORCE. ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WAS ASKED OF US AS A
SYNTHESIS GROUP WAS TO CREATE A
RECOMMENDED IMPLEMENTATION
STEPS, AND ANDREW, I'M NOT SURE
IF THAT IS A PART OF WHAT WE
WILL BE REVIEWING TODAY OR NOT,
BUT THAT WAS KIND OF THE CRUX OF
THE RECOMMENDATION HERE WAS TO
CREATE THE OFFICE OF OUTDOOR
RECREATION TO REALLY KIND OF
OVERSEE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
ALL OF THE STEPS THAT WE JUST
REVIEWED HERE AND ALL OF THE
ITEMS THAT WE REVIEWED HERE, AND
THAT THIS CREATION OF THE OFFICE
HOWEVER THAT COMES TO BE,
WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE AND
WHATEVER THE FUNDING AND
STAFFING MODEL LOOKS LIKE WOULD
BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT
THE -- THESE WIDER
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
TASK FORCE IS CREATING ARE
IMPLEMENTED AND CARRIED OUT.
THERE IS PROBABLY -- AND AGAIN,
ANDREW, I'M NOT SURE IF WE ARE
SWITCHING OVER TO THAT DOCUMENT
HERE TO LOOK AT THAT AS WELL AS
A PART OF THIS. BUT THAT
IMPLEMENTATION DOCUMENT THAT WAS
SENT OUT WAS KIND OF THE
HIGHER-LEVEL HERE OR ALL OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS, NOW HERE IS HOW
WE RECOMMEND THE STATE
APPROACHES THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
THEM. I DON'T KNOW IF OTHERS ON
THE SYNTHESIS GROUP IF THAT IS A
FAIR SUMMARY OR NOT, OR IF THERE
IS ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD
TO THAT.
>> YEAH, THANKS, MATT. THIS IS
ACTUALLY VERY ORGANICALLY
EVOLVING INTO THE NEXT AGENDA
ITEM. SO YOU ARE RIGHT, THE
RECOMMENDATIONS DOCUMENT WE ARE
GOING OVER SORT OF ENCAPSULATES
THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO DATE AND
ALL THE WORK THAT IS GONE AND SO
FAR, AND SINCE THIS GROUP HAS
STARTED TALKING ABOUT EXACTLY
THAT IMPLEMENTATION QUESTION OF
HOW DO YOU ACCOMPLISH THESE AND
SO THAT IT IS THIS DOCUMENT TO
THAT TO HAD PULLED TOGETHER. DO
WE -- I GUESS THE ONE PAWS IS
BEFORE WE MOVE INTO THIS ONE,
JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT
TOO -- AND I GUESS THESE KIND OF
FEED INTO EACH OTHER A LITTLE
BIT THE FOURTH RECOMMENDATION,
BUT ARE WE READY TO MOVE ON TO
THAT ONE? DO WE WANT TO, WE CAN
ALWAYS COME BACK. I JUST WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS HAD
THEIR POINTS BROUGHT IN. ANY
OTHER QUESTION IS DO WE WANT TO
TAKE A QUICK BREAK? I KNOW THAT
WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT. WE
HAVE BEEN ON FOR ABOUT AN HOUR.
>> ANDREW, THIS IS JOHN. A
LITTLE HESITANT TO JUMP IN HERE,
BUT JUST AS I TRIED TO LOOK AT
THIS OBJECTIVELY AND TRY TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS GROUP IS
RECOMMENDING. IF THE GROUP FEELS
LIKE CREATING AN OFFICE OF
OUTDOOR RECREATION IS IMPORTANT,
THE SECOND TO LAST SENTENCE, I
THINK PROBABLY NEEDS TO CHANGE,
BECAUSE IT SAYS THAT THE
TASK FORCE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT
THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO ACHIEVE
THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND AN
OFFICE OF RECREATION IS JUST ONE
GOOD OPTION. SO IF THIS IS GOING
TO BE PRESENTED TO THE
LEGISLATURE, THAT KIND OF TAKES,
IT GETS THEM OFF THE HOOK,
BASICALLY. IT SAYS THIS
TASK FORCE HAS GOOD IDEAS, BUT
THEY ARE NOT EVEN RECOMMENDING
THAT THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO DO
THIS. SO SOMEONE MIGHT SAY,
MAYBE WE DON'T NEED AN OFFICE.
THAT IS JUST AN OBSERVATION AS I
READ THAT SENTENCE. I SAID
THAT'S NOT VERY STRONG IF THAT'S
WHAT THE INTENT OF THE GROUP
WAS. THAT'S JUST AN OBSERVATION.
>> JOHN, THAT IS A GREAT CATCH.
WE POP THAT IN THE
IMPLEMENTATION DOCUMENT THAT WE
WILL LOOK AT NEXT AND CHANGED
IT. WE MUST HAVE MISSED IT HERE.
SO GREAT CATCH, THANK YOU.
>> AND IT IS A REALLY GREAT
POINT, JOHN. LET ME JUST READ
THE LAST TWO PARAGRAPHS, WHICH
WERE KIND OF PULLED TOGETHER
BEFORE THE IMPLEMENTATION
UPDATES, BUT THEY WORK WITH EACH
OTHER AS THIS IDEA OF FINAL
THOUGHTS ON SUCCESS. SO LET ME
JUST READ THIS FOR CONTENT AND
THEN I THINK THAT WE CAN TAKE A
COUPLE MINUTE BREAK OR HOP RIGHT
IN. SO FINAL THOUGHTS ON
SUCCESS. SUCCESS FROM THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD MEAN MORE
USE OF STEWARDSHIP OF
MINNESOTA'S OUTDOOR RECREATION
RESOURCES WHICH CAN TRANSLATE
INTO BUYING MORE TRAVELING, MORE
SPENDING, MORE FUNDING AND MORE
INFLUENCE FOR THE OUTDOOR
RECREATION SECTOR IN MINNESOTA.
HIS SUCCESS IN THESE AREAS IS
DEPENDENT ON SUCCESS IN
EXPANDING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND
INCLUSION IN THE OUTDOOR
RECREATION, WHICH IS WHY THIS IS
A FUNDAMENTAL AND
CROSS-SECTIONAL FUTURE OF THE
TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS. IN
ADDITION TO THE RECOMMENDATION
OF CREATING AND FUNDING THE
OFFICE OF OUTDOOR RECREATION,
THIS TASK FORCE ALSO RECOMMENDS
OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES,
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, USER
GROUPS, AND INDUSTRIES ALSO
ADVANCE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS IN
CONCERT WITH THE OFFICE OF
OUTDOOR RECREATION IN ORDER TO
REALIZE A MORE WELCOMING,
INCLUSIVE, ACTIVE, AND CONNECTED
OUTDOOR RECREATION COMMUNITY IN
MINNESOTA. SO THE IDEA THAT ONE
POINT WE BROUGHT UP SINCE THE
MEETING TO MAY BE AN AGENCY
PERSPECTIVE IS THAT WE WOULD NOT
WANT TO JUST MAKE THE ASSUMPTION
THAT ONCE WE CREATE AN OFFICE,
THAT WILL SOLVE ALL OF THESE
PROBLEMS, BECAUSE IT IS A TON OF
WORK, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF
PLAYERS INVOLVED. SO MAYBE THE
ROLE OF AN OFFICE IS TO HELP
COORDINATE THAT, BUT NOT
RECOGNIZING THAT THERE ARE A LOT
OF PLAYERS INVOLVED TO MAKE ANY
PROGRESS. AND THEN THE OTHER
POINTS, WHICH I THINK IS
IMPORTANT IS THE TIMING
QUESTION, SO WE ARE CURRENTLY IN
THE BEGINNING OF THE LEGISLATIVE
DISCUSSION THAT MIGHT BE KIND OF
CONTROVERSIAL WIDTH MAY BE SOME
DISAGREEMENTS IN THE LEGISLATURE
WITH HOW TO PROCEED ON
GOVERNMENT IN GENERAL, AND ALSO
FUNDING QUESTIONS. SO IF, FOR
SOME REASON, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO
GET THIS IN THIS SESSION RIGHT,
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? DOES -- DO
WE, WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE ALL OF
THE GOOD STUFF THAT IS
RECOMMENDED HERE FOR OFFICE NOT
SUCCESSFUL. SO WHAT ARE SOME
CONTINGENCY THOUGHTS FROM THAT?
AND THAT SORT OF LEADS INTO THE
NEXT THING. BUT I THINK -- DOES
ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING THEY WANT
TO SAY QUICKLY? OTHERWISE MAYBE
WE SHOULD TAKE A FIVE-MINUTE
BREAK. I WANT TO RESPECT
PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO STEP AWAY
FROM THE COMPUTER FOR A MOMENT.
OKAY, LET'S TAKE A BREAK. I AM
SORRY, I SORT OF LIKE BULLDOZED
A BUNCH OF POINTS, BUT I JUST
WANTED TO GET THOSE OUT AND
MAYBE THAT CAN HELP FRAME THE
NEXT SECTION AND THE LAST
SYNTHESIS CAN MAYBE WALK THROUGH
THIS DOCUMENT A LITTLE BIT TO
SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS AND LET'S
COME BACK AT 2:07. DOES THAT
SOUND GOOD? OKAY.
>> GREAT, THANKS.
>> YEAH, THANKS.
>> HEY, EVERYONE, WELCOME BACK.
IF EVERYONE HAD A MOMENT TO STEP
AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER, SO TO
BRING US BACK KIND OF WHERE WE
WERE RIGHT BEFORE THE BREAK, THE
NEXT PART OF THE AGENDA WILL
HAVE THE SYNTHESIS GROUP SHARE
THIS DOCUMENT, WHICH IS THERE
IMPLEMENTATION STEPS. AND I
THINK JUST FOR CONTEXT, I THINK
GENERALLY WE HAD IMAGINED THIS
DOCUMENT BEING ADDED TO THE
RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT OF COURSE
HOWEVER THE GROUP WANTS TO
PROCEED WITH THIS WE ARE HAPPY
TO WORK WITH, WORK AROUND, OR
WORK WITH. SO AS WE GO TO THE
NEXT SECTION I WILL PASS IT TO
THE SYNTHESIS GROUP, LAURA AND I
WILL TAKE A LITTLE BIT ON
FACILITATING THAT CONVERSATION.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYONE HAS A CHANCE TO PROVIDE
INSIGHT OR THOUGHTS ON THIS.
LIKE YOU SAID BEFORE, AND JOHN
POINTED OUT THAT SENTENCE OF
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS THAT
SOME OF THE STUFF COULD BE DONE.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
ENTIRE TASK FORCE MEMBERS HAVE A
CHANCE TO CHIME IN. THE
SYNTHESIS GROUP HAS HAD A LOT OF
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT AND WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE
ALSO IS IN THIS CONVERSATION AND
HAS A CHANCE TO CHIME IN. LAURA,
ANYTHING BEFORE I PASS IT OVER?
TO REITERATE?
>> THANKS, ANDREW, I THINK THOSE
ARE THE KEY POINTS. WE ARE
GRATEFUL THE SYNTHESIS TEAM HAD
A CHANCE TO DIVE INTO THIS AND
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE WHOLE
TASK FORCE MAY BE HAS NOT HAD
THAT TIME TO DIVE INTO THOSE
DETAILS, SO WE ARE WANTING TO
KEEP THIS TIME OPEN FOR EVERYONE
ON THE TASK FORCE TO ASK
QUESTIONS AND THINK ABOUT IDEAS,
RAISE THE SCENARIOS AND POINTS
THAT JOHN AND RANDOLPH ASKED OF
THE WHOLE TEAM. SO IT SHOULD BE
A GREAT CONVERSATION TODAY.
THANKS.
>> YEAH, THANKS. SO WITH THAT, I
DON'T KNOW WHO ON THE TEAM, IF
AARON OR MATT OR OTHERS WANT TO
TAKE IT FROM HERE?
>> THIS IS A AARON I RECOMMEND
MATT.
[LAUGHTER]
>> SILENCE. IS MATT HERE? DID WE
LOSE MATT? AARON, YOU MIGHT BE
ON THE HOOK.
>> HE JUST RAN AWAY?
>> I DON'T SEE HIM ON THE LIST.
>> HE WAS HERE EARLIER.
>> MAYBE HE GOT DISCONNECTED
SOMEHOW. DO YOU MIND TALKING A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS WERE GOING
THROUGH HERE? JUST TELL ME TO
SCROLL DOWN OR UP IF YOU WOULD
LIKE?
>> SHOULD I JUST BE READING IT
AT THIS POINT ASSUMING THAT
MAYBE NOT EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE
TO READ IT? READ IT WITH MY
THEATRICAL VOICE OR MY NORMAL
VOICE.
>> JUST MAKE SURE TO ENUNCIATE.
SURE, IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT,
THAT'S GREAT.
>> I WILL, TO BE HONEST, I DON'T
EVEN REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT IT
SAYS EVEN THOUGH I WAS A MAJOR
PART OF WHAT IT DOES SAYS. I
JUST KNOW WHAT WE WERE DOING
HERE WAS CULMINATING ALL THE
WORK INTO AN ACTION PLAN. TO PUT
STEPS FORWARD AS TO HOW TO MOVE
IT FORWARD. AND HOPEFULLY ANSWER
SOME QUESTIONS. SO IT IS A
MINNESOTA OUTDOOR RECREATION
TASK FORCE RECOMMENDED
IMPLEMENTATION STEPS. THE
MINNESOTA OUTDOOR RECREATION
TASK FORCE RECOMMENDS THE
CREATION, FUNDING, AND STAFFING
OF AN OFFICE OF OUTDOOR
RECREATION IN THE STATE OF
MINNESOTA. THIS OFFICE SHOULD BE
ESTABLISHED EITHER BY EXECUTIVE
ORDER OR BY STATUTE. THE
MINNESOTA OFFICE OF OUTDOOR
RECREATION MAINTAINS
RESPONSIBILITY FOR BRINGING
MEASURED GROWTH, INCREASE, AND
MORE EQUITABLE ACCESS AND A
HIGHER QUALITY OF OUTDOOR
RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES IN THE
STATE OF MINNESOTA, THROUGH
COORDINATING AND FACILITATING
GREATER ACCESS, PROMOTION AND
PUBLIC AWARENESS, STEWARDSHIP
AND CONSERVATION, AND THE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF
MINNESOTA'S OUTDOOR ECONOMY. THE
OFFICE SHOULD REMAIN BIPARTISAN,
INDEPENDENT, AND BOTH
REPRESENTATIVE AND INCLUSIVE OF
ALL RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES, BY
UNITING AND CREATING STRENGTH
AND EFFICIENCY IS IN OUTDOOR
RECREATION INTERESTS FROM ACROSS
THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. THE
MINNESOTA OFFICE OF OUTDOOR
RECREATION SHOULD UNDERSTAND,
PROMOTE, AND DEPLOY ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT TOOLS AND
INVESTMENTS THAT ENABLE
MINNESOTA'S OUTDOOR'S TO
FLOURISH, BASED ON BOTH THE
PASSION OF MINNESOTA'S OUTDOOR
RECREATION ENTHUSIAST AS WELL AS
THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS
THAT OUTDOOR RECREATION MAKES TO
THE STATE ECONOMY.
>> I APOLOGIZE FOR JUMPING IN, I
AM REALLY VERY SORRY, BUT I AM
REALIZING THAT THERE MAY BE SOME
QUESTIONS HERE THAT THERE MIGHT
BE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT
AREN'T BACK FROM THE BREAK, OR
THAT GOT KICKED OFF, AND SO MY
GREAT APOLOGIES, BUT I AM
INTERRUPTING JUST TO ASK
OURSELVES IF WE NEED TO TAKE A
MOMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE
ACTUALLY GOTTEN EVERYONE.
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THIS IS SO
IMPORTANT AND WE REALLY WANT TO
ENSURE THAT THE SYNTHESIS TEAM
IS BEING HEARD BY EVERYONE. SO
AGAIN, APOLOGIES, BUT ANDREW, OR
GRATIA, IS IT POSSIBLE -- I AM
HAVING TROUBLE SEEING THE
PEOPLE. IS IT POSSIBLE TO DO A
CHECK OF WHO WE HAVE HERE.
>> HERE'S THE LIST THAT I CAN
SEE. AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT LESS
THAN BEFORE. I DID NOT CHANGE
ANYTHING WITH THE MEETING OTHER
THEN TURN IT OFF MY VIDEO AND
AUDIO.
>> HEY, EVERYBODY, FOR THOSE ON
SPECTRUM, THEY HAVE THE NUMBER
OF OUTAGES THROUGHOUT THE
TWIN CITIES. I GOT KICKED OFF. I
DON'T KNOW WHO COULD BE AFFECTED
BY THAT.
>> THAT COULD BE.
>> SO YOU EXPERIENCE THE OUTAGE
AND THEN YOU ARE ABLE TO GET
BACK ON?
>> YEAH, I ACTUALLY -- I AM ON
BY MY HOT SPOT RIGHT NOW.
BECAUSE SPECTRUM IS STILL DOWN
IN MY COMMUNITY.
>> THAT MIGHT'VE BEEN WHAT
HAPPENED WITH MATT. THAT WAS BAD
TIMING, WASN'T IT?
>> JUST TRYING TO SEE IF WE CAN
DO A CHECK. AND AGAIN, I'M
SORRY, BUT IT WAS -- THAT SENSE
OF THINKING THAT MAYBE SOME OF
THE PEOPLE WHO WERE PROCESSING
THAT MATCH WAS NOT ONLINE. , ARE
WE ABLE TO SEE WHO IS -- AND
OTHER TASK FORCE MEMBERS, AND
AARON, YOU ARE ON, YOU MAY HAVE
A SENSE OF YOUR OWN COMFORT
LEVEL OF US CONTINUING THIS
CONVERSATION. I WANT TO BE
RESPECTFUL OF HOW YOU AND THE
SYNTHESIS TEAM WOULD LIKE THIS
TO PROCEED, I SIMPLY WAS HAVING
TROUBLE SEEING THE PEOPLE, SO
THAT WAS WHY I JUMPED IN. I'M
NOT WANTING TO STOP THIS, BUT I
WANT TO RESPECTFULLY ASK HOW YOU
ALL WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED WITH A
COUPLE OF PEOPLE MISSING HERE.
>> IT LOOKS LIKE GRATIA JUST
MESSAGE ME, PEOPLE GOT KICKED
OFF, GRAY GLACE WAS ON HERE
BEFORE, MOLLY WAS, MATT WAS, SO
THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE THAT THEY
GET KICKED OFF. GOT KICKED OFF
OR THEY HAD TO SIGN OFF AT THE
BREAK, SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE THEY
MORE THAN LIKELY GOT KICKED OFF.
>> GREG AND MATT WERE PART OF
THE SYNTHESIS TEAM, SO WE KNOW
THAT THEY HAVE AT LEAST SEEN
THIS BEFORE AND APPROVE OF THE
MESSAGE. I CAN SAY THAT. MOLLY I
CAN'T SAY THAT FOR.
>> WHY DON'T WE TAKE A
FIVE-MINUTE BREAK, JUST CONTINUE
ANOTHER AND THEN COME BACK. IS
THAT OKAY, AARON, DO YOU MIND?
>> IT'S PERFECT.
>> WE WILL HOPE TO GET THEM BACK
ON, IF WE DON'T, AS YOU SAY, WE
AT LEAST KNOW THAT THEY
APPRECIATE IT SO FAR. THANKS,
EVERYONE.
>> WHEN WE SCHEDULED THE
MEETING, WE BUILT IN A FAIR
AMOUNT OF CUSHION. SO WE HAVE A
LITTLE BIT OF TIME HERE. AT
LEAST WE WERE SCHEDULED UNTIL
4:00 IF WE NEED TO. THANKS, WE
WILL COME BACK -- LET'S SAY WE
WILL DO SEVEN OR 8 MINUTES.
LET'S GO 2:25.
>> THANK YOU.
>> YES, THANKS.
>> HEY, EVERYONE. IT'S 2:25. I
DON'T THINK WE HAVE HAD ANY
PEOPLE JOIN THAT HAVE NOT
ALREADY BEEN ON. BUT I THINK IT
MAY BE MAKE SENSE JUST TO
PROCEED, RECOGNIZING THAT WE CAN
REACH OUT TO ANY OF THOSE THAT
WERE NOT HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT
THEY HAVE A VOICE IN THE
CONVERSATION. BUT IT MAY BE, BUT
MAYBE WE GET LUCKY AND THEY ARE
ABLE TO LOGIN SHORTLY. SO AARON,
DO YOU WANT TO CONTINUE WITH
WHERE YOU WERE.
>> I CAN DO THAT.
>> NOW I HAVE TO GET BACK IN THE
CHARACTER, ANDREW. YOU ARE
TRYING TO CHALLENGE ME, AREN'T
YOU. TO FULFILL THAT MISSION,
THE TASK FORCE MADE FOUR PRIMARY
RECOMMENDATIONS TO ACHIEVE THESE
ENDS. ONE, DELIVER EQUITY,
DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSIVITY. TWO,
UNITE MINNESOTA'S OUTDOOR
RECREATION COMMUNITY, THREE,
UNIFIED COMMUNICATION. FOUR,
CREATE A FUND MINNESOTA'S OFFICE
OF OUTDOOR RECREATION. WITH THE
CREATION OF THIS MINNESOTA
OFFICE OF OUTDOOR RECREATION
THIS ENTITY WOULD THEN
PRIORITIZE AND EXECUTE THE OTHER
THREE RECOMMENDATIONS DELIVERING
EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND
INCLUSION, UNITING MINNESOTA'S
OUTDOOR RECREATION COMMUNITY AND
UNIFYING COMMUNICATION. AS A
FIRST STEP, THE TASK FORCE
RECOMMENDS THAT MINNESOTA OFFICE
OF OUTDOOR RECREATION SHOULD
ESTABLISH A FORMAL ADVISORY
GROUP OF OUTDOOR RECREATION
STAKEHOLDERS THAT WILL PROVIDE
SUPPORT, RESOURCES, AND GUIDANCE
TO THE OFFICE AND ITS WORK.
BECAUSE OF ITS INTENSIVE, NEARLY
YEAR-LONG PARTICIPATION IN
CREATING THE RECOMMENDATIONS,
THE TASK FORCE RECOMMENDS THAT
THE ADVISORY GROUP SHOULD
CONSIST OF, IN WHOLE OR IN PART,
THE SAME INDIVIDUALS AND
ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTED ON THE
TASK FORCE. THIS ADVISORY GROUP
CAN ALSO PROVIDE VOLUNTEER
SUPPORT FOR THE MISSION OF THE
OUTDOOR OFFICE OF RECREATION,
AND IT WILL LARGELY REPRESENT
THE FIRST STEP IN UNITING
MINNESOTA'S OUTDOOR RECREATION
COMMUNITY. AS ONE ADDITIONAL,
IMMEDIATE STEP, THE TASK FORCE
RECOMMENDS THE SCHEDULING OF AN
ANNUAL MEETING OF MINNESOTA'S
OUTDOOR RECREATION STAKEHOLDERS
IN AN EFFORT TO DEEPEN AND
STRENGTHEN THE DISCUSSION AND
FULFILLMENT OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS THROUGH PUBLIC
AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
>> I WAS TALKING, AND IT WAS
MUTED. THERE YOU GO.
>> PUT YOUR MOUSE ON IT,
THANK YOU. THE RECOMMENDATIONS
THROUGH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIPS. THIS INITIAL
MEETING AND ALL SUBSEQUENT
MEETINGS SHOULD DISCUSS AND
PRIORITIZE THE STRATEGIES AND
TACTICS NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH
THE GOALS OF THE TASK FORCE AS
OUTLINED IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE TASK FORCE UNDERSTANDS
BUDGET CONSTRAINTS IN LIGHT OF
THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES CAUSED
BY COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THIS IN
MIND, THE TASK FORCE FIRST
RECOMMENDS ALLOWING FOR THE
STEP-BY-STEP CREATION OF SUCH AN
OFFICE, THROUGH A NEAR-TERM PLAN
THAT IMMEDIATELY ESTABLISHES A
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE WHO IS
CHARGED WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF THE TASK FORCE
RECOMMENDATIONS ON A GRADUAL
BASIS. A SECOND, IT IS
IMPERATIVE THAT THE STATE OF
MINNESOTA RECOGNIZE HIM AT THIS
SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION THAT
THE OUTDOOR RECREATION PROVIDES
TO THE STATE ECONOMY AND
ALLOCATE APPROPRIATE FUNDING TO
AN OFFICE OF OUTDOOR RECREATION
IN ORDER TO FULFILL THE GOALS
AND RECOMMENDATIONS SET FORTH BY
THE TASK FORCE. ADDITIONALLY, AS
A TASK FORCE, WE RECOMMEND 2021
LEGISLATIVE FUNDING FOR THIS
OFFICE TO BE ESTABLISHED AND
START THE PROCESS OF ADDRESSING
THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF
DIVERSITY, EQUALITY, AND
INCLUSIVITY. THESE SPECIFIC
RECOMMENDATIONS ARE NOT
EXCLUSIVE WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF NATURAL RESOURCES OR EXPLORE
MINNESOTA. THEY ARE THE
EXCLUSIVE WORK OF THE STATE OF
MINNESOTA, TO WHICH THIS OFFICE
OF OUTDOOR RECREATION WILL HAVE
THE ABILITY TO FOCUS ON
EXCLUSIVELY ONCE ESTABLISHED.
THE TASK FORCE RECOMMENDS
FUNDING FOR THIS OFFICE TO BE
CONSIDERED THROUGH ALL
DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE A STAKE IN
THIS IMPORTANT WORK. MINNESOTA
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, MINNESOTA
DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, DEED,
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES,
EXPLORE MINNESOTA. IN CLOSING,
WE THE TASK FORCE BELIEVED WITH
SWIFT AND APPROPRIATE FUNDING
FOR THE OFFICE OF OUTDOOR
RECREATION, THE RECOMMENDATIONS
OF THIS TASK FORCE WILL BE
FOCUSED, UNIFIED, REPRESENTATIVE
OF MINNESOTA, AND MORE
IMPORTANTLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO
BE BROUGHT TO FRUITION. THE END.
RIGHT?
>> THAT'S IT. THANKS, AARON.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME.
>> YEAH. SO DO PEOPLE HAVE ANY
THOUGHTS ON THIS? ON WHAT AARON
READ?
>> THIS IS MARK. I JUST WANT TO
MAKE ONE COMMENT AND I HAD GONE
BACK ON OUR FIRST BREAK AND
REREAD THIS AGAIN, I GUESS NOW
UNDERSTANDING THE CONTEXT OF
WHAT IT IS, I JUST WANT TO SAY
THANK YOU TO THE SYNTHESIS --
THAT GROUP. THE SUBSET. THE
SYMPATHIZING GROUP IN TERMS OF
REALLY NETTING THIS DOWN REALLY
WELL. AND I THINK THAT LINE THAT
YOU HAVE ON THE SCREEN RIGHT
NOW, THE FIRST SENTENCE OF THE
SECOND PARAGRAPH IS PROBABLY THE
BEST CONDENSING OF WHAT WE HAVE
BEEN TALKING ABOUT TODAY. SO I
REALLY LIKE THAT SENTENCE.
>> THIS IS RANDOLPH. I WANT TO
MAKE A QUICK COMMENT AND
HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING I PUT IN THE
CHAT BEFORE WE GET FURTHER INTO
THE IMPLEMENTATION DISCUSSION, I
JUST THINK WHEN WE DISCUSS
IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS, I THINK IT IS
REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT TO
FRAME THAT DISCUSSION AS HOW ARE
WE ALL IN THE STATE, NONPROFIT,
AND PRIVATE GOING TO IMPLEMENT
THE RECOMMENDATIONS, NOT JUST
HOW IS THE STATE GOING TO
IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS. I
THINK THAT WE KNOW WHEN THERE IS
A HIRING FREEZE AND $2 BILLION
SHORTFALL IF YOU HAND OVER A
BUNCH OF DOCUMENTS TO THE STATE
AND SAY, GOOD LUCK, YOU ARE ON
YOUR OWN, I THINK THAT WE KNOW
WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. SO I
THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT
WE FIGURE OUT CREATIVE WAYS THAT
WE CAN ALL BE IN THE
IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS TOGETHER
AS STATE, NONPROFIT, PRIVATE
ENTITIES TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.
THAT'S JUST ONE FRAMING COMMENT
I WANTED TO BRING UP IN THIS
DISCUSSION.
>> THANKS, RANDOLPH.
>> ANDREW, THIS IS AARON, AND
RANDOLPH, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
THAT WORDING WAS IN THERE
PREVIOUSLY, AND IT COULD GO BACK
INAPPROPRIATELY. WHAT WE WERE
WORRIED ABOUT IS ENSURING THAT
WE DON'T PUT -- KIND OF WHAT
JOHN SAID EARLIER. IF EVERYONE
ELSE CAN DO IT, THEN WE DON'T
NEED THIS OFFICE, AND THAT'S NOT
WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, BUT IF WE
ADD THAT IN, I WOULD WANT IT TO
POSITION THE OFFICE AS THE
CONNECTIVE TISSUE FOR THOSE
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT
TOGETHER HAND-IN-HAND, OR ARM
OVER ARM, OR WHATEVER IT IS, CAN
BE THE CHARGE, AND EVERYONE
MOVES IT FORWARD TOGETHER, BUT
THE OFFICE ACTUALLY SERVES AS
THE TURBO BUTTON TO MAKE IT
HAPPEN. THE OFFICE CAN'T ALSO DO
IT ALONE IF NOBODY HELPS, BUT I
JUST DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT
FLOAT THE OTHER WAY, BECAUSE IF
I WAS ELECTED, I WOULD SAY,
WELL, LOOKS LIKE WE GOT IT, NO
NEED FOR THIS ONE. SO I AGREE
WITH THAT ASTERISK.
>> I THINK TOO IT SEEMS LIKE YOU
DID -- THE GROUP DID A GREAT JOB
OF JUST LAYING OUT SOME BABY
STEPS MOVING FORWARD. YOU KNOW,
THERE ARE WAYS FOR THE OUTSIDE
OF THE STATE STAKEHOLDERS, THE
NONPROFITS, THE USER GROUPS TO
GET INVOLVED IN THAT ANNUAL
MEETING, I THINK IT WAS. THE
OTHER QUESTION I HAD THOUGH, IT
SPECIFICALLY MENTIONS, I'M NOT
SURE EXACTLY WHERE IT WAS IN
HERE, BUT A SINGULAR PERSON WHO
WAS GOING TO BE STARTING TO DO
THIS WORK. WERE YOU EXPECTING
SOMEBODY WHO IS ALREADY WORKING
WITH ONE OF THE AGENCY IS TO
TAKE THAT SPOT? OR WAS IT THE
IDEA OF IT BEING A WHOLE NEW
PERSON THAT WOULD STEP INTO THAT
ROLE?
>> HANSI, THIS IS AARON, ONLY
RESPONDING ON THE BEHALF OF
AARON, SINCE MY SYNTHESIS
PARTNER HAS LEFT ME. IT'S NOT
GOOD TO GET TO THIS PART AND
THEY ARE ALL GONE. BUT I WAS
THINKING IT WOULD BE OPEN TO THE
WORLD. IT WAS NOT JUST SOMEONE
INTERNAL, YOU KNOW, THE WAY IT
IS WORDED MAKES ME FEEL LIKE IT
IS JUST INTERNAL, BUT IN A
PROJECT LIKE THIS, AND A DYNAMIC
DRAMATIC SCOPE OF WORK LIKE
THIS, AND JUST THE WAY I WOULD
THINK, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT
OPENED UP TOWARDS ANYONE GIFTED
FOR THAT KIND OF WORK.
>> THANKS.
>> HI, THIS IS SARAH. JUST
WONDERING, YOU KNOW, THOSE OF
YOU THAT ARE INSIDE THE STATE
GOVERNMENT, I MEAN, WHAT ARE THE
FUNDING MECHANISMS THAT ARE
REALLY AVAILABLE TO US? ARE
THERE A LEGACY DOLLARS
AVAILABLE? ARE THERE GENERAL
FUND DOLLARS AVAILABLE? ARE
THERE NEW INITIATIVES THAT COULD
BE -- I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW,
NEW DOLLARS TO BE RAISED
SOMEHOW? I'M JUST WONDERING
ABOUT, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE ALL
KNOW, UNLESS THE BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION STARTS GETTING
SOME AID OUT TO STATES, WHICH
COULD HAPPEN, BUT IT'S NOT ON
THE TABLE AT THE MOMENT. PEOPLE
ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR
MONEY UNDER ROCKS. AND NEW IDEAS
LIKE THIS, IT COULD BE TOUGH.
AND SO I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK
OF WHAT OUR FOLKS THINKING ARE
THOSE MECHANISMS AND HOW CAN
WE -- ARE THERE PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIPS THAT ARE COMING TO
THE TABLE HERE TO HELP FUND THIS
AND GET IT OFF THE GROUND? I
DON'T KNOW, I'M TRYING TO THINK
REALISTICALLY, WHAT -- HOW DO WE
FUND THIS?
>> YEAH, THANKS, SARAH, THIS IS
ERIKA RIVERS. AND IT IS MY FIRST
TIME CHIMING IN WITH THIS
MEETING, SO I JUST WANT TO SAY
WITH EVERYBODY ELSE, THIS HAS
BEEN AN INCREDIBLE LABOR OF LOVE
FOR EVERYONE AROUND THIS TABLE.
AND IT IS SO INCREDIBLY
GRATIFYING TO SEE THESE TWO
DOCUMENTS COME TOGETHER. BOTH
THE RECOMMENDATIONS DOCUMENT AND
THE IMPLEMENTATION DOCUMENT. AND
I JUST AM HUMBLED BY EVERYBODY
WITH VOLUNTEERISM AND
BRAINPOWER. IT IS REALLY
INCREDIBLE. IT'S A REALLY GOOD
QUESTION, SARAH. I WOULD SAY AS
RANDOLPH SAID EARLIER, THERE IS
JUST NOT A WHOLE LOT OF EXTRA
DOLLARS RIGHT NOW IN THE SYSTEM
GIVEN THE CURRENT CONDITIONS
WITH THE PANDEMIC AND THE
RESPONSE, AND ALL THE RESOURCES
REALLY BEING FOCUSED ON DOING
WHAT THE STATE OF MINNESOTA
SHOULD BE DOING IN THIS TIME OF
NATIONAL CRISIS, WHICH IS
RESPONDING AND ALLOCATING
RESOURCES TO POSITIONS WHERE
THEY ARE MOST NEEDED RIGHT NOW
TO KEEP PEOPLE ALIVE AND
HEALTHY. SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
FUNDING SOURCES? WE DID CONFIRM
WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION TEAM DID
ASK US ABOUT LAND AND WATER
CONSERVATION FUND. WE HAVE
CONFIRMED THAT IT IS NOT AN
OPTION. FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE,
THAT COULD NOT BE USED TO FUND
AN OFFICE OF RECREATION. LEGACY,
THERE ARE SOME OPPORTUNITIES
WITH LEGACY PERHAPS. THERE IS A
PILLAR WITHIN THE LEGACY PLAN
THAT IS CALLED COORDINATING WITH
PARTNERS. SO THAT WOULD BE
INTERESTING, THE HEAD-SCRATCHER
FOR ME, THE ONE CAVEAT WITH
LEGACY IS THAT LEGACY IS ONLY
SUPPOSED TO BE USED FOR STATE
AND REGIONAL PARKS AND TRAILS OF
SIGNIFICANCE. SO THERE ARE SOME
LIMITATIONS ON WHERE THOSE
LEGACY DOLLARS CAN ACTUALLY BE
SPENT BY THAT CONSTITUTIONAL
LANGUAGE. GENERAL FUND OF COURSE
IS PROBABLY THE MOST FLEXIBLE
SOURCE OF FUNDING THAT COULD BE
USED FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
THERE IS NOT EXTRA GENERAL FUNDS
TO GO AROUND. AS EVERYBODY
KNOWS. RANDOLPH MENTIONED THAT
WE HAVE SOMETHING OF $2 BILLION
GENERAL FUND DEFICIT IN THE
STATE OF MINNESOTA RIGHT NOW.
WHICH INCIDENTALLY FOR EVERYONE
ON THE CALL, MUCH BETTER, WE ARE
FARING MUCH BETTER IN THE STATE
OF MINNESOTA THAN SOME OF THE
COLLEAGUES AROUND THE NATION. WE
ARE ACTIVELY IN THE PROCESS OF
LAYING OFF STAFF. SO THAT IS
JUST THE WAY OF SAYING, WE ARE
GOING TO HAVE TO GET, WE WILL
HAVE TO BE CREATIVE. SARAH, YOU
MENTION SOMETHING THAT I THINK
CAME UP EARLIER IN SOME OF THE
CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE HAD HERE
AROUND THE TABLE, THE VIRTUAL
TABLE AROUND PUBLIC/PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIP. I THINK THAT BOTH
OREGON AND NEW MEXICO HAVE HAD
MODELS WHERE THEY HAVE REALLY
TRIED TO TAP SOME PRIVATE
DOLLARS. AND MATCH THEM WITH
GOVERNMENT DOLLARS, AND SO,
MAYBE THAT IS A THINKER, IS
THERE SOMETHING WE COULD DO TO
GET CREATIVE WITH? I DON'T KNOW.
POTENTIALLY.
>> ALSO THINKING, ALSO THINKING,
ERICA, WITH THE HEALTH OF
SYSTEMS AND COMMUNITY DOLLARS,
AND I THINK ABOUT THE
CONVERSATION THAT I HAD WITH YOU
EARLIER THIS YEAR ABOUT JUST HOW
CLEARLY DURING THE EARLY DAYS
AND THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC,
PEOPLE WERE USING
MINNESOTA STATE PARKS OR LOCAL
PARKS, YOU KNOW, FOR REFUGE, FOR
THEIR WELL-BEING AND THE MENTAL
HEALTH, AND YET, WE ARE NOT --
IT WAS CLEAR THAT OUR NATURAL
INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE STATE IS
PART OF OUR PUBLIC HEALTH
INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT IT IS NOT
FUNDED LIKE THAT. AND YOU DID
NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES YOU
NEEDED TO RESPOND AND KEEP UP
WITH BASIC PUBLIC SANITATION AND
THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I DON'T
KNOW, I DO WONDER IF SOME OF THE
HEALTH SYSTEMS MIGHT BE WILLING
TO CHIP IN ON SOMETHING LIKE
THIS TO REALLY HELP US BE BETTER
READY TO RESPOND IN THE FUTURE?
TO SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, JUST A
THOUGHT.
>> THAT'S A REALLY FASCINATING
AREA TO EXPLORE I THINK
DEFINITELY, SARAH. YOU KNOW, WE
HAVE HAD SOME, THERE IS
DESCRIPTIONS, I KNOW FOR ALL OF
THESE PROGRAMS, AND THEIR UP
BEEN SOME PILOT PROJECTS AROUND
THE STATE OF MINNESOTA FOR THAT
AND CERTAINLY THE GOVERNOR'S
CHILDREN'S CABINET AND I THINK
RANDOLPH IS ACTUALLY A LIAISON
TO THAT CABINET HAS CERTAINLY
TALKED ABOUT TO THE
INTERSECTIONALITY OF HEALTH
WELLNESS BENEFITS, AND ACTUALLY,
SARAH, THE CHILDREN'S CABINET?
>> I WANTED TO BE, BUT I DID NOT
GET ON THERE.
[LAUGHS]
>> A MISSED OPPORTUNITY THERE I
WOULD SAY FOR THE STATE. SO I
DEFINITELY THINK THAT THERE ARE
WAYS TO THINK ABOUT THIS AND
MAYBE, IS THERE SOME KIND OF
OPPORTUNITY FOR HER MAY BE THE
NEXT STEP TO THINK ABOUT
CREATIVE FUNDING STRATEGY FOR
THIS? I THINK OBVIOUSLY HEALTH
AND HUMAN SERVICES ARE GOING TO
SORT OF PROBABLY BE TAPPED INTO
THE COVID RESPONSE HERE FOR THE
FORESEEABLE, THE NEAR TERM. BUT
THE LONGER TERM STRATEGY I THINK
THAT THAT MAKES A TON OF SENSE
ESPECIALLY GIVEN ALL THE
INTERSECTIONALITY'S THAT ARE
WOVEN INTO THE RECOMMENDATIONS
OF EQUITY AND, AND FRANKLY
ECONOMICS IN TERMS OF HEALTHY
OUTDOOR RECREATION ECONOMY WITH
TOURISM. SO THERE IS JUST SO
MUCH FODDER HERE TO MATCH. I
GUESS REALLY THAT QUESTION IS
HOW ARE WE GOING TO FUND THIS? I
AM SCRATCHING MY HEAD, I DON'T
KNOW.
>> WHAT WE JUST MENTIONED,
ERIKA, IT MIGHT BE WORTH
FOLLOWING UP ON, AND JUST DOING
SOME CROSS POLLINATING, WE HAVE
BEEN WORKING WITH FOLKS AT THE
MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
AROUND INITIATIVES TO REALLY
LOOK AT SCHOOLYARDS AS PLACES
WHERE WE CAN DEVELOP HABITAT AND
BRING INFRASTRUCTURE, AND CANOPY
AS POLLINATORS, AND GARDENS, AND
ALL OF THAT. BUT ALSO ADDRESS
MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF
STUDENTS AS WELL AS EDUCATIONAL
OUTCOMES. AND BROADER COMMUNITY
BENEFITS. YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF
THE SCHOOL DAY AND JUST REALLY
REIMAGINE HOW WE USE THAT LAYOUT
THAT IN MOST COMMUNITIES IS ONE
OF THE TOP THREE LANDHOLDERS,
PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE. AND WE HAVE
ALSO BEEN HELPING TO INTEGRATE
ACCESS TO NATURE IS ONE OF THE
PILLARS OF THE MINNESOTA HEALTH
IMPROVEMENT PLAN. SO, I DON'T
KNOW. THERE IS MAY BE THERE. I
KNOW THAT THERE IS A STRETCH FOR
KNOWLEDGE TOO. BUT I WAS GOING
TO SAY PEOPLE OVER THERE GET IT.
AND THIS IS A TIME, WHERE EVEN
WHEN THINGS ARE HARD, THERE IS
KIND OF A CRACK AND THINGS AND
THIS MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
FORGE DIFFERENT KINDS OF
PARTNERSHIPS AND STITCHED
TOGETHER DIFFERENT FUNDING
PACKAGES TO GET THESE THINGS
DONE. SO JUST OFFERING THAT. IF
I CAN HELP MAKE THAT CONNECTION,
I WOULD BE HAPPY TO.
>> YES, THANKS, I THINK THAT IS
IMPORTANT.
>> I HAD JUST A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS. ONE WAS WHAT IS IT WE
ARE ASKING TO FUND? WE ARE
OBVIOUSLY AT THIS POINT TALKING
ABOUT THE LARGER OFFICE AS A
WHOLE, BUT LOOKING AT THE
IMPLEMENTATION RECOMMENDATIONS,
IT ALSO LAYS OUT THE SORT OF
INTERIM STEPS, AND ARE WE MAY BE
LOOKING PAST THE FACT THAT WE
MIGHT ACTUALLY NOT HAVE THAT
MUCH TO FUND IF WE WERE JUST
LOOKING AT AN ANNUAL GATHERING
AND OR A SINGLE PERSON WHO IS
GOING TO RUN THIS. SO THOSE
NUMBERS MIGHT BE A LOT SMALLER
THAN WE THINK, BUT ALSO JUST
WONDERING I HEARD THAT YOU WERE
GOING TO MENTION SOMETHING ABOUT
ENGAGEMENT AND THE HIS
RECOMMENDATIONS AND DOCUMENTS
GOING FROM HERE. I AM ASSUMING
THAT THE LEGISLATURE WILL SEE
SOMETHING OF THIS. I'M JUST
WONDERING, ARE WE ALREADY JUST
TROTTING OURSELVES OUT OFF THE
BAT? SHOULD WE BE TALKING TO
SOME SYMPATHETIC LEGISLATORS AS
WE SPEAK TO GET THEIR IDEAS
BEFORE WE JUST ASSUME THAT
NOTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN?
>> AND HANSI, I LIKE THIS IDEA.
THIS IS AARON, I DON'T KNOW THE
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT AND THAT
ASKED, BUT AM I CRAZY THINKING
THAT THAT DOES NOT ALWAYS ALIGN
WITH THE WAY THINGS WORK. I
WOULD HOPE THAT THIS COMMITTEE
AND A SMALLER FORM CAN MAKE THE
PRESENTATION TO THE LEGISLATOR
IN THE HOUSE OR THE SENATE. I
DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WAS EVER
PLANNED TO DO IF THAT WAS A
THING THAT WE WERE GOING TO STAY
IN THE DEPARTMENT OR NOT. BUT I
THINK PRESENTING THE CASE, NOT
ONLY GOOD IDEAS, BUT
GENERATIONAL NEEDS AND TO PLACE
THOSE AS A REASON FOR FUNDING,
AND AS YOU SAID, HANSI, IT IS A
PERSON. IT IS A GATHERING. HOW
CAN THIS NOT BE FUNDED? I WOULD
REALLY ENJOY THE OPPORTUNITY TO
MAKE THAT PITCH TO THE ELECTED.
IT'S NOT A PITCH, AND STRESS
COMMUNICATING THE TRUTH. IT
SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE VERY
EFFECTIVE. BUT MAYBE IT ISN'T.
BUT I LIKE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
>> THIS IS LAURA, AND THANKS FOR
THOSE IDEAS, BECAUSE I THINK
THAT IS REALLY GETTING TO THE
CONCEPT OF HOW IT IS SOMETHING
BROUGHT TO LIFE, AND AS WE WERE
PREPARING FOR THIS MEETING AND
THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE NEEDED TO
DO NEXT TO NEXT WAS THE THOUGHT
OF WE HAVE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
COMING UP AND THEN AT THE NEXT
MEETING WE ARE ABLE TO FINALIZE
THESE AND WE KNOW THAT WE WANT
TO START PREPARING FOR THAT AND
IDENTIFYING THE NEXT STEPS AS WE
HAVE JUST BEEN TALKING ABOUT,
HANSI, AND AARON. WE WERE HOPING
DURING THIS AGENDA TOPIC
DISCUSSION TIME THAT THERE MIGHT
BE SORT OF TWO MAIN THINGS WE
MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO HERE. ONE IS
REALLY SPEND TIME ON THIS
RECOMMENDATION THAT THE
SYNTHESIS TEAM HAS DONE GREAT
WORK TO DEVELOP AND ASK THE
OTHER TASK FORCE MEMBERS WHO DID
NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE
DEEPER DIVE TO TALK ABOUT THIS
RECOMMENDATION AND ASK
QUESTIONS, MAKE SUGGESTIONS, AND
CONSIDER THIS RECOMMENDATION SO
THAT TO THE TASK FORCE AS A
WHOLE IS FEELING REALLY SOLID
AND GOOD AROUND THE
RECOMMENDATION RELATED TO THE
OFFICE. SO THAT WOULD BE THE
MAIN THING. IT FEELS LIKE WE ARE
ALREADY DOING THAT. SO
EXCELLENT. AND MAYBE WE CAN JUST
CHECK IN WITH A COUPLE OF OTHER
VOICES AND SEE WHAT ARE THE
TASK FORCE THOUGHTS AROUND THIS
RECOMMENDATION AND GETTING SOME
OF THOSE REACTIONS IN THEIR. AND
SECONDLY FOLLOWING THAT, MAYBE
TO THE POINTS THAT WERE
DISCUSSED EARLIER THAT RANDOLPH
AND OTHERS BROUGHT UP, HOW DO WE
ENSURE THE SUCCESS GIVEN THE
DIFFERENT SCENARIOS? IF WE WERE
HAVING A SITUATION WHERE FUNDING
WAS CHALLENGING AND WE WERE
NEEDING TO SAY SOMETHING OR WORK
CREATIVELY OVER TIME TO MAKE
THAT HAPPEN, WHAT ARE THE OTHER
OPTIONS FOR HOW WE COULD
CONTINUE TO BRING MANY OF THE
MEANINGFUL RECOMMENDATIONS TO
LIFE WHETHER OR NOT TO THERE IS
FUNDING WITH IT? SO
ACKNOWLEDGING THE GROUP ONCE IT.
AND THEN CREATING A SPACE TO
TALK ABOUT SCENARIOS FOR HOW WE
CAN ALL GATHER BRINGING TO LIFE
THE RECOMMENDATIONS IF WE RUN
INTO SOME SNAGS OR CHALLENGES
RELATED TO FUNDING OR BRINGING
SOME OF THE OFFICE. SO I WILL
PAUSE A SECOND AND BRING IT BACK
TO YOU, ANDREW, IF THAT CAPTURED
WHERE WE ARE WANTING THE
CONVERSATION TO COVER, AND IT
SEEMS LIKE MAYBE WE NEED TO GET
AT THOSE THINGS FIRST AND THEN
WE CAN GET TO THE NEXT STEP OF
STRATEGIZING COMMUNICATIONS OVER
THIS. JUST A FEW THOUGHTS ON MY
END. THANK YOU.
>> THANKS FOR THAT, LAURA. IN
JUST A POLL ON THAT FOR A LITTLE
BIT. I WONDER IF IT IS A DUAL
TRACK KIND OF APPROACH HERE
GOING FORWARD WHERE, YES, THE
REQUEST IS MADE AS SUCH, BUT I
DON'T WANT TO LOSE MOMENTUM FROM
THE AWESOME WORK. AND SO, HOW DO
WE DO BOTH? HOW DO WE ACTUALLY
START AN ACTION PLAN THAT
ENGAGES A BUNCH OF PEOPLE IN
MAKING MEANINGFUL PROGRESS ON
THESE PILLARS AND STRATEGIES.
AND I DON'T KNOW. I AM SO
HUMBLED AND EXCITED ABOUT THIS
GROUP THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH
HERE AND OVER THE LAST MONTH OF
TALKING WITH, AND I KNOW THAT IN
SOME OF THE ITERATIONS THERE WAS
A TALK ABOUT SOME KIND OF
GUIDING COMMITTEE, AND I WOULD
IMAGINE THAT SOME OF THE FOLKS
THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN
CREATING THIS, WORKING ON THE
TASK FORCE WOULD HELP BE PART OF
THAT ADVISORY GROUP TO THE
OFFICE. AND IS THERE A WAY THAT
WE CAN DO BOTH? JUST SO WE ARE
NOT LOSING THE MOMENTUM OF THE
GROUPS AND THE FOCUS THAT WE
HAVE GAINED HERE WITH THIS
TASK FORCE. SO I LIKE THOSE
IDEAS.
>> THIS IS MARK. I JUST WANTED
TO AGAIN, THE SYNTHESIS GROUP,
GREAT JOB ON THE DOCUMENT. I
LIKE THAT SENTENCE. THE OTHER
PIECE OF IT THAT I DO THINK IT'S
GOOD, AND ECHOING WHAT HANSI
SAID A FEW MINUTES AGO, I THINK
IF WE ARE -- I THINK THAT THIS
CAN EASILY, QUICKLY GROW INTO AN
IDEA AROUND IMPLEMENTATION THAT
BECOMES BIG. THIS IS A BIG
OPPORTUNITY, IT'S A BIG
CHALLENGE, BUT I THINK IT IS NOT
A QUESTION OF IF THERE ARE
HEADWINDS ON IMPLEMENTING THIS,
THERE WILL BE IN THE CONTEXT OF
EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW. I THINK
CERTAIN PEOPLE COULD LOOK AT IT
CYNICALLY AS OUTDOOR RECREATION
AT SOMETHING THAT ISN'T NEARLY
AS IMPORTANT AS EVERYTHING ELSE
WE ARE DEALING WITH ON THE STATE
AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL RIGHT NOW.
SO I LIKE THE IDEA OF TAKING
THIS TO A PHASED APPROACH AND
STARTING WITH THE SIMPLE ASPECT
OF AN INDIVIDUAL, AND MAYBE IT
IS EVEN -- MAYBE IT IS LOOKING A
DIFFERENT LANGUAGE RATHER THAN
AN OFFICE, BECAUSE IN OFFICE
INSTANTLY IMPLIES A STAFF OF
MANY, SO MAYBE IT IS, WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL AND
AN EVENT AS A PHASE 1. ANNUAL
GATHERING, AND AN INDIVIDUAL WHO
IS HEADING THIS UP. SO THEREFORE
IT FEELS MUCH MORE MANAGEABLE
FROM A FISCAL STANDPOINT. AND I
GUESS ONE LAST QUESTION, AARON,
YOU COMMENTED EARLIER ON A
FRAMEWORK OR AN OFFICE THAT IS
THIS INTERIM BETWEEN ALL OF THE
OTHER STATE AGENCIES, I'M JUST
CURIOUS AS TO WHETHER I LIKE
THAT IDEA, I JUST DON'T KNOW
IF -- IS THERE A PRECEDENCE OF
SOMETHING LIKE THAT OUT THERE
RIGHT NOW, THAT WE CAN SAY THIS
WOULD FUNCTION LIKE ENTITY X OR
AGENCY Y. AND SO THAT IS A
QUESTION AROUND THE OFFICE AT
ESTATE AGENCY LEVEL TYPE OF
DISCUSSION, BUT I REALLY DO LIKE
ERIKA, SARAH, WHERE YOU'RE
GOING, THE CONVERSATION YOU WERE
GOING DOWN HAS A TON OF
POTENTIAL ON A PUBLIC/PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIP AND I FEEL LIKE IN
THE CONTEXT OF THE CURRENT
ENVIRONMENT, THAT MIGHT BE THE
WINNING STRATEGY HERE. SO THAT'S
A LOT. I KNOW, BUT THOSE ARE
JUST THE THOUGHTS THAT HAVE BEEN
GOING THROUGH MY HEAD AS I HAVE
BEEN LISTENING.
>> MARK, THIS IS SARAH, I CAN
SEND OUT TO THE GROUP, IN TERMS
OF OTHER STATES, NEW MEXICO,
THERE ARE SEVERAL STATES THAT
HAVE A SEPARATE OFFICE THAT IS
KIND OF SET UP INDEPENDENTLY.
SOMETIMES IT IS SITUATED IN THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, SO THERE ARE
MODELS OUT THERE FOR THAT THAT
WE CAN LOOK AT IF YOU ARE
INTERESTED. YEAH, THE ONE THING
I WOULD SAY, I DO APPRECIATE
THIS IDEA OF KIND OF STARTING
SMALL AND BUILDING, AND I KNOW
THAT THAT IS OFTEN THE WAY TO
GET THINGS DONE IN A TOUGH
LEGISLATIVE SESSION, BUT I ALSO
WOULD NOT WANT THE BREATH OF
THIS AND COMMUNICATION TO GET
SORT OF SQUASHED BY THE SMALL
BIT THAT WE CAN BITE OFF. I JUST
KIND OF WORRY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
IF WE GET A FEW DOLLARS TO HIRE
A PERSON, LIKE WHO ARE WE ABLE
TO HIRE WITH THOSE DOLLARS, DO
THEY HAVE THE CONNECTIONS AND --
ARE THEY ABLE TO REALLY FILL
DIVISION? I'M JUST THINKING, I'M
NOT SAYING WE SHOULDN'T DO THAT,
BUT I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT
THERE AS SOMETHING FOR US TO
POTENTIALLY JUST CONSIDER, YOU
KNOW, IF YOU KIND OF HAVE A
SMALL IDEA THAT GETS PASSED IN
THE LEGISLATURE, HOW ABLE ARE WE
TO TAKE THAT AND SELL THAT AS A
BIGGER IDEA? AND MAYBE FOLKS
HAVE EXAMPLES OF HAVING DONE
THAT SUCCESSFULLY. THAT'S JUST
MY INITIAL REACTION.
>> THANKS, SARAH, THIS RAISES
SOMETHING THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT
IN THE SYNTHESIS GROUP, AND I
THINK THAT AARON HAVE BROUGHT IT
UP, BUT I THINK THE OTHERS WERE
INVOLVED TOO. THE IDEA, YOU
KNOW, AND IT'S BUILT ON WHAT
MARK SAID TOO, DOES IT HAVE TO
BE IN OFFICE? THE WORD OFFICE
IMPLIES THE DMV, NOT NECESSARILY
THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, IT KIND OF
SOUNDS LIKE BUREAUCRATIC A
LITTLE BIT. WHAT ABOUT AN IDEA
OF HAVING THIS IS TALKING ABOUT
AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, HAVING
THE GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL ON
OUTDOOR RECREATION STAFFED BY AN
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WHO WITH
THEIR FIRST YEARS CHARGE IS TO
PULL TOGETHER ALL OF THE OUTDOOR
STAKEHOLDERS IN MINNESOTA INTO
SOME GATHERING CONFERENCE IN
ORDER TO ADVANCE ALL THESE
THINGS. I WONDER IF THAT IS A
WAY TO SELL IT THAT IS MORE
PALATABLE, IF I AM UNDERSTANDING
WHAT YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT.
>> YES, ANDREW, JUST GOING I
GUESS BUILDING ON WHAT YOU SAID
THERE, IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT
DOES THIS OFFICE, WHAT DOES THIS
ENTITY LOOK LIKE? IF IT IS AN
ADVISORY COUNCIL, WHAT HAVE YOU,
INSTEAD ONE OF THE PRIORITIES
HERE, UNITE MINNESOTA'S OUTDOOR
RECREATION COMMUNITY, THAT TO ME
IS A FUNCTION OF, SARAH, YOU
MENTION, LET'S SAY THAT WE ARE
STAFFING ONE PERSON ON THIS. IF
WE GOT THE RIGHT PERSON, ONE
INDIVIDUAL, THAT FOCUS OR THAT
PILLAR OF ITSELF IS GOING TO BE
A VERY POWERFUL PIECE OF THE
STRATEGY, WHICH MEANS BUILDING
CONNECTIONS AND BEING AS AARON
TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, THAT
CONNECTOR, BUT NOT ONLY BETWEEN
THE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, BUT A
CONNECTOR WITH PRIVATE, WITH
TRIABLE, WITH BUSINESS, WITH ALL
THE STAKEHOLDERS OUT THERE, AND
SO, I REALLY, AGAIN, I LIKE THAT
IDEA TOO, I THINK THAT THESE ARE
REALLY GOOD IDEA IS THAT OF
KINDS OF POTENTIAL WITH THE
PRIOR DISCUSSION BEYOND TODAY.
>> THIS IS PERRY. I REALLY LIKE
THE DIRECTION THE CONVERSATION
IS HEADING. I ALSO MYSELF DO NOT
LIKE THE DIRECTION OF OFFICE OR
A SEPARATE BUREAUCRACY, AGENCY,
I LIKE THE IDEA OF STARTING
SMALL AND SHOWING SUCCESSES,
BUILDING UPON THAT. I HAVE ALSO
ALWAYS VIEWED ARE TWO GREAT
AGENCIES HERE, EXPLORE MINNESOTA
AND DNR. EXPLORE MINNESOTA WAS
THE MARKETING ARM, AND DNR WAS
THE ENGINEERING ARM, THE HOW TO.
AND DOING THESE AGENCIES OVER
THE YEARS THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN
REDUNDANCIES. NOT PICKING ON
YOU, BUT EVERY ORGANIZATION HAS
REDUNDANCIES. AND I THINK WITH A
CLEAR MISSION AND CLEAR VISION
FOR SOMEONE I THINK WE CAN PULL
THE RIGHT RESOURCES TOGETHER,
PUBLIC, PRIVATE TO DO THIS.
STARTING SMALL AND BUILDING UPON
IT.
>> THANK YOU, PERRY, AND ANDREW,
YOU ARE RIGHT IN THE SYNTHESIS
TEAM, CALLED THE GOVERNOR'S
COUNCIL WAS WHAT WE WERE TALKING
ABOUT.
>> HEY, FOLKS, THIS IS J.R. FROM
POLARIS. I HAVE JUST BEEN
LISTENING, AND MY ROLE IS
ADVOCACY FOR THE OUTDOORS, YOU
KNOW, SOMEWHAT UNIQUE TO OUR
BUSINESS, FOR SURE, BUT JUST
THINKING ABOUT IT MORE GENERALLY
AS WE ARE TALKING I WENT BACK
AND LOOKED AT THE BOROUGH,
FEDERAL BUREAU OF ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS CAME UP WITH THE NEW
DATA ABOUT THE OUTDOOR ECONOMY
HERE IN MINNESOTA, AND I THINK
THIS WAS IN JULY, AUGUST OF LAST
YEAR, AND WHAT THEY SAID IS THAT
SALES FROM OUTDOOR RECREATION
FROM 2018-19 INCREASE 3.5%. AND
WHAT THAT IS HIS ACTUAL SALES,
TAX COLLECTED, AND THE FOLKS ON
THE PHONE CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M
WRONG, BUT TO MY PERSPECTIVE IS
THAT IF THE SALES FROM THE
OUTDOOR ECONOMY HAS INCREASED
3.9 PERCENT FROM 18-19, WE KNOW
THAT THE OUTDOOR ECONOMY WAS
VERY STRONG 19-20, AND LOOKS TO
BE VERY STRONG INTO 2021, THAT
THIS IDEA OF THIS OFFICE, THE
OUTDOOR ECONOMY IS PAYING FOR
IT. IF IT IS 3.9% INCREASED IN
SALES TAX REVENUE, THAT SALES
TAX REVENUE GOES INTO THE
GENERAL FUND THAT MAKES UP OUR
STATE BUDGET, YOU KNOW, THINK
ABOUT IT THAT WAY. I'M NOT
SUGGESTING THAT WE NECESSARILY
NEED THE OUTDOOR RECREATION
OFFICE RIGHT NOW, BUT FOR THOSE
THAT ARE QUESTIONING WHETHER OR
NOT IT IS A VIABLE OPTION, THE
DATA SUGGEST THAT THE OUTDOOR
ECONOMY IS ABLE TO AT LEAST
PARTIALLY PAY FOR ITSELF. YOU
KNOW, IF THIS IS GOING TO BE AN
ADDITIONAL EXPENSE UNDER THE
STATE BUDGET, I GUARANTEE AT
3.9% INCREASE OF TOTAL ANNUAL
FUNDING INTO THE OUTDOOR ECONOMY
HERE IN MINNESOTA IS MORE THAN
ADEQUATE TO FUND A ONE-PERSON
OFFICE. SO JUST SOME THOUGHTS TO
THINK ABOUT AS THIS GROUP
FINALIZES WHAT ITS
RECOMMENDATIONS ARE HE MAKES
DECISIONS ON HOW IT WOULD CHASE
AFTER THEM. SO.
>> YEAH, THANKS, J.R. IT'S GREAT
TO BRING IN THAT ECONOMIC LENS.
I KNOW THAT IN MINNESOTA AND
NATIONALLY, I REMEMBER ONCE I
HEARD THAT OUTDOOR RECREATION AS
AN INDUSTRY IS BIGGER THEN LIKE
THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY AND A
NUMBER OF OTHER MAJOR INDUSTRIES
THAT ARE A BIG DEAL. IS THERE
ANYONE ELSE ON THE CALL WHO MAY
BE NOT SPOKEN UP WHO WOULD LIKE
TO? I SEE GREG, YOU JUST JOINED
US AGAIN. THAT'S GREAT. I KNOW
THAT WE WERE HAVING A POTENTIAL
CONNECTION ISSUE. I DON'T KNOW
IF YOU HAVE HEARD WHERE WE ARE
IN THE CONVERSATION OR NOT, IF
YOU WANT TO ADD IN, OR OTHERS.
>> HEY, THIS IS MATT. I WILL
JUST TACK ON TO WHAT J.R. SAID,
I THINK THAT THE LINE IN THEIR
RIGHT BEFORE THE TO FULFILL THAT
MISSION STATEMENT WHERE WE SAY,
BASED ON BOTH THE PASSION OF
MINNESOTA'S OUTDOOR RECREATION
ENTHUSIAST, AS WELL AS A
SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE
OUTDOOR RECREATION MAKES TO THE
ECONOMY, I DON'T HAVE THOSE
NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME, IT
SOUNDS LIKE THEY ARE DEAD, BUT I
DID A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH THAT
SHOWS $9.6 BILLION TO
MINNESOTA'S ECONOMY.
$1.4 BILLION TO THE STATE AND
LOCAL TAX REVENUE COMING IN NOW,
IN MY VIEW, I THINK THAT THE
OFFICE IS IMPORTANT. FRANKLY, I
GUESS I DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW
ALL THAT WORKS AND WHAT IT IS
SET UP LIKE WITHIN THE
GOVERNMENT, THE DIFFERENT
DEPARTMENTS AND THAT SORT OF
THING. SO I CAN'T SPEAK TO ALL
THAT, BUT I FEEL LIKE GIVING
THIS THE PROMINENCE OF SOME SORT
OF AN OFFICE OR A GOVERNOR'S
COUNSEL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT
IS REALLY IMPORTANT. WE VERY
CLEARLY AS AN OUTDOOR RECREATION
INDUSTRY CAN TRIBUTE --
CONTRIBUTE ENOUGH AS J.R. WAS
SAYING TO COVER THE COSTS. FOR
AS LITTLE AS $200,000, THERE IS
A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY HERE. MY
FEAR WAS SOMETHING LIKE, YOU
KNOW, IF WE END UP SAYING, WELL,
LET'S DO AN EVENT OF SOME SORT,
I KIND OF FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHAT
WE HAVE BEEN DOING HERE FOR THE
LAST 12 MONTHS OR SO'S WE HAVE
BEEN HOSTING THAT EVENT AND
CREATING A STRATEGY AND A PLAN,
AND AT SOME POINT IT'S TIME TO
START GOING OUT AND EXECUTING ON
THAT PLAN. AND IF YOU LIKE
THAT'S KIND OF THE PHASE THAT WE
ARE STARTING TO ENTER, AND IN
ORDER TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, WE
HAVE TO APPOINT SOMEBODY AND
HAVE SOMEBODY WITH SOME
AUTHORITY OR SOME PULL WITHIN
STATE GOVERNMENT, AND REALLY,
THAT'S WHAT THE THINKING IS
BEHIND THE OFFICE. IF I GO BACK
TO ALL OF THE DIFFERENT
WORKGROUPS AND THE WORK THAT WE
DID OUT OF THE GATE WITH THIS
EFFORT AND THIS WHOLE
TASK FORCE, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF
THEIR WORKGROUPS RECOMMENDED --
RECOMMENDED THE CREATION OF AN
OFFICE. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WE
WANT TO DEFINE THE OFFICE, I'M
NOT STUCK ON THE WORD
NECESSARILY, BUT I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOME SORT OF
FORMAL ENTITY THAT HAS SOME PULL
WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT TO OVERSEE
THIS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL
OF THIS WORKS, AND GETS EXECUTED
ON AND WE START MOVING DOWN THAT
PATH.
>> THIS IS J.R., JUST ONE MORE
QUICK POINT THAT AS MATT WAS
TALKING, I THINK IT WAS ONE OF
THE FIRST POINTS I MADE WHEN
THIS TASK FORCE CONVENED WAS,
DON'T KID YOURSELF THAT WE ARE
NOT COMPETING WITH SURROUNDING
STATES FOR TOURISM DOLLARS THAT
IS RELATED TO THE OUTDOORS, YOU
KNOW, MINNESOTA DOES NOT HAVE AN
OFFICE, YET WISCONSIN AND
MICHIGAN DO, WHICH IT IS THE
TIME OF YEAR WHERE I HAVE A LOT
OF FRIENDS WHO ARE HEADING TO
WISCONSIN AND MICHIGAN RIGHT NOW
TO GO SNOWMOBILING, TO GO ICE
FISHING, TO DO THINGS LIKE THAT
IN THE OUTDOORS. THIS IS,
WHETHER YOU ARE FOR OR AGAINST
THIS OFFICE, IT ACHIEVES A LOT
OF REALLY IMPORTANT MISSIONS
WHERE IT COULD PARTICIPATE AS
BEING A CRITICAL THOUGHT LEADER
IN ACHIEVING A LOT OF THESE
MISSIONS, WHICH IS COMPETING
AGAINST OTHER STATES FOR
VALUABLE DOLLARS THAT COME INTO
OUR ECONOMY, THAT STAY IN OUR
ECONOMY, ACHIEVING SOME OF THE
JEDI OBJECTIVES THAT ARE FRONT
AND CENTER OF OUR SOCIAL
DISCOURSE RIGHT NOW, AND DOING
IT IN A WAY THAT IS DONE BETTER
THAN ANYBODY ELSE. SO AGAIN, I
AM NOT SPECIFICALLY ADVOCATING
FOR AN OFFICE RIGHT HERE, I
GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS THE
PURPOSE BEHIND IT, AND PERHAPS
EVEN THE FUNDING BEHIND IT
EXISTS. WE ALL HAVE TO ADMIT
THAT. WHETHER THAT IS SUFFICIENT
ENOUGH TO OVERCOME SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES THAT THE PANDEMIC HAS
BROUGHT ON THE STATE BUDGET,
TBD. I THINK THE GOVERNOR'S
BUDGET COMES OUT IN A WEEK OR
TWO, OBVIOUSLY WE ARE BEHIND THE
CURVE, AND IT WON'T INCLUDE THIS
OFFICE, I SUSPECT, BUT THE
GOVERNOR DOES NOT MAKE THE
BUDGET ALONE. THE BUDGET COMES
THROUGH A SERIES OF NEGOTIATIONS
BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND THE
SENATE, WE HAVE DIVIDED
GOVERNMENT HERE, SO I DON'T WANT
FOLKS TO THINK THAT THIS IDEA,
THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE A BUDGET
CHALLENGE POTENTIALLY AHEAD OF
US THAT THIS IS A NONSTARTER FOR
THE SESSION, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY
NOT.
>> THANKS, J.R. MEGAN, DID YOU
WANT TO CHIME IN? I KNOW THAT
YOU HAD A COMMENT AND YOUR VIDEO
IS ON. IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HEAR
FROM YOU.
>> SO I GUESS MY COMMENTS WOULD
JUST BE THAT, I'M NOT IN FAVOR
OF CREATING A NEW AGENCY EITHER.
WHEN WE DEFINE OFFICE, I THINK
THAT WE NEED TO CLARIFY THAT A
LITTLE BIT. I AGREE AS SOME OF
OTHERS HAVE COMMENTED THAT THERE
IS OVERLAP OF MINNESOTA DNR AND
EMT. I AM IN MY ROLE OF
REPRESENTING NORTHEAST MINNESOTA
ON THE COUNCIL. AND I HAVE A
BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT EMT
DOES, AND I HAVE A GENERAL
OVERVIEW OF WHAT THEIR ROLE IS
FOR THE DNR. DO I THINK THAT
THIS PERSON NECESSARILY FITS
UNDER THE DNR/EMT, THAT IS YET
TO BE DETERMINED AS WE GO
FURTHER. BUT I LIKE THE
CONVERSATION -- SOMEONE HAD
BROUGHT UP A CONFERENCE, KIND OF
LIKE THE PADDLE MN AND BIKE MN
DID WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA TO
BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. I KNOW
THAT THE DNR DOES THESE
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS EVERY
YEAR. AND IT'S COMING UP AT THE
END OF JANUARY, I KNOW THAT IT
WILL BE A VIRTUAL PERSPECTIVE,
BUT MAYBE THAT IS A FIRST STEP.
I LIKE THAT AS SEEING IT AS
PHASES, BECAUSE NOTHING IS BUILT
OVERNIGHT. IT DEFINITELY IS
GOING TO TAKE TIME TO GET THIS
TO WHERE WE ALL CAN BE SATISFIED
WITH WHERE IT IS WHEN THE LAND,
BUT I LIKE THAT IDEA. AND I AM
WILLING TO YOU KNOW, PUT SOME
TIME INTO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BECAUSE I KNOW THESE CONFERENCES
TAKE A LOT OF PEOPLE AND A LOT
OF PLANNING. SO I LIKE THAT AS A
FIRST STEP. I AM ALSO IN FAVOR
TO TALK, YOU KNOW, ON THE
LEGISLATURE SIDE OF THINGS AND
MOVE IT FORWARD TO HOW ARE WE
GOING TO FUND IT EVENTUALLY?
>> YEAH, THANKS, MEGAN FOR YOUR
INPUT.
>> THIS IS ERIKA AGAIN. I AM
ALSO INTRIGUED THAT, MEGAN. THE
IDEA THAT THIS HAS BEEN
SOMETHING THAT WAS A
RECOMMENDATION IN THE LEGACY
PLAN THAT WAS DRAFTED 11 YEARS
AGO NOW. SO THIS IDEA OF HAVING
SOME SORT OF RECREATION
RENDEZVOUS. IS THE IDEA THAT HAS
BEEN TALKED AROUND BEFORE. AND
SO THAT IS A REALLY INTRIGUING
IDEA, I THINK THAT MAYBE THAT IS
ANOTHER WAY, ONE OF SEVERAL
ACTIONS THAT COULD ALSO BE TAKEN
TO KIND OF MOVE FORWARD SOME OF
THIS MOMENTUM. I JUST WANT TO
MAKE SURE, BECAUSE THERE WAS A
COMMENT EARLIER ABOUT WHETHER
YOU ARE FOR OR AGAINST THE
PROCESS, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT EVERYBODY DID SEE MY
COMMENT EARLIER, ME BEING
AGAINST THE OFFICE, I AM HAVING
TO DEAL WITH A BUNCH OF REALITY
IS FOR MY ORGANIZATION NOW. MY
COMMENTS I HOPE ARE MORE
REFLECTIVE OF I DON'T WANT THE
MOMENTUM TO GET LOST REGARDLESS
OF WHAT HAPPENS. SO FOR ME IT IS
VERY MUCH OF BOTH AND
PREPOSITION. BUT SOME OUTDOOR
RECREATION RENDEZVOUS, WHERE WE
COULD ADVANCE SOME OF THESE
IDEAS AND GET A LOT OF
STAKEHOLDERS TOGETHER TO SORT OF
ALMOST LIKE A CALL TO ACTION,
COMMITMENT TO MOVING FORWARD
SOME OF THESE GOALS AND TAKING
ON AND GRABBING HOLD OF SOME OF
THE STRATEGIES.
>> HEY, EVERYBODY. IT IS JOE
HENRY, LAKE OF THE WOODS
TOURISM. I'VE BEEN QUIET
LISTENING IN. AND I GUESS I
WOULD SAY PART OF THIS DECISION
ON OUR PART WHEN IT IS ALL SAID
AND DONE, PART OF THAT IS
STRATEGIC. BY THE WAY, CONGRATS
ON EVERYBODY THAT HAS PUT THE
EFFORT INTO THESE IDEAS SPREAD A
LOT OF GREAT IDEAS. BUT I THINK
THAT, YOU KNOW, YEAH, DO WE GO
FOR THE HOME RUN? OR IS THAT
STRATEGY UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS
GOING ON WITH THE STATE BUDGET
WILL THAT HURT US IN THE LONG
RUN? WHEN IT IS ALL SAID AND
DONE, IT IS ABOUT GETTING SOME
OF THESE INITIATIVES DONE. DO WE
START OUT WITH A SEAT AT THE
TABLE AND TRY TO WORK OUR WAY
UP, OR DO WE GO FOR THE HOME RUN
RIGHT AWAY? I WOULD NOT WANT TO
ALSO LOSE OUR MOMENTUM. I DO
THINK THAT HAVING THESE
DIFFERENT GROUPS OF STAKEHOLDERS
LIKE THIS GROUP WE ARE ON THE
CALL WITH RIGHT NOW IS POWER IN
THAT. I DON'T KNOW THE POWER TO
PROCEED, BUT TO ME THE SUCCESS
OR FAILURE OF THIS EFFORT IS
GOING TO BE PARTLY HOW WE
STRATEGIZE RIGHT NOW AND WHICH
WAY WE APPROACH THIS. YOU KNOW,
A SEAT AT THE TABLE TO ME WOULD
BE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT AT THIS
POINT AND IS PROBABLY SOMETHING
WE DON'T HAVE.
>> THANKS, JOE. THANKS FOR
CHIMING IN. ARE THERE ANY OTHERS
ON THE CALL WHO HAVE AND AT
LEAST IN THIS CONVERSATION HAD A
CHANCE TO SPEAK UP? JUST LOOKING
AT THE LIST HERE, NOTHING
INTENDED, JUST TRYING TO GLANCE.
ASHA, MAYBE GREG, STEVE, I DON'T
KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO
ADD.
>> WELL, THIS IS GREAT. AND
SORRY, I HAD TO MISS OUT ON THE
MIDDLE OF THIS MEETING FOR A
LITTLE BIT. BUT MY THINKING, AND
I KNOW THAT THERE IS A REALITY
OF STATE BUDGETS AND I KNOW
THERE IS A REALITY OF THE
DEPARTMENT TO MEGAN'S POINT, I
DON'T THINK ANYBODY WANTS A
REDUNDANT -- WE DON'T WANT A
REDUNDANT LAYER OF STATE
GOVERNMENT, NOBODY WANTS THAT.
BUT I THINK THAT TO ME WHAT THIS
REALLY REPRESENTS IS KIND OF THE
ASCENDANCE OF OUTDOOR RECREATION
AS AN INDUSTRY, AS A LIFESTYLE,
AS A QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR
STATE. AND I THINK THAT IT IS
REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE
OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT
THE DETAILS, BUT THAT WE THINK
ABOUT THE MOVEMENTS, REALLY. AND
HOW CAN WE USE THIS OPPORTUNITY
TO PROMOTE SOMETHING THAT I
PRESUME WE ALL KNOW AND LOVE,
WHICH IS OUTDOOR RECREATION AND
OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE IT MORE
BROADLY TO BENEFIT MORE SHARED
THROUGHOUT THE STATE. AND I
THINK THAT THAT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT TO KEEP THAT BIG
PICTURE IN MIND. AND SURE, WE
HAVE A COVID BUDGET AND ALL OF
THESE THINGS. I'M NOT A
POLITICAL STRATEGIST. WITH A
LEGISLATOR, AND I'M NOT SURE HOW
THE JIM DAVNIE AND ALL OF THE
DIFFERENT PEOPLE OF THE
LEGISLATOR WILL REACT TO THIS,
BUT I AM A PROPONENT THAT WE
MAKE A STRONG STATEMENT THAT WE
WANT A STATE ENTITY OF SOME FORM
THAT CAN REALLY HELP PROMOTE
OUTDOOR RECREATION AND THE
BENEFITS OF OUTDOOR RECREATION
STATEWIDE. THAT'S MY TWO SENSE.
>> THANKS, GREG. ANY OTHER
TASK FORCE MEMBER COMMENTS?
STEVE, DO YOU WANT TO SAY
SOMETHING?
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD TO
WHAT -- CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? TO
WHAT GREG WAS SAYING, A STRONG
PROPONENT AS WELL. AND AS WE
HEAD INTO THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
PART OF THIS AND GET THE WORD
OUT TO THE NETWORKS. IT WOULD BE
SUPER BENEFICIAL IN TERMS OF
GAINING SUPPORT. AND FROM THE
GREATER OUTDOOR RECREATION
POPULATION SO TO SPEAK AND THAT
WOULD BE VALUABLE IN HELPING TO
COMMUNICATE TO THE EMPHASIS THAT
THIS WOULD BE A GOOD THING FOR
THE OFFICE.
>> THIS IS JOE HENRY AGAIN.
ONE THING WE HAVE TO BE AWARE OF
TOO IS THAT EARLIER IN THE
DOCUMENT THERE IS SOMETHING THAT
SAID OUTDOOR RECREATION WAS
DECLINING. I BELIEVE THAT I
HEARD THAT. I DON'T KNOW THAT IT
IS DECLINING IN MINNESOTA. I
THINK THAT IT HAS BEEN ON THE
RISE TOWARDS J.R.'S COMMENT. AND
THE OTHER THING TO CONSIDER TOO,
IN WHATEVER WAY WE COMMUNICATE
THIS DOWN THE ROAD, LET'S BE
COGNIZANT THAT OUTDOOR
RECREATION IS ON A BIG TIME RISE
RIGHT NOW AND THERE HAS BEEN NO
ORGANIZED EFFORT OF OUTDOOR
RECREATION OTHER THAN THE
EXPLORE MINNESOTA TOUR OF DNR.
WILL THAT BE AN OBJECTION WITH
THE LEGISLATOR? HEY, LOOK AT, WE
HAVE HUGE INCREASES IN OUTDOOR
RECREATION AND WE HAVE NOT HAD
TO PUT THE MONEY TOWARDS AN
OFFICE OR AN INDIVIDUAL OR AN
EFFORT? SO I THINK THAT THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD KEEP IN
THE BACK POCKET GOING INTO THESE
DISCUSSIONS IN WHATEVER WE
DECIDE TO DO FOR STRATEGY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANKS.
>> HEY, ANDREW, THIS IS MATT
AGAIN. I JUST WANT TO SHARE A
COUPLE OF OTHER THOUGHTS HERE.
YOU KNOW, I THINK 2020 AND ALL
THE CHAOS THAT WE HAD, A LOT OF
PEOPLE ESCAPE TO THE OUTDOORS,
RIGHT? AND A LOT OF PEOPLE GOT
AWAY AND PARTICIPATED IN THE
OUTDOORS. AND THAT WAS THEIR
OUTLET. AND I WAS ONE OF THOSE.
I THINK A LOT OF US ON THIS CALL
WERE FORTUNATE TO DO THAT
BECAUSE IT IS OUR PASSION AND SO
FORTH. BUT I CAME INTO THIS
TASK FORCE THINKING, YOU KNOW, I
AM A BOATING GUY, I REPRESENT
THE BOATING INDUSTRY, I AM
THINKING, MAYBE WE CAN GET SOME
MORE BOAT RAMPS, MAYBE WE CAN DO
WATER QUALITY, THAT SORT OF
THING. AND COMING INTO THIS, MY
EYES WERE OPENED TO AN ISSUE ON
THE DEI SIDE OF THINGS THAT
SHAME ON ME, I DID NOT REALIZE
EXISTED. AND SO THAT IS AN
INCREDIBLY SIGNIFICANT PART OF
THE WORK THAT WE HAVE CONDUCTED
IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE
THREAD OF ALL OF THIS, AND THE
WAY THAT I UNDERSTAND IT, AND
THE CONVERSATIONS AND LEARNING
THROUGHOUT THE LAST TEN, 12
MONTHS THAT FOR THOSE OF US WHO
ARE ABLE TO ESCAPE OUTSIDE AND
GET AWAY AND PARTICIPATE IN
OUTDOOR RECREATION, IF THERE IS
A WHOLE SUBSECTOR OF OUR SOCIETY
THAT DOES NOT FEEL SAFE, AND
DOES NOT FEEL WELCOME IN OUR
OUTDOORS, THAT IS A MAJOR, MAJOR
PROBLEM THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING
THROUGH THIS WORK. AND WE ARE
GIVING A VOICE TO THAT ISSUE FOR
THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. AND
FRANKLY, SETTING THE PACE FOR
THE NATION. AND WITH THAT IN
MIND, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT
LENGTH IN OUR SYNTHESIS GROUP,
THE WORK TO WRITE THAT AND
CORRECT THAT, WHILE IT IS ALL OF
OUR WORK, IT IS NOT NECESSARILY
THE CHARGE OF THE DNR. IT IS NOT
THE CHARGE OF EXPLORE MINNESOTA.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE
TALKED AT LENGTH IN THE
SYNTHESIS GROUP THAT THIS NEEDS
TO BE THE CHARGE WHEN WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT OUTDOOR
RECREATION, THIS NEEDS TO BE THE
CHARGE OF AN ENTITY. I DON'T
KNOW THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE AND
HOW THIS STUFF WORKS. I DON'T
EVEN KNOW HOW THE FUNDING WORKS,
BUT THIS IS THE CHARGE OF THE
STATE OF MINNESOTA FOR US TO
WRITE THIS AND CORRECT THIS
ISSUE. AND WITH THAT IN MIND, I
FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, NOT
KNOWING HOW THAT POLITICAL
LANDSCAPE WORKS, WE NEED TO GIVE
THAT A VOICE. AND WE NEED TO
STAND UP AND BE STRONG IN THIS
RECOMMENDATION. AND I GET THE
IDEA OF COLLABORATING AND
COMPROMISING AND COMING YOU
KNOW, I UNDERSTAND -- BELIEVE ME
I GREATLY UNDERSTAND AFTER LAST
YEAR THE SITUATION WITH REDUCED
BUDGETS AND INCOME AND THAT SORT
OF THING. BUT THIS IS AN
ENORMOUS NEEDED THAT WE HAVE AS
A SOCIETY AND AS RESIDENTS OF
THIS STATE THAT WE NEED TO GIVE
EFFECTIVE ATTENTION TO. SO MY
RECOMMENDATION, MY THINKING HERE
IS WE NEED TO GO AND STRONG WITH
THIS REQUEST, AND WE NEED TO DO
IT IN A WAY THAT WE CAN STEP
BACK AND WE CAN COMPROMISE IN
WAYS AND COME OFF OF WHATEVER IS
A FULL OFFICE OR WHATEVER IT MAY
BE, BUT NOT ONLY DO I FEEL, AND
I'M SORRY THAT I KEEP REPEATING
THIS, NOT ONLY DO I FEEL LIKE WE
NEED TO HAVE THAT OFFICE OR
SEPARATE AGENCY, OR WHATEVER IT
IS, BUT WE NEED -- IT NEEDS TO
START BY PUTTING SOMEBODY IN
CHARGE OF THAT AND HIRING
SOMEBODY TO TAKE IT AND RUN WITH
THOSE -- THE DIRECTION WE ARE
OFFERING HERE. I THINK WE HAVE
DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB OF
PULLING TOGETHER A LOT OF GREAT
IDEAS AND A LOT OF THINGS THAT
NEED TO BE ADDRESSED STARTING
WITH THE DEI CONVERSATION, BUT
WITHOUT SOMEBODY IN THAT POINT,
IN THAT SEAT TO BE ACCOUNTABLE
TO MAKING PROGRESS, I JUST
REALLY WORRY THAT IT WILL FALL
BY THE WAYSIDE AND NOT BE GIVEN
THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES.
>> YES, THANKS, MATT. ASHA,
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING?
AND THEN AFTER YOU, WE CAN GO TO
J.R.
>> SURE. ACTUALLY LET ME GO
AFTER J.R. I LOST MY TRAIN OF
THOUGHT.
>> NO WORRIES. J.R., DO YOU WANT
TO GO?
>> YEAH, THANKS, ASHA. YOU KNOW,
I REALLY -- I'M NOT SPEAKING ON
BEHALF OF SOMEBODY WHO WORKS FOR
POLARIS, I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF
OF SOMEONE WHO REALLY
APPRECIATES THE OUTDOORS IN
MINNESOTA AND EVERYTHING IT HAS
PROVIDED TO MY LIFE AND THE LIFE
OF MY FAMILY. MATT'S COMMENTS
ARE SPOT ON PERSONALLY. THE
REALITY OF IT IS THIS TASK FORCE
WAS CREATED TO HELP US SOLVE A
PROBLEM, AND THIS IS NO
DISRESPECT TO DNR, THE EMT, AND
THE DEDICATED STAFF ON THIS CALL
THAT HAVE SUPPORTED OUR WORK,
BUT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AN ISSUE
THROUGH THIS WORK, AN ISSUE THAT
OTHERS ON THIS CALL, STAFF AND
PUBLIC ALIKE ARE VERY DEDICATED
TO THAT THE RESOURCES THAT ARE
CURRENTLY DEPLOYED THROUGH OUR
STATE AGENCIES ARE NOT
RESOLVING, AND SO YOU KNOW,
PERHAPS IN THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET
THAT WILL BE RELEASED IN A
LITTLE WHILE, THERE WILL BE NEW
THINGS IN THERE THAT SUGGEST
THAT NEW RESOURCES ARE GOING TO
BE GEARED TO THESE ISSUES IN THE
OUTDOOR ECONOMY. I DON'T KNOW
THAT, BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW IS
THAT THOSE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE
IDENTIFIED HERE IN THIS DOCUMENT
AND ELSEWHERE THROUGHOUT THE
CONVERSATIONS ARE NOT GOING TO
GO AWAY UNLESS WE PUT THIS
NECESSARY FOCUS ON THEM. SO AT
THE END OF THE DAY, I AM NOT FOR
BUREAUCRACY. YOU KNOW, POLARIS
IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT DRIVES
ITSELF ON EFFICIENCY, I THINK
THAT WAY MYSELF, BUT WE KNOW
THAT DESPITE THE BEST EFFORTS OF
THOSE AGENCIES THAT ARE
REPRESENTED HERE TO CREATE AN
ACCESSIBLE AND INVITING OUTDOORS
FOR ALL MINNESOTANS, REGARDLESS
OF RACE, ETHNICITY, AND ALL OF
THOSE OTHER FACTORS, WE ARE
STILL COMING UP SHORT. SO, HOW
DO THE EXISTING RESOURCES AT THE
DNR AND EMT HAVE AT THEIR
DISPOSAL, GOING TO ACHIEVE THE
GOALS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE
IF THERE IS NOT AN OFFICE
CONTEMPLATED AND AT LEAST
DEBATED IN THE PUBLIC TO ACHIEVE
THAT VISION THAT AARON AND
OTHERS HAVE SO ELOQUENTLY HELPED
ESTABLISH FOR THIS GROUP? END.
THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT, I CAN JUMP IN.
>> YES, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
THANKS, J.R.
>> SO A COUPLE OF QUICK
THOUGHTS. ONE, IF WE DO HAVE AN
OFFICE, I KNOW IT HAS BEEN
TALKED ABOUT HAVING AN OFFICE OF
ONE, AS SOMEONE WHO HAS WORKED
ONE JOB THAT WAS MULTIPLE ROLES,
AND I WOULD BE WILLING TO BET A
LOT OF FOLKS ON THIS CALL HAVE
DONE THE SAME, IT IS HARD TO BE
SET UP TO BE SUCCESSFUL IF YOU
ARE NOT ADEQUATELY RESOURCED,
RIGHT? I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW,
OUR GROUP TOGETHER HAS SPENT
HUNDREDS OF HOURS WORKING ON
THIS, AND TO PUT ALL OF THAT --
AND I THINK WHAT WE ARE ASKING
AND WHAT WE PUT IN THIS DOCUMENT
IS A BIG -- THAT IS A LOT OF
WORK. AND I JUST, I AM HESITANT
TO HAVE ALL OF IT TO -- AND THE
SAME WITH THE ANNUAL MEETING.
THIS IS JUMPING BACK A LITTLE
BIT, BUT I FEEL LIKE -- AND
MAYBE IT WILL BE DIFFERENT YEARS
DOWN THE ROAD AFTER COVID IS NOT
A THING ANYMORE. BUT I FEEL LIKE
IF I WAS IN A ROOM WITH PEOPLE,
I WOULD BE SO EXCITED TO SEE
PEOPLE COMING IN NO, I WOULD BE
CURIOUS I GUESS OR CAUTIOUS
ABOUT HOW MUCH WE ACTUALLY GET
DONE IN ONE DAY, RIGHT? BECAUSE
AGAIN THERE ARE SO MUCH TO DO,
AND MAYBE IT IS A QUARTERLY
THING, AND MAYBE IT IS THREE
TIMES A YEAR OR SOMETHING.
SEASONALLY, BECAUSE OUTDOOR
RECREATION CAN LOOK A LOT
DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON THE
SEASON. A SO I THINK AND I FEEL
LIKE IF WE ARE DOING THIS, WE
HAVE TO PUT THE RESOURCE BEHIND
IT. I DON'T KNOW. I FEEL LIKE
EVEN IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WE HAVE
HAD, BY MAKING THE OUTDOORS MORE
ACCESSIBLE, WE ARE -- THAT DOES
PUT MONEY BACK INTO THE ECONOMY,
RIGHT? SO INVESTING IN THIS, WE
ARE, OR WHOEVER IS ABLE TO
BECOME THE OFFICE, AGENCY,
HOWEVER IT SHAPES OUT, IF WE
GIVE THEM ENOUGH RESOURCES,
WHICH MEANS IN MY OPINION MORE
THAN ONE PERSON, I THINK THAT WE
HAVE A BETTER CHANCE TO REALLY
ACHIEVE WHAT WE HAVE PUT FORTH
IN THIS DOCUMENT. THINKS.
>> THANKS, ASHA.
>> I WILL THROW THIS OUT AS MUCH
A QUESTION AS MUCH AS SOMETHING
I AM THINKING ABOUT HERE, WHICH
IS IT FEELS LIKE WE ARE GETTING
TO THE POINT NOW WHERE IN THIS
LONG CONVERSATION WE HAVE HAD
OVER MONTHS, STARTING TO GET TO
THE TAX OF WHAT ACTUALLY IS THIS
OFFICE DOING? HOW ARE THEY
FACILITATING THESE OBJECTIVES
THAT WE HAVE HERE. TO YOUR
POINT, ASHA, IT HAS TO BE
RESOURCED PROPERLY, BUT
RESOURCES WILL DEPEND ON WHAT
THE CHARGE IS OF THE
ORGANIZATION. LET ME JUMP TO A
SPECIFIC ILLUSTRATION THAT WAS
GOING THROUGH MY MIND AS WE WERE
TALKING HERE. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS, UNITE
THE OUTDOOR COMMUNITY AND THEN
DELIVER DEI, THE QUESTION WOULD
BE HOW WOULD THIS OFFICE
FACILITATE THAT OR DO IT? WOULD
THEY BECOME A COMMUNICATIONS
ENTITY AND UNIFY THOSE
COMMUNICATIONS AND CREATE THEM
AND PUSH THEM OUT? OR WOULD THEY
BE INFLUENCING OTHERS? AND THAT
IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE I GUESS
AS SOMEBODY WHO DEALS WITH
COMMUNICATIONS, THAT'S WHAT I
DO, I WOULD SAY THAT THE PROPER
RESOURCE FOR THAT WOULD BE, THE
MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO INFLUENCE
THOSE ISSUES WOULD BE FOR THE
OBJECTIVE FOR THIS OFFICE TO
AGAIN UNIFY THE OUTDOOR
RECREATION COMMUNE AND BE THAT
CONDUIT ACROSS INDUSTRY, ACROSS
GOVERNMENT, ET CETERA AND WORK
WITH THOSE INDEPENDENTS SO THAT
THEY ARE GOING TO J.R., THEY ARE
GOING TO MARK NORQUIST, THEY ARE
GOING TO MATT, HOW ARE YOU
PRIORITIZING THE WORK IN YOUR
COMMUNICATIONS? HERE'S WHAT WE
LOVE TO SEE AND WE KNOW THAT YOU
WILL BE MORE SUCCESSFUL AND WE
WILL BE MORE SUCCESSFUL IN
ACHIEVING OUR GOALS IF YOU DO
THAT. SO I GUESS THAT THAT IS
THE QUESTION THAT GOES THROUGH
MY HEAD IS HOW IS THIS OFFICE
GOING TO FACILITATE THAT? IS IT
ACTUALLY DOING IT? THE WAY
EXPLORE MINNESOTA AND DNR WOULD
DO? OR IS IT INFLUENCING THE
STAKEHOLDER GROUPS TO CHANGE AND
MOVE TO THAT NEXT LEVEL?
>> THANKS, MARK, I THINK YOU'RE
BRINGING SOME GOOD POINTS UP IN
THAT AS WELL, AND THANKS, ASHA
AS WELL. DOES ANYONE HAVE
ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD, OTHERWISE
I WAS GOING TO MAYBE SUGGEST
BRINGING UP HANSI'S HAD A POINT
IN HERE THAT WAS GOOD ABOUT NEXT
STEPS AND HOW DO WE PROCEED FROM
HERE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO CUT
SHORT IN CASE THERE ARE OTHER
THINGS PEOPLE WANT TO ADD. THIS
IS A REALLY HEALTHY CONVERSATION
WE ARE HAVING. SO ONE THING, SO
HANSI MENTIONS THE IDEA OF HOW
WE ARE GOING TO COME TOGETHER.
AND I AM WONDERING IF IT IS
WORTH THINKING ABOUT OUT OF ALL
OF THE STUFF WE HAVE TALKED
ABOUT TODAY, WHAT ARE THE AREAS
OF COMMON, LIKE, AND AGREEING?
WHERE DOES EVERYONE KIND OF
LAND, AND CORRECT ME IF I AM
WRONG IN UNDERSTANDING THIS,
BECAUSE I AM JUST TRYING TO GO
FROM MEMORY AND LOOK AT THE
CONVERSATION WE HAVE HAD, BUT IT
SEEMS LIKE AN ANNUAL GATHERING,
OR AT LEAST AN ANNUAL GATHERING,
A GATHERING OF PEOPLE IN THE
COMMUNITY WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO
SO IS SOMETHING ON THE
RECOMMENDATIONS AND SOMETHING
THAT IT DID NOT SEEM LIKE ANYONE
WAS THINKING THAT WAS NOT A GOOD
IDEA. SO THAT'S AN AREA I WOULD
THINK OF IS CONSENSUS. ANOTHER
AREA, THIS IS WHERE I'M NOT SURE
OF IF THERE IS AN AGREEMENT OR
NOT IS THE IDEA OF CONTINUING AN
ADVISORY COUNCIL OF SOME SORT
WHETHER IT IS THE TASK FORCE,
BUT ON A PERMANENT BASIS RATHER
THAN -- OR A MODIFIED TASK FORCE
OR GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL OR SOME
SORT OF STAKEHOLDER GROUP,
RIGHT? THAT THE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS, NOT NECESSARILY
GOVERNMENT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
PART OF THIS. IT SO I GUESS IT
IS A LITTLE BIT OF A QUESTION,
IS THAT AN AREA OF CONSENSUS?
AND THEN THAT THIRD PART IS
LIKE, IS THERE A CONSENSUS ON
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE? AND I'M NOT
SURE THAT THEY ARE IS, BUT I
THINK WHETHER THAT IS IN OFFICE,
COUNCIL DIRECTOR, OR NOT. AND
THE FOURTH ONE, MAYBE THIS IS
THE THIRD, NOT FOURTH, BUT AN
IDEA OF HAVING IT STAFFED. AND I
THINK IT IS REASONABLE, FROM
WHAT THE GROUP IS SAYING THAT
MAYBE THERE WOULD BE A WAY FOR
THE STATE TO FIND -- HANSI HAD
MENTIONED THAT, BUT THE SCOPE IS
NOT HUGE. TO SOME RESOURCES ARE,
BUT IT'S NOT A GIGANTIC AMOUNT
AT LEAST INITIALLY. AM I
CAPTURING -- I JUST WANT TO
CHECK IN WITH EVERYONE WHAT, YOU
KNOW, WHAT OTHERS THINK? WHAT DO
WE ALL THINK IS SORT OF A COMMON
INGREDIENTS, IS THAT EVEN A
WORD? WE ARE ALL IN COMMON
AGREEMENT ON AN SORT OF IN THAT?
>> AM I QUESTION I DID NOT MEAN
TO OPEN A CAN OF WORMS, BUT I
WAS JUST WONDERING ABOUT THE
RECOMMENDATIONS THEMSELVES, WE
ARE TRYING TO CREATE THIS -- WE
HAVE DONE ALL THIS GREAT WORK,
AND THE SYNTHESIS GROUP HAS DONE
A GREAT JOB AS WELL, AND NOW WE
HAVE THESE DOCUMENTS IN FRONT OF
US COMING AND I THINK THAT'S
HONESTLY IT SOUNDS LIKE MOST OF
US ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH THE
DOCUMENTS. THAT WAS WHAT I WAS
WONDERING. ARE WE GOING TO WHEN
THIS IS ALL SAID AND DONE ALL
PRETTY MUCH PUT OUR STAMP ON
APPROVAL ON IT, ARE WE NOT, AND
HOW THAT WORKS FROM A GOVERNANCE
PERSPECTIVE, AND MAYBE THAT
ANSWERS ALL OF THE OTHER
CONSENSUS QUESTIONS, FOLKS THAT
ARE WILLING TO AGREE TO THE
RECOMMENDATIONS AT SOME POINT,
THAN ALL OF THOSE OTHER
QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED IN TIME.
>> YEAH, THANKS, HANSI. EARLIER
IN THE SPRING IN THE MIDST OF
SOME OF THE COVID SHUTDOWNS. SO
THAT ERA IS A LITTLE BIT OF A
BLUR, I THINK. BUT I THINK WE
HAD HAD SOME KIND OF GOVERNANCE
WHERE WE HAD SURVEYED PEOPLE AND
THEIR OPINION. AND I THINK THAT
IT GENERALLY WAS ON CONSENSUS
THAT THE GROUP HAD THOUGHT IN
THE END, WHEN A DOCUMENT IS
AGREED ON THAT THERE WOULD BE A
VOTE OR SOME SORT OF INCENTIVE
OF THE MEMBERS ON WHAT IS BEING
PUT FORWARD, SO I WOULD THINK,
YOU KNOW, IN OUR ROLE AS THE
AGENCY SPLITTING THIS AS WELL AS
THE SYNTHESIS GROUP, OR IF THERE
ARE VOLUNTEERS OF THIS GROUP
TODAY TO HELP US FURTHER FINE
TUNE THE DOCUMENT, BUT TO DO IT
IN A WAY THAT REFLECTS A
CONSENSUS AMONG THE GROUP, I
GUESS. SO I GUESS SORT OF NEXT
STEPS, DOES THE GROUP, LAURA, DO
YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO WHAT
I'M SAYING HERE? --
>> THANKS, ANDREW. YEAH, I THINK
IN THIS KIND OF PROCESS LIKE YOU
HAVE SAID, WE ARE STRIVING
TOWARDS CONSENSUS AS BEST WE CAN
AND BUILD ON THAT MOMENTUM. SO I
ALWAYS THINK THAT AS YOU ARE
DOING, ANDREW, TRYING TO
SUMMARIZE AREAS WHERE IT SEEMS
LIKE THE GROUP HAS A LOT IN
COMMON AND THEN AS WE GET TO THE
LAST MEETING OR THE NEXT
MEETING, WE CAN CONTINUE TO
MAYBE REFINE SOME OF THE DETAILS
OR ILLUMINATE TO WHERE MIGHT BE
SOME DIFFERENT REASONABLE
STRATEGIES GOING FORWARD. AND
SO, I THINK YOU -- I THINK THAT
THOSE HAVE A GOOD SUMMARY, AND
ALL OF YOU ON THE TASK FORCE,
ANDREW WAS INVITING IF THERE
WERE OTHER THOUGHTS ON HOW YOU
ARE LANDING THE CONVERSATION, OF
COURSE WE ALWAYS WELCOME THAT.
AND ALSO TO TIME AND THAT I
REALLY HEARD A REALLY, REALLY
APPRECIATED THE WHOLE SERIES OF
CONVERSATIONS, ESPECIALLY TODAY
AS WELL, IT FEELS LIKE WE HAVE
GONE TO THE NEXT STEP, AND I
REALLY HEARD A LOT OF
COMMONALITY. I THINK THAT GREG
HAD A NICE SUMMARY STATEMENT
WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT THE
ASCENDANCE OF OUTDOOR RECREATION
IN OUR STATE, THE IMPORTANCE AND
VALUE AROUND THAT FOR ALL PEOPLE
HERE, AND TO THIS WHOLE
TASK FORCE I FEEL LIKE HAS BEEN
ADVANCING THAT IDEA. AND TO
RECOMMENDATION OF A LOT OF SENSE
OF PEOPLE BEING BEHIND THE
RECOMMENDATIONS OF UNITY AND
PROMOTING AND COMMUNICATING. SO
IT ACTUALLY DOES FEEL LIKE A LOT
HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN THAT
WAY IN EMPHASIZING THE
IMPORTANCE OF THE CONCEPTS
MOVING FORWARD. AND THEN IT
FEELS LIKE THERE WAS A
DISTINCTION AROUND THIS IDEA OF
SOME SAYING, ARE WE GOING TO --
ARE WE GOING FOR THE HOME RUN?
REALLY TRYING TO GET A BIG
INVESTMENT TOWARD SOMETHING LIKE
AN OUTDOOR WRECK OFFICE WITH A
LOT OF RESOURCES, OR ARE WE
SAYING COMING YOU KNOW WHAT,
LET'S START SMALL AND PHASE IT
IN IS THAT A GOOD WAY TO
APPROACH IT? AND I AM GETTING
THE FEELING THAT PEOPLE ARE
UNDERSTANDING THAT BOTH OF THOSE
COULD BE REASONABLE STRATEGIES,
AND IT IS HARD TO KNOW SOMETIMES
WHAT IS THE BEST IN THIS MOMENT.
IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF SOME OF
THE TAKE AWAY THAT I AM COMING
OUT OF THIS, THAT YOU CAN MAKE A
CASE FOR EITHER OF THOSE
APPROACHES, RIGHT? BUT AT THE
VERY LEAST, WE KNOW THAT WE ALL
WANT TO MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER ON
THIS. AND THEN I THINK ONE LAST
THING THAT IS ON MY MIND IS ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT RANDOLPH
MENTIONED EARLIER IS THAT THE
SENSE OF WHAT IS ALL OF OUR PART
IN IT? I MAY BE THAT SOMETHING
THAT WE CONTINUE TO REFLECT ON
TOWARDS THE LAST MEETING IS HOW
CAN WE AND STATE AGENCIES
SUPPORT FOR WHAT IS BEING
RECOMMENDED HERE AND HOW CAN
EACH ENTITY IN EITHER THEIR
PUBLIC, NONPROFIT, OR PRIVATE
THINK ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE DOING
RELATED TO THIS, BECAUSE
WHATEVER HAPPENS RELATED TO THE
NAME OF AN OFFICE OR A GROUP, IT
SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS MOMENTUM
AROUND THE IDEA HERE. SO THAT'S
A GOOD THING. I DON'T KNOW IF
OUR CHAIRS HAVE ANY FURTHER
THOUGHTS ON THIS CONVERSATION
WHERE IT LANDS IN TERMS OF
RANDOLPH OR JOHN, OR OTHERS WHO
HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE CALL.
SO THANKS, ANDREW, FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT ON IT. I
APPRECIATE THAT. AND I WILL HAND
IT BACK TO YOU OR THE CHAIRS OR
ANYONE WHO WANTS TO MAKE ANY
COMMENTS ON THAT.
>> I HAVE NO ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS. I THINK THAT LAURA,
YOU'VE SUMMED IT UP PERFECTLY.
WE ARE IN A GOOD PLACE MOVING
FORWARD RIGHT NOW. A LOT OF
ISSUES RAISED, AND THERE MAY BE
SOME DISAGREEMENTS ABOUT
SPECIFICS, BUT I THINK THAT
THERE IS A LOT OF AGREEMENT
AROUND THE ASPECTS OF WHAT WE
ARE TALKING ABOUT. THAT IS A
GOOD PLACE TO BE RIGHT NOW. SO
LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT MONTH
OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, AND OUR
LAST MEETING. WE WILL SEE.
>> WE ARE HOPING.
>> SO RANDOLPH, THIS IS GREG.
FORGIVE ME IF THIS IS A NAIVE
QUESTION, IS IT FAIR TO PUT OUT
TO THE PUBLIC? PUBLIC COMMENTS
AND GET THEIR INPUT TO AN OFFICE
OF OUTDOOR RECREATION? TO SEE
WHAT THEIR TEMPERATURE IS FOR
IT?
>> YES, THAT IS THE PUBLIC
ENGAGEMENT WOULD BE HOSTED OVER
THE BANG THE TABLE PLATFORM
WHICH IS A PLATFORM THAT WE HAVE
FOR DNR. WE WILL BE PROVIDING
THESE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU
ALL HAVE WRITTEN UP TO THE
PUBLIC WITH A SURVEY ASKING
BASICALLY -- REALLY BROAD
QUESTIONS, WHAT DO YOU LIKE AND
WHY, WHAT DO YOU NOT LIKE AND
WHY? THAT KIND OF STUFF. AND WE
HOPE TO GET -- FINGERS CROSSED
WE GET SOME GOOD REACTION FROM
THE PUBLIC, AND I THINK WE WILL
PROBABLY LEAN ON TASK FORCE
MEMBERS FROM PROMOTE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE. SO FOLKS
WILL DEFINITELY HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN IF THEY
DESIRE.
>> YES, THANKS, RANDOLPH. YOU
SUMMARIZED SORT OF THE NEXT
AGENDA ITEM SORT OF THE SUMMARY
OF THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT. SO
THANK YOU. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT
WE ARE PLANNING. AS YOU HAVE
BEEN INVOLVED FOR ALL THOSE
DETAILS. THAT'S GREAT. FOR KIND
OF NEXT STEPS AS FAR AS LIKE,
WHAT WE WERE THINKING WAS THAT
IN ORDER TO KEEP ON TIMELINE WAS
TO PROCEED WITH PUBLIC
ENGAGEMENT WITH THE
RECOMMENDATIONS AS THEY ARE
RECOGNIZING THAT THERE MAY BE
SOME TWEAKS GOING FORWARD,
BECAUSE THE FOUR MAJOR
RECOMMENDATIONS ARE STILL OUT
THERE AND BASED ON OUR LONG
CONVERSATIONS. THE STARTING
IMPLEMENTATION STEPS, WE IMAGINE
THAT THE CONVERSATION TODAY AS
WELL AS FURTHER EVOLVING THIS
DOCUMENT OVER THE NEXT MONTH,
AND INCORPORATING IN THERE AS
WELL AS GREG MENTIONED,
INCORPORATING THE PUBLIC INPUT
IS NEXT. I AM WONDERING, YOU
KNOW, IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE
ARE GOING TO NEED A TEAM. SOME
ASSISTANCE FROM THE TASK FORCE.
IN THE FULL GROUP IS OBVIOUSLY
NOT NECESSARILY EFFICIENT, BUT
WE WOULD LIKE IF THERE ARE
PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE A PART OF
THE SYNTHESIS TEAM, WHETHER IT
IS PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN
A PART OF IT, WHICH WOULD BE
GREAT IF THEY CAN CONTINUE AS
WELL AS ANY OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE
INTERESTED IN BEING ADDED TO
THAT GROUP. EITHER YOU CAN SPEAK
UP NOW IF YOU WANT TO MENTION
THAT IN THE CHAT. THAT WOULD BE
SUPER HELPFUL, BECAUSE I IMAGINE
IN THE NEXT WEEKS WE WILL HAVE
TO SET UP A SMALL GROUP MEETING
AND TALK ABOUT HOW DO WE -- WHAT
ARE WE LEARNING FROM THE
CONVERSATION TODAY, AND HOW DO
WE BUILD A DOCUMENT WITH WHAT
YOU AS A TASK FORCE ONCE FROM
THIS? SO, I GUESS THAT IS AND
ASK. SO IF ANYONE, SOME PEOPLE
ARE RESPONDING. GREAT. HANSI,
GREAT. MARK, GREAT. IF THERE ARE
OTHERS, YOU CAN EMAIL ME OR
GRATIA. MATT, GREAT. THANKS. WE
CAN SET SOMETHING UP HERE TO
FURTHER DO THAT. WE WILL --
GRATIA AND I WILL DO OUR BEST TO
TAKE A STAB AT ALSO IMPROVING
THE DOCUMENT, WHETHER IT IS
PLAIN LANGUAGE, THINGS HERE AND
THERE, BASED ON OUR
CONVERSATION. ASHA HAD A GREAT
COMMENT ABOUT THE DELIVERER, I
THINK THAT WAS A GREAT
SUGGESTION. SO I THINK THAT THAT
IS SORT OF OUR NEXT STEP ON THE
DOCUMENT. UNLESS, RANDOLPH, OR
OTHERS -- ASHA HAS TO JUMP OUT.
IT IS NICE LOOKING OUT THE
WINDOW.
>> THANKS, ASHA.
>> SO FOR A FINAL -- ARE THERE
ANY LAST COMMENTS ON ANYONE ON
THE TASK FORCE BEFORE WE OPEN TO
PUBLIC COMMENTS? THANK YOU ALL
FOR BEING SUPER PARTICIPATORY IN
THIS REALLY GREAT CONVERSATION.
AND FOR YOUR PATIENCE IN ALL OF
THIS. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY
GREAT. YOU GUYS ARE REALLY GREAT
GROUP. SO IT'S AN HONOR TO BE
WORKING WITH YOU. OKAY, SO IF
THERE IS ANYTHING FROM THE
PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO SAY
SOMETHING, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT
OF TIME RIGHT AT THE END. YOU
CAN FEEL FREE TO UNMUTE AND
CHIME IN. NO PRESSURE IF YOU
DON'T WANT TO. BUT YOU ARE MORE
THAN WELCOME TO.
>> YES, THIS IS HARLEY LARSON,
AM AN OUTDOOR RECREATION PLANNER
WITH THE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OF
THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE HERE
IN ST. PAUL, AND I HAVE BEEN
SITTING IN ON ALMOST ALL OF YOUR
MEETINGS HERE. I AM GLAD TO SEE
THIS COMING TO AN END-TO-END, I
LIKE A LOT OF WHAT HAS BEEN PUT
IN THIS DOCUMENT. MY MAIN
QUESTION IS, DNR PUT OUT A
NOTICE THAT THE PUBLIC REVIEW
PERIOD FOR THIS WAS GOING TO
START TWO DAYS AGO ON
JANUARY 11TH AND GO THROUGH
FEBRUARY 7TH, BUT I HAVE NOT
SEEN ANYTHING ON THE WEBSITE,
AND THERE IS NO DOCUMENT TO
REVIEW YET. SO I WANT TO KNOW,
WHEN IS THE REAL PUBLIC REVIEW
COMMENTS PERIOD GOING TO BE, AND
WHEN IS A DOCUMENT GOING TO BE
AVAILABLE, BECAUSE I WOULD ALSO
LIKE TO BE -- I WILL BE SENDING
THIS OUT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT
IN THE NATIONAL PARKS OF
MINNESOTA, AND WOULD LIKE TO
SEND IT OUT TO OTHER CONTACTS. I
WOULD LIKE TO GET TO A FEW OTHER
COMMENTS HERE BEFORE YOU ANSWER
THAT.
>> IF YOU LIKE I CAN CLICK
ANSWER AND THEN YOU CAN KEEP THE
TOPICS CONNECTED. WE WERE JUST
DELAYED A LITTLE BIT WITH THE
NEWS RELEASE SIDE OF THINGS
COMING AND WE WILL BE SORT OF
REGROUPING A LITTLE BIT SOON. I
DON'T HAVE A PRECISE DATE. WE DO
WANT TO GET IT OUT AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE. SO IT IS KIND OF A
NONANSWER OTHER THAN THAT WE ARE
IN THE PROCESS, BUT IT IS OF A
LITTLE DELAYED.
>> YOU SEND A MESSAGE SAYING
THAT IT STARTED ALREADY, SO IT
MAY BE HELPFUL TO SEND ANOTHER
MESSAGE TO YOUR CONTACT LIST TO
SAY THIS HAS BEEN DELAYED.
OTHERWISE PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED
ABOUT TRYING TO FIND YOUR
DOCUMENT ON THE WEBSITE AND NOT
FINDING IT.
>> GREAT, THANKS. THANKS FOR
THAT. WE WILL DO THAT.
THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT. AND FUTURE ADVISER
GROUPS. I HAVE SAID THIS EVERY
CHANCE, IF YOU ARE THINKING
ABOUT CREATING AN ADVISORY GROUP
LATER THAT INCLUDES JUST THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THIS GROUP
NOW, I WOULD SAY, DON'T FORGET
ABOUT THE LOCAL AND THE FEDERAL
PROVIDERS AND LAND MANAGERS.
THOSE CAN BE YOUR KEY PARTNERS
IN, AND ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTING A
LOT OF YOUR STRATEGIES. AND
SHOULD BE INCLUDED AND HAVE A
SEAT AT THE TABLE. BOTH THE
FEDERAL AND THE LOCAL. A LOT OF
TIMES WE THINK ABOUT PATHWAYS OF
ENGAGEMENT FOR PEOPLE TO REALLY
GET TO BE PROFICIENT IN THE
OUT-OF-DOORS AND TO LOVE IT, SO
THAT USUALLY BEGINS WITH SOME
KIND OF AN EXPERIENCE AT A LOCAL
PARK, YOU DON'T START OUT
CANOEING BY GOING TO THE
BOUNDARY WATERS, YOU START OUT
BY A SMALL PADDLE MAY BE ON A
LOCAL LAKE. SO YOU NEED ALL OF
THOSE SMALL PARKS TO LARGE PARTS
AND ALL OF THOSE LAYERS IN ORDER
FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO
PROGRESS WITH THEIR SKILLS AND
THEIR EXPERIENCES IN ORDER TO
HAVE A REALLY HEALTHY AND ROBUST
OUTDOOR RECREATION COMMUNITY. SO
THOSE LOCAL PARKS, YOU MAY NOT
THINK THEY ARE IMPORTANT, BUT
THEY ARE THE FIRST EXPERIENCE
FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE TO GET OUT
TO APPRECIATE THE OUTDOORS. ALSO
THAT ANNUAL GATHERING, I LOVE
THAT IDEA. NPS AND MY MY PROGRAM
HAVE COORDINATED WITH DNR,
D.O.T., AND OTHERS ON SOME
LIMITED GATHERINGS IN THE PAST
AND HAVE BEEN WANTING TO GET
INVOLVED IN SOMETHING BROADER,
SO THAT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA TO
IMPLEMENT. AND THEN THE FUNDING,
I JUST WANTED TO OFFER MY
ASSISTANCE IN BEING A THINKING
PARTNER ON SOME OF -- CREATING
SOME CREATIVE IDEAS OR FUNDING
AND WOULD LIKE TO BE INVOLVED IN
THAT. I THINK THE HEALTH
INDUSTRY, BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD
HEALTH PARTNERS, MAYO CLINIC,
THEY HAVE ALL BEEN INVOLVED IN
HEALTH PROMOTION IN THE PAST. SO
THAT IS A GREAT AVENUE TO TRY TO
GET SOME FUNDING. AND THEN THERE
ARE OTHER IDEAS TOO. BUT I WOULD
LOVE TO BE A PART OF THE
CONVERSATION FOR HOW TO FUND
THIS AND GET IT OFF THE GROUND.
SO I HAVE SOME SPECIFIC COMMENTS
ON THE LANGUAGE IN THE
DOCUMENTS, BUT I WILL RESERVE
THAT FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENTARY.
>> YEAH, THANKS, HOLLY.
THANK YOU FOR CHIMING IN. ANYONE
ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC ON THE CALL
THAT WOULD LIKE TO CHIME IN AT
ALL?
>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY.
RANDOLPH, HOLLY IS THE HONORARY
22ND MEMBER OF THE MINNESOTA
OUTDOOR RECREATION TASK FORCE.
>> WELL, HEARING NONE, ARE THERE
ANY LAST COMMENTS OR ANYTHING
ELSE MAY BE FROM EITHER RANDOLPH
OR JOHN? ANY LAST WORDS?
>> FOR ME, NOT REALLY. I THINK
IT WAS A GREAT CONVERSATION. I
WANT FOLKS TO KNOW THAT WE
REALLY AT DNR AND EMT, TRYING TO
STRIKE THE BALANCE TO BE
AVAILABLE AND HELPFUL WHILE NOT
PUTTING OUR THUMB ON THE SCALE
TOO MUCH. AND I THINK WHENEVER
WE MAKE COMMENTS ABOUT BUDGETS
AND WHATNOT, IT IS LARGELY A
DOUBLE ADVOCACY KIND OF ACTIVITY
IN THE HOPES THAT WE PUSH THE
CONVERSATION, AND HOPEFULLY
DISLODGE SOME MORE CREATIVE
THINKING. SO WE ARE IN A REALLY
GOOD SPOT. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
THE NEXT MEETING. THANKS,
ANDREW, FOR FACILITATING TODAY.
>> THIS IS JOHN. SORRY I WAS NOT
ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
ENTIRE MEETING TODAY, BUT THERE
WAS A LOT OF GREAT DISCUSSION IN
THE SECOND HALF THAT I HEARD.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE
EVERYONE'S THOUGHTS, THAT IS AT
THE HEART OF WHAT WE ARE GOING
TO DO IS IMPLEMENTATION. IF YOU
HAVE ANY FURTHER THOUGHTS
BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT
MEETING, WE ARE OPEN TO ALL
OPTIONS, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO
SEE ALL OF THIS WORK THAT ALL OF
YOU PUT INTO THIS JUST GO BY THE
WAYSIDE. I THINK THAT THERE IS A
LOT THAT YOU ACCOMPLISHED. AND A
LOT WITH WHAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH
TO WHAT YOU PUT INTO THIS. SO
THANKS ALL VERY MUCH.
>> THANKS, AND WITH THAT WE WILL
SEE EVERYONE LATER. THANK YOU.
>> THANKS, EVERYONE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> GOODBYE, EVERYONE.
>> THANK YOU.