Public comment is now closed at the July meeting of the Destination Medical Center Corporation Board of Directors meeting. Comments lasted about 20 minutes and focused mostly on sustainability and energy policies. Here’s a recap:
- One resident expressing concern about how members will be selected for a suite of new committees that will be appointed to help
- Minnesota State Sen. Dave Senjem (R-Rochester) delivered a 10-minute presentation about a recent trip he took to HafenCity in Hamburg, Germany. “I would hope that the board, at some point, hopefully the EDA, could get over there at some point,” said Senjem. “There’s everything there I could imagine we would want in terms of DMC.” The presentation focused on a multi-billion-dollar effort to redevelop the harbor region of Hamburg and already has attracted sustainable energy investments, commercial development and tourism.
- A member of Conservation Minnesota presented a petition to the DMC Corp. Board that contained 1,200 signatures of area residents who support sustainable energy and environmentally friendly approaches to development in the DMC district.
- Representatives from Rochester Public Utilities (RPU) presented results from a survey of regional customers that shows overwhelming support (from residential and commercial customers) for investments in alternative and sustainable energy sources. “Be bold,” she said. “The people of Rochester are ready.”
- Another resident addressed concerns about other types of sustainable and environmental policies, including incentives to reduce waste and encourage recycling.