Kennedy clerk testifies before Minn. House capital investment committee

By Margie Holmgren
On Wednesday, April 24, Melissa Woinarowicz, Kennedy city clerk, testified before the Minnesota house capital investment committee regarding Kennedy’s water issue.
Rep. John Burkel added House File 5304 after being alerted to the situation initially by Commissioner Theresia Gillie.
Woinarowicz emailed both Burkel and Sen. Mark Johnson following Gillie’s initial request and offered to provide them with any additional information they needed regarding the water issue.
Burkel returned her email with a phone call and learned more about the request.
Kennedy’s water tower froze in 2017 making it non-functional and unrepairable. The water is now bypassing the tower and coming directly in from the rural water system but provides no reserves for the city.
The two underground storage tanks need repairs, and a booster station would be added to gain the city a water reserve. The cost of this project is over $2.5 million.
The city has secured grants for part of the project but still needs over $733,000 to complete the project and with costs constantly rising could go higher before the project is completed.
Burkel stated he and Johnson were on board with adding this request to the Governor’s bonding bill. He said he would add it to the house bill and if it gets removed before going to the Senate, Johnson was willing to add it back in on the Senate’s bill.
Woinarowicz was informed however that a request coming with a testimonial from someone in the city of Kennedy would go a long way toward helping the bill get passed. She was also told they may not have much warning as to when they would be called to testify.
Woinarowicz immediately started working on talking points and information she felt would be necessary to present to the committee to help get this bill added.
Over the weekend, she was informed they would need to be at the capitol Wednesday, April 24 to testify.
The council had discussed at their last meeting who would be able to go and along with Woinarowicz, and decided to send either Councilor Jon Turn or Councilor Cindy Urbaniak.
Urbaniak was able to go with Woinarowicz to the Cities and meet with Burkel and testify to the committee regarding the project.
The two met with Burkel prior to the committee hearings and discussed the project. When called, Woinarowicz went before the committee and gave them further information on the project.
“The experience was something I’ll never forget, commented Woinarowicz. “I’ve never been to the Capitol before so having the opportunity to go down there and testify on behalf of the little town of Kennedy was pretty awesome.”
“I’m thankful that Commissioner Gillie brought this to Representative Burkel’s attention and that he is so willing to go to bat for the City of Kennedy,” she added. “It’s nice to know that we have elected officials who haven’t forgotten about rural Minnesota.”
The city will now wait to hear if the request stays on the bill or is removed.