A bill for an act
relating to economic development; establishing the Rondo Restorative Development
Authority for the operations of a land bridge in the Rondo neighborhood of St.
Paul; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 116J.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
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(a) The purpose of this act is to provide for the transfer of state real estate interests,
including right-of-way air rights, construction, development, financing, community
ownership, formation of and ownership of private development entities, transfer of
developments, and long-term operations of the land bridge in the Rondo neighborhood of
the city.
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(b) The legislature finds and declares that the establishment of the authority and the
expenditure of public money for this purpose are necessary and serve a public purpose and
that property acquired by the authority for the construction and development of the land
bridge is acquired for a public use or public purpose under chapter 117.
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(c) The legislature further finds and declares that government assistance to facilitate the
land bridge provides to the state, its citizens, and the citizens of the Rondo community
highly valued intangible benefits that help address historic racial inequities that led to the
destruction of the Rondo neighborhood by the routing of an interstate highway through the
neighborhood in 1950s, causing the loss of approximately 700 homes and 300 businesses
with inadequate compensation and leading to significant loss of generational wealth.
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As used in sections 116J.382 to 116J.384, the terms in this
section have the meanings given.
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"Authority" means the Rondo Restorative Development Authority.
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"City" means the city of St. Paul.
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"Land bridge" means one or more projects of the authority
undertaken in accordance with this chapter within the Rondo community land bridge area.
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"Rondo community land bridge area"
means the freeway right-of-way over marked Interstate Highway 94 in a portion of the
segment from Lexington Avenue to Rice Street in the city.
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(a) The Rondo Restorative Development Authority is
established as a public body, corporate and politic, and political subdivision of the state.
The authority is not a joint powers entity or an agency or instrumentality of the city. The
powers conveyed to the authority apply within the Rondo community land bridge area.
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(b) The authority is authorized to fund infrastructure improvements and acquire real
property outside of the Rondo community land bridge area that serve the purposes of sections
116J.382 to 116J.384.
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(a) The authority shall be managed by a 17-member board of
commissioners who may name a chair or co-chairs from among the commissioners.
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(b) The commissioners shall be appointed to four-year terms, beginning January 1, 2025,
as follows:
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(1) five representatives appointed by ReConnect Rondo;
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(2) four representatives appointed by Rondo Roundtable;
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(3) two representatives appointed by the mayor of the city of St. Paul;
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(4) one representative appointed by Saint Paul Public Schools;
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(5) one representative appointed by the governor;
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(6) one representative appointed by the Metropolitan Council;
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(7) one representative appointed by Ramsey County;
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(8) one representative appointed by the senate; and
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(9) one representative appointed by the house of representatives.
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Each commissioner serves until a successor is appointed and takes office. Commissioners
of the authority are public officials under chapter 10A and subject to all applicable
requirements therein.
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The authority may compensate its members, other than the
chair, as provided in section 15.0575, subdivision 3. The chair shall receive, unless otherwise
provided by other law, a salary in an amount fixed by the authority and shall be reimbursed
for reasonable expenses to the same extent as a member.
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The chair presides at all meetings of the authority, if present, and
performs all other assigned duties and functions. The authority may appoint from among
its members a vice-chair to act for the chair during the temporary absence or disability of
the chair and any other officers the authority determines are necessary or convenient.
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A commissioner may be removed by the respective appointing
authority only for misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance in office upon written charges
and after an opportunity to be heard in defense of the charges.
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The authority shall adopt bylaws to establish rules of procedure, the
powers and duties of its officers, and other matters relating to the governance of the authority
and the exercise of its powers.
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The legislative auditor shall audit the books and accounts of the authority