Tuesday marked the first day of the Minnesota Senate Capital Investment Committee’s 2023 bonding tour to determine potential projects the state may fund in the future. Thursday brought the committee to Central Lakes College in Brainerd.

“We tour the state in the fall of an even year and look at infrastructure projects that have requested funding from us, the legislature, and from the state of Minnesota,” explained District 65 Sen. Sandy Pappas.

The Capital Investment Committee met at CLC’s Brainerd campus to discuss renovation projects for the college’s near future.

“We’ll be presenting what we need to take care of here at Central Lakes College, and some partners will also be presenting,” said CLC President Hara Charlier. “So it’s great that they come see the actual spaces to make investments.”

Much of the day’s visit addressed basic maintenance projects that the college requires state funding for so they can be completed.

“What we’re really finding is that we’re very much behind in basic asset preservation like HVAC, heating, ventilating, new roofs, windows, things that aren’t really very exciting, but are really important to get,” said Sen. Pappas.

Maintaining state resources is why these visits from the Capital Investment Committee are critical for evaluating the need for state funding, as they provide a first-hand look at the facilities that would be impacted.

“It just makes it more real, as opposed to when you’re sitting in a committee room in St. Paul and people have 10 minutes to present a bill to you,” said Sen. Pappas, “So we like to get out in the state. It really it’s fun also to learn more about what’s going on around the state.”

“Whenever they want to come and see our work,” said Charlier, “it makes us feel good and we know absolutely that they’re here to support us and we’re grateful for that support.”

The committee also visited Bemidji to observe the newly completed Bemidji Veterans Home.

By — Justin Othoudt