Regional Development Commissions
Regional Development Commissions are regional governments in the U.S. state of Minnesota, made up of a board of local elected officials from counties, cities, schools boards, public interest groups and transit systems that provide cooperation and coordination on broad regional issues.{{cite web|title=REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSIONS|url=http://www.sos.state.mn.us/media/1351/chapter-7b_local-govs-2015.pdf|website=Local Government Laws|publisher=Minnesota Secretary of State|accessdate=22 December 2017}} The Regional Development Commissions, commonly abbreviated as RDC, were established by state law in 1969 to provide a variety of governmental assistance to local governments.{{cite web|title=Minnesota Broadband Vision Endorsements|url=https://blandinfoundation.org/articles/minnesota-broadband-vision-endorsements/|website=Blandin Foundation|accessdate=22 December 2017}} They are a type of regional planning organization that have responsibility to provide technical assistance to a broad multi-county area of the state, and their functions are similar to the metropolitan planning organization in urbanized areas. As their intent was to support local governments, they frequently provide a coordinating role and generally do not exercise any type of binding authority over local matters.
History
As part of the Governorship of Harold LaVander, economic development became a significant policy directive with a strong desire to drive new businesses and focus on the needs of rural areas outside of metropolitan planning areas. During this time, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Commerce provided funding for economic development agencies across the United States. In response to this, the state legislature created an act for the development of regional development commissions in areas where existing planning organizations did not exist.{{cite book|title=Laws of Minnesota 1969: Chapter 1122|date=May 1, 1969|publisher=Minnesota State Legislative Library|location=Saint Paul, Minnesota|pages=33–44|edition=1}}{{cite book|title=Regional Planning and Development in Minnesota: A Handbook on Executive Order No.37 and the Regional Development Act of 1969|date=July 1, 1969|publisher=Minnesota State Planning Agency|location=Saint Paul, Minnesota|pages=2–12, 34|edition=1|accessdate=22 December 2017|url=http://www.leg.state.mn.us/lrl/lrl.asp|via=Minnesota Legislative Reference Library}} Each area of the state was given time to offer their local support to be included in one or more regions. Each local government had to petition for the creation or inclusion in an RDC. The Arrowhead Region was the first to formally organize and be certified. Other areas soon followed.{{cite book|title=Regional Planning and Development in Minnesota: A Handbook on Executive Order No.37 and the Regional Development Act of 1969|date=July 1, 1969|publisher=Minnesota State Planning Agency|location=Saint Paul, Minnesota|pages=2–12, 34|edition=1|via=Minnesota Legislative Reference Library}} Over the years internal fighting between some areas of the state and anti-government sentiment led to the dissolution of some regional development commissions. These included Region 4 in western Minnesota, Region 7W near the center of the state and Region 10 which consisted of the 11 county area in southeastern Minnesota.{{cite web|title=SOUTHEASTERN MINNESOTA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION An Inventory of Its Records|url=http://www2.mnhs.org/library/findaids/serdc01.pdf|website=Minnesota Historical Society Archives|publisher=Minnesota Historical Society|accessdate=22 December 2017}}
Over the years there has been significant interest in developing new regional development commission in southeastern Minnesota as the lack of an RDC leaves local governments at a competitive disadvantage compared to areas that do have them or that have an MPO.{{cite web|title=SE MN Regional Economic Development Study Proposal (HF3637/SF3379)|url=http://www.senate.mn/committees/2015-2016/3083_Natural_Resources_Economic_Development_and_Agriculture_Budget_Division/SE%20MN%20Regional%20Economic%20Development%20Study%20Proposal.pdf|website=Minnesota Senate Draft Legislation|publisher=Minnesota Senate|accessdate=22 December 2017}}{{cite web|title=Goodhue County Board Draft Resolution of support|url=http://www.co.goodhue.mn.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/4827?fileID=12568|website=Goodhue County|publisher=Goodhue County, Minnesota|accessdate=22 December 2017}} In response to this the area in Region 4 designated the non-profit organization West Central Initiative to become their de facto Regional Development Organization in 1984 and it was designated as a federal development agency in 1985 for the same area.{{cite web|title=Who We Area: Timeline|url=http://wcif.org/who-we-are/history.html|website=West Central Initiative|accessdate=22 December 2017}}
Functions
Common functions and services include urban planning, transportation planning, economic development assistance, emergency management coordination, training, outreach, community organizing and others. However, the RDCs work with a wide variety of functions and each may offer additional services based on the types of needs in the region. For example, all of the RDCs are designated by the United States Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration as Economic Development Districts. As a result, they can accept and offer federal grants and economic development loans to local governments and businesses.{{cite web|title=About Regional Development Commissions|url=http://www.mnado.org/about/|website=Minnesota Association of Development Organizations|accessdate=22 December 2017}} Others include within the organization the federally designated Area Agency on Aging that focuses on the health and well being needs of the elderly in the region.{{cite web|title=Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging: A Division of Arrowhead Regional Development Commission|url=https://www.arrowheadaging.org/|website=Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging|accessdate=22 December 2017}}
Some of the transportation planning functions are handled by other organizations in areas where an RDC does not exist. For example, State Laws specifically request that the Minnesota Department of Transportation provide transportation planning for areas not covered by an RDC or MPO.{{cite web|title=Regional Development Commissions|url=http://www.dot.state.mn.us/planning/program/mpordcatp.html|website=Transportation Planning Partners|publisher=Minnesota Department of Transportation|accessdate=22 December 2017}}{{cite web|title=Transportation Policy Board|url=http://www.dot.state.mn.us/d3/region7w/|website=Region 7W|publisher=Minnesota Department of Transportation|accessdate=22 December 2017}} In the Twin Cities Metropolitan area, the Metropolitan Council provides transportation planning at the regional level.{{cite web|title=TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PROCESS|url=https://metrocouncil.org/Transportation/Planning-2/Transportation-Planning-Process.aspx|website=Transportation section|publisher=Metropolitan Council|accessdate=22 December 2017}}
List of Minnesota Regional Development Commissions
| class="wikitable collapsible sortable" | ||||
| scope="col" | RDC Name
! scope="col" data-sort-type="number" | RDC Number ! scope="col" | Headquarters City ! scope="col" | Designation Year ! scope="col" | Counties | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Regional Development Commission | 1 | Warren, MN | 1973 | Kittson, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, Roseau |
| Headwaters Regional Development Commission | 2 | Bemidji, MN | 1971 | Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen |
| Arrowhead Regional Development Commission | 3 | Duluth, MN | 1969 | Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, St. Louis |
| West Central Initiative | 4 | Fergus Falls, MN | 1985 | Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Traverse, Wilkin |
| Region Five Development Commission | 5 | Staples, MN | 1973 | Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd, Wadena |
| Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission | 6W | Appleton, MN | 1973 | Chippewa, Big Stone, Yellow Medicine, Lac qui Parle, Big Stone, Swift |
| Mid-Minnesota Development Commission | 6E | Wilmar, MN | 1973 | Kandiyohi, McLeod, Meeker, and Renville |
| West Central Development Commission (Dissolved in 1982) | 7W | Saint Cloud, MN | 1973 | Kittson, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, Roseau |
| East-Central Development Commission | 7E | Mora, MN | 1973 | Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Pine |
| Southwest Regional Development Commission | 8 | Slayton, MN | 1973 | Cottonowood, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock |
| Region Nine Regional Development Commission | 9 | Mankato, MN | 1972 | Blue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Le Sueur, Martin, Nicolett, Sibley, Waseca, Watonwan |
| Southeast Minnesota Regional Development Commission (Non-RDC Area Dissolved in 1982) | 10 | Rochester, MN | 1973 | Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha, Winona |
| Metropolitan Council (Non-RDC Area, de facto) | 11 | Saint Paul, MN | 1967 | Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, Washington |
See also
References
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