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. _ _ STA'TE OF h;ItiN�:�O"1'A p�-�ye 31
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<br /> ��� • A] 1 '��c-�r,bei-s, Big Island Board of Governors � DA'rF: g/30/77
<br /> � All t;c-mhers, Veterans Advisory Comrnittee
<br /> • r�/� � D ^, r�- ` n ' _ •'-'.
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<br /> 1�'RO,d : j i�ussell R. Green I : : P1�0'vF.: .,
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<br /> � Co�;::njssioner ���G � � � j�-
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<br /> tit1I3J}•:(;'I': Futui e P1 :�nninn, fiig Isl .:�nd ����tezaris�C�,�p �J:;�'i�i�Q
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<br /> � 1 . On Septer�::ber 18, 1975, the Department of Veterans Affairs iss��ed a report
<br /> on the operation of the Big Island Veterans Cac,p (copy eaclosed) . The
<br /> � reason for this report was to �familiarize the Legislature with some of
<br /> • the history of the car�p, and of the necessity of ch:;nging the Chair���nship
<br /> of the Board of Governors.
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<br /> 2. Because of this ret�ort, the Legislature a�r�ended the Statutes governing
<br /> � the operation of the Eig Isl<�nd Veterans Car�p, <�nd placed it under r_he
<br /> � j,�risdirt �on of the D��partment of Veter:ns Affairs.
<br /> � They approprj:�ted funds to operate the camp and to make impi-ovcme��ts to
<br /> t},e property.
<br /> �� 3. '1'i�e Eoard of Gov�rnors refused to sign the deed of the c:mp over to the
<br /> State of 2;innesota and, subsequently, be�an a court action, still pending.
<br /> � The Depart�Lent of Veterans Affairs informed the House and Senate Co�unittees
<br /> � on Veterans Affairs of this lawsuit, and the Chair,nen of those two committees,
<br /> The honorable Howard Olson, Senator, and the Honoarable James Rice, Represent-
<br /> • ative, indicated they would like to study the camp during the interim. On
<br /> Zlednesday, August 17, 1977, the camp was visited by members of the two
<br /> � co:nmittees; and at that time the Honorable George S. Pillsbury, Senator of
<br /> District �j42, whose district covers the jurisdiction of the Big Isl�nd,
<br /> � presented to r�e a copy of a report to the Hennepin County Corrnissioners,
<br /> dated July 6, 1972, from Stanley R. Cowle, who at that time was CcUnty
<br /> � Administrator (copy �nclosed) . This report to the County Com;�:issioners
<br /> , dealt with the operation of the Big Island �'eterans Camp, and indicated that
<br /> the Chair�an, Mr, [dalter Quist, had indicated that the ca�p had appror.imately
<br /> • $32,000 in its fund at that time. We now know from a profess�onal audit,
<br /> conducted at my insistence in 1975, that the Big Island Veterans fund in
<br /> � 1972 1-iad to be appro�:imately $90,000. Mr. QUist relayed to Mr. Cowle and,
<br /> st�bsequently, to the County Bcard that it was his opinion that the veterans'
<br /> � lack of enthusiam for the operation of the camp, and of the declining anount
<br /> � of money in the fund, would permit the camp to be transferred to the Aennepin
<br /> Count}� Park Reserve District within a "few years". No action was ever begun
<br /> by the County or the Big Island Board of Governors, to seek legislation to
<br /> ncco;:plish this transfer of title �,�ith or kithout using a stipulation that
<br /> the camp be ��r.�itted to er,ist until the �•eterans voluntary cease to operate
<br /> � tne ca,:,p.
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