Governor's Council on Minnesota's Coastal Program

The Coastal Council advises the DNR on matters related to Minnesota’s Lake Superior Coastal Program. They support the Coastal Program in reaching its goal to preserve, protect, develop, and where possible, restore or enhance coastal resources along Minnesota's North Shore of Lake Superior

Council Information

Members

The council has 15 members appointed by the governor. There are three members from each of the four coastal counties (Carlton, Cook, Lake and St. Louis), as well as three at-large members. Carlton and Cook counties include Fond du Lac and Grand Portage Reservations respectively. At-large members may live anywhere in the state. Their terms are 2 – 3 years.

Responsibilities

The Coastal Council has four main responsibilities:

• Recommend Coastal Program priorities to the DNR.
• Review and make recommendations to the DNR on select programs and projects for funding.
• Review the Coastal Program’s annual budget and makes recommendations to the DNR.
• Review the Coastal Program every two years and makes recommendations to the DNR.

 

Vacancies

Currently, there are three open seats. They are open to anyone over the age of 18 living in Carlton County or on the Fond du Lac Reservation.

If you are interested in applying for the Coastal Council and want to learn more, contact Amber Westerbur, coastal program manager, at 218-834-1445 or [email protected].

TO APPLY:
Apply online through the Office of the Secretary of State. Alternatively, you can download a paper application. Remember to include a cover letter and resume with your application.

Council Meetings

Format

The council meets four times a year. Meetings last between two and six hours depending on business needs. Meetings are open to the public. If you need reasonable accommodations to be able to participate, contact Marcia Nieman at least two weeks prior to the meeting. You can reach her at [email protected] or 218-834-1440.

2020-2021 Meetings

Date	Time	Location	Activities
September 28, 2020	1:00-5:00pm	Telephone Dial-in Number: 1-888-742-5095 Conference Code: 6314810656	Review and score STAR applications Agenda Meeting materials: draft June 25 minutes Meeting materials:NOAA Section 312 Evaluation Findings: August 2008 to May 2018
January 11, 2021	Preliminary: 1:00 – 5:00 pm	TBD, St. Louis County	Review and score Annual and STAR applications
April 5, 2021	Preliminary: 1:00 – 5:00 pm	TBD, Lake County	Review and score STAR applications
June 21, 2021	Preliminary: 1:00 – 5:00 pm	TBD, Carlton County	Annual meeting with review and scoring of STAR applications

Meeting locations are determined at least three weeks in advance of the meeting date. Agendas and any meeting materials will be available one week prior to the meeting.

Prior Meeting Minutes

• June 25, 2020
• April 8, 2020
• January 24, 2020
• October 22, 2019

Meeting minutes from prior dates are available by contacting Amber Westerbur. You can reach her at [email protected] or 218-834-1445.

Resources

• Bylaws of the Governor’s Council on Minnesota’s Coastal Program
• Standard Operating Procedures
• Council Orientation Guide
• Council Member Bios

For More information Contact:
Amber Westerbur
Coastal Program Manager
218.834.1445
[email protected]
[email protected]