Hibbing resident appointed to governor's council

ST. PAUL - Gov. Mark Dayton made a number of appointments to state boards and commissions last week, and a Hibbing resident is among them.

Mary Martin was appointed to the Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities. She will serve as a parent member. Her son, Richard, best known as a standout athlete and ambassador for the Hibbing-Chisholm Rangers Special Olympics Team, has developmental disabilities.

The appointment is effective July 3 and runs through Jan. 6, 2020. Martin replaces member Katheryn Ware of South St. Paul, who also was a parent member.

The mission of this council is to provide information, education and training to build knowledge, develop skills and change attitudes that will lead to increased independence, productivity, self determination, integration and inclusion (IPSII) for people with developmental disabilities and their families.

The council, which was first appointed in October 1971, is composed of 25 members appointed for three-year terms with a maximum of two consecutive terms. Each member is appointed by the governor from among state residents.

The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act requires a state council "to serve as an advocate for all persons with developmental disabilities by carrying out activities in major areas of emphasis."

The act also requires each state council to include representatives of state agencies responsible for administering federal funds that support programs and services for people with developmental disabilities and the elderly. Council members represent the Departments of Children, Families and Learning; Economic Security and Human Services; the Institute on Community Integration (University Center for Excellence) and the Minnesota Disability Law Center (Protection and Advocacy system). Nongovernmental agencies and private nonprofit organizations are also represented.

The council, according to its website, must also be structured according to the following:

At least 60 percent must be people with developmental disabilities, or parents/guardians.

Of this 60 percent, one-third must have developmental disabilities; and at least one-third must be relatives or guardians of people with developmental disabilities.

Another one-third must be immediate relatives or guardians of people with mentally impairing developmental disabilities, one of whom must be an immediate relative of an institutionalized or previously institutionalized person with a developmental disability.

None of these individuals can be an employee of a state agency, nor managing employee of other organizations receiving funds or providing services under the act.

The state provides assurances that the federal membership requirements have been met.

Several others were also appointed or reappointed to the Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities last week.

The new appointments included: Lisa Emmert of Shakopee, Minn., as a parent member; Sarah Mapellentz of West St. Paul as Minnesota Department of Health representative; Noah McCourt of Waconia, Minn., as a self-advocate member; Randean Miller of Big Lake, Minn., as a parent member; Jillian Nelson of Minneapolis as a self-advocate member; Dan Reed of St. Paul as a private nonprofit representative; Reid Scheller of Apple Valley, Minn., as a self-advocate member; Lee Shervheim of Lino Lakes, Minn., as a parent member; Heather Tidd of Rosemount, Minn., as parent member.

Those reappointed last week include: Michelle Albeck of Farmington, Minn., as a parent member; Ashley Bailey of Plymouth, Minn., as a self-advocate member; Alexandra Bartolic of Little Canada, Minn., as Minnesota Department of Human Services representative; Pamela Hoopes of Minneapolis as Minnesota Disability Law Center representative; David Johnson of Minneapolis as University of Minnesota Institute on Community Integration representative; Eric Kloos of Roseville, Minn., as Minnesota Department of Education representative; James Lovold of St. Paul as self-advocate member; Carolyn Perron of Fridley, Minn., as Board on Aging representative; and Alan Wilensky of Minneapolis as a parent member.

All terms are from July 3 until Jan. 2, 2020, with the exception of Hanna Barr of Minneapolis, who will serve from July 5 to Jan. 6, 2020, as a parent member.