The political climate ten years ago expressed the desire to re-focus on environmental issues. There were several prevalent viewpoints but two in particular forged the establishment of this board and mission:

• the desire to collaborate and leverage in a judiciously appropriate manner.
• the desire to assume a leadership role and be more pro-active thus focusing the course on a coordination of efforts at the local level; the outcome would be a return to ‘grass roots’ form of government with governing from the ‘bottom up’, not ‘top down.’

At the Legislative Conference in March, 1995, with Ken Albright from Nicollet County convening, there was unanimous support from all 38 counties to do something about the Minnesota River. A steering committee was formed and met for several months to come up with the by-laws, joint powers agreement which was signed by all 38 counties, and the mission statement.

Governor Arne Carlson and a delegate from each of the 38 counties signed an official proclamation on July 12, 1995 at the confluence of the Blue Earth River and the Minnesota River in Mankato. The Minnesota River Basin Joint Powers Board was born.

Ken Albrecht served as Chair, Orville Meints as Vice Chair, Donald Ziegler as 2nd Vice Chair, Charles Guggisberg as Treasurer, Ralph Malz as Secretary and Steve Hansen as the Executive Director.