2002 Minnesota Statutes

     84.0887 Minnesota Conservation Corps programs. 

    Subdivision 1.    Program content.  The commissioner 
 shall operate Minnesota Conservation Corps programs which may 
 include summer youth programs and year-round young adult 
 programs.  The commissioner shall insure that youths in all 
 parts of the state have an equal opportunity for employment and 
 that equal numbers of male and female youth are selected for the 
 summer programs.  Youth corps members must be 15 to 18 years old 
 and young adult corps members must be 18 to 26 years old.  
 Minnesota Conservation Corps members are not public employees 
 under chapter 43A or 179A.  Minnesota Conservation Corps 
 programs may provide services that include but are not limited 
 to the following: 

    (1) conservation, rehabilitation, and the improvement of 
 wildlife habitat, prairie, parks, and recreational areas; 

    (2) urban and rural revitalization, historical and cultural 
 site preservation, and reforestation of both urban and rural 
 areas; 

    (3) fish culture, wildlife habitat maintenance and 
 improvement, and other fishery assistance; 

    (4) road and trail development, maintenance, and 
 improvement; 

    (5) erosion, flood, drought, and storm damage assistance 
 and controls; 

    (6) stream, lake, waterfront harbor, and port improvement; 

    (7) wetlands protection and pollution control; 

    (8) insect, disease, rodent, and fire prevention and 
 control; 

    (9) the improvement of abandoned railroad beds and 
 rights-of-way; 

    (10) energy conservation projects, renewable resource 
 enhancement, and recovery of biomass; 

    (11) reclamation and improvement of strip-mined land; and 

    (12) forestry, nursery, and cultural operations. 

    Subd. 2.    Additional services.  In addition to 
 services under subdivision 1, Minnesota Conservation Corps 
 programs may coordinate with or provide services to: 

    (1) making public facilities accessible to individuals with 
 disabilities; 

    (2) federal, state, local, and regional governmental 
 agencies; 

    (3) nursing homes, hospices, senior centers, hospitals, 
 local libraries, parks, recreational facilities, child and adult 
 day care centers, programs servicing individuals with 
 disabilities, and schools; 

    (4) law enforcement agencies, and penal and probation 
 systems; 

    (5) private nonprofit organizations that primarily focus on 
 social service such as community action agencies; 

    (6) activities that focus on the rehabilitation or 
 improvement of public facilities, neighborhood improvements, 
 literacy training that benefits educationally disadvantaged 
 individuals, weatherization of and basic repairs to low-income 
 housing including housing occupied by older adults, activities 
 that focus on drug and alcohol abuse education, prevention, and 
 treatment; and 

    (7) any other nonpartisan civic activities and services 
 that the commissioner determines to be of a substantial social 
 benefit in meeting unmet human, educational, or environmental 
 needs, particularly needs related to poverty, or in the 
 community where volunteer service is to be performed. 

    Subd. 3.    Ineligible services.  Ineligible service 
 categories include: 

    (1) business organized for profit; 

    (2) labor unions; 

    (3) partisan political organizations; 

    (4) organizations engaged in religious activities, unless 
 such activities do not involve the use of funds provided under 
 this title by program participants and program staff to give 
 religious instruction, conduct worship services, or engage in 
 any form of proselytization; or 

    (5) domestic or personal service companies or organizations.

    Subd. 4.    Advisory committee.  The commissioner shall 
 establish a Minnesota Conservation Corps advisory committee with 
 broad state representation including youth.  Notwithstanding 
 section 15.059, subdivision 5, or other law to the contrary, the 
 committee expires June 30, 2003. 

    Subd. 5.    Older members.  Minnesota Conservation Corps 
 programs may enroll a limited number of special corps members 
 over age 26 so that the corps may draw on their unique 
 knowledge, skills, or abilities to fulfill the purposes of the 
 programs. 

    Subd. 6.    Expenditures from special funds.  An 
 appropriation from a special revenue fund or account to the 
 commissioner for Minnesota Conservation Corps programs must be 
 spent for projects that are consistent with the purposes of the 
 fund or account from which the appropriation was made. 

    Subd. 7.    Group health and accidental death insurance. 
  The commissioner may provide group health and accidental 
 death insurance coverage for youth and young adult corps members 
 through an insurance carrier under contract with the National 
 Association of Service and Conservation Corps. 

    Subd. 8.    Education awards.  (a) A person employed as 
 a corps member for one year of continuous service, as determined 
 by standards adopted by the commissioner, and who receives a 
 satisfactory evaluation upon termination of employment may be 
 provided an incentive award of $500 or an education certificate 
 in an amount not less than $1,000 nor more than stipulated in 
 the National and Community Service Act (Public Law Number 
 101-610, United States Code, title 42, sections 12501 through 
 12681). 

    (b) The commissioner may authorize a partial incentive 
 award or education certificate to a person employed as a corps 
 member who receives a satisfactory evaluation upon termination 
 of employment if the person is employed as a corps member for 
 less than one year of continuous employment if the commissioner 
 determines that employment was terminated because of special 
 circumstances beyond the control of the corps member.  Partial 
 awards may also be made if the person is employed as a corps 
 member for at least ten months but less than one year and the 
 commissioner determines that employment was terminated in order 
 to enable the person to attend an institution of higher 
 education, vocational institution, or other training program or 
 to enable the person to obtain other employment. 

    (c) The education certificate is valid for seven years 
 after the date of issuance for the payment of tuition, related 
 educational expenses, and required program activity fees at any 
 institution of higher education which accepts the certificate.  
 In instances where a corps member has attained a degree or 
 certificate from an institution of higher education and has an 
 education loan outstanding, the education certificate may be 
 used to repay that loan.  The commissioner shall authorize 
 payment to the institution of face value of the certificate upon 
 presentation. 

    Subd. 9.    Contracts; grants.  The commissioner of 
 natural resources may contract with and make grants to nonprofit 
 agencies to assist in carrying out the purposes, plans, and 
 programs of the Minnesota Conservation Corps. 

    HIST: 1992 c 513 art 2 s 20; 1994 c 632 art 2 s 18,19; 1997 c 
 46 s 1,2; 1997 c 216 s 60; 1Sp2001 c 2 s 73-78