This story was updated and edited at 7:48 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 3.
Destination Medical Center plans in Rochester have spurred residents here and in nearby communities to get involved with planning, advocacy and action.
Now, a group is being formed to directly oppose DMC plans.
An item posted in the Post-Bulletin's Calendar of Events earlier this week announced the formation of the Coalition Against the DMC Group and said it would have its first meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, in the basement meeting room at the VFW Club, 16 Sixth St. SW. Diana Friemann was listed as the contact person. The Post-Bulletin contacted Friemann and she said the meetings would be held privately and no members of the media would be allowed to cover or later report on the meetings.
The calendar item calls interested parties to "help stop the tax and spend agenda of the DMC."
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The Rochester Tea Party Patriots also announced the coalition and its first meeting in its regular newsletter. The announcement said the coalition's first meeting would include "discussion of why we want to fight DMC, how to proceed, job assignments for participants," and other proceedings.
The ongoing discussion of DMC plans has rallied citizens and organizations to form their own groups, including Rochester Area Economic Development Inc.'s Journey to Growth , a five-year economic development planning group; In the Shadow of Growth , a group concerned with social issues; and In the City of Good, a faith-based group that has recently merged with In the Shadow of Growth.
Mayo Clinic, the city of Rochester and the state of Minnesota came together to formulate the public-private DMC partnership, laying out a 20-year plan for $6 billion in development.
Lisa Clarke, executive director of the DMC Economic Development Agency , said DMC plans were framed with fiscal responsibility. In a written statement, Clarke said, "Since DMC was first proposed nearly three years ago, it has enjoyed broad support from conservative to liberal points of view, business to labor, and leaders throughout the state."
Clarke said in the statement, "We have been meeting with hundreds of groups over the last two years and would welcome the opportunity to meet with the citizens who are expressing concerns about DMC to brief them on the project and answer any questions they may have about DMC and the impacts for our community."
