Five ex-legislators get new state assignments

01/06/2007

Star Tribune
Last update: January 05, 2007 – 11:23 PM


Four Republican legislators and one DFLer turned out by voters in November earned new assignments in state government this week from Gov. Tim Pawlenty's administration.

Former Rep. Tim Wilkin of Eagan was named an assistant human services commissioner.

Former Sen. Cal Larson of Fergus Falls filled a slot on a commission planning for Minnesota's 150th anniversary of statehood in 2008. Former Sen. Carrie Ruud of Breezy Point and former Rep. Karen Klinzing of Woodbury wound up on the Judicial Selection Commission.

The Democratic hire was former Sen. Dallas Sams of Staples, who was brought on staff at the Department of Agriculture to work on special projects in the marketing services division. The former chairman of a Senate agriculture committee had served five terms in office before his defeat. The amount Sams will earn wasn't immediately available.

Wilkin's job will be to oversee compliance, technology, building services and equal-rights programs at the social service agency. As a legislator he served on committees with discretion over human services issues. Away from the Capitol he worked in the insurance industry. The job pays $101,769 a year, up from the $31,140 paid to legislators.

Larson's job on the Minnesota Sesquicentennial Commission comes without pay. So do the Ruud and Klinzing seats on the 49-member judicial screening panel.