January 10, 2020 (Red Wing, Minn.) – The Great River Rail Commission, a group of 18 cities and counties advocating for expanded passenger rail, have chosen officers for 2020. Reelected to the posts were Mark Vaughan, city council member from Hastings, and Paul Drotos, Goodhue County commissioner, who each begin their second year as chair and vice chair, respectively. The Commission is made up of officials from cities and counties along the Mississippi River between St. Paul, MN and La Crosse, WI.
Mark Vaughan has been a city council member since 2014. He has worked for over 20 years for the city of Eagan in the parks and recreation department and is currently the campus facility manager. Vaughan has been a volunteer member of the Hastings Parks and Recreation Commission, Hastings Planning Commission and the Hastings Charter Commission.
Paul Drotos has been a commissioner in Goodhue County since 2016; he was appointed vice chair of the county board for 2019. He has served as environmental officer for the city of Red Wing, and has been involved with many local groups.
About the Commission
The Great River Rail Commission, formerly the Minnesota High-Speed Rail Commission, is one of the leading voices on passenger rail in Minnesota. The Commission advocates for the development of the Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago (TCMC) Second Train project, a daily round trip passenger train between the Twin Cities and Chicago. The Commission’s long range vision is that the Second Train demonstrates additional demand that leads to further investment in faster, more frequent passenger train service.
Contact:
Great River Rail Commission
(651) 266-2790
kevin.roggenbuck@ramseycounty.us
