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Luverne civic leader dies

Lead Summary
By
Lori Sorenson

A Luverne man credited with bringing a stable water supply to the city has died, leaving behind a legacy of leadership.
Lennis “Red” Arndt of Luverne was an original board member of Lewis & Clark when it was incorporated in January 1990.  He became vice-chairman in 1994 and then chairman in 2006. 
Troy Larson, Executive Director of the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System issued a statement following Arndt’s passing.
“Red has been a driving force in his relentless and tenacious support for bringing critically needed drinking water to the tri-state region.  “He was a visionary who understood this is a legacy-type project that will have a profound impact on the region for many generations to come. 
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar also issued a statement.
“Minnesota lost a friend and dedicated public servant,” she said.
“Red worked tirelessly to bring safe and reliable water to Lewis & Clark member communities. Red first heard about a proposal to bring water from the Missouri River in South Dakota to surrounding states when he was a public utilities director in Luverne in 1989, and though it was a major undertaking with more doubters than supporters, Red saw the project’s transformative potential.”
And he was right. Under his leadership, over $500 million in funding was directed to Lewis & Clark, and over 200 miles of pipeline have been laid that currently deliver much needed water to 15 member communities and rural water projects, reaching over 300,000 people across South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa.
“I feel fortunate to have worked with him to make this project a reality, but even more fortunate to have called him a friend,” Klobuchar said.
Larson said Arndt was a one-of-a-kind leader.
“To say that Red cut a wide path would be a vast understatement,” Larson said. “There will never be another Red.  More than a visionary and passionate leader, he was a dear friend and colleague to us all.  What a tremendous honor it was to have worked and laughed with him.”
 Red was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in September 2018 and he died Thursday, Jan. 7.  He was 72. His obituary appears on page 7.

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