On Monday, April 29, the Minnesota Senate unanimously approved Senate File 3766. The bill allows for the bridge on marked U.S. Highway 212 over the Minnesota River in the city of Granite Falls to be designated as the “Mayor Dave Smiglewski Memorial Bridge.” 

“Mayor Smiglewski was very passionate about transportation issues,” said Senator Gary Dahms (R – Redwood Falls), chief author of the bill. “When he passed away, he was in Washington, D.C. lobbying for Rural Minnesota’s transportation infrastructure. Designating this bridge in his memory is a fitting tribute to the mayor.” 

Dave Smiglewski first joined the Granite Falls City Council in 1979 at age 26 and was appointed Mayor in 1996. He held this position until his death on September 22, 2023, at the age of 70 following complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS. 

Mayor Smiglewski showed exceptional leadership when his community suffered from traumatic floods and a tornado. The mayor showed his dedication and love for Granite Falls by serving on the local food shelf, Project Turnabout, Kiwanis, Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities board, the Southwest Corridor Transportation Coalition, the League of Minnesota Cities, and other organizations. 

Mayor Smiglewski’s wife, Cindy, his children, grandchildren, other family members, friends, and officials from the City of Granite Falls watched from the Senate gallery as senators approved the bill. Senate File 3766 now awaits action by the Minnesota House of Representatives. 

Senator Dahms is in his fifth term representing Senate District 15 which includes communities in Blue Earth, Brown, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Lyon, Redwood, and Yellow Medicine counties. He also serves as the Republican Lead on the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee and is a member of the Agriculture, Broadband, and Rural Development Committee and Finance Committee.