ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Senate has confirmed three Dayton administration commissioners.
The Senate voted Monday to back Edwin Van Petten to lead the Minnesota State Lottery, Susan Haigh as chairwoman of the Metropolitan Council, and Carolyn Parnell as the state's chief information officer.
Haigh's was the only nomination to stir opposition from Republicans. The Metropolitan Council operates transit programs and delivers other services in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, and some lawmakers believe the appointed body is too powerful. But the Senate voted 44-17 to approve Haigh, who is a former Ramsey County commissioner.
Van Petten was previously director of the Kansas Lottery for 11 years. Parnell, a former information officer for public and private institutions, leads the state agency that provides technological services and support to state agencies.
