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    Information on Minnesota State Agencies, Boards, Task Forces, and Commissions

    Compiled by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library

    Metropolitan Council

    Also known as:
    Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities Area
    Met Council
    Active dates:1967-
    Authority:
    1967 Minn. Laws Chap. 896
    Minn. Stat. 473.123
    Function:

    Coordinates planning and development of the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area of Minnesota, and establishes policies for regional transportation, sewer, airports, parks, human services, and housing systems.

    Preceded by:
    Metropolitan Planning Commission
    Twin Cities Metropolitan Planning Commission
    History:

    The Minnesota Legislature established the Metropolitan Council in 1967 to coordinate planning and development within the Twin Cities metropolitan area and to address issues that could not be adequately addressed with existing governmental arrangements. Additional legislative acts in 1974, 1976 and 1994 strengthened the Council's planning and policy roles, and merged the functions of three agencies (the Metropolitan Transit Commission, the Regional Transit Board and the Metropolitan Waste Control Commission) into one - the Metropolitan Council. For more information, please see various documents in the agency notebook, including "A bold experiment: the Metropolitan Council at 40".

    With the January 16, 2015 appointment of Adam Duininck, the chairperson position is changing to a full-time position. The agency has about 4,200 employees and a 2015 proposed budget of $927 million.
    Membership:

    The Metropolitan Council has 17 members; they are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the governor.

    Sixteen Council members represent geographic districts of roughly equal population across the region. The Council chair, the 17th member, serves at large.
    Agency heads:

    Council Chair: James L. Hetland Jr., 1967 - 1971; Albert J. Hofstede, 1971 - 1973; John E. Boland, 1973 - 1979; Charles R. Weaver, 1979 - 1982; Gerald J. Isaacs, 1983 - 1984; Sandra S. Gardebring, 1984 - 1986; Steve Keefe, 1986 - 1991; Mary E. Anderson, 1991 - 1992; Dottie Rietow, 1992 - 1995; Curtis W. Johnson, 1995 - 1999; Ted Mondale, 1999 - 2003; Peter Bell, 2003 - 2010; Susan Haigh, 2011- January, 2015; Adam Duininck, 2015-2017; Alene Tchourumoff, July 2017-November 2018; Harry Melander (interim), December 2018-January 6, 2019; Nora Slawik, January 7, 2019-November 15, 2019; Molly Cummings (interim), November 16, 2019-January 5, 2020; Charles Zelle, January 6, 2020 - 
    Internet resource:
    Metropolitan Council Publications
    Minnesota Management & Budget Agency Profile
    Metropolitan Council
    Metropolitan Council Members
    Reports:
    Brief History of Metropolitan Council Governance Issues and Proposals (2020)
    Annual report to the Minnesota State Legislature (2002- )
    Note: The Legislative Reference Library may have additional reports on or by this group available through our catalog.
    Record last updated: 10/26/2020
     

    Additional print information on this group may be available in the Library's collection of agency notebooks. Please contact a librarian for assistance. The Minnesota Agencies database is a work in progress.

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