Minnesota Agencies

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.

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 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.

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 -