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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:
    Twin Cities Metropolitan Planning Commission
    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 changed to a full-time position.
    Related to:
    Metropolitan Governance Advisory Council
    Metropolitan Transit Commission
    Regional Transit Board
    Metropolitan Waste Control Commission
    Metropolitan Governance Task Force (1991-1992)
    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.

    Entries for this agency in the Annual Compilation and Statistical Report of Multi-Member Agencies Report: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987, 1986, 1985, 1984, 1983, 1982, 1981, 1980, 1979, 1978.

    Note: This report provides membership details as well as meeting information and a summary of the group's activities.

    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
    Metropolitan Council Publications
    Metropolitan Council Members
    Minnesota Management & Budget Agency Profile - Metropolitan Council: Environment
    Minnesota Management & Budget Agency Profile - Metropolitan Council: Transporation
    Reports:
    Metropolitan Council Unified Operating Budget (2005 - )
    Annual Report to the Minnesota State Legislature (2002- )
    Brief History of Metropolitan Council Governance Issues and Proposals (2020)
    Performance Evaluation Report (2003 - )
    1967 Proposals for a Metropolitan Council (July 1993)
    Note: The Legislative Reference Library may have additional reports on or by this group available through our catalog.
    Documents/Articles:
    History and Background of the Met Council. Presentation to the Metropolitan Governance Task Force, 9/13/2023.
    Make Met Council an elected body? Task force to begin work on changes aimed at accountability. MinnPost, 6/13/2023.
    Walz open to giving up Met Council appointing authority, but can lawmakers agree on a solution?. MinnPost, 4/13/2023.
    Met Council wasn't transparent about Southwest light rail cost overruns, delays, legislative auditor says. Star Tribune, 3/16/2023.
    Minnesota lawmakers 'speechless' after scathing legislative audit report on Southwest light rail transit. MinnPost, 3/15/2023.
    Walz, Flanagan Announce Appointments to the Metropolitan Council. News Release (Governor Tim Walz), 3/3/2023.
    Charlie Zelle reappointed chair of Metropolitan Council by Gov. Tim Walz. Star Tribune, 1/11/2023.
    Governor Walz Reappoints Charlie Zelle as Metropolitan Council Chair and Announces Metropolitan Council Nominating Committee. News Release (Governor Tim Walz), 1/10/2023.
    Robert Jorvig, first Metropolitan Council head, dies at 99. Star Tribune, 2/23/2021.
    As committee examines Met Council, a primer: What is it? How did it come to be?. Minnesota Reformer, 10/26/2020.
    Can the Met Council be tamed?. MinnPost, 10/16/2014.
    News clippings and documents: Met Council. Agencies Notebook Collection, 1993-2022.
    News clippings and documents: Met Council - Aging Advisory Committee. Agencies Notebook Collection, 1986.
    News clippings and documents: Met Council - Council Appointments and Members. Agencies Notebook Collection, 1962-2021.
    News clippings and documents: Met Council - Council Chairs. Agencies Notebook Collection, 1967-2020.
    News clippings and documents: Met Council - Nominating Committee. Agencies Notebook Collection, 2003-2014.
    News clippings and documents: Met Council - Staff. Agencies Notebook Collection, 1971-1993.
    Record last updated: 11/07/2023
     

    All information on this group from the Library’s collection of agency notebooks has been digitized. These materials are incorporated into the “documents/articles” section of the record. Please contact a librarian with any questions. The Minnesota Agencies database is a work in progress.

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