A new equity advisory committee formed by the Metropolitan Council will zero in on racial and other disparities in the agency’s projects, policymaking and hiring practices.

The 21-member group, accepting applications through Jan. 4, sprouted from discussions that started last year between council members and staff. The Met Council decided to explicitly incorporate equity

into its policymaking, a move that lines up with a recently updated public engagement plan.

Primarily, the committee will help steer the council’s investment strategy. That could include selecting where to build Metro Transit bus shelters and transit stations, Met Council Chair Adam Duininck said. “For us, this is a really important part of just doing ongoing civic engagement that’s authentic and connected to the community,” he said. “Having this equity advisory committee is a big part of that.”  http://finance-commerce.com/2015/12/met-council-aims-to-deepen-equity-focus-with-new-panel/