New Metropolitan Council Chair Alene Tchourumoff waded into potentially hostile territory Wednesday, meeting with members of the Anoka County board as part of her tour of the Twin Cities.

The board has been at the forefront of a fight for more local control of the council, whose members are now appointed by the governor. The Met Council oversees the region’s wastewater and transit services, as well as guiding land use and overseeing other planning responsibilities.

The meeting, which included several Met Council members and staff, was cordial. Board Chair Rhonda Sivarajah told Tchourumoff that its push to restructure the council wasn’t aimed at its current members.

“We just think it really ends up being an issue of the accountability back to the citizens,” Sivarajah said. “We appreciate the good working relationship and want to maintain that. And we don’t want people to take it personally.”

Tchourumoff said she appreciated hearing about the good working relationship. “It’s something that I hope to continue in my time as chair,” she said.