New staff engage Tribal staff, help ensure protection of culturally significant areas

The Met Council has added two staff positions to its Environmental Services division to engage staff with Minnesota’s 11 federally recognized Tribal Nations and Native residents across the metro area.

Read more

Met Council makes gains in year two of climate plan

Dozens of efforts have been completed or are under way to reduce the Met Council’s greenhouse gas emissions and make our services and facilities resilient to the impacts of climate change.

Read more

Met Council maintains top bond ratings for 37th consecutive year

Two of the nation’s leading credit rating services have once again assigned their highest possible ratings to the Metropolitan Council, continuing an unbroken streak that began in 1989.
 

Read more

Met Council’s land acknowledgement is backed by commitments, action

The Metropolitan Council has adopted a Land, Water, and People Acknowledgement written by its American Indian Advisory Council.  

Read more

Met Council offers community tree planting grants

Local governments and regional park agencies in the seven-county Twin Cities region are invited to apply for a grant to improve the region’s tree canopy.
 

Read more

Optimism and collaboration are key themes at State of the Region

The 2025 State of the Region at Allianz Field on Jan. 30 was a rousing success, thanks to a diverse group of engaged participants, including those who watched the event in person or online.

Read more

Met Council hosts Climate Planning Summit for local government staff

Met Council staff hosted a summit to share ideas on how to implement new state planning requirements for climate mitigation and adaptation.
 

Read more

Met Council adopts draft budget for public comment

The Metropolitan Council adopted a public comment draft of its 2025 budget in October and will accept public comments on the budget through Dec. 11.

Read more

American Indian Advisory Council delivers recommendations for action to Met Council

The Metropolitan Council’s American Indian Advisory Council delivered its recommendations for action to Met Council members in September.  

Read more

Artists engage residents in imagining the region’s future

A group of nine artists from the seven-county metro region engaged residents young and old during the public comment period for the Draft Imagine 2050 regional development guide.  

Read more

Meet Allison Waukau, tribal liaison and Native relations coordinator

In December 2023, the Metropolitan Council hired its first full-time tribal liaison and Native relations coordinator, Allison Waukau, Menominee/Navajo.

Read more

Metro regional parks and trails attract over 69 million visits

Regional parks and trails in the seven-county metro region continue to be hugely popular, seeing 69.4 million visits in 2023.

Read more

Metro population growth slows, construction strong

The population of the seven-county Twin Cities region is growing more slowly in the 2020s than it did in the previous decade, but population continues to increase.

Read more

Met Council sets 2025 wastewater rates

The Metropolitan Council has approved a 5.6% increase in the overall regional municipal wastewater charge for 2025.

Read more

Grants help cities clean up polluted land for redevelopment

The Metropolitan Council has awarded four Livable Communities grants totaling nearly $1.5 million for assessing and cleaning up contaminated land for redevelopment.

Read more

Met Council announces federal grant to address affordable housing shortage

$4 million will help cities remove barriers to creating affordable housing choices 

Read more

Met Council grants support cities to prepare for development

In June, the Metropolitan Council awarded 10 grants totaling $1.1 million to support cities as they prepare for development or create local policies that influence physical development.

Read more

Met Council awards $1.1 million in grants to reduce water use

The Met Council has awarded a total of $1.1 million in grants to support changes that reduce the amount of water being pumped from underground aquifers and surface waters as the region grows.

Read more

Equity is key focus for Imagine 2050

Imagine 2050, the next regional development guide, will have a specific equity chapter that will detail how the regional equity goal sets the direction for Met Council work.

Read more

Metropolitan Council and Saint Paul HRA seek developer for Central Station block

A prime development site in the heart of downtown Saint Paul is available for mixed-use, high-density development.

Read more

Zelle: Imagine what we can build together for our region in 2050

At the State of the Region event, Chair Charlie Zelle encouraged regional leaders to imagine the possibilities for the Twin Cities region.

Read more

Ryan O'Connor named regional administrator

O’Connor joins the Met Council from Ramsey County, where he has served as county manager since 2018.

Read more

Walz and Flanagan announce appointments

The Minnesota Legislature completed the statutory requirement to redraw Metropolitan Council districts, and Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan announced appointments to the districts.

Read more

Legislature stabilizes transit funding

Legislators and Gov. Tim Walz delivered a sustainable funding source for transit, investments in our regional parks and trails, investments in clean water and repairs to sewer pipes, and more.

Read more

Walz and Flanagan announce appointments to the Metropolitan Council

The district members each represent a geographically defined Metropolitan Council district. Council members will be sworn in before the regular Metropolitan Council meeting on March 8.

Read more

A new stage in Met Council’s response to climate change

In December, the Met Council adopted an internally focused Climate Action Work Plan.

Read more

Governor Walz reappoints Zelle as Met Council Chair and announces Met Council Nominating Committee

Zelle has served as chair of the Metropolitan Council since December 2019.

Read more

Partners support equitable trades career prep

35 people — mostly women and people of color — graduated from the fourth cohort of the Building Strong Communities program.

Read more

Finalists announced for open Met Council District 3 seat

The names of four finalists for the open position for District 3 Council member were forwarded to Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan for consideration.

Read more

Gov. Walz appoints John Pacheco Jr. as District 6 Council member

Pacheco is the president of the Latino Chamber of Commerce of Minnesota, which he helped found, and a principal with Pacheco & Associates. The appointment is effective March 1.

Read more

Finalists announced for open Met Council District 6 seat

The names of three finalists for the open position for District 6 Council member were forwarded to Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan for consideration.

Read more

Nominating committee announces candidates for public interviews for Metropolitan Council District 6

The committee will interview eight candidates at a public meeting on Thursday, Dec. 9, for the open position for District 6 Council member.

Read more

Walz and Flanagan announce nominating committee for District 6 vacancy

This committee will hold public meetings to accept statements from applicants, then recommend candidates to the Governor.

Read more

2022 budget reflects Met Council priorities

The budget includes the cost of operations, pass-through funding programs, and debt service. It reflects our legislative charge, overall mission, goals, and priorities for the current period.

Read more

Land Use Inventory shows region’s spatial development over time

We use aerial photography, county and assessor information, building permits, and internet searches to collect the information about every five years.

Read more

At 50, innovative tax-base sharing program still going strong

The Fiscal Disparities Act promotes greater equity in the distribution of fiscal resources among local taxing jurisdictions. It still attracts national and even international attention.

Read more

Twin Cities population is growing and diversifying

The Twin Cities region’s population gained 314,000 residents over the last decade, bringing the total population to 3.16 million in 2020, according to Decennial Census counts.

Read more

Met Council forecasts steady regional growth

Despite the pandemic and 2020 recession, researchers expect the region’s population and employment will continue to grow at a steady and stable pace.

Read more

Bus rapid transit, Metro Mobility make gains in state budget

The 2021 session of the Minnesota Legislature yielded important gains for transit, as well as funding for regional parks and water planning in the seven-county metro area.

Read more

Bogie named regional administrator

In nearly 18 years with the Met Council, she has overseen budget, financial, human resources, and information technology functions, and she has managed our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read more

Met Council recognized for climate work

The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy announced that the Met Council has earned two of nine “badges” for the climate work we’ve done so far.

Read more

Council to develop internal Climate Action Plan

The plan will unify efforts across all Met Council divisions to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to climate impacts, and help us build resilience to potential changes.

Read more

Panel recommends Met Council remain appointed, not elected

A committee created by Governor Walz to examine the structure and services of the Met Council recommends that the Council remain an appointed board but to stagger the appointment of Council members.

Read more

Council adopts 2021 budget, keeps tax levy flat

The Metropolitan Council adopted a 2021 budget and property tax levy. The Council voted to keep the overall tax levy the same as 2020.

Read more

Met Council earns top credit ratings

The ratings, Aaa/MIG-1 from Moody's, and AAA/SP1+ from Standard & Poor's, are the highest possible and awarded to a very limited number of entities nationally.

Read more

Governor Walz signs bonding law

The $1.9 billion bonding bill provides critical funding for investments in rapid bus lines, grants to address clean water in the wastewater system, and grants for regional parks and trails.

Read more

Rethinking areas of concentrated poverty

Local research has shown that deficit-based narratives can stigmatize neighborhoods and negatively impact the investments that decision-makers are willing to make in them.

Read more

Small-business owners paired with mentors to help grow their companies

The Mentor Protégé Program helps small, disadvantaged construction businesses grow, make connections, and get a foot in the door.

Read more

Workforce development creates jobs, opportunity, and equity

The Metro Transit Technician Training Program puts job seekers on a path to a good-paying job with a paid internship, job and skills training, and support for an educational degree.

Read more

Pandemic doesn’t stop summer interns

Our summer intern program emerged with 25 students in jobs embedded across the agency. Almost half the cohort are working in Metro Transit.

Read more

Economic framework provides path to federal funds

A broad swath of organizations in the metro area, including local governments, will soon have access to federal Economic Development Administration (EDA) funds, thanks to a regional partnership.

Read more

Council researchers study economic impacts of COVID-19

Over the past four-plus months, research staff have analyzed the broader economic impacts of the virus on employment, income, and housing cost-burden.

Read more

Council moving ahead with wide-ranging accessibility improvements

We're taking initial steps in a far-reaching plan to make our offices, treatment plants, transit facilities, garages, websites, and other digital media more accessible to people with disabilities.

Read more

Finding temporary shelter for encampment residents

An effort to assure the safety of the people experiencing homeless who are living in the encampment on Met Council property along Hiawatha Avenue in Minneapolis.

Read more

Earth Day at 50

At the Met Council, every day is Earth Day.

Read more

Census instructions land in a mailbox near you

The 2020 Census comes to Minnesota and the Twin Cities this month. Starting March 12, the Census Bureau began mailing letters to all known residential addresses.

Read more

Council appoints residents to advisory committees

We rely on these committees to help develop solutions to regional challenges and bring diverse perspectives to inform our policymaking and operations.

Read more

Comment on draft ADA transition plan

The Met Council has completed a comprehensive self-evaluation of the accessibility of its services and facilities, as required by the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.

Read more

Walz/Met Council legislative agenda pushes regional investment and public safety

Investments in transit, parks, and wastewater treatment infrastructure continue to be high priorities for Governor Tim Walz as he rolls out his agenda for the 2020 legislative session.

Read more

Charlie Zelle named Metropolitan Council Chair

Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan today announced the appointment, effective January 6, 2020.

Read more

Charlie Zelle named Metropolitan Council Chair

Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan today announced the appointment, effective January 6, 2020.

Read more

Met Council is part of new Climate Change Subcabinet

The subcabinet is charged with “identifying policies and strategies that will put Minnesota back on track” to meet the goals of the 2007 Next Generation Energy Act.

Read more

Cummings to serve as interim chair

Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan are seeking applicants for the chair position formerly held by Nora Slawik, who resigned effective Nov. 15.

Read more

Council Chair Nora Slawik Resigns

Resignation comes with desire to focus on her health.

Read more

Council evaluates accessibility of services, facilities

Included in the evaluation is a look at Council facilities at 400 locations across the metro area including offices, treatment plants, transit garages, and other transit facilities.

Read more

Minneapolis Police Inspector Eddie Frizell will lead Metro Transit Police Department

A veteran Minneapolis police officer with decades of experience in multiple aspects of law enforcement, Frizell will fill the position August 5.

Read more

Met Council's Saint Paul headquarters is an ENERGY STAR top performer

The Council meets strict energy efficiency criteria set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy.

Read more

Attorney seminar a step toward broadening legal contracts

A seminar planned for later this summer will offer guidance to attorneys — particularly people of color as well as women — to better position themselves for legal-services contracts with the Council.

Read more

Council announces finalists for Metro Transit Police chief

Council leadership has narrowed the field of candidates to two finalists before Thursday’s public event as part of the interview process to hire for the position of Metro Transit Police chief.

Read more

Gov. Walz brokers budget deal that improves the lives of all Minnesotans

Compromise includes funding for transit, regional parks, and water supply.

Read more

Metropolitan Council appoints advisory committee members with broad perspectives and experience

The Metropolitan Council appointed members to eight of its advisory committees who will provide guidance and advice to the Council on its policies and plans.

Read more

Support services play critical role in allowing people who have disabilities to live independently

Council Chair calls for state lawmakers to pass transportation bill with real solution for Metro Mobility.

Read more

Council makes appointments to two advisory committees

16 members named to Land Use Advisory Committee, and four members named to Metropolitan Parks and Open Space Commission.

Read more

Steady growth continues in metro area

Metro area population increased 8.8% since 2010, according to U.S. Census

Read more

Council’s small business program helps deliver Final Four

For the last year, Met Council staff have been connecting the local organizing committee with small businesses owned by women, people of color, veterans, and people with disabilities.

Read more

Slawik sworn in as Metropolitan Council Chair

“I am very familiar with the good work of the Council and its importance to our region. That’s one of the reasons that I accepted this position – I believe in the mission and work of the Council.”

Read more

Council recognized for leadership on climate change mitigation and adaptation

The Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership (MCAP) awarded the Council for efforts to help the region adapt to climate change.

Read more

Women leaders at the Council: Joan Campbell

Longtime Council member was a nurse and single mother,  appointed to the Council in 1973. A key strength was her focus on long-range planning.

Read more

First female Council member was not afraid to speak truth to power

Looking at a photograph of the first group of Metropolitan Council members—appointed by Governor Harold LeVander in 1967—it’s impossible to miss the sole woman in the group.

Read more

Council partners with small businesses on projects big and small

The Council's procurement process describes a percentage of contracts that should be available to Minnesota businesses that are owned by women, people of color, veterans or people with disabilities.

Read more

Council promotes inclusion in contracting opportunities

Council purchasing practices will engage more diverse businesses in economic opportunities and ensure access to jobs is more inclusive and equitable.

Read more

Chair Duininck to leave the Council: His steady approach will be missed

The Council's first full-time chair praised for connecting to communities around the region, building relationships, and squarely facing controversial issues.

Read more

Dovetail Consulting found niche in rail safety

Dovetail’s work has included light rail and streetcar projects across the nation, and Allen credits the Disad­vantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program for helping her firm continue to thrive.

Read more

Engaging the community in determining equitable investments

Community conversations around equitable investment begin this week in North Minneapolis.

Read more

Council collaborates with state, local governments to study ethnic and gender disparities in procurement processes

The Council is among several government agencies participating in a study to assess whether there is a gap among firms owned by women and people of color in receiving government contracts.

Read more

MNUCP website meets high standard for accessibility

New accessibility features of the website now enable small-business owners with a disability to better navigate the ins and outs of the  Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program.

Read more

Council establishes new advisory committee on equity-related policy

The new Equity Advisory Committee will advise the Council in advancing equity in the region, more specifically how the Council implements the equity commitments in Thrive MSP 2040.

Read more

ADA has positive impacts on Council services and customers

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is 25 years old. From transit to housing to access to democracy, the ADA has had a huge and positive impact on the Metropolitan Council and our customers.

Read more

Council Chair Duininck, local officials tour Gateway Corridor

Metropolitan Council Chair Adam Duininck wrapped up the first week of his seven-county tour on Feb. 6 with a bus ride through the Gateway Corridor (future METRO Gold Line) in the east metro area.

Read more