Governor's Blue Ribbon Committee

To examine the Metropolitan Council’s structure and service

In 2020, Gov. Tim Walz established a Blue Ribbon Committee (PDF) to examine the structure and services of the Metropolitan Council.

The committee examined:

• The role of elected versus appointed Metropolitan Council members
• The Metropolitan Council’s role as a Metropolitan Planning Organization, and identify and evaluate the ways this federal designation may complement and/or conflict with the Met Council’s responsibilities under Minnesota law
• The effectiveness of the delivery of regional transit service

Final report

• Blue Ribbon Panel final recommendations

Background information

Met Council structure and history

• Brief history of Metropolitan Council governance issues and proposals (PDF)
• Division overview: Community Development (PDF)
• Division overview: Environmental Services (PDF)
• Division overview: Metro Transit (PDF)
• Division overview: Metropolitan Transportation Services (PDF)

Regional governance models

• ​Regional governance models (PDF)
• Regional governance approaches comparison chart (PDF)

Documents

• FHWA FTA Metropolitan Council Designation Letter, 2015 (PDF)
• FTA MPO Letter, 2016 (PDF)
• FTA MPO Letter, 2018 (PDF)
• Governor Carlson Elected Officials Veto Letter, 1997 (PDF)
• Governor Pawlenty Staggered Terms Veto Letter, 2008 (PDF)
• Governor Dayton Staggered Terms Veto Letter, 2012 (PDF)
• Governor Dayton Local Officials Veto Letter, 2018 (PDF)

Staff contact

• Bridget Toskey, Recording Secretary, [email protected]

Meeting agendas and minutes

Note: Minutes are not final until approved at the following meeting.

Committee members

• Mary Liz Holberg, Dakota County Commissioner District 6, who will serve as chair of the committee
• Peter Bell, Director, Schafer Richardson Realty Trust
• Patrick Born, Chair, Board of Directors of the Citizens League
• John (Jay) Cowles, Managing Director, Lawrence Creek, LLC
• James Hovland, Mayor, City of Edina
• Elizabeth Kautz, Mayor, City of Burnsville
• Douglas Loon, President, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
• Mary Jo McGuire, Ramsey County Commissioner District 2
• Khani Sahebjam, Chief Strategy Officer, SRF Consulting
• George Schember, Vice President, Cargill Transportation & Logistics
• Alene Tchourumoff, Senior Vice President for Community Development and the Center for Indian Country Development, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
• Thomas Weaver, CEO, Achieve Services
• Janet Williams, Mayor of Savage
• Pahoua Yang Hoffman, Senior Vice President, Community Impact, Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation
• Zhirong (Jerry) Zhao, Professor and Director of the Master of Public Policy Program, University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs