2002 Minnesota Statutes

     473.123 Metropolitan council. 

    Subdivision 1.    Creation.  A metropolitan council with 
 jurisdiction in the metropolitan area is established as a public 
 corporation and political subdivision of the state.  It shall be 
 under the supervision and control of 17 members, all of whom 
 shall be residents of the metropolitan area. 

    Subd. 2. Repealed, 1983 c 16 s 15 

    Subd. 2a.    Terms.  Following each apportionment of 
 council districts, as provided under subdivision 3a, council 
 members must be appointed from newly drawn districts as provided 
 in subdivision 3a.  Each council member, other than the chair, 
 must reside in the council district represented.  Each council 
 district must be represented by one member of the council.  The 
 terms of members end with the term of the governor, except that 
 all terms expire on the effective date of the next 
 apportionment.  A member serves at the pleasure of the 
 governor.  A member shall continue to serve the member's 
 district until a successor is appointed and qualified; except 
 that, following each apportionment, the member shall continue to 
 serve at large until the governor appoints 16 council members, 
 one from each of the newly drawn council districts as provided 
 under subdivision 3a, to serve terms as provided under this 
 section.  The appointment to the council must be made by the 
 first Monday in March of the year in which the term ends.  

    Subd. 3.    Membership; appointment; qualifications.  (a)
 Sixteen members must be appointed by the governor from districts 
 defined by this section.  Each council member must reside in the 
 council district represented.  Each council district must be 
 represented by one member of the council. 

    (b) In addition to the notice required by section 15.0597, 
 subdivision 4, notice of vacancies and expiration of terms must 
 be published in newspapers of general circulation in the 
 metropolitan area and the appropriate districts.  The governing 
 bodies of the statutory and home rule charter cities, counties, 
 and towns having territory in the district for which a member is 
 to be appointed must be notified in writing.  The notices must 
 describe the appointments process and invite participation and 
 recommendations on the appointment.  

    (c) The governor shall create a nominating committee, 
 composed of seven metropolitan citizens appointed by the 
 governor, to nominate persons for appointment to the council 
 from districts.  Three of the committee members must be local 
 elected officials.  Following the submission of applications as 
 provided under section 15.0597, subdivision 5, the nominating 
 committee shall conduct public meetings, after appropriate 
 notice, to accept statements from or on behalf of persons who 
 have applied or been nominated for appointment and to allow 
 consultation with and secure the advice of the public and local 
 elected officials.  The committee shall hold the meeting on each 
 appointment in the district or in a reasonably convenient and 
 accessible location in the part of the metropolitan area in 
 which the district is located.  The committee may consolidate 
 meetings.  Following the meetings, the committee shall submit to 
 the governor a list of nominees for each appointment.  The 
 governor is not required to appoint from the list.  

    (d) Before making an appointment, the governor shall 
 consult with all members of the legislature from the council 
 district for which the member is to be appointed.  

    (e) Appointments to the council are subject to the advice 
 and consent of the senate as provided in section 15.066. 

    (f) Members of the council must be appointed to reflect 
 fairly the various demographic, political, and other interests 
 in the metropolitan area and the districts.  

    (g) Members of the council must be persons knowledgeable 
 about urban and metropolitan affairs. 

    Subd. 3a.    Redistricting.  The legislature shall 
 redraw the boundaries of the council districts after each 
 decennial federal census so that each district has substantially 
 equal population.  Redistricting is effective in the year ending 
 in the numeral "3."  Within 60 days after a redistricting plan 
 takes effect, the governor shall appoint members from the newly 
 drawn districts to serve terms as provided under subdivision 2a. 

    Subd. 3b. Repealed, 1993 c 314 s 7 

    Subd. 3c.    District boundaries.  The council district 
 boundaries are as follows: 

    (1) The first council district consists of that portion of 
 Hennepin county consisting of the cities of Champlin, Corcoran, 
 Dayton, Greenfield, Independence, Loretto, Maple Grove, Maple 
 Plain, Medicine Lake, Medina, Minnetrista, Mound, Osseo, 
 Plymouth, Rockford, Rogers, and St. Bonifacius, and the town of 
 Hassan. 

    (2) The second council district consists of that portion of 
 Hennepin county consisting of the cities of Brooklyn Center, 
 Brooklyn Park, Crystal, New Hope, and Robbinsdale. 

    (3) The third council district consists of that portion of 
 Hennepin county consisting of the cities of Deephaven, Edina, 
 Excelsior, Greenwood, Hopkins, Long Lake, Minnetonka, Minnetonka 
 Beach, Orono, Shorewood, Spring Park, Tonka Bay, Wayzata, and 
 Woodland. 

    (4) The fourth council district consists of Carver county, 
 that portion of Dakota county consisting of the city of 
 Lakeville, that portion of Hennepin county consisting of the 
 cities of Chanhassen and Eden Prairie, and that portion of Scott 
 county in the metropolitan area not included in the fifth 
 council district. 

    (5) The fifth council district consists of that portion of 
 Hennepin county consisting of the cities of Bloomington and 
 Richfield and the unorganized territory of Fort Snelling, and 
 that portion of Scott county consisting of the cities of Savage 
 and Shakopee. 

    (6) The sixth council district consists of that portion of 
 Hennepin county consisting of the cities of Golden Valley and St.
 Louis Park and that portion of the city of Minneapolis lying 
 west and south of a line described as follows:  commencing at 
 the intersection of the southern boundary of the city of 
 Minneapolis and Interstate Highway 35W, northerly along 
 Interstate Highway 35W to Minnehaha Parkway, northeasterly along 
 Minnehaha Parkway to 50th Street E., westerly along 50th Street 
 E. to Stevens Avenue S., northerly along Stevens Avenue S. to 
 46th Street E., westerly along 46th Street E. to Nicollet Avenue 
 S., northerly along Nicollet Avenue S. to 36th Street W., 
 westerly along 36th Street W. to Blaisdell Avenue S., northerly 
 along Blaisdell Avenue S. to 34th Street W., westerly along 34th 
 Street W. to Grand Avenue S., northerly along Grand Avenue S. to 
 32nd Street W., westerly along 32nd Street W. to Harriet Avenue 
 S., northerly along Harriet Avenue S. to 31st Street W., 
 westerly along 31st Street W. to Garfield Avenue S., northerly 
 along Garfield Avenue S. to Lake Street W., westerly along Lake 
 Street W. to Lyndale Avenue S., northerly along Lyndale Avenue 
 S. to the Burlington Northern Railroad tracks, westerly along 
 the northern branch of the Burlington Northern Railroad tracks 
 to Glenwood Avenue N., westerly along Glenwood Avenue N. to the 
 western boundary of the city of Minneapolis. 

    (7) The seventh council district consists of that portion 
 of the city of Minneapolis lying within a line described as 
 follows:  commencing at the intersection of the northern 
 boundary of the city of Minneapolis and the Mississippi River, 
 southerly along the east bank of the Mississippi River to State 
 Highway 122 southwesterly along State Highway 122 to Cedar 
 Avenue S., southerly along Cedar Avenue S. to Minnehaha Avenue, 
 southeasterly along Minnehaha Avenue to Cedar Avenue S., 
 southerly along Cedar Avenue S. to Hiawatha Avenue, southerly 
 along Hiawatha Avenue to 28th Street E., westerly along 28th 
 Street E. to 21st Avenue S., southerly along 21st Avenue S. to 
 32nd Street E., westerly along 32nd Street E. to 19th Avenue S., 
 southerly along 19th Avenue S. to 34th Street E., westerly along 
 34th Street E. to Bloomington Avenue S., southerly along 
 Bloomington Avenue S. to 36th Street E., westerly along 36th 
 Street E. to 10th Avenue S., southerly along 10th Avenue S. to 
 38th Street E., westerly along 38th Street E. to Elliot Avenue 
 S., southerly along Elliot Avenue S. to 44th Street E., westerly 
 along 44th Street E. to Chicago Avenue S., southerly along 
 Chicago Avenue S. to 50th Street E., westerly along 50th Street 
 E. to Park Avenue S., southerly along Park Avenue S. to 
 Minnehaha Parkway, westerly along Minnehaha Parkway to the 
 eastern boundary of the sixth council district, northerly and 
 westerly along the boundary of the sixth council district to the 
 western boundary of the city of Minneapolis, northerly and then 
 easterly along the boundaries of the city of Minneapolis to the 
 point of origin. 

    (8) The eighth council district consists of that portion of 
 the city of Minneapolis not included in the sixth or seventh 
 council district. 

    (9) The ninth council district consists of that portion of 
 Anoka county not included in the tenth council district and that 
 portion of Ramsey county consisting of the cities of Blaine and 
 Spring Lake Park. 

    (10) The tenth council district consists of that portion of 
 Anoka county consisting of the cities of Columbia Heights, Coon 
 Rapids, Fridley, and Hilltop, that portion of Hennepin county 
 consisting of the city of St. Anthony, and that portion of 
 Ramsey county consisting of the cities of Mounds View, New 
 Brighton, and St. Anthony. 

    (11) The eleventh council district consists of that portion 
 of Ramsey county consisting of the cities of Arden Hills, Gem 
 Lake, Little Canada, North Oaks, Roseville, Shoreview, Vadnais 
 Heights, and White Bear Lake and the town of White Bear, and 
 that portion of the city of Maplewood not included in the 
 twelfth council district, and that portion of Washington county 
 consisting of the city of White Bear Lake. 

    (12) The twelfth council district consists of that portion 
 of Ramsey county consisting of the city of North St. Paul and 
 that portion of the city of Maplewood lying east and south of a 
 line described as follows:  commencing at the intersection of 
 the southern boundary of the city of Maplewood and White Bear 
 Avenue, northerly along White Bear Avenue to North St. Paul 
 Road, northeasterly along North St. Paul Road to the eastern 
 boundary of the city of Maplewood, and that portion of 
 Washington county not included in the eleventh or sixteenth 
 council district. 

    (13) The thirteenth council district consists of that 
 portion of Ramsey county consisting of that portion of the city 
 of St. Paul lying south of a line described as follows: 
 commencing at the intersection of the eastern boundary of the 
 city of St. Paul and Old Hudson Road, westerly along Old Hudson 
 Road to White Bear Avenue, northerly along White Bear Avenue to 
 East 3rd Street, westerly along East 3rd Street to Johnson 
 Parkway, northerly along Johnson Parkway to East 4th Street, 
 westerly along East 4th Street to Mounds Boulevard, 
 southeasterly along Mounds Boulevard to East 3rd Street, 
 southeasterly along East 3rd Street to the Burlington Northern 
 Railroad tracks, northerly along the Burlington Northern 
 Railroad tracks to the east-west Burlington Northern Railroad 
 tracks, westerly along the east-west Burlington Northern 
 Railroad tracks to Interstate Highway 35E, southerly along 
 Interstate Highway 35E to University Avenue, westerly along 
 University Avenue to Cleveland Avenue, southerly along Cleveland 
 Avenue to Interstate Highway 94, westerly along Interstate 
 Highway 94 to the western boundary of the city of St. Paul. 

    (14) The fourteenth council district consists of that 
 portion of Ramsey county consisting of the cities of Falcon 
 Heights and Lauderdale, and that portion of the city of St. Paul 
 not included in the thirteenth council district. 

    (15) The fifteenth council district consists of that 
 portion of Dakota county consisting of the cities of Apple 
 Valley, Burnsville, Eagan, Lilydale, Mendota, and Mendota 
 Heights. 

    (16) The sixteenth council district consists of that 
 portion of Dakota county in the metropolitan area not included 
 in the fourth or fifteenth council district, and that portion of 
 Washington county consisting of the cities of Cottage Grove, 
 Hastings, and St. Paul Park, and the towns of Denmark and Grey 
 Cloud Island. 

    Subd. 4.    Chair; appointment, officers, selection; 
 duties and compensation.  (a) The chair of the metropolitan 
 council shall be appointed by the governor as the 17th voting 
 member thereof by and with the advice and consent of the senate 
 to serve at the pleasure of the governor to represent the 
 metropolitan area at large.  Senate confirmation shall be as 
 provided by section 15.066.  

    The chair of the metropolitan council shall, if present, 
 preside at meetings of the council, have the primary 
 responsibility for meeting with local elected officials, serve 
 as the principal legislative liaison, present to the governor 
 and the legislature, after council approval, the council's plans 
 for regional governance and operations, serve as the principal 
 spokesperson of the council, and perform other duties assigned 
 by the council or by law. 

    (b) The metropolitan council shall elect other officers as 
 it deems necessary for the conduct of its affairs for a one-year 
 term.  A secretary and treasurer need not be members of the 
 metropolitan council.  Meeting times and places shall be fixed 
 by the metropolitan council and special meetings may be called 
 by a majority of the members of the metropolitan council or by 
 the chair.  The chair and each metropolitan council member shall 
 be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses.  The annual 
 budget of the council shall provide as a separate account 
 anticipated expenditures for compensation, travel, and 
 associated expenses for the chair and members, and compensation 
 or reimbursement shall be made to the chair and members only 
 when budgeted. 

    (c) Each member of the council shall attend and participate 
 in council meetings and meet regularly with local elected 
 officials and legislative members from the council member's 
 district.  Each council member shall serve on at least one 
 division committee for transportation, environment, or community 
 development. 

    (d) In the performance of its duties the metropolitan 
 council may adopt policies and procedures governing its 
 operation, establish committees, and, when specifically 
 authorized by law, make appointments to other governmental 
 agencies and districts.  

    Subd. 5. Repealed, 1994 c 628 art 1 s 10 

    Subd. 6. Repealed, 1994 c 628 art 1 s 10 

    Subd. 7.    Performance and budget analyst.  The 
 council, other than the chair, may hire a performance and budget 
 analyst to assist the 16 council members with policy and budget 
 analysis and evaluation of the council's performance.  The 
 analyst may recommend and the council may hire up to two 
 additional analysts to assist the council with performance 
 evaluation and budget analysis.  The analyst and any additional 
 analysts hired shall serve at the pleasure of the council 
 members.  The 16 members of the council may prescribe all terms 
 and conditions for the employment of the analyst and any 
 additional analysts hired, including, but not limited to, the 
 fixing of compensation, benefits, and insurance.  The analyst 
 shall prepare the budget for the provisions of this section and 
 submit the budget for council approval and inclusion in the 
 council's overall budget. 

    Subd. 8.    General counsel.  The council may appoint a 
 general counsel to serve at the pleasure of the council. 

    HIST: 1975 c 13 s 3; 1977 c 35 s 6; 1978 c 543 s 2,3; 1980 c 
 378 s 2; 1982 c 424 s 130; 1983 c 16 s 1-4; 1983 c 305 s 25; 
 1Sp1985 c 13 s 353; 1986 c 444; 1986 c 460 s 4-6; 1990 c 460 s 
 1; 1993 c 314 s 1,2; 1994 c 628 art 1 s 4-7; art 2 s 1; art 3 s 
 38