The Metropolitan Council on April 9 approved meeting minutes and three consent business items, confirmed an alternate to the Transportation Advisory Board and ratified 16 appointments to its Land Use Advisory Committee.

Chair Charlie Zelle opened the session and described the agenda as short but important. The council voted by voice on routine business after hearing no objections.

Why it matters: The Transportation Advisory Board helps set priorities for federal transportation disbursements in the region; the Land Use Advisory Committee (LUAC) advises the council on planning and local land-use matters. Filling advisory seats keeps both bodies able to represent jurisdictions across the council's seven-county region and to participate in federal and regional processes.

Minutes and consent items approved
Council members moved and seconded routine business items and approved the minutes from the council’s March 26 meeting and three consent business items by voice vote; no opposition was recorded on the transcript.

Appointments confirmed
Chair Zelle recommended Rachel Chinitz as the District H alternate to the Transportation Advisory Board; he said the recommendation was determined in consultation with the nominating committee, Council Member Deb Barber and MTS Director Charles Carlson. The council approved the appointment by voice vote.

The council also ratified appointments to the Land Use Advisory Committee after a nominating process led by Council Member Diego Morales and Council Member Wendy Wolf. The ratified appointees listed on the record were: Tom McKee (mayor, Corcoran), Lona Doolan (St. Anthony City Council), Eric Anderson, Gerald Brunner (Watertown Township board supervisor), Kathy Hoffer, Sean Hayford O'Leary (Richfield City Council), Robert Glisky, Gunnar Carlson, Noah Keller, Birketta Jilo, Dan Rowe (mayor, Roseville), Kristen Liddy (Scandia City Council), William Droste (Dakota County commissioner), Mei Chong Yang (Ramsey County commissioner) and Daniel Walter (Lakeville City Council). Council members noted two LUAC district vacancies remain; Morales said one vacancy has another interview scheduled and asked for assistance recruiting for the remaining seat.

Votes at a glance
- Approve minutes of March 26 meeting — Motion to approve; voice vote; outcome: approved (no opposing votes recorded).
- Approve three consent business items — Motion to approve; voice vote; outcome: approved (no opposing votes recorded).
- Approve appointment of Rachel Chinitz as District H alternate to Transportation Advisory Board — Motion and second; voice vote; outcome: approved.
- Ratify Land Use Advisory Committee appointments (list of appointees as recorded) — Motion and second; voice vote; outcome: approved.

What council members said
"We do not have a robust agenda. In fact we have a, not a, we have a short agenda, but it's really important so I appreciate everybody being here," Chair Charlie Zelle said at the meeting's start.

Council Member Diego Morales said the LUAC still needs help filling one vacancy and that "we do have 1 more interview set up for this week for 1 of the vacancies, but we would need help for 1 of the districts, I think it's District 15, that we still have pending." The council asked members to assist with recruitment.

Next steps
Appointees will serve on their respective advisory bodies; the council did not specify effective dates or terms for the appointments on the record. The council moved next to informational updates and closed the meeting after routine business.