The Metropolitan Council
is a somewhat unique being among governments. It is a metro-wide regional government with power and authority to use it. That’s not common across the United States. When I’ve shared with my colleagues in other parts of the country what the Met Council can do, they are surprised at the scope of its mandate. Many of them who work in metropolitan areas actually wish they had such a big brother to help their neighbors and guide their neighbors from time to time. After all, it’s always the neighbors that really need the help and guidance.
There are 16 members on the Met Council. They are appointed by the Governor. The 16 members of the Met Council represent 16 geographic districts throughout the seven county metro area. The districts are supposed to group local governments by “community of interest”. The districts, because they must take population variances into account, might be considerd a bit oddly conceived. It’s hard to draw practical districts when population variance must be your primary driving factor, but nonetheless, some of the current districts could be improved.
Currently, Eden Prairie is in District #4 (map). It is one of the largest districts, geographically, on the Council. It includes Eden Prairie, Chanhassen, Chaska, all of Scott County, all of Carver County, and most of Lakeville. The Met Council representative from this district is Mr. Jules Smith of the Chaska area.
A new redistricting plan that has been endorsed by the Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs Committee of the Minnesota House of Representatives proposes a significant change for Eden Prairie’s Met Council district. Instead of linking Eden Prairie with rural points west and south, the new district – District #7 – puts Eden Prairie in a district with Minnetonka, the south Lake Minnetonka cities, Victoria, Chanhassen, and about half of Chaska. This seems to me to be a good match for Eden Prairie. I think these cities have a bona fide “community of interest”. The Eden Prairie City Council hasn’t taken a formal position on this issue yet, but I think that I will recommend that they endorse this plan. I think it fits us now and will fit us just as well ten years from now.
