Agenda - Council - 05/28/1985 - Laserfiche WebLink

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! NT RODUCT I ON One of the Metropolitan Council's primary purposes is to act as a focal point for developing regional policies and making decisions to solve regional problems. The legislature, in creating the Council, recognized the need to provide a forum where the public could be heard, and could participate in public and private decisions of regional importance that affect the Metropolitan Area. Consequently, the Council was given the responsibility for bringing plans and issues with regional impact into an accessible public process. This plan for citizen participation reaffirms the Metropolitan Council's conmnitment to a responsive and participatory decision-making process. While various forms of citizen participation have been implemented since the Council was created, there is a feeling among some staff, Council members and constituents that these forms need to be organized, expanded and made more a part of the decision-making process. This plan represents a renewed and strengthened Council con~nitment to ensuring that planning and development programs are consistent with the needs of people and groups affected by them, through increasing the level of public participation in program development and implementation. The plan also provides a focus for monitoring the Council's achievement of its citizen participation goals. EXISTING COUNCIL ROLE IN CITIZEN PARTICIPATION The Metropolitan Council I$ con~nitted to a strong citizen participation program. The primary purpose of the program is to grant citizens a voice in governmental decisions that have an impact on their lives. For the Council, an extensive citizen participation effort is necessary for a number of reasons, including: 1. The Council is a public body, designed to represent the citizens of the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. 2. The Council's essential role is to build a consensus that represents the region's best thinking on what to do about regional problems. Experience has shown the Council that the creative contributions of the comnunity at large are required if sound, implementable policies are to be formulated. The Council's standing as an authoritative spokesperson for the regionbefore the legislature, other regional agencies, and local units of government hinges on its ability to develop and articulate a regional consensus on important issues. The responsibility given to local governments and others-for implemen- tation of Council policies will be exercised more effectively if they have input into policy formulation. 6. The Council has many programs with legislatively mandated citizen participation requirements. The Metropolitan Council in 1975 formally committed itself to involving citizens in its planning activities and decisions through adoption of the