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

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Other Council information activities are primarily educational, including a slide show on the Council and its programs, and a classroom kit on regional issues for Junior and senior high school students. These educational activities introduce the public to the Metropolitan Council and its roles and responsibilities. General Participation of Groups and Individuals in the Planning and ~ecis(on-Makin9 Process A third way in which the Council involves citizens is through an "outreach" program that encourages the active participation of citizens and organizations in regional policy decisions. The two primary strategies used are public meetings and public hearings. Public meetings have taken the form of informational meetings and forums. The purpose of public informational meetings is to. inform the public about a particular issue; the major thrust is a two- wayexchange of information between Council members or staff and the public. Public informational meetings are held early in the planning process to promote an informal discussion of a regional issue. Public forums are also intended to promote discussion of regional issues, alternatives and the implications of certain courses of action, but usually in a more formal setting. Past forums have dealt with a myriad of issues, including transportation, metropolitan government, solid waste and the problems of lower-income families. In addition, the Council holds an annual "state of the region" event that focuses on major regional issues. The Council conducts public hearings when considering the adoption or amendment of any regional policy plan, It has adopted a uniform procedure for this purpose to enable local governmental units and others affected by regional policy plans to understand and partici- pate in the plan adoption and amendment process. The procedure applies only to Council regional policy plans, i.e., all Metropolitan Development Guide chapters: airports, criminal justice, development framework, health, housing, investment framework, recreation and open space, solid waste, transportation, water quality and water resources. The primary purpose of the public hearing is to receive public reaction to a proposed policy plan or amendment. It is typically the public's last chance to comment verbally on a plan or amendment before adoption. The hearing record is kept open for 10 working days after the hearing to allow for additional written co~nents by individuals and organizations. Since 1982, the Council has broadened its public involvement effort by cosponsoring public events with other regional organizations. Events have been co-sponsored with the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities, Metropolitan Inter-County Association, Citizens League, Council of Metropolitan Area Leagues of Women Voters, and the Metropolitan Council of Chambers of Co~nerce. The purpose of co- sponsorship is to share resources and stimulate more participation in an event. Co-sponsorship also recognizes the appeal particular issues have to groups beyond the Metropolitan Council. A recent