Advisory groups

Decision making and committees

The Blue Line Extension project is co-lead by Hennepin County and the Metropolitan Council. All major final decisions on the project are ultimately approved by the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners and the Metropolitan Council. These decisions are informed by a variety of advisory groups described below.

Metropolitan Council advisory groups

Corridor Management Committee (CMC)

• Purpose: Advises the Metropolitan Council on design and construction of the proposed light rail line.
• Membership: Elected representatives and policymakers from Hennepin County, Met Council, and corridor cities, along with representatives from other community and stakeholder organizations and the business and community advisory committee
• Contact: Nkongo Cigolo, Manager of Public Involvement, Metro Transit nkongo.cigolos@metrotransit.org
• Learn more

Community Advisory Committee (CAC)

• Purpose: Provides guidance to the Corridor Management Committee on community topics and issues
• Membership: Community representatives appointed by corridor cities, Hennepin County, and the Metropolitan Council
• Contact: Nkongo Cigolo, Manager of Public Involvement, Metro Transit nkongo.cigolos@metrotransit.org
• Learn more

Business Advisory Committee (BAC)

• Purpose: Provides guidance to the Corridor Management Committee on business topics and issues
• Membership: Business community representatives appointed by corridor cities, Hennepin County, and the Metropolitan Council
• Contact: Nkongo Cigolo, Manager of Public Involvement, Metro Transit nkongo.cigolos@metrotransit.org
• Learn more

Hennepin County advisory groups

Bottineau Community Works Steering Committee

• Purpose: Provides policymaker direction to the Hennepin County Bottineau Community Works program, which leads planning with corridor cities to maximize community and economic development benefits and opportunities in the light rail corridor
• Membership: Elected officials and policymakers from Hennepin County, Metropolitan Council, and corridor cities
• Contact: Kerri Pearce Ruch, Bottineau Community Works program coordinator, kerri.pearceruch@hennepin.us, 612-348-3080
• Learn more

Anti-displacement workgroup

• Purpose: Provide Hennepin County, Metropolitan Council, corridor cities and other agency and community partners with action-oriented recommendations for strategies and policies to prevent displacement, promote equitable development, and create community wealth-building opportunities
• Membership: Representatives from agencies, cities, communities, and other stakeholder groups
• Contact: TBD

Community Engagement Cohort

• Purpose: Support project outreach and engagement activities by meaningfully engaging stakeholders from diverse communities to co-create project solutions that reduce disparities
• Membership: 14 community and cultural organizations representing geographic and cultural groups from throughout the corridor
• Contact: Joan Vanhala, Hennepin County Engagement Specialist, joan.vanhala@hennepin.us