Metropolitan Council

The committee meeting addressed several key business items, including the authorization of a contract for electrical maintenance services for water recovery facilities. Discussions also covered master contracts for design and construction support for the Crow River Water Resource Recovery Facility, where participants reviewed procurement goals, risks, and timelines. Furthermore, the committee ratified an emergency declaration to increase funding for the repair of the Lilydale Siphon interceptor. Finally, staff provided an informational presentation regarding the Forcemain Inspection Program, which included details on inventory, locations, inspection rates, and survey results.

This document outlines the Metropolitan Council's Small Business Opportunities Spend Plan (SBOSP), a strategic initiative to expand opportunities and eliminate disparities for small businesses through intentional planning and shared accountability. The plan emphasizes a partnership approach, focusing on increasing small business spend, particularly in goods and services, and details specific commitments from various divisions for projected growth across 2026 and 2027. It integrates feedback, ensures continuous accountability through quarterly monitoring and reporting, and aims to build trust and synergy across the organization to enhance small business access.

The Management Committee meeting included the authorization of a contract for the renewal of a virtualization platform, including VMware Cloud licensing and support services. The committee reviewed the fourth quarter 2025 financial report, covering operating reports for Environmental Services, Community Development, Metropolitan Transportation Services, and Metro Transit. Additionally, the committee discussed the February economic forecast regarding Motor Vehicle Sales Tax and Metropolitan Regional Transportation Sales and Use Tax, received an introduction to the Regional Administration Strategic Plan with details on Finance and Procurement department initiatives for 2026, and reviewed the annual committee workplan.

The council meeting addressed various transportation and administrative business, including the approval of infrastructure projects such as a grade separated interchange and stray current rail engineering services. Significant discussion occurred regarding the 2026 Regional Solicitation, specifically focusing on the new Community Considerations scoring criterion, its weighting, and its alignment with regional equity goals. The council also received updates on the Better Bus Stops Program and the Metro Transit public art collection.

The committee meeting included a presentation from the Chief HR Officer on workforce development, recruitment strategies, and the implementation of a unified hiring plan. Key discussion points covered high school internship pipelines, partnerships with community and faith-based organizations to grow talent pools, and CDL training program outcomes. The committee also discussed challenges in recruitment timelines, progress in workforce data tracking, and initiatives to increase demographic representation across organizational divisions.