Met Council Chair Nora Slawik resigns
Metropolitan Council Chair Nora Slawik is resigning after less than a year on the job “due to health reasons caused by the stress of the position.”
Slawik, who previously served as a suburban legislator and mayor of Maplewood, was appointed to lead the 17-member council by Walz in January.
Her resignation is effective Nov. 15. Molly Cummings, who serves as vice chair of the council, will take over Slawik’s role temporarily under the council’s bylaws.
“My time at the Council has been filled with exciting opportunities to connect with Minnesotans around the region and learn more about the region’s economy and infrastructure needs," Slawik said in a statement. "The Council plays a critical role in the economic engine that is the Minneapolis-St. Paul region and in strengthening the fabric of our communities through transit connections, planning, and critical services. I’m proud of the work we’ve done together and I look forward to seeing this region succeed into the future.”
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Gov. Tim Walz said a search will begin for a permanent replacement.
“The Metropolitan Council is vital to the economic prosperity of our state,” Walz said. “Chair Slawik brought an important perspective to this work as a former suburban mayor. I thank her for her dedicated service to the people of the metropolitan region, and I wish her the best in her future endeavors.”
The agency is little-known outside of a cadre of local government officials and metro and suburban legislators who regularly interact with its members. But it oversees policies and strategic planning for everything from bus and transit routes to wastewater treatment for three million people living in 180 communities across the seven county metro area.
The Metropolitan Council employs more than 4,200 people and has an annual budget of more than $1 billion.
It was first established by the Legislature in 1967 to coordinate services and help promote economic growth for the entire region, but it has frequently clashed with lawmakers since then, in part because the chair and members of the council are all appointed by the governor, not elected.
Slawik’s resignation is the second high-profile departure in the Walz administration, after Department of Human Services Commissioner Tony Lourey stepped down in July.
According to the Department of Minnesota Management and Budget, there were no open or concluded investigations into Slawik.