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METRO Blue Line Extension Business Advisory Committee

This commission provides guidance on community issues around light rail development.

About

The METRO Blue Line Extension (BLRT) Business Advisory Committee (BAC) is established to provide guidance to the BLRT Corridor Management Committee (CMC) on community issues during the project development phases of BLRT. Appointments to the BAC will serve commencing in the fall of 2022 for the duration of the environmental review process, taking approximately two years.

Purpose

The purpose of the BAC is to serve as a voice for the community and advise the Metropolitan Council’s BLRT Corridor Management and the Hennepin County Community Works Steering Committees:

  1. Advise on communications and outreach strategies related to BLRT.
  2. Provide input on design and engineering options, including opportunities and impacts.
  3. Identify opportunities to improve community benefits from the BLRT project and to improve project planning and design to maximize positive community impacts.
  4. Identify potential issues and review strategies to mitigate the negative impacts of project development on residences and businesses.
  5. Provide input on Community Works initiatives, as requested.
  6. Serve as an information resource and liaison to the greater corridor community and their appointing organization

Responsibilities

Each member of the BLRT BAC agrees to:

  1. Attend a majority of BAC meetings and actively participate in discussions by sharing ideas and expertise.
  2. Actively participate in discussions; be a voice to advance the broader interests of the business community.
  3. Routinely report back to their organization on the activities and discussions of the BAC, if applicable.
  4. Serve as a conduit of information to the broader business community.
  5. Identify opportunities to improve the project and maximize community benefits.
  6. Identify negative impacts and assist in developing strategies for minimizing those impacts.
  7. Listen to and respect the viewpoints of others.

Membership

Appointments to the BAC will serve commencing in the fall of 2022 for the duration of the environmental review process, taking approximately two years.

Members should be small business owners or representatives for larger businesses, non-profits or other service entities of the city or county region of the appointing organization. One spot is specifically reserved for a non-profit representative; this is a minimum appointment. The overall composition of business and non-profit representatives is up to the appointing agency.

For public organizations, members cannot be employees or elected officials from the appointing body. Business chambers may appoint staff.

Membership is intended to represent the diverse interests and stakeholders in the Blue Line Extension project study area. Specifically, membership be will appointed as follows:

Appointing agency Details Members
City of Brooklyn Park Business owner or representative of the city 3
Non-profit representative 1
City of Crystal Business owner or representative of the city 2
Non-profit representative 1
City of Robbinsdale Business owner or representative of the city 2
Non-profit representative 1
City of Golden Valley Business owner or representative of the city 2
Non-profit representative 1
City of Minneapolis Business owner or representative of the city 3
Non-profit representative 1
Robbinsdale Chamber of Commerce Chamber member/representative 1
Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce Chamber member/representative 1
West Broadway Business and Area Coalition Coalition member 1
Hennepin County Appoints targeted members to increase representation 2
Non-profit representative 1
Metropolitan Council Appoints targeted members to increase representation 2
Non-profit representative 1

If an appointed member is no longer able to participate actively in the BAC, the organization that appointed that person will be allowed to name a replacement.

Reporting requirements

One BAC Co-Chair will serve as a member of the CMC and provide updates of BAC activities at CMC meetings. The other Co-Chair will act as alternate to the CMC.

As an advisory body that deliberates on consensus, the Co-Chairs will bring the majority viewpoint as well as dissenting viewpoints and corresponding issues to the CMC. As an advisory body representing multiple interests and viewpoints the role of the committee Co-Chairs will be to facilitate collaboration and represent the variety of opinions, desires and concerns.

Committee co-chairs

The BAC membership will appoint the Co-Chairs and the method in which to appoint them. The Co-Chairs must represent different respective cities. The Co-Chairs are charged with ensuring corridor-wide perspectives are present when offering guidance to steering committees; lead committees through their tasks and ensure charter compliance; identify topics/issues of committee concern; and develop meeting agendas with Blue Line Extension Project Management Team.

Co-Chairs should be willing to respectfully and with merit represent views that are not their own when they report to the CMC. They will also focus discussion facilitation on ensuring full participation from all members, such as encouraging those that have not contributed to do so and working though disagreements to reach the best possible outcome.

Meetings

The BAC will schedule monthly in-person meetings on the first Tuesday before Corridor Management Committee (second Thursday of month) from 8:00-9:30 AM. Agendas and meeting summaries will be distributed to all members before the meeting and posted on the project’s website at BlueLineExt.org.

Post meeting, meeting materials/presentations and approved meeting summaries will be posted on the project’s website.

Due to the timeliness of topics, additional meetings, subcommittees meetings and focus groups may be scheduled as needed.

To facilitate communication and a sharing of ideas and information, the BAC with meet jointly at least once each year with the Community Advisory Committee (CAC). This meeting will replace a regularly scheduled BAC meeting.

View meeting agendas and minutes >

Application

Applications are due Friday, September 2, 2022.

  • Applicants – please mark the following dates on your calendar:
    • September 12 at 6:00 p.m.: Possible interviews at Brooklyn Park City Council meeting. You will get additional information on this by Friday, September 2.
    • October 4, 8-9:30 a.m.: First BAC meeting (in-person)
    • October 3, 6:00 p.m.: First CAC meeting (in-person)

The Met Council and Hennepin County intend for membership on these committees to represent the diverse interests and stakeholders in the Blue Line Extension project area. Gender balance as well as representation of diverse groups in terms of race/ethnicity, geography, and other perspectives will be considered in the selection process.

More information

Visit METRO Blue Line Extension >