Dakota County decides to keep seat on transit authority board

From Apple Valley to Mendota Heights, Dakota County residents told Commissioner Tom Egan — the perceived tiebreaker in a debate over whether to remain on the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority board — they do not want to give up the county's decisionmaking power.

"I have not been lobbied by a single person who said, 'Get out [of MVTA],' " Egan said.

Community members do not want the county to lose its say in the public transportation agency that serves a large swath of the south metro, Egan said.

Commissioners agreed with the residents and voted 5-2 last week to remain on the board, ending a monthslong debate.

The county was a nonvoting member of the board for years before formally joining in 2012. As it considered departure, it drew impassioned pleas from Scott County and the numerous cities on the MVTA board that said the move would weaken the organization's "unified front" against the Metropolitan Council.

During past discussions, Scott County Commissioner Jon Ulrich said suburban counties need to lock arms against the Met Council's Transportation Policy Plan, which they see as disadvantaging suburbs.

Commissioners Mary Liz Holberg and Nancy Schouweiler cast the two votes to leave the board.

"I just feel that it's inappropriate and I stand my ground on opting out," she said.

Egan missed a January vote on the issue, which ended in a 3-3 stalemate.

At last week's vote, he said arguments for leaving are "shallow" and "superficial."

The county could recuse itself from voting on issues that present a conflict, Egan said.

"These are conflicts of interest that are extremely visible. These are things that everyone can knowingly see and work around," he said. "If we transparently deal with them, they are manageable."

Dakota County Commissioner Chris Gerlach, who represents Apple Valley, has also been a strong supporter of sticking with MVTA.

The relationship with the transit provider is imperfect, but any issues are outweighed by the need to represent the county, he said.

Kathleen Gaylord was the only commissioner who changed her vote and ended up supporting the decision to remain on the board. She said the reason she changed her mind was "not important" and declined to comment further.