The newly appointed chairman of the Metropolitan Council chose Washington County as the starting point earlier this month for his seven-week, seven-county listening tour of the Twin Cities area.
And at times Adam Duininck got an earful.
"I'm trying not to be too hostile," said Brian Johnson, a member of a countywide coalition on water issues, "but my experience with the Met Council is so poor. There's no listening … this is the first time I've seen a Met Council member at one of these meetings. I think they are here for political reasons; I'd like to see them here for listening reasons."
Duininck replied that, as the council's first full-time chairman, he means to improve things in terms of genuine listening.
"I want to be out here myself, having two-way conversations," he said. "Sometimes when we do 'stakeholder engagement,' we don't reach beyond the folks we know. Give me time. If a year from now, things don't change, be more hostile."
A number of people taking part in sessions through the week were impressed.
"I have a great feeling about Adam," said Lake Elmo City Council Member Anne Smith. "I talked several times with Peter Bell, but never met Susan Haigh," she added, referring to the new chairman's most recent predecessors.
Many were curious to meet the new chairman. Woodbury City Administrator Clint Gridley described a session with one local group as having the "biggest turnout we have ever had or ever will have."
