Council narrowly approves rule allowing one‑time deferral of nominee interviews

The Metropolitan Council on April 7 approved a change to its rules that lets council‑nominated board and commission nominees request a one‑time deferral of their interview and requires the rules committee and full council to separately approve such deferrals. The change — adopted 27 to 6 — also postpones the related council election for two weeks when a deferral is granted and takes effect in 30 days, making it applicable beginning May 7.

Supporters said the amendment will preserve access to qualified volunteers who occasionally face unavoidable conflicts such as family emergencies or preplanned travel. Councilmember Coopin, a sponsor, described the substitute as a modest fix to account for nominees who cannot attend a prescheduled date and said it was intended to avoid needlessly discarding otherwise qualified candidates.

Opponents warned the change risks altering long‑standing procedures and could allow nominees or sponsors to delay the process repeatedly. Councilmember Welsh said nominees should be expected to “show up at the proscribed times” and argued the rule could be exploited to reshape the council’s schedule. Several members asked whether nominees would have to disclose reasons for a deferral; sponsors and the chair said the rules committee and the body would vet deferral requests and ask for explanations, but the final substitute did not add a mandatory disclosure clause.

The presiding officer confirmed the amendment will be effective 30 days after adoption; the clerk said the change will be applicable for the May 7 meeting. The council adopted the rule change after a machine vote following a successful motion to end debate.