Scott County sends letter and resolution asking Met Council to hold 2026 regional solicitation over scoring concerns

Scott County commissioners voted to send a letter to the county's Metropolitan Council representatives asking them to oppose the 2026 regional solicitation scoring criteria and to pause release of the solicitation until federal-policy compliance and scoring methodology can be reviewed.

County staff said the new scoring adds a large weight for "community considerations" that asks applicants to document cultural history, prior transportation harms and local needs in ways staff called highly subjective. "The person that can tell the best story is going to get the most points," staff said, arguing the measure could advantage applicants with greater storytelling capacity rather than focusing on technical project need.

Commissioners argued the Met Council's process places significant influence in the hands of unelected appointees rather than elected officials representing counties and cities. Staff recounted a local project that lost funding by five or six points under the new criteria, and the board cited concerns about consistency with federal transportation policy and the need for an external review.

The board adopted a short resolution asking Met Council members to oppose the criteria and to request review by the U.S. DOT and Minnesota Department of Transportation; the motion carried on a voice vote.

What happens next: Scott County staff and commissioners said they will forward the letter to federal and state transportation officials and coordinate with neighboring counties to press for review and potential revision of the solicitation criteria.