https://www.startribune.com/maplewood-c ... 600218763/
I attended the City Council meeting last night. I don't think the article goes far enough in emphasizing the City Council did NOT remove support for Purple Line. They voted they do not support the current routing. The biggest thing they want is engagement with the Met Council. They acknowledged the Met Council can do this with or without city involvement, and they'd rather be involved than not involved.
The only City Council member who seems flat-out against Purple Line was Rebecca Cave -- a holdover from the Longrie era. She was adamant that City Council remove support for Purple Line. None of the other council members seconded her motion. The others spoke of the need for Purple Line, but the conversation was about how to facilitate engagement with the Met Council. So, after much debate the resolution was worded that they do not support the
current iteration of the Purple Line. At that point the anti-transit folks were making audible sounds of disapproval, because they wanted the line cancelled altogether. Mayor Marylee Abrams said that if anyone came to the meeting hoping the Council would withdraw its support for Purple Line, they would be sorely disappointed because that was never her intention nor goal. One person got up and loudly shouted "you're breaking your word Marylee" as she stormed out of the room. I rolled my eyes-- Marylee has been very clear from the beginning she is not against Purple Line.
Ex-Mayor Diana Longrie thought it would be clever to try and convince the council that the Skally Line/Bruce Vento alignment should be non-motorized only. Multiple council members pointed out to her they do not have the authority nor jurisdiction to do such a thing. I chuckled at that -- Diana Longrie doesn't even know the basics but she sure has loud opinions. Unbelievable some people want her to be Mayor again.
After the meeting I chatted briefly with several of the City Council members. Kathleen Juenemann said to me she was glad I spoke up during the meeting about putting transit users and potential users at the center of transit decisions, and wants me to be part of the engagement process with the Met Council. I am more than thrilled to be a part of that!
In short, I left the meeting feeling positive that Purple Line will continue to move forward. Anti-transit folk left disappointed.