Gov. Walz names former MN-DOT Commissioner Zelle to head Metropolitan Council

Governor Tim Walz is appointing former MN-DOT Commissioner Charles Zelle as new chairman of the Metropolitan Council. Zelle succeeds Nora Slawik, who resigned in mid-November citing health reasons. Zelle — who’s chairman of Jefferson Lines, the inter-city bus company — was a major player in the Dayton administration’s unsuccessful push for a gas tax increase. Governor Walz says Zelle will bring what the governor calls his “unifying lens” to the Metropolitan Council. Zelle says he’ll apply his private- and public-sector experiences to help achieve a prosperous region for everyone.