The state planners have "guided" this transition for many, many yrs . . . .. . The big picture came from national sources that helped orchestrate the populist move to the big cites and regional cites, away from agrarian state. The state of Mn agenda today is to continue to element small cites ( old terms/definitions of towns/villages) and it's even talked about elimination of townships (today townships are defined as towns). The fewer government entities the supposed better and more efficient utilization of tax dollars, by fewer cites/government units.