Lt. Col. Kevin Gutknecht, Metro district, shows where land mine fields are indicated on the Bosnian map. He briefed the lieutenant governor and her group on the missions the Minnesota soldiers are completing and the risks involved. Although the Guard soldiers do not remove land mines, they must know where they are. The red dots indicate land mine fields. Photo by Lucy Kender

With strains of "I’ll be Home for Christmas" in the air, Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau led a group of Minnesotans Dec. 20-23 to visit many of the 1,100 Minnesota Army National Guard soldiers on active duty in Bosnia. The group, including 26 civic and business leaders and news media, traveled to Bosnia to greet and thank the soldiers who have been stationed there since August 2002.The Guard troops are scheduled to return to Minnesota in early spring.

Minnesota’s citizen-soldiers are part of the international peacekeeping mission in the war-torn nation. Their mission includes showing an American presence, helping rid the countryside of war munitions and working with citizens in the surrounding communities.

"This trip was about the sacrifices the soldiers make," said Molnau, who traveled in her role as deputy commander in chief of the Minnesota National Guard. "We just wanted to show them how much we appreciate them.

"Wherever we went, we asked the soldiers what message they would like us to bring home. To a person, they wanted to communicate to their families and loved ones how much they miss them, but also how proud they were in completing this difficult mission and helping make a difference."

At the conclusion of a "town hall" meeting with members of Task Force Iron, Lt. Gov. Molnau awarded a giant-size Hershey bar to Capt. Jeff Wendland in appreciation of his interest in transportation issues. The town hall meeting gave soldiers the opportunity to query legislators and others on military-related legislation and gave the leaders the opportunity to personally thank the soldiers for their sacrifices. Photo courtesy of the Minnesota National Guard

In her role as transportation commissioner, Molnau also brought personal greetings to two Mn/DOT employees: Lt. Col. Kevin Gutknecht, Metro district, and Maj. Jody Gunlock, District 1.

"This has been a good mission. We are making a difference here. We can go home proud, knowing that we've helped keep peace here. My soldiers are doing well. They appreciate this mission," said Gutknecht. "We all miss our families and home, no question. But we are getting excellent support from there, and for that we are grateful."

Gutknecht commands the 350-person "Task Force Iron" made up primarily of troops from Minnesota’s 2nd Battalion, 194th Armor located in Duluth and Iron Range communities.

Maj. Jody Gunlock listens to a question from Steve Krikava, director of government affairs for Land O Lakes, during the business leader’s tour through his unit. Several business leaders visited with soldiers as well as the local chamber of commerce in the hopes of establishing business relationships. Photo courtesy of the Minnesota National Guard

Gunlock serves as the executive officer with 2nd Battalion, 136th Infantry "Task Force Bearcat." That battalion hails primarily from Minnesota’s northwest corner. He has found a way to keep active during off-duty hours: he sings in the chapel choir. The lieutenant governor and others attended a special chapel service where Gunlock performed.

Currently, there are some 3,000 Minnesota National Guard soldiers on active duty in countries around the globe. The support of civilian employers is critical for the success of such missions.

One of the group members, retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Denny Shulstad, who also serves as the chairman of Minnesota’s Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, presented a plaque to Molnau for her support of the Mn/DOT employees and her support of all Minnesota’s deployed soldiers. He told the soldiers that he tells employers they can expect a better employee—a better person—to return to work after an experience like this mission in Bosnia.

For more information on the history of Bosnia and the American military involvement there check: http://www.tfeagle.army.mil/.

By Lucy Kender

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FAST lanes--publicly owned lanes paid for by private entities--will be coming to Minnesota, according to an announcement the governor and lieutenant governor made at a Dec. 29 news conference. Graphic logo by Paula Gustafson

Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Lt. Gov./Transportation Commissioner Carol Molnau announced last week that they are bringing "FAST lanes" to Minnesota’s highway system. FAST lanes are new publicly owned lanes paid for by private entities, which are repaid by users of the lanes.

The governor and lieutenant governor also announced at the Dec. 29 news conference that Mn/DOT plans to issue an official request for interest from private entities this month. A list of possible Minnesota corridors they consider ideal for the plan was also released. It includes I-494 and I-35W and Hwy 36 and Hwy 65. More information on the FAST Lanes plan and the corridors being considered is located at http://www.dot.state.mn.us/fastlanes/index.html.

Molnau said that the state needs bold and innovative solutions to address traffic congestion problems. She said congestion is indicative of a solid economy, but that congestion also threatens the quality of life and competitiveness of the region.

In response to critics’ concerns that FAST lanes would only be used by affluent commuters, Molnau said studies show drivers of all income levels use the lanes.

"Regardless of income level, citizens who need to get to daycare, an appointment, or to work on time have shown a willingness to pay to use similar lanes," she said.

The FAST Lanes proposal is different from the high occupancy toll lanes concept, which Pawlenty and Molnau announced last fall. HOT lanes operate on existing, underused high occupancy vehicle lanes by allowing single drivers to pay a fee to use the lane. FAST lanes would require construction of new highway lanes.

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The entrance to the transportation exhibit beckons visitors at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul. Photo by Dave Gonzalez

The crucial role of transportation in the history and future of Minnesota receives well-deserved attention from a new exhibit at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul.

The exhibit invites visitors to examine the earliest forms of transportation and to become familiar with the state’s most recent innovations in the field. Opening date for the exhibit is Jan. 17. The history center is located at 345 Kellogg Blvd., about four blocks south of the Capitol.

The exhibit’s debut closely follows the opening of the "America on the Move" exhibition at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. late last year.

Titled "Going Places: The Mystique of Mobility," the display uses photos, videos, maps and postcards to capture moments in the development of the state’s complex transportation system and to convey the magnitude of future transportation challenges.

The exhibit also addresses issues such as land use and traffic congestion to help visitors make connections about the transportation choices they make and their effects on the state’s environment and its future.

Interactive displays will enable visitors to imagine a leisurely ride on a 1910-era streetcar, explore the history of mass transit, crank the engine of a 1915 Model T Ford and create their own personalized vehicles.

Representatives from Mn/DOT and other transportation-related organizations worked with the history center staff to develop the exhibit. The exhibit, which occupies 5,600 square feet of space at the center, will be displayed until 2009.

Museum officials estimate that 1.5 million people will visit the site during the next five years.

Loris Gregory, an exhibit developer, credited several Mn/DOT employees who helped develop parts of the exhibit such as photos, graphic elements and relocating the Work Zone Charlie Brown statue to the history center.

The federal Transportation Equity Act provided funding for the exhibit for the 21st Century through the U.S. Department of Transportation as did corporate sponsorships and private donations.

"Multimedia programs, hands-on activities and voices and images of Minnesotans past and present will make this exhibit a lively place for exploration, conversation, reflection and learning," Gregory said.

For more information, see the History Center Web site.

By Craig Wilkins

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What does it really cost to provide our products and services? How can we cut costs and still deliver value to our customers?

Those are questions Mn/DOT hopes to answer with a productivity and cost management pilot process that the Engineering Services Division and the Office of Finance will conduct in 2004.

Guided by the Pawlenty-Molnau budget principles of managing for results and funding what is essential, the pilot will address Mn/DOT’s strategic goal of working better and being more accountable for our actions.

"The productivity and cost management process will help Mn/DOT better understand costs and what drives them," said Scott Peterson, director, Office of Finance. "This will help us achieve our mission more cost-effectively."

The pilot will evaluate the cost relationships and cost effectiveness of program delivery work processes, beginning with plan delivery. This will be done by determining the relationship of program delivery costs to program size and composition; comparing costs of tasks performed in-house to consultant costs, and examining Mn/DOT overhead costs for billing purposes.

"This process will provide indicators, relationships and benchmarks to help us measure the performance of Mn/DOT’s program delivery process and improve our understanding of program delivery costs," said Dick Stehr, Engineering Services Division director. "We will use these insights to guide improvement efforts."

Over the next two months, a project team will be identified to develop a work plan for the pilot process. Look for more information about the pilot on the Office of Finance Web site at http://ihub.cbg/index/index.html. For more information, contact Larry Moser, Office of Finance, 651/296-1602 or Mary Prescott, Engineering Services Division, 651/297-2250.

By Donna Lindberg

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Detroit Lakes/District 4's Trudy Kordosky and Shirley Rislund accepted donations for the district's fundraising effort that contributed more than $1,000 to a hospice program in northwestern Minnesota. Photo by Robert Kotaska

Mn/DOT employees opened their hearts and their wallets during the holiday season to help the sick, the hungry and the homeless.

Employees’ care for their less fortunate friends and neighbors showed in contributions of money, food and time to help others.

For the ninth consecutive year, employees at Detroit Lakes/District 4 raised money for a hospice program that serves people in northwestern Minnesota. The first fundraising effort for the hospice netted about $50. This year’s contributions totaled more than $1,000, said Judy Jacobs, district public affairs coordinator. Total District 4 employee contributions to the facility now exceed $5,000 since 1994.

At Rochester and Owatonna, District 6 employees contributed toys and food to needy families. Brian Jergenson, district public affairs coordinator, organized volunteers from the district office to ring bells at Salvation Army collection spots in the Rochester area.

Office of Aeronautics employees donated toys for children and robes and slippers for adults to a women’s shelter in West St. Paul. The office also donated cash raised from a soup lunch event and foodstuffs to a food shelf in St. Paul.

Dan Riser, one of the organizers of Aeronautics’ charitable work, said the office’s donations also inspired individual employees to make other gifts as well.

"We were happy to make the donations and the people who received were happy as well," he said.

In the Central Office, a silent auction held by Human Resources employees raised $580 to support two needy families chosen by staff members and by the Children’s Home Society. The families received clothing, household items and gift certificates.

Another silent auction conducted by the Office of Communications generated nearly $300 in donations for the Red Cross to support members of the U. S. military deployed overseas.

Employees in the Office of Construction gave more than $400 to Second Harvest, a private agency that supports community food shelves statewide.

Capitol complex employees reflected the spirit of the season by donating 32 pints of blood on New Year’s Eve day. Jon Elftmann, Technical Support, said the Red Cross always makes its goal when its Bloodmobile visits Mn/DOT’s Central Office.

Elftmann, who has been coordinating Mn/DOT’s blood drive effort for more than 20 years, said the level of donations was good considering that many employees took vacation leave during the holiday period.

The Hiway Federal Credit Union, whose members include many Mn/DOT employees, joined the holiday giving as well. The credit union donated four vanloads of gifts to the Toys for Tots program and gave nearly 100 pounds of food collected from member donations to a St. Paul food shelf.

Colleen Leuschner, chair of the community service committee, said the credit union also donated school supplies plus hats, mittens and other clothing items for use by students at the nearby Franklin Elementary School in St. Paul’s Mt. Airy neighborhood.

Credit union employees, she said, contributed $300 to help a single-parent family of three to buy clothing and other items during the holidays.

By Craig Wilkins

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Mn/DOT’s Mukhtar Thakur widens his media reach for programming about Indian music and culture with the start of a weekly TV show on Twin Cities Public Television’s Channel 17.

The new half-hour program, known as "Geet Mala," airs Sundays at 10 p.m. The first broadcast was aired on Jan. 4. The TV show complements his current radio program on KFAI-FM (90.3) that’s broadcast on Mondays evenings at 7:30 p.m.

The program’s debut marks the first volunteer-produced show aired on a public TV channel in the U.S. Geet Mala is one of several Minnesota-related productions that TPT will broadcast during prime viewing hours on its Minnesota Channel programming.

The phrase "Geet Mala" translates into English from Hindustani as "stringed gems of songs."

Thakur, director of Technical Support, started the radio show in 1990 to give voice and support to the popular music from the Indian subcontinent. The radio show also includes news reports from the subcontinent, interviews with Asian leaders and conversations with immigrants from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

Thakur, a native of India, lived in East Africa and Great Britain and worked in Saudi Arabia before moving to the U. S. and starting his career with Mn/DOT in 1987.

The TV program retains those features and adds film clips from the Indian cinema industry, the world’s most prolific film industry.

Geet Mala will include music videos, Indian poetry, music from the Sufis and other religious traditions as well as popular Indian music.

"The program will help meet the need to connect Americans with Indian and other Asian cultures and to link Asians living here to our roots," Thakur said.

For more information, visit the program’s Web site at www.Geetmalatv.com.

By Craig Wilkins

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Mike Larson, 53, inventory and purchasing supervisor at Morris, died Dec. 29.

Mike Larson, inventory and purchasing supervisor at Morris, and Bill Frost, assistant to the state aid engineer at Bemidji, died from complications of cancer.

Larson, a 25-year employee with Mn/DOT, died Dec. 29. He was 53. Frost, whose career with Mn/DOT spanned 39 years, died Jan. 1. He was 57.

Larson, was born in Portland, Ore., but spent much of early childhood in Minnesota in Hitterdal and Hawley. He started working with Mn/DOT in 1978.

"Mike was one of a kind, a delightful breath of fresh air," said co-worker Teresa Elkin, an employee development specialist at Detroit Lakes. "He was always looking for ways to improve processes. Even if he knew an idea he had would go nowhere, he’d mention it anyway. He’ll be greatly missed."

Joy Penney, district finance manager and Larson’s supervisor, said he constantly challenged status quo thinking and left a legacy of improved inventory and purchasing practices.

"He was a good person who cared about the people he worked with and helped us keep a good sense of perspective about what we do," she said.

Larson is survived by his spouse, DeAnne Larson, and sons Chad and Aaron.

Bill Frost, 57, assistant to the state aid engineer at Bemidji, died Jan. 1.

Frost, who was a senior engineering specialist, began working with Mn/DOT at the former Golden Valley District office in 1964. He transferred to Bemidji in 1976.

Dean Robertson, an engineering specialist in design and a co-worker of Frost’s since his earliest years with the district, said Frost was well regarded for his technical knowledge and was always helpful to other employees.

"He had a lot of technical experience in bridge construction and right of way. He was a great resource for everyone and an easygoing person to work with," Robertson said.

Frost was a native of Olivia, Minn. Spouse Linda Frost and son Jesse survive him.

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The Department of Employee Relations modified the availability of its Employee Assistance Program to make it more accessible to state employees throughout Minnesota.

With the start of new provider contracts on Jan. 1, Behavioral Health Services, Inc. will provide counseling services for individual employees and their dependents. The services will be provided to employees who are members of the State Employee Group Insurance Plan.

Employees may call 1-866/477-1586 in Greater Minnesota or 651/662-2586 to receive an assessment from a counselor, who will provide immediate counseling or make a referral to a local EAP providers, a community resource or services available from the individual’s health plan. Phone service will be available 24 hours a day.

BHSI will use many of the same providers in Greater Minnesota currently used by DOER’s program. In the Twin Cities, BHSI will use clinics in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Eagan, Golden Valley, North St. Paul, Shakopee and Woodbury for counseling services.

Supervisors and managers will continue to receive behavioral health-related employee, organizational or workplace consultation by internal DOER staff.

More information is available from the EAP Web site.

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