By Beth Petrowske

By Donna Lindberg

Mn/DOT partnered with the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota and the League of American Bicyclists to hold seven meetings this month in Minnesota cities along the 3,000-mile Mississippi River Trail bicycle route that starts at Lake Itasca and travels through ten states to the Gulf of Mexico. The goal of the meetings was to gather input and provide information to communities that want to get more involved in the planning, management and promotion of the trail.

“The general public and local officials attended the meetings to learn about the proposed Mississippi River Trail route, how to better connect communities to the route and how the route may be managed in the future to serve the needs of both long-distance cyclists and those living in communities along the route,” said Liz Walton, Bicycle & Pedestrian Section. “Implementing any changes can be accomplished cost effectively because the route is on existing infrastructure. If communities make improvements to their local roads and trails, the route will change, adding even greater benefit to cyclists.”

Afternoon meetings in Greater Minnesota provided an opportunity for road and trail authorities to meet with the public and review draft Mississippi River Trail route revisions that had been suggested in meetings earlier this summer. At early evening meetings on the same days at the same locations, participants learned how their communities could become more connected and environmentally sustainable. Meetings in the Twin Cities focused just on Mississippi River Trail route planning.

Mn/DOT has been studying the Mississippi River Trail during the past year in an effort to improve the Trail route, develop a signing plan for segments along state roads, create a marketing plan to promote the trail and develop an interactive map. 

“The vision of the Mississippi River Trail route improvements program is to work with the public and local stakeholders to identify the best route that exists today and ways the route can help communities become more bicycle friendly,” Walton said.

For more information about the Mississippi River Trail, go to http://www.dot.state.mn.us/bike/mrt.html.  

By Jake Finn and Jake Akervik, Research Services

Several employees shared their concerns with Christine Gerencher, Transportation Research Board senior program officer, at the TRB Annual Visit Aug. 9. Gerencher addressed many of the concerns and shared some of the common issues arising in other states.

Some of those concerns and issues pertained to:

• The Americans with Disabilities Act—Applying ADA-compliant changes and how they affect the cost of a project
• Sustainability and livability—Thinking about the future and what changes will occur in regards to climate and quality of life
• Performance measures—Completing projects more efficiently and cost effectively

ADA concerns in regards to transportation are not as prevalent in other states she has visited, according to Gerencher. Most of the issues other states are dealing with pertain to sustainability, livability and performance measures.

How to Get Involved

In addition to addressing Mn/DOT concerns, Gerencher provided an overview of the TRB and the opportunities it provides for participation.

TRB Standing Committees offer different levels of participation, including becoming a friend of the committee and opportunities for young members under the age of 35. 

Committees are based around many different topic areas, including Design, Construction, Operations, Planning, Information Technology, Law, Policy and Human Factors.

There are currently 48 Mn/DOT employees serving on TRB committees—10 of whom are chairs. All Mn/DOT Divisions are represented on the committees.

For more information on participating in TRB, visit
http://www.trb.org/GetInvolvedwithTRB/public/GetInvolvedwithTRB.aspx and http://www.trb.org/GetInvolvedwithTRB/Public/GetInvolvedCommittees.aspx.

Employees interested in attending the latest Commissioner’s Reading Corner discussion can still sign up at ihub/readingcorner/index.html. Mike Barnes, Engineering Services Division director, will lead a discussion of “The World's Most Powerful Leadership Principle: How to Become a Servant Leader,” by James C. Hunter.

The discussion will take place Wednesday, Sept. 1, at 1:30 p.m., in Central Office Conference Room 461. Employees can also participate virtually via Adobe Connect and should log in as a guest no earlier than 1:15 p.m. All employees are encouraged to attend, even if they have not yet read the book, according to Qin Tang, Mn/DOT librarian.

Employees can also prepare for future book discussions by checking out other titles on the reading corner book list, which includes “Nuts! Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success,” by Kevin and Jackie Freiberg. Bernie Arseneau, director of Mn/DOT’s Policy, Safety and Strategic Initiatives Division, will lead a discussion of that book Oct. 6.

Other upcoming discussions will include these titles, which are available in the Commissioner's Reading Corner at the Mn/DOT Library:

• A New Breed of Leader: 8 Leadership Qualities that Matter Most in the Real World: What Works, What Doesn't, and Why
• How Successful People Think: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life
• The Trusted Leader: Building the Relationships that Make Government Work
• The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You
• Collaborative Leadership: How Citizens and Civic Leaders Can Make a Difference
• Jeffrey Gitomer's Little Teal Book of Trust: How to Earn It, Grow It, and Keep It to Become a Trusted Advisor in Sales, Business & Life

Employees with questions can contact Rebecca Fabunmi, special assistant to the commissioner, at 651-366-4808. To read an interview featuring Barnes’ reaction to the latest book, visit ihub.dot.state.mn.us/readingcorner/interviews.html.

All misplaced and stolen Mn/DOT electronic devices can now be reported by calling the Lost/Stolen Hot Line at 651-366-4152. Employees should first contact their supervisor and then call the hot line as soon as they know that an electronic device has been lost or stolen.

Electronic devices that should be reported include:

• Blackberries/cell phones
• Desktop/laptop computers
• Digital cameras
• Computer monitors
• Data projectors
• Printers

Employees with any doubt about whether a device should be reported can call the hot line for assistance.

Some items, including thumb drives and data discs, may represent a data loss that needs to be addressed under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act. Please report the loss of these data devices to Barbara Forsland, Data Practices compliance officer, at 651-366-4822, or Peter Zuniga, Data Practices attorney, at 651-366-4837.

By Donna Lindberg

The recently announced early retirement incentive has already received the attention of many employees eligible to take advantage of the offer.

“On Aug. 4, Mn/DOT began receiving applications from eligible and interested employees,” said Eric Davis, Human Resources director. “By Aug. 17, our office approved 10 applications for offers of early retirement incentives—some of these people have already retired with the incentive.”

Although the agency’s intent is to offer the incentive to the maximum number of eligible and interested employees, each offer must be evaluated against business goals. Davis and top staff want to remind employees of the reasons Mn/DOT decided to offer the incentive:

Approved applications by office/district

1 from Freight & Commercial Vehicle Operations (CO)

1 from Policy, Analysis, Research & Innovation (CO)

1 from Technical Support (CO)

1 from Traffic (CO)

2 from the Bridge Office (Oakdale)

1 from Metro District

2 from District 3

1 from District 8

• To facilitate work force planning goals
• To make improvements in the overall cost, efficiency and effectiveness of Mn/DOT's service-delivery model
• To provide an overall reduction in payroll costs

“We are required to report to Minnesota Management and Budget on how we intend to meet these goals and how offering the incentive to each and every person justifies strong business decisions,” Davis said. “Similarly, MMB is required to report to the 2011 Legislature on how the incentive helped to realize work force planning goals and reduce the overall costs of state government.”

What does that mean for Mn/DOT?  

If a large number of Mn/DOT employees retire with the incentive, individual offices and the agency as a whole will need to find new ways to do business and balance priorities. 

“We will use our strategic vision, strategic directions and flagship initiatives to guide us in shifting resources where they are needed most,” Commissioner Tom Sorel stated in the department’s application to MMB.

“Offering the incentive presents Mn/DOT with a unique opportunity to streamline work processes while addressing the risks of work force turnover,” Davis said. “In our implementation of the early retirement incentive, it’s critical that we ensure the delivery of our core services is sustainable while enhancing our ability to more efficiently and cost effectively provide the highest quality, dependable multi-modal transportation for the public now and into the future.”

“I ask all employees to collaborate with co-workers and work teams to help create even better and more innovative ways of conducting our business.”

Employees applying for the early retirement incentive should use the newly revised application. Employees can also find retirement-related information and contacts by visiting:

• The Early Retirement Incentive website for the application form, frequently asked questions and additional incentive information.

• The Minnesota State Retirement System website for information on retirement, survivor and disability benefit coverage for state employees.

• The Minnesota Deferred Compensation Plan website for more information on the voluntary tax-deferred savings plan.

• The Health Care Savings Plan website for information on the tax-free medical expenses and premiums savings plan.

By Beth Petrowske

Sharon Johnson, Publishing Design Services, has worked at Mn/DOT for more than 19 years doing the same type of work—and she loves it.

Johnson enjoys her job so much that she said it will be a very difficult decision to retire—whenever that day comes.

Located on the 6th floor of the Central Office Building, Johnson works in a neat office equipped with all the tools of her trade.

What kind of work do you do?

I work on a variety of projects that are either printed or get posted on the Web. Our projects include brochures, newsletters, posters and a lot of graphics. I really like working on the graphic projects—they are a lot of fun.

How has your work changed over the years?

We used to do a lot more data entry but now many of the people who use our services provide files digitally and we just need to go through them and make sure they are formatted consistently and professionally.

Another part of my job that has changed is related to software and technology changes. One of the biggest challenges was when we switched from WordPerfect to Microsoft Word.

What do you like best about your job?

I really enjoy working on maintenance specifications. These are very large documents that are full of details—everyone thinks I’m crazy to like working on them, but I do.

The specifications require frequent revisions and every time I get one of the documents back I make the changes that are needed. I really like working with the maintenance people and the engineers.

What is the most interesting project that you have ever worked on?

I actually like them all. I love the challenge of taking something that looks messy and changing it into something that is easy to read and understand and that looks great. I get a lot of satisfaction from that—it makes me feel like I have really earned my paycheck.

What are the biggest challenges that you face in your day-to-day work?

Debbie Milligan (Johnson’s supervisor) and I rarely miss a deadline—we are always busy. Everyone seems to want their projects done “ASAP” and this puts quite a bit of pressure on us. We like to request a 1–3- day turnaround for most projects and a 3–5-day turnaround for graphics projects, but sometimes this isn’t possible. Meeting deadlines is definitely a challenge that we continually face.

Do you have any other comments you would like to add?

I really like what I do—I can’t imagine not doing it. I enjoy working with and for people.

Do you or a co-worker have an interesting job to share with readers? Click here to send us your ideas, and we’ll contact you for more information.
Recent employee profiles:

• On the job: Dwayne Stenlund receives award for best practices presentation
• Dave Tody makes sure everything runs efficiently at State Sign Shop
• Kristie Billiar puts the ADA Transition Plan into action

By Bob Filipczak

The second annual Minnesota State Capital Run @ Work Day 5K will be held Sept. 17, beginning with a celebration at 11 a.m. in front of the State Capital Building. The celebration and opening ceremony will be followed by the 5K race at 11:30 a.m.

Employees who wish to participate in the free event can fill out the registration form at http://www.active.com/running/st-paul-mn/minnesota-state-capitol-run-work-day-2010. The preregistration deadline is Sept. 10. 

Four State of Minnesota Commissioners will attend this year’s event—Tom Hansen, Minnesota Management and Budget; Ward Einess, Revenue; Shelia Reger, Administration; and Tom Sorel, Transportation.

A committee comprised of volunteer employees from five state agencies organized the event, which is open to all State of Minnesota employees and the public.

To learn more about National Run @ Work Day, visit http://www.rrca.org/programs/run-at-work-day/

By Commissioner Tom Sorel

What makes a good story?

Any high school English teacher will tell you that unforgettable characters, gripping action and a satisfying conclusion are some of the elements you need to build a compelling narrative.

You’ll find those characteristics—and more—in the latest round of “We Are Mn/DOT” stories, which were part of a webcast today hosted by Deputy Commissioner/Chief Engineer Khani Sahebjam and Rebecca Fabunmi, special assistant to the commissioner/deputy commissioner. The webcast highlighted the impressive work of more than a dozen individual employees as well as Mn/DOT itself, which recently was recognized with a number of national awards.

Take Rick Pickar’s tale. Rick is the District 3 bridge maintenance supervisor who, during the floods last March, was out inspecting bridges when he discovered that ice jams on the Mississippi River had carved a cavern the size of a two-car garage from the bank beneath the Hwy 10 bridge/Little Falls bypass. Rick was responsible for getting the bridge closed and coordinating with local law enforcement—an act that Gary Dirlam, assistant district engineer for maintenance operations, is certain prevented a tragedy and ensured the safety of the driving public.

Ken Porter, who works in maintenance out of District 1’s Deer Lake Truck Station, is a man who clearly loves his job. “It’s like a big Tonka yard,” he said of the vehicles he operates during the course of his daily duties, like plowing snow or patching potholes. In his free time, he’s also busy serving as a volunteer fire fighter and working in rescue and recovery of boating or drowning victims. On the lighter side, he likes to write lyrics and sing, including one song that carries the “Stay Back, Stay Alive” message to the tune of “Garden Party” by Ricky Nelson.

Motorists on Twin Cities area freeways have Pete Ennis and Joe Rausch, Metro District, to thank for the fiber optics work they do that supports the cameras used by the Regional Transportation Management Center to monitor traffic and dispatch help when needed.

Providing information to the public in a clear and understandable way is also an important part of Mn/DOT’s mission, as Jake Akervik and Sandy McCully, Office of Policy Analysis, Research & Innovation; Judy Jacobs, District 3 Public Affairs; and Heidi Bryand, Office of the Commissioner, can attest.

Inside the department, Lynn Frank, Employee Wellness event coordinator, helps keep employees focused on health and wellness issues with her monthly newsletter and with the various classes and events she helps teach and coordinate.

Karl Andersen and Eric Breitsprecher, District 6/Rochester, and Scott Oines, District 4/Detroit Lakes, spent the better part of 2007-08 away from their families so they could apply their expertise in construction and design-build in helping to build the new Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis. As Terry Ward, District 6 project engineer, noted, these employees are representative of a lot of people who make sacrifices in order to achieve Mn/DOT’s mission.

These are just a few brief chapters that make up Mn/DOT’s larger story. There are 5,000 more here we can learn from; let’s hear yours.

Editor’s note: To nominate one of your co-workers for inclusion in the next volume of “We Are Mn/DOT,” see http://ihub.dot.state.mn.us/we-are-mndot/index.html. If you did not have the opportunity to see the webcast, it will be replayed on Thursday, Aug. 26, at 10 a.m. Click on http://oitw2ksvideo1.ad.dot.state.mn.us/dot3.asx at that time to view.