By Erik Rudeen, Government Affairs

The 2012 legislative session adjourned sine die on May 10, a few days after the Senate and House of Representatives passed an omnibus transportation policy bill containing numerous MnDOT initiatives.

“Although the Legislature did not expand MnDOT’s authority to construct MnPASS lanes, they did enact nearly everything else the department requested during this biennial session,” said Scott Peterson, Government Affairs director.

The department still intends to proceed with work on the I-35E MnPASS project due to existing law that allows installation of MnPASS facilities. During the session, communities along the corridor and others expressed strong stakeholder support for the project.

One of the department’s priorities included in the omnibus transportation policy bill is construction manager/general contractor authority, which brings contractors and designers together early in the project development process to reduce risk and construction costs. MnDOT will select a CM/GC firm to assist with construction issues, manage scope to fit the budget and minimize project risks.

Another important MnDOT initiative is a provision ensuring continued access to accident reports through the Department of Public Safety.

“This process allows MnDOT to recover costs when someone damages state-owned infrastructure,” said John Bieniek, Metro District Maintenance. “Money that MnDOT receives from reimbursement for damaged infrastructure goes into district operating budgets, allowing maintenance personnel to make repairs.”

Among other MnDOT priorities included in the bill are authority for an alternative financing pilot project, bridge inspection modifications and protections for state rail bank property. Further changes contained in the legislation streamline state aid rulemaking, authorize electric-assisted bicycles and simplify truck permitting. The omnibus transportation policy bill also includes $33.6 million for remodeling MnDOT district headquarters in Rochester and Willmar, and for work on several truck stations.

The Legislature passed a capital investment bill providing MnDOT with $49.4 million for local roads and bridges, Greater Minnesota transit, railroad warning device replacement and port development assistance. The Department of Employment and Economic Development receives $3 million for a transportation economic development program that MnDOT will help administer, while Hennepin County obtains $2.5 million to construct a transit hub that one day could serve intercity passenger rail. Although no funding is directly provided for the Southwest Corridor light rail project, $47.5 million is available through a competitive program at DEED that could help fund the project.

Additionally, the Legislature enacted an omnibus pensions bill, but did not include an early retirement incentive. Other legislation makes further efforts at streamlining environmental processes, and several bills attempt to provide veterans with additional preferences in contracting and employment. One of those bills also makes revisions that MnDOT requested to the targeted group business program. In one of the highest-profile actions of the year, legislation that provides for construction of a new Minnesota Vikings stadium passed in the final hours of the session.

District conversions underway or scheduled for coming weeks

Employees at Central Office in St. Paul will be upgraded to a new voicemail system called Cisco Unity Connection on June 12. A similar upgrade has already started at some district offices around the state and will occur at others in the near future.

Central Office will automatically be connected to the new system June 12. Employees have already received instructions and quick reference guides to help them get everything set up.

Recordings and saved messages in the old voicemail system will not be moved to the new Unity Connection system. Employees will be able to retrieve messages from the old voicemail system until it is disconnected June 28 by:
                                                                                               
1.   Calling the old system at 651-556-7600
2.   Pressing # and entering their 10-digit phone number and old voicemail system password

Employees with further questions can contact the IT Service Desk at 651-355-0200.

By Jessica Wiens

Two components of the We are MnDOT: A Look Inside program recently received Northern Lights Awards from the Minnesota Association of Government Communicators.

The eBrochure received an excellence award for packaging a wide range of information about MnDOT in a clean, interesting and easy-to-read format. The video received a merit award for creating a visually interesting overview of MnDOT and incorporating animations that were all created in-house.

The program launched in January 2012 to help employees gain a better understanding of how the organization supports and enhances Minnesotans’ quality of life. The program offers a collection of digital and print materials each packed with MnDOT information.

“Engaging employees—both new and seasoned—is vital to empowering them to be leaders in the organization,” said Susan Hall, project manager. “These awards confirm these tools are valuable for employees to view. It’s great to know that other government professionals also appreciate this work.”

Employees from several MnDOT offices contributed to the creation of materials for this project, including:

• Capital Programs and Performance Measures
• Communications
• Customer Relations
• Human Resources
• Policy Analysis, Research and Innovation
• Video Services

Each year, MAGC recognizes outstanding work in government communications. The contest also is open to public communicators and producers in the private sector.

This year, there were 151 contest entries in 14 categories; 66 received awards.

By Lucy Kender, Human Resources

The stories of the latest honorees in the department’s We are MnDOT recognition program are chronicled in a new video now available on YouTube.

This sixth edition of We are MnDOT honors 14 individuals or teams throughout the agency:

• Andrea Smith and Rebecca Swenson – Metro District
• Black History Month Team
• Cindy Wagner, District 7
• District 6 project leaders – Hwy 14 expansion project
• District 7 and Central Office design teams – Hwy 14/Nicollet County Road 41 interchange project
• Gary Andrist, Office of Human Resources
• Igbal Mohammed, Office of Civil Rights
• Karla Rains, Customer Relations
• Lynnette Roshell, State Aid
• MnDOT TranSWIFT Team
• Office of Civil Rights Workforce Compliance Team
• Rick Sunstrom – Office of Traffic, Safety and Technology
• Tom Zimmerman, District 7

“Recognizing our colleagues for their daily contributions helps us embrace the agency’s We are MnDOT motto,” said Bernie Arseneau, deputy commissioner and chief engineer. “Let’s remember that the ‘we’ includes all of us as we work together to accomplish MnDOT’s mission.”

Nominations for the program are solicited twice a year to share stories about co-workers or teams who demonstrate MnDOT’s shared competencies and core values.

By Frank “Duff” Bement, District 6 Construction

What began as a routine surgery turned into a nightmare I couldn’t have gotten through without the support of my family, friends and incredibly generous co-workers.

On March 3, 2011, I went in to have surgery to remove scar tissue in my lower abdomen. The procedure was considered routine out-patient and I was not going to have to spend any time in the hospital. In order to get to the scar tissue, my intestines needed to be removed. The scar tissue was cleaned up, but as my intestines were being put back two holes were unknowingly punctured in them. The puncture wounds caused me to become septic.

I spent the next 27 days in intensive care, much of which I was unresponsive. I had three surgeries during the first six days I spent in ICU to help with bacterial infections I continued to get.

I lost 40 pounds in 30 days and spent a total of six weeks in the hospital. Even after I was released, I wound up having to go back to the hospital several times because I was continually dehydrated and still losing blood, which prevented me from fully stabilizing.

My daughter Amanda was getting married on May 20, 2011, in Jamaica, and despite the uphill battle I was facing, I was determined to be there to walk her down the aisle.

My supervisor helped get me on the vacation donation list and what followed was simply amazing. I received a total of 989 hours not only from District 6 employees, but from people in other districts, people I haven’t seen in years, and even people from other state agencies.

Since there was such a large amount of time that I wasn’t responsive while in ICU, it made my wife feel better knowing that we had these additional hours to fall back on in case my recovery exceeded the vacation and sick leave I had accrued.

I was off work until June 30, when I came back for two half days until the shutdown. After the shutdown I was able to come back to work full-time.

I want to express my deep gratitude to everyone who donated time to me. While I only needed to use a portion of the donated time, every hour that I didn’t need went back into the pool to help someone else.

This vacation donation program works—I am living proof of it. I now plan to donate 40 hours each year to the “vacation donation bank” as a way to repay what I used and help someone else out.   

My final hospital visit was April 26 and we left for Jamaica May 17. I wasn’t able to go in the ocean or sit in the sun while we were there, but I got to walk Amanda down the aisle, which is all that mattered.

Editor's note: The state vacation donation program allows employees to donate up to 40 hours of vacation per fiscal year for approved recipients who have exhausted their sick and vacation leave due to illness.

To donate vacation hours, go to the Employee Self Service Website and click “Other Payroll” and then “Leave Donations.” The site also allows employees to view a list of all state employees eligible for the program and enroll as a recipient.