Take MMB's Pandemic Check-In Survey
A year ago, Minnesota Management and Budget’s engagement and inclusion survey asked for feedback on how the pandemic was affecting the work experience of state employees. Since so many things have changed since then, MMB is will be sending a brief survey to get a current read on how the pandemic is currently affecting employees.
MMB’s Management Analysis and Development will email the survey link on Monday, Jan. 10. Your participation is voluntary, and your responses are private — personal identifying information is not shared with your agency or leadership team.
Your voice matters, so please take a few minutes to respond to the survey. Feedback will help agency and state leaders understand employee engagement and challenges you may be experiencing during the pandemic.
Top 5 weather events of 2021
Check out more climate information in the second Spotlight each month!
 Weather enthusiasts including the National Weather Service, the University of Minnesota, state agencies, and Minnesota State Climatology Office Facebook followers voted on the top weather events for 2021, and the results are in!
1. Mid-December Severe Weather and Wind
Out-of-season timing and potency combined for a weather event that had never before been recorded in Minnesota. A cyclone brought warm air, high dew point temperatures and summer-like severe weather. As of Dec. 29, 20 tornadoes had been confirmed. Damaging thunderstorm winds tracked across several states and brought additional damaging non-thunderstorm winds due to the pressure gradient. The warm air ahead of the storm also brought the fastest snow melt seen in December in the Twin Cities, from 12 inches on Dec. 11 to zero on Dec. 16.
2. Drought
Persistent moisture deficits and above-normal temperatures led to a major drought. In most of the state, it was the worst drought in 10 to 30 years. Precipitation in August helped ease the situation but the drought continued through the end of 2021, especially in northern Minnesota.
3. Smoky Summer
The summer was dry, hot, and smoky. Smoke was present on 25 different days between June and August and there was a "smoke outbreak" from July 28 to August 6. This smoke reduced surface visibility across Minnesota and created health hazards for vulnerable populations.
4. February Cold
The winter of 2021 was on its way to the top ten for warmest winter, and then it suddenly had a change of heart and plunged into the icebox. The Twin Cities were at or below zero for 116 hours, the most since 1994.
5. June Heat Wave
At many locations, this was the longest and most severe heat wave to occur so early in the season. The Twin Cities hit 90 degrees or higher nine days in a row, the third longest streak on record. This heat wave also intensified the drought.
For more information about the top five weather events of 2021, check out the Climate Journal.
Editor's note: This is a new feature in Spotlight with information provided by the State Climatology Office, which is part of the DNR's Ecological and Water Resources Division. Beginning in February, look for climate information in Spotlight on the third Fridays of the month.
 Reminder: submit nominations for Commissioner's Awards
The Commissioner's Awards program provides an opportunity for peers to honor the exceptional accomplishments of fellow DNR staff at all levels and across all disciplines. These awards recognize the efforts that stand above all others, and acknowledge employees whose performance reflects the DNR's mission and values. The theme for this year's awards is “resilience.” You can find the nomination forms for individuals and teams online on the Commissioner’s Awards Intranet page.
The deadline for nominations is Jan. 17.
Conservation Officer Chronicles
Editor's note: Every Monday, DNR conservation officers document how they spent the previous week and highlight some of the most important issues in their areas. The Enforcement Division posts these weekly reports and sends them to media outlets and other people who sign up to receive them. In this new Spotlight feature, which will appear in every other issue, we’ll provide a broad overview of what COs have been up to and highlight a few of the individual reports.
As always, keeping people safe while they’re recreating in the outdoors – including by helping out at the various safety education classes – is at the top of officers’ priority list. The following are several highlights from the past couple of weeks:
Jan. 3, 2022
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were concentrated on checking anglers and ATV and snowmobile operators. Recent snow has brought out more snowmobile activity around the area, but has also started creating slushy conditions on area lakes. Anglers should use extreme caution if considering using a vehicle on the ice.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Grand Marais) worked the BWCAW trout opener with several officers. Wahlstrom responded to a medical call on the cross-country ski trail and also to a call for a lost couple who were extremely cold and didn’t have any survival gear.
CO Eric Sullivan (Brainerd) assisted an angler group that was locked in a permanent fishing shelter after having a door handle failure. Through an open window, Sullivan provided the occupants with the required tools to remove the door handle. They were really excited to be released from the shelter and continued angling after the door handle was replaced.
Dec. 27, 2021
CO Chris Vinton (Perham) reports anglers are starting to take ATVs and larger fish houses out on area lakes. Reports of 7 to 9 inches of ice on some of the larger lakes are enticing some anglers to take risks. Vinton assisted the sheriff’s office with a pickup truck that had gone through the ice on an area lake on Christmas day.
CO Tyler Ramaker (La Crescent) was called out on Christmas Eve to assist an ice angler who was disoriented in the fog on unsafe ice. Ramaker responded with an airboat. With the assistance of Houston County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Brownsville Fire, he located the angler and brought him safely back to shore.
CO Kipp Duncan (Duluth East) responded to a call that involved a dead deer found in the caller’s yard. The investigation found the antlerless deer died by archery. The person who shot the deer and the location where the deer was taken are still unknown.
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Starting the new year off right!
 Photo credit: Scott Kudelka
More than 35 people braved the below zero temperatures on Jan. 1 to start the new year by joining Minneopa State Park Naturalist Scott Kudelka on a First Day Hike!
Start earning points for healthy activities
through the Wellbeing Program
A new plan year started on Jan. 3! Employees enrolled in the Minnesota Advantage health plan are eligible for a $70 reduced deductible by completing healthy activities and earning 300 points by Oct. 31.
On family plans, the $70 reduced deductible award applies only to employee's expenses.
If you earned the $70 reduced deductible last year and have other family members on your health plan, be aware of the following:
- In order for the $70 reward to be applied to your deductible in 2022, you will need to personally incur expenses before your family member expenses fill the family deductible.
- For two state employees enrolled in the same plan: if you and a spouse or dependent are covered on the same plan, only the employee who is the policy holder qualifies for the $70 reward.
- Learn more about eligibility in the FAQ.
Some updates have been made to the qualifying activity list. Visit the State Employee Group Insurance Program Health and Wellbeing website for more details and information on additional benefits. Contact Laura Grunloh or Chrissy Eck with questions.
Support for your wellbeing resolutions
Consider these evidence-based techniques to help support you in reaching new goals:
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Use “SMART” goal-setting. Be specific about your goals, identify a way to measure progress, consider attainability and relevancy, and define a specific timeline for the goal. Consider breaking down big goals into milestones. Completing a Personal Health Improvement Plan worksheet may help you get specific.
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Brainstorm ways to overcome potential barriers. Conducing a SWOT self-assessment of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to your wellbeing may help you plan for success.
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Gather some data. Find your baseline and keep track of behaviors that are relevant to your goal. Use paper or a smartphone app like Virgin Pulse to track progress and accountability. Virgin Pulse is available to all benefits-eligible state employees. Visit the Virgin Pulse website to create an account, or download their mobile app.
Free expert help is available to you.
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Omada is a free diabetes prevention and management program that can help you reduce your out-of-pocket medical costs. See if you’re eligible in just one minute at omadahealth.com/segip.
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Health Coaching is available through Virgin Pulse. A coach can help you create a plan and reach your wellbeing goals. You can schedule a session through your Virgin Pulse account. Select the “Health” navigation panel, then “Coaching.”
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Employee Assistance Program (EAP). For more information about EAP services, head to the MMB EAP Work/Life Counseling website.
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Call: talk to a counselor any time who can assist you right away by calling 1-800-657-3719 or 651-259-3840.
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Click: send an email through the secure online message portal or view the online library of resources. Visit the LifeMatters website and use “stmn1” to sign in.
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Text: text “Hello” to 61295 to chat with a counselor. Standard text messaging rates apply.
For more information about employee wellbeing resources, visit the wellbeing page on the intranet. Contact Laura Grunloh or Chrissy Eck with questions.
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Updated special events handbook for your use
A variety of special events are hosted on DNR-managed lands, from endurance horse rides to motocross racing. Some of these events could potentially introduce invasive species to those lands if staff do not require that applicants implement prevention actions.
The Invasive Species Operational Order 113 Committee recently updated the Parks and Trails Special Event Handbook to include more explicit invasive species prevention language. The Op Order 113 committee will work with DNR divisions to update their Special Event forms. Be sure you are using the most up to date Special Event applications and permits. Operational Order 102 addresses procedures for Special Event Permits.
Handbook updates include:
- Added a checklist item requiring a map with event boundaries be provided in the application.
- Added “Potential for introduction or spread of invasive species” as an explicit check item on the Checklist of Special Event Considerations.
- Added a new item to Terms and Conditions – “#3. Permittee shall prevent invasive species from entering into or spreading within the event site by cleaning equipment prior to arriving at the site. Before entering and leaving the site, be sure all vehicles, equipment and trailers are free of caked mud, dirt clods, plants, plant parts, bark or debris.”
- Clarified Terms and Conditions #33 to add that: “Mute swans and other regulated invasive species may not be used” at events.
- Added hyperlinks to the referenced Minnesota Statutes in the list of relevant laws.
- Made all forms and checklists into accessible, fillable pdfs.
2022 Spotlight Schedule
 Spotlight comes out on the first and third Fridays of the month. Submissions are due the Wednesday before distribution. Spend Spotlight articles and photos to newsletter.dnr@state.mn.us or margaret.snyder@state.mn.us. The following is the Spotlight schedule for 2022:
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Jan. 7 and 21
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July 1 and 15
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Feb. 4 and 18
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Aug. 5 and 19
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March 4 and 18
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Sept. 2 and 16
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April 1 and 15
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Oct. 7 and 21
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May 6 and 20
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Nov. 4 and 18
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June 3 and 17
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Dec. 2 and 16
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Meet Fire Team Leader Aaron Mielke
 Aaron Mielke and sawyer scout out a location to establish a fuel break or fireline on the Windy fire in Oregon.
Fire team leader achieves aspirations to lead incident management teams
By Leanne Langeberg, public information officer, Minnesota Interagency Fire Center
Many have referred to Minnesota's 2021 wildfire season as unprecedented, perhaps relentless at times. Yet, one factor remained a comforting constant – Minnesota's wildland firefighters prepared and committed to taking on the challenges each new day brought forth. Aaron Mielke, the fire team leader based out of the Grand Marais area forestry office, is one of those many highly qualified firefighters who has experienced a few Minnesota fire seasons throughout his 23 years with DNR. Even he admits it was a long season.
Aaron reports that between leading a fire team, investigating fire, supporting the MNICS Type 3 Incident Management Teams (IMT) as an incident commander trainee, and supporting the Eastern Area Type 2 IMTs, he spent a combined total of nearly three months away from home.
During that time, Aaron fulfilled a leadership goal. He completed the final requirements to lead incident management teams as a Type 3 incident commander, a goal that he has been working on for several years. He joins a select few full-time DNR employees (seven total) who hold qualifications to take on timely decision-making responsibilities while commanding complex ongoing incidents through emergencies such as wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes, and more.
Aaron understood from the time he joined the Division of Forestry that wildland firefighting would always be a part of his career experience. Early on, fire team leaders within the DNR and the Minnesota Incident Command System's (MNICS) partnering agencies recognized Aaron's skills and abilities. Through their continuous encouragement, maybe even a little persuasion, Aaron followed their advice to continue seeking out the next steps to advance his leadership skills.
"It's just a natural fit for the fire team leader position to follow this progressive path. So much of the skills, such as planning and assigning people to tasks, apply whether we are fighting an ongoing fire or preparing for the next high fire danger day," he said. "So, it was kind of a natural progression to continue going for the incident commander qualifications."
Over time, Aaron worked his way up the chain of command. He completed training and task books, which allowed him to practice and demonstrate specific leadership skills while working under the guidance of qualified mentors, leading to more advanced leadership qualifications. His past experiences leading individual hand crews (the boots on the ground), carrying out daily operational objectives on the fireline, and overseeing multiple hand crews as a division supervisor throughout the United States and even Canada, also helped prepare Aaron for the incident commander role.
In addition to developing hands-on skills for fireline qualifications, Aaron actively participates in Working Teams that support the people and hand crews who carry out Minnesota's wildfire operations. Recently, he volunteered to chair a new working team formed to help guide and support the three MNICS Type 3 IMTs. Aaron isn’t one to sit back upon meeting his goals. In fact, Aaron has been selected to lead the MNICS Team B as their incident commander beginning in spring 2022.
Aaron recognizes his career leadership experience was made possible by a supportive wife and family who understand the time commitments and travel requirements that are a part of wildland firefighting. He also credits the MNICS organization and forward-thinking leaders, both in state and nationally who continue to work tirelessly to improve wildfire response and safety for all Minnesotans.
 Name: Aaron Mielke
Work location: Grand Marais area forestry office
Job title: Fire program forester / assistant area supervisor
Years of Service: 23 years with Division of Forestry
Education: University of Minnesota St. Paul, Forest Management
What’s something my colleagues don’t know about me?
“I am an assistant fire chief with the Grand Marais Volunteer Fire Department and have been with the department for 18 years.”
 Winter sunrise on Lake Minnewaska
in Pope County
 By the way, this optical phenomenon is called a sun pillar, and this morning it was also in conjunction with sun dogs.
- Dave Jungst, native plant prairie acquisition specialist
Editor's note: If you have a photo you like to submit for consideration for the Minnesota Moment section, please send to newsletter.dnr@state.mn.us Editor will make final decision which photos appear in this section.
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