A thought for the day…
Humor is an affirmation of dignity, a declaration of man's superiority to all that befalls him.
– Romain Gary (1914–1980) French Writer
 IN THIS ISSUE
Notes from Mary Bogie
Deputy Regional Administrator and Chief Financial Officer
As part of the Met Council’s anti-racism discussion and efforts to advance racial justice in our region, last week we launched a Councilwide webpage with anti-racism resources to help all employees in their education and awareness on the topic.
Special thanks to leaders and staff in Community Development for putting together these resources and kindly sharing them with the rest of the organization. This is a wonderful way for all of us to start or continue our education.
If you haven’t already, I encourage you to read Friday’s all-staff email or visit the new MetNet page for a wonderful introduction to this issue, adapted from information shared by Community Development Director Lisa Barajas, followed by many helpful links to learn more. Visit MetNet for the full list of anti-racism resources.
As a government agency, the Metropolitan Council acknowledges and understands our historic and present role in perpetuating the system of racism and injustice. We have a responsibility to elevate the discussion, work with communities across the region, and take action. These issues span multiple jurisdictions, communities, organizations, and industries. Our organization is situated exceptionally well to lead this new effort in the seven-county metro area than the Metropolitan Council.
And we’ve heard from many of you already with ideas for how to lead on this effort. Please continue to share your thoughts and have conversations with coworkers and leaders.
We are holding two listening sessions this week – the first this morning – facilitated by Office of Equal Opportunity Director Cy Jordan and Human Resources Director Marcy Syman, to provide space for staff and management to discuss how we as an organization and as individuals can be part of the change. I encourage you to attend the second session on Thursday, if you can.
We also want you to feel that you can always talk to your coworkers, managers, division directors, and anyone in leadership about your ideas, questions, or concerns. For any issues you’d like to raise anonymously, or if you’re finding it hard to share your thoughts in person, we have set up an online form to collect feedback on our anti-racism efforts. These submissions will be collected and reviewed by leadership, and you may submit your input and remain anonymous or choose to include your name and email.
All of this feedback – and the discussions we are having on individual teams and across the organization – will be extremely helpful as we analyze our existing practices and develop concrete steps for how employees and our organization as a whole can advance racial justice in our own work and our region. Thank you for putting in the work to educate yourself on this issue and propose steps to transform our systems.
Recent remarks on this issue from Chair Charlie Zelle:
Chair’s message: We need bold action on racial equity
Chair's message: Met Council planning review of Metro Transit Police Department
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Second special session seems likely this summer
The first special session of 2020 convened on Friday, June 12, after Governor Walz extended the peacetime emergency declaration in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and ended in the early morning hours of June 20 with all of the major outstanding items unresolved.
Unlike most special sessions in recent years, there was no agreement between the House, Senate, and Governor before convening on the legislation that would be taken up and passed.
No agreements were reached on the key issues that were the center of debate since the regular session adjourned – a bonding package, criminal justice and policing reforms, supplemental budget items, a tax bill, federal COVID-19 funds allocation, and environmental trust fund projects.
The House and Senate offered different proposals in the areas of public safety reform, capital investment projects, supplemental budget appropriations, and assistance to areas damaged by civil unrest. Legislators worked throughout the week and overnight on Friday, but were unable to reach a deal.
Specific to the Met Council, the bonding bill released by the Senate Capital Investment Committee included $5 million for inflow & infiltration grants, $5 million for regional parks and trails, and $12 million for bus rapid transit projects (SF4). The bill was not taken up by the full Senate. The House did not move a bonding bill during the first special session.
The House passed supplemental budget provisions that included the Met Council’s initiative to authorize an administrative citation program for fare evasion and $3.7 million to implement the program (SF47, 1st Unofficial Engrossment). The Senate did not take up the bill.
The House and Senate did pass a bill to aid small businesses along with some small technical and noncontroversial policy bills that will be sent to the Governor’s desk for enactment.
Leaders will continue to negotiate the major outstanding items, and the legislature will likely come back for another special session later this summer.
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Notes from Lisa Barajas
Community Development Director
The Council is embarking on an exciting new chapter, embedding climate change and resilience work into our operations, thereby leading by example within our region. The Climate Action and Resilience Plan is the culmination of more than a decade’s worth of intentional commitment by various staff across all Council divisions to be better stewards of the region’s resources.
Thrive MSP 2040 has five main outcomes: Stewardship, Prosperity, Equity, Livability, and Sustainability. The Council’s long history of addressing environmental issues in the region and, more recently, efforts to address climate change and resilience planning, fit squarely within the Sustainability outcome: “Recognizing the importance of climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience, the Council will use climate impacts as a lens through which to examine all of its work. The Council will look for opportunities to use both its operational and planning authorities to plan for and respond to the effects of climate change, both challenges and opportunities.”
Planning for climate resilience is a cross-cutting endeavor; it really connects with all five Thrive outcomes. When we plan our wastewater infrastructure, transit routes and service, and our other core services, we need to do this with foresight and consideration of our changing climate. Such an effort is fiscally responsible and is proactive in its focus.
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The Climate Action and Resilience Plan will involve work units and staff expertise in all Council divisions. It will focus on where the Council can add value to current operations and procedures through policies and implementation. This organization’s commitment will draw from past and current efforts (for instance, the Council’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory, Climate Vulnerability Assessment, and Solar Planning work), and will also integrate work across the divisions into a single, coordinated and committed effort to reduce the Council’s emissions, adapt to our changing climate, and provide a policy and implementation framework for the next regional plan.
The plan is currently in the scoping phase, and it will be led by an interdivisional Project Management Team for high-level oversight and a Project Team for drafting the plan. Work will start this year and carry into 2021 to develop and implement the plan.
As an acknowledgement of this effort and the Council’s already proven track record on climate change and resilience work, the Council has committed to join the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM) as a Metro-scale Climate Leader. Joining GCoM provides recognition of the Council’s work on climate change and resilience, allows for no-cost technical assistance on Council projects, and connects Council staff to a global network of cities and regions executing such work. Moreover, our commitment to GCoM does not dedicate more funds or staff time to any new ventures beyond our current Council-initiated obligations.
More information on the Council’s Climate Action and Resilience Plan will be released in the months to follow. This is an exciting endeavor for the Council, as we are all part of this journey towards a more resilient region.
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Census results help determine how billions of dollars in federal funding flow into states and communities each year
The 2020 Census helps direct billions of dollars of funding for things that our community needs, including health care, emergency response, schools, and key infrastructure like roads and bridges.
It is not too late to help shape the future of your community. You can complete the 2020 Census now online, by phone (1.844.330.2020), or by mail.
Early results not too good
As of June 15, only 71% of Minnesotans have completed the Census.
(Attention Minneapolis residents: Minneapolis has a 68.4% completion rate – not good – despite the fact that it is vital that everyone gets counted.)
Also, if you have a cabin or short-term rental property, please respond that zero (0) people live there most of the time.
By later this summer, you may see Census workers in your neighborhoods following up with people who haven't responded to the Census yet.
And the winner is...
  This shot by Jeff Syme of Ice Castles at Long Lake Regional Park in New Brighton last winter earned top honors in photography at the Northern Lights Awards last week.
Critchley and Metro Transit staff also are winners
Met Council staff from Regional Administration and Metro Transit won several awards at the 2020 Northern Lights competition, sponsored by the Minnesota Association of Government Communicators.
At the June 17 Facebook Live awards ceremony, the Met Council’s intrepid photographer, Jeff Syme (right), won not only a Northern Lights award (tops in the category) and a merit award for two of his recent photos; his communications peers also bestowed on him the Scott Pengelly Lifetime Achievement award.
They honored Jeff for his impressive portfolio of photography from three decades of government service, his work on the organization’s board, and for who he is as a person and colleague.
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Carol Critchley, Met Council videographer, won the Northern Lights award for her video “Octavia and Miracus” (right), the struggle of a family experiencing homelessness to find safe housing, and their eventual success with the help of Metro HRA and senior outreach coordinator Renae Pereira-Webb.
“From start to finish, this video gets it. Incredible storytelling," the judges commented. “This piece is a powerful take on homelessness in the area.”
Watch the video on YouTube.
Metro Transit staff took home three awards:
- Video Campaign or Series: “Hey, Where Does This Bus Go?” (Northern Lights Award) – Ryan Miller, John Komarek. The judges noted, “You made me laugh. I cannot stress enough how important humor is to telling a story. Bravo! I like how the host keeps it casual, funny, and engages people.”
- Visual Design and Photography, Illustration or Graphic: General Awareness Campaign (Silver Award) – Elissa Erickson
- Website Design or Redesign: MetroTransit.org (Award of Merit) – Adam Mehl, Rich Bothe, Ellen Thomson, John Sanborn, Sharon Feiner, Elissa Erickson, Sam Changtum
Can you believe it? We kept the secret from Jeff!
Jeff was gobsmacked when it dawned on him that the emcees were talking about him as they read the nomination for the Lifetime Achievement award. Read the short nomination (PDF).
“Talk about a surprise – like a heart attack!” Jeff said afterwards. “Absolutely stunned. I’m pretty sure my heart skipped a few beats as I nearly slid off my chair while watching the presentation in real time. I just couldn’t believe it! Time stood still while I caught my breath.
“But I have to give credit to the whole Communications Department for ongoing support and camaraderie over many years,” he added. “This truly is a stellar bunch of talented and dedicated professionals who support one another and care about each other.”
With help from others in the department, Claire Lukens, Communications, created a website gallery of Jeff’s colleagues’ favorite Jeff photos, with commentary. If you want to add a photo and message to the gallery, email Claire or Jeanne Landkamer for more information. (Note: Access to the website, jeffsyme.com, is currently blocked on work computers, but it is accessible from your home computer or personal phone.)
Congratulations to all the award winners.
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Staff from Communications and Information Services will soon be making some changes to the navigation of the MetroCouncil.org website. The team has been working with web and accessibility experts to improve our site and set us up for success in the future, including an eventual mobile-responsive version of the website.
The key changes to the website are a condensed mega-navigation dropdown; menu functions activated by click, keyboard, or touch that enable screen readers, mobile users, and touch-screen users to access the menu; and an expanded menu in the left sidebar that allows users to navigate to nearby pages in the same section.
We are making these changes for several reasons:
- Provide a better user experience for desktop users.
- Improve navigation accessibility per WCAG 2.0 AA standards – and as evaluated by WeCo, our accessibility consultant – with specific focus on those visitors using screen readers, touch screens, and keyboard navigation.
- Make the website more usable with mobile devices and implement necessary changes for developing a mobile-responsive site in the future.
We anticipate implementing these changes to the live website in early July.
Please prioritize your feedback if asked
Staff across the Met Council have been working for more than a year to streamline the process to create and update organizational policies and procedures. As part of that effort, leaders are reviewing existing policies and procedures to ensure they are current and make necessary updates, especially if those documents haven’t been reviewed and updated for several years, which is the case with a large percentage of policies.
Key leaders will be reaching out to subject matter experts for feedback on existing policies. They need your help to keep this project moving.
If you have been asked for feedback on a policy or procedure, please prioritize this work. If you’re unable to respond in the timeframe provided, feel free to ask a colleague to help review. The policies and procedures review team appreciates your efforts to prioritize these reviews and provide timely feedback.
The other aspect of this work is a new library and organization tool for our policies and procedures that will allow staff to find, favorite, and review policies much more easily. Implementation of this new tool has begun, with a potential rollout to staff this fall.
The Met Council recently approved an increase to micro-purchase thresholds. A micro purchase does not require competitive quotes but does require good business judgement.
The threshold increases will streamline the procurement process for staff by reducing the need to solicit competitive price quotations and will reduce barriers for small businesses who are certified as Metropolitan Council Underutilized Business (MCUB) firms.
Staff should be aware of the following changes:
- Micro purchases for non-MCUB firms ($0 – $10,000): The threshold for micro purchases was increased from $5,000 to $10,000 for all funding types.
- Micro purchases for MCUB firms ($0 – $25,000): The threshold for purchasing directly from an MCUB vendor when using local funds was increased from $10,000 to $25,000.
The increase to the micro-purchase level does not impact P-Card limits. P-Card limits will remain unchanged.
The MCUB program was established in 2012 to create a level playing field for small businesses owned by people of color, women, people who have disabilities, and veterans. The Met Council has the following agency-wide goals to purchase from MCUB firms:
- At least 10% of all procurement of eligible goods and services
- At least 14% of all eligible construction contracts
Here are some tips and best practices staff can adopt to increase MCUB commitments:
- Familiarize yourself with using the MCUB Directory to search for firms.
- Proactively work with Procurement staff to solicit MCUB firms.
- Proactively work with the Office of Equal Opportunity’s Small Business Unit to navigate the MCUB Directory, identify firms, and fill industry gaps.
- Pause before you and your team order from your usual vendor and look to see if an MCUB can provide what you need instead.
Thank you for investing in our region and supporting economic inclusion and growth! Please reach out to any member of the Procurement team if you have questions.
Employees across the organization are doing their part to keep Met Council services and programs running at full steam despite COVID-19 and the state lockdown. But we’re all in this together. To help share a little virtual camaraderie, we’re asking staff how their work has changed and what it’s like to serve during a pandemic. To share your story or suggest someone who is doing outstanding work, please email thewire@metc.state.mn.us.
Lynette Andersen
Talent Acquisition Specialist / Career Advisor
Human Resources
How has the pandemic affected your day-to-day work?
I now do all my work at home on a laptop at the kitchen table. Much of my Talent Acquisition work has remained the same since it is done on a computer and via e-mail. However, we have reinvented how we conduct interviews and start new employees to ensure social distancing. My Career Advisor work has changed significantly. Before the pandemic, I did much of that work face to face, typically meeting with employees one on one. Now, I manage appointments virtually via Webex. I also recently conducted a virtual workshop for a Council group on the recruitment process and application tips via Webex.
What’s it like working through a pandemic?
I’m grateful I’m able to work from home for my own and others’ health. I’m actually surprised how easy the transition was. However, our work remains fluid as we continue to adjust to the environment with some recruitments being cancelled. That said, we continue to move forward on and fill other essential positions. As the Career Advisor, I’ve connected with employees who feel this is a good time to take a step back and use this time to work on their career development.
How has your life changed outside of work?
I feel like I have a lot more free time since I don’t spend time commuting or getting ready in the morning. That may diminish slightly as places of business reopen and I start crossing items off my to-do list. I’ve also adjusted some of my routines, such as where I shop. I started shopping closer to home, and I suspect I will continue doing so even after the pandemic is behind us.
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Michele Maurer
Principal Contracts Administrator
Procurement
How has the pandemic affected your day-to-day work?
I think the largest change isn’t the work itself, but the connection to work – I miss walking around and chatting with my peers. I’m really pleased with the technology improvements put in place at CPU so we can work from home efficiently. Adding electronic signatures really helps. We have good leadership in CPU, and it seems everyone else is also working from home really well. We now have meetings on Teams to stay connected, and it’s cool to have the newsletters, Fit for Life offerings, and management updates and meetings, too. I think I’ve figured out the ergonomics, but I do miss the old habit of walking outside through the streets of Saint Paul before and after work. Saint Paul has interesting architecture and nice parks.
What’s it like working through a pandemic?
I’m now working 100% out of a home office, and so is my husband, Chris. Hubby is now my co-worker, my walking buddy, my lunch buddy … that’s definitely new! It will be nice to chat with a few other faces during the day, to run a question by co-workers in person, once this is behind us. Work remains busy, but I enjoy the slower pace of life in many other respects. I hope we all see each other in person before the not too distant future.
How has your life changed outside of work?
I think the biggest thing is really noticing how exceptionally lazy my two cats have become. They just sleep all day. Did they always do that? Also, Chris and I now take a daily walk together and we never used to do that, so that’s nice. I’m doing a bunch more cooking, but far less laundry. The less laundry is also very nice.
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Check it out ...
A year after its successful companion book, "Curious City: Saint Paul," comes "Meandering Minneapolis: A Cultural Atlas." Not truly an atlas nor strictly a cultural guide, the new book from the Macalester College Geography Department takes a more "whimsical" and "eccentric" look at the state's largest city. Produced by the students of GIS + Cartography Instructor Ashley Nepp, the 65-page book takes a wide-ranging look at historic, cultural, and artistic elements of the city, and presents them with eye-popping maps, charts, and other graphic elements.
Some of the map titles tell the tale: "Houses of Ill Fame, Politics of Ill Manners." "The Restless River." "A Cyclist's Journey Through Minneapolis." "Breaking the Fourth Wall: Minneapolis Theater Scene." "A Love Letter to My City."
"This atlas is not meant to be a comprehensive look at Minneapolis," Nepp wrote in an afterword. "This atlas is but an exploration, a wondering, a meandering. Come join us for a stroll through the city."
As with Curious City, a copy is available in the Met Council library. It can also be found at select local bookstores, or call Macalester College. (Former Met Council intern Henry McCarty helped produce the first book in the series.)
In Memoriam ...
 A master artist (clockwise from top): Frank Brown in his former studio in the Saint Paul skyway; Frank in his uniform as a security guard for the Met Council; two examples of his remarkable sculpture.
Frank Brown, Saint Paul, was a master sculptor whose hands shaped human forms in struggle and in community. His art is displayed in public spaces and in art collections across the U.S. He also was the Met Council's front desk security guard for a time at Mears Park Centre on Fifth Street at Wacouta.
Brown, who spent his career working in Lowertown and where he established the Lowertown Artists Association, passed away in April. He was sculpting until four days before he died.
“Frank was very open and willing to engage with all kinds of people,” said Jeanne Landkamer, Principal Communications Specialist, who met Brown when they both worked at Mears Park Centre. “In recent years, I enjoyed seeing him in the skyway, where he would always greet people warmly.”
Like Landkamer, recently retired Met Council employee Mike Nevala also was a fan. "Frank was an incredible presence in the Lowertown community and far beyond!" he said. "His gift and passion was art. He was also a strong advocate for neighborhood and justice. He is missed by many!"
Born in 1956 and raised in southern Illinois, Brown earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and a Master of Fine Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His sculptural work is included in the permanent collections of many institutions, including the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Southern Illinois University, and the University of Utah Museum of Fine Arts in Salt Lake City, with major sculptural commissions in Florida, Wisconsin, and elsewhere.
Brown – well known for his regular greeting, "Another day, another blessing" – is survived by two children, two siblings, and other family. Services have been held.
Newsletters will no longer be sent to personal email addresses
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Met Council Communications team decided to include personal e-mail addresses listed in Employee Self Service in the all-staff e-mail list to ensure staff received time-sensitive and important information.
The expanded list was used for the COVID-19 update emails from Regional Administrator Meredith Vadis, as well as internal newsletters. Moving forward, personal e-mail addresses will be used only for urgent or emergency messages, including COVID-19 updates.
Employees are invited to provide feedback on the content or frequency of our internal COVID-19 communications through this online form.
Note: This change will not impact employees who have chosen to have The Wire emailed to their home.
R.A. email updates on COVID-19 moving to Tuesday and Thursday
Beginning this week, COVID-19 update emails will be reduced to two days a week: Tuesday and Thursday. As the situation warrants, we will go back to more frequent emails or send additional emails as needed. Staff can be assured this will not diminish the quality or amount of information you receive from leadership and the state. We will continue to keep you informed of all updates and important changes to Met Council policies, practices, operations, and services.
For the latest on COVID-19 at the Met Council, check the MetNet page, FAQs
For the most current information related to the COVID-19 outbreak, visit the MetNet page and be sure to review the FAQs for staff and managers. They are updated as we have new information to communicate.
New state website addresses reopening Minnesota
State officials launched a website recently to provide guidance on reopening Minnesota. The information is addressed to families and individuals as well as businesses and organizations.
Visit the Stay Safe MN website.
Deb McKinley
Manager, Programs & Administration
Environmental Services
Primary duties
I will be working primarily on Environmental Services communications, both strategic and tactical. I am also a member of the Environmental Services COVID Response Team.
Started
June 1
Hometown
Reynoldsburg, OH (east of Columbus, birthplace of the commercial tomato)
Current residence
Minneapolis in the Longfellow neighborhood, not far from the epicenter of recent civil unrest. (Thankful to see the Rte. 21 bus rerouted down our street, bringing services back to the community.)
Family
Down the hall from my home office is my husband, Pete, who is part of the COVID-19 response team at Hennepin Healthcare (Hennepin County Medical Center). I am number 7 of 9 kids and have 15 nieces and nephews.
Education
Master of Public Health from the University of Minnesota and a BS in environmental communications from The Ohio State University in Columbus
Experience
I come to the Council with more than 25 years of communications experience focused on health care and the environment. I have experience as a strategic leader, project manager, and communications professional in the field of public health. Almost two decades ago, while coordinating a pollution prevention student intern program at the University of Minnesota, I hosted an intern at the Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Other interests
Recent interests have included organizing neighborhood safety watches, keeping an all-night vigil at the sole remaining grocery store in my neighborhood, and using a garden hose to spray down the house behind the burning Walgreens to prevent it from catching fire before firefighters arrived. My neighbors have moved from crisis response to talking about rebuilding infrastructure and the fabric of community. We are coming together to understand our role in advancing systemic change to address racism. Before civil unrest, I reacquainted myself with sewing to make cloth facemasks for family and friends.
In more peaceful times, I am an avid gardener and enjoy cooking and curling at the St. Paul Curling Club. I love snowy winters for xc-skiing, snowshoeing, and shoveling for functional fitness. I enjoy trying new activities. In recent years, I have spent time rowing on the Mississippi with the Minneapolis Rowing Club, and crocheting (my waffle dress is amazing). I love the outdoors and hope to bike commute once stay-at-home is lifted. Given the option, I’d hike all day in wild country.
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Taylor Ghere
Associate Purchasing Agent
Procurement
Primary duties
I am responsible for sending POs to our vendors, working with our warehouse for shipping discrepancies, as well as working with Accounts Payable to resolve invoice discrepancies.
Started
June 1
Hometown
Eagan
Current residence
Eagan
Family
My wife, Julie, and I have three boys – Murray (5), Bennett (3), and Lewis (1).
Education
Bachelor’s in small business management and entrepreneurship from DeVry University in Miramar, FL, near Miami
Experience
I was co-owner of a Snap Fitness Franchise for 8 years. I also worked at Room & Board (home furnishing retailer) as a delivery associate, service coordinator, and order and vendor operations specialist for 7 years.
Other interests
My main passion is hockey. I still coach and play as much as I can. I also enjoy fly fishing and mountain biking. Of course, I spend a lot of my time hanging out with my wife and kids doing all kinds of fun activities.
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 Fire in the Sky, photo by Kasey Rice
Thankfully, our new cell phones have pretty awesome built-in cameras so a rare sight like this isn’t lost to the wild winds. Kasey Rice, a Business Unit Coordinator at the Empire Wastewater Treatment Plant in Dakota County, grabbed this photo on an early Saturday morning recently at the plant. Cool photo, indeed!
The Wire is published every two weeks for employees of the Metropolitan Council. Everyone is invited to submit comments and story ideas. Contact the editor at thewire@metc.state.mn.us
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