A thought for the day…
"If we can't all swim together, we will sink. There is no plan B because there is no planet B."
– Ban Ki-moon (born 1944) former Secretary-General of the United Nations
IN THIS ISSUE
Guest notes from Charlie Zelle
Chair
The following column was published in September on MetroCouncil.org.
Our region has been slower to experience the dramatic impacts of climate change than places like California, ravaged by multiple wildfires, or the Gulf Coast, assaulted by supercharged hurricanes.
But the evidence is accumulating here, too — a shorter ice fishing season and more severe rainstorms are among the signs. This summer we may have gotten a taste of things to come with prolonged drought and weeks of hazy days as smoke from northern forest fires filled our skies.
Statewide, Governor Tim Walz is calling on us all to reflect on the urgent need to act on climate change, declaring this week as Climate Week.
We have a long-term commitment to sustainability
The Metropolitan Council has long been committed to the sustainability of the region through our work in wastewater treatment and monitoring water quality, providing transit service, and funding the regional park system. But in recent years we have become increasingly focused on actions that will further reduce regional carbon emissions, help communities adapt to climate change impacts, and increase the region’s resiliency. Here are just a few examples of initiatives across our agency:
- Metro Transit is in the process of buying eight 40-foot electric buses, adding chargers to the new Minneapolis Bus Garage, and returning the METRO C Line’s electric buses to service as soon as possible. We’ll have a long-range plan completed next year that will provide a roadmap for transitioning our bus fleet to low- and no-emission models, as funding and technical feasibility allow.
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Network Next is our 20-year plan for expanding and improving the bus network, including adding more bus rapid transit lines. This network has the potential to expand mobility and significantly reduce vehicle miles traveled in the region.
- We have several studies under way looking at ways to reduce carbon from the transportation sector, including an electric vehicle planning study. The study will identify strategies to accelerate electric vehicle adoption in the region as a way to reduce emissions and improve public health.
- Our Community Development researchers have developed a regional greenhouse gas inventory and will soon release a scenario planning tool. These tools will enable local governments to measure their emissions and look at the impact of different strategies for reducing them.
- The Growing Shade project, our partnership with Nature Conservancy and the Tree Trust, is creating a tool to help cities prioritize tree planting and maintenance to address equity, environmental justice, extreme heat, localized flooding, and other challenges related to climate change.
- Our Environmental Services division continuously pursues opportunities for improved energy efficiency as we design, select, and install technologies in our wastewater treatment system. We also recover energy from biosolids through anaerobic digestion and sustainable incineration. These activities have reduced our fossil-fuel purchases in the system by more than 15% since 2006.
- We advance solar energy in the region by hosting solar energy projects on Council-owned property and subscribing to community solar gardens. We are working toward purchasing 100% of our electricity from new renewable energy sources — like wind and solar — by 2040.
Our agency-wide Climate Action Plan is under way
To maximize the impact of these efforts and better coordinate across the Met Council, we are engaged in creating our first Climate Action Plan. The plan is being developed by a cross-divisional team that will identify new goals and strategies to be adopted by the Met Council in 2022. This week, I am recommending a Climate Work Group be established to explore additional policies and actions the Met Council could pursue in confronting climate change.
We are not alone in our efforts. Counties and dozens of cities across the region are switching to green energy, hardening critical infrastructure against extreme weather, installing electric vehicle charging stations, building pedestrian and bike paths, and taking other actions to address climate change. Businesses, nonprofits, and educational institutions are also addressing this critical issue.
Climate change is a global problem, and we can make a big impact right here at home. Let’s use Climate Week to spur action across our region.
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Event is required for all general managers, directors, managers, and supervisors
The Met Council’s 2021 management conference, Leadership Forum on Racial Equity, kicks off this week! Attendees of the Oct. 6 and Oct. 7 dates received an email today with links and details for how to navigate the online conference.
For the first time, the Leadership Forum is being held entirely virtually. Conference materials and session information are organized in a SharePoint site for attendees to follow along and download resources. The individual sessions are delivered as Microsoft Teams meetings.
Attendees are receiving the SharePoint site link via email and Outlook invitation before the conference.
On the Leadership Forum's SharePoint site, attendees will find the agenda, how to join the Microsoft Teams sessions, and links to speaker bios and more.
You may only attend the conference via a desktop computer or laptop; you may not attend on a mobile device.
Getting help during the event
Use the Microsoft Teams Attendee Job Aid (PDF) for help joining the sessions or troubleshooting poor call quality.
If you experience any issues during the conference, click on "Get Help with Teams" in the left-hand menu of the Leadership Forum SharePoint site to connect with one of our Microsoft Teams experts on staff.
Optional "early bird" sessions
If your schedule allows, please join us a half hour early for the kickoff sessions hosted by Fit For Life. These optional sessions immediately before the conference will feature a chef, meditation specialist, and health equity professional.
Details and session materials are on the SharePoint site, and if you're planning to attend the cooking session, check out the recipes ahead of time so you can get ingredients and prepare the food along with the chefs!
Before the conference: Complete the pre-conference assignment
Managers and supervisors must complete one assignment before the conference. This task will help you visualize your equity journey by creating a journey map. The map will be referenced in one of the sessions with our conference keynote speakers.
Complete the journey map assignment:
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Watch this 7-minute video on how to create a journey map.
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Read the assignment guide (PDF) and go through the questions in this exercise to get you thinking about your own equity journey.
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Check out this sample of an equity journey map, from one of our keynote speakers.
- Create your own equity journey map.
If you have any questions about the event, please email LeadershipForum@metc.state.mn.us.
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Open Enrollment begins in about a month, and it’s not too early to think about your options. Health plan. Dental plan. Flexible spending account. Vision plan. Supplemental life insurance.
Then make your selections during Open Enrollment, Monday, Nov. 1, through Friday, Nov. 19.
- You can choose to keep your current medical or vision plan or choose another.
- You can add or subtract yourself or family members from the medical, dental and vision plans.
- You can enroll in one or more flexible spending accounts (FSAs) with pre-tax dollars – for health care that’s not covered by your plan, dependent care, and work-related parking costs.
Look for an Open Enrollment packet in your home mailbox about mid-October. You’ll get a separate packet of enrollment instructions just before Open Enrollment starts.
Watch these videos for more information on the health plan:
Due to COVID-19, Benefits staff will be offering online information sessions and will be available for phone calls. There will not be in-person/face-to-face benefits fairs this year. More information to come about online sessions.
Make your pledge by Nov. 5
The Met Council’s annual Charitable Giving Campaign is set to run from Oct. 22 through Nov. 5. During the campaign, employees will be encouraged to sign up to have a portion of each paycheck directed to an eligible charity of their choice. You may choose to pledge donations to one of four participating federations or to any 501(c)3 nonprofit organization of your choice.
Last year, as an organization we pledged more than $65,000 to support local nonprofit organizations. Please consider donating during the campaign; your contributions will make a difference in the lives of many in our region.
For more information on the participating federations and to make a pledge online or by using the pledge form, visit the Charitable Giving MetNet page.
For the second year, fundraising events across the organization will be held virtually.
Mark your calendars for the Councilwide campaign kickoff event on Monday, Oct. 25, from 11 a.m. to noon. This Councilwide kickoff will be an online event to launch the charitable giving period, and representatives from participating charities will be in attendance sharing stories of the work they do and how your donations make an impact. More details to come, along with an Outlook invitation to join.
If you have questions, please email the Charitable Giving Campaign Committee at CharitableGiving@metc.state.mn.us.
The initial publication of The Wire on Oct. 5 incorrectly noted the start date of the campaign. The campaign runs Oct. 22 through Nov. 5.
The Met Council is moving away from physical desk phones and last month started migrating to “softphones” through Microsoft Teams for most office workers. This will facilitate our organization’s new hybrid workplace and will equip remote workers and those using hotel spaces when onsite with a permanent, "soft” work phone. Note that onsite hotel spaces will not have a physical desk phone.
A softphone is a piece of software that allows the user to make telephone calls securely and reliably over the internet via a computer. Employees with softphones will keep the same work phone number; calls to their work phone number will, however, be re-routed to reach them through their Teams account.
Currently Teams can be used to place internal calls to other Teams users within the Met Council. With this new functionality, employees using Teams are able to call any phone number, receive phone calls, manage contacts, and manage voicemail – all within Teams.
More information on softphones, including links to Microsoft guides, on MetNet.
Shared phones will not be replaced
Physical phones will still be needed in parts of the Met Council where softphone technology is not viable, for example call centers, shared phones in common areas, Environmental Services plants, Metro Transit Police dispatch, and Metro Transit garages.
Most employees who work in typical office settings will be expected to migrate to softphones unless they have unique situations where softphone technology is not effective.
Rolling out September and October
Information Services completed testing with a pilot group in September and started rolling out this new Teams feature by division. Community Development, Metropolitan Transportation Services, and Regional Administration have already launched softphones in their divisions. Environmental Services will roll out next week.
Upcoming softphone trainings
Training sessions will help employees understand Microsoft Teams Calling, setting up and managing a voicemail, making outgoing calls, holding and forwarding calls, and assigning, removing, and working with delegates.
Attend one of these upcoming trainings (click the link to download the attendance information to your calendar):
Monday, Oct. 18, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 2, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Thursday, Nov. 18, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 6, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 20, 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
If you cannot attend a training live, you can watch a recording of one of the sessions in Stream.
If you have questions or need help, contact the Service Desk at ServiceDesk@metc.state.mn.us or 651-602-1498.
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The following highlights provide a summary of important information you need to know related to the Met Council’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The newest and most complete information is available in the COVID-19 update emailed to all staff every other week on Thursdays.
Read the most recent bulletin (Sept. 30), which includes:
- Plans are now in place for onsite employees who need to be tested weekly for COVID-19. Employees who need to test each week must complete their test by 11:59 p.m. each Thursday. Division- or site-specific process details are being shared with staff.
- Contractors working on Met Council projects will be asked to adhere to our Vaccine and Testing Requirement Procedure beginning Nov. 1.
- The form for submitting proof of vaccination is available in Employee Self Service (ESS).
- In order to be exempt from weekly testing when it begins on Oct. 11, proof of vaccination must have been submitted and verified by Oct. 4.
- Council members approved a vaccination incentive to provide a $150 lump sum, cash incentive to every employee who has been fully vaccinated and submits their proof of vaccination through ESS.
- More information on the vaccine and testing requirement is available on the COVID-19 FAQ page on MetNet.
- Teleworking staff should check the Telework Transition FAQ page on MetNet for information on technology, workspaces, planning, and more.
Tools to help you find vaccine appointments:
COVID-19 testing:
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Important dates this fall
Fall is a busy time of year for annual Councilwide events at the Met Council, so it's understandable if you feel like your head is spinning with dates! To help you sort through it all, here are some important dates to have on your calendar:
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Oct. 22 – Nov. 5 = annual Charitable Giving Campaign (see story above; more details to come)
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Nov. 1 – Nov. 19 = Open Enrollment period (see story above and keep an eye on your mailbox at home; more details to come)
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Nov. 15 = annual Employee Recognition Event, on Microsoft Teams at 9 a.m., all employees are invited (staff received an Outlook invitation last week)
The initial publication of The Wire on Oct. 5 incorrectly noted the start date of the Charitable Giving Campaign. The campaign runs Oct. 22 through Nov. 5.
Coming in 2022: New flex spending accounts administrator
Beginning Jan. 1, Total Administrative Services Corporation (TASC) will be managing the flexible spending accounts (FSA) for the Met Council. This means your health care, dependent care, and parking accounts will be managed on a new debit card and in a new system – no longer through HealthPartners.
Read the article in HR Connect for more information on the new debit card and new system for managing FSA funds.
And remember to make your FSA election during open enrollment this fall. You are not automatically re-enrolled. If you do not make an election, you will not have an FSA next year.
Mammo-a-go-go is back for your annual screening
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Mammo-a-go-go – the onsite, mobile mammography service from HealthPartners – will be stopping at the Met Council for your annual screening. Annual screening mammograms are the best way to detect breast cancer at its earliest, more curable stages, and Mammo-a-go-go is a convenient and safe way to get your screening taken care of. The Mammo-a-go-go truck will be available at the Metro Plant and Heywood and is available to all Met Council employees. The screening is free if covered by insurance; be sure to bring your insurance card with you to your appointment.
This year, the Mammo-a-go-go truck (PDF) will be available on the following days:
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Heywood: Tuesday, Nov. 2, 7:00 to 10:00 a.m. , truck will be parked by door 16 (bus pull-in door) across from TCC
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Metro Plant: Thursday, Nov. 4, 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. , truck will be parked in the west parking lot
Call 952-993-3700 to schedule your screening and tell the scheduler if you'd like to make an appointment at Heywood or the Metro Plant. Contact Shelby.Olson@metc.state.mn.us for questions.
Also, join us for two special presentations on breast cancer awareness and survivor stories with the African American Breast Cancer Alliance on Friday, Oct. 15 (11:00 a.m. to noon) and Tuesday, Oct. 26 (11:00 a.m. to noon). Email FitForLife@metc.state.mn.us for an invitation to either of these events.
What (vacation) dreams are made of!
Senior Engineer Brian Davis in Water Supply Planning took this photo near the north shore of Kauai, Hawaii, on Labor Day. Brian rented this house with his family for the trip and captured this gorgeous scene toward the west, "in the direction of Makana (Bali Hai in the movie South Pacific)," he said. "The rising sun created a beautiful rainbow as a shower passed by."
Looking for your cool photo!
Do you have photos to share? The Wire is always looking for the next cool photo from staff, from a close-up in your flower garden, to scenic vistas up north, to exotic travel adventures, or more artful fare like reflections and silhouettes. The only criteria is that it's a cool photo! Just email the editor at the address below.
The Wire is published every two weeks for employees of the Met Council. Everyone is invited to submit comments and story ideas. Contact the editor at TheWire@metc.state.mn.us.
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