A thought for the day …
"Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind."
– Lionel Hampton (1908–2002), American jazz musician
IN THIS ISSUE
Notes from Mary Bogie
Regional Administrator
This time of year – with Monday's annual employee recognition event and Thanksgiving around the corner – is always a welcome time to reflect and show gratitude, and I am happy to have the chance to recognize the amazing contributions of our staff. I’m so grateful for all you do every day, but it has been especially remarkable during the pandemic.
In unparalleled conditions, you made sure that our operations, our services, and our connections with our customers and communities did not falter. I couldn’t be more proud of the way we have responded.
We have all had to adapt in this new environment, and I particularly want to thank those of you who have had even greater and lasting changes in your work. At the beginning of the pandemic, many of you stepped up to take on new roles to meet the evolving needs of our organization, our region, and the state of Minnesota. We certainly did not expect to be in this situation this long, and some of you may still be serving in those positions or taking on additional responsibilities or tasks that are not part of your job description. For that, I am incredibly grateful.
I want to especially thank our frontline staff who have continued to work onsite throughout this pandemic in support of our critical services, including transit operations and wastewater treatment and collection, as well as some supporting activities. We see you. Your work is so important. And we thank you for showing up every day. Your flexibility and commitment to public service and our customers have been critical to our organization’s and our region’s success these past 20 months.
To the many employees across the five divisions who have contributed to the COVID-19 planning and response efforts, thank you for your leadership, quick action, and careful consideration of the situation. These teams have made difficult and important decisions in order to keep our employees safe and continue to serve our customers and communities.
Special thanks as well to those of you contributing to the telework transition team. When the pandemic hit, we had to abruptly shift a segment of our workforce to remote work practically overnight and adapt on the fly, and now we are making more intentional adjustments and setting ourselves up for long-term success in the new hybrid work environment.
As we celebrate the commitment and resilience of our employees, however, I want to stress the importance of self-care and say that beyond keeping yourself physically healthy, I hope you are prioritizing your mental and emotional well-being. I invite you to reflect on the last year and the great work you have done, new skills you’ve gathered, new connections you’ve made, or major milestones you’ve accomplished. And if you haven’t done so in a while, take some time today to check in with yourself.
Last month, the Met Council approved a $500 one-time payment to each employee as a thank-you for your extraordinary efforts during the pandemic. As Chair Zelle said, this special recognition only scratches the surface of how grateful we are, but it’s a gesture of our deep appreciation for all you’ve done to shift your work and adapt while maintaining the high quality of service.
We know that every employee has been asked to overcome plenty of new challenges during the pandemic. I hope you take pride in what you have accomplished during such unprecedented times – a time when many of our services were more critical than ever! We could not meet the needs of our region, build for a better future, and provide our essential services without the dedication, care, and talent of each and every one of you. Thank you.
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All Met Council employees were invited to the annual employee recognition event, which was held Monday, Nov. 15, on Microsoft Teams. The event honors staff for all they’ve contributed over the past year and throughout their careers with the Met Council. Staff were recognized with performance and service awards in dozens of categories, including years of service at the Met Council, equity and inclusion initiatives, and division-specific honors.
Speakers, in order, included Chair Charlie Zelle, regional administrator Mary Bogie, Community Development director Lisa Barajas, Metropolitan Transportation Services interim executive director Amy Vennewitz, interim deputy regional administrator Phil Walljasper, Environmental Services general manager Leisa Thompson, and Metro Transit general manager Wes Kooistra. Human Resources director Marcy Syman provided opening and closing remarks, as host of the event.
The traditional in-person celebration was first held remotely for last year's event and condensed to a one-hour Teams meeting open to every Met Council employee, not just the few hundred called out for special recognition. More than 700 employees attended Monday's event, and many of our staff – and Council members! – engaged with the presentations by posting messages of support in the chat and providing live reactions to the speakers by using the applause, heart, like, and laugh reactions in Teams.
Leaders highlighted the many achievements and the excellent performance of staff over the last year, and they again thanked everyone for their tremendous work and resilience despite the hurdles and uncertainties of the pandemic.
"Your resilience is incredible, your commitment to our communities is inspiring, and we are so grateful for all you do every day to serve the region," said Chair Zelle. "But not just that. You didn't just step up and scrape by in tough times. You went above and beyond."
Watch the recording of the one-hour event on Stream.
Download the event program (PDF) (updated 11-16-21) for the full list of this year's honorees.
Thank you to the event planning team, led by Paula Crane: Bill Beck, Shoeb Behlim, Alison Coleman, Kristi Goble, Danielle Julkowski, Claire Lukens, Angie Madoll, James Perron, Marcy Syman, and Michele Wenner. Linda Jones provided design for this year's event, and Carol Critchley produced the wonderful videos for the event, including the montage of employee photos and recordings of our division leaders.
This month, the Met Council announced three new hires on the executive management team. Georges Gonzalez will start next month as the organization's new deputy regional administrator; Charles Carlson will transition from Metro Transit to lead Metropolitan Transportation Services (MTS), where he first started his career at the Met Council; and Sam O'Connell will move from Metro Transit to become the new director of community relations for the Met Council.
Georges Gonzalez joins the Met Council as deputy regional administrator
Georges (he/him/his) comes to us from Pinellas County in Clearwater, Florida, where he serves as the business and customer services director leading the finance, field services, and customer service teams for Pinellas County Utilities.
Georges brings over 25 years’ worth of experience in private and public sectors serving in senior roles within finance, shared services, and customer service, with Otis Elevator Company, The Coca-Cola Company, as well as Pinellas County Government.
He holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Tampa and an undergraduate degree from Eckerd College. Georges is a member of the American Water Works Association and is a veteran of the United States Air Force where he served in the Gulf War. Additionally, he is an avid long distance runner and has run a marathon in 49 states with his 50th state to be completed in January.
Georges starts with the Met Council on Dec. 1.
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Charles Carlson is the incoming MTS executive director
Charles (he/him/his) currently serves as director of bus rapid transit (BRT) projects for Metro Transit. Since establishing the department in 2012, Charles’ teams have advanced multiple BRT projects including the operational A Line and C Line BRT projects. Six additional BRT projects are slated to open in the next six years.
In his new role, Charles will return to MTS after starting his professional career as a planner working on transit, freight, and highway planning topics. Charles was recognized as one of Mass Transit Magazine “40 under 40” in 2014. In 2018 he received the Honorable Ray LaHood award, which recognizes men that have been key to WTS Minnesota’s efforts to attract, retain, and advance women in transportation professions. He also recently graduated from the Leadership APTA executive development program.
Charles holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the University of Minnesota. Charles lives in south Minneapolis with his family. In his spare time Charles enjoys the outdoors, especially camping and hiking along the north shore of Lake Superior.
Charles will begin his new role on Dec. 13, following the Dec. 4 opening of the METRO Orange Line.
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Sam O'Connell moves to Met Council community relations
Sam (she/her/hers) will transition from Metro Transit to take on the new role of director of community relations for the Met Council. As the assistant director of community affairs for Metro Transit, she’s been responsible for public engagement and customer relations activities, advocating for the needs of customers while integrating customer feedback into processes for responsive and responsible regional services.
Sam has an extensive background in public engagement, customer relations, and regional planning. Prior to her current role, Sam served as the senior manager of community outreach for Southwest LRT, leading public outreach and communications to ensure residents, businesses, and policy makers are engaged in shaping the development of the METRO Green Line Extension. Sam also served as the lead staff for the METRO Blue Line Extension (Bottineau) as the Met Council seeks a new pathway forward.
Her experience and commitment to the communities will contribute to her new role as director of community relations. She will work closely with Met Council Chair Charlie Zelle and our Council members, expanding our proactive community engagement and understanding of emerging local issues. This includes building relationships with business and civic leaders throughout the metro area.
Sam's first day in this new position will be Dec. 13.
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Open Enrollment for your 2022 benefit elections will end at 8 p.m. this Friday. Open Enrollment is your opportunity to make any desired changes to your coverage and enroll in a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for next year. You won't be able to make any changes or sign up for an FSA (health, dependent care/daycare, or parking) after Nov. 19.
Review all your benefit plans and options and complete your enrollment today.
If you've already completed your Open Enrollment, congratulations! If you don't want to change your benefits or enroll in an FSA plan for 2022, no further action is required – your current elections, excluding FSA, will carry forward. However, we recommend that you still go online and read the information about your plans and options, so you're able to make the best choice for you and your family.
Can't find the packets you received in the mail? Download these digital copies:
For more information and resources, visit the Open Enrollment page on MetNet.
Questions? Call the Council Benefits-One line at 651-602-1601, email Benefits@metc.state.mn.us, or attend one of the remaining virtual info sessions (click the link to add the Microsoft Teams session to your calendar):
If you are not able to join a session live, you can watch a recording of one of the earlier sessions on MetNet.
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 (Nov. 10), which includes:
- The CDC has approved a version of the Pfizer vaccine for children age 5 to 17.
- Submit proof of vaccination through Employee Self Services (ESS) and have it verified by Nov. 26 to receive a one-time payment of $150 in December.
- The Met Council is not currently collecting COVID-19 vaccine booster information.
- As a reminder, teleworking staff must complete two required trainings in Learn before their teams implement their new work schedules. Teleworking staff should check the Telework Transition FAQ page on MetNet for information on technology, workspaces, planning, and more. In addition, an optional training for teleworking employees on Dec. 2 is open for registration.
- Staff must follow the COVID-19 Vaccine and Testing Requirement Procedure if they will be onsite for any reason for more than 10 minutes.
- Because people who recover from COVID-19 may continue to test positive even after serving their quarantine period and symptoms end, employees who recover from COVID-19 will not need to complete a weekly test for a period of 90 days following the initial positive test date.
- Employees who need to test each week must complete their test by 11:59 p.m. each Thursday. Staff may use Council-facilitated testing options, which update their employee record automatically, or choose another way, which must be entered manually in ESS.
- Employees should use the new code 51001 on their time card for weekly COVID-19 testing onsite with Council-issued saliva tests.
Tools to help you find vaccine appointments:
COVID-19 testing:
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As Community Development director Lisa Barajas shared in her guest column earlier this month, we are looking ahead to the 2050 regional plan and one way we are setting ourselves up for success is with the new Optimizing Regional Planning initiative. Through this effort, which is co-sponsored by leaders in Community Development, Metropolitan Transportation Services, and Environmental Services, cross-divisional teams are being created to structure a planning process that intentionally breaks down traditional silos to make sure we are doing our best thinking and planning together.
By optimizing our regional planning process, we will:
- Create a shared understanding of regional issues at the beginning of plan creation.
- Build on prior success while making space for innovation.
- Tackle cross-cutting issues faced by our regional together, taking a systemic approach.
- Expand and improve stakeholder engagement.
- Break down siloed thinking in planning, engagement, and addressing regional issues.
So far this year, the team has met with Council members and internal subject matter experts in housing, land use, regional parks, transportation, wastewater management, and water quality and supply planning to discuss emerging regional issues and how to address them – and now they are looking for feedback from you!
As Met Council staff, you play a critical role in helping to develop and execute the vision in the regional plan. Check out the Optimizing Regional Planning MetNet site to learn more about this initiative.
If you want to participate in this phase, you are invited to:
- Review the exploratory memos linked on this page,
- Use the discussion guide (PDF) for group conversation or individual reflection, and
- Fill out the feedback form by Dec. 31 to provide your team’s or individual input on creating regional goals, engagement, and collaboration in the regional development guide process.
Thank you for helping the Met Council increase collaboration, communication, and innovation in our 2050 planning!
Technology is a hot topic in this physically distanced world as we try to stay connected in the pandemic, and computer equipment is especially top of mind for many employees who are arranging their longer-term work setups, whether it is onsite, hybrid, or remote. To make things a little easier, here are some important reminders regarding equipment purchases, distribution, and support.
One standard set of equipment
Each employee is issued one standard set of equipment, which is located at your primary work location, either onsite or remote: laptop computer (desktop computer by exception only), two monitors, docking station, wired keyboard and mouse, external webcam, and headset.
- If you have extra equipment that is beyond this standard set (e.g., two docking stations, three monitors), please return it to the office as soon as possible so it can be redeployed for new employees or used for hotel cubes. Each department should coordinate surplus equipment, gather the items in a designated area, and email the Service Desk to arrange for the equipment to be inventoried and assessed for redeployment. Review the Telework Transition FAQ for details on how to report surplus equipment so it can be redeployed.
- If you are missing any of the items in the standard set of equipment, first confirm that the missing item is not in your cube at the office. If not, then work with your department leaders to put together a department-wide list of missing equipment for all employees and collectively submit an ITR request for the items. Please do not submit requests individually.
Purchasing technology items: P-Card vs. ITR
Employees can purchase eligible items either through the Information Technology Request (ITR) process through Information Services (IS) or with a Purchasing Card (P-Card), which is used for small-dollar purchases.
Be sure to follow the proper procedure for purchasing technology items and keep in mind there are very specific limitations to what can be purchased with a P-Card. In fact, most technology items cannot be purchased with a P-Card.
Read the full story on MetNet for these lists of items:
- Stock items that should be ordered with an ITR – not a P-Card
- Technology-related items individuals can order on their P-Card without going through IS
- Examples of items the Met Council will not pay for
Find more information on the P-Card program on the P-Card MetNet site, including a list of allowable and non-allowable items.
Visit the ITR page on MetNet to access the request form, instructions, and frequently asked questions.
If you purchase equipment on your own, it may be eligible for the Trade Time For Fitness program, which was expanded during the pandemic to cover certain home office items.
Read the full story on MetNet for more information, including telework support from the Service Desk, joining the Home Office Help group in Microsoft Teams, equipment recommendations, and equipment reminders for hybrid workers.
Regional Administration employees on the following seven teams received Unsung Hero Team awards for "High Performing Teamwork" resulting in process improvements, outstanding results, or positive contributions to the work environment. Congratulations to all these employees and thank you for your incredible teamwork!
COVID-19 vaccine and testing pages in Employee Self Service
A cross-department team swiftly built a solution for staff to easily submit their proof of vaccination or testing through Employee Self Service and implemented a workflow for sending lists each week to managers with the work status of their direct reports – making it possible for the organization to manage the vaccination and testing requirement. (Chi-yi Chou, Laura Comer, Sue Hauge, Mansoor Lakdawala, Scott Larson, Vin Nguyen, Diana O'Donnell, Kevin Sederstrom, Shankar Veluvali)
Labor Relations
This critical team performs work that in any given year has no shortage of challenges, but the work they have done in the areas of labor and employee relations, including the collective bargaining process, has been especially challenging as the Met Council developed strategies and met the organizational demands of work during the pandemic. Labor relations professionals are always expected to be skilled in managing ambiguity and responding to constantly changing circumstances, but no year has had as many unexpected and unprecedented challenges than the last 12 months. (Mary Anderson, Alexis Baker, Joy Hargons, Marcia Padden, Kevin Pogatchnik)
Minnesota Department of Health contributors
These individuals all put aside their work to help the Minnesota Department of Health during the pandemic, stepping into action and offering their talents and significant time when another state agency called out for help. These employees came from across Regional Administration and provided many hours of help in areas of communications, information services, laboratory, human resources, and data – in both testing and vaccine efforts for the state. (Matt Crnobrna, Terri Dresen, Katie Driscoll, Grant Erickson, Claudia Fuentes, Jonathan Hoekenga, Leigh Homstad, Bonnie Kollodge, Mark Kotz, Jeanne Landkamer, Tanya Mayer, John Schadl)
NeoGov Perform support
This team supported and enhanced the NeoGov Perform system, including soliciting feedback from managers and employees regarding their experiences in 2020 – the first year performance evaluations were conducted in Perform – and configuring the system for 2021. They supported users with questions and issues, created a 2021 communication plan with 29 HR Connect articles, created and implemented all probationary reviews, and created additional quick start guides and training resources. (Martin Aguero, Becky Grams, Walt Joy, Joyce Masar, Brenda McCoy, Nathan Smith, Julie Tschida)
Online Telework Agreement form
Based on new business requirements, this team quickly rallied to develop a new online Telework Agreement form and approval process using Microsoft Forms. The team created the form, solicited feedback, tested and made adjustments, created user instructions, and delivered the end product on a tight timeline. They also created a library for the agreements so that Human Resources can easily monitor the status of all agreement requests for each calendar year. (Brenda McCoy, Vin Nguyen, Nathan Smith)
Payroll
The Finance team kept up with the shifting situation of the pandemic, including tracking COVID-19-related expenses and facilitating the vaccine and testing process. And through it all, the Payroll team adjusted processes to make sure payroll was still on time, no matter what – something that has been very important and greatly appreciated amidst the uncertainty of the pandemic. (Pamela Brown, Vickie Ebel, Terri Fitzgerald, Kevin Goosmann, LaQuanda Jarrett, Sarai Johnson, Nancy Mastenbrook, Shelly Ramirez, Sandra Stearn, Dave Theisen)
Telework transition core team
As we begin to welcome telework staff back to the office more and as we look ahead to the hybrid workplace in the future, many departments – especially Information Services, Facilities, and Human Resources – have been supporting the telework transition effort. The core team behind this effort is being recognized for leading and coordinating all of the moving pieces, making sure we have the technology and workspaces to meet the needs of both our onsite and remote workers. (Paula Crane, Mark Kotz, Lynne Leiss, Claire Lukens)
Download the event program (PDF) (updated 11-16-21) for the full list of this year's honorees across the Met Council.
METRO Orange Line opening drawing closer
The METRO Orange Line opens on Saturday, Dec. 4, bringing all-day, station-to-station service to the I-35W corridor between Burnsville and downtown Minneapolis. A key improvement, the I-35W & Lake Street Station, above, is already being served by local and express routes. Route training for the Orange Line and other finishing touches are underway. Read Insights in the coming weeks for more updates on this new line.
Trade Time For Fitness final deadline of the year Dec. 1
The final 2021 claim submission deadline for the Trade Time For Fitness program is Dec. 1. Trade Time for Fitness is a health and wellness program that allows you to trade in your annual leave hours to receive up to $2,000 (gross) per payroll year in reimbursements for eligible health and wellness-related expenses, and now includes additional eligible home office items.
To learn more about the program, review FAQs and a list of eligible purchases, and access the online claim form, visit the Trade Time for Fitness MetNet page.
Purchases made in 2021 cannot be processed in 2022 due to IRS rules. This means if you make a purchase between Dec. 1 and Dec. 31 it will not be eligible for reimbursement. So, either make your purchase in November or wait until January.
Teleworking staff: Complete required and optional trainings (Dec. 2)
All teleworking staff are required to complete two trainings in Learn before their teams implement their new schedules: one on teleworking at the Met Council and one on working in the new hybrid workplace (for managers/supervisors, and for employees), with some staff onsite and some remote.
Since many employees will continue to work remotely at least occasionally, LOD is hosting a course to enhance remote employees’ skills and confidence in getting and staying organized, productive, and connected. Employees can register for the virtual, instructor-led course in Learn by browsing the “LOD Classes Open for Registration” section or searching for the course by name in the search bar. A similar training was held for managers and supervisors on Nov. 12.
Still Remote: Staying Successful in a Remote Work Environment
Thursday, Dec. 2
9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Webex
Walz, Flanagan announce nominating committee for Met Council district 6 vacancy
Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan recently announced the appointment of members to a nominating committee for the district 6 vacancy on the Met Council, including Chair Charlie Zelle and the community leaders who reviewed applications for the Met Council in 2019.
The new member will fill the vacancy left by the recent resignation of Lynnea Atlas-Ingebretson. District 6 represents Crystal, Golden Valley, New Hope, St. Louis Park, and a portion of Minneapolis. The nominating committee will hold public meetings to accept statements from, or on behalf of, applicants for this position. Following these meetings, the nominating committee will recommend to the governor candidates for appointment. Applications were due Nov. 10.
Shannon Keough
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Information Specialist
Environmental Services
Primary duties
My primary role as I get started will be serving as the editor of the ES Update, including editorial planning, working with subject matter experts on story development, and managing the production and distribution of the newsletter.
Started
Oct. 11
How does it feel to start a new job when many employees are working from home?
It’s somewhat familiar by now, as I was working remotely at my last job. But I definitely appreciate in-person connections, and look forward to spending some time in the office in the not-so-distant future.
Hometown
South Minneapolis (near Lake Nokomis)
Current residence
Saint Paul (Dayton's Bluff neighborhood)
Family
My family includes my husband, Nick, and our two kids, Lydia and Felix.
Education
Macalester College
Experience
I have a wide range of experience developing and delivering communication strategies for a variety of projects, including newsletters, reports, press releases, case studies, web content, and email campaigns. I’ve collaborated with a range of subject matter experts in fields such as fertilizer production, medical technology, renewable energy, retirement plan management, and healthcare.
Other interests
Outside of work, I enjoy a variety of outdoorsy activities, including biking, skiing, and exploring new-to-me locations in outstate Minnesota.
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Years of Service
40 Years
Brenda McCoy, HR Assistant, Human Resources
25 Years
Elaine Koutsoukos, TAB Coordinator, Metropolitan Transportation Services
20 Years
Shengte Chiang, PeopleSoft Administrator 1, Information Services
15 Years
Lanya Ross, Environmental Analyst, Environmental Services
Colleen Wallin, HRA Coordinator 2, Metro HRA
5 Years
Tara Beard, Livable Communities Manager, Community Development
Joel Feilan, Systems Engineer 4, Information Services
New Staff
Sheila Holbrook-White, Nov. 22, Program Manager, Metropolitan Transportation Services
Maureen Hoffman, Nov. 29, Senior Planner, Environmental Services
Georges Gonzalez, Dec. 1, Deputy Regional Administrator, Regional Administrator's Office
Departures
Marcus Bush, Oct. 6, Principal Engineer, Environmental Services
Michael Gutsche, Oct. 9, Applications Developer 3, Information Services
Corey Mazur, Oct. 30, Systems Engineer 2, Information Services
Water and sky painted in pink
One morning last month, P-Card administrator Missy Vanghen was driving to drop her kids off at daycare and school when she was struck by this incredible sunrise over one of the lakes she passes every day. "I drove past and it was so beautiful we turned around to find a good spot to take a photo," Melissa shared. "Reflections are one of my absolute favorite things to photograph, and this sky was the most beautiful I had seen in a long time."
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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