A thought for the day …
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
– Margaret Mead (1901–1978), American cultural anthropologist
 IN THIS ISSUE
Guest notes from Charlie Zelle
Chair
The following column was published in September on MetroCouncil.org.
A mixed-use development with housing, commercial, and public space on the shores of White Bear Lake. A thriving industrial park in Fridley. A shelter with supportive services for homeless Native American youth in Saint Paul.
These are among hundreds of redevelopment projects that the Metropolitan Council has supported with Livable Communities Act grants over the last quarter century. This program, enacted by the Minnesota Legislature in 1995, helps cities and townships achieve development goals that create more housing choice, support living wage job creation, and connect jobs, housing, and regional amenities to create a more equitable region.
Without funding from the Livable Communities program, these projects might not get off the ground.
Read the Chair's full column.
|
Quick roundup of upcoming events and important dates:
-
Through Oct. 13 = a few more onsite flu shot clinics; check the clinic schedule (PDF); flu shots are also available at the Well@Work clinics
-
Oct. 17 = in-person employee recognition event for award winners and years-of-service honorees
-
Oct. 24 – Nov. 11 = annual Charitable Giving Campaign
-
Oct. 28 = single sign-on launches for Employee Self Service and Benefitfocus (the benefits enrollment website used during Open Enrollment)
-
Oct. 31 – Nov. 18 = Open Enrollment period
-
Nov. 18 = applications due for the 2023 MentoringWorks Program, which kicks off in January
Remember you can always check the Councilwide calendar on MetNet for internal programming and events, as well as Met Council and committee meetings, pay days, and holidays.
Once there, you can also find quick links to other internal calendars on MetNet for program-specific events and trainings, like equity events, Fit For Life wellness events, and Microsoft trainings.
It’s that time of year again! Open Enrollment is just around the corner, 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, Oct. 31, through Friday, Nov. 18.
- 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.
Take a minute now to make sure your mailing address is correct in Employee Self Service, and look for an Open Enrollment packet in your home mailbox later in October.
This packet will also include enrollment and website login instructions. (See the announcement below about single sign-on for the benefits enrollment website.)
Watch these videos for more information on the health plan:
Benefits staff will be offering both onsite and online info sessions throughout the three weeks of Open Enrollment.
A PDF of the Open Enrollment packet and a full schedule of info sessions will be posted on MetNet within the next week.
At the end of this month, we will implement single sign-on for Employee Self Service (ESS) and Benefitfocus (the website used for benefits enrollment). This means you will no longer need to remember and use a separate user ID and password for those two sites.
These websites will use your Met Council Microsoft account (your work email address and password), and:
- If you are already logged in to your Met Council account on your device, you will be automatically logged in and you will not see a login screen.
- If you are not logged in already, you will land on the login page and use your Met Council username and password to sign in.
All employees will now have a Met Council account.
If you do not already have a Met Council account, you will be getting one! Your username for logging in looks like an email address (firstname.lastname@metc.state.mn.us); however, you will not have access to the Met Council email system (Outlook). Project team members will be doing additional outreach to these employees who do not have accounts in order to help them set up their account passwords and get access to ESS and Benefitfocus.
You must complete MFA when off the Met Council network.
If you are accessing ESS or Benefitfocus off-site and off the Met Council network (not connected to VPN), when you log in you will be prompted to complete multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA requires you to use two steps to log in, instead of just entering your username and password. Methods for completing MFA include a text message, phone call, authenticator app, email, and security questions.
Look out for more details soon.
More details will be shared in the coming weeks for how to set up your new Met Council account and/or MFA (if needed).
Staff from Information Services will also be available at the onsite Open Enrollment info sessions in November to assist employees who need help setting up their password for their new Met Council account.
As part of the card access project, staff have completed installing card reader replacements across Met Council facilities. All card readers should now be the Lenel S2 Blue Diamonds (at right in the photo below).
If you see any of the old gray readers (at left), please email Jonathan Sitzer at Jonathan.Sitzer@metc.state.mn.us.
The following lists provide important vaccination and testing resources related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 vaccination:
COVID-19 testing:
|
If you are teleworking full- or part-time, make sure you know where to get answers to your teleworking and hybrid workplace questions.
- Your permanent spot for teleworking information – including details on computer equipment, hotel cubes, and tips for managers and employees – is the Teleworking Hub.
- Email ServiceDesk@metc.state.mn.us for assistance with technical challenges.
- Share your experience with teleworking or the hybrid workplace and submit questions, concerns, or suggestions in the Teleworking Feedback form.
- Check out these helpful resources for hybrid meetings:
|
“I need to buy something, but what should I do?” There are many ways at the Met Council to make purchases that are $5,000 or less. These multiple choices help add efficiencies but can also create confusion and frustration. Since the Met Council is a government entity funded by the public and must abide by federal, state, and local statutes, it is important to understand and follow the rules and policies when placing orders.
When making a purchase for less than $5,000, the first question should be whether it is allowable on a P-Card.
To determine if it can be paid for with a P-Card, always reference the Allowable and Non-Allowable P-Card Purchases list (PDF) on the P-Card MetNet site. If the item you intend to purchase is not included in the list, contact the P-Card team to determine if a P-Card can be used.
As a reminder, you must still follow the proper procurement process, even if it’s a small purchase.
Read the full story on MetNet for the following information and more:
- Ordering technology purchases with an Information Technology Request (ITR)
- What to do when you can't use a P-Card for the purchase
- Identifying MCUB vendors who can offer the goods or services you need
Do you ever have a hard time finding what you need on the Human Resources site on MetNet? We want to hear from you!
This summer, Human Resources and Communications kicked off a project to overhaul the HR site and make it easier for staff to find what they need.
The team is gathering feedback on the current site right now through card sorting. Next month, the team will also invite interested staff to complete a survey.
You may be familiar with card sorting, but if you are not, in a nutshell, each card represents content on the site and we ask you to organize the cards into groups that make sense to you – where you would expect to find that content. You also name the groups, as if you were setting up the navigation menu for the site.
If you are interested in helping make the HR site more user friendly and organized, please complete a card sorting exercise by Friday, Oct. 21!
The exercise will likely take 10-15 minutes and should be done in one sitting. The website works best on a desktop computer, instead of a mobile device. Your results are anonymous unless you provide your email address for the team if they have questions.
If you have questions about the exercise or project, please email Kathi Primoli at Kathryn.Primoli@metc.state.mn.us.
Your feedback from the card sorting and upcoming survey will be extremely helpful as we strategize and build the new site. Thank you so much for your help!
|
After going virtual during the pandemic, our annual Councilwide employee recognition event will be back in person this year at the University of St. Thomas on Monday, Oct. 17.
Due to capacity, the event will host only award winners, who will be honored for years of service, equity and inclusion achievements, and division-specific awards and recognitions.
Invitations were mailed to these employees' homes in late September. Please RSVP by Oct. 5 by calling 651-602-1591.
To be included in the slides presented during the event, send a photo of yourself to ERPictures@metc.state.mn.us by Oct. 12.
Note: If this event falls during your regular working hours, supervisor permission is required.
|
  Regional Administration serves up pie on the plaza
On a windy day in late September, the Regional Administration division held its annual employee recognition event to celebrate all their incredible work and accomplishments this year. This year's event was "pie on the plaza," where employees were invited to take a break and enjoy some delicious pie outside Robert Street – served up by regional administrator Mary Bogie and department directors from across the division!
 Recent Well@Work clinic updates
-
COVID-19 bivalent boosters now available. The booster is available to those age 12 years and older who have completed the primary vaccination series. COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are available by appointment on Mondays and Thursdays at both clinics.
-
Flu shots now available. The clinics have the regular flu vaccine as well as the high-dose flu vaccine for those age 65 years and older. To make an appointment, follow the instructions on the Well@Work page on MetNet.
-
New hours started Oct. 1. These changes are based on utilization of the clinics. Please note the new hours for both clinics: 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; and 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday.
Reviewing our staff communications
In the spirit of continuous improvement, the last issue of The Wire highlighted an upcoming project to review the effectiveness of our communications and gave staff a chance to share some preliminary feedback on the newsletter.
-
Testing out new methods. The last issue of The Wire was sent in an abbreviated format (a digest) and with an invitation to provide feedback.
-
Digging into our communications practices. The newsletter also included a column from Terri Dresen, Communications director, with background on plans to perform an internal and external communications audit.
-
Starting to gather feedback from staff. Complete this quick survey to share your reactions to the digest and give the team some preliminary feedback to analyze as they begin the audit.
Charitable Giving Campaign kicks off later this month
The Met Council's annual Charitable Giving Campaign will run from Oct. 24 through Nov. 11. 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. The campaign also includes fundraising events, silent auctions, drawings, and more. Watch for more details later this month.
Stay up to date with Metro Update
Looking to hear more about the fantastic work your colleagues are doing in other departments or divisions? Check out the Met Council's monthly external newsletter, Metro Update.
Read these stories and more in the September issue:
- Grants support equity and innovation
- Metro Transit introduces microtransit service in North Minneapolis
- Task force to explore education campaign about what shouldn't go down the drain
- METRO D Line moves toward service launch in December
- METRO Gold Line ceremonial groundbreaking Oct. 19
Sam O'Connell recognized for accomplishments in planning
Sam O'Connell, director of community relations, recently received the Peg and Otto Schmid Planner of the Year Award by the Minnesota chapter of the American Planning Association at this year's conference. The award celebrates the individual's positive impact on the future of Minnesota planning; their influence on planning practice, education, or theory; and their non-traditional contributions to advancing the planning profession.
Cited in the award nomination was Sam's work on the METRO Blue Line Extension and METRO Green Line Extension and her extensive volunteering for various planning organizations.
"I feel deeply honored, humbled, and overwhelmed to receive this award," Sam shared. "Thank you to all my planning colleagues who work in the name of supporting vibrant, just, connected, and sustainable communities. I'm committed to plan with love, joy, and justice."
Congratulations to Sam on this incredible honor!
Also celebrated at the Minnesota chapter's annual conference in September was the Met Council's Growing Shade project, which won the Innovation in Planning Award.
|
Kokulo James Supuwood
Pronouns: he/him/his
Project Administrator
Finance, Community Development and Metropolitan Transportation Services
Primary duties
In this role, I provide support to the senior project managers of the Parks and Livable Communities Act (LCA) teams by serving as the first reviewer of reimbursement requests for the Parks and LCA grant programs, writing contracts/agreements after they’ve been approved by the Met Council, tabulating the results of the status reports submitted by various grantees, and more.
Started
July 5
How does it feel to start a new job when many employees are working from home?
It feels great to start a new job that affords me the opportunity to work from home, and I am happy to join the CD/MTS Finance team.
Hometown
I spent large parts of my life in Liberia, but I also lived in Ghana and Sierra Leone.
Current residence
Coon Rapids, MN
Family
I am married, and my wife and I have two boys; one is 8 and the other is 3 years old.
Education
I have a Master of Science degree in energy economics and policy from the University of Surrey in Guildford, Surrey, England. I also have a bachelor’s degree in economics with emphasis in accounting from the Cuttington University in Liberia. I’m currently studying to become a Project Management Professional.
Experience
Prior to this role, I worked as a workforce development grants policy compliance analyst/program monitor at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. Before then, I worked as a business manager at RCRS Brooklyn Inc. I also worked as a senior budget analyst and a budget analyst at the Ministry of Finance in Liberia.
Other interests
I like to exercise, specifically running. I play soccer when the weather permits. I also love to watch soccer games with my family. I like checking out restaurants with friends, and I like to eat different foods from different cultures.
|
Years of Service
10 Years
Chi-yi Chou, Senior Manager, Finance
James Mangowi, Senior Engineer, Wastewater Planning and Capital Project Delivery, Environmental Services
Heidi Schallberg, Planning Analyst, Metropolitan Transportation Services
Kelly Schmitz, Vendor Manager, Procurement
Heidi Smith, Program Technical Specialist, Information Services
5 Years
Matthew Dalluge, Liability Claims Rep 3, Risk Management
Adam Yang, Financial Analyst, Community Development and Metropolitan Transportation Services
New Staff
Susan Frey, Sept. 19, Occupational Health Specialist, Human Resources
Timothy Anderson, Sept. 26, Senior Planner, Local Planning Assistance, Community Development
Aaron Eason, Sept. 26, Business Systems Analyst 3, Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity
Joshua Kirk, Oct. 24, Engineer, Wastewater Planning and Capital Project Delivery, Environmental Services
Departures
Olad Shaqalle, Aug. 24, Systems Engineer 3, Information Services
Brian Davis, Aug. 27, Principal Engineer, Water Resources, Environmental Services
Rojelio Blanco, Aug. 31, Account Specialist, Finance
Vin Nguyen, Sept. 7, Business Systems Analyst 3, Information Services
Heather Aagesen-Huebner, Sept. 10, Director, Finance and Administration, Community Development and Metropolitan Transportation Services
Retirements
Cristine Leavitt, Oct. 8, Senior Manager, Strategic Performance, Environmental Services
One last look at summer
As the leaves change and the temperature cools down, let's take one last look at a green, summery scene. Demetairs Bell, assistant manager of Street Operations, captured this beautiful picture over Labor Day weekend. "It was a very peaceful and serene walk," Demetairs said about coming across this view during his visit to Cannon Falls.
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, to 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.
|
