MPCA meet and confer minutes March 8, 2017

Publish Date
Committees
Pollution Control (MPCA)

Meet and Confer Quarterly Meeting

Meeting Summary for March 8, 2017

 

Participants:

Marni Karnowski, Cathy Moeger, Michelle Berman, Coleen Naughton, Kellie McNamara , Mark Schmitt, Myrna Halbach;

MAPE: Melissa Wenzel, Brittney Schuller, Bill Wilde, Mark Toso, Anne Moore, Angela Preimesberger (note taker)

 

Agency Updates (Recurring agenda item)

  • MAPE requested an overview of bills, budgets, or other Legislative updates.
  • A question was raised as to status of Federal funding.
  • Melissa emphasized the positive response to Commissioner’s Office updates and benefits of regular communications to staff.

 

Budget and EPA:

  • MPCA’s is same as requested by Governor; in process.
  • Federal funding is secured through Federal Fiscal Year (August 31, 2017).
  • Commissioner Stine is also providing comment on the importance of EPA/State work, water infrastructure, and budget needs through Environmental Council of States (ECOS) and meeting at Office of Management and Budget.
  • Senior leaders are taking actions to review and develop budget contingencies, such as holding open vacancies for 6 months.
  • No information is available from EPA on communication freezes.

 

Bills:

  • Bills have been proposed that affect the MPCA related to water quality standards rule making (new processes, oversight, peer review, etc.) and EQB. Senior leaders opposing as needed.
  • No move on MPCA-sponsored bills related to name change or open-air swine basins

 

Legislative Contacts (New item)

MAPE asked about the most effective and appropriate ways to contact State Legislators on bills affecting MPCA.

 

  • MPCA policies have to be followed including, not representing personal opinions or positions as MPCA staff or agency spokesperson.
  • Most effective communications are two representatives for your home districts, especially if they are on committees leading review of bills of interest.
  • Can acknowledge yourself as a State employee for providing basis in expertise or experience on an issue.
  • You can always contact your Supervisor and other Senior leaders with questions.

 

Paid Parental Leave (Ongoing agenda item)

 

Retirement Options (Ongoing agenda item)

  • MAPE requested a written document on retirement options to assist staff in planning; MAPE also interested in number of retirees from MPCA.
  • HR posting a new written information options and considerations on the Lorax.
  • Questions and comments on the information can go to HR; requests to personally exposure retirement options goes to your supervisor.

 

Agency Classifications (Ongoing agenda item)

  • Natural Resource Consultant position above an ES4 (sometimes mis-labeled as Environmental Specialist 5)
  • HR hosting a Brown Bag on this topic and Career Ladder on April 10.
  • Melissa will advertise to MAPE.
  • HR working on related process with AFSCME.
  • No update on Respectful Workplace training (may need more clarification).

 

Environmental Leadership (Initiated November 30th)

  • Topic to develop a safe and transparent formal process to share Code of Conduct and other issues related to Commissioner Stine’s March 2016 message on the Flint Michigan Drinking  Water crisis and gaps identified in the Baldrige Assessment to Senior Leaders (and others). The process is under a sub- team of the Human Resources Management Team (HRMT); the team members are MAPE: Angela Preimesberger and Mark Toso and Kellie M., Coleen N., Mark Schmitt, Jim Ziegler, and Jane Braun
  • The first meeting on February 16, 2017 focused on the scope of the process and options for who would be the contact for reports and review team. Notes are available from Angela.
  • Future meetings are scheduled for March 21 and April 20.
  • MAPE continues to hear members express a need for this process.

 

Tempo (New agenda item)

  • MAPE shared ongoing concerns over Tempo issues and inconsistency in recognition by Supervisors of additional workload caused by the slow-down in functions. A question was raised as to next opportunity for review of functionality. Myrna discussed:
  • More outreach to supervisors
  • Ongoing projects by program for improvements (feedlots)
  • Testers are reviewing new design from CGI
  • Summer – round robin survey; in meantime using Footprints for tracking issues and working on enhanced tracking
  • Leads are assigned to all functional areas
    • Remediation is Ingrid
  • MAPE asked about defining what and what not is on the table for improvements;
  • Issues across programs can go to Chris and Myrna
  • Mapping of processes
  • Quarterly updates going to biannual; working on automating testing
  • MAPE asked about business support vs. technical staff for data entry
  • Programs review to determine roles
  • Are adding online submittals (tanks, industrial stormwater) to reduce need for clerical support
  • Confirm there are longer times to work with the system
  • Concur can take 5 years to get system at baseline function (time started counting…) and 7 years for program efficiencies
  • Working on surveys for internal users (as important as external)
  • Is money in Governor’s budget for MNIT available to support Tempo or other MPCA databases? MNIT budget increase is to maintain where they are in and develop data security for entire system; no budget for specific MPCA projects.