- Members Update -
August 15, 2008

MGEC Executive Board Positions Open – MGEC is accepting nominations through Sept. 30, 2008.  Open positions include: Secretary, Vice President, and 5 Director Positions.  Nominate yourself by contacting us at mgec@mgec.org or call 651-774-0996.  Terms begin January 1, 2009 and last two years (three years for VP progression).  The board meets the 2^nd Monday of each month from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with dinner provided.  This provides you with insight into MGEC, a direct voice in pertaining to terms and conditions of your employment, an opportunity to interact with agency leadership and leadership experience and more.  Contact us with your interest today!

Navitus reached agreement with Walgreens to dispense prescriptions at the lesser of the cost of the drug or the appropriate co pay.  Effective immediately, Advantage members will no longer have to pay the full co pay for those drugs that cost less than the co pay.  Navitus has made the necessary changes to assure that the correct co pay amounts are charged.  In the event a member does run into a problem, Navitus Customer Care is prepared to assist and members are encouraged to call them direct at 1-886-333-2757.

MGEC Brochure - MGEC is revising and updating the material used to communicate to the administration, legislature and public the diverse impact of the public engineers who work for the state and the collaborations among those engineers that result in innovations and better and more efficient service.  (The current brochure: MGEC Public Employees Doing More for Minnesota is linked above right on the home page.)  We are asking members to submit detailed story ideas.  (Examples: Emergency Response - Rebuilding the Houston County bridge after floods washed it away.  Public Safety - Work engineers do to keep pipelines safe and flowing, etc...).  Take a moment today and submit your ideas to: mgec@mgec.org.  We need your input!

• Tournament & Dinner Registration Form

• Dinner Registration Only

MGEC PE Review Class begins August 25th - More info

Educational opportunities through MSPE - Engineers Leadership Institute and PE/FE Licensure Exam Review Courses - More info

Fairview Health Services - MGEC members who are patients of Fairview Health Services may have seen news reports or received a letter from Fairview regarding its negotiations stalemate with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota (BCBS).  This does not apply to the State Employee Group Insurance Program (SEGIP) members. SEGIP members are covered via the MGEC contract through the end of the year at Fairview. The contract requires that BCBS continue these agreements through the balance of the plan year at no additional cost to the State or the employee.

July 30, 2008

Market based pay needed for State Engineers - A Star Tribune article by Bob von Sternberg (612-673-7184) in the July 29^th edition makes the argument that state engineers ought to be paid market rate.
DFLers want more frequent bridge inspections  by Bob Von Sternberg  vonste@startribune.com
The legislators' bridge safety proposal would have checks once a year and raise pay for MnDOT engineers.  With the first anniversary of the Interstate 35W bridge collapse approaching, DFL legislators proposed a package of changes to state law Monday that they said will improve bridge safety in the state.  The legislation would require more frequent inspections and make it easier to increase the pay for engineers who work for the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT).  Coming just two days after concrete fell from an I-35E overpass in St. Paul, the DFLers' news conference is the first step toward introducing the proposed bill in the next legislative session.  They said they all believe Minnesota's bridges are safe, "but stuff keeps happening," said Sen. Jim Carlson, DFL-Eagan. "These pieces of concrete falling off bridges are dangerous, not something that needs to be treated lightly."  Under the proposal, all bridges would be inspected once a year, closing a loophole that can allow the timetable to exceed 12 months.  It would allow department engineers to be paid more than allowed under the state salary cap, which the lawmakers said would help in recruiting and retention of engineers.  That could ultimately save the state money, said Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis, by not having to contract out hiring to private engineers at higher salaries.  Another change would be to formally include safety in the department's statutory mission.  Between now and the beginning of the session in January, the legislators said they plan to sit down with MnDOT managers to refine their proposal.  In an e-mail, department spokeswoman Lucy Kender said Monday that officials "welcome the opportunity to work with legislators on their proposal. We will have the affected offices take a look at the bill over the next few weeks, and then we will have further discussions with legislators over the next couple of months."   Link: www.startribune.com/politics/state/26008999.html?location_refer=$urlTrackSectionName