MGEC Board Minutes 2.24.25

Attendees:

	Present		Present
President Corey Mathisen	x	Director Blake Nelson	x
Vice President Benton Campbell	x	Director Brandon JB Nelson	x
Past President Fernando Nacionales		Director Luke Schuette	x
Treasurer Wes Leksell	x	Director Mark Trogstad-Isaacson	x
Secretary Mike Rude	x	Director Hunter Vraa	x
Director Carroll Aasen	x	Executive Director Dana Wheeler	x
Director John Dalton		Administrative Assistant Donna Blackwell	x
Director Jared DeMaster	x	Labor Relations Specialist Tony Kelly	x
Director Bruce Henningsgaard	x

Others in attendance:

• Ethan Ihlenfeld, MnDOT
• Andrew Karp, MDH
• John Rustige, MPCA

 Call to Order (Corey)

1. Meeting called to order at 3:25pm by President Corey Mathisen.

 Review & Approve Agenda (Corey)

1. Motion to approve the agenda (Henningsgaard/Trogstad-Isaacson).
   • Motion Carried.

 Secretary’s Report (Mike)

1. Motion to approve December Board minutes with edits (DeMaster/Henningsgaard).
   • Motion Carried.

  President’s Report (Corey)

1. Noted & discussed that communications with EPA, email or voice, may be monitored by AI technology. No action taken; for information only.

Executive Director’s Report (Dana)

1. MMB has not indicated interest in a MOU for observation of Veterans Day and Presidents Day by MGEC employees at M-State Mankato. Continuing to pursue.
2. Presented and discussed leave balances for MGEC staff.
3. Ordering additional promotional t-shirts in smaller sizes to replenish stock.
4. There is presently a vacant office in the MGEC building. Discussing with potential tenant.
5. MnDOT is still clarifying its understanding of the policy for sick leave approval by supervisors.

Treasurer’s Report (Wes)

1. Presented 2024 Golf Tournament financials. Surplus funds to be applied to this year’s tournament.
2. Presented and discussed YTD financials for MGEC.

 Committee Reports (Mike / Corey)

1. Board members will receive an email soliciting their interest in committees for the coming year. Members are encouraged to participate in at least one committee.
2. A new committee will be proposed by the Executive Committee; probably at the March Board meeting. The new committee will be tasked with MGEC Staff management and relations.

Insurance Update (Blake)

1. Insurance Coalition met in January and February.
2. Some open enrollment stats from last year:

1. 1. • 93% of employees utilize our insurance plan
      • 65% utilize long-term disability coverage
      • 61% utilize vision plan
      • 58% utilize supplemental life insurance
      • 38% utilize the expense account

3. GLP-1 medications currently account for 6% of all plan spending.
4. An RFP is being put together for a new vision plan.

MAPE Bargaining Update (Hunter)

1. Reported on meeting with MAPE contacts. Discussed communication and coordination during the bargaining process.

Membership Update (Donna)

1. Presented current membership numbers.
2. Presented new members since January meeting.
3. Presented and discussed conversion rates by job class.

 Labor Relations (Tony)

1. New news this month for PEPC.
2. Union partners meeting to discuss a potential federal shutdown on March 14^th.
3. MDH meet and confers on shutdown impact planning. MDH is heavily funded by federal grants.
4. Encouraged forming bargaining committee soon to review results of survey and set priorities.

Vice President’s Report (Benton)

1. Encouraged reaching out to represented non-members (RNM’s) in your agencies and offices.

 Past President’s Report (Fernando)

1. Not present at meeting.

 Other Updates

1. Discussed possible attendance at National Association of State Highway and Transportation Unions (NASHTU) annual conference. No action taken.

Adjournment (Corey)

1. Motion to adjourn at 5:45pm (Blake Nelson/Henningsgaard).
   • Motion Carried.