Feb. 3, 2022

February Commission summary

At the Feb. 2 Commission meeting in Jefferson City, Director Patrick McKenna and Chief Engineer Ed Hassinger expressed their gratitude to the numerous employees who responded to the Interstate 70 bridge fire incident on Jan. 13. 

Director McKenna reported the first annual meeting of the Governor’s recently appointed Supply Chain Task Force was held Jan. 20. Meetings will be held through May, and a report is due to the Governor in June. Details about the task force are available at modot.org. 

Director McKenna also reported on Missouri’s draft highway-rail crossing state action plan. MoDOT receives federal and state funding to support annual investments in highway-rail grade crossing projects each year. The draft plan is available at modot.org for public review before the final plan is submitted to the Federal Railroad Administration later this month.

On Jan. 31, MoDOT presented its annual accountability report to the Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight. The presentation included an overview of our Citizen’s Guide to Transportation Funding, the Financial Snapshot, MoDOT Results and MoDOT’s unfunded needs. Also discussed were growing turnover rates and the costs of that turnover.

Read the full meeting summary, which topics include Director’s Report, Consideration of Bids, Consideration of Proposals for I-70 Cave Springs to Fairgrounds Design-Build, Enterprise Risk Management and Update on MoDOT’s Workforce.

Effective Feb. 1, 2022, changes were made to the policy below. To view the updated policy and related documents, click the links below.   

Personnel Policy 0513, "Telework"

Important changes to this policy include:

• Mandatory training for both employees and supervisors.
• Employees participating in video conference calls will be required to turn their cameras on, if requested by their supervisor to do so.
• A review and appeal process added for telework requests that are denied.
• Annual review of active telework arrangements.
• Policy and related forms were updated for consistency.
• Updated links to new forms related to telework requests and arrangements.
• Telework Forms may be completed manually or using the fillable option.
• Telework Agreement – fillable
• Telework Agreement – manual fill
• Telework Safety Checklist – fillable
• Telework Safety Checklist – manual fill
• Fillable Forms Instructions - All Documents
• FAQ Policy 0513

For any questions regarding technical issues or the use of Adobe products, please call the Information Systems Help Desk at (573) 751-5000.

If you have any questions about these policies, please contact your local human resources representative. 

Six Northwest District maintenance employees from five different maintenance facilities deployed Tuesday, Feb. 1 to assist with this week’s snow fight in some of the harder-hit areas of the state. Along with a 14-foot plow and two pick-up trucks, they take with them more than 48 years of combined MoDOT experience.

Left to right: Senior Maintenance Worker Chance Hunter, Senior Maintenance Worker Jeff Long, Senior Maintenance Worker Mark McIntyre, Intermediate Maintenance Worker Jesse Stricker, Senior Maintenance Worker Harvey Weddle and Maintenance Crew Leader Jerad Vandiver.

The Kansas City District had a press conference on Jan. 31 to discuss upcoming traffic implications of the Buck O’Neil Bridge project.

Crews will close northbound I-35 from 12th Street to eastbound I-70, tentatively beginning Monday, March 7 and continuing for approximately 275 days as part of the next phase in building the new Buck O’ Neil Bridge.

During this closure, crews will work on the construction of a new retaining wall along I-35 and a new bridge over 6th Street.

The Kansas City District hosted a press conference on Monday, Jan. 31 to discuss upcoming closures related to the new Buck O’ Neil Bridge.

Crews will also close northbound I-35 to westbound I-70 during the same period for bridge rehabilitation work.

The media had an opportunity to go on the dock/trestle bridge and look at the progress being made in the river. Crews have been diligently working on both land and water, constructing a new bridge. More information about the bridge build is available on the progress page website.

The southwest area of Central District once again gave back to communities during the holidays. During these difficult times of a continued pandemic as well as social and economic challenges, the generous hearts of MoDOT employees continue to give back.

The Camdenton Maintenance Facility gathered food for several families and collected $250 for presents for children in need. The Camdenton High School girls’ basketball team partnered with maintenance workers, shopping for and wrapping gifts.

The Eldon Maintenance Facility collected food, clothes, blankets, a $250 supermarket gift certificate and a $250 Wal-Mart gift card for a family needing assistance with five children.

The Iberia Maintenance Facility raised $250 to purchase food that children could take home during the holidays. The groceries were distributed by the Iberia School District.

The Nemo Maintenance Facility raised $250 for a student whose name was on a local school’s Angel Tree. They fulfilled a wish list for a young man that included boots, clothes, a basketball and an insulated water bottle.

The Lebanon Maintenance Facility raised $255 for a grandmother that was recently challenged with raising her two grandchildren.

Employees at the Nemo Maintenance Facility prepare to gift needed items to a young man at a local school.

“When our employees are asked to respond to mother nature’s challenges such as snow, ice, floods, tornados or just plain thunderstorm damage, they are there to make the roads safer,” said Maintenance Superintendent Tyann Alexander. “And when we ask a little more, such as helping the needs of their community, they are there again. They never quit giving. I hope these generous crews can inspire other employees to make a difference in our communities.”

The Southeast Coalition for Roadway Safety is kicking off the new year with updated outreach plans and fresh faces! Most recently, Ashley Metelski was welcomed to the MoDOT team as the SCRS representative. 

“Roadway safety has been a huge part of my life for a decade now. I am excited to have Ashley Metelski as a part of our team. I feel that she is going to lead the SCRS into huge success,” said Courtnie Glenn, co-chair of the Southeast Coalition Executive Board. 

Ashley Metelski, Southeast Coalition for Roadway Safety representative.

One of the key focus areas is to educate high school students. The SCRS plans to bring informative programs to schools such as the Arrive Alive Tour, First Impact and ThinkFirst. The SCRS offers yearly grant funding to high schools that choose student lock-in events for prom or graduation. Schools must include a presentation or activity educating students on roadway safety issues within their night’s agenda to qualify. 

With fatalities on Missouri’s roadways on the rise, Buckle Up Phone Down messaging is more vital than ever. The Coalition is working with its members to promote this important safety message by distributing BUPD signs and encouraging community members to take the BUPD challenge. 

“Southeast employees can help spread the word of Buckle Up Phone Down, too! If employees know a school, business or organization that may be interested in taking the BUPD challenge and receiving signs, please reach out to me,” said SCRS Representative Ashley Metelski. 

The majority of the time, research questions take a lot more strategy than a simple Google search to answer.

This session will delve into the best ways to navigate internet research by learning how to create the perfect search string to receive the best research results. From there, participants will discover the best reliable resources to search including Google Scholar, the deep web, the library's digital resources and more!

The webinar takes place Feb. 22 from 10 - 11 a.m. You can register here.

45 Years              

Shirley Norris SL

30 Years              

Christian Schwandtner CO

25 Years              

Susan Declue SL

Joseph Allgier SE

Brian Tune SE

Kenneth Shamet CO

20 Years              

Donald Hake CD

John Pratt SW

15 Years              

Mark Morris NE

Shawn Buschjost CD

15 Years Cont.

Philip Hamilton CD

Gary Mazdra SLShea Shaddox SW

Adam Contreras SE

10 Years              

John Garrison SW

5 Years

John Richey NW

Matthew Powers NE

Lairyn McGregor KC

Michael AikenSL

Randall Clark SL

Darrel ClineSL

Robert CritesSL

Richard Crossland SL

Raymond Fryer SL

5 Years Cont

Kelly Georges SL

Jeffrey Hodges SL

Torrance Nunn SL

Scott Smith SL

Kevin Strayhorn SL

Branden Siebuhr SL

Matthew Green SW

Bryant Payne SW

Jason Jke Sinclair SW

Terrell Desha SW

Shawn Kelso SW

Ryan Fitzgerald SE

Bryant Sheehy SE

Caleigh Ruether CO

Prenness Josey CO

Paula Clay CO

The following active employee passed away:

Stephen P. Butler

KC – Dec. 17

The following retirees passed away:

Clyde E. Laughlin

CO – Jan. 2

Don M. Zeigenbein

CO – Jan. 9

Richard R. Stamper

NW – Jan. 27

Marvin Futhey

NE – Jan. 22

Rex E. Kerby

NE – Jan. 24

Lawrence E. Lowe, Jr.

NE – Dec. 22

Carl F. Rasmussen

NE – Dec. 31

Carroll L. Surber

NE – Jan. 3

Dennis Thompson

CD – Jan. 8

Jerry D. Rawlings

KC – Jan. 21

Daniel J. Friel

SL – Jan. 23

Denzil R. Boston

SE – Jan. 2

Bobby L. King

SE – Jan. 29

The mission of Connections is to be a source of MoDOT news

and feature articles that connect employees statewide.

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bethany.belt@modot.mo.gov

MoDOT Communications

P.O. Box 270, Jefferson City, Mo 65102

573-751-2840 | www.modot.org

Editor: Bethany Belt

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