Aug. 4, 2022

At its August 3 meeting, the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission reviewed and approved the recommendation to not raise medical premiums for 2023. This is the sixth consecutive year active employees have had no increase in premiums.

MoDOT's medical plan will continue with the same provider for calendar year 2023.

The Commission also approved converting the Medicare-eligible retirees to a Medicare Advantage plan, which will save costs for retirees.

Comprehensive health care coverage is an extremely important benefit to active employees and retirees. Watch for more details from the MoDOT Health & Wellness team.

At its August 3 meeting, the Commission heard presentations from the City of St. Joseph and St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce regarding cooperation on local transportation projects. United Bridge Partners presented on innovative delivery options for bridges.

Director McKenna discussed the historic rainfall and flash flooding of nearly 50 roads in 10 counties in St. Louis, Northeast and Central Districts last week. The National Weather Service in St. Louis reported a record-breaking 9+ inches on July 26, with some locations receiving more than a foot of rain. MoDOT crews quickly worked with our partners from the Highway Patrol and other local emergency responders to close impacted roads, including interstates, until the rain stopped and the flash floods receded. 

The director thanked Commissioners Ecker, Waters and Smith for attending a girder signing ceremony on June 30 for the U.S. Route 169 Buck O'Neil Bridge in Kansas City. Just one year after the project groundbreaking, the first river bridge girder was installed.

Read the full meeting summary, which topics include: Director's Report, Consideration of Bids, Rural Roads Funding and Projects, State of the Northwest District Update and Medical Plan Funding and Recommendations for Calendar Year 2023.

This month, the Human Resources Employee Development Team is promoting courses that include a focus on teamwork and effectively working on a successful team in today's society.

Below are a few of the MOLearning courses currently available:

• Being an Effective Team Member
• Creating Winning Teams
• Connecting and Collaborating in a Virtual or Hybrid Workplace
• Managing Team Conflict

Questions? Contact your local Human Resources representative.

MoDOT’s ShareLeave program allows employees to help co-workers who have suffered a catastrophic or life-threatening illness or injury (personal or immediate family) and exhausted all their leave time, such as in the employee testimonial below.

In March of 2021, my six-year-old son was diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma – a rare, inoperable and fatal brain cancer. He was given six to 11 months to live. We were devastated. The only recommended treatment was radiation, which would be every weekday for six weeks.

Fortunately, I had enough leave to get through his treatments and most of a clinical trial which would involve treatments every two weeks. We then learned the cancer metastasized. I was almost out of leave but wanted to spend as much time caring for him as possible. I was willing to take leave without pay but was granted shared leave.

I was able to spend the last six weeks of my son’s life caring for him and enjoying the short time we had left. Not knowing when he would leave us was made more bearable by having the opportunity to take the time off work to spend with him. 

Thank you to those who donated their time to the ShareLeave program so that my family and I could be with my little boy. He passed 10 months to the day of his diagnosis.

~ St. Louis Maintenance Crew Leader Seth Knackstedt

ShareLeave hours are received as donations of annual leave or comp time as well as excess hours swept from balances during the leave sweep that normally occurs each October. MoDOT hasn’t had a leave sweep for the past two years. The ShareLeave balance is critically low!

Please consider donating a few hours to the program to help your co-workers during life’s unexpected events: ShareLeave donation form. Thank you to those who have donated!

This month's Road to Rocheport video takes a look into the history of the bridge, past rehabilitation projects, and includes a special guest interview with Assistant Chief Engineer Eric Schroeter! Click the thumbnail below to view the update.

Senior Maintenance Worker Chris Schindler donates blood during the Southeast District’s July 14 blood drive.

For MoDOT employees, being of service to others doesn’t stop at the end of the workday or with assigned job duties. The Southeast District’s recent blood drive was no exception!  

Employees from Customer Service, Traffic, Maintenance, Information Systems, Survey, Construction, Design, Human Resources and a project manager stepped up to donate and help save lives.  

During the blood drive, 13 units were collected, including two from members of the public. According to the American Red Cross, each donation can help save more than one life.  

Lifesaving care often starts with receiving a donation of blood. This generous donation is essential for surgeries, cancer treatment, chronic illnesses and traumatic injuries. To learn more, please visit redcrossblood.org.  

Barrel Bob reminds drivers passing by MoDOT's St. Louis Ballas maintenance building located on I-64 and Ballas Road to slow down and pay attention in our work zones. Buckle up phone down!

40 Years

Janet Ruga CO

35 Years

Anthony Burrow SE

30 Years

Edward Hunziger NW

25 Years

David Kunze CD

Joseph Dotson SW

Clay Wood SE

Gretchen Hanks SE

Lisa Mcfadden SE

Sue Sifford SE

20 Years

Nancy Lancaster KC

Frank Baker, Jr. CD

Maurice Farr SE

Thomas Osburn SE

15 Years

Alvin Peavler NW

Glenn Bunton CD

Charles Rhodes SL

Erik Casas SW

Michael Marbough SW

Harold Eads SE

Michael Hoer CO

10 Years

Charles Brumble KC

John Jones KC

Ernest Lindsay SL

Errol Crossman SL

5 Years

Todd Barbee NW

Samuel Carey KC

Steve Hansuld KC

Teresa Gentry SL

Scott Sergent CO

Abigail Steinbach CO

Bernard Schnieders CO

Hannah Matthews CO

The following retirees passed away:

Shirley A. Albright

CO – July 2

Jerry W. Bunch

CO – July 13

Effie J. Rousset

CO – June 23

Winton D. Oswalt

NE – July 23

Clara E. Bay

KC – July 20

Donald L. Cole

KC – July 16

Kevin E. Foster

KC – July 22

Myron L. Hartman

KC – July 2

Donald G. Gillispie

CD – June 16

Frances T. Grillo

SL – July 7

Roy E. Mason

SL – June 29

Joseph D. Payne

SL – June 29

Donald L. Jones

SW – July 24

Eulalah F. Young

SW – July 20

Jessie O. Gordon, Jr.

SW – July 11

Maurice G. Wade

SE – July 18

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: Sr. Communications Specialist Bethany Belt

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