The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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May 13, 2011

Struck pension bill advances

By Robb Murray The Free Press

—    A bill that would dramatically improve the pension of a local state worker killed near Seven Mile Creek County Park in March moved one step closer to reality Friday.

The bill, which would bump Michael Struck’s pension from about $200 per month to about $2,000, was approved Friday by the Pension Commission for inclusion in the overall omnibus budget bill that the Legislature will vote on next week.

On the House side, the measure first will have to clear the Government Operations and Elections Committee. In the Senate, it must clear the Government Innovation and Veterans Committee.

The bill’s local authors said they don’t expect much opposition to compensating the family of a man who was killed while trying to help during an emergency.

“A person like Mike Struck who gave his life during a time of emergency has to have his family treated fairly,” said Sen. Kathy Sheran of Mankato. “It is important that the sacrifice by a public employee like Mike Struck should be appropriately supported if they give their lives to protect the citizens of this state.”

Struck, 39, of Cleveland was killed March 22 while using a backhoe to clear debris from a culvert that drains into the Minnesota River between St. Peter and Mankato. The backhoe tipped over and Struck fell into the creek. His body was found the next day by a team of law enforcement officials who trolled back and forth for hours until they found him.

Struck was a longtime MnDOT worker and volunteer firefighter for the city of Cleveland.

The language of the bill is written so that no one other than Struck could possibly benefit from it. House author Rep. Terry Morrow of St. Peter said most bills are written to benefit many people. But in some rare occasions, a bill can be written to, as Morrow said, address unforeseen circumstances.

“One thing I’ve been trying to let folks know is that the bill is an effort to help the Struck family stay as close to being financially whole as they can be,” Morrow said. “And because Mike was relatively young, he didn’t have a lot in his pension plan.”

The amount of pension Struck’s family would receive is similar to what the family of a state trooper killed in the line of duty would receive. The bill has the support of Gov. Mark Dayton as well.

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