Meeting Minutes from March 17, 2011
Lancaster County Workforce Investment Board
Minutes
Thursday, March 17, 2011
7:30 A.M.
PA CareerLink of Lancaster County
Annex Conference Room
Present:
Dr. Brian Barnhart, James Black, Michelle Chronister, Mark Esterbrook, James Everhart, Carlos Graupera, Christine Herneky, Eric Horn, Sharon Leese, Craig Lehman, John Levitski, Jean Martin, Mary Miskey, William Moulfair, David Nice, Robert Rhoads, Timothy Roschel, Jill Welch
Not Present:
Gilbert Abney, Tom Baldrige, John Biemiller, Jacqueline Burch, Barry David, Steve Fries, Jim Germak, Stephen Grosh, Donald F. Johnson Jr., Linda Kreider, Michael Newman, Pedro Rivera, Fran Rodriguez, Joe Shiffer, Todd Shultz, Mike Sturla, Aimee Urban.
Guests:
Trish Link, Gary Grube, Bea Landis, Gregory Paulson, Yani Serrano, Anna Ramos, Susan Miller, Tom Showalter Judith Pena, Tom Martin.
Staff:
Joyce Lenox, Kim Sullenberger, Lori Rank, Scott Sheely, Rod Kopp, Andrew Garner
Call to Order
Sharon Leese, Chair, called the meeting to order at 7:38 am, welcomed everyone, introduced herself, and asked attendees to introduce themselves. Sharon thanked everyone for coming and wished everyone a Happy St. Patrick's Day.
Consent Agenda
Approval of Minutes – January 20, 2011
Minutes were approved unanimously on motion from John Levitski and second by Mary Miskey.
Items for Discussion
Emerging Funding Picture
Scott Sheely reported the current funding environment is not good. WIA funding comes through the Department of Labor and the TANF funding comes through the Department of Health and Human Services. There are current and will be future cuts in the domestic spending. In general, we agree that cuts are needed to get the budget where it needs to be but deep cuts are proposed with the latest Congressional budget zeroing out funding for the entire national workforce system even at a time when the unemployment rate is the highest since the Great Depression. At this point, we don't even know if the workforce system will exist after July 1, 2011. The mood is very gloomy around the country.
At the March Job Fair, there were over 2,000 job seekers, Ready 2 Work graduated 350 people at that time. The PA CareerLink is currently seeing about 1,500 clients a week.
On the State level, there has not been an appointment to the Secretary of Labor and Industry. Last year, funding for Industry Partnerships was just under $1 million for Lancaster. The state has zeroed out most of this funding line, keeping only about $1.6 million for some training activities. This funding supported the incumbent worker training with employer match and pre-employment training in the CareerLink.
Levels of welfare funding which provide about 1/3 of the revenues for Lancaster are still not defined but we have planned for a 15% cut for this year. There is a definite need to support unemployed.
As we look to the budget for next year, we look for areas to cut spending. Rent is one option with the lease allowing the ability to reduce space in the PA CareerLink by 25%. Contractors may have to be cut back with limited dollars. Individual Training Accounts may also be limited. We are looking at on-line training program that has over 5,000 modules with certification and a 3 month license per person only costs $50 as an alternative to ITAs. This would allow many more to be trained with the dollars available. Skill training also appears to be an important priority for employers.
Many organizations are campaigning on behalf of the workforce system with success stories being collected and told. Unfortunately, all WIB's are judged on the weakest parts of the system, not the strongest.
Update on Contracting for Workforce Investment Act Title I and EARN Funds
Kim Sullenberger reported the RFP's were released in February with proposals due back by March 14, 2011. We received six for the Title I with 1 bidder late and not considered and five for the EARN contract. All reviewers have met and were given instructions for reviewing. The original RFP's are on the website if anyone wants to review them. The first week of April, the review committees and the Local Management Committee will meet. The Performance Committee will meet the week of April 18, 2011 to consider recommendation to the Executive Committee. At the Executive Committee meeting on May 3, 2011, the recommendation will be considered and voted on as a recommendation to the County Commissioner. Once the contract is awarded the transition will start with July 1, 2011 being the start of the new contract with very little interruption to the operations of the PA CareerLink.
Order of the Day – Strategic Planning
Presentation of Current Strategic Plan, Structure, Budget, Performance Goals
Scott Sheely mentioned our goals today are to review the current strategic plan and look at the strategic priorities (possibly adding advocacy as a priority). We need to look at the vision piece with focus on the employer needs, out of work clients, and incumbent workers moving up into jobs. We want the job seeker to be successful in gaining employment. In some ways, that is our most important indicator of success...placements.
Scott mentioned the Guiding Principles that include...
- Build and maintain a workforce to meet needs.
- Develop and maintain a workforce trained with job skills that fit employers needs
- Equal access to resources for a career path
- Assist residents in finding and establishing a career path
- Develop and maintain a workforce system to attract partners, build alliances and coordinate resources.
Staff shared the workforce system organization chart, showing County and fiscal responsibilities, as well as he proposed PA CareerLink organizational chart. Each leader in the CareerLink will oversee 15-20 people; staff from different organizations will be co-mingled. Also, a flow chart for clients coming into the PA CareerLink was shared along with observations on how this new understanding may drive processes within the Center.
Scott mentioned he would like some guidance on where you want to put money, particularly around ITAs, online training, pre-employment training, and workforce readiness. Each are important but they essentially come out of the same funding source. Folks were generally open to the staff proposal of fewer ITAs, more online training, and continuing workforce readiness and pre-employment training at a modest level that the system can afford.
There is an ongoing need to keep funding diverse so grant-writing and outreach to funders will need to continue. The Board mentioned they would like to see less process evaluation and more impact analysis illustrating our role in the community.
The Board took a short 15 minutes break and came back in session at 9:26 a.m.
The Statement of Financial Interest Forms was handed out and last year's forms were available if needed. Instructions were to fill out and return to Joyce Lenox as soon as possible.
National and State Policy Changes that may Impact the System
There are many changes being proposed that could impact the workforce system including reductions in budget at the national level, reductions in the Industry Partnership funding stream by the Commonwealth, an expanded view of training options, adding a work search requirement to the PA unemployment compensation laws, and increasing integration of WIA and Welfare..
Issues to be Addressed...
Scott Sheely suggested four general issues to be covered in the time remaining...
- More service more with less funding
- Reduce the cost of services and generate revenue
- Keeping the Board operation effective and efficient
- Advocacy
Many Board members felt focus should be on bi-lingual skill training. More than ½ of the clients coming into the PA CareerLink are Latino; many need adult basic and language skills. Digital literacy should be expanded to keep up with employers that use online tools for employees to apply for jobs.
Finding other funds could be a real challenge of the future. Tapping into private foundations and looking for other grants will be a part of an ongoing resource development strategy. Providing services to employers for a fee or starting private enterprises to fund training is another option that would require some research. .
There was considerable discussion reducing the size of the Board. The Commonwealth has reduced the requirements for Board size to a minimum of 10 mandated Board members in various categories. The Board must then add private sector members so that it has 51% private sector membership. This conversation will be continued with the Executive Committee.
Scott Sheely recommended we also need to have an alternative forum to deliver feedback on a regular basis to elected officials. Success stories from employers and job seekers need to get out to the public and to elected officials as a background for continuing the funding. Educating employers on services available through the PA CareerLink will be an added way to use thise informatoin.
How does the Resolution of these Issues Change the Strategic Plan?
With all the information presented, staff will look at how this changes the Strategic Plan. An interim report will take place at the May 19 Board meeting.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 10.38 a.m. with Sharon Leese thanking everyone for taking the extra time to come to the extended Board meeting.
