Meeting Minutes for November 17, 2011
Lancaster County Workforce Investment Board
Minutes
Thursday, November 17, 2011
7:30 A.M.
PA CareerLink of Lancaster County
Room # 18
Present: Dr. Brian Barnhart, James Black, Barry David, Mark Esterbrook, James Everhart, Steve Fries, Stephen Grosh, Gary Grube, Christine Herneky, Eric Horn, Donald F. Johnson, Jr., Linda Kreider, Sharon Leese, John Levitski, Jean Martin, Mary Miskey, William Moulfair, Michael Newman, David Nice, Judith Pena, Robert Rhoads, Jill Welch
Not Present: Tom Baldrige, John Biemiller, Jacqueline Burch, Michelle Chronister, Carlos Graupera, Pedro Rivera, Fran Rodriguez, Timothy Roschel, Todd Schultz, Mike Sturla,
Guests: Sandy Delos, Kim Decker, Bea Landis, Trish Link, Gregory Paulson, Yani Serrano, Karen Buynak
Staff: Joyce Lenox, Lori Rank, Scott Sheely, Rod Kopp, Andrew Garner, Kim Sullenberger
Call to Order
Sharon Leese called the meeting to order at 7:37 am and welcomed everyone.
Consent Agenda
Approval of Minutes – September 15, 2011
Minutes were approved unanimously on motion from John Levitski and second by David Nice..
Items for Action
Approval of Stephen Grosh and Gary Grube to the Executive Committee and Stephen Grosh as Vice-Chair
Scott Sheely reported Steve Fries was appointed as Vice-Chair but has decided not to continue in the succession to Chair. Stephen Grosh has agreed to step in as Vice-Chair and become the Chair of the Board as of July 1, 2012. Gary Grube was appointed to the Board on November 15, 2011 and, as Chair of the Local Management Committee will serve on the Executive Committee. Stephen Grosh and Gary Grube are proposed as new members of the Executive Committee to fill the vacancies of Commission Craig Lehman and Maureen Lewandowski. Steve Fries will continue on the Executive Committee as a member-at-large.
Approval of Stephen Grosh and Gary Grube to the Executive Committee and Stephen Grosh as Vice-Chair was approved unanimously on motion from Mary Miskey and second by John Levitski.
Order of the Day – Developing an Infrastructure for Social Enterprise
Scott Sheely reported that, with public money shrinking, money to do training in the future will not be there. With so many out of work and needing work and training, Board administration is looking at social enterprises as a way for people to get work experience while, at the same time, earning money to support service delivery activities.
Melanie Snyder has been leading the effort. In the packets, there is a list of social enterprise models that Melanie compiled. There are also a number of legal and financial questions to be resolved. Don Johnson, a CPA and Board member and Kim Decker, an attorney with Barley, Snyder have discussed the tax and legal issues. They are recommending a Limited Liability Company as the structure and becoming a for profit organization that is wholly owned by the Workforce Investment Board.
Scott reported that this program would serve a number of groups of people who often require a transitional job to add to their resumes. Printing, landscaping, or a franchise operation are all possibilities that are being considered.
The Board has received a grant from the Lancaster County Community Foundation for start up costs. Scott is asking for approval to move forward in creating the LLC organization.
Approval to establish a Limited Liability Company and write the Business Plan was approved unanimously on motion from Robert Rhoades and second by Mark Esterbrook.
Scott Sheely extended an invitation to everyone for the Workforce Summit to be held December 16, 2011. It will be focusing on Social Enterprise.
Items for Discussion
Annual presentation of EARN outcomes and program activities
Kim Sullenberger reported the EARN program is mostly single mothers of young children on cash assistance. There has been a decreased allocation of $612,441 for this year along with a decreased number of expected participants from 1,200 last year to 500 this year. The Department of Welfare has changed the way they do referrals and are servicing many clients with their own caseworkers. Kim reviewed the goals from last year and the actual results.
She also presented the first quarter performance numbers for this year with many indicators being improved from last year. Everyone feels they are on the right path with the new contractors in place at the PA CareerLink. Gary Grube from the County Assistance Office is very excited at the new numbers he is seeing and the great partnership they have with the PA CareerLink and the new contractor.
Annual presentation of BWDP monitoring results
Kim Sullenberger reported we were monitored two times last year by the State. They monitor program which includes Board composition (51% private sector), forms on file, vacancies filled timely, nomination process and appointments with letters, meetings are posted and agreements and contracts in place. They also look at the Youth Council files. There were no findings related to program. They also monitored fiscal and procurement systems where they look at policy, Board changes, the procurement manual and fiscal and internal controls. There were two findings from these audits. A corrective actions plan was submitted to the State and was accepted. On the second monitoring, no serious findings were discussed during the exit interview; the final report is pending.
Overview of Spending for Training
Scott Sheely reported a Budget update is being done and a Budget modification will be brought to the Board in January for a vote. We received $565,000 in National Emergency Grant funding to employ people to cleanup related to Tropical Storm Lee. We also received a $40,000 grant from Alcoa as a part of the Clinton Global Initiatives program. Online training has been slow to catch on but is expected to increase in January. ITA training has been increased from $100,000 to $320,000.
Many changes are occurring in the fiscal reporting as a result of the WIB becoming the fiscal agent as of July 1, 2011. The Finance Committee has stepped up its role and is looking for new members to review reports before the Executive Committee gets them. Steve Fries asked if there are any problems the Board should be aware of in the Budget. The answer was no.
Update on Industry Partnership Funding
All the Industrial Partnerships are operational even though the funding has not yet been received. We look for that to happen shortly.
Staff Reports
Youth Coordinator
Andrew Garner reported the Health Career Expo in partnership with Lancaster General College was held for high school students with 7 school districts, 21 exhibitors, and 330 students attending. The Pathways to Gold Collar Careers was held at the Farm and Home Center only one night this year with 13 school districts attending, 41 exhibitors, 9 sponsors, and 323 students attending.
This year, the Youth Council decided to sponsor Winter Camp scholarships with TANF Youth money to the Lancaster Science Factory for eight ½ day camps. This will be for 6-12 year olds to attend between Christmas and New Year's Day. The Youth Career Summit will be held on January 12, 2012 at Liberty Place. Focus will be for schools to connect with the PA CareerLink and learn what is available.
A Request for Quotations for an after-school program was sent out following the success with last year's program. This will service TANF youth. Under the WIA Youth program, the in-school and out of school contracts are in their third year. A RFP for the 2012 fiscal year will be going out in the spring.
Executive Director
Scott Sheely reported.........
• The new UC laws requiring the work search component is not what employers or the Workforce Investment Board were looking for. The PA Associations of WIB's is looking to see if they can get some changes made. This is set to roll out as of January 1, 2012 but the basic regulations are not ready yet.
• Management in the PA CareerLink has discovered many employees do not know how to do career counseling and know what skill sets are needed to make better choices. Materials are being prepared to educate staff so that they can better inform clients to reach their goals.
• The Workforce Summit being held December 16, 2011 will launch Social Enterprise. It will also recognize departing Youth Council and Board members and companies employing PA CareerLink Clients.
• We are very proud to be a recipient of the Alcoa Grant for future training in STEM for adults and the Lancaster County Community Foundation Grant for start up of Social Enterprise.
• We will continue to write grant applications and submit them but the pool of available money has been very slim this year.
• The new contractors in the PA CareerLink as of July 1, 2011 have been a very good change for all.
• A meeting schedule for 2012 has been included in the packet for every one of the dates for next year.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 9:02 a.m. with Sharon Leese thanking everyone for attending. She reminded everyone of the Executive Committee meeting immediately following the Board meeting.
Next Meeting
Thursday, January 19, 2012
7:30 a.m.
PA CareerLink of Lancaster County
1016 N. Charlotte Street
Lancaster, PA 17603
