Meeting Minutes from July 15, 2010
Lancaster County Workforce Investment Board
Minutes
Thursday, July 15, 2010
7:30 A.M.
PA CareerLink of Lancaster County
Annex Conference Room
Present:
John Biemiller, James Black, Barry Brandt, Michelle Chronister, Barry David, Christine Herneky, Donald F. Johnson, Jr., Linda Kreider, Sharon Leese, Craig Lehman, Maureen Lewandowski, Jean Martin, Mary Miskey, William Moulfair, David Nice, Robert Rhoads, Fran Rodriguez, Timothy Roschel, Joe Shiffer, Aimee Urban
Not Present:
Gilbert Abney, Tom Baldrige, Dr. Brian Barnhart, Jacqueline Burch, Mark Esterbrook, Steve Fries, Jim Germak, Carlos Graupera, Stephen Grosh, Eric Horn, John Levitski, Pedro Rivera, Todd Shultz, Mike Sturla, Jill Welch
Guests:
Trish Link, Douglas Schmidt, Yani Serrano, Ann Louise Brown, Allison Weber, Luis Diaz, Anna Ramos, Tom Martin, Kay Knight
Staff:
Andrew Garner, Joyce Lenox, Kim Sullenberger, Lori Rank, Scott Sheely
Call to Order
Sharon Leese, Chair, called the meeting to order at 7:36 am, welcomed everyone, introduced herself as the new Chair, and asked attendees to introduce themselves. Sharon welcomed new Board member Tim Roschel and all the guests in attendance.
Consent Agenda
Approval of Minutes - May 20, 2010
Minutes were approved unanimously on motion from William Moulfair and second from John Biemiller.
Order of the Day
A Wider View of the Recession and Recovery: Hearing from our Community-Based Workforce Partners
Scott Sheely discussed the recession and recovery and stressed the importance of our community-based workforce partners in helping us leverage more resources in serving customers.
Allison Weber from SACA spoke about the great relationship they have with the CareerLink in offering the Ready2Work program. They are seeing 600+ clients yearly with 165 getting their R2W certificate and 110 getting employed. The Walmart grant for $400,000 over 2 years is going to be used to develop bilingual training for language and skill training related to such jobs as nursing assistant, office assistant, material handlers, and others.
Tom Martin from the Lancaster County Office of the Aging works mainly with the employment unit and the senior community service program, both funded by a PA grant and a federal grant, respectively.. Referrals are done for people 55 plus. Clients are assigned for 20 hours to the CareerLink as the host agency to build skills and enroll in Job Club.
Jean Martin from the Community Services of Organized Labor spoke about the help they give companies closing or downsizing as well as connecting dislocated workers with the PA CareerLink. Calls for these services have lessened recently from over 10,000 last year. They have seen the Rapid Response meetings with companies decreasing from 3-4 month last year to 1 since the beginning of the year.
Louise Brown from Lancaster County Community Action Program spoke about the 35 programs to address human and social services that are available through. They also work with PA CareerLink and the Ready2Work program to provide work experience for low-income customers with 167 clients enrolled. They have expanded the weatherization program while outreach programs for heating, rental and formula and food help has been in demand.
Kay Knight from Neighborhood Services spoke about the EARN retention program and the many barriers that are involved. They also are part of the Re-Entry Management Organization and work with prisoners before and after release to find them housing and other community services. Six people in the last 2 weeks from the RMO program have been employed.
Scott led a discussion about collaboration for all the services and suggested that tracking the impact the system is having as an important issue. The website was mentioned as a possible way to collect client feedback and find out the needs. A suggestion was made to put together a survey through the LMC and the EARN program and be posted on the website to find out what the needs are and what needs to be changed. No one agency or person has enough resources to do it all but, if everyone leverages resources and manpower, things will get done.
Update on Way to work and Subsidized Employment Program
Anna Ramos briefed everyone on the results of the Way to Work Program which replaced the summer youth program from last year with a program for young people and adults this year. This program is funded with TANF money (which can only be used to pay wages ) but wraparound costs such as taxes and case management must be covered by other funding. The employer of record is TriStar, the same as last year.
To date, there have been six recruitment sessions for intake eligibility. Over 500 intakes have been done and another is scheduled for July 22, 2010. Placement is at 75 people with 185 approved for placement but needing to complete requirements yet. There are currently openings for 47 in private industry and 113 in public nonprofit. Some people have been hired on the spot in unsubsidized employment by employers.
Joe Shiffer wanted to thank Anna Ramos and all the staff for their hard work and effort. Scott Sheely mentioned some problems with the Way to Work program eligibility requirements and participants not wanting to complete the requirements
A National Jobs Strategy
Scott Sheely expressed his concern about the apparent lack of a fully-developed national job strategy. The solution that Congress and the administration has used keeps increasing the number of weeks of unemployment compensation week. There are other states like New York who are looking at offering the money to employers to avoid layoffs and keeping people employed. The system now seems to be very disjointed. He asked how employers feel and if we should work on local solutions. Should we as a Board speak out to get the policy changed? Fran Rodriguez and Luis Diaz both mentioned they worked with and had many students who graduated this year and wanted to work but there are no jobs available. Scott mentioned the possibility of a public jobs program such as CETA from the 1960s and 1970s or the WPA model used during the depression. After two years of unemployment, many people lose their skills and work ethic.
This will be a long recovery period requiring new solutions. Scott asked what the Board would like to do. Board expressed support for staff moving ahead in collaboration with other Boards to address the issues. Fran then recommended an update be done at the Workforce Summit in December. Sharon also recommended an educational piece to update people on how unemployment is handled.
Items for Discussion
Update on Lease Negotiations
Scott reported that the Letter of Intent has been drafted and is with counsel for review. When both parties agree and sign, a 10 year lease will be drawn up. The lease itself is less money for 2 years. A reduction of space without penalty is another important part of the agreement. All negotiating is done and now in the hands of the lawyers.
Update on Youth Activities
Andrew Garner reported the Career Camps were held in June at the School District of Lancaster with 246 attending from seven districts. The Career Camps at the Lancaster County Career and Technology Center had 234 attending with 179 attendees on scholarship from 11 districts and 1 charter school. The industry tours for educators and counselors visited nine workplaces and had 82 teachers attending. These tours were set up based on recommendations from the Youth Summit held in January to provide better information on employment to help teachers implement the PA Career Standards.
Update from the Local Management Committee
Maureen Lewandwoski reported the Local Management Council was set up as a committee of the Board to oversee the TANF program and funding. The County Assistance Office works with EARN program and LETA for employment and training job skills. All cash assistance participants must be enrolled in the EARN program. Anyone having barriers to participating in the EARN program or people who cannot not work full-time are referred to Community Action Program. Neighborhood Services provides retention services after employment. All of these programs have state required guidelines.
The LMC was set up for feed back to assess programs and make sure all the needs are being met. Priority of service is to get welfare recipients in the program, keep them there ,and assure that they are focused on what needs done. Before applying for assistance, all participants must pursue other benefits first such as unemployment.
Items for Approval
Approval of Slate of Officers and Committee Chairs
Scott Sheely referred to the list in the packet and reported that the Executive Committee recommended that Sharon Leese take over the role of Chair with Steve Fries serving as Vice-Chair. Steve previously had only served one year. Tom Baldrige will continue as Secretary-Treasurer. Steve will chair the Performance Review Committee; Don Johnson will chair the Finance Committee; Maureen Lewandowski will chair the Local Management Committee; and Sharon Leese will chair the Executive Committee. Scott asked for other nominations for Officers or Committee Appointments. There being none, nominations were closed by consent and the motion to accept the slate off officer as presented.
Approval of the Slate of Officers and Committee Chairs on motion by the Executive Committee and second by Mary Miskey.
Approval of ARRA Report for May 2010
Kim Sullenberger reported for Rod Kopp. The report reflects all the PA money received related to ARRA funding. The formula adult and dislocated worker money is exhausted. The youth money will be spent by June 30, 2010 with the PA way to work program. Additional funds requested of $1.5 million for Rapid Response has approximately $413,000 left which will be used for ITA's and Job Club next fiscal year. Regional Career Education Partnerships fund will has all been spent with final figures due after Career Camps and Industry Tours are held in June
Approval of the ARRA Report for May 2010 on motion by Aimee Urban and second by Robert Rhoades.
Staff Reports
Fiscal Officer
Due of absence of Rod Kopp there was no report.
Executive Director
Scott Sheely reported that, through support from Board members and employers for the Industry Partnership program the Industry Partnership Training money was written into the budget. The Lancaster Workforce Investment Board was awarded $745,000 this year which is down about $300,000 from last year
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 9:12 a.m. with Sharon Leese thanking everyone for coming and reminding those attending that the next meeting will be in two months.
