E.U.P. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD
The E.U.P. Workforce Development Board meeting was held in Sault Ste. Marie at the Quality Inn. Workforce Development Board President, Jim Wagner, called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m.
Workforce
Development Board Members Present:
Blue, Cheryl
Bosbous, Tony
Daniels, Betty
Goldthorpe, David
Hazel, Jill
Hoffman, D J
Holt, Jeff
Storey, Jennifer (Alt)
Maas, Ernie
McLaren, Carmen
Halvorsen, Joe (Alt)
Taeckens, Geri (Alt)
Ramsay, Dave
Wagner, Jim
Worden, Dr. Donza
Workforce
Development Board Members Absent:
Barck, Richard
Boissineau, Ed
Burrows, Dan
Campbell,
Jake
Gibson, Beth
Shimmens, Pat
Bold names denote private sector.
Guests
Present:
Cook, Ray
Donovan, Jeanne
Ezop, Judy
Karst, Nance
Lounds
Sutter, Bill
Staff
present:
Connolly, Debbie
Wilcox, Kim
Worley, Gwen
There was no public comment addressed at this meeting.
The minutes of the March 20, 2003, Workforce Development Board meeting were approved as submitted following a motion by Jill Hazel and support by Jeff Holt.
The Employment Service Plan for PY 2003 was described. It was noted that although the funds have been reduced to $99,614, the services required to operate this program have not changed. The cost of operating all required elements of the plan is a growing concern. Tony Bosbous moved to approve the Employment Service Plan for PY 2003. Jeff Holt supported. Motion passed.
Director Worley stated that the 5-Year WIA Adult and Dislocated Worker and the 5-Year WIA Youth Plans did not require any modifications as there are no foreseen major changes in the delivery of services. In place of modifying the plans, the State has requested a letter indicating that there are no changes in the WIA Program services. Jeff Holt moved to submit letters to MDCD regarding the WIA Adult and Dislocated Worker and WIA Youth Plans. Jill Hazel supported. Motion passed.
Workforce Development Board Members reviewed the proposals received for the Program Year 2003 Wagner-Peyser Employment Services, WIA Adult and Dislocated Worker and the WIA Youth Programs. Director Worley indicated that Consolidated Community School Services provided the only proposal for each program. CCSS is the current contractor of all WIA and Employment Services. The contracts are to begin in Program Year 2003 with a possible extension of two additional years. The contract award for the Employment Service Contract totals $53,067, which is a decrease from last year’s contract. The WIA Adult Contract totals $484,000 and the WIA Dislocated Contract totals $214,000. The total funds of the WIA Youth Contract are $504,000. It was noted that there has been a change in the performance benchmark line item of average earnings for WIA Adult and WIA Youth which will have to be negotiated into the contracts. There appears to be no changes in the service operations. Bill Sutter of Consolidated Community Schools described how the programs will be operated and funded. His main concern is the decrease of funds in the Employment Service contract with the additional services required by the State. He plans to offset some of the costs involved in operating Employment Services with funds from the WIA Adult program core services that are provided by the ES staff in the resource room. Tony Bosbous moved to award Consolidated Community School Services the contracts for the Wagner-Peyser Employment Services, WIA Adult and Dislocated Worker, and the WIA Youth programs. Jeff Holt supported. Motion passed.
Several informational items were reviewed.
Jeff Holt provided an update of a recent Workforce Investment Board meeting he attended. The Trade Adjustment Assistance program, which replaces the NAFTA program, was described. The Ticket to Work Program was also highlighted. The Ticket to Work Program entails allowing disabled individuals to return to work without losing their Medicaid insurance. WDB members expressed support of this program.
Director Worley described a recent draft of a policy issuance that changes the definition of the Workforce Development Board education representative. Currently, the educational representatives must not be salaried employees of educational organizations but must be elected or appointed school or university board members. This draft policy amends the definition to include employees as well as board members of educational institutions.
Under new business, Geri Taeckens described a Grant which provides a job education program for students at risk. With this grant, nine students from Sault Area Schools are currently being trained at worksites along with attending school. The results of this grant have been positive with an improvement of grades and attendance of participants.
As
there was no old business, the meeting adjourned at 5:05 p.m. following a motion
by Tony Bosbous and support from Jeff Holt.
Signed
June 19, 2003
Jim
Wagner, President
Date Approved
E.U.P. Workforce Development Board
Prepared
by Kim Wilcox