LTWDB Meeting Minutes December 14, 2017

MINUTES OF THE
LINCOLN TRAIL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD

December 14, 2017

The Lincoln Trail Workforce Development Board (LTWDB) met on Thursday, December 14, 2017 at 11:30 am EST, at the Lincoln Trail ADD office in Elizabethtown.

Mo Miller, Chair, verified that both quorum requirements had been met and called the meeting to order.  The LTWDB then recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

ACTION ITEMS

Minutes

Mo Miller presented the minutes from the September 19, 2017 LTWDB meeting for consideration. Laura LaRue made a motion to approve the minutes as presented.  Joe Ashley seconded; motion carried.

 Senate Bill 1 – Industry Certification Rankings

 Jim Skees provided an overview of Senate Bill 1, which was passed by the General Assembly earlier in the year.  The Bill outlines requirements for establishing credentials and certifications for all school districts to be used as postsecondary indicators for college and career readiness.  The local Workforce Development Boards were tasked with creating a list of indicators specific to their region.  Mr. Skees presented a list to the LTWDB based on information gathered from a variety of business and industry resources.  Mr. Skees stated that, upon the LTWDB’s approval, it would be submitted to the Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board and the Kentucky Department of Education for their review.  Patricia Krausman made a motion to accept the list as presented.  Daniel Carney seconded; motion carried.

Introduction of Guest

 Mo Miller introduced Ray Leathers, Private Sector Liaison with the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet.  Mr. Leathers provided a brief overview of his role, which is to help increase employer engagement in the workforce efforts in Kentucky.  Mr. Leathers invited Board members to share their thoughts with him after the meeting.

 Consideration-OET Presence at KCC Affiliate Sites

 Rebel Baker Chreste, OET Regional Manager, provided information on OET’s participation at the Kentucky Career Center-Lincoln Trail affiliate sites.  Ms. Baker indicated that OET had proposed a plan to staff additional offices prior to the implementation of the SNAP E & T program.  Ms. Chreste asked the LTWDB to consider tabling the decision until after the January rollout in Hardin County to further assess the customer flow.  Mo Miller inquired about the next probable date to consider the item.  Sherry Johnson indicated that the SNAP E & T program would be rolled out in the other seven counties in the Lincoln Trail region in March.  Laura LaRue made a motion to table the OET presence at KCC Affiliate sites until the March 2018 LTWDB meeting.  Dr. Evelyn Ellis seconded; motion carried.

Consideration – Direct Services Provider Proposal

Laura LaRue provided an overview of the direct services provider proposal review conducted by the Funding and Workforce, Education and Economic Development (WEED) committees.  Ms. LaRue stated that only one proposal was received and that was from the Lake Cumberland Area Development District (LCADD).  Ms. LaRue indicated that the committees reviewed the proposal and sent questions to the provider, which were answered satisfactorily.  Ms. LaRue stated that the committees agreed to recommend accepting the proposal from LCADD.  Al Rider made a motion to accept the direct services provider proposal from LCADD.  Trish Niles seconded; motion carried.

Consideration – Nominating Committee Recommendations

Al Rider, chair of the Nominating committee, informed the LTWDB that the committee met twice to carefully review and discuss a slate of officers for 2018.  Mr. Rider thanked current officers for service they provided and presented the following slate of Officers for consideration: :  Chair – Dean Schamore, First Vice Chair – Mo Miller, Second Vice-Chair – Trish Niles, Secretary/Treasurer – Myra Covault.  Lisa Boone made a motion to accept the slate of officers as presented.  Dr. Evelyn Ellis seconded; motion carried.  Al Rider also added that current members whose terms expire on June 30, 2018 were contacted to determine their intent to serve another term.  This resulted in three vacancies, which LTWDB staff will work with the LTWDB to fill prior to June 30^th.

Consideration – SNAP E & T Memorandum of Agreement

Mo Miller provided an overview of the SNAP E & T program and the role of the LTWDB and direct service provider staff.  Mr. Miller expressed concern regarding the State’s foresight and planning regarding resources to implement the program.  After some discussion, Mr. Miller asked for a motion to accept the SNAP E & T Memorandum of agreement (MOA).  Ken Ritchie made a motion to accept the SNAP E & T Memorandum of agreement.  Daniel Carney seconded the motion.  Discussion followed with a question from Renard Duvall asking if the possible loss of benefits would be a deterrent for participation in the program. Sherry Johnson indicated that the program was voluntary but once an individual committed to participating they would have to complete or run the risk of benefits being affected.  Ms. Johnson stated that WOIA staff did not make decisions regarding participant benefits.  Mr. Duvall stated his concern that the children of participants may be affected if benefits were cut off.  Ms. Baker Chreste provided additional clarification that individuals who had dependents under the age of eighteen in the home would not be required to fulfill the work requirement.  Mr. Miller again asked for a motion to accept the MOA.  Stan Carton made a motion to accept the SNAP E & T MOA.  Al Rider seconded; motion carried with one “nay” noted.

DISCUSSION ITEMS

Chair Report on Meeting with Cabinet

Mo Miller, along with other local Workforce Development Board Chairs, attended a meeting on November 17, 2017 hosted by Secretary Hal Heiner and other Education and Workforce Development Cabinet officials.  Mr. Miller stated that the meeting was basically a conversation between the parties.  Mr. Miller commented that it was important that Frankfort understood that the locals had experience in executing the programs.  Mr. Miller asked Ray Leathers to convey to Cabinet leadership that their commitment and devotion is acknowledged but the locals would like more latitude in terms of performing their job in getting people employed and contributing to the economy.

Heartland Communications Update 

Sarah Berkshire, with Heartland Communications Consultants (HCC), provided a brief update on recent outreach efforts involving the use of videos.  Ms. Berkshire shared two short videos one highlighting the Marion County Manufacturing day and the other the Workforce Crisis Taskforce meeting in October.  Ms. Berkshire stated that the videos were helping to build the social media audience.

Strategy Matters Update

Liz O’Connor provided an update on strategic plan implementation activities that had occurred to date as well as future planned activities.  Ms. O’Connor also provided a Crisis Task Force dash and scoreboard, which included metrics and benchmarks.  Ms. O’Connor informed the LTWDB that the following sub-committees of the Crisis Task Force had been created:  Local Activation, Business and Removing Obstacles. She encouraged LTWDB members to join one of the three sub-committees.  Ms. O’Connor also shared that Strategy matters held a meeting with Hardin County employers in December to gain their input regarding the workforce crisis.  Similar meetings were being planned in other parts of the region in the coming months.

SNAP E & T Update

Sherry Johnson provided an update on the status of the SNAP E & T program and referred LTWDB members to a handout providing some basic information about SNAP as well as the county rollout timeline.  Ms. Johnson stated more detailed information would be provided after program implementation in January.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

None

NEW BUSINESS

Gary Chapman presented Mo Miller with a plaque and gavel for his service to the LTWDB over the past twelve years.  Mr. Chapman recognized Mr. Miller’s dedication and commitment as both a board member and chair and expressed gratitude for his leadership and advocacy for local control during his tenure.

ADJOURNMENT 

With no further business to discuss the meeting was adjourned.

LINCOLN TRAIL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD

ATTENDANCE SHEET

December 14, 2017

*Denotes excused absence