This meeting may be called into closed session to discuss personnel issues.

1. Adequate Funding - Adequatefunding has been secured for this year and next. Funding continues to be a priority issue, however, withcontinual cuts at the Federal level and more competition within the State for scarce dollars. Minimal fundingmakes it difficult to provide more robust staff development for the program staff or implement special projects.

    

2. Local Business Assistance Programs - The implementation of business service programs, with a "Business First" approach to jobdevelopment, has been very successful. Both our job placements and our business services are up. Weare having a positive impact on our local businesses. It is not at the same level/depth throughout NoRTEC, butwe are making progress. One measure of success is the willingness of local business to pay for many of the services.They see the value and we help offset our costs. Our Business Services program has also provided a focal pointand an identity for NoRTEC. We have a State and National reputation for being the premier business services programin the Workforce Development field.

    

3. Capacity Building - NoRTECprovided several in-house program staff training opportunities this past year:

    

   • B. Austin continued to serve as NoRTEC business service representative to the California StaffingProfessionals (CSP), and kept in contact with CSP Executive Director, Lynn Ebro, to stay abreast of organization'sCalifornia Accredited Consultant (CAC) accreditation testing dates and to recruit NoRTEC business services stafffor same. Also, met in October 2006 with Ms. Ebro and Judy Lawton, a senior Board member of the American StaffingAssociation (ASA), to promote NoRTEC, and argue for the ASA Board to revise their restrictive membership policyregarding not-for-profit organizations. Establishing rapport with ASA is of particular importance as CAC accreditationended in October 2006 and will be replaced by national certification offered only through the ASA. Ms. Lawtonagreed to bring the matter up with ASA leadership and will keep NoRTEC posted as they move forward.

      

   • B. Austin presented three full days of WIA Overview and NoRTEC Policies and Procedures trainingfor AFWD service provider staff on June 27-29,2007. In addition to facilitating an in-depth discussion ofthe NoRTEC Business First! philosophy with AFWD staff, specific program services training was provided in the followingareas: Adult/Dislocated Worker policies and procedures, Adult eligibility systems, client tracking and reportingof participant outcomes, and State and NoRTEC-specific Adult/Dislocated Worker program performance requirements.Also provided was an overview of NoRTEC's MIS system, and training in navigating NoRTEC's Staff and Business websites.

      

   • B. Austin presented a half day in-service program review at the Job Training Center of TehamaCounty on June 26, 2007. This refresher training focused on program eligibility for dislocated workers.

      

   • B. Austin presented a full day of "NoRTEC Policies and Procedures" refresher trainingat the Del Norte Career Center on June 19, 2007. This training was provided to RHS management and service providerstaff. Progress toward implementation of 2006/07 business service goals was also discussed, and staff brainstormednew business service ideas.

      

   • B. Austin presented a full day of "NoRTEC Policies and Procedures" refresher trainingat the Lassen Career Center for AFWD service provider staff on May 9, 2007.

      

   • B. Austin planned, organized, and facilitated three full-day Youth Program planning sessionsand Common Measures training at the Oroville Employment Center and at the Smart Business Resource Center in Reddingin February 2006, April 2006, and March 07. Austin coordinated lodging and meals for Youth Program staff from acrossthe consortium, and provided focused training on the new WIA Youth Program Common Measures, including an overview/discussionof basic skills assessment instruments. Also discussed were specific ways in which service providers couldredesign and manage their respective WIA Youth Programs to meet the requirements of the new youth common measurestandards and also to be compatible with NoRTEC's Business First! philosophy. The last session on March 15, 2007reviewed general NoRTEC expectations, status of youth program design, and youth performance stats to-date.

      

   • B. Austin presented two days of training at the Del Norte Career Center on November 9-11, 2006.This training was provided to assist RHS management and program staff in their continuing effort to develop appropriatesystems and procedures for the delivery of client and business services.

      

   • B. Austin planned and organized special program training for NoRTEC service provider staff atthe Smart Business Resource Center in Redding, and at the Red Bluff Senior Center on October 2-4, 2006, and October10-12, 2006. The training was Job & Career Transition Coach Certification (provided 21 CEU credits for participatingstaff). A total of fifty-four (54) individuals were in attendance at these two 3-day intensive training sessionswhich were designed to allow participants to become certified job coaches. This certification is designed for careerpractitioners who must advise, coach, guide, or counsel adults through short or long-term job/career transitions.Workshop trainer, Dick Knowdell,taught workshop participants a simple but comprehensive framework for transitionas well as specific coaching skills that they will be able to use to facilitate, coach, guide or push clients tosuccess.

      

   • B. Austin and T. Brown presented two days of NoRTEC Policies and Procedures and MIS trainingat the Del Norte Workforce Center, for RHS management and service provider staff on August 30-31, 2006.

      

   • B. Austin presented a full day of NoRTEC Policies and Procedures refresher training at the JobLink One-Stop Center, for TOT service provider staff on August 29, 2006. Attendees discussed progress towards implementingBusiness First! goals.

      

   • B. Austin presented three days of WIA Overview and NoRTEC Policies and Procedures training atthe Del Norte Workforce Center, for new RHS management and service provider staff on July 24-26, 2006. Thistraining was a continuation of NoRTEC Adult/Dislocated Worker and Youth Program policies and procedures trainingprovided on June 26-28, 2006.

      

4. Enhanced Automation -One of the critical factors in our success is our ability to take advantage of automation; specifically computers,printing and the Internet. This past year, not much new has been added. Just maintenance and many minormodifications to the client tracking system to meet program requests and correct bugs and mistakes.

    

5. Influencing State and Federal Policy and Promoting NoRTEC's Business Services Program - We have been busy enhancing NoRTEC's credibility and involvement, with a particular emphasis on presentingour businesses services model at State and Federal events. We are now "branded." NoRTEC is synonymouswith cutting edge Business Services, particularly for small businesses. This has enhanced our credibility and gottenus more involved in decision making opportunities.

    

   • There have been a number of flattering papers written about NoRTEC. The latest was by Dave Campbelland Cathy Lemp, UC Davis.

     Serving Employers To Aid Job Seekers

   • NoRTEC has presented the NoRTEC Business Services program at numerous conferences and workshops.Click here for a listing

     /cb/wib/Business First.docAlso included is a listing of on site tours of our programs, and a list of awards.

   • NoRTEC was designated a Business Services mentor agency by the Department of Labor. NoRTEC iscurrently working with the Snohomish County, Washington State WIB. Their staff report a very positive, helpfulexperience.

      

   • C. Brown is on the Business and Industry subcommittee of the California Workforce InvestmentBoard, influencing policy to favor the delivery of business services like ours by the rest of the Workforce Areasthroughout the State. The Assistant Director of EDD is currently spearheading a re-engineering of the Californiaworkforce system to focus on meeting the needs of business.

      

   • C. Brown is a member of the Executive Committee and the Vice Chair of the Issues Committee ofthe California Workforce Association.

      

   • NoRTEC and State and local partners were designated a "WIRED" region by the Departmentof Labor, with NoRTEC designated the lead agent and the fiscal agent, and with the NoRTEC Business Service modelat the heart of the project.

      

6. Succession Plan - Planning for the inevitable day. How to effecta smooth transition from the current Executive Director to the next. Succession plan options will be discussedat the meeting.

It was suggested at the last NoRTEC WIB/Governing Board meeting that the Executive Committeetake a look at automatic cost of living increases for NoRTEC staff. Utilizing data from April 2006 to April 2007,published by the US DOL Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the cost of living for that period went up 3.3%. Applyingthis to staff salaries for this program year would increase the total PY 2007/2008 administrative entity budgetby $22,773.

It has been three years since NoRTEC staff (other than the Executive Director) have receiveda raise (last staff raise was given in PY 2004/2005). If the cost of living adjustments were also applied to staffsalaries (other than the Executive Director) for the prior two years (3.3% in PY 2005/2006 and 3.4% in PY 2006/2007),the NoRTEC administrative budget would need to be increased by $59,004.

Recommended Action

Executive Committee to recommend to the full NoRTEC WIB and Governing Boardan automatic annual cost of living increase for NoRTEC staff, and an increase in the current PY 2007/2008 budgetof $59,004 to cover (1) the current year's cost of living increase for all NoRTEC staff, and (2) a cost of livingadjustment for the prior two years for staff (other than the Executive Director).

The NoRTEC Youth Council has met infrequently due primarily to inadequate NoRTEC staff support.NoRTEC staff are recommending NoRTEC contract with another entity to provide staff support to the NoRTEC YouthCouncil. The contract would specify routine reports to the NoRTEC WIB and Governing Board. It would also requiresupport for the Northern California WIRED project; specifically for encouraging entrepreneur and STEM trainingand education (science, technology, engineering and manufacturing) in the K-12 system.

Recommended Action:

Executive Committee to recommend to the full WIB and Governing Board that NoRTEC let aRFP for staff support to the NoRTEC Youth Council, with an annually renewable contract amount, not to exceed $25,000.

The Workforce Investment Act requires NoRTEC to have one or more "One Stop Operators."Until last program year, NoRTEC grandfathered in the primary program providers as the One Stop Operators. Theirrole was minimal; just updating the local MOUs and referral agreements. Last year, NoRTEC did not have One StopOperators. NoRTEC received a finding in the last State monitoring report requiring a breakout of Administrativecosts if we utilize the program providers as One Stop Operators. So, something has to change. We cannot continueto go without and it would be a challenge to track and report total system wide administrative costs.

Recommended Action:

Executive Committee to recommend to the full WIB and Governing Board:

1. NoRTEC to seek a State waiver of the requirement to have a One Stop Operator at theprogram level, and instead assume this role at the Administrative Entity level.

If this fails,

2. NoRTEC will let a RFP for a single One Stop Operator from outside the NoRTEC WIA programs,with a maximum $10,000 for the annually renewable contract.

The current WIB and Governing Board computers are reaching the end of their utility. Staff recommendsthey be replaced, pending the availability of funds. The current price for an adequate laptop is $1,000 to $1,500.If the Executive Committee concurs, this will be an agenda item for the October WIB and Governing Board meeting.

Members may bring up prior business for discssion.