NoRTEC
AGENDA
WIB AND GOVERNING BOARD
THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2008
10:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M.
HILTON GARDEN INN
REDDING, CA

1. CALL TO ORDER
2. ROLL CALL
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES, OCTOBER 25, 2007 (ACTION)

   The minutes from the October 25, 2007, meeting are attached: Minutes

   Recommended Action:

   WIB approval of the October 25, 2007, minutes, with revisions if needed, as posted.

   Governing Board approval of the October 25, 2007, minutes, with revisions if needed, as posted.

4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA (ACTION)

   Recommended Action:

   WIB approval of the agenda, with revisions if needed, as mailed.

   Governing Board approval of the agenda, with revisions if needed, as mailed.

5. WIB APPOINTMENTS (ACTION)

   The passage of California SB 293 requires increased representation of labor on the NoRTEC WIB. In July, two additional representatives were appointed by the Governing Board, bringing the total number to four. One additional labor seat must be filled for NoRTEC to be in compliance with the 15% requirement.

   Mitchell Crooks, President of the Communication Workers of America, Local 9414, has been nominated for an At-Large Labor seat by the Central Labor Council of Butte & Glenn Counties.

   WIB Application, Nomination Letter

   Recommended Action:

   Governing Board appointment of Mitchell Crooks to fill a vacant, At-Large Labor seat on the NoRTEC WIB.

6. PUBLIC COMMENT (INFORMATION)

   Members of the public will be invited to make brief comments regarding any aspect of NoRTEC business.

7. PROGRAM COMMITTEE REPORT (ACTION)

   M. Piller will present the Program Committee Report.

   1. Program Monitoring

      There have been no monitoring visits to the WIA Service Providers since the last meeting.

   2. State Monitoring

      The State visited NoRTEC and three of its Service Providers the first week in October. A draft copy of the monitoring letter was received on December 12, 2007.

      In the report, the State has noted five areas of noncompliance, the most serious of which is a nonactive Youth Council. NoRTEC let an RFP and selected the Job Training Center of Tehama County to staff the Youth Council. An update of activities are listed in Item VII.K. below.

      The other four findings are policy issues which will require clarification and/or revision to four of NoRTEC's policy statements. The revisions include address changes for State agencies where participants may file complaints. Clarifications include how NoRTEC Service Providers handle tuition reimbursements made by training vendors when a client does not complete a training program, and how a Service Provider assures they do not write OJT contracts with employers who have "previously exhibited a pattern of failing to provide OJT participants with continued long-term employment with wages, benefits, and working conditions."

   3. Client Numbers
      1. One Stop Centers - Job Seekers Accessing One-Stop Centers
      2. WIA Enrollments - Job Seekers Enrolled in the WIA Program
      3. Client Exits - Outcome Information On Customers Leaving The Programs
      4. Core Service - One Stop Center Utilization Information
         
         
      5. Employer Service - One Stop Center Employer Service Information
   4. Contract Performance
      1. WIA Service Provider Contract Performance - Adult Programs

         WIA Service Provider Contract Performance - Youth Programs

         As agreed, NoRTEC has not focused a lot of attention on the details of participant performance since WIA was implemented, choosing instead to focus on meeting local business needs. Staff do, however, monitor service provider performance against objectives written into the contracts (on a quarterly basis), including cost per enrollment, placement rates, and a variety of program quality measures including average wage at placement. If a service provider is not meeting contract objectives by the end of the second quarter, they are required to submit a corrective action plan. Corrective action plans have been requested, and are due from the Service Providers by January 31, 2008. There are no areas of concern at this time.

         The performance report also includes performance on MCLAUS V (Multiple Closures, Layoffs and Unemployment Services), and the LVN-RN program (LVNs upgrading their skills and license to that of an RN), both of which ended on December 31, 2007. It appears that NoRTEC met all contractual goals with the State. The Service Providers will have until the mid-February to revise and finalize their participant reporting.

      2. WIA Business Services Performance

         This website has training opportunities for local business (Website Initiative, Internet Classroom), and a number of reports on business service usage, events and outcomes (Business Services Usage, Internet Learning Usage, Business Websites, the Community Coordinator Reports, and the most recent Market All showing number of services and market share).

   5. National Emergency Grant (NEG) - Storm Project 2005/2007

      NoRTEC was awarded a grant of $2,004,441 in February 2006 to employ Dislocated Workers to help clean up damage from the winter storms of December 2005/2006 in Del Norte, Lassen, Plumas, Siskiyou, and Trinity Counties. This round of funding ended on June 30, 2007.
      
      NoRTEC submitted a request in March 2007 for an additional $2,455,700 to complete clean-up in the five county area. Funding was awarded, but at a level much lower than requested. NoRTEC was allocated $598,887. A similar amount was to be allocated in September, but two of the four entities did not spend their funding in a timely manner, so the second increment was delayed (NoRTEC was one of the two that spent in a timely manenr).

      On January 11, 2008, the State notified NoRTEC in an e-mail that the Feds were going to release the second increment of funding, but it was to be at a reduced level. The amount allocated to NoRTEC $473,584. This funding will be allocated to the programs, and they will be required to quickly gear up this temporary jobs program (for the fourth time). Each of the five counties will receive a little over $85,000.

      Photos of the damage are available to view but clicking on the following link: Storm Damage Photos

      It is interesting to note that "states of emergency" were just declared by the Governor in several counties throughout the State due to the storms and high winds in early January 2008. Three NoRTEC counties were included in these declarations: Butte, Del Norte, and Sierra. (Perhaps another NEG grant is in the wind?)

   6. Plant Closure Update

      There have been several plant closures in the ten county area of NoRTEC over the past several years. The following web site address is being updated as additional closures occur. Items in red are those additions since the last regularly scheduled WIB and Governing Board meeting.

      Plant Closure Update

   7. "Headline" Program Reports

      What's Happening? - Each of the Program Directors will take a few minutes to share some aspect of their program (accomplished, current or future) with the WIB and Governing Board members.

      Following are direct links to the Community Coordinator reports received for the quarter ending December 31, 2007:
      
      (Note: If the link does not take you directly to the report for the July-September quarter, look for a menu selection on the web page entitled Community Coordinator or Community Coordinator Reports.)
      
      Butte PIC
      Rural Human Services (Del Norte)
      Alliance for Workforce Development (Lassen)
      Alliance for Workforce Development (Modoc)
      Alliance for Workforce Development (Plumas)
      Alliance for Workforce Development (Sierra)
      Smart Business Resource Center (Shasta)
      STEP (Siskiyou)
      Job Training Center of Tehama County
      Smart Business Resource Center (Trinity)
      
      A few highlights from this quarter's reports are:

      • Butte County - Report not available as of the date of the posting of this agenda.
      • Del Norte County - The report is a copy of a newspaper article published in the Del Norte Triplicate about Starbucks opening in Crescent City. On December 20, 2007, more than 200 applicants came to the Rural Human Services' Workforce Center to apply for 20-25 part-time positions.
      • Lassen County - On Tuesday, December 11, 2007, a cutting edge regional conference targeting existing businesses and potential entrepreneurs was held in Susanville at Jensen Hall at the Lassen County Fairgrounds. The conference featured 15 state, regional, county, and city financial experts who participated on four panels to discuss different aspects of business financing. Fifty (50) small business owners and entrepreneurs throughout the region came to the conference to learn about practical information on selecting the most suitable sources of funding for their particular situation. The event was well attended and a huge success. Plans are currently underway to conduct another regional conference in late spring to address other aspects of business development and entrepreneurship.
      • Modoc County - In a partnership with the Federal Technology Center, the Modoc Employment Center was the location of a seminar entitled "Getting Started with Government Contracting" on November 10, 2007. FTC's Jayne Murnane led attendees through the basics of both Federal and State registrations and certifications that allow businesses to contract with various government agencies. Although the process of getting started with government contracting is a complex and multifaceted one, Murnane was able break down the steps and provide information relevant to the specific businesses of the participants.
      • Plumas County - The Plumas Work Connection just assisted a longtime resident of Quincy to open a new business--The Alley Cat Cafe. The Alley Cat offers coffee, homemade soups, salads and sandwiches and a variety of "sinful" desserts. The Work Connection assisted with the development of job descriptions and an employee handbook, and prescreened job applicants.
      • Sierra County - The Work Connection is busy in Sierra County. They have teamed up with Sierra County Social Services to provide space for local GED program classes at the Work Connection office, and Work Conection staff will be conducting weekly assessments of social service clients. Work has also begunt to post open Sierra County job positions on local Job Boards in all four counties under the AFWD umbrella (Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, and Sierra Counties). AFWD will also notify other counties throughout NoRTEC to "spread the word" on open positions in Sierra County.
      • Shasta County - The Shasta Smart Center is working hard to become a true "One Stop Shop" for the residents of its communities. In addition to working with local employers and job seekers, some staff members recently became "certified assisters" to help people fill out Healthy Families and MediCal applications. In the October-December quarter, Smart staff assisted 13 families with applications, and enrolled 23 children!
      • Siskiyou County - In mid-December, Workforce Connection stafff provided Customer Service Training to several supervisors and managers at the Weed Building and Home Center. Staff are working with managers to put on a second round of training aimed at more than 20 line staff.
      • Tehama County - Several businesses regularly use the Job Training Center and Business One Stop Services to assist them with recruitment, hiring, human resource issues, and training. Check out the Community Coordinator report for an impressive list of businesses they have worked with in the past few months. They have developed quite a list of business customers!
      • Trinity County - On December 31, 2007, Trinity Occupational Training, the long-term provider of workforce services in Trinity County had to close its doors. Declining budgets made it impossible for the community-based organization to continue providing services to residents of the county's communities. Shasta Smart, the community-based organization in neighboring Shasta County has assumed the responsibility to continue providing needed services, and once the transition is complete, there will be an office in Weaverville and Hayfork. Thanks, TOT, for your 25 years of dedicated service!

      Please take a few minutes to read the reports from all ten counties. They are informative and fun. Our Community Coordinators are putting a lot of work into keeping you informed. We like to let them know how much we appreciate their efforts.

   8. One Stop Business Services
      1. Business Service Web Sites - NoRTEC has a number of websites addressing business services.

         NoRTEC Business Services - An overview of the NoRTEC Business Services program.

         All the NoRTEC counties have developed local business services websites that present their local business services program:

         Butte	Modoc	Sierra	Trinity
         Del Norte	Plumas	Siskiyou
         Lassen	Shasta	Tehama

      2. NoRTEC Business Service Presentation (WIRED Update)
         1. Local Events and Projects
            • Entrepreneur Workshop: Real business people addressing the challenges of starting and growing a business in our area - Anna Bengtsson, Director, Smart Business Resource Center, Shasta County.
            • Financing Your Business: Northeastern California's Regional Conference For Entrepreneurs, Business Start ups and Growing Businesses - Traci Holt, Director, Alliance For Workforce Development, Modoc, Lassen, Plumas and Sierra Counties.
            • Youth Entrepreneur Program: Youth will explore their entrepreneurial skills, define their personal and business vision and goals, and start their business - Bill Finley, Butte PIC, Butte County
            • Venture Island: A showcase of North State entrepreneurs in a series of competitions much like the Survivor TV series - Stewart Knox, Director, North Central Counties Consortium.
         2. Industry Cluster and Small Business: What the data suggests when analyzing the four WIRED "Targets of Opportunity:" Entrepreneurs, Agribusiness, Information Technology and Niche Manufacturing - Jocie Boyer, Northern Region Manager, Labor Market Information Division, Employment Development Department.
   9. Staff Training (Information)

      Betti Austin, NoRTEC Program Services Director, provided a WIA and NoRTEC Policies and Procedures review session to Rural Human Services staff on November 14-15, 2007. This review session was a follow-up to several training sessions provided to RHS during the 2006/07 program year. An overview of NoRTEC's MIS system and training in navigating NoRTEC's Staff and Business web sites was also provided to new staff.

      B. Austin provided a half day in-service training at the Job Training Center of Tehama County on December 13, 2007. This training session focused on key elements of OJT/Customized Training, and MIS/Enrollment/Case Management issues.

      B. Austin provided a half day in-service training at the Workforce Connection in Siskiyou County on December 14, 2007. This training session focused on key elements of the Youth Program.

      NoRTEC sponsored Job & Career Transition Coach Certification training was provided to NoRTEC service provider staff at the Butte PIC's Checkers facility on November 26-28, 2007. The intensive 3-day training, designed for career practitioners who must advise, coach, guide, or counsel adults through short or long-term job/career transitions, culminated in certification for thirty (30) staff from throughout the consortium, and brings the total number of certified Job Coaches within NoRTEC to eighty-four (84).

   10. Policy Update and Addition (Action)

       Updates and additions to NoRTEC's program policies are needed:

       1. Self-Sufficiency Standard - Local WIBs (in California) must set criteria for determining whether employment leads to self-sufficiency. When this policy was originally adopted by the WIB in 2001, "self-sufficiency" was defined as: Per hour earned wages, including regular overtime, that is at or above the self-sufficiency threshold of $15 per hour for full time employment, which is defined as at least 35 hours per week. (This is to be applied to the individual person who is applying for services, not the family.)

          NoRTEC programs have recently communicated to NoRTEC that the threshold of $15 per hour is too low, and asked NoRTEC staff to research the possibility of raising the hourly wage figure. Using updated Regional Accounts Data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (the same place NoRTEC obtained data previously), staff have found the self-sufficiency threshold figure could be raised from $15 to $18 an hour. If approved, this policy change will be effective December 1, 2007.

       2. Standards of Conduct - Will Jones, NoRTEC's attorney, recommended that current contract language between NoRTEC and its Service Providres regarding confidentiality and privacy of customers' confidential information be expanded into a NoRTEC policy statement. The policy statement would require that each Service Provider have relevant staff read, sign, and comply with the confidentiality standard statement. This will assure that staff are aware of confidentiality and privacy issues, and will help protect NoRTEC and Service Providers from potential lawsuits.

          Following is the wording from the NoRTEC contract boilerplate that will be utilized to develop the confidentiality statement if approved by the NoRTEC WIB and Governing Board: Confidentiality

       Recommended Action:

       The Program Committee recommends approval of the above noted increase in the self-sufficiency standard, and the new requirement for Service Provider staff to sign a Standards of Conduct statement regarding customer confidentiality and privacy.

       WIB approval of the NoRTEC policy revision and addition noted above.

       Governing Board approval of the NoRTEC policy revision and addition noted above.

   11. Youth Council Report (Information)

       The Job Training Center of Tehama County was selected to staff the NoRTEC Youth Council. A "kick-off" and member recruitment event was held on January 10, 2008. Once a full Council has been appointed, its primary focus will be the development of entrepreneurial programs for all youth. Initially the Council will promote programs for Tehama County. "Best Practices" will then be available to the other NoRTEC Counties. Consistent with NoRTECs WIRED grant, the Council will be researching, planning, and implementing innovative programs designed to foster the entrepreneurial spirit, teach the requisite skills, and provide opportunities and incentives to pursue business ideas. The Council will call upon schools, businesses and the community to help develop a model program.

   Recommended Action:

   The Program Committee recommends approval of the Second Quarter Program Committee Report

   WIB approval of the Second Quarter Program Committee Report.

   Governing Board approval of the Second Quarter Program Committee Report.

8. FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT (ACTION)

   B. Hamby, Finance Committee Chair, will present the Finance Committee report.

   1. PY 2007/2008 Funding (Information)

      NoRTEC currently has $14,286,365 in available funds for the PY 2007/2008 Program Year. An additional $5,104,680 in WIRED funding has been dedicated. The Department of Labor has transferred the funds to the State, and NoRTEC is waiting for the funds to be incorporated in a contract to NoRTEC. When this funding is received, NoRTEC will have $19,391,045 in available funding for the 2007/2008 Program Year. This would be an increase of $3,796,178 over PY 2006/2007 Program Year funding.

       

      Project	Funds Available from July 1, 2007	Additional Funds Requested	Total
      Adult	$2,907,210	$0	$2,907,210
      Youth	$3,096,277	$0	$3,096,277
      Dislocated Worker	$2,078,258	$0	$2,078,258
      Rapid Response	$655,809	$0	$655,809
      MCLAUS VI	$2,000,000	$0	$2,000,000
      State WIRED	$213,354	$250,000	$463,354
      Federal WIRED	$545,663	$4,220,000	$4,765,663
      MCLAUS V	$976,099	$0	$976,099
      Regional Small Business/WIRED	$125,706	$0	$125,706
      Storm 2006	$597,643	$596,035	$1,193,678
      LVN to RN Step-Up	$600,000	$0	$600,000
      Disability Navigator	$32,465	$38,645	$71,110
      LVN-RN	$426,942	$0	$426,942
      HCE Youth	$28,049	$0	$28,049
      Incentive	$2,890	$0	$2,890
      TOTAL	$14,286,365	$5,104,680	$19,391,045

   2. Approval of PY 2007/2008 Second Quarter Financial Reports (Action)
      1. PY 2007/2008 Contracts Summary (Information)

         This report shows the total amount of funding in contracts with the State, the source of that funding and its allocation within NoRTEC for the 2007/2008 program year. As of December 31, 2007, NoRTEC has a total of $14,286,365 available in State contracts for the 2007/2008 program year. This report includes only amounts available in the current year. Amounts expended in prior years are not included.

      2. PY 2007/2008 Service Provider Contract Modifications

         This report shows the changes between September 30, 2007, and December 31, 2007, in the service provider contract amounts available for expenditure in the current program year. This report shows only contract amounts available in the current year. Contract amounts expended in prior years are not included.
         
         The primary contract modifications during this period were (1) the addition of the new MCLAUS VI funding, (2) the addition of $10,000 of special Disability Navigator funding in Del Norte and Shasta, and (3)) the transfer of funding from Trinity (TOT) to Shasta and Trinity (SMART) to allow SMART to provide WIA services in Trinity County beginning January 1, 2008. These amounts include any unspent funds carried forward from the prior year. See report for detail.

      3. PY 2007/2008 Program Expenditure Report

         This report shows each subcontractor's total available balance for the program year (July 1, 2007, to June 30, 2008), the cumulative expenditures for the quarter ended December 31, 2007, and the remaining balance at December 31, 2007, for each specific funding title and program type. This report shows only contract amounts available in the current year. Contract amounts expended in a prior year are not included.
         
         The expenditures in italics represent funding titles where the service provider's expenditures vary by more than 10% from the quarterly target expenditure rate.
         
         At December 31, 2007, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas and Sierra was underspent in the Youth Program, Shasta was underspent in the Dislocated Worker Program, and Tehama was underspent in the Youth Program. NoRTEC has requested Corrective Action Plans from these service providers. Staff will review these plans to ensure the providers have a reasonable plan to assure that expenditures are at required levels by June 30, 2007. There are no items of concern at this time.
         
         Background: NoRTEC service providers are generally required to spend 80% of each year's allocation by the end of the program year. For the convenience of monitoring, NoRTEC uses a 20% per quarter expenditure rate as a guide for assessing expenditures throughout the fiscal year (20% first quarter, 40% second quarter, 60% third quarter and 80% final quarter). A corrective action plan (an explanation from the service provider of how they intend to utilize the funds by the end of the funding period) is automatically required from a service provider if quarterly expenditures vary by more than 10% from the quarterly target rate. The required expenditure rates apply to regular funding titles only and do not apply to special projects.
         
         "Excess" funds may be voluntarily returned by a service provider or recaptured by NoRTEC if it appears that a service provider will not be able to effectively utilize them by the end of the funding period. These funds are then redistributed to other NoRTEC service providers demonstrating a greater need, or returned to the State if they cannot be effectively utilized within the consortium. Early detection and correction of expenditure problems is important because it allows time for the funds to be put to good use by service providers in other consortium counties. In addition, the effective use of funds directly affects NoRTEC's ability to secure additional funding in future years.

      4. PY 2007/2008 NoRTEC Administrative Entity Expenditure Report

         This report shows the Administrative Entity (AE) expenditures against the annual line item budget for the quarter ended December 31, 2007. At December 31, 2007, the NoRTEC Administrative Entity had expended 45% of its Operating budget, 62% of its Special Projects budget, 47% of its Capacity Building budget, and 23% of its WIRED budget.
         
         There are no items of concern.

      5. PY 2007/2008 NoRTEC WIB and Governing Board Expenditure Report

         This report shows the WIB and Governing Board expenditures against the annual line item budget for the quarter ended December 31, 2007. At December 31, 2007, the WIB/Governing Board expended 57% of its total budget.
         
         There are no items of concern.

      Recommended Action:

      The Finance Committee recommends approval of the PY 2007/2008 Second Quarter Finance Reports.
      
      WIB approval of the PY 2007/2008 Second Quarter Finance Reports.
      
      Governing Board approval of the PY 2007/2008 Second Quarter Finance Reports.

   3. Increase Administrative Entity Special Projects Budget to Purchase WIB and Governing Board Computers (Action)

      The current WIB and Governing Board member computers are five years old and have become obsolete. The warranty has lapsed on these computers and members are encountering increasing numbers of problems. These problems are becoming increasingly difficult to repair due to the difficulty in obtaining parts on older computers. Purchasing new computers will allow board members to continue to conduct NoRTEC business in the most efficient and effective manner.

      In order to purchase new computers for use by NoRTEC WIB and Governing Board Members, the NoRTEC AE special projects budget will need to be increased by $50,000. Sufficient funding is available to pay for the purchase.
      
      Recommended Action:
      
      The Finance Committee recommends increasing the Special Projects budget by $50,000 to purchase computers for WIB and Governing Board members .
      
      WIB approval to increase the Special Projects budget by $50,000 to purchase new computers for WIB and Governing Board members.
      
      Governing Board approval to increase the Special Projects budget by $50,000 to purchase new computers for WIB and Governing Board members.

   Recommended Action:

   The Finance Committee recommends approval of the Second Quarter Finance Committee Report.

   WIB approval of the Second Quarter Finance Committee Report.

   Governing Board approval of the Second Quarter Finance Committee Report.

9. STATUS OF FUNDING APPLICATIONS (UPDATE/ACTION)
   1. Prior Approval

      MCLAUS VI - This application for $2,000,000 to serve dislocated workers was funded with a start date of October 1, 2007.

   2. New Applications

      There are no new applications for this quarter.

10. NEVADA COUNTY UPDATE (INFORMATION)

    To date, revised NoRTEC JPAs have been recieved from all but Butte, Lassen and Modoc Counties. The application has been received by the State and approved as to compliance with the relevant State Directives. No problems are anticipated with either the remaining JPAs or obtaining State approval to add Nevada County to the NoRTEC Consortium.

11. SMALL BUSINESS UPDATE (INFORMATION)

    Ginne Mistal will provide a brief update on items of interest to Small Business.

12. OLD BUSINESS (INFORMATION)

    Old Business items may be brought up for discussion, at the pleasure of the NoRTEC WIB/Governing Board members.

13. NEW BUSINESS (DISCUSSION)
    1. The next WIB and Governing Board meeting will be held on Thursday, April 24, 2008, in Chico.
    2. Additional New Business items may be brought up for discussion, at the pleasure of the NoRTEC WIB/Governing Board members.
14. ADJOURNMENT