NoRTEC
AGENDA
WIB AND GOVERNING BOARD
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2006
9:00 A.M. - 11:00 A.M.
MT. SHASTA REPORT
MT. SHASTA, CA

1. CALL TO ORDER
2. ROLL CALL
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES, JULY 27, 2006 (ACTION)

   The minutes from the July 27, 2006, meeting are attached: Minutes

Recommended Action:

WIB approval of the July 27, 2006, minutes, with revisions if needed, as posted.

Governing Board approval of the July 27, 2006, 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. GOVERNING BOARD CONSENT AGENDA (ACTION)

   There was not a quorum of Governing Board members at the last meeting. Members will be asked to approve a Consent Agenda from the last meeting.

   Consent Agenda

   Recommended Action:

   Governing Board approval of the items on Consent Agenda from the July 27, 2006, WIB/Governing Board Meeting.

6. WIB APPOINTMENTS (ACTION)

   There are currently three vacancies on the NoRTEC WIB:

   1. A Private Industry seat in Del Norte County,
   2. A Private Industry seat in Modoc County, and
   3. A Private Industry seat in Butte County.

   A nomination was received for Ron Sandler to fill the private industry seat in Del Norte County:

   Nomination Letter

   Recommended Action:

   Governing Board appointment of Ron Sandler to fill the Private Industry seat in Del Norte County.

7. PUBLIC COMMENT (INFORMATION)

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

8. PROGRAM COMMITTEE REPORT (ACTION)

   M. Piller will present the Program Committee Report.

   1. Program Monitoring

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

   2. State Monitoring

      There have been no State programmatic monitoring visits since the last meeting.

   3. Department of Labor Monitoring

      The Department of Labor, while monitoring the State of California, reviewed NoRTEC (much like the State reviews our programs when they monitor NoRTEC). This was a programmatic and fiscal review. The monitors were impressed with NoRTEC's programmatic operations, and traveled to Red Bluff and Redding to review MOUs, One Stop Centers, and client files. They also visited the Community Employment Center in Chico. They were very impressed.

      Copy of monitor's notes

   4. 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
   5. 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 and credential attainment measures. Generally, if a service provider is not meeting contract objectives at the end of a quarter, they are required to submit a corrective action plan. NoRTEC, does not, however, require corrective action plans at the end of the first quarter. Performance after only three months of operation is not generally a reliable indicator of how the remainder of the year will progress. There are no areas of concern at this time.

         The performance report also includes information on MCLAUS IV (Multiple Closures, Layoffs and Unemployment Services), MCLAUS V, NCNTP (Northern California Nurse Training Project), and the LVN-RN (LVNs upgrading their skills and license to that of an RN).

         • MCLAUS IV began on March 1, 2005, and ended on September 30, 2006. This "special project" funding is to serve dislocated workers (primarily those that were laid off due to a substantial layoff or business closure). A final report for this project will be presented at the January 2007 meeting.
         • MCLAUS V is just beginning. It too, is a "special project," and like MCLAUS IV, it is to serve dislocated workers. Only the goals of this program are shown on the report, as the program did not officially begin until October 1, 2006. The project will end on December 31, 2007.
         • NCNTP began on March 1, 2005, and will end on March 31, 2007. This "special project" funding is to train medical personnel, primarily LVNs and RNs. It also includes training for CNAs, phlebotomists, medical assistants, and paramedics. All of the programs in NoRTEC received a portion of this funding.
         • LVN-RN began on January 1, 2006, and will end December 31, 2007. NoRTEC will be assisting 72 LVNs to train to become RNs. Programs receiving funding for this project include AFWD, Shasta Smart, STEP, the Job Training Center of Tehama County, and TOT.
      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).

   6. Counties Declared "Disaster Areas" by the Governor

      On May 16, 2006, NoRTEC was granted $1,807,080 to implement a temporary job creation project in Del Norte, Lassen, Plumas, Siskiyou, and Trinity Counties, to employ 126 individuals to help local public and private non-profit agencies clean up damage from the December 2005-January 2006 storms.

      As of October 20, RHS (Del Norte County) has enrolled 48 participants, AFWD has 36 participants in Lassen and Plumas Counties, STEP (Siskiyou County) has enrolled 24 participants, and TOT (Trinity County) has 28 enrolled. Work on the project is winding down as the winter weather hampers clean-up and restoration

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

   7. 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

   8. "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 September 30, 2006:
      
      (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)
      Smart Business Resource Center (Shasta)
      STEP (Siskiyou)
      Job Training Center of Tehama County
      Trinity Occupational Training (Trinity)
      
      A few highlights from this quarter's reports are:

      • Butte County - No report has been posted.
      • Del Norte County - Rural Human Services has been assisting Home Depot with recruitment and hiring for their new store opening in Crescent City. The opening of this store created 100 new local hires, and 20 Home Depot staff transfers.

        A job fair was held at the Del Norte County Fairgrounds on August 11-13, 2006. More than 425 people attended the fair. The One Stop Center staff at RHS contributed 1,054 labor hours to the recruitment and hiring process for Home Depot.

      • Lassen County - Walgreens is opening a new store in Susanville. The store has been under construction for the past six months and is scheduled to be opened on November 3, 2006. When it came time to staff the new store, Steve Hargis, Manager of the Susanville operation contacted Holly Schirmer, Sr HR Consultant with the Alliance for Workforce Development. With the assistance of the AFWD team, Lassen Career Network (LCN) has been the host location for all of the Walgreen's local recruiting activities. Staff has helped job seekers complete their on-line application for employment utilizing LCN computers, provided the conference rooms for interviewing, scheduled interviews, and provided the computer lab for pre-employment skills assessment testing.
      • Modoc County - Eighty employees of the Modoc County Office of Education attended a customized Customer Service training provided by Alliance for Workforce Development on August 18 and came away with new ideas for providing "magical moments" to their students, parents and fellow staff. HR Consultants Laurie Wann and Sarah DeForest presented the four-hour workshop, which included elements on the fundamentals of guest service, working effectively with co-workers, taking charge of one's attitude, and dealing with difficult guests.
      • Plumas County - AFWD has implemented their new "Job Ready Applicant Pool" system in Plumas County. The "applicant pool" is a database that highlights skills and work history of individual job seekers. This information is used to assist employers by responding at the "speed of business." When an employer contacts AFWD for recruitment, they pull aplicant names from the database that meet the employer's requested skill set and forward a resume for review. The response from employers has been overwhelming. Staff believe this system will increase contact with local employers, and will allow AFWD to become the "go to" agency to quickly find qualified applicants.
      • Shasta County - On July 1, the Smart Business Resource Center kicked off the Employer Outreach Project. This project, made possible through a grant from First 5 Shasta, is a two-year effort to educate Shasta County businesses about services available to employees and their families. The objective is to help employers understand that by providing employees with access to services and creating family friendly policies, they can reduce employee absenteeism and turnover, while increasing employee morale and retention.
      • Sierra County - The search for an appropriate location for AFWD's office in Sierra County continues. The lack of an office has not, however, deterred AFWD from launching employer services in the community. The Calpine Post Office was the site for the first workshop in the county which was entitled "Hiring 101." This workshop provides "best practices" for employee recruitment and retention. The turnout was low, but that was expected as AFWD is new to the community. AFWD will continue to search for a site to "call home," and is planning future workshops for employers in the area.
      • Siskiyou County - The Siskiyou County Economic Development Council (SCEDC) organized a day-long industry tour on September 8, 2006, that highlighted two of Siskiyou Countys largest employers: Roseburg Forest Products in Weed and Nor-Cal Products in Yreka. The focus of the successful event was to establish more of a dialogue between industry and policymakers. Attendees learned how these businesses utilize everything from innovative technology designed to promote both good working conditions and a healthy economy to the countys Enterprise Zone tax incentives in order to prosper and grow in Siskiyou County.
      • Tehama County - The Job Training Center celebrated "Customer Service Week" in Tehama County in early October. For the third year in a row, the Job Training center partnered with the Red Bluff Daily News and the three chambers of commerce in the county to provide education and awareness of this important topic to its business community. Activities included half a dozen articles in the Red Bluff Daily News, written by One Stop Staff Kathy Garcia and Brian Boyer, 27 Secret Shopper Winners, community-wide balloting for "Excellent Service" and a series of mini seminars that were attended by approximately 80 individuals.
      • Trinity County - Fifteen Trinity County business people attended the "Marketing Your Unique Value" workshop on September 19. International speaker and marketing consultant Jennifer Vessels conducted the workshop from 9:00 a.m. to noon, providing practical, proven marketing techniques. She spoke about today's marketing approaches, how to determine your value to customers, and how to develop a value proposition. Then she discussed the six steps of the "value based sales process." The workshop followed a logical progression and included lots of interaction, realistic exercises and excellent handouts. Those in attendance were very engaged and enthusiastic.

      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.

   9. Web Site Technology Initiative (Update)

      Some cool modifications are being made to the North State Directory, the most notable of which is a map to the business location. C. Brown will demonstrate at the meeting.

      www.northstatedirectory.com

   10. 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	Siskiyou
          Del Norte	Plumas	Tehama
          Lassen	Shasta	Trinity

       2. NoRTEC Business Service Presentation

          Josie Wyatt, Community Coordinator, Siskiyou Training and Employment Program (STEP), will introduce Kim Latos, Animal Shelter Manager, Siskiyou County Humane Society. Ms. Latos will comment on the services she has received from STEP.

   11. Staff Training (Information)

       Twenty-six (26) of twenty-seven (27) Business Services staff passed the California Accredited Consultant (CAC) exam on September 22, 2006, in Red Bluff. With the 65 already certified, NoRTEC's total has increased to 91. California Staffing Professionals (CSP) has been offering professionals in the staffing industry the Accreditation Exam since 1990. Over these 16 years, more than 1,400 professionals have increased their knowledge in areas such as ADA, Family & Medical Leave Act, Constitutional Law, Common Law, State and Federal Regulations, Immigration & Naturalization Service, Age in Discrimination and a comprehensive overview of other legal issues that face us and our business clients every day. Those NoRTEC staff who successfully complete the exam can proudly display CAC after their name to signify their commitment to providing professional level labor law consultation to their business customers. Way to go!
       
       Fifty-four (54) Client Services staff from across the consortium attended and successfully completed an intensive, three-day (21 hour), hands-on Job and Career Transition Coach Certification workshop sponsored by NoRTEC in Shasta County on October 2-4, and in Tehama County on October 10-12, 2006. This certification is designed for career practitioners who must advise, coach, guide or counsel adults through either a short-term job transition or a long-term career transition. Workshop trainer, Dick Knowdell, from the International Career Planning & Adult Development Network, taught workshop participants a simple but comprehensive framework for transition as well as specific coaching skills that they will be able to use to facilitate, coach, guide or push clients to success. Graduates of the Job & Career Transition Coach Certification workshop received 21 continuing education hours that are approved for National Certified Counselors by the National Board for Certified Counselors; Marriage and Family Therapists and Licensed Clinical Social Workers by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences; and Career Management Professionals and Career Management Fellows by the Institute of Career Certification International.

   12. Youth Council Report (Information)

       There was no Youth Council meeting this quarter.

   Recommended Action:

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

   WIB approval of the First Quarter Program Committee Report.

   Governing Board approval of the First Quarter Program Committee Report.

9. FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT (ACTION)

   C. Martin, Finance Committee member, will present the Finance Committee report.

   1. PY 2006/2007 Funding (Information)

      NoRTEC currently has $14,378,195 in available funds for the PY 2006/2007 Program Year. An additional $225,000 in funding has been requested. If this funding is received, NoRTEC will have $14,603,195 in available funding for the 2006/2007 Program Year. This would be $1,113,777 more than we had to start the 2005/2006 program year.

       

      Project	Funds Available from July 1, 2006	Additional Funds Requested	Total
      Adult	$2,739,044	$0	$2,739,044
      Youth	$2,936,267	$0	$2,936,237
      Dislocated Worker	$2,276,309	$0	$2,276,309
      Rapid Response	$749,748	$0	$749,748
      DW Augmentation	$140,293	$0	$140,293
      MCLAUS IV	$550,508	$0	$550,508
      MCLAUS V	$2,000,000	$0	$2,000,000
      Storm 2006	$1,715,229	$0	$1,715,229
      NCNTP	$341,906	$0	$341,906
      LVN to RN	$775,760	$0	$775,760
      Incentive Funds	$8,363	$0	$8,363
      Disability Navigator	$83,457	$0	$83,457
      WIRED	$61,311	$0	$61,311
      Regional Small Business Partnership	$0	$225,000	$225,000
      TOTAL	$14,378,195	$225,000	$14,603,195

   2. Approval of Final PY 2005/2006 Fourth Quarter Financial Reports (Action)

      Preliminary Fourth Quarter Financial Reports for PY 2005/2006 were presented at the July 2006, WIB and Governing Board meeting. The final reports presented for approval here include some minor changes, but the final reports are not substantively different than the preliminary reports.

      1. Final PY 2005/2006 Contracts Summary

         No changes.

      2. Final PY 2005/2006 Service Provider Contract Modifications

         No changes.

      3. Final PY 2005/2006 Program Expenditure Report

         Service Provider expenditures were adjusted to reflect final closeout expenidture reporting to NoRTEC. No significant changes.

      4. Final PY 2005/2006 NoRTEC Administrative Entity Expenditure Report

         Minor changes to individual line-items with total expenditures remaining within budgeted amounts.

      5. Final PY 2005/2006 NoRTEC WIB and Governing Board Expenditure Report

         Minor changes to individual line-items with total expenditures remaining within budgeted amounts.

      Recommended Action:

      The Finance Committee recommends approval of the final PY 2005/2006 Fourth Quarter Finance Reports.
      
      WIB approval of the final PY 2005/2006 Fourth Quarter Finance Reports.
      
      Governing Board approval of the final PY 2005/2006 Fourth Quarter Finance Reports.

   3. Approval of PY 2006/2007 First Quarter Financial Reports (Action)
      1. PY 2006/2007 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 2006/2007 program year. As of September 30, 2006, NoRTEC had a total of $14,378,195 available in State contracts for the 2006/2007 program year. This report includes only amounts available in the current year. Amounts expended in prior years are not included.

      2. PY 2006/2007 Service Provider Contract Modifications

         This report shows the changes between June 30, 2006, and September 30, 2006, 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 contract modifications during this period were the addition of new 2006/2007 program year funding. These amounts include any unspent funds carried forward from the prior year. See report for detail.

      3. PY 2006/2007 Program Expenditure Report

         This report shows each subcontractor's total available balance for the program year (July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2007), the cumulative expenditures for the quarter ended September 30, 2006, and the remaining balance at September 30, 2006, 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. Currently, Tehama is under spent in the Dislocated Worker program, and Trinity is underspent in the Adult, Youth and Dislocated Worker programs.
         
         Because we are only at the end of the first quarter, the expenditure variances do not appear to pose a problem at this time. However, NoRTEC staff will continue to monitor the situation.
         
         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 2006/2007 NoRTEC Administrative Entity Expenditure Report

         This report shows the Administrative Entity (AE) expenditures against the annual line item budget for the quarter ended September 30, 2006. At September 30, 2006, the NoRTEC Administrative Entity had expended 23% of its Operating budget, 34% of its Special Projects budget, and 7% of its Capacity Building budget.

      5. PY 2006/2007 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 September 30, 2006. At September 30, 2006, the WIB/Governing Board expended 25% of its total budget.

         There are no items of concern.

      Recommended Action:

      The Finance Committee recommends approval of the PY 2006/2007 First Quarter Finance Reports.
      
      WIB approval of the PY 2006/2007 First Quarter Finance Reports.
      
      Governing Board approval of the PY 2006/2007 First Quarter Finance Reports.

   4. DOL Fiscal and Procurement Monitoring of NoRTEC (Information)

      Financial Monitors from the US Department of Labor were at the NoRTEC and Shasta SMART offices during the week of September 18-22, 2006. They only had one significant issue, but it is causing us some concern. They referenced a DOL technical assistance guide that says if the One Stop Operator and the Program Operator are the same entity, all the costs for each have to be allocated between the two cost categories of administration and program. This is a new twist on the DOL regs, which simply say that if a WIB contracts with another entity to provide program services, all the costs can be charged to the program cost category.
      
      This issue is a potential concern because WIA expenditures for Administration are limited to 10% of total expenditures. It will be interesting to see how the State responds to DOL, because most WIBs in the State do like we do and charge all the costs for contracted program service delivery to the program cost category. It will be easier for NoRTEC to comply than most WIBs, because we have a smaller number of staff and already charge less to the administration cost category than most (probably all) WIBs in the State. It would still be a nuisance that could cause more paper work, busy work and guess work, and it would not add anything to program quality or accountability.
      
      DOL has not yet issued a monitoring report (which will be addressed to EDD rather than NoRTEC). We do not know what the ultimate resolution of this issue will be, but the Board will be kept informed on the status of this issue.

   Recommended Action:

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

   WIB approval of the First Quarter Finance Committee Report.

   Governing Board approval of the First Quarter Finance Committee Report.

10. STATUS OF FUNDING APPLICATIONS (UPDATE/ACTION)
    1. Prior Approval
       1. W.I.R.E.D. - Victoria Bradshaw, California State Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development, pledged $500,000 to help us jump-start our Virtual Wired project: $250,000 this year, and $250,000 next year.
       2. MCLAUS V - This $2,000,000 application to the State to serve dislocated workers was funded.
       3. EDD Compensation - Negotiations are still in progress with EDD to compensation NoRTEC for the (WIA) staff work being done in all the counties that no longer have an EDD presence (Del Norte, Modoc, Siskiyou, Tehama, and Trinity Counties).
       4. Community-Based Job Training Grants - C. Brown did not get an application prepared in time to meet the submission deadline.
    2. New Applications
       1. Northern California Regional Small Business Partnership - This application for $225,000 of the Governor's Rapid response funds is focusing on a portion of the NoRTEC WIRED project that addresses a need to identify some basic distinctions among types of small businesses, the varying needs of these "distinct" types, and the available resources (public and private service providers and financial aid), including gaps, to meet these needs. One of the most important outcomes will be a better coordination of local and regional economic development efforts between the WIB, local EDCs, Community Colleges and private investors. Other important outcomes will be definitions distinguishing small business types, a list of common needs for each type, and a regional resource map of public and private entities to meet the identified needs. On another level, the identification of a small business classification scheme, and related needs and community resources, will provide a valuable resource to the system (particularly Community Colleges) for the development of professional staff capacity building and business/employee training curriculum. Another important aspect of the project is tracking and measuring effort and outcome. NoRTEC currently has a tracking system in place. It is internet based and relatively easy for the professional business staff to access and fill in. The system needs to be gone over for accuracy and relevance of items measured, and data re-entered and the system rewritten accordingly.
       2. Industries with a Statewide Need (Healthcare/Nursing) - The State let an RFP in September for applications of up to $600,000 to develop and implement training opportunties for the healthcare industry. Staff submitted an application (due date October 23, 2006) for $600,000 to continue with the LVN to RN upgrade program in the consortium. This project will focus its efforts on assisting College of the Siskiyous to successfully launch its local LVN to RN upgrade program (students previously had to travel to Redding for much of the classroom and clinical instruction). Funding is also expected to assist LVN candidates in distant areas of Shasta, Tehama, Lassen, and Plumas Counties that must still travel to Redding or Chico to obtain the instruction necessary to become RNs.
       3. Advancing Workers with Barriers to Employment (Special Participant Populations) - The State let an RFP in September for applications of up to $500,000 to develop and implement training opportunities to prepare "special populations" for work in entry level jobs with advancement potential. Staff submitted an application (due date October 23, 2006) to train at-risk youth in the retail industry by developing "local training centers." This pilot project will focus on developing centers in Chico, Redding, and Red Bluff, with plans to expand the project into other NoRTEC counties in the future.
       4. High Concentration of At-Risk Youth - LWIAs that have been designated as areas containing "high concentrations of at-risk youth" were invited to submit proposals for funding projects that serve these youth. The amount of funding is small, likely to be only $18,500, but LWIAs can apply for a larger amount, provided they can match every $3 of funding with at least $1 of non-WIA funding. NoRTEC submitted a proposal on behalf of the Job Training Center of Tehama County (due October 27, 2006), for $27,000 to assist with the continuation of their Workforce One youth crew. This crew travels throughout Tehama County doing maintenance and yard work, and generates a fee when work is performed on private property. The term of the grant would be December 1, 2006, through December 31, 2007.

       Recommended Action:

       WIB approval for NoRTEC to submit:
       1. An application for $225,000 for the Northern California Regional Small Business Partnership.
       2. An application for $600,000 to provide LVN to RN upgrade training.
       3. An application for $500,000 to develop and implement retail training centers.
       4. An application for $27,000 for the Workforce One Youth crew in Tehama County.

       Governing Board approval for NoRTEC to submit:
       1. An application for $225,000 for the Northern California Regional Small Business Partnership.
       2. An application for $600,000 to provide LVN to RN upgrade training.
       3. An application for $500,000 to develop and implement retail training centers.
       4. An application for $27,000 for the Workforce One Youth crew in Tehama County.

11. PLAN MODIFICATION (ACTION)

    NoRTEC submitted the original five year WIA plan in April 2000, for the period July 1, 2000, through June 30, 2005. This plan, originally meant to cover a five year period, has been granted a second, one year extension by the California Workforce Investment Board, pending WIA reauthorization legislation.
    
    Each year during the planning cycle, the NoRTEC plan is "modified" to incorporate new funding levels for the upcoming program year, and to plan services to clients and employers in our ten county area. As part of the modification process, NoRTEC's local programs advertise and hold public meetings to discuss their local areas plans for WIA funding, and allow for a 30 day comment period. No public comments were received as a result of their local meetings.
    
    The final step in the plan modification process is to obtain WIB and Governing Board approval.
    
    The plan modification for Program Year 2006/2007 can be accessed by going to the NoRTEC home page (http://ncen.org), selecting the green Orientation button, the Workforce Investment Act folder, the NoRTEC Plan folder, and (finally) the Seventh Year Mod folder.
    
    Recommended Action:
    
    WIB approval of the Program Year 2006/2007 plan modification.
    
    Governing Board approval of the Program Year 2006/2007 plan modification.

12. NORTH STATE CEO, ENTREPRENEUR AND INNOVATION SUMMIT (INFORMATION)

    NoRTEC and its primary partners, Center For Economic Development and Golden Capital Network, will be publicly introducing the WIRED project this December 14, 2006, in an all day conference to be held at the Sierra Nevada Brewery "Big Room" in Chico, California. NoRTEC received some funding from the State to jump-start this project, and this conference will be the first event. The most up-to-date agenda will be distributed at the meeting.

    The tagline for this conference will be: "Fostering Regional Competitiveness and Economic Prosperity."

13. OLD BUSINESS (INFORMATION)

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

14. NEW BUSINESS (DISCUSSION)
    1. The next WIB and Governing Board meeting will be held on Thursday, January 25, 2007, in Redding.
    2. Additional New Business items may be brought up for discussion, at the pleasure of the NoRTEC WIB/Governing Board members.
15. ADJOURNMENT