DELAWARE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD

Dover Downs Conference Center – Dover, DE

Minutes of June 7, 2005 Board Meeting

9:30 A.M.

 

 

Attendees: Chairman John McMahon, Ed Capodanno, Alice Coleman, Sen. Charles Copeland, Pat Creedon, Dr. Ben Hsu, Hon. Saundra Johnson, Robert Lau, Joe Letnaunchyn, Robert McLeod, Bill McCloskey, Hon. Mike Mulrooney, Carole Orr,  James Randall, Dana Shreve, Duane Wayman, Hon. Valerie Woodruff

 

Guests:  Bill Abernathy, Brian Clark, Bob Lydum, Miranda Marquez, Beth Mineo, Bob Goodhart

DWIB Staff:  Patty Cannon, Gwen Jones, Merle Murray, Cassandra Stroude, Katina Clarke

DOL Staff:  Robert Strong, Betsy Archer, Tammy Burton, Bob Clarkin, Ed Simon

 

Welcome, Introductions and Call for Quorum – John McMahon, Chairman

 

Approval of Previous Board Meeting Minutes – Motion by Duane Wayman to approve the minutes from March 15, 2005 Board Meeting.  Seconded by Joe Letnaunchyn.  Motion carried unanimously. 

 

Chairman’s Report - Chairman John McMahon reported that the draft of Delaware’s 2-Year Strategic Plan was placed on the Delaware Workforce Investment Board website for public comment and was submitted on May 31, 2005 to the US Department of Labor.  We will operate under this plan over the next two years

 

Delaware Labor Market Trends – In your folder you have a report on Labor Market information for your review.  Ed Simon from the Office of Occupational Labor and Market Information has provided this information.

 

Incentive Grant – Delaware has qualified for a potential Incentive grant of $776,000.  The application for this grant is due by June 10, 2005.  We will submit the grant along with the Department of Education, which has 4 objectives that they would like to see the incentive dollars go toward.  Sec. Woodruff says all 4 components are not DOE.  They are: 

 

1.      Alignment with Career Clusters and the Delaware Economic Development Office Clusters to make sure we are meeting the needs of employers

2.      Improving the New Castle County Vo-tech model

3.      Identifying adults who need academic skill requirements (post-secondary and training) to build a better transition to the workforce

4.      Upgrade Department of Labor infrastructure  (i.e. data collection/computer upgrades)

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Workforce Innovations 2005 – Will be taking place July 11-13, 2005, in Philadelphia.  This is US DOL’s premier Workforce Investment conference.  If anyone is interested in attending, the DWIB can pay for Board Members.  The registration and agenda information are included in the meeting packets.

 

 

 

Committee Reports:

Employer Relations Committee - Pat Creedon, Chair - reported that she will be working with the Public Relations Committee (chaired by Pete Booker) in targeting and partnering to ensure a demand driven workforce.

 

Financial Oversight Committee – Joe Letnaunchyn, Chair – gave the financial report.  It appears that we’ve only spent $86,000 of the Biotech grant money.  We have requested a no-cost extension from US DOL.

 

A motion was made by Sec. Sandy Johnson to approve the budget.  The motion was seconded by Duane Wayman.  Motion carried unanimously.

 

Performance Measures and Customer Satisfaction Committee - Bob Clarkin reported for from the results of the Performance Analysis worksheets showing the 17 negotiated performance measures.  We really have to watch older youth (earning changes) and the dislocated workers measure. 

 

Lenita Jacobs-Simmons, Regional Administrator for the Regional Office reported to the Negotiation team that the Delaware Workforce Investment Board is the only board that attends the negotiation sessions. 

 

Proposal Review and Certification Committee – Duane Wayman, Chairman – We have no committee activity to report at this time.   After the Request for Proposal negotiations we had two of our presenters object to not receiving funds.  We received a written letter form one and a letter along with support letters for another.  We confirmed the process with regard to rating and ranking of the proposals that are presented.  We are pleased to report that no one is filing an official appeal.

 

Youth Council - Dana Shreve, Chair - In keeping with the 2-year Plan that is focusing on youth, we are looking forward to developing some innovative collaboration.  We’ll be looking at managing youth funds and focusing on the youth earnings rate.  We have to revise our vision and are looking forward to individual agencies participating on the council in order to be able to look at how we can respond to a demand driven workforce.

 

Biotechnology Grant -  Bob Lydum of Agilent Technologies - Agilent runs a community service project know as Agilent After School that targets middle-school youth attending programs outside the traditional classroom by bringing science experiments in a box.  They do this in settings such as the Boys & Girls Clubs, Summer Camps.   We have partnered with Agilent and are using mentor-trainees from Delaware Technical & Community College to bring science to these children.   Patty Cannon presented the Biotech video.  

 

Beth Mineo - Delaware Assistive Technology – Beth defined assistive technology as anything that assists with a task.  She discussed the basic components of the program.  There has been an increase in the number of people coming to the centers.  She is here today to let the Board know that legislation has done a reauthorization in which they would like to see a broader base of constituents pulled into an advisory board.  One of the required constituents is a member from the Workforce Investment Board.  Delaware Assistive Technology is already doing those things which are required by law and is very successful in putting assistive technology in the hands of the users. 

 

Patty Cannon asked if Delaware Assistive Technologies Services would be available to Business employers.  Beth responded that everything is available to every Delawarean.

 

John McMahon talked briefly about mandatory partnering and how these types of requests are an opportunity for DWIB members to lend their individual support. 

 

Old Business - None

 

New Business - None

 

Adjournment - Chairman John McMahon called for a motion to adjourn.  A motion was made by Duane Wayman to adjourn.  Seconded by Bill McCloskey.  Motion carried unanimously.