Roll Call/Establish Quorum
- Chair Ian Hardie presided over the meeting. The meeting was called to order at 7:32am. Roll call was taken and a membership quorum was present.
Members Present
Lisa Dixon
Mike Kish
Joe Cassidy
Laura Crawford
Ian Hardie
Kathleen Yosko
Chris Ellerman
Calvin Giles (Barb Herber)
Amit Mehta
Amy King
Tom Chesna (Julie Gies)
Alan Mindlin
Helen Orellana
Tiffany Rotondo
Kate Wollensak
Paul Seputis
Tom Wendorf
Barb Szczepaniak
Marilyn Liwanag
Mary Keating
Mike Zimmerman
Diana Robinson
Henry Zurawski
Members Absent
John Carpenter
Dan Deasy
Jim Jett
Jossue Espinosa
Tonia Khouri
Frank Raimondi
Darlene Ruscitti
Tim Keller
Christine Torres
Others Present
Jamie Brown
Jackie Cardoza
David Sabathne
Keri Esparza
Delora Manson
Public Comment
- There was no public comment.
Jamie announced that this will be Kathleen Yosko’s last meeting. Kathleen has been a Board member for many years and thanked her for her service.
Review of January 24, 2018 minutes
- Motion to approve by Joe Cassidy
- Second by Marilyn Liwanag
- All ayes, motion APPROVED
Chair's Report
Conflict of Interest Policy
There were a few findings from DCEO on the Conflict of Interest Policy. There were changes made to the policy as it relates to procurement. Standards of Conduct were also added per the WIOA legislation.
- Motion to Approve by Mary Keating
- Second by Alan Mindlin
- All ayes, motion APPROVED
OSO Contract Modifications
There were some minor changes to the OSO contract, specifically, the OSO must be listed as a sub-recipient of funding.
- Motion to Approve by Mary Keating
- Second by Dan Allen
- All ayes, motion APPROVED
Policies
The Returning Client policy was discussed. This policy is designed to address requests for WIOA training funds for clients who have previously received WIOA training funds. The general rule is that the WIOA grant is to be used once in a lifetime, however there are instances where additional funding may be necessary. For example, if a client received IT training ten years ago, they may need additional training in today’s market. Mary Keating commented that some background would be helpful in the policy and information on the appeal process. The policy will be revised and presented in the next meeting.
Attendance Policy- Ian discussed the attendance for the Board meetings. The Executive Committee reviewed attendance and there were two meetings last year where there was not a quorum which affected the Board’s ability to approve critical policies. The section of the by-laws which includes the attendance expectations was reviewed. Amy discussed the process for selecting a proxy in a Board member’s absence which allows an alternate person to attend in the absence of the Board Member for a specific meeting. Mary Keating added that if someone is unable to serve, they should notify Jamie and Ian and vacate their position so it can be filled. There is also an option to call into a meeting, however the proxy method is preferred.
The attendance expectations stated in the by-laws was reviewed and everyone agreed there should not be any changes made to the by-laws as it relates to attendance expectations. The expectation is that moving forward if members are not attending meetings regularly, Executive Committee will take appropriate action.
WARN Report
The WARN report was presented by Jamie Brown. The report contains layoff information as well as a “notes” section which provides additional information,. For example, some of the companies refused workNet DuPage’s layoff services. A job fair was conducted at Sam’s Club, but the response was low. Barb Szczepaniak asked if contact numbers for HR reps can be given out. Jamie will check with Susi but likely not.
WIOA Fiscal Report
Joe Cassidy presented the fiscal report. The Center is on track to spend or obligate 80% of funds by 6/30/18. 1A is currently at 76% expended, 1D- 70% and 1Y- 78%. Regarding the direct training minimum of 40%, expenditures are over the requirement. Regarding other grants, the DEI and CSBG grants have been expended.
workNet DuPage Update
Jamie provided an update. A Federal budget has been passed which includes a 9% rescission which is about 14 million for the State. WDD is awaiting guidance from DCEO on how that will impact DuPage County.
WDD will be issuing an RFP for out-of-youth monies. The RFP is scheduled for release on April 2nd. Once a provider(s) is selected, the Board is required to approve the contract.
One-Stop-Operator Update
Dave provided the OSO update. The Navigators have been utilizing the online questionnaire to determine what services are appropriate for clients who come into the center. For the month of March, approximately 900 clients received services in the Center across all Partner agencies. Some of these are duplicates, 300 new clients received services in the Center. Dave is also working to develop texting methodologies to increase participation in the Center. He is still working on various tracking solutions.
Success Stories/Awards Banquet
WDD staff members Delora Manson, Jackie Cardoza and Keri Esparza presented client success stories to the Board. Jamie presented the idea of having a local awards luncheon for the clients to recognize their achievements. The Board is interested in this initiative, Jamie will do research on the cost of holding an event, possibly in the summer.
College Career Readiness Meeting/Subcommittee
Jamie discussed the ESSA legislation and the possibility of forming a subcommittee to explore the relationships between the high schools and local employers. There was a meeting held in February at workNet DuPage where several employers and local superintendents discussed ways to collaborate. Jamie will send out information on the formation of a committee and gauge interest. The goal of the committee is to connect students to employers so they can gain an understanding of different occupations and the world of work.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 9:07 a.m.
