ELECTED OFFICIAL BOARD MEETING
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Vice-Chairman Rusty Eichorn called a regularly scheduled meeting of the Elected Official Board of the Northeast Minnesota Office of Job Training to order at 10:10 a.m. with the following in attendance:
Rusty Eichorn Brian Napstad Kevin Adee
Fritz Sobanja Paul Bergman
Excused: Gordon Aanerud, Mike Forsman
Staff: Michelle Ufford, Robert Marconett, Renee’ Marconett
Motion was made by Napstad, supported by Bergman to accept the minutes of the January 10, 2008 meeting as written; with no additions or corrections; motion carried unanimously.
Fiscal Director Marconett reviewed the January 2008 financial status and grant summary reports. All current grants and expenditures are in place. Motion was made by Adee, supported by Napstad to accept the financial reports as presented; motion carried unanimously.
Executive Director Ufford announced that $250,000 has been received from the Department of Labor for the Regional Innovation Grant. There will be flexibility of funds to connect economic development, workforce development, and education. This grant will establish three core strategies to connect the skills of the workforce with regional investment efforts, talent development opportunities and economic strategies. The structure will include a regional leadership group with representatives from the Workforce Investment Board, economic development, and educational institutions. There will also be a team to focus on mature industries like mining, wood products, transportation, and other established industries in the area to explore their status, plans for future, challenges, and assets. Recommendations will be made to economic development and communicate what these industries need to expand. A communications team will notify citizens what workforce opportunities are available in the region.
Executive Director Ufford explained the Incumbent Worker Training Program monitoring and evaluation report. Approximately $30,000 was spent on training 150 individuals. This is a very worthwhile program that assists companies to train their employees. The program ended on December 31, 2007. A small amount of adult and dislocated worker funds may be transferred to support an additional incumbent worker training program, due to employers requesting further training of employees. Ufford feels it would add value and expand more services for economic development.
Board members were given a handout outlining the number of customers visiting Workforce Centers in the region. The five Workforce Centers in our area count for approximately 10% of the total Workforce Centers in the state. This report is run by the State, and the Aitkin office is not recognized in the report, due to being an affiliate office of the
Fiscal Director Marconett distributed a handout to the board for action to approve the use of AIG Valic as a service provider for PEHP retirement funds along with our existing provider Nationwide Retirement Solutions. After discussion, the board tabled the request, asking more detailed information be provided at the next meeting.
Director Ufford reviewed a handout on the Reality of the Workforce in
Motion was made by Bergman, supported by Adee to adjourn the meeting at 11:30 a.m.
The next scheduled meeting will be at 10:00 a.m. on May 8, 2008.