Present

Joe Hobson, M&J Consulting, Randy Zieske, Schlagel, Inc., Darwin Bostic, Pine City Public Schools, Ginger Glenn, Glenn Metalcraft, Dick Young, Oak Land Vocational, Terry Dalbey, WorkForce Center Mora/Cambridge, John Norris, Atscott Mfg., Ted Dimberio, East Central Energy and Ray Hoheisel, Executive Director, ECMWF Partnership.

Call to Order

Chair John N. called the meeting to order at 7:05 a.m.

Minutes

Minutes of the January 3, 2001 Executive Committee meeting were approved upon motion by Joe H., seconded by Randy Z. Motion carried.

Financial Report

A financial statement through January 31, 2001 was distributed. Treasurer Randy Z. reported a balance of $49,519.77. Interest earned was the only receipt.

Disbursements for January payment were for executive director and for consultant services for training initiative. School-To-Work funds for Year IV including Year III carry-over were reported as $179,215.16 with $84,402.95 expended with a balance of $94,812.21. Upon motion by Ginger G., seconded by Terry D. the report was accepted and filed. Motion carried.

Web-Site Development

No new developments reported.

Allied Health Care

Dick Y. reported that the larger group met on January 31, 2001. In addition to those who had attended previously, a number of home health care representatives from Chisago, Forest Lake and Princeton area were present. The two-hour discussion centered on the potential for hosting a briefing for area legislators that would illustrate the status of medical, long-term, home and public health care in east central Minnesota. Plans are being made to invite legislators, both state and federal, to the briefing. Ray H. said that the first training sessions of the grant are scheduled and the curriculum has been selected.

Retail Committee

A follow-up survey, Retail Sales Associate Orientation Course Survey Results, done by students on the Cambridge-Isanti Community as a Classroom committee was shared. The survey involved 20 students who took the retail standards class in April 2000.

The Pine City retail group continues to meet. They are working on offering a class to Pine City students in April 2001. The retail standards grant activity is now in Phase II. Evaluators are scheduled to do their work later this month.

Employer Conference Update

Terry D. said the first draft of the conference brochure will be reviewed on February 13th and that the registration fee will be $50.00. Partnership member discounts will not be offered this year, but are planned for the 2002 conference. Brochures will be mailed in mid-March. The committee will meet following the Partnership meeting on February 2001.

Future of Partnership

A revised copy of Membership in East Central Minnesota Workforce Partnership was reviewed. Several format changes were made and the web site address was also included in the revised copy. Ted D. explained portal links with other partner web sites and how this might benefit the Partnership. He will keep the group informed on developments.

Partnership Brochure

Joe H. mentioned the updates he made on the brochure, maps, wording, etc. Contact person was designated as John Norris. Printing costs and color format were discussed. Ginger G. volunteered to look into printing/copying costs.

School-To-Work

The Pine City School-To-Work Committee will present at the Partnership meeting on February 13, 2001.

Ray H. walked the group through the Year V School-To-Work Grant Application. He explained the contents in each of the nine indicators and how they related to programs offered by local committees in their respective communities. He said that the application reflected what local committees identified as their needs. The budget summary and narrative portion of the grant were also discussed. Upon motion by Dick Y., seconded by Ginger G. the Year V School-To-Work Grant Application was approved. Motion carried.

Ray H. explained and said that he would be attending a School-To-Work meeting regarding a Supplemental School-To-Work grant on February 12th. A meeting on sustainability is set for that evening; Dick Y. volunteered to attend.

Implementation grants from Isle and Pine City were reviewed and approved. Motion to approve was made by Darwin B., seconded by Randy Z. Motion carried.

Secondary Vocational Funding

John N. said that letters supporting the effort to permanently fund secondary vocational education have been sent to area legislators.

Focus on Training Committee Report

Ray H. gave an update on the use of rules and fractions training pilot. The report was based on conversations with Roger Kollman and Skip Strandberg. Roger Kollman is ready to offer the class at next pilot sites. Ginger G. and John N. agreed to be contacts for their businesses.

Committee members discussed how a training information section for the web site might be organized. Joe H. mentioned that he has discussed this with Web Master Don Lund. Consensus was to develop a rough outline of what the section would contain, share it with web site committee members and then bring it to Executive Committee and Partnership for further input and development. Ideas brought forward during the discussion were to include a section headed: "I/We need this type of training, a listing of various trainers and topics that businesses in the region have used, along with anecdotal comments on quality of the training and the need for short training on the use of e-mail, etc. Northern Solutions was suggested as a potential trainer.

Payment for Services of Executive Director

Ted D. moved and Terry D. seconded the payment for services provided by Executive Director in January for 8 days. Motion carried.

Agenda for Membership Meeting

The agenda for the partnership meeting was set as follows: 1. STW Report, 2. Allied Health Care, Retail, Web Site and Employer Conference Committee Reports, 3. Future of Partnership Report on Membership Listing and Partnership Brochure 4. Focus on Training Report, 5. Executive Committee Report, 6. Building Assets Grant Presentation and 7. Presentation by Pine City School-To-Work Committee.

A Workforce in Transition

Dick Y. called attention to a National Alliance of Business publication, Workforce Economics featuring "A Workforce in Transition, Changing Demographics, Job Growth and New Skills" and "Postsecondary Education for Everyone." This led to a discussion of current job market and business climate and a suggestion that we invite Michelle Ostrom, Labor Market Analyst to a Partnership meeting.

Adjournment and Minutes

Chairman John N. adjourned the meeting at 9:00 a.m.

Minutes by Ray H.