Present

Dick Young, Oak Land Vocational, Terry Dalbey, WorkForce Center Mora/Cambridge, John Norris, Atscott Mfg., Jason Spaeth, Pine Technical College, Joe Hobson, Hobson Landscape, Nick Waldoch, Braham Schools, Ginger Glenn, Glenn Metalcraft, Ted Dimberio, East Central Energy, Dennis Adams, Cambridge Community College, Darwin Bostic, Pine City Schools 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 May 1, 2001 Executive Committee meeting were approved upon motion by Joe H., seconded by Dick Y. Motion carried.

Financial Report

A financial statement through May 31, 2001 was distributed. Executive Director Ray Hoheisel reported a balance of $42,011.74. Interest earned was the only receipt.

Disbursements for May were for executive director services. School-To-Work funds for Year V including Year IV carry-over were reported as $125,532.28 with expenditures of $225.23 and a balance of $125,307.05. Upon motion by Dennis A., seconded by Darwin B. the report was accepted and filed. Motion carried.

Web-Site Development

No new information to report.

Allied Health Care

Dennis A. has asked Cathy Lund-Ziebarth to review and give a status report on progress of Leadership Training grant at Partnership meeting. Dick Y. spoke to a newspaper article that explained the success of a Health Careers Institute in a Minneapolis neighborhood and in conjunction with Abbott Northwestern Hospital. Committee discussed the potential of a similar institute being established in east central Minnesota. Idea referred to Allied Health Care committee.

Retail Committee

No new information to report.

School-To-Work

The Committee reviewed a revised and combined Year IV and V School-To-Work grant budget summary. The Year V approved budget of $76.251.00 when combined with Year IV carry over funds of $49,281.28 totaled $125,532.28. The budget total was broken down by line items established by the state. Ginger G. moved, seconded by Dennis A. to approve the revised budget. Motion carried.

Ray H. told of the upcoming Employability Skills Standards workshop on June 12-13, 2001 from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at Mora High School. Nancy M., Marty H. and Ray H. are organizing the workshop and will be the group facilitators. Between 12-15 participants are expected, representing Area Learning Centers, Area Learning Programs, Adult Basic Education Programs and the Building Assets grant staff. Workshop participants will develop standards for the items listed in the four sections of the Employability Skills Checklist developed by the Partnership three years ago. The standards will be based on the experience of the participants and the feedback gained from business participants at the May Partnership meeting. Following the workshop participants will be asked to share certificate standards with business representatives and get feedback from them.

Focus on Training

Ginger G. and John N. reported on status of pilot classes at their businesses. A lengthy discussion followed on ways to revive and implement the training initiative as originally conceived. The original intent was to provide short-term training using an identified curriculum that was specific to one or two learning objectives. The training was to be provided by local instructors, on-site and at a low cost to the businesses.

Reasons for lack of success were explored. Reasons mentioned were not holding to original objective, difficulty in getting teachers, low demand for training, no one leading the charge, among other reasons. It was suggested that we figure out what we need to do, get somebody to do it and market the product. Suggestions ranged from focusing on one community to getting funding to hire an individual to spearhead the effort.

Discussion concluded by determining this to be a top priority goal for the upcoming year, thoroughly revisit it as a committee to get clarity as what we want to achieve and establish a budget and/or obtain a grant to do the work. Also spoke briefly about incorporating concept such as NetLearning's electronic courses in the training package and focusing on businesses in other than Cambridge and Princeton.

McKnight Foundation Career Advancement Grant Application

Ray H. told of progress made in pulling together grant application material. He distributed a handout that described the focus of the grant and the information needed from the manufacturing firm partners to be included in the grant. Also needed is a letter of commitment indicating support and willingness to participate. The committee spent time brainstorming additional manufacturing companies in the region that might be interested in participating. It was reiterated that the McKnight Foundation has not yet asked the consortium to submit a full grant application.

Payment for Services of Executive Director

Dennis A. moved and Ted D. seconded the payment for services provided by Executive Director in May for 5 days. Motion carried.

Director and Partnership Member Reports

No reports given.

Agenda for Membership Meeting

The agenda for the partnership meeting was set as follows: 1. STW Report, 2. Web Site, Allied Health Care and Retail Committee Reports, 3. Employability Skills Standards Certificate Workshop, 4. Executive Committee Report, 5. Focus on Training and 6. McKnight Foundation Career Advancement Grant.

Adjournment and Minutes

Moved by Darwin B., seconded by Terry D. to adjourn the meeting at 8:45 a.m. Motion carried.

Minutes by Ray H.