September 8, 1998
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS' WORK SESSION
9:00 a.m., Commissioners' Conference Room
Commissioner Steve Cornacchia presided with Commissioner Ellie Dumdi and Bobby Green, Sr.,
present. Peter Sorenson absent. Cindy Weeldreyer excused. County Administrator Bill Van
Vactor, County Counsel Teresa Wilson and Recording Secretary Melissa Zimmer were also
present.
1. ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA
None.
2. PUBLIC COMMENTS
None.
3. COMMISSIONERS' ANNOUNCEMENTS
None.
4. EXECUTIVE SESSION as per ORS 192.660
Executive Session will take place at 11:00 a.m.
5. COUNTY ADMINISTRATION
a. Announcements
None.
6. JTPA
a. DISCUSSION AND ORDER 98-9-8-1/In the Matter of Amending the Intergovernmental
Agreement Between the Governments of Lane County and Cities of Eugene and Springfield and
the Agreement Between the Southern Willamette Private Industry Council.
Chuck Forster, Executive Director, Southern Willamette Private Industry Council (SWPIC)
stated that the new name would be Lane Workforce Partnership.
Marianne Dyer, Director Human Resources, McKenzie Willamette Hospital, representing the
Springfield private sector, stated she is the Chair of SWPIC. She reported that the
project has been worked on for a long time, by a group effort of 30 people from labor, the
private and public sectors, and public elected officials. She added the work has been
rewarding and has been marked by a measure of respect, integrity, commitment and
collaboration. She said there was one informal meeting between the two groups that went
well.
Rick Henson, Service Employees International Union Local 49, representing labor on the
Workforce Committee, said he is also a member of the Private Industry Council. He echoed
what had already been said and added the committee feels strongly that the merger of the
two groups will enhance the ability to do the work they try to accomplish as volunteers.
He thanked the commissioners for their support.
Forster stated the board orders are designed to position the Private Industry Council
(subsequent Lane Workforce Partnership) to move into workforce development into the year
2000 and to serve as a bridge between where they are today under the Job Training
Partnership Act, and new legislation called the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.
Forster said the reason the documents were amended was because they were executed 13
years ago. He said back then the Job Training Partnership Act was the only active
workforce. He added there has been a lot of change since then, including being involved in
welfare reform activities, welfare to work, and a national council on aging program for
seniors. He said the major purpose for the amendment is to bring it in line with current
practice. He added the significant highlight of the amendment included authorizing SWPIC
to administer and implement job training services including, but not limited to, the Job
Training Partnership Act ( JTPA). He said SWPIC is allowed to provide its own
administrative services or to negotiate with an entity to provide such service. He said
SWPIC negotiates with Lane County to provide those services. He said there are things
continuing in the agreement, including the representation of local elected officials on
the Board. He said it requires that the business members on the board constitute a
majority of the Lane Workforce Partnership. He said a new element requires that whenever
anyone in the Private Industry Council makes a change in by-laws or articles of
incorporation, that legal counsels for the three governments get a 30 day notice.
Cornacchia questioned the inconsistencies between the Lane County Manual and the
Intergovernmental Agreement and how they can be reconciled.
Terry Wilson, County Counsel, stated that reconciliation is not what is wanted. She
said the Lane Manual states the County employment relationship with the County Department
Director. She referred to page 2 of the Amended Intergovernmental Agreement (see copy in
file) and what is in the By-Laws of the other documents relating to a private/non-profit
executive director. She said the Lane Manual shows the County employment relationship with
the County Department Director. She said Chuck Forster wears both hats of both
organizations. She said there is some inconsistencies, but it serves the needs of the two
differing entities.
MOTION: to approve DISCUSSION AND ORDER 98-9-8-1.
Dumdi MOVED, Green SECONDED.
VOTE: 3-0.
6. JTPA
b. DISCUSSION AND ORDER 98-9-8-2/In the Matter of Amending Chapter 3 of the Lane
Manual to Consolidate the Southern Willamette Private Industry Council and the Lane
Regional Workforce Committee (LM 3.576).
Forster reported that this order consolidates the SWPIC and Lane Regional Workforce
Committee into one workforce policy body for Lane County. He added that in June of 1997,
SWPIC and Lane Regional Workforce Committee began a series of meetings and negotiations to
consolidate as one group. He said the officers of SWPIC and Lane Regional Workforce
Committee got together to agree to consolidate. He said the consolidation proposal has key
elements: both groups would form one board and in doing so, SWPIC would file with the
Secretary of State for an assumed business name, the Lane Workforce Partnership. He added
the intergovernmental agreements would not be affected but would remain in place. He said
that an assumption agreement would be executed between SWPIC and the Regional Workforce
Committee, with SWPIC assuming the duties of a regional committee while continuing to
perform their duties as a private industry council and assuming the Lane Workforce
Partnership. He added they would be providing for the merger of the appointment of
existing members and regional members to the board, so no one would have to be removed
from either board in bringing the two groups together. He said the board membership would
remain a business majority with a business chair. He said the administrative services
staff supported program operations that would continue to be provided by Lane County's
JTPA Department. He said an interim vision, mission values and goal statement has been
adopted. He said in the long run it should lead to greater collaboration among workforce
agencies and easier access to services for both job seekers and employers.
MOTION: to approve DISCUSSION AND ORDER 98-9-8-2.
Dumdi MOVED, Brown SECONDED.
VOTE: 3-0.
c. DISCUSSION AND ORDER 98-9-8-3/In the Matter of An Agreement for the Southern
Willamette Private Industry Council to Assume and Carry Out Lane Regional Workforce
Committee Functions Pursuant to ORS 285.458 (the Assumption Agreement).
Forster stated that this Board Order approved an assumption agreement which would allow
SWPIC to assume the duties of the regional committee and it would adopt a new business
name, the Lane Workforce Partnership. He said the current members of both groups would
comprise the initial membership of the Lane Workforce Partnership. He added the assumption
agreement serves as a bridge between where the group is today and the future workforce
legislation of July of 2000.
MOTION: to approve DISCUSSION AND ORDER 98-9-8-3.
Dumdi MOVED, Brown SECONDED.
VOTE: 3-0.
d. DISCUSSION AND ORDER 98-9-8-4/In the Matter of Appointing Members to the Lane
Workforce Partnership.
Forster said that there are two different pieces of legislation that are being complied
with, the Job Training Partnership Act and Senate Bill 917, which is the bill that
surrounds regional committees. He added the goal was to be in compliance with both pieces
of legislation and this is a board composition that does that, including the business
majority, 15 per cent labor community-based organization representation, and higher
education. He said there are 33 members on the board (see material on file) and they
include: Louise Melton-Bangs, Springfield Business; Pat Burke, Education K-12; Dan
Campbell, Labor; Mike Carmickle, Labor; Dan Bedore, Lane Co. Business; Al Burns, Economic
Development; Gene Carlson, Education-Service District; Marianne Dyer, Springfield
Business; Priscilla Gould, Community-based Organization; Sharon Heitman, Eugene Business;
Noreen Franz-Hovis, Springfield, Business; Kathy Leighton, Eugene Business; Cindy Murdoch,
Springfield Business; Jean Phelps, Community-Based Organization; John Radich, Welfare; Dr.
Margaret Hallock, Education; Rick Henson, Labor; Carl Hutchison, Eugene Business; Tim
Luck, Eugene Business; Lynn Paden, Springfield Business; Gary Pierpoint, Eugene Business;
Jeri Stark, Eugene, Business; Kevin Stephens, Lane County Business; Jack Viscardi, Eugene
Business; Geoff Webb, Vocational rehabilitation, Pat Straube, Lane County Business; Larry
Warford, Education; Howard Yamamota, Employment Department. He added the terms run from
July 1, 1998 through December 31, 2000, for all but Marianne Dyer, Priscilla Gould, Sharon
Heitman, Rick Henson, Kathy Leighton, Cindy Murdock, Jean Phelps, Gary Pierpoint, Jeri
Stark and Jack Viscardi. He said their appointments run through 1998 or 1999.
MOTION: to approve DISCUSSION AND ORDER 98-9-8-5.
Dumdi MOVED, Green SECONDED.
VOTE: 3-0.
e. DISCUSSION AND ORDER 98-9-8-5/In the Matter of Amending Chapter 3 of the Lane
Manual to Change the Name of the Department of JTPA to the Workforce Partnership
Department. (LM 3.100-3.104).
Forster said that the JTPA (Job Training Partnership Act Department) Department at the
time the department was named, was the only workforce existing. He said the name has stuck
for 13 years and there are other things taking place besides the Job Training Partnership
Act, from welfare reform to work with the National Council on Aging. He said as the future
approaches, the new Workforce Investment Act of 1999 eliminates private industry councils
and creates a new board called the Workforce Investment Board. He said the recommendation
is to rename the JTPA Department to the Workforce Partnership Department, to be more in
line with the work the department does and is not legislative specific.
Green questioned what changes the public will experience as a result of the changes
being made.
Forster responded they are in the process of being put out for bid a request for
assistance from a marketing firm to help map out a transition plan for SWPIC and Lane
Regional Committee, into the Lane Workforce Partnership in such a way that it is not
abrupt and is clear to people as the plan unfolds. He said that with the consolidation,
some major benefits that Lane County citizens will see will be greater collaboration
between workforce agencies, a strong board with an ability to move resources to create a
vision and lead state and local agencies in a common direction. He added that more
services will be customer focused even though resources will not be growing within the
next few years. He added he sees a vision with this Board as a place people will go to
when they have policy issues around workforce. He said that workforce is vital to the
economic vitality of Lane County.
Van Vactor stated that Lane County government is a large and diverse organization and
the actions today reflected that. He added a lot more authority is being delegated to the
new Board and he wanted to make sure it was understood. He said there is accountability as
a guiding principle with the Board. He said if the Board of Commissioners become
dissatisfied with what the board was doing, other than the powers of persuasion,
collaboration and conversation, there is no legal authority with which the future Board of
County Commissioners could tell the future Board what to do. He said there is another
document that deals with the administrative services agreement that is done annually as
part of a Board Order, where the County provides legal and personnel services, and limited
budget services. He said he and Legal Counsel have worked with Chuck Forster and have
rewritten the Board Order to clarify to the greatest extent possible the different roles.
He said from an administrative point of view, the County will be in a more workable
circumstance.
Cornacchia questioned who had ultimate authority if the budget was not passed.
Wilson responded that SWPIC's budget contains public funds and must come through a
budget process. She said the Board of County Commissioners has the ultimate authority. She
added it was an issue that is not a clean one because of private, non-profit and local
government relationships. She said they could become their own administrative entity.
Cornacchia stated he had concerns about the next Board coming in which may not share
the same approaches, attitudes and relationships that the current Board does. He said
there is a possibility of different styles and different approaches to governing by the
Board. He questioned the possibility of a different style, and a more adversarial role
during budget time. He recommended that the Board build and continue new relationships
with the new Board of Commissioners.
MOTION: to approve DISCUSSION AND ORDER 98-9-8-5.
Dumdi MOVED, Green SECONDED.
VOTE: 3-0.
Forster announced the Private Industry Council nominated Ellie Dumdi as the
Distinguished Service Award nominee for a local elected official to NACo's Employment and
Training Association Meeting held in November in Minnesota. He said that he received a
call indicating that after a large number of nominees, Dumdi was selected to receive the
award.
Dumdi requested that she stay on the Workforce Partnership Board until the end of the
year.
7. CONSENT CALENDAR
A. JTPA
1) ORDER 98-9-8-6/In the Matter of Adding Two Employment Specialists to the
Staff of the Southern Willamette Private Industry Council, Department of JTPA (07), Fund
(49).
2) ORDER 98-9-8-7/In the Matter of Appropriating an Additional $1,603,398 in
Revenues and Expenditures for the Department of JTPA (07), JTPA Fund (49).
Van Vactor noted that the change to 7. A. 2) should be $656,383.
MOTION: to approve Consent Calendar.
Green MOVED, Dumdi SECONDED.
VOTE: 3-0.
8. REVIEW ASSIGNMENTS
None.
9. EMERGENCY BUSINESS
None.
There being no further business, Commissioner Cornacchia adjourned the meeting at 11:20
a.m.
Melissa Zimmer
Recording Secretary
