October 2017
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To: Gulf Coast Workforce Board Members From: Mike Temple David Baggerly Michelle Ramirez Brenda Williams Date: September 28, 2017 Subj: Board Meeting Materials for Tuesday, October 3, 2017 The next meeting of the Gulf Coast Workforce Board is scheduled for 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, October 3, 2017 in H-GAC’s second floor conference rooms A, B and C, 3555 Timmons Lane, Houston. In recognition of National Disability Employment Awareness month, we have asked Michelle Howard-Herbein and Jane Borochoff to make a brief presentation on the efforts in our area to improve employment options for individuals with developmental disabilities. We will also provide an update on the Earn and Learn summer jobs efforts for young people with disabilities. Reports. Chair Guthrie will provide a report to members on items of interest. Audit/Monitoring Committee Chair Joe Garcia will report on the committee’s September review of annual trends from monitoring. Government Affairs Committee Chair Guy Jackson will have an update on the Texas Legislature’s special session. Action. We are asking for your approval to use $10.531 million in workforce disaster recovery assistance funds provided by the U.S. Department of Labor through the Texas Workforce Commission. These funds – like those the Board received after Hurricane Ike – provide individuals who have lost jobs because of the hurricane with temporary jobs in clean-up and repair of public buildings, structures, facilities and lands. We expect to be able to provide at least 400 temporary jobs and help at least 1,000 dislocated workers with temporary work, financial aid and training. Information. We will be providing an update on our service for individuals, businesses and communities affected by Hurricane Harvey. As usual, we will report on our performance/production and expenditures to-date and provide an update for the region’s employment outlook. We also have a look-back report on the effects of Hurricane Ike on employment in the region – expecting that Harvey will have a similar affect. We hope that you all are safe and well, and we look forward to seeing you on October 3rd. As always, please call or email us if you have questions, or if we can be of assistance. Tuesday, October 3, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. H-GAC Conference Room A/B/C 3555 Timmons Lane, Second Floor, Houston, Texas 77027 1. Call to Order and Determine Quorum 2. Adopt Agenda 3. Hear Public Comment 4. Review August 2017 meeting minutes 5. Declare Conflicts of Interest 6. National Disability Employment Awareness a. Presentation by Michelle Howard-Herbein of The Arc of Greater Houston and Jane Borochoff of the H.E.A.R.T Program on regional efforts to support employment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. b. Briefing on Earn and Learn summer jobs for youth with disabilities. 7. Consider Reports a. Chair’s Report. The Board Chair will discuss items of interest. b. Audit/Monitoring. The Committee Chair will report on the committee’s September meeting. c. Government Relations. The Committee Chair will review materials on the legislative special session. 8. Take Action a. Request approval of plan to integrate $10.531 million of workforce disaster assistance funds in to Workforce Solutions operations. 9. Receive Information a. Harvey. Update on activities related to recovery from Hurricane Harvey. The Gulf CoastWorkforceThe Board Agenda Tentative b. Performance and Production. Report on the system’s performance and production. c. Budget and Expenditures. Report on the Board’s budget and expenditures. 10. Look at the Economy Report on current economic data and trends in the Houston- Gulf Coast region. 11. Take Up Other Business 12. Adjourn A proud partner of the American Job Center network Workforce Solutions is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Please contact H-GAC at 713.627.3200 at least 48 hours in advance to request accommodations. Deaf, hard-of-hearing or speech-impaired customers may contact: Relay Texas 1-800-735-2989 (TTY) or 711 (Voice). Equal opportunity is the law. Gulf Coast Workforce Board-Workforce Solutions 3555 Timmons Lane, Suite 120, Houston, Texas 77027 P.O. Box 22777 Houston, Texas 77227-2777 713.627.3200 1.888.469.5627 toll-free www.wrksolutions.com The Gulf CoastWorkforceThe Board Agenda Tentative 4 MINUTES OF THE GULF COAST WORKFORCE BOARD TUESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2017 MEMBERS PRESENT: Ray Aguilar Bobbie Allen Henderson Dale Pillow Willie Alexander Guy Robert Jackson Janice Ruley Gerald Andrews Sarah Janes Allene Schmitt Betty Baitland Birgit Kamps Connie Smith Peter Beard Doug Karr Gil Staley Sara Bouse Paulette King Evelyn Timmins Carl Bowles Kendrick McCleskey Kelly Violette Mary Helen Cavazos Steve Mechler Shunta Williams Cheryl Guido Jerry Nevlud Mark Guthrie Linda O’Black H-GAC STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT Mike Temple David Baggerly Ron Borski Mr. Mark Guthrie, Chairman, called the meeting to order at approximately 10:00 a.m., on Tuesday, August 1, 2017, in the 2nd floor, H-GAC Conference Rooms A/B/C, at 3555 Timmons Lane, Houston, Texas. Chair Guthrie determined a quorum was present. Prior to the adoption of the Agenda, Chair Guthrie welcomed new Board member Kelly Violette. Ms. Violette provided a brief introduction and was warmly welcomed by the Board. ADOPTION OF AGENDA Chair Guthrie asked for adoption of the agenda as presented. A motion was made and seconded to adopt the agenda. The motion carried and the agenda was adopted as presented. PUBLIC COMMENT No one signed up for public comment. Gulf Coast Workforce Board Minutes August 1, 2017 Page 2 of 15 MINUTES FROM JUNE 6, 2017 MEETING Chair Guthrie asked if there were any additions or corrections to minutes for the June 6, 2017 Board meeting and if not, for approval of the minutes as presented. A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes as presented. The motion carried. DECLARE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST Chair Guthrie asked for a declaration of any conflicts of interest with items on the agenda. Conflicts of interest were declared by Guy Robert Jackson, Dale Pillow, Evelyn Timmons, and Shunta Williams regarding the Procurement Action Item 7(a) on the agenda. Chair Guthrie reminded the members that they were also welcome to declare conflicts with items as they are considered. CONSIDER REPORTS Chair’s Report Chair Guthrie reported that, on June 24 he was privileged, along with Doug Karr, to serve as judge on a business problem competition in the final event of a program for preparation of disabled youth for employment called Paving the Pathway to Success. He reported that this is the second year that this excellent program has been held with amazing results. It involves young people with issues like autism, visual impairment and other disabling conditions participating in an intensive program over several months to prepare them for employment. It is, apparently, the only program of its kind in the country and was conceived and implemented by our board member, Cheryl Guido, and her team at TWC Vocational Rehabilitation Services. Chair Guthrie reported that in late June, he attended a National Association of Workforce Boards meeting in Washington, DC. There, he received a briefing on the President’s budget proposal, which appears to call for cuts of approximately $1.4 billion to Workforce and related programs. After the briefing, he had an opportunity to speak with several legislators and legislative staff about what our boards do in our area and elsewhere in Texas in terms of the numbers of residents and employers served, and the services we offer to employers. He said that they seemed to be amazed that the Gulf Coast served almost 400,000 residents and almost 22,000 employers last year, and at some of the initiatives that we have been able to develop with our employers. He said he also provided information about the Greater Houston Partnership’s Upskill Houston effort for the development of middle skill jobs. Chair Guthrie advised that he had received a report from the NAWB Executive Director several weeks after the meeting indicating that the House-issued preliminary budget contemplated cuts of almost $1 billion to Workforce programs. Gulf Coast Workforce Board Minutes August 1, 2017 Page 3 of 15 Despite these gloomy budgets, NAWB is saying that the budgets are just the starting point and they expect a continuing resolution in September to continue to fund the government at present levels for about 3 months and then another one in December to fund the government for another year without cuts to Workforce programs. Chair Guthrie reminded the members that it is important that the members talk about our efforts and successes and the value of public investments in workforce development as we go through our lives and interact with people. Chair Guthrie reported that he is planning, along with Mike Temple, to attend the quarterly meetings of the Texas Association of Workforce Boards, which start this afternoon and continue for the next few days with the Executive Director’s Retreat. A report will be provided with anything of interest at the next Board Meeting. Chair Guthrie concluded his report and no action was taken. Audit/Monitoring Committee Report Committee Vice Chair Guy Robert Jackson reported that the Audit/Monitoring Committee met on Monday, July 24 in conjunction with the Procurement Committee to provide an annual summary and trends report. In a nutshell, all of the Career Offices have seen a steady “solid performance” with some even reaching a higher level of “strong performance.” Vice Chair Jackson said the system as a whole has been improving, but there are always opportunities where the entire system can improve in the qualities of how we screen or refer our candidates to employers for open jobs, and how the individuals are placed in work.