Core Group Meeting Minutes - January 5, 2012

Missoula CMT Core Group Meeting Minutes
Thursday, January 5, 2012

Human Resource Council – Jim
There has been a recent rush of folks for the energy assistance program. Recovery dollars are winding down; some programs are cut by 60%. HRC will be losing some staff due to these cuts. The energy program has experienced a 30% cut, in Youth WIA they are expecting a 6-7% cut. There is a growing need for more and more reporting information on each program, including multiple iterations of the same information. Because of the cuts some states are delaying services until the money actually is released to the state. Montana has not done this, and there is currently no waiting list for energy assistance. The Sapphire Clinic is closed. The clinic served more than 900 patients. Some equipment from the clinic went to the Mineral County Clinic in St. Regis. Two rooms at the Sapphire Clinic will be used by a home health company to train new employees. HRC will use the building for housing staff. Ravalli County was able to use the remaining vaccines.

Child Care Resources – Michelle
CCR is trying to maintain their level of service and avoid the use of waiting lists. They are working to help people who are self-employed. No child care is provided for sleep hours, this has been a difficult for people who work graveyard shifts and need to sleep during the day. CCR may have to cut some services, depending on their budget. Right now there is a cost shifting movement to keep providers in business. The child care providers must pass costs on to the customer. The minimum wage increase may bump some people over income guidelines. There is funding to help about 13 families transition off services.

Lifelong Learning Center – Jodie
Winter classes have started; planning is underway for spring 2012. Classes were very full, and the LLC was recently able to hire another secretary to assist at the front desk. The Head Start classroom remodel is on hold, they ran into some unexpected wiring issues. For now the classroom will be remodeled to another standard classroom instead of a kitchen. Monique is hoping to collaborate with some of the high schools because there is not a large demand for the Family, Home, and Consumer classes that utilize the kitchen classrooms in the high schools. The new room will be an art room and will be the largest classroom space at the Lifelong Learning Center. Monique is working on a RFP for a DPHHS program to serve TANF recipients with mobile adult education. If the RFP is successful the LLC will focus on providing classes at the Joseph Residence and the Carol Graham Home.

Job Service – Saundra
The timber grant has been extended. We recently lost two temporary staff members, recruitment for replacements will be decided on soon. The Department of Labor recently agreed to review wages and the review may result in small wage increases for some employees. Will has returned to his supervisor role in Programs. Partnership with the Missoula Economic Project continues via BEAR.

Full Meeting and Cross Training
Saundra will put together a survey to solicit training needs from the full CMT before we arrange for a full CMT meeting. Please review the draft of survey information and questions below and provide feedback directly to Saundra. Thank you!

Survey Draft
The Community Management Team is a group of organizations dedicated to getting and keeping people employed in Missoula and Mineral counties. Our organizations encompass many clients and many different services involved in job training and job retention. We work together to enhance collaboration and reduce duplication of services. Due to staff turnover the organizational changes that are so frequent in programs and our community, we feel there may be a need for community cross-training. Please respond to the questions below to help us better understand your training needs and preferences.

Possible Questions
Do you feel there is a need for staff enhancement and reeducation on services related to job training and retention in Missoula?

If training was offered for line staff, would you attend or send line staff?

If training was offered to target managers and the role of your organization the community, are you a manager who would attend?

What is the optimal length of training that you can accommodate for your line staff?
1 hour
1.5 hours
2 hours
2.5 hours
3 hours

Choose the format you feel is most effective for learning.
Speed dating
Classroom instruction
Job Fair type format – free choice
Group presentations

Which of the following subject areas do you feel would be most helpful for your staff or management to have training on?
Child Care Services
Education Services
Economic Development
21st Century Education
Youth Services
Other ________________________

Are you available or willing to help plan and organize a training event?
Name: ______
Organization: _______