In Attendance
- Wolf Ametsbichler, Missoula Job Service
- Kellie Battaglia, Homeword
- Will Bodle, Rural Employment Opportunities
- Kelly Deniger, Missoula Palmer Office
- Michelle Dorsey, Missoula Job Service
- Gisele Forrest, Council Groves
- Kristi Harman, Missoula Job Service
- Mickey Lyngholm, Missoula College UM
- Carlye Markum, Missoula Job Service
- Jim Morton, Human Resource Council District XI
- Kristie Moss, Job Corps
- Kaia Peterson, NeighborWorks Montana
- Hal Pulling, Opportunity Resources
- Jodi Rasmussen, Lifelong Learning Center
- Maggie Ross, Homeword and NeighborWorks Montana
- Thomas Smith, WORD
- Rebecca Stancil, Missoula Housing Authority
- Vida Wilkinson, Missoula College UM
- Sarah Wimmer, Missoula Palmer Office
Agenda
Customer Centered Design - WIOA
Customer Centered Design challenges participants to design and implement WIOA with the customer in mind for increased customer satisfaction. The challenge runs for 12 weeks and is team-based. Participants will spend the first seven weeks watching a weekly webinar and participating in a team discussion, then five weeks applying what they’ve learned. Afterwards, the team will share the outcome with leadership in DOL and other agencies. The main result will be customer-focused changes, but there is a chance for the team to visit the White House.
If anyone is interested in joining the team, please contact Carlye by August 13.
New Project at NeighborWorks
In the traditional trailer park model, the land is owned by an investor and the residents rent their lots. Rent increases and sale of the park land to new owners threaten the long-term stability of residents.
Resident-owned communities are an alternative option that allows residents to form a co-op that takes ownership of the land. Two communities in Missoula have already converted to the resident-owned model: River Acres and Buena Vista.
NeighborWorks facilitates the conversion to a resident-owned community by negotiating a fair market price with the property owner when the land is listed for sale, then approaching residents to see if they are interested in becoming a resident-owned community. At least 51 percent of residents must be interested in order to proceed with the deal. New park residents would have to join the co-op after conversion. Financing is available and residents do not need to come up with equity for the purchase. Once purchased, a co-op is created to determine maintenance, lot rent and community rules. The co-op has ownership of the land and deals with land appreciation, allowing stability and long-term affordability for the community.
Prospective communities must already be for sale and the seller must be interested in working with the program to proceed. NeighborWorks cannot approach the owner and offer to purchase and convert the property as a remedy to community issues.
NeighborWorks continues to support resident-owned communities after the purchase process is completed, assisting with management skills and community needs for 10 years.
Resident-owned communities are relatively new in Montana. Seven communities exist statewide, though the model was developed in the northeast and has been successful for 30 years.
NeighborWorks is a statewide affordable housing organization that provides down-payment assistance and other financing resources. NeighborWorks also facilitates homebuyer education and counseling through grant administration and distribution.
Homeword Rental Education Counseling Program
Homeword is developing a rental education counseling program in response to community needs identified in a recent survey. As part of the development process, Homeword will administer a comprehensive survey in the next few months to their Missoula residents to assess their needs. The rental education course will launch in the beginning of 2016.
New Job Corps Campus
Wind River Job Corps Center in Wind River, Wyoming, is open and now accepting students. The campus offers a state-of-the-art renewable resources program, heavy equipment operator and mechanic programs, CDL, welding and accounting programs for students. Space for 300 students is available, with each room holding four students. Management and Training Corporation is operating the Wind River Job Corps Center.
Montana students have the opportunity to study at the new Wind River Center, the three Montana Job Corps locations (Trapper Creek, Kicking Horse and Anaconda) and two locations in the Great Salt Lake area. Job Corps is a two-year program for youth ages 16 – 24 who meet certain income guidelines.
Opportunity Resources Autumn Fest
The 6th Annual Autumn Fest celebration will be held September 12 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Opportunity Resources ranch in Frenchtown. Attractions include Hay and pony rides, games, food and live demonstrations. Admission is $5 for adults; children under 13 are admitted free.
Volunteers for the Autumn Fest are needed. Please contact Opportunity Resources at 406-721-2930 if you are interested.
Updates
Opportunity Resources
The new e-recycling business, Opportunity E-Cycling, is now accepting old electronic equipment for processing. Materials can be dropped off at the ORI location on South Russell for transport to the e-recycling center. Pickup services are planned for the future.
ORI Shredding Services is expanding by taking on customers from Republic Services.
Due to WIOA changes at Vocational Rehabilitation, ORI is seeing an increase in high school freshmen and sophomores accessing services. Another job coach will be hired to meet demand.
The Lifelong Learning Center
The fall catalog was just released. LLC is partnering with AHEC for the Certified Outpatient Coding course in January. This course will teach ICDN 10 and has a number of prerequisites that must be completed before students can enroll, so those interested should begin preparing as soon as possible by taking the prerequisites this fall.
The Phlebotomy course is accepting applications and a CNA course will be offered this fall.
Many Missoula College UM students were served this summer through the College Success program. Students were able to brush up on their math and writing skills before starting college coursework.
Missoula Job Service
Job Service is getting involved in the Medicaid expansion program passed by the legislature this spring. An estimated 70,000 potential participants statewide may choose to enroll in additional services, including employment services. The employment program will be designed to not only help people find employment, but to also enhance the earnings of those who are employed. The small participant fee may be waived if people choose to enroll in Job Service services. The federal government has not yet issued a required waiver to start the program. Reporting requirements will be different than those for the federal government or WIOA.
Labor shortages are becoming critical in Missoula. Employers are starting to offer higher wages or training across all industries to fill positions. Three employers held mini job fairs in the Missoula office this week alone. Non-traditional methods of outreach, such as teaching a course on home health care, may help fill shortages by reaching people who are not specifically looking for job opportunities. Missoula Economic Partnership included in their five year plan the goal of attracting 5,000 people to Missoula to fuel business growth.
Job Corps has a work-based program for students in various trades that may be able to meet employer needs. REO is also hearing of similar issues in Great Falls and can assist with work-based training programs to fill demand.
Missoula Job Service, Palmer Office
The SNAP employment training program lost a waiver in the beginning of the year that allowed able-bodied adults without dependents to receive benefits for more than three months in a two year period without participating in the employment program. More clients with barriers are needing assistance with employment. TANF numbers are way down during the summer lull, but things may pick up once school starts.
Council Groves
Council Groves has expanded with a new community room, gardens and new play equipment. An open house is in the works for the third week in October. The new community room is seeing lots of use and is available for free.
Homeword
Homeword is working with the Pre-Release to develop a financial coaching training program to help staff assist clients with budgeting. Homeword is increasing the amount of consulting they are offering. For example, they recently trained Missoula Federal Credit Union employees on homeownership and are offering workshops to credit union members. A workshop for parents was also offered at Lowell School.
Homebuyer education courses are waitlisted and foreclosure counseling demand is down. US Bank is sponsoring a Back to School day for Missoula residents of Homeword properties. Barbecue and backpacks will be provided. The event will be held at the Orchard Gardens complex.
Human Resource Council District XI
The summer employment program ends in September. The program serves youth ages 16 – 24 and allows them to work up to 25 hours per week. HRC is also providing assistance with resume creation and job placement for people involved with the court system. Other fall programs are gearing up.
Missoula Housing Authority
The Vantage Villa reconstruction project is nearly complete and MHA is filling one bedroom units from their waitlist. Names are also being pulled from the voucher waitlist for the first time in a year. MHA has become the owner of Parkside Apartments.
The Resident Services program was funded for another three years. This program helps people in public housing with accessing various services.
Three people are working in the Family Self-Sufficiency program. The focus is on enrolling more participants and there is no waitlist. Shelter Plus Care voucher recipients are not eligible for the FSS program.
Rural Employment Opportunities
REO was refunded July 1 and 45 people have enrolled in Access Opportunities since then, with some already placing into employment. A food bank for cherry pickers in the Flathead Lake area was successful, though the crop was down and harvesting happened earlier than normal. Many gas cards were given to cherry pickers so they could return home.
WORD
WORD is waiting for a decision on a grant to assist fathers. Parents as Teachers is always looking for referrals. Families with children ages 0 – 5 are welcome. The next Circle of Security Parenting class will be held in September. WORD will be filling a staff position.
Missoula College UM
Fall semester begins August 31. An evening welding course will be offered and some spots are still open. A new machining program is starting and will be a full AAS. Students can also opt to just take the welding or machining class if they’d like to just increase their skills without going through the full program. Word that Missoula College UM is offering CDL training is starting to spread through the community.
