CMT Core Group Meeting Minutes -- April 4, 2013

In Attendance

·         Wolf Ametsbichler, Missoula Job Service

·         Michelle Dorsey, Missoula Job Service

·         Jeannine Lovell, Homeword

·         Wendy Mair, REO

·         Jude Monson, Summit ILC

·         Jim Morton, Human Resource Council Dist. XI

·         Michelle Parks, Child Care Resources

·         Mary Drew Powers, Missoula Public Library

·         Adam Ragsdale, Missoula Housing Authority

·         Jodi Rasmussen, Lifelong Learning Center

·         Vida Wilkinson, Missoula College UM

·         Shannon Willhite, Vocational Rehabilitation

CMT Core Group Meeting Minutes -- February 7, 2013

In Attendance

·         Maggie Driscoll, Human Resource Council Dist. XI

·         Michelle Dorsey, Missoula Job Service

·         Vida Wilkinson, Missoula College UM

·         Wolf Ametsbichler, Missoula Job Service

·         Janet Van Dyke, Vocational Rehabilitation

·         Adam Ragsdale, Missoula Housing Authority

·         Kurtis Mayne, Opportunity Resources

·         Jodi Rasmussen, Lifelong Learning Center

CMT Core Group Meeting Minutes -- December 6, 2012

In Attendance

·         Jeanne Stone, Montana Vocational Rehabilitation

·         Thomas Smith, WORD

·         Maggie Driscoll, Human Resource Council XI

·         Mary Drew Powers, Missoula Public Library

·         Michelle Dorsey, Missoula Job Service

·         Vida Wilkinson, Missoula College UM

·         Wolf Ametsbichler, Missoula Job Service

·         Monique Fortmann, The Lifelong Learning Center

·         Michelle Parks, Child Care Resources

·         Wendy Mair, Rural Employment Opportunities

CMT Core Group Meeting Minutes -- November 1, 2012

In Attendance

·         Janet VanDyke, Montana Vocational Rehabilitation

·         Jeannine Lovell, Homeword

·         Jim Morton, Human Resource Council XI

·         Jodi Rasmussen, Lifelong Learning Center

·         Jude Monson, Summit ILC

·         Mary Drew Powers, Missoula Public Library

·         Michelle Dorsey, Missoula Job Service

·         Vida Wilkinson, Missoula College UM

·         Wolf Ametsbichler, Missoula Job Service

Agenda

Community Resource Fair Planning

The group confirmed final planning for the Community Resource Fair on November 15. The event will be promoted within individual organizations, online and MCAT in the near future. A flyer organizations may use to promote the event has been circulated. Please remember to register staff to attend with the Lifelong Learning Center (549-8765 or info@thelifelonglearningcenter.com, reference F12-X10) and register to host a table with Michelle at the Missoula Job Service (542-5742).

One-Stop Recertification

Any organization wishing to become an official partner should ensure their original, signed copy of the MOU has been sent to the Missoula Job Service by early next week.

Updates

Jodi – The Lifelong Learning Center

Currently the LLC is working on completing class schedules as the winter quarter deadline approaches.

Janet – Vocational Rehabilitation

Most counselors now have iPads thanks to Director Jim Marks. Counselors just attended the annual conference. This year’s topic was autism.

Jude – Summit ILC

Summit is readying new courses for the winter and preparing for the 2013 legislative session.

Vida – Missoula College UM

Missoula College UM will hold their name change dedication ceremony on November 14 at 4:30 p.m. The culinary arts program will be catering the event. Missoula College is busy with the College Now initiative.

Michelle – Child Care Resources

Child Care Resources is maintaining and waiting for the legislative session when they will focus on provider rates. Currently provider rates have been frozen since 2009. Recently CCR hired someone and utilized OJT (On-the-Job Training) money. A new lobbyist has been hired for Montana Advocates for Children.

Wolf – Missoula Job Service

Recently Jane Oates from the US Department of Labor visited western Montana to speak with employers about OJT grants. The Missoula Job Service is also pushing IWT (Incumbent Worker Training) grants to organizations with fewer than 20 people for non-required training. IWT is funded by the state.

Activity in Bonner is increasing. ALCOM, a manufacturer of aluminum trailers based in Maine, is very close to signing a lease agreement in the area. The Missoula Job Service currently has a Production Manager and Purchasing Agent job orders open. Bonner is well situated for manufacturers: it has the right zoning and access to Highway 200 up to Canada. Large loads are not restricted to certain size requirements on 200 as they are on the interstate system. ALCOM will be looking for entry-level welders, as opposed to a different company that expressed interest in locating in Bonner earlier in the year.

Jeannine – Homeword

Homeword’s Financial Fitness courses have been consistently full lately. Classes have been picking up over the last few months due to word spreading in the community and incentives for attendees.

Jim – Human Resource Council District XI

LIEAP (low-income energy assistance program) has seen a rush of applicants as the weather grows colder. For those who do not qualify for assistance through LIEAP, there is another option that does not have income qualifications: Energy Share of Montana. More information can be found at http://www.hrcxi.org/energy_asst.php.

Mary – Missoula Public Library

The library has notaries available during library hours (notably—up to 9 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays). Notary services are provided for free. In addition, the library can also assist you with your passport application. See http://www.missoulapubliclibrary.org/ref for more information on the process and associated fees.

Students can prepare for the SAT and other standardized testing through the online education and testing center, accessible from home or at the library.

Community Management Team (CMT) Core Group Meeting Minutes -- October 1, 2012

In Attendance

·         Janet VanDyke, Montana Vocational Rehabilitation

·         Jodi Rasmussen, Lifelong Learning Center

·         Maggie Driscoll, Human Resource Council XI

·         Michelle Dorsey, Missoula Job Service

·         Monique Fortmann, Lifelong Learning Center

·         Vida Wilkinson, Missoula College UM

·         Wolf Ametsbichler, Missoula Job Service

Agenda

Community Resource Fair Planning

The core group continued planning for the Community Resource Fair on November 15. As the event will be open to the public, advertising for the CRF will begin in mid-October. The CMT asks that everyone register (attendees and participants) to ensure that enough copies of handouts are available. More information on registration and volunteering opportunities will be forthcoming.

Attendees will receive folders containing handouts from various presenters. Organizations are allowed 1-2 handouts for the folders (any additional materials may be laid out at their table). Copies of materials for the folders will be due in early November.

Set up will be available from 1:30 p.m., with the event scheduled to start at 2:00 p.m. and last until at least 4:30 p.m.

Community Management Team Meeting Minutes -- September 18, 2012

In Attendance

·         Wolf Ametsbichler

·         Michelle Dorsey

·         Jude Monson, Summit Independent Living Center

·         Vida Wilkinson, Missoula College UM

·         Russ Johnson, Experience Works

·         Kellie Battaglia, HomeWORD

·         Brendan Moles, HomeWORD

·         Jeannine Lorell, HomeWORD

·         Mark Cumming, Vocational Rehabilitation

·         Janet Van Dyke, Vocational Rehabilitation

·         Bob Wegman, Vocational Rehabilitation

·         Adam Ragsdale, Missoula Housing Authority

·         Lori Davidson, Missoula Housing Authority

·         Kurtis Mayne, Opportunity Resources

·         Ron Lizak, WORD

·         Jessica Allred, Missoula Food Bank

·         Jodie Rasmussen, Lifelong Learning Center

·         Brenda Josephson, Working Innovations, Inc. – Mineral

·         Marje Doyle, Missoula Public Library

·         Linda Gessner, Office of Public Assistance

·         Leslie McAffee, Community WORCcenter

·         Jim Morton, Human Resource Council District XI

·         Maggie Driscoll, Human Resource Council District XI

·         Coco Ballew, Families First

·         Sundee Carr, Missoula Pre-Release Center

·         Kristi Harman, Missoula WORC Program

Agenda

Brief Review of One-Stop System and CMT Purpose – Wolf

The state came up with the idea for Community Management Teams several years ago. Service organizations that covered training, employment, education and housing would form into local groups to facilitate the spread of information and better serve our customers through improved knowledge of our community. Our local CMT covers Missoula and Mineral counties.

The CMT also provides a quick method of information distribution and useful contacts when individual organizations apply for grants. Many local CMTs have seen the focus shift inwards as the recent recession took hold, including ours.

As things have eased slightly since the depths of the recession, it’s time to refocus and reinvigorate the Missoula area CMT. We would like to meet approximately twice a year as a large group, with the executive committee continuing to meet monthly.

Community Resource Fair Planning

In the past, our CMT has planned events to ensure staff at partner organizations are informed of each other’s scope and services. The executive committee is asking for an idea of the interest in a Community Resource Fair on the afternoon of November 15 from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (as traffic dictates). The Fair would be open to members of the community in addition to CMT partner organizations. The Lifelong Learning Center has volunteered the use of the pod area for the event. Registration will be required so that enough packets of information can be prepared. The Society for Human Resource Management will be involved as a co-sponsor.

Anyone interested in volunteering to help organize the event should contact Wolf (wametsbichler [at] mt.gov) or Michelle (mdorsey [at] mt.gov).

Pinterest (Shared Technology Platform for Better Communication)

The group agreed to start a Pinterest board for the Community Resource Team. Organizations interested in participating need only send a clean copy of their logo to Michelle (mdorsey [at] mt.gov) along with any text they would like to include or a specific hyperlink location. (Default will be the organization’s homepage.) More information is forthcoming.

Next Steps for Our CMT

We would like to maintain two larger goals for our CMT: continued crosstraining through events like the Community Resource Fair, and the inclusion of guest speakers at full CMT meetings not only to inform the CMT of other organizations and businesses, but also as recognition that workers have extended families who may benefit from the services CMT partner organizations provide.

Round Robin

Each organization was given three minutes to update the group on their recent activities.

Community Management Team (CMT) Core Group Meeting Minutes – September 6, 2012

 In Attendance

·         Jodi Rasmussen, Lifelong Learning Center

·         Monique Fortmann, Lifelong Learning Center

·         Michelle Parks, Childcare Resources

·         Maggie Driscoll, Human Resource Council

·         Brook Hodge, Vocational Rehabilitation

·         Wolf Ametsbichler, Missoula Job Service

·         Michelle Dorsey, Missoula Job Service

Agenda

September 18, 2012 Full CMT Meeting

The meeting will feature brief updates (3 minutes maximum) from our partner organizations on major initiatives or challenges they are facing, a brief overview of the One-Stop System and continued organization of the Community Resource Fair set for November 15, 2012. The time of the Community Resource Fair was changed from 2 – 4 p.m. to 2 – 4:30 p.m.

Updates

Monique – Lifelong Learning Center

The Lifelong Learning Center has an opening for a Secretary that will close on the 7th, as well as a custodial opening. The grant covering the Carole Graham Home and Joseph Residence is going well.

Notices regarding the coming changes to the GED are going out to those who are several points or tests short of receiving their GED. The LLC also is offering a 12-hour fast-track course that, on completion, will include testing at no additional charge to help people to complete their GED as soon as possible.

Fall classes have begun, and scheduling for winter courses is under way.

Brook – Vocational Rehabilitation

A new counselor from Ohio has started at the Polson office.

Informational meetings for anyone interested in Voc Rehab’s services are held on Tuesdays from 10:30 – 11 a.m. Anyone planning to attend should register as sessions are limited to 25 people and fill up quickly. Meetings are held once a month at the Western Montana Mental Health Clinic. Once someone has attended an informational meeting, they can meet with a counselor individually. Wait time currently around two weeks.

Michelle – Child Care Resources

Child Care Resources has been busy dealing with the closure of Tot Town in Missoula and recent incidents at Busy Hands daycare in Missoula. Approximately 50 children were placed after the closure of Tot Town. The start of fall classes at The University of Montana brought in an additional 75 cases over a two-week period, keeping staff busy.

CCR will be opening a position for an Eligibility Specialist in the very near future.

CCR recently put in for renewal. Usually they are allowed to carry over 5 percent of the budget from the prior year, however this renewal period the 5 percent carry over has been eliminated. Spend down is under way.

Maggie – Human Resource Council

HRC has finished interviewing for two LIEAP tech positions and one WORC case manager in Hamilton. The summer TANF work project for teens has ended – 60 kids were served across three counties. Budget work is under way.

Wolf – Missoula Job Service

Business Expansion and Retention (BEAR) visits are taking off, primarily because of employer-to-employer referrals, as interest in Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) grows. IWT provides up to a $2,000 reimbursement per FTE per year for non-required training. Brigitta and James from the Missoula Economic Partnership have been referring many small businesses to the BEAR program as well.

The Missoulian recently ran an article on a large Canadian manufacturer interested in locating in the Missoula area. The Missoula Job Service is working closely with the Missoula Economic Partnership and the Lifelong Learning Center to try and bring the employer to our area. A tire recycling company based in Detroit is also looking to locate in the Missoula area in the near future.

In general, local businesses are stabilizing or remaining in survival mode. Billings and Bozeman continue to grow rapidly.