LOCAL WORKFORCE INVESTMENT AREA TEN
SOUTH CENTRAL TENNESSEE WORKFORCE BOARD
TENNESSEE CAREER CENTER
LEWISBURG, TENNESSEE
JULY 14, 2010
MINUTES
A meeting of the South Central Tennessee Workforce Board was held on July 14, 2010 at 11:30 a.m. at the Tennessee Career Center, Lewisburg, Tennessee. Members present were as follows:
Rick Alexander Tony Beyer Rick Brewer Eddie Cook
Gayle Cook Guy Derryberry Jim Dixon Glenn Gordon
Tamara James Beth Keaton Robby Moore Pame Moore-Morrow
Pamela Morris Sam Outlaw Rena’ Purdy John Rawe
Don Reeves, Jr. Jim Sloan Dr. Janet Smith John Stephens
Jimmy Copley, Bruce Cotton, Pattye Fort, Beth Keaton, Sam Kennedy, Susan MacArthur, Trent Ogilvie, Kathy Pigg, Rena’ Purdy, and Joe Max Williams submitted proxies.
Guests in attendance were:
Ron Beck Tommy Burns Michelle Chavira Guy Chambers
Hardin Franklin Adam Hayes Billy Hill Evan Johnson
Sharon Johnson Co. Mayor Joe Liggett Greg Lowe Jerry Merriman
Marty Mertens Roma Powis Cheryl Walker Terry Wallace
Nathan Ward Mayor Barbara Woods
Staff in attendance were:
Jane Akinsanya Tia Anderson Joe Beard Tom Brewer
Vivian Cathey Suzanne Croft Suzanne Fletcher Murenda Frierson
Tonja Garrett Jennifer Lewis Paige Liggett Patricia Lymon
Jan McKeel Rick Molder Elaine Newcomb Ken Powis
Michelle Rees Brenda Sewell Stan Smith Stephen Webb
The meeting was called to order at 12:07 p.m.
County Mayor Joe Boyd Liggett and Mayor Barbara Wood welcomed everyone to the meeting.
Don Reeves, Jr., Chairman, recognized the following Employer, Partner and Youth of the Quarter recipients:
Christian Brands was recognized as the Employer of the Quarter. Will and Baumer Candle Company has been the industry’s leader in religious candle manufacturing. It is under the umbrella of Christian Brand Products currently located Lewisburg, which is the distribution center for all products that fall under Christian Brands. Christian Brand is an acquisition company and is inquiring into other companies to purchase and relocate to Lewisburg. Most recently, it has participated in the Marshall County Recovery Program and has employed two people through the program. Adam Hayes and Marty Mertens accepted the award.
Marshall County, City of Lewisburg, and JECDB were recognized at Partner of the Quarter. On April 7, in response to Marshall County’s 19.1 unemployment rate being the highest in the state, Governor Phil Bredesen announced a plan to reduce unemployment in Marshall County by putting 175 people back to work through utilizing federal funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The program was called the Marshall County Recovery Program. It’s first Job Fair was April 20. The collaborative efforts by the Lewisburg community, in conjunction with several public sector offices met with the South Central Tennessee Workforce Alliance staff to organize the event and the program.
Greg Lowe and Terry Wallace accepted the award.
Michelle Chivira was recognized as Youth of the Quarter. Ms. Chivira participated in the Hire YOUth Summer Youth Employment Program in the summer of 2009. She worked as a bookkeeper and clerk for the Director of Accounts and Budget Office in Lewisburg at the Marshall County Courthouse Annex. Ms. Chivira is currently a junior at Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, TN where she is majoring in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology. Her plan after graduation is to obtain a job as a probation officer. Ms. Chivira participated in the Marshall County Recovery Program job fair and was hired by Buffalo Valley
The minutes from the April 14, 2010 meeting were approved by consent.
Mr. Reeves, deferred to Brenda Sewell, Technology and Training Services Coordinator, to review the request to add an Advanced Medical Coding program, provided by Columbia State Community College, to the Tennessee Eligible Training Provider List. The program is for a 17 week period at a cost of $2,495 per student. Discussion followed. Staff recommended adding the program to the Tennessee Eligible Training Provider List. This program was approved by the Daily Operations Committee and Executive Committee meetings. Mr. Reeves asked for a motion to approve staff’s recommendation. Rick Alexander made the motion to approve. Tony Beyer seconded the motion. Dr. Janet Smith abstained. The motion was passed.
Mr. Reeves asked to amend the agenda to include a resolution “ As the Board of the South Central Tennessee Workforce Alliance, we support the efforts to create a Workforce Development and Training Center at Northfield that will be open to employers and their workforce, jobseekers, and the general public with the goal of achieving, maintaining, and promoting a world class workforce in Middle Tennessee”. Discussion followed. Staff will write paper to go along with the resolution and distribute to the Workforce Board. Mr. Reeves made a motion to approve the resolution. Jim Sloan seconded the motion.
Rick Molder, Director of Program Operations, reviewed and discussed the Youth Contracts 2010-11. He stated that a Youth Council meeting was held June 1, 2010 at which the council recommended to use the Youth allocations to serve youth in the JTG Programs in our eight county area. If funding allows, we may include one or more of the contracted in-school programs at a later date. This recommendation was approved by both the Daily Operations Committee and Executive Committee. Discussion followed. Mr. Reeves asked for a motion to approve the Youth Council’s recommendation. Mr. Beyer made the motion. Mr. Alexander seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Mr. Reeves appointed Dr. Janet Smith, Pamela Morris, Tamara James, Guy Derryberry, Pame Moore-Morrow, Sam Outlaw, Gayle Cook, and Tony Beyer, as representatives of the South Central Tennessee Workforce Board, to serve on an ad-hoc committee to review and discuss the use of the
Regional Labor Market Study for policy and planning purposes for the region. The meeting will be held on September 30th at the Northfield facility in Spring Hill, Tennessee.
Elected officers of the South Central Tennessee Workforce Board for 2010-12 were as follows:
Tony Beyer – Chairman
Joe Max Williams – Vice Chairman
John Rawe – Parliamentarian
Patricia Lymon – Recording Secretary
The remaining information items were deferred to the Board to review at their convenience.
The meeting adjourned at 1:08 p.m.