Board Members Attending:

Bruce Thompson (Chair), Bill Lehning, Andre Loh, Randy Loomans, Runette Mitchell, Marvin Wolff, Julie Beck (staff), Dennis Graham (staff), Cynthia Sachs (staff), Jill Will (staff)

Proxies Presented:

George Hughes, Snohomish County Corrections, for Andrea Bynum; Jim Miller, Kent PD, for Ed Crawford; Mike Anderson, Clark County Sheriff's Office, for Jane Johnson; Larry McKinstry, Correctional Industries, for Howard Yarbrough

Guests Attending:  Greg DePaul, Whatcom County Sheriff's Office

Call to Order

Chair Bruce Thompson welcomed the guests and thanked those attending. He officially called the meeting to order at 10:03 a.m.

A. Approval of the Minutes, July 13, 2001 Meeting

It was moved and seconded that the minutes of the July 13, 2001 meeting be approved. The motion carried.

B. Welcome Project Staff Member Dennis Graham
Discuss Clark County Jail Work Center PIECP Development Project

Jill Will introduced Dennis Graham, Free Venture Manager for the Clark County Jail Work Center Prison Industries Enhancement Certification Program (PIECP) Development Project. Two interagency agreements have been established that encompass this project-one between the Employment Security Department (ESD) and the Jail Industries Board (JIB), the other between JIB and the Clark County Sheriff's Office. Mr. Graham was hired by JIB and contracted to secure a private-sector employer of inmates at the Clark County Jail Work Center. The statement of work for the position was designed to be applicable to future PIECP projects throughout the state. All costs associated with the project will be paid by Clark County. Staff salary expense will be reimbursed to ESD.

C. Executive Director's Report

With the state being over $1 billion short in funds and facing its worst budget situation in over 30 years, rumors are circulating about the funding hit state agencies are about to receive. Up to three Department of Corrections (DOC) facilities may be closed, although it would require legislative action to do so. Correctional Industries anticipates pending layoffs as well as a $15 million drop in sales. The Department of Corrections, where the Board's appropriation is housed, is among the agencies required to cut 15%. As of the date of the Board meeting, there was no indication that the Board's funds are on the cut list; however, nothing is immune from potential cuts.

D. JIB Web Site Review

The Board reviewed the JIB web site and provided feedback for improvements and modifications.

• ACTION ITEM:Jill Will-submit a letter of appreciation to Don Carson at the Pine Lodge Pre-Release Center for work provided on the web site.
• ACTION ITEM:Jill Will/JIB Staff-provide web master with necessary revisions and suggestions on formatting modifications.

E. Speaker's Package PowerPoint Review

Jill Will demonstrated the speaker's package PowerPoint presentation. Members provided feedback and suggestions for improvement.

• ACTION ITEM:Jill Will/JIB Staff-incorporate suggested changes into PowerPoint presentation.
  
  

F. Apprenticeship Information Pilot Project Update

Ms. Julie Ann Beck provided an update on the Apprenticeship Information Pilot Project (AIPP). She reported that AIPP will meet or exceed five of its six projected performance measures. The one performance measure that will not be met is the projected number of articulation agreements with registered apprenticeship programs; such agreements are usually with grades K-12, and as such do not fall under the purview of AIPP.

AIPP funding has been extended through the end of December. Additional participation by agencies/sources outside of ESD will be necessary after that point. The results of the project should provide impressive numbers to potential funders.

Mike Anderson mentioned there may be money available through Clark County's Youth Council, which gets money through the Workforce Investment Act. He suggested that Work Source staff be made aware of AIPP in order to foster continuity to the program.


• ACTION ITEM:Mike Anderson-facilitate meeting with coordinators, correctional staff, and Julie Beck to discuss funding opportunities available through Clark's Youth Council.
  
  The design of the participant database has been completed, and data is in the process of being entered. The Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) keeps a record of official apprenticeship registrants; a cross-tab will be done between the AIPP data and L&I's records. Ms. Will suggested submitting an information request to participating apprenticeship committees to determine how many inmates have actually applied for acceptance into apprenticeship programs. She would like to see a crosscheck of names of applications pending/accepted.

Additional Updates

Ms. Beck reported an increase in enrollment in GED programs at AIPP-targeted facilities. It was reported that such courses are no longer free at some facilities.

Nine former inmates completed the weeklong Construction Apprenticeship Academy, which was hosted by the NW Laborers & Employers Training Trust.

Two of nine laborers apprenticeship enrollees have become indentured. The other applications are pending.

ANEW has started a pre-apprenticeship program at Clover Park Technical College and Edmunds Community College.

Ideas for Future Projects

Ms. Beck discussed setting up Pre-Construction Test training (PCT) at Indian Ridge as a pre-apprenticeship program. Mike Warren, Jill Will, and Julie Beck have been looking into setting up a program where testing would be brought to sites and administered.

Ms. Beck suggested there be a one-day "Pathways to Apprenticeship" training/overview of apprenticeship given to all participating facilities. The training would include workshops, a demonstration of different programs in action, apprentice accounts, site tours, and a work wear fashion show.

It was suggested Ms. Beck put together a video of her presentation.


• ACTION ITEM:Julie Beck-provide Clark and Cowlitz counties with written information on apprenticeship opportunities.
  
  
• ACTION ITEM:Jill Will-provide King County driver's re-licensing contact information to Jim Miller.

G. Schedule 2002 Board Meetings
Board members reviewed their calendars and picked the following dates for Jail Industries Board meetings in 2002:

Date Location

Friday, January 11th   - Burien-Criminal Justice Training Center
Friday, April 5th *   - Clark County Jail Work Center
Friday, July 26th   - Tukwila Plumbers/Pipefitters Training Center
Friday, October 25th   - Criminal Justice Training Center

* To be held in conjunction with an orientation meeting for new members on April 4th.

• ACTION ITEM: Randy Loomans-arrange for July 26, 2002 JIB meeting to be hosted at the Tukwila Plumbers & Pipefitters Training Center.

H. Succession Planning for Board Membership

Numerous members' terms are slated to end on February 28, 2002. Due to the impending turnover, the Board will hold a one-day orientation for new members on April 4th.

• ACTION ITEM: Jill Will-update new member orientation packets.
  
• ACTION ITEM: Marvin Wolff-develop sample exit interview questions.
  
• ACTION ITEM: Jill Will/JIB Staff-develop outgoing exit interview form.
  
• ACTION ITEM: Jill Will-solicit board member nominations from outgoing members and their organizations.
  
• ACTION ITEM: Jill Will-inquire as to whether a JIB training session could be added to the agenda of the joint Washington State Association of Counties/ Washington Association of County Officials' fall 2002 Legislative Conference.
  

I. Distribution of 2000 Jail Work Report

Sample copies of the 2000 Jail Work Report were distributed to Board members. There was some discussion as to its contents as well as to its future distribution. Additional discussion included how to facilitate better response from reporting facilities.

• ACTION ITEM: Jill Will/JIB Staff-add state legislative fiscal and corrections entities to the distribution list.
  
  
• ACTION ITEM: Jill Will/JIB Staff-set up and distribute a spreadsheet template to assist facilities in their tracking of inmate labor.
  
  
• ACTION ITEM:Jill Will/JIB Staff-distribute 2000 Jail Work Report.
  
  

J. Membership in the Jail Industries Association

There was some discussion about individual JIB members joining the Jail Industries Association (JIA) at a yearly cost of $25-30 per member.