Dual State Civil Rights Committee

Massachusetts & Rhode Island
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Purgatory Chasm State Reservation, MA

Present: Cecil Currin, MA STC: Mark Zinan, Advisor: Don Liptack, AI/ANPM; Bill Taylor, BEPM; Karen Regish FWPM; Massachusetts; Roylene Rides at the Door, RI STC; Reena Shaw, member; Peter Bonome, HEPM; Jeanne Comerford, AA/PIPM.

The meeting opened at 9:50.

Cecil suggested that everyone introduce themselves to get to know the new members. Everyone acknowledged that they already know each other.

Review Draft By-laws- Mark asked if anyone had comment to the final draft by-laws.
Cecil commented that the changes look good. The group concurred on the final draft.

Review Recruitment Plan – Mark asked if anyone had comments to the final draft recruitment plan. Roylene commented on the potential FY 06 vacancies. The group concurred on the final draft.

Review Business Plan- Cecil asked Mark to walk the committee through the business plan.

Goal 1: Enhance Knowledge of Civil Rights Committee Members on Civil Rights Policies and Laws

Develop and implement a Civil Rights Training Plan for the Civil Rights Committee Members.

Mark sated that the most important training is the Civil Rights course offered through the USDA grad school on how participate on a Civil Rights committee and that new members should attend this training. (Mark provided the USDA course number and the Civil Rights Training Plan after the meeting adjourned

Goal 2: Provide Information to Enhance the Knowledge of the Employees in Massachusetts and Rhode Island of Civil Rights Laws and Policy.

Identify employee training needs and develop a training plan accordingly.

Mark informed the group that there is a Civil Rights training for field staff and suggested that the group try to arrange for the training to be offered at a site in Massachusetts sometime in 2007 to provide training in New England. The course is Civil Rights Compliance in Program Delivery.

Cecil asked if all Civil Rights members should have this training. Mark replied that those individuals who actually deliver programs should take the course plus Public Affairs Specialists would probably benefit. The course was held in Amherst in 2000 and Portsmouth, NY in 2003.

Mark also commented that there are several web-based courses available on Ag Learn and that folks should look at the site. Ag Learn is fully up and operational.

Cecil commented that each SEPM should attend at least one of their SEPM meetings during their seat.

The committee concurred with these statements.

Update Civil Rights webpage.

Jeanne commented that Michelle was doing this.

Goal 3: Increase Participation for Targeted Groups in NRCS Procurements.

Attend forums or similar events to inform small, minority, and female-owned companies about business and TSP opportunities with the federal government.

Mark indicated that he is doing this by attending Procurement Training. Mark attended the Senator Kerry Small Business Procurement Fair on May 22nd and handed out NRCS literature to numerous small and disadvantaged groups.

The group discussed the need to get a list of local minority owned businesses.

Goal 4: Special Emphasis Programs - Promote and Identify the Special Interests of Protected Groups or Individuals.

Develop and distribute emails to all employees on special emphasis events.
SEPMs indicated that they are doing this and the group concurred.

Identify publications needed for different languages.

Jeanne noted that we have some brochures printed in Spanish.

Roylene commented that one of the RI field staff was in need of pamphlets written Hmong.

The group discussed the NRCS website which has information posted in different languages.

Document outreach efforts.
Roylene described a one page form used in Rhode Island to document outreach by all staff members with pictures of the event attached, and that the information is entered into PRS as brief technical assistance. Roylene noted that outreach is part of her Conservationist Report.

Roylene suggested that the form could be improved by having a check box to note if an outreach meeting was a follow-up to a previous meeting.

Roylene was going to provide this form to Cecil.

Monitor parity.

Roylene noted she has asked Reena to run the parity report in PRS for RI.

Reena explained to the group that a value between -10 and +10 is considered satisfactory by NHQ.

Work with the District Conservationists on processes used to outreach to under served communities

Participate in conferences or outreach meetings with under served communities
Mark relayed that these tasks were suggested by one of our SEPMs. The group discussed what was actually being sought. Roylene stated that DC’s need a process for reaching out to underserved communities. Roylene described a poster that had been developed by the CA NRCS to display in areas where individuals of underserved communities are likely to congregate.

Roylene indicated she would ask CA if they can send us a copy of their poster.

Peter asked if there will be training for the DCs.

Mark commented that in Mass the PAS is outreach coordinator and the SEPM could work with the PAS..

Don commented it might be better for the SEPMs to train the DCs and form a team to go into the communities.

The group discussed these possibilities.

Bill indicated the need to gather information about the barriers to disseminating information and remedies to these barriers and then provide that information to management in an advisory capacity.

Goal 5: Recruitment – Maintain Ongoing Recruitment Efforts to Meet Diversity Goals.

Implement the current recruitment plan and insure the plan addresses the needs of both states.
Train hiring managers on hiring flexibilities.

Mark indicated that the Recruitment Plan listed hiring flexibilities and that the HR staff is available to provide training. They did so in Rhode Island 2 years ago.

Cecil commented the need to implement a negative recruitment plan given the budget situation.

The group discussed budget problems.

Roylene commented that it isn’t just recruitment, but retention of minority staff. Stated we need to ask the question, “Why can’t we retain?” This will be added to the Business Plan.

Roylene commented on the need to have flexible schedules that respect different belief systems.

Mark sent a revised draft to the group after the meeting adjourned.

Presentation of SEPM initiatives undertaken so far or planned for FY06

Don Liptack, NAEPM; Informed the group that at the end of March the Mashnee Wampanoag Tribe was granted preliminary approval for Federal Recognition by the Bureau of Indian Affairs granted preliminary approval. Don stated that it looks promising that Massachusetts will have a second federally recognized tribe in 2007.

Don also mentioned that Massachusetts has a relatively new employee who is Native American and who may be a better choice for the Native American SEPM seat, if interested.

Bill Taylor, BEPM; Informed the group that Benny Clark is the new National Black Emphasis Program Manager and that training for the organization is being set-up for December in Indiana.

Informed group that there is a database for recruitment the lists potential employees and that he will send the list to all the SEPMs.

Commented about the 714 self assessment form for states and noted it might be wise for the states to review the form to determine how we are doing.

Mentioned that the agency may be phasing out KSAs.

The question regarding whether we are seeing a diverse flow of applicants was discussed with folks commenting that NHQ is keeping track.

Roylene commented that ~40 students were interviewed at the ASIS meeting she never saw that any of the information was sent out.

FWPM; Suggested that SEPMs and HR folks attend college fairs.

Roylene commented that Rhode Island is moving toward using the STIP and SCIP program instead of interns. Mark also mentioned using the CIP to recruit students.

Committee commented this would be a good move for recruitment.

Peter Bonome, HEPM; Explained that he is automating the dissemination of information concerning Hispanic issues. Also noted that he is trying to access Hispanic Student Association Lists at several universities.

Stated he is attending the HEPM conference in July and suggested that a workshop on how to write KSAs would be helpful to staff in furthering their career.

The committee agreed that this type of a workshop would be beneficial.

Jeanne Comerford, AEPM; Stated she will attend the Asia SEPM conference in Alaska and that she is excited be a new member of the committee.

Mark suggested that we delete Agenda item 6 concerning brainstorm ideas for web-page enhancement. The group concurred.

Diversity Day
Cecil inquired about Diversity Day. The group discussed having Diversity Day about this time in 2007. The group decided to think about ideas for a theme and where to have it and email ideas to Louise and discuss ideas at the next meeting.

The next Committee meeting will be held on September 6th.at 9:30 at meeting place yet to be determined. Mark reserved Purgatory Chasm just in case.

Meeting adjourned at 11:50


/Recorder/
REENA SHAW
Member

/Approver/
Mark Zinan
Advisor

 

Last Modified: 04/16/2007

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