March 12, 2024 Minutes

Workforce Development Board Minutes

Employment Services - 315 N. 11th Ave, Bldg. B, Greeley, CO 80631
Meeting Location: First Floor Conference Room
Meeting: March 12, 2024 - 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Board Members Present:
Aimee Hutson, Aunt Helen's Coffee House; Alex Kloehn, Lutheran Family Services, Rocky Mountains;; Bill Johnson, Yoder Family Companies; Cecil Courtney, Denver Pipefitters Local 208; David Thompson, FMS Bank; David Zumbrun, Chicken Salad Chick; Justin Booker, City of Greeley Fire Department and IAFF Professional Firefighter's Union, Local 888 - Greeley Firefighters; Kelly Folks, Colorado Department of Labor & Employment; Matthew Hortt, High Plains Library District; Michael Wailes, Weld RE-5J; Nick Spezza, Aims Community College; Phil MacHendrie, City of Greeley; Robert Rigg, Elder Construction; Scott James, Weld County Board of County Commissioners; Shawn Croissant, Envision; ; Zach Huston, Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

Absent:
Elizabeth Barber, The Greeley Dream Team; Amanda Ericson, HRx Services; Lisa Taylor, The Weld Trust; Lisa Vaughn, Golden Aluminum; Lori Cuno, Community Educational Outreach; Rich Werner, Upstate Colorado; Victoria Cordova, Banner Health;

Quorum Present: Yes

Others Present:
Andrew Chadwick, ESWC CeCe Majchrowski, ESWC Greg Cordova, ESWC Karina Amaya-Ragland, ESWC Ruth DeBoer, ESWC Jesus Borrego, CDLE Thomas Hartman, CWDC

  1. Call to Order: 12:02 pm
  2. Changes to the Agenda: None
  3. Approval of Minutes - Motion to approve by Nick, seconded by Dave Thompson. 
  4. Unfinished Business
    1. Revision of PY23 Q2 Dashboard
      1.  ESWC did receive the rest of their FY funding. Looking at our budget we are sitting at 50% of it spent. Ruth will send the Q3 Dashboard out before our next meeting which will reflect the information given above.
  5. Announcements, Updates, and Celebrations
    1. Organizational Updates:
      1. Hiring
        1. Julie Atkinson, supervisor of CO Works, retired after 28 years. Margarita Villarreal has been hired as her replacement after a thorough selection process.
        2. The position of SC Supervisor of Operations is now vacant. CeCe is currently reviewing candidates for the position, with five individuals scheduled for interviews.
        3. To streamline operations, EF & TANF responsibilities have been combined due to significant overlap in duties and funding.
      2. Veterans Service Office:
        1.  The VSO has been relocated to ESWC since November 2023, resulting in improved efficiency and reduced waiting times.
        2. Enhancements, including designated veteran parking and visible signage, have been made to the VSO facility.
        3. Positive feedback about the VSO's services was received from Commissioner James during a recent event.
      3. Awareness Committee Updates:
        1.  The committee has published one newsletter and plans to release another in May. Additional members are needed, and recommendations are welcome.
        2. The WBL position has been filled, with the new member starting next Monday.
        3. Preparations for the upcoming young adult job fair are underway, and interested employers are encouraged to contact Andrew for participation.
        4. Plans for Workforce Development Month include an open house at ESWC to engage job seekers, employers, and partners.
        5. Preparation for the September Symposium is underway, with further details to be announced soon.
        6. The recent job fair at Future Legends in Windsor yielded positive results.
          • 324 High School Students attended.
          • 130 Adults came in the afternoon.
          • 64 Exhibitors attended.
      4. Youth Committee Updates:
        1.  Efforts are underway to recruit members for a youth council within the committee to represent various educational paths.
        2. The committee discussed strategies to promote participation in the young adult job fair among both youth and employers.
        3. Updates were provided on the progress of the new Boys and Girls Club facility and other youth-focused initiatives in the area.
        4. Bright Futures presented updates on their platform, including scholarship opportunities.
        5. Nominations for the committee's program of the year award are being considered at various national levels.
  6. Board Focus
    1. Joint Workforce Development Board Meeting
      1. Highlights from the recent joint meeting with the Larimer County board were discussed, including productive discussions on key priorities.
      2. Positive feedback was received regarding the format of the meeting, emphasizing interaction and networking.
      3. Recognition was given to NoCo Works for their bridging efforts between counties.
      4. Weld and Larimer counties were commended as models for effective workforce development.
      5. Strategies for increasing awareness among businesses and addressing funding challenges were discussed.
  7. Miscellaneous
    1. Aims is hosting an ag day open house, and a flyer will be distributed by Ruth.
    2. CDLE will focus on youth apprenticeship during May 5th – 11th, collaborating with workforce center directors and the state apprenticeship office.
    3. NAWB will commence next Saturday, with Tami Grant, Karina Amaya Ragland, CeCe Majchrowski, Ruth DeBoer, Matthew Hortt, and Rich Werner attending to gather valuable information.
  8. Action Items
    1. Regional/Local Plan:
      1. Progress on the regional/local plan was discussed, with gratitude expressed to the WIDE group for their contributions.
      2. The plan will be finalized and published for public comment by April 3rd.
      3. Comments on the plan should be directed to CeCe.
  9. Adjournment – 12:46 pm

Strategic Goals

Continue seeking clarity and improving connections for programs and services between Employment Services and the businesses and individuals in the Weld County Community.

Increase awareness and clarify the impact of Weld County's workforce network by attracting organizations and businesses to utilize the available funding provided to Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) targeted populations.

Increase Weld County Workforce Development Board (WCWDB) member engagement by involving board members in planning, leadership pipeline development, and committee involvement.

Working with intention by participating and supporting ESWC, sector partnerships, and their workgroups to ensure our regional workforce has equitable access to opportunities for quality, life-long education, and individual advancement to secure the future of work in Northern Colorado.

Board Recruitment

The following positions are vacant:

One Business Representative from any of the below industries –

  • Other Services (except Public Administration)
  • Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting
  • Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services
  • Transportation and Warehousing.

If you know someone interested in workforce initiatives and can fill one of these roles, please direct that person to Andrew Chadwick or CeCe Majchrowski.

Upcoming Events

Required Meeting: 5/14/2024; 11:45 AM to 1:30 PM (12:00 PM-1:30 PM Virtual)
Awareness Committee Meeting: 4/9/2024; 11:45 AM to 1:00 PM (12:00 PM-1:00 PM Virtual)
Youth Committee Meeting: 4/30/2024; 11:45 AM to 1:30 PM (12:00 PM-1:30 PM Virtual)

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