99-226Council File # �9�
ORIGINAL
Green Sheet # � `O v �
RESOLUTION
.
PresenCed By
Resolution #
OF SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA
:
Re£erred To Committee: Date
1 WxEltEas, The Saint Paul Warkforce Development Program and the Ramsey County 7ob
2 Training Program both provide services under the Federal Job Training Partnership Act, dislocated
3 worker programs and other workforce related programs, and
4
5 WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul and Ramsey County have expressed continuing interest over
6 several years in merging the Saint Paul Workforce Development Program and the Ramsey County
7 Job Training Program to provide improved services, and
9 WHEREAS, The City and County established the City-County Policy Working Board for
10 Workfarce Development (PWB) in June 1998 and charged it with making a recomtnendation
11 regarding merger of the Saint Paul Workforce Development Program and the Ramsey Counry Job
12 Training Program and to provide a plan for the merger; and
13
14 WIIEREAS, The Policy Working Board for Warkforce Development included representatives
15 from the Saint Paul Mayor's Office; the CounTy Board of Commissioners; the Saint Paul City
16 Council; the County Manager's Office; the Saint Paul Warkforce Development Council; the Ramsey
17 County Workforce Council; staff; affected employees; affected unions; and appropriate state, counTy
18 and community partners; and
19
20 WHEREAS, The Policy Working Board met eight times starting in September of 1998 and
21 developed a plan to serve as the foundation for the merger in the form of a draft Joint Powers
22 Agreement (Plan); and
23
24
35
26
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28
29
30
31
32
33
WHEREAS, On December 16, 1998, the Policy Working Board voted to recommend the
merger of the Saint Paul Workforce Development Program and the Ramsey County Job Training
Program, and
WHEREAS, The PWB agreed that a unified City-County workforce program would better
address labor market and workforce issues in the Ramsey County area; and
WHEREAS, The PWB agreed that a merger will develop an efficient and integrated system by
improving coordination between similar programs throughout Ramsey County; and
34 WHEREAS, The PWB agreed that services to job seekers and employers will be improved
35 within the merged system, and
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36 WHEREAS, The PWB agreed that a merger wiil be consistent with the new federal Workforce
37 Investment Act's (WIA) proposed larger service delivery areas, program integration, and provision of
38 universal services, and
39
40 WHEREAS, The PWB prepared the draft Joint Powers Agreement Outline (Plan) to serve as the
41 foundation for the merger and voted unulimously to recommend the Plan, and
42
43 WHEREAS, The Plan is an outline for a joint powers agreement which will be negotiated
44 among the affected parties; and
45
46 WHEREas, Rules and Regulations for the new federal legislation, the Workforce Investment
47 Act (WIA) may affect the outcome of the merger, and the PWB recommended that the impact of the
48 WIA rules and regulations, and other details which were beyond the PWB's chaarge, be evaluated
49 before a merger is finalized; and
50
51 WHEREAS, On December 16, 1998 the Saint Paul Workforce Council approved a merger of
52 the Saint Paul Workforce Development Program and the Ramsey County Job Training Program, and
53 on February 24, 1999 the Ramsey County Workfarce Council accepted the PWB's recommendation
54 to merge these programs and accept the Plan for the merger; Now, Therefore Be It
55
56 RESOLVED, The Saint Paul City Council accepts the City-County Policy Working Board for
57 Workforce Development's recommendation to merge the Saint Paul Workforce Development
58 Program and the Ramsey County Job Training Pro�am and accepts the recommended Plan for the
59 merger, and Be It Further
60
61 RESOLVED, The Saint Paul City Council accepts the recommendatlon that the County
62 Manager will direct the merger Transition Process described in Section XIII of the Plan; as part of
63 these activities, the County Manager will direct the merger-related activities of both the City and the
64 County program directors; and Be It Further
65
66 RESOLVED, The Saint Paul City Council authorizes the Director of the Department of
67 Planning and Economic Development to work with other affected parties in order to develop a joint
68 powers agreement using the PWB's Plan as the foundation; by analyzing the impact of the WIA rules
69 and regulations when they are published, and by analyzing the impact of other relevant details; and
70 Be It Further
71
72 RESOLVED, The Director of the Departxnent of Planning and Economic Development will
73 present the proposed fmal Joint Powers Agreement to the Saint Paul City Council far approval; and
74 Be It Further
75
76 RESOLVED, That the Saint Paul City Council thanks the members of the Policy Working
77 Board for their time and thoughtful deliberations.
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Adoption Certified by Council Secretary
By'
Approved by MayoY: Date W�W( c/� �% q
gy <� iC ,��D�
Requested by Department of:
Plannin & Economic Deve 2i ment
By , w�.. uv
Form Approved by Ci A tor ey
By:
AppYOVed by Mayor for Submission to Council
By _ �`� ��
Adopted by Council: Date H L�,�.JV� dY \\ l�
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�qq-a.�G
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�EPANTMENTKIFFICE/COUNGIL DATE INITIATED
so T��:w rkforce 3i1i99 GREEN SHE T
CONTACT PERSON & PHONE � DEPARTMEM DIFECTOR T CRY COUNCIL IN �� A � A �
Crai Blakel 266-6697 ^��� �CffVATTORNEV �CIiYCLERK
MU5i BE O COUNCILAGENDA BY (DATE) NUNBER FOH ❑ BUDGET DIRECTOR � FIN. & MGT. SERVICES DIR.
pOUTiNG
y]A � O � 4/1 g OflDER � MAYOR (OFi ASSISTANT) �
Jsi J
TOTAL # OF SIGNATURE PAGES 1 (CLIP ALL LOCATIONS FOR SIGNATURE)
ACiION REQUESTED:
Adopt attached resolution accepting the report and recommendation of the City-County Policy Working Boazd
for Workforce Development, and authorizes City staff to work out details of a planned merger of the city and
County workforce programs.
REGOMMENDATIONS: Approve (A) or Rel� (R) PERSONAL SERVICE CONTqACTS MUST ANSWEF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
_ PLANNING COMMISSION __ CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION 1. Has this personRirm ever worketl under a contract for this tlepartment?
__ CIB COMMITfEE __ YES NO
2. Has this personRirm ever been a ciry employee?
__ STAFF — YES NO
_ DISTRiC7 COURi � 3. Does this personRrtm possess a sk�ll not normally possessetl by any curreM city employee?
SUPPORTS WHICH COUNCIL OBJECTIVE'+ YES NO
Explain af1 yes answers on separate sheet antl attach to green shcet
INITIATING PpOBLEM, ISSUE, OPPORTUNI7Y (NTO, What. When, VJhera, Why):
In May, 1998, the City Council established the City-County Policy Working Board for Workforce
Development and charged it with recommending whether or not to merge the programs and to develop a plan.
In December, 1998, the Policy Working Boazd unanimously recommended that the programs be merged and
prepared a Draft Joint Powers Agreement as the basis of the merger.
ADVANTAGES IFAPPROVED:
The public workforce development system in Ramsey County will be better able to serve its employer and job
seeker customers.
DISADVANTAGES IFAPPROVED:
None
DISADVANTAGES IF NOTAPPROVED
The merger will not proceed.
TOTAL AMOUNT OF TRANS�ICTION $ COST/REVENUE BUOGETED (CIRCLE ONE) VES NO
FUNOIfdG SOURCE ACTIVITV NUMBER
FINANCIAL INFORFiAiION� (EXPLAIN)
9y_ zz�
CI� �F .Sf��T Pf�� 390 Ciry Hai( Zelephone: 6�t-266-8510
:\'ormColeman. �Ltayor 1� 4VeslKel[oggBovlevard Facs�mile. 6.i1-228-8513
Sairct Pau1, �Lini SS102
March 17, 1449
Council President Daniel Bostrom
Saint Paul City Council
15 West Kellogg Boulevazd, Room 320-B
Saint Paul, NN 55102
Dear Council President Bostrom:
As Mayor, I have been challenging City agencies to become more efficient. One of the ways to
do that, where appropriate, is to merge and consolidate similar services with Ramsey County.
One of the areas that has been identified for further study -- by my administration, the Joint
Property Tax Advisory Committee, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners, and the Saint
Paul City Council -- is workforce development, where the City and the County operate
essentially similaz programs.
In the last yeaz and a half, two groups have been charged by the City Council and the County
Board with looking at merging the two workforce programs. Last December, the Policy Working
Board for Workforce Development reached the unanimous conclusion that the Saint Paul and
Ramsey County workforce programs should merge according to a detailed plan they developed.
This letter is to add my voice to theirs, as the designated Local Elected Official for the Saint Paui
workforce development program, in support of inerging the two programs into one in order to
better serve both customers -- job seekers and employers -- and to respond pro-actively to the
state and federal effort that is reinventing the public workforce development system.
While many issues still need to be ironed out before moving forwazd, approving the resolution
that comes before you on March 24"' will allow the City and Counry to start detailed negotiations
of a Joint Powers Agreement: This is expected to take several months, giving the City Council
time to engage in the broad policy discussion needed before a final Joint Powers Agreement
comes back to you for final review and approval. I urge the City Council to accept the report of
the Policy Working Board, and to authorize staff to take the next steps in the process.
Si erely,
orm Co man
Mayor
''!- a3r
SAINT PAUL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, INC.
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Workforce Development Programs
l� West 4"' Street, 1300 CHA, Saint Pau1, MN .i.i 102
TeZephone: (6.i1) 266-6701
Facsimile: (6S1) 225-3261
Mazch 17, 1999
Council President Daniel Bostrom
Saint Paul City Council
Room 320-B Ciry Ha11
15 West Kellogg Boulevard
Saint Paul, MN 5�102
Dear Council President Bostrom:
Last June the City Council established the Policy Working Board for Workforce Development
and charged it with recommending whether to merge the Saint Paul and Ramsey County
workforce programs. On December 16"', the Policy Board voted unanimously to recommend the
merger along the lines recommended in a detailed Draft Joint Powers Agreement.
Also on December 16"', the Saint Paul Workforce Development Council approved merging the
two programs. We took this action because a vaziety of forces aze coming together to challenge
the public workforce system to become more responsive to business customers, more regional in
scope and moze entrepreneurial in attitude, including:
• A long term labor shortage is upon us that threatens our continued economic health with
shortages both in entry level and highly skilled jobs.
• Welfare reform is challenging roughly 10,000 Ramsey County residents, many with
substantial barriers, to find employment.
• The new Workforce Investment Act is reinventing the public workforce system around
"one-stop workforce centers," supported by new electronic information technologies, and
encouraging smaller service delivery areas to consolidate.
As a member of the Policy Working Board, and as chair of the Saint Paul Workforce
Development Council, I have always felt that we may have been thinking too small in looking at
merging just Saint Paul and Ramsey County. More than ever I am convinced that we have an
historic opportunity to create a single service delivery area for the entire east metro area. But the
first step towards analyzing that opportunity is to accept the report of the Policy Working Board
and authorize City staff to begin the detailed negotiations involved. I urge you and your
colleagues to support the resolutions that will put this process in motion. Call me at (651) 331-
4422 with any questions.
Sincerely,
��
Rolf Middleton
Chair
q9 •���
�,S��o��
City-County Policy Working Soard for Workforce Development
MEMORANDUM
TO: Saint Paul City Council
Council President Dan Bostrom
March 3, 1999
Ramsey County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson Rafael Ortega
Councilmember Jay Benanav Commissioner Tony Bennett
Councilmember Jerry Blakey Commissioner Dino Guerin
Councilmember Chris Coleman Commissioner Susan Haigh
Councilmember Kathy Lantry Commissioner Victoria 12einhardt
Councilmember Jim Reiter Commissioner Janice Rettman
FR: Counciimember Michael Harris �'VK�.r
Commissioner Jan Wiessner
RE: Report From the Policy Working Board for Workforce Development
Last summer, the Saint Paul City Council and the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners jointly
established the Policy Working Board for Workforce Development (P WB) to develop a plan to merge
the City and County workforce programs and, on the basis of that plan, to recommend whether or not
to merge. We have served as co-chairs of the PWB, and would like to report on its work.
On December 16�' the PWB concluded its work by voting unanimously to recommend to elected
officials and to the City and County Workforce Councils that the two workforce programs be merged
and that the attached Plan (in the form of a draft Joint Powers Agreement) serve as the foundation for
the merger. Specific recommendations include:
A 6-member Joint Powers Board (JPB), with equal City and County representation (3
County Commissioners, 2 City Councilmembers, and the Mayor), would serve as the Local
Elected Officials. The JPB would appoint the members of the merged City-County Workforce
Council, which would be called the Workforce Investment Board (WIB). The Joint Powers
Board would partner with the WIB to provide broad policy govemance for the new merged
workforce program.
A 33-member Workforce Investment Board, composed of the representatives required by
state and federal law, including a mix of Saint Paul and suburban area representatives, would
serve as the primary planning body for workforce programs. A majority of its members, and its
chair, would be from the private sector, reflecting employment opporlunities in the inner-city
and suburban azeas of Ramsey County.
F����`����
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For Infortnation Ca1C
Craig Blal:ely, 266-6697 (Cin�), or Mary Kazcz, 266-80Li (Count}�)
�:��C� A�L hA?��S
°19 -��c.
Administration and operations will be the responsibility of the Ramsey County Board of
Commissioners, which will assume responsibility as the grant recipient, fiscal agent, and
administrative entity for workforce programs. Services will continue to be provided by a mix of
vendors and staff:
City employees will be merged into the County by following the Health Department
Merger, where they retain their City employment status, benefits, and seniority, but work for
the County under a purchase-of-services contract. As vacancies occur in City staff, the posirions
will become County positions.
The transition period will be directed by the County Manager, to whom both workforce
directors will report. Significant joint planning and visioning will occur during this period,
involving both staffs, both workforce councils, and the new Workforce Investment Boazd when
it is formed.
The Saint Pau1 Warkforce Development Council approved merging the Saint Paul and Ramsey County
workforce programs at its meeting on December 16, 1998, and the Ramsey County Workforce Council
approved the merger at its meeting on Febniary 24, 1999. The next steps in this process aze for the City
Council and the County Boazd to review, and by resolution to accept the Report of the Policy Working
Boazd. Staff will then be authorized to pursue the merger by negotiating a detailed Joint Powers
Agreement, which would be brought back to the City Council and County Boazd for final action
sometune in late spring or eazly suinmer.
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City-County Policy Working Board for Workforce Development
Report and Draft Joint Po�vers Agreement Outline
Adopted: December 16,1998
1. Recommendafion:
On December 16` fourteen of the seventeen representatives identified on the next paoe voted
unanimously to adopt the following Draft Report and 3oint Powers Agreement and, with one
abstention on a procedural matter, to recommend to the Saint Paul City Council and the Ramsey
County Boazd of Commissioners that the two workforce pro�razns be merged.
2. History of inerger discussions:
Merger discussions date from the early 1980s. In 1994, staff from the two systeins began again to
look at opportunities for increased cooperation or merger. In 1995 the County Board asked Mayor
Coleman to begin discussing a merger. In 1996, the Joint Property Tax Advisory Committee added
the City-County Workforce Development discussions to its list of fourteen areas to assess. In 1997
the City Cozrnry Workforce System Redesign TaskForce began to look at cooperation, consolidation,
or merger and concluded in May, 1498, by recommending that a Policy Working Board develop a
merger plan. Starting on September 16, 1998 the members of the Policy Working Board met eight
times every other week, and concluded its work on December 16th.
3. The Charge of the Policy Working Board:
Saint Paul and Ramsey County elected officials chazged the Policy Working Board with
recommending whether or not to merge and, if so, to develop a plan to merge. In the course of its
deliberations, the Policy Working Board realized that it couldn't recommend whether or not to mer�e
without first developing a plan. The plan that emerged, and is recommended, is in the form ofa DraR
Joint Po���ers Agreement.
4. Composition of the Policy Working Board:
Seventeen members were selected to include representatives of the five bodies that would have to
approve a merger (the Mayor, the City Councal, the County Board of Commissioners, and the ri�o
workforce councils), the directors of the two programs, affected employees, affected unions, and
appropriate commuuity, county, and state agencies.
5. Further Information:
Further information is available in a booklet titled "Information Requested by the Board." Included
are: a"«'orkforce System Overview," a summary or previous merger discussions, minutes from the
Ciry-Counry Workforce System Redesign TaskForce, a description of"cutting edge" Private Industry
Councils, a summary of the Workforce Investment Act, and the current partnership agreements
between the Saint Paul Workfarce Development Council and the Mayor, and the Ramsey County
Workforce Council and the County Board of Commissioners.
qq .��.�
Members of the Policy Working Board
Saint Paul
Representatives
�Co-Chair Michael Harris:
Councilmember, Saint Paul
City Council
Agency
Representatives
aMonty Martin:
Director, Income Maintenance,
Co. Community Human Svcs.
Rainsey County
Representatives
aCo-Chair Jan Wiessner:
Commissioner, Ramsey County
Boazd of Commissioners
�Louis Henry: '�"
Member, St. Pau1 Workforce
Development Council
�Harriet Horwath:
Employment and Training
Planner, St. Paul PED
�Susan Kimberly:
Southwest Team Leader, Saint
Paul PED
�Rolf Middleton:
Member, St. Paul Workforce
Development Council
aJacqui Shoholm:
Manager of Workforce
Programs, St. Paul PED
�Michael Wilde:
Business Agent, Professional
Employees Association
DCarol Weber Rohde:
Sen�ant Leadership Team, Com-
munity Employment Partnership
�Kathy Sweeney: "x
Assistant Commissioner, MN
Dept. of Economic Security
aTom Burke:
Business Agent, AFSCME Local
151
�Ginnee Engberg:
Planning Specialist, Ramsey
County Job Training
�Elmo Mattox:
Member, Ramsey County
Workforce Council
DHaakon Oksnevaad: xx
Member, Ramsey County
Workforce Council
�Monte 011enburger:
Director, Ramsey County Policy
and Planning
aConnie Peikert:
Director, Ramsey County Job
Training
Staff to the Policy Working Board
Facilitators
�Jill Goski:
Ramsey County Personnel
Sta ff
�Mary Karcz:
Raznsey Co. Manager's OfFice
Attorneys
�Karen Kushner:
Rasiisey Co. Attomey's Office
�Steve Cvinar: x''`
Saint Paul Human Resources
�Craig Blakely:
Saint Paul PED
DPeter McCall: ""
St.Paul City Attomey's Office
xxUnable to attend the December 16"' meeting
.
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DRAFT JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT OUTLINE
December 16, 1998
I. AUTHORIZATION
Specific citations of state, federal, city, and county laws, statutes, ordinances and resolutions will
be referenced in this section.
• Authority to operate workforce programs: Reference federal law (Public Law 10�-220) and
state statutes.
• Policy Working Board authorization: Reference County resolution number 98-251 on June
23, 1998, and City resolutions number 98535 and 98536 on June 24, 1998 establishing the
Policy Working Board.
� Policy Working Board recommendations: Reference the unanimous December 16"` vote by
the Policy Working Board to approve the draft Joint Powers Agreement and to recommend
merger.
e Authority to enter into joint powers agreements: Minnesota Statutes 471.59.
II. PROPOSED VISION STATEMENT
Because the Joint Powers Board and or the Workforce Investment Board may want to develop a
vision statement oftheir own, the following are recommended principles for a merged City-County
workforce program:
� Be a regionalleader of public sector workforce policy development and program planning for
the east metro labor market,
• Be totally committed to serving all the workforce needs of two customers - job seekers and
employers - not just categories for which public funds are available,
• Be totally committed to continuously improving services appropriate to the changing needs of
its customers through the optimum mix of vendors and direct staff,
• Be integrated with state and local workforce partners including the Workforce Centers, the
Community Employment Partnership, and iocal economic development agencies,
• Be highly entrepreneurial, with a considerable portion of its budget coming from fees-for-
service and competitive grants,
�q "�
• Have a staff that is highly motivated by a culture that is founded on teamwork, rewazds
innovation, and makes appropriate investments in staff and technology.
III. REASONS FOR A MERGER
• Providing better service to two customers: To improve the response ofthe workforce system
to employer needs (that derive from the long-term shift from labor surplus to labor shortage),
and to j ob seeker needs (that derive from welfare reform and skill mismatches).
• Improving the cost effectiveness of existing programs: To eliminate duplication and achieve
economies of scale by administering one system instead of two.
• Developing a more integrated system: To integrate similar programs and develop effective
partnerships in a regional economy and labor market.
• Leveraging new financial resources: To generate new resources for workforce development
by becoming more entrepreneurial in an increasingly competitive field.
• Conformancewith federal and state reforms: To respondpro-activelyto the state and federal
push towards integration of programs, larger service delivery azeas, and universal service
requirements.
• To achieve the vision: To better position the Ramsey County community to achieve the vision
outlined above.
IV. PiIRPOSES OF THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT
• To designate a Local Elected Of£cial: Under state and federal law, a Local Elected Official
must be identified .
• To designate a grant recipient and administrative entity: Under state and federal law, a
grant recipient and administrative entity must be identified to administer workforce
programming.
� To designate Ramsey County as Saint Paul's agent: To ensure that Saint Paul's rights to
funding for which it is eligible as a sepazate entity are preserved, Ramsey County will be
designated to act as Saint Paul's agent in workforce programming.
• To Preserve the City's and County's interests in workforce development: Ensure that the
County's operation of a merged workforce system on behalf of the City and Count} serves the
needs of all residents and businesses, wherever they are located or reside.
°19 -a}�
To form the foundation of the merger process: To serve as a framervork that w ensure a
smooth transition between t�co different organizationai cultures in a way that protects staffand
maintains quality services to customers, and to serve as a foundation for negotiating a
partnership agreement between the Joint Powers Boazd/Local Elected Officials and the
Workforce Investment Board when they are established.
V. JOINT POWERS BOARDlI,OCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS (JPB/LEO)
• Composition: Three members of the County Board of Commissioners, the Mayor of the City
of Saint Paul, and two members of the City Council.
• Terms: Each representative to have a one-year term.
• Meetings: At least quarterly to conduct the responsibilities outlined below.
VI. POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE JPB/LEO
• Local Elected Official: Act as the designated "Local Elected Official" under the requirements
of the federal Workforce Investment Act and appropriate state statutes.
• Appoint members of the Workforce Investment Board: Solicit nominations from the
required organizations for the required representatives and appoint members of the WIB.
• Assign Liability for State and Federal Funding: Assign fiscal responsibility for public
funding to the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners.
• Partner with the Workforce Investment Board: Negotiate a partnership agreement with the
Workforce Investment Boazd that defines the roles and responsibilities of each and complies
w�ith the applicable terms of this Joint Powers Agreement and subsequent labor asreements.
VII. WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD
• Dissolution of Workforce Development Councils: The dissolution of the Ramsey County
Workforce Council, which is not incorporated, and the Saint Paul Warkforce Development
Council, which is, will occur upon formation of a single Workforce Investment Board.
• Name: The name of the merged Workforce Investment Boazd and sha11 be
qq-�z�
• Membership: The membership of the merged Workforce Investment Board shall meet the
minimum requirements of governing state and federal law. The overall membership should
include a mix of Saint Paul and suburban azea representatives. The initial WIB shall be
composed of 33 individuals appointed by the JPB/I,EO, includin� representatives from the
following interests and organizations:
->Representatives of businesses in Ramsey County (must be at least 51%): 17
->Representatives of organized labor: 2
-rRepresentatives of the area workforce and community-based organizations (must be at
least 15%): 6
->Economic development agencies: 2
->Education representatives (1 secondary and 1 post secondary): 2
->Vocational rehab3litation agency: 1
->Public Assistance agency: 1
->Public employment service agency: 1
->Job seeker or employee:
Members of the WIB shall be individuals with optimum policymaking authority within their
organizations. The representatives of businesses are appointed from among individuals
nominated by local business organizations and trade associations, and should be business
owners or executives of businesses that reflect employment opportunities in the local area. The
representatives of local educational entities are appointed from among individuals nominated
by regional or local educational agencies or entities which represent them. The representatives
of local labor organizations are appointed from among individuals nominated by local labor
federations. Adjustments to the initial boazd may be made if required by state and federal
statutes and regulations. Adjustments to future WIBs may be made in accordance with the
Partnership Agreement, and in conformance with governing state and federal statutes.
• Structure of the Workforce Investment Board: The structure of the merged Workforce
Investment Board shall meet the minimum requirements of goveming state and federal law.
->The private sector members will represent businesses with employment opportunities that
reflect the employment opportunities of the local area, which could include growth
industries, clusters, inner city and suburban businesses, and large and small businesses.
->The WIB shall elect a chair-person from the private sector.
>The WIB will serve employer and job seeker customers equally, whether they reside or are
located in the inner city or suburban areas.
->The WIB will be staffed by public Workforce Development program staff.
>The WIB will maintain a partnership with the Joint Powers Boazd/Local Elected Official
through a Partnership Agreement.
->The WIB will use committees to address specialized topics or program areas, allowing
participation by a larger number of partners within an area of concern. A Youth Committee
is required by WIA, and other committees, and their areas of concem, will be determined b}�
the WIB.
qq -}y4
� Bylacvs: The WIB shall adopt bylaws which include the following:
>Meetin�s will be conducted according to the open meeting laws ofthe State of Minnesota.
->The WIB will comply with the Minnesota Govemmental Data Practices Act.
>A conflict of interest and impropriety clause.
>A provision for non-voting alternate appointments.
->Membership requirement that WIB members reside, be employed by an employer, oi
provide services in Ramsey County.
>A non-discrimination statement.
>Consideration of removal of inembers for cause or non-attendance.
VIIL GOVERNANCE
Governance of the merged workforce system will be shared by the JPB/LEO and the WIB. DurinQ
the transition period, governance will occur as described in Section XIII below.
• The Local Elected Of£cial: For purposes of receiving public workforce development funding,
the Joint Powers Board will be designated the Local Elected Officials, as required by state and
federal law.
� JPB/LEO and WIB partnership agreement: As required by state and federal law, the
JPB/LEO and the WIB must negotiate a partnership agreement to assign authorities and
responsibilities they share, including designating a grant recipient and administrative entity for
the publicly-funded workforce programs. This Joint Powers Agreement is intended to be a
foundation for developing that partnership agreement.
• Area-wide workforce policy and partnership development: The WIB shall provide area-
wide leadership in identifying and addressing labor market issues in Ramsey County, in
developing a vision for public workforce programs, in developing partnerships among the 13
required partners in the workforce center system and other regional partners, and in designatina
the local one-stop operators.
• Program planning: The WIB shall serve as the planning body for implementing the activities
covered under the Workforce Investment Act including: establishing basic policies, guidelines,
and principles for program operations, approving the annual Service Area Plan and budget
submitted to the Governor, approving major modifications to the local Plan and budget,
designating local one-stop operators, and providing research and development assistance on
economic and workforce development issues critical to the operation of workforce programs.
�
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IX. ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATIONS
Administration and operations will be the responsibilities ofthe Ramsey County Board which will
assume the following responsibilities assigned by the JPB/LEO. The goal is to be structured so that
the organization can respond quickly and flexibly to chan�ing customer needs and funding
opportunities by reallocating e�sting resources and developing newprograms. During the transition
period, administration and operations �vill occur as described in Section XIII below.
A. Responsibilities Of The Ramsey County Board Of Commissioners: The JPB/LEO will
assign, and the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners will assume, responsibility for the
following activities:
1. Grant Recipient: The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners will assume
responsibility as the grant recipient for all federal and state funds allocated to Service
Delivery Areas, and other federal, state, local, and private funds received for activities
conducted through the Workforce Development Program.
2. Fiscal Agent: The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners will assume liability as the
fiscal agent for workforce funds and programs, and carry out responsibility for the followin�
activities in accordance with all applicable rules and regulations:
->Developing the annual budget for any county levy dollars used by the workforce
development program
->Ensuring that funds are audited as required under WIA
->Receiving and disbursing funds for activities conducted through the workforce program
>Approving and accepting grants
->Approving the over-all workforce program budget as a part of the annual County Budget
process.
3. Administrative Entity: The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners will assume
responsibility as the administrative entity for workforce programs, including responsibilit;�
for:
>Providing administrative support to the Workforce Development Program including
services from the County Attomey's Office, Budgeting and Accounting Office, Risk
Management, Personnel, and Affirmative Action.
>Staff support of the JPB/LEO, the WIB, and the committees of the WIB
->Management information systems and evaluation
>Contract management for purchasing services from workforce vendors
�Management ofprograms and operations including providing access to universal services,
intake and assessment, commseling, training, job development, and case management
->Supervision of direct County workforce staff and, after July l, 2000, supervision of City
Workforce staff through a purchase-of-service contract that preserves their existing City
employment status while integrating their activities into the merged workforce program.
°i9 -a'�- 4
B. Joint Responsibilities Of The Ramsey County Board Of Commissioners and The
Workforce Investment Board: The JPB/LE0 will assign, and the Ramsey County Boazd of
Commissioners will assume, responsibility for the following activities to be undertaken in
partnership with the WIB:
1. Program Planning and Development: Approving minor modifications to the local Plan
and seeking available financial resources to meet the needs of customers.
2. Employer Involvement: Coordinating the local workforce investment activities with
economic development strategies and developing other employer linkages with such
activities. Promoting the participation ofprivate sector employers inthe statewide workforce
investment system and ensuring the effective provision of connecting, brokering, and
coaching activities through intermediaries such as the one-stop operator in the local area or
through other organizations, to assist such employers in meeting hiring needs.
3. Monitoring program operations: Overseeing program operations, evaluating program
outcomes, and assisting in developing an employment statistics system.
4. Vendor Selection and Supervision: Deciding how services wili be delivered (the mix of
staff-delivered and vendared services), identifying eligible providers oftraining and intensive
services, selecting providers for vendored services including youth providers, and negotiating
locai performance measures. The new entity will continue vendors under contract at the time
of the merger through the life of the contracts. Over time, the Ramsey County Boazd of
Commissioners and the WIB will determine the optimum mix of services provided by direct
staff and vendors based on a comprehensive analysis and plan. All vendors will be selected
through a rigorously competitive and impartial process.
5. Partnership Maintenance and Development: The new entity will continue existing
Saint Paul and Ramsey County partnerships at the time of the merger including, but not
limited to: the Community Employment Partnership (with the Work Resource Hubs and
Employer Solutions, Inc.); the Workforce Center System; School to Work Partnerships, the
Phalen Corridor Initiative; Parents' Fair Share; and the Suburban Family Collaborative. Over
time, the JPB/LEO and the WIB will determine which existing partnerships to maintain and
which new partnerships to develop. Staff of the merged entity will coordinate with city and
county economic development, housing, transportation, daycare, and other activities related
to workforce development.
q9-��5�
X. ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
S(I71t1 loint Po�ccrs Ranue}'
p Acrezment County
(cont�nuine)
V
LEO: Joint Powcrs Board
Ramscy County Sc Saint Puul
Appoints WIQ
Braad Go�'emance �vith \�,9{3
Partncrship
Agmcmen[
P]
Workforce Investment I3onrd
Broad Govcrnance with LL=O
Operational Go�•cmancc
with 2ams-cy County
(includcs Saint Paul and Suburbs)
Ramsey County
Board o( Commissioncrs
Grant Rccipicn[, Fiscal Liabitity
Operatianaf Gorcmancc with WIB
V
�Vorkforcc Ucvclopment Progrum
Administratice Entity
Provides suppon to L[O and W[B
Coordinatc u'ith all partners (Work(orcc
Ccntcr, Resource Hub. WIA requireJ, etcJ
V
�Yorkforee Dcrelopment Program Sfaff and Vcndors
. Operate and provide secvices to customea in Sainl Paul and tu6urbs
• Acti�•itics includejob wunseling,job decelopment, case management,
opera[ions raanagemcnt, ctc.
XI. FUNDING
• County as the City's Agent: The City will appoint the County as its agent for applyin� for
funding for which the City alone is eligible.
• City and County funding opportunities: All arants for which the City or County are eligible
will be identified and staff time approved for pursuing them based on the extent to �chich they
support the strate�ic vision.
• Continuation of existing funding sources: All existing workforce funding will be identified
and a process for deciding its availability in the future will be mapped out.
q q •aa�
XII. PERSONNEL PROCESS
The personnel process as described below will begin during the transition period laid out in Section
XIII, below, and continue as appropriate. During the transition period, personnel decisions and
direction of the separate programs will occur as described in Section XIII, below. After the merger,
City workforce employees will work under County supervision through a purchase-of-service
contract between the City and County. Over time, as vacancies occur in City staff, the positions will
become County positions. The goal of the personnel process is to involve affected staff eazly in the
process to ensure a smooth transition that involves minimal disruption of services to customers and
the least possible stress on staff.
• Personnel Task Force: A task force will be appointed composed of representatives from the
City and County bargaining units, affected employees, City and County human resource
departments, and other appropriate representatives to resolve detailed personnel issues.
• Time line for Personnel Task Force: The Task Force will begin as soon as possible and
continue until it is completed with one or more memoranda of understanding within the time
requirements established in the Joint Powers Agreement. The first meeting of the Personnel
Task Force should be held before the Joint Powers Agreement is approved.
• Commitments: While recognizing that individual job responsibilaties may change, a
commitment is made to maintaining the existing employment security of all current City and
County employees. While recognizing that contracting with outside vendors for specific
services is still allowed, a commitment is made to not privatizing workforce services.
• Identification of affected employees: Affected City employees and their job titles will be
specifically identified before the Personnel Task Force begins its deliberations.
• Health Department merger as a model: The process followed by the Personnel Task Force
will be that used in the merger of the Saint Paul and Ramsey County Health Departm ents. This
process does not make the merger contingent on first working out all union issues. The decision
to merge, and decisions about the basic nature of the merger, are made first and approved by the
City and County. These decisions include a future effective date that ailows a reasonable
amount of time to negotiate the effects of the merger on involved employees. T'he key features
of the process aze:
>City staff will remain City staff, working for the County under a Purchase of Services
contract, but when a City position becomes vacant through amition, it will become a County
position.
>Interest-based bargaining will be used as the format for the discussion.
>The Personnel Task Force will be facilitated by a neutral third-party from the State Bureau
of Mediation Services (BMS).
>The process will result in one or more memoranda of understanding that address all the
specific, final details of the negotiations.
°Iq -� 4
Topics to be addressed: The terms and conditions included inthe ne�otiations and memoranda
will address topics such as those listed below plus additional concerns raised by staff: The
follo�ving list includes examples of the type of items that may be included in negotiation. The
actual subjects of the negotiation will be identified in the negotiation process itsel£ The first
step in the process will be to hold meetings with City and County staff where they will identify
their specific concerns and priorities.
- >Filling positions in the combined department
->Promotions
- >Transfers
- >Probationary periods
>Layoff and reinstatement
->Vacation carryover
->Sickleave carryover
- TSeverance
->Insurance
>Scheduling
->Bargaining unit representation
-�Grievance procedures
• Director hiring authority and process: Authority for hiring the director shall rest with the
County Manager in consultation with the Joint Powers Board and the Workforce Councils
and/or Workforce Investment Board. The process for hiring the director (including developin�
the job description, deciding the extent of the seazch process, and deciding whether any
confirmations of the appointment are required) shall be developed by the County Manager in
consultation with the Joint Powers Board and the Workforce Investment Board.
XIII. TRANSITION PROCESS
The personnel process described in Section XII will begin duxing this period and continue into the
full mer�er process as appropriate.
• Transition period time line: The transition period is the time between the execution of the
Joint Powers Agreement (expected in the spring of 1999) and the final merger of staff and
operations (expected by July 1, 2000). The merged Workforce Investment Board is expected
to be formed on or before 3uly 1, 2000 after which a partnership agreement will be executed
between it and the JPB/LEO.
• Transition planning: The transition period is an opportunity to bring the two cultures together
and develop a structure that best uses the resources of both organizations. The following
activities are anticipated during this period:
-�A visioning process: a joint effort between Workforce Council and/or WIB members and
staff to develop the vision, mission, and values of the new entity.
io
qq -az�
->Analysis of organizational functions and structure: acomprehensive anal} ofthe job
functions and organizational structure needed for the workforce proaram to thrive in the
new environment.
�Analysis of staff skills and interests: a comprehensive analysis of staff skills, interests,
and abilities.
>Analysis of training and hiring needs: based on the above, a comprehensi� e analysis of
the training needed and hiring required, to staff the new entity.
>Analysis of the role of vendors: an analysis of the optimum mix of vendored and direct
services.
• Staff assignment, training, and recruitment process: Based on the staffing plan developed
above, existing staff will be offered opportunities for training to enable them to assume new
responsibilities based on their interests and abilities. Where positions are needed which no
existing staff can fill, new staff will be aggressively recruited to fill them.
• Staff involvement: Changes are anticipated in what staff do as a result of thz visioning,
assessment, and planning processes. The goal is to have staff hold jobs that are consistent with
the agency's needs and also reflect their professional training, experience, and interests. Staff
are expected to actively participate in planning teams, including such potential teams as an
integration team composed ofstaff, vendors, Workforce Council and/or Workforce Investment
Board members, and partners to develop strategies for improving the match between job seekers
and employers, and an entrepreneurial team to look at new ways to provide services to
employers and to generate fees for doing so.
• Transition leadership: The County Manager will direct the transition process and direct the
work of bodz workforce program directors. The transition leadership will be in place until a
permanent director is appointed, which is expected to be approximately 12 months from the
execution of the Joint Powers Agreement.
• Staff support for transition director: Saint Paul PED and the Ramsey Counn' Manager s
Office will assign staff to asslst the County Manager in directing the transition process.
• CurrentdirectorsoftheCityandCountyworkforceprograms:Duringthetransitionperiod,
the City and County directors will report to the County Manager while continuing to direct their
respective programs and to staff their respective Workforce Councils. They will � ork together
to integrate the staff and operations of the two programs.
XIV. OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE AND OPERATIONAL ISSUES
The following topics will be addressed during the transition period.
• Property ownership and leases: The disposition of City furniture and equipment. and any real
estate (if any) owned by workforce development programs will be determined.
ii
q q'�1s.
• In kind, indirect, and overhead expenses: All existing in-kind, indirect, and overhead
contributions made by the City and County will be identified and it will be determined whether
they will continue to be provided, or will have to be funded as a new expense for a merged
workforce system.
• Closing out JTPA and transifioning to WIA: A process will have to be developed for
transitioning from the Job Training Partnership Act to the Workforce Investment Act, and the
responsibility and liability for grants and contracts that derive from them.
XV. TERMINATION AND CANCELLATION
The City' and County may choose to withdraw from this Joint Powers Agreement at any time prior
to the formation of the Workforce Investment Board, after which point the joint powers agreement
will be necessary to govern a merged system. Two maj or areas of uncertainty remain to be resolved
as the Joint Powers Agreement is being developed:
• Impact of the Workforce Investment Act: The Regulations implementing the Workforce
Investment Act are expected to be released in February of 1999, at which time it should be
possible to assess whether there are any negative consequences from merging. Specifically
whether a single service delivery area would receive less allocated funding than two SDAs
needs to be resolved. If, before a merger of the Workforce Development Councils into a single
Workforce Investment Board, it is determined that allocated funding would be lost, or funding
opportunities reduced, as a result ofa merger, the Joint Powers Agreement would be terminated.
• Impact of the new Governor's Workforce Investment Board: The policy direction of the
new state administration, and the Governor's Workforce Investment Boazd which the new
governor appoints, is another unresolved issue. If, before a merger of the Workforce
Development Councils into a single Workforce Investment Board, it is determined that state
policy would discourage such a merger, or that the two workforce programs would fare better
as separate entities, the Joint Powers Agreement would be terminated.
lz
Council File # �9�
ORIGINAL
Green Sheet # � `O v �
RESOLUTION
.
PresenCed By
Resolution #
OF SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA
:
Re£erred To Committee: Date
1 WxEltEas, The Saint Paul Warkforce Development Program and the Ramsey County 7ob
2 Training Program both provide services under the Federal Job Training Partnership Act, dislocated
3 worker programs and other workforce related programs, and
4
5 WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul and Ramsey County have expressed continuing interest over
6 several years in merging the Saint Paul Workforce Development Program and the Ramsey County
7 Job Training Program to provide improved services, and
9 WHEREAS, The City and County established the City-County Policy Working Board for
10 Workfarce Development (PWB) in June 1998 and charged it with making a recomtnendation
11 regarding merger of the Saint Paul Workforce Development Program and the Ramsey Counry Job
12 Training Program and to provide a plan for the merger; and
13
14 WIIEREAS, The Policy Working Board for Warkforce Development included representatives
15 from the Saint Paul Mayor's Office; the CounTy Board of Commissioners; the Saint Paul City
16 Council; the County Manager's Office; the Saint Paul Warkforce Development Council; the Ramsey
17 County Workforce Council; staff; affected employees; affected unions; and appropriate state, counTy
18 and community partners; and
19
20 WHEREAS, The Policy Working Board met eight times starting in September of 1998 and
21 developed a plan to serve as the foundation for the merger in the form of a draft Joint Powers
22 Agreement (Plan); and
23
24
35
26
?�
28
29
30
31
32
33
WHEREAS, On December 16, 1998, the Policy Working Board voted to recommend the
merger of the Saint Paul Workforce Development Program and the Ramsey County Job Training
Program, and
WHEREAS, The PWB agreed that a unified City-County workforce program would better
address labor market and workforce issues in the Ramsey County area; and
WHEREAS, The PWB agreed that a merger will develop an efficient and integrated system by
improving coordination between similar programs throughout Ramsey County; and
34 WHEREAS, The PWB agreed that services to job seekers and employers will be improved
35 within the merged system, and
q9� �.s�
36 WHEREAS, The PWB agreed that a merger wiil be consistent with the new federal Workforce
37 Investment Act's (WIA) proposed larger service delivery areas, program integration, and provision of
38 universal services, and
39
40 WHEREAS, The PWB prepared the draft Joint Powers Agreement Outline (Plan) to serve as the
41 foundation for the merger and voted unulimously to recommend the Plan, and
42
43 WHEREAS, The Plan is an outline for a joint powers agreement which will be negotiated
44 among the affected parties; and
45
46 WHEREas, Rules and Regulations for the new federal legislation, the Workforce Investment
47 Act (WIA) may affect the outcome of the merger, and the PWB recommended that the impact of the
48 WIA rules and regulations, and other details which were beyond the PWB's chaarge, be evaluated
49 before a merger is finalized; and
50
51 WHEREAS, On December 16, 1998 the Saint Paul Workforce Council approved a merger of
52 the Saint Paul Workforce Development Program and the Ramsey County Job Training Program, and
53 on February 24, 1999 the Ramsey County Workfarce Council accepted the PWB's recommendation
54 to merge these programs and accept the Plan for the merger; Now, Therefore Be It
55
56 RESOLVED, The Saint Paul City Council accepts the City-County Policy Working Board for
57 Workforce Development's recommendation to merge the Saint Paul Workforce Development
58 Program and the Ramsey County Job Training Pro�am and accepts the recommended Plan for the
59 merger, and Be It Further
60
61 RESOLVED, The Saint Paul City Council accepts the recommendatlon that the County
62 Manager will direct the merger Transition Process described in Section XIII of the Plan; as part of
63 these activities, the County Manager will direct the merger-related activities of both the City and the
64 County program directors; and Be It Further
65
66 RESOLVED, The Saint Paul City Council authorizes the Director of the Department of
67 Planning and Economic Development to work with other affected parties in order to develop a joint
68 powers agreement using the PWB's Plan as the foundation; by analyzing the impact of the WIA rules
69 and regulations when they are published, and by analyzing the impact of other relevant details; and
70 Be It Further
71
72 RESOLVED, The Director of the Departxnent of Planning and Economic Development will
73 present the proposed fmal Joint Powers Agreement to the Saint Paul City Council far approval; and
74 Be It Further
75
76 RESOLVED, That the Saint Paul City Council thanks the members of the Policy Working
77 Board for their time and thoughtful deliberations.
qA-�a-G
oR«�Na�
Adoption Certified by Council Secretary
By'
Approved by MayoY: Date W�W( c/� �% q
gy <� iC ,��D�
Requested by Department of:
Plannin & Economic Deve 2i ment
By , w�.. uv
Form Approved by Ci A tor ey
By:
AppYOVed by Mayor for Submission to Council
By _ �`� ��
Adopted by Council: Date H L�,�.JV� dY \\ l�
�—��
�qq-a.�G
��hh�
�EPANTMENTKIFFICE/COUNGIL DATE INITIATED
so T��:w rkforce 3i1i99 GREEN SHE T
CONTACT PERSON & PHONE � DEPARTMEM DIFECTOR T CRY COUNCIL IN �� A � A �
Crai Blakel 266-6697 ^��� �CffVATTORNEV �CIiYCLERK
MU5i BE O COUNCILAGENDA BY (DATE) NUNBER FOH ❑ BUDGET DIRECTOR � FIN. & MGT. SERVICES DIR.
pOUTiNG
y]A � O � 4/1 g OflDER � MAYOR (OFi ASSISTANT) �
Jsi J
TOTAL # OF SIGNATURE PAGES 1 (CLIP ALL LOCATIONS FOR SIGNATURE)
ACiION REQUESTED:
Adopt attached resolution accepting the report and recommendation of the City-County Policy Working Boazd
for Workforce Development, and authorizes City staff to work out details of a planned merger of the city and
County workforce programs.
REGOMMENDATIONS: Approve (A) or Rel� (R) PERSONAL SERVICE CONTqACTS MUST ANSWEF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
_ PLANNING COMMISSION __ CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION 1. Has this personRirm ever worketl under a contract for this tlepartment?
__ CIB COMMITfEE __ YES NO
2. Has this personRirm ever been a ciry employee?
__ STAFF — YES NO
_ DISTRiC7 COURi � 3. Does this personRrtm possess a sk�ll not normally possessetl by any curreM city employee?
SUPPORTS WHICH COUNCIL OBJECTIVE'+ YES NO
Explain af1 yes answers on separate sheet antl attach to green shcet
INITIATING PpOBLEM, ISSUE, OPPORTUNI7Y (NTO, What. When, VJhera, Why):
In May, 1998, the City Council established the City-County Policy Working Board for Workforce
Development and charged it with recommending whether or not to merge the programs and to develop a plan.
In December, 1998, the Policy Working Boazd unanimously recommended that the programs be merged and
prepared a Draft Joint Powers Agreement as the basis of the merger.
ADVANTAGES IFAPPROVED:
The public workforce development system in Ramsey County will be better able to serve its employer and job
seeker customers.
DISADVANTAGES IFAPPROVED:
None
DISADVANTAGES IF NOTAPPROVED
The merger will not proceed.
TOTAL AMOUNT OF TRANS�ICTION $ COST/REVENUE BUOGETED (CIRCLE ONE) VES NO
FUNOIfdG SOURCE ACTIVITV NUMBER
FINANCIAL INFORFiAiION� (EXPLAIN)
9y_ zz�
CI� �F .Sf��T Pf�� 390 Ciry Hai( Zelephone: 6�t-266-8510
:\'ormColeman. �Ltayor 1� 4VeslKel[oggBovlevard Facs�mile. 6.i1-228-8513
Sairct Pau1, �Lini SS102
March 17, 1449
Council President Daniel Bostrom
Saint Paul City Council
15 West Kellogg Boulevazd, Room 320-B
Saint Paul, NN 55102
Dear Council President Bostrom:
As Mayor, I have been challenging City agencies to become more efficient. One of the ways to
do that, where appropriate, is to merge and consolidate similar services with Ramsey County.
One of the areas that has been identified for further study -- by my administration, the Joint
Property Tax Advisory Committee, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners, and the Saint
Paul City Council -- is workforce development, where the City and the County operate
essentially similaz programs.
In the last yeaz and a half, two groups have been charged by the City Council and the County
Board with looking at merging the two workforce programs. Last December, the Policy Working
Board for Workforce Development reached the unanimous conclusion that the Saint Paul and
Ramsey County workforce programs should merge according to a detailed plan they developed.
This letter is to add my voice to theirs, as the designated Local Elected Official for the Saint Paui
workforce development program, in support of inerging the two programs into one in order to
better serve both customers -- job seekers and employers -- and to respond pro-actively to the
state and federal effort that is reinventing the public workforce development system.
While many issues still need to be ironed out before moving forwazd, approving the resolution
that comes before you on March 24"' will allow the City and Counry to start detailed negotiations
of a Joint Powers Agreement: This is expected to take several months, giving the City Council
time to engage in the broad policy discussion needed before a final Joint Powers Agreement
comes back to you for final review and approval. I urge the City Council to accept the report of
the Policy Working Board, and to authorize staff to take the next steps in the process.
Si erely,
orm Co man
Mayor
''!- a3r
SAINT PAUL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, INC.
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Workforce Development Programs
l� West 4"' Street, 1300 CHA, Saint Pau1, MN .i.i 102
TeZephone: (6.i1) 266-6701
Facsimile: (6S1) 225-3261
Mazch 17, 1999
Council President Daniel Bostrom
Saint Paul City Council
Room 320-B Ciry Ha11
15 West Kellogg Boulevard
Saint Paul, MN 5�102
Dear Council President Bostrom:
Last June the City Council established the Policy Working Board for Workforce Development
and charged it with recommending whether to merge the Saint Paul and Ramsey County
workforce programs. On December 16"', the Policy Board voted unanimously to recommend the
merger along the lines recommended in a detailed Draft Joint Powers Agreement.
Also on December 16"', the Saint Paul Workforce Development Council approved merging the
two programs. We took this action because a vaziety of forces aze coming together to challenge
the public workforce system to become more responsive to business customers, more regional in
scope and moze entrepreneurial in attitude, including:
• A long term labor shortage is upon us that threatens our continued economic health with
shortages both in entry level and highly skilled jobs.
• Welfare reform is challenging roughly 10,000 Ramsey County residents, many with
substantial barriers, to find employment.
• The new Workforce Investment Act is reinventing the public workforce system around
"one-stop workforce centers," supported by new electronic information technologies, and
encouraging smaller service delivery areas to consolidate.
As a member of the Policy Working Board, and as chair of the Saint Paul Workforce
Development Council, I have always felt that we may have been thinking too small in looking at
merging just Saint Paul and Ramsey County. More than ever I am convinced that we have an
historic opportunity to create a single service delivery area for the entire east metro area. But the
first step towards analyzing that opportunity is to accept the report of the Policy Working Board
and authorize City staff to begin the detailed negotiations involved. I urge you and your
colleagues to support the resolutions that will put this process in motion. Call me at (651) 331-
4422 with any questions.
Sincerely,
��
Rolf Middleton
Chair
q9 •���
�,S��o��
City-County Policy Working Soard for Workforce Development
MEMORANDUM
TO: Saint Paul City Council
Council President Dan Bostrom
March 3, 1999
Ramsey County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson Rafael Ortega
Councilmember Jay Benanav Commissioner Tony Bennett
Councilmember Jerry Blakey Commissioner Dino Guerin
Councilmember Chris Coleman Commissioner Susan Haigh
Councilmember Kathy Lantry Commissioner Victoria 12einhardt
Councilmember Jim Reiter Commissioner Janice Rettman
FR: Counciimember Michael Harris �'VK�.r
Commissioner Jan Wiessner
RE: Report From the Policy Working Board for Workforce Development
Last summer, the Saint Paul City Council and the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners jointly
established the Policy Working Board for Workforce Development (P WB) to develop a plan to merge
the City and County workforce programs and, on the basis of that plan, to recommend whether or not
to merge. We have served as co-chairs of the PWB, and would like to report on its work.
On December 16�' the PWB concluded its work by voting unanimously to recommend to elected
officials and to the City and County Workforce Councils that the two workforce programs be merged
and that the attached Plan (in the form of a draft Joint Powers Agreement) serve as the foundation for
the merger. Specific recommendations include:
A 6-member Joint Powers Board (JPB), with equal City and County representation (3
County Commissioners, 2 City Councilmembers, and the Mayor), would serve as the Local
Elected Officials. The JPB would appoint the members of the merged City-County Workforce
Council, which would be called the Workforce Investment Board (WIB). The Joint Powers
Board would partner with the WIB to provide broad policy govemance for the new merged
workforce program.
A 33-member Workforce Investment Board, composed of the representatives required by
state and federal law, including a mix of Saint Paul and suburban area representatives, would
serve as the primary planning body for workforce programs. A majority of its members, and its
chair, would be from the private sector, reflecting employment opporlunities in the inner-city
and suburban azeas of Ramsey County.
F����`����
��R - 4 iq�9
For Infortnation Ca1C
Craig Blal:ely, 266-6697 (Cin�), or Mary Kazcz, 266-80Li (Count}�)
�:��C� A�L hA?��S
°19 -��c.
Administration and operations will be the responsibility of the Ramsey County Board of
Commissioners, which will assume responsibility as the grant recipient, fiscal agent, and
administrative entity for workforce programs. Services will continue to be provided by a mix of
vendors and staff:
City employees will be merged into the County by following the Health Department
Merger, where they retain their City employment status, benefits, and seniority, but work for
the County under a purchase-of-services contract. As vacancies occur in City staff, the posirions
will become County positions.
The transition period will be directed by the County Manager, to whom both workforce
directors will report. Significant joint planning and visioning will occur during this period,
involving both staffs, both workforce councils, and the new Workforce Investment Boazd when
it is formed.
The Saint Pau1 Warkforce Development Council approved merging the Saint Paul and Ramsey County
workforce programs at its meeting on December 16, 1998, and the Ramsey County Workforce Council
approved the merger at its meeting on Febniary 24, 1999. The next steps in this process aze for the City
Council and the County Boazd to review, and by resolution to accept the Report of the Policy Working
Boazd. Staff will then be authorized to pursue the merger by negotiating a detailed Joint Powers
Agreement, which would be brought back to the City Council and County Boazd for final action
sometune in late spring or eazly suinmer.
°19-a1�
City-County Policy Working Board for Workforce Development
Report and Draft Joint Po�vers Agreement Outline
Adopted: December 16,1998
1. Recommendafion:
On December 16` fourteen of the seventeen representatives identified on the next paoe voted
unanimously to adopt the following Draft Report and 3oint Powers Agreement and, with one
abstention on a procedural matter, to recommend to the Saint Paul City Council and the Ramsey
County Boazd of Commissioners that the two workforce pro�razns be merged.
2. History of inerger discussions:
Merger discussions date from the early 1980s. In 1994, staff from the two systeins began again to
look at opportunities for increased cooperation or merger. In 1995 the County Board asked Mayor
Coleman to begin discussing a merger. In 1996, the Joint Property Tax Advisory Committee added
the City-County Workforce Development discussions to its list of fourteen areas to assess. In 1997
the City Cozrnry Workforce System Redesign TaskForce began to look at cooperation, consolidation,
or merger and concluded in May, 1498, by recommending that a Policy Working Board develop a
merger plan. Starting on September 16, 1998 the members of the Policy Working Board met eight
times every other week, and concluded its work on December 16th.
3. The Charge of the Policy Working Board:
Saint Paul and Ramsey County elected officials chazged the Policy Working Board with
recommending whether or not to merge and, if so, to develop a plan to merge. In the course of its
deliberations, the Policy Working Board realized that it couldn't recommend whether or not to mer�e
without first developing a plan. The plan that emerged, and is recommended, is in the form ofa DraR
Joint Po���ers Agreement.
4. Composition of the Policy Working Board:
Seventeen members were selected to include representatives of the five bodies that would have to
approve a merger (the Mayor, the City Councal, the County Board of Commissioners, and the ri�o
workforce councils), the directors of the two programs, affected employees, affected unions, and
appropriate commuuity, county, and state agencies.
5. Further Information:
Further information is available in a booklet titled "Information Requested by the Board." Included
are: a"«'orkforce System Overview," a summary or previous merger discussions, minutes from the
Ciry-Counry Workforce System Redesign TaskForce, a description of"cutting edge" Private Industry
Councils, a summary of the Workforce Investment Act, and the current partnership agreements
between the Saint Paul Workfarce Development Council and the Mayor, and the Ramsey County
Workforce Council and the County Board of Commissioners.
qq .��.�
Members of the Policy Working Board
Saint Paul
Representatives
�Co-Chair Michael Harris:
Councilmember, Saint Paul
City Council
Agency
Representatives
aMonty Martin:
Director, Income Maintenance,
Co. Community Human Svcs.
Rainsey County
Representatives
aCo-Chair Jan Wiessner:
Commissioner, Ramsey County
Boazd of Commissioners
�Louis Henry: '�"
Member, St. Pau1 Workforce
Development Council
�Harriet Horwath:
Employment and Training
Planner, St. Paul PED
�Susan Kimberly:
Southwest Team Leader, Saint
Paul PED
�Rolf Middleton:
Member, St. Paul Workforce
Development Council
aJacqui Shoholm:
Manager of Workforce
Programs, St. Paul PED
�Michael Wilde:
Business Agent, Professional
Employees Association
DCarol Weber Rohde:
Sen�ant Leadership Team, Com-
munity Employment Partnership
�Kathy Sweeney: "x
Assistant Commissioner, MN
Dept. of Economic Security
aTom Burke:
Business Agent, AFSCME Local
151
�Ginnee Engberg:
Planning Specialist, Ramsey
County Job Training
�Elmo Mattox:
Member, Ramsey County
Workforce Council
DHaakon Oksnevaad: xx
Member, Ramsey County
Workforce Council
�Monte 011enburger:
Director, Ramsey County Policy
and Planning
aConnie Peikert:
Director, Ramsey County Job
Training
Staff to the Policy Working Board
Facilitators
�Jill Goski:
Ramsey County Personnel
Sta ff
�Mary Karcz:
Raznsey Co. Manager's OfFice
Attorneys
�Karen Kushner:
Rasiisey Co. Attomey's Office
�Steve Cvinar: x''`
Saint Paul Human Resources
�Craig Blakely:
Saint Paul PED
DPeter McCall: ""
St.Paul City Attomey's Office
xxUnable to attend the December 16"' meeting
.
a9-a��
DRAFT JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT OUTLINE
December 16, 1998
I. AUTHORIZATION
Specific citations of state, federal, city, and county laws, statutes, ordinances and resolutions will
be referenced in this section.
• Authority to operate workforce programs: Reference federal law (Public Law 10�-220) and
state statutes.
• Policy Working Board authorization: Reference County resolution number 98-251 on June
23, 1998, and City resolutions number 98535 and 98536 on June 24, 1998 establishing the
Policy Working Board.
� Policy Working Board recommendations: Reference the unanimous December 16"` vote by
the Policy Working Board to approve the draft Joint Powers Agreement and to recommend
merger.
e Authority to enter into joint powers agreements: Minnesota Statutes 471.59.
II. PROPOSED VISION STATEMENT
Because the Joint Powers Board and or the Workforce Investment Board may want to develop a
vision statement oftheir own, the following are recommended principles for a merged City-County
workforce program:
� Be a regionalleader of public sector workforce policy development and program planning for
the east metro labor market,
• Be totally committed to serving all the workforce needs of two customers - job seekers and
employers - not just categories for which public funds are available,
• Be totally committed to continuously improving services appropriate to the changing needs of
its customers through the optimum mix of vendors and direct staff,
• Be integrated with state and local workforce partners including the Workforce Centers, the
Community Employment Partnership, and iocal economic development agencies,
• Be highly entrepreneurial, with a considerable portion of its budget coming from fees-for-
service and competitive grants,
�q "�
• Have a staff that is highly motivated by a culture that is founded on teamwork, rewazds
innovation, and makes appropriate investments in staff and technology.
III. REASONS FOR A MERGER
• Providing better service to two customers: To improve the response ofthe workforce system
to employer needs (that derive from the long-term shift from labor surplus to labor shortage),
and to j ob seeker needs (that derive from welfare reform and skill mismatches).
• Improving the cost effectiveness of existing programs: To eliminate duplication and achieve
economies of scale by administering one system instead of two.
• Developing a more integrated system: To integrate similar programs and develop effective
partnerships in a regional economy and labor market.
• Leveraging new financial resources: To generate new resources for workforce development
by becoming more entrepreneurial in an increasingly competitive field.
• Conformancewith federal and state reforms: To respondpro-activelyto the state and federal
push towards integration of programs, larger service delivery azeas, and universal service
requirements.
• To achieve the vision: To better position the Ramsey County community to achieve the vision
outlined above.
IV. PiIRPOSES OF THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT
• To designate a Local Elected Of£cial: Under state and federal law, a Local Elected Official
must be identified .
• To designate a grant recipient and administrative entity: Under state and federal law, a
grant recipient and administrative entity must be identified to administer workforce
programming.
� To designate Ramsey County as Saint Paul's agent: To ensure that Saint Paul's rights to
funding for which it is eligible as a sepazate entity are preserved, Ramsey County will be
designated to act as Saint Paul's agent in workforce programming.
• To Preserve the City's and County's interests in workforce development: Ensure that the
County's operation of a merged workforce system on behalf of the City and Count} serves the
needs of all residents and businesses, wherever they are located or reside.
°19 -a}�
To form the foundation of the merger process: To serve as a framervork that w ensure a
smooth transition between t�co different organizationai cultures in a way that protects staffand
maintains quality services to customers, and to serve as a foundation for negotiating a
partnership agreement between the Joint Powers Boazd/Local Elected Officials and the
Workforce Investment Board when they are established.
V. JOINT POWERS BOARDlI,OCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS (JPB/LEO)
• Composition: Three members of the County Board of Commissioners, the Mayor of the City
of Saint Paul, and two members of the City Council.
• Terms: Each representative to have a one-year term.
• Meetings: At least quarterly to conduct the responsibilities outlined below.
VI. POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE JPB/LEO
• Local Elected Official: Act as the designated "Local Elected Official" under the requirements
of the federal Workforce Investment Act and appropriate state statutes.
• Appoint members of the Workforce Investment Board: Solicit nominations from the
required organizations for the required representatives and appoint members of the WIB.
• Assign Liability for State and Federal Funding: Assign fiscal responsibility for public
funding to the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners.
• Partner with the Workforce Investment Board: Negotiate a partnership agreement with the
Workforce Investment Boazd that defines the roles and responsibilities of each and complies
w�ith the applicable terms of this Joint Powers Agreement and subsequent labor asreements.
VII. WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD
• Dissolution of Workforce Development Councils: The dissolution of the Ramsey County
Workforce Council, which is not incorporated, and the Saint Paul Warkforce Development
Council, which is, will occur upon formation of a single Workforce Investment Board.
• Name: The name of the merged Workforce Investment Boazd and sha11 be
qq-�z�
• Membership: The membership of the merged Workforce Investment Board shall meet the
minimum requirements of governing state and federal law. The overall membership should
include a mix of Saint Paul and suburban azea representatives. The initial WIB shall be
composed of 33 individuals appointed by the JPB/I,EO, includin� representatives from the
following interests and organizations:
->Representatives of businesses in Ramsey County (must be at least 51%): 17
->Representatives of organized labor: 2
-rRepresentatives of the area workforce and community-based organizations (must be at
least 15%): 6
->Economic development agencies: 2
->Education representatives (1 secondary and 1 post secondary): 2
->Vocational rehab3litation agency: 1
->Public Assistance agency: 1
->Public employment service agency: 1
->Job seeker or employee:
Members of the WIB shall be individuals with optimum policymaking authority within their
organizations. The representatives of businesses are appointed from among individuals
nominated by local business organizations and trade associations, and should be business
owners or executives of businesses that reflect employment opportunities in the local area. The
representatives of local educational entities are appointed from among individuals nominated
by regional or local educational agencies or entities which represent them. The representatives
of local labor organizations are appointed from among individuals nominated by local labor
federations. Adjustments to the initial boazd may be made if required by state and federal
statutes and regulations. Adjustments to future WIBs may be made in accordance with the
Partnership Agreement, and in conformance with governing state and federal statutes.
• Structure of the Workforce Investment Board: The structure of the merged Workforce
Investment Board shall meet the minimum requirements of goveming state and federal law.
->The private sector members will represent businesses with employment opportunities that
reflect the employment opportunities of the local area, which could include growth
industries, clusters, inner city and suburban businesses, and large and small businesses.
->The WIB shall elect a chair-person from the private sector.
>The WIB will serve employer and job seeker customers equally, whether they reside or are
located in the inner city or suburban areas.
->The WIB will be staffed by public Workforce Development program staff.
>The WIB will maintain a partnership with the Joint Powers Boazd/Local Elected Official
through a Partnership Agreement.
->The WIB will use committees to address specialized topics or program areas, allowing
participation by a larger number of partners within an area of concern. A Youth Committee
is required by WIA, and other committees, and their areas of concem, will be determined b}�
the WIB.
qq -}y4
� Bylacvs: The WIB shall adopt bylaws which include the following:
>Meetin�s will be conducted according to the open meeting laws ofthe State of Minnesota.
->The WIB will comply with the Minnesota Govemmental Data Practices Act.
>A conflict of interest and impropriety clause.
>A provision for non-voting alternate appointments.
->Membership requirement that WIB members reside, be employed by an employer, oi
provide services in Ramsey County.
>A non-discrimination statement.
>Consideration of removal of inembers for cause or non-attendance.
VIIL GOVERNANCE
Governance of the merged workforce system will be shared by the JPB/LEO and the WIB. DurinQ
the transition period, governance will occur as described in Section XIII below.
• The Local Elected Of£cial: For purposes of receiving public workforce development funding,
the Joint Powers Board will be designated the Local Elected Officials, as required by state and
federal law.
� JPB/LEO and WIB partnership agreement: As required by state and federal law, the
JPB/LEO and the WIB must negotiate a partnership agreement to assign authorities and
responsibilities they share, including designating a grant recipient and administrative entity for
the publicly-funded workforce programs. This Joint Powers Agreement is intended to be a
foundation for developing that partnership agreement.
• Area-wide workforce policy and partnership development: The WIB shall provide area-
wide leadership in identifying and addressing labor market issues in Ramsey County, in
developing a vision for public workforce programs, in developing partnerships among the 13
required partners in the workforce center system and other regional partners, and in designatina
the local one-stop operators.
• Program planning: The WIB shall serve as the planning body for implementing the activities
covered under the Workforce Investment Act including: establishing basic policies, guidelines,
and principles for program operations, approving the annual Service Area Plan and budget
submitted to the Governor, approving major modifications to the local Plan and budget,
designating local one-stop operators, and providing research and development assistance on
economic and workforce development issues critical to the operation of workforce programs.
�
q9 -az �
IX. ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATIONS
Administration and operations will be the responsibilities ofthe Ramsey County Board which will
assume the following responsibilities assigned by the JPB/LEO. The goal is to be structured so that
the organization can respond quickly and flexibly to chan�ing customer needs and funding
opportunities by reallocating e�sting resources and developing newprograms. During the transition
period, administration and operations �vill occur as described in Section XIII below.
A. Responsibilities Of The Ramsey County Board Of Commissioners: The JPB/LEO will
assign, and the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners will assume, responsibility for the
following activities:
1. Grant Recipient: The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners will assume
responsibility as the grant recipient for all federal and state funds allocated to Service
Delivery Areas, and other federal, state, local, and private funds received for activities
conducted through the Workforce Development Program.
2. Fiscal Agent: The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners will assume liability as the
fiscal agent for workforce funds and programs, and carry out responsibility for the followin�
activities in accordance with all applicable rules and regulations:
->Developing the annual budget for any county levy dollars used by the workforce
development program
->Ensuring that funds are audited as required under WIA
->Receiving and disbursing funds for activities conducted through the workforce program
>Approving and accepting grants
->Approving the over-all workforce program budget as a part of the annual County Budget
process.
3. Administrative Entity: The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners will assume
responsibility as the administrative entity for workforce programs, including responsibilit;�
for:
>Providing administrative support to the Workforce Development Program including
services from the County Attomey's Office, Budgeting and Accounting Office, Risk
Management, Personnel, and Affirmative Action.
>Staff support of the JPB/LEO, the WIB, and the committees of the WIB
->Management information systems and evaluation
>Contract management for purchasing services from workforce vendors
�Management ofprograms and operations including providing access to universal services,
intake and assessment, commseling, training, job development, and case management
->Supervision of direct County workforce staff and, after July l, 2000, supervision of City
Workforce staff through a purchase-of-service contract that preserves their existing City
employment status while integrating their activities into the merged workforce program.
°i9 -a'�- 4
B. Joint Responsibilities Of The Ramsey County Board Of Commissioners and The
Workforce Investment Board: The JPB/LE0 will assign, and the Ramsey County Boazd of
Commissioners will assume, responsibility for the following activities to be undertaken in
partnership with the WIB:
1. Program Planning and Development: Approving minor modifications to the local Plan
and seeking available financial resources to meet the needs of customers.
2. Employer Involvement: Coordinating the local workforce investment activities with
economic development strategies and developing other employer linkages with such
activities. Promoting the participation ofprivate sector employers inthe statewide workforce
investment system and ensuring the effective provision of connecting, brokering, and
coaching activities through intermediaries such as the one-stop operator in the local area or
through other organizations, to assist such employers in meeting hiring needs.
3. Monitoring program operations: Overseeing program operations, evaluating program
outcomes, and assisting in developing an employment statistics system.
4. Vendor Selection and Supervision: Deciding how services wili be delivered (the mix of
staff-delivered and vendared services), identifying eligible providers oftraining and intensive
services, selecting providers for vendored services including youth providers, and negotiating
locai performance measures. The new entity will continue vendors under contract at the time
of the merger through the life of the contracts. Over time, the Ramsey County Boazd of
Commissioners and the WIB will determine the optimum mix of services provided by direct
staff and vendors based on a comprehensive analysis and plan. All vendors will be selected
through a rigorously competitive and impartial process.
5. Partnership Maintenance and Development: The new entity will continue existing
Saint Paul and Ramsey County partnerships at the time of the merger including, but not
limited to: the Community Employment Partnership (with the Work Resource Hubs and
Employer Solutions, Inc.); the Workforce Center System; School to Work Partnerships, the
Phalen Corridor Initiative; Parents' Fair Share; and the Suburban Family Collaborative. Over
time, the JPB/LEO and the WIB will determine which existing partnerships to maintain and
which new partnerships to develop. Staff of the merged entity will coordinate with city and
county economic development, housing, transportation, daycare, and other activities related
to workforce development.
q9-��5�
X. ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
S(I71t1 loint Po�ccrs Ranue}'
p Acrezment County
(cont�nuine)
V
LEO: Joint Powcrs Board
Ramscy County Sc Saint Puul
Appoints WIQ
Braad Go�'emance �vith \�,9{3
Partncrship
Agmcmen[
P]
Workforce Investment I3onrd
Broad Govcrnance with LL=O
Operational Go�•cmancc
with 2ams-cy County
(includcs Saint Paul and Suburbs)
Ramsey County
Board o( Commissioncrs
Grant Rccipicn[, Fiscal Liabitity
Operatianaf Gorcmancc with WIB
V
�Vorkforcc Ucvclopment Progrum
Administratice Entity
Provides suppon to L[O and W[B
Coordinatc u'ith all partners (Work(orcc
Ccntcr, Resource Hub. WIA requireJ, etcJ
V
�Yorkforee Dcrelopment Program Sfaff and Vcndors
. Operate and provide secvices to customea in Sainl Paul and tu6urbs
• Acti�•itics includejob wunseling,job decelopment, case management,
opera[ions raanagemcnt, ctc.
XI. FUNDING
• County as the City's Agent: The City will appoint the County as its agent for applyin� for
funding for which the City alone is eligible.
• City and County funding opportunities: All arants for which the City or County are eligible
will be identified and staff time approved for pursuing them based on the extent to �chich they
support the strate�ic vision.
• Continuation of existing funding sources: All existing workforce funding will be identified
and a process for deciding its availability in the future will be mapped out.
q q •aa�
XII. PERSONNEL PROCESS
The personnel process as described below will begin during the transition period laid out in Section
XIII, below, and continue as appropriate. During the transition period, personnel decisions and
direction of the separate programs will occur as described in Section XIII, below. After the merger,
City workforce employees will work under County supervision through a purchase-of-service
contract between the City and County. Over time, as vacancies occur in City staff, the positions will
become County positions. The goal of the personnel process is to involve affected staff eazly in the
process to ensure a smooth transition that involves minimal disruption of services to customers and
the least possible stress on staff.
• Personnel Task Force: A task force will be appointed composed of representatives from the
City and County bargaining units, affected employees, City and County human resource
departments, and other appropriate representatives to resolve detailed personnel issues.
• Time line for Personnel Task Force: The Task Force will begin as soon as possible and
continue until it is completed with one or more memoranda of understanding within the time
requirements established in the Joint Powers Agreement. The first meeting of the Personnel
Task Force should be held before the Joint Powers Agreement is approved.
• Commitments: While recognizing that individual job responsibilaties may change, a
commitment is made to maintaining the existing employment security of all current City and
County employees. While recognizing that contracting with outside vendors for specific
services is still allowed, a commitment is made to not privatizing workforce services.
• Identification of affected employees: Affected City employees and their job titles will be
specifically identified before the Personnel Task Force begins its deliberations.
• Health Department merger as a model: The process followed by the Personnel Task Force
will be that used in the merger of the Saint Paul and Ramsey County Health Departm ents. This
process does not make the merger contingent on first working out all union issues. The decision
to merge, and decisions about the basic nature of the merger, are made first and approved by the
City and County. These decisions include a future effective date that ailows a reasonable
amount of time to negotiate the effects of the merger on involved employees. T'he key features
of the process aze:
>City staff will remain City staff, working for the County under a Purchase of Services
contract, but when a City position becomes vacant through amition, it will become a County
position.
>Interest-based bargaining will be used as the format for the discussion.
>The Personnel Task Force will be facilitated by a neutral third-party from the State Bureau
of Mediation Services (BMS).
>The process will result in one or more memoranda of understanding that address all the
specific, final details of the negotiations.
°Iq -� 4
Topics to be addressed: The terms and conditions included inthe ne�otiations and memoranda
will address topics such as those listed below plus additional concerns raised by staff: The
follo�ving list includes examples of the type of items that may be included in negotiation. The
actual subjects of the negotiation will be identified in the negotiation process itsel£ The first
step in the process will be to hold meetings with City and County staff where they will identify
their specific concerns and priorities.
- >Filling positions in the combined department
->Promotions
- >Transfers
- >Probationary periods
>Layoff and reinstatement
->Vacation carryover
->Sickleave carryover
- TSeverance
->Insurance
>Scheduling
->Bargaining unit representation
-�Grievance procedures
• Director hiring authority and process: Authority for hiring the director shall rest with the
County Manager in consultation with the Joint Powers Board and the Workforce Councils
and/or Workforce Investment Board. The process for hiring the director (including developin�
the job description, deciding the extent of the seazch process, and deciding whether any
confirmations of the appointment are required) shall be developed by the County Manager in
consultation with the Joint Powers Board and the Workforce Investment Board.
XIII. TRANSITION PROCESS
The personnel process described in Section XII will begin duxing this period and continue into the
full mer�er process as appropriate.
• Transition period time line: The transition period is the time between the execution of the
Joint Powers Agreement (expected in the spring of 1999) and the final merger of staff and
operations (expected by July 1, 2000). The merged Workforce Investment Board is expected
to be formed on or before 3uly 1, 2000 after which a partnership agreement will be executed
between it and the JPB/LEO.
• Transition planning: The transition period is an opportunity to bring the two cultures together
and develop a structure that best uses the resources of both organizations. The following
activities are anticipated during this period:
-�A visioning process: a joint effort between Workforce Council and/or WIB members and
staff to develop the vision, mission, and values of the new entity.
io
qq -az�
->Analysis of organizational functions and structure: acomprehensive anal} ofthe job
functions and organizational structure needed for the workforce proaram to thrive in the
new environment.
�Analysis of staff skills and interests: a comprehensive analysis of staff skills, interests,
and abilities.
>Analysis of training and hiring needs: based on the above, a comprehensi� e analysis of
the training needed and hiring required, to staff the new entity.
>Analysis of the role of vendors: an analysis of the optimum mix of vendored and direct
services.
• Staff assignment, training, and recruitment process: Based on the staffing plan developed
above, existing staff will be offered opportunities for training to enable them to assume new
responsibilities based on their interests and abilities. Where positions are needed which no
existing staff can fill, new staff will be aggressively recruited to fill them.
• Staff involvement: Changes are anticipated in what staff do as a result of thz visioning,
assessment, and planning processes. The goal is to have staff hold jobs that are consistent with
the agency's needs and also reflect their professional training, experience, and interests. Staff
are expected to actively participate in planning teams, including such potential teams as an
integration team composed ofstaff, vendors, Workforce Council and/or Workforce Investment
Board members, and partners to develop strategies for improving the match between job seekers
and employers, and an entrepreneurial team to look at new ways to provide services to
employers and to generate fees for doing so.
• Transition leadership: The County Manager will direct the transition process and direct the
work of bodz workforce program directors. The transition leadership will be in place until a
permanent director is appointed, which is expected to be approximately 12 months from the
execution of the Joint Powers Agreement.
• Staff support for transition director: Saint Paul PED and the Ramsey Counn' Manager s
Office will assign staff to asslst the County Manager in directing the transition process.
• CurrentdirectorsoftheCityandCountyworkforceprograms:Duringthetransitionperiod,
the City and County directors will report to the County Manager while continuing to direct their
respective programs and to staff their respective Workforce Councils. They will � ork together
to integrate the staff and operations of the two programs.
XIV. OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE AND OPERATIONAL ISSUES
The following topics will be addressed during the transition period.
• Property ownership and leases: The disposition of City furniture and equipment. and any real
estate (if any) owned by workforce development programs will be determined.
ii
q q'�1s.
• In kind, indirect, and overhead expenses: All existing in-kind, indirect, and overhead
contributions made by the City and County will be identified and it will be determined whether
they will continue to be provided, or will have to be funded as a new expense for a merged
workforce system.
• Closing out JTPA and transifioning to WIA: A process will have to be developed for
transitioning from the Job Training Partnership Act to the Workforce Investment Act, and the
responsibility and liability for grants and contracts that derive from them.
XV. TERMINATION AND CANCELLATION
The City' and County may choose to withdraw from this Joint Powers Agreement at any time prior
to the formation of the Workforce Investment Board, after which point the joint powers agreement
will be necessary to govern a merged system. Two maj or areas of uncertainty remain to be resolved
as the Joint Powers Agreement is being developed:
• Impact of the Workforce Investment Act: The Regulations implementing the Workforce
Investment Act are expected to be released in February of 1999, at which time it should be
possible to assess whether there are any negative consequences from merging. Specifically
whether a single service delivery area would receive less allocated funding than two SDAs
needs to be resolved. If, before a merger of the Workforce Development Councils into a single
Workforce Investment Board, it is determined that allocated funding would be lost, or funding
opportunities reduced, as a result ofa merger, the Joint Powers Agreement would be terminated.
• Impact of the new Governor's Workforce Investment Board: The policy direction of the
new state administration, and the Governor's Workforce Investment Boazd which the new
governor appoints, is another unresolved issue. If, before a merger of the Workforce
Development Councils into a single Workforce Investment Board, it is determined that state
policy would discourage such a merger, or that the two workforce programs would fare better
as separate entities, the Joint Powers Agreement would be terminated.
lz
Council File # �9�
ORIGINAL
Green Sheet # � `O v �
RESOLUTION
.
PresenCed By
Resolution #
OF SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA
:
Re£erred To Committee: Date
1 WxEltEas, The Saint Paul Warkforce Development Program and the Ramsey County 7ob
2 Training Program both provide services under the Federal Job Training Partnership Act, dislocated
3 worker programs and other workforce related programs, and
4
5 WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul and Ramsey County have expressed continuing interest over
6 several years in merging the Saint Paul Workforce Development Program and the Ramsey County
7 Job Training Program to provide improved services, and
9 WHEREAS, The City and County established the City-County Policy Working Board for
10 Workfarce Development (PWB) in June 1998 and charged it with making a recomtnendation
11 regarding merger of the Saint Paul Workforce Development Program and the Ramsey Counry Job
12 Training Program and to provide a plan for the merger; and
13
14 WIIEREAS, The Policy Working Board for Warkforce Development included representatives
15 from the Saint Paul Mayor's Office; the CounTy Board of Commissioners; the Saint Paul City
16 Council; the County Manager's Office; the Saint Paul Warkforce Development Council; the Ramsey
17 County Workforce Council; staff; affected employees; affected unions; and appropriate state, counTy
18 and community partners; and
19
20 WHEREAS, The Policy Working Board met eight times starting in September of 1998 and
21 developed a plan to serve as the foundation for the merger in the form of a draft Joint Powers
22 Agreement (Plan); and
23
24
35
26
?�
28
29
30
31
32
33
WHEREAS, On December 16, 1998, the Policy Working Board voted to recommend the
merger of the Saint Paul Workforce Development Program and the Ramsey County Job Training
Program, and
WHEREAS, The PWB agreed that a unified City-County workforce program would better
address labor market and workforce issues in the Ramsey County area; and
WHEREAS, The PWB agreed that a merger will develop an efficient and integrated system by
improving coordination between similar programs throughout Ramsey County; and
34 WHEREAS, The PWB agreed that services to job seekers and employers will be improved
35 within the merged system, and
q9� �.s�
36 WHEREAS, The PWB agreed that a merger wiil be consistent with the new federal Workforce
37 Investment Act's (WIA) proposed larger service delivery areas, program integration, and provision of
38 universal services, and
39
40 WHEREAS, The PWB prepared the draft Joint Powers Agreement Outline (Plan) to serve as the
41 foundation for the merger and voted unulimously to recommend the Plan, and
42
43 WHEREAS, The Plan is an outline for a joint powers agreement which will be negotiated
44 among the affected parties; and
45
46 WHEREas, Rules and Regulations for the new federal legislation, the Workforce Investment
47 Act (WIA) may affect the outcome of the merger, and the PWB recommended that the impact of the
48 WIA rules and regulations, and other details which were beyond the PWB's chaarge, be evaluated
49 before a merger is finalized; and
50
51 WHEREAS, On December 16, 1998 the Saint Paul Workforce Council approved a merger of
52 the Saint Paul Workforce Development Program and the Ramsey County Job Training Program, and
53 on February 24, 1999 the Ramsey County Workfarce Council accepted the PWB's recommendation
54 to merge these programs and accept the Plan for the merger; Now, Therefore Be It
55
56 RESOLVED, The Saint Paul City Council accepts the City-County Policy Working Board for
57 Workforce Development's recommendation to merge the Saint Paul Workforce Development
58 Program and the Ramsey County Job Training Pro�am and accepts the recommended Plan for the
59 merger, and Be It Further
60
61 RESOLVED, The Saint Paul City Council accepts the recommendatlon that the County
62 Manager will direct the merger Transition Process described in Section XIII of the Plan; as part of
63 these activities, the County Manager will direct the merger-related activities of both the City and the
64 County program directors; and Be It Further
65
66 RESOLVED, The Saint Paul City Council authorizes the Director of the Department of
67 Planning and Economic Development to work with other affected parties in order to develop a joint
68 powers agreement using the PWB's Plan as the foundation; by analyzing the impact of the WIA rules
69 and regulations when they are published, and by analyzing the impact of other relevant details; and
70 Be It Further
71
72 RESOLVED, The Director of the Departxnent of Planning and Economic Development will
73 present the proposed fmal Joint Powers Agreement to the Saint Paul City Council far approval; and
74 Be It Further
75
76 RESOLVED, That the Saint Paul City Council thanks the members of the Policy Working
77 Board for their time and thoughtful deliberations.
qA-�a-G
oR«�Na�
Adoption Certified by Council Secretary
By'
Approved by MayoY: Date W�W( c/� �% q
gy <� iC ,��D�
Requested by Department of:
Plannin & Economic Deve 2i ment
By , w�.. uv
Form Approved by Ci A tor ey
By:
AppYOVed by Mayor for Submission to Council
By _ �`� ��
Adopted by Council: Date H L�,�.JV� dY \\ l�
�—��
�qq-a.�G
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�EPANTMENTKIFFICE/COUNGIL DATE INITIATED
so T��:w rkforce 3i1i99 GREEN SHE T
CONTACT PERSON & PHONE � DEPARTMEM DIFECTOR T CRY COUNCIL IN �� A � A �
Crai Blakel 266-6697 ^��� �CffVATTORNEV �CIiYCLERK
MU5i BE O COUNCILAGENDA BY (DATE) NUNBER FOH ❑ BUDGET DIRECTOR � FIN. & MGT. SERVICES DIR.
pOUTiNG
y]A � O � 4/1 g OflDER � MAYOR (OFi ASSISTANT) �
Jsi J
TOTAL # OF SIGNATURE PAGES 1 (CLIP ALL LOCATIONS FOR SIGNATURE)
ACiION REQUESTED:
Adopt attached resolution accepting the report and recommendation of the City-County Policy Working Boazd
for Workforce Development, and authorizes City staff to work out details of a planned merger of the city and
County workforce programs.
REGOMMENDATIONS: Approve (A) or Rel� (R) PERSONAL SERVICE CONTqACTS MUST ANSWEF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
_ PLANNING COMMISSION __ CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION 1. Has this personRirm ever worketl under a contract for this tlepartment?
__ CIB COMMITfEE __ YES NO
2. Has this personRirm ever been a ciry employee?
__ STAFF — YES NO
_ DISTRiC7 COURi � 3. Does this personRrtm possess a sk�ll not normally possessetl by any curreM city employee?
SUPPORTS WHICH COUNCIL OBJECTIVE'+ YES NO
Explain af1 yes answers on separate sheet antl attach to green shcet
INITIATING PpOBLEM, ISSUE, OPPORTUNI7Y (NTO, What. When, VJhera, Why):
In May, 1998, the City Council established the City-County Policy Working Board for Workforce
Development and charged it with recommending whether or not to merge the programs and to develop a plan.
In December, 1998, the Policy Working Boazd unanimously recommended that the programs be merged and
prepared a Draft Joint Powers Agreement as the basis of the merger.
ADVANTAGES IFAPPROVED:
The public workforce development system in Ramsey County will be better able to serve its employer and job
seeker customers.
DISADVANTAGES IFAPPROVED:
None
DISADVANTAGES IF NOTAPPROVED
The merger will not proceed.
TOTAL AMOUNT OF TRANS�ICTION $ COST/REVENUE BUOGETED (CIRCLE ONE) VES NO
FUNOIfdG SOURCE ACTIVITV NUMBER
FINANCIAL INFORFiAiION� (EXPLAIN)
9y_ zz�
CI� �F .Sf��T Pf�� 390 Ciry Hai( Zelephone: 6�t-266-8510
:\'ormColeman. �Ltayor 1� 4VeslKel[oggBovlevard Facs�mile. 6.i1-228-8513
Sairct Pau1, �Lini SS102
March 17, 1449
Council President Daniel Bostrom
Saint Paul City Council
15 West Kellogg Boulevazd, Room 320-B
Saint Paul, NN 55102
Dear Council President Bostrom:
As Mayor, I have been challenging City agencies to become more efficient. One of the ways to
do that, where appropriate, is to merge and consolidate similar services with Ramsey County.
One of the areas that has been identified for further study -- by my administration, the Joint
Property Tax Advisory Committee, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners, and the Saint
Paul City Council -- is workforce development, where the City and the County operate
essentially similaz programs.
In the last yeaz and a half, two groups have been charged by the City Council and the County
Board with looking at merging the two workforce programs. Last December, the Policy Working
Board for Workforce Development reached the unanimous conclusion that the Saint Paul and
Ramsey County workforce programs should merge according to a detailed plan they developed.
This letter is to add my voice to theirs, as the designated Local Elected Official for the Saint Paui
workforce development program, in support of inerging the two programs into one in order to
better serve both customers -- job seekers and employers -- and to respond pro-actively to the
state and federal effort that is reinventing the public workforce development system.
While many issues still need to be ironed out before moving forwazd, approving the resolution
that comes before you on March 24"' will allow the City and Counry to start detailed negotiations
of a Joint Powers Agreement: This is expected to take several months, giving the City Council
time to engage in the broad policy discussion needed before a final Joint Powers Agreement
comes back to you for final review and approval. I urge the City Council to accept the report of
the Policy Working Board, and to authorize staff to take the next steps in the process.
Si erely,
orm Co man
Mayor
''!- a3r
SAINT PAUL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, INC.
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Workforce Development Programs
l� West 4"' Street, 1300 CHA, Saint Pau1, MN .i.i 102
TeZephone: (6.i1) 266-6701
Facsimile: (6S1) 225-3261
Mazch 17, 1999
Council President Daniel Bostrom
Saint Paul City Council
Room 320-B Ciry Ha11
15 West Kellogg Boulevard
Saint Paul, MN 5�102
Dear Council President Bostrom:
Last June the City Council established the Policy Working Board for Workforce Development
and charged it with recommending whether to merge the Saint Paul and Ramsey County
workforce programs. On December 16"', the Policy Board voted unanimously to recommend the
merger along the lines recommended in a detailed Draft Joint Powers Agreement.
Also on December 16"', the Saint Paul Workforce Development Council approved merging the
two programs. We took this action because a vaziety of forces aze coming together to challenge
the public workforce system to become more responsive to business customers, more regional in
scope and moze entrepreneurial in attitude, including:
• A long term labor shortage is upon us that threatens our continued economic health with
shortages both in entry level and highly skilled jobs.
• Welfare reform is challenging roughly 10,000 Ramsey County residents, many with
substantial barriers, to find employment.
• The new Workforce Investment Act is reinventing the public workforce system around
"one-stop workforce centers," supported by new electronic information technologies, and
encouraging smaller service delivery areas to consolidate.
As a member of the Policy Working Board, and as chair of the Saint Paul Workforce
Development Council, I have always felt that we may have been thinking too small in looking at
merging just Saint Paul and Ramsey County. More than ever I am convinced that we have an
historic opportunity to create a single service delivery area for the entire east metro area. But the
first step towards analyzing that opportunity is to accept the report of the Policy Working Board
and authorize City staff to begin the detailed negotiations involved. I urge you and your
colleagues to support the resolutions that will put this process in motion. Call me at (651) 331-
4422 with any questions.
Sincerely,
��
Rolf Middleton
Chair
q9 •���
�,S��o��
City-County Policy Working Soard for Workforce Development
MEMORANDUM
TO: Saint Paul City Council
Council President Dan Bostrom
March 3, 1999
Ramsey County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson Rafael Ortega
Councilmember Jay Benanav Commissioner Tony Bennett
Councilmember Jerry Blakey Commissioner Dino Guerin
Councilmember Chris Coleman Commissioner Susan Haigh
Councilmember Kathy Lantry Commissioner Victoria 12einhardt
Councilmember Jim Reiter Commissioner Janice Rettman
FR: Counciimember Michael Harris �'VK�.r
Commissioner Jan Wiessner
RE: Report From the Policy Working Board for Workforce Development
Last summer, the Saint Paul City Council and the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners jointly
established the Policy Working Board for Workforce Development (P WB) to develop a plan to merge
the City and County workforce programs and, on the basis of that plan, to recommend whether or not
to merge. We have served as co-chairs of the PWB, and would like to report on its work.
On December 16�' the PWB concluded its work by voting unanimously to recommend to elected
officials and to the City and County Workforce Councils that the two workforce programs be merged
and that the attached Plan (in the form of a draft Joint Powers Agreement) serve as the foundation for
the merger. Specific recommendations include:
A 6-member Joint Powers Board (JPB), with equal City and County representation (3
County Commissioners, 2 City Councilmembers, and the Mayor), would serve as the Local
Elected Officials. The JPB would appoint the members of the merged City-County Workforce
Council, which would be called the Workforce Investment Board (WIB). The Joint Powers
Board would partner with the WIB to provide broad policy govemance for the new merged
workforce program.
A 33-member Workforce Investment Board, composed of the representatives required by
state and federal law, including a mix of Saint Paul and suburban area representatives, would
serve as the primary planning body for workforce programs. A majority of its members, and its
chair, would be from the private sector, reflecting employment opporlunities in the inner-city
and suburban azeas of Ramsey County.
F����`����
��R - 4 iq�9
For Infortnation Ca1C
Craig Blal:ely, 266-6697 (Cin�), or Mary Kazcz, 266-80Li (Count}�)
�:��C� A�L hA?��S
°19 -��c.
Administration and operations will be the responsibility of the Ramsey County Board of
Commissioners, which will assume responsibility as the grant recipient, fiscal agent, and
administrative entity for workforce programs. Services will continue to be provided by a mix of
vendors and staff:
City employees will be merged into the County by following the Health Department
Merger, where they retain their City employment status, benefits, and seniority, but work for
the County under a purchase-of-services contract. As vacancies occur in City staff, the posirions
will become County positions.
The transition period will be directed by the County Manager, to whom both workforce
directors will report. Significant joint planning and visioning will occur during this period,
involving both staffs, both workforce councils, and the new Workforce Investment Boazd when
it is formed.
The Saint Pau1 Warkforce Development Council approved merging the Saint Paul and Ramsey County
workforce programs at its meeting on December 16, 1998, and the Ramsey County Workforce Council
approved the merger at its meeting on Febniary 24, 1999. The next steps in this process aze for the City
Council and the County Boazd to review, and by resolution to accept the Report of the Policy Working
Boazd. Staff will then be authorized to pursue the merger by negotiating a detailed Joint Powers
Agreement, which would be brought back to the City Council and County Boazd for final action
sometune in late spring or eazly suinmer.
°19-a1�
City-County Policy Working Board for Workforce Development
Report and Draft Joint Po�vers Agreement Outline
Adopted: December 16,1998
1. Recommendafion:
On December 16` fourteen of the seventeen representatives identified on the next paoe voted
unanimously to adopt the following Draft Report and 3oint Powers Agreement and, with one
abstention on a procedural matter, to recommend to the Saint Paul City Council and the Ramsey
County Boazd of Commissioners that the two workforce pro�razns be merged.
2. History of inerger discussions:
Merger discussions date from the early 1980s. In 1994, staff from the two systeins began again to
look at opportunities for increased cooperation or merger. In 1995 the County Board asked Mayor
Coleman to begin discussing a merger. In 1996, the Joint Property Tax Advisory Committee added
the City-County Workforce Development discussions to its list of fourteen areas to assess. In 1997
the City Cozrnry Workforce System Redesign TaskForce began to look at cooperation, consolidation,
or merger and concluded in May, 1498, by recommending that a Policy Working Board develop a
merger plan. Starting on September 16, 1998 the members of the Policy Working Board met eight
times every other week, and concluded its work on December 16th.
3. The Charge of the Policy Working Board:
Saint Paul and Ramsey County elected officials chazged the Policy Working Board with
recommending whether or not to merge and, if so, to develop a plan to merge. In the course of its
deliberations, the Policy Working Board realized that it couldn't recommend whether or not to mer�e
without first developing a plan. The plan that emerged, and is recommended, is in the form ofa DraR
Joint Po���ers Agreement.
4. Composition of the Policy Working Board:
Seventeen members were selected to include representatives of the five bodies that would have to
approve a merger (the Mayor, the City Councal, the County Board of Commissioners, and the ri�o
workforce councils), the directors of the two programs, affected employees, affected unions, and
appropriate commuuity, county, and state agencies.
5. Further Information:
Further information is available in a booklet titled "Information Requested by the Board." Included
are: a"«'orkforce System Overview," a summary or previous merger discussions, minutes from the
Ciry-Counry Workforce System Redesign TaskForce, a description of"cutting edge" Private Industry
Councils, a summary of the Workforce Investment Act, and the current partnership agreements
between the Saint Paul Workfarce Development Council and the Mayor, and the Ramsey County
Workforce Council and the County Board of Commissioners.
qq .��.�
Members of the Policy Working Board
Saint Paul
Representatives
�Co-Chair Michael Harris:
Councilmember, Saint Paul
City Council
Agency
Representatives
aMonty Martin:
Director, Income Maintenance,
Co. Community Human Svcs.
Rainsey County
Representatives
aCo-Chair Jan Wiessner:
Commissioner, Ramsey County
Boazd of Commissioners
�Louis Henry: '�"
Member, St. Pau1 Workforce
Development Council
�Harriet Horwath:
Employment and Training
Planner, St. Paul PED
�Susan Kimberly:
Southwest Team Leader, Saint
Paul PED
�Rolf Middleton:
Member, St. Paul Workforce
Development Council
aJacqui Shoholm:
Manager of Workforce
Programs, St. Paul PED
�Michael Wilde:
Business Agent, Professional
Employees Association
DCarol Weber Rohde:
Sen�ant Leadership Team, Com-
munity Employment Partnership
�Kathy Sweeney: "x
Assistant Commissioner, MN
Dept. of Economic Security
aTom Burke:
Business Agent, AFSCME Local
151
�Ginnee Engberg:
Planning Specialist, Ramsey
County Job Training
�Elmo Mattox:
Member, Ramsey County
Workforce Council
DHaakon Oksnevaad: xx
Member, Ramsey County
Workforce Council
�Monte 011enburger:
Director, Ramsey County Policy
and Planning
aConnie Peikert:
Director, Ramsey County Job
Training
Staff to the Policy Working Board
Facilitators
�Jill Goski:
Ramsey County Personnel
Sta ff
�Mary Karcz:
Raznsey Co. Manager's OfFice
Attorneys
�Karen Kushner:
Rasiisey Co. Attomey's Office
�Steve Cvinar: x''`
Saint Paul Human Resources
�Craig Blakely:
Saint Paul PED
DPeter McCall: ""
St.Paul City Attomey's Office
xxUnable to attend the December 16"' meeting
.
a9-a��
DRAFT JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT OUTLINE
December 16, 1998
I. AUTHORIZATION
Specific citations of state, federal, city, and county laws, statutes, ordinances and resolutions will
be referenced in this section.
• Authority to operate workforce programs: Reference federal law (Public Law 10�-220) and
state statutes.
• Policy Working Board authorization: Reference County resolution number 98-251 on June
23, 1998, and City resolutions number 98535 and 98536 on June 24, 1998 establishing the
Policy Working Board.
� Policy Working Board recommendations: Reference the unanimous December 16"` vote by
the Policy Working Board to approve the draft Joint Powers Agreement and to recommend
merger.
e Authority to enter into joint powers agreements: Minnesota Statutes 471.59.
II. PROPOSED VISION STATEMENT
Because the Joint Powers Board and or the Workforce Investment Board may want to develop a
vision statement oftheir own, the following are recommended principles for a merged City-County
workforce program:
� Be a regionalleader of public sector workforce policy development and program planning for
the east metro labor market,
• Be totally committed to serving all the workforce needs of two customers - job seekers and
employers - not just categories for which public funds are available,
• Be totally committed to continuously improving services appropriate to the changing needs of
its customers through the optimum mix of vendors and direct staff,
• Be integrated with state and local workforce partners including the Workforce Centers, the
Community Employment Partnership, and iocal economic development agencies,
• Be highly entrepreneurial, with a considerable portion of its budget coming from fees-for-
service and competitive grants,
�q "�
• Have a staff that is highly motivated by a culture that is founded on teamwork, rewazds
innovation, and makes appropriate investments in staff and technology.
III. REASONS FOR A MERGER
• Providing better service to two customers: To improve the response ofthe workforce system
to employer needs (that derive from the long-term shift from labor surplus to labor shortage),
and to j ob seeker needs (that derive from welfare reform and skill mismatches).
• Improving the cost effectiveness of existing programs: To eliminate duplication and achieve
economies of scale by administering one system instead of two.
• Developing a more integrated system: To integrate similar programs and develop effective
partnerships in a regional economy and labor market.
• Leveraging new financial resources: To generate new resources for workforce development
by becoming more entrepreneurial in an increasingly competitive field.
• Conformancewith federal and state reforms: To respondpro-activelyto the state and federal
push towards integration of programs, larger service delivery azeas, and universal service
requirements.
• To achieve the vision: To better position the Ramsey County community to achieve the vision
outlined above.
IV. PiIRPOSES OF THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT
• To designate a Local Elected Of£cial: Under state and federal law, a Local Elected Official
must be identified .
• To designate a grant recipient and administrative entity: Under state and federal law, a
grant recipient and administrative entity must be identified to administer workforce
programming.
� To designate Ramsey County as Saint Paul's agent: To ensure that Saint Paul's rights to
funding for which it is eligible as a sepazate entity are preserved, Ramsey County will be
designated to act as Saint Paul's agent in workforce programming.
• To Preserve the City's and County's interests in workforce development: Ensure that the
County's operation of a merged workforce system on behalf of the City and Count} serves the
needs of all residents and businesses, wherever they are located or reside.
°19 -a}�
To form the foundation of the merger process: To serve as a framervork that w ensure a
smooth transition between t�co different organizationai cultures in a way that protects staffand
maintains quality services to customers, and to serve as a foundation for negotiating a
partnership agreement between the Joint Powers Boazd/Local Elected Officials and the
Workforce Investment Board when they are established.
V. JOINT POWERS BOARDlI,OCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS (JPB/LEO)
• Composition: Three members of the County Board of Commissioners, the Mayor of the City
of Saint Paul, and two members of the City Council.
• Terms: Each representative to have a one-year term.
• Meetings: At least quarterly to conduct the responsibilities outlined below.
VI. POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE JPB/LEO
• Local Elected Official: Act as the designated "Local Elected Official" under the requirements
of the federal Workforce Investment Act and appropriate state statutes.
• Appoint members of the Workforce Investment Board: Solicit nominations from the
required organizations for the required representatives and appoint members of the WIB.
• Assign Liability for State and Federal Funding: Assign fiscal responsibility for public
funding to the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners.
• Partner with the Workforce Investment Board: Negotiate a partnership agreement with the
Workforce Investment Boazd that defines the roles and responsibilities of each and complies
w�ith the applicable terms of this Joint Powers Agreement and subsequent labor asreements.
VII. WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD
• Dissolution of Workforce Development Councils: The dissolution of the Ramsey County
Workforce Council, which is not incorporated, and the Saint Paul Warkforce Development
Council, which is, will occur upon formation of a single Workforce Investment Board.
• Name: The name of the merged Workforce Investment Boazd and sha11 be
qq-�z�
• Membership: The membership of the merged Workforce Investment Board shall meet the
minimum requirements of governing state and federal law. The overall membership should
include a mix of Saint Paul and suburban azea representatives. The initial WIB shall be
composed of 33 individuals appointed by the JPB/I,EO, includin� representatives from the
following interests and organizations:
->Representatives of businesses in Ramsey County (must be at least 51%): 17
->Representatives of organized labor: 2
-rRepresentatives of the area workforce and community-based organizations (must be at
least 15%): 6
->Economic development agencies: 2
->Education representatives (1 secondary and 1 post secondary): 2
->Vocational rehab3litation agency: 1
->Public Assistance agency: 1
->Public employment service agency: 1
->Job seeker or employee:
Members of the WIB shall be individuals with optimum policymaking authority within their
organizations. The representatives of businesses are appointed from among individuals
nominated by local business organizations and trade associations, and should be business
owners or executives of businesses that reflect employment opportunities in the local area. The
representatives of local educational entities are appointed from among individuals nominated
by regional or local educational agencies or entities which represent them. The representatives
of local labor organizations are appointed from among individuals nominated by local labor
federations. Adjustments to the initial boazd may be made if required by state and federal
statutes and regulations. Adjustments to future WIBs may be made in accordance with the
Partnership Agreement, and in conformance with governing state and federal statutes.
• Structure of the Workforce Investment Board: The structure of the merged Workforce
Investment Board shall meet the minimum requirements of goveming state and federal law.
->The private sector members will represent businesses with employment opportunities that
reflect the employment opportunities of the local area, which could include growth
industries, clusters, inner city and suburban businesses, and large and small businesses.
->The WIB shall elect a chair-person from the private sector.
>The WIB will serve employer and job seeker customers equally, whether they reside or are
located in the inner city or suburban areas.
->The WIB will be staffed by public Workforce Development program staff.
>The WIB will maintain a partnership with the Joint Powers Boazd/Local Elected Official
through a Partnership Agreement.
->The WIB will use committees to address specialized topics or program areas, allowing
participation by a larger number of partners within an area of concern. A Youth Committee
is required by WIA, and other committees, and their areas of concem, will be determined b}�
the WIB.
qq -}y4
� Bylacvs: The WIB shall adopt bylaws which include the following:
>Meetin�s will be conducted according to the open meeting laws ofthe State of Minnesota.
->The WIB will comply with the Minnesota Govemmental Data Practices Act.
>A conflict of interest and impropriety clause.
>A provision for non-voting alternate appointments.
->Membership requirement that WIB members reside, be employed by an employer, oi
provide services in Ramsey County.
>A non-discrimination statement.
>Consideration of removal of inembers for cause or non-attendance.
VIIL GOVERNANCE
Governance of the merged workforce system will be shared by the JPB/LEO and the WIB. DurinQ
the transition period, governance will occur as described in Section XIII below.
• The Local Elected Of£cial: For purposes of receiving public workforce development funding,
the Joint Powers Board will be designated the Local Elected Officials, as required by state and
federal law.
� JPB/LEO and WIB partnership agreement: As required by state and federal law, the
JPB/LEO and the WIB must negotiate a partnership agreement to assign authorities and
responsibilities they share, including designating a grant recipient and administrative entity for
the publicly-funded workforce programs. This Joint Powers Agreement is intended to be a
foundation for developing that partnership agreement.
• Area-wide workforce policy and partnership development: The WIB shall provide area-
wide leadership in identifying and addressing labor market issues in Ramsey County, in
developing a vision for public workforce programs, in developing partnerships among the 13
required partners in the workforce center system and other regional partners, and in designatina
the local one-stop operators.
• Program planning: The WIB shall serve as the planning body for implementing the activities
covered under the Workforce Investment Act including: establishing basic policies, guidelines,
and principles for program operations, approving the annual Service Area Plan and budget
submitted to the Governor, approving major modifications to the local Plan and budget,
designating local one-stop operators, and providing research and development assistance on
economic and workforce development issues critical to the operation of workforce programs.
�
q9 -az �
IX. ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATIONS
Administration and operations will be the responsibilities ofthe Ramsey County Board which will
assume the following responsibilities assigned by the JPB/LEO. The goal is to be structured so that
the organization can respond quickly and flexibly to chan�ing customer needs and funding
opportunities by reallocating e�sting resources and developing newprograms. During the transition
period, administration and operations �vill occur as described in Section XIII below.
A. Responsibilities Of The Ramsey County Board Of Commissioners: The JPB/LEO will
assign, and the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners will assume, responsibility for the
following activities:
1. Grant Recipient: The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners will assume
responsibility as the grant recipient for all federal and state funds allocated to Service
Delivery Areas, and other federal, state, local, and private funds received for activities
conducted through the Workforce Development Program.
2. Fiscal Agent: The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners will assume liability as the
fiscal agent for workforce funds and programs, and carry out responsibility for the followin�
activities in accordance with all applicable rules and regulations:
->Developing the annual budget for any county levy dollars used by the workforce
development program
->Ensuring that funds are audited as required under WIA
->Receiving and disbursing funds for activities conducted through the workforce program
>Approving and accepting grants
->Approving the over-all workforce program budget as a part of the annual County Budget
process.
3. Administrative Entity: The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners will assume
responsibility as the administrative entity for workforce programs, including responsibilit;�
for:
>Providing administrative support to the Workforce Development Program including
services from the County Attomey's Office, Budgeting and Accounting Office, Risk
Management, Personnel, and Affirmative Action.
>Staff support of the JPB/LEO, the WIB, and the committees of the WIB
->Management information systems and evaluation
>Contract management for purchasing services from workforce vendors
�Management ofprograms and operations including providing access to universal services,
intake and assessment, commseling, training, job development, and case management
->Supervision of direct County workforce staff and, after July l, 2000, supervision of City
Workforce staff through a purchase-of-service contract that preserves their existing City
employment status while integrating their activities into the merged workforce program.
°i9 -a'�- 4
B. Joint Responsibilities Of The Ramsey County Board Of Commissioners and The
Workforce Investment Board: The JPB/LE0 will assign, and the Ramsey County Boazd of
Commissioners will assume, responsibility for the following activities to be undertaken in
partnership with the WIB:
1. Program Planning and Development: Approving minor modifications to the local Plan
and seeking available financial resources to meet the needs of customers.
2. Employer Involvement: Coordinating the local workforce investment activities with
economic development strategies and developing other employer linkages with such
activities. Promoting the participation ofprivate sector employers inthe statewide workforce
investment system and ensuring the effective provision of connecting, brokering, and
coaching activities through intermediaries such as the one-stop operator in the local area or
through other organizations, to assist such employers in meeting hiring needs.
3. Monitoring program operations: Overseeing program operations, evaluating program
outcomes, and assisting in developing an employment statistics system.
4. Vendor Selection and Supervision: Deciding how services wili be delivered (the mix of
staff-delivered and vendared services), identifying eligible providers oftraining and intensive
services, selecting providers for vendored services including youth providers, and negotiating
locai performance measures. The new entity will continue vendors under contract at the time
of the merger through the life of the contracts. Over time, the Ramsey County Boazd of
Commissioners and the WIB will determine the optimum mix of services provided by direct
staff and vendors based on a comprehensive analysis and plan. All vendors will be selected
through a rigorously competitive and impartial process.
5. Partnership Maintenance and Development: The new entity will continue existing
Saint Paul and Ramsey County partnerships at the time of the merger including, but not
limited to: the Community Employment Partnership (with the Work Resource Hubs and
Employer Solutions, Inc.); the Workforce Center System; School to Work Partnerships, the
Phalen Corridor Initiative; Parents' Fair Share; and the Suburban Family Collaborative. Over
time, the JPB/LEO and the WIB will determine which existing partnerships to maintain and
which new partnerships to develop. Staff of the merged entity will coordinate with city and
county economic development, housing, transportation, daycare, and other activities related
to workforce development.
q9-��5�
X. ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
S(I71t1 loint Po�ccrs Ranue}'
p Acrezment County
(cont�nuine)
V
LEO: Joint Powcrs Board
Ramscy County Sc Saint Puul
Appoints WIQ
Braad Go�'emance �vith \�,9{3
Partncrship
Agmcmen[
P]
Workforce Investment I3onrd
Broad Govcrnance with LL=O
Operational Go�•cmancc
with 2ams-cy County
(includcs Saint Paul and Suburbs)
Ramsey County
Board o( Commissioncrs
Grant Rccipicn[, Fiscal Liabitity
Operatianaf Gorcmancc with WIB
V
�Vorkforcc Ucvclopment Progrum
Administratice Entity
Provides suppon to L[O and W[B
Coordinatc u'ith all partners (Work(orcc
Ccntcr, Resource Hub. WIA requireJ, etcJ
V
�Yorkforee Dcrelopment Program Sfaff and Vcndors
. Operate and provide secvices to customea in Sainl Paul and tu6urbs
• Acti�•itics includejob wunseling,job decelopment, case management,
opera[ions raanagemcnt, ctc.
XI. FUNDING
• County as the City's Agent: The City will appoint the County as its agent for applyin� for
funding for which the City alone is eligible.
• City and County funding opportunities: All arants for which the City or County are eligible
will be identified and staff time approved for pursuing them based on the extent to �chich they
support the strate�ic vision.
• Continuation of existing funding sources: All existing workforce funding will be identified
and a process for deciding its availability in the future will be mapped out.
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XII. PERSONNEL PROCESS
The personnel process as described below will begin during the transition period laid out in Section
XIII, below, and continue as appropriate. During the transition period, personnel decisions and
direction of the separate programs will occur as described in Section XIII, below. After the merger,
City workforce employees will work under County supervision through a purchase-of-service
contract between the City and County. Over time, as vacancies occur in City staff, the positions will
become County positions. The goal of the personnel process is to involve affected staff eazly in the
process to ensure a smooth transition that involves minimal disruption of services to customers and
the least possible stress on staff.
• Personnel Task Force: A task force will be appointed composed of representatives from the
City and County bargaining units, affected employees, City and County human resource
departments, and other appropriate representatives to resolve detailed personnel issues.
• Time line for Personnel Task Force: The Task Force will begin as soon as possible and
continue until it is completed with one or more memoranda of understanding within the time
requirements established in the Joint Powers Agreement. The first meeting of the Personnel
Task Force should be held before the Joint Powers Agreement is approved.
• Commitments: While recognizing that individual job responsibilaties may change, a
commitment is made to maintaining the existing employment security of all current City and
County employees. While recognizing that contracting with outside vendors for specific
services is still allowed, a commitment is made to not privatizing workforce services.
• Identification of affected employees: Affected City employees and their job titles will be
specifically identified before the Personnel Task Force begins its deliberations.
• Health Department merger as a model: The process followed by the Personnel Task Force
will be that used in the merger of the Saint Paul and Ramsey County Health Departm ents. This
process does not make the merger contingent on first working out all union issues. The decision
to merge, and decisions about the basic nature of the merger, are made first and approved by the
City and County. These decisions include a future effective date that ailows a reasonable
amount of time to negotiate the effects of the merger on involved employees. T'he key features
of the process aze:
>City staff will remain City staff, working for the County under a Purchase of Services
contract, but when a City position becomes vacant through amition, it will become a County
position.
>Interest-based bargaining will be used as the format for the discussion.
>The Personnel Task Force will be facilitated by a neutral third-party from the State Bureau
of Mediation Services (BMS).
>The process will result in one or more memoranda of understanding that address all the
specific, final details of the negotiations.
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Topics to be addressed: The terms and conditions included inthe ne�otiations and memoranda
will address topics such as those listed below plus additional concerns raised by staff: The
follo�ving list includes examples of the type of items that may be included in negotiation. The
actual subjects of the negotiation will be identified in the negotiation process itsel£ The first
step in the process will be to hold meetings with City and County staff where they will identify
their specific concerns and priorities.
- >Filling positions in the combined department
->Promotions
- >Transfers
- >Probationary periods
>Layoff and reinstatement
->Vacation carryover
->Sickleave carryover
- TSeverance
->Insurance
>Scheduling
->Bargaining unit representation
-�Grievance procedures
• Director hiring authority and process: Authority for hiring the director shall rest with the
County Manager in consultation with the Joint Powers Board and the Workforce Councils
and/or Workforce Investment Board. The process for hiring the director (including developin�
the job description, deciding the extent of the seazch process, and deciding whether any
confirmations of the appointment are required) shall be developed by the County Manager in
consultation with the Joint Powers Board and the Workforce Investment Board.
XIII. TRANSITION PROCESS
The personnel process described in Section XII will begin duxing this period and continue into the
full mer�er process as appropriate.
• Transition period time line: The transition period is the time between the execution of the
Joint Powers Agreement (expected in the spring of 1999) and the final merger of staff and
operations (expected by July 1, 2000). The merged Workforce Investment Board is expected
to be formed on or before 3uly 1, 2000 after which a partnership agreement will be executed
between it and the JPB/LEO.
• Transition planning: The transition period is an opportunity to bring the two cultures together
and develop a structure that best uses the resources of both organizations. The following
activities are anticipated during this period:
-�A visioning process: a joint effort between Workforce Council and/or WIB members and
staff to develop the vision, mission, and values of the new entity.
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->Analysis of organizational functions and structure: acomprehensive anal} ofthe job
functions and organizational structure needed for the workforce proaram to thrive in the
new environment.
�Analysis of staff skills and interests: a comprehensive analysis of staff skills, interests,
and abilities.
>Analysis of training and hiring needs: based on the above, a comprehensi� e analysis of
the training needed and hiring required, to staff the new entity.
>Analysis of the role of vendors: an analysis of the optimum mix of vendored and direct
services.
• Staff assignment, training, and recruitment process: Based on the staffing plan developed
above, existing staff will be offered opportunities for training to enable them to assume new
responsibilities based on their interests and abilities. Where positions are needed which no
existing staff can fill, new staff will be aggressively recruited to fill them.
• Staff involvement: Changes are anticipated in what staff do as a result of thz visioning,
assessment, and planning processes. The goal is to have staff hold jobs that are consistent with
the agency's needs and also reflect their professional training, experience, and interests. Staff
are expected to actively participate in planning teams, including such potential teams as an
integration team composed ofstaff, vendors, Workforce Council and/or Workforce Investment
Board members, and partners to develop strategies for improving the match between job seekers
and employers, and an entrepreneurial team to look at new ways to provide services to
employers and to generate fees for doing so.
• Transition leadership: The County Manager will direct the transition process and direct the
work of bodz workforce program directors. The transition leadership will be in place until a
permanent director is appointed, which is expected to be approximately 12 months from the
execution of the Joint Powers Agreement.
• Staff support for transition director: Saint Paul PED and the Ramsey Counn' Manager s
Office will assign staff to asslst the County Manager in directing the transition process.
• CurrentdirectorsoftheCityandCountyworkforceprograms:Duringthetransitionperiod,
the City and County directors will report to the County Manager while continuing to direct their
respective programs and to staff their respective Workforce Councils. They will � ork together
to integrate the staff and operations of the two programs.
XIV. OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE AND OPERATIONAL ISSUES
The following topics will be addressed during the transition period.
• Property ownership and leases: The disposition of City furniture and equipment. and any real
estate (if any) owned by workforce development programs will be determined.
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• In kind, indirect, and overhead expenses: All existing in-kind, indirect, and overhead
contributions made by the City and County will be identified and it will be determined whether
they will continue to be provided, or will have to be funded as a new expense for a merged
workforce system.
• Closing out JTPA and transifioning to WIA: A process will have to be developed for
transitioning from the Job Training Partnership Act to the Workforce Investment Act, and the
responsibility and liability for grants and contracts that derive from them.
XV. TERMINATION AND CANCELLATION
The City' and County may choose to withdraw from this Joint Powers Agreement at any time prior
to the formation of the Workforce Investment Board, after which point the joint powers agreement
will be necessary to govern a merged system. Two maj or areas of uncertainty remain to be resolved
as the Joint Powers Agreement is being developed:
• Impact of the Workforce Investment Act: The Regulations implementing the Workforce
Investment Act are expected to be released in February of 1999, at which time it should be
possible to assess whether there are any negative consequences from merging. Specifically
whether a single service delivery area would receive less allocated funding than two SDAs
needs to be resolved. If, before a merger of the Workforce Development Councils into a single
Workforce Investment Board, it is determined that allocated funding would be lost, or funding
opportunities reduced, as a result ofa merger, the Joint Powers Agreement would be terminated.
• Impact of the new Governor's Workforce Investment Board: The policy direction of the
new state administration, and the Governor's Workforce Investment Boazd which the new
governor appoints, is another unresolved issue. If, before a merger of the Workforce
Development Councils into a single Workforce Investment Board, it is determined that state
policy would discourage such a merger, or that the two workforce programs would fare better
as separate entities, the Joint Powers Agreement would be terminated.
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