Workforce Response Team (WRT) Charter

 

Purpose: the purpose of this charter is to create and define the operational standards, identify the goals, establish ground rules, and create the decision making process of the Region 14 Workforce Response Team (WRT).  The purpose of the WRT is to link workforce and economic development to respond to the training needs of regional businesses and industry.  Our goal is to streamline processes, identify a single point of contact for grant recipients, and insure that all existing resources are leveraged and enhanced through the investment of the WRT funds.

 

Date of Charter: December 30, 2003

 

Team Members

 

 

Barb Higinbotham

Employment Department                                              

375 SW 2nd Ave

Ontario, OR  97914                                                      

Phone:  541-889-5394

Fax:      541-889-8437                                                   

Barbara.J.Higinbotham@state.or.us

Chad Freeman

Training & Employment Consortium

PO Box 278

Canyon City, OR 97820

Phone:   541-575-0251

Fax:       541-575-2302

freec@tecteam.org

 

Rick Minster

Regional Development Officer

105 E Main, Suite 102

John Day, OR 97845

Phone:  541-575-1050                                                   

Fax:      541-575-1054

rick.minster@state.or.us

Bill Burstow

Harney County Economic Dev

76 East Washington St

Burns, OR  97720-1559

Phone:   541-573-1638

Fax:       541-573-2341

busdev@centurytel.net 

                                               

                                                           

Linda Simmons

Treasure Valley Community College

650 College Blvd

Ontario, OR  97914

Phone:   541-881-8822 ext 224

Fax:       541-881-2753

simmons@tvcc.cc                                                        

Steve Dahl

Grant County Economic Dev

530 E Main St, Suite # 7

John Day, OR

Phone:   541-575-1555

Fax:       541-575-2248

sdahl@ortelco.net

                                                           

 

Jim Jensen

Malheur County Economic Dev

2693 SW 4th Avenue

Ontario, OR 97914

Phone:  541-881-0327

Fax:      541-881-0329

Mcedd@cableone.net

 

                                               

Team Member Resource Inventory:

 

Barb Higinbotham/Oregon Employment Department – Employment Department offers access to labor market information, strong local business contacts, and trust of companies that the Employment Department works with.  The Employment Department also hosts the One Stop Center for Malheur and Harney Counties.

 

Chad Freeman/Training & Employment Consortium – Training & Employment Consortium (TEC) delivers core, intensive and training services to adults, youth, and dislocated workers.  Our business is solving workforce challenges.  We have the ability to facilitate partnerships, increase coordination, reduce duplication, write grants and access resources for training new workers.  In addition TEC will serve as the fiscal agent. 

 

Rick Minster/Oregon and Community Development Department – Oregon Economic and Community Development has frequent contact with local businesses, the ability to assist existing companies with retention and expansion issues, and is a potential funding resource for training.  The Oregon Economic and Community Development Department can also assist business in business finance programs, technical assistance, and have other resources available for business retention and expansion.

 

Bill Burstow/Harney County Economic Development – Harney County Economic Development has frequent contact with local businesses, strong business community trust and the ability to assist existing companies with retention and expansion issues.

 

Steve Dahl/Grant County Economic Development – Grant County Economic Development has frequent contact with local businesses, strong business community trust and the ability to assist existing companies with retention and expansion issues.

 

Jim Jensen /Malheur County Economic Development – Harney County Economic Development has frequent contact with local businesses, strong business community trust and the ability to assist existing companies with retention and expansion issues.

 

Linda Simmons/Treasure Valley Community College – Treasure Valley Community College has customized short-term and long-term training, frequent contact with local business community, ability to write grants, and the ability to form and support a consortia of local businesses.

 

The goals of the WRT is to:

 

  1. create living wage jobs, which will be created and retained in Oregon;
  2. establish a skilled workforce, especially for knowledge-based industries;
  3. assist in creating globally competitive Oregon businesses based on skills of their workforce;
  4. facilitate efficient and effective teams and projects.

 

 

 

 

The ground rules of the WRT are to:

 

 

  1. educate the community about the funds available for project;
  2. accept proposals for project;
  3. evaluate project proposals by April 1, 2004;
  4. create an atmosphere of communication and cooperation among team members;
  5. WIA and state conflict of interest provisions apply.  Any organization or person receiving direct benefit from a decision must declare the conflict and not vote on the matter;
  6. maintain a cooperative effort among the core WRT members and the review team in order to select projects and facilitate the needs of the employers;
  7. report progress made on projects back to the core team, review teams and the Region 14 Workforce Investment Board;
  8. meet the goals stated in the charter.

 

Decision Making Process:

 

 

  1. all projects will be reviewed by the core WRT team to ensure that they meet the regional  priorities;
  2. all projects meeting the regional priorities will be evaluated using the funding matrix.  If they pass, they will be submitted to the review team for consideration;
  3. if there are questions that need to be addressed, the core WRT team will answer the questions or get additional information from the employer who submitted the request;
  4. the core WRT team and the review team will vote on the projects that will be approved; 
  5. a minimum of 5 voting members shall be present to vote and a simple majority will be considered the final decision.  The 5 members shall represent both the core WRT team and the review team in any combination;
  6. the core WRT team will work with the grantee to facilitate their needs and ensure that the funds are used appropriately.

                                                                                  

Criteria for approving grant proposals:

 

 

  1. the request shall help to create living wage jobs, created and retained in Oregon, or;
  2. the request shall ensure the creation of a highly skilled workforce, especially for knowledge-based industries, or;
  3. the request shall assist with globally competitive Oregon businesses based on skills of their workforce, or;
  4.  the grant shall demonstrate the financial assistance supports traded sector jobs in Oregon, supporting cluster development, and;
  5. the request shall reflect efficient and effective teams and projects.

 


WRT Project Evaluation Criteria
WRT Employer Workforce Training Fund Information
WRT Application Page 1
WRT Application Page 2