September 2007 Civil Rights Summary Minutes
 

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September 2007 Civil Rights Summary Minutes  (PDF, 156 KB)

IDAHO STATE CIVIL RIGHTS COMMITTEE MEETING
September 6 and 7, 2007
Summary of Minutes

Members

Meeting called to order at 08:08AM Mountain.

Note: Items underlined in bold require specific action, or follow-up attention.

RICH SIMS:

Rich acknowledged the contributions of CRC members whose terms are expiring and presented plaques. Members recognized were Lisa Cole, Kurt Cates, and Martha Nunez-Hagius.

Rich then reviewed several items including:

• Status of the SCEP program and current students.
• Potential opportunities to recruit High School students through STEP.
• Distribution of CRC Accomplishment Reports
• The State Civil Rights Compliance Review was reviewed in brief, including items needing attention.
• Diversity and outreach programs remain important. 

DIVISION REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS:

DIVISION FIVE - ELLIOT TRAHER

Elliot talked about his experience with the National Civil Rights Compliance Review.

Elliot is working with employees in his Divisions to talk about Civil Rights issues. The question was asked if NRCS can purchase materials and supplies from local disabled vendors. This would show community support.  This should be a topic to discuss with Janis Stanton.

Elliott suggested Bill Mayer, National Ag Statistics as a speaker for the DC Meeting in December. 

STATE OFFICE REPRESENTATIIVE - DENIS FEICHTINGER   

Denis has had a discussion with some employees who wanted to exceed their Civil Rights elements for their performance reviews.  Information to be outstanding in Civil Rights is on our website. 

Denis recommends that the Civil Rights portion of QARs should be separate from the technical and administrative sections.  This would help field office staff focus more on the Civil Rights portion. This question should be posed to Susan Tharp.

SPECIAL EMPHASIS PROGRAM (SEPM) REPORTS:

AMERICAN INDIAN -  KURT CATES

Summary of Kurt’s written report:

1. I have been working with the FSA, RD, Forest Service and Three Rivers RC & D on one more American Indian Heritage Month Poster. The past five years we have highlighted one officially recognized Tribe located in Idaho each year. This year we would like to sum it all up with a poster that highlights all five Tribes with a montage of all five pieces of artwork with a statement from each agency and their thoughts on this project.
2. I remain Chair of the American Indian/Alaska Native Employees Association Scholarship Committee. We have given 6 scholarships since this committee was formed. I am also a member of the Elders Committee. The Elders Committee makes sure that our Elders, who give our Association guidance, are taken care of during our annual conference and their input is always welcome during teleconferences and any meetings that take place.
3. I have forwarded all of the job openings that come across my desk to the Tribes Tribal Employment Rights Ordinance (TERO) office and the Education, Employment and Training (EET) office here at Fort Hall.
4. I attended the Career Fair at Idaho State University on Feb. 27
5. I continue to work with Tribal youth groups in the local schools to educate them about the natural resources and to see if there is any interest in them working in the natural resources field.
6. Any pertinent American Indian information that comes my way I forward to the Idaho NRCS employees as well as my counterparts in RD and FSA.
7. I am once again on the planning committee for the Northwest InterTribal Agriculture Council Conference that is held each year in Pocatello.
8. I have been a preliminary round judge at the Idaho Envirothon for a number of years. Last year we had a Hispanic team and an American Indian Team for the first time.

AA/PI- LEAH JUARROS

Leah has a verbal agreement with the AA/PI in California to send us the names of two good students for the STEP program.  The target disciplines would be for range and engineering.

BLACK - KIM GOLDEN

Kim has been using the National BEMP network to help with recruitment. That has included sending information out on Idaho vacancies. Also the names of two interns who have been in the STEP program in Iowa were forwarded to the Idaho State Office. Due to funding, Iowa can’t retain those positions.

Information was sent to all employees on the Juneteenth Celebration. Much of this information was contributed by Terril Stevenson.

Kim was interviewed via phone by Bennie Clark, National BEPM as part of Idaho’s National Civil Rights review.

DISABILITY - CHRIS BERGMAN

Chris is working with the United Cerebral Palsy Foundation on the AgriAbility project and had hoped to get a speaker for the IASCD conference, but the schedule was full for the DC meeting.  Pamphlets are on hand for disbursement, in English and Spanish. 

The scholarship list on the Idaho CRC webpage is now linked to the National page. 

FEDERAL WOMENS - DEE CARLSON

When we send vacancy notices out, we are putting information about Idaho on them. 

Dee would like to get more input from women in identifying Civil Rights issues (barriers).  Conducting a survey is one idea she is considering.  She would also like to ask Susan or Rich about forming a Women’s Committee.

HISPANIC -  MARTHA NUNEZ- HAGIUS

Martha has been continuously sending emails on job opportunities within NRCS.  She has volunteered at the Eastern Idaho State Fair at the Agriculture Building.

Sara Wernicke participated in the Hispanic Poster contest.  Her poster was submitted to the National Hispanic Poster Team.

Martha modified an English/Spanish placemat of NRCS to potentially be distributed to the local restaurants.  Dastina will review for NRCS message format.  Burley’s Soil Water Conservation District would like to sponsor this idea.  Martha talked to Idaho Unido Hispanic Newspaper owner to refer them to Dastina Johnson on all future news articles.  

VETERANS - JACKIE CULLEN

Jackie worked at the POW/MIA rally on volunteer time working the Vietnam Memorial Moving Wall. 

Jackie is working with the Chamber of Commerce on the Military Committee to support the local veterans returning from the Middle East.  This consists of planning events to welcome home returning soldiers and sailors. 

OUTREACH COORDINATOR – DASTINA JOHNSON 

Dastina has asked that the recruitment video be edited.  We will take out some of the information from the Utah portion of the video to reflect Idaho’s NRCS.  The only information that really needs editing is the State Conservationist’s portion. 

We have the Civil Rights Library up and running on the Webpage.  We need to spread the word on this to our employees. 

PARTNERS-

Chris Reninger, representing FSA introduced herself and talked briefly about her responsibilities. She would like to participate in the NRCS CRC as much as possible.

CIVIL RIGHTS ADVISOR – SUE ELLIS

In Sue’s absence, a written report was provided. Items included: 

• An offer by Dave Hoover to include on the webpage tips on writing KSA’s.
• Including development of a  Recruitment Handbook for FY08
• New member recruitment packet and recruitment cadre.
• Inviting State Office employees to attend at least a portion of CRC meetings.
• Use of the AEP in development of the Business Plan.

LUNCH BREAK

During the lunch break on September 6th, the CRC toured and listened to a presentation at the Black History Museum. A tour of the Anne Frank Memorial was included.

CIVIL RIGHTS LIAISON- SUSAN THARP

• The volume of emails that go out during special emphasis months and during other times needs to be limited.
• We will provide copies of the completed AEP to the Civil Rights Committee.
• The mentoring program is being handled by Nanette.
• We can purchase picture frames for the each of the SEPM’s posters. 
• There was a discussion of the QAR process and how it might be restructured to help the Civil Rights portion. Susan suggested an Issue Paper be developed for the next Leadership Team meeting.

Janis Stanton met with the CRC to address the question raised during Elliot’s report concerning purchasing from disabled and/or minority vendors. Janis reviewed existing policy. Action items will be added to the 08 Business Plan.

OPEN DISCUSSION

• Have Civil Rights committee analysis employee exit interviews.
• Provide an issue paper for October Leadership Team on options for the Civil Rights portion of the QAR. Denis will present.
• Share items and FY08 Business plan with the Leadership Team and other employees.  Division Management Team meetings can be used to discuss Civil Rights items.
• Invite National Civil Rights Committee to hold meeting in Idaho. 
• SEPM training may be held in Idaho.
• Ideas for presentations for DC Meeting in December, Agcensus- Bill Mayer- and the AgriAbility program. Kurt and Chris will follow-up.
• We should have a cadre for recruitment.  We need to clearly identify what volunteers need to do. Dastina Johnson to be leader of cadre to train.
• The issue of flexibility and required relocations for certain positions, and the impacts on employee retention was discussed.  -- Kurt and Dee to develop an issue paper (no time frame given).

BUSINESS PLAN

The 07 Business Plan was reviewed and documented and the 08 final draft prepared. During this process, Susan encouraged the CRC to give thought to items that address program delivery.

Dave Hoover met with the CRC to discuss the idea of including information on the website about developing meaningful KSA’s. Dave agreed to take the lead.

BYLAW (OPERATING GUIDELINES) REVIEW AND REVISION

The Operating Guidelines were reviewed. The following recommendations were made and approved:

1. Operating Guidelines should be reviewed annually.
2. To be consistent with the guidelines (Article III, Section 7), the terms of CRC members should be adjusted to end at the end of the appropriate fiscal year.
3. Amend Article V, Section 1 to add Secretary as an officer position.
4. Amend Article V; Section 4 to clarify that officer’ terms should be for not less than 1 year, and not to exceed 2 years on a fiscal year basis.

ELECTIONS   

Kim Golden was elected as Chair. 
Chris Bergman was elected as Vice Chairman.
Jackie Cullen was elected as Secretary.

Meeting adjourned at 10:46 AM Mountain/09:46AM Pacific.

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