Committee Meeting Minutes

This was a two day meeting in Honolulu.

CRAC members present for both days:

Other Attendees for one session:

Introductions:

Kurencio asked for volunteers to moderate and take minutes. Athena volunteered to be recorder. Kurencio said he wanted others to have a chance to be a moderator, since it is an important skill that can be used in other meetings. Everyone was given a chance to share a little about themselves.

Old Business:

• Kurencio attended a training given by Xerox on technology called Docu Share. The new machines can scan documents and analyze the information saving a lot of time with things like surveys. Kurencio thought it could also be useful for analyzing DN-714 data.

Decision: Kurencio will look into this and work with the Xerox trainers to see what it can actually do. If it is worth the investment then we can recommend it to Keith Harada who is the person who would authorize the contract.

• The mentoring program is an action item on the AEP that the committee can help to get implemented.

Decision: Kurencio will talk to Camille and offer assistance from CRAC. Cheryl will modify the bulletin announcing the mentoring program so that any employee, not just new hires, can request a mentor.

DN-714 Overview: (Keith Harada present)

• Athena presented an example on how to calculate the Under-representation Index (UI) and how we need to combine the Pacific Basin numbers with the Hawaii numbers. There was a short discussion on how we need to look at the distribution of each target group by GS level and by PATCO. For NRCS the professional category is the most important to look at and only National CLF numbers are to be used when calculating the UI.

Decision: Kurencio will ask Camille to share her excel spreadsheet for DN-714 data. We will have someone look at it and enter formulas as needed.

• The diversity of NRCS is looked at on a national level, but we should also be concerned with diversifying our staff at the local level.

Decision: Each SEPM will analyze the DN-714 data (for 2007 and past several years if possible) and provide a report to CRAC on areas where improvement for their target group is needed. CRAC will then be able to decide on a formal recommendation to give to the PIA Director. Athena will provide a template for the report.

• The AEP report gives a summary of the workforce data. The AEP should be shared with the DEOO, preferable one-on-one with CRAC chairperson. The DEOO should also talk with each SEPM annually
• Asked Keith about reporting CRAC time in WebTCAS. He said there is no problem with using Benefits All Programs.

Decision:

• Each CRAC member needs to ask their timekeeper to add Benefits all Programs to our profile. CRAC business will be reported under that category
• Kurencio will work with Larry on arranging the annual performance review for each SEPM.

Civil Rights Planner: (Jolene Lau present)

• Jolene presented guidance on producing publications. She said we need to determine our target audience and specific need for the planner.

Decisions:

• Start with 300 calendar-style planners with color pictures
• Target audience are PIA employees, but can use at public events to showcase NRCS diversity
• Each SEPM will be responsible for preparing page for their heritage month
• Some months will feature tips such as how to write KSA’s and helpful websites
• Kurencio will present the request to Larry for FY2008 budget. Full-size (11x17) will cost $2,800 and half-size (8.5x11) will cost $1,500
• Goal is to have all information to Jolene by Sept- early October so can have ready to distribute by November 2007. If this is not possible then will continue to work on next year
  • Mike asked whether SEPM pictures could be posted on the website. Jolene said she will have to check guidelines.

CRAC Business Plan:

• Business plan items were discussed.

Decisions:

• FY 2007 business plan will be based on the plan prepared by each SEPM
• Each SEPM is to send their report of accomplishments to Kurencio by Sept 1, 2007
• Kurencio will request time for Katina to present the AEP at the next Ops meeting
• FY 2008 plan is attached.

SEPM Performance Elements and Other HR Issues: (Eileen Winkle present)

• Eileen said that performance elements and MOU’s are missing from the SEPM and Chair personnel folder. Copies that were available were given to her. She also showed samples of addendums to the MOU’s that other states are using. Eileen brought up the rules regarding hiring panels. She also mentioned that other states are allowing only 10-15% of time to be spent on SEPM/CRAC duties.

Decisions:

• Kurencio will follow up to make sure that Sam Taylor and new HEPM get an MOU signed and dated. Athena, Sherman, Mike and Katina submitted copies of their MOU and last year’s performance element
• Will use same wording as last year’s performance element adding that we will assist with development and implementation of the AEP
• Kurencio will send the new performance element to supervisors and cc Eileen. Supervisors will enter into Empower and hard copy will be sent to DEOO
• Eileen prepared a version of the MOU that includes a space for date of signature
• Addendum to the MOU is not needed at this time
• Eileen will ask CRAC members to serve on hiring panels when appropriate since panel members must be at least the same GS level as the position being filled
• Will keep maximum time to be 20% collateral duty for CRAC and SEPM. Will evaluate in the future once better accounting is kept in WebTCAS
• Terms will be based on fiscal year, minimum 3 years and not to exceed 5 years
• The official start of terms was set as:
  • Sherman, Athena and Mike - October 2005
  • Katina, Kurencio and Cheryl - October 2006
  • New HEPM - October 2007.

National Organization of Professional Hispanic Natural Resources Conservation Service Employees (NOPHNRCSE) Conference:

• At the last NOPHNRCSE conference Hawaii was suggested as next host for the conference. Larry Yamamoto asked CRAC for its input. In the past Hawaii was not accepted as venue for Asian Pacific Islander Organization (APIO) conference because of the resort image. A call was made to Carlos Suarez, NOPHNRCSE President, and he supported having Hawaii host next year’s conference. The preference is to have the conference in June as long as it doesn’t conflict with the SWCS conference. We would need 3 field trip sites and supply manpower to organize the conference.

Decisions:

• Carlos will have Lori Valdez send cost breakdown of last year’s conference
• Cheryl will prepare cost justification of the conference and will compare different islands and difference in airfare for May versus June. She will draft the proposal with Kurencio and Larry Y.
• Cheryl will look into facilities that can accommodate at least 200 people and will ask APIO if they are willing to have the conference together with NOPHNRCSE
• Athena will ask American Indian Alaska Native Employees Association (AIANEA), but they have indicated that they are not available next year.

HEPM Closing Report given by Milton Martinez:

• Milton started last summer as HEPM and attended the NOPHNRCSE conference. He was able to talk about working in Hawaii with several interested persons and also talked with some of the many students who attended the conference. He shared the list of students who attended last year and gave out a website that had links to Agricultural Universities
• Milton suggested that we focus our recruitment efforts on California since it is close to Hawaii and has a large Hispanic population.

Decision: Cheryl will send out a bulletin asking for volunteers to serve as HEPM and will personally ask Pat O’Connor if he is interested.

Filing Documents in Civil Rights Folders:

• Cheryl brought the official Civil Rights folders and showed that not much had been filed in them. She and Mike gave out the codes for filing documents.

Decisions:

• All decisions, actions and official letters need to be in official files. Send an email to Cheryl with the subject indicating the file code and attach the document
• Code 230-12 is to file AEP and 230-15 is for Civil Rights. 230-15-3 is for minutes and 230-15-7 will be for business plans. All others are self-explanatory.

Outreach Activities:

• Cheryl brought several videos that had been prepared in Pacific Islands for outreach activities. We viewed a video on getting a conservation plan and EQIP contract that was done in Hilo.

Decision: Kurencio will look at the video prepared in Pac Basin and see if it is still worth using.

Awards and Recognition:

• At least one supervisor has commented that they are not accustomed to giving awards. It was the general opinion of state office staff that awards are often given for no special reason and only because the nominating person is willing to nominate others for an award. Mike showed the award manual and said that it needs to be updated and approved. In the past there was an award committee that looked at requests for awards and maybe that is something that needs to be re-implemented.

Decisions:

• Kurencio will ask Eileen if CRAC can look at who nominated awards in the past year
• Kurencio will suggest to Shirley and Bart that training on awards be given at an Ops meeting.

Training on EEO and Reasonable Accommodations:

• Kurencio showed a power point on EEO and how it relates to CRAC
• Mike showed a power point on the obligation to provide reasonable accommodations and what that means.

Next meeting for the CRAC Committee will be mid-September, 2007.

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