Connecticut Association of Diversity and Equity Professionals(d/b/a CTAAAP)

P.O. Box 260412, Hartford, CT 06126

Thursday November 17, 2011 Membership Meeting

Division of Criminal Justice

Rocky Hill CT, 06067

9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Meeting Minutes

Elected/Present: Amanda Anduaga-Roberson (DPH), Nicholas D'Agostino (DCF), Len Erazmus (DSS),Debi Freund (DCF),Pat Alston (DCJ), James R. Reed (DMHAS) and Eric Smith (DMHAS)

Elected/Absent: Astread Ferron-Poole (DSS)

Members Present: see attached sign-in sheet

TOPIC: Financial Report

Len shared;

  • $1,600 pie sales with $483 for scholarship at present $2,521 in account.
  • Note: scholarship still contains $1,500 from expense account, paid 2008 out of expense account and didn’t’ transfer because makes interest in scholarship account
  • Contributions made to memorials – Meg Y scholar fund (husband passed) Archie Savage, Jr., (he passed)

ACTION ITEM: Address for Megs card –send c/o Mulrony Funeral Home

TOPIC: Scholarship Fund Committee

Pat shared;

  • 190 pies weresold for the Lyman Orchard scholarship fundraiser e with a current profit of $519.00
  • Pat retired but plans stay active with CADEP, particularly scholarship
  • Thanks to DCF for receiving and separating the shipment from Lyman, so the pies were ready for pick up on 11/15DCF’s Plan date
  • Pat is working on Bazar at 186 Cherry Street Pride Cultural Center Waterbury, CT Dec 9thfor another group and she can do it for CADEP, too~ These vendors donate 15-20% to CADEP

TOPIC: Program Planning

Eric;

  • Solicited ideas, DMHAS is seeking workshop on mediation and Ms. Cordula offered to present, has 27 slides together she has already done for State Police, DOT and DDS, the point mediation is to change behavior and she’s free~
  • Josephine offered to work with Ms. Cordulaand MxCC is potential location for this training
  • Questionof trainingfor Commissioner training by PCSW/CHRO or incorporate in DAS required training, CHRO used to send out letters to new commissioners- ask Cmrs.Pestana and Norton

ACTION ITEM: Eric will send email to membership list to inform of possible mediation training

TOPIC: Legislative

Debi shared:

  • DOT is again proposing legislation to file one Plan

TOPIC: Annual Meeting

Debi:

  • Feedback onpresentershappy with level programming? – Josephine great each brought “take backs”
  • Len: 45 attendees all paid dues in full
  • Debi reminded we haven’t charged for Annual meeting because use dues for the conference.

TOPIC: PA 11-55

Debi;

  • Do we need more in depth training on Gender Identity and Expression?
  • Josephine suggested training on what need to do; policy, implementation
  • Nick suggested training in cultural competency – we’ve had beginning, middle we need the end
  • Could do another joint IPMA training?
  • Nick shared Debi won exemplary manager in non-HR role implement good HR practices Award for her work done.

TOPIC: Networking

No new or old business

TOPIC: Fundraising

Nick:

  • We typically offer aholiday business meeting

TOPIC: Nominations

Debi;

  • Eric sent several nominations around to offer at large posts vacated (Chris Beloff and Cynthia Isales).
  • Leah, Glende and Pat Alston accepted the Nominations
  • No need for elections 2 vacancies and 2 nominations.
  • Motion for one ballot and nominations- no opposed/no abstentions.
  • Their first Steering Committee meeting is Dec 6th- these occur the first Tuesday of month have been scheduled at DMHAS

TOPIC: Introductions

Debi:

  • Asked everyone to go around and introduce themselves

TOPIC: Update CHRO Investigation Process

Debi;

  • Intent of legislation is trying to streamline process
  • CHRO offered a panel of attorneys from agencies and employers to discuss ; how interpret ed the changes
  • Panel members were skeptical about how it would work, shared concerns with same person doing mediation as investigation concern issues over confidentiality
  • Due to CHRO shortage of funds they are not mailing (via postal mail) there are e-mail concerns
  • The training PowerPoint is on main CHRO webpage
  • Marla commented in mediation she remembers originally not supposed to discuss merits of case
  • Attorneys were concerned with properly trained staff to facilitate mediation, takes time and rapport
  • Level of staff skill as consistent message throughout the training
  • Debi shared a certified mediation program is available at Quinnipiac in conjunction with UCONN, 5 days for $1,700
  • Eric shared DMHAS sent four people to this Quinnipiac University training, he thought there might be a discounted fee to come train a group

ACTION ITEM: Debi to find out cost to train CADEP as a group

TOPIC: AA Regulation Review

Natalie, Leah and Len;

  • Last legislative session a bill, internal(CHRO) optional, electronic and agency size for filling
  • Filing dates changed and on CHRO website not in regulations separate tab home page
  • The committee is comprised of: Debi – Soc. Services, Astread &Len-Soc. Services, Alicia – Regulatory,Levy-Education, Natalie-Transportation (Leah extra and Marcia extra) and PCSW, AAAC, Charlie –CHRO, Erin– DAS and Maryann Palmerosa – OPM
  • Natalie shared the first meeting going over new census data and how looks now, person from Census gave an in-depth presentation
  • Second meeting looked at regulations; program vs. plan, Erin brought up format, dialogued around that, what an AA program incorporates (including what AA regulations now), go through regulations to see what can do with or without in the regulations
  • Leah: 1st census did short form, did not ask for occupation data in 2010, done a lot of sample forms census webpage is changing end of November to new format, the census can capture 1st year, 3rd year, 5th year data- Arthur from Census saiddata in Connecticut is small and data is good, capturing more active data been done since 2005, the DOL person said capture Connecticut data for Affirmative Action plans
  • Leah: 2nd meeting a sample of the Wisconsin Affirmative Action plan, Jim O’Neil said it was “great”, there were no goals, it was an option develop action plan-if found adverse impact, sent guidelines not big either, very simplified
  • How regulations read, there is a want for these to be different, this item keeps coming up on legislative calendars
  • PCSW/AAAC very supportive of what EEO’s do for AAP
  • Meet again next week for another ‘official’ meeting but focus back to regulations, what will be in regulation, statute, policy, goals etc.
  • Has to be published in law journal by 1/1/12 the 1st meeting not much concern with that January deadline but at the 2nd meeting they said going to make January 1 deadline, Erin said could ask for an extension.

TOPIC: MAC

Debi:

  • Meeting 11/16/11 on salary compression and inversion, DAS to present to Nancy Wyman, justify manager raises initially last 3 years, ask look last ten years-in 2 years will managers get raises

TOPIC: Scholarship Presenter

Cynthia Clegg,Executive Director, Middlesex County Community Foundation coming at 10:30 to explain endowment fund

  • She explained endowed and unendowed
  • Cannot give directly to individuals, only 501c or schools
  • Fund agreement to detail what can/cannot do by IRS rules and fulfill donor intent
  • Question-can one shift from unendowed to endowed? Yes, but not other way
  • How much money needed to provide scholarship? Unendowed – need more than $5,000 to keep same level – an annual basis board decides what is given away
  • Question-Down sides? Really are none – build a fund
  • Question-3 ½%? Endowed tied to investment pool, unendowed is not
  • Unendowed donor can spend 100% of what is in the fund, if kept in money market accounts, no interest is made on unendowed
  • Question-the decision on who gets the funds? Scholarship Committee in past has done this, (Endowed)January 1st after June 30th funds become available
  • In unendowed can get money to give but cannot get it back because it’s a completed gift
  • endowment fund
  • Question-understanding community benefactors limited to that community? No –example: Georgia
  • Question-if organization ceases to exist what happens? Board responsible to find as closely matched charitable to give to-in bylaws says dissolution similar, seems similar, had another association spent several months figuring out how to do it
  • Question-Unendowed fees? Currently no fees, but if start to change will look at investing in other funds to make those funds money

TOPIC:Debrief-Endowment Presentation

  • Pat: How much in scholarship? 1,000 ready
  • Barb: Fees? No-on unendowed
  • Len: Marketing element? Also form letter to send to list of sources
  • Debi: Pat and Natalie co-chairs of scholarship? Nat – attend steering? Eric add Natalie to e-mail list
  • Eric: need to discuss permanent transfer to scholarship of that $1,500.

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