Quarterly Community Coordination Report

April - June 2001

Submitted by

Kelley Poindexter, Community Coordinator

Modoc Employment Center, 221 N. Main Street, Alturas, CA 96101

(530) 233-4161

• The quarter started off with a "North State Economic Summit" presentation by the Alturas Chamber of Commerce. The group was interested and very happy to hear of organized efforts to represent the North State on so many important issues. A copy of the summit briefing was provided to each chamber member in attendance.

• AFWD staff were invited to attend the Modoc County Office of Education’s ROP Advisory Committee meeting. General brainstorming and collaboration was the goal of the day.

• An emergency meeting was called by Klamath County Commissioner, John Elliot, regarding the Klamath Basin’s disaster situation. Due to drought conditions the Bureau of Reclamation will not deliver water to all agricultural operations within the Klamath Reclamation Project during the current growing season in order to protect an endangered species of suckerfish. The impact this decision will have on Klamath Basin farmers is self-evident. What is not as self-evident is the impact this decision will have on employment in the region. The purpose of the meeting was to organize information and resources for the 1,500 farm families affected by the government’s ruling not to provide the promised irrigation water.  In response to that decision, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services opted to provide a "local assistance center" to the California residents of Modoc and Siskiyou counties. Collaboration between STEP and AFWD staff as well as EDD has insured that those in need will have access to their desired services. A full time center coordinator has been hired by the Office of Emergency Services (OES) as well as a receptionist who provides agency service information and referrals. This arrangement has been working quite well. We can schedule several appointments in one day and save on staff travel time. The Workforce Connection in Klamath Falls, Oregon has been very receptive to working with us. They have received state emergency funding and can provide services to both Oregon and California residents depending on the clients needs. It is really exciting to be a part of an inter-state effort to provide help and services to those families and businesses affected by this ruling. We are ready for and anticipating Rapid Response activity for local business as their limited resources run out. It is a very tense situation, and the basin’s farms and businesses are hoping for federal aid of some kind.

• The Third Annual Tri-State Regional Job Fair was held in Alturas on May 2, 2001. Over 60 presenters offered career information or job opportunities to the approximately 400 in attendance.  There were outside exhibits featuring law enforcement with K-9 demonstrations, in progress construction, activity fire-fighting techniques, veterinary information, horse training, and more. Inside booths offered college and tech school information, actual job applications and on the spot interviews for various business that were actively hiring. There were also culinary demonstrations, hands on cosmetology activities, and of course, our own AFWD staff providing agency information and opportunities.

Pictures of all booth presenters were taken throughout the day and "Certificates of Appreciation" with their pictures on it were given to them prior to the close of the Job Fair as a thank you for their participation.

Third Annual Tri-State Regional Job Fair.

Alturas Rotarians lunched with Job Fair Presenters.  The Alturas FFA Chapter provided a tasty Tri-tip barbeque

• On May 4, 2001, AFWD and EDD staff responded to a rapid response closure at Big Valley Lumber in Bieber. Approximately 60 employees were affected by the lay off. AFWD provided two orientation sessions and handed out informational packets. It was a very emotional experience for me as it was my first rapid response involvement as Modoc Community Coordinator. To see hardworking people thrown into such an adverse situation by no fault of their own was hard to witness. Bieber is a very small town where the mill provided the majority of the areas jobs, and virtually no comparable employment opportunities. Bieber is actually located in Lassen county, a number of the mill workers reside and seek services in Modoc. Several enrolled dislocated workers from this closure has resulted from this Rapid Response effort.

• In celebration of Small Business Week, Small Business Development Center’s Mary Wollesen and Gary Liddle presented two free workshops, "Business Success" and "How to Get and Keep Your Customers". Both of these offerings were well received by the business partners of Modoc. MEC received several calls inquiring about our next SBDC offering from interested parties who heard great reviews from those who attended. We look forward to having SBDC back at our center and consider them a great asset.

• Modoc Employment Center would like to take this opportunity to introduce our new staff members. We welcome Kelly Gould, Receptionist, Sherrie Hughes, Computer Service Lab Coordinator and Julie Miller, Program Coordinator. Our Modoc Team including Donna Garcia, Service Coordinator and Debbie Jeffers, Receptionist is ready to provide our community with workforce services. Welcome aboard Julie, Sherrie and Kelly.