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HomeMy Public PortalAboutCommunity Benefits Meeting -- 5-27-15 -- MinutesMay 27, 2015 CBA Meeting Page 1 COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT (CBA) Final Meeting Minutes Meeting On May 27, 2015 at 1:00 pm MSD Headquarters, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, MO 63103 Signatory Attendees: CBTU, MCU, MOKAN, NAACP, NSBE (via conference call) and MSD (Attendance sheet attached) 1 . There were no new introductions. 2. Roll Call • Signatories present at the opening of the meeting were: CBTU, MCU, NAACP, MOKAN, NSBE and MSD (Quorum). 3. There were no public comments. 4. Meeting Minutes from February 25, 2015, were unanimously approved. 5. MSD gave an overview of its intended actions to fulfill the Section VII Education and Internship portion of the CBA requirements. MSD provided an update on the internship program. MSD is partnering with the St. Louis Internship Program (SLIP) to acquire three (3) disadvantaged minority students who will participate in an 8 week internship at MSD's Headquarters. Two (2) ofthe interns will be assigned to MSD's IT Department, and the remaining student will be assigned to the Diversity Department. CBTU inquired whether or not SLIP reached out to faith-based schools along with public schools. MSD responded that SLIP does work with faith-based schools. MOKAN inquired as to why MSD is only able to host three (3) internships. MSD responded that the budgetary capacity allows for three (3) interns. In response, MOKAN requested that MSD contact their Private Sector/Professional Services affiliates who work with MSD in an effort to recruit those businesses in the utilization of the CBA Educational and Internship opportunities to provide internships or scholarships to more minority and disadvantaged students. Second, MSD provided an update on the scholarships MSD is providing for the Enviromnental Resources Training Center (ERTC) Program at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SlUE). The MSD Scholarship will provide $3,500 towards tuition cost for each student. The scholarship funding will be available for two (2) students each school year. MSD will also fund the internship cost for the (2) scholarship recipients who are required to participate in a 5 week internship at a waste water and storm water treatment facility for completion of the ERTC program. MSD's General Counsel Office found no legal concerns with a public entity having a scholarship program with a race-based preference as required by the CBA, as long as it is based upon evidence produced as a result of its Disparity Study. MSD will partner with SLATE and SLIP for outreach to locate additional candidates. MSD stated they will also coordinate May 27, 2015 CBA Meeting Page 2 with high school career counselors, SlUE, MERS Goodwill, Job Core, and other various agencies in an effort to reach more disadvantaged students and GED graduates. NAACP inquired as to whether MSD had any information available on the past demographics for the ERTC Program at SlUE. MSD responded that no information on that subject was collected/requested from SlUE, but that the students MSD is targeting for the scholarship opportunity are from MSD's service areas. CBTU inquired as to whether the potential scholarship winners need to meet any requirements. MSD responded that the students eligible to receive the scholarship are disadvantaged students and meet the stated requirements identified in the CBA. NAACP inquired as to whether the First Source Hiring candidates are being targeted. CJ from SLATE responded that they have sent out fliers regarding the scholarship opportunity, but that he does not believe the information has been sent to those on their Journeyman List. MOKAN inquired as to why the scholarship is only being offered to two (2) students. MSD responded that due to the limited funding available for the Education and Internship programs listed in the CBA, MSD is only able to offer (2) scholarships at this time. MSD also stated that MSD plans to hosts treatment plant tours for many area schools in an effort to educate the students about the work performed at MSD and the career opportunities that are available. NAACP inquired about how successful MSD's current internships have been in regards to benefiting MWBEs. MSD responded that the information was not currently available, but MSD is hopeful that the ERTC program will help provide a larger pool of diverse candidates for treatment plant career possibilities because of the financial assistance that MSD is providing. Roland Biehl, a representative from MSD's Department of Environmental Compliance Division, provided a presentation of MSD's EnviroScape Watershed Model and Storm Drain Inlet Markers. DEC visits St. Louis City and County schools in an effort to educate the public and students about the negative impact of water pollution on our environment as well as educate the community about what MSD does to help our environment. The EnviroScape Watershed Model acts as a visual aid to actively teach about what factors affect water sources: trash, salt, animal waste, yard trimmings, dirt, etc. The presentation also proves various Best Management Practices (BMPs): utilizing fencing to contain landscaping, cleaning up pet waste, properly disposing of oil and other chemicals, etc. At the end of the presentation, many of the schools will walk around the surrounding neighborhoods and place Storm Drain Inlet Markers on the nearby storm drain covers as part of the education. The physical engagement is what makes the largest impact on these children. When children go home, they are excited to tell their parents of the experience as well as provide their parents with the various brochures about water pollution and MSD's mission. To aid in the expansion of this program, DEC hosted a workshop for area teachers who could attend to learn how to utilize and present the model through train the trainer concepts. This allows teachers in the community to assume more responsibility in educating others about the environment as well as introduce students to the work done at MSD. The teachers simply call in a request for the EnviroScape Model, and MSD delivers it to them. NAACP inquired as to how this program helps children secure jobs in the future. MSD responded that this program educates the students on the actions taken to prevent water pollution and promotes MSD's mission through education and to also establish interest in career areas of waste May 27, 2015 CBA Meeting Page 3 and storm water. Before the presentation, students may have no knowledge of the organizations tasked with ensuring the cleanliness of storm and sewer water; therefore, they would have no knowledge of the possible career opportunities within the industry. This program allows MSD to have an impact on children within primary schools at an early age. It helps in teaching them how to be good stewards toward the environment. These children represent MSDs first-point-of-contact and MSD then reaches out to children in the secondary high schools for internships through programs like SLIP as well as provide treatment plant visits and finally at the college level for internships. NAACP stated that MSD needs to be more strategic and target older groups who may more clearly see career opportunities as a result of this presentation. MOKAN inquired if adults find any benefits from this program. MSD explained that this presentation has been given to adults and children. Any group may request this presentation. In fact, DEC is currently looking into an opportunity to display this presentation at Six Flags - St. Louis. MOKAN requested that MSD advertise the presentation in order to reach more adults. MOKAN also requested an up-to-date list of all schools that have participated in the program. 6. MOKAN requested that a discussion be held regarding the current information requests from the NAACP. MSD responded that, because of the current threat of litigation, any discussion or questions regarding this topic will need to be reviewed my MSD's legal counsel. MSD requested that any questions be written and sent to MSD for legal review before the next CBA meeting. 7. Signatories established next meeting date of August, 26, 2015, by unanimous vote. 8. Meeting adjourned at approximately 2:45 p.m. Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT (CBA) REGULAR MEETING Sign In Wednesday, May 27, 2015, 1:00 p.m. 2350 MARKET STREET, STLOUIS, MO 63103 CONFERENCE ROOM #109 Company Name 1. ) 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 10. 11 . 12. 13. 14. 15. ( 1e. LM.. &..,'€, C 13\tA \. Matropolitan St. Louis Sewer Districl Company Name 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37.