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
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