January 5, 2015
PRESENT: [teleconference] John Portela, Mark Hews, Ron Holmes
Members of the public were present.
PRIVATE SUPPORT ORGANIZATION - BILL UPDATE
The bill is still in the revisor's office but does have a number (LR490). That ID will change to an LD when it is through the review process. Legislative committee assignments were published late in December. The members of State and Local are
Senate Members -
Michael Willette, R, Aroostook County
David Woodsome, R, York County
Nathan Libby, D, Androscoggin County
House Members -
Roland Martin, D, Sinclair
Mark Bryant, D, Windham
Christopher Babbidge, D, Kennebunk
Elizabeth Dickerson, D, Rockland
Donna Doore, D, Augusta
Beth Turner, R, Burlington
Randall Greenwood, R, Wales
Richard Pickett, R, Dixfield
William Tuell, R, East Machias
Jeffrey Evangelos, U, Friendship
Senator Saviello submitted a bill title by cloture. Ron will contact him to ask the title be withdrawn and that he sign on as co-sponsor of the one that came through the Governor's Office.
GRANT SELECTION TASK FORCE PROGRESS
Peer review is complete. There were three applications. The technical review by the Task Force is now underway and their consensus call is later in the week. There is one continuation application in hand. The Bangor AmeriCorps program is in flux. Eastern Maine Community College does not want to continue as the fiscal agent. They are in conversation with other partners in the collaborative to see if one of them wants to take on the sponsor role.
NOMINATIONS
All forms are with the Governor's Office. Two open seats remain and there are no candidates identified.
PILOT AMERICORPS MODEL
A proposal for an AmeriCorps Rural Development model was considered by Exec Committee members. Mark asked for more time to review. John asked what impact this would have on staff. The response was it would increase the number of grantees but not change the nature of the work we already have to do with grantees. The funding would be awarded through the Formula competition which has not started yet. It would be best not to change any policy for the pilot since the purpose is to learn and determine what, if any, changes might be needed. Ron stated he really likes the proposal.
In order to give Celeste and David a chance to comment, Exec Committee members have until Friday afternoon to send feedback. The proposal will be posted for Commissioner consideration at the January 16 meeting.
The meeting closed at 4:01 pm.