PEF Region 8 Information Technology Minutes

PEF Region 8 Information Technology Committee Meeting

Minutes

August 27, 2007

Action Items carried over from previous meetings:

Get a synopsis of each NYS Forum committee to present to the Region 8 IT committee members (NYSFIRM.ORG)
Speak with the Nurses' committee to see about modeling their mobilization
See if the new speaker (Melody Mayberry Steward??) can attend a meeting in the fall
The next meeting will be - Monday, September 24, 2007.

Go-Round- Introductions

Minutes - (minutes were accepted)

New IT Titles were discussed- Grades 23 - M3- reclass (change of names) for IT Specialists (Professional) Associate, supervisor, Manager, Data Processing; split: Programming & non-Programming. Previously changed Computer programmers (grades 14-18) to IT Specialists; so this is Part II.

How it effects PEF members

Civil Service (CS) never discussed this with PEF

Will these new titles remain PEF or become Mgt Confidential (MC)? Tom Comanzo is going to meet with Tom Certrino. However, we need to know what we want to say, and what we expect to get.

Is this ? title consolidation

? out-of-title work

Mario Chiarello also mentioned that we need to discuss how we can make CS realize PEF is a contender and they should talk with us.

It was noted that CS eroded merit ad fitness to accommodate management : is this a continuation?? CS has ‘scoping conferences’ with the agency’s HR to see what agencies need- and heard that the top 3 aren’t what we need- these state employees don’t have the skills: so what are you going to do for me.

It was discussed how, in agency after agency the top level of management has changed but the secondary level on down has shown no visible change. So after day 239 not everything has changed. The question is- has anything really changed?!

Resources that should be available- The CIO HR Committee ? CS / legislative committee ? the PAC 'red book’. Bill Wurster mentioned that PEF pays the salary of a Dept of civil service employee- Career Mobility Office. Bill will look at it via the Region 8 Civil service committee and Mario will work with the CIO HR Committee & the CS contact.

We can say to CS - the change of title is ok, but with the change in structure- what is in it for PEF?

Dave Kirmayer mentioned that we could go to the CS Commission monthly meetings- and that the agenda can be gotten from PEF ahead of time. It was mentioned that Penny goes on our behalf. The reclass was not placed on the agenda, thus PEF didn’t have a chance to object to /question the matter. Mario asked if the commissioner’s approval was needed and Dave mentioned ‘ trail balloon.

Action items from previous meetings were addressed:

Item- Investigate ‘boiler plate’ - standard contract language for the transfer of knowledge - Not a stated %. Check with Tom Certrino- get a copy of a consulting contract; see if he can come to a future meeting

Discussion- Dave mentioned Lyndon Jones & the provision and Mario said he was told by OGS that knowledge transfer was negotiated ‘per contract’ and that there was no ‘standard provision’. Jim Lyons said he spoke with Steve Connelly (who works with Tom Certrino @PEF) and was told that PEF does not have copies of consultant contracts, but that they can be gotten through the freedom of Information Act (FOIL) so they can be reviewed, summarized by agency.

Mario mentioned that if that clause is not in any contract, it should be asked through Labor/Mgt negotiations that it be included in every consultant contract.

Dave mentioned the irony that some state agencies actually pay the freight to sends consultants to training sessions. Mario & Jim Lyons are going to continue to work on this.

b. Item - Mike is going to check and see how many delegates to the convention are in IT titles, and the possibility of holding an IT meeting at convention.

Discussion- Mike Blue said there was no way to get this information. Mario replied that PEF has a list with every member w/ title and data processing could match w/ the delegates’ list.; however, it isn’t going to happens. It was estimated that it was only 10-15 delegates. Ben Gamoran sent an email asking about having a meeting at the convention for those members from other regions.

Jim Blake send replied via an email, stating there was a problem with rooms for meetings at the convention. There weren't many available and they cost a lot of money. So (he) didn't have one reserved especially for the statewide IT committee. There isn't much to discuss on a statewide level. The contract team is pushing for a "de sunset" of the tuition voucher program. (He hoped we all sent a letter or an email to the governor). The move to Utica is on hold and it seems the new CIO is going to take into account the effect any move would have on communities and workers. Contractors are supposedly being cut ) If enough people are really interested and we have something of substance to discuss we could have an informal meeting somewhere during the convention.

Mariruth Brown had come up with an idea for a Region 8 IT button, but due to the small number attending nothing came of it. Jim Lyons had volunteered to make up a flyer for the Delegates dinner, but it was decided that it wasn’t necessary. It was mentioned that a flyer could be left at the registration table and/ or put in the delegate’s packet.

c. Item- Money for training.

Discussion- Since we are continuing to work without a contract we have been told ‘no’ repeatedly. PEF has asked that it be specified in future contracts that the tuition provision not ‘sun-set’ but GOER has not agreed with this request. It was suggested that everyone should write to the governor regarding this.

d. Item- Website for Region 8 IT Committee

Discussion- Rich Bojman has set it up as a link off www.PEF8.org . There is a link for the most recent minutes. Since the membership fluctuates so much it was decided that it is not practical to keep a list on the website. Dave offered to maintain the membership list.

e. Item- Contracting out

Discussion- $5 million MCI - (a part of World Com, which has gone out of business) ENCON contract for hunting licenses; Verizon ended up with the company’s assets, including the Dept of Encon contract and Verizon wants $20 million. The issue is point of sale/ thermal dye printer.

f. Item- NYS Forum

Discussion- a. Matrix- GCT September 24-27th Empire State Plaza - register for vendor fair; reception Tuesday Night. Mario will send out a separate reminder to all the IT committee members. b. The Forum is looking to presenting a session covering Security Awareness for the Average IT vs. IT Professional. (Design/ development and maintenance of IT software. Mario thought that this should be pursued, as IT Security was identified in the survey as a ‘gap’ item. {OSC - Info Security- Ramone/ Manny} AG’s office and Forum have this type of training.

g. Item- Subcommittees

Discussion- 1. Audit committee- table 2. Website- Rich & Mike 3. CIO HR - waiting until contracts are settled [training, best practices, skills survey] Monies were asked to be in the 0607 Budget but were not included. Jeanne Haver mentioned that we should put it in the minutes for anyone who would like to join her in developing this subcommittee. 4. Wide-spread promotion of the IT Committee- (Web site, Communicator, Survey Monkey, Committee membership, Distribution of flyers at other Region 8 meetings/mailings). (Website portion has been taken are of). Mike will work on getting something for the Communicator.

Survey monkey- can be accessed via Region 8 (Tom Comanzo agreed this was the reasonable way to go); so we need to decide what issues we want to discuss- Civil Service, timeline, gatekeeper. Jim offered to give any proposed survey a ‘professional review’ before we put it out there. Committee membership- there is not enough members who routinely show up to the meeting to sub-divide.

Meeting adjourned until September 24th.

REGION 8 IT COMMITTEE 8-27-07 ATTENDANCE

Michael Blue, Rich Bojman, Mariruth Brown, Mario Chiarello, Tom Comanzo, Carol Fairbanks, David Kirmayer, Jeanne Haver, Jim Lyons, WilliamWurster