Region 8
Information Technology

PEF Region 8 Information Technology Committee Meeting

Minutes

November 26, 2007

As we approach the 1st anniversary of the inaugural IT Committee meeting (12/10/2006) we reviewed the Action Items carried over from previous meetings:

Mario: Get a synopsis of each NYS Forum committee to present to the Region 8 IT committee members (NYSFIRM.ORG)

On Hold: Speak with the Nurses' committee to see about modeling their mobilization

Mike: Website- up & running- update frequency (Rich Bojman & Mike Blue are the content coordinators- Tom Comanzo the facilitator). www.PEF8.org = IT link

Mike: Mike Blue is going forward the recommendation of this committee to Tom Comanzo and Lou Mattrazzo for presenting to

1. all divisions, who are encouraged to ask at labor management committee meetings that this be added to all ‘consulting contract’, and
2. PEF President Ken Brynien who is in close contact with the governor’s office on the contracting issue- the ‘wording’ of the ‘proposed executive order’. {Craft to flow right into a legislative bill].
3. Suggest to OSC, who has to approve all contracts that this clause needs to be present. It was noted that if an agency piggy-backs on another agency’s contract, it would not see the contract language. (Tom Comanzo) [Suggested language for IT contracts provided by Susan Kent (State Education Department): When the State establishes justification to contract out IT work, the contract language should require the contractor to provide all necessary information to the Agency's IT staff to ensure that public employees can maintain, enhance and replicate the work.

Mario: Tom Certrino is preparing to ask for numbers by agency. [2-grade upgrade vs. use of promotional list] It was questioned as to whether the request he should limit it to IT or to ask for all title; All promotions vs. all transfers or 2-grade transfers. Transparency. Follow-up with Tom Certrino regarding the number of promotions via transfers (Jim Lyons).

Mike / Mario: Set up a questionnaire on Survey Monkey to ask members how they feel about it [2-grade upgrade vs. use of promotional list] {We don’t want to promote something that could backfire and hurt us all [Jim Lyons volunteered to work on a joint Region 8 IT/Civil Service subcommittee. Bill Wurster, chair of the region 8 CS Committee, stated that if it is going to be only IT titles then the IT committee should develop/ present the survey, as its members would understand the language; if it is going to be all agency titles then he agreed there should be a joint committee. Jim Blake & Tim Shannon subcommittee.

Mario: MATRIX Training Best Practices- Tues Dec 11th - new state CIO will give the opening remarks - Call out to vendors: presentation – software; Call out to agencies: presentation- what they do

Mario: Furnish Arlea with justification for $500- PEF budget item, for PEF to join the NYS Forum (Mario) Finalize and attach the benefits document to the end. ?/with Greg Benson- The NYS Forum chair- who thought that since PEF is ‘non-profit’ it could join for $500 rather than the $4,000 annual fee. Mario Chiarello will ?/with Tom Certrino- justification (set of benefits) which Jim Blake, Mike Blue and Tom Comanzo will review

Meeting Notes-

Discussed the rehiring of retirees ? below the Civil Service radar; as ‘seasonal workers with hourly wages- non-competitive [ie ‘student’ interns], as ‘contractors a. < 30,000, b. as exemptions under CS 211 > $30,000, (it was noted that employee could rescind the retirement for 1 year). Project titles- ‘temporary’. Project assistant/ project director - - - no qualifications identified. It was mentioned that many IT employees have old skill sets- (Colbalt, Legacy) that agency still require and new employees would no possess; thus these retirees are essential to the agency.

2. It was suggested that the IT Committee put the NYS Forum link on its website, and to note, as well, the upcoming Best Practices session (Dec 11, 2007). (Mario)

3. DOH has a new CIO- Tom Donovan from OCFS.

4. The Attorney General’s office has moved contract staff into state items [(1 IT S2 (18) and 2 IT S3 (23)]

5. It was mentioned that the job duties within a title can change. It was also brought up that someone could be given only 4 days of training, then receive an ‘unsatisfactory’ rating in their evaluation. It was also noted that a system administrator is not a programmer.

6. Mario stated that one of the IT committee’s initial goals was to obtain a seat at the table, and asked what we would ask for if we get it? The concise answers were a) a sustainable career path in IT. b) No new skills ? need a training advocate. c) systemic training d) e-training- on state time, off-site.

7. Some comments on some of the training being offered were that it had limited benefits; the wrong courses were being offered/taken, and the old favorite- if you don’t use it you lose it.

8. Planning: The CIO’s answers to the steering committee were mentioned { recruitment and retention]

9. Contract discussion- final agreement would go through Ken to the E-board for approval then to the members for ratification. {It was noted that sick leave is the best benefit we have, as it can be cashed out for health benefit upon retirement}. It was also mentioned that it has been since 1985 when PEF has had a contract with retro increase across all the years. Still at issue_ no sunset of tuition; Article 33- Discipline, article 34- Grievance.

The next meeting will be - Monday, December 17, 2007.

REGION 8 IT COMMITTEE 11-26-07 ATTENDANCE

Al Yasus. Jim Blake, Rich Bojman, Mariruth Brown, Mario Chiarello, Tom Comanzo, Carol Fairbanks, David Kirmayer, Jim Lyons, Scott Mardon