VERDUGO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD
FULL BOARD MEETING MINUTES
9/26/2023
9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
VWDB Full Board Minutes 9/26/2023 Page 1 of 2
MEMBERS PRESENT: Luiza Balyan, Jose Barba, Vicki Brannock, Onnig Bulanikian, Marisol Espinoza, Nick Hacopian, Mary
Hamzoian, Iskra Martinez, Steve Kaplan, Debbie Kukta,
Pamela Marcello, Stephanie O’Keefe, Veronica Romero,
Teresa Sánchez, Soua Vang, Terry Walker
MEMBERS ABSENT: Ara Aslanian, Greg Astorian, Alexis Carter, Lee Casady, Michael Ritterbrown, Julio Ruiz
COMMUNITY &
OTHER AGENCY
REPRESENTATIVES:
STAFF PRESENT: Judith Velasco, Leona Balalians, Diana Montecino, MaryAnn Pranke, Melissa Younesian
CALL TO ORDER: 9:01 am by Vice Chair Marisol Espinoza
I. Introductions
A. Vice Chair Marisol Espinoza welcomed the board and thanked them for joining the special meeting, which was being held to vote on the consent items.
II. Minutes of June 28, 2023 and August 30, 2023
A. Minutes presented and reviewed. MOTION: Pamela Marcello 2 nd: Iskra Martinez Action: APPROVED
III. Action Items
A.Approval to accept an additional $1,408,000 of State Apprenticeship Expansion, Equity, and Innovation Grant funds, to continue the implementation of the Expansion of Early Care & Education Registered Apprenticeship Program for a total grant amount of $2,000,000 to provide services from May 1, 2023 to June 30, 2025 B.Approval of contract amendment with Early Care & Education Pathways to Success, a project of The Tides Center, to add funding in an amount not to exceed $1,267,200 in State Apprenticeship Expansion, Equity and Innovation Grant funds, for a total contract amount of $1,800,000 for their continued implementation of the statewide early childhood education apprenticeships from May 1 2023 to June 30, 2025 C.Approval of contract amendment with Biocom Institute California to add $7,000 for a total contract amount not to exceed $102,625 to administer conference expenses for BioTC Collaborative members to present the digital industry credential at workforce development and education conferences from November 1, 2022 to March 31, 2024 D.Approval to designate Glendale Youth Alliance as the board’s Youth Provider and to enter into contract with Glendale Youth Alliance for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 in an amount not to exceed $607,330 in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funding for Youth Services
E.Approval to accept funds from the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Development for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 in the amount of $530,700 for the Youth@Work program and to enter into contract with Glendale Youth Alliance, in an amount not to
VERDUGO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD
FULL BOARD MEETING MINUTES
9/26/2023
9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
VWDB Full Board Minutes 9/26/2023 Page 2 of 2
exceed $482,937 for the Youth@Work program
F.Approval of Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Slate of Officers for the Verdugo Workforce Development Board
G.Approval of the Verdugo Workforce Development Board’s Budget for Fiscal Year 2023- 2024
H.Approval to accept an additional $5,494 in California Workforce Development Board funds for a total amount of $117,691 to implement the State Prison to Employment program and assist justice involved individuals in entering or reentering the workforce I.Approval to award funds in the amount not to exceed $24,500 in California Adult Education Program funding to the Foundation for California Community Colleges to provide Work Experience payroll services
J.Approval to enter into contract with Biocom Institute California for the contract period of November 1, 2023 through October 31, 2025 in an amount not to exceed $186,579 in Regional Equity and Recovery Partnership Grant funds to provide work experience and stipends or incentives as required by the grant to eligible participants in Biotechnology or Biomanufacturing career pathway
MOTION FOR CONSENT ITEM A-J: Motion: Debbie Kukta 2nd: Soua Vang Abstained for items C and J: Vicki Brannock
IV. Other Business and Announcements
A. Steve Kaplan shared that in the late evening hours of Sunday, September 24, 2023, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television and Writers Guild of America (WGA) reached a tentative agreement after an approximate 170-day writer’s strike protesting contract negotiations. The terms have not been released yet; however, relative posts on social media have indicated that this agreement is one of the most significant and substantial agreements drafted since the last writer’s strike, which took place in 2008. Some of the concerns that were brought to light with this strike were that of a financial nature due to recent cutbacks of writers’ rooms and the fear of these jobs being replaced by Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology utilized by the industry.
During the Sunday evening negotiations, there were apparently very significant gains achieved in almost all aspects of the terms that were being negotiated.
B. The next scheduled Full Board meeting is for Wednesday, November 1 st.
C. Board members interested in attending the Burbank Chamber of Commerce’s State of the City or the Glendale Youth Alliance’s 30th Anniversary Luncheon can email Diana Montecino.
V. Public Comments: None
VI. Adjournment: 9:11 am