POPAI Board Meeting Minutes for November 12, 2014
Linda opened the conference call meeting at 10:02 (EDT).
Attending:
- Linda Brady, President
- Mignon Ware, Secretary
- Jim Taylor, District 1 Rep
- Steve Keele, District 2 Rep
- Jesse Carlton, District 3 Rep
- Lori White, District 5 Rep
- Joe Hooker, District 6 Rep
- Brian Sharp, District 7 Rep
- Cherie Wood, District 8 Rep
- Eric Zimmerman, Past President
- Troy Hatfield, PO Advisory Board Rep
- Susan Rice, Training Coordinator
Secretary's Report Linda asked everyone if they had an opportunity to review the October Secretary’s Report. Cherie motioned to accept the report. Steve seconded. All were in favor. Motion carried.
Treasurer's Report Linda provided the information for the Treasurer’s Report, which Christine had previously emailed. As of 10/31/14, we had $57,984.74 in checking and $17,030.81 in savings. Jimmy made a motion to accept and Brian seconded. All were in favor and motioned carried. Christine also provided the status of our 2014 Budget. The current budget is in good standing. Linda stated Christine had mentioned having a review committee as we did last year. Linda asked who was on the committee last year and/or who may be interested in doing so. A discussion followed. Steve, Troy, and Christine will serve on the Budget Review Committee and Troy will serve as Chair. Linda asked that the committee have a draft budget sent to the Board a week prior to the January 2015 Board meeting.
Membership Susan is working with Karen on database concerns with membership and invoices. Current goal is for Susan to enter final member information, Karen will create a report showing who owes dues, and then that report can be forwarded to Chief Probation Officers for follow up. Susan and Linda will draft a letter to send out to CPOs regarding updating the database. To follow up from the October 2014 POPAI Board meeting – it was suggested that we should have a map of POPAI membership showing all counties that have at least 1 PO member. Linda reports that every Indiana County has at least one POPAI member represented.
Education Susan confirmed the dates for the 2015 Management Institute are April 16 and 17. The new Chief Probation Officer training will take place at the Indiana Judicial Center office on April 15. The new Probation Officer training will also take place that same week. Linda requests that a save the date be sent out regarding the New Chiefs training. Susan confirms that we will be returning to French Lick for the Fall Conference in 2015 and 2016. The dates for 2015 are September 16, 17, and 18. The dates for 2016 are September 7, 8, and 9.
Chief's Executive Committee No report.
Juvenile Delinquency Alternative Initiative (JDAI) Update Linda said the next statewide meeting is November 14, 2014. Linda stated that there may be value by having the Chief POs and the juvenile officers coming together to learn from those who have been through this process already.
Probation Officer Advisory Board Update
The last PO Orientation was in October and it was well attended. Future orientations will start evolving into an academy concept where new PO training will include in-person trainings as well as online education. The academy will also coincide with changes to the PO exam that are forthcoming. The goals for the new PO exam are to create a test or series of tests that measure competency on skills needed to work as a PO rather than memorizing basic statutes. One recommendation that is being sent by the Probation Committee to the Board of Directors for approval is that the PO exam will only be available to people already employed as a PO.
December 16th is the date for the PO “regional” meeting. This year only one day is being offered and it will be held in the Indianapolis area. The main topic will include dosage probation. Dr. Kim Sperber will be delivering the information.
The PO annual meeting is set for May 6 and 7 in Indianapolis. The agenda will cover two full days and ideas for topics and speakers are being generated now.
The PI/PDR/Modification reports are now online and available in INcite. Any PO who creates these reports must sign a new INcite user agreement and begin using these reports in INcite. An interface has been built with Quest counties so they can continue to do the PI/PDR/Modification reports in Quest and the information will automatically load into INcite.
Information on recertification for the IRAS/IYAS should be out before the end of this year.
The committee working with JTAC on developing an app in INcite for case planning is moving forward. This new function should work in conjunction with the IRAS/IYAS. Concepts and ideas are currently being discussed and development of the app will happen next year.
The Supervision Committee is revising the Safety and Security manual and hope to publish something new mid-year 2015.
IJC is looking for 4-6 jurisdictions to help pilot pretrial services in their counties. They are also looking for counties to continue to pilot the sanctions and incentives project. Finally, IJC is applying for technical assistance for the Evidence Based Decision Initiative. They have five counties willing to take part in their local jurisdictions. After these counties get started in the initiative and progress, they will be looking for additional counties to add to the project over the next few years. **If interested contact Jenny Bauer or Mary Kay Hudson with IJC.
Discussion. Eric asked about the new orientation academy process. He also wanted to know if there has been much talk about how departments are to handle if they have one year invested in an employee and then that person is unable to pass the PO Exam? Troy responded: That there will be a focus on investing time with that person and opportunities available to raise the skills of the employee struggling to pass portions of the exam. But ultimately it is a local decision if the or how long that specific county office will invest time before cutting ties with the employee.
Election
No report.
Awards and Recognition
Jimmy mentioned that the information for the recipient of the 2014 POPAI Probation Officer of the Year award was forwarded onto APPA and is now eligible for next years’ APPA award process.
Legislation
POPAI Legislative goals for 2015. DRAFT: 1) Coordinate Stakeholders for 6 year state budget projections; 2) Survey Probation Departments for needs; 3) Work for state funding for probation/mental health/S.A. treatment; 4) Work with Forensic Diversion/Community Supervision grantees to provide info to legislature for future grant funding; 5) Work for increased JDAI funding; 6) Now that the Final Report of the Corrections and Criminal Code Committee have been published, discuss which recs POPAI will support; 7) Support Rep. Steuerwald Home Detention “fix”; and 8) Continue to work with Barnes and Thornburg Stakeholder Group to seek state funding for local correctional programming.
Technology
Linda provided the Tech Committee report in Ryan’s absence. Discussion on making the members only section of the website open to all members. Jimmy motions to make the members only section of the POPAI website open to all members. Brian seconded. Discussion. All in favor, motion carries.
Linda and Ryan will follow up and post an article on the website regarding the above change.
Lori stated that she would like to see POPAI have a Facebook and LinkedIn page. Discussion. Further discussion will take place with the Technology Committee.
The Technology Committee continues to work toward enhancing the website. The following are some next steps for the committee and Karen:
1. Indiana map of membership color by county.2. Karen to finalize dues owed report for Chief POs.
3. Post Article Reminders: understand the logic in our code and take action to make it accurately send on Mondays
4. Invoices: Look over system and review how it’s going with not generating invoices for Life and Honorary members. Participate in any way to make this system work as intended.
5. Look over Discussion Area and see how it’s going with sending notifications and digests.
6. Page Layout code: the spaces for our article form (Full Article, Date, Author, Resource) are now showing up even though they are blank on regular pages causing more space at the top of each page. Why and how to correct?
7. Job postings form sends in about 2 junk spam every three days that does not have “IN” in the state field, usually it’s blank or New York. Find a way to make any submissions that do not say “IN” not successful along with instruction to contact Karen if they are having trouble getting the form to work.
8. Is there a Poll we can use in the discussion area?
9. Check everything in Internet Explorer browser to make sure it’s still looking ok.
10. Estimate how long it will take to do code edits for the Board Meeting Minutes page that makes the “Attendees” checkbox marked by default so the Secretary only has to “unmark” those that were absent. The company that made this code sent Karen a “how to” article that will help. Evaluate if time spent doing this will be worth it.
Old Business
Linda said there are no updates on the Board Member job descriptions or contracts.
New Business
Linda mentioned that the IJC is forming two new committees that they would like POPAI to send a Rep to serve on. One for pre-trial release pilot projects and the other is Evidence Based Decision Making (EBDM). Linda was contacted by the IJC and placed on both committees. Her plan is to attend the first meeting and determine the time commitment and ask for other POPAI leaders/volunteers to participate (if appropriate).
A Chief PO contacted Cherie Wood (Distr 8 rep) regarding the merger of probation and community corrections and DOC funding probation staff housed at community corrections. Discussion. Cherie will follow up with the CPO. Any further questions can be emailed to Linda Brady.
Old POPAI Board Member binders can be disposed of. Any miscellaneous information can be put in a member’s only section of the website. Most of the information in the binder already exists on the website. Discussion.
Susan said she received an email from Judge Smith from Hendricks County wanting to know what information should be shared about Probation during an upcoming training he will present for new Judges. Troy said he was also contacted by Judge Smith and has started drafting a response.
Next Meeting
The next meeting will be by a conference call, unless otherwise determined, on Wednesday, December 10, 2014 at a time to be determined (EST).
Jimmy motioned to adjourn and Cherie seconded. All were in favor, motion carried.
Meeting adjourned at 11:10 am (EDT)