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ORIENTATION MEETING MINUTESNovember 16, 2011Buena Vista Palace Hotel & Spa, Scotland B Room1900 Buena Vista DriveLake Buena Vista, FL2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.Welcome & Introductions:Chair Gonzalez welcomed everyone to the meeting. IN ATTENDANCE: Cheryl Gonzalez, Chair - (University of North Florida), Alison Jimenez, Co-Chair - (Dynamic Securities Analytics, Inc.), Malik Ali (FMSDC), Dale Coxwell (Coastal Steel, Inc.), Franklin Cross (City of Tampa), Rhett Frisbie (Department of Lottery), Ben Harris (City of Tallahassee), Pamela Hart (Palm Beach County), Christine McMillon (Ensync Diversified Management Services, Inc.), George Owen (Regions Bank), Anne-Marie Richards (Office Deport, Inc.) and Carlos Rodriguez (President of Maverick Constructors, Inc.). Also in attendance were Office of Supplier Diversity (OSD) staff Thad Fortune and Denise Wright, who recorded the minutes. NOT IN ATTENDANCE: Nancy Allen (Women’s Business Development Council of Florida), Digvijay Gaekwad (Hotel Owner-Ocala & Gainesville), Y. Lisa Colon Heron (Smith Currie & Hancock), Al Lawson (Al Lawson & Associates) and Barbara Rhodes Melvin (Wells Fargo Bank).ATTENDANCE VIA CALL-IN: Gloria Pugh (AMWAT Moving & Warehousing).Presenters: Peter Harris (ADG Business & Governmental Consultants) and Matthew Minno (Department of Management Services (DMS), Deputy General Council)Greetings - Charge - OSD Business, Thad Fortune, MBE Administrator, OSD: Mr. Fortune welcomed re-appointed and newly appointed Council members.Mr. Fortune stated OSD’s main charge is to provide economic development opportunities for groups per Statute that now includes service-disabled veterans. A new consideration for the upcoming legislative session starting January will be wartime veterans. This Bill was introduced last year and did not make it to the floor. If it passes this session, it will add another dimension of certification through OSD. Mr. Fortune noted that there is no concrete definition for “wartime veterans,” which could be a challenge. In working with the National Veterans Association as well as our state group, we are hoping to develop by Rule a definition of wartime veterans. Mr. Fortune extended greetings to the Council on behalf of DMS Secretary Jack Miles. It is his expectations that the Council will assist DMS in developing ways we can increase economic development of minority groups, service-disabled veterans and possibly wartime veterans as a part of the mainstream vendor process for the State of Florida. He also said the Council needs to develop recommendations to present to the DMS Secretary as well as the Governor.Mr. Fortune stated OSD has a great deal of workshops scheduled for the Conference that will be beneficial not only to small and minority businesses but to everyone in attendance. He said the Healthcare workshop will be presented in the morning and afternoon on Thursday and we have an excellent panel with the help of Ms. Gonzalez from throughout the State. Thursday evening, we will have a networking reception partially sponsored by the Florida Association of Minority Business Enterprise Officials (FAMBEO), which is celebrating 25 years of service.INTRODUCTORY ROUNDTABLE:All present and on the call introduced themselves and the Council members stated what their desired outcome as a Council member.COUNCIL STRUCTURE, POLICIES, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:Ms. Jimenez gave an overview of the Council’s structure, policies, roles and responsibilities for new members and a little history for the reappointed members.Ms. Jimenez passed out copies of relevant 2011 Florida Statutes. Chapter 287 states how the Council was created, who comprises it and its purpose/duties. Chapter 187 outlines the Florida’s Comprehensive Plan. Her package included an organizational chart and she mentioned that the last couple of years the Legislature has been thinking about moving OSD.The Statute covers the powers and duties of the Council, which includes researching and reviewing the role of small and minority businesses in the state; reviewing issues and emerging topics relating to small and minority business economic development; studying the ability of financial markets and institutions to meet small business credit needs and determining the impact of government demands on credit for small businesses; assessing the implementation of s. 187.201 (21), requiring a state economic development comprehensive plan, as it relates to small and minority businesses; assessing the effectiveness of efforts by any state agency or by all state agencies collectively to assist minority business enterprises; and advising the Governor, the secretary, and the Legislature on matters relating to small and minority business development which are of importance to the international strategic planning and activities of this state.The current committees within the Council are: the Annual Report Committee - the Council shall present an annual report to the DMS Secretary on or before January 1st of each year. Ms. Gonzalez added that this year’s annual report shows a spending increase overall statewide, and a decline in spending overall with certified businesses. Other committees are the Strategic Planning Committee and the Supplier Diversity Assessment Committee. Ms. Jimenez stated one of the responsibilities of members is attendance .If we do not have a quorum (51% of members) we cannot vote on anything. BUSINESS AND POLITICAL CLIMATE: Peter Harris, ADG Business and Governmental ConsultantsMr. Harris stated business climate wise, most of the small minority businesses are struggling. He said they are creating a lot of jobs, but they face two problems directly, which is access to capital and access to the market place. As far as access to capital, there have been a lot of procurement efforts and private sector efforts to create contracting opportunities. As far as access to the market place has become increasingly important because a lot of you might differ on whether the government can do anything to create actual jobs.Mr. Harris stated the Council has a unique role to play because there is no organization organized on the state level that can articulate the needs, nor the concerns of what small minority business needs are.Mr. Harris stated the Council should pay very serious attention to their charge and roles. He said he was very impressed as he listened to each member talk about why they were on the Advisory Council. Mr. Harris reviewed elements of Senate Bill 2156 and the new Department of Economic Opportunity and Enterprise Florida’s (EFI) role in its implementation. Mr. Harris stated he is looking forward to working with the Council because statutorily his new client, EFI, is charged with developing and implementing state policies for Florida’s small businesses. He has been retained to stand up a new division mandated by the new law and develop credible partnerships. SUNSHINE AND DISCLOSURE: Matthew Minno, DMS Deputy General Counsel Mr. Minno stated called Council members’ attention to a handout concerning government and the Sunshine Law. He said the group can schedule a meeting with him through Mr. Fortune or Ms. Wright and he would be glad to address the Council because it is always important to review these items. Mr. Minno stated there are two areas of the Sunshine Law that impacts those serving on the Council. One is in regards to an open meeting and all meetings must be open to the public. He said you are now a member of what’s called a “collegial body.” If you call each other or any other form of communication that is called a public meeting. Also, if you have something to e-mail another member, it should be forwarded to Mr. Fortune or Ms. Wright of OSD, and they will forward the e-mail accordingly. An e-mail communication between members of the Council would have the potential to be a sunshine violation if it is a discussion about a matter, which is going to come before the Council. The second area is public records, which is anything that you generate or share. If you keep your own personal notes, that is not considered a public record. The way something becomes a public record is that it is shared with other members of the group and it then needs to be produced. NEXT STEPS:Ms. Gonzalez stated that currently the Council is meeting the first Wednesday of every month at 2:00 p.m. She stated the Council will meet next month and at that time will decide whether they want to continue meeting the first Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. via conference call or some other day and time. Ms. Gonzalez stated that the Council expects an additional appointment to the Council and reminded Council members to please review all information provided at the orientation session.Mr. Fortune stated normally there would be a Chair/Vice Chair election at this meeting, but because there was such a new dynamics of this Council, DMS Secretary is delaying this election to give the new Council time to work together as a group and it will be notified at a later date when this election will occur. Next Scheduled Meeting: Wednesday, December 7, 2011, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. ................
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