Tuesday, February 5, 2019
Member Only Board of Directors Meeting-Executive Committee
Norton Regional Event Center
1601 E. Third St., Suite 138
San Bernardino, CA 92408
Minutes
Committee Members Present: Deborah Barmack, Carole Beswick, Ken Coate, Kevin Dyerly, Louis Goodwin, Mark Kaenel, Lowell King, Dan Murphy, Dan Roberts, Paul Shimoff, Kristine Scott and Hassan Webb.
Board Member: Keven Porter
Announcements: 1) The annual Advocacy trip to Sacramento will be Tuesday, April 23, 2019 with the option of arriving on Monday, April 22, 2019. 2) Senator Roth has introduced SB 16 that will add 6 new judges statewide to be allocated based on workload need. A letter of support will be sent as this bill aligns with Inland Actions previously approved and ongoing platform.
M/S/P: Minutes from October 30, 2018
Kristine Scott, Past Chair presiding.
An update on Members and Alternates (titles, business addresses, phone numbers etc.) will be requested as staff has been made aware of out of date information on the web site and roster.
The adoption of Inland Action 2019 Federal Legislative Priorities on Tuesday, January 29, 2019 was somewhat general in nature. Staff has, based on the conversations at the meeting and on our past priority issues, compiled priorities for review.
- Support the appointment of qualified candidates to fill existing judicial vacancies in the Central District of California, especially in the Eastern Division of that Court, serving the Inland Area.
- Rational: Judicial vacancies in the Eastern Division of the Central District of California was the Top Priority in the 2018 platform. Today there is even one less judge in the court than 2018. Inequity and added expense to Inland litigants continues to occur on a daily basis for those seeking court services, where last year 66% of Inland cases filed were reassigned to Los Angeles or Santa Ana.
- Education for Inland residents (K-12, college, and adult job training) is of critical importance. Continued federal support, including Pell Grants, to provide equitable access to education and to produce a skilled workforce is vital to the Inland Region, which suffers from one of the lowest baccalaureate degree attainment rates and one of the highest poverty rates. Additionally, protecting and enhancing Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funding will train at risk adult populations and support the private sector need for a trained workforce.
- Rational: This combines the priorities of Economic Development and Education Committees into educating our population, as discussed last week. Support for continued Pell Grants and workforce initiatives have been on the Federal Platform every year since at least 2014, most likely longer.
- Support H.R. 376 (Cook) and 2019 California Desert Protection Act (Feinstein) to provide for conservation, enhanced recreation opportunities, and development of renewable energy in the California Desert Conservation Area.
- Rational: These two bills have been on the Inland Action platform in 2016, 2017, and 2018. Last year they came close to passage. These bills represent years of negotiation between varied interests in California desert land use and will establish agreed upon standards for off highway recreation, preservation, and energy usage of the delicate desert environment.
- Encourage the development of a strategy and coalition with other regions in the country toavoid the loss of transportation funding from EPA proposals to adopt more stringent standards for ground-level ozone and encourage an enhanced federal role in reducing emissions from interstate and international goods movement vessels.
- Rational: This issue was on the Inland Action top priority list in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. The deadlines for reaching attainment are growing ever closer and the Federal government must develop a national strategy for reducing emission from interstate and international activities under their purview.
Examination and discussion of the issues ensued.
M/S/P: The top priorities are adopted as recommended above.
The group reviewed and revised the “wish” list of appointments for advocacy in Washington, D.C. Members were asked to leverage relationships to assist obtaining requested appointments with committee staff, lobbyists, key legislative staff, legislators and the administration.
Future Speakers: Potential speakers were discussed, and suggestions were offered.
Web Site: Staff requested suggestions from members in the next two weeks on what they would like to see or have access to on the web site. Please e-mail Carole Beswick with suggestions or critique regarding the web site.
Member development: The list of members and their assigned mentors was reviewed. It was agreed that the mentor program is of value and will continue. Potential new members were discussed.
Member dues in arrears were discussed. Personal contact will be made.
Kristine Scott, newly elected Rancho Cucamonga City Council member, recused herself so the members could vote on her continued membership. Per the by-laws at least 2/3rds of the Executive Committee must approve a representative that serves as an elected official.
M/S/P: Approval of continued Inland Action membership will be extended to Kristine Scott
Meeting Adjourned 8:40 a.m.