Business Meeting Minutes
January 21, 2007

Association President Lisa Harris called the meeting to order at 1:06 pm.

Patsy Anderson led the roll call and declared a quorum – 45 of the 58 Centers were present: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana by proxy held by Wyoming, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming LTAPs, and Alaska TTAP, Michigan TTAP, North Dakota TTAP by proxy held by Michigan TTAP, Northwest TTAP, and Oklahoma TTAP.

Absent: Alaska, Arkansas, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, California/Nevada TTAP, and Colorado TTAP.

Opening remarks were delivered by Rick Capka, FHWA Administrator, and Joe Toole, Associate Administrator for Professional and Corporate Development. Both affirmed the importance of partnership and strategic thinking, and expressed appreciation for NLTAPA's role in maintaining and building the LTAP program.

Comments from the FHWA Office of Safety were delivered by Jeff Lindley. He asked for feedback from the LTAP Centers on Office of Safety programs.

Comments from the FHWA Office of Professional and Corporate Development were delivered by Clark Martin. He reported that the new FHWA LTAP Clearinghouse at ARTBA is working on new initiatives to upgrade the Clearinghouse's website performance and products; FHWA is working to bring new opportunities to LTAP/TTAP, including a funding opportunity from Highways for Life; FHWA is committed to working with and supporting the efforts of NLTAPA and its workgroups.

An opportunity relating to geospatial planning and design was announced by Charlie Goodspeed, NH-LTAP.

NLTAPA Partner Reports

NACE – Tony Giancola thanked LTAP for working with NACE, particularly at the 2006 NACE conference in Michigan. He announced that upcoming NACE national conferences are to be held in Milwaukee in 2007; Portland, Oregon in 2008; Peoria, Illinois in 2009; and Fort Worth in 2010. He stated that NACE supports increased funding for LTAP/TTAP.

APWA – Peter King thanked Lisa Harris, Marie Walsh, and Dan Cady for their work over the past year, and provided a quick summary of APWA goals and activities. He also reviewed the upcoming APWA Education Summit.

Salt Institute – Dick Hanneman discussed their focus on products the LTAP community can use, including a snow-fighters certification using a non-linear PowerPoint presentation. Hanneman submitted a few proposals to FHWA and NLTAPA, and he is waiting for response.

AASHTO – Doyt Bolling congratulated Cheri Marti for her presentation about LTAP to AASHTO's Standing Committee on Highways at the 2006 AASHTO national meeting in October. Doyt mentioned that the TIG committees are a good opportunity for LTAP/TTAP Center participation.

Break

Lisa Pogue was thanked for her service to the LTAP Program and was presented a plaque by Patsy Anderson and Lisa Harris, signed by Joe Toole and Lisa Harris on behalf of OPCD and NLTAPA, and a gift on behalf of NLTAPA.

The 2007 LTAP Conference was discussed by Patsy Anderson. She thanked OPDC for their support that will lower the registration fee from $350 to $300. The draft agenda is complete and was circulated. On-line registration will be available by April 1st. Clark Martin thanked Kevin Burke of IL-LTAP as the on-site coordinator in Chicago. Patsy mentioned that a goal this year is to capture information on how the conference is run so that conference organization will be easier and more effective in the future.

An NLTAPA update was given by Lisa Harris. A Center training and resources needs assessment will take place this spring, along with an evaluation of the Association by the members. NLTAPA is looking to deepen its relationship with AASHTO. At its fall meeting, the EC undertook a SWOT (strengths/weaknesses/opportunities/threats) analysis and developed short and long term goals from that process. The EC also examined the Association's work with outside entities and what might be reasonably accomplished with these entities. There are two new workgroup chairs: Janet Leli, NJ-LTAP, for Internal Communications and Jim Grothaus, MN-LTAP, for Professional Development. Harris mentioned the changes in LTAP this past year (LTAP Manager and Affiliates Team Leader are new, Clearinghouse has a new contractor, several changes on the EC) and how that provides opportunities and challenges in moving the Program forward.

International requests for LTAP expertise were described by Lisa Harris and Clark Martin. Members were given a handout of international opportunities available to LTAP Centers, ranging from participating in a teleconference to providing on-site expertise. Harris asked Centers who were interested in pursuing any of these activities to contact her.

A vote on joining TCCC's pooled fund was postponed for further discussion by the Training Products Needs and Resource Development workgroup. Martin mentioned that he had recently been told by Chris Newman of TCCC that the TCCC does not so much need our funding as our expertise and time.

The ad hoc group on the NLTAPA governing structure recommended the proposal to change LTAP regions be dropped for now and that it was important now to be sure the members and the Executive Committee both agree on the operating structure that was affirmed by the members at the 2005 National LTAP Conference. That structure set up the six work groups. The ad hoc committee recommended that the organizational structure be codified in the bylaws before the Association considers changing the governing structure beyond the changes in the office elections approved last summer. John McCarthy, AL-LTAP, moved and David Frey, NW-TTAP, seconded that the Association rewrite Articles I and II of the Constitution and conduct a vote on them by email; the motion passed unanimously.

Consent Agenda

Minutes from the Summer 2006 LTAP Conference in St. Petersburg, FL

January 15, 2007 Treasurer's report from Duane Smith

Updated NLTAPA work plans (except Professional Development and Training Products and Resources)

Dan Cady, NE-LTAP, moved and Bruce Drewes, ID-LTAP, seconded that the consent agenda be approved; the motion passed unanimously.

A proposal to create a nominating committee was presented by Patsy Anderson, KY-LTAP, who distributed a draft proposal and discussed its background and rationale. There was some discussion about whether this committee could officially be created without a bylaws change. Richard Rolland, NW-TTAP, moved and Laura Whayne, KY-LTAP, seconded that the guidelines be approved as submitted. John McCarthy, AL-LTAP, noted that the president currently has the power to appoint members of a committee. The original motion was withdrawn. Harris will appoint the committee members and Association members will be asked to add the nominating committee to the bylaws at a later date. The committee will follow the guidelines as drafted by Anderson.

Lisa Harris presented the association's operating budget, indicating that travel expenses will increase on behalf of partnering efforts with AASHTO and others, and that the Association is slowly spending down its reserve. Bruce Drewes, ID-LTAP, moved and Khaled Ksaibati, WY-LTAP, seconded that the association budget be approved as written; the motion passed unanimously.

Other Business

Ben Collucci said that the PR-LTAP Center is interested in hosting the Pan-American Institute of Highways but cannot currently do so because legal issues; changes to the PIH bylaws may allow them to host PIH in the future.

Bruce Drewes, ID-LTAP, mentioned that CDs from the Mendocino County showcase were in the Center packets on the handout-table.

Ben Gribbon, FHWA Office of Safety, said that the new Safety Training Database will go live on Monday, January 22, 2007.

Dan Cady, NE-LTAP, reminded members that they are APWA members so they have access to the training resources on APWA's website.

Costas Papacostas, HI-LTAP, mentioned that AASHTO has regional organizations that Centers can link to for further partnership opportunities.

Clark Martin stated that $50,000 per Center has been released to Centers in the latest continuing resolution.

Interactive Discussions

Lisa Harris asked whether members would be willing to meet on Saturday at TRB to provide more opportunities for smaller-group discussion. A show of hands favored the idea by a slight majority. Harris will ask the Centers about this again by email, to get a better understanding about why some Centers were not in favor of this proposed change.

Lisa Harris adjourned the meeting at 5:16 pm.

Members then broke out into two groups discussing: How Centers are tapping into HRRR, SRTS, and SHSP funds; and ATSSA work zone safety grant and implications for LTAP/TTAP. The TTAPs also met at this time. Notes from these discussions will be shared with members by email.