National LTAP Association Executive Committee Meeting Minutes
February 11, 2008 Conference Call
11:00 AM Eastern

Consent Items
Marie Walsh

Discussion:

• Approve this agenda
• Approve November Conference Call Minutes
• Approve December Fall EC Meeting (D.C.) Minutes
• Status Report on 2008 Business Meeting Minutes
• Status Report on 2008 TRB EC Meeting Minutes
• Status of posting minutes on Web site (last posted is August)

Moved by Lisa and seconded by Kevin that the EC approve this agenda. Approved without opposition.

Moved by Larry and seconded by Lisa H. that the EC accept the November minutes. Approved without opposition. Moved by Larry, but not second that EC accept the December minutes. Several board members stated the December minutes needed additional work and Larry suggested they be approved by email. Marie asked that all changes and comments be forwarded to Larry on the December minutes by Friday, 15 February 2008 and once corrections were made, Larry would forward them to the EC for approval via email.

Larry has been working on minutes from TRB, both the Business meeting and the EC meetings, and expects to have them emailed to the EC by Friday, 15 February 2008.

1.0 Relationships and Reauthorization

1.1 External Communications
Donna Shea

Discussion:

• Workplan Update (Attached)
• National Transportation Week
  • Actions to take
• Upcoming meetings in DC (Marie)
  • HSPV, NGHSA, AAA, APWA

Donna reported that she is working with Denise on the Public Roads (PR) article celebrating the 25th anniversary of LTAP and that PR has promised 8 pages in the November/December issue. She asked that centers send "good" photos, as there will be 10-12 pictures in the article. PR established a deadline of 5 months prior to production to submit the completed copy and pictures, which would put submission at June 1. Denise has suggested using a contract writer that she has working on another project and Donna has agreed.

Donna asked that EC member-centers send any additional success stories, so she can complete the DOT briefing sheets for Marie to take to her Washington meetings (see next item under 1.1). Jim and Marie both agreed to send success stories.

Donna said the plan for National Transportation Week (NTW) was to remind Centers of the dates and send posters and example proclamations that can be distributed to local agencies. Once the NTW Web site is up, Centers and local agencies can post events to the NTW site (be sure to identify the event as connected to LTAP) and look at the other events going on around the country. Marie noted that Joe Toole had asked NLTAPA to raise the level of awareness of this event among its Centers and customers.

Marie informed the EC that she would be traveling to D.C. for several meetings related to reauthorization and safety. She would be meeting with the GHSA Executive Director, Barbara Harsha and providing her with copies of the LTAP and DOT briefing sheets. On Wednesday, she has a full day, with breakfast with Peter Kissinger, President of AAA Traffic Safety Foundation, followed by the HSVP group meeting and ending the day with a meeting with Peter King at APWA. The new LTAP briefing sheets prepared by the External Communication Work Group will be provided. The Highway Safety Partners Venture group will focus on reauthorization and evaluating safety programs with the development of state safety scorecards that can that can be used to help gauge their progress in reducing crashes, fatalities and injuries.

Marie thanked Donna and her committee, as well as the LTAP Clearinghouse, for their hard and timely work in generating the LTAP and DOT briefing sheets that she would be distributing on this trip.

1.2 Partnership
Jim Grothaus

Discussion:

• CUTC meeting in San Antonio in June - Panel Representative
• LTAP representation at APWA Transportation Committee meeting in March

Jim noted that LTAP had been invited by Rod Diridon, CUTC President, to send a representative or 2 to a panel discussion about transportation issues to be held at the CUTC Annual Meeting in San Jose, CA in June, 2008. The panel will last about 1.5 hours and concentrate on workforce development and technology transfer. Jim suggested we send someone from 2 centers, 1 with a CUTC counterpart. Bob Johns from the MN Research Center will be in attendance and he could discuss their relationship with LTAP and we could showcase what LTAP has to offer. Laura Melendy said she would be going anyway and would be happy to represent LTAP. FHWA will help with the travel expenses. A conference call to map out a game plan and then get back to Rod Diridon was suggested.

John Haberman, IL LTAP, was originally scheduled to attend the APWA Transportation committee meeting (following the invitation from Larry Frevert, APWA President for LTAP to participate in the Transportation Committee). John was concerned about the level of guidance he has received and his role with the committee and has asked that his participation be reviewed and that he possibly be replaced. Jim suggested John might be a better fit for the Engineering and Technology Transfer committee. He also noted that we would need FHWA to fund the travel to this meeting. Clark said as long as it was related to the LTAP program, transportation and workforce development, they could fund the travel with no problem. Clark also stated that he was unsure about how the Transportation committee will interface with LTAP, although in some conversations with Larry Frevert and the Transportation committee chair he noted that ideas flowed through the Transportation Committee to the Education and Engineering and Technology Committees. Clark noted that while the EC might need to clarify LTAP's role on the committee, perhaps John could simply go and gather information to see how LTAP and he fit in. Denise will be attending the entire meeting.

Mike asked what transportation issues should APWA be concerned about; how the committee passes on training needs, and whether this would be an opportunity to influence the APWA Education Committee. Jim said he would follow up with John this week and would schedule a conference call with Larry, John, Marie and Denise to discuss attendance at this committee meeting and LTAP's role. After the discussion with John and the conference call Jim and Marie would recommend a strategy for moving forward on this issue for the EC to consider.

1.3 TRB Meeting Roundup
Marie Walsh

Discussion:

• Evaluations and Negative comments from TRB
• Saturday meetings
  • Do we send survey
  • EC opinion on Saturday meeting
• Possible events for next year

Marie noted that the overall, the evaluations of the TRB meetings and activities were positive. The personal comments about speakers were eliminated from the final evaluation report. The majority of attendees who completed an evaluation liked the Saturday sessions, but the minority that did not like it was very vocal about their dislike. Marie plans to send a short questionnaire to each center asking about the Saturday session and what changes could be made to get greater attendance at TRB.

1.4 Spring EC Meeting with NACE at NACE Conference
Marie Walsh

Discussion:

• Arrival date
• Departure date
• Proposed agenda

Marie stated that the plan was to arrive Saturday and have a meeting with the NACE Executive Committee on Sunday morning. The NACE Board meets on Sunday afternoon and some of the NLTAPA EC (probably the 3 officers) will participate in that meeting. The NLTAPA Work Groups will have a working session during this time. The NLTAPA EC will meet again on Monday before and after the NACE opening session in the morning. Please send recommended agenda items to Marie. Marie asked who planned to stay for the entire NACE conference and the following responded: Marie, George, Lisa, Laura, Jim, Denise, Alison (CH Booth). Laura said she would not be in until Sunday morning, but expected to be there in time for the meeting with the NACE Board.

1.5 Fall EC Meeting
Kevin Burke

Discussion:

• Location
• Dates

Kevin stated he would like to schedule the Fall EC meeting for late September in D.C. at the FHWA headquarters. Clark said the HQ staff would be available for that time period. Kevin noted that having the meeting in the current Federal fiscal year rather than after the start of the new year in October eliminated any funding and travel arrangement difficulties. He asked each EC member to check their calendar for availability and send him dates as soon as possible. Jim suggested the EC try www.meetingwizard.com for scheduling meetings. Kevin asked that each EC member get him the dates so he could schedule the meeting not later than the end of February.

1.6 FHWA Update
Denise Saunders

Discussion:

• Funding
• TTAP
• OMB Process for Surveys

Clark stated that they planned to release the entire year's funding all at one time and are working the process and expect the funds to be released in the next 2-3 weeks. Clark informed the EC that the TTAP had conducted a separate needs assessment survey since many of their needs are unique and different from the topics identified in the TPR work group's survey. He asked that where needs and resources overlap between LTAP and TTAP, that the LTAPs help the TTAPs.

2.0 Center Needs/Training Products and Resources

2.1 LTAP Clearinghouse Activities
Alison Black

Discussion:

• Next CHSC Meeting
• On-line PAR
• Training Resources Database Population
• Instructor Database Population

The CH is working to schedule the next Clearinghouse Steering Committee meeting. Passwords have been distributed to the Centers for access to the Center only area of the website. Alison will lead a webinar orientation to the online PAR on Wednesday, 13 February 2008 using the FHWA Seminar Room.

Marie asked Alison about topics that should be addressed at the regional meetings. Alison said she would make a list of topics and submit it to Janet Leli.

Alison also noted they are working on the Virtual LTAP 101 and helping the Training Products and Resources Work Group (TPR) with the NACE survey.

2.2 Training Products and Resources(TPR) Workgroup
George Huntington

Discussion: George noted that TPR had distributed the report on the final results of the needs assessment (NA) to the EC prior to the meeting. He expressed his concern that the next step as he and Ed saw it would require a significant commitment of labor. That step would be to assemble materials from various centers on the top 5-7 topics, along with experts on the topic and produce a complete set of recommended course materials. Several mechanisms for accomplishing this task were suggested, but the project raises more questions than answers.

How does this fit our program?
Does it have to be the same group for each course?
How would we fund such an effort?

Marie suggested that 1 topic be done to develop a process that could be used for the other topics and asked if it was possible to schedule such a session at the July conference. Denise suggested a conference call with Marie, George, Ed, herself and Alison. It was decided to plan a conference call for early March when everyone's schedule would permit.

George moved and Larry seconded that the Needs Assessment Final Results Report dated 4 February 2008 be distributed to the centers in its current version. Passed with no opposition.

The TCCC has funding available for course development and Ed, Doyt Bolling and George are coordinating with Chris Newman to secure/discuss option for funds for the course development effort.

George stated they are working with the CH and NACE to distribute a version of the NA instrument to NACE. He said he didn't think many changes needed to be made and he expected it to be distributed to NACE members after the April conference.

Clark thanked everyone involved in this effort for their hard work and results and encouraged the group to keep pushing on to the next stage. He assured them resources where available from FHWA to support this project. Marie asked George to pass on an Attaboy to the workgroup members.

Internal Communications
Janet Leli

Discussion:

• NLTAPA Website
• Annual report to be distributed at Summer Meeting(Marie)
  • Input from Regions collected at regional meetings
  • Input from our partners
  • Input from each workgroup

Janet submitted a detailed progress report showing the status of each project in her workplan (attached). [Marie would like the EC to consider that format and perhaps have all workgroups report their status in that format - topic for discussion at the 10 March conference call.]

Considerable discussion ensued about the state of the NLTAPA website and the mechanism for getting information such as minutes of past EC activities posted as well as updating other parts of the website such as the workplans, which are still the ones from 2006. The stumbling block is the requirement for the CH to produce 508 compliant webpages, which entails a considerable amount of work. Marie suggested a conference call with Denise, Janet, Alison, Larry and her to figure out what NLTAPA can do in the short term to solve the problem.

Janet noted that her region would be holding the first regional meeting and were in the process of developing an agenda now, which would be very difficult to change if additions and recommendations are not made within the next week to 10 days.

Mike stated that one topic of discussion at regional conferences should be the need for additional involvement in NLTAPA, its workgroups and priorities. He observed that NLTAPA has a very aggressive program, but will only be able to advanced if a larger number of centers are engaged.

Clark raised the issue of how to encourage all Centers to attend national and regional meetings. Clark said it was important that there be good open discussion and information at the regional meetings rather than fixed, inflexible agendas. He also was concerned that they were not getting the level of participation at the regional meetings (and national meetings) that they would like. Larry suggested that participation in the regional meetings be a component of a Center's workplan and required to receive federal funds. Kevin observed that the primary problem arose with Centers housed in DOTs that severely restricted or forbid out of state travel and it would be helpful to have such a provision for attendance in writing. Clark said they did not want to "force" people to attend by threatening to cut off their funds, but that they would put the requirement in the contracts (or in some way "encourage" participation) with state DOTs and include a statement to that effect to the FHWA divisions, with memos to the Center directors.

Marie asked everyone to email Janet with suggested national topics for regional meetings by the end of the week. She also asked if any other regions have started on their agendas.

2.4 Professional Development
Laura Melendy

Discussion:

• Status report
• Opportunities at regional meetings

Laura said the PD workgroup has only one member; however she expects to be bringing 2 new members on board shortly. She has been working with Cameron on the follow-up to the New Director's Forum session at TRB which received such positive feedback, and she has drafted an orientation agenda which FHWA can use when they go for visits to new directors. Denise committed to putting the new director orientation on the fast track. Alison also said she would integrate what was learned into LTAP 101 and 201. Marie said she would use the ND Orientation when she goes to visit Jill Brewer in MS next week and provide feedback on how it worked. Laura informed the EC that she would begin working on the achievement award as soon as she had her committee members aboard.

LTAP/NLTAPA's Focus on Road Safety

3.1 Establish a Group to Guide the NLTAPA Safety Program
Marie Walsh

Discussion:

• Type of Group
  • Workgroup
  • Committiee
  • Other
• Bylaw definitions
• What do we think this group should focus on

Marie wants to get this group up and running and put them to work. Bruce Drewes, ID LTAP has agreed to chair the group and has asked that they be formally recognized as a committee and that the EC/President provide a charge to the committee. Marie envisions this initial group as the core group which will expand as they branch out into specific areas of safety, creating sub-groups. Rudy Umbs from the FHWA Resource Center has asked to participate and he will be a good addition to ensure coordination between the AASHTO Safety Subcommittee and their activities and NLTAPA. Marie said she was not sure about the difference in NLTAPA between Standing, Special committees and workgroups, but wanted to see the group get on its feet and get a few things done before giving it official standing. Lisa H agreed that it was too soon to make them a committee. George noted that Bruce wanted the group to continue on in the future, which was not the fate of the last safety group in NLTAPA.

3.2 Safety Toolbox Effort
Marie Walsh

Discussion:

• Ongoing resource collection effort
• Need for support to complete
• Host site for electronic resources
• Coordination with AASHTO Safety Subcommittee

Kathy Deroches is assembling safety resources, trying to be a central collection point for all things safety. Kathy has asked if the resources could be hosted by the CH. Clark said we should be able to put it up on the CH website, but if we do, it must be 508 compliant. Denise suggested that we plan for the best case scenario and take a case by case approach to compliance since safety is so central to the LTAP mission. Marie informed the EC that she would add this to the agenda for the next conference call and asked the EC members to think about the Safety Toolbox concept, but from a broader perspective encompassing the whole Local Roads Safety Program.

4.0 NLTAPA Business and Administration

4.1 NLTAPA Association Secretary
Marie Walsh

Discussion:

• See consent items

4.2 NLTAPA Treasurer Transition
Bernie Alkire

Discussion:

• Quarterly Financial Report
• Plan for disposition of funds from previous treasurer

Bernie was unable to log onto the call because the agenda containing the logon information was sent to him in the wrong format.

4.3 NLTAPA 2008 Conference
Kevin Burke

Discussion:

• Sponsorships
• Budget
• Conference Agenda posted on Website

Kevin reported sponsorship invitation letters went out 2 weeks ago and he was asking EC members to contact anyone they thought might be interested in sponsorship and give them his contact information. He will send the sponsorship letter to EC members by the end of the week.

The budget for the 08 conference is based on the 07 conference and Kevin will forward the .PDF version to the EC by the end of this week. There are still some outstanding issues with the 07 budget including a sponsor who has not paid and some bills still outstanding. It still looks like the surplus will be about $20,000.00, which Kevin recommends be split into 2 10,000.00 accounts-- an operating account for deposits and start-up expenses, and an emergency reserve in case a conference does not achieve the attendance necessary to cover expenses.

Registration fee for 2008 will be $300.00.

The Colorado LTAP is putting up the conference information on their website (Conference agenda, registration form and other information). There is a conference call with the conference committee scheduled for Tuesday, 19 February where they will discuss the website as well as other issues about the conference. Kevin will email the EC an update by the end of the week. Need to get the registration form on the Web site ASAP.

4.4 Nominating Committee
Marie Walsh

Discussion: Working on it - will have progress by teh March conference call

5.0 Upcoming Meetings

5.1 Regional Meetings
Marie Walsh

Discussion:

• What national items or issues need to be discussed?
• What information do we need/want from the regions?
• How can we capture the important things that need to be shared?
• Region 1 date 8-9 April 2008 in Rhode Island
• Region 2 date 30-1 April/May 2008-Location TBD

See regional meeting discussion under 2.3 Internal Communications.

Centers should send final agendas to Alison for posting on the LTAP calendar page and following the meetings, any minutes or summaries, which will also be posted on the CH website.

Marie asked FHWA if there were minutes or summaries kept of regional meetings in the past - no. She stated that she felt it was important to establish a mechanism for capturing what went on at these meetings, particularly in light of Clark's comments about the aggressive agenda and the need for increased Center involvement and Mike's comments about the lack of attendance at the meetings. Marie asked if someone from FHWA and the CH would be attending every meeting - Denise affirmed that there would be someone attending every meeting. Marie asked if a member of the group attending all of the meetings could take minutes or at least write up the highlights of the meetings. Denise said there presently was no plan to do so, but she would schedule a conference call to discuss it further with Marie.

5.2 Strategic Planning Committee(SPC) Meeting
Marie Walsh

Discussion:

• Items to be included for possible discussion - recommendations from the EC
• Possible topics - use of PAR and CAR data; focus on safety, technology transfer and other key focus areas (how to consider this strategically)

Marie queried Denise about when the SPC would meet. Denise said it would be in Austin, TX the week of 17 March 2008. Cameron is making the hotel arrangements now. Marie asked the members of the EC to give some thought to the issues they felt were important for discussion at this meeting. She mentioned use of the PAR/CAR data, Technology Transfer and CUTC and LTAP Strategic Focus Areas. Marie requested the EC members think about the big issues and she would schedule a conference call prior to the meeting to discuss it. She said they could also email her any thoughts or suggestions before that.

6.0 Future Agenda Items