NACS Zone Meetings2015

Lets Chat:• Tell me about you-• Name• Location• Position• How may years with FSA

• What has been you biggest challenge this past year?

• What one thing have you done to increase efficiency and manage your workload this past year?

• What is your one wish for next year?

NACS Board Members• Tanya Dostal – WA President• Lisa Liska – NE Vice President• Theresa Windham- GA Secretary• Marla Koerner- OH Treasurer• Allen Hall- NE Past President• Kim Adams MT - Clif Rasmussen –UT Zone A• Tom Shelton- MO Zone B• Jeremey Burner-VA Zone C• Cheryl Brooks AR and Leon Brewer- SC Zone D

What have we been up to?• Monthly Teleconferences• On going discussions with National Office about staffing issues• Monitoring and tracking legislative issues• Various Members serving on taskforces• Joint discussions with NACS, NASE, NADD, NASCOE, and

Chief’s Association

FSA Service Delivery Transformation Task Force• Allen Hall Served as the NACS Representative

• July 16-17 in DC• The group included the following SEDs: Val Dolcini, CA; Bryan Hurlburt, CT; Adrian Polansky, KS;

Bill Wehry, PA; and Julia Wickard, IN. • State Committee Members: Sam Asai, OR; Ralph Turner, ME; Walter Hill, AL; Marcy Svenningsen,

ND; and Armando Valdez, CO.• NASCOE was represented by Bo Epting, MD and NADD by Robin Talley, DE.• There was also a paid facilitator that structured the meeting and he was assisted by Darren

Owen a Program Specialist from TX.• The group of SEDs and Committee Members had previously been together for a meeting in

February.• Karis Gutter was the main person in charge and Juan Garcia was in attendance for a majority of

the meeting.• We had presentations from the following:• Deputy Secretary, Krysta Harden; Undersecretary Michael Scuse; DAFO, Greg Diephouse

on Bridges to Opportunity; Todd Atkinson, GovDelivery; Jonathan Alboum, MIDAS; Todd Anderson, ACRSI Initiative; Tonye Gross, Customer Self-Service Portal Update; Gerald Pattillo, Director, Architecture & Management Center & FSA Chief Architect

• Prior to the meeting we were given a draft FSA Vision Statement and the group provided input for a new vision statement.

Payment Processing Task Force

• Ryan Lukassen, LeAnn Gibbs, Heather Cox and Mark Drewitz

• Worked with Cindy Haas in the Finance office on how to obtain electronic payments.

National Leadership Training• Allen Hall and I both sat in on a update on the Management

Training initiative that has been implemented. Stu Skidmore has been the NACS Representative and trainer on this project.

• We continue to try and advocate for FLO’s to be included.

FLOT Hiring Questionnaire• Maureen Mausbach and Dan Gieske worked with Kansas City

in redesigning the new hiring questionnaire for FLOT’s• Currently now being used.

Bridges to Opportunity• NACS was asked to have members in attendance at each of

the pilot locations in • Oregon- Peter Halverson• Texas- Heather Cox• Connecticut – Linda Whiteman – NY• Minnesota – Jerry Hurlee and Paul Peterson• North Carolina – Mike Brown

Paperless File Initiative• FLS- Tanya Dostal- WA• FLM- Denise Lickteig – NE• FLO- Jessica Davis- ID

• To date nothing has happened on this task force.

Employee Viewpoint Survey• Theresa Windham from GA will be the NACS Rep. • Recommendations:• Improve Communication from Leadership• Creativity and Innovation• Hiring the right talent• Training and Learning needs• Resource Sufficiency

Task force on hiring process• Tom Shelton – MO will be the NACS Representative on this taskforce. Will be looking for ways to

improve the hiring process… finding sticking points…..and looking for solutions. Working with HR division

• Training for state and county hiring managers. • What are the various hiring authorities that can be used to fill vacancies and what are the pros and cons of

each• What assessment methods are available and the pros and cons of each• Provide checklists for submitting a complete request under the various authorities

• • Determine appropriate HRD staffing levels and provide additional FTE’s. • • Identify a process to streamline merit promotion/internal hires• • Provide training to Administrative/Executive Officers and FLP Chiefs and utilize them to assess

applicant qualifications.• • Create and publish an applicant tool kit that:

• Identifies exactly what information is needed to apply for a position• Describes and/or provides example of acceptable documentation• Describes how each item will be used in the assessment process• Outlines the process and identifies approximate timeframes

New Employee Task Force

• Bill Mahany- Kansas was working on this- Bill retired Jan. 30

• Onboarding – Training that every new employee will need to address issues such as employee benefits, ethics, organizational structure, agency mission, customer service, ….

• Program Tech – Training courses designed for those who need PT skills. Could be a PT or other employee who has to perform PT duties on occasion.

• FLOT – For those who need loan approval authority• COT – For those who are training to be a CED• Supervisory/Management – For officials such as FLMs and

CEDs that will be managing personnel

NACS invited to attend National FLP Training Meeting in Nashville• One slot was added for the NACS president to attend. During

the meeting we were able to meet with Greg Diephouse and Chris Beyerhelm

• Also had a chance for NASCOE, NACS, NADD and NASE presidents to meet to discuss Joint meeting in DC for April and possibility of Joint Conventions.

Resolutions• Lisa has worked hard with the various divisions in obtaining

the responses to the resolution and setting up teleconferences with the committees.

• Please continue to look for ways to improve our process and make suggestions

Teleconference with Val Dolcini• NACS was invited to join in with the other associations when Val

Dolcini began as Administrator. He wanted to know what each employee organization does along with our biggest challenges…….

• Quarterly Call held 1/30/15• Updates: Farm Bill implementation eye popping success• 4.7 Billion in payments for Disaster 545,000 applications LFP• NAP full swing and ARC/PLC Education Mode• FLP on track for record breaking year

- More activity on hiring- Increase HR Capacity- Training to hiring managers- Process improvement- Customer centric approach – communication btwn HR and Hiring

manager

• Cash awards big win to be able to give these• Equipment refresh – everyone should see new IT equipment• Employee engagement

• Budget allotments coming soon• Asking States if they need additional temps• Midas in sustainment mode• IT Roadmap – Where do we go from here• Hoped to have OGC advice on language in Appropriations Bill• BTO in Beta testing• Overtime – we asked for it but no answer yet• Joint meeting in DC week of March 30

Membership

• Current Membership• We have 738 active members: • 3 Associate Members• 38 New Members• 697 Regular Members

Budget Year to Date:• Income from 6-1-14 to 1/13/15• Dues: $55,113 • Host State Reimbursement $1500• Other Income JM Marketing $1000• Total income $55,113 ---- still 2 quarters of dues to come inExpenses:Consultant Fees - $35,393Awards $992.79Board Travel $4500Committees to Convention $ 10,290First time Incentive $2000Membership Incentive $800Legislative expenses $1535Supplies and web page 210.43Income- Expenses YTD= -609.41

Meetings• Zone Meetings• Spring Board Meeting in DC along with Legislative• Ben and John went to DC and met with Key people• National Convention in St. Louis

Topics to look at in the future• What should the agency look like in the future• How do we deliver the program• What improvements do we need to the process• How do we properly train new employees• How do we recruit the right people• How to we continue to make FSA the career of choice

What does NACS need to do to encourage new members• What brings you to a meeting?• What do you want to get out of the organization?• What would cause you to be more involved? • What makes it fun?• Would a National Convention in Washington DC help?

My View to the Office…..