REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Appoint Cary Chien to the NOVA Workforce Board
Report
BACKGROUND
The federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) stipulates the composition, roles and responsibilities of the local workforce board. The local chief elected official appoints the local workforce board. The Sunnyvale City Council serves as the Local Chief Elected Official for the NOVA consortium. The local workforce board (NOVA Board) determines how many seats are on the board. The NOVA Board is required to have a majority of representatives from business and representation from at least the following stakeholders:
• Business Executives (majority and chair).
• Education providers from adult education and higher education.
• Labor and community-based organizations representing the workforce.
• Economic and community development agencies.
• State agencies representing employment development and vocational rehabilitation programs.
The roles and responsibilities of NOVA Board members include (but are not limited to):
• Taking a leadership role in forging a strong and vital partnership between businesses and the workforce development community, resulting in an entrepreneurial, market-driven, accountable, and exceptional workforce development system.
• Contributing specific expertise from key industries and articulating evolving industries’ needs, critical to aligning the workforce with the jobs of the 21st century.
• Developing and approving policy for workforce initiatives in NOVA service-delivery area.
• Helping create and providing oversight of a local strategic plan and participating in the development of a regional plan.
• Evaluating and monitoring program performance according to specified outcomes and measures.
• Promoting the NOVA Board and workforce through collaboration and relationship building with other businesses, local workforce boards, organizations, and groups.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 5.1.1: Socio-Economic - Goals and Policies: Education and Training Goal 5.1F: Provide job training and employment services, within constraints of operative Federal regulations and available Federal funding, to address the locally-determined employment and training needs of economically disadvantaged residents and others with special needs.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5) in that it is a governmental, organizational, or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
DISCUSSION
The NOVA Board Nominating Committee is comprised of Councilmember Alysa Cisneros and NOVA Board Co-Chairs Andy Switky and Rosanne Foust and is charged with recommending NOVA Board candidates to the City Council. The Nominating Committee is recommending the appointment of Cary Chien because of the individual strengths and assets he can bring to the NOVA Board. In addition, his appointment will fill the WIOA-mandated seat representing business.
About the Candidate:
Mr. Cary Chien
Director & Senior Counsel, Legal - Government Affairs, Western Digital
Founded in 1970, Western Digital (WD) is a leading designer and manufacturer of data storage technologies. Headquartered in San Jose, the company employs over 6,300 workers in California, Colorado, Arizona, and Minnesota, and 53,000 worldwide. As director & senior counsel, Mr. Chien is responsible for promoting and advancing policies, regulations, and laws that further WD’s mission, values, and strategic initiatives. This has entailed developing and maintaining partnerships between the company and local, state, regional and federal governments, and foreign agencies. Mr. Chien brings to the Board extensive experience in the local technology industry, a key employment sector in the region. In addition, he has significant knowledge of NOVA’s work from a recent partnership. The initiative trains incumbent workers pursuing advancement and new employees from nontraditional backgrounds seeking employment within the company. Through this project, WD also established California’s first semiconductor Registered Apprenticeships. Mr. Chien will be invaluable to the Board in ensuring residents with limited credentials obtain the skills essential for the high-wage technology industry.
This appointment complies with the requirements of the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
FISCAL IMPACT
No fiscal impact.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council meeting agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board at City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Public Library and in the Department of Public Safety Lobby. In addition, the agenda and this report are available at the NOVA Workforce Services reception desk located on the first floor of City Hall at 456 W. Olive Avenue (during normal business hours), and on the City's website.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Approve and appoint Cary Chien to the NOVA Workforce Board.
Levine Act
LEVINE ACT
The Levine Act (Gov. Code Section 84308) prohibits city officials from participating in certain decisions regarding licenses, permits, and other entitlements for use if the official has received a campaign contribution of more than $500 from a party, participant, or agent of a party or participant in the previous 12 months. The Levine Act is intended to prevent financial influence on decisions that affect specific, identifiable persons or participants. For more information see the Fair Political Practices Commission website: www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/pay-to-play-limits-and-prohibitions.html
An “X” in the checklist below indicates that the action being considered falls under a Levine Act category or exemption:
SUBJECT TO THE LEVINE ACT
___ Land development entitlements
___ Other permit, license, or entitlement for use
___ Contract or franchise
EXEMPT FROM THE LEVINE ACT
___ Competitively bid contract*
___ Labor or personal employment contract
___ Contract under $50,000 or non-fiscal
___ Contract between public agencies
_X_ General policy and legislative actions
* "Competitively bid" means a contract that must be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.
Staff
Prepared by: Eileen Stanly, Administrative Analyst, NOVA Workforce Services
Reviewed by: Marléna Sessions, Director, NOVA Workforce Services
Reviewed by: Sarah Johnson-Rios, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Tim Kirby, City Manager