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Oregon NRCS/FSA Civil Rights Committee Minutes
 

SUBJECT:   Civil Rights Compliance Review Training - March 7, 2007

Purpose:  The purpose of the civil rights compliance training is a requirement to ensure that persons responsible for civil rights compliance monitoring understand their roles and responsibilities.

Attendance:

  • Jeff Goebel
  • Dave Dishman
  • Ginny Cairo
  • Gina Kerzman
  • Kacee Lathrop
  • Joe Evans
  • Deborah Fairley

Training Meeting Minutes:

Gina started the meeting with a welcome and thanks to everyone for taking time to attend the training session. She later stated the objectives of the training and that there were some new changes in the “Civil Rights Compliance Review Guide” and that we would be using the American Disabilities Act (ADA) scoping and technical requirements for accessibility to sites, facilities, buildings, and elements by individuals with disabilities.

Power point Presentation: Gina gave an overview from a power point presentation on conducting civil rights compliance reviews. The presentation basically covered the civil rights act of 1964 that deals with Title VI (Equal Opportunity in Program Delivery) and Title VII (Equal Opportunity for Employees).

ADA Compliance Guidelines Review: Loren Unruh gave an update on the most recent Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guide booklet that is a reference to be used for conducting compliance reviews. He also reviewed the Building Accessibility Survey worksheets for NRCS facilities. Loren then walked the group through an exercise of taking measurements in and out of the building, on areas defined by the worksheet to determine whether compliance was being met or not. This was a good demonstration of on-hands training experience for completing the building accessibility survey.

Civil Rights Compliance Review Guide: It was noted that the CR review guide has been revised and those updates were discussed during the review. The most notable change was the space provided for recording findings when questions were being answered. Two members per team were assigned for the eight offices to be reviewed in FY07. Copies of the paring were passed to members present. It is up to the team lead to contact that office to schedule a review date and time with a carbon copy letter to the Basin Team Leader.

Next Steps: It was agreed to electronically distribute the following information to the review teams;

  • Sample letter for requesting scheduling an appointment for the review
  • Sample copy of write-up letter (when write-up is forwarded to SO, one copy will have the interviews, one will not).
  • Sample copy letter from SC
  • Parity equation example
  • Web site location for current posters and policy statements

If you have questions or concerns, please contact Misty Falcon, EEO Specialist/ Outreach Coordinator located in the Pendleton Service Center. 

Assigned Recorder:

Joe E. Evans
NRCS Black Emphasis Program Manager
Water Resources Planning Staff
Portland, Oregon 97232
503-414-3237

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