Nebraska Information Technology Commission: Meeting Minutes

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NEBRASKA INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION

Wednesday, June 13, 2001, 1:30 p.m.
State Capitol Building, Room 1507
Lincoln, Nebraska
APPROVED MINUTES

MEMBERS PRESENT:
David I. Maurstad, Lieutenant Governor, Chair
Greg Adams, Mayor, City of York
Merill Bryan, Senior Vice President & Chief Information Officer, Union Pacific
Dr. Eric Brown, Manager, KRVN Radio
Dr. Doug Christensen, Commissioner, State Department of Education
Hod Kosman, CEO, Platte Valley Financial Services
Gary Kuck, CEO, Centurion International

MEMBERS ABSENT:
Dr. L. Dennis Smith, President, University of Nebraska
Pamela Vanlandingham, Senior Vice President, General Manager, Statement Processing Center, CGS Systems, Inc.

CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL AND MEETING NOTICE

The Chair, Lieutenant Governor David Maurstad, called the meeting to order at 1:35 p.m. Roll call was taken. Seven members were present. A quorum existed to conduct official business. Lieutenant Governor Maurstad stated the meeting notice and agenda were posted to the NITC and Public Meeting Calendar Web sites on Tuesday, June 5, 2001. A revised agenda with links to the meeting materials was posted to the same Web sites on Thursday, June 7, 2001.

APPROVAL OF APRIL AND MAY MEETING MINUTES

There were no corrections or additions to the April 25, 2001 and May 23, 2001 meeting minutes. The minutes were approved as presented.

PUBLIC COMMENT

There was no public comment.

COMMUNITY COUNCIL REPORT
Anne Byers, Community Information Technology Manager

After reviewing and updating the Council's priorities and action plans, the Community Council proposed the following Community Council Charter revisions (PDF 360k):

Representation. We are proposing reorganizing the work of the Community Council around three workgroups. In addition to an existing subcommittee on telehealth, the Council is forming a rural and community IT planning group and a local government and libraries subcommittee. The Council has proposed reorganizing the membership around these three subcommittees. Currently, the membership is organized around six sectors: agriculture, business, health, local government, libraries, and resource providers. The Council feels organizing membership around issues rather than sectors makes more sense. Revisions regarding representation were made to sections 1 Introduction, 5.2.2 Council Responsibilities, 6.1 Number of Members, and 6.2 Representation.
Number of Members. In order to better respond to emerging issues, the Community Council recommended that the charter allow some flexibility in the number of members representing each subcommittee and the total number of members. The revised charter specifies that the Community Council be comprised of 18-24 members. The Community Council indicated that the process of having new members approved by the NITC provides adequate oversight of the council’s membership. Revisions regarding the number of members were made to sections 1 Introduction, 6.1 Number of Members, 6.2 Representation, and 7.2 Quorum.
Meeting Frequency. Because of the time commitment involved in participating in subcommittees, the Community Council recommended meeting quarterly rather than monthly. Revisions regarding meeting frequency were made to sections 1 Introduction, 7.4 Meeting Frequency, and 7.5.7. Subcommittee Process.
Subcommittee Membership. The original charter limited the membership of a subcommittee to less than a quorum of the Community Council. Since our subcommittees are comprised of many representatives outside of the Community Council, this size limitation is too restrictive. Revisions to Section 7.5.4 removed this limitation.
Subcommittee Leadership. The original charter allowed for subcommittees to be facilitated only by a single chair. Revisions to Section 7.5.5 allow subcommittees to select co-chairs.

Ms. Byers entertained questions and comments from the Commissioners.

Commissioner Adams moved to approve the Community Council Charter modifications and reorganized membership. Commissioner Christensen seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Adams-Yes, Brown-Yes, Bryan-Yes, Christensen-Yes, Kosman-Yes, Kuck-Yes, and Maurstad-Yes. Motion was carried by unanimous vote.

Council membership (PDF 360k). Commissioners reviewed a list of current and proposed members. The Council nominated two additional members for the health sector. Both are current members of the Telehealth Subcommittee.

Bruce Thiel, BryanLGH Medical Center, Manager of Multi-media and Telehealth Services, Lincoln, Nebraska.
Lennis Benson, Director of Diagnostic Imaging, Faith Regional Health Services in Norfolk, Nebraska.

Commissioner Christensen moved approval of the Community Council’s nominations for two new members. Commissioner Adams seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Maurstad-Yes, Kuck-Yes, Kosman-Yes, Christensen-Yes, Bryan-Yes, Brown-Yes, and Adams-Yes. Motion was carried by unanimous vote.

EDUCATION COUNCIL REPORT
Tom Rolfes, Education Information Technology Manager

The Council continues to meet monthly. The Training Advisory Work group is currently reviewing the telecommunications training grants for recommendation to the NETC. A summer planning retreat is scheduled for July to review application processes and guidelines. On May 11th, the Operations Work Group completed the recommendations for the NEB*SAT fee structure. The recommendations were forwarded to the NETC and were approved at the May NETC meeting. The new policies will begin January 2002. The Policies, Procedures and Planning Work Group has not met.

After reviewing and updating the charter, priorities and action plans, the Council proposed the following Education Council Charter revision (PDF 63k):

Section 3, Authority, to read:

3. Authority

The authority for the Education Council of the Nebraska Information Technology Commission is derived from Section 6-7 of LB924 passed April 1998. The Commission shall: "Establish ad hoc technical advisory groups to study and make recommendations on specific topics, including work groups to establish, coordinate, and prioritize needs for education, local communities, and state agencies[.]" NEB. REV. STAT. § 86-1506(7).

"Information technology means computing and telecommunications systems, their supporting infrastructure, and interconnectivity used to acquire, transport, process, analyze, store, and disseminate information electronically." NEB. REV. STAT. § 86-1504(2)

Commissioner Bryan moved to approve the Education Council’s Charter modifications. Commissioner Kuck seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Brown-Yes, Bryan-Yes, Christensen-Yes, Kosman-Yes, Kuck-Yes, Maurstad-Yes, and Adams-Yes. Motion was carried by unanimous vote.

Council membership (PDF 64k). The Education Council would like to recommend the following persons to serve on the Council for the term July 1, 2001-June 30, 2003.

Higher Education Membership Term Renewals:

Dr. William Berndt, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs UNMC representing public universities,
Mr. Con Dietz, Vice President, Information Systems, Creighton University, representing private & independent universities,
Dr. Jack Huck, President, Southeast Community College (New Alternate: Dr. George Mihel, President College Mid-Plains Community College) representing community colleges, and
Dr. Tom Krepel, President, Chadron State College representing state colleges

K-12 Membership Term Renewals:

Mr. Joe LeDuc, Education Technology Specialist, Lincoln Catholic Diocese representing private/parochial K-12 teachers
Mr. Al Schneider, Administrator, ESU 5 representing ESUs

K-12 Membership New Members:

Dr. Ed Rastovski, Superintendent, Wahoo Public Schools representing administrators (replacing Larry Bock)
Ms. Linda Engel, Coordinator of Instructional Technology, Nebraska City Public Schools representing teachers (replacing Art Tanderup)

Commissioner Kosman moved to approve the Education Council’s nominations for renewed and new members. Commissioner Adams seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Kuck-Yes, Kosman-Yes, Christensen-Yes, Bryan-Yes, Brown-Yes, Adams-Yes, and Maurstad-Yes. Motion was carried by unanimous vote.

STATE GOVERNMENT COUNCIL REPORT
Steve Schafer, Chief Information Officer, State of Nebraska

Mr. Schafer reported that the Council has been meeting regularly. The next meeting is scheduled for June 14th.

Charter modifications. After reviewing the Council's charter, priorities and action plans, the Council proposed the following State Government Council Charter Revisions (PDF 42k):

Definition of Information Technology in Section 3. In Section 3, Authority, insert the following:

Responsibilities change. Amend Section 5.2, Council Responsibilities, as follows:

5.2.7 Recommend policies, guidelines, and standards for improving the organization and management of data information technology within state.

Commissioner Kuck moved to approve the State Government Council’s Charter modifications as presented. Commissioner Bryan seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Bryan-Yes, Christensen-Yes, Kosman-Yes, Kuck-Yes, Maurstad-Yes, Adams-Yes, and Brown-Yes. Motion was carried by unanimous vote.

Government Technology Collaboration Fund Grant Guidelines (PDF 20k). The guidelines are very similar to the previous two cycles. In addition to $250,000 there is roughly $125,000 from the previous year. The Government Council recommends that the Government Technology Collaboration Fund be used for projects that serve the Council's priority for e-government as reflected in the goals of the Business Portal Action Plan and the E-Government Strategy. Mr. Schafer will be proposing the use of these monies for special projects such as the development of security handbooks for agencies, and conducting a benchmark study of e-government architecture. The source of funding of the new appropriation is the Information Technology fund.

Commissioner Adams moved to approve the Government Technology Collaboration Fund Grant Guidelines. Commissioner Kuck seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Christensen-Yes, Bryan-Yes, Brown-Yes, Adams-Yes, Maurstad-Yes, Kuck-Yes, and Kosman-Yes. Motion was carried by unanimous vote.

TECHNICAL PANEL REPORT
Walter Weir, Chair, Technical Panel

The Technical Panel has been meeting monthly. The Work Groups have also been meeting on a regular basis. Some of the issues and meeting agenda items include: further development of the Section 3 of the Statewide Technology Plan; NETCOM, Wireless and NIS Updates; Accessibility Checklist; Video standards; and most recently the Resolution on the Implementation of LB 833.

2001 STATEWIDE TECHNOLOGY PLAN
Michael Winkle, NITC Executive Director and Walter Weir, Chair, Technical Panel

Mr. Weir and Mr. Winkle provided an update on Sections 1-5 of the Statewide Technology Plan. There were no major changes recommended by the Commissioners.

Commissioners had concerns regarding the accomplishments and status of last year’s statewide plan, as well as monitoring adherence and compliance to the standards of this year's plan. Commissioners requested that the Councils develop detailed timelines for the Action Items. Staff will provide a report on the progress of last year’s statewide plan.

Commissioner Bryan moved to approve the updated Statewide Technology Plan as presented. Commissioner Brown seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Kosman-Yes, Adams-Yes, Kuck-Yes, Brown-Yes, Maurstad-Yes, Bryan-Yes, and Christensen-Yes. Motion was carried by unanimous vote.

The Commissioners commended staff for their work on the statewide plan.

NEW BUSINESS

Update: Executive Director position. Mr. Winkle is resigning as NITC Executive Director as of June 30, 2001. He will assist with special projects until a replacement is found. Mr. Winkle is developing a job description to assist with the recruitment of the new NITC Executive Director. The Commissioners have two options for filling the position:

Appoint a subcommittee to Conduct a national search to recruit, interview and hire
Direct the Lieutenant Governor to look for candidates

The Commissioners agreed by group consensus to have the Lieutenant Governor look for candidates for the position.

NEXT MEETING AND ADJOURNMENT

A meeting date will be determined for early September or late October.

The Lieutenant Governor adjourned the meeting at 2:50 p.m.

Minutes were taken by Lori Lopez Urdiales and reviewed by staff of the Office of the CIO/NITC.

Meeting Minutes