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######## A taskforce of the National Rural Development Partnership

### 

September 22, 2000

12:00pm EDT

### **Minutes**

#### I. Welcome & Introductions

> Taskforce members present on the call were:

-   **Sarah Vokes**, NRDP Truman Fellow*,* U.S. Department of Health &
    Human Services

-   **Karen DeRosier**, Executive Director, Florida Rural Development
    Council and Welfare Reform Taskforce Chair

-   **Stevin Dahl**, Assistant Director, North Central Regional Center
    for Rural Development, Iowa State University

-   **Carol Payne**, Community Builder Fellow, Department of Housing and
    Urban Development- Maryland State Office

-   **Claire Parins**, Director, Rural Pro Bono Initiative at the
    American Bar Association

#### II. Discussion of Goals for 2000-2001

-   **Context:** Karen gave context to the discussion. She pointed out
    fluidity as a strength and weakness of the taskforce; people come
    and go with different levels of knowledge and different backgrounds.
    This can create a need for constant review.

-   **Focus Questions:** What would be the best use of time for the
    taskforce? What is the most productive use of time for our
    conference calls?

> *The members agreed through discussion that:*

-   Information sharing is a valuable tool and is a good format for
    conference calls.

-   Each call will focus on a different topic of interest of the
    taskforce. Sarah will solicit ideas for conference calls through the
    listserve.

-   In conjunction with Karen and the taskforce, Sarah will create a
    specific framework for the presentations as well as criteria for
    panelists.

-   For any given conference call, Sarah will assemble a panel of
    experts for each call. The panel will represent a wide variety of
    perspectives such as federal, state, tribal, non-profit, service
    recipients, and research institutions etc.

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-   Documentation of outcomes is important -- after conference calls,
    Sarah will work on creating a document that summarizes the different
    voices represented on the call. It can be a way to voice what the
    different perspectives have to say on a given issue.

-   Each conference call will leave time for political updates (e.g.
    reauthorization).

###### Other points brought up in the course of the discussion emphasized the importance of:

-   Keeping activities reality-based.

-   Focusing on hot issues -- what's on the radar screen.

-   Looking for strategies of how we can work together.

-   Seeking out best practices in collaboration.

-   Looking for presenters who work in the framework of collaboration.

-   Realizing the limited staff capacity of the taskforce.

-   Clarifying the roles of the taskforce.

-   Not making promises without follow-up.

-   Documenting our work and progress.

#### III. Meeting Details & Wrap-Up

-   **Surveys**: Sarah has received about a dozen surveys expressing
    interest in the taskforce. Sarah will continue to solicit survey
    responses and tally them up to gauge interests.

-   **Listserve**: The welfare listserve is still down. When it is
    running again, the listserve address is
    \<nrdpwelf@listserv.energy.wsu.edu\>. I will update members when the
    listserve is functioning again.

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-   **Future action:** The group agreed on the above format for
    conference calls. Sarah will gather ideas for the next conference
    call, as well as work on developing the framework & criteria. Upon
    approval of the taskforce, Sarah will decide on a topic and assemble
    a panel, according to the framework and criteria developed.

-   **Next meeting:** The next meeting will be a topic meeting. The
    time, date, and topic for this meeting are all TBA.

Do you have any questions, comments or concerns? Please feel free to
contact:

> Sarah Vokes

####### NRDP Truman Fellow

> Department of Health & Human Services
>
> Phone: 202-690-6093
>
> Fax: 202-690-5672
>
> Email: svokes@os.dhhs.gov