MCCC AND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A DELEGATE

Lisa Christine MeredithExecutive Director, MCCC

PURPOSE OF MCCC The purpose of the Minnesota Counties Computer

Cooperative (MCCC), is to “jointly and cooperatively provide for the establishment, operation, and maintenance of data processing facilities and management information systems.”

To this end, the Cooperative (MCCC) provides services, software and other cost-effective measures which substantially reduce the cost of data processing for counties.

Background MCCC was organized in 1978 through the efforts

of property tax administrators from four counties, the Association of Minnesota Counties, and a software firm.

As an organization operated solely for the benefit of its members, MCCC adheres to a strictly democratic process in order to ensure that member needs and expectations are met.

GoalsIn addition to and consistent with the charter given to MCCC in the Joint Powers Agreement for Data Processing, MCCC’s goals are:

To provide members efficient software at an economical cost.

To provide training to member counties in the areas of operations and administration of MCCC applications and systems.

To provide on-going education to members, potential members, and outside organizations as to the benefits, goals, and responsibilities of MCCC.

To accommodate member growth potential.

Goals To provide support to member counties’ data processing

staff and departmental users for continued operation of program products.

To conduct research and development for the purpose of improving software, hardware, training, education, and support.

In cooperation with the Association of Minnesota counties and other county organizations, to impact State administrative and legislative decisions and secure appropriate State funding.

To promote standardization while maintaining flexibility.

AdvantagesMembership in MCCC offers the following advantages:

Costs of development, enhancement, and maintenance of systems are reduced through sharing of information and group purchasing power.

Contractual agreements with vendors specializing in the development and maintenance of software guarantee direct support service to members without the need for expensive in-house programming staff.

Communication and sharing of ideas occur when members meet in user groups to discuss and resolve common problems. This communication also provides an efficient means of collecting and disseminating information.

Advantages Coordinating the needs of various county data processing

systems reduces the need for counties to employ expensive in-house programmers and analysts.

Grants for systems development are obtained to reduce county expenses.

Membership forms a political base, bringing together counties having a common purpose, so they can undertake activities which are mutually beneficial.

Membership

The types of entities are eligible for membership in MCCC: Minnesota counties, cities, or other governmental entities.

Minnesota nongovernmental agencies. Membership requires the payment of annual dues and a one-time member fee established by MCCC.

Out 0f State membership as set by each individual User Group.

Membership To become a member of MCCC, a county, city, agency, or

other entity should provide MCCC a signed Joint Powers Agreement for Data Processing which has been approved by the governing board of that entity.

A contact person should be named to communicate with MCCC and with the appropriate support vendor(s). MCCC will assist the new member in securing needed software, hardware, and services. The new member will be billed by MCCC for the appropriate fees and annual dues, and for the software and start-up services.

The governing board of the new member should formally appoint an MCCC delegate (usually the contact person) and alternates to represent the member in user groups and at MCCC Board meetings.

MCCC Membership MCCC has three three types of User Groups:

Large: More than 40 member counties/agencies Small: Less than 40 member counties/agencies Support: Such as the ISSG Group

Voting Members of the MCCC Board are those members that participate in two or more User Groups, not including ISSG.

Out-of-State Member Out-of-State Member. A

county, city or agency outside the state of Minnesota that participates in one or more of the User Groups.

Out-of-State members must be approved by the decision making body of the User Group that the Out-of-State Member wishes to join. Voting rights are determined by the User Group.

MCCC Board Comprised of one delegate from each full

member. Each full member county/agency has one vote.

Meets annually to approve MCCC budget and dues structure.

Establishes policy and direction of MCCC. May amend bylaws as necessary. Elects statewide officers among the delegates

and alternates. (Secretary/treasurer is elected each year and progresses to vice chair, chair, and past chair.)

Meets annually in June; other meetings at the call of the chair.

Executive Committee Administers policies and annual budget set by the Board. Hires, evaluates, and directs staff. Performs resource and financial management. Negotiates, approves, and executes all contracts with

appropriate user group involvement.Consists of: Three statewide officers elected by the Board

(chair, vice chair, secretary/treasurer). Four regional directors – one elected by members of each

region from among the delegates and alternates. Past chair, as ex-officio member. Meets second Thursday of each month. Chair appoints Executive Committee liaison to each user

group. May form special committees and new user groups.

Executive Director and Staff Manage day-to-day operations under the direction of the

Executive Committee. Coordinate user groups and committee functions including

planning, meetings and vendor selection. Coordinate Training Sessions & Seminars Negotiate vendor contracts; monitor vendor contracts and

performance. Manage financial resources including accounts receivable

and payable. Coordinate Grant Application efforts on behalf of the User

Groups. Promote MCCC to prospective members and act as liaison

with other organizations. Communicate information between user groups, counties,

and State agencies.

Regions The state has been divided into four geographic regions for

expedience in addressing members’ needs. Each region elects a director to serve a two-year term on the Executive Committee. Regional meetings occur quarterly, or at the call of the regional director, for the purpose of sharing information and common concerns, discussing bylaw revisions and annual budget, electing regional directors and advisory committee representatives, and addressing any other member concerns.

Representation on user group advisory committees is distributed by region.

Members are urged to communicate ideas and concerns to their regional representatives.

Delegates and Alternates Communicating information from MCCC to county board,

appropriate county staff, and county data processing steering committee.

Receiving and routing all correspondence from MCCC. Receiving/processing for payment all billings from MCCC. Acting as liaison with all user groups; coordinating

appointment of alternates. Communicating information and needs from the county to

MCCC. Participating on county data processing steering

committee, or, if there is none, urging creation of such a committee.

Maintaining central repository of up-to-date MCCC information.

Delegate Designate The person chosen by the county to be the MCCC delegate

should be one who is involved with at least one of the software applications used by the county. The delegate must be willing to take responsibility for attending MCCC board meetings as a voting member on budget, policy, and contract issues; attending user group meetings or ensuring the county is represented; attending quarterly regional meetings prepared to voice any concerns and report back to the county; promoting MCCC within the county and with other groups of county personnel (professional associations).

Delegate As A Liaison The delegate is also the liaison with his/her county board on

MCCC matters. He/she is responsible for keeping the commissioners informed about: Cost of purchasing and supporting proposed software

and hardware Expected benefits to the county Other departments that may benefit Long-range cost/benefit of software and hardware

proposed for purchase What can be done to solve data processing problems

when they arise Current activities of MCCC and the various user groups On-going general status of data processing activities and

needs in the county

MCCC CURRENTLY MANAGES SEVEN USER GROUPS•Minnesota Property Tax

•Community Health Service

•Corrections

•Law Enforcement

•County Attorneys

•Finance & General Government

•Information Services Support Group

Information Services Support Group (ISSG)

The Information Services Support Group is made up of data processing staff from member counties who meet quarterly to provide technical assistance to MCCC staff and user groups; to coordinate information systems training; to evaluate software, hardware, documentation, and education as requested by MCCC user groups or staff; to set up and monitor standards for applications and services provided by MCCC – in general, to ensure quality information systems and service for member counties.

In 2004, the ISSG Group changed its bylaws to allow for Business Committees to be formed to manage contracts under ISSG. The Nazca contract was the first contract.

User Groups Established by Executive Committee to direct

software changes and development for systems used by members of the user group.

Rules and regulations governing the user group’s business are written/amended by the full user group and approved by the Executive Committee.

Membership is limited to MCCC members who use the software applications common to the user group.

CHS, Corrections, and County Attorneys own and manage their software. All other software packages are customized to Minnesota and used under contract.

ISSG Liaisons Established in the June 2002 ISSG User

Group Meeting. Liaisons to the six other User Group with

the purpose of facilitating IT/IS involvement in the following areas: Software Release Issues New Enhancements or New System Designs Involvement in Future Hardware/Software

Requirements Technical Expertise at User Group Meetings

User Group Representative Delegate to MCCC Board, authorized alternate,

or other representative is designated for each user group. A representative to a user group is not required to be an MCCC delegate or alternate. The decision is made internally by each member county as to who will represent the county as delegate, alternates, and representatives to user groups.

Members may submit enhancement/change requests, signed by the MCCC delegate to the advisory committee of the appropriate user group.

Major financial commitments, vendor selection, special assessments, and approval of contracts are done by a majority vote of the full user group. The full user group usually meets once per year.

Recommendations for contract approval, vendor selection, and new financial obligations are forwarded to the Executive Committee for approval.

Each user group elects a chairperson, who may call meetings of the full user group, advisory committee, or special committees.

MEETING MANAGEMENT

How to Conduct

A Successful Meeting

Before The Meeting Define the purpose of the meeting Develop an agenda Distribute agenda, background material

and any lengthy documents prior to the meeting so members will be prepared

Choose an appropriate meeting day, date and time. Set a time limit for the meeting and stick to it!

Arrange the room so members face each other. For large groups, try U-shaped rows.

Choose a location suitable for your group’s size. Small rooms with too many people get stuffy and create tension.

Use visual aids (posters, diagrams) for interest. Post a large agenda up front for reference. Be sure everyone knows where and when the next meeting will be held.

During The Meeting Greet members and make them feel welcome. Serve refreshments if possible. Start on time. End on time. Review the agenda and set priorities for the meeting. Stick

to the agenda! Encourage group discussion and feedback. Keep conversation focused on the topic. Keep minutes for future reference. Be a role model by listening and showing interest,

appreciation and confidence in members. Summarize agreements reached and end the meeting on a positive note. Set date, time and place for next meeting.

When deciding who to invite to a meeting, choose only those persons who have a reason to participate. Under no circumstances should someone be included simply because it’s political or his “feelings might be hurt if not asked.” Those attending should:

Have thorough knowledge of the meeting subject matter and be ready to make a valuable contribution.

Have the power to make a decision. Be responsible for implementing decisions Represent a group that will be affected by decisions

made during the meeting.

Number Of AttendeesOther than informational meetings, consider the following guidelines:

A meeting to identify a problem should be limited to 10 people

Training sessions should involve no more than 15-20 people (less if there is hands-on instruction)

A meeting to identify a problem should be limited to 10 people

Problem-solving meetings are best accomplished with no more than 7 people

Setting The Time and Place

Poorly timed meetings can create resentment even before they begin. The 3 most common times for meetings are:

Noon – This is disliked by some people because it interferes with their lunch. This can be partially compensated for by providing lunch.

Mid-morning – This is the most popular time for meetings. It gives participants time to gather their thoughts, take care of leftover work, and get departments started on their current day’s assignments.

Late afternoon – Some people like to hold late afternoon meetings because they feel that the nearness of quitting time will pressure people to come to closure.

Setting The Date and Length Experience shows that Mondays and Fridays are

the worst days to hold a meeting.

The length of the meeting is also important. Most meetings should not last more than two hours. If they do, schedule a coffee break every 90 minutes so that people can stretch, call their offices, get refreshments, etc. This is the best way to ensure that longer meetings retain their effectiveness.

Managing The Energy Cycle

Every meeting has an energy cycle that can be managed and enhanced by a perceptive leader:

The early part of the meeting tends to be more lively and creative than the end of it, so items requiring more imagination and mental energy should be addressed early in the meeting. Any items of absolute priority should be first on the agenda.

Consider reserving a controversial, high interest item until the end of the session. This way, useful work can be accomplished before the topic comes up. The high interest level in that item will keep attention from lagging.

If the meeting will be long with many agenda items, consider alternating working items with reporting items in order to avoid boredom.

After The Meeting Write up and distribute minutes within 3 or 4 days. Discuss any problems during the meeting with officers and

advisors); come up with a way to improve. Follow-up on delegation decisions. Check to see that

members understand and carry out responsibilities. Give recognition and appreciation to excellent and timely

progress. Put unfinished business on the agenda for next meeting. Conduct a periodic evaluation of the meetings.

How To Find Out More… www.mnccc.org MCCC Staff

Lisa Meredith, Executive Director Darci Gawthrop, Office Manager Mike Fox, Accountant

MCCC Monthly Newsletters MCCC RSVP Calendar MCCC Tech Talk

I’ve just been elected! Help! First, Congratulations! Second, you’re off to a good start being

part of this session. You have many resources available

including the MCCC Staff, MCCC Executive Committee, the Executive Committee Liaison to your User Group and the ISSG Liaison to your User Group.

Shortly after the conference, you will receive a mailing from MCCC with information about your responsibilities.