April 9, 2025 • 29 mins
President of Local 420 of the American Federation of Government Employees Justin Tarovisky on federal attempts to limit overtime and collective bargaining.
Evan Widders, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Academics, and Joy Carr, Director of University Advising, on their record freshman retention rate
Director of Communications for the Morgantown Utility Board, Chris Dale, on their upcoming Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day
Evan Widders, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Academics, and Joy Carr, Director of University Advising, on their record freshman retention rate
Director of Communications for the Morgantown Utility Board, Chris Dale, on their upcoming Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Now back to the Talk of the Town. Welcome back
there and thirty four. This is Talk of the Town
on AM fourteen forty waj R. Don't forget. Tonight begins
a series of three public forums put on by mon EMS.
Now they would like to promote transparency and build some
(00:31):
trust within the community. This first meeting will be at
Mason Dixon Park at six o'clock tonight, So if you
can make that, you might want to think about checking
that out. A president of the American Federation of Government
Employees Local four twenty is Justin Tarvisky. Justin serves up
(00:52):
on the mountain at the Hazelton Prison. Good morning, Justin,
How are you today?
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Good morning, my brother, I'm good.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
How you doing I'm doing good, Thank you very much.
I guess let's let's start with staffing levels. How are
you guys doing there?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Staff and wise, We just got another class and hired warden.
The new warden that we had to an excellent job
getting a direct hiring class and got about thirteen officers
and she's got another about at least seven or eight
coming back in. So she's already turning some heads and
getting some bodies into the specifically SEC Hazelton, and we're
(01:28):
about down seventy officers right now, So she's chipped away
at that number as I last spoke to you a
little over ninety, and like I said, I support her
in the new techniques that she's been utilizing. So we're
getting there again. With those incentives that were cut. You know,
I was working with Capitol's office trying to get those
back again. Those were already appropriated for us for at
(01:50):
least two years now. They could take them any time
they wanted, But why would you do that when you're
trying to chip away at one of the most understaffed
and dangerous prisons in the country.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Absolutely, now, is man to overtime still the thing.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Absolutely, we're still not. We're still not there at that
juncture yet. You know, when we probably get to between
thirty and forty, we might be able to start chipping
away at that. But again, when you're down seventy some officers,
that's that's not going to go away anytime soon.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Sure, we've got the president of the American Federation of
Government Employees Local four twenty justin Trrovisky with us. You
talked about taking away the incentives that were taken away.
I guess that was just about a month ago. Those
have to be hitting paychecks now, right.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Yeah, absolutely on the next paycheck. I believe this last
one pay period five was the last one. So again
those are going to start filter running through for our staff. Again,
it was just you know, it wasn't given forever. Everybody
knew that here, you know, but it was. It was
a toll is what I called it. And the same
(02:59):
with the warden to get more bodies in here. And
why because it's very competitive out on the street, whether
you're state police, county, municipals, and a lot of those
agencies are doing that right now, especially at the federal level.
So again, these things were to help a porly staffed
institution to get back on track, and to only take
it after six months, when you know usually it goes
(03:19):
about two years. And I know it had great benefits
for the super Max which is in Florence, Colorado. I
know the president up there very well. And as you know,
those people like Takazinski, major major figures have been parcerated
and put up there in the federal government. It worked
for them well, and we were looking to be right
on that track. But again, when you're taking these things. Again,
(03:41):
we know they weren't owed to us for forever, but
it was again a tool to help utilize and get
the staffing up in a competitive law enforced market where
a lot of people aren't jumping in that field right now.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Anyway, Hey take a minute and tell us what former
Senator Joe Manchin and Senator Shelley Moore Kappato were able
to hold together for you guys late last year.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Again, as you know, you were at the picket and
we had a lot of headway on that. You know,
we had a casket down there, you know, showing what
could happen, you know, specifically with what happened Officer Don
Williams's son Eric Williams that was at USP Caanan stat
to and or sometimes by an inmate that had double life. Again,
they were able to help us send our mansions specifically
(04:25):
and also Center Capital on her side of the Department
of Justice and Appropriations can't stay enough of provi is
about what they did to get that authorized. And again
both of them were floored when that was taken because
they weren't even given a heads up. So I know,
Missus Capitol specifically spoke out against that, which I would
expect her to do and stick out for her federal
(04:45):
officers at work in her district and not only her
district or state. But again we've had nothing but support
out of that office, specifically for the incentives. So again
they had ties on the Appropriations Committee, which which was
big time within the Department of Justice because both of
them were on it. And you know where you utilizing
her right now to try to get some things and
(05:07):
again get us back on track. You know, our constituents,
specifically Center Manason, Center Capital. I can't say enough great
things about how they stepped in our corner over the
years and got us things like the pepper spray. We
didn't even have pepper spray when I first started here.
STAB Resist invests and that was just over our meetings
with reaching out to them and be able to provide
them with the correct information. We weren't going down there
(05:27):
asking for more money, asking hey, we need this, we
need that. We were just at the time getting to
know them through safety equipment and they and they were
very receptive of that because you know, they wanted to
see officers go home safely at the end of their shift,
specifically with tools of pawns and STAB resists invests in gas.
Just those small things mean a lot to the officers
(05:48):
that walk inside of these dangerous prisons.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Absolutely. Justin Taraviski's the president of the American Federation of
Government Employees for Local four twenty at the Hazelton Prison.
So now bring us up to speed what's going on now,
because I think there's possibly some more pullback on pay
and collective bargaining possibly well.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
The President of last week two weeks ago a sign
an executive order claiming that the Federal Bureau of Prisons,
amongst other federal entities, which would be the VA and
some other deals or national security, which is completely untrue.
We are not national security. We provide we provide custodial
(06:32):
safety and security for the inmates, the judges and a
peer of our jurys and the federal government sentence. And
one of those things that the President mentioned was we
do internal investigations and the terrorists and things we don't
do that we're bargaining in employees. We're correctional officers. We're
not national security. And it was a broad overreach of
that power in the executive orders, stripping or collective bargaining
(06:53):
away from us. Again, things that we're in those executive
orders that the officers have too much uh too much
in the collective bargaining agreements specifically mentioned justin sufficient cause. Again,
that's that's crazy to even say that, because the our
officers get accused by inmates all the time. I have
actually fought an arbitration and gone to court and got
(07:14):
officers their jobs back because there are false accusations not
only from inmates but but specifically non bargaining unit members.
And again, our officers they have a tough job to do.
And when they're falsely accused and we're saying we're gonna
take their wine garners or got wine garners rights away
from them, right to representation, it's ridiculous. And and and
again we don't have national security implications of what we do.
(07:38):
You know, if there's terrorists locked up in any of
these prisons, you know, the FBI is involved with that
kind of thing. Who are non bargaining counter terrorism units
they deal with that, they are non bargaining. Our officers
go in every day to fight for the American people
and to watch over these guys after they get incarcerated.
We're not doing national security inside of these prisons. Again,
these are these are things that Whitey Bulger, as you
(08:01):
reported many times, when he was killed. We didn't do
the investigation. PFPI came in and hit the investigation. We're
not in charge that kind of thing. Again, we're bargaining
in employees right now.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
Let's see our text line is three h four talk
three oh four. So justin in a situation like this,
having the working relationship that you've had with former Senator
Joe Manchin and Senator Shelley Moore Capito, and now you've
got a former governor as a senator who knows Hazelton
very well and knows exactly what you do. So I
(08:35):
would only assume that you've got somebody in your corner there.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Well, that's what we're hoping. I mean, our officers, our families,
the community having lighting up these phone calls because are
collecting this is you know, this might be a red state,
but this is a union state. You know, you saw
what the teachers did and we supported them fully back
fifty five strong. You saw what our coal miners have
done over the years. This is a union state. And
when you strip what little we have of us away,
(09:01):
these people not only in this state, but Pennsylvania they
care about that. That's the grassroots of where a lot
of this country came from and fighting for others and
fighting for our officers. So I'm assuming, uh you know,
we've been calling uh Center Justice's staff again. We we
we asked for his support. And just last week, right
after those executive orders, eight Congressmen Republican from the state
(09:24):
of Pennsylvania, led by Minster Fitzpatrick, former FBI a law
enforcement officer, UH sent a letter to the President asking
please send these executive orders. Uh. We we hope that
our our members do the same as in Capital Justice
Carol Miller and also mister Moore previously Mooney and Congressman
McKinley supported our local and we need that saying those
(09:47):
collective bargaining rights, those little rights that we just have,
you know, vacation, annual leave, you know, even having hair
on your face. You know, we have articles in there
health and safety, you know. Uh, you know, we we
right against the agency when they make faith conditions, and
we've reported to y'all you know what I mean. So again,
these are just little things that we have in this
(10:08):
bargaining agreement that need to need to be rescinded, and
again we believe it's unlawful. The American Federation of Government
Employees filed at injunction last week on it in a lawsuit,
and I support that completely. But again, you know, we're
asking for not to take our rights and to stick
up for specifically the federal correction officers at work inside
(10:29):
of the institutions.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
Some of the things that we're talking about are taking
money out of paychecks. So give us an idea of
how long this back and forth takes. How long does
it take to get a decision.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
We're open though, will at least have something within the
next week or two. That's what the National President, Ever Kelly,
stated earlier this week. Again, I know litigation takes a
long time, but you know, the very as I've told
you before, the Bureau Prisons has been in since nineteen
thirty three, I believe thirty two to the first penitentiary.
Through one hundred some years, we have never been declared
(11:06):
national security. So to say that now and to make
comments that the officers have too much justine sufficient cause
in the Union you can't riff people at will. You
have to follow procedures to do that. You know, it's
just a it's just a broad union attack and again
what little rights we have are trying to be stripped
away from us. And we feel very strongly about the
(11:29):
litigation was filed because again this hasn't something a president
hasn't done this in over one hundred years. Ever, So
again we were really looking positive and optimistic into these
into the litigation that was filed by an American Federation
of Government Employees, which is the VA which it was
nilsh you know what I mean, who all their workers
(11:49):
were just laid off. So again it just doesn't it
doesn't affect the federal beer prisons.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
He's got the president of the American Federation of Government
Employees just in term of this with us, and now
justin what's morale like in the building.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
Morale has kind of mistaken the last couple of weeks.
You know, a lot of our officers that got time
and understand this, you know what I mean. They've seen
the different times with different wardens that we've got in here.
You know, we go through a great pass where we
have a good administration and then they were bad. So
they understand the tidal wave that we've been through. But
then if you take away our rights which we were
(12:27):
utilizing to fight this type of bad administrations that we
had in here that lacks safety and security. You know,
specifically with back in the twenty eighteen twenty nineteen times
when we were screaming that they were running these institutions unsafe, unsafe,
the articles the USA today that we've been in and
then you know, we've got to fix our Brian Antonelli
(12:47):
in that came in and fixed everything. You know, the
people that's got some time in really understand how important
these collective Bargaining Unit agreement that we have is for
our staff. You know, the younger guys were trying to say, hey,
we paid the way for this, but again that that
affects people because we a lot of people don't know
where it's gonna go at this point. So again it's
(13:08):
it's it's very unclear and I'm sure and you know
with that is that representation. So again, you know a
lot of our officers, I've gotten officers or jobs back
that's been falsely accused through the arbitration, through due process.
Just just hearing that word due process for Federal correction officers,
that's what we uphold, that's what we want for every American.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
I've got a heart I've got a heartbreak justin. I'm sorry,
but we're gonna keep monitoring this situation and we'll definitely
stay in touch.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
We are talking about your town. Now back to the
Talk of the Town.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
A good Wednesday morning. I'm Mike Nolting and this is
Talk of the Town on a fourteen forty w AJR
right now, fair and thirty four now. West Virginia University
reported a projected first time freshman retention rate, setting a
record for the spring of twenty twenty five at ninety
three point eight percent. They credit the ongoing strategic investments
(14:20):
in the process for that success. And on the phone,
I've got the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education, Evan Witters,
and also the director of University Advising, Joy Carr. Hey,
good morning to both of you. How are you.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Good morning, Mike, Well, how are you doing.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
I'm really good.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
Thanks.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
That's great to hear. I guess first off, congratulations are
in order.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
Yeah, thank you, I appreciate it. In looking around, it
looks like the students are happy. They're doing well in
their classes, they're not dropping a ton of classes, and
they seem to be sort of we invested in campus
and campus life.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Now, let's see, this is the university fall twenty twenty
four to spring twenty five projected first time freshman retention
rate ninety three point eight percent. Break that down and
tell us what that means to the layman.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Good question, Mike, Yeah, So this retention rate, it's preliminary
because usually what we measure is fall to fall, So
basically we're halfway. We're halfway there, so this is a
midpoint of where our retention will eventually be. Unfortunately, we
know we're going to lose more students who won't be
able to return for fall twenty five, but it was
(15:43):
our highest ever number of freshmen students who returned to
the spring semester after the fall semester. And although, like
I said, we're going to lose some more students, unfortunately,
it will end up, we think, leading to probably a
very good fall to fall retention rate.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
I've got Evan Witters Enjoyed Carr with us, and we're
talking about the record WVU freshman retention rate. I guess
the record rate is credited or strategic investments are credited
with the record rate. Rather, excuse me, easy for me
to say what are some of those investments.
Speaker 4 (16:22):
So I think some of the investments have gone into
hiring really great people. We have a lot of student
supports around campus. Some of those are advisors or success coaches,
more tutoring, and those folks are really able to take
the data that we get through the semester. So let's
say a student has a poor midterm grade or an
(16:43):
early alert in the class, those folks are able to
spring into action and identify that student offer them the
supports that they need to keep them headed in the
right direction so they don't end up having to withdraw
or leave the school entirely. So those are some of
the investments that I feel really paid off and show.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
In our retention rate. Yeah, and I'd agree with I
would agree with that. I would say we've we've done
a good job keeping all of our students' success efforts
in the budget year to year, which isn't isn't always easy,
But the one thing the university has is just his
top priority is making sure students are enjoying access to
the resources they need to be successful here academically.
Speaker 1 (17:25):
How does ninety three point eight percent, how does that
stack up with other comparable institutions.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
I would say we're pretty much online with a lot
of our Big twelve peers. I mean, we're not necessarily,
you know, going to match a school like Georgia or
you know, Harvard or something like that. They're usually probably
in the ninety six ninety seven percentage rate. But for
(17:55):
the last you know, three years or so, we've been
making pretty significant improvements and so we're at least on
par with Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Mississippi State, and some
of the other Big twelve schools too. I know, Mississippi
State not a big twell school, but they're ones we
compare ourselves to frequently.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
Sure, now, I know that over the last five years,
you guys have done a lot of work to build
up the infrastructure around things like supporting first time college
students and to support people just with disabilities, all types
of people. You've really done a lot of work to
(18:35):
build that support infrastructure up. Talk about that a little
bit and what role that plays in this number.
Speaker 4 (18:45):
So I think it starts with listening to the student,
which is why advising is so important. A lot of
those good ideas come from the ground up, so to speak.
And just keep in mind it costs a lot less
to becain a current student than it does to recruit
a new student. So you're always going to get more
benefit by listening to what students need and trying to
(19:07):
figure out how to provide those services.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Yeah, and so we've made targeted efforts to provide more
resources to our first generation college students. These are students
whose parents didn't attend a four year school. We also
have worked really hard with some donors, some foundations, the
Mayor Foundations, a big one, the Baulber Foundation, as well
to fund completion grants, which is a way to give
(19:33):
seniors who are almost a graduation. If they're running out
of money, we will just give them a tuition grant
to help them cover that last semester and get.
Speaker 5 (19:42):
Out the door.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
So what's possible at WVU here's ninety three point eight,
where's the what's the goal?
Speaker 3 (19:50):
I guess, well, that's difficult to say, Mike. I want
to make excuses, but a lot of times we're captive
to what's going on the wider economy because you know,
the school is not you have to pay right, So
as the economy goes, it tends to be as our
(20:10):
students go. If you know, if we get into a
rough patch. Say for some reason we entered a recession,
then we'd likely see students, at least some students sort
of lose the financial ability to stay here. So that's
something we worry about. We can't really control it, but
you know, outside of those big things, COVID was another
(20:31):
one obviously, I think every year we're just looking to
make a consistent improvement with that retention number and then
nudge it up every year.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
It's Evan Winters, the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education at WVU,
and we also have the Director of University Advising, Joy Carr,
with us. You know, the last thing that I've got
for you guys is I was thinking just to myself
that if I were a student post PAN, being in
(21:01):
class would be an absolute pleasure and being able to
go about my day and do my business and not
be locked up. So I guess the question is how
much of this number is due to people being able
to be out, be free and do what they want.
Speaker 4 (21:19):
That's a really great question. I think one of the
things we have found when we surveyed our students actually
is that the number one reason they come here and
stay here is it the fit they find a really
good fit here, and I think you can tell that
when you watch them seeing country roads after any game
and they get to that part where it says I
belong West Virginia. You can just see them just lean
(21:41):
into that. And I think we have so many things
here for students to get into, whether that's a club
or a professional organization, mental health and support services, things
going on in the dorms and on campuses. There really
is something for everyone if they look around and reach
out and find it. So you know what we've tried
(22:02):
to do with these rates. Honestly, I don't think we
work to the rate. We work to identify what students need,
we try to make those improvements and what we're seeing
our better retention and graduation rate.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
It's Joy Carr, the director of University Advising, and we
also have the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education, Evan Witters.
Really do appreciate your time here this morning and give you,
guys the last word. If there is.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
One, sure, send your kids here. We will take care
of them. I promise.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
That was that was well placed. Thanks Mike absolutely, Hey,
thank you both, take care and have a great day
right now, faris guys and thirty four degrees. This is
Talk of the Town on AM fourteen forty FM one
oh four point five WAJR. When we come back, we're
(22:57):
going to spend a few minutes with the director of
Communications for the Morgantown Utility Board and talk about an
upcoming household hazardous waste collection event and how he is
preparing for it. That's next.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Join the conversation at one eight hundred and seven sixty
five eight two fivey five.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
This is the Talk of the Town. Good Wednesday morning.
It is fair and thirty four in the University City.
And don't forget tell your friends on the western end
of the county that mon EMS is holding a public
forum at Mason Dixon Park. That's happening tonight at six o'clock.
(23:52):
They would like to talk to you. Actually, they'd like
to promote transparency and build trust within the community. On
the phone, we've got the communications director from the Morgantown
Utility Board, Chris Dale, with us. Chris, good morning, how
are you.
Speaker 5 (24:07):
I'm fine, Mike, how you doing.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
And I'm doing good. Thank you for your service, by the.
Speaker 5 (24:10):
Way, no no problem, thank you.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
Absolutely Okay.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
Chris.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
Let's see household hazardous waste collection day coming up, and
you've been preparing. What have you been doing?
Speaker 5 (24:23):
Well? Right now, we're we actually have a information session
scheduled for Thursday with the saut Of Waste Authority. It's
a six pm via zoom. If you go to mub
dot org you can get the information on If you
scro down to our newscast, we have a link there
you can find it to zoom information to it. So
we're gonna be talking about it some on Thursday with
(24:45):
Assauta Waste Authority. We're also, you know, we have a
vendor scheduled. We're doing all of our background stuff, you know,
just just doing our prep for the event as we
normally do.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Now, I saw on social media that you are, in
fact the star of the zoom event on Thursday. Is
that right?
Speaker 5 (25:03):
Yeah, it'll be me and also it'll be Lyn Castro
from the SAD Waste Authority jumping on there to help
people to decide what they may be able to do
with material that that we don't collect, that household hazard's waste.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
Well, you know, Chris, you know better than I. Chris Dale,
communications director at the Morgantown Utility Board. What are some
of the things that people have questions about.
Speaker 5 (25:27):
Well a lot of times most of the questions I
get are just about what's accepted. And you know, some
of the things we do take mic include you know,
we take batteries of all types and a freeze oil.
We take gasoline, take lighter fluids, kerothene, you know, anything
anything along those lines. We also take roading killers. We
(25:51):
actually get quite a bit of mercury, believe it or not,
so we do accept that, propeine, cylinder spire extinguishers, and
the list goes on the write down to oil based pain.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
That's what I was gonna get you to talk about
just a little bit, because the paint situation is a
little bit different.
Speaker 5 (26:08):
It is, it is, and there is some confusion along
those lines. Every year we take oil based paints. We
don't take latex paints, and the primary reason for that
is that they text paints. You can just set those
out to dry. You can you can put those in
your record.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
Trash so they'll just dry and be a hard block
and you can just throw them out like that.
Speaker 5 (26:32):
Yeah. Absolutely, it does take a while from the dry.
You can actually buy paint paint hardener from places like
Lows that you can jump into it and it'll cause
it to harden a little bit.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
Quicker.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Okay, okay, Now give us some particulars again. Where and
when will this event be please?
Speaker 5 (26:52):
Well, the event is Saturday, August second. It's from eight
am to eleven pm. I'm sorry, eight am two eleven
am to eleven am at mub's main office location here
to seventy eight.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
Green Bank Road.
Speaker 1 (27:08):
What about tires, We.
Speaker 5 (27:10):
Don't take tires now. And if you attend the event
on Thursday, we saw a waste authority. Lencastro can answer
some of those questions for you.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Oh okay, perfect, now, okay, Thursday, that event is going
to be a zoom call and there is no in
person opportunity. Is that right?
Speaker 5 (27:31):
No, there's no in person opportunity now, it's all the
other web.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Okay, okay, perfect, perfect Chris Dale, Communications Director, Morgantown Utility Board.
Last thing I wanted to ask you about our rain barrels.
Speaker 5 (27:46):
Sure, we are having our rainbarrew workshop. We're actually going
to have one this year. It's going to be a
class of approximately forty people and the roman starts at
midnight on April twelfth.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
And I'm assuming that you do it. That way because
those classes fill up quickly.
Speaker 5 (28:06):
Yeah, they do if you're really interested in attending a workshop. Now,
at the workshop, you do get a rain barrow, you
get the conversion kit and it's an awesome conversion kit,
and we go over to instructions on how to install it,
you know, provide information on our watershed, and we partner
with Friends of Deckers Creek and doing that so you'll
learn a little bit about Friends of Deckriss Creek as well.
(28:26):
So it really is it's a great opportunity and you
do walk away with a rain barrel and the kit
and some knowledge on how to install it and you know,
just some safety tips as well.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
What's the cost to participate in that?
Speaker 5 (28:39):
The cost is, well, it's forty dollars, but the online
registration system we use is they have a feed here,
so it comes to forty five dollars, which is still
an incredible bargain because the conversion kit itself is worth.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
More than that, correct, And you end up getting a
rain barrel.
Speaker 5 (29:00):
Yeah, yeah, I get the rain barrel conversion kit and
all the proceeds from the workshop actually go to benefit
Friends of Decker's Creek, which is awesome as well.
Speaker 1 (29:08):
Okay, perfect. Hey Chris, I appreciate your time today. Thank
you very much.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
Hey, thank you, Mike.
Speaker 5 (29:14):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (29:15):
Absolutely Have a good day you two. Alrighty
Now back to the Talk of the Town. Welcome back
there and thirty four. This is Talk of the Town
on AM fourteen forty waj R. Don't forget. Tonight begins
a series of three public forums put on by mon EMS.
Now they would like to promote transparency and build some
(00:31):
trust within the community. This first meeting will be at
Mason Dixon Park at six o'clock tonight, So if you
can make that, you might want to think about checking
that out. A president of the American Federation of Government
Employees Local four twenty is Justin Tarvisky. Justin serves up
(00:52):
on the mountain at the Hazelton Prison. Good morning, Justin,
How are you today?
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Good morning, my brother, I'm good.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
How you doing I'm doing good, Thank you very much.
I guess let's let's start with staffing levels. How are
you guys doing there?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Staff and wise, We just got another class and hired warden.
The new warden that we had to an excellent job
getting a direct hiring class and got about thirteen officers
and she's got another about at least seven or eight
coming back in. So she's already turning some heads and
getting some bodies into the specifically SEC Hazelton, and we're
(01:28):
about down seventy officers right now, So she's chipped away
at that number as I last spoke to you a
little over ninety, and like I said, I support her
in the new techniques that she's been utilizing. So we're
getting there again. With those incentives that were cut. You know,
I was working with Capitol's office trying to get those
back again. Those were already appropriated for us for at
(01:50):
least two years now. They could take them any time
they wanted, But why would you do that when you're
trying to chip away at one of the most understaffed
and dangerous prisons in the country.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Absolutely, now, is man to overtime still the thing.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Absolutely, we're still not. We're still not there at that
juncture yet. You know, when we probably get to between
thirty and forty, we might be able to start chipping
away at that. But again, when you're down seventy some officers,
that's that's not going to go away anytime soon.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Sure, we've got the president of the American Federation of
Government Employees Local four twenty justin Trrovisky with us. You
talked about taking away the incentives that were taken away.
I guess that was just about a month ago. Those
have to be hitting paychecks now, right.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Yeah, absolutely on the next paycheck. I believe this last
one pay period five was the last one. So again
those are going to start filter running through for our staff. Again,
it was just you know, it wasn't given forever. Everybody
knew that here, you know, but it was. It was
a toll is what I called it. And the same
(02:59):
with the warden to get more bodies in here. And
why because it's very competitive out on the street, whether
you're state police, county, municipals, and a lot of those
agencies are doing that right now, especially at the federal level.
So again, these things were to help a porly staffed
institution to get back on track, and to only take
it after six months, when you know usually it goes
(03:19):
about two years. And I know it had great benefits
for the super Max which is in Florence, Colorado. I
know the president up there very well. And as you know,
those people like Takazinski, major major figures have been parcerated
and put up there in the federal government. It worked
for them well, and we were looking to be right
on that track. But again, when you're taking these things. Again,
(03:41):
we know they weren't owed to us for forever, but
it was again a tool to help utilize and get
the staffing up in a competitive law enforced market where
a lot of people aren't jumping in that field right now.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Anyway, Hey take a minute and tell us what former
Senator Joe Manchin and Senator Shelley Moore Kappato were able
to hold together for you guys late last year.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Again, as you know, you were at the picket and
we had a lot of headway on that. You know,
we had a casket down there, you know, showing what
could happen, you know, specifically with what happened Officer Don
Williams's son Eric Williams that was at USP Caanan stat
to and or sometimes by an inmate that had double life. Again,
they were able to help us send our mansions specifically
(04:25):
and also Center Capital on her side of the Department
of Justice and Appropriations can't stay enough of provi is
about what they did to get that authorized. And again
both of them were floored when that was taken because
they weren't even given a heads up. So I know,
Missus Capitol specifically spoke out against that, which I would
expect her to do and stick out for her federal
(04:45):
officers at work in her district and not only her
district or state. But again we've had nothing but support
out of that office, specifically for the incentives. So again
they had ties on the Appropriations Committee, which which was
big time within the Department of Justice because both of
them were on it. And you know where you utilizing
her right now to try to get some things and
(05:07):
again get us back on track. You know, our constituents,
specifically Center Manason, Center Capital. I can't say enough great
things about how they stepped in our corner over the
years and got us things like the pepper spray. We
didn't even have pepper spray when I first started here.
STAB Resist invests and that was just over our meetings
with reaching out to them and be able to provide
them with the correct information. We weren't going down there
(05:27):
asking for more money, asking hey, we need this, we
need that. We were just at the time getting to
know them through safety equipment and they and they were
very receptive of that because you know, they wanted to
see officers go home safely at the end of their shift,
specifically with tools of pawns and STAB resists invests in gas.
Just those small things mean a lot to the officers
(05:48):
that walk inside of these dangerous prisons.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Absolutely. Justin Taraviski's the president of the American Federation of
Government Employees for Local four twenty at the Hazelton Prison.
So now bring us up to speed what's going on now,
because I think there's possibly some more pullback on pay
and collective bargaining possibly well.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
The President of last week two weeks ago a sign
an executive order claiming that the Federal Bureau of Prisons,
amongst other federal entities, which would be the VA and
some other deals or national security, which is completely untrue.
We are not national security. We provide we provide custodial
(06:32):
safety and security for the inmates, the judges and a
peer of our jurys and the federal government sentence. And
one of those things that the President mentioned was we
do internal investigations and the terrorists and things we don't
do that we're bargaining in employees. We're correctional officers. We're
not national security. And it was a broad overreach of
that power in the executive orders, stripping or collective bargaining
(06:53):
away from us. Again, things that we're in those executive
orders that the officers have too much uh too much
in the collective bargaining agreements specifically mentioned justin sufficient cause. Again,
that's that's crazy to even say that, because the our
officers get accused by inmates all the time. I have
actually fought an arbitration and gone to court and got
(07:14):
officers their jobs back because there are false accusations not
only from inmates but but specifically non bargaining unit members.
And again, our officers they have a tough job to do.
And when they're falsely accused and we're saying we're gonna
take their wine garners or got wine garners rights away
from them, right to representation, it's ridiculous. And and and
again we don't have national security implications of what we do.
(07:38):
You know, if there's terrorists locked up in any of
these prisons, you know, the FBI is involved with that
kind of thing. Who are non bargaining counter terrorism units
they deal with that, they are non bargaining. Our officers
go in every day to fight for the American people
and to watch over these guys after they get incarcerated.
We're not doing national security inside of these prisons. Again,
these are these are things that Whitey Bulger, as you
(08:01):
reported many times, when he was killed. We didn't do
the investigation. PFPI came in and hit the investigation. We're
not in charge that kind of thing. Again, we're bargaining
in employees right now.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
Let's see our text line is three h four talk
three oh four. So justin in a situation like this,
having the working relationship that you've had with former Senator
Joe Manchin and Senator Shelley Moore Capito, and now you've
got a former governor as a senator who knows Hazelton
very well and knows exactly what you do. So I
(08:35):
would only assume that you've got somebody in your corner there.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Well, that's what we're hoping. I mean, our officers, our families,
the community having lighting up these phone calls because are
collecting this is you know, this might be a red state,
but this is a union state. You know, you saw
what the teachers did and we supported them fully back
fifty five strong. You saw what our coal miners have
done over the years. This is a union state. And
when you strip what little we have of us away,
(09:01):
these people not only in this state, but Pennsylvania they
care about that. That's the grassroots of where a lot
of this country came from and fighting for others and
fighting for our officers. So I'm assuming, uh you know,
we've been calling uh Center Justice's staff again. We we
we asked for his support. And just last week, right
after those executive orders, eight Congressmen Republican from the state
(09:24):
of Pennsylvania, led by Minster Fitzpatrick, former FBI a law
enforcement officer, UH sent a letter to the President asking
please send these executive orders. Uh. We we hope that
our our members do the same as in Capital Justice
Carol Miller and also mister Moore previously Mooney and Congressman
McKinley supported our local and we need that saying those
(09:47):
collective bargaining rights, those little rights that we just have,
you know, vacation, annual leave, you know, even having hair
on your face. You know, we have articles in there
health and safety, you know. Uh, you know, we we
right against the agency when they make faith conditions, and
we've reported to y'all you know what I mean. So again,
these are just little things that we have in this
(10:08):
bargaining agreement that need to need to be rescinded, and
again we believe it's unlawful. The American Federation of Government
Employees filed at injunction last week on it in a lawsuit,
and I support that completely. But again, you know, we're
asking for not to take our rights and to stick
up for specifically the federal correction officers at work inside
(10:29):
of the institutions.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
Some of the things that we're talking about are taking
money out of paychecks. So give us an idea of
how long this back and forth takes. How long does
it take to get a decision.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
We're open though, will at least have something within the
next week or two. That's what the National President, Ever Kelly,
stated earlier this week. Again, I know litigation takes a
long time, but you know, the very as I've told
you before, the Bureau Prisons has been in since nineteen
thirty three, I believe thirty two to the first penitentiary.
Through one hundred some years, we have never been declared
(11:06):
national security. So to say that now and to make
comments that the officers have too much justine sufficient cause
in the Union you can't riff people at will. You
have to follow procedures to do that. You know, it's
just a it's just a broad union attack and again
what little rights we have are trying to be stripped
away from us. And we feel very strongly about the
(11:29):
litigation was filed because again this hasn't something a president
hasn't done this in over one hundred years. Ever, So
again we were really looking positive and optimistic into these
into the litigation that was filed by an American Federation
of Government Employees, which is the VA which it was
nilsh you know what I mean, who all their workers
(11:49):
were just laid off. So again it just doesn't it
doesn't affect the federal beer prisons.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
He's got the president of the American Federation of Government
Employees just in term of this with us, and now
justin what's morale like in the building.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
Morale has kind of mistaken the last couple of weeks.
You know, a lot of our officers that got time
and understand this, you know what I mean. They've seen
the different times with different wardens that we've got in here.
You know, we go through a great pass where we
have a good administration and then they were bad. So
they understand the tidal wave that we've been through. But
then if you take away our rights which we were
(12:27):
utilizing to fight this type of bad administrations that we
had in here that lacks safety and security. You know,
specifically with back in the twenty eighteen twenty nineteen times
when we were screaming that they were running these institutions unsafe, unsafe,
the articles the USA today that we've been in and
then you know, we've got to fix our Brian Antonelli
(12:47):
in that came in and fixed everything. You know, the
people that's got some time in really understand how important
these collective Bargaining Unit agreement that we have is for
our staff. You know, the younger guys were trying to say, hey,
we paid the way for this, but again that that
affects people because we a lot of people don't know
where it's gonna go at this point. So again it's
(13:08):
it's it's very unclear and I'm sure and you know
with that is that representation. So again, you know a
lot of our officers, I've gotten officers or jobs back
that's been falsely accused through the arbitration, through due process.
Just just hearing that word due process for Federal correction officers,
that's what we uphold, that's what we want for every American.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
I've got a heart I've got a heartbreak justin. I'm sorry,
but we're gonna keep monitoring this situation and we'll definitely
stay in touch.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
We are talking about your town. Now back to the
Talk of the Town.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
A good Wednesday morning. I'm Mike Nolting and this is
Talk of the Town on a fourteen forty w AJR
right now, fair and thirty four now. West Virginia University
reported a projected first time freshman retention rate, setting a
record for the spring of twenty twenty five at ninety
three point eight percent. They credit the ongoing strategic investments
(14:20):
in the process for that success. And on the phone,
I've got the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education, Evan Witters,
and also the director of University Advising, Joy Carr. Hey,
good morning to both of you. How are you.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Good morning, Mike, Well, how are you doing.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
I'm really good.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
Thanks.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
That's great to hear. I guess first off, congratulations are
in order.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
Yeah, thank you, I appreciate it. In looking around, it
looks like the students are happy. They're doing well in
their classes, they're not dropping a ton of classes, and
they seem to be sort of we invested in campus
and campus life.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Now, let's see, this is the university fall twenty twenty
four to spring twenty five projected first time freshman retention
rate ninety three point eight percent. Break that down and
tell us what that means to the layman.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Good question, Mike, Yeah, So this retention rate, it's preliminary
because usually what we measure is fall to fall, So
basically we're halfway. We're halfway there, so this is a
midpoint of where our retention will eventually be. Unfortunately, we
know we're going to lose more students who won't be
able to return for fall twenty five, but it was
(15:43):
our highest ever number of freshmen students who returned to
the spring semester after the fall semester. And although, like
I said, we're going to lose some more students, unfortunately,
it will end up, we think, leading to probably a
very good fall to fall retention rate.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
I've got Evan Witters Enjoyed Carr with us, and we're
talking about the record WVU freshman retention rate. I guess
the record rate is credited or strategic investments are credited
with the record rate. Rather, excuse me, easy for me
to say what are some of those investments.
Speaker 4 (16:22):
So I think some of the investments have gone into
hiring really great people. We have a lot of student
supports around campus. Some of those are advisors or success coaches,
more tutoring, and those folks are really able to take
the data that we get through the semester. So let's
say a student has a poor midterm grade or an
(16:43):
early alert in the class, those folks are able to
spring into action and identify that student offer them the
supports that they need to keep them headed in the
right direction so they don't end up having to withdraw
or leave the school entirely. So those are some of
the investments that I feel really paid off and show.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
In our retention rate. Yeah, and I'd agree with I
would agree with that. I would say we've we've done
a good job keeping all of our students' success efforts
in the budget year to year, which isn't isn't always easy,
But the one thing the university has is just his
top priority is making sure students are enjoying access to
the resources they need to be successful here academically.
Speaker 1 (17:25):
How does ninety three point eight percent, how does that
stack up with other comparable institutions.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
I would say we're pretty much online with a lot
of our Big twelve peers. I mean, we're not necessarily,
you know, going to match a school like Georgia or
you know, Harvard or something like that. They're usually probably
in the ninety six ninety seven percentage rate. But for
(17:55):
the last you know, three years or so, we've been
making pretty significant improvements and so we're at least on
par with Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Mississippi State, and some
of the other Big twelve schools too. I know, Mississippi
State not a big twell school, but they're ones we
compare ourselves to frequently.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
Sure, now, I know that over the last five years,
you guys have done a lot of work to build
up the infrastructure around things like supporting first time college
students and to support people just with disabilities, all types
of people. You've really done a lot of work to
(18:35):
build that support infrastructure up. Talk about that a little
bit and what role that plays in this number.
Speaker 4 (18:45):
So I think it starts with listening to the student,
which is why advising is so important. A lot of
those good ideas come from the ground up, so to speak.
And just keep in mind it costs a lot less
to becain a current student than it does to recruit
a new student. So you're always going to get more
benefit by listening to what students need and trying to
(19:07):
figure out how to provide those services.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Yeah, and so we've made targeted efforts to provide more
resources to our first generation college students. These are students
whose parents didn't attend a four year school. We also
have worked really hard with some donors, some foundations, the
Mayor Foundations, a big one, the Baulber Foundation, as well
to fund completion grants, which is a way to give
(19:33):
seniors who are almost a graduation. If they're running out
of money, we will just give them a tuition grant
to help them cover that last semester and get.
Speaker 5 (19:42):
Out the door.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
So what's possible at WVU here's ninety three point eight,
where's the what's the goal?
Speaker 3 (19:50):
I guess, well, that's difficult to say, Mike. I want
to make excuses, but a lot of times we're captive
to what's going on the wider economy because you know,
the school is not you have to pay right, So
as the economy goes, it tends to be as our
(20:10):
students go. If you know, if we get into a
rough patch. Say for some reason we entered a recession,
then we'd likely see students, at least some students sort
of lose the financial ability to stay here. So that's
something we worry about. We can't really control it, but
you know, outside of those big things, COVID was another
(20:31):
one obviously, I think every year we're just looking to
make a consistent improvement with that retention number and then
nudge it up every year.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
It's Evan Winters, the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education at WVU,
and we also have the Director of University Advising, Joy Carr,
with us. You know, the last thing that I've got
for you guys is I was thinking just to myself
that if I were a student post PAN, being in
(21:01):
class would be an absolute pleasure and being able to
go about my day and do my business and not
be locked up. So I guess the question is how
much of this number is due to people being able
to be out, be free and do what they want.
Speaker 4 (21:19):
That's a really great question. I think one of the
things we have found when we surveyed our students actually
is that the number one reason they come here and
stay here is it the fit they find a really
good fit here, and I think you can tell that
when you watch them seeing country roads after any game
and they get to that part where it says I
belong West Virginia. You can just see them just lean
(21:41):
into that. And I think we have so many things
here for students to get into, whether that's a club
or a professional organization, mental health and support services, things
going on in the dorms and on campuses. There really
is something for everyone if they look around and reach
out and find it. So you know what we've tried
(22:02):
to do with these rates. Honestly, I don't think we
work to the rate. We work to identify what students need,
we try to make those improvements and what we're seeing
our better retention and graduation rate.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
It's Joy Carr, the director of University Advising, and we
also have the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education, Evan Witters.
Really do appreciate your time here this morning and give you,
guys the last word. If there is.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
One, sure, send your kids here. We will take care
of them. I promise.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
That was that was well placed. Thanks Mike absolutely, Hey,
thank you both, take care and have a great day
right now, faris guys and thirty four degrees. This is
Talk of the Town on AM fourteen forty FM one
oh four point five WAJR. When we come back, we're
(22:57):
going to spend a few minutes with the director of
Communications for the Morgantown Utility Board and talk about an
upcoming household hazardous waste collection event and how he is
preparing for it. That's next.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Join the conversation at one eight hundred and seven sixty
five eight two fivey five.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
This is the Talk of the Town. Good Wednesday morning.
It is fair and thirty four in the University City.
And don't forget tell your friends on the western end
of the county that mon EMS is holding a public
forum at Mason Dixon Park. That's happening tonight at six o'clock.
(23:52):
They would like to talk to you. Actually, they'd like
to promote transparency and build trust within the community. On
the phone, we've got the communications director from the Morgantown
Utility Board, Chris Dale, with us. Chris, good morning, how
are you.
Speaker 5 (24:07):
I'm fine, Mike, how you doing.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
And I'm doing good. Thank you for your service, by the.
Speaker 5 (24:10):
Way, no no problem, thank you.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
Absolutely Okay.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
Chris.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
Let's see household hazardous waste collection day coming up, and
you've been preparing. What have you been doing?
Speaker 5 (24:23):
Well? Right now, we're we actually have a information session
scheduled for Thursday with the saut Of Waste Authority. It's
a six pm via zoom. If you go to mub
dot org you can get the information on If you
scro down to our newscast, we have a link there
you can find it to zoom information to it. So
we're gonna be talking about it some on Thursday with
(24:45):
Assauta Waste Authority. We're also, you know, we have a
vendor scheduled. We're doing all of our background stuff, you know,
just just doing our prep for the event as we
normally do.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Now, I saw on social media that you are, in
fact the star of the zoom event on Thursday. Is
that right?
Speaker 5 (25:03):
Yeah, it'll be me and also it'll be Lyn Castro
from the SAD Waste Authority jumping on there to help
people to decide what they may be able to do
with material that that we don't collect, that household hazard's waste.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
Well, you know, Chris, you know better than I. Chris Dale,
communications director at the Morgantown Utility Board. What are some
of the things that people have questions about.
Speaker 5 (25:27):
Well a lot of times most of the questions I
get are just about what's accepted. And you know, some
of the things we do take mic include you know,
we take batteries of all types and a freeze oil.
We take gasoline, take lighter fluids, kerothene, you know, anything
anything along those lines. We also take roading killers. We
(25:51):
actually get quite a bit of mercury, believe it or not,
so we do accept that, propeine, cylinder spire extinguishers, and
the list goes on the write down to oil based pain.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
That's what I was gonna get you to talk about
just a little bit, because the paint situation is a
little bit different.
Speaker 5 (26:08):
It is, it is, and there is some confusion along
those lines. Every year we take oil based paints. We
don't take latex paints, and the primary reason for that
is that they text paints. You can just set those
out to dry. You can you can put those in
your record.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
Trash so they'll just dry and be a hard block
and you can just throw them out like that.
Speaker 5 (26:32):
Yeah. Absolutely, it does take a while from the dry.
You can actually buy paint paint hardener from places like
Lows that you can jump into it and it'll cause
it to harden a little bit.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
Quicker.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Okay, okay, Now give us some particulars again. Where and
when will this event be please?
Speaker 5 (26:52):
Well, the event is Saturday, August second. It's from eight
am to eleven pm. I'm sorry, eight am two eleven
am to eleven am at mub's main office location here
to seventy eight.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
Green Bank Road.
Speaker 1 (27:08):
What about tires, We.
Speaker 5 (27:10):
Don't take tires now. And if you attend the event
on Thursday, we saw a waste authority. Lencastro can answer
some of those questions for you.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Oh okay, perfect, now, okay, Thursday, that event is going
to be a zoom call and there is no in
person opportunity. Is that right?
Speaker 5 (27:31):
No, there's no in person opportunity now, it's all the
other web.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Okay, okay, perfect, perfect Chris Dale, Communications Director, Morgantown Utility Board.
Last thing I wanted to ask you about our rain barrels.
Speaker 5 (27:46):
Sure, we are having our rainbarrew workshop. We're actually going
to have one this year. It's going to be a
class of approximately forty people and the roman starts at
midnight on April twelfth.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
And I'm assuming that you do it. That way because
those classes fill up quickly.
Speaker 5 (28:06):
Yeah, they do if you're really interested in attending a workshop. Now,
at the workshop, you do get a rain barrow, you
get the conversion kit and it's an awesome conversion kit,
and we go over to instructions on how to install it,
you know, provide information on our watershed, and we partner
with Friends of Deckers Creek and doing that so you'll
learn a little bit about Friends of Deckriss Creek as well.
(28:26):
So it really is it's a great opportunity and you
do walk away with a rain barrel and the kit
and some knowledge on how to install it and you know,
just some safety tips as well.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
What's the cost to participate in that?
Speaker 5 (28:39):
The cost is, well, it's forty dollars, but the online
registration system we use is they have a feed here,
so it comes to forty five dollars, which is still
an incredible bargain because the conversion kit itself is worth.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
More than that, correct, And you end up getting a
rain barrel.
Speaker 5 (29:00):
Yeah, yeah, I get the rain barrel conversion kit and
all the proceeds from the workshop actually go to benefit
Friends of Decker's Creek, which is awesome as well.
Speaker 1 (29:08):
Okay, perfect. Hey Chris, I appreciate your time today. Thank
you very much.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
Hey, thank you, Mike.
Speaker 5 (29:14):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (29:15):
Absolutely Have a good day you two. Alrighty
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