Thursday, October 07, 1999
County chooses Ohio's program to help jobless
BY DAN KLEPAL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Hamilton County commissioners approved a plan Wednesday that could bring more than $3 million to the county to train unemployed people for jobs.
Every county in Ohio has to choose between state and federal plans by Oct. 15. The reason is that in June, the federal Job Training Partnership Agreement will be replaced by the new federal Workforce Investment Act.
Now, counties must choose between the new federal program and the state option.
Hamilton County officials say the state plan, called Ohio's Workforce Strategic Option, will provide more money and more options on how to spend that money.
The Ohio plan also encourages a regional approach to work force development by offering incentive money to counties that agree to band together to solve problems.
For example, Hamilton County was scheduled to receive $1.4 million from the federal work force development allocation next year.
But Hamilton County will receive base funding of $1.6 million under the Ohio plan. Then the county could receive an additional $1 million for partnering with the city, an additional $252,000 for joining with another county and an additional $166,000 if the two counties combine Workforce Policy Boards.
“It's a situation where we have everything to gain and nothing to lose,” said Don Thomas, director of the Hamilton County Department of Human Services. “It will allow us to break down some of the artificial barriers that exist between us.
“Jobs and unemployed people don't pay attention to political boundaries.”
Butler County commissioners are expected to adopt the state plan Monday and might be a partner with Hamilton County on many issues.
“We think the state plan makes sense because it gives us more control,” Butler County Administrator Derek Conklin said.
One example of how Hamilton and Butler counties could work together is in transportation.
Many people in the Cincinnati area need jobs, and there are many businesses that need employees in Butler County. The two counties could partner to provide transportation for the unemployed in Hamilton County to jobs in Butler County.
“We certainly have the job market, and we can't find the employees,” Mr. Conklin said.
Butler County could jump from a $1.7 million allocation under the federal plan to $2.2 million, if it qualifies for all of the incentives in the state program.
Under the Ohio plan, funding will go directly to the counties, to be allocated as local officials see fit. Counties decide whether to continue with existing providers or to use new ones, based on local needs.
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