4 employees in job-finding agency to lose own positions

Four Lucas County employees whose job it is to help others find work will lose their own jobs next month as the Workforce Development Agency continues to struggle with significant funding cuts.

Funding for the agency through the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services peaked in 2009 at $6.68 million. Since then, it has fallen more than 42 percent, dropping $861,000 this year to $3.86 million.

Ben Johnson, a spokesman for the Ohio Departemnt of Job and Family Services, said the department doesn’t control how much money it has to give, as that funding comes through the federal Workforce Investment Act.

“In reacting to that obviously we wanted to still provide as much front-line services as we can for things like money to go to school for retraining programs, assistance for workers in job searches, things that really are operative in the search for work and connecting employers with employees,” Commissioner Pete Gerken said.

The four employees -- a clerk, clerical specialist, workforce outreach coordinator, and program specialist -- were notified of the layoffs Tuesday. The layoffs are effective Aug. 19.

The commissioners said it was with a tinge of sad irony that they approved the layoffs, as funding cuts continue for local jobs programs while Gov. John Kasich touts his new state initiatives aimed at job growth.

“I think it’s ironic on the day he was making big announcements about his work team [JobsOhio] populated with millionaires from Marathon and the president of Ohio State University, we’re trying to solve our problems here by laying off working-class people that are part of the operation to get people jobs,” Mr. Gerken said.

Mr. Kasich pushed for the creation of JobsOhio, a private nonprofit board, to take over most of the duties of the Department of Development for job creation and economic development.Most of its members, including Gary R. Heminger, president and chief executive officer of Marathon Petroleum Corp., were announced Monday.

Four employees of the Workforce Development Agency were laid off last year in response to that round of funding cuts.

Also during their meeting Tuesday, the commissioners approved the Lucas County Solid Waste Management District’s solid waste management plan, which includes a disposal fee increase of $2 per ton in 2012, in addition to a new, flat $5 assessment for all homes and businesses in 2014.

The plan is subject to approval by Toledo City Council and by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

Contact Tyrel Linkhorn at: tlinkhorn@theblade.com or 419-724-6134.