HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 06-21-2022; 8-r - Authorization for the Chair to Sign a Letter of Intent to Realign with the Capital Area Workforce Development Board 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: June 21, 2022
Action Agenda
Item No. 8-r
SUBJECT: Authorization for the Chair to Sign a Letter of Intent to Realign with the Capital
Area Workforce Development Board
DEPARTMENT: Social Services
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nancy Coston, Social Services, 919-
Draft Letter of Intent 245-2800
Sharron Hinton, Social Services, 919-
245-2800
PURPOSE: To authorize the Chair to sign a letter of intent to realign Orange County from the
Regional Partnership Workforce Development Board to the Capital Area Workforce Development
Board effective July 1, 2023.
BACKGROUND: At the June 7, 2022 BOCC meeting, staff from the NCWorks Commission
provided a presentation regarding the realignment of regional workforce development boards,
options for Orange County for future alignment, and the approval process for proposed
realignments.
Orange County is currently one of five counties in the Regional Partnership Workforce
Development Board. The other counties are Alamance, Randolph, Montgomery and Moore.
There are currently three Board members appointed by the Board of Commissioners: Katie Loovis
(Chapel Hill Chamber of Commerce), Rhonda Sue Holaday (Summit Design and Engineering)
and Orange County Social Services Director Nancy Coston.
The purpose of the Workforce Development Board is to help job seekers with employment,
education, training and support to succeed in the job market while supplying skilled workers for
employers. The Board also provides oversight for the regional allocation of Workforce Innovation
and Opportunity Act funds. These funds provide services to all populations and have a particular
focus on dislocated workers, youth and other job seekers with specific barriers.
In 2013, the Orange County Department of Social Services (DSS) won the competitive bid to
operate the youth program in Orange County. In 2017, after a competitive bid process, DSS
became the operator for all the adult and youth programs and the NCWorks Center, and has
continued to provide these services and integrated them with the existing employment and
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support services at DSS and Skills Development Center. There are other grants and services
provided directly by the regional partnership staff, including business support.
Following the NC Works Commission presentation and discussion, the Board instructed County
staff to prepare a letter of intent to realign with the Capital Area Workforce Development Board.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with the proposed letter and any
potential impacts of realignment are unknown.
SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: There is no Orange County Social Justice Goal impact associated
with this item.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: There is no Orange County Environmental Responsibility Goal
impact associated with this item.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board:
1) authorize the Chair and staff to enter negotiations with Capital Area Workforce
Development Board on the details of alignment;
2) authorize the Chair to sign a letter of intent to realign with the Capital Area Workforce
Board; and
3) authorize staff to coordinate the realignment process as prescribed by the Department of
Commerce, including the development of the consortium agreement for consideration by
the Board.
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DRAFT
Tom Rabon
Chair,NCWorks Commission
c/o North Carolina Department of Commerce
4301 Mail Service Center
Raleigh,North Carolina 27699-4301
Sent via email to NCWorksCommissiongcommerce.nc.gov
Dear Chair Rabon:
On behalf of Orange County, I write to express the County's intention to transition from our current local workforce
area to the Capital Area Workforce Board with Wake,Johnston,Chatham and Lee counties with the intention to form
a new local workforce development board. We have consulted with leaders of the Capital Area Workforce
Development Board, and they agree to this realignment. Our goal is to make the new local area effective on July 1,
2023.
To help inform this decision, I have consulted with my fellow county commissioners, and leaders involved in
education, workforce and economic development in my community, including J. B. Buxton, President, Durham
Technical Community College, and Aaron Nelson,CEO,The Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill- Carrboro.
I have also communicated with the appropriate local elected officials and area stakeholders in the other counties
involved, and there is consensus on this course of action. We believe that this new area will follow the guiding
principles for alignment established by the NCWorks Commission earlier this year, especially by (1) decreasing
redundancy among local workforce development boards within economic development areas; (2) better aligning
community college and workforce development board service areas; and(3)matching local workforce development
board outreach to area jobseeker and business customer needs.
We look forward to collaborating with the Capital Area Workforce Development Board,the NCWorks Commission
and the North Carolina Department of Commerce on the process of transitioning to a new local area as we seek to
strengthen workforce and economic development.
Thank you for your consideration and partnership.
Sincerely,
Renee Price
Chair,Board of County Commissioners
Orange County
CC: Dr. Annie Izod,NCWorks Commission
Darrell L. Frye, Chair,Randolph County Board of Commissioners
Chet Mottershead,N.C. Division of Workforce Solutions