MOUNT VERNON — Changes are coming to Knox County’s workforce as a result of federal budget cuts and a Trump administration Executive Order.
“The public workforce system is about to change, and it’s about to change radically. We don’t know what that’s going to look like,” Brandy Booth, workforce administrator at OhioMeansJobs Knox County, told the commissioners on Thursday.
The executive order President Donald Trump issued on April 23 requires the Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Education, and Secretary of Labor to review all federal workforce development programs.
They must submit a report within 90 days detailing strategies to help the American worker.
“Next week they have to give their recommendations to President Trump on what they think needs to happen with the public workforce system, so we’re just waiting to see what’s going to happen,” Booth said.
However, the executive order is not what caused Booth to panic.
“We are facing some significant funding cuts for this next program year,” she said. “It has nothing to do with that executive order. It has nothing to do with any cuts that DOGE [Department of Government Efficiency] made.”
The federal government seriously reduced the department’s budget:
•69% cut in adult funding
•13% cut in dislocated worker funding
•52% cut in youth funding
“To put that in perspective, we were expecting $100,000 in adult funding, and we’re getting $34,000. We were expecting $160,000 in youth funding, and we’re getting $77,000,” Booth said.
“So, we are going to really have to get creative with how we’re providing services, and we’re going to have to say no.”
Catch-22 conundrum
Booth said the funding cuts stem partly from the county’s unemployment rate.
Counties that exceed 4.5 percent get more funding; counties that are below that get less funding. Knox County’s unemployment rate hovers around 4 percent.
“They also take into consideration the poverty levels in the areas and the labor participation,” Booth said.
“You could argue that you’re proactively offering things to keep the unemployment down. If you take those away, then do we go above 4.5 percent? And now you’re funding it in a different way through unemployment benefits,” County Administrator Jason Booth said.
Brandy Booth agreed it is a Catch 22.
“You do a really good job in the employment area, and then they say we’re going to take all of your funding because other areas need it,” she said.
JFS Director Scott Boone said it is frustrating because Booth has built relationships with community employers who now seek out JFS.
“Now we’re at a point where it’s like we’ll help as much as we can, but we don’t want to over promise and under deliver on something when we don’t know what funding’s coming behind,” he said.
“It’s going to be tight for the next year, really, really tight in the job side of things.”
Brandy Booth, JFS workforce development administrator
The WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) program year runs from July 1 through June 30. The program’s funding follows the federal fiscal year, which runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30.
“The funding that I’m talking about right now that we’re taking the cut on is funding that’s supposed to last through June 30 of 2027,” Brandy Booth said. “If we get another allocation next summer, that will have to last until 2028, but we’ll have it available to use.”
About OhioMeansJobs
OhioMeansJobs offers a range of services to individuals, including resume preparation, job search assistance, career counseling, and help with unemployment benefits.
The agency works out of the Opportunity Knox Employment Center on Coshocton Road.
OMJ offers services to businesses, including job postings and screenings, as well as developing job descriptions and connecting them to state programs.
It also operates the WIOA program, which includes training and career services, a youth employment program, and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).
“We operate the prevention retention contingency program, that’s the PRC. Previously when we were doing the PRC program, we did work supports. Now we also help with the housing assistance, utilities, transportation,” Booth said.
Work supports include uniforms and work boots.
The federal government’s Department of Labor funds all of the programs.
“Almost 25% of the services we provided were assistance with unemployment benefits; another 25% were workshop attendance,” Booth said.
“Twenty-two percent of our services were resume writing services, and then also we did many, many assessments. About 20% of our services were assessments that we did for employers and also for job seekers.”
(Below is a PDF showing a snapshot of 2024 Opportunity Knox services through OhioMeansJobs).
Knox County Dog Shelter
Dog Warden Brian Biggerstaff updated the commissioners on activities at the dog shelter through May and June.
In May, 27 dogs entered the shelter; 19 left. In June, 29 entered, and 30 left.
As of July 16, 19 of the 22 dogs at the shelter are available for adoption.
(Below are Biggerstaff’s full reports for May and June.)
