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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: May 19, 2009 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. ~- - q <br />SUBJECT: Space Allocation and Cost Reimbursements at Skills Development Center and <br />Hillsborough Commons <br />DEPARTMENT: Social Services PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Nancy Coston, 245-2800 <br />Pam Jones, 245-2650 <br />PURPOSE: To consider increased space allocations for Employment Security Commission and <br />Joint Orange Chatham Community Action (JOCCA) at the Orange County Skills Development <br />Center and Hillsborough Commons and request reimbursement for facility costs. <br />BACKGROUND: The Orange County Skills Development Center, administered through the <br />Department of Social Services, is a Level III chartered JobLink Center. This means the Center <br />is a comprehensive site for persons seeking employment and training assistance in Orange <br />County. To maintain this charter, several partners are required to be present at the Center <br />including the Employment Security Commission and the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) <br />operator, which in Orange County is the Joint Orange Chatham Community Action agency. <br />Other partners at the Center include Durham Technical Community College, the Orange County <br />Literacy Council, and the Department of Social Services' Work First and Veteran's Services <br />programs. Most of the partners have been supplied free space for activities directly related to <br />providing JobLink services and some agencies (Durham Technical Community College and the <br />Literacy Council) have historically shared some of the costs at the Center in exchange for <br />additional space. The current operational costs for the Center include the actual space, utilities, <br />janitorial services, and support staff through one administrative position funded by Social <br />Services. <br />In the past year, state budget reductions have caused the Employment Security Commission to <br />reduce its time at the Skills Development Center to a level below the required amount for the <br />charter. In addition, further reductions have resulted in a need for Employment Security <br />Commission to end its lease .and to close its Orange County office. As with other required <br />partners, some space was offered at the Skills Development Center at no cost. The <br />Employment Security Commission has now requested to lease some additional space at the <br />