National Association of Counties opposes closing of Job Corps centers

Orleans contingent writes resolution that gets backing of NACo

Provided photos:  Orleans County Legislators John Fitzak, Lynne Johnson and Skip Draper are shown at the NACo conference in Philadelphia.

Press Release, Orleans County Legislature

PHILADELPHIA, PA. – Orleans County Legislators Lynne Johnson, Skip Draper and John Fitzak today announced that the National Association of Counties (NACo) has passed a resolution, authored by the three lawmakers, opposing closure of Job Corps centers across the country.  The vote took place yesterday at the NACo annual conference in Philadelphia.

Orleans County Legislature Chairman Lynne Johnson, joined by Legislator Skip Draper, presents the resolution opposing Job Corps closure at the NACo conference.

“It’s no secret that we consider the Iroquois Job Corps center in Medina hugely important to creating pathways to employment for many young men and women,” Johnson said. “It was extremely gratifying to see other counties across the country feel the same way about Job Corps centers in their regions and joined our effort to save them.”

Legislator Skip Draper said, “The Iroquois Job Corps trains hundreds of students each year for jobs in the building trades, and Job Corps centers around the country train over 50,000 students annually. If the federal government’s desire is to reduce people’s reliance on social services programs, and instead move them into meaningful work, then cutting Job Corps does not make any sense.”

With yesterday’s vote on the Orleans County resolution, support to maintain Job Corps now becomes a priority for NACo’s lobbying efforts in Congress.

“As the old saying goes, there is strength in numbers,” said Legislator John Fitzak.  “With the full weight of NACo and its member counties behind efforts to save Job Corps, we stand a much better chance of building a coalition of federal representatives to preserve this important program.”